“The journalist from Stardom Magazine is here, Gage,” Nick said with a nod, before turning back to someone just behind him. “Alright, Ms. Preston. You have twenty minutes.”
Gage smirked as he thought to himself that there was no way he would spend the next twenty minutes talking about himself. He could tell the reporter all that was needed to know in a quarter of that time. Spinning on his heel, he faced the open doorway with a bored expression that turned slack when a tall, shapely redhead strode into the room.
God. Kate. Preston. What the fuck was she doing here?
“You have got to fucking kidding me.”
* * *
Gage Stevens barking out those words at her came as no surprise.
And yet Kate had expected better. Had expected if not a friendly welcome, then perhaps, a formal yet polite greeting. It had been five years after all. Five years of having to look at him only through the pages of a magazine or on the TV screen. And now that they were seeing eye to eye so to speak, Kate could see that he hadn’t changed much.
Except that now he looked hotter, tougher and downright too sexy to be legal. Like, jump-into-bed-with-him-at-first-sight sexy.
A pair of designer ripped jeans clung to his lean rocker’s hips. He had a startling white dress shirt on, unbuttoned low on his ripped chest, showing a glint of gold chain.
The sleeves were rolled up to display his masculine arms, lightly dusted with hair. His dark mane was flopping over his handsome forehead and the tips brushed the collar of his shirt, giving him a boyish, ruffled air. Gorgeous.
Oh no, thought Kate. Her worst fears were confirmed. She still considered him the most desirable man she’d ever met. That certainly hadn’t changed one bit.
This was going to be one hell of an assignment.
* * *
Suddenly it felt too hot, like he was burning up even though he’d showered and was dressed in an open-necked white dress shirt.
Something pumped in Gage’s ears and for a second, his mind when black. It took several seconds for his pulse to stop throbbing like he’d just been shot through with electricity.
Kate couldn’t be standing there in his dressing room, looking hardly any different from that sunny morning when she’d walked away from him for good. She wore a pair of what looked like tailored blue jeans, a white t-shirt and a cropped leather jacket. Everything she wore, she filled out nicely. Her red hair was just a mass of waves upon waves, swept over one side of her face. She looked like something from his wildest dream. And his worst nightmare.
“It’s good to see you too, Gage,” she said lightly with a wry smile in reply to his blurted words. “And I’m from the Stardom magazine.”
“You’re the reporter?” he asked, shoving his fingers through his slightly long hair.
“Shit!”
“Trust me, I was as surprised as you when I got the project. And I wanted to contact you prior to the interview but you’re a hard man to get hold of on the phone.” She sighed when he just stood there looking at her. “Look, it’s okay if you don’t want to do this. I totally understand. I’ll just have to tell my bosses to send someone else – “
She’d already whirled angrily and was heading for the door again when he recollected himself enough to surge forward and grasp her arm. “Hey. No, wait. I apologize for being so abrupt. I was just so…Damn, Kate. Never in a million years did I ever dream I’d see you again.”
“I can imagine,” she said, her tone mild as she turned to face him warily.
“Please, take a seat.” He indicated one of the chairs lining the front of the mirrored walls. For now they were the only ones there but Gage knew some of his band and management team would be coming round any minute. He smiled encouragingly at the woman sitting stiffly in the chair across from him. He folded his arms.
“So how’ve you been? Or aren’t we allowed to go there?” he asked casually.
Kate shrugged. “I guess we can spend a few minutes catching up. I’m a journalist with Stardom, like I said. I’ve been there for a year now. Before that, I worked with an online feature magazine. I’ve been good. But no need to ask how you’ve been doing.”
“Looks like we both reached our goals, huh?” he smirked.
“Was that your goal? To be a megastar rock god?” she asked, tilting her head.
Gage’s eyes narrowed. “Has the interview started?”
She looked quizzical for a moment. “It starts when you want it to, Gage. It can start right now, if you like.”
“On the contrary; right now I’d like to party,” he murmured, fluffing his fingers through his hair again. “Are you coming?”
“What? I…”
“The after-party. At the hotel. Everyone’s going to be there. My band members, some fans and guests. We can talk, you’ll ask me anything. I’m too wired up after a gig to stay still for long. Come on, Kate.”
He grinned, taking her arm and pulling her up. He knew he’d caught her unawares by the way she stumbled. The next thing, she was in his arms, clutching at his shoulders for balance.
“Still can’t keep your hands off me, huh?” he growled, a feral grin breaking over his face as he wrapped an arm instantly around her waist, pinning her to him. Damn, she felt even better than he remembered. She’d grown some dangerous curves, noted Gage. He just wanted to grope her up and find out how juicy her luscious flesh would feel in his hands.
She pushed against his chest, her green eyes flashing. “What do you think you’re doing? This isn’t what I came for.”
“Oh, I know what you came for, Kate Preston. You just haven’t figured it out yet.”
Gage slanted his head and seized her lips in a hard kiss before she could even blink. She gasped against his mouth, giving him access to probe deeper with his tongue.
Her taste…fuck. It sent a beam of lust right down to his cock. Five years and she still tasted like all his favorite things…like ginger spice and fucking chocolate coated caramel. How the hell was that even possible?
His lips molded moistly to hers and he felt her hands flatten against his chest. For a moment it was a shove but the next, her fingers were sliding up to link around his neck. Gage groaned, deepening the kiss and running his hands down her back to cup her ass. He palmed the succulent apple-shaped flesh and squeezed hard, making her whimper. His hardened cock pillowed against her stomach and it was all he could do not to rip her out of her clothes, spin her face down on the dressing table and mount her. Damn she set him off like a freaking time bomb and right now he was about ready to explode…
“Hey, Gage, we’ve got you the…”
Suddenly the door bust open and several people spilled in laughing and boisterous. Gage reluctantly pulled away as Kate seemed to jump out of her skin. A few guys from his band were now in the spacious dressing room, followed by four or five skimpily clad young beauties, obviously groupies. His bass guitarist, Sheldon stopped short and then grinned when he saw the woman in Gage’s arms.
“I was about to say we have the chicks covered for the party and all but it seems you’ve got your hands full already buddy,” Sheldon said goofily, and Gage tried to give him a warning look but it was too late. The giggling ladies were already screeching with joy and two broke off from the group to launch at Gage. He let out a surprised laugh while Kate promptly tore herself away, stepping back while the two girls, who looked to be just a bit older than twenty one, skipped all over him.
“We’re so glad we got the backstage pass and we can’t wait to get to the party!”
“The show was awesome! You were so out there! Just, in another stratosphere! “We love you, Gage!”
Gage felt his face get plastered with cherry glossed lips and had to make an effort to peel the girls off him. “Glad you’re joining us, erm…?”
“Hayley,” one said, her blue eyes dancing beneath her blonde bangs. “And this is my cousin Ann-Marie. We won backstage passes to your concert! And then Sheldon said we’re invited to the after-party too.”
“So, you coming?” he asked once more, tilting his eyebrow at her. Her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment and anger. He could tell when she was angry; the black irises in her green eyes would glow like coals and her cheeks were flushed. Gage liked to think it was his kiss and not her fury that put that blush there.
“I don’t think…”
“You want the interview or not?” Gage growled, holding out his hand. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want. You can go back to your magazine people and tell them you couldn’t get one measly interview with Gage Stevens all because you didn’t want to attend the after-party. One-time opportunity, Kate.”
She seemed undecided still, before finally saying curtly, “No offence, Gage – but if I come with, you’re not going to treat me like one of your cheap groupies. This is just for work.”
His lips curved humorlessly. “And you were always about that, weren’t you? Focused, ambitious Kate Preston. I’m glad that’s paid off for you at least, since you’re obviously some hot shot reporter if you could get this interview with me.”
Her eyes flashed emerald fire, and he sucked in a harsh breath. Fuck she was so beautiful. Maybe the most beautiful woman he’d ever known. But she was also cold, single-minded – and she’d dumped him when he’d needed her most.
Dropping his hand which she still ignored, he shrugged nonchalantly and grabbed his jacket off the back of a chair.
“You can drop your high-handedness, Kate. As you can probably tell, there’s no need for me to throw myself at you or any chick. So if you really want me answering any questions for your magazine, I think you’re better off doing what I say. So shall we go?”
* * *
If Kate had ever considered a worst case scenario about how everything would go, then this was it.
The shock of actually meeting Gage again had been more acute than she’d foreseen. Even worse was being kissed by him and then being unable to resist. She’d melted into him almost the same second their lips touched. If that wasn’t borderline needy and pathetic, Kate didn’t know what else was.
The drive down in Gage’s limo had been a quick one across town to the hotel. Kate had never seen so many screaming people racing after them as they’d rode out of the arena. Everyone recognized Gage’s gleaming red customized limo. The driver had to speed down a few back roads before they finally got rid of the convoy of fans. A few more twists and turns and they were on the road to the hotel.
The drinking started right from the limo ride, of course. Apart from Kate there were other people riding with them; a PR assistant, Gage’s personal aide and a couple of his guys from the band and they were all in a boisterous mood, drinking champagne and laughing.
Kate felt swept up by the tide as they got to the magnificent hotel where the bar had been set up for the after-party. Kate had never seen so much booze in her life. The music was pounding through the speakers and people were dancing and chatting. Gage drew her to his side and started introducing her to a few key people. Someone pushed a mixed cocktail in her hand and she was almost afraid to try it. She wasn’t much of a drinker and when Gage glanced her way, he told her, “It’s just rum and black coffee liqueur. It’s great, you’ll like it.”
She did, right from the first sip. She’d never tasted anything like that before and it seemed to zip straight through her system. Whoa. She had to remember to take things easy on the alcohol, which she didn’t handle so well. She couldn’t help wondering how long she’d have to hang around to get him to actually spare a few minutes to answer her questions.
The party venue had the same buzzing atmosphere as the live arena but with a more cramped, head-spinning intensity. There was a lot of wild dancing, and girls crawling all over any member of the band or anyone connected to the band. Kate had to beat off two or more zealous roadies who thought she was one of the happy-go-lucky groupies.
She looked around the crowded room for Gage. At some point they’d been separated by a few of his adoring group and she wondered if he’d probably forgotten all about her and the interview. He’d probably been stolen off by the two gorgeous blonde twins she’d seen clawing all over him just ten minutes ago. Kate coughed slightly as the mist of cigarette smoke and lord knew what else finally reached her nostrils.
These folks sure knew how to party, Kate thought as she backed into a corner, gulping some of her cocktail in the hope of calming her nerves. and Kate would have tried to have fun if it wasn’t for the fact that this was meant to be an assignment – and Kate of all people knew she’d better not mess things up…
“You don’t fit in very well, do you?” A familiar voice said in her ear, and she whipped around to find Gage standing there in the shadow of the heavy drapes. His hand circled her elbow and he drew her even further back.
“What are you…”
He lifted a finger in the air as if to silence her, and she scowled at him. He merely grinned. “If I didn’t know who you were, I’d have been intrigued. I’d think to myself, who’s this stunning redhead? But it wouldn’t be what you are that would catch my eye – it would be what you weren’t…such as overdressed, gushing, drunk or heavily made up,” Gage said softly, his eyes lowering as he looked down at the lock of her hair he’d caught between his fingers.
Kate held her breath, wondering what he was up to now. But he went on in that same quiet tone, “All the other girls privileged to make it to this party are flirting, giggling and shrieking every time they catch sight of a famous face. But you…you keep yourself aloof; retaining that graceful air about you like fluttering wings. You don’t care much for rock stars, do you?”
“I told you, I’m here on a job,” she said firmly, telling herself she wasn’t in the least stirred by being in a hidden, intimate corner with Gage, hidden from the rest of the partying crowd. “So when am I going to actually get down to it?”
He gave her a lop-sided smile. “When we get up to my hotel room.”
Gage saw the look on her face, and his chuckle deepened. “Relax; it’s not what you think. My mates and I are taking the party up to my suite. If we don’t sneak out now, we’ll never leave. You and I will have a better chance to talk without the smoke and the nosy photographers.”
Lifestyle of the rich and famous…thought Kate as she begrudgingly left the party with Gage who was able to make it out without getting noticed, thanks to his guards making a diversion. They were at least eight cramming into the lift up to Gage’s suite. His band mates and their hangers-on were as rumbustious as ever, and some had even brought along bottles of liquor along.
Gage sent Kate an expressive smile. “We’re just so happy the gig was so successful. It’s our last one before we go on tour,” he said just as the lift doors opened and they all piled out. Kate straightened her outfit which had been rumpled when she’d been practically sardine-packed with the others in the car.
“I never asked if you enjoyed the show,” he said mildly once they were inside the massive suite. Almost at once the environment was filled with music as someone turned on the system. Kate couldn’t help staring around in awe. The suite had to be made up of at least five luxurious sections, including two bedrooms, living room area, office and bar.
Kate was struck by the sheer opulence of every item in the suite and the fact that her whole apartment could fit into these accommodations at least thrice.
Turning to Gage, she replied, “You must know how well you did, Gage. There’s no doubt you’re the master of putting up a great performance. It was very…stirring.”
What she couldn’t tell him of course was how he’d positively oozed sensuality on stage and through his music, causing frenzy among the fans especially the females who had shrieked with adoration and lust through the whole show. Kate certainly couldn’t tell how much her mouth had watered – and her heart had ached – as
she’d watched her ex give a magical live show in front of hundreds of thousands.
Gage smiled at her reply, holding a frosted bottle in his hand from which he filled a glass for her and then himself. Kate took it reluctantly, taking a tentative sip and felt the sensation that this was the kind of drink that could go straight to her head if she let it. Other than that, she had Gage to worry about. He was still the same – yet so different.
Here, in his fantasy world of opulence and fame. Surrounded by his admirers and fellow band mates, successful in their own rights and popular for their role in the band. It seemed almost incredible to picture Gage in the midst of all this, but then, looking at him now, she couldn’t deny that it suited him well.
He didn’t yet have the dissipated look that some rock stars had; his youth was undeniable and he had a great shape still. At age thirty-two, his body was lean like a pro swimmer’s, as well as ripped with manly hardness. He grew his hair much longer than he used to and there was a sleekness to him that she’d never got to see years ago when he was just gorgeous yet slightly scruffy Gage.
Now, the polish one could get only from making several million dollars per show was evident in everything about him. His expensive yet stylishly understated clothes, his mega-star looks and his demeanor reminded her that Forbes had listed him as making twenty five million dollars last year alone.
He was regarding her with a speculative look that put her on her guard. Standing next to him made it easy to forget the other people mingling in the rooms; laughing, chatting and necking. The drummer who Kate knew his name as Chan, an Asian with dyed blue hair had one of the giggly groupies from down in the bar draped around him and they were giggling together like they were high on something. Kate forced herself to meet Gage’s eyes and at once, it was like being sent back in time.
Kate really, really wished Gage wouldn’t look at her like that. The last thing she wanted to do was remember…and regret.
“I always wondered what you’d think of me – that was, if you ever did think of me,” he said wryly. “Now that I’ve achieved all I set out to do, and much more.”
Rock Hard Page 2
