Page 35 of The Drummer's Heart

“How could I forget? That was the best night of my life up to that point. It was so damn sexy that you made the first move.”

She shrugged. “I couldn’t help it.”

“I can’t believe I never saw it coming, never knew you had the same kind of feelings for me that I’d had for you.”

“Well, you were blind, then, apparently.”

“Maybe,” I said. “But I’m glad you took your shot with me.”

Her smile faded. “Are you? We could’ve avoided a lot of unnecessary pain if I’d never said a damn thing.”

I felt an ache in my chest at the thought of never having gotten to love her. “That’s where you’re wrong. I don’t regret any of it. Not for a second. I’m just sorry for how it ended.”

“Yeah, me too,” she whispered. She looked up at the sky before abruptly changing the subject. “What’s the next adventure for Delirious Jones?”

“We start recording again soon. Then we have a tour early next year.”

“I’m surprised you haven’t practiced the entire time you’ve been here. You almost never go this long without your drums. They’re a part of you.”

“It’s funny you mention that. I actually have someone delivering a set tomorrow. Just a rental.”

“Where are you gonna put them?”

“Have you been in the garage? It’s pretty empty.”

“I haven’t. I just assumed she was using it for storage.”

“Me, too. But there’s next to nothing in there. It’s perfect and far enough away from the main house that hopefully I won’t be too loud. I figured I could go out there in the evenings before Mimi goes to sleep and get some beats in.”

Nicole stared at me intently, and I loved it. “What’s up?” I asked.

“Your hair’s getting long.”

I ran my hand through my mane. “Yeah. I guess it is.”

“I brought my shears with me.”

“For a reason other than stabbing me in my sleep?”

“Believe it or not, yes. I brought them to trim Mimi’s hair.”

“Ah.”

“Want me to do you really quick before bed?”

God, do I ever want you to do me really quick before bed, woman.“Yeah. That would be awesome. You’re not gonna hack all my hair off while stoned, are you?”

“No. I’m not that high off half a joint.”

“Okay, then.”

She stood. “Let’s go.”

Her ass looked so damn good as I followed her inside. Not sure if it was that little bit of weed or what, but I was damn horny right now. Even more so than usual.

I pulled out one of the kitchen chairs and waited as Nicole went to get the black pouch she kept her hair supplies in. This felt like old times. I couldn’t count the number of times she’d cut my hair over the years.

Nicole sprayed my hair down and began trimming the ends in the meticulous way she always did, grasping piece by piece between her delicate fingers with a snip-snip here and a snip-snip there; somehow it always came out like magic. Not only had I lost a wife a few years back but also the best damn hairdresser I’d ever had. What I’d missed most about this, though, was now also my current torture. I closed my eyes so as not to have her tits in my face while she trimmed my bangs. They were at eye-level. The way her warm body grazed mine as she moved around the chair made my temperature rise. And that damn Egyptian musk she wore drove me crazy. Fuck, what I wouldn’t give forjust one more night with this woman. How many times had she done this very thing for me—cut my hair, teasing me with her body—before I ended up carrying her away and making love to her, loose hairs and all still fucking stuck to the back of my neck. Sometimes I wouldn’t even make it out of the chair. I’d just pull her on top and let her ride me.

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