by Terra Wolf
I walked deeper into the room and gasped as Jack came out of the guest bathroom in nothing but a towel. I recognized him immediately from the tabloids. Luxurious dark hair and bright green eyes made him even hotter in person. Steam wafted out of the bathroom and surrounded him. He clearly had just showered, and his dark hair hung damp against his head. I gazed at his tight, exposed chest and felt like I couldn’t move.
“Oh God, I am so sorry. I didn't think anyone was in here.”
Jack cracked a grin and came towards me.
Three
“Well, hello there. It's not every day that I find a woman waiting outside of the shower for me. I mean some days, sure, but it’s usually expected then.”
I smiled. “I'm really sorry. I thought the room was empty.”
“No apology needed...and you are?”
“Lost.” I laughed. “My name is Jade. I'm the new intern.” I had a hard time believing that it was unusual to find a woman waiting for him outside of the bathroom, but I decided to keep that part to myself.
“It's nice to meet you, Jade.” He stepped towards me and held out his hand. I shook it and he said, “I'm Jack.”
“I know.” I smiled warmly. “I'm actually supposed to be packing up your room but I can't find it. I'm a little turned around, I guess. I didn't realize how big your place was. This can't possibly be your room, right?” I looked at him, my brow crinkling together.
“No. No, sometimes I just need to get away from all the people. They rarely find me in an empty guest room,” he chuckled. “I just wanted some alone time so sometimes I use this room to just get away. It's funny that you found yourself in this very room.”
Funny? What did he mean? Was he flirting with me? No, that was impossible. Get your head straight, girl.
“I think I was actually looking for sanctuary.”
“Haha... I don't blame you. Anyways, it's really nice to meet you, Jade, and welcome to our crazy team.”
I smiled. I couldn't believe how nice he was. It was no big surprise that there were many celebrities out there that were jerks just for the reason that they were famous and believed they were better than everyone else. Jack seemed so laid back and easygoing; he made me feel instantly comfortable. I was beginning to think that working for him was going to be more about pleasure and less about stress.
“Thank you, Jack. I'm so pumped to be here. It's all very exciting.” Pumped? Ugh, who says pumped?
“Well I assure you that even though you are working, you're going to have a blast.”
“Sounds great.”
“Perfect. Let me direct you to my real room so you can get started. We don't want Jason to have an aneurism or anything.”
I giggled as he led me out of the guest room and down the hall. He entered a bedroom that I had not yet been to, and it was instantly obvious that it was his room. The guitar that made him famous was sitting on its stand beside his bed. His bed covers looked like they were well slept in and hadn’t been made in forever. His dresser was covered with CDs and guitar picks scattered about. There were posters all over the walls from his band and other bands that he admired. It was exactly the kind of room that you would expect the lead guitarist of the band Howlers to have.
“Okay, so I admit things are a bit of a mess in here, but to be honest, I rarely let anyone in here. The maid lost my favorite pick one time and I couldn't sleep for a week. I'm sure it just got misplaced, but it was devastating. Now she, or anyone for that matter, can't clean in here. I get to it when I get to it.”
I laughed. “Yeah, that's understandable. People like their own chaos. I’m the same way.”
“Why, thank you, Jade, because most people think I'm insane.”
“Oh, I never said you weren't insane. I just said I understand.”
He burst out laughing and I felt a slight blush come to my cheeks. “Wow, the girl has wit. We like that around here.”
I grinned. Jack was making me feel very much at home, and the way he stood so close to me, still half naked, was intoxicating.
“Well, Jade, I am going to leave you to this and go back to the guest room to get changed and chill out. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Sure thing, and thanks for everything.”
He smiled and turned to leave the room. I watched his sexy frame as he left. He was lean and tall, very muscular. He instilled an instant attraction in a female just at the sight of him. I wiped my brow, suddenly feeling increasingly hot. Only you, Jade. Only you think it's wise to get all hot and bothered over your new boss. Not the smartest thing that you could do.
I couldn't help it, though. There was a part of me that wished he would have come out of the shower without a towel on at all. I would have loved to have seen what he was packing underneath that towel. Better yet, it would have been nice if he would have dropped the towel as soon as he saw me. What a message that would have sent. I wouldn't complain if a man like Jack Greyson wanted to ravish me on the spot. The more I thought about it, the more turned on I got. My panties were getting wetter by the second.
What I really needed to do was focus. I had to pack up a man's room, not daydream about him. It would be bad if Jason came to find me and realized that I had accomplished nothing yet.
I knew enough that most of Jack's things would stay behind. However, I would need to pack up his best guitars, clothing, and toiletries. I also knew by his fan pages that he loved to read. I needed to ensure that whatever he was currently reading would also be packed, as well as a few extra titles. That would be nerve wracking trying to determine what other books to pack. I had no idea what on his shelf of books he had already read and what he didn't.
I would just do my best. I could always go shopping for him while on the road if he wanted any new clothing or books. They couldn't expect me to know my boss that well on my first day. Or maybe they did...
I went to his closet and pulled out his suitcases. They definitely looked nothing like mine. I opened them up and set them on his messy bed. I decided to start with his clothing and began opening drawers. Being an assistant was a very personal undertaking. You were put in a position where you knew some of the most intimate things about your boss and you had to act professional while doing so. Currently I was digging around in his underwear drawer trying not to talk myself into 'accidentally' forgetting to pack him any underwear. What? Not me!
After his underwear were packed neatly in the suitcase, I proceed to get him the t-shirts and jeans he would need for the trip. I packed up some shorts and a few pairs of shoes. I wasn't entirely sure what the weather would be like in all the different cities, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
I looked in his suitcase and mentally took check of all that I had packed thus far. I was fairly certain that I had everything pertinent that he would need clothing-wise.
Smiling, I couldn't help but feel absolute bliss in that moment. I lived for music. It was my passion, and I was lucky enough to embark on a journey in the music business with a hugely popular band. I had to restrain myself from getting up on Jack's bed and jumping for joy. I was the luckiest girl in the world and it was just the beginning for me. I was going to miss home and miss my friends, but considering what I was gaining by leaving, I wouldn't regret it for a moment.
I looked around the room, deciding what to do next. I went to his bedside table and opened it. I grabbed some guitar picks and a book that had a bookmark in it. It was probably the one that he was currently reading. My eyes drifted to the shelf as I scanned the book titles on them. How was I going to choose a title? How to choose...how to choose? Surprised to find a few books by Leo Tolstoy, I grabbed one of them to pack. Chuckling, I picked up a book called Nikki Sixx: The Heroin Diaries. I scanned the back of it and decided to add it to the collection. I brought all three back to the suitcase and packed them away.
I wondered what touring was going to be like. Being on the bus all the time was going to get old really fast, but I still wanted to do it more than anything. I plann
ed on keeping a diary the entire time to ensure that I would never forget even the smallest of memories of the trip I was about to have. I had a feeling that I would be writing a lot about Jack in there as well.
I headed to his en-suite bathroom to pack his toiletries. Luckily, someone had mostly beat me to it. All of his things were nicely set in plastic bags on the floor. I grabbed them all and placed them in the final suitcase.
The last thing I had to do was pack up the three main guitars that he used while touring. They were all currently on stands and I needed to find the cases for them. I went back to the closet, which was so much more than a closet. It was one of those walk-in closets that girls only dreamed about. What I could do with a closet like that. I found the three cases immediately and headed back to the bedroom. I unzipped all the cases and very gently put each guitar in its own case. I zipped them back up and smiled. My first assignment was complete. A wave of pride went through me as I looked around the room. I could do this job easily, I just knew it. No problem. All I needed to do now was to get everything downstairs and find out what was next.
Four
As I walked back downstairs, I thought the buzz of people was even crazier than before. “Chef, don’t forget the raw steaks, and salmon for Jack. And you, costume girl, make sure he has t-shirts. The intern packed his stuff.” Jason was shouting orders at everyone.
I looked around and saw the leader of the band sitting on Jack’s beautiful black leather sofa. He was picking at something on the fabric.
I approached him to introduce myself. “Hi Ryker, I’m Jade, the new intern.”
He barely lifted his eyes to meet mine, instead taking in the rest of my curvy physique. When his head finally came up, he had a smug look on his face that made me feel small.
He made me feel the way I often had when I was in high school. I wasn't a thin girl. In fact, I was probably nothing like most of the girls that walked into that apartment. The women I knew Jack dated in the past were supermodels or actresses. They were all tall and skinny for the most part. That just wasn’t me. I had always been heavier, very curvaceous, but personally I’d never had a problem with it. I had a big booty and I liked the curves that my body had. It just seemed to be other people who didn't like it. High school had been really rough, and with my mom working two jobs, she hadn’t really been there to back me up. I hadn’t had a ton of boyfriends, or a date to the prom. Instead, I’d spent a lot of time with music, perfecting my craft. Ryker’s voice brought me back to the present.
“Jade, I want some coffee before we go.”
Startled, I stared at him for a moment. We were literally minutes from leaving the apartment and Ryker wanted coffee? Shit!
“Ummm...yeah sure. What would you like in it?”
“Three sugars and some cream.”
I didn't bother waiting for a thank you or even a please. It never came anyway. I hurried to the kitchen and literally made a fresh pot of coffee just to pour Ryker one cup. It took five minutes; I mixed in his sugar and cream and headed back to the group. I could tell that the whole team was annoyed with having to wait for the coffee. But no one would tell Ryker that he just couldn't have it right then. There was probably a coffee pot on his bus. I was sure he was just trying to torture me. Famous people always got what they wanted, when they wanted it. I handed Ryker the cup and watched as he took a sip.
“Fuck! There's only two sugars in this coffee. I said three. Make it again.” He was glaring at me, disgust in his eyes.
What a jackass! “But I did...”
“Are you actually arguing with me?” he interrupted. The room grew quiet. My head was beating furiously and I willed the tears that threatened to pop up in my eyes to not come up. I had made his coffee perfectly. I knew I did. I hung my head, there was no point in arguing with him. I felt like I was being bullied in high school all over again. I was that fat girl again that no one liked. They wouldn't ever let me be part of their group and they teased me mercilessly. I couldn't lose the job, however. It was a paid gig. I needed to think about that.
“No, of course not.”
“Good, I suggest you don't. It's a good way to get left on the side of the road.”
My mouth dropped open. How dare he talk that way to me? Why is he being such a bastard to me?
I looked up at Ryker. I wouldn’t let him beat me. I turned and was met with Jack's dark green gaze from across the room. And I saw in his eyes something that made me feel even worse. Pity.
I turned quickly on my heel and headed back to the kitchen. I thanked my lucky stars that I hadn't poured out the rest of the pot last time I got him coffee. Wiping at the tears that had sprung from my eyes, I vowed to be stronger against Ryker. I couldn't let him get to me or it was going to be a miserable three months. I poured a cup and very carefully added three sugars and a little bit of cream. It was perfection, dammit!
I carried the cup back to Ryker. Although people were talking amongst themselves, the tension in the room was high. They all wanted to leave and yet they knew Ryker was, well...being Ryker. They turned to me when I walked in to see how Ryker would handle his second cup.
He took a sip, “It's still not right, but I guess it will have to do for now.”
“Okay people, let’s roll,” yelled Jason. Everyone made their way to the elevator.
Ryker walked away from me without even a thank you. I couldn't even look at Jack. I didn't want to see any more pity from him.
Five
The night of the first show was hectic to say the least. There were hundreds of people around doing their own separate jobs to make the show run smoothly. It was amazing how many people it took to get a concert underway.
Watching them practice before the show was exhilarating. The band was getting ready for their concert and it was hard not to get excited right along with them. As the show got underway, the boys all headed back to their dressing rooms. The amount of groupies that were around was surprising. I had expected that whole thing to have disappeared, but there they were, sneaking backstage to get in the dressing room with the boys. Jason was constantly pulling them out and reminding the band that they had to get ready to go out. Ryker seemed more than happy to skip the whole thing and stay in his dressing room with some of the girls.
I watched the entire concert backstage and it was true what rockers always said; there was no drug like performing in front of ten thousand people. The crowd was going wild and the girls just threw themselves all over the band members, especially Ryker and Jack. I felt a twinge of jealousy every time I saw a girl near Jack. I wasn't sure what I expected but it bothered me nonetheless.
Now the after party, that was hands down a great time. I didn't know where all the people came from, but the room was filled wall to wall with them. I walked around the room looking for Jack, but he was nowhere to be found. I hoped in the back of my mind that he wasn't off with some girl. It was stupid to be jealous, but in my gut I knew that’s what it was.
I saw Ryker amongst a group of people and I headed towards him. Maybe he would know where Jack was. As I got closer, I heard something that stopped me in my tracks.
“She's ugly as fuck! I don't know what Jason was thinking when he hired her. I was hoping for a hot honey as an intern, some skirt I could rail in my spare time, ya know. But who in their right mind would want to even touch Jade, much less have sex with her?”
Tears filled my eyes. What the fuck was his problem? How could he feel okay about saying things about a person he hardly knew? I hadn’t even seen him much since the coffee incident. Why did he hate me so much? I turned from them and fled, looking for an escape, any escape.
I found a stairwell that led to the top of the building and eventually up to the roof. The night air was warm and inviting. I could barely catch my breath. Tears streamed down my face and everything just felt so hopeless. I had been a fool to think that I could fit in to the same world as Jack. I was an even bigger fool to think that Jack would ever really like me. I was just a chubby
intern, like Ryker said.
I stepped closer to the ledge of the building and looked over. I was dizzy from a little too much booze at the party, but the breeze felt so good on my face...
“Jade, what are you doing?”
I stumbled a bit at the sound of the voice but I caught myself. I turned to find Jack standing shocked behind me.
“Oh, Jack, please go away. I’m fine”
“Jade, please come down from there. It's not worth it. Ryker, and his attitude, isn't worth it.”
“You heard?”
“Yes.” He sighed, “I was right behind you. I’d been looking for you all night. He's like that to everyone, Jade. He's an asshole, even to me. It’s his wolf. He wants to be alpha so bad, but Jason’s in charge. You just have to ignore him because he's caught up in his own hate and he's never going to change.”
“I just feel so alone sometimes. It wasn’t like this at home.” Tears continued to fall down my cheeks.
He nodded. “I know that feeling. Will you please come down? Jesus, you’re making me nervous.”
I stepped off of the ledge and he was by my side, instantly pulling me in for a hug. My heart was pounding in my chest and the hug lasted a tad longer than it should have. When we parted, I looked up into his eyes and longed for him to kiss me. There was something in the way that he looked at me that made me want him to take me right there on the roof. There was a spark between us that was undeniable.
“Sometimes I feel invisible too. But I'm not, and neither are you.”
Six
I called Harper before we set up for the next show. I had more responsibility than before, and I kept my nose to the grindstone while doing my best to avoid Ryker.
“So wait, Jack actually said that? Then what did you do?”