Page 67 of Just What She Needed

“It’s fucking awful.” Rhys opened a storage compartment under the couch and pulled out a blanket. “I don’t know whose idea it was to hire buses for this tour, but they should be sacked. We’re Illicit, not some opening act. We’ll have a jet next time no matter whose balls I have to twist.”

After a bit of maneuvering, they found a comfortable position to lie in, and Rhett sighed as she rested her head on his chest.

"I'm glad you're here." His lips brushed through her hair. "I've missed the hell out of you. I couldn't wait until April to hold you again like this." His hands caressed her back. “So, tell me. What do think of all this?”

“I loved the show,” she said. “Especially you. I couldn’t take my eyes off you. Got me all hot and bothered, too.” She smiled as his soundless laugh shook his chest. “The rest of it was...well, boring. And frustrating,” she added softly.

Rhys sighed. “I know it was frustrating.” Gentle fingers on her chin brought her eyes back to his. "Rhett, I wanted you to see what really goes on because I'd hate for you to run across a picture or some story online and get the wrong idea. Now that you know how it is, you'll know the truth behind any photos you might see, and you'll know the stories are just rumors or outright lies.”

Rhett shook her head. “I don’t ever look for pictures of you on the internet.”

His brows rose in surprise. “You don’t?”

“Mm-mm.” She laid a hand on his cheek. “You in real life is so much better than any photo. And if I did see pictures of you, it would make me miss you even worse. So, I don’t go looking for them.”

Rhys smiled and leaned his face into her hand. “Looks like I needn’t have worried about that. Or anything else for that matter.”

“What else were you worried about?” She propped herself on his chest so she could see him better. If there were any more surprises, she wanted to meet them head on.

“I wanted to see if you could handle me the way I am when I’ve been on the road a bit.” He shrugged one shoulder. “I’ve been told I can be a bit much.”

A frown tugged at her brows. “I didn’t notice you being a bit much.”

He laughed under his breath, but it held no humor. “It’s been described to me as cocky, arrogant, son of a bitch Rhys James.”

Rhett shook her head. “I didn’t get that at all, Rhys. Except when you were onstage and you were cocky then. But you’re supposed to be, right?”

“I don’t know if I’m supposed to be, but I can’t help it there. When almost twenty-thousand people are screaming your name it’s hard not to get cocky. But it’s supposed to stay on the stage.” He let out a soft breath. “After all these years, though, it’s become part of who I am, whether I like it or not.”

“I haven’t seen that tonight,” she told him.

Rhys smiled and ran his fingers through her hair. “Looks like you bring out the best in me just by being here then.” His expression grew serious. “If I ever start that shit with you, you’ll call me out on it, all right?”

“All right. I’ll try to keep you in line.” She tilted her head. “Speaking of calling you out, we’re finally by ourselves and you haven’t even tried to kiss me. What’s up with that?”

His eyes popped open wide. “Fuck me, I haven’t, have I?” He put a hand behind her head. “Come here, woman.”

The second their lips met Rhett melted. No one had ever made love to her mouth the way Rhys did with his kisses. The way he teased her with his tongue, nibbled her lips, then deepened the kisses to soul-scorching level that set her entire being on fire. God, she’d missed that.

Rhys pulled back a bit, breathing hard. “Fuck, baby, I love your kisses. Those little moans you make drive me mad.” He growled deep in his throat. “Fucking David stealing our bed. I want you so bad, Rhett.”

Rhett moved her body against his. The evidence of how much he wanted her was hard against the apex of her thighs and she thought she might go mad herself.

“Christ, baby, don’t,” Rhys groaned. “Or when the rest of them get here, they’re apt to find you naked on your back while we write the bus related verse of ‘Auto Erotic.’”

“Would that qualify as having sex in public?” She pressed soft kisses on his lips.

“Most definitely. But I don’t trust those prats not to video the whole thing.”

That threw an icy shower on Rhett’s libido. “Are you serious?”

“Unfortunately, yes. Photos at the very least.” He shook with laughter at her expression. “Welcome to rock and roll, love.”

“But...what would they do with them?”

“Nothing. They’d know just having them would drive me right round the bend.”

“You?” Rhett couldn’t repress a shudder. “I’d die if I thought...No, they’d die if I thought they had something like that.”