Stone Cold Notes: A Rock Star Romance (The Seasons Change)

ADELAIDE SKIDDED TO A STOP at my desk first thing Monday morning. Her mouth spread into a wide, lascivious grin, and her eyebrows bobbled.

“So…?”

I frowned at her. This was the first time she’d ever stopped at my desk, and I was more than a little confused. “Good morning to you too.”

She waved me off. “Good morning, yeah, yeah. Now, I’m going to need more info about the giant Scandinavian rock star who whisked you away from the bar after going all medieval on that perv’s ass. I’ve waited two entire days to hear this. No time for manners and social conventions. Spill, babe.”

“I think he’s mostly English, actually.”

Adelaide’s eyes goggled, and her cheeks filled with so much air, explosion seemed imminent.

From behind me, heels clacked on the floor, warning me of Natalie’s fast approach. I straightened, tipping my head to the side to signal to Adelaide that she needed to go, but she was planted in her spot.

Natalie came to stand beside Adelaide, coffin-shaped nails tapping on my desk.

“Well…?” Her perfectly arched eyebrows shot up.

Adelaide elbowed her. “She wants us to say good morning before we ask her about the rock star.”

Natalie rolled her eyes. “Good morning, Wren. Now, tell me what the fuck happened Friday night.”

“Um…” I clasped my hands together to stop from fidgeting, “well, this guy from my neighborhood was bothering me. Really bothering me. Then Callum came in, saw it going down, and…uh, he took care of it.”

Natalie rolled her eyes again, and this time, Adelaide joined her. “Are you kidding me? You’re the worst at telling stories,” Natalie announced. “We need details, and not about the neighborhood rat. Jesus, Wren. Get with it.”

Adelaide elbowed her a little harder than the first time. “Don’t talk to her like that.”

Natalie’s eyes lowered to her hands, and to my surprise, she seemed chagrined. Maybe she actually respected Adelaide. “I apologize. My mouth gets away from me when I’m eager. By the way, I rescued your coat from the bar and tucked it in your cubby.”

“Oh, thanks. And it’s fine.” It wasn’t fine. I didn’t love this type of attention. I had to stop myself from attacking my cuticles. “Well…so, Callum and I are seeing each other. So yeah. He wasn’t pleased with Edwin touching me, and he let him know.”

Adelaide grinned. “Callum Rose is your boyfriend?” She seemed genuinely excited by that fact, if the way she was bouncing on her toes was any indication.

He was my boyfriend. I’d confirmed that last night. It was still strange to hear out loud, though.

“Yeah, he is,” I confirmed. “We’re pretty new, so I’m not announcing it to the world or anything—”

Natalie snorted. “Good luck. Everyone saw your video from the bar. People are interested in Callum because he’s such a mystery. No one knows jack about him. Then, all of a sudden, he shows up at a bar in Queens and throws down over an unknown girl. Yeah, I’d say people are interested.”

Adelaide rubbed her hands together. “I’m more interested in the juicy details. How’d you meet? Does he treat you like a queen? Etcetera, etcetera.”

“He’s nice. So nice to me. Really sweet and caring and protective.” I bit my bottom lip. “I guess you know that since you were there on Friday. Anyway, we met here, he asked me out, and we just clicked. He’s intense and funny and I like him.”

Those were all the details they were getting from me. Our history was ours alone. Callum and I hadn’t discussed how to handle that, but instinctively, I wanted to keep our story between us.

Natalie folded her arms over her chest. “I did tell you fraternizing with the talent is frowned upon, right?”

Adelaide shoved her before I could respond. “Oh, shut up. Go be miserable and jealous somewhere else.”

Natalie stomped. “I’m not jealous. I’m looking out for Wren. She doesn’t need to get a bad reputation. How is she going to move up in the company if she gets a reputation of throwing herself at musicians? I mean, not all of us can rely on nepotism.”

Adelaide’s cheeks reddened, and her nostrils flared. “I think I hear your phone ringing, Natalie. I’d go check it if I were you. Wouldn’t want to fuck up your job, now would you?”

With a huff, Natalie stalked off, leaving me stumped and Adelaide with another wide smile.

“Wow, do I not like her,” she said.

“Sometimes she’s nice.” I had no idea why I was defending Natalie. Girl could take care of herself.

“Yeah, well, sometimes it snows in hell. Ask Natalie. She sucked Satan’s balls this morning.”

I had to giggle at that, and so did Adelaide.

She leaned forward, propping her elbows on my desk. “Listen, I know you’re probably all private because Callum’s famous and all that. I am not offended if you want to tell me to fuck off.”

“I don’t want to tell you to fuck off.” I shrugged. “I think I’d be private even if he weren’t famous. He’s my first boyfriend, so I don’t know, but I think I like keeping us to myself.”

Adelaide’s eyes bugged. “First boyfriend?” I nodded. “Wow, go big or go home, huh?”

I giggled again. “I guess. By the way, what did Natalie mean by nepotism getting you your job?”

Her shoulders rolled forward, and the humor drained from her face. “My last name is Goodman. As in Good Music. Saul Goodman. That jackass is my dad and most certainly why I have a job I’m not qualified for.”

“Whoa.” Adelaide’s dad was technically my boss, although there were probably a hundred minions between me and him. “Not a fan of your dad?”

Her lip curled. “Not so much. I hate accepting things from him. But a girl’s gotta eat. I’d be stupid not to accept this job just because I don’t like my dad.”

I nodded. “If my dad owned a record label instead of working the night shift at

Al’s Liquor Emporium, I think I’d feel the same way. No judgments.”

She shot finger guns at me. “You’re the best. I’m glad you have a gorgeous, mysterious rock star boyfriend, honey. You deserve it, as long as he keeps treating you like the queen you are.”

I smiled at her, thinking I couldn’t wait to go home and inform my kid his mother had another name to add to her friend list.

Callum was never outgoing or effusive, but while sitting beside him on my shitty bench in the ice-cold afternoon air, he felt removed. A lot farther away than his shoulder brushing mine and his hand claiming my thigh made it seem.

I put my sandwich down and sucked up the nerve to address it. “Did I do something wrong?”

His head turned sharply in my direction. “What the fuck?”

“It’s just…you seem kind of miserable and I…well, I hate it. If I’m the cause, I’d like to know so I can help you not feel that way anymore.”

He took my face in his hands so fast, I almost missed the movement, and jerked me into his chest. “You will never make me miserable. You are everything good and easy. I’m stuck in my head and fuckin’ things up, so I’m sorry. I’m not good company today. I would’ve canceled, but I can’t seem to go a day without seein’ you anymore. I know it’s selfish since I’m infecting our time together, but I can’t stay away.”

“I don’t want you to stay away. I want you to let me make it better.” My gloved fingers wrapped around his wrists. “Callum, did something happen? Is it about what happened at the bar?”

“No, it’s not.” His lips covered mine, tipping my head back to slide his tongue inside and deepen the kiss. He didn’t have to use words to reassure me I wasn’t the source of his black cloud. I felt it in every centimeter of our connection. He kissed me like I was the sunshine that broke his stormy existence. And I loved being that for him. I wanted him to lean on me and let me protect him that way—to give him back some of the care he gave me.

I would have climbed on top of him and soaked up his entire being if he hadn’t pulled away, stroking my face and murmuring that we were in public where anyone could see.

“Don’t want to share this with anyone, Little Bird.”

There he went, taking care of me even when he turned me into a wanton floozy about to mount him in a public park in Manhattan.

“I like your kisses a little too much,” I said.

His lips twitched, and I felt some of the turmoil parting. “No such thing. I want you addicted so you’ll keep comin’ back.”

“Mission accomplished.”

I scratched his beard, once again utterly devastated by his beauty. Callum Rose only became more gorgeous the closer we grew. He made me jitter with nerves, then he soothed me with his steady, unrelenting presence. When he said he wasn’t letting me go, I was beginning to believe that was true. And so, even though I still thought he was far too beautiful for a girl like me, I was also beginning to believe he didn’t think so. He didn’t think so at all.

“Got a call from my sister last night.” He grimaced but didn’t pull away from me. “She was lookin’ for money, even though she tried to disguise it by sayin’ she missed me.”

I kept stroking his face, even while my heart broke a little. He’d told me about his brother and sister blackmailing him and had shrugged it off like it didn’t matter. But now, I knew him better, and I saw the cracks beneath his surface. What he felt was far more complicated.

“Is it possible both are true? I know I’d miss you if you were gone. I did miss you when you were gone.”

His brow slanted, and the corners of his mouth tugged down. “She might miss me, but not enough to call when she doesn’t need something. I don’t even blame her. We grew up seein’ people outside of family as marks and nothin’ else. I’m outside the family now. I’m a mark to her.”

My hands curled around his neck. I wished he had a scarf. Something to protect him against the harsh elements. “Did you give her money?”

He nodded. “She asked for two grand. I wired her five.”

“You care.”

Ice-blue eyes lifted to mine. “Don’t want to.”

“But you do.”

“She’s not worth carin’ about. She proved that to me and keeps provin’ it to me.”

“But you do anyway.”

“Fuck, Wren.” His eyes squeezed shut. “We grew up knowin’ nothing but lyin’ and deceit. Any show of kindness from strangers, we took advantage of it. I can’t even blame Chrys and Rasc for bein’ how they are. It’s all they know. I blame myself for the soft spot I can’t seem to scrub out. The one they know exists and pounce on whenever they want.”

I knocked my forehead against his, my heart breaking a little more. “As much as you try to project it, you’re not stone cold. That’s your brother and sister. They might have betrayed you, but I know you. You feel deeply, and you don’t turn off those feelings easily.”

His hands worked into my hair until he cupped the back of my head. “Wish I could. It’d be easier. I’d make a clean break and walk away.”

“You wouldn’t be you if you could. And I like you so, so much.”

He stilled, except for his fingertips on my scalp, which rubbed me in a rhythmic motion.

“I’m not likable,” he said after a minute.

“To me you are. My son likes you. So does Jenny. So maybe rethink that opinion of yourself.”

Another minute passed of him rubbing my scalp and peering at me like I was a tropical oasis in the tundra.

“You make everything better, Wren. You know that? This is why I’m never giving you up. You might be addicted to my mouth on you, but I’m addicted to the way you reach into my soul and pour goodness and light in. Nothin’ like it. Can’t get enough.” His mouth hovered over mine while my heart did a wild gallop in my chest. “I want to fuck you, Little Bird. I’m not waiting until the weekend to do it.”

I nodded. The spot between my legs throbbed at those words. “I was close to mounting you on this shitty bench, so I don’t think I can wait either. Come over tonight after Ez goes to sleep.”

“I will. You’re gonna make me be quiet?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Need you to come to my place this weekend so I can fuck you loud.”

Goose bumps spread down my arms. “I need that too.”

His hands in my hair flexed. “This is good, Wren. Do you feel that?”

“I do. I’m surprised by how good it is, but yeah, I definitely feel it.”

“Why are you surprised?”

I rubbed my lips together. “Because I don’t know what I’m doing or how to be a girlfriend. I’m a single mom and you’re a freaking rock star. I’m a Jersey girl and you’re an Alabama boy. We started because I sent you fan mail, and we ended because I was too afraid to meet you. None of those things bode well for us, but it doesn’t seem to matter, does it? When I’m with you, all of that falls away. We’re just Wren and Callum. We’re the friends we were in our letters, but more. So much more. And I like it so, so much. I like you so, so much. Even more than when we were pen pals. Even more than I did yesterday and the day before. I’m surprised by it because I’ve never had it, but I hope to all that is holy I can keep having it.”

Once again, he’d gone still, but the ice in his eyes melted, leaving pure, blue fire. Finally, he drew me to him, touching his lips to mine, then the tip of my nose and both eyelids.

“Never letting you go,” he murmured. “You’ll keep havin’ it, Wren. I came here today gutted and empty, and I am so full now, since I can’t fuck you until tonight, I’m gonna have to go for a long, long run to work some of this out of me.”

“That’s a nice thing to say.”

He grinned. Finally. “Only you would think so.”

“Isn’t that all that matters?”

His nose touched mine. “Yeah. All that matters.”

Callum was in my bed Monday and Tuesday. We thought of creative ways to keep quiet. His favorite way of silencing me was stuffing my panties in my mouth. Second to that was giving me his hand to bite down on. He kept himself quiet by sucking on my various body parts, most notably my tits and shoulders.

I wouldn’t let him sleep over, which pissed him off. He protested, but when I pulled the mom card, he couldn’t say much, even though he wanted to. And that only made me like him more. It wasn’t that I didn’t want Ezra to see Callum with me or for them to get to know one another, it was just that I wanted to be deliberate in how I integrated Callum into Ezra’s life, accidental meetings aside. I was head over heels and falling stupidly in love with Callum Rose, but when it came to my son, I’d always try to make the wisest decision. And for now, going slow seemed like the right course.

By Wednesday night, Callum was back to himself. His sister’s call no longer weighed heavy on his shoulders. Something like that didn’t go away, no doubt it was in the back of his mind, but it wasn’t between us.

Nothing was between us.

Callum was behind me, and I was on all fours, soaked between my thighs as he thrust into me with smooth, deep strokes. He’d made me come three times already. He’d come once. We were working toward another one for both of us.

“You’re so sexy like this, Little Bird.” His palms trailed over the roundness of my hips and ass. Dipping his thumbs between my cheeks, he spread me, and I knew he was watching himself move in and out of me. “Look at you, taking me. All stretched out and pink. My cock loves your sweet pussy. Never wanna leave it.”

I moaned into my pillow. His filthy, loving mouth sent me to the edge. “I don’t want you to leave it. I like feeling you when I’m sitting at my desk. All I can think about is you.”

He growled, hands moving to cup my breasts and toy with my nipples. I shuddered and pushed back, meeting each of his thrusts. He liked to be in charge, to move me how he wanted me, but once I got there, he liked it even more when I took what I needed from him. So, I swiveled my hips and fucked myself on his cock, panting into my pillow, wanting to scream his name, knowing I couldn’t.

“Fuck. Jesus. Fuck.” He went harder, rocking me and my entire world. I held on, bracing my hands on the headboard, and he grabbed my hips. Callum didn’t go easy on me. I never wanted him to. “God, your ass, baby.”

My back arched, half to put on a show for him, half because I just couldn’t help it. Callum had given me a gift, and he didn’t even know it. When he had me this way, taking me like he’d cease living if he didn’t, I felt powerful. Beautiful. Desired beyond measure. That was seeping out of the bedroom into my life.

While I was filling his soul, he’d been building up my self-confidence, brick by brick, orgasm by orgasm. I noticed myself lifting my chin higher, making eye contact for longer than a glance. And I asked for what I wanted.

“Harder, Callum.” My fingers bent around the top of my headboard, bracing for what was to come. “I need you to go harder.”

“I always give you what you need. You know that.” His big hand pressed between my shoulder blades until my face and shoulders were flat on the bed. Then his knees knocked mine wide, and his arm threaded around my belly, nearly lifting me off my knees so he could get to me.

He handled me roughly, pounding me with fervor. I needed it. Loved it. Craved it. Callum could toss my round body around and drill me into a wall if he so chose. He made me feel delicate and treasured in life, but in our bedrooms, he turned me into his own personal sex kitten, and there had never been anything better.

“Fuck, Wren, fuck. You gotta come, baby. I need you to get there. Feel you clampin’. You’re close, baby. I wanna get you there.”

My arms were limp, but I managed to wend one under my belly and press two fingers against my throbbing clit. That was all it took to set me off. My mouth opened, and I screamed my release into my pillow. Callum kept going, riding me through my climax, thundering toward his.

“That’s gorgeous, Little Bird. Need to have you in my bed so I can hear all your noises. I want your cries bouncin’ off my walls.” He swelled inside me, and I was a quivering mess beneath him, taking him as best I could without any bones left in my body.

Suddenly, he pulled out and rolled me onto my back. My eyes flared, but his were steady on me. His fingers wrapped around his cock, pumping it over me.

“I wanna come on you. On your tits. Your belly. Wanna see it painting you,” he gritted.

I nodded and reached out to cup his balls while he fucked his hand. “I want to see it too. Make me messy, baby.”

The cords in his neck were strained, muscles on his arms and belly taut. He was close, so close, and my inner walls were clenching all over again in anticipation. Everything we did was still so new, and I hadn’t seen Callum erupt yet. I hadn’t known until that point how badly I wanted to watch.

His free hand roamed over my belly, squeezing my sides and working his way to my breasts. He rolled my nipple between his fingers and groaned. Not loud, but I felt it between my legs.

He jerked and grunted, biting down on his lip as the first spurt hit my skin. His fist closed tight around his cock, pumping it furiously while he came all over me. And it was…hot. So hot, I had a mini orgasm of my own, panting and writhing on the sheets.

Callum finished and sunk back on his heels between my parted legs. Now, his eyes were the ones to roam, tallying the cum he’d gotten on me. I propped myself up on my elbows to look, and it was…even hotter than it had felt.

I ran a finger through the puddle beside my nipple, and Callum groaned like he was being tortured. My eyes flicked to him, and my breath caught in my throat.

“Keep goin’, Little Bird. Explore. Let me see.”

Always wanting to give him a show, I did as he asked, moving my fingers over the spray of cum on my breasts and stomach. I swirled it around and rubbed it into my skin, and Callum just watched, holding his still-hard cock in his hand. I wasn’t sure he even breathed.

I lifted a finger to my lips, sucking the tip inside, and let out a soft gasp. I did it again, finally tasting him like I’d been wanting to.

“Mmm.” My eyelids fluttered. “I like that.”

“Shit,” he growled. “I can’t…I can’t stop.”

He was over me, then inside me, fucking me like a maniac, frantic, frenzied, and I hung onto him for dear life. I’d never, ever been wanted this way.

We were limbs and sweat and kissing and biting. There was nothing pretty or neat. It was pure need, bouncing back and forth between us. He held me close, and I had him even closer, circling my arms and legs around his body.

When we came, we came together, moaning into each other’s mouths.

Finally, Callum fell to the bed beside me, bundling me in his arms. I was limp and sweaty, needed a shower more than anything, but I wasn’t going anywhere. He nuzzled my neck, touching his lips to my skin to leave gentle kisses.

We lay tangled like that for a long time. Callum, being sweet and affectionate, me, lost in my thoughts. He noticed, turning my face toward his.

“Where’d you go?” he asked.

“I’m here.”

“Body, yes. Brain is off on an adventure. I need you here with me.”

I sighed and reached for his face. He caught my hand, leaving a kiss on the inside of my wrist. “Is this enough for you?” I asked.

His scowl was immediate and fierce. “What the fuck, Wren? Why would you even think to ask me somethin’ like that after what we just did?”

“No, no, god, that didn’t come out right. I meant, I know you like what we just did, what we’ve been doing, but is it enough? You’re used to sex parties and clubs, not keeping quiet in a small townhouse. Like…do you want to be kinky? I don’t know…” I bit my lip, my entire body going up in flames. “Do you want more?”

“Wren…I was used to fucking my fist before you. You are my more.”

“But…don’t you like to watch?”

He sifted his fingers through my hair. “I like to watch, yeah, but you give me that. And kink? Yeah, I’m into it. I wanna try all you’re willing to try. I’m gonna fuck all your holes eventually, but I can’t seem to stay out of your sweet, perfect pussy long enough to contemplate that yet. What is this about? Am I not givin’ it to you good enough?”

He asked me that last part with a subtle smirk on his lips. He knew he was giving it to me more than good enough. I couldn’t imagine any woman had it better in bed than I did. It certainly couldn’t be common to be fucked the way Callum fucked me. If that were true, the civilized world would come to a standstill because no one would bother to get out of bed.

“I’m just thinking and wondering. That’s how I am, you know.”

His smirk slid into a grin. “I know. But you gotta tell me what else is on your mind.”

“Well…I think I like to watch.” Oh yeah, I was on fire. Every word I pushed out doused the flames in gasoline.

Callum only chuckled. “My little bird wants to watch?” His nose grazed mine. “Why didn’t you say? I’ll give you anything you want.”

I lifted my eyes to his. “I only want it if you do too.”

He exhaled through his nose. “I want to make you hot. I wanna fuck you while you’re hot from watching other people fuck. So yeah, I want it too. I’ll take you to the club.” He caught my chin. “But, Wren, I’m gonna need you to sleep at my place after. I need all night, and I need you loud.”

I nodded. My tongue felt too big to speak. Callum just said whatever the hell he wanted, and it was both refreshing and disconcerting as hell. Sometimes, I didn’t know how to respond. Other times, like now, I simply wasn’t able to.

He raised a brow. “Yes to everything?”

I nodded again, and he laughed. “Well, all right, Little Bird. I cannot fucking wait to wake up beside you.”

I pushed my face into his neck and hugged him as tight as my short arms could. After asking him to take me to his sex club and telling him he could do anything he so desired, kinky or otherwise, to my body, my beautiful, crazy man couldn’t wait to wake up with me.

How? How did I get so damn lucky?

And more importantly, how did I keep it?