Free Sultry Groove (Reckless Beat #4) by Eden Summers Page A

remained in a flat line. “Two waters it is then.”
    He took the liberty of ordering their drinks and then waited until they were alone before placing his elbows on the table and leaning forward to fix his potent gaze upon her. “Tell me about yourself, Red. What makes you tick?”
    You . Those hypnotizing blue eyes. The deep, masculine voice. The remembered texture of your palm against mine. Sigh-worthy.
    “There isn’t much to tell. Since I was a child, my life has been about dancing and music. Nothing else has really mattered. How about you? Did you always want to be a drummer?” God, she loved the way he focused on her with intent. Her skin shivered with his attention, her heart beat in a rapid mix of lust and yearning.
    “I started a band with Mason in high school. It was a good outlet for all those teenage hormones.” He shrugged. “I can’t remember what life was like before music, and I don’t really want to.”
    “So, the limelight is everything you dreamed it would be?” It was for her. She couldn’t deny she was once an attention junkie. Working hard for praise and adoration was what she used to live for.
    He sucked in a slow breath and leaned back in his chair. “I wouldn’t say that. There’re a lot of things I wish I could change. The fame, for instance.”
    “You don’t like it?”
    “No.” He frowned. “I don’t get enough of it.”
    There was no humor in his features, no warmth in his tone. She paused, appreciating the glimpse to a side of him that wasn’t entirely made of innuendo.
    “Reckless wouldn’t exist without me. Mason didn’t give a shit about music until I pushed him. And after all these years, I’m still an exchangeable part of the group. I could walk out tomorrow, and our legion of followers wouldn’t even notice. I hate that. It’s made me want to quit a time or two.”
    Uh huh. The situation now made more sense. “So that’s the reason behind the music clip?”
    He released a half-hearted breath of laughter. “Yeah, a strategic ploy from Mason to try to keep me happy. The label don’t give a shit, the fans don’t give a shit. Hell, most of them don’t even know who I am.”
    She raised a brow and waved a lazy hand in the direction of the bar. “They obviously do.”
    “Nah. They’re just nice. I spend a lot of money here. I practically pay their bills, so they tend to put on a show of affection if I make it in for a sit-down meal.”
    Melody bit her tongue, reminding herself not to fall prey to his dangerously endearing vulnerable side. His gaze held a myriad of emotions, from desire, to playfulness and now disheartenment. He was real. He was also unlike any of the self-assured dancing partners she’d spent most of her life around.
    “Is that pity I see in those gorgeous eyes, Red?”
    Dread washed over her as she blinked away her thoughts and straightened. “No. Of course not.” She hated pity. Couldn’t stand it.
    “That’s a shame.” A devilish grin lifted his lips. “I was beginning to think I had a direct route to your heart.”
    “Wow. A true shame,” she countered, her eyes wide in mock surprise as she tried to suppress her laughter. “Here I was, thinking you were trying to get into my pants, not my heart.”
    She shouldn’t have encouraged him. She couldn’t help it. His interest swept away her defeated mood. She was falling deeper, becoming entranced. She couldn’t even regret playing along with the confident charade anymore because it felt so damn good.
    His chuckle echoed over the low chatter in the room. “Trust me, when it comes to you, little Red, I’d be happy with either.”
    Holy crap . She was in trouble. Not only was he calling her Red , but little too…and she was loving it. Devouring it. Savoring the words she’d hated all her life just because they drifted from the lips of a sex god.
    “You better watch yourself,” he drawled. “Once I figure out what’s going on in that head of yours, I’ll know exactly how to