Never Kiss a Rockstar (Never Trust Book 2)

by Sarah Darlington

  My heart thumped as I waited on his answer. If he told me no, I had to admit, it would sting. But this devilish grin came to his lips and it made my pulse jump because I knew he wasn’t going to deny me.

  “My place is two blocks away. Walk with me?”

  He had another place?

  I didn’t understand. But I didn’t question it. I walked with him.

  ~ CHAPTER 6 ~

  JOHN

  Dani and I said nothing to one another as we walked. We didn’t touch. We didn’t hold hands. Our pace wasn’t fast, but it wasn’t slow either. When we reached my shop, I lead her toward the back entrance. No need to parade her through the front, amongst my customers and employees. Sydney and Rhett were still inside. I especially didn’t need either of them knowing any more of my business.

  I’d been at the clinic on lunch break. And my break should have been over by now. I mean, obviously, I owned the shop. But it wasn’t like me to skip out on everyone. In fact, I’d never done it before. But I was doing it today. I’d make my time with Dani last as long as I could. Because I knew she meant it, that there wouldn’t be any ‘repeat sessions’ after this.

  Inside it was quiet. “It’s upstairs,” I told her, meaning my apartment. I gestured for her to go first. I had my grandfather’s mansion, but I also had this place.

  Dani started to move up, and I followed, but she paused on the steps. The walls were thin, and we could hear voices on the other side, coming from my shop.

  “Who do you think John slept with? The new receptionist? She called in sick today.”

  Clear as day, it was my sister’s voice. She had to be in the back closet, on the other side of the wall.

  Dani’s mouth dropped open. She pushed her hand against my chest. “You told people,” she mouthed.

  “No,” I whispered. “Sydney guessed.”

  Dani’s smile was infectious, her eyes so intently on mine. She found this hilarious. I wasn’t as thrilled that my sister was speculating, likely with Rhett, over whom I’d been with. And the new receptionist? Not a chance. I didn’t sleep with my employees.

  “I don’t care who he was with. Good for him.” It was Rhett’s voice now. “Now pull down your pants, princess, we have to make this quick. Everyone will be back from lunch any minute.”

  Giggling followed.

  Dani’s eyes widened even further.

  I cringed. I knew Sydney was sexually active, but no brother wants to hear that shit. And in the back closet? I’d never be able to go in there again.

  Dani grabbed my hand, carefully stepping up the wooden stairs, making sure she didn’t make a sound, pulling me along with her.

  At the top of the stairs, I tossed my hat and my keys on the coffee table and ran my hands over my hair.

  Dani glanced around, taking it in. It was modest compared to my other place, and I wondered what might be going through her head. Eventually her eyes fell on me. “Was that your sister?”

  “Yes.”

  She laughed. “You know she’s doing it right now with whoever that was.”

  I made a face. “I’m aware.”

  “Who’s the new receptionist? Is she hot?” she joked.

  Not nearly as hot as Dani. No one was. “Honestly, I don’t even remember her name, and I hired her.”

  Dani moved closer to me. “So you’re a tattoo artist? I guess I should have known. Is Kill Devil Ink yours?”

  She’d been paying attention. At least to the signs in the parking lot we’d crossed. “Yeah, it’s mine.”

  “Cool. Can I take this off?” Her hands went to my shirt. All thoughts of my sister and Rhett in the supply closet were suddenly forgotten. The only thing I felt were her hands on me. It was the thing my cock felt, too.

  “Yes.”

  She inched the cotton material up. I raised my elbows to help her along. And she tugged it off me, tossing it aside.

  “Can I?” Her hands hovered over my skin. She wanted to explore my ink. I guess I didn’t mind.

  I shrugged, letting her.

  Feather light, she ran her hands over my stomach, across my abs, swirling over the intricate designs. There were a few open spots, but for the most part I’d run out of room. Holy shit. Her touch felt heavenly. I let her tease me for another minute, my cock growing harder with each trace of her fingers. But once I felt she’d had plenty of time to satisfy her curiosity, I grabbed each of her wrists.

  “That’s enough.”

  She stared at me, not pulling out of my grip. Every ounce of me wanted to kiss her full, pouty, crimson lips. She had to taste as good as she looked.

  She must have sensed it because she stood on her toes, moving closer. Her lips almost touched mine when she whispered, “No kissing, remember?”

  “You’re complicated as hell,” I breathed, inhaling her same air.

  “No, I’m easy.”

  Easy to fuck—yes. Easy in that regard. But I could tell, complicated in every other way. But she wasn’t my puzzle to solve.

  So I dropped my hold of her hands. Then, bending, I hoisted her body over my shoulder. She squealed, the sound just the reaction I’d been after. I had my hands firm on her ass as I carried her off to my bedroom. I planned to have her in every possible way this afternoon, starting with good old-fashioned missionary.

  ~CHAPTER 7 ~

  DANI

  John had his mouth on me sucking gently. Those blue eyes of his stared up at me, making me squirm. I was wide open to him, and I normally was never into this. But there was a level of comfort with him that I didn’t have with just anybody. His mouth felt so good, so warm, each flick of his tongue quickly sending me higher and higher. He added a finger, pushing it deep inside, and that was when I tugged on his short hair to make him stop.

  “Stop,” I panted. “Stop. I don’t want to come this way.”

  He stopped, standing just off the bed—his body a canvas on display. “I don’t think I have a condom in this room.”

  I sat up, pushing on his stomach. “You’re like the least prepared guy ever,” I said to him. “But we’ve already been through this. I’m clean. You’re clean. I just took a super large dose of birth control this morning. No condom needed. Right?”

  I was eye level with his large cock. He has such a nice cock. I stared up at him, waiting. “You’re right,” he said after only a second of hesitation.

  Grabbing under my thighs, he pulled my body so that my ass was at the edge of his bed and my legs were open to him once more. He moved in the space, the head of his erection pushing against my entrance.

  “Guide me,” he commanded.

  With my heart stampeding and my body trembling in anticipation, I reached for him and helped ease him inside me.

  “Fuck,” he cursed as he filled me, pushing in until he was as deep as he could go.

  Relief like a warm blanket covered me. It felt so damn good having him back inside. So right somehow. He was going to ruin me for the next guy. Actually, it would take several guys after this to forget him. I shut my eyes, shutting the vision of him out, running my hands through my hair.

  He started to move, his thrusts powerful and deep. With each one, a moan escaped my lips. He held onto my thighs for leverage. I felt myself building higher and higher. He only needed to touch me. Didn’t he know this already? We’d been over it. Well, if he wasn’t going to touch me... then I would.

  I reached down between us, my eyes still pinned shut, needing to give my clit some relief. But he grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers, pinning it to the bed by my head. He did the same with my other hand.

  I opened my eyes to his face inches from mine. He’d moved on top of me now, on the bed with me. In a position a hell of a lot more intimate than anything we’d done so far.

  “Don’t close your eyes on me again,” he warned.

  “Okay,” I breathed. Some part of me wanted him to kiss me. He didn’t. But he did release my hands. He moved to touch me now, making small circles against my clit.

  I we
nt off.

  I went off the second he touched me. I was too sensitive, too ready, too easily affected by this man. I stared into his eyes as it happened, too—shit. Getting lost in them. Allowing myself, for the briefest of moments, to feel something for him I’d never let myself feel for anyone. Hope. He was strange and mysterious and unlike anyone I’d ever met. “John!” I screamed out as I came, as the world shattered and splintered around me, as a shot of bliss burst through my veins.

  The feeling kept going. And John kept pumping. Until a minute later, he pulled out, coming on my stomach rather than inside me. The look on his face was so sexy. I enjoyed it as much as he did.

  When he finished, he collapsed on the bed beside me. He found the t-shirt he’d been wearing and used it to wipe away the evidence on my stomach.

  “Why’d you pull out?” I asked.

  “The added protection,” he panted. From the corner of my eye, I saw his chest heaving up and down. He ran his hands through his now slightly damp hair.

  I sat up so I could find my clothes. But John grabbed me around my waist, his strong arms warm on my naked skin, and he pulled me in against his body. “We aren’t done. I want to fuck you all afternoon.”

  I curled against his side. He was so damn tempting, but I knew better. “That’s against the rules,” I told him but did nothing to move away.

  “Break the rules.”

  “I never break the rules.” That was a lie because, being here now was already breaking them.

  “We still have a couple hours before the twenty-four-hour mark. Stay.”

  My heart thumped harder now than it had earlier. I traced my fingers over this strange tiki head on his ribs, thinking about it, feeling the need to have him between my legs grow all over again.

  Shit. I didn’t want to go.

  “Would a couple more times really be such a terrible idea?”

  “Fine,” I breathed against him. “Fine. I’m yours for a little while longer.”

  That sparked something in John. He pulled me on top of his body, my back against his chest. And already hard again, he filled me once more.

  ~ CHAPTER 8 ~

  JOHN

  I’d never been this exhausted. And I deserved some sort of award for fucking this girl so many times and never giving in and kissing her. Because through it all, I found myself longing for that. Why wouldn’t she let me? Why did she have so many damn rules?

  But I knew her rules were in place for a reason. And they actually suited me too. I also wasn’t looking for anything past today. I knew better.

  “This is goodbye then,” Dani said. She nestled her nose against my side. She’d already gotten up, gotten dressed, but she’d returned to the bed to snuggle one last time.

  I was still naked, although soft now. She’d completely drained everything out of me. I physically couldn’t move.

  She pressed her lips to my skin. She’d done that a couple times throughout the afternoon. “You said you didn’t like me yesterday.”

  “I don’t like anyone.”

  “Is it still true?”

  She was hard not to like. “I guess you’re okay,” I admitted. She was more than okay, but I wouldn’t say it out loud.

  “And the best sex you’ve ever had?”

  “At least top five,” I joked.

  She huffed. “Hey now.”

  “Yes, Dani,” I reassured her, squeezing her shoulders. “The best sex I’ve ever had.” And probably will ever have.

  “Good. You’re my best too.”

  Really? I was? That didn’t seem possible.

  She stood up. Her hair was a wild, adorable, mess. “Bye, John,” she smiled, “it was nice meeting you.” She bit her bottom lip, giving me a look, and she left my room.

  I listened to the sound of her feet and the close of my door as she left my apartment. I lay there for a long time, smiling up at the ceiling. She was the best sex of my life—hands down. And it took me another minute after that to realize that I was a fucking idiot for letting her walk away.

  ~ CHAPTER 9 ~

  DANI

  Caleb had me helping him with a project today. Which was good because after yesterday’s activities, I needed a distraction. I was having a hard time removing John from my head. Like I’d gotten a taste of something great, and I wanted another bite.

  “Why are we buying paint?” I asked when we were at the home improvement store.

  “So I rented this smaller place,” Caleb explained, running his hand over the heavy brown stubble on his face. “Just down the street from Emma’s home. I thought that way she could be close to her mom. And her family. But still stay the night with me each night. The rental you got for all of us to stay in is great but too damn far away. So I take Emma over to this new rental yesterday. And she wasn’t into it.”

  “Like it had a pet odor or something?”

  Caleb laughed. “No. I mean. In the summer months, she’s a maid. And that’s one of the houses she cleans. So it’s bad memories. But we still stayed there last night, in this awesome glass room-nook-thing. She called it a reading room. Anyway, I want to redo one of the regular rooms and surprise her. Because I feel like this could be our house.”

  My mouth hung open. I stared at my cousin, the lead singer of our band. Caleb was the whole freaking reason any of us were famous. His voice—soulful, sexy, and just the right amount of southern. His lyrics—he wrote most of our songs, and fuck if I knew how he did it. Because people loved them, loved the stories and emotions he could evoke through his words. It was easy to call Ollie, his younger brother, the heartthrob of the group. Because Ollie was so good-looking, and always had a different girl between the sheets. But no, it was Caleb. His bashfulness and his talent—people loved and adored him for it. The rest of us—we were just along for the ride. He could have his pick of any woman in this world. And judging by whatever craziness that had just come out of his mouth, about rentals and renovations, Emma was the girl he had picked.

  “Okay.” If he loved her then I could support this weird plan of his. “Changing the paint on the wall in one room can’t be that hard, right?” I’d never painted anything in my life. But regular people could do it, so I could too, right?

  “Right,” he agreed, picking out a few paint cards. “That was my exact thought. Plus I’ve got nothing better to do today while she’s at work. I could use the distraction.”

  Yeah, me too.

  So I helped Caleb buy a bunch of shit. Including new bedding and new furniture from Target. We brought it back to this rental house and started tearing everything apart.

  “I miss her. Is that crazy?” Caleb said to me as I ripped the horrible seashell wallpaper off the wall in the bedroom; the room he’d decided had the most potential to become something better.

  “That’s because you’ve spent way too many years punishing yourself.”

  “Do you think the rental company will even notice we changed it?”

  It was too late for that. “They’ll probably thank you.” I tore away another giant chunk of hideous paper. “But back to Emma. My point is you’ve spent so much time since Rebecca not letting yourself feel anything. So now that you’ve opened yourself up and let another woman in, it’s hitting you harder than ever.”

  Shit.

  Was I describing myself with John?

  Rebecca was Caleb’s ex. She’d ripped Caleb’s heart out and stomped it into the ground about four years ago. And since Rebecca he’d never let anyone get close to him. Now suddenly Emma had found a way in and Caleb had fallen hard.

  Obviously, I hadn’t fallen for John. That would be ridiculous. But the way I’d gone back to him for seconds yesterday—it was a dangerous line to toe. I was glad yesterday had been the last time because I would never let myself fall in love again. Not a chance. But good for Caleb. Good for regular people when they fell in love. But love for me—it just wasn’t part of my equation.

  I heard a noise downstairs. It made little chill-bumps cover my arms. “Did
you hear something?” I asked Caleb.

  He paused too, wiping a bead of sweat off his forehead.

  “I’ll go check it out. Maybe it’s Emma.”

  He left me, and I relaxed. I pried open the paint can, pouring some liquid into a tray once I got the lid off.

  A minute later Caleb returned, looking pale and nauseated.

  “Shit, Dani, shit,” he hissed, tugging his fingers through his hair. “You need to tape that off first.”

  I’d just dipped the brush in paint and started on the wall. Tape what off? “Is Emma home?” I asked. Why was he being so crazy?

  “No. Rebecca is in this house.”

  Holy shit. Hearing her name in that sentence—my clumsy hands dropped the paint brush on the carpet. “What? Fuck.” I bent down in an attempt to salvage the carpet. It was too late for that.

  “She has a boy with her.”

  I stood back up. Fuck the carpet. “A boy. What? Okay. Just breathe. Breathe.” I needed to breathe too. My lungs quit functioning properly.

  Caleb looked like he was about to pass out on the floor. Hell, I felt the same. Why would Rebecca have shown up? Why would she have a child with her unless that child was Caleb’s? And how had she found us? We’d postponed our tour to come here. But we’d all agreed not to tell anyone where we were so that a herd of paparazzi wouldn’t come looking for us.

  Caleb turned on his feet, leaving me once again, and I tossed the paint brush back on the ground. Well, fuck. After a moment where I heard nothing but silence, I went downstairs. Sure enough, black-haired, black-hearted Rebecca was there. Caleb was not. I really didn’t have much to say to her. I’d never liked her. But then again, I get along with most women. “Where’s your kid?” I asked. “Can I see him?”

  “Sure. Just be quiet because he’s asleep.”

  She motioned for me to follow her to the living room. On the couch a sweet angel slept. The cutest little guy I’d ever seen. His body so still, and his face so innocent. And he looked exactly like Caleb, a Mills through and through. My nephew. I loved him the second I saw him.