“In Afghanistan. When I had internet. I sent instructions to my family’s team of lawyers. I had them go to the photographer with a contract, bought the SD memory card and rights to those images. Everyone who has seen them will be the only ones. I couldn’t contain it all but did what I could to stop it from continuing to plague you.”
“That was sweet. Thank you. I’m feeling almost speechless.”
“It’s no big deal. Stop thanking me before you annoy me and I turn back into the asshole you hate.”
Carlie stepped out of the dressing room and tossed the wipes into the trashcan. She draped her casual clothes over her arm and regarded him. Seemed like he didn’t know how to take a compliment or praise for doing good deeds. “You are my hero, Jackson Laurant.”
He chuckled. “You’re cute. Let’s go. I’m dying for a thick juicy steak. Which is my favorite food by the way.”
“Please tell me there is a vegetarian menu?” Her stomach still hated her for the sheer hell she put her digestive system through.
“Of course, what restaurant wouldn’t cater to all consumers?”
Carlie linked her arm through his and left the store with him. She watched in utter fascination as he hailed a cab in literally seconds with a sheer whistle.
“Sorry, I sent Raul home with your things.” He slipped in next to her.
New York City traffic crawled. She kept her eyes on the scenery rather than stalking her handsome date in such close proximity. “You know so much about my family, but I barely know of yours.”
Jackson turned to her. “You know I came to your house every summer from the time I was nine to, well after my mom passed for good.”
Carlie bit her lip and fidgeted with her skirt. One glance at Jackson told her he enjoyed her discomfort. “I don’t want to cross a boundary.”
“Princess, you crossed the boundary when you became an unknown house guest.” He nudged her knee with his and clasped his hand on her thigh.
Ignoring the arousal spearing through her, she swallowed and turned from his hawkish gaze. “I’m sorry.”
“My dad owns hotels and resorts, my mom’s family and I own French restaurants. Sort of a family business.” He gestured with his hand. “I guess you could say my mom had grand ideas of marrying for true love, not a business merger.”
“Oh. Wow. Your dad always seemed a bit harsh but—I’m sorry your parents didn’t have the relationship mine do.”
“Yeah, well that’s life.”
“So how on Earth did you talk him into letting you join the band?”
“After my mom died, he pretty much let me do what I wanted. I was more of an asshole then. So yeah, music made me feel better.”
“You were not an asshole. You were just quieter then, more withdrawn from everyone else. I’m glad you had my brother and Shea to lean on. I noticed the piano. How long have you played?”
“Since maybe three or four years old. I’d sit with my grams and play half songs with her.” He had a boyish smile on his face recounting the memory.
“Oh, I thought you might have just tinkered with it or something. I didn’t know you played anything other than guitar.”
“Princess, I don’t think I’ve ever…tinkered with anything.”
“So here’s the real question. Why do you show the world a womanizing asshole who does nothing but drink and fuck random chicks?
“Sir, we have arrived. Will you be going in through the back or front entrance?”
“Ah, saved by the cabbie.”
“Front door is good. Thank you.”
“I’m a real fan, sir. Love your music,” the cabbie said.
“Thanks, I appreciate your support.” He turned to Carlie. “Ready, princess?”
“Yep, starving. I still want an answer though.”
“I’m sure you do.” He paid the driver and exited the car, pulling Carlie out after into his arms.
Chapter Five
The flash of the cameras startled Carlie. Jackson brought the back of her hand to his mouth and kissed her skin. After opening the restaurant door, he ushered her quickly inside. “Good evening, Mr. Laurant. Right this way.” Jackson slipped his arm around her waist and drew her into him. Carlie sucked in a slight breath with every touch of hip to thigh. The maître d’ led them through the packed house. She peeked at her date who seemed pleased as punch his place was full of happy customers.
“This is beautiful. I’ve never been in a restaurant this nice.” She was impressed by the warm colors and exquisite décor.
“This was my grandma’s pride and joy. The first thing I did with my money was a total renovation for her, wanted her to love this place even more.” They entered his private dining room. Jackson pulled her chair out for her, she sat and he pushed her in.
“Are you kidding me?” She grinned as he smoothed down his dress shirt and took a seat. “This place is fabulous, how could she not?”
“Well, we were closed down for six weeks. Four more weeks than she wanted. I was on tour and had to force her to go on vacation, all the while hearing her rail on about how the regulars were upset and the business was going to go into the red.” He sighed. “I know she loved going to Europe even though she griped in my ear every chance she got.”
“I guess ignoring Grandma’s phone calls didn’t happen.”
“Hell no. She’d have flown to find me and beat my ass with a switch.”
“I’m glad she got to see you do the things you love. See your success.”
Their waiter appeared with a bottle of red wine and their menus. “Good evening, monsieur and mademoiselle.” He poured their wine and stepped back.
“Evening,” she responded and opened up her menu. “Um, Jacksy, it’s in French. I took Spanish.”
“Underneath each section the descriptions are in English.” He winked.
“Oh smart.”
“Would you like me to help you?”
“Oh! I see the vegetarian section. I’m good.” She butchered speaking in French for a minute, then pouted. “Let’s try English. I’d like the baby pumpkin stuffed with cucumber, red pepper, and feta in the chardonnay vinaigrette for my appetizer.”
“Oui, mademoiselle.”
“Et tu, monsieur?”
“I’ll start with the mushroom tarte. Princess, entrée?”
“I think I’ll have the pasta with fresh black truffles.”
“I’ll have the bourguignon beef. Thank you.” Jackson collected her menu with his and handed the two back to the server.
“So much for steak,” she teased.
“Yeah, well sometimes a guy changes his mind.”
“So, where were we?” Carlie sipped her wine and eyed him critically.
“We were talking about my grandma, your wanting an answer to that question from the cab.” He took a sip and drummed his thumb on the table. “Yeah, she was proud of me for accomplishing something that had nothing to do with either side of my family. I’m grateful, I had time with her after my mom passed. Now about the other question. There isn’t much of a reason, princess. People make their own assumptions and run away with their imaginations. I never read what’s posted outside of our fan boards and interviews.”
“That is complete and utter crap. I’ve had years to observe you, Jackson Laurant. Years.”
“Why do you think then?”
“Okay, let me put on my therapist hat.” He frowned at her, making her laugh. “Kidding.”
“Right,” he groused.
“Look, I’m banking on the fact that you lost your mom and grandma you don’t trust anyone, especially now. I know your dad is a big douche. With Crimson Rage global, trusting anyone is few and far between. Besides the secret fact that you’re like Bruce from Batman—a trust fund baby and heir to a global fortune. Your bad boy façade is an effective smoke screen to keep everyone out of your personal life.”
“Perceptive and not too far off the mark,” he started, but they were interrupted by their appetizers arriving.
Carlie fought the blush from rising in her face as he kept his gaze on hers without speaking a word. She fidgeted with her hands in her lap. A behavior she couldn’t stop anytime she became uncomfortable.
“Staring is rude.”
He took a few bites before saying anything. “So you don’t believe I’m a bad boy?”
“I-um think you can play the part, but the real you is with me here and now.”
“Hmm,” he simply replied.
“You can totally break me down if you like?” She spoke between a bite and sipped her wine.
Jackson laid his fork down. “This isn’t a tit-for-tat conversation.”
“What? Afraid you don’t know me?”
“Princess, I know you better than you think. I’ve had years to get to know you too,” he teased her.
“Then by all means tell me all about myself.”
“All right. Remember you asked for it. Stuck in the middle hasn’t been easy for you all these years. It must’ve been hard growing up with an overprotective brother and stricter than shit father, and with a twin who’s always been a handful. Then the arrival of an unexpected baby brother. With all the chaos you chose to be the good girl. They didn’t see you with all of you so close in age, like a blind spot, so helping your mom with Jordan and earning perfect grades made you stand out. When your twin, Carrie, noticed, she acted out more and gained notoriety. You worked harder, made the honor roll, perfect attendance, all of those certificates the principals gave out. In return your parents basked you with praise.”
Carlie felt a small piece of food go down her windpipe and cleared her throat. Jackson waited with a worried expression on his handsome face. “I’m good.”
“So, the downside was the expectations grew. Instead of cutting up and having fun, you worked so hard you never found a way to cope when disagreements arose. Trust me, I was around for plenty of those screaming matches when your parents demanded your sister be more driven like you and less of a problem child. Those arguments caused a rift between you two for a long time.”
Tight lipped, she waited on bated breath for him to finish. She wondered if he’d felt attacked when she told him about himself. She steeled her expressions with a mask of indifference as the waiter approached and took away their dishes, then set their entrées down.
“It must be hard feeling like a stranger in your own body, like you don’t fit in. Being perfect was all you had and now you’re floundering, trying to piece the life no one wanted for you back together.”
“Wow, where did all that come from?” She pursed her lips tight and swallowed the hurt.
“Years of observing you when you weren’t looking. Let’s eat.”
They ate in stony silence. She couldn’t help but think their night may be ruined completely.
“There is nothing wrong with striving for perfection.” The words came out of her mouth more clipped than she’d wanted.
“Hmm.” She watched him enjoy his food while she pushed hers around and took bird bites. Jackson looked up at her and pointed to her fork. “Eat.”
“No.” His breakdown of her hurt, leaving the beautiful meal before her tasteless. Jackson put his fork down and wiped his lips with his napkin. He stood, crossed over to her and held out his hand. “Dance with me.”
“To what music?”
“Get up, princess.”
With a sigh she rose from her seat and allowed him to lead her a few steps from their table. He pulled her to his body. Humming softly, he swept her into a waltz. She wanted to stay pissed at him but body to body with his mesmerizing voice, she couldn’t. In no time at all he had her laughing as he dipped and turned her, making her forget. Time stood still and she couldn’t imagine being anywhere else but with him. She breathed everything about him in.
“I apologize for upsetting you.” He brushed a kiss across her lips, and tucked a flyaway wisp of hair behind her ear.
“I asked for it. Not your fault, I wasn’t prepared for the outcome. I had no idea you secretly observed me for so long.” She ducked her head to whisper in his ear. This close she fell into his knowing gaze, connecting with him soul to soul.
“There is nothing wrong with wanting to have things right, until you’re so blindsided you’re afraid no one will love you for getting things wrong.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead as they swayed to their own music. After he dipped her, he kissed her with a tenderness she hadn’t known he possessed. Sweet and gentle, two things he was normally not.
“You ready to go bowl? Let’s bowl, let’s bowl and rock and roll.”
She broke from his arms laughing so hard her eyes watered. “That was so corn dog of you and you butchered the line of lyrics. Cheese much?”
“Every summer that movie came on and always on movie night. Your mom called all of us over to suffer for two hours and then Grease trivia.”
“I swear Grease 2 is her favorite movie.”
“Yeah, I still watch it at least once a year. Fun times.” They returned to the table. Jackson picked up the black bill holder, opened his wallet and paid.
“You’re paying?”
“We’re on our first date, of course. What, you thought because I brought you to the place I own I don’t need to pay?”
“No. I just thought well you own it…”
“Princess, I still have to pay.” He shook his head and led her out of the restaurant. “Raul should be here. He knew to come back after he dropped off your things.”
They located Raul and smiled for the cameras. Jackson dropped a kiss on her lips and waited while his driver opened the door for him to usher her in. Once settled in the car, she turned to him. “Dinner was fabulous. Thank you.”
“You are most welcome. Next time, I promise to let you eat without upsetting you.”
Carlie pulled out a small bag she’d asked him to tell Raul to keep in the backseat. “Unzip me, please. Then close your eyes.” Before he could cover up she saw his dick jerk. She pretended not to notice, presenting her back to him. He swept her hair to the side and tugged down the zipper. As she felt his burning gaze rake her back, she realized she was basically on his lap as she wiggled out of her form fitting dress. She turned to pinch him. “I said to close them.”
“I know.” He smirked. “Bad boys don’t listen, they do as they wish.”
Carlie rolled her eyes and slid on the jean skirt. She ended on his lap to get the denim material over her hips.
“Need me to zip that?”
“Perv.” She slapped his grabby hands.
“Trying to be a gentleman.”
“Sure,” she mumbled while digging in the bag for her top. Pay dirt. She eased on the pink shimmering fabric that molded to her breasts perfectly and tied the halter style straps around her neck.
“Fuck, you are one classy, sexy, babe, princess. Pink on you is my favorite color.”
She slid off his lap, the bereft feeling left her stunned. After grabbing her stick of gloss, she tuned him out while she fixed herself.
“I’ve never wanted to be a wand of lip gloss more.” He moaned and she loved the tortured sound.
“See something you like?”
“Hell yeah, I’m imagining what flavor that gloss is and how long til I lick every drop off your perfect lips.”
“My aren’t we pretty sure of yourself.” She dropped the wand in her clutch and scooted to her side of the car.
“Fleeing to safety?”
She scoffed. “As if, you wouldn’t move over here, Rico Suave, if you wanted.”
“I don’t know what’s worse. Being compared to Rico Suave or the music video playing in my head. How old are you again? That is some old school shit right there.”
“Hazard of living with musicians, ya’ll tend to know all genres and ages of music.” She laughed and began singing the song. Jackson reached over and clamped a hand over her mouth. Sneaky bastard wanted his hands on her. She licked his palm, the effect was a low growl from his lips. He dropped his wet palm from her mouth and ho
isted her to his lap. As he crushed his lips to hers, she submitted to his all-out siege on her senses. Carlie fisted her hands in his shirt and straddled his lap. Hot and hard, his dick lurched underneath her barely there panties.
“God, I’ve never wanted to be balls deep so much.”
Carlie moaned and wiggled her hips over him. She felt his finger slide over the edge of her panties. Just a smidge more and he’d be in. She moved to encourage him. “God, I want this—you—so bad.”
“I promised, princess. I can’t give you what you want. I never break my word, at least not to those who matter most. We can’t happen without it being cool.”
“Sir, we’ve arrived.”
“Saved again by the driver.”
Carlie flushed red at being caught by Raul making out with Jackson.
“Ready, princess?” He fixed himself. “Thanks, Raul.”
“It’s what you pay for, sir.” Raul exited and opened the door for Carlie. She slid out and pushed her skirt down. Jackson appeared next to her, and man, her mouth watered for him, looking so handsome in his button down shirt and slacks. He slung an arm around her shoulder and kissed her head as if it were the most natural thing to do, and she loved it.
“You are so gonna lose.”
“Try again, tough guy. My brother has a bowling alley in his house. Remember?”
“Yeah, but you’ve been gone.” He winked.
“Whatever. I can’t wait to pick the song you must sing off key too. Karaoke here we come.” She leaned into him as they walked up to the bowling alley.
Jackson led her to the counter and paid in cash. “You’re going to need socks and shoes. Size eight for her and a twelve for me.”
She accepted the new socks from the attendant. The scent of deodorized community shoes made her gag a little and frown.
“They’re disinfected, princess. I know you’re a germaphobe, but if I can stick my feet in them so can you.”
“I can’t. Bowling shoes are ugly and germy. I’ll bowl barefoot.”
“I guess our game is off. After all that bragging too.”
Carlie laughed. The smell of pizza made her stomach rumble. She should’ve eaten more. Since she’d fallen off the health kick wagon, that slice smelled like a piece of heaven. Jackson tugged her hand.
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