by Jess Dee
“Yeah, you should have. I’d rather you ask than look elsewhere for answers.”
“Yet you sent me elsewhere for the answer.”
“I referred it to Luke.” He sighed deeply. “That’s my standard way of handling the hard questions. The landmines that have the potential to blow up in my face.”
Another frisson of hurt shot through her and she pulled away from him. “So I’m a landmine?”
“No, Tiny.” Zachary frowned. “The question you asked? That’s the landmine. One that already blew up in my face. I had to face the backlash, the rumors, the lies, the press hounding me day in and day out, making up crap. Luke dealt with it at the time, just like he deals with all the shit we face. My instinct, when you asked, was to let Luke deal with it again.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I shouldn’t have. I should just have given you a straight answer.” He blew out a long breath. “You touched on a sore point. I wasn’t prepared.”
“How about now?”
“Now what?”
“Are you prepared to talk about it?”
“It’s the ugly side of fame, Eve. You sure you want to hear about it?”
She wanted to hear everything about him, no matter how ugly. “Only if you’re up to discussing it.”
He squared his shoulders. “Seven months ago a woman sent Luke a lawyer’s letter. She had a baby, it said, I was the baby’s father, and could I please hand over child support for the rest of the kid’s life.”
“Did you know her?”
“I didn’t recognize her name and couldn’t remember having met her, never mind…getting her pregnant, so of course I denied her accusations. I assumed that would be it, end of story, but no. A day later she went to the press. Told anyone who’d listen that she and I had had a torrid one-week affair when I was in Colorado the year before, and the kid was the result.” Zachary’s face turned hard. “Anyone who’d listen turned out to be every rag in the States. Every TV channel too. Suddenly I was the biggest villain on earth. The wealthy rock star who refused to pay child maintenance. I was hauled over the coals. Ripped to shreds by the press.”
“Oh, God. Zachary, I’m so sorry.”
He gave her a hollow smile. “That wasn’t the worst of it. Within a week of the news breaking, three other women came forward with similar stories. Instead of Jonah Speed superstar, I became Jonah Speed, super-sperm-producer.”
Eve shuddered at the humiliation he must have experienced. “What happened?”
“We asked for paternity tests. Requested the women take the children to a lab for genetic testing. Three of my accusers, including the first woman who’d stepped forward, vanished, kids in tow, retractions of their accusations firmly in my lawyers’ hands. The fourth one went ahead and had the test.”
“And?”
He gritted his teeth. “It wasn’t mine.”
She studied him for a long moment. “Did you think it might be?”
“Honestly?”
“Yeah, Zachary. Honestly.”
“When she took the test, I was worried.”
“Did you know her?” She couldn’t help thinking that he hadn’t actually denied knowing the first woman. He simply hadn’t recognized or remembered her.
“She looked vaguely familiar. I may have slept with her.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s like I told you last night. I’ve slept with a lot of women over the last three years. Too many to remember names and faces.”
Eve shuddered.
“They were meaningless. Every one of them. Easy lays because women offered themselves to me.”
Her sympathy soured.
Zachary must have noticed. “You have to understand, the fame was sudden. Almost overnight I went from being unknown Zachary Pace to world-famous Jonah Speed. Suddenly everyone wanted a piece of me. And of Nathan and Seth. Of Luke too. Women and men threw themselves at us. It’s a strong aphrodisiac, that. Knowing I could pick and choose whenever I wanted. And no one ever said no.”
Of course no one ever said no. How could anyone in his or her right mind say no to Jonah Speed? She certainly hadn’t.
“I used condoms. Every time. But feasibly, yeah. There was a possibility the child was mine. And it scared the crap out of me. I want kids someday. But with a woman I love. Not a stranger I spent a few unimportant hours with.”
This was a first for Zachary. He’d never exposed so much of himself to a woman. Not since he’d become Jonah Speed, anyway. When it came to the personal stuff, he saved his thoughts for Luke and his brothers. No one else. Yet here he was, sharing his deepest and darkest with Eve.
“That explains why you hate the paparazzi so much.”
“In a nutshell.” The fact that they dogged his every public footstep paled in importance when compared to the baby scandal.
“Did they ever report that you weren’t the father?”
“A few places mentioned it. Buried it in the middle of news reports somewhere. It was no longer sensational. Not a scandal anymore. No scandal means no interest. They forgot about it way before I did.”
Her face softened in empathy. “That sucks, Zachary. Big time.”
He snorted. “Yeah. It sucked. Great big dingo balls.” Fucking rhinoceros balls, actually.
“Is that why you haven’t slept with a woman in six months…until last night?”
Zachary watched her carefully. “That’s exactly why. The experience killed my appetite for meaningless sex.” It hadn’t killed his appetite for sex though. The second he’d laid eyes on Eve, he’d wanted her with a savage hunger
“I’d never do that, you know,” she said very softly.
“Do what?”
“Accuse you of being the father of my child. Or try to get pregnant by you.”
“Of course you wouldn’t.” He didn’t doubt her sincerity for a second.
“It’s just, last night… When… Uh, the second time…”
Ah. So that’s where she was going. “Tiny, we got caught up in the moment. Both of us. Hell, you had me so turned on, a condom was the last thing on my mind. If I could have taken you bare, I would have.”
“But you didn’t. You stopped me.”
“And it almost killed me. I came mighty close to losing my load before I ever got inside you.” The remembered agony made him want to howl in pain now.
“I’d have stopped myself if I’d known what you’d been through.” Her smile was small, but it was there.
“I’m sorry, Tiny.”
“For what?”
“Leaving it to Luke to answer your question.”
Eve stepped up close and stroked his face, just the way he’d stroked hers earlier. The action sent hot chills up his spine. “Think you and I will ever stop apologizing to each other?”
“We’re only just getting to know each other. We’re going to make mistakes. If an apology helps right the wrongs, I’m gonna carry on apologizing.”
“Then I’m sorry too. For taking offense when I shouldn’t have.”
“I’d never hurt you, Eve. Not intentionally. But if I do, tell me so I can make it right.”
“You’ve made it right.” She touched her lips to his neck, and just like that Zachary was aroused again.
Eve noticed. She pushed her stomach into his growing erection. “Zachary?”
“Hmmm?” Concentrating became hard. All he could focus on was the way she felt against him. The way her soft curves molded to the shape of his body.
“Would you kiss me now?”
“I’d kiss you anytime.” He brushed his lips tenderly over hers.
“Mmm.” She pressed her mouth up against his, demanding more. He gave it, taking her lips wantonly, sliding his tongue over hers, tasting the desire on her breath.
Zachary yanked at the belt of her robe, untying it and pushing the material over her shoulders, leaving her naked in his arms. Adorably, beautifully naked.
Eve in her robe had been cute. Eve out of it blew his mind.
If Zachary combined the pleasure
he’d received from having sex with every one of those hundreds of women, overall it could not come close to the satisfaction he gained from one kiss with Eve.
Because being with Eve meant something to him.
Yeah, actually, something didn’t begin to cut it. Eve meant a whole lot more than something. Which was crazy, seeing as he’d known her all of twelve hours. But she’d hit the nail on the head when she’d said she wasn’t the rest of the world. Eve was special. And every minute he spent with her, she became more special.
Her fingers were on his stomach, pushing his shirt up. Up, up and over his shoulders. She broke the kiss only long enough to get rid of it, then ran her fingers over his bare chest, traveling over every inch of his flesh, leaving burn marks from the heat of her touch and making delicious noises as she did.
Zachary lost his jeans and boxers but kept hold of the condom he’d deliberately shoved in his back pocket before coming to her room.
He kissed her as he freed the condom of its wrapping and rolled it over his cock. Kissed her as he caught her under her ass and lifted her up, urging her to wrap her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Kissed her as he shuffled them a few steps to the right and found what he sought.
The wall.
Support.
She was going to need it.
Soon as he had her pinned against it, he took her. Rocked his hips and thrust inside her waiting warmth.
Ah, Christ!
The heat almost killed him. Her pussy was a tight glove, clasping him, holding him inside.
And there it was. The music he heard when he was with her. Not the same tune he’d heard last night. This was a different one, a more urgent one. Faster, louder, a heady tempo.
He fucked her to its rhythm, rocked into her to the beat of the song. And was stunned to find her responding, swaying to the same beat. She’d done it last night too. She wasn’t just moving to his tempo, she was tapping his shoulder, drumming out the song on his flesh.
Ah. Of course. He did the same to her ass. Tapped on it, played his song. Played the music he only heard with her.
Christ, he should stop. Should write it down. This was a song worth sharing. Already he’d forgotten the tune from last night. Not the sensation. Hell, no way he’d ever forget that, just the tune. The intricate notes.
Stop to write down music? Ha. Never. Never letting her go.
Not when holding her felt this fucking good. Not when making love to her brought every nerve ending to life. Not when he’d never felt this alive.
Being with Eve, fucking her… It felt more right than breathing.
The song grew louder, the tempo faster.
They danced, rocking together. He kissed her, still hadn’t released her mouth. Never wanted to release her mouth. The chocolate temptation was gone, replaced by fresh mint. Just as delicious, just as tempting.
And then her fingers faltered, losing the beat. Her hips faltered as well, forgetting to rock with him. Her nails clawed his shoulders, scratching at his skin, and her mouth went slack.
She groaned against his lips.
Zachary’s balls tightened.
“C-coming,” she gasped.
And she was. Coming. All over his cock. Her pussy tightening, relaxing, tightening, relaxing, grabbing at him and releasing.
Zachary lost the beat. He lost his mind. All he could feel was her pussy, holding him, convulsing around him, her juices wetting his balls.
All he could feel was her. All he wanted was her. He came in a frantic rush, his seed blasting through his shaft.
Oh, God.
Christ.
Fuck.
He couldn’t think. Didn’t try. Just felt. And what he felt was a little piece of heaven, all wrapped around him.
Chapter Ten
Eve wandered through the hotel suite, staring in amazement at the sheer opulence of the Palazzo Versace. She’d never seen anything like it, never experienced such over-the-top luxury. She wasn’t sure she liked it. It was too much for her, but still, wow. She could certainly see herself enjoying the comforts and lavishness of Zachary’s suite.
Again, it was different from her hotel room. Not to say her accommodation wasn’t opulent. It was. Just not to the same degree as this.
For the umpteenth time she found herself shaking her head, stunned she stood in Zachary’s suite, stunned she had become—at least for now—a part of his life.
The band wasn’t performing on the Gold Coast, just staying in the hotel here. Tomorrow afternoon they’d be driven through to Brisbane, where they’d hold their fourth Aussie concert at the Suncorp Stadium. Just one show there, then off to Adelaide the next day.
Eve was quickly learning what life on the road was all about. Which meant she was quickly starting to appreciate the offerings of a luxury hotel. Traveling every two or three days could become exhausting very quickly.
But she wasn’t complaining. Not when she stood in Zachary’s room with him.
After the drama of the morning, the day had passed uneventfully. She and Zachary had ordered breakfast in her room and fed each other pieces of fruit and warm pastries while sitting naked on her bed.
She didn’t even contemplate going out. The flurry of the press around her when she’d arrived back in Australia eleven years ago had been enough media attention to last a lifetime.
The trip to the airport had been easy enough. She’d been ushered into the hotel car park by Jake. He’d turned out to be a giant of a man who spoke little, interfered only when necessary and did things his way.
Zachary grinned at her when she was finally nestled into his side in the back of a plush Mercedes. “You’ll get used to it,” he promised. “By this time tomorrow you won’t even notice you have a bodyguard.”
Eve had turned to peer out the back window of the Merc as they’d driven off. Sure enough, a horde of photographers, reporters and press vans were gathered across the road from the hotel entrance, and a helicopter circled overhead. She breathed a sigh of relief when they turned the corner and she lost sight of the chaos—although the constant chop, chop, chop of the helicopter blades filtered through the air for a few more blocks.
She’d sat beside Zachary on the plane too, a private jet which she learned was being used to fly only the band members and their significant others from city to city while in Australia. Zachary introduced her to Seth and Nathan, to Sophie as well, and to the other three other band members—Bill, who played the synthesizer, Arnie on saxophone and Tim, Speed’s bass guitarist.
Yep, Luke had given them all a cursory introduction back in Sydney, but it hadn’t been personal, like today.
During the flight, Delilah and Devine chatted with her at length, insisting Sophie and Eve come up to Devine’s room later so they could introduce Sophie to the delights of Eve’s makeup case and skills. They’d agreed to meet at six thirty, before dinner, which had been scheduled in the hotel’s private dining room.
What amazed Eve was how normal all these people were. Apart from Sophie, who’d told her she’d just quit her job as a cleaner to join Nathan on tour, none of them lived a life at all similar to Eve’s. They lived in the world of superstardom. Yet they were all so nice.
Seth sat beside Luke, a faraway look in his blue eyes, as if he were lost to a wonderful dream. Luke, his hands now bandaged, worked on some papers, every now and again pausing to glance at Seth.
Nathan did not take his gaze off Sophie the entire time.
Eve watched him for a while. He was ridiculously good-looking, with flawless, model-like features. Perfectly beautiful, his eyes were similar to Zachary’s. Brown, with hints of green and black woven through them. Interesting eyes. Stunning eyes.
The Paces had a similar look about them. One glance would tell a stranger they were brothers. They were all gorgeous, no two ways about it. However, Seth, with his blue eyes, was smaller than the older two. A little more feminine even, although his lean strength and unshaven cheeks made him all man. And while Nathan had tha
t picture-perfect look going for him, Zachary was broader and damn, he smoldered sexuality. It radiated off him in waves.
She’d noticed hotel and airport staff alike had similar reactions to the three brothers. They smiled at Seth, instantly beguiled by his dreaminess. They stared, entranced, at Nathan, and became flustered around Zachary. More than one person had tugged at the collar of their shirts around him, as if they wanted nothing more than to strip those shirts off.
Oh, yeah, Eve understood. She’d experienced just that. And then had stripped off her shirt, exposing her scars and her heart.
She turned to look at him now, leaning over the set of drums that stood in the foyer of the suite, adjusting something.
How easy it would be to fall in love with him. To just hand him her heart, knowing she’d never be able to take it back. How careful would she have to be to ensure she didn’t?
She already suspected it was too late to take those precautions. Which made her dumb as shit, because she could never have him in the long term. While it was fine to live in the here and now, to enjoy the time they had together, Zachary’s future belonged to another. And even if it didn’t, there was no way he would ever give his heart to a woman whose face had been permanently scarred by an exploding window while she was on holiday.
Zachary sat on his throne, sticks in hand, and tapped out a tune on his drums.
Eve froze.
He drummed a little more energetically.
Her heart began to pound.
Zachary closed his eyes and seemed to merge with his drums. He rapped with fluid movements, his muscles flexing in time with his beat, his actions so sure, so sexy it was like he’d been born playing drums. As if the instruments were a natural extension of the man.
The beat became a song, one she recognized. He played the underlying cadence of “Thunder ’n Rain”.
He was brilliant. Enthralling. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move. She was trapped in the rhythm of his drums, trapped in the incredible music he made.
The tempo vibrated through the rooms, echoed across the floors and reverberated up her legs, down her spine.
This wasn’t Zachary. This was Jonah, master musician and professional percussionist. And she had the pleasure of watching him play in a private performance.
