With You: A Rock Star Romance (Rocked in Love Book 1)

by Jessica Marlowe

  Miss,

  The gentleman requested “Nothing too sexy, or we’ll never get out of the room.” We do not carry anything less than “too sexy.” May I suggest this be your secret?

  Belinda

  Emily smiled and quickly replaced the lid.

  “What did the note say?”

  “None of your business, Mr. Nosy.” Emily picked up the bag and carried the boxes into the bathroom to dress. When she turned to shut the door, Jack had followed her, his eyes glittering.

  “Come on, let me see.”

  She stuck out her tongue, closed the door, and locked it for effect.

  Jack’s laugh cut through the door. “Don’t stick out that lovely tongue of yours unless you plan on using it.”

  Emily opened the gold box, and her breath caught at the matching bra and panties. The bra was burgundy lace and a fine mesh with a bit of extra push-up. The panties were satin and mesh in the front with lace in the back. She dropped the robe and slipped them on.

  Emily studied her reflection. Her butt looked amazing. These must have cost a small fortune. She pulled on the jeans, another perfect fit. The sweater was so soft. She looked at the label, cashmere. Jack had officially lost his damn mind. She carefully pulled the sweater on. Stalking to the door, she flung it open.

  Jack sat on the bed tying his boot laces. When he looked at her, his mouth dropped open, and he blinked a few times. “Wow, you look”—Jack swallowed hard—“amazing.”

  Emily blushed. Okay, mouth shut. It was his money. The raw heat in his eyes warmed her, and she felt the flush as it crept up her neck. If he didn’t stop soon, she might spontaneously combust. She smiled to herself. Good thing she didn’t flash him her underwear, or they’d both go up in flames. He stood, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her.

  When the room phone rang, Jack cursed and stalked over to the offending phone and snatched it up. “What?” he barked into the phone. “Sorry. Thanks for letting me know.”

  “Everything okay?” Emily asked, knowing full well he was pissed for being interrupted. She tried to hide her smile but failed.

  “Go on, smile now, young lady, but when we get back after our outing, a ringing phone will not save you.” Jack’s wicked intent was clear.

  Emily smiled wider. “Can’t wait.”

  “It’s chilly today. You’ll need a jacket.” Jack slipped on a cream crew neck sweater. A black leather jacket lay on the bed.

  Emily remembered the other box and retrieved it from the bathroom. She pulled out a soft brown distressed leather motorcycle jacket. Slipping her ballet flats on, she picked up the jacket.

  “Not ready to leave yet. Give me a couple of minutes,” Jack said.

  Emily grabbed her purse and followed him into the living room. He opened the door, looked out, and then stepped back, leaving the door half open.

  J

  Dreaming of Jack makes me horny and wet. My body still hums with desire; a desire only Jack can quench. I slip my hand between my thighs. I picture his blue eyes as I stroke my clit. I can’t wait to feel him inside me.

  I grab the photo I’d taken of him swimming in the backyard pool last June. The day had been oddly hot for L.A. The temperature hovered near ninety. Water sluiced down his naked body as he’d just hoisted himself out of the water.

  I could spend an entire week on my knees sucking his cock. The image of his face locked in ecstasy as he comes in my mouth sends me over the edge. “Yes!”

  Today will be our day.

  chapter

  NINETEEN

  Todd pushed the button for the elevator. The doors opened within seconds, and two women stepped out. He walked in, smiling. This was the first thing to go right all morning. His meeting didn’t go as well as he’d expected. He didn’t get much sleep last night because of those two assholes in the next room fucking their brains out all night. He’d expected a better clientele at a hotel of this caliber, and he toyed with the idea of complaining.

  The elevator doors opened on the thirty-seventh floor, and Todd walked out and down the hallway. As soon as he got to his room, he’d call Cassie. God, he missed her and Evan. This was his first business trip away since the birth, and it sucked. He’d never regretted starting his own software development company, but now that he had a baby at home, leaving had been ridiculously hard. Then, hopefully, he’d get some sleep before his dinner meeting.

  As he approached his room, he could see the door was open to the room next to his. Great, he hoped housekeeping was cleaning up because they’d checked out. As he rifled through his jacket for the key card, he dropped his briefcase. Shit.

  He bent to pick it up, but it was already off the floor. Someone in this Godforsaken city was doing something nice. As he looked up, he nearly choked. Holy shit, Jack McBride. Cassie would never believe this.

  “Hey, I’m sorry about last night, man. My girl and I didn’t realize we were so loud,” Jack said. “We’ve only been together a short while, and you know how it is.”

  Todd had no idea what Jack McBride was going to say to him, but he didn’t expect an apology. Maybe tell him what a dick he’d been for yelling at them. Jack Fucking McBride. As far as knowing how it was, he could barely remember.

  He realized his mouth was hanging open, so he snapped it shut. “Don’t worry about it.” Totally lame. Stone Highway was one of their favorite bands. He planned to surprise Cassie with tickets when the band hit Chicago in few months. Tickets had sold out in a matter of minutes, but he had a connection.

  “Listen,” Jack said. “We want to make it up to you, so I’m paying for your room.”

  Todd nearly choked but managed to say, “That’s not necessary.”

  “Sure it is. You’re in town on business, and we were rude. These rooms aren’t cheap.” Before Todd could assure him it wasn’t necessary, Jack raised his hand. “It’s already done.”

  Wow. What a nice guy. “Well, thank you. Sorry for interrupting you this morning.” Todd laughed. “I’m just jealous.” At Jack’s raised eyebrows, he lowered his voice. “Since my wife had our son four months ago, our sex life has been…sparse.” He wouldn’t tell Jack McBride he wasn’t getting any. He wasn’t sure why he said anything, must be his exhausted brain.

  J

  Emily heard voices in the hallway, so she poked her head out the door. Jack was talking to the guy in the room next to them. She’d forgotten all about that. Poor guy looked exhausted.

  Jack told the guy he’d already paid for his room. That was nice of him. She’d be pissed if she spent her hard-earned money on a hotel and was up all night because her neighbors couldn’t keep it down. Even though she was alone in the room, her cheeks flushed. The guy said something like he wasn’t getting any because his wife had a baby. Without even thinking, Emily walked out the door and stood next to Jack.

  “Maybe she feels fat and ugly?” Emily said.

  “Who?” Todd asked.

  “Your wife.” Emily’s chin dipped as she looked down. “I overheard your conversation. Sorry.”

  “My wife is not fat or ugly.” He reached into his suit jacket, pulled out his phone, and held it out for them to see.

  “Your boy is beautiful. What’s his name?” Emily asked.

  Todd smiled, his eyes softened, and his voice cracked when he spoke. “Evan.”

  “I’m Emily. Your wife and Evan are both beautiful.”

  “Emily, this is Todd. I’m Jack.”

  “I know,” Todd said, with a guilty smile. “Cassie and I love your band. We’ve got tickets when you guys finally come back to Chicago.”

  Emily’s brows pinched. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply your wife was fat and ugly, only that may be how she feels.”

  “I’m the one who’s sorry. I’ve been short with everyone today.”

  Emily’s cheeks warmed. “That’s our fault.”

  “Hey, don’t sweat it.” He gave her a brilliant smile. “Wait, why do you think sh
e feels fat and ugly? Because she had a baby? She was so beautiful her entire pregnancy. She looks amazing.”

  Emily shook her head. “On a bad day, I feel fat and ugly, doesn’t mean I am, but that’s how I’m feeling. I imagine after having a baby, if her body isn’t back to pre-baby weight or shape, with all those extra hormones swimming around inside her knocking down her self-esteem, she doesn’t always feel beautiful. Or thin.”

  Jack and Todd stared at her. Perhaps she’d grown a second evil head? Emily glanced at both shoulders. Nope, no second evil head. Just her big mouth. Damn.

  Jack shuffled his feet. “How do you know how a woman feels after giving birth?”

  “I don’t, but I do listen when people talk. I was at a conference, and a few attendees were first-time moms. They were all insecure. The pressure to be perfect at something you have no idea how to do is overwhelming. And I know how I feel. Hormones fluctuate during the month, and when that coincides with a bad hair day, or a pimple, or a bad day at work, women experience self-inflicted emotional shaming.”

  “Huh?” Jack and Todd said in unison.

  “Internal dialogue sounds something like this. I feel fat, so I must look fat. Pants are snug, and not in a good way. Great, blouse gap. They don’t make a tape strong enough to combat that. What’s up with my hair? It looks like I stuck my finger in a socket.”

  “Babe, what are your talking about, you’re beautiful. Your hair isn’t frizzy, your skin is clear, and very soft, I might add. You don’t need makeup.”

  Emily smiled at Jack. “Thanks.” He was good for her ego. “I was telling you how I feel some days. Doesn’t mean it’s true, but it feels that way sometimes.”

  “So, you’re saying that even though I tell my wife every day how beautiful she is, she has this voice in her head that says stuff like that?”

  “She’s a woman, so probably.”

  Todd brows dipped. “She thinks I’m lying?”

  “No, not lying, trying to make her feel better—exaggerating the truth.”

  “What can I do to make it better?” Todd asked, his expression desperate.

  Foot meet mouth. Too late to keep it shut now. “Well, she’s probably at the bottom of her list if she’s on it at all. Have you guys had any dates since Evan was born?”

  “No. She’s not comfortable leaving him alone with anyone, including me. She says I’ve no idea what it’s like being alone with him.” Todd rubbed the back of his neck. “How am I supposed to know? It’s like she doesn’t trust me.”

  “That’s an excellent point. Have you told her how you feel?”

  “No. She has so much on her plate she doesn’t need grief from me.”

  “It’s not grief. You need to tell her how you’re feeling.” Emily touched Todd’s arm. “You need to talk to your wife.”

  “It’s not just that. I mean, we haven’t been intimate since Evan. She said she’s not ready, that she wants to be perfect for me. I told her she’s already perfect. I feel like a pig for even thinking of sex. It’s not just me either, my buddies who have kids are in the same boat. Their wives put all their energy into the kids and they get left holding—” He closed his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

  Emily grit her teeth. “I can probably help with the sex part.”

  Todd’s head snapped up, and Jack’s mouth dropped open.

  Pigs. “Not like that.” Emily rolled her eyes at them.

  Jack and Todd both looked down.

  Yeah, pigs. “Convince your wife she needs a spa day. Better yet, book one for her. Tell her you’re concerned about her, and you need time to bond with your son. Get a car service to drive her, that way she can relax, have a glass of wine, and enjoy being pampered. No worries.” At Todd’s look of terror, Emily stopped. “You haven’t spent time alone with your son?”

  “Sure, nights and weekends, the three of us are together, and Cassie will nap, but a whole day?”

  “Then ask your mom to help.”

  Todd relaxed.

  “She’ll have this great relaxing day. Send her pictures of Evan while she’s out to keep her mind at ease. Let her know you think she’s doing an amazing job.”

  “I tell her that every day. Just like I tell her she’s beautiful and the sexiest woman on the planet. She laughs at me and says ‘yeah right.’ I never seem to say the right thing.”

  Jack chuckled but said nothing. Wise man. “Maybe she needs a little reminder.” Emily thought for a few seconds. “I understand the boutique downstairs has very alluring lingerie. What’s her favorite color?”

  Todd grinned. “Blue. She has the most beautiful aquamarine eyes.”

  “Great, buy her something elegant in blue, with a cover up or robe, something that will make her feel beautiful wearing it. Have the shop gift wrap it for you. The wrapping is the first thing she’ll see, so it’ll make her curious as to what’s inside. Ask the shop for an extra set of wrapping.”

  “Go on,” Todd said.

  “Then go shopping for you. Get something that turns you on.” Emily smiled as Todd looked away. “Have them wrap it up in the extra wrapping.”

  Todd gave her an encouraging nod.

  “Get some nice card stock. Print ‘Nice’ on the first sheet and ‘Naughty’ on the other. On the back of both, write ‘When you’re ready, sweetheart.’ If you use the computer, pick an elaborate font. Put them on the appropriate boxes and leave them on your bed. Get dinner from your favorite restaurant, set out the good china and the nice crystal, light a couple candles, and get flowers.”

  Emily paused, hoping Todd would get the idea. Both men waited, brows raised. She sighed. “When she comes home from her spa day, all smooth and pampered, she has this lovely dinner already prepared. Afterward, leave the dishes and snuggle on the couch. When you sense she’s tired, tell her to go up, you’ll put Evan to bed and take care of the dishes.” Emily stopped and wagged her finger at Todd. “Make sure you take care of the dishes before you go upstairs, you don’t want to forget or fall asleep.”

  Jack and Todd laughed. Emily playfully elbowed Jack in the ribs. He playfully pretended that she’d hurt him.

  “Meanwhile, she’s feeling all warm and fuzzy, thinking what a wonderful husband she has for taking care of everything, so she can just go upstairs and go to sleep. But wait, what’s this? Two lovely packages. She picks up the first box with ‘Nice’ and wonders what’s inside, then picks up the other box with ‘Naughty,’ and perhaps she can guess what’s inside. She turns both cards over and sees ‘When you’re ready, sweetheart’ and knows you want her but it doesn’t have to be tonight.” Emily exhaled, pleased with herself.

  Both men stared. Jeez, do I have to spell it out?

  Jack looked at Todd then back at her. “How does it end?”

  “Yeah, how does it end?” Todd repeated.

  “Seriously?” Emily heaved an exaggerated sigh. “Your wife decides that.”

  “That’s it?” Todd asked.

  “You’ve done everything you can to let her know you appreciate all her hard work, that you love her, and that you’re attracted to her. Maybe you get lucky, maybe you don’t. But now, she realizes that she doesn’t have to do it all on her own, and that you want and need to be involved. Maybe she’s not ready, but knowing you’re interested goes a long way to getting her ready.”

  “Wow.” Todd’s eyes misted. “Are you a therapist?”

  “No.”

  “You could be, you’d make a mint. What do you do?” Todd asked.

  “I’m a copywriter.”

  “She’s a writer,” Jack answered at the same time she did. He turned to her puzzled. “Copywriter?”

  Emily scrunched her nose. “Day job.”

  “You should do your own podcast,” Todd said. “My friends and I would definitely listen. I learned more about women in the last ten minutes than the six years I’ve been married. Don’t get me wrong, Cassie and I have a great marriage, it’s just sometimes I feel like
I’m supposed to be a mind reader.”

  “Now I feel like I need to add a disclaimer. I’m not a doctor, a wife, or a mother, I listen when people talk and make up stories.”

  “Thank you so much, Emily. You’ve really helped me. Would you mind if I pass that lingerie idea on to my buddies?”

  “No. You know, none of what I said might be the problem, but I hope it helps,” Emily said, shaking his hand.

  Jack shook Todd’s hand. “How about a picture?” Jack asked.

  “I don’t want to be a bother, you’ve already been so cool.” Todd hesitated but pulled out his phone.

  “He’s happy to do it.” Emily took Todd’s phone and snapped a few pics.

  Jack coughed. “Leave out the part about…”

  “Oh, absolutely,” Todd said.

  Jack and Emily turned to go.

  “Hey, you guys make a great team. Thanks again for everything,” Todd said, using the key card. He disappeared into his room with a wave.

  Jack’s smile said it all. Emily just made things worse for him. Would she ever learn to keep her big mouth shut? He wasn’t gonna let that team comment go, but she had to set him straight. She should leave now but didn’t want to. Just a few more hours of peace before—Fuck.

  chapter

  TWENTY

  Jack felt like his whole body smiled. Knowing her made his life better. He had to convince her they belonged together. His life depended on it, at least, the life he wanted. A life with her.

  Emily wanted to talk, but his head was full of ideas he needed to get down. He felt more connected writing with pen and paper. Before she said anything, Jack gestured to the couch. “I need a few minutes.” Grabbing his notebook and pen, he sat next to her. Opening to a clean page, he let the words flow. He’d look at it later. Right now, he needed to get the ideas on the page.