"There's drinks in almost every room," the first girl said, "but you should head for the first floor kitchen. That's where Cam usually puts the good stuff."
The other two girls giggled and made fake swooning noises.
"Mm, Cameron. Speaking of the good stuff…" the first one spoke up again.
"My god that man is talented," the second said. "Those fingers… that tongue."
"Cameron likes to please the ladies," the other agreed.
The moaning sound all three of them made was embarrassing.
A flush washed over me. It wasn't just the second-hand embarrassment of watching these girls practically moan with lust in the middle of the hallway. It was the thought that all three of them had obviously been on the receiving end of Cameron's aforementioned talented fingers and tongue.
I chided myself inwardly for getting upset. I knew Cameron had a reputation. Hell, the very first time I'd seen him, he'd had his head between a girl's legs.
And that was why these burgeoning feelings were dangerous. I couldn't let myself fall for someone like Cameron Thorne.
Ignoring the clenching tightness in my chest, I made my way to the first floor. The girls had been right. There was alcohol on every available surface.
A large metal bucket filled with ice sat on the dining room table. A small ring of water had collected around the bottom rim. That was going to cause a stain on what looked like expensive hardwood. I doubted Cameron would care.
I was at a loss as for what to do with myself. The music I'd heard outside my bedroom door had made me want to dance. Most of the people I'd passed were mingling, playing loud drinking games, or making out with each other. There didn't seem to be much dancing going on.
I supposed I could have found myself a drink, but I hadn't had much experience with alcohol before. I was worried I'd get drunk and make a fool out of myself.
I decided to make my way over to the pool in the backyard. That was where I'd seen the twins the last time. The other band members were the only ones I knew at this party. Maybe they could introduce me to some people, and let me know where the place to be was when it came to dancing. It wouldn't have surprised me if Cameron had a real dance floor complete with DJ and strobe lights hidden somewhere.
The place became more crowded and rowdy the further I got. I had to squeeze my way through groups of drunken party-goers. I knew my way around well enough by this point that I didn't get lost. I was able to make my way straight to the back patio.
When I stepped out of the sliding glass patio doors, I found Cameron surrounded by a huge pack of hangers-on. Mostly girls but there were a few guys as well.
Cameron's smile was ear to ear as he talked, gesturing wildly with his arms, a beer in hand. The group laughed uproariously, no doubt at some joke he had made or some story he had embellished. One guy punched him in the shoulder. Two girls kissed either side of his grinning cheeks. He put his arms around their waists and tugged them to his chest.
A tinge of jealousy flared up inside me, but I forced myself to ignore it. I wasn't going to examine these new-found feelings tonight. Right now I just wanted to have fun.
I made my way to the edge of the group, trying to elbow through. I received a couple of interested looks and not a few lecherous grins for my efforts, before that now familiar knowing look crossed their faces and they immediately moved out of my way.
I hadn't faced anything like this during my classes. I supposed it made sense that everyone at this party had some knowledge of the band, and of my brother's fearsome wrath. The studious, driven college students who got early acceptance probably didn't pay that much attention to celebrity gossip.
"Cameron!" I called out, waving to get his attention.
He cocked his head in my direction, attention successfully diverted from the women in his arms. He met my eyes. A bright smile crossed his face, as if he was happy to see me, before it was replaced by a narrowed gaze. His gaze swept me up and down. The heat of it, the intensity of it, made my heart thump madly.
Cameron whispered something to the two girls. They pouted, but left the circle of his arms, albeit reluctantly.
With a nod of his chin the rest of the crowd dispersed and I made my way over, a faint flush on my cheeks.
"You promised you'd stay in your tower, princess."
"Your ear plugs suck," I shot back. "I figured if I wasn't going to get any sleep I might as well get dolled up and join the party."
I thought he would make a quip about my short skirt, something overly protective and admonishing.
"Nice outfit," he said instead, a small smirk on his face. "Of course, the yoga pants and tank tops were cute, too."
That heat was still in his eyes. I wanted to address it. I wanted to let him know that I knew he thought I was hot. That I liked how he thought I was hot.
"Everyone's always scared of me at these parties," was all that came out of my mouth. "The guys won't approach me."
"They're scared of Noah," Cameron countered. "He made it very clear his baby sister is off limits. To everyone," he added, sounding oddly chagrinned.
"Sometimes I wish I hadn't plastered my face all over the internet."
"Why did you?"
"I didn't want Noah to keep me hidden away."
"And now you're regretting it."
"I should have known my brother would act like this. I should have known he'd never treat me like an adult."
"Then you better hope he doesn't catch you."
"He's here?" My heart sank for a brief moment before I threw it off with a toss of my ponytail. "I'm not scared of him."
"Maybe you should be."
Cameron nodded over to the sliding doors. My brother stood just inside them, a frown on his face.
"And that's my cue to get the fuck out of town." Cameron winced. "I don't want him blaming me for this one. I did my part in warning you off. The rest is on you."
"You don't have to keep running away from me."
"It's not you I'm running from," he said with a nod to my brother. "If you were any other girl…" He met my gaze, giving me an almost sad smile.
"Why?" I asked nervously. "What would you do if I wasn't Noah's sister?"
Cameron leaned forward. His lips brushed my ear. I suppressed a whimper.
"You remember those indecent things I mentioned before?"
I flushed, a tingle forming between my legs.
He pulled back with a mad grin. "Better not throw me under the bus, Angel." He turned and ran towards the pool. "Cannonball!" he shouted as he jumped in, clothes, shoes and all.
Indecent things.
I could vividly imagine all sorts of indecent things Cameron could do with me. Could do to me.
I wished I could throw myself into the pool as well to cool down.
The heat of arousal flowing through me was enough to scorch me from the inside out.
Chapter Fourteen
There was no point hiding from my brother. He'd already seen me. He was no doubt gearing up for a lecture. I made my way over to the patio doors. I'd rather face my executioner sooner rather than later.
"Cameron was supposed to keep you away from all this," he began the moment I stepped through the sliding doors. "I don't want you hanging out with the kind of people who go to these parties."
I raised an eyebrow. "You mean people like you and Jen and her friends?"
Noah opened his mouth to speak again, but I cut him off with a wave of my arm, gesturing.
"I'm not getting into any trouble," I continued. "The party was too loud. I couldn't sleep. I decided I'd mingle, maybe dance, and go to sleep when it starts quieting down."
"These things never quiet down."
"Then I guess I'll pull an all nighter and be exhausted in class tomorrow, like every other student who goes out partying."
The furrow between his brows didn't disappear. I straightened my back. We were going to resolve this, one way or another. I couldn't keep letting my brother control my life.
&nb
sp; "Noah. Listen to me." I took his hands in mine and squeezed them. "I know you're looking out for me. I know you want to protect me. But have I given you any reason to worry?"
He scrutinized me carefully before giving in. "No."
"You can't keep me in a cage forever."
"The last time—"
"What happened last time had nothing to do with drugs and parties and boys. We trusted the wrong people. That's all."
"I trusted the wrong people," he stressed, that furrow deepening with guilt. "It was my fault."
"We can't live in fear forever." Maybe the more I told myself that, the more I'd believe it. "You need to let me live my own life."
He opened his mouth to speak.
"No." I cut him off. "I'm serious, Noah. You need to back off. Can you do that?"
"It's my job to take care of you," he insisted.
"And you have. You made sure I grew up in a safe environment. But I'm not a kid anymore." I gave him a small smile. "All baby birds need to leave the nest sometime."
"And sometimes those baby birds plummet to the ground and die when they hit the pavement."
"Why are we talking about dead birds?" Jen wrapped her arms around Noah's neck as she came up behind him.
"We were just talking about how Noah is going to let up a little on his overprotectiveness."
Jen's face lit up. "I'm glad you talked some sense into him. He's been grumbling non-stop ever since you moved out."
"I never agreed to—" Noah started.
"I'm so glad that my brother has matured past his stubborn teenaged ways," I interjected. "It's so refreshing to see him act reasonable for once. Isn't it nice to know he can be rational and level-headed?" I turned to Jen. "How about we plan that spa date?"
I ignored the disgruntled look Noah threw my way. Jen and I chatted excitedly about our plans to get matching mani-pedis. It was almost unimaginable that my brother could end up with someone so sweet. She must have the patience of a saint.
"So how are your classes going?" Jen asked after we set a date and time.
"Pretty well. There's a lot of work," I admitted. "It feels like I'm up to my ears in reading and essays and assignments. In fact," I eyed my brother, "this is the first night of fun I've had since moving in."
"Why don't we try to find the gang?" Jen suggested. "You can finally meet the twins and August properly."
Jen linked arms with me and led me through the mansion, leaving Noah to follow behind us.
The party had gotten even crazier in the time I'd spent reasoning with my brother. The chatting had given way to shouting and hollering, the laughter turning into a hysterical uproar.
"I thought that only happened in movies?" I pointed to a young skinny guy with dreadlocks swinging from a chandelier.
"You're lucky if that's the craziest thing you see all night," Jen said.
The music echoing from the speakers embedded in every wall stopped abruptly. A booming voice replaced it, ringing throughout the house.
"Listen up, ladies and gents!" The rabid glee in that voice was unmistakable. Cameron. "It's scavenger hunt time!"
A chorus of cheers swelled up as drinks were raised in a toast.
"Task number one: Find me a drinking straw in the shape of a dick."
Noah grunted. "Fucking typical."
"I thought those things were only for bachelorette parties," I mused.
"You know the rules," Cameron continued. "First person to bring one to the bouncer waiting at the front door gets a point. The person with the most points at the end of the night wins."
The cheers amplified to a fever pitch as dozens of people ran off in a mad dash to either find the item in question, or give it over if they already had one in their hand.
"What do they win?" I asked.
"Whatever they want," Jen explained. "Cameron likes to grant wishes."
"Like he's a goddamn fairy godmother." Noah's voice held a tinge of long-suffering.
"What if they wish for something crazy?" I asked. "Like their own private jet or whatever?"
"Someone once asked for a helicopter. Cameron delivered."
How much money did this guy have, that he could afford to throw it all away?
"Most people ask for reasonable stuff," Jen said. "VIP backstage pass tickets for them and their friends. Or for him to pass along their demo tape to our record label. Maybe a private performance at their house."
"And the guys go along with it?"
"August says to let Cameron have his fun, as long as it doesn't inconvenience us." The sour expression on my brother's face told me what he thought about that.
"Cameron likes to make people happy." Jen rubbed a consoling path up and down my brother's arm. "His methods are just… unorthodox."
"Like when he put his hands all over you to make me jealous?" Noah grumbled.
"It worked, didn't it?" Jen raised an arched eyebrow. "You finally got over yourself and realized your feelings for me."
"Cameron likes to please the ladies," I mused. "That's what everyone says. I always thought it just meant—" I cut myself off with a blush.
"Well. That, too." The flush on Jen's face rivaled my own.
We were distracted from the topic of Cameron's sex life by a noisy commotion. A loud crash and curses sounded from the next room.
"Sounds like one of the twins." A worried frown line appeared between Jen's brows.
"I'll give you one guess which one it is." My brother's lips pressed together in a firm line.
When we crossed the threshold we were greeted with broken glass, splintered wood, and cracked dishes scattered across the floor. Someone had knocked over a china cabinet.
"What the fuck," Noah said flatly.
The twins stood in the middle of the debris. One had an exasperated look on his face. The other's arms were folded over his chest, his expression twisted in a petulant scowl. Both wore matching black and white band t-shirts, some group called The Last Ones To Know.
"I told you not to climb on it," the exasperated twin told his brother.
"I thought there might be one of those dick straws up there. It's not my fault you wouldn't help give me a boost."
"What do you even care? It's just a stupid game Cameron plays."
"A stupid game you used to want to win," the second twin said stubbornly. "If you weren't so busy—"
"Busy with what?" the other asked. "Busy hanging out with my girlfriend? Am I supposed to ignore her and go off to play these stupid games with you?"
"Yes!"
The upset twin growled and ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back from his forehead. A small rivet of blood ran down his palm, most likely having cut it on the broken glass.
"Whatever," he grumbled. "Go have fun playing house." He stalked off.
The twin left behind stared down blankly at the mess on the floor. A young woman came up behind him, putting a tentative hand on his shoulder. He placed his hand over hers and squeezed.
"Damon's been acting out more and more," Jen said with sadness in her voice.
The three of us retreated, making sure to avoid the direction Damon had stomped off in.
"He'll get over it," Noah said.
"Don't you remember what it felt like when your guy friends abandoned you after they got girlfriends?" Jen asked.
"No."
I held back a smile. Noah hadn't exactly been the most social of teenagers.
"Well it sucks," Jen explained patiently. "Damon and Ian were always so close. It must be ten times harder on him to see his brother going off, being happy, with someone who isn't him."
"Maybe he needs a girlfriend of his own," I suggested.
Jen burst out in a giggle. Noah snorted.
"I'd love to see the day Mr. Playboy Twin settles down," Jen said.
"Ian found a girl," I pointed out.
"It turns out Ian wasn't the heartbreaker among the two."
"And we have our first winner!" Cameron's voice boomed out from the speakers again. "C
ongrats to Cheryl! She's really got her eyes on the prize."
I winced. "Man, that's loud."
"You can always ask Cameron to turn off the speakers in the third floor," Noah suggested. "The party is going to last all night. You should at least get some sleep before class tomorrow."
I scrunched up my face in distaste. Noah poked me in the forehead, right where my brow was furrowed.
"That was a suggestion," he added. "Not a command."
I smiled and stood on my tiptoes, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"
Noah grumbled, but a small smile graced his lips.
"I am getting a little sleepy," I admitted. "I'm going to go find Cameron and do just that."
I gave Jen and Noah hugs goodnight and wandered through the mansion trying to pinpoint the host of this crazy party.
But Cameron was nowhere to be seen. I checked the pool, the kitchen, the front yard, everywhere. His voice kept booming through the speakers as the game continued on.
I was beginning to think I'd just have to learn to sleep through the noise when a thought occurred to me.
I headed for the fourth floor movie room. Sure enough, when I pushed open the door, Cameron was there.
I was completely taken aback to find that he was alone. No hangers on. Just him and The Terminator playing on the screen.
"We're close to the end, you guys."
Cameron was speaking into his phone, using it like a microphone. There must have been an app connecting it to the speakers in the walls.
"Last item on the list: A pair of superhero themed underwear. Panties, boxers, either one. This one's worth triple the points. It's anyone's game. May the odds be ever in your favor."
"Did you just quote The Hunger Games?"
The top of Cameron's bright red head turned around in his seat. He peeked over the high backed leather chair to find me in the doorway. His hair was still slightly damp from his dip in the pool, strands sticking to his cheeks. Surprise registered on his face.
"What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you."
"I thought Noah would have wrapped you in bubble wrap and locked you in your room already."
"We came to an understanding." I took a seat next to Cameron and nodded at the screen. "Terminator?"
Hard Rock Sin: A Rock Star Romance Page 8
