“You like her.”
“Yeah, I like her.”
I did. After having brunch with her and her sister, I liked Danica even more. They were both hot, and the twin fantasies were obvious. But there was also a marked difference between them.
Daniella had blown me off and clearly didn’t give one shit about it.
Danica tried to act like she wasn’t into me, when she totally was.
I knew she was.
But the girl was hard to figure out.
For one thing, she seemed to openly care about everything in her path just a little too much. Seemed way more concerned about how her sister and I felt at brunch than about what she wanted—even let her sister order for her.
I’d kept comparing them in my mind, maybe looking for some kind of evidence that Danica was gonna turn out to be just like her sister—and not worth my time.
Some reason to give up on her.
But I was kidding myself if I was trying to pretend I wasn’t drawn to her like I was. The truth was I was into her, and not just because I wanted to fuck her.
And the only thing really holding me back from pursuing her, full-throttle—and not just so I could fuck her—was the fear that she could hurt me.
I’d definitely picked up on how uneasy she seemed while Daniella talked to me.
But she made no move to assert any kind of territorial rights over me, just let her sister dominate the conversation. I really didn’t know what to make of that.
Sure, she’d told me she wanted to be “just friends” and “keep it professional.” But I didn’t really believe her.
Either way, she definitely wasn’t in any rush to fuck me.
Fact was, I was way more accustomed to the kind of girls who’d scratch their own sister’s eyes out if it meant they’d win my attention.
“So what’s the problem?” Summer asked. “Something is wrong. You’re all tense and edgy, like you haven’t been laid in a year or something.”
“Feels like it,” I admitted. “She hasn’t even touched me yet.”
“What? Why?”
“She’s redecorating my apartment. Says she wants to keep it professional.”
A slow smile spread across Summer’s face.
“Don’t laugh. She says she wants us to be friends.”
“Okay. Let me give you some advice, hon. I mean, assuming you want some or you wouldn’t have brought it up.”
“Go nuts.”
“Make your move before you lose her,” she said. “She may seem like a nice girl, but don’t make the mistake of being too nice back. That’s not who you are. Better to go nasty alpha rock star on her and see how it plays out. Get out of the friend zone before it’s too late.”
Friend zone?
What the fuck.
Was I seriously in the friend zone with this girl?
Until Elle and Amber, I’d never been friend-zoned by a chick in my life.
The fuck was happening to me?
Was I seriously losing my mojo?
“Yeah… I’ll take that under advisement.”
“Good luck,” she said. “I hope it works out for you.”
“Thanks.” I knew she meant that. Summer wanted me to be happy, of course, like any friend would. Plus, if it worked out, it might just mean I’d be too preoccupied with the new girl to fall in love with one of our new bandmates. “I should probably get going. Jet lag. And I was up early yesterday for brunch with twins. Haven’t really recovered yet.”
Summer lifted an eyebrow as I got up and headed for the door, but she didn’t ask me to explain that statement.
I paused just inside the door to the music room and looked back at her. Sitting there on one of the two matching recliners, where we had our sacred vortex meetings and where we’d shared so much.
“I get why you might have trouble trusting me,” I told her. “But you’ll have to trust me, or the fact is, we won’t have a band. Not one that lasts for more than five minutes.”
“I do trust you, Ash. Whether you believe that are not. But you can’t fuck anyone in this band.”
“I get that. But you realize that means you can’t fuck anyone in this band, either.”
“Yeah,” she said dryly. “I realize that.”
“Even me,” I said.
“Even you,” she agreed, holding my gaze.
And I said it; the thing one of us needed to say, if we were really doing this. “You know this means we’re never getting back together.”
“I didn’t think we were,” she said, gently.
“Ever,” I said, holding her gaze. “You okay with closing the door on that possibility?”
She softened. “Yeah, Ash. I have to be okay with it. I told you how much I want this band. Are you okay with it?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I want this band, too.”
I did want this band. More than anything in my life right now—except maybe Danica Vola—I wanted this band.
And I knew I didn’t love Summer anymore. Not like I used to. Not like that.
We’d always be friends and I’d love her as a friend… but that was all.
I’d never been so sure of it as I was right now, as I walked out her door.
Chapter Seventeen
Danica
I was two refreshing Strongbow ciders and three very delicious shooters in at my favorite nightclub, when my ex showed up.
It was Thursday night—ladies night—and there were a whole lot more shooters lined up on the table, ready to go, and more on their way. I didn’t get drunk very often, but on ladies night, it was on.
After me and the girls sucked back a sufficient number of shooters, we’d disburse in pursuit of men (the single girls) and the dance floor (me and the non-single girls).
Technically, I was single, but try explaining that to my lady parts. Currently, since they were obsessed with a very special unicorn/rock star, they were zero-percent interested in any other male on the planet. Which meant that tonight, for me, was all about dancing and quality time with my ladies.
That was the plan.
But then Carter happened. To me and my favorite bar, on ladies night.
I’d attempted to keep my bar in the breakup, of course. Carter had never come here before he met me anyway. Unfortunately, we’d had a dramatic breakup scene here, you know, the night he got the phone number from the chick with the gigantic breasts and I caught him doing it.
But even that wasn’t enough to ruin my favorite nightclub for me.
The Artemis had delicious drinks, lots of cozy booths, a giant dance floor, and best of all, fantastic music. And unlike so many popular bars, the staff was actually friendly. The bartenders were nice and always quick to take my order—even the female ones—and the bouncers and I had a good thing going: I brought them Aunt Mireille’s goodies, and they always let me in no matter how long the lineup was.
No way was I letting Carter ruin this for me.
Even if he still showed up sometimes and tried.
Okay, so maybe he wasn’t actually trying to ruin my night. But seeing my ex-boyfriend walk into my favorite club holding another chick’s hand, even if I didn’t want him back, wasn’t exactly a highlight of my night. Especially when I was here with no one. At least, no one male.
I was sitting in one of the giant booths with eight other girls—my sister, our cousin Jolie, and assorted friends and friends-of-friends—when Carter saw me and beelined straight over. With some pretty blonde in tow.
Unfortunately, Taylor wasn’t here tonight because her psycho boss, who didn’t give a crap about ladies night, made her work late. Which meant my sister would have to run interference on this. While drunk.
Frightening.
I couldn’t even make a quick, graceful escape before she saw him. I was in the back of the booth, locked in on both sides by drunk chicks.
“Hey, ladies,” Carter said, his gaze sweeping the table, his eyes landing on me.
A couple of the girls glanced his way and said H
ey, whether they knew who he was or not. But although he was all tall and broad and handsome, with his designer shirt and tidy hair—you know, if you were into that kind of thing—they quickly dismissed him when they saw the blonde attached to him.
“Hey, Carter,” I forced out. I even managed to smile.
“Oh, good,” my sister said.
“This is Melody.” Carter introduced the girl with him. “That’s Danica, over there,” he told her.
I would’ve reached across and shaken her hand, but the table was too big. So I shoved at my sister’s shoulder a bit, like, Move so I can get out. She gave me a look back, like, Sit your ass right there. I gave her a look back, like, Don’t make me go under the table.
Daniella didn’t budge. She just threw back a shooter and gave me a cold-ass look.
I threw back a shooter, too.
Then I slithered off my seat, dropping into a crouch under the table, and fought my way through the sea of legs. When I popped up on the other side, Carter and his date stepped back to let me up. We all edged awkwardly out of the way to let the waitress in with her drink-laden tray.
“Hi,” I said, offering Melody my hand.
“Hey,” she said, offering me a flimsy handshake. “Nice to meet you.”
It totally wasn’t. Which meant Carter had told her he used to screw me. She had that look in her eyes.
Keep your hands off my man. That look.
I gave him a hug anyway. A quick one, but still. Blonde Mel didn’t like it. “Join us?” I offered. Then I dropped under the table, crawled my way back through the sea of legs and snaked my way back into my seat. Good thing I was flexible. All those barre classes. Plus, I’d worn a slinky, slippery dress tonight, and the shooters didn’t hurt, either.
Dani just shook her head at me and sipped her drink as I settled next to her.
“You’re such a bitch,” I informed her with a smile on my face. Together we watched Carter and his new girl debating whether to join us or not. He seemed to be gesturing toward the end of the booth seat, where there was room for them to squeeze in. She seemed to be trying to drag him away—anywhere but here.
“Why?” Dani said. “Because I’m trying to save you from yourself? You’re too nice to that dick.”
“My prerogative,” I said. I accepted the fresh bottle of cider Jolie slid my way.
“Saved you one,” she said, as she handed me a shooter, too.
“Thank you. Now that’s a good friend,” I remarked. “Very sisterly. You know what, Jolie? You’ve been upgraded. You are now my sister. Dani, you’ve been downgraded to cousin.”
Daniella rolled her eyes.
“Sweet upgrade!” Jolie tapped her bottle to mine as I tossed back my shooter.
“That means you’re my winglady for the night, too,” I informed her. I took a hearty, delicious pull of my cider and looked her over. My young cousin was cute. Very cute. Sometimes skittish with hot men, but she had a good head on her shoulders. She’d do.
“I’m up to the task,” Jolie replied gravely.
“Your first mission, obviously, is to provide a nice buffer between me, my ex, and his new lady friend.”
“I’m all over it,” she said.
Then my phone vibrated. I’d kept it on the seat next to me and kind of shoved halfway under my thigh, so I wouldn’t miss it if Ashley called or texted me.
Sad, I knew.
Probably against ladies night rules, but whatever.
I’d done my best to back out of the way last time I saw him—at brunch with my sister—in case he and Dani decided they were all about each other. But so far, it hadn’t happened. She hadn’t mentioned him, except to ask me when I’d be seeing him again.
Meanwhile, he’d kept text-flirting with me every chance he got.
I was still playing it careful, but nothing had really changed since they’d gotten in the same room together. Except that I just kept liking him more every damn day.
I checked my phone, and my pussy did the same happy-horny tingly thing it always did when I found a text from him.
Ashley: What r u doing
Me: Ladies night.
The little bubble with the three dots appeared, so I knew he was typing.
Ashley: Is that a lesbo thing
Me: I’m with my sister and cousin, so no.
Ashley: Incestuous lesbo thing?
Me: In your dreams.
Ashley: Wheres this lesbian orgy happening and can I come
I grinned. Ear-to-ear, like a dummy.
It made me ridiculously happy that he liked me.
That he still liked me, even after he’d re-met my sister.
Shit… I think he really likes me.
“What are you doing?”
I looked blankly at my sister, the dumb grin stuck on my face.
“Who are you texting?” she demanded, leaning over to see my phone as I tried to hide it under the table.
“No one.” She grabbed for my phone, but I held it out of her reach. “Don’t you dare!”
She examined my face. “Ashley?”
I sighed. “Yes.”
Her attitude completely shifted. She relaxed, satisfied that she had the scoop. “So tell him to come.”
“What? Why? It’s ladies night.”
“Yeah… In case no one’s ever informed you, the point of ladies night is to get laid. You increase your odds of that if you invite a hot guy to meet up with you.”
“That is not the point of ladies night.”
“Hey, ladies,” my sister asked loudly, “is the whole point of ladies night to get laid?”
“Yes!” several of the girls at our table shouted.
Melody, who was still standing by with Carter, scowled in our general direction.
“I mean, after we have all the lady time, of course,” Jolie said.
“Traitor,” I grumbled.
She shrugged and sipped her drink. “By then we’re all liquored up and horny.”
“Exactly,” my sister said. “Tell him to come out.”
“Who?” Jolie leaned in from my other side to look at my phone.
“Ashley Player,” Dani said.
Jolie’s eyes went wide and she grabbed hold of the table. Pretty sure she almost had a spontaneous orgasm. “THE UNICORN?!”
Dani choked a bit on her drink. “What?”
“Yes,” I hissed, hoping to shut Jolie up. “And we’re not calling him that.” Out loud.
I checked my phone, which had vibrated again.
Ashley: I’ll bring another dude with me in case any of the lesbians feel like switching teams
Me: Ok.
Why was I agreeing to this?
Alcohol.
Me: But he has to be at least 50% as attractive as you or its not fair to the other girls.
Ashley: He’s glorious
I grinned and shoved my phone under my thigh.
“Is he coming?” Jolie blinked at me hopefully.
“Yes—oh, shit.” I snatched the phone up as it vibrated again. I totally forgot to tell him where I was.
Ashley: Should I just wander the streets, calling your name…?
Me: I’m at the Artemis.
Me: And we’re just friends.
I felt the need to add that. For myself as much as for him.
Ashley: Of course we are
I stashed my phone away again, trying not to grin like a crazy person. I forced myself to remain absorbed in what the girls were discussing. Jason Momoa? There was another round of shooters, then another round of drinks. We got noticeably louder, as did the music. Several of the girls took off to dance or whatever.
Carter and his girl eventually wandered away.
Thankfully.
And then, suddenly, the sea of bodies in front of our table seemed to part… and a dazzling unicorn appeared.
He walked straight toward us like he’d already spotted me, though his eyes were scanning the crowd. He was dressed all in black. Sleeveless shirt, tight jeans. Black-and-
white checkered Vans. There was some crazy light show going on over the dance floor, and as the lights flickered over him, he looked like he was walking all slow-mo. All he needed was a majestic mane to toss down his back.
“Oh, shit. There’s a bunch of them,” Jolie said. “I can’t even.” Then she slid out her side of the booth and vanished.
Coward.
I could feel Dani smirking next to me. “That’s your new winglady?”
“Can I have you back?”
“We’ll see.” She sipped her vodka soda as Ashley slid straight into the booth beside me. Jolie’s disappearance had left me wide open on my left side. Dani and one of her girlfriends were on my right. Everyone else was gone.
“Hey,” Ashley said to me.
“Hey,” I said back.
His friend slid in next to him, and I noticed Haz and another semi-scary-looking, muscular dude hanging off to the side. Security.
Hot security.
Did it make me shallow that it kinda turned me on that Ashley needed muscly security dudes with him when he went to a bar?
Ashley was wearing a black ball cap with a red anarchy symbol on it, and his friend was wearing a camo one, backwards. From what I’d discerned so far, the ball cap was the universal disguise of the low-profile rock star.
So cute.
And Ashley’s friend was definitely a rock star. Or at least, he sure as hell looked like one.
He wore a white T-shirt, but it wasn’t cotton. More like some kind of performance fabric that created a vacuum seal to his skin. I could see his nipples through it. And many, many sculpted muscles, like all the little ones that only got definition when a guy worked out a lot. He had tattoos all down his arms and up his neck. He took off his cap and smoothed his dark-brown hair back; it was buzzed on the sides, the top slicked back. He had a nose ring, nice, sculpted lips and male-supermodel cheekbones.
Hot Mess: A Players Rockstar Romance (Players #1) Page 22
