“It’s just not in the cards.” She swallowed, trying to think quick on her feet as she readied her next excuse. “I have a wedding to go to in Whistler.”
“Who the hell would ever get married in Whistler?” Peter questioned, and she couldn’t help but to wonder the answer to the same question. That would be insane… and cold… And insane.
“Look, here’s the new deal: If you don’t show up, Rory doesn’t get in,” he countered.
“You’re seriously going to blackmail me?”
"I would never do such a thing.”
“Fine,” she muttered into the phone. “I’ll cancel on the other wedding and see you there.”
“That’s all I needed to hear. I’ll see you soon.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” She hung up the phone and threw it onto the bed beside her.
That day was sure to be the worst day of her life. On top of being awkward, it was also going to be embarrassing. Peter had left her in a high-profile way and the majority of the guests would look at her with sympathy or something far worse: pity.
That wasn’t the problem, though, she realized with growing surprise. In fact, even talking to Peter hadn’t been a problem. The usual emotions that swamped her had been notably absent, replaced by mostly annoyance and irritation.
No, the problem—the root of this fresh sense of dread and gloom—was that she realized now that the invite was set to go out, she would be forced to be in the same room with Rory…
And his date.
For some reason, that felt like the ninth level of hell.
Chapter 9
Fucking nightmare, Rory steamed to himself as he climbed out of the back of an Uber and onto the wet city sidewalk outside of The Silver Inn. He waved off the driver and made a mental note to give him a five star rating once he had settled down.
Once inside and safely in the elevator, he groaned under his breath as the car began to climb slowly one floor at a time. For being such a prestigious hotel, the elevator just didn’t quite make the cut. Especially when he was desperate to get out of there and blow off some steam in his room.
He tried to replay the night he had just had with Carlene Richardson in his head, all the better to remove every last detail. He blamed the Kardashians, to be quite honest. Everybody could become famous these days and the senator’s daughter was on that same train. She wasn’t into him any more than he was into her, which was fine, but she sure as hell tried to play the game, tried to play him.
Cooing at him and biting her lip, as if that’s all it would take to seduce him. She had the looks. But the rest? The important stuff? Most rockers fantasized about the day that would come when women would throw themselves at them. Rory wasn’t like the rest.
He loved women. He loved sex. But he wasn’t in it for the fame. It was a perk—that most times honestly felt like a noose around his neck—that came with the job.
Nobody—least of all the women in Gina’s damned folder—could seem to get that. And now he was going to be forced to spend night after night just like this one…listening to some fame-hungry woman trying to trick him into thinking they weren’t lying directly to his face.
He winced at the idea alone, and as the elevator door slid open, he glanced at Gina’s door, determined to tell her exactly what she could do with that dossier of hers.
This was her fault, after all.
Seconds later, he was knocking on her door.
One.
Two.
Three times.
And then he waited, but there was no response, so he pounded his fist against the door harder and didn’t relent until the door swung open.
She stood in the open doorway dressed in a black, silky nightgown that looked more like lingerie than proper sleeping attire. She wore a white bathrobe over the nightgown, but it didn’t cover nearly enough to hide the way her silky nightgown clung to her figure.
It was a tight fit that molded to every curve of her beautiful body. His cock went painfully hard as sinful thoughts flashed through his head.
You’re not here for that, asshole, he reminded himself harshly.
He was here to give her a piece of his mind and he wasn’t going to be distracted by those taut, perky breasts and legs that seemed to go for miles…
So much for not being distracted.
“What are you doing here?” She cleared her throat. “I mean, how was Carlene?”
“Carlene’s a fucking disaster,” he spit out, more than straight to the point. He threw one hand to the side of the doorframe and held himself steady there while his eyes bore into hers.“You’re going to need to find someone else.”
“Fine,” she said with a shrug. “There are a million more girls out there.”
“No,” he scowled and leaned over her, “I mean you’re going to have to find someone else in the band because I’m obviously not the guy for the job.”
She rolled her eyes and sighed, reached for the sides of the bathrobe and pulled it tighter over her body.
But it was too late. He had already taken notice of her and it wasn’t an image he was likely to forget. What had been seen couldn’t be unseen. Standing there, it was like she was taunting him.
He had spent all day thinking about her, especially during his date when he had imagined how different it could have been if only it were Gina sitting across from him instead of Paris Hilton 2.0.
“You can’t back out.” She pursed her lips. “The band is counting on you.”
“Well, they shouldn’t.”
“They are.”
“They shouldn’t,” he shot back again, and his voice carried down the hall and echoed back to him.
She reached forward and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him into the room. He didn’t mind that at all. In fact, he imagined her doing the very exact thing in alternate circumstances. Imagined her pulling him on top of her as he slid one hand up her thigh…
Focus, man. She is trying to ruin your life.
She threw her arm past him and pushed the door closed before turning back to him and tying her robe around her waist. “I’m not going to have you making a scene. You might be a star and you might have a reputation for being loud, but I don’t want that shit on me.”
“Seriously?” He arched an eyebrow. “Why are you wound so tight? After all, it looks like you’ve been comfy as hell in this hotel room all day while I spent my evening in hell.”
She dragged her palm across her forehead. “Do you know how many men would love to go on a date with Carlene Richardson?”
“After tonight? I can’t imagine anyone in this world would hate themselves that much.”
“You know what I think?” She shook her head and crossed her arms.
“No,” he said shortly, and paced past her to step toward the bar.
She twisted to face him, her arms still crossed as he tossed a tight grin at her over his shoulder.
“It’s been a rough day,” he said as he reached for a mini bottle of whiskey and shot it back just as quickly, letting his empty bottle join hers on the countertop. He grimaced, enjoying the burn of the alcohol. “I think I deserve a shot or two.”
“Well, I’m sure they keep your room fully stocked.”
“Good point.” He wagged his finger at her. “But I’m here. Not there. And you’re not listening to me.”
“I’m listening. I’m just not particularly in the mood to care.”
“Oh, get the stick out of your ass.” He chuckled to himself when he heard her let out an audible gasp from behind him. That was enough to get him to turn back around. “What?”
“Nothing,” she seethed. “You should be leaving.”
“I’m not done with you yet.” He pointed at her, took one measured step toward her, and then stopped. “Of all the people in the world, why did you choose Carlene? Was it because you knew I’d hate her?”
“Excuse me?” She shook her head and dragged her hands across her face. “You’re the one who told me to just pick one
of the girls.”
“You’re supposed to be good at your job.” He knew he was goading her now, but couldn’t seem to get himself to stop. Just having a real conversation with passion and emotion behind it, even if that emotion was anger, felt so much better than the fake-ass small talk he’d been forced to endure all night.
“Really?” She took a step toward him, trying to be assertive or something, but he just thought she looked awfully cute. Sexy. Gorgeous. Kissable. But most of all, given the current circumstances, annoying as fuck. “You’re not going to turn this on me because you don’t know how to date.”
“Oh, honey,” he wagged his finger at her with a cocky grin, “I know how to date. I just don’t date idiots.”
“That’s interesting, considering I spent the other night teaching you proper dating etiquette.”
That was true enough, but the women he’d been with by choice had never complained. And neither would she, he’d bet.
But that wasn’t what he’d come here for.
“I quit,” he said flatly.
“You can’t quit,” she argued. “You can’t just walk away from the band—”
“The only thing I’m walking away from is you, right now.” He nodded toward her. “Walking away from you and that folder of women you have, and by my estimation, they’re probably all similar to Carlene or, God forbid, worse.”
She pinched her nose and blew out an exasperated sigh. “That’s what pisses me off about you, Rory.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
She stuttered, stumbling over her own words as she bowed her head. “You have the world at your fingertips, but it’s almost like you’re scared or something.”
He wasn’t going to give her an inch, much less a mile once again, he turned away from the door. He really knew he should get going before he did something stupid, but it was like she was gleefully setting the trap for him.
This night was going to end in an explosion and when the debris was settled, he would point the finger at Gina because, technically, this was all her fault.
“I’m not afraid of anything.”
“Then stop,” she yelled. “Stop treating this like a game.”
“Isn’t dating supposed to be fun?” He waited patiently for a response, but she just stood there frozen, shaking her head. “Oh, right. It’s a job now.”
She cupped one hand over her mouth and sighed. And then looked up to him, surveying him. “I wish I had the answers for you. I wish I could push you in the right direction, but all I can tell you is to give this time.”
“I think I’ve wasted enough of my time.”
“You are so damn stubborn, you know that?” She rushed toward him. To what? Hit him? No, she wouldn’t do that but her cheeks flushed red with anger or something else. Perhaps he was annoying her the same way she was annoying him.
“You go on one date and you’re ready to give up,” she said. “You have fought all your life to get here. You have worked your ass off every day with the rest of the boys and this is the line you can’t cross? What the hell is the matter with you?”
Good question. Confusing answer.
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “All I’m saying is that I’m done.”
He turned once more to grab the doorknob, and this time he was for sure going to leave before he did something stupid. Before she could do something stupid. Before stupid shit was done in general. It was only a matter of time, as if the chemistry between the two of them was a ticking time bomb.
“I’m not letting you quit.”
He cocked his head over his shoulder as he pulled the door open. “Sorry, Gina. You don’t get that choice.”
“Just tell me what the hell it is that you want me to do and I’ll do it.” She dropped her hands to her sides, surrendering. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get you where you need to be to help this band.”
He swallowed harshly, his breathing wild and ragged as his eyes continued to bore into hers. He was frozen, stuck between leaving right then or doing something incredibly stupid.
He gave the door a gentle shove, forcing it closed, and then leaned against the metal surface and closed his eyes while he focused on breathing, focused on doing anything other than what his body was telling him to do.
“Just tell me how to fix this,” she continued from behind him, her voice low and pleading. “What would you have me do?”
She stole every bit of choice he had in the matter, took every bit of control right out of his hands. He turned his head first and then the rest of his body.
She swallowed a nervous gulp as he took a careful step toward her.
His gaze lingered on hers for a moment longer as he stalked toward her.
And when he was right in front of her, towering over her?
That’s when he lost all control.
He threw one hand behind her back and pulled her in close, eliciting a restrained gasp that was quickly cut off as he crushed his lips to hers.
Her eyes went wide. She grabbed on to his back to hold on tight as he pulled her deeper into his kiss. Short little pecks at first and then his teeth were sinking into her lips.
She didn’t fight him, didn’t try to run away.
Rory finally made the move and he couldn’t bring himself to stop.
He retreated from her lips just long enough to spin her on her feet and push her hard against the door. One knee dipped between her thighs.
He breathed hot and hard against her as her eyes rose to his. He swore he could hear the beating of her heart, pounding out the same rhythm as his own frantic beats.
He had finally crossed a line and he wasn’t disappointed. He leaned down to kiss her again, parting her lips with his tongue. He wanted to taste every bit of her and there was no way he was going to be able to bring himself to stop.
Chapter 10
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
She pushed hard against his chest, just enough so that she could find the leverage to force herself free from his grip. Ducking under his arm, she took a few paces away from him.
This wasn’t happening. Sure, it kind of was, but no… It couldn’t happen.
There was silence, too much of it. It made things more awkward, but the quiet was what she needed. It allowed her time to think.
Too bad Rory, never one to stay still too long, rotated sharply to face her. His tongue dragged across his lower lip. He began a slow, deliberate pace across the room to meet her. She herself was frozen like a statue—The Titanic watching as the iceberg closed in on her.
Just move. Fucking move, she thought to herself.
Those feet of hers though?
They outright betrayed her.
She sank deeper into herself as he approached and reached out to her. He gripped her roughly around the wrist, forcing her to snap her attention toward him. Their eyes met like trains on the same track, careening toward each other with no hope of stopping in time to avoid a full-on collision. Neither could look away as he closed in, pressing her back against the long, hotel dresser.
One hand dropped to her hip, held her firmly in place. Another hand swept gently across her face and pushed her dark curls out of her eyes. Her heart raced, beating wildly against her chest.
She swallowed hard before finally gritting out, “Rory, what are you doing?”
A cocky grin hitched across his lips, framing his mouth in a way that was a touch more than bitable and absolutely kissable. She found herself wanting to give in, all the while knowing she couldn’t.
If only for just one kiss.
He dropped his head low, low enough for her to reach him with her lips but she froze again. She was basically stuck, like she was standing in quicksand. A part of her didn’t seem to mind but the other half? It screamed that it was way past time she high-tailed it out of there.
“I’m going to kiss you.” Rory watched her carefully.
She opened her mouth, but no answer came. She couldn’t bring herself to deny him, no matter how wrong this
was.
His lips brushed hers, soft and rough all at once. And then his tongue was slipping past her lips and she forced her eyes closed.
A hand pressed against her cheek as he held her firmly in place. Her heart raced faster and faster and she found herself falling in line under his touch, meeting him stroke for stroke with every move of his tongue.
He pulled back slightly, just enough to allow her to open her eyes and get one good look at the hunger and darkness in his gaze. And then she felt his hard cock against her thigh, straining against his zipper.
He leaned up and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.
"You want me? You gotta tell me, Gina. I'm not an insecure guy, but you're dragging me around like a kid's toy lately and I'm not big on games. If we do this, I want to be sure this is what you want."
"Look, Rory," she said, swallowing hard and trying not to melt into a puddle at his feet. "You're nobody's toy. I'm not meaning to play games but...you scare me. This scares me. We already know that we can't be together and every time we do…this…get close enough to make it oh so tempting—it makes that realization all the more bitter."
She lifted a trembling hand to his chest and forced herself to meet his gaze, despite the fact that doing so made it impossible to hide. Impossible to lie to him or herself anymore.
"Make no mistake. I want you. I've always wanted you." She punctuated her words by rolling onto her toes and pressing a kiss to each corner of his mouth. "But I won't make promises I can't keep, and I trust you to do the same. It would just be this once. It’s up to you to decide if that's enough."
She waited, breath suspended, for his reply.
"I want to say no, but I can't," he admitted, his voice a low growl. "I guess if this is all I get, I'd better make the most of it."
He slanted his mouth over hers, his warm lips firm even as his tongue flicked out to brush over her lower lip. A shudder of relief mixed with anticipation sizzled through her and she looped her arms around his neck, crushing closer to him. This was stupid. Probably one of the dumbest things she'd ever done in her life, but she didn't care anymore. Maybe tomorrow, she'd find herself alone in her bed with nothing but an ache between her thighs and in her heart. For now, though, he was hers.
Hard Sell: A Bad-Boy, Rock Star Romance Page 7