Page 56 of Mic Drop

She flips her pancake and my cell goes off.

LUKE

Sorry, B, time to go. The limo will be by your wedding night villa in an hour.

I don’t bother to respond because Jenna’s placing her pancake onto her own dish. Smiling like our time isn’t coming to an end. We eat our breakfast, talking in low murmurs. The rest of the world can fuck off.

Still, I want her to be safe when I’m not here. “Promise me you’ll reach out to Hayden and let the UC PR team handle anything that comes up. None of this is your fault. Your sole focus should be on your mother.”

“Thanks, Bennett. I’ll do my best. Looks like Michelle’s been pretty well shut down, though. Time will help the clinics get back on their feet.”

“I want to be as healthy as you are when I grow up.” I drag her into my arms.

“Not sure I’m healthy. Someone called me ‘controlling.’” She leans back and gives me a saucy grin.

“Controlling can be a good thing sometimes. Like when we’re naked in bed. It can be very good then.”

“Yeah, but you always usurp my power there. So not fair.”

“Hey,” I tip her chin upward. “If you were in control, what would you do?” Can’t wait to hear her dirty thoughts.

“I’d—” She bites her lip. “I’d tell you to make me come on your fingers and mouth, then I’d rock your world.”

“Oh, baby, you already do that to me.” If only we had enoughtime to do this. “Next time, all right? Next time, you get control.” I smile against her neck. “Until I take it back.”

She shoves against me. “Jerk!”

We laugh and wrestle and kiss until a knock sounds at the front door. We walk through the foyer, and I grab our overnight bags while she opens the door for our limo driver.

Fun and games are over. We’re returning to our real lives. Where I’m on tour with UC halfway across the country and she’s here, tending to her mother and her physical therapy clinics. We get into the limo.

“Hey, you haven’t mentioned how the two new clinics are coming along.”

Gray eyes study my face. “They’re doing good. Court’s taken the lead and they’re in the middle of renovations for the third, while she’s scouted a few different locations for the fourth one with Angie.”

“Court’s a great friend.”

“Yes, she is.” Her hand drops to my thigh. “And you’re a great husband. I’m lucky you picked me. Thank you, Rock Star.”

What on earth is she thanking me for? “You got it backward, Sweetheart. You saved me from a shallow life and gave me so much more than I ever thought was possible.” The limo pulls to a stop beside UC’s jet.

Blood pumping, I pull Jenna into my arms and kiss her like I haven’t been doing it all night long. All too soon, Luke opens the vehicle’s door. “Sorry, you have to get off the honeymoon train. But you can pick it up in two short weeks, I promise.”

My manager’s voice is both annoying and soothing. I say, “Can’t come soon enough.”

“I’ll see you when you come back.” Jenna kisses me one last time and sits back against the leather seat, offering a wave to Luke—who reciprocates. At least he has the decency to appear embarrassed to end our honeymoon night.

I tamp down threatening tears, which Luke would never let me live down. Fourteen days and we’ll be back in each other’s arms. Ilean over and kiss mywifeagain, then scoot out of the limo before my ass refuses to move.

Luke shuts the door. I sling my overnight bag over my shoulder and follow our manager onto the jet. All the while my thoughts remain on the solitary woman in the backseat of the limo. Who takes the front seat in my life.

When I get onto the jet, all of UC is there, congratulating me on the wedding. “The man of the hour,” Río exclaims as I flop into a seat.

“Hey, guys,” I reply. “Thanks for yesterday. It was a day I’ll never forget.”

“We had a blast,” Coop interjects. “Your house is the bomb. Arcade in the basement? Way too cool.”

“Kicked your ass at pinball,” 007 ribs our guitarist.

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