by Piper Snow
Eli turned around, his jaw falling open at the sight of me.
“Jaz, are you crazy?” he asked when I reached him. “You’re half naked!”
“Eli.” I stood tall, preparing to defend myself. “Yes, I did sleep with Dan, and I’ve slept with many more just like him. I’ve never denied that. I’ve never denied anything about myself. I was going through a hard time, I was lonely and I couldn’t stand the thought of going to bed alone, so I invited others into it. Dan was one of them, and the very next day I decided he would be the last. And he was.” More cameras flashed all around us. “That night, I met you. I slept with him the night before you sat next to me at the Starlight Club, before you asked me out, and well before you went to London. I met you, and you were kind, and funny and you saw the version of myself that I was trying to see. I’d forgotten who I was, and you helped me remember. But if you want me, you need to know that I have a past that I can’t change, and even if could change it, I wouldn’t.” I tried to stay strong, but I couldn’t hold my tears any longer. I let them fall to my cheeks, not wiping them away as I continued. “Because it all lead me here, to being who I am right now, and for the first time in a long time, I really like who I am. I’m happy. I wouldn’t change that for the world. I love you so much, but if you can’t accept me for who I am – all of me.” I held my arms out, a gust of summer wind pushing my robe apart to reveal my bare skin. “Then I guess you should just keep walking.”
I stood there, waiting for his response, feeling the most vulnerable I’d ever felt in my whole life. Not because I was standing on a busy New York City street wearing only my underwear, with a crowd of onlookers and paparazzi gathering all around us, snapping every tear that dropped to the sidewalk. I hardly even noticed what was going on around us. I felt vulnerable because I had just bared my soul to the man I loved, and he could crush it at any second. I’d never let myself be vulnerable before, never let my true emotions show, but I’d been through a lot of transformation lately. I felt strong enough to be truthful about my feelings, even if it meant having them thrown back in my face.
After what felt like an eternity, Eli began to speak.
“Jaz, I’m sorry.”
The image of him saying he can’t accept me and walking away flashed through my mind, and my heart stopped, preparing to be broken all over again.
“I’m so sorry I behaved so badly,” he continued. “It’s just, as soon as I saw that headline, all those old feelings of being betrayed came flooding back. I wasn’t thinking straight. I wasn’t thinking at all.” He dropped his duffel bag to the ground and held my hands in his. “I should have known better, known you better. You’re right, neither of us can change our pasts. We can’t change what we did or what happened to us. But everything that happened, it all lead us here. I’m so glad you like who you are, Jaz, because who you are is the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. I’m so in love with you. All of you. And if you’ll just let me stay, I promise I’m not going anywhere. Ever.”
Even more tears fell to the sidewalk now, but they were no longer tears of heartache. They were tears of joy.
“Stay. Forever,” I said, unable to stop the smile from forming on my face.
Eli wrapped his arms around my waist, lifting me off my feet before giving me the happiest, most romantic kiss I’d ever had. I heard the clicking of cameras and cheering of the crowd, but none of it was as loud as the blissful beating of my heart.
“I love you, Jaz Malone,” he smiled.
“I love you, too, Eli Hudson.”
“Let’s go home.” He placed me gently to my feet and picked up his duffel bag before we began walking back to my building, too happy to care that we were being followed by a parade of reporters and spectators.
By the time we made it through the front door of my building, we were all over each other.
Lips stuck together like glue, we entered the elevator, and Eli promptly pressed the emergency stop button, knowing there was no way we’d make it to the top floor.
He looked at me with fire in his eyes before pushing me against the wall and kissing my neck, his hot breath on my skin making my blood boil. I slid my hands down his back and grabbed his butt, squeezing him closer until I was pinned between him and the glass mirror of the elevator. His turquoise eyes stared deep into mine as he lifted his t-shirt over his head and let it drop to the elevator floor. With one hand resting firmly against the glass, he ran the other down my chest, over my bra and didn’t stop until he reached my frilly lace panties, which were already soaked with my juices. I held my breath as his fingers caressed my clit, igniting my entire body into flames.
I couldn’t wait any longer, I needed him now. I reached into my bra and pulled out the condom I’d hidden in there earlier, in preparation for Eli’s visit. I unzipped his jeans and tore the packet open with my teeth while he loosened his belt and readied himself for me. Trembling in anticipation, I slid my panties down my thighs and kicked them onto the floor while he slid the condom over his rock hard cock.
Pressing himself against my naked mound, he slid his tongue into my mouth, kissing me passionately. A strong hand clutched my right thigh, lifting my leg up around his waist and holding it there, giving him better access to my pussy.
A satisfied sigh escaped my lips as he slid into me, his powerful erection going deeper than ever before.
“Yes!” I gasped, so turned on I thought I would come instantly. But I wanted more, so much more.
Slowly, he pulled himself out, until only the tip was inside me. I wriggled myself against him, eager to feel him enter me again. As though reading my mind, he slammed into me hard and fast, making me squeal in delight. My heart pounded in my chest and my fingernails dug into his back as he rammed into me again and again, making my whole body vibrate in pleasure. I arched my head back, resting it on the glass as he leaned down and began sucking on my neck, the flicker of his tongue sending me deeper into bliss.
“Oh, Jaz,” he moaned, and I knew he was about let go. Seconds later, I was screaming his name as I fell apart all over him, the force of my orgasm making me weak at the knees.
We rested against the wall as we caught our breath, triumphant smiles planted on both of our faces.
A few minutes later, we stepped out of the elevator and into the hallway, still unable to keep our hands off each other.
“Welcome home,” I said, holding my arms out to him as I pushed the door open. “I hope you’ll be as happy as I am here.”
“Honey,” he smiled, scooping me up into his arms. “As long as I’m with you, I’ll be happy.”
The door slowly swung to a close, leaving the past firmly shut behind it, marking the beginning of our new future together.
About Piper Snow
Piper Snow is the author of the New Adult Contemporary Romance Series, The Wild Diamonds.
As a daydreamer and lover of love, she can think of nothing better than writing stories about people finding true love.
She lives in a small coastal town, where sunshine and walks along the beach are a daily occurrence.
When she’s not making up stories about people falling in love, she’s usually reading, drinking too much coffee, baking cupcakes, playing with her puppy or hanging out with her husband.
Piper loves chatting with fans, so jump on over to her blog, Facebook or Twitter to say hello and connect with her.
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OTHER BOOKS BY PIPER SNOW
THE WILD DIAMONDS SERIES
Love and Lyrics
Love in the Studio
Love on Radio
Find out more about the Wild Diamonds series here.
DID YOU LOVE JAZ AND ELI’S STORY?
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THE WILD DIAMONDS SERIES
Get lost in a world of rock stars, romance and paparazzi in this new adult/contemporary romance series! Each book in this series follows a different member of the world-famous rock band The Wild Diamonds as they fall in love.
Go on tour with the Wild Diamonds and you’ll find rockin’ women, sexy men and steamy romance that will leave you begging for more.
Book Two:
LOVE IN THE STUDIO
Available now!
Kelly Winston has just made all her dreams come true. All she wants now is to find her Prince Charming. When heavy metal star Drew Miller comes into her life, at first she’s intimidated by his bad boy image.
But soon she finds herself tempted to forget about her Prince and let her wild side out with Drew instead.
LOVE IN THE STUDIO EXCERPT
Chapter 1
Kelly
“And the winner is...”
I held my breath. Time seemed to slow down as I waited to hear if my lifelong dream was about to come true.
“The Wild Diamonds!”
Applause filled the room. Jaz, Ella and Jesse jumped to their feet, hugging each other in celebration, but I was frozen in my seat.
“Kelly!” Jaz called as she grabbed my hand and pulled me up and out into the aisle. “C’mon, we won! We won!”
Tears filled my eyes as I followed them towards the stage, the smiling faces of my peers and idols cheering for us as we walked by. Climbing up the stairs to the podium, my heart was pounding so fast I thought it might explode. I graciously took the golden statue in my hands, surprised at how heavy it was, and looked out over the audience, terrified that I would wake up any second and realize this was all a dream.
I listened to Jaz as she spoke into the microphone, talking about how proud she was of all the hard work we’d done. Ella and Jesse thanked their families and our fans, and suddenly it was my turn to speak.
I stepped up to the mic, hoping I could muster something more than a squeak.
“I...” I paused, a stray tear falling onto my cheek. “This is a dream come true for me. Winning Album of the Year is an amazing honor, thank you so much. I used to watch these awards shows when I was a little girl, trying to imagine what it might feel like to one day stand in this very spot, accepting this very award. And I can tell you, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me! To everyone watching at home just like I did, know this: if you have a dream, go after it. Don’t stop until you’ve made it a reality. The only difference between people who have achieved their dream and people who haven’t is action and perseverance. If I can do it, anyone can. Thank you!”
My friends and I wandered off stage, and I felt like I was floating. My hands were shaking with adrenaline and a wide smile was permanently planted on my face. It was the most surreal, exhilarating, experience I’d ever had.
Once the last awards were given out, everyone went to the Starlight Club to celebrate. I sat at the bar, clutching my award as I sipped on my margarita, studying every last detail of it as if I needed to make sure it was real. Letting out a happy sigh, I looked over to Ella and Jesse, swinging their hips on the dance floor, clutching their awards just as I was. Turning further to my left, I saw Jaz and Eli, huddled close together in our booth, whispering sweet nothings to each other and being adorable, as usual. They’d been living happily ever after for over six months now, Eli even packed up his whole life and moved to New York to be with her. So romantic. I smiled, glad to see my best friend so very happy.
I couldn’t wait to be as happy as they were. I was only 23, but I felt like I’d already been waiting forever for my Prince Charming. Someone to sweep me off my feet and give me my own happily ever after. I looked at the bronze statue sitting proudly in front of me, and realized that I’d made a pretty awesome life for myself. I’d worked hard and made my dreams a reality, but there was still one thing missing... love. Actually, if I was being honest, there were two things missing: love, and sex.
Right now, if I had to choose between them, I’d choose the latter. I was a virgin, after all, and lately I’d been craving a physical encounter much more than a romantic one. But no way did I have the guts to go through with anything like that. I was too much of a ‘good girl’, and sometimes I wished I was more like Jaz – wild and unafraid to show her sexuality. I shook off those thoughts, not wanting to ruin the high I was on from winning such a coveted title.
I scanned the club, and I felt awestruck at all the famous faces I saw around me. Here I was, celebrating with my favorite artists, some of whom I used to sing along to in my bedroom as a kid, wielding a hairbrush as a microphone. I’d never felt so blessed in my life.
My eyes landed on Drew Miller, the lead singer of the heavy metal band Angels of the Underworld. He and his bandmates were sitting in a booth, celebrating a win of their own: Break-Out Band of the Year. The Wild Diamonds had won that same award just a few years ago, when we were starting out. Drew and his band had performed their hit single that night at the awards show, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say he frightened me a little. He had jet-black shoulder-length hair, and when they performed he wore dark eye make-up and no shirt, revealing his big muscular body and cryptic tattoos. He was beautiful to look at, but I felt very intimidated by him and their music. It was much too heavy for my tastes, but I was happy that they won. Everyone deserved recognition for their talent, and they were clearly very good at what they did.
Drew’s eyes locked onto mine, and I quickly turned back to the bar, my cheeks blushing crimson in embarrassment at being caught staring at him. I decided to get another drink before running off onto the dance floor and out of his sight.
“What’s your poison?” A deep, husky voice asked, and I didn’t have to turn around to know it was him. He was standing so close behind me, his mouth right next to my ear, his hot breath sending shivers down my spine.
“Huh?” That was all I could spit out as he took a seat on the bar stool next to mine.
“What are you drinking? My shout,” he offered.
“Oh, no thanks. I’m fine.”
“Suit yourself.”
He ordered himself a beer, and out of the corner of my eye, I couldn’t help but notice the slight bulge in his tight black leather pants, and even though he was wearing a loose singlet now, I’d already had a good look at his built upper body during the show.
“You’re Kelly, right? Of the Wild Diamonds?” he asked, turning to face me.
I nodded, twisting slightly on the stool to match his body language. “And you’re Drew of the Angels of the Underworld. Great performance tonight, it was... intense.”
He chuckled, his pouty lip tightening into a dazzling crooked smile. “Thanks. Congrats on your award. Must be a great feeling to have accomplished such a huge dream.”
I lit up, unable to hide my excitement. “It’s amazing. We worked so hard on this album, and I’m very proud of it. It’s good to have our work recognized in such a monumental way.”
He nodded as he took a swig of his beer. “Well, I gotta admit,” he said as he ran a hand through his long, silky hair, pushing it back so I could see more of his handsome face. He looked like a model, or a Greek statue, with his chiseled jawline and dark features. I was so lost in his good looks that I almost forgot to listen to what he was saying. “Your music isn’t my favorite genre, but I have heard all of your songs. You have an amazing voice.”
“Oh,” I said, surprised that he’d heard all our songs. “Thank you! Have you really heard our stuff? Sounds like you’re a closet Wild Diamonds fan.” I laughed, finally letting myself relax into the conversation.
“My little sister worships you guys, you’re all she listens to. The first thing she does when she wakes up in the morning is play your latest album, so I wake up hearing your voice every day.”
“That’s so sweet, what a die-hard fan she must be. What’s her
name?”
“Lacey.” The love he had in his eyes when he said her name told me that he cared about his sister very much, which made my heart melt.
“And she lives with you?” I asked, wondering if I was prying too much, but for some reason I couldn’t yet define, I was intrigued by him. I wanted to know more about him.
“Yeah. She’s only sixteen, so someone’s gotta make sure she stays in school and is taken care of.”
“What about your parents?”
He paused, his eyes dropping to the floor, and I knew I’d asked one question too many. “They died. It was a few years ago, in a car accident.”
“Oh, Drew, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay. We’re okay. She lives with me back in New York, she’s a good kid. I’m taking her to Disneyland tomorrow while we’re here in L.A.”
“You know what?” I said, an idea popping into my head. “We’re doing a special one-time gig tomorrow night, here in L.A. I’d be more than happy to give you and your sister some VIP passes, you could watch the show and then bring her backstage to meet us. We always love meeting hardcore fans! What do you think?”
His raised his eyebrows, a broad smile stretching across his face. “Seriously?”
I nodded, smiling at his surprised reaction.
“Wow!” he grinned. “Yes! That would be so cool. Man, Lacey’s gonna lose her mind over this. Thank you so much, Kelly, really.”
“My pleasure!”
“Well, now you gotta let me buy you a drink.”
I laughed, nodding in acceptance.
A few cocktails later, we were still chatting and getting to know each other, when he leaned in close and asked if I wanted to dance. I said yes, and he grabbed my hand and led me through the crowd of people.
I saw Jaz and Ella dancing together on the other side of the room, and when they saw me walking hand in hand with Drew, their mouths hung open in shock. But it seemed they quickly got used to the sight, as encouraging grins formed on their faces just seconds later. Jaz even gave me a thumbs up. I wondered why I wasn’t more nervous, usually dancing with a guy made me so anxious I could hardly see straight. I dismissed the thought, deciding that my calmness must have been alcohol induced.