Hot Mess: A Players Rockstar Romance (Players #1)

by Diamond, Jaine

  I’d either been with a woman who was okay with me screwing guys on the side, or one who was okay with it until she wasn’t—and broke up with me because of it.

  But maybe that wasn’t even true anymore.

  When I was with Elle, and even when I was with Amber, I’d avoided the hell out of situations like this so I’d never be tempted, forced to make this choice.

  I made it now.

  “Really,” I told him, my hand going to his chest as I held him off.

  Matt took a step back, letting me go. Then another.

  He was still breathing hard as he studied me.

  The booze was trying to drown out my better sense… and it wasn’t like I didn’t want to slam him against that wall behind him and suck face with him until I came in my pants. Or his hand. Or…

  I just wasn’t going to.

  He adjusted himself, then took a deep breath. I didn’t dare look down. I wasn’t gonna check him out again.

  Would’ve been playing with fire.

  I couldn’t afford that kind of heat between us.

  So I just stared at his fucking beautiful eyes and willed him to walk away.

  “I’m going out for that smoke and a piss,” he said. “Grab us a couple more drinks and you can tell me about her.”

  “Yeah,” I said, swallowing as I watched him scrape a hand through his hair, then turn and walk away. I watched him, all the way down the hall.

  Holy fuck, did that just happen?

  Yeah. I was still hard.

  Matt Brohmer just pushed me up against a wall and fucking kissed me.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Danica

  It was Sunday morning, and I was about to see Ashley. And I was feeling pretty damn conflicted about it.

  Every time I saw him, I felt deeply, deeply conflicted.

  Which was why this brunch thing had to happen.

  Normally, Sunday was Me Day. Which meant a combo of spa time, shopping time and eating time, and/or whatever else I felt like doing, with my girlfriends, my sister, and/or by myself.

  Today, it meant brunch with Ashley Player.

  And my sister.

  Ashley had said he’d swing by my place around ten-thirty, and then we’d head to a restaurant from here. I liked to sleep in on Sundays, so I’d peeled myself out of bed at nine forty-five, pulled on my favorite cozy sweats, and argued with my sister about where to go for brunch.

  Dani had slept over on the couch last night, after we’d had a night out with the girls.

  We’d managed to settle on the little greasy spoon cafe just down the street with the amazing frittatas. Then I’d put on some water to boil for tea. I was in the kitchen, pondering what to wear to brunch, when my phone jingled with a couple of messages.

  Taylor: Going for a run. Send me updates from the ladies room.

  Taylor: I want to know ALL.

  I smiled and texted her back.

  Me: Will try. Don’t want to leave him alone with Dani too long tho.

  Taylor: Dani’s going??

  Me: If I can get her to come.

  Taylor: Why??

  Me: Because I have to find out if she likes him!!

  And if he likes her.

  Taylor: UUUGH. Don’t do it.

  Me: Why?

  Taylor: You need to just let it go.

  Me: Let what go?

  Taylor: Her + him. Do not let her have him.

  Taylor: CLAIM THE UNICORN

  I swallowed a laugh. I was almost regretting telling her about the whole unicorn thing.

  Almost.

  But the fact was, I told Taylor everything.

  Me: If I claim him, they’ll have to see each other sometime.

  Taylor: I’m gonna bitch slap her if she flirts with him. Hard.

  Taylor: TELL HER THAT.

  “What are you doing?”

  I looked up to find my sister watching me from the couch. She was flipping through a magazine while she waited for me, dressed and ready, in one of the many outfits she kept on hand at my place since, in her mind, she semi-lived here. Although, of course, she didn’t pay any rent.

  “What?” I said.

  “You’re snickering to yourself. Who’re you talking to?”

  “Just Taylor.”

  My phone jingled in my hand.

  Taylor: TELL HER.

  Me: Love you. Text you later.

  I tossed my phone on the counter, and while my chai tea steeped, I decided to go with my new skinny jeans. The ones I’d picked up on a recent Me Day, the sexy, pale-blue ones with all the rips. With a cute, flowy tank top.

  I wanted to look hot for Ashley… but not like I was trying too hard.

  I was quickly discovering that there was a fine line to walk when you wanted to keep the brakes on, just enough to keep your self-respect… buuut you still wanted a guy to be hot for you. Because you were still hoping to—eventually, somehow—get with him. Since, after all, he was an amazing unicorn who’d taken up residence in the filthiest corners of your mind.

  So much so that you’d stupidly, smittenly given him an antique ring, thinking that was an okay thing to do—you know, to alleviate your guilt for trying to tell him you couldn’t work for him (because you wanted to get with him).

  Until you actually did it and realized how stupid it was.

  I cringed at that awkward memory.

  But I was pretty sure Ashley was still hot for me anyway.

  For one, he’d basically told me so.

  And two, he’d arrived back from England late last night and made plans to see me at basically the first possible opportunity.

  I’d been keeping him updated on my progress with his condo while he was away, and he’d seemed happy with the updates I’d sent. I’d had his place completely painted. Some of his new furniture had already been delivered and the rest was coming in soon, along with all the decorative finishes, shelves, and the storage systems I’d ordered. Some of it was already sitting in the back warehouse at the office, but most of it was either being delivered in the next week or two, or I’d pick it up myself.

  He’d kept in touch with me, too. He’d sent me photos from some castle he visited, and messaged me a few times just to check in, and yes, to flirt.

  Then yesterday morning, he messaged to ask me to go to dinner with him tonight.

  I said no.

  Instead, I asked him to come to brunch with me and my sister.

  I’d suggested brunch because it felt like less pressure and less like a date.

  And I’d opted to bring my sister because I figured it was inevitable that she and my unicorn come face-to-face.

  Ever since the night I’d had dinner with him at his favorite restaurant—where I gave him a ring, he hired me to redecorate his condo, he told me he wanted to fuck me, I told him we should just be friends, oh, and he kissed me on the neck when we said goodnight and then I walked into a door—I knew I was in too deep.

  I liked him.

  Waaay too much.

  Which meant one of two things.

  One, we’d tidily get to know one another, as friends, while I finished his condo, and then maybe we’d date (only with my sister’s blessing), and he’d inevitably meet (well, re-meet) my sister.

  Or two, I’d break down and end up underneath him, suddenly and soon, and then maybe he’d still meet (re-meet) my sister. But in this scenario, I’d be the very bad sister who broke the Cardinal Rule of Sisterhood.

  Thou Shalt Not Bone the Dude Who Has Your Sister’s Name Tattooed on His Hot Body.

  Okay, so that wasn’t the exact rule. More like an interpretation of it. Point being, I couldn’t in good conscience touch Ashley without getting the green light from my sister first, and I was never going to be certain I had the green light—no matter what she said about it—unless I got the two of them together in a room and scoped out the vibe between them for myself.

  Hence, brunch.

  Ashley had accepted the invitation.

  My sister?

/>   I hadn’t exactly asked her yet.

  As far as she knew, she and I were going to brunch. Period. I was just trying to figure out how to casually mention that a rock star would be joining us without making it into a big deal.

  I didn’t want to make it glaringly obvious that I wanted him—and that I wanted to break the Cardinal Rule.

  But shit yes, I wanted to break it.

  The entire time he was away, I’d been freaking out about that kiss he gave me. It was just a little peck—on my neck. But it was so not a “just friends” kiss.

  I wanted him to do it again.

  I wanted him to do a whole lot of things…

  But bottom line, I wanted it to be okay with Daniella, first. Because if it wasn’t okay with her, no matter how much I wanted him… it would never be okay with me.

  “Hey,” I finally forced out as I poured us both a tea, “is it cool if someone joins us for brunch?”

  “Depends who it is,” she said.

  “What if it’s a handsome man?”

  She looked at me, and I tried to give her an innocent look. “Don’t give me that innocent look. If it’s Carter, the answer is no. And for the record, when it’s Carter, the answer is always no.”

  “It’s not Carter.” I added extra honey to her tea, the way she liked it, working up the nerve to say his name. “It’s Ashley.”

  When she was silent, I looked over at her. She was staring at me.

  “Ashley Player,” I added stupidly.

  “Yes. I’m aware of the only Ashley in your life. You invited him to brunch?”

  “Uh-huh. He, uh, invited me to dinner and I thought this would be more appropriate. You know.”

  “What’s wrong with dinner?” she said.

  “He’s my client.”

  “So?”

  “So, I think one dinner meeting with him is enough.”

  “Hmm,” she said. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but it sounded like disapproval.

  “So… is it cool with you if he joins us?”

  Dani was still scrutinizing me. “Should I not come?”

  “No, I want you there.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “So what’s the deal? What’s the purpose of this three-way brunch, if he’s just your client?”

  “It’s just brunch, Dani.”

  “Uh-uh. Why do you want me to see him so bad?”

  “I don’t.”

  “You totally do. Why?”

  “Because I just thought it would be nice if you actually acknowledged his existence.”

  Because I want to make sure you don’t like each other.

  “He’s a good guy, Dani,” I added.

  Well, I wasn’t exactly sure if he was “good.”

  But I liked him anyway.

  I liked him enough that I was definitely afraid of losing him to my sister. Afraid that seeing her again would be all it would take for him to realize he’d been attracted to the right twin in the first place. And promptly begin forgetting the existence of… me.

  But if that was going to happen… I might as well find out now. Right?

  “I guess your mysterious dinner date went well, then,” Dani said, still studying me.

  Ah, the mysterious dinner date. The one she was pissed I hadn’t given her any details about.

  She’d only brought it up every day since.

  “It was just a dinner meeting, Dani. I keep telling you that.”

  “And I keep believing you,” she said sarcastically.

  It was just a dinner meeting. Kind of.

  But then that kiss…

  I knew very well that Daniella expected me to adhere to the Cardinal Rule of Sisterhood. I always did. And I knew she’d believed me, at first, that he was just a client. But the way I was acting right now—totally nervous—was definitely gonna tip her off.

  She was reading it all over me, and I was gonna crack.

  “So what did you two talk about at this ‘meeting’?” she asked me as I set her tea on the coffee table in front of her. I continued into the bedroom and set down my mug, so I could choose a top from my wardrobe.

  Then I looked her steady in the eyes and said, “Interior decorating.”

  “Bullshit. You went to dinner. Obviously you guys talked about something else.”

  As I sifted through my tops, I told her, casually, “We talked about his music and stuff.”

  “And stuff?”

  I shrugged. “He asked about my jewelry. Stuff like that.”

  Her eyes narrowed again. “You so want him.”

  “As a client.” I plucked a couple of tops from my closet to choose between. Just two. Any more than that, Dani was gonna accuse me of sweating what I was wearing—further proof that I wanted to screw Ashley Player.

  “As a potential fuck,” she said. “I can read it all over you. Who do you think you’re trying to fool? You just pulled the two sluttiest tops you own out of there.”

  “Crap.” I tossed the tops on my bed. I was totally cracking.

  “The peach one,” she said. “It’s your color. And if he’s gonna fuck my sister, damn right I want to scope him out.”

  “Great.” I gave in, a bit. “Because he’ll be here in like twenty minutes.”

  “He’s coming here?”

  “Just to meet us and head to brunch.”

  “Great. I can vet him.”

  I rolled my eyes. My sister thought she needed to vet every man who ever came near me.

  “If you’d let me vet Carter in the first place,” she informed me, looking repulsed as she uttered his name, “you wouldn’t be having issues with him now, because you never would’ve hooked up with him in the first place. I would’ve quashed that so fucking fast—”

  “How, exactly?”

  “You know I have my ways.”

  She did.

  The thought of her having a meal with Ashley actually made my stomach churn.

  One problem: she didn’t like him enough and drove him away.

  She’d done it before.

  Worse problem: she did like him and I got uneasy with the way he looked at us both and played spot the differences in his head—and very possibly liked the differences he saw, in her.

  I’d had way too many moments like that in my life. Waiting to see which one of us the guy liked more. Ugh. Hated it, avoided it at all costs.

  “Just be nice, okay?” I said. “He’s my client.”

  “Uh-huh. Clearly you can’t see straight on this. You need the voice of reason in your corner.”

  “And that would be you?”

  “You want him too much,” she concluded.

  “As a client,” I repeated.

  “If you didn’t,” she added, completely ignoring me, “you wouldn’t be so bent out of shape about getting the two of us in the same room.”

  “I’m not,” I protested.

  “Please.”

  “And obviously I’m not gonna fuck him when he messed around with you first,” I added, just putting it out there already, as I dug through my jeans and avoided her eyes.

  “Oh, come on.”

  I glanced at her. She rolled her eyes so hard I was surprised they didn’t get stuck.

  “That’s a giant load of bullshit,” she said.

  “It is not.”

  “It’s got nothing to do with me.”

  “Of course it does!”

  “Oh no, you don’t.” Dani tossed her magazine aside and got up. “Don’t put this on me. At least admit it to yourself if you’re too intimidated to hook up with a man who would get a tattoo of the name of a woman he just met, or walk into your office after meeting you buying roses in the rain. That shit was crazy forward, Danica.”

  “Or just crazy,” I muttered.

  I was definitely regretting giving her more details about the meeting-him-in-the-rain-while-buying-roses thing, but she’d kinda grilled me about it last night over all the hard cider.

  I had a weakness for the cider.

  It made me too h
appy. Too… loose with my words.

  “Whatever,” she said. “If you can’t handle him, just own that, at least.”

  Damn. It bugged me that she thought she knew me so well.

  She did, but still. I wasn’t that intimidated by Ashley’s crazy forwardness.

  Was I?

  She paced over to the mirror and idly smoothed her lipgloss with her finger. “You just need to start listening to me more. I know men, Danica. You overthink these things. Just let him play alpha male and wine and dine you and show you a good time. Take it for all it’s worth and be done with it when you’ve had enough. Just don’t take it too seriously—” My phone jingled on the kitchen counter. “Well, isn’t that just perfectly forward,” she said. “He’s here. Early.”

  “WHAT??”

  She strode to pick up the phone, and turned it toward me. “Someone is at your buzzer.”

  “Shit. What do I do?” I went into full-on panic mode, tearing off my sweats.

  “You buzz him in,” my sister said calmly. “And maybe put some clothes back on?”

  “You buzz him in! I need to get dressed.”

  Dani answered my phone. “509,” she told whoever it was, and presumably buzzed Ashley Player into the building. Then she watched me crash around the bedroom in a panic, pulling on clothes and jewelry.

  “Stop looking at me,” I hissed as I struggled to get one of my slutty tank tops over my head.

  “I can’t help it. It’s fucking amazing. I need popcorn.”

  “I hate you right now.”

  “I can live with that.” Daniella wandered over to the door. I managed to wiggle into my sexy-tight skinny jeans and zip them up, just as she threw it open.

  Ashley was standing there, fist in the air, just about to knock.

  “Good morning,” my sister said.

  “Hey,” he said, looking from her to me. “Good morning.”