The Sweetest Sin Read online

  “Will you marry me?”

  The question hung in the air between them, neither saying a word after Sin blurted it out. Callie looked surprised, and frankly, Sin didn’t know what made him ask her to marry him again. He was in love with her and wanted to spend every waking moment with her. But he didn’t know if she was ready for that. He didn’t know if she could commit to that when she had so much else on her plate.

  “You don’t have to answer now,” he added quickly. “Think about it and let me know Friday, at prom.”

  Callie nodded and stepped out of his arms. “We’re leaving tomorrow afternoon. I probably won’t get to see you before then.”

  “Yeah, I’m not going back to L.A. until Monday.” He brushed a lock of hair from her eyes. “You can always stay at my place. I have a spare bed for Missy, plenty of DVDs, CDs and video games for her. Plus, I want you in my arms, in my bed.”

  “You’re very tempting.”

  He leaned forward brushing his lips against her ear. “I promise to make it worth your while.” Sin cupped her cheek in one hand while he nibbled along her jaw. “All night long in fact. Plenty of positions, a large, soft bed—what do you say?”

  “I can’t.”

  Missy rolled down the window. “I’m going to be the most popular girl in school!” She hung her head out the window and looked up at them. “The other band backed out. If you guys play, I’m going to be the girl that brought Darkfever to prom.”

  Sin smiled at the excited teen. “Missy, why don’t you and your sister come over to my place? I need to know what songs you want us to play and about the stage and sound equipment. That kind of stuff.”

  “Sure. Callie, can we go?”

  She met Sin’s eyes. “That’s a cheap shot.”

  “It worked though, didn’t it? That’s all that matters.” Sin waited until she was settled in the car before closing her door and walking to his own.

  He had one night to get all his wrongs righted and convince her he was the only one for her. Sin started the Hummer and sighed. And he didn’t have one fucking clue as to how he would do it.

  Callie used the drive to Sin’s apartment to contemplate her life. Ever since she was eighteen, she’d worked to support herself and her sister while putting herself through college. She’d finally gotten a decent job at a large PR firm that would eventually lead her to Darkfever. She had the dream job, with great pay and wonderful hours. Her clients could be pains in the rear some of the time, but she was never bored.

  And then her love life had taken a sporadic turn, and she’d found herself in Sin’s bed with the L word lingering over her head. She never thought she’d fall in love with any guy, much less a drummer for the band she worked for. He was everything she wasn’t, yet she fell in love with him because of that. It made no sense.

  He liked to have fun. He genuinely enjoyed being around her. He held her hand when they walked, not because he had to but because he wanted to. And he kissed her. It didn’t matter when or where to him. He couldn’t care less about his reputation in the tabloids with the paparazzi following them everywhere. He kissed her like it was the first time, every time.

  Callie sighed to herself while Missy continued to talk about prom to her friends on the phone. She worried most about finding a man who truly loved her and accepted Missy as a part of her life. Most of her previous flings had run the first time she’d told them about her kid sister. One had even asked why she hadn’t given her up for adoption.

  Callie pulled up to the apartment complex and parked. Even though she and Sin had their problems in the beginning, she wanted to believe their relationship could work. She was in love with him, somehow falling for him over the past two days. Hell, maybe she fell for him the night of Marah and Ben’s wedding. He never once asked her to change who she was to better suit him. Instead, he got her to open up so much of what she normally kept to herself. He showed her what it was like to have fun again, both yesterday, when they went to the middle of nowhere just to be together, and today, when he rode roller coasters with her and Missy.

  He was ‘it’ for her. The only guy she wanted to be with. Yet something still kept her from diving in head first and admitting her feelings.

  “Okay, here’s the plan. The stupid prom theme is about dreams coming true. The stage is in the gym and the sound equipment isn’t the best in the world, but it’s manageable.” Missy grinned. “This is so cool.”

  Callie nodded, seeing the happiness on her sister’s face. He couldn’t possibly know how great he was for offering a show for Missy’s high school prom. The girl who hated being just like everyone else was about to become pretty famous at the high school.

  They got out of the car and Missy ran over to Sin, rattling on about her plans. He led them to his apartment and unlocked the door, ushering them inside. Missy talked non-stop for at least fifteen minutes, going over every little detail, from stage and production to the songs she wanted them to play, before she finally calmed down. To Callie, Sin seemed genuinely interested in what Missy was planning. He suggested certain songs that had slower beats to dance to, as well as a few that had harder, faster beats. It was well past ten before they remembered Callie was in the room and decided to change the subject. Missy excused herself to take a call on her cell and escaped to the bedroom Sin designated as hers for the night, leaving the two alone.

  Sin moved to the couch from his recliner and wrapped an arm around Callie’s shoulders. “What have I gotten myself into?”

  She laughed. “Trouble.”

  “Yeah, but she’s happy. You have the same smile, you know, and neither one of you shows it off very often.”

  Callie laid her head against him and yawned.

  He stood and grabbed her hand. “Come on. We’ve both had a long day.”

  He pulled her up with both hands, kissing her the moment her feet were planted on the floor. Callie couldn’t think when he kissed her, couldn’t breath when he touched her. He made the world disappear the moment his arms surrounded her, every single care evaporating into thin air.

  His hands travelled down her back, over the plump flesh of her ass and between her thighs to lift her. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he supported her weight, neither making an effort to move. She wanted him to move. She wanted him to take her to bed and make love to her.

  Callie pulled her mouth from his and wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering, “Take me to bed, Sin.”

  “With pleasure.” Sin walked the short distance to his bedroom, closed and locked the door behind him and lowered Callie to his bed.

  She immediately started undressing him while he rolled to his side, letting her. He’d worn loose basketball shorts to the theme park with a tight T-shirt, both of which came off in a hurry. His cock hardened at her touch, thickening and lengthening as she stroked him. She knew he liked her touch just as much as she liked touching, and she wanted to please.

  “You interrupted my task the last time,” she murmured. “Not to mention conning my sister to get me in your bed for the night. I think it’s only fair that I call the shots tonight.”

  Sin propped himself up on his elbows, watching as she lowered her head. Carnal desire filled her body in electrifying degrees. He was hers. Now and forever if she let him, and with all her being, she wanted to let him.

  She tightened her hand around his cock and licked the crown. His groan was all the encouragement she needed, the only push needed to proceed. Her lips wrapped around him, the taste of salty male flesh exploding on her tongue. Sin was unlike anything she’d ever had before and she only wanted more.

  “God, baby.” Sin dropped his head back, his chest heaving with each breath he took.

  Callie smiled inside. Her big strong man was weak as an infant when she sucked him and she loved every second of it. Her tongue slithered down his shaft, licking slowly as she explored every inch of his cock. A deep male groan was his response as she continued to play, flicking her tongue out to taste his balls.

/>   “Callie,” he groaned, falling against the mattress, his arms too weak to hold his body.

  She smirked, leaning back long enough to see the desperation in his eyes. His face contorted with a mixture of pleasure and pain. She had him so close to coming within just seconds of touching him.

  “Fuck me, Callie.” His fingers combed through her hair, urging her up his body so that he could kiss her lips.

  “Are you begging me?” She pulled away and continued pumping him with the hand that still held his shaft.

  “Damn close to it,” he panted, his eyes dark with desire and begging silently for release.

  Callie couldn’t deny him. Her own thighs were sticky with her moisture, and as fun as her little games were, she wanted Sin. She quickly pulled off her clothes, then kissed her way up his body, licking at the ripples of muscle that made up his abdomen. She straddled his hips and sucked one of his nipples into her mouth. Her pussy contracted when the hard bead met her tongue, her body burning for his touch. A touch he denied her.

  “Kiss me.” She slid the tip of his cock inside her.

  Sin cupped her cheeks and lifted his head off the bed to kiss her. His kiss came hard and demanding, feral and passionate. He devoured her, taking her mouth like she wanted him to take her body.

  Callie lowered her body, rocking slightly as he moved deeper into her slick heat. He pulled his mouth from hers and stared into her eyes.

  “I love you, Callie,” he rasped, his voice heavy with emotion. “I love you more than life itself.”

  She gently pushed him back to the bed and began moving on his cock, riding him into oblivion. Her mind was hazy, the fog of emotions unclear as Sin continued to breach the uncharted territory of her heart. What was she supposed to do? Everything was moving too quickly. He loved her. He wanted to marry her. She found herself loving him and then falling in love with him.

  Callie closed her eyes to prevent the tears from falling while her body moved on top of his. She wanted to believe him, with all her being she wanted to believe they would have a great life together. He was sincere about his feelings, his thoughts. He cared for her and for her kid sister. He had everything a girl could hope to find—looks, money, stability. But something still held her back.

  Sin flicked her clit, drawing her mind back to him. He was hers, he’d said. For as long as she wanted him, he was hers. She leaned forward right as her orgasm hit, covering his mouth with her own to hide her cry of pleasure. He rolled her onto her back and pumped inside her, taking her higher than ever before. When he came, she watched with droopy eyes the beautiful man above her taking the pleasure she gave him. He was hers.

  Sin collapsed on top of her and smoothed a hand against her hair while he kissed her cheek. Sweat covered their bodies, making the sheets beneath them stick to their skin. Callie simply held him, welcoming the comfort his body gave her, the warmth and protection he offered.

  “I love you too, Sin,” she whispered. She ran her fingers through his hair.

  He pushed his head off her shoulder long enough to kiss her swollen lips. “I want you in my life, Callie. I want you forever.”

  Callie fought the tears that accumulated within her eyes earlier. Her throat clogged with emotions she never felt before. Sin watched her, his eyes intent and assessing. What was she supposed to do? What should she say?

  “Please say you’ll marry me.” He swallowed, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. “I want to wake up to you every morning and go to bed with you every night. I want to hold you through the night, and make love to you every chance we get. I love kissing you, Callie, and I never want to stop. You’re addicting, baby, and I can’t get enough of you. Please say you’ll marry me. Please say you’ll make me the happiest man on earth.”

  The sob she tried desperately to hold escaped, tears rolling down her face, wetting the hair at her temples. Sin pushed off of her, only to pull her limp body into his arms as he rested against the stack of pillows at the head of the bed. He didn’t ask questions. Didn’t demand answers. He simply held her, kissing and comforting her until she calmed.

  “I don’t know what’s going on, baby.” He kissed her temple. “Will you please tell me?”

  She didn’t want to talk about it. She released him and moved to the other side of the bed, giving them both distance. “I’m tired. Can we just go to sleep?”

  He flicked the covers over them, tucking them around her. Callie didn’t automatically seek the comfort of his arms. Sin made himself comfortable and turned to her, the bedside light shadowing his handsome face.

  “Tell me what’s going through your mind.” He reached for her, pulling her closer to his body. “Are you crying because of what I said? Am I pressuring you? That’s not my intention. I just want us to be happy. Both of us are happy when we’re together and I’d like to think it’s because we make each other happy. So what’s wrong?”

  She shook her head, exhaustion overwhelming her as much as her emotions. “It’s nothing, Sin. I’m just tired.”

  “If it made you cry, Callie, it’s a big deal to me.” He cradled her against his side.

  She sniffled and rested her head against his chest. “I’m just tired.”

  He held her, stroking her back until she nearly fell asleep. He didn’t like her answer, she knew. His body was tense, his arm curving possessively around her. He was overprotective, and he protected what was his. She wanted to believe she was his and the only woman for him.

  “Just so you know, Callie?” His voice rumbled from deep in his chest. “I have my own theories about why you keep running. I just hope and pray they aren’t true.”

  She didn’t know what to say to that and feigned sleep. Sometimes, things were better left unsaid—especially when she didn’t have all the answers.

  The Sweetest Sin

  Chapter Eight

  Callie immediately left after she woke the next morning, giving Sin little time to question her about the night before. She needed time to clear her head and think, neither of which she could do with him around. Missy didn’t notice Callie’s change of mood, but the second she walked in Aunt Rose’s house, the elderly lady picked up on it immediately.

  “Missy, go pack your things.” Aunt Rose waved her off and pulled Callie into the kitchen where she sat while Aunt Rose made them a cup of tea. “You have that look on your face, and I wanted to tell you before you think too much about it. Stop.”

  “Stop?” Callie busied herself by cutting a piece of Aunt Rose’s famous Hungarian coffee cake that sat in the middle of the kitchen table, begging to be eaten.

  “Something happened last night that changed your relationship with that boy. I can see it in your eyes, but I don’t know exactly what it is.” Aunt Rose stood at the stove, waiting for the water to boil for their tea.

  “It’s nothing. Sin is helping Missy with her prom thing, that’s all.” She bit into the piece of cake to keep from saying more.

  “Do you love him?”

  Callie stared at her aunt. “Yes. I do. I didn’t plan on it, but the more I try push him away, the more I find myself wanting to be with him. And he’s relentless. If he’d just walk away and leave me alone, it’d be so much easier to dislike him.”

  “Good men are hard to find. If he’s the one you want, don’t let him get away. From what I hear, he’s a keeper.”

  That was the end of that conversation, but Callie’s mind reeled at the possibilities of staying with him. It was an all or nothing deal. He wanted her to marry him. He wanted her to be his wife, not just his lover or girlfriend. She couldn’t stop thinking about that night at the club, with the stripper on top of him. At the first sign of trouble between them, he landed in a strip club with a half-naked dancer on top of him, offering body shots. What would happen when they were married? What would happen when they fought? Would he be like all the other Hollywood stars changing the women on his arm often? She wanted to believe they could last a lifetime with each other. She wanted to be his wife and come hom
e to him every night.

  Callie spent sometime chatting with Aunt Rose before excusing herself to pack. After pulling out her suitcases, she pondered her future. If they did get married, she couldn’t stand watching and knowing her husband was at a club taking shots off another woman. She wanted to believe he would grow up and leave that part of his life behind, but she didn’t know. Could he? The thought of him kissing or touching another woman made her stomach churn.

  No matter what he said, people didn’t change overnight. And because Sin had stayed away from the club for three days and counting, it didn’t mean he would indefinitely. And she really didn’t have the right to ask him to. He was a grown man, free to do whatever the hell he wanted while she stayed in the background waiting to clean his messes up. It sucked, but that’s how it was.

  She hefted her luggage and carried it down the stairs, meeting Missy and Aunt Rose in the living room. They said their goodbyes and promised to come back soon for another visit. Afterwards, the sisters climbed in the rental car and pulled out of the drive, heading toward the airport.

  “You act like you lost your best friend,” Missy announced as she untangled her MP3 player from the headphones. “You miss Aunt Rose that much?”

  Callie smiled. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

  “Sin being the top of the list?” When she didn’t comment, Missy glanced over at her. “What happened between the two of you?”

  “Nothing.” Callie switched lanes, trying to busy herself with driving instead of answering her sister’s questions.

  “Yeah, something happened. You were too anxious to get away from him. Was the sex bad or something?” Callie glared at her. “What? It’s just a question.”

  One Callie refused to answer. “I need to stop by the studio to pick up some things Natasha”—Darkfever Studio’s receptionist—“wanted me to look at. Please remind me when we land in L.A.”

  “And she’s back to work,” Missy grumbled and stuffed her ear phones in her ears.