“Dude, close your mouth.” Sean knocked shoulders with me when he took his place at my side.
Glancing his way, I noticed Logan grinning appreciatively in the girl’s direction. No way. Before she got caught in his crosshairs, I broke from the group and met her at the bottom of the stairs.
Blinking up at me, she tucked a fallen curl behind her ear. “Mr. Noble?”
“Knight, actually,” I replied, hoping for a glimmer of recognition.
To be fair, I was Cameron Noble. At least, that’s what my birth certificate said. But I dropped that shit as soon as Caged had a single on the charts, changing my last name to Knight. My old man, Tyler Noble, the drunk who’d chased fame his whole life, wasn’t going to get a nod of acknowledgement for anything I achieved.
“But you can call me Noble,” I added when her brows knit together. “Or anything else you want, as long as you say it with a smile.”
Laughing nervously, she stuck out her hand. “I’m Lily Tennison. I’ll be your personal events coordinator while you’re here.”
Sliding my palm against hers, I squeezed her fingers gently. “I like the sound of that.”
I bit back a frown when her smile melted and she retracted her hand. Not that I expected every woman to fall at my feet, but…Actually, I did. I’d been on the road for months, and the only women who’d crossed my path were fans. Or groupies. And Lily was neither of those.
“Your brother explained the situation,” she said, all business. “If you’ll follow me to my office, I’ll be happy to go over a list of the amenities and services we offer. I’ll also take care of any special requests you might have.” Shifting her attention to Logan and Sean, she gave them a cheery smile. “Gentlemen, welcome to the Mansion.”
Turning on her heel, she strode briskly toward the building, ignoring the snickers that erupted from our group.
“Special requests?” Logan chuckled, lowering his tone to nearly a whisper. “I’ve got her special request—right here.” Grabbing his crotch, he cocked his head to the side and watched her walk, not bothering to hide his leer.
Idiot.
After elbowing Logan in the ribs, I followed Lily into the lobby, trying to distance myself from the asshats I was with. Couldn’t they hold it together for one fucking minute without acting like horny teenagers?
Since my eyes were locked on Lily’s heart-shaped ass, I had no room to talk.
And now I was hard.
Perfect.
I pinned my gaze to her shoes, figuring that would be safe. But no. The leather pumps were sexy as hell, with red soles and four-inch heels. And, fuck, was that a tattoo on her ankle?
She glanced over her shoulder and a crease formed between her brows when she noticed me staring.
Well, shit.
I quickly looked away, and after a moment of awkward silence she cleared her throat. “Um…well, over here we have our l-lounge and our steakhouse,” she stammered, motioning toward a dimly lit space next to the stone fireplace. “They’re open for d-dinner only. Per your brother’s request, I’ve s-secured a chef to take care of your meals, en suite. But you can order anything off the menu and have it delivered, if you p-prefer.”
Feigning interest in the tour, I nodded, hoping my dick would go into hibernation. And it was working until Lily looked down at her paperwork, and her tongue darted out to sweep her lower lip. A perfect, pink tongue. Caressing the softest, pinkest flesh I’d ever seen in my life.
Jesus, it was like I’d never seen a woman before.
“This way,” she said, tipping her chin to the hallway where the executive offices were housed.
Lagging behind, I took the opportunity to adjust myself. And of course, Logan noticed. Falling into step beside me, he clapped me on the shoulder. “You got a problem there, son?”
“Mind your own damn business,” I muttered. “And stop with the sex jokes.”
Giving me the side eye, he smirked. “Dude, I’m not the one rocking the semi.”
Ignoring the jab, I forged ahead and slipped through the door of Lily’s large office. The furnishings matched the décor in the lobby—classic, with sleek lines, and reeking of money. But the oil paintings and other artwork were modern. Wandering over to a group of charcoal sketches next to the window, I examined the cityscapes. The corner of each portrait was signed with a loopy “L” and adorned with a small flower.
“These are really nice.” I leaned closer to examine the details before turning to Lily. “Who’s the artist?”
“S-someone local.” She smiled tightly. “You wouldn’t know her.”
As she stared at the sketches, the crease in her brow grew more pronounced. Her gaze met mine for a brief second before she cleared her throat and shifted her attention to her paperwork.
Maybe she was interested after all.
Grinning at the thought, I took a seat in the winged chair in front of the desk.
“I’ve taken the liberty of contacting a p-personal shopper at Neiman Marcus,” Lily began, glancing over our tattered jeans and t-shirts. “If you could provide me with your sizes, I’ll have some things brought over for you until you can retrieve your l-luggage from the Omni.”
Logan removed his sunglasses, then propped his elbows on his knees. “Is there something wrong with the way we’re dressed?”
The frost in his tone reached all the way to his pale blue eyes. But to Lily’s credit, she didn’t miss a beat.
“Absolutely not. I just thought s-since you didn’t have any clean clothes, you might want to order a few things. It’s t-totally up to you. There’s no dress code on the property, with the exception of the hotel dining area and the l-lounge.” Clasping her hands on top of her desk, she sighed. “Look, y’all, I’m here to help. I’m s-sorry to hear about your friend. If you don’t mind me asking—is he all right?”
“Fine,” I said. “Just a little banged up.”
Her gaze roamed over my face. Like she was trying to peek inside my head. And oddly enough, I didn’t mind. As if she just realized we weren’t alone, a blush rose in her cheeks.
“Let me get this p-paperwork finished so y’all can b-be on your way.”
Snagging her lip between her teeth, she tapped away on the keyboard, occasionally referencing the forms in front of her or asking a follow-up question. I couldn’t look away from her delicate fingers or the way the light caressed her skin.
A few minutes later she stood up and handed each of us a fat envelope.
“It was nice to m-meet y’all.” She extended a hand to Logan, and then to Sean. “Please let me know if I can be of any assistance during your stay. The b-bungalows are out back, at the far end of the property. Would you like me to call for a cart to take you there?”
“I’m sure we can manage,” Logan said with a chuckle, giving her a wide grin. “Thanks for all your help.”
He nodded at Sean, and they headed out the door. When I made no move to get up, Lily scooted around her desk. “Is there anything else I c-can help you with?”
There were plenty of things. But since all of them involved stripping her down to nothing but those heels, I shook my head. “Nope.”
As I brushed past her, I caught a whiff of her perfume and all my good intentions fell by the wayside. “There is one thing,” I said, my tone huskier than I intended. “I was kind of wondering—what do you do for fun around here?”
That perfect, pink tongue darted out again, slicking her bottom lip. And I got the urge to follow its path with my own.
She glanced down at the packet in my hand. “I’ve enclosed a couple of b-brochures in the envelope I gave you. We have—”
“I mean, what do you do for fun, Lily?”
She stared at me for a long moment, her expression inscrutable. “I w-work. And I go to s-school. I don’t have much time for fun.”
“That’s a shame.” I gave her a wink as I headed for the door. “Everyone could use a little fun.”
My implication was clear. If she wanted a good tim
e, I was the guy. But obviously she didn’t. Because when I stepped into the hall she was right on my heels, ready to close the door behind me.
CHAPTER THREE
* * *
Lily
I rushed toward the executive kitchen, my phone vibrating in my hand for the tenth time. Peeking at the screen, I rolled my eyes. If I wasn’t certain my roommate would keep power dialing until I answered, I’d let it go to voicemail.
Juggling my latte and my clipboard, I tucked the phone between my shoulder and my ear. “I don’t have time for this, Tess,” I grumbled. “I’ll tell you all about it when I get home.”
“Wait!” she screeched, loud enough to shatter my eardrum. “Did you meet them? What were they like? Scratch that… I don’t care. Just tell me about Logan.”
Logan? I drew a blank.
“Um…he’s the one with the long, dark hair, right? The brooding one?”
From the groan Tess emitted, I got it wrong.
“No,” she scolded. “That’s Sean. Logan is the blond with the fuck-me eyes. The one who looks like he’s got a dirty secret he can’t wait to share.”
As I passed through the break room, I smiled at the table full of servers gathering for their shift meeting. “Oh, sorry. Yeah...um…he’s hot.”
It was the truth. But hell, they were all hot. Not an ugly duckling in the bunch. But the only one giving off any fuck-me vibes was Cameron Knight. Coincidentally, his was the only face seared into my memory and the only name I remembered.
“Hot?” she scoffed. “Are you blind? Logan Cage is a four-alarm fire. Please, please tell me you asked about tickets to the show.”
Tess didn’t want tickets. With my connections, I could get tickets. She wanted backstage passes. And probably a guided tour from Logan.
“Listen, you’re breaking up,” I lied. “Bad connection. We’ll talk more when I get home.”
Ending the call, I slid the phone into my pocket as I rounded the corner. And because I wasn’t looking, I ran smack dab into my boss’s back. Greg spun around, catching my arm to steady me. But the latte didn’t survive the impact and slipped through my fingers, splashing foamy liquid all over the cuffs of Greg’s blue trousers when the cup hit the floor.
Mortified, my jaw came unhinged. “O-oh my G-God. I’m so s-sorry. I d-didn’t…” I forced my teeth to unclench. And then I counted. One...two…three… By the time I got to four, my tongue loosened up enough to finish my thought. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t p-paying attention.”
Grateful that I’d managed to cobble together an entire sentence, I crouched to snag the mangled cup.
“Leave it,” Greg said, curving a hand around my elbow and urging me to my feet. “Someone will be along in a second.”
As if by magic, one of the bussers scooted around me, a safety cone in one hand and a blue cloth in the other.
“No worries, Miss Lily,” he said, as he dropped to one knee to sop up the mess.
Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, I stepped out of the way. “Th-Thank you.”
Greg tightened his grip on my elbow, maneuvering us to a quiet corner. “I was looking for you,” he said, his thumb sweeping back and forth along the inside of my arm. The gesture was intimate, and my back stiffened in response. Greg had never crossed the line or showed the least bit of interest. And I wasn’t sure if he was aware of the caress.
“Well you f-found me.”
“I’ve got a new piano player coming to audition in the lounge tomorrow night. I’d love to get your input. Do you think you could meet me for a drink and we could check him out?”
Was he asking me on a date, or was this business? Honestly, I wasn’t sure. I’d only had one serious boyfriend throughout high school and college. Bradley Westover. Douchebag. His parents were in the same social circle as mine, and he’d known me for most of my life. Looking back, our relationship was never ideal. There was no passion. No fun. But my mother had convinced me I was lucky to have him.
Bradley could be with anyone he wants, Lillian. And he chose you…despite your problem.
And I’d believed her. Until I caught him cheating with my ex-best-friend. But even that didn’t deter my mother from singing Brad’s praises. Or my father from hiring him to work at the Tennison Foundation, our family’s conglomerate. Surprisingly, I understood my father’s motivations. It was business. An alliance between our families. It was my mother’s betrayal that cut deep. Because it was personal. She truly believed I was damaged goods. That my stutter made me…less.
“So this is l-like…?”
My unfinished question dangled between us, and Greg dropped his hand. “Strictly business.”
Heat rose in my cheeks. Not that I was interested in Greg. At least I didn’t think I was. But he was someone my mother would deem acceptable. “Of c-course. I’d be happy to g-give an opinion. Although, I’m not really up on the latest music trends.”
After today, that was painfully apparent. If Cameron’s brother hadn’t given me the scoop on Caged when he called to make the arrangements, I never would’ve known who they were.
Greg leaned a hip against the wall. “That’s no problem. I just need a second set of ears.”
Over his shoulder, I spotted a group of our female valets huddled together, talking behind their hands. The Mansion always provided a personal attendant to our VIP guests. Especially those who wanted to maintain a low profile.
Following my gaze, Greg smirked. “I’m guessing they’ve heard that Caged is in the house?”
“Looks like.”
Pushing off the wall, he straightened his tie. “I just hope they’re discreet. We don’t want any scandals.“
I cocked my head. “Why would there be a scandal?”
His eyes flicked to mine, amused. “Did you happen to see the guys when you checked them in?”
My smile melted to irritation because I knew what Greg was inferring. And maybe he was right. At least some of the valets’ excitement could be attributed to the fact that the guys were rock stars. And gorgeous. But my staff were professionals.
“I’m sure their enthusiasm has more to do with d-dollars and cents than anything else,” I assured.
The valets got a small percentage of the overall bill and, in addition, most VIPs left a substantial tip at the end of their stay.
Greg remained unconvinced. “Whatever you say, Lily. Just make sure they know that their actions reflect on the Mansion.”
At the moment, he was the only one whose actions bordered on unprofessional. But rather than bring that up, I jerked a nod. “I b-better get back to work.”
He touched my arm and I froze, my eyes darting to the place we were joined. “I’ll see you tomorrow night, then?”
It was an odd statement, since we’d probably run into each other at least five times before then. Strictly business. I wasn’t so sure. “Yeah…r-right….tomorrow.”
Greg sauntered away, and I shook my head, doing my little counting ritual in preparation for addressing the staff. I liked my job, but I couldn’t wait until I graduated so I could move on. This position had always been a means to an end. Not that I wasn’t qualified. I’d spent over a year in the business program at SMU before changing my major to Art. And I was Marcus Tennison’s daughter.
“Leadership is in your blood,” Daddy used to say.
But then I’d catch sight of my mother, her pursed lips and pinched brow silently belying his assertion. And in the end, she’d been right. I was an artist, destined to work in a gallery. To paint and sculpt. I couldn’t wait to join that world and leaved this one behind.
“Hey, y’all.” The staff straightened up as I approached. “Looks like we’re going to have a busy week. The Harrison group is having their annual—”
“What about Caged. Are they here?” Chloe interjected.
I snapped my gaze from my clipboard to the perky redhead. “Um…y-yes. As a matter of fact—”
“I’ve got dibs on Logan,” she announced, green eyes twinkling with
excitement.
“That’s fine,” Riley, a willowy brunette piped up. “Cameron’s cuter anyway.”
As fate would have it, Riley was the one I’d picked for Cameron. She was more than qualified. One of our best. But instead of giving her the card with Cameron’s information, I stowed it in my pocket. “Sorry, Rye. I need you with Ms. Harrison this w-week.” Where the hell did that come from? I wasn’t sure, but I was running with it. “She’s entertaining investors for her new project. Her limo’s arriving in an hour. If you could m-meet her out front?”
Riley’s face fell, but she nodded. “Of course.”
Somehow I managed to hand out the rest of the assignments without stammering. All except Cameron’s. Every time I looked into one of the girls’ eager faces, his smoldering hazel eyes flashed in my mind’s eye.
Once everyone was on their way, I peeked into the break room and found Dave, one of our senior valets, pouring over this week’s menu. Dave rarely handled clients anymore but functioned as a liaison for the events staff.
He smiled when he noticed me hovering by the door. “Is there something you need, Miss Lily?”
“No, thank you” danced on the tip of my tongue, but when I opened my mouth it was as if someone else hijacked my vocal cords.
“Um…yeah. I’ve got an important c-client in Bungalow D. Cameron Knight. His brother is a big land developer in Austin.” It was the truth, but that didn’t keep my hand from shaking when I held out the card with Cameron’s information. “If you wouldn’t m-mind handling it for me, I’d really appreciate it.”
CHAPTER FOUR
* * *
Cameron
The grounds at The Mansion were massive, and as elegant as the interior. A huge pool with an outdoor bar sat empty, steam rising from the adjacent hot tub. Passing through the gate to the private bungalows, I trekked across a tree-lined path, double checking the envelope for my suite number. After some searching, I stumbled across the right building, tucked behind a small grouping of trees.
Rock Star Romance Ultimate: Volume 1 Page 55