The shy woman who blushed and stumbled over her words anytime I talked to her was nowhere to be seen. The woman standing in front of me now was determined, pissed, and wasn’t going to take shit from anyone. And damn if that didn’t work to turn me on even more.
She lips curled back, and her narrowed eyes did nothing to hide the flames of rage. “Just a little tip: don’t proposition a woman while still stinking like another one.”
Her surprising strength and acerbic attitude were so shocking that when she placed her hands on my chest and shoved, I stumbled back three steps. But I guess I shouldn’t have been all that surprised considering how she ignited beneath my hands so brilliantly weeks before. I was quickly discovering that the shy, awkward part of her was just one of many layers that made Gina so fascinating.
Her left foot hit the first step but stopped when I spoke again. “When you come begging for it—and have no doubt, baby, you will come begging for it—I’m gonna drive you crazy first. I’ll make you so desperate you’ll be glad to quit. And only then will I give you what you need.”
Indignant laughter burst past her sexy, plump lips. “Wow. To hear you describe that night, I’m starting to think it was better for you than it was for me.”
Now fire burned in my own veins. Hearing her diminish what had taken place and how I’d made her feel made me ache to throw her down to the floor and prove to her just how fucking good it had been. “You’re so full of shit,” I bit out, getting in her face, my manner large and imposing. I wanted to hear it, wanted her to admit she was lying.
She got just as close. “You’ll never know.”
Then she spun around and stomped up the stairs.
Chapter Six
Gina
I’d only been on a plane a couple of times in my life, and those hadn’t been anything to write home about. The seats had always been too small, the cabin overcrowded, and there seemed to be a rule that there had to be at least one squalling baby on every flight. Both times had been so miserable that I’d sworn to myself that I was never going to fly again.
But this experience couldn’t have been more different. I’d officially taken over the responsibilities that came with my new position of personal assistant to four of the richest, most famous men in the country. It hadn’t been a subtle tiptoe into the chaos, however. Oh no, I’d been shoved right into the deep end with a week of nonstop press and publicity to promote their upcoming album and tour. Fortunately, the band had a swank private plane that was nicer than any home I’d ever had, flitting us from city to city all across northern and southern California.
The job would’ve been a dream come true had it not been for Killian’s determination to make me so miserable that I would give in and quit. What he didn’t know was that the first checks I’d received had already done so much to lessen the burden of responsibility weighing on my shoulders that there was nothing he could possibly do to make me cave.
I might not have been able to afford a better apartment, or splurge on nicer clothes. Honestly, I couldn’t afford much more for myself than before, but none of that mattered. I’d paid my mother’s stay at Whispering Pines for the next few months, and made a sizable dent in the ungodly amount of past due medical bills. Her care was all that mattered to me, and I wasn’t going to let him take that away. No matter what.
So he could make all the snide, insulting comments he wanted, he could look at me like I was less than nothing, he could do just about anything. As long as my mom was taken care of, it would all roll right off my back.
It was for that reason that I put any and all discomfort I felt in my new life to the side and concentrated on the positive. I sat on that cushy plane with my laptop open, researching other homes, nicer homes, for my mother, and a podcast of my favorite radio show playing in my ears. Everyone else was either asleep or preoccupied, so I had a little time to myself to just be.
Or at least that was what I thought.
“What are you laughing at?” I’d been so wrapped up in listening to my Girl Talk podcast that I hadn’t heard Killian approach. The sound of his voice startled a jump out of me, and I jerked around to find him standing at the back of the empty seat beside mine, looking over my shoulder. Quickly slapping my laptop shut, I pulled the earbuds out of my ears and looked up at his arrogant smirk.
“What?”
“You were laughing,” he answered, casually moving to take a seat next to me, kicking his long legs out and making himself comfortable like he didn’t have a care in the world. Then again, I guess with his money and arrogance, he didn’t need to have a care. “What were you listening to?”
I tried to snatch my phone from the small table at the same time he reached for it, but he was too fast, getting to it before I could.
“Girl Talk, huh? What’s that, some feminist shit? They talk about women’s rights and stuff like that?”
“No,” I spat, narrowing my eyes even as I took in his handsome features. I just couldn’t help it. Even though I despised him, I couldn’t bring myself to actually hate him. And the asshole was just too damn sexy for his own good.
His strong, chiseled jaw was constantly covered in several days’ worth of scruff, giving him a rugged appeal that none of the other guys in the band could pull off. He had eyes like dark oil, deep black pools I wanted to drown in. Everything about his features was strong. His square jaw was like granite, his nose and cheekbones prominent. Thick eyebrows slashed across his broad forehead. He didn’t look like the bassist for a famous rock band. He looked like a manly lumberjack who’d just stepped out of the pages of a romance novel.
“It’s not some feminist shit, as you so eloquently put it. It’s a really good show, just three friends talking about all kinds of stuff.”
“Ah.” He smirked. “I see. So what you’re saying is it’s a chick show where they talk about how to win the man of their dreams and give tips on how to please them in the bedroom.” A blush began creeping up my neck, and judging by his rich, velvety chuckle, he hadn’t missed it. “Holy shit. I’m right, aren’t I?”
“Shut up,” I muttered, my embarrassment written all over my face. I hated that damn blush and just how easily Killian could bring it on.
“Oh, this is just too good. I have to see what this is all about. Let’s give it a listen, huh?”
I feared entire body would burst into flames as he placed one earbud in his ear, the other in mine, and then hit Play on my phone.
Lola Abbatelli’s voice came through strong and clear. “Personally, I think Steak and BJ Day is a brilliant idea.”
Sweet merciful hell.
“I mean, think about it. Valentine’s Day is for women. We get chocolates, flowers, gifts, expensive dinners at fancy restaurants. Is it too much for men to ask for a little something in return the following month?”
“I don’t think so,” one of her co-hosts, Sophia, chimed in.
The third host, Daphne picked up the conversation. “And silver lining: you grill a good enough steak and give a good enough blow job and you can pretty much guarantee even more chocolates, flowers, and gifts.”
The podcast stopped. Killian removed the earbuds and dropped everything onto the table in front of me. “These chicks are fuckin’ brilliant!” he declared loudly. “You should listen to everything they say.”
Images of the one night between us flashed through my mind. A wave of lust rushed through me, flooding my insides and dampening my panties at the realization that, in all the things we’d done together, that was something we’d never gotten around to.
“Excuse me,” I muttered, standing from my seat. “I need to use the restroom.”
Pushing past him without another word, I stumbled into the aisle and rushed for the lavatory in the back of the plane. It was no surprise that the damn thing was nicer than my own bathroom at home. It wasn’t a typical airplane lavatory. This one was spacious enough to have a shower stall with a bench, and more counter space around the sink than I could hope for in my little sh
ithole apartment.
Placing my hands on the cool, smooth granite, I dropped my head and pulled in a deep, soothing breath, hoping to calm my frayed nerves.
I couldn’t understand it. My body constantly betrayed me whenever Killian was around, and craving someone you despise had to be one of the most maddening experiences ever. If I’d been flexible enough to kick my own ass for getting myself caught up in this mess, I’d have done it.
“Get your shit together, Gina,” I murmured at myself in the mirror. “He’s just a man. A rude, cocky man. Sure, he can get you off better than any guy you’ve ever been with, but so what? That’s what they make vibrators for.”
Only I hadn’t had any luck finding a vibrator that could give even half the pleasure Killian could. Guess I was going to have to put more effort into my research on that front.
Once I felt like I could breathe normally again, I splashed my face with cold water and dried my cheeks before turning for the door. The moment I slid it open and took a step, I was shoved back, the broad, solid wall of Kill’s chest blocking my path.
“What are you doing?” I hissed, trying to sidestep him. “Get out of my way.”
He kept advancing, forcing me backward until I bumped into the counter. The door shut with a resounding click, and I watched with rapt attention as Killian reached behind him and locked it. Fear crept into my bloodstream while arousal caused the muscles between my thighs to clench.
“Wh-what are you—”
“Am I making you crazy yet?” he asked on a whisper, the tip of his nose trailing from my jaw to my temple. He had no freaking idea. “’Cause I gotta tell you, sweetness, you’re driving me outta my fuckin’ mind.”
I cocked my head to the side and hitched an eyebrow. “What happened to your rule on no seconds?”
“What can I say?” He shrugged, his fingertip skating along the collar of my shirt. “I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place. Part of me wants you to quit so I’m not forced to see you every goddamn day and remember just how fuckin’ good it felt to be inside you.”
My breath hitched, and I did my best to hide it. “And the other part?”
He leaned in even closer, his minty breath whispering through my hair. “The other part just wants to fuck you ’til neither of us can see straight.” My legs trembled, my pussy convulsed, and all I wanted to do was throw myself at him. “Make no mistake, sweetness. I’ll get what I want. One way or another.”
The war waging inside me, the hot and cold I flipped between when it came to this man, was driving me crazy. Each and every interaction was a struggle.
“Keep telling yourself that,” I said with a bitter smirk. “And do me a favor. Hold your breath while you wait.”
Then I shoved him out of the way and bolted from the lavatory. Only his voice stopped me before I could get too far.
“Fight me all you want. I can already see you’re struggling. And believe me, I haven’t even begun to provoke you yet.”
Bastard.
Chapter Seven
Killian
I fucking hated these bullshit press tours the label made us do to promote our upcoming albums. The only thing I hated more than doing interviews was shooting music videos. Unfortunately, it was the nature of the beast. If I had my way, I’d say fuck everything but the music. All we’d do is record and play for our fans.
I was getting sick of hotel rooms and sleeping in beds that weren’t mine, and I couldn’t wait to get back home later the next day.
Keeping the ball cap on my head pulled low, I moved calmly through the hotel bar so as not to draw attention. It was late, so the place wasn’t packed, but if word got out that one of the members of Civil Corruption was down here, it would turn into a goddamn madhouse. I didn’t want to deal with the shit that came with hardcore fans, but I couldn’t stand another second in that fucking hotel room or I’d lose my mind.
Peeking from beneath the brim of my cap, I scanned the smallish crowd, looking for a quiet, private spot where I could sit and have a drink. Then I saw her. My feet moved like they had a mind of their own, turning me in the opposite direction and toward her table. I wasn’t expecting to see Gina down here at this time of night, and when I looked to the notebook she was scrawling in, my curiosity got the best of me.
But it wasn’t just my curiosity that had me going to her. It was that goddamn pull I felt every time I saw her or thought of her, that painfully insistent tug deep in my gut that refused to be ignored. It was also the worry gleaming in her bedroom eyes as she scribbled in that notebook before putting the pen down to tap something out on her phone.
“Mind if I join you?”
Gina’s hand stopped mid-motion, and her startled gaze darted up to mine. Her focus shifted around the bar before returning to me. “You’re in here without security?” A teasing smirk pulled at her lips as she added, “Pretty sure Ian will lose his mind if he finds out.”
I sat in the booth across from her and clasped my hands on the table. “I like to keep him sharp. If it wasn’t for me, he’d have turned into a lazy asshole by now.”
“Hmm.” She gave me a look of disappointment that made my skin prickle uncomfortably before looking back down at her notebook.
“What?” I asked, drawing her attention back to me. “What was that look about? That hum?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit.” I leaned forward. “Tell me what you’re thinking, Thumbelina.”
She dropped her pen and crossed her arms, sitting back in the booth. “I was just thinking that I felt bad for him.”
“What?” My brows dipped low. “Why?”
“I’ve read some of the recent articles about you on the internet. The pictures they got were…interesting.” One of her eyebrows arched contemptuously. “You make him any sharper, he’ll slice you in half.”
Something bitter and sour twisted in my gut. Each and every time I picked one of those women up, I hadn’t given a single fucking thought to anything but getting Gina out of my head. Now, knowing she’d seen those pictures and read the shit they printed about me, I regretted every nameless, faceless woman I’d buried myself inside in a sad attempt to forget.
Instead of letting that show, I pasted on a carefree expression. There was no way in hell I’d be able to survive her staying on as our assistant. I wanted her too much, and I refused to allow another woman to lead me around by my dick. Never again.
The air between us suddenly felt thick with tension, so I joked to ease it. “Careful, Thumbelina. You almost sound jealous.”
A challenging smile stretched across her gorgeous face. “Keep telling yourself that, man whore.” She picked up her pen and started writing again, like I wasn’t even sitting there.
A waitress stopped by and refilled Gina’s water. After ordering myself a beer, I turned back to the woman who’d been plaguing my every thought. “What are you working on?”
“A budget.”
That was all I got, a short, two-word answer before being dismissed. I didn’t think so.
“Sounds boring as hell.”
She giggled and laid the pen back down, giving me her full attention. “It is. That’s why I came down here. That and I was getting sick of staring at the same four walls. No offense, because the hotels we’ve been staying at are nicer than anything I could ever afford on my own, but I can’t wait to get home.”
I lifted the beer the waitress had just dropped off and took a huge gulp. “That makes two of us. I fuckin’ hate hotels.”
Her expression grew pensive as she looked around the bar before continuing. “I spend enough of my time alone. I came down here because I was starting to get sick of my own company. Even sitting here by myself was better than being in my room. At least here I’m surrounded by people.”
I hadn’t had the desire to get to know a woman prior to taking her to my bed in years. But when it came to Gina, every word she said was another layer peeled back. I couldn’t get enough. With each new piece she revealed, I grew eve
n more desperate to see what would come next. “You make it sound like you don’t have anyone back in Seattle. What about friends and family?”
“I work a lot,” she murmured, casting her gaze down to the table. Her cheeks began to color with that familiar blush, like her admission embarrassed her. “Before I took this job, I used to work as many shifts at Bernie’s as she’d allow. Didn’t really leave a lot of time to hang out with friends.”
“What about your folks?”
Her focus left the small napkin she’d started shredding into tiny pieces. Pulling in a deep breath, she looked up at me and asked, “What’s with all the questions, Kill? Since when did you become interested in getting to know me?”
My back went straight at the accusation in her tone. “What’s so wrong with trying to get to know you?”
“It’s hypocritical, that’s what’s wrong with it,” she sneered. “One second you’re treating me like I’m shit on the bottom of your shoe, trying to make my job so miserable I’ll bail on the best job I’ve ever had, and the next you’re acting like we’re buddies. I don’t want to be a part of whatever game you’re playing here.” Slapping her notebook closed, she gathered her stuff and slid out of the booth. “Make up your mind. Pick which Killian you want to be and stick with it. This back and forth isn’t fun for anyone but you.”
Then she was gone, leaving me with my own miserable company.
“Fuck,” I hissed, scrubbing at my face. I was beginning to think that my life couldn’t possibly get anymore fucked up than it already was.
But apparently Karma decided it wasn’t done with me yet.
My cell phone rang from my back pocket as I rode the elevator up to my floor. Pulling it out, I swiped to answer the call without checking the screen first. “Yeah,” I barked through the line.
“Killian?” My stomach bottomed out as the elevator slowly came to a stop and the doors slid open. “Kill, you there?”
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