Wonderlust (Steel Roses #1)

by B. L. Wilde

  “This nice guy approach isn’t going to work, Alex. I already know you’re a jerk, and that’s fine. I knew what I was getting involved with when I took this job. Just remember, you will never spend a night with me! In fact, if I were you, I’d quit now to avoid the disappointment.”

  “Do you have any idea just how fucking sexy you are when you’re all fired up like this?” Licking his lips, he eyes dropped down to my chest.

  “I can finish the rest of this on my own, thank you. I’d like you to leave.” I turned away from him and let my attention fall onto my computer instead.

  “You’re going to leave me all worked up like this?”

  “Yep!”

  “Baby, that’s not fair.”

  “Why don’t you go and cool off by the pool? It’s not going to happen!”

  “Are you a cock tease? Is that what this is all about? I don’t like games, so just give it to me.” While trying to contain my anger, I realized that losing my shit might not be the answer. Every other time I'd done that, it hadn’t paid off. It was time to beat him at his own game.

  Taking a deep breath, I turned and gave him my best sultry grin. “Do I look like the kind of woman that likes to tease cocks?”

  “Yes, and I’m the kind of guy that likes to tease pussy. We’re a perfect match.”

  “Alex, you don’t play fair. I’m sick of sleeping around.”

  “I told you before, I get what I want.”

  “Here?” I questioned, looking over at one of the couches.

  “Fuck yes.” In a heartbeat, he raced over and slumped down on one of the couches.

  “Do you have any protection?” He looked around like a lost little boy. I suspected he didn’t even know what protection was these days. “Wait here, I’ll be back in two minutes.” With a lazy grin, he nodded and stretched out, waiting for me. How stupid was this man?

  I made my way toward the kitchen to collect a bucket full of ice. This was going to be hilarious. I was enjoying the idea too much already and I hadn’t even done it yet.

  “Close your eyes,” I purred once I got back, leaning against the office doorframe while hiding the bucket from his view.

  “What are you planning?” He quirked an eyebrow at me.

  “You’ll love it, I promise.”

  “You’re sure full of surprises. I didn’t think you’d give in this quickly, Straight Lace.” He chuckled, closing his eyes. “I’m not complaining, though. I’ve been ready for this since the moment we met.”

  “It’s your animal magnetism, Alex.” I held in a giggle. Placing the ice bucket beside him, I reached out, noticing he already had his cock in his hands and was stroking himself up and down. This idiot was so sure of himself. “Are you going to fuck me with your mouth?” he purred. No asshole, I’m not!

  “If that’s what you want.” I made my voice drip with lust, which wasn’t that difficult when I caught sight of his well-defined abs. “Just you wait, I’m going to make you feel so good!” The bulge in his pants began to grow as he moaned in response. That was unexpected and quite flattering. Was I turning him on? I almost felt sorry for the guy. Reaching down, I picked up the bucket. “Are you ready?” I whispered, moving to straddle him a little as I rested my hand on his torso. Jesus, his chest was rock hard. This man was pure muscle!

  “Yes!” At his word, I tipped the entire bucket of ice on his crotch, darting up quickly as he rose and yelled in shock. “Holy motherfucking shit! Shit, that’s cold, you bitch!”

  “You needed cooling off.” I could hardly talk, I was laughing so hard.

  Alex’s reaction had caused Diego to wander into the office.

  “What the hell is going on in here?” he asked, tossing his long blonde hair behind his back.

  “This bitch just threw a bucket of ice on my cock!” Alex seethed, shaking the remaining ice off his open jeans.

  “Maybe you’ll get the message now!” I replied, laughing hysterically.

  “I want you on the first plane back to London. I’m fucking done with this shit!” Alex seethed, storming off.

  “That’s fine by me!” I yelled after him before looking at Diego. His eyes were wet with tears from laughing. “Sorry about that.” If I was sent back to London, it was worth it.

  “Girl, you are pure entertainment. I’ve never seen anyone get him worked up that fast before. What possessed you to throw a bucket of ice on his crotch?”

  “That man needs to stop thinking with his dick.”

  “I’ve been trying to tell him that for a long time. It’s got him into so much trouble over the years.”

  “What am I getting myself involved in, Diego? He’s exhausting.” Shane had said Diego was Alex’s oldest friend. Maybe he could help me understand Alex better.

  “This will be unlike any job you’ve ever had, but I can promise you one thing.” I urged him to continue with my eyes. “It will change your life.” Was that good or bad? “You should stick around. I have a feeling things are going to get interesting now that you’re here. Alex can’t fire you without an agreement from Gina, so you won’t be going anywhere.” That was a good thing, right?

  Alex ignored me for three days after my ice stunt, but it seemed that Diego had been right about Gina; I still had my job. I didn’t let the fact that he was ignoring me bother me, though. He was being childish. I carried on with my new duties, and that in itself was a lot to take in. He had a lot of press events coming up over the next few weeks due to a song that he was singing for a movie soundtrack. While the soundtrack had already been released, the movie was premiering next month. Gina was in New York finalizing a fragrance contract for him, too. For a washed up rock star, he still had a lot of work and sponsors coming in.

  My cell phone rang while I was trying to get through some important emails from Gina. When I glanced at the caller ID, I froze. What the hell did David want?

  “Hello.”

  “Please tell me you’re not working for Alex Harbour.” David’s voice was cool and calm. We had half a world between us, yet just the sound of his voice and I wanted to be near him again.

  “David, I’m at work. You can’t just…”

  “Tell me. Nat, I’m worried about you.”

  “What would it matter to you if I was?”

  “This is about Sarah, isn’t it? That’s why you left. You left in such a hurry. I didn’t even get to say a proper goodbye. Come back to London, Nat. We can work something out. I don’t want you working for that slime ball. He’s bad news!”

  “How did you find out?” I sighed, playing with a paperclip on my desk.

  “I made a few calls. I told you I’d always look out for you, and truthfully, I’m missing you like crazy.”

  “Are you starting to realize how much I did for you?” I started to spin on my chair but stopped immediately when I noticed that Alex was leaning against my doorframe watching me. Shit! How long had he been there?

  “I’m starting to realize a lot of things, Nat…”

  “I have to go, David. Thanks for your concern. I’ll talk to you soon. Bye.” Quickly, I hung up before looking back up at Alex.

  “Was that your old boss, David Barclay?” he mused, tilting his head.

  “As a matter of fact, yes. He was begging me to go back to him. It’s nice to be appreciated, even if it is by my former boss. So, you’re talking to me now?”

  “Gina is coming over this weekend to see how you’re settling in.”

  “I know. She sent me an email about it earlier.”

  “I want you to lie to her.”

  “What?”

  “Tell her you hate working for me. You being here…it’s not going to work. If we can’t get along, I don’t see the point of you being here. You’re no help to me.”

  “I’m no help? I’ve just spent days sorting out your calendar, booking flights, answering your fan mail, and liaising with airport security for you! I’ve been doing my damn job! You’re the one with the issues. If you don’t like me being here, I su
ggest you bring it up with her. I’m not quitting this job!” Running his hands through his hair, he closed his eyes for a few short moments.

  “I don’t get you. You clearly hate me, so why stay?”

  “Just let me do my job, Alex. That’s what I’m here for. Stop making me a conquest and we’ll get on just fine!” With a deep sigh, he nodded before leaving. Why was he making this so difficult?

  Frustrated, I placed my head in my hands. Alex Harbour was so confusing; he made my head hurt. I closed my eyes, and for the first time since I arrived in LA, I was home sick. I missed David and Liv. I missed my old job and my apartment in London. There wasn’t anything I could do about it, though. I was too proud to go back. I had to stick this out no matter how much Alex infuriated me.

  “Have you visited the Hollywood sign yet?” Liv asked over the phone. It was so nice to hear a friendly voice.

  “Not yet. I’ve been busy trying to settle in my job here.”

  “How is Mr. Heater?”

  “He’s still a dickhead, but I’m learning to handle him.” Mr. Heater—that really was a good name for him. Alex either ran hot or cold most of the time. There was no middle ground with him.

  “You’re going to have the time of your life, Nat. I can feel it in my bones. Maybe you’ll meet someone out there and finally move on from David.”

  “I’ll be too busy working to do that. How’s my apartment?”

  “Good. I’m thinking about taking up your offer about living there while you’re in LA. My place is a dive compared to yours.”

  “It’s there if you want it.” As I was gazing out of the office patio doors, Alex stepped into view. Of course, four bimbos surrounded him in their bikinis, and they were all throwing themselves at him. Oh, please! Like Mr. Ego needs any more attention. “What a whore,” I muttered, watching him grab one of the blondes and almost mount her.

  “Who? Me?” Liv asked, confused. Shit. I forgot I was on the phone.

  “No. My boss is by the pool trying to dry hump a woman. It’s disgusting.”

  “You’ve gotta love LA. I’ve heard that’s typical behavior there,” she snorted.

  “I hope not. I didn’t come here to watch live soft porn.”

  “You crack me up, Nat! I miss you so much!”

  “I miss you, too,” I sighed, still feeling homesick. I was so isolated out here. I hadn’t really made friends with anyone yet, and I was pretty sure my boss hated me.

  “Okay, I better get ready for work. I hate this damn time difference.”

  “Tell me about it. My body’s internal clock hasn’t caught up yet, and it’s been almost a week.”

  “You’ll call me next week, right?”

  “Of course. Speak to you then.” We both hung up after that.

  Needing a drink after Liv’s call, I got up. I knew I’d have to walk past Alex and his bimbos on my way to the kitchen. As tempted as I was, it would have been wrong to call Mary and ask her to bring me a drink. That was something Alex would do, not me.

  Stepping out into the sunshine, my mouth fell to the ground at the sight that greeted me. Alex was snorting a line of coke off one of the women's stomachs, using a rolled up dollar bill. Did he have no morals? Couldn’t he do that shit in private? My heart slumped a little. Ten years ago, this man had the world at his feet. What happened?

  “Straight Lace!” he called when he looked up and spotted me. “Come and join the fun!” He sniffed, rubbing his nose with the back of his hand. It wasn’t attractive in the slightest.

  “No, thanks. I think I’d have more fun on my own.” I heard the bimbos ask who I was as I rushed past them. When I got to the kitchen, Diego sat at the breakfast bar eating an apple.

  “Do you always wear your hair up?” he blurted out. What? His hair was up in a high ponytail. The style wasn’t too different from mine today, except his was neater.

  “Yes, when I’m working. I don’t like my hair in my face. I put it up in different styles, though,” I frowned. “Why are you asking?”

  “It looks like you have a natural wave. I get sick of styling Alex’s all the time. If you ever want a new style, just ask.”

  “Thanks.” Our attention was drawn toward the window at the sound of screams, laughter, and splashes. Alex was throwing all his little bimbos into the pool, one after the other.

  “He sure likes to show off,” I mused, pouring myself some water.

  “It’s a macho thing. Alex needs to feel loved and adored. He lives off it.”

  “I don’t know who I feel more sorry for—the women out there or Alex.”

  “He’s not a bad person, Nat. He’s adored by millions of women all over the world. He is who he is. The fame made him this way.”

  “I bet alcohol and drugs don’t help, though. I’ve read so many articles on his addictions.”

  “That’s his battle. He’s overcome part of the addiction. In the early days, he was always high. While he’s less dependent on them now, he’s never been able to completely shake them. It’s the boost the drugs give him. He lives off it.”

  “Is that why the band split all those years ago?” I took a seat on the stool next to him, keen to hear more.

  “Honey, are you telling me you were a Roses fan?” His eyes widened when I nodded. “Well, I didn’t see that coming. You look like a boy band kind of girl to me.”

  I snorted. Diego didn’t know me at all. “I have a Steel Roses tattoo on my hip.”

  “Bitch, please. Don’t tease!”

  “I’m serious.” Pulling my shorts down a little, I revealed my rose tattoo just below my hipbone to him. “See?”

  “Oh. My. God! You do have a soft spot for Alex then.”

  “NO! You can’t ever tell him about my ink. Matt Higgins was my favorite member,” I protested, blatantly lying. I’d be mortified if Alex ever discovered that he was my first crush.

  “Jesus, don’t let Alex hear you say that. He’ll have you on the first flight back to London without even asking Gina. You have no idea how deep the hate is between those two.”

  “What happened to the band? I know all that crap came out about Alex’s addiction a few months before the band split, but that can’t have been the only reason.”

  “Fame corrupts everyone. All the guys got power crazy. Alex lost himself in drugs and it destroyed them all.”

  “The music Alex and Matt wrote together was pure poetry. I can’t believe they gave that up.”

  “A lot went down, Nat. It was more than just the music that broke them. I miss those earlier days, though. Deep down, I think Alex does too, but too much has gone down. They’ve all said things that can’t be taken back, and done things that can’t be changed. Steel Roses is a thing of the past. There’s no going back.”

  “Dammit! I only took this job because I was hoping to meet Matt one day,” I teased.

  “I can always arrange that.” Diego quipped, winking. “We’d have to keep it a secret from Alex, though. I do see the other band members from time to time.” Wow, that would be amazing.

  “You’re such a cool guy, Diego, and you can walk in stilettos better than I can.”

  “I’m a diva. It’s all about working it, Baby!”

  “You’ll have to teach me.”

  “I can teach you many things when fashion and men are concerned.” He winked, nudging me playfully.

  “Does that include how to get in Alex’s good graces?”

  “Ha! I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I’ve never seen him this way. Honestly, I’ve never seen a woman resist him this long before.”

  “Are you seriously telling me that every woman he’s ever wanted has opened their legs for him?” I gasped. That couldn’t be true.

  “Honey, he’s Alex Harbour. You know the hysteria that surrounds him. Women start to climax just at the sound of his name.”

  “You have got to be kidding me!”

  “It’s the truth. Look at him out there.” I moved my attention outside, watching Alex in the pool with al
l the women. “They all want to suck his cock right now, and this is nothing. You should see him when he’s out in public or on stage.” Diego was right. All four of the bimbos in the pool had him in their sights. Alex could have any one of them. “This isn’t an easy job, but I can assure you, once you’ve got Alex’s respect, it will be easier.”

  “How do I do that?”

  “I don’t know, Honey. If you were someone else, I’d tell you to sleep with him.”

  “That’s not going to happen!”

  “Relax! I know that, but there’s something about you. I can see it in his eyes when he’s watching you. He really likes you. Secretly, he enjoys fighting with you. It’s why he goads you.” Alex liked me? That was ridiculous. If that was the case, he had a funny way of showing it.

  “Have you been taking drugs, too?” I snorted, getting up. “He wants sex to get back at me.”

  “It’s just how I see things. You like him, too. I’ve seen the way you watch him.” Diego was insane. Yeah, I had liked Alex when I was twelve, but I was a fully-grown woman now.

  “You’re crazy, Diego.” Picking up my glass of water, I made my way back to my office. Alex didn’t even notice me wander passed. He was too busy sucking faces with one of the pool sluts. Gross!

  Chapter Five

  “Fuck me harder! Harder! Fuck, right there, Baby. Fuck, yes. Take my cock!”

  I rolled over in bed, frustrated. Alex had decided to have sex in the bedroom next to mine after the pool party earlier. It was now almost three in the morning.

  “Oh, oh, yes, yes, Alex! Fuck me like a groupie. Fuck me!”

  “Who’s the rock star?”

  “Oh, oh, you are! YOU ARE!! YES! YES!”

  I had no idea what fucking like a groupie meant, but when the headboard began to bang against my wall I lost it! I wasn’t going to lie there a minute longer and listen to that shit.

  Storming out of bed, I slammed my bedroom door behind me, and went to the kitchen to get a drink. Maybe I could sleep in the living area. The red leather couches were big enough.

  After pulling my hair up into a messy bun, I slumped down onto a kitchen stool and drank the glass of milk that I’d gotten from the fridge. The jet leg was still lingering. Unfortunately, I hadn’t managed to shake it off yet, so I was exhausted.