“I feel like the biggest piece of shit in the world, Hudson.” His voice cracks. “It’s only been six months since I lost Lucy. She was my life. My fucking life. How could I touch another woman like that? How could I fuck someone else?”
I pause as a brief silence falls between us while I struggle to come up with the right words that he won’t take the wrong way. “Eventually …” I stop. “Sooner or later, you’re going to have to move on, brother.” Was that the best thing to say? I don’t want him to feel bad for touching Willow. He did nothing wrong.
“Not in six months!” he yells. “I was hers for fifteen years! You can’t throw that away in six months. Fuck! Everyone in this town is going to hate me.”
“No one is going to hate you for attempting to move on.” He snorts, the bottle going back to his lips. “Do you like Willow?”
He stares down at the floor. “Nu-uh, don’t you dare start that shit. I’m not dating anyone for a long ass time. Dating isn’t what I need. It sure as hell isn’t what Maven needs.”
“So you’re going to stay single and celibate for the rest of your life?”
He looks back up at me. “I haven’t decided that yet.” He gestures to the house. “I brought her in here. I took her to our bed. Jesus Christ.” He throws his arms out in frustration. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
“You’re going to be a strong man for your daughter, that’s what you’re going to do, you hear me? Don’t beat yourself over this. If it was a one-time thing, then so be it. If you like Willow and want to explore shit with her, go for it. It’s your choice, and no one is going to look down at you for whichever one you choose. There’s been plenty of women who’ve approached me about trying to get close to you, so they have no right to judge for something they’re trying to participate in.”
“Right now I don’t even want to talk about it. I feel like complete shit.”
I grab the bottle from him. “This isn’t going to help.”
He frowns. “You suck.”
“And you should call Willow.”
His skin bunches around his eyes. “And say what? Sorry I freaked out when I woke up and saw you in my bed this morning? There’s no way she doesn’t hate me right now.”
I point the bottle at him. “Make shit right. Stella will kick my ass if Willow quits.”
“You talk to him?” Stella asks.
“Yeah. He looks like shit. He feels like shit. He doesn’t know what to do,” I answer.
“You might want to explain to him that you don’t talk about how big of a mistake sleeping with someone is in front of them. I almost had Willow convinced to move here. There’s no changing her mind now. She said I could either hire someone else or let her work from LA.” She plops down on our bed. “Everything was going so well. We’re building a house. I just got my dream show and need my assistant here, not states away. Not to mention, I want to be there for her. She’s gone through too much this year with men.”
“We’ll deal with whatever happens, okay?” I sit down next to her and wrap her in my arms. “You can always visit Willow in LA until she feels comfortable coming here again. We got this.”
Chapter Forty-Three
Hudson
Two Months Later
Her shiny, ink-black hair lays in a tangle on her pillowcase, and I prop myself up with my elbow to watch her with sleepy eyes.
It’s what I do every morning. I wake up and admire the woman in my bed wondering how I managed to get so damn lucky to have her.
It’s not considered creepy doing that, is it? It’s okay if that someone you’re watching is who you’re in love with, right? I can see that being a stalker’s justification, so yes, I guess it is creepy, but I’m not sneaking into her house and watching her sleep. I’m watching the woman I’m proposing to next month.
I never imagined I’d be here.
I came back to the States devastated after losing the woman I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with. That heartache brought me to the woman who actually deserved my heart and that title. Cameron shitting on me made me realize that no matter what obstacles are thrown my way, or how many miles separate us, my heart will always belong to Stella Mendes. I hate the lame-ass cliché – but everything does happen for a reason.
When I took the job for Stella, I thought I was hitting my rock bottom, but I was really smacking face first into the foundation of who I was and what I wanted. I opened my mind, opened my heart, and moved outside of my small-town boy marrying the small-town girl plan.
Did I think that’d lead me to falling in love with a TV star?
Fuck no.
But hey, shit happens.
Construction has started on our new home on my parent’s property, and Stella decided to keep her house in LA. We travel back and forth when she has promotional events, or if we’re in need of a quick getaway. I’ve come to realize that you can make a home anywhere when you’re with the one you love.
They’ve begun filming on her new show, which causes her to sometimes be gone as long as fifteen hours a day. Since it’s not too far out of town, I get to bring her dinner and watch her work sometimes. It’s another favorite part of my day.
My lips curve up when her eyes shutter open and then narrow my way. She yawns. “I told you I hate it when you watch me sleep, creep.”
I smirk. “It makes my day to know that I can be put through anything during the day and no matter what, I still come home to something so damn beautiful at night. I let you have my side of the closet. Let me enjoy my few seconds of stalking without you making a fuss.”
She rolls her eyes. “That sounds even creepier.” She yawns again. “You all packed?” I nod, and she snuggles into me, whining. “I’m going to miss you.”
I kiss the top of her head and drag myself out of bed. “I’m going to miss you more.”
“I just don’t want them to start again,” she whispers, concern etched on her face.
“I haven’t had them in months, Princess. If they do, I’ll call you.” I’ve only had a few flashbacks and nightmares since we’ve been back together, and those are when she’s working late or out of town. Stella is the light to my darkness.
She pouts her lip. “You promise?”
“Promise. I think this retreat will not only help the others, but it’ll benefit me as well.”
“I’m so proud of you for making all of this happen. You’re such a sexy badass.”
I got together with some of the guys in my old battalion, and we started a group that helps soldiers dealing with PTSD. Our first retreat is this weekend in North Carolina, close to where most of us trained. I’ve been busting my ass this past month to ensure everything will be perfect.
Stella licks her lips when I grab my clothes. “Is it weird how much seeing you naked turns me on?” she asks.
“Just as weird as it is me watching you sleep,” I answer.
“Good thing we found each other.” She wiggles around in the sheets and pats the space next to her. “Surely the two of us creeps have a few minutes to say goodbye to each other properly?”
“You know damn well it’ll last more than a few minutes, and as much as I’d love to get some morning sex, I can’t. Dallas will be here in about ten minutes.” My dick twitches as I pull on my boxer briefs and grab my jeans. “You had me up all night, woman. Your stamina is unbelievable.”
She laughs. “I had to get three days worth of sex in.” Her head tilts to the side when something hits her. “And why is Dallas on his way here? I thought we were picking him up and I was dropping you guys off because he didn’t want to leave his truck at the airport?” Even though Dallas isn’t a Marine, he helped me plan this, so I wanted him to be there.
“Change of plans,” I say, not looking at her.
“And that change is?” she asks suspiciously.
“Dallas had to pull out because Maven is sick.”
“What?” she screeches. “Willow is coming into town this weekend because he’s supposed to
be gone. She’s going to think I’m a liar.”
“It’ll be okay.”
She scoffs. “You better say goodbye to me now because it won’t be okay. She’s going to murder me if she has to face your brother.”
“She probably won’t even see him. If she does, tell her shit changed last minute. You can’t control a sick child.”
I’ve never brought up Willow to Dallas since that morning. It’s a she-who-shall-not-be-named situation.
I grab my duffle bag. “I’ll text you when I get there and Facetime before bed.”
She raises a brow. “Are you okay with that?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” We have a night time ritual where if one of us is going to bed before the other is home or if we’re out of town, we Facetime so we can tell each other goodnight. It’s cheesy, I know, but I fucking love it.
“You’re going to be in a cabin with twenty other men.”
“And?” I walk back over to the bed where she’s sitting up on her knees and swipe her tangled hair from her face. “I don’t care who’s around. I’ll always take your call.”
She blushes, her lips edging up in the corners. “I love you, Hudson Barnes. More than you can ever imagine.”
I touch my mouth to hers. “And I love you, Stella Mendes. The best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
I kiss her one last time before pulling away. She smacks my ass, laughing, and tells me to have fun.
My nightmares are gone.
My dreams are real.
Stella Mendes is mine.
I’m hers.
My life couldn’t get any fucking better.
THE END.
AUTHOR NOTE:
For a limited time, I’ve included Pop Rock as a bonus book as a release gift. Keep reading for Knox’s story.
POP ROCK
Pop Rock
Copyright © 2016 Charity Ferrell
All rights reserved.
www.charityferrell.com
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, brands, places, and incidents are either product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Description
We’ve all seen the headlines about him.
Knox Rivers is music’s out of control, all over TMZ, and under the impression that he’s God’s gift to the female population bad boy.
He steals hearts with his music and then breaks them with his behavior.
He’s also my new boss, and I'm going to be traveling across the country with him on tour.
There’s no way I would’ve taken the job if I weren’t so desperate, but after my dad lost all of his money for not paying taxes, I'm left broke, homeless, and unable to pay my tuition only a year shy of receiving my degree.
I have this under control. I’m the daughter of a rock legend who’s used to being around these types of men, but I’m finding myself more drawn to him with every passing mile.
I'm fighting to keep our relationship professional while he's pushing to show me there's more to him that what's plastered all over the tabloids.
Desire starts triumphing my rationality.
I’m throwing all my rules out the window.
I’ll deal with the repercussions when the gas tank runs dry.
Prologue
Libby
My life as I knew it came crashing down on me two weeks ago.
I’m no longer Libby Graves – the wealthy daughter of Ritchie Graves, rock legend and lead singer of The Grave Diggers.
I’m now Libby Graves – the broke off her ass woman who lost her condo and is close to being kicked out of college only a year shy of receiving her degree if she doesn’t come up with tuition.
Three days ago, my dad’s former manager stepped in and offered me a job.
One I’d never take if I weren’t so damn desperate.
But the pay is too good to pass up.
The problem?
I’ll be working for the kind of person I despise more than anything.
A celebrity.
And not just any celebrity.
He’s the worst of the batch.
My new employer is a young, attractive, out of control, all over TMZ, and is under the impression that he’s God’s gift to the female population celebrity.
Fuck my life.
Chapter One
Libby
I’ve never been someone who regrets the choices they’ve made.
I like to look at them as life lessons.
Losing my virginity at sixteen to a lying asshole taught me that guys would say anything to get into your panties, even throw out that all cherished four-letter word.
Stealing my father’s Corvette and going on a weekend road trip with my best friend taught me that showing a little cleavage can get you out of spending the night in a jail cell.
My rock star father turning himself into a Federal Correctional Facility last week taught me there are only two certainties in life – death and taxes, and not to depend on other people to pay your bills because when they go broke, your ass goes broke.
But I have a hunch that might change today as I step out of the Uber car and head into the high-rise office building as the California sun throws her heat down on me.
This is the last situation I thought I’d ever be in, but when you’re broke and desperate, you do shit you don’t want to do.
Thomas’ secretary greets me with a smile when I walk out of the elevator and into the lobby. “Thomas is running late,” she says. “He told me to have you wait in his office.”
I sigh, nodding. Damn you, Thomas. “Thank you.”
I pull out my phone and start sending him a text that he better hurry his ass up as I open his office door.
“It’s about damn time you showed up.”
The deep, edgy voice catches me off guard, causing my phone to fall from my hand onto the carpeted floor. I look up to face whoever this rude ass is, and my mouth falls open when I see him standing across the room. He’s casually leaning back against the beige wall, his muscular arms folded over his chest, and a smug, imperious smile is spread along his lips.
He isn’t Thomas – but I’m fully aware of who he is – along with millions of other people in the world.
I’ve watched him perform on TV at award shows, and his photo is plastered all over every gossip magazine, but I’ve never seen him in person. They aren’t exaggerating when they talk about how ridiculously attractive he is.
There’s no denying he’s solidly built underneath his thin, white t-shirt where I can faintly see the evidence of his nipples showing through. A few days old stubble scatters along his lower cheeks and strong chin. He’s wearing a baseball cap, most likely trying to look inconspicuous, and strands of toffee brown hair peeks out along its edges.
Everything about him screams masculinity and arrogance.
This man, ladies and gentleman, is Knox Rivers.
He’s my new boss and America’s favorite bad boy.
“Fuck,” he hisses, a hint of apology on his face. “I thought you were Thomas. The guy is always on my ass about how being late is so damn unprofessional.” He throws his arms out, gesturing to the Thomas-less room. “Yet, I’m the only one here.”
I nervously bend down to pick up my phone and slip it back into my bag. He’s not the only one who wishes Thomas wasn’t running late.
He gives me a once over, his green eyes narrowing in on me with suspicion. “Who are you?”
“I’m Libby,” I answer, like he should know exactly who I am.
He throws his head back, groaning. “Shit, is that why I’m here?” He looks back at me. “You another chick clai
ming to be carrying my love child or some shit? You’re wasting both of our time, sweetheart. I always wear a condom and do early paternity tests.”
What the?
He can’t seriously think I’m here to baby blackmail him?
“That would be a huge negative,” I answer.
He’s still looking at me like I’m lying about fake carrying his baby.
“I’m the new hire.”
He keeps staring.
What the fuck?
“Your new assistant,” I draw out in clarification.
He scowls. “I’m sorry, you’re my new what?”
“New assistant.”
The hell? I thought that’s why we’re meeting here today?
“You’ve got the wrong guy, sunshine. I didn’t hire a new assistant. So whatever your little plan here is, it’s not going to work.”
I’m going to throw Thomas out that window when he gets here.
The sound of a loud clap causes me to jump, and I turn around to see Thomas standing in the doorway with a bright smile on his face.
Fucking finally.
Perfect timing. He had to show up post awkward baby momma conversation.
“Great, I see you two have met,” he says, shutting the door behind him and walking over to his desk. He plops down in the massive leather chair and tilts his head towards the two open seats in front of him. “Have a seat.”
I do as I’m told. I’m a rule follower.
Knox obviously isn’t, because he stays exactly where he is, the same scowl on his face like someone told him he couldn’t have any more cookies.
He points to me. “This chick said she’s my new assistant, which is news to me, considering I don’t remember hiring her.”
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