Chapter 4: Season 1—Seduction—Episode 4

Jax gloated inwardly.

The lady-butler trying so industriously to be the paragon of professionalism was most definitely not immune to him.

And likely none too happy about it. She tore her gaze away, whirled around, and marched off.

Ah . . . This was an unanticipated turn of events.

An exciting one at that.

Though, quite possibly, also a dangerous one.

Jax’s jaw set.

Were he still in Europe and Lex in New York—before Lex had recently joined him in California—Jax wouldn’t have hesitated to stake a claim on Lily Hart for a night or two. But something about her striking face and those hypnotic eyes gave him the niggling suspicion he’d want to introduce her to Lex. A scenario that had not happened since their touring days, when they’d shared ladies—and one in particular.

Katarina. An arrangement that had proved devastating.

For all involved.

However. . . The women Jax had made love to on his own, after leaving the orchestra, had not turned his blood to magma the way Lily immediately did. Or caused an inferno within him merely at the sight of a delectable ass; but hers had. Thank God for the overlapping of the thick towel that concealed the start of what promised to be a mammoth hard-on if he gave in to the lust suddenly blazing through his veins.

With a shake of his head, to try to rid himself of the image of Lily bent over his bed—and in his mind, she wasn’t wearing the skirt or the stockings—he tossed off the towel and dressed in a pair of loose black drawstring pants and a tank top that conformed to his rigid muscles.

He was tense again.

Because having Lily in the house with both himself and Lex could be a three-way collision of epic proportions—in a spectacular way . . . Or a catastrophic one.

~ * * * ~

Lex was listening to the playback of last week’s session with Jax. The music room was elegantly appointed with plush white sofas and chairs, glass coffee and end tables, and ornate area rugs. His gleaming alabaster grand piano was centered in the middle, under an enormous chandelier on a low setting that hung from the gilded domed ceiling. The tall glass-and-wood-trimmed windows and doors were covered with white sheers that blew gently in the breeze coming off the bay.

Jax’s mansion was situated on a hill with the cove below. The crashing of waves echoed in the quiet, semicircular community of Bayfront, drifting up to the second floor. The small coastal town was located south of San Francisco and bordered the wine country of River Cross, with Bliss Mountain Ski Resort farther in the backdrop.

A playground for the ultra-rich, Bayfront was populated with multimillionaires and billionaires. The development had been built over the past couple of decades. Dubbed the Hamptons of the West Coast, it was particularly desirable given how close it was to the city, as well as to the sophisticatedly rustic inland getaway of River Cross, where Lex and Jax had held their first reunion in seven years.

They’d been at the local favorite restaurant and wine bar, Bristol’s—owned by famous restaurateur Christian Davila and celebrity chef Rory St. James, two of the many exclusive guests attending the New Year’s Eve bash Lex and Jax were hosting—when Jax had proposed they team up for the CD. Lex had been completely taken aback. Hadn’t even seen the suggestion coming.

He’d thought Jax had just wanted a casual get-together after all these years, now that Jax was back in the States and had purchased the mansion. Lex had been anticipating a friendly catch-up. Not a new business venture that had catapulted them both into the past and ripped the Band-Aid off all the old wounds.

But the more they’d talked, the more Lex had come to realize that they possessed the exact same vision for the new project. A brilliant idea that rose from the ashes of disaster. And Lex hadn’t been able to resist working with his best friend again.

Trouble was, those old wounds were standing in their way. While the music they were creating was incredibly good, both men wanted it to be exceptional.

No . . .

Extraordinary.

Not just for their own personal satisfaction or what was expected of them from the industry and because their fans deserved their absolute best effort.

Because it was a tribute to Katarina.

Which made every note absolutely critical.

The room was equipped with hidden digital recording systems and Lex had software on his Surface Pro for composing each tune, but his true preference was handwriting the sheet music. It felt more authentic and personal to him. More intimate. And that was what this CD was all about.

So that meant a lot of scribbling and erasing and grunting in frustration as he tried to fix what ailed the arrangement he was currently working on.

Jax storming into the room in agitated strides and heading straight for the wet bar didn’t help matters.

He poured himself a brandy and then turned to Lex. “You didn’t tell me our butler was stunning. You said beautiful.” He sipped, clenched his jaw, then added, “Not fucking breathtaking, for Christ’s sake.”

Lex grinned. “So, you met Lily.”

“Met is not exactly the word I’d use. Instantly lusted after is much more appropriate. Jesus. She’s . . . Oh, fuck.” He downed a big gulp. Stalked over to the wall of doors and windows. Stared out at the bay below.

Lex said, “I thought I’d leave it to you to get the full effect of her. I was shocked by her beauty, too. Pleasantly so. I’m thinking of telling Greta to have Lily’s things moved to one of the suites in this wing, with us. Since her primary responsibility is this floor.”

Spinning around, Jax said, “I was thinking of telling Greta to fire her.”

Lex dropped his fancy silver Montblanc pencil on the papers resting on the ledge of his piano, where he sat. He stared at his longtime friend, hearing the troubled tone.

Jax looked deeply disturbed. And highly aroused. Lex recognized the signs. He’d seen those emotions etched across Jax’s face often enough when they’d been with Katarina, either darkening or lighting his otherwise pewter-colored eyes, depending on the situation.

“This is unexpected, yes,” Lex conceded. “But she’s here, Jax. And Greta carefully vetted all the applicants. Liliana Hart was a shoo-in given her family history. Greta said showing her the ropes was a piece of cake because Lily caught on so quickly. You really want to send her away?”

Jax sipped some more before saying, “Wait’ll she comes in here in a few minutes. She was working in the kitchen to help out and kill time while we were gone. She is an absolute hot mess, complete with smudges on her face. And it’s damn provocative. A perfectly fucking stunning, breathtaking disaster.”

Ah, that word.

Disaster.

Jax had used it on purpose.

Going back to his arrangement, Lex simply said, “She’s not Katarina. Don’t doom her from the start.”

But even as he tried to placate Jax, Lex felt dread skulk around the fringes. They’d both been thrown for one hell of a loop the evening Katarina Karlsson had joined the orchestra in Stockholm, not long after they’d celebrated their twentieth birthdays. The delicate blond-haired Swedish singer had mesmerized them with her ice-blue eyes, soft smile, and pure, crystalline voice that seeped into one’s soul and stayed there forever.

They’d both fallen for her. Immediately. Hard.

And had ridden the roller coaster of a lifetime emotionally and physically with her.

Jax said, “Since Katarina, neither of us has met a woman we wanted to introduce to each other—a woman we wanted to share. Sharing Lily was one of the first things to pop into my head when I saw her with her ass in the air alongside my bed.”

Lex’s hand stilled. He glanced up at Jax. “Yeah. That thought crossed my mind as well.”

“So it’s settled. Greta cuts her a severance check in the morning.”

“Let’s not be too hasty here,” Lex insisted. “Give her a shot at doing her job.”

“Doing her job isn’t the problem, Lex.” He swooped in so that he could lower his voice. “Wanting to fuck her upon first sight is the problem.”

Once again, Lex set aside his pencil.

“You didn’t have the same reaction?” Jax challenged.

“Impossible not to. She’s sensational. And I’m damn sure she doesn’t even know it. From what I gleaned, striving to be the perfect butler is the only thing that really registers.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s the only thing. I was half-naked when she was in my room. It didn’t go unnoticed.”

Lex grinned, despite the intensity of the conversation. “Not saying she didn’t like what she saw when she met me.” He winked.

Jax drained his brandy. Then said, “A complication such as this is the last thing we need. We’re on deadline, or have you forgotten?”

“I haven’t forgotten. But maybe,” Lex ventured, “a little inspiration is exactly what we need. A muse, if you will.”

They stared at each other.

Lex couldn’t deny that he’d felt the rare knee-jerk response when Lily had turned to face him in the hallway. Her eyes were the most amazing color—and completely spellbinding. She had an artistically crafted face, a stunning figure, sculpted legs . . . and she oozed an alluring sensuality that had gripped him from the get-go. Especially when she’d been so breathless at the sight of him.

Admittedly, the visual of her had been stuck in his brain since she’d dropped the tea tray in the corridor.

He’d been serious about his reason for not elaborating on her when in the limo with Jax on their way into San Fran. He’d wanted Jax’s reaction to her to be predicated solely on instinct. Not swayed by anything Lex had to say.

Of course Jax was right that they had neither the time nor the luxury to dabble in an affair. But that didn’t mean Lily couldn’t provide precisely what he’d thought of earlier—creative inspiration.

Lex’s mind was already buzzing with thoughts on this when she entered the room.

The first thing out of her mouth was, “I’m so sorry—”

“Stop apologizing,” Jax cut in. “I already told Lex you were working downstairs. Your appearance is fine, Lily. Now, if you’d kindly pour me another cocktail . . .”

He didn’t exactly smile at her, but Lex caught the glint of appreciation in Jax’s eyes. For her services, sure. But more accurately, for her considerable assets.

And damn, Jax had been right. All that shiny onyx hair in fat, loose curls, and her sparkling irises, crimson lips, and sultry, breathy voice made Lex’s groin tighten.

He couldn’t take his eyes from her as she crossed to the butler’s pantry at the far end of the room. She rolled down her sleeves, regardless of what Jax had said, buttoned the cuffs, and then donned white gloves. She poured two fingers of brandy in a Baccarat snifter, set it on a round silver tray, and delivered it efficiently to Jax.

Her hands didn’t even shake.

Then she turned to Lex. “May I pour you a scotch?” His drink of choice.

He gave a slight nod. “Thank you. Then you can retire for the evening. We’ll be at this through the night.”

And inspiration versus distraction was a very fine line.

She returned to the wet bar.

They began to play as Lily served. Lex found it even more enticing that she responded visibly to their music—and to them.

He slid a glance Jax’s way. The other man raised a brow.

Lex snickered under his breath.

Okay, lusting after Lily wasn’t entirely sensible.

But Lex already knew it was . . . Inevitable.