Behind him, Duke barrels full speed ahead, knocks Sebastian off his feet, skids to a stop, and returns to lick Sebastian’s face. Laughter spills out of her as Sebastian tries to get Duke off him. They wrestle for a bit. Duke stands over Sebastian, drool hanging from his jowls. Sebastian pushes, but Duke simply stares, then he plops down on top of Sebastian’s chest and tucks his snout alongside Sebastian’s head. It’s the most awesome thing she’s ever seen.
Ranger comes along, gives a sharp bark, and Duke can’t resist. The two of them are up and on the chase again. The Collie joins in and the dogs race around the park. Sebastian rolls to a sitting position and places elbows to his knees. He stares at his dog and gives a slow shake of his head. Then he’s up and walking back to the bench.
Holly can’t help but stare at the hottest man she’s ever seen. Sebastian’s muscles bunch and flex as his powerful stride closes the distance. His biceps fill out the fabric of his T-shirt, and his broad chest stretches the white cotton, revealing every delicious ridge and valley of a perfectly shaped physique. She’s staring and she can’t stop.
Duke races in front of Sebastian, nearly tripping his master as he zooms by. Ranger is in pursuit, along with the Collie and even the Setter Duke tried to hump. She laughs again as Sebastian tries one more time to catch his dog. He returns to her huffing and puffing, face beet red and sweat beading on his forehead.
“I give up. You have any ideas?”
“Yes. Don’t let him off the lead.”
“Ha ha. Very funny.”
“I tried to warn you.”
“I didn’t think this would happen.”
“You don’t have any control over him, and he doesn’t respect you yet.” She shakes her head and stands. “Watch and learn.”
With a shrill whistle, she gives Ranger his return command. Ranger pivots mid stride, giving a woof to his doggy buddies, and races to her where he pulls to a stop and drops on his haunches. Bright eyes greet her and Ranger is laser focused on her next command. Being pack animals, the other dogs follow Ranger to the bench. The Border Collie flops on the ground, chest heaving with exertion. The Setter sits beside Ranger, looking between her and her dog, wondering what comes next. Duke is a step behind. Instinct makes him follow the pack, but he’s confused as to why everyone stopped. Holly digs into her pocket and brings out four treats for the dogs.
Ranger’s tail taps the ground with anticipation. The Setter sniffs the air, scenting the treats and pops up to take a step forward.
“No,” she says. “Sit!”
The Setter looks confused for a moment, but then slowly lowers back down. The Collie smells the treats and wiggles off the ground to join Ranger and the Setter. All three dogs focus on what she holds in her hand. Duke pushes between the three dogs, nostrils flaring as he lunges for her hand. She gives him a light tap to his nuzzle, surprising him, but getting his attention.
“This is where you put the lead back on,” she says to Sebastian.
“How the fuck did you do that?” Sebastian whips out the lead and snaps it to Duke’s collar. “Sit!” He tries to force Duke to join the other well-behaved dogs, but Duke isn’t budging.
“I take it you didn’t grow up with dogs?” She hands out the treats, leaving Ranger for last. He knows to wait and she wants to give him extra attention as a reward for being well-behaved. Ranger loves her hugs ten times more than the treats.
“I grew up in a two-bedroom apartment. We didn’t even have a cat. Always wanted a dog, but having to walk it all the time didn’t really fit in with life.”
“Then why did you get Duke?”
“I told you, I needed an excuse to see you.”
She glances around the dog park, and furrows her brow. “And how did you know you’d find me here?”
7
Bash
Well, shit, that didn’t work out. Bash tugs Duke to his side and scratches his head.
“How about lunch? I promise no coffee and no tea, but everyone has to eat, right? Besides, you still haven’t told me your name. I’m not leaving without it.”
“My name is Holly and you’re avoiding my question.”
“Well, that’s because telling you I followed you yesterday makes me look kind of like a stalker. Then I went out and got a dog which makes it even creepier.”
Her laughter is unexpected but much better than a full retreat. There are many ways he could’ve played that, but he senses this isn’t the kind of chick who falls for anything less than the truth. Brutal honesty seems to be something she appreciates, and he kind of likes the freedom that comes with being able to laugh at himself. Sometimes living up to his rock star image is exhausting. Holly is a breath of fresh air. He needs more time with her.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” she says. The morning sun reflects off her vibrant red hair, and Bash can’t help but stare.
“Well, what about it?”
“What about what?”
Damn, but she’s obstinate. For whatever reason, it drives him nuts and he likes it. When was the last time he chased a girl? Valerie comes to mind. With a jerk of his head, he shakes off the ghost from his past.
“Lunch?” He presses Holly, needing her to agree. If she doesn’t he’ll lose out on an opportunity to see what makes her tick.
“What if I’m not hungry?” She’s teasing, challenging his resolve, and he’s up for the fight.
“Aw, come on. You really going to leave me hanging? I got a dog for you.” He gestures to Duke, who happens to pick this one moment to lick his balls.
Duke wolfed down whatever tiny snack she gave him and is finally sitting beside him…sort of. The beast leans hard against Bash’s leg, all the while bending like a pretzel to lick his balls and dick. God damn dog! Bash braces himself to keep from falling over while Duke goes to town.
“A dog you know nothing about.” She squints and snaps her fingers. Duke looks at her, eyes bright and tongue out. Duke’s entire focus is on the red-headed angel in front of him. He sniffs the air, perhaps hoping for another treat. Instead, she squats down and scratches his chest. Duke towers over Holly. “What do you think, Duke? Should I give your master a chance?”
Duke leans forward, tucking his head over her shoulder.
“That looks like a yes to me,” Bash says with a grin. Victory is within his grasp. Good old Duke!
Holly stands and brushes dirt off her knees. She turns to grab her bag from the bench and pulls out Ranger’s lead.
“I have an appointment at two and I can’t be late,” she says.
“Perfect!” He rocks back on his heels. “That gives us plenty of time.”
He could take her back to the hotel room, but there are two major cock blockers preventing that. Now, he’s cursing the stupidity of getting a dog. What is he going to do with Duke now? Does his hotel even allow dogs? Then he remembers the time.
“Shit!”
“What?”
“It’s nothing.” Forest is going to tan his hide. “Can you hang on a second? I need to let my friend know I’m going to be late.” And he needs to find out where Noodles is.
His fingers fly across the screen of his phone as he lets Forest know he and Noodles aren’t going to make the band meeting. They’re three and a half hours away, not that it matters. It’s not like discussing tour dates can’t wait a day, or two. He’s suddenly considering staying for a few more days.
Forest’s reply is gruff and harsh, but Bash doesn’t give a damn about upsetting Forest. Noodles’s message blips back a second later.
Noodles: No problem, dude. Hanging with the locals, enjoying the day. It’s totes cool. Catch you tonight.
“Everything okay?” Holly slings her backpack in place and clips Ranger’s lead to a loop on her belt.
“Yeah, I just had a lunch meeting.”
“Oh.”
“I cancelled it.” He gives her a grin. “I have something much more interesting to do.”
“Really?”
“Tell me you’re not
interested.” There’s no reason to beat around the bush. If she wants lunch, he’ll buy her a meal, but one way or another, Holly is coming back with him to the hotel. He’ll figure out something about the dogs. Throw enough money around and the hotel staff won’t bat an eye about taking care of two dogs for an hour or two.
Holly puts her tiny fists to her hips. “I’m not, actually. Lunch is fine, but that’s where we draw the line.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“You’re one cocky bastard.”
“You like it.” All his attention focuses in on her, the depth of her breathing, how her pupils widen, and the way she checks him out. The girl is interested, but his comments seem to hit on a nerve. Maybe it’s time to pull back a bit? “Okay, how about we just do lunch?”
“Just lunch?”
“Yeah, unless you want to jump my bones right here.”
Her tinkling laughter spills through the air. Ranger’s ears perk up, twitching as her laughter continues. “Jump your bones?” She snorts, then lets loose a deep belly laugh. “Oh my God, that’s hysterical.”
“It’s not supposed to be funny.”
Holly is nearly bent over double, wheezing and trying to catch her breath. She puts up a hand. “Sorry! The mental image…” She’s holding her ribs, she’s laughing so hard.
“Jumping my bones has never made a woman laugh before. You’re seriously bruising my ego.”
Her laughter stutters to a stop and she stands up straight. “I’m sorry, but I’ve never met a guy who puts it out there like that. It’s like you’ve never had a girl say no to you. You’ve got a little bit of an ego problem.”
“My ego is just fine.” Except for the bruising she just delivered to it.
“That may be, but I’m pretty certain that kind of pickup line has never worked before.”
“You’d be surprised.” It’s one of his best lines with a one hundred percent success rate. Fans are more than eager to jump his bones, suck his cock, and impale themselves on his shaft of steel—their words, not his. Not once has he ever had to convince a girl to hop in bed, or jump his bones.
“Okay, how about this?” She glances around the park, checking on the other two dogs who returned to their masters after she stopped handing out treats.
“What?”
“I know the perfect place for lunch.” She rubs Ranger behind the ears. “It’s dog friendly, but you have to promise no more corny pick-up lines.”
“It wasn’t corny.”
“Right, says the egomaniac inside of you. Just so you know, I’m not impressed by it.”
“You don’t seem to be impressed by much.”
“Honestly, I’m not. You don’t have to work me, Sebastian.”
Work her? What the fuck? He’s never liked his full name before, but on her lips, it carries a different sound; strong and potent.
“It’ll either happen or it won’t, but trying to get into my pants before you know anything about me is a sure-fire way to watch me walk away. Let’s enjoy a little lunch and some conversation. Maybe you can learn my last name before you try getting me in your bed.”
“Well gee, you make it sound like I only have one thing on my mind.”
“Don’t you?”
Well yes, but he isn’t going to admit it now. In fact, if she wants a perfect gentleman, that’s exactly what he’s going to be. He’ll be perfectly charming, knock her socks off, and wait for her to beg him to take her to bed. Now won’t that be fun?
“I’m game,” he says. “What’s for lunch?”
She giggles again, and he decides that’s his newest, most favorite sound in the entire universe. Her entire spirit comes alive when she laughs, and for the first time in a very long time, he’s actually interested in simply talking to a girl.
8
Bash
Bash follows Holly out of the dog park, curious as to what she has in mind for lunch. Dog friendly? What kind of restaurants let big dogs inside?
“Where we headed?” He pulls Duke to his side, but the dog isn’t having it. Duke bounds ahead until he jerks tight at the end of the leash. He turns accusing eyes toward Bash, perhaps wondering why his human isn’t keeping up.
“It’s a few blocks,” Holly says. “You up for a walk?”
“Sounds perfect.” Walking means he gets to spend more time with her. It won’t be long until she’s in his bed.
“Great, we’re headed to the beach. Ranger loves playing in the water.”
“Um, I don’t know about this guy.” Duke meanders between them, in front of them, behind them, tangling his leash around Bash’s legs.
“I’d suggest not letting him off his leash.”
“No shit. Big guy will probably run away.”
“I don’t think so.” She pulls a wisp of fiery red hair out of the corner of her mouth. “He seems to be bonding with you.”
Duke runs forward again and lurches at the end of his leash. Then he’s back, dancing in front of Bash’s legs, tripping over himself in his eagerness. Meanwhile, Ranger maintains a tight heel on Holly’s left.
“Ranger is impressive.” More than impressive. The dog cues in to her every move, watching her with the same intensity as Bash.
“He’s a retired explosives dog,” she says.
“How do I get Duke to do that?”
“You spend time with him, love him, and reward him.”
That sounds a lot like what he wants to do with her. He’s looking forward to spending the next couple hours with her, and hopefully more. She says she has an appointment at two pm, but he’s optimistic she’ll be cancelling it soon.
“Well, I tend to travel quite a bit.” Nonstop it seems. He understands a little of what Ash feels. It would be nice to slow down a bit.
“Why did you get a dog, then? Duke isn’t travel size.”
“I told you,” he says with a laugh. “I’m trying to get a girl.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t try so hard. Do me a favor, Sebastian, and relax. I’m sure you’re a nice guy and all…don’t ruin it by trying too hard.”
Bash nearly trips over Duke as Holly’s words sink in. Try too hard? What the fuck? Perhaps he’s out of practice. Hell, he never did the dating thing.
Lunch turns out to be a hot dog vendor by the beach. They walk in relative silence the few blocks from the dog park to the beach. She didn’t fall for him reaching for her hand, not that Duke makes holding her hand possible. He’s two fisting the leash trying to keep the monster in check.
“A roach coach?” He lifts an eye when she stops in front of the paneled truck.
“You don’t like hotdogs?” She’s grinning and it’s easily the most perfect thing he’s ever seen. The sun shines down on her, framing her in a halo of liquid fire. Her hair is wild and free, unrestrained, and beautiful.
“Everyone loves hotdogs, but not if they’re going to kill you.”
“Oh, please,” she says, laughing again, “you’re going to be fine.”
Without hesitation, she approaches the truck and glances at him over her shoulder. “Anything in particular?”
“Standard stuff, ketchup and mustard.”
She rattles off an order, speaking too fast for him to keep up. A stiff wind blows off the ocean, blowing her red curls out behind her. She pulls a strand of hair from her mouth and takes a wad of cash out from her back pocket.
“Whoa,” he says, “I’m paying.”
She cocks her hip and hands over the bills to the guy working in the truck. “I got it. Seriously, it’s not that much.”
“I’m taking you out to lunch.” He’s never had a girl pay before. They always mooch off him.
“Is it going to bruise that fragile ego if I buy your lunch?”
If he says yes, it makes him a pussy. If he says no, it’s basically admitting his ego would be bruised. He loses either way.
“Nope, because I have dinner.”
“No dinner.”
“So you say now. I’m sure I can get you to cha
nge your mind.”
She shakes her head as the guy in the truck hands her back her change. Holly dumps all of it into the tip jar. A second later, she hands Bash two hotdogs. One is slathered with mustard and ketchup. The other is plain.
“What’s this?”
She points to Duke, who’s drooling. “We can’t eat before feeding them. You really know nothing about dogs.”
“I know they shouldn’t be eating hotdogs.”
She pulls out the plain hotdog from the bun and offers it to Ranger. Duke looks up at Bash, his nostrils flaring as he sniffs the hot dog he knows is for him. He starts to give the plain hot dog to Duke, but Holly gives a tsk.
“Not the bun. Give that to the seagulls. Just the hotdog.”
Bash shakes his head, then pulls out the hot dog and hands it to Duke. To his surprise, instead of biting his hand off, Duke is surprisingly gentle. Nibbling with his lips, Duke takes the hotdog with the gentleness of a giant. The entire time, soulful eyes fix on Bash. He loses a little bit of his heart in that moment.
Holly watches the whole exchange while rubbing behind Ranger’s ears. She’s nibbling on her hotdog, making Bash’s mind spin with other things she could be doing with that mouth. He’s hard as a rock between one moment and the next, but they’re on a public beach. There’s nowhere he can take her to relieve his ache. Not that Holly would let him. She’s being exceptionally clear about that. Which leaves him with a hard-on and a burning desire he can’t slake.
“You’re killing me here, Holly.”
She glances down to the crotch of his jeans, fully aware of his aroused state, then turns and heads onto the beach. Bash wolfs down his hotdog and tries to regain control. It’s not happening and probably won’t until he finally sinks balls deep into her wet heat.
9
Holly
Her skin vibrates beneath the gentle breeze blowing off the ocean. It’s an uncomfortable sensation because every time she glances at Sebastian the feeling intensifies. He’s drop dead gorgeous and more. She’s still not sure why he introduced himself as Sebastian, instead of his stage name, Bash. Perhaps he doesn’t want her to know who he is? She can kind of understand why that might be. When he got pissed about her buying lunch, she almost lost it. When was the last time a rock star allowed a girl to pay? Probably never. Which is why she did it.
Hearts Divided Page 5
