He glanced at the two of them in the mirror with Gina’s slick back on display, her legs kicked around his hips. A warmth spread through his chest at the view…This beautiful woman cradled against his body.
Just one more time?
Yeah, not if he had anything to say about it.
Chapter 16
She wanted him to stay.
Dear God, Gina had wanted him to stay, but there was no way she was going to cross that line. Enough lines had been crossed as it was. If she was going to do her job right, then she needed to somehow reclaim a respectable distance between the two of them.
And so, after their heartbeats had returned to normal and they stilled, she said nothing as he climbed from the bed and pulled on his clothes.
Said nothing as he paused by the door and asked her if she wanted him to stay.
Said nothing as he left the room, then stared at the ceiling all night thinking of him, wishing she could have asked him to stay.
If only just for the night.
Now, as morning dawned, her feet sunk into the carpeted floors as she climbed out of bed, wearing nothing but her panties and an overlong white t-shirt. She stepped to the bar and poured herself a tall glass of water because her throat was dry and her lips were parched.
She drained the glass in one gulp and then filled it again. When she went to take a sip, her phone beeped from the nightstand beside the bed.
She placed the cup on the counter and retrieved her phone, swiped her finger across the screen to see a notification from Ava—an email.
Gina,
You are a star, but you already know that, I’m sure. I’m thrilled with the progress you’re making with Rory. Those pics of him walking into the event with Star were AMAZING! He looked so hot and brooding…perfect. I was a bit skeptical to be honest, back when the band chose Rory for this job, but it’s working better than anyone could have predicted. In no time, Sub-Zero is going to be shot into the stratosphere.
Keep up the good work and keep getting him out on the town with any and every starlet you can imagine. Eventually, one of them will stick around, not too long but long enough to do its job.
It’s been a week and the band’s profile is already skyrocketing. I’ve managed to get Rory a cover for Rockstar Magazine, but that’s a few weeks out so just keep on doing what you’re doing.
Have a great day,
Ava
Gina groaned as she dropped onto the edge of the bed and cleared the sleep from her eyes.
Her stomach continued to twist into knots. She could definitely no longer chalk up the queasiness in her stomach to being hungover. No, it was too late for that. She felt sick because of Rory.
Gina put her everything into Sub-Zero and she cared about that band like no other. The last thing she wanted—or needed—was to let her growing feelings for Rory get in the way of the band’s success.
Before anything else, she was their PR manager. That’s what had to come first and she knew that setting up Rory with other women was what the band needed. It was her job to do it, no matter how it made her feel inside.
Too many people’s livelihoods were on the line. Everyone from the band, to the touring crew, to the lower-level folks at Ruffian Records was counting on the band’s success and a big part of that had fallen onto Gina’s shoulders.
Especially Rory, who grew up with so little.
Thinking hard on what she knew about him—and how far he’d come from his abusive past, she stepped into the shower and squared her shoulders.
Hot steam filled the glass shower as Gina combed her fingers through wet hair, rinsing conditioner out. She had only been awake for two hours and she was already set to go back to bed. She was tired, worn out. The stress was eating away at her.
She lowered her hands to twist the knobs of the shower and once the water stopped, she stepped out onto the cushioned mat outside the shower door. She reached for an oversized grey towel and wrapped it around her body as she stepped up to the fogged mirror.
She wiped the surface with her palm, clearing just enough space so that she could see her reflection in the glass pane. Her eyes were sunken, and the confidence in her shoulders looked just about as fake as it felt. She needed to find some energy to get through the rest of the day and she stepped out to the bar to brew a pot of dark coffee.
Just then, a knock on her room door stole her attention.
“Jesus,” she groaned and pulled the towel tighter around her body.
The first knock was followed by a second and then a third not long thereafter. She cursed under her breath as she reached for the doorknob and ripped it open.
It was Rory, standing tall before her in ripped grey jeans and a white Sub-Zero tee.
He broke through the awkward silence and leaned down to plant a short, sweet kiss on her lips. She didn’t kiss him back, but she didn’t break away from him either. His gaze tangled with hers and he cocked his head.
She swallowed hard, knowing she should say something. Knowing she should probably tell him that he should be getting ready for his next date. Again, anything to get him as far away from her as humanly possible before she could do something stupid.
He dropped a hand to her waist and murmured, “You look so damn sexy in that towel.”
“Yeah.” She forced a smile but pulled back from him. “It’s designer.”
“Yeah,” he chuckled and leaned against the doorframe. “They really go overboard at this hotel, don’t they?”
“Only the best stay here.” She wetted her lips. “I mean, that’s what they say in the brochure.”
He took a long, hard glance from her head to her toes and pressed past her before closing the door behind him.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” she said as she raced past him and swiped a pair of jeans and a t-shirt off the bed. She glanced over her shoulder before stepping into the bathroom. “You’re supposed to be getting ready for your date.”
She slipped into the bathroom and got dressed. If her stomach was in knots before, then this was something else entirely. She shouldn’t have let him come into her room because that was exactly how one night only quickly spiraled out of control and became something else.
When she exited the bathroom fully dressed, she came to a stop in the doorway as she caught a glance of him sitting on the bed waiting for her with his hands folded between his legs. She wanted nothing more than to melt into him, but she couldn’t.
She retrieved her phone from the nightstand and then took two careful steps backward until her back was parked against the minibar.
“Ava says we’re making great progress.”
“Cool.” He nodded and pursed his lips. “Looks like you’re doing something right.”
“Yeah.” She cleared her throat, set the phone down onto the nightstand and then gripped her palms tight around the ledge of the bar. She forced a smile before continuing, “I don’t know if Ava’s told you, but you have an upcoming photo shoot with Rockstar Magazine.”
“Yeah,” he nodded again, “she told me.”
“We just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing so far.”
His eyes raised to meet hers as a cocky grin unfolded across his kissable lips.
“I’d love to keep doing what we’ve been doing. All you had to do was ask.”
Just one kiss wouldn’t hurt.
Just one kiss would lead somewhere else, and before she knew it, she’d find herself on her back with his cock buried deep inside her.
And that would be bad, why?
“You know what I mean,” she forced through numb lips. “I was talking about your dates and stuff.”
He stood and padded over toward her, stopping just inches away. Her heart stilled as he traced the shape of her mouth with the tip of his finger.
“Interesting. That’s not what I was thinking about at all.”
Blood rushed to her ears and she wet her lips. “I know, but…”
“But what?” he murmured, leaning clos
e enough that her breasts touched his muscular chest. Her nipples pebbled as she swayed on her feet.
He had asked her a question, but she couldn’t recall for the life of her what it was.
He dipped his head lower and captured her lips with his, groaning as his tongue touched hers.
Against her will, her whole body went slack and she curled her arms around his neck to hold her up. He pulled her tighter, crushing her against him, taking the kiss deeper.
This was crazy. They’d been together just hours before, and already, she was on fire for him, her stomach pulling like taffy in the summer sun as his hips ground against hers. She could already feel the thick evidence of his arousal pressing on her pelvic bone and she shuddered in his arms.
Tick, tock, Gina, a little voice inside her head whispered, not a second before her phone alarm rang.
She dragged her mouth from Rory’s and sucked in a breath.
“You’ve got to go,” she said, pressing a trembling hand to his chest as she tried to regain her composure.
He paused for so long, she thought he might refuse. Half hoped he would, but instead, his jaw went tense and his eyes went dark as he pulled away.
“Right,” he said, this time deceptively soft. “So we’re still doing that, huh?”
“Yes.” She reached for her phone and silenced the alarm, not having the strength to look him dead in the eyes. “W-why wouldn’t we be?”
His gaze was like fire branding her face as she kept her eyes pinned to her phone screen.
“Why, indeed?” he said softly and stepped past her to wrap his palm around the doorknob. “Good seeing you, Gina. Enjoy your day.”
“Yeah, you too. Have fun!” She shook her head and offered him one last, pained smile before he exited her room, closing the door behind him.
When she was sure he was gone, she rushed to the door and made sure it was shut. She peeped through the tiny hole in the door and watched him prowl down the long hallway, his easy gait chewing up the space until he disappeared from sight.
With a sigh, she leaned backward against the door with relief. That had been close. Too close. If he’d only asked, even once, she’d have caved.
Again.
Maybe, as time went on, resisting him would get easier.
That hope was short-lived, though. Because an hour later, she walked down to the bar in the hotel lobby just as Rory and his date—Wendy Malloy, famous singer and Mensa member—were strutting through the hotel lobby as if they were the most famous couple in the world. And it was killing her.
She sipped on a fruity drink as she watched the couple make their way toward the exit, her stomach now engaged in an all out war with herself.
Rory glanced sideways and caught Gina’s stare. Their eyes were locked as Rory continued toward the exit where Gina was sure they would be met with adoring fans and paparazzi alike.
Which was good. After all, that was what they wanted.
Wasn’t it?
He was playing the part of a Hollywood Hunk almost effortlessly now. Even though he was dressed down tonight, she found herself admiring the way he wore his jeans and basic t-shirt so well. Like he’d crawled out of the fifties and in the moment, a young James Dean.
Cameras flashed, lighting the lobby in electric shades of pale blue as they made their way outside. The door closed behind them, but the lights continued to flicker through the oversized glass windows.
Gina turned back to the bar and pushed her drink out of the way. She was no longer in the mood to drink anything, much less liquor. Not with the way her stomach was turning over on itself.
Just an hour prior, he had come up to her room all horned up and ready for another round, and she had turned him down. Instead of hooking up, she made sure he was hot and horny for his date with a smart, gorgeous, nice woman.
And the worst part of it all?
She had nobody to blame but herself.
Chapter 17
Rory smiled for the cameras, but as soon as he got away from them for a second, he clenched his teeth. Though the paparazzi were hot on their trail and following them, there was a brief moment where they weren’t in front of him and he let down his guard. All while his date remained unaware of the anger stewing inside him.
He couldn’t believe Gina still pushed for him to go on this damn date after what had happened last night. Hadn’t she felt it? Hadn’t she known that they were perfect for each other?
“Cotton candy will rot your teeth,” Wendy said as she reached for the cone of pastel colored sugar that Rory was carrying.
“That being said, I don’t much care for my teeth right now.” She shoved a handful into her mouth and glanced over her shoulder to offer the flashing cameras behind them a playful smile.
Rory continued to walk along the pier, content to just do the bare minimum required of him. He was only here because he was too pissed off to be anywhere else right now and this was what Gina wanted.
Though, to be fair, there wasn’t anything particularly wrong with Wendy. On the contrary, she seemed like the most normal girl he had been set up with yet. She was petite and pretty—had the whole “girl next door” type of thing working in her favor. She was famous in her own right, and didn’t fawn all over him, which was nice.
He dug into the bag of fluffy candy goodness, but after a tiny bite, he passed the rest of the bag to Wendy.
“I’m not in the mood for anything sweet right now.”
“Really?” She arched a brow and pivoted to face him. “So does that mean I can eat the rest?”
He smiled at her, a genuine smile. There wasn’t a chemistry type connection between the two of them—at least not on his end—but he had to admit, she was nice. A cakewalk compared to the senator’s daughter and Star Jackson. “Sure, if you don’t mind rotting your teeth. Do you want to ride the Ferris wheel while you eat it?”
“Seriously?” she asked. “Why would you want to go and do something terrifying like that?”
He glanced over his shoulder, then whispered, “To get away from these damn cameras for a minute.” Putting on a happy face was draining as hell when all he wanted to do was go for a run to work off some of this frustration and pent up anger.
“I see.” She nodded. “I know that we’re supposed to ham it up and all but after awhile, they get to me. Do they annoy you, too?”
“A little bit,” he admitted, realizing that perhaps they had something in common after all.
“Why the hell not? Let’s hit the Ferris wheel.” She reached for his hand before turning back around and leading them both toward the ride docked at the edge of the pier.
Lights flickered behind them.
Rory shifted forward until he was the one leading Wendy down the wooden planks of the pier. He needed to be seen as in charge, needed to be seen as a strong, womanizing rock star. So that was the part he played. He tugged her toward the short line in front of the Ferris wheel.
The line began to move as passengers were loaded onto the ride two at a time. There were only two couples ahead of them when the girl in front of them turned around and screamed, “Wendy!”
She was a damn pro, offering the girl a beaming smile as she began to talk to her.
“That’s me,” she said and reached for the pen being offered to her. “And what’s your name?”
“I’m Hannah,” the girl said, and then pointed over to her friend who stared back with wide, awestruck eyes, “and this is Annie.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you two girls.” She pursed her lips and leaned over slightly. “Want me to sign something?”
“We don’t have any pictures or anything like that,” the second girl said and swiveled around so that the back of her white tee was facing Rory and Wendy. She craned her head over her shoulder and grinned from ear to ear. “Can you sign my shirt?”
“Of course, sweetie.” Wendy stepped forward and scribbled a short message on the girl’s shirt, followed by her signature. “There you go. Make sure you wash the shirt
inside out to preserve the writing.”
“Thank you so much,” the girl squealed and then her eyes twisted to meet Rory. “Will you sign my shirt too, Rory?”
He stepped toward her and took the pen from Wendy. “Is there anything specific you’d like me to write?”
The two girls passed each other a knowing look, both giggling. Then her eyes were back on Rory. “Can you write Rory loves Hannah and Annie?”
“Yeah,” Rory said with a shrug. “Sure.”
He stepped forward and dropped down to a crouch. He scribbled the requested message onto the shirt with the silver metallic Sharpie and signed beneath.
Wendy took the girls’ phone as the four of them—the two girls and the two stars—huddled side by side in front of the Ferris wheel. The front-facing camera flashed and a memory was made.
Before long, though, the girls scrambled onto the carriage and he and Wendy did the same. Then, after a few slow turns, high above the pier, Rory and Wendy sat at the top of the Ferris wheel as riders were being loaded onto the ride down below. And though the ride wasn’t nearly as tall as the buildings that surrounded them on either side of the river, it was still as if they were on top of the world.
Up at the top, it was almost like he could let his guard down and be Rory instead of the Rory the world needed him to be. He looked over the edge of the bucket and glanced down at the calm river beneath them. Lost in his thoughts, he realized that this was his future and it was a soul crushing realization that the thing he had spent his entire life wanting—fame—was the very same thing that felt like it was going to shackle him, like it was holding him under water or something and he couldn’t breathe.
“It’s a nice view, eh?” Wendy said.
He forced a smile. “I’m sorry, I guess I zoned out or something.” He chuckled under his breath. “I’m just really tired.” Of all this shit, he neglected to add.
“Yeah, the fame game can be exhausting.” She threw her head back against the metal seat and groaned. “People always expect you to be something you’re not. And the longer you live in that persona, the more the public expects it of you on a constant basis.”
Hard Sell: A Bad-Boy, Rock Star Romance Page 12
