Free Finding Her Rhythm (Backstage Pass Series) by Dani Wade Page A

Daniel up. “I mean, you haven’t done of these little get-togethers since Claudia got bored with this crowd and moved on to other fish ,” Daniel continued. “And second, can’t you tell what a good girl Taylor is?” His use of air quotes didn’t help Michael’s mood. “I’m surprised she didn’t hightail it to her room after one look at Scooter’s piercings.”
    His shaggy blond hair vibrated with his shudder. “And that Roxie chick Nathaniel brought with him? Bim-bo.” His sotto voice was the last straw.
    “ Shut the hell up.”
    Michael didn’t want to admit that he was testing Taylor. He’d started this whole thing in a moment of weakness, before he’d realized what a bad idea it was. He could see that Taylor was definitely the “girl next door” type, even if she had a little more spunk. And a lot more mystery.
    Daniel always had been a ble to ferret out the things Michael would rather keep hidden. “So I set it up to see how she’d react,” he admitted, brushing it off. “If she can’t handle it…” Maybe she can’t handle me.
    Having wandered around the serving island laden with party food, Michael now faced him from across the bar. Daniel flashed his famous lascivious leer. “Ooh, Michael’s gonna get some,” he teased before digging into a piece of chicken.
    “ Shut. It,” Michael snapped, looking around for the supersonic ears of his children. Then he mumbled, “I sure as hell hope so.”
    Daniel laughed, then reached across for a fist bump. But Michael didn’t find any of this funny. He couldn’t purge the need sitting hot in his gut. Which meant he was probably m aking a helluva mistake.
    “ I’ve left the choice up to her.”
    Daniel froze. “Whoa. Nothing like applying pressure, brother. Do you think that was wise?”
    “ No. Yes.” He scrubbed his hand over his hair. “Hell if I know.”
    If whatever this was between him and Taylor didn’t work out, if she decided she truly didn’t want him, he could be looking for another nanny at the very least. A way to stay out of jail for sexual harassment, at the most. Letting her decide when to come to him was supposed to eliminate the pressure.
    But remembering the heat every time their bodies touched made waiting hella hard.
    And didn’t make the doubts disappear. So he’d jumped on the juvenile wagon and invited his rowdy friends over to make sure she wouldn’t—what?
    “ You think she’ll hit on them? Turn into an airhead? Ask Scooter to score her some drugs?” Daniel asked. “Right in front of you and the munchkins?”
    “ Didn’t stop Claudie.”
    Daniel slapped his shoulder. “Man, I get it. We all have our demons.”
    Michael knew Daniel had his own. Different ones, that he handled in a different way, but they hurt him just the same. He absently picked up a chocolate chip cookie Taylor and the kids had baked especially for today. It didn’t help that being famous almost gave them permission to act out in their efforts to exorcise them.
    “ But trust me,” Daniel continued. “This woman is true.” He leaned close to Michael’s ear as Matthew wandered in for a cookie, then back out the door. “She makes cookies, for goodness sakes. Loosen up and go with your gut.”
    Staring across the now empty room, Michael groaned. “My gut is screaming Take Her Now . Maybe I should be a little more discreet?”
    Like a bad porno, Roxie sashayed back into the room, showing off her teeny tiny thong and barely covered, enhanced tits . Suddenly Daniel’s celery stick became an obscene accoutrement. “Discreet isn’t really the name of the game around here, bro.”
    Michael choked on his cookie.
     
     
     

 
    Chapter Eight
     
    Taylor took a deep breath and closed her eyes against the spectacle before her—but only for a moment, because Lord only knew what might happen while she wasn’t looking.
    The pool atrium had been turned into party central with American flags and red, white, and blue decorations. Pounding