“Never have I ever been handcuffed and left locked to the bed frame overnight while my date took off with my clothes and money.” His voice was flat and monotone, but I could hear the amusement behind his words.
“You guys!” Kell griped. “Seriously, you’re not playing fair.”
“You’re the one who wanted to play the game,” Morris echoed my earlier words.
Kell huffed but took a drink. “Your turn again, Ailey.”
I tried to come up with something that I’d never done that I knew at least one of the guys had. I got a brilliant idea.
“Never have I ever played this game before.”
“Cheating!” Ren pointed a finger at me, accusing. Morris and Jayce chuckled while Kell squawked.
“Drink up,” was the only thing I said, raising an eyebrow. They did, grumbling and moaning.
“Never have I ever…” Ren trailed off, an expression of intense concentration on his face. “…been accused of being addicted to my smartphone.”
“Ugh, fine.” I took a sip. Surprisingly, Morris did as well. I wondered if he was a reformed addict. I’d rarely seen him on his phone.
Kell looked gleefully at me when it was his turn, and I began to sweat. “Never have I ever swooned at Jayce’s patented sex-god look.”
I coughed, sputtering, trying not to choke on my own saliva. Ren gave me a few light slaps on the back.
“I’m waiting,” Kell said in a sing-song voice. I glared at him and took a sip, avoiding eye contact with Jayce at all costs. It was his turn next. I had hoped for a moment to recover and regain my mental balance when he came out with the worst one of all.
“Never have I ever made out in an empty stairwell.”
I gaped while Jayce took a swig of his own drink. He lowered his beer bottle and looked at me expectantly, his fiery gaze trained on me and me alone. My vision tunneled, going blurry at the edges. I was focused only on Jayce, and those eyes burning into me, those full lips curved in a cocky smirk. I felt my body going through the motions without any input from my brain, bringing my glass to my lips and taking a sip. The cool liquid went down smoothly, but I couldn’t taste a thing. All I could feel was the touch of his hands on my skin, a ghost of a memory. Those rough fingers gripping my legs, inching their way up my inner thighs, leaving a trail of heat.
Jayce’s eyes flicked away, and I was free, floating back down from the clouds and back into my body only to feel my heart racing, my cheeks hot and flushed, the beginnings of desire making itself known between my legs. I looked down into my drink, embarrassed, not wanting to see the look on the other band members’ faces.
“Never have I ever lost a drinking contest against our rivals Morning Coffee.
Morris broke the silence, and all four of them drank.
I gave a silent thanks to Morris for ending the round of ‘gang up on Ailey.’ Now I knew how Kell felt.
“And with that, I think the game’s over,” Ren said. “Kell’s had more than enough for one night. Let’s hit the road.”
Kell was surprisingly compliant and let the guys drag him out of the club. I followed behind, trying to stay as far away from Jayce as possible. If things were so over between us, why did he tease me like that? Did he like watching me squirm?
I hoped the other guys hadn’t figured it out, but they weren’t stupid. I’m sure at least one of them knew something was up between me and Jayce.
I also couldn’t help but think about Kell’s turn. The threesome thing.
Jayce had been with two other people at the same time.
I wondered what that felt like. The thought of multiple hands on my body, of two strong, muscled chests pressed against both my front and back, of being filled by two men at the same time. That sweet ache between my legs intensified. My imagination filled in the gaps. One set of hands was rough, dark and callused, sliding over my skin, leaving a trail of heat. Jayce. The other set of hands was softer, smoother. They were deft, long and thin, able to play with me expertly until I was moaning and begging. Neil.
I flushed, warmth flooding my body at the thought.
“You coming, internet girl?” Kell yelled from the back of the taxi.
I hurried over and tried to push the thought out of my mind. It was ludicrous. Something as wild and sexy as that could never happen to me. Besides, Jayce and I were done, and I hadn’t even been on a date with Neil yet.
On the way back, though, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to have those two men at the same time.
CHAPTER 10
I DIDN’T WAKE up with a headache the next morning. I’d drank a couple glasses of water before lying down on my hotel room bed and completely passing out.
That was a good thing, because Neil had messaged me and asked if I was free that night after the concert. I would have hated to go on a first date still hungover from the night before.
Figuring out what to wear was impossible. I tried on every combination of skirts and shirts I’d packed, but nothing stood out as particularly sexy or date-worthy. I hadn’t packed many clothes that weren’t business or business casual. I could have worn the red dress, but that just reminded me of going out drinking with Jayce and finding out Jayce had been in a threesome. That was not what I wanted to be thinking about on a date with Neil.
I cringed inwardly, an awkward feeling rising in my stomach. I’d been talking to Neil for months, had become close friends with him, and was going on a date with him tonight, but I couldn’t stop going over what happened between me and Jayce in the stairwell.
My fangirl crush on Jayce was turning into something more. Something real. What made it worse—or better, depending on the point of view—was that he was attracted to me, too.
Except we couldn’t do anything about it.
Jayce had hordes of fans to seduce. If anyone ever found out about us, it would mean trouble. I didn’t want to deal with the gossip and death threats that would follow me around. Jayce would have jealous fangirls abandon him in droves. The band would suffer.
I had to stop thinking about it. I needed to move on and concentrate on my work.
Besides, what happened with Jayce would never happen again. It was a one-time thing. We’d both agreed.
I eventually decided to just wear my usual black pencil skirt and white silk blouse. Sure, Neil had already seen me in these clothes, but at least it made me look smartly dressed. My only other alternative was my one pair of jeans, and that was way too casual for a first date.
I was able to fancy myself up a bit by twisting my long dark hair into a complicated side bun that looked effortless and elegant at the same time. I put on a bit more makeup than I usually did for work, but not so much that I looked like a different person. Just enough to accentuate my best features, my brown eyes and high cheekbones.
As I rode the elevator down, I tried to combine the Neil I knew online with the driven assistant producer I’d gotten to know in real life. I never thought Neil was that kind of Type-A personality. Maybe getting to know someone online wasn’t like getting to know them in real life. A person could always be hiding a different side of themselves. After all, online, I liked to think AudioAiley was sharp and funny, but that’s only because I put time and effort into the content I sent out. In person, I wasn’t nearly as quick-witted. Would Neil find me boring compared to the woman he’d expect me to be?
I had to shake off those thoughts and just go on the date with an open mind. No point worrying about it. I would get to know Neil and we’d either get along or we wouldn’t. Either way, I was sure we were adult enough to handle whatever might happen after that.
Neil was already waiting when I got there. He beckoned me over to a table. I wondered if he’d been waiting long.
He was wearing the same kind of tan slacks and light-colored dress shirts he usually wore, a light blue this time. His hair looked like it’d once been tamed with a comb but was now sticking out in all directions again. It was cute in a just-rolled-out-of-bed kind of way.
/> “Hey, Neil.” I flashed him a smile as I sat down.
“You know, I think you’re the only one who calls me that. It’s an online nickname. I usually go by Connor.”
“Do you want me to call you Connor?”
“No. I like it when you call me Neil.” His eyes sparkled with good humor. “What’ll you have?”
“Whiskey sour, thanks.”
I tugged on the hemline of my skirt as he went to get us drinks. I should have remembered this skirt tended to ride up when I sat down. I swung my legs under the table to cover my bare thighs. If things went well, Neil could feast his eyes as much as he wanted, but not this early on in a date.
He came back with the drinks and set them on the table.
“I want to apologize again.”
“For what?”
He played with the drink, rotating the glass in his hands.
“That first day when I met you. I was an ass. I know I already apologized, but I wanted to do it again. If I had known it was you—” He shook his head. “No, that’s no excuse. I shouldn’t treat anyone like that.” He leaned forward, his piercing blue eyes clear and sincere. “I can be brusque and demanding at times. It’s something I know I need to work on.”
“I don’t mind the demanding type.” The words slipped out before I could take them back, but the slow grin that creeped across Neil’s face made me glad I’d said them.
“I always need to have my hands in every pie. I can’t just let people do their jobs. I’m always telling the camera guys where to shoot, when I know that’s the director’s job. We have a person responsible for scheduling scenes, but I’m always rearranging the dates and times. I just want everything to go perfectly. If I pull this off, I won’t be an assistant producer anymore. I’ll be able to work as a full producer.”
“I understand. I also want to get ahead in the industry. I’d do almost anything to make it.”
Of course, that thought reminded me of Jayce and what people might think if they found out about our little tryst, but I pushed it to the back of my mind.
“Speaking of, I started putting together that content you wanted.”
“The cartoon drawing thing, right? That was great.”
“There’s tons more where that came from. The internet is a weird and mysterious place.”
“You don’t have to tell me.”
We shared a grin. This was more like chatting with an old friend than being on a first date. I didn’t feel like I needed to put on a show and impress him. I could just be myself.
There was a lull in the conversation and Neil took the opportunity to lean forward and push a strand of hair that had fallen out of my twist behind my ear. My heart beat a quick thrill. His eyes were crinkled at the corners, a sly smile playing on his lips. He was clearly attracted to me. With his blue eyes, messy hair and gorgeous face, I was just as attracted to him.
“Can I ask you something?” He leaned back in his chair, letting my hair go.
“Of course.”
“I know I asked you this online, but I was only joking back then.”
I titled my head, confused. “Okay. What is it?”
“Is there something I should know about you and Jayce?”
CHAPTER 11
I WENT STILL as I tried not to freak out at Neil’s question. How did he know about me and Jayce? Or was he just guessing? Did everyone know? My eyes grew wide and I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I didn’t know what to say. There had been something between us, but there wasn’t anymore. But there could be? Maybe.
Oh god.
The corners of Neil’s lips turned down slightly. He ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up even more.
“I thought so.”
I wanted to explain everything, but I also didn’t want him to think I was making excuses. I looked down at the table.
“How did you know?” I asked quietly. “Did someone say something? Does everyone know?”
“No, no one said a word. I had no idea until today.”
“Why? What happened?”
“Jayce is acting strange around me. At first I thought he was angry, but he also has this look of resignation about him. Then he said something that made me think.”
“What did he tell you?”
“He said if I hurt you he’d cut off my balls.”
I couldn’t help the bark of laughter that escaped. “He didn’t!” I put my head in my hands, embarrassed, but also amused.
“Those were his exact words.”
“Neil, it’s not… I mean, we did have a little something, but that’s over with now.”
Neil looked skeptical.
“We have an attraction to each other, but we both agreed it wouldn’t do either of us any good to get involved. He’s a famous rock star with fans to string along and play the fantasy husband for. I’m just a newbie in the industry. We don’t need crazy fangirls attacking us.
He nodded. “Then I don’t have anything to worry about?”
“No. Not at all. Whatever we had, it’s over.”
“I like you, Ailey. I’d like to get to know you more. But I don’t want to get stuck between you and another man.
“Our decision to break it off was mutual. We both agreed it was for the best.”
“I just want to make sure we’re both going into this on the same page.” He quirked his lips into a smile.
“I think we are.” I gave him a shy smile. “I’ve wanted to meet you for months, after all.”
“I’m the same. Even though I had no idea what you looked like, I loved talking with you and getting to know you. I had a feeling there would be chemistry if we got together in person.”
I bit my lip nervously, wondering if I should ask. I mustered my courage.
“And is there?”
He leaned forward and stroked his fingers down my bare arm, brushing over my palm to the fingertips, causing a shiver to run down my spine.
“Like you wouldn’t believe.”
MY DATE WITH Neil had gone wonderfully. We talked for hours, laughing and joking. It really was like we were long lost friends. He walked me back to my hotel room long after midnight. I thought about inviting him in but wondered if it was too soon. He just kissed me goodnight before I could make a decision.
We didn’t manage to get much private time, but ran into each as other often as would be expected when working together. We kept it professional, only giving each other a few longing stares and brushing our hands together a few times when we thought no one was looking.
Our messaging, though, was another story.
I can’t wait to feel the heat of your tongue on my cock.
I’m imagining you lying in bed wearing nothing but high heels and panties.
The next time we’re alone, I’m going to spread your legs and fuck you wide open.
I had an almost perpetual blush and had to tilt my screen to hide it from prying eyes whenever I received a new notification, never knowing whether or not it was from Neil.
The only negative was the awkwardness of being around Jayce. I’d cornered him to get some answers for a question and answer thread on a popular online forum. His answers were curt, and I found myself having to soften them up before I posted a response.
It was frustrating. I knew he was acting this way because he had seen Neil kiss me, but both of us had decided to break it off. Being together would never work. Besides, it wasn’t like we had a real relationship. We’d kissed one time in a stairwell! That didn’t mean we were boyfriend and girlfriend, and it certainly didn’t mean I couldn’t date other people.
Despite knowing all that, I could understand how he felt. We had made a connection. We were attracted to each other. It must have been hard to see me with another man. Although I didn’t feel sorry for kissing Neil, I did still feel the need to apologize. I waited until the Q&A was done.
“Is that it?” Jayce asked.
“That was the last question.”
He got up from the tour bus
sofa and started toward the exit, but I stopped him with a hand on his arm.
“Can I talk to you for a second?”
“What?” He didn’t even turn around.
“It’s about me and Neil. The assistant producer.”
Jayce flopped back down on the sofa, as far away from me as he could get, eyebrows drawn down.
“Why do you call him that, anyway? I thought he preferred Connor.”
“I know him as Neil. We’ve been messaging each other online for months. Neither of us had any idea who the other was. It wasn’t until I posted something I’d told him about in real life from my personal account that he figured it out. That time when you saw him kiss me, that was the first time we’d properly met in person. I had no idea he was going to do that. It took me by surprise, too.”
The tension in his body slowly melted away, but the frown stayed. “You were dating him online?”
“No! No, not at all. We were just friends.”
“That didn’t look like a friendly kiss.”
“We had agreed to meet up for drinks at the end of summer. I guess he was more into me than I thought.” And I was more into him, but I didn’t say that out loud. “I know we both agreed there could be nothing between us, but I got the feeling you might be upset about the whole situation. I wanted to apologize.”
“There’s no need.” Jayce flicked his eyes away from mine and looked out the window. “It’s not like we’re together or anything.”
“I want you to know that I wasn’t with Neil when we kissed. Or anyone else for that matter.”
“It’s fine, Ailey.”
I hesitated before pressing on. “I just want to know that things are okay between us.”
“We’re cool. Are we done here?”
“Yeah.”
He stood back up and stalked down the aisle until he reached the front, pounding down the stairs with a heavy gait.
Things weren’t fine between us at all.
CHAPTER 12
Bad & Bold - A 7 Book Bad Boy Romance Collection! Page 34