“Shit, Tales, I—.” He rolls away, taking his erection with him and smirks at me as he starts to open his mouth.
I hold my hand up, and his mouth snaps shut. Then he sucks his lips in, and his chest vibrates.
“You’re laughing at me?”
“Wow, what the hell happened to you?” He shakes his head.
My eyes move south, and then I quickly look away.
“Tales, it’s morning wood. Don’t take offense.”
“You’re just … you’re—”
“Well, you’re, just, you’re,” he teases me as he adjusts himself, “kind of hot now, Tales. I mean, you even have boobs. Nice ones, too.” He laughs as he gets out off bed and brushes past me, then stops and leans in. “I’m gonna shower. Wanna save some water?”
“You’re disgusting.”
“Now, Tales, you and I both know you don’t feel that way, and if you were a little more experienced...” He chuckles. “If you were even a little bit experienced, I know damn well you’d be taking me up on that offer. For the good of the environment, of course.”
I turn and retreat to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me and quickly locking it.
“Did you just lock me out of my bathroom?” I hear a bang on the door then a deep, dark laugh. “I need to piss, Tales, and I can have that door open in three, two …” I hear the door handle jiggle.
“I’m using the bathroom!” I yell as I jump off the toilet and pull up my pants.
The door opens, and then I am standing there, looking at him with my mouth gaping open as he smirks, walking past me.
He is standing at the toilet when I hear him start to pee while I am right there, like, right in the same room.
“Oh my goodness! You are—”
“Pissing excellence, and you are—”
“Disgusted.” I can’t help the giggle that escapes as I walk out of the door as quickly as I can.
“Most chicks would pay money to see this, Tales,” he says with a loud laugh. “Front row, first class, VIP, and you walk away?”
I hear him flush the toilet before he comes out when I am walking out the door.
“Where you going?” he asks as I hear his footsteps behind me.
“To find my bag, my phone.” I pause. “Away from you.”
“Wow, you’re a little spirited nowadays.” He laughs, and I feel his breath hit the back of my neck.
“Good morning.”
I look up to see River, and if I wasn’t embarrassed, I would be totally fan-girling right now.
“How was it?”
“She’s my sister’s best friend,” Memphis snarls a bit, shocking me at the one-eighty he just did.
“Good morning,” I say as I grab my phone and bag off the floor next to the couch where I left it. I look at the phone screen and see it’s dead. Grabbing my bag, I open it to find a charger. “Is there a place I can plug this thing in?”
“That’s what he said.” Finn appears, pointing at Memphis with a sinful grin and winks. “Nothing, man?” He points to me, and my gaping mouth snaps shut.
“You’re all—”
“Not all of us.” Billy B walks up and extends his hand. “I’m Billy. Welcome.”
I shake his hand quickly, then pull away.
“Outlets over there.” He points to the kitchen counter. “Set it on airplane mode once you get a screen; charges faster.”
“Thank you.” I nod, then walk away, trying to act calm and cool, which I’m not, not at all.
Once it’s plugged in, I look behind me to ask Memphis if Madison has contacted him to find all four are staring at me.
“You have a nice body,” River says as if it’s no big deal, but it embarrasses me completely.
Memphis slugs him in the arm.
“What, man? She does. Long, lean, and tight as—”
Memphis punches him in the arm harder this time.
“’Da fuck, man?”
“Memphis,” I call his attention back to me. “Did Madison call or message you?”
He shrugs and scowls, not looking away from River. “No idea.”
“Could you check?” I ask, and he finally looks back at me. “My phone is—”
“It’s in my room. Come on, let’s go see.”
“She can’t stay out here?” Finn asks in a harassing tone.
Memphis doesn’t say anything, only looks at them before walking over and grabbing my hand, but I pull mine away quickly.
“Wow.” River laughs loudly.
“Back the fuck off,” Memphis snarls. “Let’s go, Tally.” He points to his room.
“You think we’re all gonna try to jump her if you leave the room for two seconds? Shit, Black, you are—”
“She’s a fucking preacher’s kid, probably just sprouted tits two days ago, and she certainly—”
I quickly walk past him and toward the room to see if I can find his phone and get away from the most embarrassing conversation I have ever sort of been involved in.
I hear the door shut behind me as I am searching around the side of the bed and look up.
“You’re pissed at me?” He seems shocked.
“I want to know what’s going on with Madison. If she’s okay, alive, in the air”—I turn and scowl at him—“if she needs a ride from the airport.”
“Didn’t get the message, Tales. No need to be pissed off at me.” He’s standing inches in front of me, looking down at me, and my heart speeds up, like it did that night, like it did last night. “You’re not pissed at me, are you, Tales?”
I take a step back, retreating because I don’t know what he is all hot and cold about. Why one minute I’m a kid he seems annoyed by and the next he comes at me like he is on stage, all “Look at me, I’m Memphis Black, rock star,” and it’s making me angry.
“Could you please check to see if she—” His laugh interrupts me. “I don’t think it’s funny.”
“You’re funny.” He smirks, reaching down and grabbing a pair of white shorts that he pulls his phone out of.
I glance down at it, seeing the notifications light up, message after message.
He clicks on one and slowly turns his head, studying the screen, and his brows shoot up. “Dayum.”
“What?” I reach for his phone, but he holds it up so I can’t get it.
“Oh no, Tales, you don’t need to see that,” he jokes.
“See what? Is she okay?”
“The naked picture that the chick sent me is more than okay.”
“Pig.”
“Why am I a pig, and why the hell are you getting so angry at me, Tales?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I blush.
“You want me.” He plops down on the bed. “Admit it and we can get past the dis and head right into the possibilities of the comfort—”
“I want to know if Madison—”
“Storm’s causing delays,” he reads from his phone. “She hopes to be in tomorrow morning and asks that I take good care of you.” He tosses his phone on the bed and lies on his back, linking his hands behind his head. “I’d take really good care of you if you weren’t a virgin or my—”
“Am not,” I snap, then cover my mouth in surprise.
“Really now?” He sits up slowly and looks me up and down.
“It’s none of your business, Memphis Black.” I turn to walk out, and he grabs the hem of my shirt and pulls me back.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“To get my things.”
“Not without me, you aren’t.” He stands, his hand still on my shirt.
“Because of your friends? You’re afraid they—” I stop, unable to finish saying what I was going to.
“Hell, yes, because of my friends,” he says, taking my elbow and turning me to face him.
“They aren’t acting any differently than you are. Heck, you’re acting worse, so how ’bout you let go of my shirt and let me take my chances out there?”
“You can’t h
andle them.”
“I lived in New York City for a year; I can handle pretty much anything.”
“Tough girl, yet you still giggle when the word”—he leans in toward me—“fuck is said.”
I thrust my hand up, and it hits his chest, stopping him from coming any closer. He looks shocked. I am shocked, too. There is something else going on, something I have never experienced. I go to pull my hand away, but he holds it still against his hot, bare chest.
“Did you feel that?” he whispers. “That is nothing compared to what—”
“Stop, okay? Please, just stop.” I pull my hand away, and he lets me this time.
“Stop what, Tales?” His gaze drifts to my lips, then back to my eyes.
“Whatever it is you are doing.”
“We. We are both clearly attracted to one another.”
“Apparently, you’re attracted to anything with”—I swallow down the fear that comes with being so … racy—“boobs and a vagina.”
He tries to suppress a grin, then laughs out loud.
“You’re a jerk.”
“Wait!” He grabs my elbow again.
“Nope. I am leaving. I’m going to find a hotel—”
“Come on, Tales. Your face …” He laughs again. “You looked like it hurt to say that.”
“Well, geesh, Memphis, this is completely uncomfortable for me,” I admit.
“You are staying here. Madison will flip her shit if—” He moves, stopping me from side stepping him.
I try to reason with him. “She doesn’t have to know that you were being—”
“Honest?”
“Okay. Uncomfortable again.”
He throws his hands up as if to surrender. “Sorry, Tales. You look good. Hot—”
I scowl. “Very, very uncomfortable.”
He smirks and runs his hand through his sexy black hair. “You think that’s uncomfortable? Hell, you haven’t even said you think I look good.”
“I don’t think you need an ego boost from me. You have a gaggle of groupies to do that for you.” I am feeling a little less uncomfortable now.
He smiles and shakes his head. “I suppose you’re right, but …”
“Of course there’s a but.”
“An ego maniac like me still needs daily affirmation, so look at me, Tally, and tell me what you see.” I shake my head. “Come on. I won’t ask you again.”
I shrug. “Fine. I see what everyone else in the country sees: a tall, dark, fit guy with tattoos up and down his arms who is confident and very talented.”
“I hear a but.” He cocks his eyebrow.
“But”—I shake my head and look away—“if you were so confident, would you need all that affirmation?”
“I love the applause. I put my heart and soul into what I do.”
I smile and nod. “I think your music is brilliant.”
He grins. “Brilliant, huh?”
“I’ve always thought so.” I shrug, feeling my face burning because he is looking at me in that way that makes me uncomfortable. “That’s all the applause you should need, Memphis Black. Not all the other nonsense.”
“Oh.” He smirks. “You mean ass?”
“Well …” I can’t help giggling, and he smiles with his whole face. It’s beautiful. “Yeah, I suppose.”
“Sex is almost better than the applause. Hell, you should know, Miss I’m-not-a-virgin?” He laughs again. “How the hell did you get through it?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Getting all sweaty and naked in—”
“I am not having this discussion with you.” I scrunch my eyes shut.
“Sex is sex, Tales. It’s an activity that ends in a rush.”
“Memphis,” I sigh.
He stands up and swats my backside when he walks past me. “You should really try it with me, Tales. It’s not just an activity; it’s a fucking adventure.”
“Oh, my goodness. Do you ever stop?” I giggle nervously.
“My missile is heat seeking and locked on search and destroy mode, Tales. Don’t fucking kid yourself with the emotional bullshit. If you feel up for the challenge, I’ll rock you my way.”
“Do you have no boundaries? I mean, you seem to give them to your band mates.”
“I have no boundaries, Tales, none.” He smirks.
“I do.”
He flashes me a wicked grin, and I feel it; everywhere.
“I need a shower.”
“I’m all—”
“I’ll do it at a hotel,” I threaten.
“I’ll do it anywhere you want.”
“Ugh.” I walk out of the room before he has a chance to stop me this time.
I round the corner and run into Billy.
“You okay?” The sincerity in his voice makes me immediately feel at ease.
“She’s fine.” And the one behind me makes me feel the opposite.
“I am, thank you.” I walk past him and into the kitchen to grab my phone and charger. Ten percent battery. I pull it out of the wall, then walk over to my bag and scoop it up.
“Tales.” I look up at Memphis. “Go shower. Then you can head to the beach with us.”
“I think I am gonna—”
“Go shower and stop being a punk,” he says as if he’s joking, but I see a glint of annoyance in his eyes.
“You can use the guest bathroom if you’ll feel more comfortable, Tally,” Billy says, pointing to a hall across the room. “Third door on the right. There are two beds in that room, too. Madison and you will like it, I’m sure.”
“Thank you.” I glance at Memphis, whose jaw is squared and the muscles are popping in it, before walking down the hall.
“You better watch it, Billy,” I hear Memphis growl.
“You were making her—”
“No, man, I wasn’t making her anything. I’ve known her all my life, and I’m telling you to watch it.”
I shut the door behind me and lean against it as I take in a deep breath.
Memphis Black wants to rock me. Thousands would kill to be in this position, but I am not thousands. I am just me.
CHAPTER SEVEN
* * *
BEACH BABES
Memphis
I look around to find the guys are all looking at me like I have three heads.
“That goes for all of you.”
“What, are we supposed to stand around and let you make an ass out of yourself and make our guest feel uncomfortable?” Billy asks.
“My guest,” I snap, “and you’re supposed to mind your damn business.”
“Reel it in, man. Shit, didn’t you get enough last night?” River pats my shoulder before he shoves his hand in his pocket, feeling around for something. He pulls out a pipe. “One toke and you’ll chill.”
“Not in the fucking house, River.” Finn shakes his head.
“Fine. Out by the pool, then. Come on, Memphis, you need to hit chillz at least once. She’s got you wound up tighter than,” he pauses, “a preacher’s daughter.” He laughs as he walks to the French doors leading outside. “Suit yourself.”
I couldn’t agree more with River. I am wound so fucking tightly I’m going to snap.
I walk out and see River around the corner, toking on his one hitter. His lips curl up as he taps out the ash and shoves the pipe into the snuff box, then taps it a few times, packing it tight. He hands it to me with the lighter.
“Easy. It’s pretty bad ass,” River warns.
I nod but don’t listen. Pot never affected me in high school. That’s why I rarely touched the shit.
“You like that chick?”
I suck in a deep breath and hold it, even though my lungs are on fire immediately. Exhaling slowly, I say, “Sister’s”—I pause so I won’t choke—“best friend.”
“And your reason for having a mad-on.”
I exhale and look at him like he’s nuts because, let’s face it, he kind of is. “What?”
“Mad-on, bro.”
He takes the one hitter and taps the ash out before packing it up again. “You can’t tap that ass, so instead of a hard-on resulting in a set of blue balls, you get a fucking mad-on.”
“Mad-on.” I lean against the white stucco wall and shake my head. “Not mad at all.”
“You wanna tap that, though,” he says, before sparking up the tiny pipe and inhaling.
“Her ass is nice.”
“Yeah, it is,” he says as he inhales deeper.
“You steer clear.”
He coughs out the smoke and laughs as the door opens. He shoves the one hitter deep in his pocket and smirks as Finn and Billy walk out.
“You ready?” Finn hisses.
“Let me change,” River says, then looks at me and laughs, and hell if I don’t laugh, too. “Black, you’re in your underwear still.”
I look down and laugh harder. “Looks good, though, right?”
“Looks really good.” He winks.
“Fuck you.”
“Good enough that I’m thinking I wouldn’t mind tapping in the front, and you in the back of—”
“You may not want to finish that sentence. I don’t do double rainbow,” I say as I walk inside to change.
“Daisy chain.” He chuckles, following me inside.
“Shut the hell up, man.”
“The four of us, DVDA,” he says, still laughing.
“DVDA’ing your mother.” I push him.
“She likes that shit, man.”
As soon as we walk in, I see Tally standing at the end of the counter with her back turned.
“Three blocks, thank you.” She continues, “How much a night?”
I haul ass in front of her, take her phone, and hang it up.
“What are you doing?”
I grab a quarter off the counter. “Heads, you go. Tales, you stay.”
“Memphis, it’s—”
“Heads, you go. Tails, you stay,” I repeat.
She shakes her head then says, “Fine.”
I flip the coin, and it lands on tails. “Go get changed.”
“Memphis—” She looks around and stops as she spots River out of her peripheral.
“I’ll back off. Shit, Tales, I thought you were all badass now, being a New Yorker and all.” Fuck, I hope she bought that.
She looks skeptical, and I know damn well I fucked up. And, well, I’m buzzing pretty hard now, but I feel much less wound up, kind of chillz.
Rock Star Romance Ultimate Volume 2 Page 89