Since she’d set up her laptop and notes outside, there was nothing in the sprawling open-plan space that flowed from kitchen to dining to living areas to give Kathleen any clue as to Molly’s purpose here. “So,” she said, wondering if the other woman would ask, “shall we try this machine?”

Setting her small purse on the counter, Kathleen walked around to the gleaming steel coffeemaker. “Is that a New Zealand accent?”

“Yes.” Molly watched the astonishingly beautiful actress use the coffee machine with the ease of someone who’d done the same thing multiple times. “I’ve only been in L.A. a few days.”

“What are you into?” Expression polite but distant, Kathleen passed across the first cup of coffee, made another. “My side of the business, or music?”

 “Neither,” she said, beginning to believe Kathleen’s standoffishness had nothing to do with seeing Fox in a romantic way. “Come on, I’ll show you what I’m doing at the moment.”

Leading the other woman to the wrought-iron table that sat in a shaded area by the crystalline blue waters of the pool, Molly waited for her to take a seat before angling the laptop so the other woman could see the screen. “Words”—she smiled—“that’s what I’m into.”

Kathleen took a sip of coffee. “What’s your screenplay about?”

Still not fully certain about Kathleen’s place in Fox’s life, Molly thought about how to respond to that cool question, went for honesty. “Are you always this suspicious or only when it comes to people you care about?” When the actress’s expression became even icier, Molly shook her head. “I have no desire to be in any way famous.”

Putting down her coffee, Kathleen took her sunglasses off her head and slid them back over eyes critics were calling “breathtaking in their expressiveness.” “Yet you’re with one of the most famous men in the world.”

“It’s funny how life works out.” That, Molly thought, had to be the understatement of the century.

Kathleen left ten minutes later, and five minutes after that, Fox called. “Whatever you said to Kit,” he drawled, “she’s convinced you have evil intentions toward my millions.”

Her entire body warmed at his tone. “She’s very protective of you.” Molly understood loyalty; it was why she’d online-researched the heck out of T-Rex behind Charlotte’s back weeks ago.

“We’ve been friends a long time,” Fox said. “I’ve invited her back for dinner tonight—you two will be best buds as soon as she realizes you break out in hives at the idea of my millions.”

“Smart aleck.” Any uncertainty about who Kathleen was to Fox erased by his easy words, she luxuriated in the pleasure of talking to her man. “How’s the meeting?”

“No big stress.” The sound of voices in the background. “Gotta go, baby. I’ll see you this afternoon.”

He brought the entire band home with him, the four of them setting up shop in the state-of-the-art and fully soundproofed basement studio. When Molly carried down snacks and cold drinks, she got two offers of marriage and a declaration that she was a goddess.

 “Don’t spoil the bastards.” Fox scowled, grabbing one of the iced bottles of water. “They’ll start following me home every day.”

Hugging Fox from behind where he sat on a chair, guitar on his lap, she looked at David. “I hear you can cook.”

The others hooted as David groaned. “Only for you, Molly.”

Three hours later, the drummer took over the kitchen, with Molly acting as his assistant, while the other three men hung out around the big screen in the living area, talking and watching football. When Kathleen arrived, Fox threw her a beer and Abe asked her about a play in the game.

The actress disagreed vehemently with Abe’s interpretation.

“Kathleen knows football,” Molly said to David, popping some rolls in the oven to warm.

David stirred the pot of stew he had on the stove. “She used to be a cheerleader, but I think she would’ve rather played.”

Hearing Kathleen roar at a touchdown, Molly agreed. “Written any new memos lately?”

A blush colored his cheekbones. “Your sister is determined to drive me insane.”

Biting back her grin at how adorable he looked and sounded, she said, “You know you love it.”

“Clearly, I’m a masochist.” He added some pepper to the stew as Fox wrapped an arm around Kathleen’s neck and dragged her into the kitchen area.

The other woman was dressed in skinny jeans and a plain white T-shirt, her hair scraped back into a ponytail and no makeup on her face, but she was no less stunning than she’d been earlier that day.

“Kit,” Fox said, “you know Molly. Be nice to her. She’s on the fence about dating a musician as it is.”

Molly met the green of Fox’s eyes, and suddenly it didn’t matter that they were surrounded by others. Barely aware of Kathleen leaving his side, she placed her palms on his chest and, rising on tiptoe, kissed him soft and sweet and with all the scary, powerful emotions she felt for him. “I might be on the fence about this life,” she whispered for his ears only, “but I’m not and will never be on the fence about you.” He was it for her. Forever. “I will fight for you.”

Fox’s arms came around her, his head bent over hers. “You sure know how to pick your moments.” One big hand against the side of her face, lips moving over her own as he spoke. “Should I kick everyone out? We’ll keep David’s masterpiece though.”

 “I think you’d have a mutiny on your hands.” Stepping back with a silly, happy smile, she saw the drummer and Kathleen had moved to the other end of the kitchen to give them privacy.

Fox stroked his hand down her back with a deep, playful smile of his own. His dimple tempted her to steal another kiss—but the oven timer went off right then.

Leaning against the fridge, Fox watched her take the rolls out. “I’m starving.” The ink on his arm was delineated exquisitely in the light as he caught the roll she threw him, tore off a piece to eat. “David—you letting your creation age or what?”

“I’m not the one who can’t keep it in the bedroom,” came the whiplash-fast retort. “Grab some bowls and tell the other wolves it’s time to feed.”

“I had fun,” Molly said to Fox several hours later, her sleep T-shirt soft around her thighs as she finished rubbing moisturizer into her face in front of the bathroom mirror and considered whether or not to tackle her hair with a brush. “I think Kathleen is thawing.”

Dressed only in a pair of sweatpants, Fox cupped her breasts from behind, nuzzling a kiss into her neck, his stubbled jaw a delicious abrasion. It made her shiver and lean back into him, her arms raised to wrap around his neck as he petted her, kissing her neck the entire time.

When he stroked his hands down her body to tug up her T-shirt, slide underneath, she sighed in anticipation. The callused heat of his touch on her bare breasts was a raw shock of sensation. Shuddering, she found her eyes drawn to the mirror and to the way Fox’s hands moved under the T-shirt as he fondled her, but mostly, to Fox.

The look of him as he touched her, as he kissed her… it made her feel so beautiful, until she could see what he saw in her. A sensual woman with creamy skin and curves that were as soft as Fox’s body was hard. She didn’t resist when he pulled the T-shirt off over her head and continued to pet her as he’d been doing, his tanned hands cupping her breasts, his fingers tugging on her nipples, the sinew and muscle of him apparent beneath the tats.

“Push down your panties, baby.” Whiskey and sin and pure hard rock.

Shivering, she rolled them down as far as she was able to in this position, the lace tangling low on her thighs. Fox slipped one hand between her legs from the front the next instant. The erotic shock of seeing him do that had her breathless, her hips moving restlessly against him as he caressed her to a deep, pulsing orgasm.