“What are you talking about?” Brooke had asked her.
“I’m talking about Mr. Bad-boy Rocker out there, all but breaking down the door to get you to talk to him! How long have you been cultivating that little relationship?”
“We don’t have a relationship, Pepper,” she sighed. “This is all some kind of mind game for him.”
“Well then you need to change the rules of the game, Coco! Because that man is obviously so into you, he doesn’t know what hit him. All it would take is just a slight change in your attitude and Otis Ivory would be begging you to let him give you the moon,” she stated.
Brooke had laughed at her. “I doubt that!”
“I don’t,” Pepper said, looking her in the eye. “You could get anything you wanted out of that man. All you have to do is decide what it is that you want.”
~~~~~
She ran the conversation through her mind repeatedly as she undressed. Was Otis into her, as Pepper had stated? Or was all of this some sort of game to him? What the hell were his motives in this? It was a question Brooke had been asking herself since he first mentioned dinner after they’d crashed. What did he want from her?
She rolled her eyes with a snicker at that thought. She knew what he wanted, alright. He wanted what all men wanted - an easy lay with a girl who sparked some kind of erotic fantasy for them. Otis was no different, she was sure. But if he thought she was going to be “easy” just because she danced at Sparkles, boy, was he in for a shock!
She pulled out the tiny black, sequined bikini from the store bag and held up the bottoms. In the store when she’d tried it on, she thought it was perfect. Now, with the notion that she’d actually have to step out of this bathroom and let him see her in this get up, she was nervous. Why, she had no clue. Lord knew that he had seen much more of her last night on stage! But as she stepped into the bikini bottoms and adjusted the ties at her hips, she felt the flutter in her belly. Reaching for the matching top, she tied the straps first around her neck and then moved on to the ones at her back. She adjusted her cleavage and examined herself in the mirror. And then she looked down at the discarded price tags she’d removed sitting on the counter. $450 for four tiny scraps of material held together by strings. Another $50 for the matching mesh coverup. Well, she mused, if she was going to turn this relationship into the “advantageous” sort that Pepper advocated, she’d made a great start. But was she really prepared to sleep with him in order to keep the gifts coming?
She sighed again as she took the clip from her hair and allowed her natural curls to bounce freely around her head and shoulders. Then she neatly folded her dress and the lace overlay, placing them in the store bag and setting it on the floor near her shoes. She gave herself one last glance in the mirror and set her shoulders back. Then she grabbed the coverup and turned, exiting the bathroom.
Her bare feet registered the cool hard wood beneath them as she padded through the now deserted kitchen toward the back door, and she opened it and stepped outside. It was early evening now, and the abundant sunshine was just beginning to give way to a stunning late summer/early fall sunset. The deck itself was long, running the entire length of the back of the house, and what Brooke had only caught glimpses of through the windows inside the house suddenly came alive for her now that she was standing here.
The surface beneath her feet this time was sandy-colored slate, not wood, and there was a certain feeling of simplicity about the space. Dark brown wicker rattan chairs, benches and loungers, all with white cushions, lined the space between the house and the long infinity pool.
Brooke walked slowly to the loungers near the end of the pool where Otis stood in a pair of black swim trunks. He was setting the tray of munchies on the small table separating two loungers. She also noticed that there were two filled champagne flutes sitting on the table, and the bottle sat in a bucket of ice on the brown wicker cart behind it.
He looked up as she approached, and he couldn’t help the appraising glint in his eyes as he allowed them to roam over her body.
“Worth every penny,” he mumbled, and Brooke flushed slightly. She would have liked to have called him a pig again for the comment, but she secretly liked the lustful appreciation she saw in his eyes.
“So, why do you need a pool when you have the ocean at your feet?” she asked, looking out at the water crashing gently against the rocks on the beach. And she turned her head, taking it all in as she stood there. It was a secluded section of a very prestigious beach, and Brooke was in awe of the view.
“Well, because the ocean is not always heated. And though somewhat secluded, the beach is not always private,” he answered, handing her a glass of champagne. “I do have neighbors.”
Brooke took a small sip of her champagne. Then she set the glass on the table and walked over to the pool, sitting down and letting her feet dangle in the water.
Otis watched her hungrily as she moved, remembering the strong urge to kiss her that he had felt as they danced at the wedding, and he could feel his manhood stiffen at the thought. He was eager to close this deal, and the bet had nothing to do with that.
The railing separating the deck from the beach was glass, and Brooke had a perfect, unobstructed view as she sat there. She stared out at the ocean and the waves, and she was completely lost in a calm trance when Otis suddenly snapped her out of it. She wasn’t certain if she heard the splash before she felt it, or if the spray of water surprised her first, but she jumped and let out a little yelp just the same.
Otis had jumped into the pool and was now wearing a glorious smile as he stared at her from the water.
“You coming in to play, or you just gonna dangle your feet like a lady?”
Brooke smiled at him before she kicked her feet, sending a torrent of water splashing his way. And he laughed as he returned the assault. He disappeared beneath the water for a second and she suddenly felt the tickle of his fingers at the bottoms of her feet. She yelped once more and then quickly lowered herself into the pool and swam away from him.
They swam a few laps in tranquil silence, each of them acutely aware of the other’s body close by in the warm water. And as she swam past him again, Otis disappeared beneath the surface once more. He brushed his hand across her leg as she went by, startling her as it ran from the back of her knee up to the dip just before her ass.
Brooke turned in the water and faced him as he bobbed in front of her. She could feel his hands on the small of her back as he pulled her close and stared into her eyes with a heated gaze. She wanted to pull away from him in protest, but something about the look in his eyes just wouldn’t let her. She had wanted him to kiss her since they were interrupted by his friend’s son at the wedding.
He pulled her closer still, allowing his lips to gently brush against hers for a moment before moving up to flutter lightly across her face, up her cheek and to her eyelid. He kissed her forehead as he held her in the water, and Brooke felt herself relax in his arms.
She loved the feel of his lips against her skin, and if he hadn’t finally made a move, she just might have begged him to finally kiss her. His lips were soft and insistent. His tongue probing as he kissed her long and thoroughly. His hands fell to her hips as he drank her in, taking all that she gave and more. And there was no denying the sizzle she felt, or the impressive bulge straining against his swim trunks as they kissed.
He enjoyed the soft moan that emanated from her as he ran a hand from her hip to her backside, gently squeezing as he caressed her there. It was all the encouragement he needed, and he tried to tighten his arms around her and pull her fully against him, but she suddenly stiffened his arms and broke their lip lock.
Her hands pressed against his muscular chest, and for a moment Brooke was sidetracked, letting her fingers play in the dusting of soft curls there. What was it about a man’s chest hair that did her in every time? There was just something so virile about it. It had to be the perfect amount though. Not enough hair, or way too much, and she was jus
t turned off. But unfortunately, Otis’s body appeared to be perfect in every way. She shook her head slightly as if to clear her thoughts, and pushed against him again.
Reluctantly, Otis let her go, and he swam after her as she headed for the edge of the pool.
“Are you running from me?” he asked as he caught up with her.
“No. I’m not running,” she said, turning to face him. And she hoped she sounded more convincing than she felt. Was she running from him?
He floated in front of her and placed his hands on the edge of the pool on either side of her, effectively trapping her as he stared into her eyes. “I think you’re running,” he whispered.
“Maybe I just don’t like being groped,” she breathed.
He gave her that sexy, cocky grin of his, and she didn’t know whether to slap him or molest him.
“Your body betrays you, Ms. McKenna. I felt your need. I heard your desire,” he said softly, leaning in to kiss her neck. And Brooke shivered in the warm water.
“Your ego knows no bounds,” she replied. “You felt your own selfish lusts, Mr. Ivory.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Okay. So you don’t want me to kiss you again?” he asked.
Brooke stared at him, blinking nervously. “I … I didn’t say that,” she mumbled.
Otis smiled at her, bringing his fingers up to her chin as he leaned in and kissed her once more, slowly and deeply as his body pressed against hers. They were both breathless when he pulled away.
She stared at him, panting slightly as she tried to regain her composure. And Otis backed away, sensing her uneasiness and not wanting her to feel cornered. He knew that he couldn’t force a connection with her. It had to be genuine.
Brooke ran her hands through her wet hair as Otis backed off. She was in trouble, and she knew it. Each time he kissed her, she felt it in her core. Her toes curled. Damn it, her freaking toes curled. From a kiss! She did not want to like his guy; she didn’t want to fall for him and trust him and grow to count on him. She had made those mistakes with Todd, and with Grant. And both of them had cheated on her. Grant had cheated multiple times, and she swore to herself that she would never let another man hurt her that way. And then what did she do? She fell for Todd and believed him when he said he would never hurt her. And they were both just regular guys with regular jobs. How could she ever expect fidelity from a womanizing rock star?
She plunged back into the water and swam a full lap to try and clear her head before she climbed out of the pool and sat on the edge. She grabbed one of the plush beach towels that were waiting nearby and draped it around her shoulders as Otis drifted over to her. They needed to talk about something other than kissing.
“You were really sweet with your friend’s son earlier today,” she said.
Otis smiled as he looked up at her from his vantage point. “Bobby’s a cool kid.”
“He seems to think ‘Uncle Otis’ is pretty cool too,” she smiled.
“Yeah, crazy right?”
“I don’t know. Is it crazy?” she asked. “You seem to be really good with him.”
Otis smiled at her again. Then he swam to the edge of the pool and got out himself, grabbing a towel and patting himself off as he made his way to the loungers. He took up his glass of champagne and took a sip, and then he popped a strawberry into his mouth.
Brooke stood up and dried herself off, and then joined him at the loungers. She picked up her own champagne glass and took a sip as she sat down.
“So tell me about dancing,” Otis said, popping a small piece of cheese into his mouth. “How long have you been at it?”
“My whole life,” she answered lightly, and he narrowed his eyes skeptically at her. “No really. I began taking ballet when I was about seven. I fell in love with it. There’s a simple beauty to it. An elegance. An easy grace.”
She paused as she thought about her love of ballet, and Otis sat fascinated by the light and the sparkle in her pretty blue eyes. She was stunningly beautiful. And she could have easily been describing herself with those words.
“And a lot of really, really hard work,” she smiled. “Besides Shelly, dance has been the one constant in my life,” she said quietly.
Otis was silent for a moment as he continued to study her, and then he frowned slightly. “I know you said that your dad wasn’t around much, but … you never mention your mom.”
“Oh, Mom’s around,” she replied. “She’s great actually. Shell and I talk to her at least a few hundred times a week. She spent so many years alone after my dad left, trying to take care of Shelly and me. When she found love again with our stepdad a few years ago, Shell and I had to practically push her out the door. Her husband’s job relocated him to Louisiana, so … we don’t get to see her as often as we’d like.”
Otis nodded his head at her explanation. And for some reason, he was glad to hear that she at least had a good relationship with her mother.
“So, let’s talk about you,” she said, reaching over and taking a small bunch of grapes from the tray to munch.
“What would you like to know?” he said, eating another small cube of cheese.
“For starters, do you always bribe your way into a first date?” she smiled.
He laughed slightly. “Hmm. You are never gonna let me live that down, are you?”
“Nope,” she answered popping a grape into her mouth.
He breathed in deep and let out a sigh as he smiled at her. “Well, usually I don’t have to bribe ladies for a date.”
“So I’m the exception, huh?”
“Let’s just say women don’t usually play hard to get with me,” he smiled.
“So if it had been a fan or a groupie who hit your car, there wouldn’t be any of this wooing going on. The sex would already be over and done with?”
“You know, contrary to popular belief, I don’t screw everything in a skirt,” he pointed out. “I do have some standards. Preferences. A certain type.”
“Okay. My bad,” she shrugged, eating another grape. “So … the girl. The one in the sex video. She was your type?”
Otis looked stunned for a minute. Then he gritted his teeth and looked away. “Guess I’m never gonna live that down either, huh?”
“I’m … I’m sorry, Otis,” she mumbled. “I shouldn’t have …”
“No. It’s fine,” he said, still not making eye contact. He let out a heavy, tired sigh and shook his head. “I swear, I had no clue that she was underage. But I’ll be honest with you … it’s probably not the first time that it’s happened. Girls we encounter on the road … they usually don’t offer up their ages, and we don’t usually ask. It’s rock and roll, you know? The girls in our orbit usually place themselves there for one reason and one reason only.”
His voice was solemn as he talked, and Brooke sensed that he was feeling slightly shameful about what he was saying.
“But she came into the dressing room that night with an agenda,” he continued. “She was aggressive. She made her intentions crystal clear, and her original target that night was my brother. But once he let her know that he was taken, she turned her attention to me. And yeah, maybe I helped her steer in my direction. But she was the aggressor,” he said, finally looking Brooke in the eye. “And I had no idea that she was recording us. What she’s after now, I don’t know. Mike seems to think that she or her father is eventually going to ask for money.”
“Mike?”
“He’s our manager.”
Brooke said nothing as she watched him. His whole countenance had changed, just like it had back at the store when the paparazzi showed up, and she was suddenly sorry for asking the question in the first place.
“Otis … can I ask you a personal question?” she asked timidly.
He snorted softly. “Since I’m baring my soul right now? Sure.”
She hesitated, wondering if she really wanted an answer. “Have you ever had a serious relationship?”
&
nbsp; Otis smiled almost ruefully. “Honestly? I never believed serious relationships meshed well with the whole rock and roll lifestyle. So, I’ve never given it any serious effort. I’ve never given it any effort, actually. So, no … I haven’t had a serious relationship in a long, long time.”
“But all of your bandmates … they’re all seriously involved, right?”
“Yep,” he nodded. “Cory and Donna just got married a few months back, but they had been living together for a couple of years before that. And you just saw Buz and Janie get married today.”
“And the other two?” she asked.
“Living together. Noah just moved Mercy in a few months ago, and Benji … well, Fae still has her own apartment, but, I don’t know why. She’s pretty much living at Benji’s anyway. So, I guess my brothers are proving my theory all wrong,” he smiled.
Brooke was silent for a while and then asked, “So, what kind of woman would it take for you to finally think about a serious relationship?”
Otis felt a strange stirring in his gut at her question, and he frowned as he felt his heart rate speed up a notch. What was that about? And more importantly … why was she asking?
Ignoring his own physiological responses, he turned to her with that sexy smile. “Are you interested in the job, Feisty?”
His voice was suddenly soft and warm, like a caress, and Brooke could feel the flutters in her belly again. She needed to get out of here. Taking the plush towel from her shoulders, she ran it over her hair a few times. Then she set it down and pulled the bikini coverup over her head.
“I should probably be going,” she said nervously. “It’s getting late. I … have to get up early tomorrow.”
“No you don’t,” he smiled, and she looked at him pointedly. “When we left your house you told me you had the whole weekend off. So why do you have to get up early?”
Brooke stared at him with no clue what to say. She had forgotten that she told him that. Shit. “I happen to have … some personal errands to run tomorrow.”
The Essential Jagged Ivory (Jagged Ivory Boxed Set) Page 88