Page 60 of California Love Songs
And so, he took her home. And they made love quietly, gently. Both a little tired, both a little spent. But giving and receiving pleasure felt like the most natural thing for them to do. They’d experienced each other’s bodies enough that they were completely comfortable, and each knew what the other wanted. She gasped as she climaxed, the sheer force of it taking her by surprise. And when he joined her in bliss, she stroked his curls and held him tightly against her, feeling each shudder of pleasure as if it were her own.
When she was curled up against him, her head resting on his shoulder, she turned to kiss his warm skin. “I love you,” she mouthed against him. Not so he could hear, just so she could express what she felt, the emotion that filled her heart and every cell of her body.
She loved him.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Waking up next to Crystal was the best feeling Damien had ever experienced. It gave him more of a buzz and made his heart beat faster than any huge stadium show he’d played or million-dollar record deal he’d signed. He only wished they could stay in bed all day and shut out the world, but she had needed to get to work early, so he’d driven her back home, enjoying a long, lingering kiss before she laughed and said she’d be late if she didn’t get going. Then Opal texted at nine a.m. to say she was on her way and he refocused on music.
When Opal arrived, she was raring to work. If anything, being thrust into the limelight of a TV interview had spurred her on. It had given Damien a boost, too. His instincts had been right, but they had a way to go before she would be presenting her songs in the best possible light.
As the morning went on, he wasn’t a bit surprised when friends and colleagues in the business started messaging and emailing him, asking him about Opal. He’d even missed a call from a record company executive while they were in the studio. As Archer had warned him, things were about to change for his protégée, and change fast. Damien was determined to have six really polished songs finished before sending anything out or taking any meetings.
The rest of the week passed in a blur of hard work. But it was paying off. Opal’s songs were starting to shine and he was beginning to feel confident about launching her career. It was exciting to mentor somebody else, to worry about somebody else’s career instead of his own. And it gave him back some of the excitement of the early days when he’d been just like Opal. A kid with a dream, some raw talent, and some good lyrics. He respected that she worked as hard as he did. If anything, she was even more of a perfectionist. He’d think they’d laid down a perfect track and she’d listen and insist on trying it again.
They were in the studio one morning when Erin and Mila barged in. Damien practically jumped out of his skin. He flung up a hand to stop them from interrupting Opal’s take. The pair of them waited impatiently until the song was done and then joined him at the board with matching frowns.
He said, “Hey. What’s up?”
For some reason, they looked angry. He racked his brains, but couldn’t think of anything he’d done to offend his sisters or any of his family. In fact, he’d barely seen them. He’d been working such long hours that he’d hardly left the studio all week. Sure, he managed to see Crystal every night, but sometimes it would be pretty late and he’d drive down to her place and crawl into bed with her. Or she’d be here at the house and he’d know that after a day of intense work in the studio, she’d be waiting on the couch or in his bed, warm and willing. It was bliss.
Obviously, he’d had lots of women warm his bed before, but never one that felt like she really belonged there. And with every passing day, he was more convinced that Crystal belonged in his bed, in his house, in his life. It was amazing how quickly they’d fallen into the pattern of spending every night together and then in the morning, he’d make her a strong cup of coffee and he’d drink a green juice. They’d have breakfast together either at her place or his. Then she’d get on with her day and he got on with his. She respected how hard he was working and didn’t ask for more time than he had to give. And he could see that she was also super busy. In this way, they’d created a good rhythm together, just like when they were dancing. It was cozy but sexy.
So, finding himself confronted by two irritated sisters made him wonder, What have I done?
“Do you ever answer your damn phone?” Mila demanded. “Look at your email or check your messages?”
He’d seen that she’d been trying to contact him, but had assumed it was something to do with her wedding and decided she could wait. Clearly that had been a mistake. Trying to find a way to be diplomatic, he said, “No, I don’t always check. I’ve been busy.”
Mila sighed. “Damien, it’s Crystal’s birthday this Wednesday.”
He’d been so busy that he’d lost track of the calendar altogether. “What, this Wednesday coming up?”
“Yes. Which you would know, if you’d bothered to read your messages and return my calls.”
Damien should have known that Mila would only track him down if he didn’t answer her right away with whatever she wanted. “I’m sorry,” he said. “We’ve been working so hard that I’ve barely looked at my phone. I thought you were trying to get hold of me for something to do with the wedding, and yes, of course I’ll sing you a song.”
Now Mila looked even more annoyed. “It’s nothing to do with my wedding. It’s about Crystal’s birthday party. Which you insisted on hosting, remember? Erin and I have been trying to organize it, but we need your input since it’s going to be here.”
Damien glanced at Erin, hoping for an ally, but she looked every bit as irritated as Mila. He’d messed up in not answering the phone. If only he could tell them that he’d been busy creating a new kind of relationship with Crystal while he was forgetting about her birthday party.
“Right, okay,” he murmured.
Opal came out of the studio and greeted his sisters. After they both told her how amazing she’d been on TV, Mila said, “We need to meet with our brother about this birthday party he’s hosting for Crystal.”
She blinked, looking a bit like a mole coming out of the ground. “Okay. I might go out and get some air. Take a walk.”
Damien realized they’d been at it for three or four hours solid. “That’s a good idea,” he said. And to his sisters, “Come up to the house and make some coffee. I need something to eat.”
As they left the studio, Erin squeezed his shoulder. Her expression softened as she said, “Hey, you’ve been working too hard.” She glanced at Opal, who was walking briskly, rolling her shoulders as though they were stiff. “And poor Opal looks half-dead from exhaustion.”
Damien shook his head. “Don’t blame me for that. She works harder than I do. She never wants to take breaks. She just wants to keep going, keep refining. Her songs are becoming excellent.”
Erin said, “Well, that’s good, but it sounds like you both need somebody to make you take a breather. It’s a good thing we came.”
That was debatable.
As they walked up to the house and he stretched his body, he realized he needed more exercise than nightly sex if he was going to hold it together. Inside, they settled around the kitchen table. Erin put on coffee and made him a green tea without even being asked. She also took it upon herself to pull some food out of the fridge and made him a plate of kale salad, sliced smoked tofu, and toasted whole wheat pita bread. She laid it in front of him and he thanked her, realizing just how hungry he was as he took his first mouthful. Meanwhile, Mila had been busy getting out a notebook and pen.
