Pointing at the front of my blouse, I said, “You need to put your clothes back on and go hunt down a new shirt for me.”
One of his hands slid around to rest just above the swell of my butt and the other tangled in my hair at the back of my head. “Are you sure that’s what you want me to do?”
I gulped as the heat of his hardened length practically burned into my belly. I’d have loved to be able to drag him back into bed with me to experience his exceptional lovemaking skills again, but I was a little sore from earlier and needed to make sure I still had a job before I indulged with him some more. “Right now, yes.”
“I’ll agree on one condition.” He claimed my lips in a passionate kiss, his tongue slipping inside to tangle with mine and his teeth nipping at my bottom lip before he finally lifted his head. “That you come home with me tonight.”
I rose on my toes to softly brush my lips over his. “Sure, I’ll grab some stuff and meet you here after your show.”
“Sorry, sweetheart. That plan doesn’t work for me.”
I tilted my head to the side and shivered at how his hand tugged my hair. My voice was raspy when I asked, “Why not?”
“Two reasons.” He gave me another hot, wet kiss before continuing, “I don’t live here. I booked the suite so I’d have somewhere to take you just in case you didn’t want to come with me willingly this morning.”
“Oh.” My lips formed a perfect O as I felt my cheeks fill with heat. “I guess that’s not a concern for tonight since I’m definitely willing.”
“Fuck, sweetheart,” he groaned, grinding his hips against me. “You can’t say shit like that if you want to leave this room anytime soon.”
“Sorry.” I grinned up at him, not feeling the least bit apologetic since his reaction was sexy as heck.
“Uh-huh. Sure you are.” He shook his head and released me to grab his pants and tug them on.
“What was the second reason?” I asked as I stared at his butt, disappointed when it was covered by his pants.
“You’re going to meet me before my show so I can escort you to my private box.” He flashed me a sly grin. “That way I won’t have to worry about kidnapping you again later.”
“Yeah, I’d prefer to avoid being locked in your disappearing act box again.” I laughed softly and shook my head.
Julian sat on the edge of the mattress and slid his shoes on his feet after putting his shirt on. “I’m sorry about that, sweetheart. Desperate times called for desperate measures.”
Considering all the pleasure I would’ve missed out on if he hadn’t pulled that stunt, I was now willing to forgive him for it. “If you can get a replacement blouse up here that I like in the next fifteen minutes, I promise to never throw that incident up in your face in the future.”
“Consider it done,” he promised before smacking one final, brief kiss against my lips, then heading toward the door.
While he was gone, I used the bathroom and cleaned up a bit. Then I called my boss. “Hey, Anna. How’s the special project going?”
I glanced at the rumpled sheets on the bed and blushed. “Great, but I’m done earlier than anticipated so I thought I’d check in with you to see if you needed me for anything today.”
“You have fantastic timing. I just got a tip that we’ll have an A-list celebrity in the audience during Julian’s show tonight. I’d really appreciate it if you’d pop in and see if his team is okay with us taking some photos for social media.”
Her request was awfully convenient for me since I was already going to be at his show. “Sure! Who’s the celebrity?”
“I don’t know. He registered under a pseudonym, and his team didn’t reach out to us. I wouldn’t have even known about his visit except we got a tip from someone over at McCarran airport. Unfortunately, they weren’t willing to give us his name off the manifest from the private jet. Sorry, you’ll have to figure it out on your own.”
“Will do, boss.”
* * *
Five hours later, I was headed toward Julian’s dressing room with an overnight bag. I was still wearing the gorgeous emerald green blouse he’d bought for me—the one he’d said he picked out because it was a perfect match for my eyes—but I’d paired it with a form-fitting black skirt and a pair of strappy, three-inch heels. I felt super sexy in the silky shirt, knowing Julian had selected it specifically for me.
There was an extra spring in my step as I neared the door with Julian’s name on it, but I paused when I heard the murmur of his deep voice. “Fuck no! It doesn’t matter what kind of publicity I’d get. I’m not interested in fame, and I belong in Vegas at the Lennox.”
“I don’t understand how you can turn down an offer like this, but I guess I have to take no for an answer.”
Oh, crap! I recognized that voice, too.
9
Julian
I glared at the pretty boy movie star giving me his megawatt smile as though that would convince me he wasn’t a total slimeball. Dirk Carlson had been going through my agent for months, trying to convince me to take a role in his next movie. Apparently, the main character and his best friend were world renowned magicians. Dirk wanted me to teach him my tricks and to play the supporting role. One of his tactics was to promise that the part would catapult my career, leading to bigger roles and more spectacular stages. I’d informed my agent to politely decline. Repeatedly. It wasn’t as though I needed the money, my contract at the Lennox made me a very wealthy man. And, even before I met Anna, I knew that life wasn’t what I wanted. I was already where I belonged.
The offers had continued to come, getting more elaborate and promising ultimate fame and fortune. It was obvious that this guy wasn’t used to being told no. My agent eventually stopped being nice and got firm with them. We thought that was the end of it, but clearly, we were wrong. The tool had come here personally to make another offer. Why he thought that would make a difference was a mystery to me.
“You may think you belong here, but you’re the best in the business, Storm. You could have the world at your feet.”
I sighed, and my hands curled into fists as I imagined knocking a few teeth out of his artificially perfect smile. “Look, Dirk, I’m tired of repeating myself. I’m not fucking interested. Now get the hell out of my dressing room. I have a show to do. And if you’re here when I get back, I’ll have you thrown out of the hotel.”
Dirk’s expression slipped for a moment, and I got a glimpse of the anger simmering beneath the surface. The asshole really hated being told no. A second later, his congenial attitude was back, and he shrugged with a rueful smile. “I had to try. If you change your mind…”
“I won’t,” I snapped.
He turned around and opened the door, but he was blocked from leaving by someone standing in the hall, just outside the room. Suddenly, Dirk’s whole demeanor shifted into the cocky movie star with ridiculous swagger. “Muffin,” he crooned as he leaned his shoulder against the door. “It’s great to see you. I’ve missed you.”
His position revealed the identity of the person he was trying to schmooze. I spotted the emerald blouse I’d purchased earlier that day first. Then I looked up to see my Anna standing there, the blood drained from her face and her eyes wide with shock. My gaze bounced back and forth between them for a second. Was this…?
“Dirk,” she rasped. “What are you doing here?” The tremble in her voice confirmed my suspicion, and rage like I’d never felt washed over me.
“I came to offer Julian here a job, but if I can convince you to come home with me, it’ll be a two-for-one special. Come on, muffin. Stop running from our attraction. You know you want me.”
Anna’s face screwed up in disgust, and I practically flew across the room to pull her inside and push her behind me. “Back off, Carlson,” I snarled as I stepped into his space. I was at least six inches taller than him—despite the lifts in his shoes—and had a good fifty pounds on him. He squared his shoulders and tried to make himself as big as possible. H
is attempt at being intimidating would have been laughable. If I’d been remotely amused about the situation.
His practiced expression fell away, and he glared at me with malice. “Don’t tell me to back off my girl, asshole.”
Shit. That was just the wrong thing to say to me. The possession roaring in my chest sent a shot straight to my fist, and on instinct, it smashed into his jaw with a right hook. Dirk’s head flew back and smacked into the door behind him. He cried out like a pussy and cupped his face. “You asshole! You’ll be—”
He broke off when I grabbed his shirt and twisted it, holding him still while I growled a low warning. “Anna is mine, motherfucker. If I ever see you near her again, you’ll be visiting your Hollywood plastic surgeon for facial reconstruction. Understood?”
Dirk looked as though he was going to argue but must have recognized the dead seriousness in my eyes and tone because he nodded instead. I released the fabric and took a step back. “Get out,” I barked.
He quickly scurried out but threw one last jab over his shoulder. “I’m gonna sue you for everything you’ve got, Storm. Then we’ll see who muffin goes running to.”
I took a step in his direction, intent on kicking his ass, but a tug on my arm stopped me. I spun around and pulled Anna into my arms, holding her tight as though she might disappear. After a minute, my heart rate began to slow, and I lifted her dimpled chin with a finger. “Are you alright?” My eyes scanned her face, looking for any sign of distress, but she was gazing up at me with a soft smile.
“I’m perfect.”
I raised a brow in wordless curiosity.
She chuckled, and her arms around my torso gave me a brief squeeze. “I hated seeing that pig, Dirk, again. But”—her eyes dropped to my chest, and her cheeks flamed though her smile was coy—”watching you get all territorial over me was incredibly sexy.”
“Is that so?” I purred as my hands dropped to palm her ass. With a minute amount of pressure, I pressed her body against mine. My erection was pressed into her stomach, and she shifted restlessly. I wanted to shove her up against the wall and bury myself deep inside her, but I had a show in ten minutes. If she’d still been upset or scared, I wouldn’t have considered leaving her. But she appeared to be just fine, and I didn’t want to disappoint the audience. And although I probably had enough time for a quick fuck, I knew it would never be enough.
I groaned and brushed my lips over hers for a hasty kiss. “I have to go.” I grabbed the bag she’d dropped on the floor and took her hand, heading out of the room. “I have the perfect spot for you to watch—” Another tug had me stopping once again and turning to look at her with concern. Instead of finding her in distress, she was beaming at me with a beautiful smile.
“Your sexy caveman tactics aside, there’s another reason I’m happy.”
I closed the distance between us and gazed down into her twinkling emerald eyes. The audience could wait. “Tell me,” I encouraged with a matching smile.
“I heard what you said to Dirk. Turning him down for that job, not just because he’s a horrible person, but because you want to stay here and settle down. You told him this is where you belong.”
I nodded slowly, not sure why she seemed surprised. “I told you that before, sweetheart.”
“You did, but I couldn't help wondering if you’d still feel that way if a golden opportunity presented itself. You’d really choose me over fame and fortune?”
Maybe I should have felt hurt that she hadn’t trusted me. However, my heart softened, and I gently cupped her face. She was asking in all honesty because she didn’t recognize her own value. I promised myself that I would spend the rest of my life convincing her that she was worth it. That I would do anything, give up anything, be anyone, if that was what it took to keep her by my side. “Of course. It didn’t even cross my mind to accept his offer, sweetheart. The one thing I know without a doubt is that I belong wherever you are.”
Tears welled in her eyes, and she sniffed, but her blinding smile told me that I didn’t need to worry over her tears. That didn’t mean I liked to see her cry, though. “Don’t cry, Anna,” I begged as I used my thumbs to wipe away the moisture leaking from her green orbs.
“Happy tears,” she assured me with a laugh.
I frowned. “You’re still crying, and I don’t like it.”
She laughed and gave me a quick hug, then patted my ass and winked at me. “Get going, Mr. Storm. You’ve got a show to do, and then you need to take me home and spend the night making love to me.”
I snapped my feet together and gave her a quick salute. “Yes, ma’am!” I grabbed her hand and dragged her with me to the door that opened into my private box with a perfect view of the stage, muttering, “Let’s get this over with.” She laughed again, and the musical sound soothed my soul, filling it with joy.
* * *
After the final encore, the curtain fell, and I eagerly accepted the towel a stagehand had trotted out to give me. The last couple of tricks took a lot of strength and balance; it was one of the reasons I kept myself in such good shape.
I saw Anna waiting for me in the wings with a giant smile, and it lit me up from the inside. Before I reached her, the production manager jogged over and handed me a cell phone. “Knox,” she explained when I gave her a questioning look. I took the phone and winked at Anna as I held up a finger to let her know I’d just be a minute.
“Knox,” I greeted.
“Get to the security office,” he demanded. “Don’t bring Anna.”
I scoffed, “How exactly do you expect me to keep her from coming with?”
Knox let out a long, overly dramatic sigh. “Do I have to do everything for you people? Griffith Thorne’s show just ended. They haven’t met yet, so I’ll send my sister to take Anna backstage.”
My expression twisted into a scowl. I didn’t like the idea of Anna hanging out with the “ruggedly handsome”—or so I was told—rockstar. It didn’t matter that he was happily married.
“Just get your ass down here, Storm,” he growled. “You’ll thank me later.”
“What the fuck is going on?”
He hung up, and I stared at the phone with an irritated frown.
“Is everything alright?” Anna’s sweet voice drifted to my ears as she approached, making me smile.
I put my arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. “Absolutely, sweetheart. I just have to run over and see Knox, then we can get out of here.”
“Why?”
I scrambled to come up with an answer that would satisfy her so she wouldn’t insist on accompanying me, without sending her off to meet Griffith. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to come up with something fast enough before Belle, Thorne’s wife, came strolling down the hall.
“Anna!” she called with a grin. “I want you to meet my husband. I’m sure you’ll be working on PR for him soon enough.”
Anna looked at me uncertainly, clearly torn between wanting to meet the famous singer and sticking with me so we could leave as soon as possible. “Well, I have pla—”
“Go, sweetheart,” I encouraged her with a short kiss. “I’ll see Knox and meet you at the arena.”
She shrugged and grinned. “Okay!” Belle reached us and slipped her arm through Anna’s.
“Fabulous! Do you need to grab anything before we go?”
I waved Anna off when she glanced toward my dressing room. “I have it. I’ll see you soon.”
She blew me a kiss before letting Belle guide her away, both of them whispering to each other before they burst into laughter. I shook my head, smiling at how fucking adorable she was.
Five minutes later, I was changed and had both Anna’s and my stuff packed into one duffel. I slung it over my shoulder, locked my dressing room, and hurried to the security office.
Knox was sitting behind his desk with his feet up and his hands behind his head, staring at one of the monitors on the wall. He usually turned off the security feeds when someone entered his office, s
o I was surprised to see him leave it on. His head turned in my direction, but he just lifted his chin toward the screen and didn’t say anything.
I walked closer to observe whatever it was that he’d called me here to see. The feed showed one of the small rooms they used as cells, where they put people to dry out, interrogate, or wait for the police. A man was hunched over in a chair, his arms crossed, though one hand absently rubbed his jaw. When he lifted his head, and I saw the pout that no real man would ever have on his face, I grinned.
“Is that Dirk?” I asked with a smirk.
“Yup,” Knox confirmed.
I faced him and lifted my brows. “While I appreciate the entertainment of seeing his ass in a cell, this was why you had me come down here and send my woman off to spend time with a man other women drool over?”
Knox shook his head as he stood. “No. I brought you here because that little shit tried to bribe one of my security guards for information about Anna. Particularly security footage and her home address. Asshole should’ve known I don’t employ people who aren’t one hundred percent loyal to me.”
I saw red, and my whole body erupted in flames, boiling my blood.
“My next call is to Detective Myers, but I may have lost his number for a while if you’d like to bump into my detainee.”
I cracked my knuckles and gave him a chin lift, too furious to say anything. Knox tapped a few keys on his keyboard, and the monitor filled with static. Then he walked around his desk and started for the door with me close on his heels. He walked three doors down and looked at the female guard stationed there. With a tilt of his head, she pivoted and disappeared around a corner. Knox pressed his thumb on the touchpad, and the lock clicked as it disengaged.
He stood to the side of the door and inspected his nails as he drawled in a bored tone, “Camera will be down for ten minutes. To be fair, he’s not restrained. Just don’t kill him.” Then he opened the door and gestured for me to enter.
Show Me, Baby Page 5
