TANTRIC (Book 3 of the Soundcrush Series)

Chapter 35: Hippie Chics Know What Drummer Boys Feel Like

Well, now that Leed and Ashlynn are in sync are moving forward to reconcile her past,  and there are no bad guys in Nashville, it's time we  detour a little to the BIG BAND PICTURE. Guess who's back? Bodie. And Marley. And Riley...and it's a circus like usual when the gang's all together...

The song Love Me Like You Do is for the Lash mini-love scenes at the beginning and end of the chapter. Yes. You heard me. I went crazy and broke their love scene in half. So you get a tease at the beginning...and you have more at the end. It's not real graphic this time though, so I didn't do a radio edit/album cut thing. But we'll have one of those coming up soon....

Well, let's see what's happening in the Madam Mansion as Lennon is getting welcomed home...

Ashlynn

"How does that look?" I ask from atop the ladder.

"A little higher on the left," Adam's sister Alex says, gesturing with her glue gun, and Kat lifts her end of the "Welcome Home Lennon" banner and slaps it against the wall with the poster glue dot thingies that won't damage Mac's designer paint. We hustle down the ladders before somebody can disagree with Alex's judgment call. Which happens alot in Heartleyville, I've learned over the last few days.

But even though they snark and get in each other's business a lot they are also helpful. Alex's husband Luke and Janie's oldest son Blake are already putting the ladders away.

Kat has snagged a pink cake pop from the kitchen but is wagging it at the professional portrait of Madam and Lennon that was taken yesterday and has already been hung in the living room. I stop to admire. It's gorgeous...a picture of Adam and Mac in shades of beige lying face to face on pristine white sheets, with Lennon between them in a dusty rose and beige paisley blanket. Lennon is asleep, Mac is in profile kissing her head and only Adam's eyes can be seen, staring down at his wife and daughter.

He looks like a man with a view to forever.

Kat sighs dreamily, then says. "I want to hate her, but I can't, because she's too happy."

"Hate her? Mac?" Leed asks as he props two lazy arms over our shoulders and admires the portrait with us.

"Look at her, she doesn't even look like she gave birth twelve hours before that portrait was taken," she transfers her disgust to the cake pop. "Eat this, I can't, I'm getting fat," she pops it into Leed's mouth

Leed, ever the cool cat, collars Kat in a tight hug as he brings the arm that is around her to pull the cake pop from his mouth. He hasn't bitten in. "Pink lemonade cake? Nah. To me it's not worth the indulgence if it's not chocolate. But you are not fat, Little Sister. In fact, you could use a few cake pops on that booty. Trace has run your ass off all winter. Eat up," he shoves it back into her mouth and clamps her jaw, on the treat, but she splutters and slaps at his hand.

"Gwoss," she mumbles around the cake pop.

"What?" Leed says.

"She said gross," I supply. He still looks confused. Leed is not used to anyone woman thinking any of his fluids are gross. "I think she means, because it was in your mouth first."

She nods, her cheeks puffed with cake, refusing to swallow Leed-laced-confections.

He whispers low. "You shared a joint with me last week, how is that different?"

"It... jus... is!" She garbles, holding out her hands like a plea for help. Leed sighs and holds a cupped hand in front of her face. She spits the cake out in his palm and walks away.

"Kids. The shit you do for them," he jokes as he winks at me and strolls off to the kitchen sink.

I find myself following him to the kitchen. I want to be near him constantly right now. Probably because of what happened in bed this morning...