On a sigh Ben nods and lets it go to voicemail, too. “Hey, I know he got under your skin but he’s just a kid.”
“He’s my age.”
In a move of stubbornness or ego, Ben pulls me to him and wraps me in his arms. Shocked I gaze up at him as he says, “He won’t make you happy. I want you to give me a little more time here.”
“Ben, I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m wishing you were him.”
He releases me like I stabbed him, backing away and running a hand through his sand-colored hair.
“Holy shit, ouch.”
“I’m sorry, but it felt like you were about to kiss me and...”
“Wow. Just stop.” He turns to the wall and lays his hands on it, head down.
“I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have come here but…”
“Why did you?”
“I was weak I guess. And you’re so strong.”
“You’re going to regret choosing Gabriel.”
Anger flashes through my chest. “Don’t talk about him like that. First of all you don’t even know me. I think you’re just looking for someone and I happened to be there at the right time. There’s no way this was supposed to work between us because I don’t feel that way about you. I just don’t. So whatever you think is happening, it’s misplaced.” Picking up my purse I whisper, “Goodbye Ben.”
He pushes off the wall to walk me out. I really wish he would’ve stayed there and stopped being such a gentleman. It would make this so much easier if he were a jerk.
As I walk outside I can feel him staring at me like he can’t believe this is how our lunch date is ending.
Glancing back I offer an apologetic smile.
Tipping his head in goodbye, Ben crosses his arms and stands in the doorframe until I drive away.
PAIGE
Now that I’m off his property, I breathe deeply to prepare myself for whatever Gabriel wants to say, and dial the strange number.
“Paige?!”
“It’s me.”
“Thank God.”
“How are you, Gabriel?”
“Shitty, you?”
“Same.”
“Because of me?”
“Not everything is about you.”
He laughs, “God I love your fire.”
“What do you want?”
He pauses a beat. “I need you to come to London. Also Ireland, Paris and Milan.”
Speechless I pull the car onto the shoulder as gravel spits from under my tires. Yanking the manual emergency brake I stare at acres of bright green rolling fields outside my windshield. “What did you just say?”
“I said get your ass over here.”
“I have a job. And…” Closing my eyes with embarrassment I confess, “I’m being evicted, Gabriel so I need to work.”
Without missing a beat he snaps, “Quit and get another job when you get home! Aren’t there other yoga studios you could work at? They’re on every corner of the city.”
“I guess so but I…still have to pay rent.”
“No buts. I need you here. It can’t wait. I’ll buy you a first class ticket. You can get another job when you return and I’ll front you some money for the rent.”
“No way! I won’t accept it!”
Gabriel mutters a couple cuss words, then, “Don’t go away. I’m putting you on hold and calling Maggie.”
The phone goes quiet. Just when I start worrying that he’s forgotten about me again, Gabriel’s beautiful voice comes through. “You there?”
I whisper like speaking too loudly will make me wake up, “I’m here.”
“Carrie has an apartment you can stay in until you get on your feet. She’s always at Maggie’s anyway. They’re not ready to move in but they…anyway, problem solved. I’m going to book the flight. How fast can you get to the airport?”
“Is this really happening?”
“Yes, it’s fucking happening! Now how long?”
“Um…I’m not in Atlanta.”
“Where are you?”
I mutter, “North of it,” not wanting to say.
“Are you at Ben’s?”
Wincing I confess, “Yes.”
“Dammit shit motherfucker sonofabitch! Elijah, she’s with him! Paige, listen to me. I know Ben is more mature than I am and you have that yoga shit in common but I’m begging you, give me a chance. I fucked up by not chasing after you. I know that. I was freaked. I don’t deserve this but please give it to me anyway. Give me a shot. Please come to London.”
In shock I blink and whisper, “Okay.”
“Yeah?! You’ll come?”
“Is this really happening?”
“You just asked me that!”
“Is it?”
He laughs, “Yes! Elijah, she doesn’t think I’m for real. Am I for real?”
I hear a voice that sounds like his call out from the distance, “He’s for real!”
“Believe me now? How fast can you get to the damn airport?”
A smile sneaks out from my heart. “I’m an hour from the city. I have to change and pack.”
“I’ll buy you clothes.”
“No, I’m in a short-sleeved blouse and shorts. It’s hot here. I can’t fly on a plane like this – they’re like ice in the sky.”
He pauses, “Okay. I’m just…desperate. Do what you have to. Keep your phone on and charged. I’ll call you back with possible times and we’ll figure this out together.”
Together.
God, sounds so good.
PAIGE
London’s airport is like any in America regarding security – if you don’t have a ticket you have to wait in designated areas. When I get my baggage and have passed through customs I am free to join the rest of the world.
My breath hitches as I see Gabriel and his twin brother. He’s searching and doesn’t see me yet. When our eyes lock his light up on a grin. He holds up a handwritten sign like what chauffeurs use when they’re picking up people they don’t know.
His reads in a messy manly scrawl, all capitals:
BEAUTIFUL PAIGE .
I melt…until he flips it over to read:
LUCKIEST CONTEST WINNER EVER.
Cracking up I make him laugh, too. Elijah watches with guarded interest as Gabriel and I hug.
“You’re here,” he rasps in my ear. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”
Tingles spread down my body. We pull away, smiling at each other.
He laughs, “You’re supposed to say the same thing.”
“You were kind of a jerk. I’m still not sure what to think.”
His head bounces to the side and back. “That’s fair. And I bet Ben kept you busy.”
His brother warns, “Gabriel,” as they lock eyes. He offers his hand. “I’m Elijah. Nice to meet you, Paige.”
Taking in their similarities and differences I smile, “Nice to meet you, too, Elijah.”
Gabriel explains, taking my hand, “We have to get back to the hotel. I have one last show tonight in London before we head to Ireland tomorrow.”
Our fingers entwine as though it’s natural for them to be like this, but I’m nervous. And jet-lagged. Seeing that dancer again isn’t my idea of fun.
I flew out last night, but with the ten hours it took to get here, plus the time difference you can’t argue with, it will be way too soon that I’ll be forced to see them onstage, with her gyrating all over him again.
“I didn’t know you had a concert tonight.”
“I didn’t tell you that? I guess there was so much to organize I assumed you knew. It’s why I’m here.”
“Of course.”
Elijah is rolling my suitcase, one hand in his pocket, his stroll casual and confident. We meet eyes and he gives me a smile. Gabriel’s energy is more loose and wild. His brother feels cold and distant. I bet his home is immaculate and if anything is out of place he loses his temper. I wouldn’t be surprised if he confessed to firing a dozen maids, tha
t’s how Type-A he seems.
A black luxury sedan is waiting for us and the driver takes my bag and stores it in the trunk as Gabriel helps me in and slides in next to me. Elijah climbs in with the same grace his twin has, and takes the seat opposite us. His pale green eyes don’t have the rogue splash of amber. They’re sharp and intense even as he leans back and separates his legs in a casual way. “So, Paige, you took a big leap.”
Biting my bottom lip I glance to our hands as Gabriel increases his grip. Meeting his eyes I see encouragement there and it’s baffling. What was the big change? How did this happen?
“My life is a little crazy right now so I figured why not go full gonzo?”
Elijah grins. “You’re our age right?”
“I’m twenty-three.”
“Close enough.”
“But I’m the oldest child so I’ve always been more…” I pause, feeling silly.
“Gabriel called you grounded.”
Glancing to my right I ask, “You did?”
He nods as his thumb caresses mine. “Yeah.”
“That’s a nice thing to say. But I don’t feel it lately. I feel…in control of nothing.”
They subtly nod at the same time, and Elijah glances to the window as we put the airport behind us. “That’s what the most enlightened minds of the world say is the correct way to view life. We are in control of nothing except for our reactions to what happens to us.”
I add, “And those reactions then create a ripple effect throughout.”
“It’s a lot of pressure,” he murmurs, still staring out like the world’s problems are his to solve.
Gabriel explains, “My brother is going into politics like our father. Won’t be surprised if I see him in the White House one day.”
“Really?”
Elijah meets my eyes. “That’s the goal.”
“What will you do when you get there?”
“I’ll tell you then,” he winks.
“That’s assuming we’ll still know each other.”
The twins share a mysterious look and Gabriel kisses the side of my head in the sexiest way. He holds there and whispers, “Can’t wait to get you alone.”
My lips part on a tummy clench. Subconsciously I glance to the watchful brother and clear my throat. I know he heard that. Suddenly I can imagine what I hadn’t even dreamed of before – that they’ve shared women in bed. The idea is tantalizing but there’s no way I’m made for that. I tend to bond; it’s in my nature.
Now that I’m in Gabriel’s presence again I know that’s why I couldn’t bring myself to touch Ben much less kiss him, why it felt wrong. It was because this feels so right.
But Elijah scares me a little. He feels cold.
“Wow, you want to be President.”
Gabriel asks, “You know our dad was a Senator, right?”
My stomach turns over. How did I forget all about what Justin Cocker did for my brother? My voice gets smaller as I say, “Of course. Right. I knew that.”
Gabriel presses his lips to my fingertips. “Don’t worry about him. He’s a good guy. Little stiff like Elijah is, but heart of gold.”
“Gold that’s kept locked inside Fort Knox,” Elijah dryly says, rolling his eyes to the window again. “Dad’s harder to crack than I am.”
“You trying to scare her off?” Gabriel laughs.
“I’m just prepping her for reality.”
“Well, cut it out, fucker.” He looks at me. “My mom is the one you won’t be able to live without. He married up when he chose her.”
I’m staring at Gabriel, stunned at the words he’s using, like it’s a given that I’ll meet his family.
What is going on here?
Biting my lips I just nod and give an awkward smile.
This makes the sexy jerk laugh. “Look at your face!”
Elijah chuckles, “Can you blame her? You’re laying it on thick and fast, Gabes. She just got here. You jet-lagged, Paige?” I nod and he motions, “See? She’s not in London twenty minutes and you’re saying she’s going to love Mom. You’ve lost your fucking mind.”
Gabriel shrugs, unbothered. “When I know what I want, I don’t fuck around.” He kisses my hair again and says, “I want you.”
My mouth slackens and I glance away, staring out the window and feeling like I might faint. I’ve stopped breathing. He puts gentle pressure on my hand to get me to look at him again. Swallowing both fear and hope I meet his eyes.
“I’m serious, Paige. I want you.”
Glancing to his brother for confirmation that this is real, I get no smile or hint of amusement to indicate they’re messing with me. Elijah is gazing at me like it’s just a fact.
The car turns right and Gabriel leans to peer out the windows. “We’re here.”
GABRIEL
We leave the stage with the encore still saved up, and I stroll to where Paige and my brother are standing. I had her backstage this time to watch from the sidelines with him rather than from the mosh pit. Could have done that in Atlanta but I was running then. Tonight I wanted her close.
With bright eyes she says, “That was so great!”
“You think so?”
“Yeah,” she grins.
It occurs to me that she’s relieved Olivia and I don’t have that choreographed number together anymore. I ditched that before Montreal. Probably could have let her know before the show started, but all of this is new to me.
Elijah agrees, “Better than last night, too. Think you might have had an effect on him.”
Paige’s cheeks flush as behind me the crowd is screaming for an encore. My band motions to me and I nod. “I’ll be back.”
We head out and finish the show. Knowing she’s here and watching me is a high. As the final song ends I tear off my shirt, throwing it into the audience as they lose their shit. The band ends with drums banging a sexual beat and then slamming to a close. Feeling better than I ever have I raise my arms and shout to the crowd, spiking the mic and walking offstage.
The curtains roll shut and the dancers bounce toward the three of us, fist bumping me as they go. Olivia glances between Paige and I and offers her a conciliatory smile before vanishing with the others into the main green room where the party happens.
We go to my dressing room. Glancing to Elijah, who knows the story, I give him a look. He catches on and says, “Great show, Gabes. I’ve got a date with a front desk clerk.”
My eyebrows cock in surprise outside my door. “When did that happen?”
“When I checked in.” He starts to head away and decides to confess on a smirk, “Oh, and she stayed in my room last night. I don’t tell you everything.”
“You tell me nothing!” I call after him.
“Almost true,” he chuckles, holding his hand up as a stationary wave. “See you at breakfast before our flights.”
Paige is chewing on her lip again as I rest my hand on the small of her back and guide her inside. She’s in a tighter dress than the one she wore in Atlanta and while she looks hot as hell I know the reason. As soon as I shut the door I pull her to me. “I’m a little sweaty.”
She smiles, “And yet oddly you still smell good to me.”
“Chemistry.”
“Mmm,” she hums, long eyelashes falling to my lips.
“I didn’t have sex with Olivia after the concert.”
Her eyes sprint up. “You didn’t? But I saw you zipping…”
“She’d started to strip and she unzipped me before I had a chance to tell her we weren’t doing that anymore.”
Paige searches me for the truth. “So you used to.”
“We did, yeah. But that stopped when I met you.”
“Why?”
Without hesitating I shrug a shoulder. “Couldn’t get it up for anyone else after that.”
Her beautiful eyes blink in surprise. “Really?”
“Swear to God,” I smirk. “And trust me, no guy likes to admit when his cock goes limp.”
A grin flash
es on her as she presses a quick, soft kiss to my lips. “Gabriel, I didn’t touch Ben. Not once. No holding hands even.”
My gut tightens. “No kissing? Nothing?”
She shakes her head, holding my eyes to show she’s telling the truth. “Nothing. I did spend some time with him. I was trying to forget you, because it seemed like you didn’t care about me at all. And…this is hard to say, but he did care. I’ve been going through a lot of stuff that you don’t know about and I was…grasping for some kindness.”
“I’m such a fuckin’ idiot,” I groan, pressing our foreheads together.
Her hands travel up my arms. “I just want to take it slow though, okay?”
“What’s been going on in your life? What did he help you with? I swear I want to kick his ass right now. And he didn’t even touch you.”
She smiles like I’m the strangest creature she’s ever seen, and maybe I am. But men become protective when we find the woman who is meant to be ours. I didn’t know that until it happened to me.
“Can we talk about that later? You just did an amazing thing out there. This is your night and I just want to be here with you.”
She has no idea how much ‘my night’ this really is now that she’s here. I crush her body to mine and kiss her without hesitation. She responds as if she was dying to be closer to me, too, and just like the first kiss outside her apartment, I hear a click inside my soul. I lift her up and her legs hook around me as our jaws unlock, tongues tasting each other like they never thought they would again. Moaning I carry her to a wall and let my hands roam where they want. She’s clutching onto me, her breasts crushed into my naked chest. “This dress is too sexy. I have to get it off you,” I rasp.
She laughs, “Who’s stopping you?”
Grinning I gaze into her eyes as my fingers slip under this tight hem and slide across her G-string. “Damp as fuck. I can’t believe you’re here.” Dipping under the wet fabric I feel her pussy and groan, “Why weren’t you in Canada?”
Her eyes close as she smiles, “Because someone didn’t invite me.”
Cocky Rockstar: Gabriel Cocker (Cocker Brothers of Atlanta Book 10) Page 12
