by Alyson Hale
“I…slept with him.”
Ten seconds of stunned silence follow that confession. Kyri Calloway, untouched virgin, a girl who writes about sex but continually moans about how she’ll never get the real thing, had sex with a rock star? This has got to be some kind of cruel joke.
“You’re kidding.”
“I’m really not.”
A series of nonsense sounds erupts from my throat. I’m speechless for the first time ever in my life.
“Are you going to say something about this?” Kyri teases. “Or are you going to sit there and squawk like a parrot for the rest of the conversation?”
“How, how…how did this happen?” I manage. My mind is barely processing sentences. That’s how absolutely shocked I am.
Kyri explains to me that Jace and his band, Filthy Bangers, randomly appeared at the Blarney Stone, the pub where she now works, on her first night. She served them, even though she didn’t have a clue what she was doing. Jace somehow knew her name already, mysteriously, and asked—rather, insisted—to walk her to her car after work. Over the course of the week, they talked, kissed, and hung out in Atlanta, and then when she was about to leave him at a hotel, he pulled her into his arms and destroyed her sexually; in a good way.
“Holy shit!” I pant with excitement, able to forget my own troubles for the first time this whole week. “So what happens next? Are you going to see him again?”
“Um…” Kyri hesitates for a long moment. “He wanted to see me again, I mean really wanted to see me again, but I don’t think I can deal with a relationship with a rock star, so I said no.”
“What? Girl, are you out of your mind?” I screech.
I hear Kyri’s voice get distant from the phone. She must have pulled it away from her ear. “Jeez, woman. Don’t deafen me.”
I ignore her protests and scream louder. “Jace Hawthorne is into you. Into you. As in he wants to have sex with you more than once. What the fuck is wrong with you? Why didn’t you at least let him think you could deal with a relationship for a couple more weeks?”
The truth is, I’m jealous. As fuck. And I don’t give a shit if that makes me a bad friend. She gets the job and gets to lose her virginity to a fucking rock star? When am I ever going to catch a break?
“I don’t know,” Kyri admits. “I just panicked. I get so crazy around him, it’s like I lose all sense of self-control.”
“Now you’ve released him into the wild. I hope you know he’s not coming back.”
I hear her voice wobble, and it makes me feel terrible. “Thanks a lot, friend.”
“Sorry…” I sigh, getting myself back under control. What’s happening in my life is not my best friend’s fault. She needs my support right now, even if I’m not willing to let her in enough to support me at the moment. “It’s just…you didn’t even give me a chance to meet him. I thought we were besties. This is all shades of unfair.”
Kyri giggles, understanding. “Sorry, girl. If I ever run into him again, I’ll be sure to introduce you before I sprint like the Roadrunner in the other direction.”
“Deal. Are you okay?”
“Yeah. It was so hard to leave like that, but I can’t let myself get attached to someone like him. I’ve been through enough. I can’t go through another heartbreak like the one Dad put us through.”
I nod. Kyri’s dad is a no-talk subject. He is the scum of the earth in her eyes. Just one mention of him can put her in a bad mood.
“Well, all right. How was the sex?”
Kyri gives me a vivid description of everything, including Jace’s enormous cock. She was mad and jealous that I got to go to Europe, so now I guess it’s my turn. I’m burning up with jealousy so bad, I can’t even stand it. Not only does Jace sound like a fucking god in bed, he was very sweet with her and didn’t push her too far. Her cherry-popping story is night and day from mine. In fact, I’ve been all over the world now and I’ve never been with anyone this great. I force happiness into my voice.
“Oh my God, he sounds like a dream! I’m so jealous!”
“Thanks.” Kyri sounds almost delirious with happiness. Truly, I do want to feel happy for her, and I am, but right now this jealousy feels like acid in my chest. It’s eating me from the inside out.
“Do you want to come over and see my pictures? There’s nothing dirty or anything, but we did snap some selfies while we were out.”
“Hell yes! I’ll be over in just a few,” I promise. She hangs up the phone, but as soon as I set mine down, I realize I’m not going anywhere.
My tears start up again thinking about my own virginity story and how awful it was. When you think of the ideal setting and person to lose your virginity to, my story is about as far from that as you can possibly get. Are my first and last experiences with sex both going to be a forced scenario? There’s no way I can let that happen. It’s too devastating. I’m wounded so deeply, and if I don’t do anything about this, it’s going to become a scar that will disfigure me emotionally for the rest of my life. I’ve got to wipe out all these memories somehow. Start a clean slate. And there’s only one way to do that: get with someone who’s great enough to make me forget it all. It’s what I’ve been trying to do for a third of my life, and now I’ve finally got a chance to make that happen.
Kyri got her rock star. Now I’m going to get one for myself. There are three other sexy men in that band. I’ve seen them, and I know they meet my standards. Now I’ve just got to get one of them interested in getting in my pants.
I mean, she’s obviously going to see Jace again. No one has sex with a rock star who wants more and lets him get away. She just doesn’t realize it yet.
***
The moist soil squishes under our feet as we make our way through the orchard. Peach picking was Kyri’s favorite “before school starts” tradition all the way through grade school. I always come with her under the guise of helping her pick the best peaches, but I secretly take all the nicest ones for myself. It’s the perfect scam. She doesn’t mind, though—we share all our food anyway. We’re constantly at each other’s houses, digging into each other’s refrigerators like we own the place.
I’ve been bringing Kyri out to all the sights around Atlanta lately, trying to run into the band accidentally. They’re hard people to track down. Makes sense, I wouldn’t want to be thronged with adoring fans everywhere I went, either. I’d keep my location private, too. But dang…all I want is one night in bed with one of them. Is that too much to ask?
Beautiful smells surround us as we trek down rows of trees. We laugh together over some men in the distance who are pelting each other with peaches. They sound familiar somehow. When we get closer, we recognize them.
“Oh my God…that’s them!” I grip Kyri’s right arm tightly in my excitement. “Filthy Bangers! They’re here, and having a…peach fight?”
Kyri hears a rustling in the trees beside us. “Go ahead and meet them,” she tells me, looking a little suspicious. “I’ll…catch up.” I wink at her and take off running after the crazy British men having a fruit fight in the middle of an orchard like children.
As I get closer to them, I slow my pace, feeling heat rising up my neck and all my hairs standing on end. Can I trust these men? Are they going to take advantage of me? Maybe this isn’t such a good idea. I’m not ready. I can’t be expected to—
“Ouch!” I’m cut off by a baseball-sized fruit making sharp contact with the skin of my upper arm. I rub my arm, wincing from the pain where a peach just whacked me. “What the fuck?”
When I lift my eyes, I’m met with a piercing silver gaze that sends a shudder of lust from my mouth all the way down to my pretty red toenails.
He’s got to be six feet tall, and his hair is raven black in stark contrast to the lightness of his eyes and skin. His full lips are warped in an impish, yet extremely kissable smirk. The muscles straining at the sleeves of his black t-shirt explain the throbbing pain in my bicep. This man is huge, yet his size doesn’t intimidate
me. Instead, I feel a strong clench between my legs. I get wet pretty easily, but this time I’m sopping from just one single glance.
I’m in trouble. Oh, so much trouble.
Chapter 4
Damien
Fuck me. When we came to the orchard today, I wasn’t planning on her. Now I think my plans to fuck with Jace’s head today have given way to plans of literal fucking with the gorgeous woman in front of me.
Jace called me off of Kyri as soon as he saw her in the pub. She was his, and he wasn’t going to have her messed with. As far as I know, he’s never gotten hung up on a woman like this, and it’s leverage I need to get some of my own way around here. I know they’ve slept together, but that wasn’t going to put me off from flirting a bit just to get under his skin. Now, with the eighth wonder of the world staring me right in the face, I find myself more than a bit distracted.
Her skin is like coffee with just the right amount of cream and sugar blended in, and her hair is rich and natural, curled just a bit away from her face. The hourglass curves of her figure are accentuated by a red dress with a plunging V-neck. She continued the red color up to her lips, but they don’t overshadow her stunning brown eyes. I should look away from her or say something, but I can’t. I’ve lost control of my vocal cords. They’re no longer functioning. I need a jumpstart.
My brother Eddie comes up behind me and thumps me on the back. I know it’s him because of his heavy footing that I can hear even in this damp soil. “You all right, brother? Who is this?”
The tempting siren smiles and takes over for me, stretching out her delicate, manicured hand for a shake. “Alexandrea Ward. Nice to meet you both. I’m also the best friend of Kyri Calloway.”
“Ah, Kyri’s ‘BFF’.” Eddie steps in front of me, since I’m still frozen solid, and shakes her hand. “I’m Eddie, nice to meet you.”
A deep growl crawls out of my throat. I jolt between them, blocking him from her and making their hands detach. Alexandrea looks up at me with a touch of fear in her eyes, but also intrigue.
“Damien Turner.” I reach for her hand, and lightning pulses up to my shoulder when our skin touches. Her mouth drops open, and I have to restrain myself from taking her lips with mine right then and there. I could slip my fingers right up underneath that sinful neckline and take her breasts, pinching her nipples and shoving her up against the nearest tree…
My God, I have a disease. I think she gave it to me. And fuck, I hope she’s the cure.
“Nice to meet you, Damien,” she whispers meekly. Something about her gives me the idea she’s not “nice.” Not one little bit. That makes me horny as hell.
“Likewise. Do you have plans tonight?”
A spark ignites in her eyes. “With any luck, I might.”
I cock an eyebrow, giving her the look that works on every woman I take to bed. “Well, I think the odds are in your favor.”
“And that’s my cue.” Eddie steps away, chuckling softly. He knows beautiful African women are my weakness. I’ve had vanilla and caramel galore, and I like them, but chocolate has a special place in my trousers.
God, my cock must be eight inches out from my hips already, and that’s not even the whole thing. I’m not bothering to hide it though.
Alexandrea’s gaze drops down to my crotch, and a dirty smile starts on her face. Her meekness and timidity seem to be fading by the second. I look down into her hooded eyes, and she jerks forward, as if tripping on a root, but I know it was on purpose. My erect cock juts straight into her stomach.
“Oops.” She bites her lip, trying to keep a naughty grin from taking over her face. “My bad.”
“You’re very bad, aren’t you?” I croon lowly.
She traces her finger in a pattern down my chest. “I dunno, why don’t you come down here and find out?” She looks down at the space between her legs and back up into my eyes. The double entendre is almost too much to take. This sensual woman is almost as good at the flirty one-liners as I am.
Another growl escapes me as I grip her arms, unable to keep my distance any longer. I’ve never felt so compelled to hold a woman in all my thirty years. She needs to be mine, tonight. I’m not going to let her go until I’ve pleased her in every way possible.
“Alexandrea Ward, I’m a man who wrecks things. If you come out with me tonight, you won’t be able to walk or sit for a week. Is that what you want?”
Her eyelids flutter, and the charge between our lips intensifies. Like an opposite magnet, she pulls on me until I can resist her no longer.
Our lips crash together, and it’s like the perfect storm beginning with a burst of lightning and a roar of thunder. Her body molds to mine, and I cradle her head in my left hand as I hold her waist in my right. My lips work on hers, testing her until she grants me access to her tongue and mouth. Winding around each other, we get tangled up in each other’s embrace, only detaching when my brother comes up behind me and thumps me on the back again.
I whirl around, ready to kill him. “Goddammit, Ed! What is it?”
Pursing his lips, he points in front of me. Jace and Kyri are on their way over to us, arm in arm. Luckily, they weren’t paying attention to us. Alexandrea straightens her dress and clears her throat, trying her best to pretend she didn’t suck the life out of my lips a moment ago.
Those lips…fuck. I need her in private as soon as fucking possible.
Chapter 5
Alex
“We’re headed downtown,” Kyri informs me, grinning from ear to ear and waggling her eyebrows. “Since you drove, I figured you wouldn’t mind.”
“Nah, go have fun.” I give her a quick hug and fall back to Damien’s side, as if I belong there. Giving my head a rattle, I shake that crazy thought out of my head. The heat must really be screwing with me today. “I’ll see you later.”
“Okay, bye!” She waves over her shoulder, looking between Damien and me and grinning even wider. I think she’s already figured me out. That’s what happens when you’ve been best friends for years; no explanation is needed.
“Speaking of downtown…” Damien leans down from behind me, his warm breath fanning across my ear. I have to stifle a moan. “Meet me at Slash tonight. I trust you know where that is?”
Biting my lip, I nod. “I know the place.”
“Perfect. I’ll be waiting for you in the VIP line.” He flicks his tongue out against the shell of my ear, gives my ass a covert squeeze, and then he turns around and heads after his band mates. I take a deep breath, trying to still my thundering heartbeat.
Fuck, this guy really knows what he’s up to. I think I’m going to have to change underwear before I meet him tonight. Or maybe just give up on it altogether.
I trek across the orchard to my car and watch as Jace and Kyri pile into a cab, all over each other. My lips tick upward with a smile. They’re so cute. Now that I’ve seen them together, I can tell there’s more between them than meets the eye. She may not know it, but she’s head over heels for that tattooed rock star, and it’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.
A pang hits my chest as I settle into the driver seat of my car and crank the ignition. I doubt I’ll ever find something that beautiful. Now that I’ve been taken advantage of not once, but twice, I know for a fact I could never trust a man. I never trusted them to begin with, which is why I swore off monogamy when I was only fourteen years old. No man is ever going to commit himself fully to me, so why should I ever commit myself to a man?
That worked pretty well for me until the trip to Europe. I always practice safe sex and have never had an STD or even an infection. My lady parts are treated like prized possessions. I always take care of them. And now, thanks to one stupid decision, I let myself down. Luckily, I’m still clean, but something terrible could have happened while I was out of control of my body. Just one night with Damien, and maybe I can forget all of this. I’ll pretend he’s the only one I’ve ever had and start fresh.
***
At home, I pulle
d on the tightest, silkiest, kinkiest dress I had, did my makeup until it was on point, and fluffed out my hair just right. My sky-high heels complete the ensemble. I know I look deadly. Guys are going to be clamoring for my attention tonight, but there’s only one I’ve got my eye on. As I’m driving into the city, I can feel his pull on me, almost like a radar wave only I can pick up on. This only happens when I have crazy-hot chemistry with someone. The very thought of tonight has every muscle below my belly button clenched.
Parking is a nightmare, but I manage to find a spot on the top level of the parking garage. I hurry over to the elevator, my steep stilettos clapping the pavement. All the way down to the ground level, I try to steel my nerves, knowing that approaching him with fear in my eyes is only going to give him the opportunity to take advantage of me. I need to be the one in control. The truth is, women are the ones who call the shots when it comes to sex, and keeping that upper hand is what will save me tonight.
When I make it to Slash, all sense of control unravels inside me.
Damien is standing in front of the club with Eddie and the drummer, signing papers and flirting with the reporters who are hounding him. He must have been in front of the club for a while if the paparazzi managed to track him down. My stomach clenches. One of the reporters is a beautiful blonde with a low-cut shirt, and she’s flaunting her gigantic, fake breasts as much as she can. I’m not threatened, I know my curves are more delicious than hers and they’re a hundred percent real, but I won’t let any other woman get their hooks in Damien tonight. That big piece of man meat is all mine until dawn.
Shoving my way past the reporters, I zone in on what I want like a leopard in heat. Damien looks up from the paper he’s signing, and when he sees me, his eyes darken with lust. As he scans my figure, his tongue flicks out to water his lips.
“I thought you’d never show up,” he rumbles from deep in his chest, his eyes meeting mine.
