What Mick was asking was, did I fuck you and can’t remember? Beginning to smirk, I caught myself and the smirk dropped, because when I thought about it, maybe I had too. She was familiar, but we’d had so many girls back then, and the only one I was sure I hadn’t had a thing with, was right there in the room with me.
Reaching out, my hand slipped around her shoulder and I pulled Chloe into a tight hug. I felt her tense and tremble slightly when I did. I almost let her go, but she suddenly seemed to relax into the embrace after a second.
From the moment she gave into the hug, her body became all soft curves and my head was filled with this amazing womanly scent. Nothing could have stopped me at that point, and I leaned into her, inhaling her skin deeply.
Holding her like that gave me an incredible feeling of warmth. There had been times when I lost sleep over wondering what she would have felt like in my arms. Feeling myself become aroused, I had no choice but to break out of the hug.
Stepping back, I gave her a soft smile and dipped my knees slightly to capture her gaze in mine and took her hand to soothe her. The way her hand molded into mine felt like a fit. I can’t explain it, but I just felt so comfortable holding it, and the touch of her made my dick twitch.
“Hi, honey, congratulations on winning the competition. This is as nerve-racking for me as it is for you I’ve never done this before either.”
Chloe’s face instantly brightened and her eyes lit up in appreciation at my gesture. Staring in amazement at the transformation in her, I squeezed her hand and mirrored her wider smile, “Let’s just try and have a good time together, no pressure okay?”
Smiling nervously, she bit her lip and tried to hold my gaze and for the briefest moment, I was transported back five years to Matt’s office and those same eyes inches from mine. Losing confidence, her eyes lowered in the direction of the floor again, and pink tinge, touched her cheeks.
Reacting without thinking, I placed my forefinger under her chin and raised her head to get eye contact again. “Don’t look at the floor. You have the most incredible eyes, I’d like to see them if that’s okay.”
Not sure what to do with that compliment, she hesitated and worked a swallow before turning her head away from me. She trained her sights on her friends, maybe for reassurance, but they were being kept busy by the guys.
Tori stared over at us and I instantly knew by the look on her face what she was about. Reading her from the first day, I knew she was desperate to get with me and would do anything to fuck up the tenuous connection I was building with Chloe.
Simon was talking to the other dude that was with them and I inclined my head just a fraction in Chloe’s direction and directed my eyes pointedly at her. Without a word between us, he knew what to do. Excusing himself from the guy, he wandered over and began chatting with Chloe. Smiling, I excused myself and briefly left the room to chat to Charlotte.
“Romantic and casual I read, so I’ve asked the jet to be prepared for you and you’re taking her to the Casanova restaurant in Carmel-By-The-Sea. I figured the twenty minute flight each way would be a great way of ensuring there were no interruptions or prying eyes, and the restaurant is so romantic that no one would ever think someone like you would be there. So it should make for a pretty private party.”
Staring back at Charlotte, I should have been pleased with the effort she had gone to, but the comment about the restaurant and me not fitting in, smarted with me. Who the fuck did she think she was, talking to me like that. Employees seem to overstep just when they do something great. What the fuck was it with that?
“You don’t think I can be romantic? You don’t think I have it in me to pursue a girl and make her feel like she’s the only person alive? That my heart can beat only for her? You know fuck all about me, Charlotte. No one does. Hell, I hardly know myself. Why? Because I’ve never really been given the chance at a relationship.”
My voice sounded harsh and aggressive. I gave her a solid, don’t fuck- with- me stare for a moment longer than I’d intended; and on reflection it was probably intimidating, before I exhaled heavily.
“No one has ever come close to knowing me. All they’ve wanted is to fuck a guy in a band. What does that tell you? Is it me, or is this the first time I’ve found someone I want to give a fuck about? Just do your fucking job, arrange stuff for me, but don’t fucking judge, you hear me?”
Charlotte grasped her right upper arm with her left hand, and looked nervous. Surprised and shocked because she’s used to dealing with cranky and pissed Gibson, but not the genuine anger I’d directed at her. Her defensive pose told me my words had hit home. What did she think I was going to do? Punch her?
Stepping back, I turned on the ball of my foot to walk away, and turned my head over my shoulder to look back at her. “Everyone knows me, as Gibson the man-whore, not one person in my life has ever got me, so why the fuck shouldn’t I have done what I wanted to?”
Turning, I headed back to Chloe and Simon. When she came into view, the way she was leaning against the wall talking to Simon was a turn on in itself. Standing with her legs crossed at the ankles, elbow perched on the wall, and her head resting in her hand. She seemed so much more relaxed than when she was looking at me.
When Chloe saw me wandering back, she pushed off of the wall and straightened up in a formal stance. It was me she was uneasy with. I felt sure she had no idea it was me on the phone by then but her conversation on the phone about what kind of person I was still rang in my ears, and I wondered if or when she was going to mention her past connection to me. There was a nervous aura about her that I was struggling with. It was a vibe I never got with the girl I was around all those years ago.
Simon made eye contact with me and said, “Okay Gibson, I’m gonna get a beer with the rest of the guys. I’ll see you later. Lovely getting to know you a little, Chloe, I’m looking forward to spending the day in your company tomorrow.” Patting her arm, Simon nodded at me and headed back to the others to give us a bit of privacy to continue our conversation.
“Alright, are you ready to get this party started honey?” Smiling at her, I expected her to smile back, but again I was met with a strange, almost angry look. Chloe crossed her arms and gave me a solid stare.
“Thank you for your hospitality for me and my friends, but I didn’t enter a competition hoping to meet you. That was purely by default after buying a new phone with automatic competition entry.”
Grinning at her, but trying to hide the fact that I had manipulated this whole situation, I replied, “Well, I guess you’re not really a fan then, but we’ll just have a good time anyway. What do you say?”
Chloe pursed her lips and I could see she was uneasy and then she sighed heavily and met my gaze. “Gibson, I know you don’t remember me, but we’ve kind of met before. I just want to say a couple of things to you.”
Taking a towel off the chair by a small table. She sat down, crossed her legs and clasped her hands in front of her. “Firstly, I am indeed a fan of M3rCy. I have every album you have all made, but to be honest, I know what you are doing, trying to lure me away from the others. You may be used to women dropping their panties for you whenever you wanted them to. Please understand I am not a star struck teenager and that won’t be happening with me.”
Raising my eyebrow, I felt pissed that the legacy of my horny ways was following me at that moment. “Hmm, this is the second time today someone has decided what my intentions are and got it wrong. I really want you to enjoy yourself Chloe, so I’ll clear the air. I, Gibson Barclay, am not going to fuck you, so you can relax. All I want to do is take you to dinner is– that a problem for you?”
CHAPTER 20 – EXCITED
Chloe
I suppressed the nerves in my stomach, where a knot had formed and felt nauseous. Blood rushed and swirled l in my ears while my heartbeat became so wild that I thought my heart was going to detach itself, and rise up out of my chest and into my throat.
Sixteen was the last time I had f
elt that nervous energy; the day I walked into my new high school when we had to move across country. Being at the gig was way different though. I was at a concert, watching a guy I had seen when he was nothing. No… if I was being honest, I never thought Gibson could ever have been described as nothing to anyone. He had too much of an aura about him. The guy had everything. Problem was, he’d also had everyone… almost.
Sharp pangs of excitement gave me that wired feeling, with small shocks jolting different parts of my body, with each moment that passed from the moment we’d landed LAX. The anticipation of what was going to happen, making me feel like a teenager waiting for her date to go to the prom all over again.
Knowing there was no way he’d remember me gave me a smug feeling like I had the upper hand. It was the one advantage I had over someone with his status. Hard to believe that it was actually happening, and that five years after I last saw him I was going to face him again. I kept checking the letter containing all the details of what was going to happen that weekend. And, I kept having second thoughts about the whole deal.
Not that I expected that much from the band itself, but there was the fact we had a whole day with them, and there was the added stress of not really knowing Gavin and Eddie that well. My one worry about Gibson was Ruby, and I had made my mind up to disclose my reservations about her constant need to match make around me.
Waiting for the concert to start, I considered that there was so much that everyone didn’t know about me and my whole situation. Ruby hadn’t known about the incident with the towels, Gavin and Steve hadn’t known about my fantasy about Gibson, and Eddie hadn’t known the whole story about Kace and my abusive past. Obviously, the guys in M3rCy had no idea about anything other than that I had won a competition.
When we took our seats later at the concert my breathing was shallow and I fought the anxiety I was feeling about when his performance was over. There was something about the psyched anticipation of waiting with a massive crowd that created a special atmosphere. Echoing catcalls and bellows of distant laughter sounded alongside the strange feeling of expectation, all adding to the occasion.
We were seated right at the side of the stage on the first row. Close up and personal with Gibson and his band again and I felt a little freaked out to be so close to someone who had the kind of effect on me he had. And who had intimidated me the last time I saw him singing.
Suddenly the lights fell in the venue, plunging us into semi-darkness a sudden hush descended on the vast space. Twenty thousand people all in one place and it may just have been possible to hear a pin drop for a second. The Emcee’s official sounding voice broke through the hush with a commanding tone which echoed through the building.
“Fresh from their world tour, The Staples Center proudly presents for your entertainment, M3rCy!” Bass guitar and drums began to play and the loud rumble of their instantly recognizable beat vibrated across the floor and rose up through my body. Goose bumps rippled like a wave across my skin.
A crush formed in front of the stage as people jostled to get nearer to the band. Sitting back in my seat, I scanned the actions on the stage. Gibson was much less overt in his behavior, and even less provocative in his manner. Way different from the guy I remembered at Beltz Bar.
Maturity had made Gibson even more stunning to look at. Mesmerizing actually. Same beautiful even features, plump, really kissable lips, strong jawline, and the one thing that always struck me…his amazingly flawless, satiny, golden tanned skin.
Incredibly fit, toned and strong, his energy seemed boundless. Gibson oozed charm and charisma and there was a defiance about him that made his bad-boy image a magnet for people. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t watch the rest of the band. They were just grey in comparison to him.
Gibson was bounding around in his full Technicolor glory, while his band made noise behind him. That’s how it looked to me anyway. Trying to focus on Mick Stanley, I briefly took in a clever riff that he did, before my eyes were again trained on Gibson. What was it about him that made the guy so irresistible?
His reputation alone should have made me hate him. He was everything that I usually despised in men. Arrogant, completely comfortable in his own skin, but with an attitude that said he took no prisoners, and from what I knew about him, he danced to his own tune and everyone else did as well.
Watching him do his thing had a pretty powerful effect on me. It was easy to see how everyone fell madly in love with him. Enticing his way into women’s hearts all over the world was like shelling peas to a guy like him. I’d never known anyone with the power he appeared to have over men and women alike. Suddenly, I realized my panties were drenched just watching him do his job.
Glancing around at the audience it was fifty/fifty, male and female, although I didn’t see any guys throwing their boxer briefs at the stage the way I was seeing the thongs land on there. Feelings rose up in me that were akin to suffocating, as I fought the desire and want inside me, and I allowed myself to wonder what it would be like to have that one perfect night of sex with a guy like Gibson. No…not a guy like him…with him.
Realizing I had drifted off and was playing with my hair, when Gavin leaned in, “Want to help me get some more drinks?” Watching Gibson had made me thirsty and the last thing I wanted was to drag my eyes away, but I agreed because the air in the room was so thick with the hormones flying around the arena. He had everyone turned on at some level from the whole experience.
When the concert finished, a security guy with a mic taped to his head with invisible tape and a blue- tooth earphone on came and ushered us through a small, heavy metal door at the side of the stage.
Striding purposefully in front of us, the security guy took us down a maze of corridors and into the bowels of the stadium somewhere under the stage, leading us to the place where we were meeting the band. I was surprised at the opulence and tasteful decoration of the room.
Soft lilac colored walls with one deep purple feature wall, housing a massive screen that was still tuned in to the stage, was an unexpected sight. The large room was comfortable and obviously stacked for the pleasure of the particular band that was playing. The one thing that was definitely out of place was the fresh flower arrangement.
Five massive black leather sofas dominated the room. Smoked glass end tables held full of bowls of nibbles and ice buckets with champagne and different branded beers on a few of the others.
I wrinkled my nose knowingly when I remembered my dad’s lecture on the perils of eating from table snacks. “Never eat anything in a nibbles bowl they are full of other people’s germs, think of where their hands could have been.” He ruined me for peanut bowls the world over with that single comment.
“Make yourselves comfortable, M3rCy will be with you shortly. Did you all have fun at the concert? Looking expectantly at us, I wasn’t sure why he would even ask that question. We weren’t going to be at a world famous band’s gig and not enjoy it, were we?
Glancing over at Ruby, I nearly peed in my panties when she mouthed, OH. MY. GOD. Gibson Barclay, Chloe.” Her jaw in silent shock at me, making my stomach lurch. Nerves gripped me and suddenly I was feeling nauseous and antsy. Gibson Barclay had given me a few of the most heart stopping moments of my life and he wasn’t even aware I existed.
Panic started to take over as the irrational side of me began to toy with my thoughts. Would he shake my hand? Try to kiss my cheek? Tease me with his taunts like I had seen him doing to other girls in the past?
Ten more questions ran through my mind in that few minutes, as I sat wringing my sweaty hands in my lap and playing with the emerald ring on my middle finger, which my parents had given me on my eighteenth birthday.
Those feelings turned from nerves to panic to dread. I had about forty eight hours in this guy’s company to go yet. Butterflies in my stomach turned into crippling wasps that were crawling up and stinging my vocal chords, rendering me speechless, so I sat quietly anticipating the reaction of the guys who were for
ced to spend time with prize winners.
It was almost ten in the evening and I was suddenly starving. I hadn’t eaten since the plane because we were promised dinner, and the combination of hunger and nerves were making my insides sound like an old boiler gurgling. Either that or my anxieties had turned me into a ‘fridge monster’ wanting to eat to fill the void of anxious, empty feelings I was having.
When I heard footsteps, my instinct was to examine my hands. I figuring if I did that, then I wouldn’t have to look at the man who had consumed my thoughts for the past week, since I heard I would be facing him again.
Foolish to say, but I swear the air in the room became thick and I could hardly breathe. By a weird sixth sense, I knew he was there with me long before anyone spoke. Weirdly enough, the band’s PA Charlotte… something or other, began to introduce us, and when I looked up it was straight into those amazing grey eyes of his.
If I hadn’t known any better, I’d have said there was a look like he was either shocked or recognized me. I figured that it was shock and that he’d forgotten to do something. Either that or he was thinking how the hell had I got landed with this lot for a weekend?
Introductions were done by Charlotte, and then the other band members started to converse with us. Gibson stood quietly weighing us up, and his focus on me made me feel really uncomfortable. Offering myself some reassurance, I kept telling myself he was just interested in me because I was the winner.
Lennox M3rCy’s drummer, was a good guy. Sweet and gentle in his manner, he made me relax for the first time since I arrived at the center. Large frame, but not fat, he was a powerful build, with jet black hair and piercing blue eyes, and some amazing ink on his arms.
A few years older than Gibson, Lennox was a very handsome guy, with a warm smile and a gentle voice that was not at all fitting for the mad image of a drummer in a rock band. Aware that Gibson was completely still and staring straight at me, I became self- conscious, wondering if he was sizing me up as possible post- gig fuck for the night and thinking he was going to be disappointed if he thought that of me.
Romance: Gibson's Legacy ( New Adult Contemporary Erotic Romance) (Last Score Book 1) Page 16