Smiling, Carter reeled him in until his thumb was gently caressing the skin on the inside of Jeff’s elbow. “And we’re gonna have anap,” he crooned.
Jeff truthfully could not have said if he was elated or disappointed. A nap with Carter sounded amazing.
However, Carter wasn’t done. He kept moving his thumb in gentle circles, and now he leaned down, so tall it felt like he could block out the whole world and so close Jeff could’ve counted his eyelashes. “And then I’m going to make you come so hard you forget the words to every song you’ve ever written and neither of us is going tothinkabout work until tomorrow morning.”
It was fortunate that Carter had such a good grip on him, or Jeff might’ve hurt himself in his swoon. “That is the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
Carter snorted and kissed his forehead. “I’ll make it up to you with dirty talk later.”
If Carter saidfucktwice within twenty minutes, Jeff would die. “Let me just get my shoes.”
WITH SIBELto mind the mixing board, actually recording the demo turned out to be the second-easiest part of the whole endeavor.
“I was expecting more yelling and cursing,” she admitted as she pulled off her headphones. “Where’s the drama?”
The observation threw Jeff for a loop, because she was right. The last time they’d recorded an album had been stressful and fraught with petty arguments. He glanced at Trix.
“I think we left it at our old label.”
“Holy shit,” Jeff said, shaking his head. After months of stress, they’d finally done it.
“I’m going to sleep for aweek,” Max said, sprawled out on the floor on his back. “Tell your mother-in-law not to move me.”
“No binge-sleeping until we have a new contract,” Trix said firmly. “First we get this to Monique, then we sign with the new label,thenwe sleep.”
Sibel tucked her feet under her on the chair. “I think there’s one thing you’re forgetting, though.”
“Did you hear something?” Joe said. “Because I didn’t hear anything.”
“Nope,” said Trix. “Total silence.”
Sibel ignored this. “What’re you going to call it?”
Oh.
Jeff hadn’t thought about it.
Max waved his hand. “That’s easy. The rest of us voted.”
Trix poked him with a drumstick. “You want to make it unanimous?”
It turned out Jeff did, but now he had another problem. “Shit,” he said, rubbing a finger underneath his right eye. “I think I have to write another song.”
Chapter Twenty-One
TWO DAYSlater, Monique met them at LaGuardia.
Jeff had always liked New York City. New Yorkers had rules—not hassling celebrities in their off hours was one of them, mostly. Not that they were taking any chances. All four of them wore their most inconspicuous street clothing and let Monique, in a gorgeous cream linen suit with a teal silk shell, command people’s attention.
They wouldn’t be in town for long anyway, Fate willing.
The car picked them up right outside the airport and they quickly got in. Jeff leaned his head on the window and looked up at the skyline—well, he couldn’t see all the way to the sky, but he lookedup… and smiled. “Remember the first time we played in New York City?”
“Barely,” Max admitted with the ghost of a smile. “Didn’t you throw up?”
“Twice.” Jeff didn’t get nerves much as a rule, but playing NYC the first time had him ready to spit butterflies for a week.
Across from him, Joe grinned. “It was a wild time for everyone, if I recall.”
