by Dawn Ryder
“Did Ramsey cheat on you?”
“Ah…come in.” Jewel reached for him and pulled him through the open door. There was a cry of outrage from the crowd on the lawn and a grunt from her father as Jewel closed the door, sealing Ramsey inside with them.
“This is Ramsey,” Jewel began lamely.
Her mother lifted the rolling pin and hit her palm in an unmistakable warning. “Mm-hmm.”
“We need to talk,” Ramsey started, his eyes glittering. He pulled himself up and looked at her father. “May I come in?”
Her dad grunted. “Seems my daughter thinks so. Don’t think I won’t throw you to that pack out there if you make her cry.”
“Dad,” Jewel groaned, writhing against a wave of embarrassment.
“Yes, sir.” Ramsey hooked her by her bicep. There was a warning sound from her mother that made him turn and look back at her. Her mom slapped her palm with the rolling pin with clear intention.
Ramsey released her arm and offered her his hand instead. Jewel hesitated, scared to death that touching him would be her undoing. Just seeing him was almost too much to bear.
“I’ll stand right here and discuss this with you, Jewel,” he said firmly.
“There is nothing to discuss.” She moved away from the door. He reached out and caught her wrist.
“There sure as sh…is.” He bit back the word of profanity. “You were the one who realized we needed time to cool off.”
“Actually”—she pulled her wrist out of his grip, not caring too much for the fact that he let her go—“you needed time to—”
“See what a dick I was being.” He looked at her mother and shrugged.
“Acceptable in this case,” her mom replied before she turned and headed toward the kitchen. “Just call out if you need me, Jewel.”
Her father made a sound in the back of his throat before he followed her mother through a doorway and into the kitchen.
“I was being a dick, and then I got drunk, which was stupid,” Ramsey stated. He was full of all the confidence she’d felt radiating from him the first time she’d set eyes upon him.
She loved it.
Loved him.
But tears filled her eyes without a care for the way she tried to control them. Ramsey cursed and wrapped her in his embrace, gathering her close when she tried to squirm away.
“You have to forgive me,” he muttered against her temple. “I love you. I want to be everything you’ve always thought I could be, but I can’t do it without you to anchor me.”
She gasped and pushed against his chest. He finally released her with a snort of frustration.
“It’s not about forgiving.” She suddenly felt drained. She knew she had to let him go, and it was going to suck everything wonderful out of her.
“The hell it isn’t,” Ramsey argued. “Sammy came by this morning to apologize in person. I should have ratted Tia out to him. Should have made sure she couldn’t take another shot at you. Even Sammy told me I was a dick for leaving him open to her attack.”
Jewel snorted. “He should clear out that pack he has brownnosing him.”
“He plans to.”
“Good.” That was what really mattered. “But that’s not the real problem.”
Ramsey went still as he read her emotions off her face. He’d been tense before, but something shifted between them as he went rigid.
“Then what is it about, Jewel?” His tone had gone deadly. “Why did you leave me?”
She had to tell him, had to be straight. He deserved that.
“Because I have to be my own person too.” She was shaking, and wrapped her arms around herself. “You have to see… I can’t be less devoted to my own career than you are to yours. It would be a mismatch. You’d realize it…in time…and I’d know I was a sellout.”
Understanding dawned on him. It was a horrible sight to see, because it confirmed everything she’d known to be true, even if some part of her heart had been holding out hope. It was all over now.
“Yeah, I get it,” he said softly.
“Anyway…I’m glad you understand.” She was holding on to her composure by a thread. Ramsey reached out and stopped her when she tried to walk past him, the connection making her stiffen.
“I know what it’s like to have a passion burning in your gut.” He delivered his next words in a menacing tone. “So don’t ever call me dense about the need you have to be successful.”
She stepped back, trying to decide what he was driving at. “But you don’t want me signing with Morcant.”
“I don’t want you near that guy, because I’m fucking jealous of him,” Ramsey informed her. “I may like girls, but I’m not blind. The guy is smoking hot, and did I mention that I love you?” He opened up his hands in a “get real” gesture. “Knowing you are anywhere near him makes me jealous. Which is just another way of saying I love you, because I have never cared about another girl taking off. There were always plenty more to take her place. Not you.”
His admission made her smile, just a tiny curving of her lips. Oh, it wasn’t really the right thing to feel, but she couldn’t help it. He’d been jealous. It was one of the best compliments he’d ever given her.
“You smiled,” he said softly. “I win the point.”
She rolled her eyes as the memory of Portland flashed through her mind. “This is about more than one encounter. This is about…” Words suddenly failed her, because she didn’t want to let go of the fragile hope springing back up.
“I get it.” His tone had deepened. “You’re worried I can’t deal with you being more than mine.”
She nodded, once, and it felt like the motion tore her heart in two. She was laid bare, everything exposed.
“Honey, I sure as hell want to have you stuck to my side, but that’s only because I value every bit of you. The drive to be successful is part of that, and I never said I couldn’t deal with it.” He was furious, but drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I still don’t want you anywhere near Morcant…at least not without me there to remind you how much more you mean to me.”
“Ha,” Jewel said. “You mean so you can glare at him.”
“That’s what guys do.” Ramsey shrugged. “Some girls too. I saw the way you warned Tia off with a glance.”
Jewel defended herself. “She had it coming. She thought you were just some possession.”
“But I’m more?” he demanded, forcing her back to the topic at hand.
“Yes, much more,” she admitted.
He captured her, taking the opportunity to fold her into his embrace. It was her undoing; the connection between their flesh as jolting as the first time. She gripped the fabric of his T-shirt and drew in the scent of his skin, trembling as it raced through her senses.
“I love you…” he whispered in her hair. “All parts of you.”
“I’m going to sign that contract. It would be stupid of me not to.” She lifted her head and locked gazes with him. “So I am going to see Quinn again.”
He didn’t like her comment, but he nodded. “At least read the offer Sammy brought over this morning.”
Her eyebrows rose in surprise. Ramsey’s lips lifted into that arrogant grin she adored so much. “He even left the private jet at our disposal. Want to become a member of the mile-high club?”
“Ramsey…” She squirmed as her cheeks caught fire. “My parents are listening.”
There was a smothered giggle from the kitchen before her father called out, “If you’re not going to take advantage of that offer, girl, how about letting me take your mother on a date in that jet?”
Ramsey wiggled his eyebrows at her. “I like your dad.” He pressed a hard kiss against her lips before he released her. “And I need to talk to him about you.”
“What?”
He kissed her again, cupping her chin. “I want to marry you, so I am going to go ask your dad.”
“Ah…he’s got his gun on him at the moment.”
Ramsey winked at h
er. “I noticed. Why do you think I was going to ask him to be the shotgun bearer?”
“That’s not funny,” Jewel said.
But her father started busting up in the kitchen, deflating her argument completely. Ramsey smirked before turning around and walking across her parents’ home like he belonged there.
And she realized…he did.
Life was suddenly so perfect. Impossibly perfect for how many hours she’d agonized over the reasons why it couldn’t be perfect.
Love didn’t make sense.
But it did feel absolutely epic.
* * *
“I just want a band.”
No one listened to her. Ramsey was still looking at a tray of loose diamonds, while her mother drooled over a tray of engagement ring settings. Her father sipped a rum and Coke, and tried not to look too nervous when her mother slipped one of the rings onto her own hand and smiled longingly.
“Ramsey…I really just want a band.” Jewel tried to sound enticing. “So I can work with it on.”
“Not a chance,” Ramsey replied as he picked up a huge diamond with a set of jeweler’s tweezers. “I want Morcant to see a rock on your finger the size of Texas.”
“And men claim women are the ones who insist on a diamond engagement ring.”
Ramsey wiggled the diamond gently so it caught the light. There was a bump as one of the reporters trying to get a shot of them inside the jewelry shop hit the window because he was being jostled by the rest of the pack of paparazzi.
Still, the little polished rock was dazzling. She felt herself melting, but honestly, it was because Ramsey was there. He carried the diamond over to her hand, letting her see it over her ring finger.
Her composure shredded, the reality of the moment filling her eyes with tears and her heart with love.
“That’s the one,” Ramsey said, but he wasn’t looking at the diamond. He was looking into her eyes, his dark eyes glittering with love. “The only one for me.”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “And I plan to make sure you never forget it.”
His eyes narrowed. “School me, baby.”
That was exactly what she planned to do.
* * *
Jewel groaned. Her cheeks heated, and Ramsey wore his smug victory grin. She looked over toward the cockpit door.
“It’s not thick enough. They heard you…screaming,” Ramsey cooed next to her ear as he settled back onto his back on the private jet’s sofa. The thing slid out to make a bed. The fabric was slightly stiff against her bare skin, but most of her body was lying on top of Ramsey, so it didn’t really matter.
Nothing really mattered when they were in each other’s arms. Her new engagement ring had twisted on her finger. She tried to turn it, but her right hand was pinned against Ramsey’s side. He reached up and centered the ring.
“Still think it’s too big?” he asked as he squeezed her hand.
She smiled, nuzzling against his chest. “It’s growing on me.”
“Wish your dad had let me buy that one your mother picked out.”
“Well, you know that had about as much chance of happening as you letting Quinn Morcant pay for mine.”
Ramsey snorted. Jewel laughed at him. “Just put my dad to work. He hates being retired.” She sighed. “Guess I’m asking for nepotism. See? You start getting me things, and I lose all sense of boundaries.”
He smoothed the hair back from her face. “Lay your demands on me, baby. I’ll satisfy you.”
She made a soft little sound and let her eyes close. “You certainly did.”
“And I plan to do it again and again,” he insisted. “Getting your dad a job will just be part of making sure you can’t escape me.”
She lifted her hand and slapped him mockingly on the chest. He covered her hand with his, holding it still.
The plane engines droned on, the aircraft vibrating just enough to rock them both to sleep. Ramsey kept his eyes open longer, fighting to stay awake so he could savor the feeling of her in his arms.
He was the luckiest damned fool alive.
* * *
Taz sat in his hotel suite, staring at his phone. A Facebook page was open, a notification of a friend request having been approved, keeping his full attention.
Joi Sun Kim had accepted his request.
After two years.
Why?
The question fascinated him as much as it frustrated him. What did she want? He grunted and closed the application. Damned if he had any clue. All he knew was he wanted her. Wanted her so badly, three years of rejection hadn’t dulled the urge. She still filled his dreams. Success in the music world had somehow translated into disgrace in her family’s eyes. They had forbidden her to see him, talk to him, marry him.
He should move on.
But he couldn’t.
Taz opened Facebook again and punched in her name so her page came up. Maybe she’d approved his friend request so he’d see that she’d settled down with some other guy. It would hurt like shit, but maybe it would be better to see the evidence of her with a husband. Maybe that would end his obsession with her.
Instead, all he saw was her face, and it cut him to the bone. Her sparkling eyes, her whimsical smile, and the way her spirit came across in the form of cute animal pictures and encouraging sayings on her Facebook wall.
He still loved her.
There was no doubt about it.
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Rock Me Two Times
“Katie…sweetie…”
Kate Napier raised her head, shifting her focus from the strips of leather she had pushed under the industrial sewing machine she was using. Her partner only called her sweetie when he was nervous about something.
One look at Percy Lynwood confirmed it. All six foot four of him hovered in the doorway between the machine shop and the cutting room of their design studio. He was pulling on the measuring tape draped around his neck, looking at her with pleading eyes. She looked past him to find that their staff members had suspiciously disappeared into the prep room at the back of the building.
“This is part of the Stanton order, Percy,” she warned him. “He wants it for Sturgis in two weeks.”
Percy wrung his hands, looking like a gigantic teddy bear with his naturally curly hair framing his forehead. He shifted from side to side before taking a stiff breath and stepping onto the concrete floor of the machine shop.
“I know, sweetie…”
Kate flattened her hands on the edge of the sewing machine table and narrowed her eyes. Percy grimaced and lifted his hands to keep her from arguing further.
“I’ll put Paula on it,” he said in a rush. “Giles just called with an emergency.”
She took the opportunity to stand up and stretch her lower back, arching all the way until her neck popped.
“Leather is my department. No offense to Paula, but she doesn’t fit ass like I do,” Kate said.
“Definitely not,” Percy agreed. “But this is an emergency on an epic scale,” he finished with a flurry of his hands.
Kate lowered her chin and locked gazes with Percy. His tone was downright miserable. “Okay, so what is stressing you out so bad?”
“It’s the Toxsin account.”
Kate lifted her hand and pointed to the wall behind Percy. Her personal operating rules were on a corkboard. Number one: no cuts to the front of the line.
“I know about your rules, Kate, but this is urgent!” Percy was back to wringing his hands. “Toxsin is going on stage in four hours, and there is some sort of problem with the lead singer’s leather pants.”
“As in Syon Braden?” Kate asked.
Percy nodded. “The Marquis.” He supplied the stage name of the man currently topping preeminent entertainer lists around the globe with a breathless sigh.
She moved around the large industrial sewing machine and jabbed her finger again at the corkboard on the wall that had her name on it. “Rule number two: I don’t do rock stars. Besides, are you really telling me that you don’t want to get your hands on the Marquis?”
Percy cracked a saucy grin through his worried expression. “You know I do, and I think even Steve will forgive me for it as long as I share every last succulent detail. That Syon is an animal.” Percy made a soft sound that was a cross between a moan and a growl.
“Glad we got that squared away.” Kate turned and headed for the leather pants destined for the biker paradise known as Sturgis. The end-of-summer rally held in Sturgis, South Dakota, drew bikers from all over the world. Making leatherwear for attendees was her bread and butter. “Have a blast with the Marquis.”
“But, Kate,” Percy whimpered again. “Showtime is seven, and they are playing the Staples Center downtown.”
“Ahhh…” Kate turned to look at the large clock on the wall next to her corkboard. Every staff member had a corkboard. Schedules were posted there, along with any rule anyone felt they couldn’t live with being violated. The boards kept the peace pretty well, but the clock read three sharp.
“With afternoon traffic, which will be even worse than usual with Toxsin playing, I’ll never make it down there in time. They’ve been sold out for months,” Percy explained.
“So why did Giles call us? It’s his account, his premiere account. Why isn’t he flying out to defend his turf?” Percy’s costume college buddy had jumped through flaming hoops to score the account with Toxsin.
Percy spread his hands in a pleading gesture. “Because he’s in New York, and it’s an emergency. They need something fixed immediately. He wouldn’t trust just anyone to deal with them. That’s why he called us.”
“Giles called you, not us.” Kate propped her hand on her hip. “I’m still a little sketchy on why you need me for this, Percy. I don’t drive any faster than you do.”
“They’re sending a helicopter from the Staples Center. That’s how desperate they are.” Percy looked miserable again. “You know I can’t stand heights.”
Kate’s stomach knotted. Percy could get woozy on the third story of their building if he got too close to a window. He’d turn green just looking at a helicopter.
