In other words, hurt his daughter and he’d get his balls blown off. Maybe they should’ve risked going to a resort after all…
Rodney glanced at the window again, dismayed by the darkening sky. Where the hell was Dee? She’d almost canceled their tryst due to heavy work and the predicted bad weather, but he’d insisted on seeing her. Breaks in the tour didn’t happen very often, so he had to grab every one he could. Otherwise, their relationship would wither on the vine before it could flower.
When Adele carried out a tray of cinnamon-scented tea, he grabbed a mug and took a slow breath. He told himself the old man acted rough on him because he cared about his daughter. If he had one, he’d probably be the same way.
For a split second, he saw children playing on the rug. His and Dee’s. Living the simple life. A rush of emotion made his eyes burn. Why couldn’t they? Their jobs, that’s why. Especially his.
When he’d helped launch Breeze, he had no idea the thing he loved most—music—would become an albatross around his neck. It owned him instead of the other way around. At some point, it wouldn’t even be worth it anymore, and he felt closer to that point than he cared to admit.
He shook himself. Give up Breeze? Had he lost his mind? The rebellious hippie vibes in this house must be rubbing off on him, and they felt too good—too right—to resist.
Jeremy sipped his tea and set it down on the table. He looked about to grill him with more difficult questions, so Rodney asked a few of his own. For the next twenty minutes, they discussed how to live off the grid. Rodney kept his ears pricked for the sound of Dee’s car the whole time.
Finally, he jumped up and paced. “Shouldn’t she be here by now? I should’ve hired her a plane.”
“I’d rather drive in this weather than fly in it,” Jeremy said, but worry etched his weathered brow even more.
“You drive even less than my mother,” Adele said with a snicker.
Rodney slid his phone from his pocket. “I’m going to call Dee.”
But, before he could tap her number, an engine sounded over the drone of rain. He bolted out of the house and out to her car. Then he flung open the door and practically pulled her out of it. While rain fell on their heads, he crushed her against his chest and kissed her, long and deep.
“I’m so glad to see you,” she cried after the kiss. “It makes the awful drive worth it.”
The sound of a clearing throat alerted him they weren’t in private. Jeremy had followed him outside.
“Hey, little girl. Glad you made it,” he said as he hugged her.
The men gathered her things, and the three of them rushed inside. Adele screeched and hugged Dee next. Watching her parents welcome her made Rodney’s eyes burn with emotion. They definitely loved her. For the first time in years, he missed his own parents with a sharp pang.
Rodney set down the laptop and briefcase. “Looks like this is going to be a work retreat.”
“Dang it,” Jeremy added, frowning at the mess. “Do I have to drag the generator out again?”
“Not yet,” Dee replied as she dabbed her hair with the towel her mother handed her. “I’m beat from the long drive.”
“Let’s all sit down,” Adele said. “I’ll get you some tea, baby.”
“I really need a hot bath,” Dee said. “Can we talk afterward?”
“Sure,” her mother replied. “We don’t want you catching pneumonia. I’ll heat up the water.”
“I’ll help,” Rodney said, hoping to avoid more of Jeremy’s tough questions.
Besides, the idea of seeing Dee’s golden-brown flesh enwreathed in steamy hot water again shot him full of new energy. Until he remembered he was in her parents’ home. He wouldn’t even be able to kiss her.
Whose idea was this?
After toting buckets of woodstove-heated water to the old-fashioned tub on legs, he swore he’d never take hot showers for granted again. He emptied the last bucket and headed for the bathroom door.
“Enjoy your bath,” he said over his shoulder.
“Where are you going?” Dee asked, chucking off the tight blue stretch jeans he’d been staring at since she’d arrived.
“I’m…uh…just giving you some privacy.”
Her red blouse flew off next. “I came here to see you. Not for privacy.”
“But, your parents…”
“Take baths together all the time. They’ll understand,” she said
“I like you in red, by the way.”
She grinned, wriggling out of her bra and panties. “It must remind you of your flag.”
“Maybe.” He chuckled. “I like you even better with nothing on.”
He couldn’t take his eyes off her upturned nipples. Her endless legs. He didn’t give a damn about the rust stains in the sink or the tang of iron clinging to the air. In fact, she looked even sexier here than in his luxurious bathroom. For the first time all day, he was glad he’d come. Dee and the steamy water looked too good to resist. Blocking the sight of Jeremy’s shotgun out of his mind, he stripped and eased himself into the water.
“We can’t get away from bathrooms, can we?” he joked as he wrapped her against him and tasted her sweet lips.
“Let’s enjoy it because we probably won’t get another chance for a while. Two whole days…”
Dread constricted his chest. “Uh, about that.”
She slapped the water. “Don’t tell me Jack has sabotaged us again!”
“No,” he murmured, stroking her arm. “We have a show tomorrow night in Akron. I got the date wrong.”
“I can’t believe this.” She dropped her head and shook it. “Can’t you get out of it somehow?”
“I’m afraid not. Baby, I’m real sorry.” He lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes. They looked sad and ringed by dark circles. “Hey, what else is going on?”
“Nothing much. I lost my shot at a partnership, and maybe my whole job, over this getaway,” she said.
“Damn.” He brushed away the drop of water on her nose. “You should have said something. We could’ve gotten together later.”
“When?
