“Very,” she said.
Xander glowered.
“You’ve ordered them not to be together when they’re around you?” Ash said with a chuckle. “How long do you think that’s gonna last?”
“Hopefully until he gets over it,” Courteney said, stroking Xander’s neck soothingly.
“Can we all talk about something else?” he said.
“Oh, I have more gossip!” Courteney said brightly. “Xander went on a date with a man.”
Xander groaned.
“I really, really like your girlfriend,” I informed him.
He half-smiled, because he fucking adored her. That much was obvious, because he wasn’t even trying to shut her up.
“For that charity auction, remember?” Courteney said.
“Oh, I remember.” I’d been at that charity event, last month, when Xander was up for bid in a bachelor auction. I was pretty sure that Xander was zero-percent gay, but a man in the audience who obviously was had paid two-hundred-thousand dollars for the pleasure of having dinner with him.
“Oh, do tell,” Danica said. “How was it?”
“What do you mean, how was it?” Xander said. “It was dinner with a dude.”
“Yeah, but did sparks fly?” she teased.
“Yeah, Xan,” Ash put in. “Did you put out?”
“Did he call you afterward?” Danica said. “Are you seeing him again?”
“Very funny.”
“When did this happen?” I asked.
“Last week.” Courteney grinned and looked to her man for confirmation. “I think they had a nice time.”
“It wasn’t horrible,” Xander admitted. “Though I’d still rank it as the worst date I’ve ever had.”
“Only because he didn’t get laid at the end of it,” Courteney poked. “The guy is super rich, and he has a membership to some exclusive sex club. He invited Xander to come with him and said he’d sponsor him as his special guest, and they could have group sex with kinky rich people,” she gushed, all in one excited breath.
I looked at Xander. He just sighed and shook his head.
“So obviously, you went,” Ash said. “How many of the kinky rich people did you screw?”
Danica giggled.
“Can we seriously talk about something else?” Xander tried again.
“He wasn’t interested,” Courteney supplied, squeezing her man’s bicep. “I told him he should try to get us both an invite so we could go together and just, you know, look… because once in a lifetime opportunity, right?” Xander threw her a darkly disapproving look and she shrugged. “He didn’t like that idea.”
“Really?” Ash said. “What else are you gonna do? You just said you’re bored as shit.”
“Yeah, Xander,” Danica teased, “maybe you’d learn something.”
Taylor laughed, covering it with a sip of beer.
Xander threw us all a dark look. “Thanks for all weighing in on it, but I’m gonna give it a hard pass.”
“Too bad,” Danica said. “Sounds like you made quite an impression on your date.”
“He did spend a lot of money on you,” I mused. “Sounds like he was willing to spend more…”
“Yeah, it’s all very flattering,” Xander said. “I really missed my calling as a male prostitute.” He glanced at me. “Help me out here? You’re the great party hostess. Throw out a juicy topic to shut these clowns up.”
“It would be my absolute pleasure,” I said. “Let’s get down to something way more important.”
“Let’s,” Xander said, happy to change the subject.
I leaned in, looking him in the eye. “How long do I have to pretend that I don’t know how tight you are with Cary Clarke before I casually mention that I want him to produce our album?”
Xander shook his head at me, but he chuckled a little.
Cary Clarke was Courteney’s brother, he was a legend in the local music business, and he just happened to be one of Xander’s BFFs. They’d been in a band together and were still tight, which was saying something, because I’d never heard of anyone who could get in tight with Cary Clarke anymore. Even the bands he produced didn’t seem to get to meet him in person.
I knew Ash had filled Xander in on my intentions regarding Cary, so this wasn’t a surprise to him. I’d mentioned it to Courteney too, though she’d been a little closed-mouthed on the topic.
But I really wasn’t one for beating around the bush, and frankly I’d sat on this for as long as I could stand.
“I’m not asking for promises,” I said, eying them both. “Just an in. Like, what are the odds we can get a meeting with him, when the time comes?” I cocked an eyebrow at Xander. “Or do I have to go through your girlfriend?”
“Oh, no,” Courteney said. “I am done meddling in my brother’s life. If you want a meeting with him on official band business, talk to my man.” She shoved a thumb in Xander’s direction.
“Xan?” I said hopefully, batting my eyelashes.
“I’m not promising you jack,” he said bluntly. “I don’t speak for Cary, and the odds of getting a meeting with him are about one in I-don’t-have-a-clue. But I can ask him, if we’re all agreed on it, when the times comes.”
“Yes.” I threw my arms around him and kissed his forehead. “Have I told you you’re the best drummer on the planet? Also, you look fabulous in that shirt.” It wasn’t a word of a lie, in my opinion.
Here was the key to charming people: never lie to them. Just find a truth they want to hear.
Xander grinned.
Ash rolled his eyes.
Then Elle appeared, dropping her purse on our table and apologizing to all, profusely, for her lateness. We all got up to greet her, and as I hugged her, I teased, “Well, look who’s late this time.”
“I know,” she sighed. “It was a mommy thing. Emma spit up on my dress a millisecond before I walked out the door. There was projectile. Some of it hit Flynn, too. I had to change, then we swung by his place so he could change.”
“Aw, look who’s having a bad day.” I smoothed her long platinum hair, just teasing. She looked fantastically polished, as always.
“It’s really not bad. I could use a drink, though.”
Everyone around our table had sat back down, except for the two of us, and I reached over the bodies to pick up the Cosmopolitan I’d already ordered for her. I handed it over.
“Thank you.” She took a sip. “You look incredible. How’s the party so far?”
“Pretty hot. The album was good. I think they’ll be playing it again.”
“Have you seen my sister? She was supposed to show up…” She looked around into the growing crowd. “Oh, God. There she is.”
I looked in the direction she was frowning… to where her sister, Angeline, was standing with one of her girlfriends, Shayla. They were talking to Shayla’s brother—Johnny O’Reilly—by the tables where Breakneck was seated with their dates.
Elle waved, but Shayla didn’t seem to notice, and Angie’s back was to us.
“Well, that’s nice she came by…” I offered, unsure how to read Elle’s tone.
“Isn’t it, though?” she said dryly. “I’m pretty damn sure Johnny’s presence was the deciding factor.”
I looked at Elle, startled. She visibly cringed.
“And why on Earth would that be the case?” I demanded.
Of course, we both knew why it would be the case. Because Johnny O was a rock star.
And Elle’s little sister had a serious rock star fetish.
I felt for Angie. I really did. Crushes were hard.
And Johnny was… attractive.
He was also a raging player.
I, myself, didn’t do players. Anymore. I was completely over the rock star thing. As in, I had no interest in dating a rock star.
I wanted to be a rock star.
Elle’s sister Angie, however, was crushing on a new one every other week.
Oddly enough, she didn’t seem to ever actually la
nd one, pretty as she was. I had a theory on that, something to do with her being afraid of actually landing one. It had to be something like that. Because getting a promiscuous rock star to sleep with you, if you were as pretty as Angeline was, wasn’t the hardest task in the world.
Just in case, though…
“Please tell me you warned her about that one.”
“Oh, I warned her,” Elle said. “I also gave her the largest box of condoms Joanie could find for me at Costco. Just in case.”
“Fingers fucking crossed,” I muttered. “And good on Joanie. I need an assistant who’ll buy me condoms.”
Not that I had much use for condoms right now…
Kinda skipped right over that phase in my current relationship. Wasn’t even sure why or how that went down.
I just trusted Ronan like that.
“You really do,” Elle said. “I highly recommend.” Then she muttered, “I can’t watch this,” and turned away.
“You could send Flynn over. To, you know, have a talk with Johnny.”
“You kidding me? I do that, and he becomes even more desirable.”
Probably true.
Still, I watched Angie talking to Johnny. He was gorgeous, and he clearly knew it. And Angie was a hopeless romantic. She was just waiting for her knight in ripped jeans to swoop down on his motorcycle and carry her away to her happily ever after.
I used to be that idealistic, too.
“Well, we were all twenty-five once, right?” I said.
Elle sighed. “We sure were.”
We weren’t exactly old ladies here. I’d just turned thirty this year myself. But we’d both been through some serious breakups since we were Angeline’s age. That shit definitely made you feel older, wiser… and made you way more careful about who you opened your heart to.
I was pretty sure Angie didn’t yet know the difference between a man you took to bed a few times and a man you seriously considered marrying. The first were a dime a dozen, if you wanted them.
The second… fucking rare, in my estimation.
I glanced at Ronan, who was still standing by, leaning on his half-wall, pretending not to be watching what I was watching. He met my eyes and gave me a questioning look.
I gave him a sex look right back, doing my best to project I’m gonna fuck the hell out of you tonight with the full force of my eyes.
He just stared at me, like, I’m gonna fuck you right back.
“Do you think he’d make her come?” I mused.
“What?” Elle said.
“Johnny,” I said, turning to her again. “I feel like he might come on her face and then be like, ‘Thanks, babe, now pass me another beer.’ Do you think so?”
“Christ. I hope not.”
“You know the type,” I told her. “We’ve all slept with them at least once. Unfortunately.”
“Can we not talk about men coming on my little sister’s face?”
I grinned at her.
And just then, the pretty brunette whirlwind that was Angeline appeared, in her usual adorable fluster. She dove in-between us, tossing herself on Elle.
“Hey! Sorry I’m late!”
“It’s okay,” Elle said, hugging her sister. “I knew you would be.” I noticed she didn’t admit to being late herself.
Sisters. Sometimes I felt like I’d missed out not having one to torture. And, you know, bond with and stuff.
“Shut up,” Angie said, shrugging off her jacket and plunking down next to her best friend, Courteney. “Hey guys,” she said breezily, and smiled at me.
“Hey, sweetie,” I greeted her.
Elle headed over to talk to Ash, and I was just about to lean over and ask Angie about this Johnny O thing. Because I was nosy like that.
But then I glimpsed Flynn standing against the wall. He seemed to be making a sweep of the room with his eyes, and I waited for him to look over, so I could wave hello.
And he did look over, kind of. But he didn’t seem to see me.
Instead, he looked at Angeline.
She stood up. Her back was to him, and he was definitely looking at her.
She flung off the little pink sweater she’d been wearing. Underneath she wore a fitted turquoise dress, and she started half-dancing. She leaned in to Courtney again, bending over; Courteney pointed at her drink, then took an exaggerated sip. They seemed to be debating whether or not to go dance or hit the bar first.
Flynn was still looking at Angie.
Then he looked away.
Okay. Had I just imagined that?
Nope. Because he did it again. He looked over at her.
I watched as he stared at her, not even seeming to notice anyone else at our table.
There’s someone else…
Holy. Shit.
I stared at him.
It was a bar. It was dark. But he was sober and on duty. And he was definitely staring at Elle’s sister.
I watched as he watched her… Every fucking move. He stood rigidly against the wall, his body unmoving… but he kept following her movements. He was blatantly doing that stupid thing guys did when they were pretending not to check a girl out, but they totally were. Turning his head to look past her, pausing in her direction each time…
Back and forth his gaze swept the room, and every time, it caught on Angie.
Every. Fucking. Time.
How had I not noticed this before? He was watching her, checking her out.
I’d never caught him doing that with anyone.
I was pretty sure Flynn found me attractive. But he’d definitely never looked at me like that.
And Angie, from what I could tell, was totally oblivious. Her back was still to him, and she didn’t look at him once.
Well. Wasn’t that just interesting as all hell.
I watched, for a lot longer than I really needed to, just to make sure.
Yup. I was sure.
He was fucking infatuated with her.
It was like the greatest reality show I’d ever watched, unfolding right before my eyes… Or maybe a riveting nature documentary about a bizarre, exotic courtship ritual. I had to know what was gonna happen next.
I was only torn away when Brody arrived and we all stood to greet him. Hands were shaken, hugs were exchanged, and I finally lost sight of Flynn… and Angie, as she and Courteney vanished into the crowd.
When I got a chance to speak to Brody, one-on-one, the first thing he asked me was how I was doing—and threw a sidelong glance at Ronan, who was still hovering nearby.
And I wondered, was Ronan as subtle about checking me out as Flynn was when he looked at Angie?
Dear God, I hoped my man had more game than that, if he really wanted to keep this a secret.
“I’m doing fabulous. Ronan’s doing a fabulous job,” I said, seeing as how he was, and Brody should hear it… and the last few times we’d talked about it, I’d complained, passionately, about Ronan’s “over-vigilance.”
“Glad to hear it,” Brody said, cautiously, maybe wondering when and why my tune had changed so dramatically. “I know you thought we were all overreacting. But Ronan’s the best, and that’s why I wanted him working with us. Working with you. In my line of business, you protect your assets.”
“I get that. And I thank you,” I admitted. “As would my dad, if he were here.”
Brody chuckled. “You know, if you’re a hammer,” he said, glancing at Ronan again, “what’s that they say? You treat everything like a nail.”
“Yeah, he’s a hammer, alright,” I muttered.
“It’s his job to assess risk, to look for danger,” Brody said. “He may come on strong at first, but that’s because he is. And you need people like that in your corner. This thing is only gonna get crazier for you. For all of you…” He glanced around at my band. “You can talk to Elle, I’m sure she’ll tell you all about it.”
“Yeah. She does. And I’m getting it. Gradually.”
I was getting it.
I was also getting na
iled, quite fabulously, by the hammer in question, so I wasn’t exactly gonna complain about Ronan’s style anymore.
When Brody moved on to talk to Xander, I caught Ronan’s eye. I drifted over and asked him, “Say hi to Brody yet?”
“I did.”
“And did you by any chance mention to him that you’re hammering me?”
He leaned in. “What? No. Why?”
“No reason. Just something he said. You never know with Brody…” I glanced over at my manager, but he was busy talking to Xander and not looking this way. “Do you ever plan to admit that I’m your woman, in public? To anyone?”
“Are you my woman?” he asked me, and he seemed damn serious.
I considered that. “Yes. You can try to put the brakes on, but that won’t rewind this.”
“I’m not trying to rewind. I’m trying to protect you.”
I got that. But it still bothered me.
I wanted a man to be a man. A man who was proud to be with me and didn’t give a fuck what anyone else thought.
“I’m not in any danger here,” I told him, gesturing around at all the people here who cared about me. And all the security, the bouncers.
“My job is to make sure of that,” he said simply.
“I am not gonna let that loser control my life.”
“And you shouldn’t.” Ronan held my gaze, looking deep into my eyes. And I wondered what this conversation would look like to anyone who might be watching. “Let me worry about it so you don’t have to.”
Worry.
That word snagged at me.
“Why are you worried? About Blair?” I took a step closer to him, studying his eyes. “What aren’t you telling me?” I glanced around. “Have you seen him around? Trying to get to me?”
“No.”
“Then what’s the problem? We have the restraining order.”
“We do.”
“So why are you worried?” I pressed.
“I’m not.”
“Don’t. Don’t do that. Do not lie to me, Ronan.” I held his gaze. And whatever he saw in my eyes…
He knew I meant it.
“Because…” He sighed. “I don’t like not knowing where he is.”
“What do you mean?” I demanded.
“I had a guy on him, Summer. A tail. Keeping an eye on him for me.”
Sweet Temptation: A Players Rockstar Romance (Players, Book 3) Page 33