"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Simon asked, curiosity in his tone.

"Avery Dare," she said, extending her hand.

"Simon Colson, and it's a pleasure to meet you. I trust you enjoyed the concert I left you tickets for?"

That night was the last thing Grey wanted in Avery's head now, when he finally had her on the way to his bed.

"I did. The band was amazing," she said, genuine enthusiasm in her voice, and a bit of pride filled him at the knowledge that she had enjoyed the concert.

Simon nodded. "I know it's hectic backstage afterwards, but I hope you were able to make good use of the pa.s.ses?" he asked in a too-kind voice.

Grey swore. The SOB knew full well what had happened that night, and he was deliberately rubbing Avery's face in it. The question was why? And the only answer he could come up with was that Avery's presence in his life somehow threatened Simon. Which again made no sense, since the man had no idea Grey wasn't keen on using him in any future endeavors.

He tightened his grip on Avery's hand and turned his attention to what was important-Avery, who eyed Simon with a healthy dose of wariness.

"I did get backstage, actually. And you're right. It's a crazy scene," Avery said.

He was surprised she managed to keep her voice and expression neutral.

"Comes with the territory. Especially around our boy here. The women love him." Simon smiled at her.

Grey had had enough, but before he could speak, Avery did.

"They do because he's that talented." She straightened her shoulders and met Simon's gaze. "But as you can see, Grey and I reconnected, and that's all that matters."

Grey grinned. Apparently his girl had solid intuition and knew how to hold her own. She'd managed with Lola and again now with Simon. He hoped she realized her own inner strength.

She turned to Grey, dismissing Simon. "You ready to go home?"

"With you? I was born ready." He glanced at his manager. "I'd say it's nice to see you, but given you're still playing mind games, not so much." He led Avery around Simon and walked out the door.

They settled into his car, and he turned to face her. "We still good?" he asked, hoping that her replies hadn't been a performance for Simon's sake. He didn't want her to return to being worried about the rocker lifestyle.

"Your manager's an a.s.s but we're fine." She buckled her seat belt and met his gaze.

"We don't need to talk?"

"Is that what you really want to do now?" She snaked a hand across the seat and settled her warm palm on his thigh. "Because I thought we had bigger, more important plans." Her hand slid upward, closer to his aching c.o.c.k.

Message received, Grey thought, turning on the ignition and heading out.

Avery's thoughts were running all over the place. If she put aside the fact that her underwear was in Grey's pocket, the most prevalent thought in her head was taking back control. She wasn't going to let her fears stop her from experiencing what was bound to be the best s.e.x of her life with a man she still had deep feelings for. Nor would she allow Grey's manager to run her off. And for whatever reason, that had been his intent. His polite British accent hadn't covered the fact that he'd intentionally tried to intimidate and scare her by reminding her of all the women who surrounded and wanted Grey.

For right now, Grey was here with her. She'd seen him signing autographs and on the stage, and there he was in his element. She wouldn't want to take that sense of self away from him and knew better than to believe that he suddenly desired a normal life away from the fans and the spotlight. But she did think he believed it, when in reality all he needed was a break from the insanity of being on the road.

At some point, boredom and the need for more would rea.s.sert themselves; but as long as she was aware that day was coming, she could keep this thing between them in perspective. She was an adult, perfectly capable of handling a short-term relationship. She wouldn't insult Grey or what they shared by calling it an affair. When it came to them together, it was always so much more. It just couldn't be forever.

She swallowed hard, locking the harsh truth away in a box where it couldn't hurt her. Just like she'd boxed away her father's choices that had never included her. Unless he'd needed her ... Nope. That wasn't pushing things away.

"You're quiet," Grey said, intruding on her not-so-pleasant thoughts.

"Just thinking," she said.

"About?"

"Us." She shook her head, clearing it of all negative emotions. "Can't you drive faster?" She didn't want anything to intrude on what they had planned, and this trip without panties was making her antsy and needy. Even now, without underwear, she was wet.

His laughter rumbled through her and set her on fire, bringing her back to the moment in the bathroom. She'd never come so hard, so fast. In the years since Grey, she'd chosen men who were the opposite of her ex. Safe men. Men who didn't challenge her, who didn't excite her ... who didn't remind her of Grey.

Now was the time to live in the moment. Avery had never been good at doing that, but dammit, she was going to try.

They pulled up to a luxury condo complex, a high-rise building with a security guard in the lobby. Grey kept a hand on her back and led her into the elevator that, with his personal key card, took them directly to his floor.

Her body tingling with antic.i.p.ation, they stepped into his apartment, and he shut the door and locked it behind them. The sound reverberated through her with finality, putting punctuation on what they had planned.

"Grey, I-" She never finished her sentence. No sooner had the lock clicked than she found herself against the wall, Grey's lips on hers.

She didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him back for all she was worth.

Today had taught her something. It was one thing for her to back away from Grey out of fear, another for someone to try and take him from her. Two someones in the span of half an hour. At least that's what Lola's warning and Simon's boasting about women loving Grey had felt like. She needed to take control of the situation and do what she wanted. She even needed to stop letting her own insecurities and fear get the better of her. She was here and she was with Grey.

He was relentless, his lips devouring hers, and while last time she'd been the one taking, this time she wanted to give. She wanted to feel, taste, and experience him in living, breathing color. She pulled up his shirt, and he yanked it off, giving her an entire blank slate to enjoy. She ran her hands over his taut abs, his hard stomach, and smooth, tanned, tattoo-covered skin. Every touch aroused her senses, and she leaned in close, inhaling, drinking in his familiar musk-laden scent.

Unable to resist temptation, she licked his chest, eliciting a shuddering moan from him. She grinned. "You like that."

"And you like that I do." He grasped her wrists, pinning them against the wall.

She sucked in a breath and met his darkened gaze.

"Grey?" she asked, surprised by both his sudden show of dominance and how much she enjoyed it.

Her s.e.x was slick with arousal, and she rolled her hips into him, his thick c.o.c.k nestling in the cradle of her thighs, fire burning her inside and out.

"I promised myself the first time I'd take things slow, but when you touch me, I'm afraid I'll go off and ruin everything. So I need you to promise to keep your hands here." He still held her wrists against the wall.

"Since when are there restrictions between us?" Feeling daring, she licked him again, this time running her tongue over his nipple.

His body shook at her touch. "Since when don't you play fair?" he asked, lifting her into his arms.

She squealed and wrapped her legs around his hips, her sandals falling to the floor.

He walked her into his unlit bedroom and settled her in the center of a king-size bed.

He flicked on a small bedside lamp. "Be right back," he said and strode to the bathroom.

Avery's pulse pounded, and need thundered through her veins. In keeping with her new promise to take what she wanted, she reached for the hem of her dress and drew it over her head just as he strode back toward her, condoms in hand.

He stopped short, treating her to a low whistle. "Memories didn't do you justice, sugar."

She was more modest than not and did her best not to squirm as his hot gaze raked over her. Not knowing what turn the night would take, she'd chosen her favorite bra and panty set, a mix of white silk and lace. Of course the underwear was long gone, and judging by his reaction, he was extremely pleased with what he saw.

"Now how about you let me test my memories some more?" she asked.

His cut upper body already had her primed and ready. She couldn't imagine what the sight of that hidden but impressive bulge behind the denim would do to her.

"Whatever you want," he said and tossed the condoms onto the bed. His hands went to the b.u.t.ton on his jeans, stripping himself out of them in record time.

And then it was her turn to swallow a groan and stare. Either her memories were wrong or time had filled him out everywhere. His thick erection held her attention, and she ran her tongue over her lips, contemplating what she wanted to do to him first.

She reached out and wrapped her hand over the steely velvet shaft, gliding up and down, testing her limits.

"Harder," he said through clenched teeth.

She swallowed hard and followed instructions, pumping his erection up and down until slick pre-come covered the plump head.

"Enough."

She was smart enough to recognize he'd given her all he could, at least for the moment, and she released him, missing his hard, hot heat immediately.

He unhooked her bra in a deft move she didn't want to consider too closely. After sliding the garment down her arms and tossing it aside, he tackled her onto the bed, her naked body colliding with his. Heat and hardness seeped into her pores, and she took a moment, a deep breath, to savor the feeling of Grey after so many years.

He was more muscular, firmer, more solid than she remembered but every inch the man she'd missed.

"I can't believe it's you," he said gruffly, his words eerily mimicking her thoughts.

She smiled even though he couldn't see. "I know the feeling," she murmured running her hands along the rippling muscles of his back.

He braced his arms on either side of her and pushed himself up. She met his gaze, trying her best not to lose herself in the green depths. He kissed her then, more gently than the rushed fervor of before, as if them being skin to skin at last had eased something inside him. She knew it felt that way for her.

He grasped her hands, pulling them above her head, while his lower body rocked against hers, his thick shaft rubbing against her c.l.i.t, the motion causing a rising tide of desire to sweep through her. His firm c.o.c.k slicked over her damp s.e.x, insistently taking her higher yet leaving her achingly empty inside.

She moaned and lifted her knees, bringing him in fuller contact. She needed more. So much more. But he was in no rush, and his next words confirmed it.

"There are so many things I want to do before I come inside you."

"Like what?" she asked, her body shaking with unfulfilled need.

"First I want to taste you here." He leaned down and pulled her nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue over the tip.

Already sensitive from his earlier play at Lola's, she sucked in a breath and attempted to ease herself away. He immediately soothed her with loving laps of his tongue, both on the tight bud and the tender area surrounding it. He took his time, kissing her, nuzzling with his nose and lips before licking at her once more. Her s.e.x clenched, and she felt his ministrations deep in her core.

"I need you," she said, arching into him, wanting more of those sweet licks. They felt so good that she was actually building toward climax from his tongue on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and nipples when suddenly he released one with a pop, leaving her bereft.

"Grey," she whimpered, and attempted to ease her hand down and cup his erection. Anything to move things along.

"Uh uh, sugar. Hands back over your head. I'm not finished yet."

"But I need to touch you."

"And I need to taste you some more first."

She gave in, but she was going to make him pay for this slow, sensual torture. He slid down her body, his lips trailing over her ribs and abdomen until his face was mere inches from her s.e.x, his warm breath fanning her c.l.i.t. Fireworks flashed in front of her eyes, bright in color and size. And that was before he parted her outer lips with his thumbs and ran his tongue along her slick flesh, once, twice, pulling each one into his mouth before releasing it and licking her once more.

He glanced up, meeting her gaze with a wicked one of his own. "You taste like sugar," he murmured, and she knew she'd never think of that endearment the same way again.

Her hips bucked, and he read her signals correctly because he put his talented mouth to even better use. He licked, ate, nibbled, and teased her p.u.s.s.y, pushing her past restraint, into ever-sharper awareness. Considering she'd been primed for what felt like hours, she was so d.a.m.ned close already.

She thrust her pelvis up, grinding into his mouth, needing the pressure of his lips, the suckling, and the occasional gentle sc.r.a.pe of his teeth. She shattered, taking her pleasure, her o.r.g.a.s.m coming in waves that seemed to never end. She clenched and unclenched her fists above her head, bound by his words and her unspoken promise. Unable to touch him or ground herself, she rode out her climax, grasping at air with her fingers. He didn't let up until the tremors subsided, and she fell limp against the mattress, her arms still useless over her head.

The sound of ripping foil reawakened her senses, and she opened her eyes to find Grey poised over her, the hard tip of his erection nudging her s.e.x.

"You're gorgeous when you come, sugar," he said, eyes glittering, jaw hard and taut.

She bit down on her lower lip, embarra.s.sed ... and yet ... not. Because it was Grey.

"It's my turn to see you come apart," she said, arching her hips and attempting to pull his c.o.c.k into her needy core.

But he held out. He was barely inside her, a mere tease of what could be, and he still clearly maintained control. Unacceptable, she thought. She wanted to render him senseless. She needed to see it, to believe she had the same power over him that he clearly had over her.

Finished following his rules, she ran her hands down his chest, scoring his skin lightly with her nails, sc.r.a.ping over his dark nipples. He groaned and arched his hips, causing him to slide deeper.

"f.u.c.k it," he muttered and thrust his hips, filling her completely.

"Grey." She sucked in a startled breath, unprepared for the flood of emotion that rushed her from all sides. A harsh combination of panic and fear that the feelings surrounding her were too close to love.

"I feel it too," he said as if he understood she needed the rea.s.surance.

But he couldn't know. Couldn't possibly still possess the emotions threatening to pull her under and prevent her from walking away from this, from him, unscathed.

She blinked back the tears that threatened, and when he shifted and began to move, nothing else mattered. His solid thrusts took her out of herself until she was aware of only Grey and the pounding of his body against and into hers as he took her into an explosive o.r.g.a.s.m that consumed her, body and soul.

Chapter Five.

Night crept into morning. Grey woke Avery up once by settling between her thighs and licking her sweet p.u.s.s.y until she began yanking his hair and coming hard, only to realize it wasn't a dream, and a second time by pulling her back against him and f.u.c.king into her from behind. They fit like two pieces of a puzzle. She filled the holes he'd always been aware of and some he hadn't known existed. He still had s.h.i.t from his past to fix. Avery gave him hope that he could do that soon. She gave him hope, period, and Grey wasn't letting her go.

A cute snore sounded from the other side of the bed. He debated waking her up again but decided against it, instead heading for the kitchen to fill another kind of hunger. He was drinking a cup of coffee when he heard a sound.

He turned to see her walk into the kitchen, wearing nothing but one of his tee shirts. Long legs she'd had wrapped around him last night beckoned to him. Her hair fell in messy waves, the blonde streaks appearing like a halo around her makeup-free yet still beautiful face.