Series Starter : Firsts in Series Collection

by Kaylee Ryan

  “Kacen, this is your new personal assistant, Logan Andrews. Logan, this is your new boss, Kacen Warren.”

  “Holy shit!” the words fly out of my mouth before I can stop them.

  “Paige,” his gruff voice calls out to me.

  “Michael?” I breathe his name, not understanding what’s going on here.

  Mr. Triple T, my one-night stand, hottest sex of my life, is my new boss.

  Chapter 8

  Kacen

  When I wake up, last night comes crashing back to me. Paige and her tight little body, I kept her up into the early morning hours. I couldn’t get my fill of her. Speaking of . . . rolling over, I reach for her. When I feel nothing but cold sheets, I force my eyes open.

  I’m alone.

  Climbing out of bed, I grab a clean pair of underwear from the drawer and go in search of her. I quickly scan the living room looking for a sign that she’s still here. Surely she didn’t leave. I don’t think that’s ever happened to me before. With a few quick strides, I’m standing in my kitchen. I find it empty as well. I spot a note on the counter; picking it up, I read her words. “Thank you for a night I will never forget.”

  Fuck me!

  I settle into a stool, resting my elbows on the counter and burying my hands in my hair. I’m pissed that she left without saying goodbye. I’m even more pissed that I care. It’s usually me who slips out in the early morning hours, but not this time. This time I brought her here, to my space. The only conclusion that I can come up with is that I wasn’t done with her. I wanted to sink myself inside her at least one more time before we parted ways. Glancing at the clock, I see that it’s a little after nine in the morning. Her flight leaves today, but I have no idea what time.

  Without taking the time to second-guess why I do it, I race back to the bedroom, pull on a pair of shorts, and run out the door. My bare feet hit the hot sand, but I barely notice. I jog to their rental and knock on the door.

  No answer.

  Peering in through the window, I see two keys laying on the counter.

  Shit! She’s gone.

  Defeated, I turn back the way I came. On the way back to my house, I contemplate calling the owner of the rental and trying to get her information. That thought lingers until I reach the back deck and I realize I sound like a crazy-ass stalker. Paige is the only woman I’ve hooked up with since my time here in Hawaii. My lack of sex has obviously affected my brain.

  I settle into a lounge chair, close my eyes, and listen to the early morning waves as they hit the shoreline. I’ve been here for three weeks. Three weeks of being just ‘Kacen’ not the famous lead singer of Soul Serenade. Just coming off of an eighteen-month tour takes a toll on you. My bandmates all went home to visit their families. I opted for tropical paradise. My mom was not impressed when I told her my plans, but really, I just needed to decompress.

  I will never complain about the success of the band or the life of liberty that success has provided for me. I love what I do. What I don’t love is never knowing who I can trust. This is a cutthroat business, and unless you are blood related, which really stops at my parents, or a member of my band, you are not on the list. Hell, I have women, who I know for a fact I have never seen before in my life, showing up outside my hotel room telling me I fathered their unborn child. I love the music, writing the lyrics, and fitting it to the perfect notes. I hate the fame that comes with it. I’m thankful for it and loathe it all at the same time.

  My intention was to escape into this private beach house and decompress from the tour, from the fans, the groupies, and everyone else who seems to constantly want a piece of me. I kept to myself for the first two weeks, and then as I was walking down the beach, I saw her.

  Paige.

  Her long brown hair was blowing in the wind. I could tell from a distance that she was beautiful, and I was . . . drawn to her. Against my better judgment, I stopped to see if they needed help. Her friend, Lynn, all smiles for me, just like all the other women I meet. Paige, not so much. She was more reserved, yet polite. Her kind smile was just that, kind. She wasn’t mentally conforming to a plan to seduce me; she was just offering a welcoming smile.

  A smile so contagious that it pulled me under her spell. There is no other explanation for why I continued to seek her out. I was here to get away from it all, even the women, but one glimpse of that smile, the one that lit her eyes, and I was captivated.

  As the week passed by, it became even more obvious to me that she had no clue who I was. This past week has been the best time I’ve had with a woman in, well . . . ever that I can remember. Last night, in my bed . . . it was different. I’ve been with my fair share of beautiful women. My job keeps me surrounded by them at any given time. Paige, she was different. She wasn’t with Kacen the rock star; she was with me, just Kacen. Well, Michael. The lie I told her slipped off my tongue. It was my weak attempt and silent wish that she would not recognize me. My wish was granted when neither of them realized who I was. Technically, I didn’t lie. Michael is my middle name.

  I’m sure if put in the same position, just wanting to feel like a normal human being, she would do the same thing. I hope she understands that.

  Fuck! What am I thinking? I’m never going to see her again; it doesn’t matter if she understands or not. I don’t know her last name or where she’s from. I didn’t even ask what college she just graduated from.

  My phone rings, jolting me out of my inner turmoil over the lovely Paige. Reaching into my pocket, I check the display and see that Tristan is calling. “Hey, man,” I say in greeting.

  “How’s paradise?”

  “Same ole, I think I’m going to come home early.” Call me crazy, and I would never admit this out loud, but paradise isn’t the same knowing she’s not here. The girl I’ve known for a week, who let the real me inside of her, the one who gave me the best sex of my life. Feeling the loss of her is an entirely new concept to me. I know it’s because she left without saying goodbye. That’s never happened to me before.

  “Does this have anything to do with that girl you had G talk to?”

  If you only knew. “Nah, I’m just ready to get home. We have an album to start working on. Besides, Jones sent me an email letting me know my new assistant starts Monday. A guy this time, thank fuck. If any of you fuckers run this one off with your dick, I’m hiring an old maid.” I laugh when I hear his snort on the other line.

  “K, man, old ladies need loving too. It’s just skin, brother.”

  I laugh at his antics. The four of us have been friends since kindergarten, thicker than thieves. “Just skin my ass, I might have to test your theory,” I chide him.

  “I think the new guy is safe, to say the least.” He chuckles.

  “I’m going to call Cassidy and have her arrange my flight home. I’ll see you in a day or so.”

  “I’ll let the guys know. I’m stoked about this new album. We’ve been working on a lot of new material, adding the beat to the lyrics you’ve been sending us.”

  “Me too, man. It will be good to be home for a while. Living on the road sucks ass.”

  “True that. Catch ya later.”

  I type out a quick text to Cassidy, who is our agent’s personal assistant. She’s been filling in since Cole slept with my last one and scared her off. That seems to be a normal occurrence, which is why I insisted on a male this time. Although my boys have been known to get a little freaky in the bedroom, I can’t say I’ve ever known them to swing that way. Only time will tell.

  Within the hour, Cassidy replies with flight information. I fly out tomorrow afternoon. I decide to take another stroll on the beach, taking in the serenity before I pack up to leave, leaving behind the memories of the lovely Paige and the normalcy I felt being with her.

  [ Image: image2.jpeg ]

  My flight is uneventful. The flight attendant continued to bat her eyelashes at me and her uniform, which was buttoned prim and proper, suddenly became obscene after she brought me my first drink. Not
wanting to deal with her, or anyone for that matter, I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep.

  I spot the driver Cassidy has sent for me. He eagerly takes my bags as I follow him to the limo. Even though my hair is now cut short and I’m wearing my Oakley’s, the paparazzi and fans still spot me. I hastily slide into the back seat and pull the door closed behind me. I just want to be home.

  As soon as I walk through the door of my house, Jones is there waiting. I expected him to be here as well as my new assistant. I hope Cassidy was able to bring him up to speed as to what is expected.

  “Jones,” I say in greeting.

  “Kacen, good to have you back.” He reaches out to shake my hand.

  He looks nervous. “What’s up?”

  He places his hand on my shoulder; that’s never a good sign. “Kacen, listen, there’s been a slight misunderstanding. It’s not a huge deal,” he rushes to explain.

  I don’t say anything as I shrug his hand off my shoulder and cross my arms over my chest. I stand stock-still waiting for him to drop the bomb on me.

  “You see, when you said you wanted a male assistant, I took you seriously. I went through all of the applications and there was only one male applicant. I forwarded the resume to Cassidy and told her to hire him.” He laughs nervously. I continue to stare him down, waiting for the punch line. “Turns out he is not really a he. She has a name that I have since been told is unisex. Your new assistant, her name is Logan, and she’s extremely qualified. She’s been with the band the entire day and she’s holding her own. Their charms don’t seem to work on her. If anything, they treat her . . . like an old friend.”

  “I asked for one thing, Jones. One. I’m not one to harp on demands, but I’m so sick and tired of going through assistants every couple of months.” Releasing a heavy sigh, I run my fingers through my hair. Fuck! “All right, you need to make it clear to her that this is a probationary period. If I get even an inkling of suspicion that she has a thing for one of the guys, she’s gone. Make sure she understands.”

  “Done. Let me introduce you.”

  I follow him into the living room. I see all three guys sitting around, and then I see her. Her long brown hair reminds me of Paige. I bite back my irritation. She’s gone. She was a good time, but I need to get over that shit.

  “Kacen, this is your new personal assistant, Logan Andrews. Logan, this is your new boss, Kacen Warren.”

  “Holy shit!” the words fly out of her sweet mouth.

  “Paige.” My voice is gruff as I say her name. I thought he said her name was Logan?

  “Michael?” she breaths my name, and the memory of that exact sound flashes through my mind. I was buried deep inside of her.

  The girl who has captivated my mind for the past week, the one I shared unbelievable sex with, is standing in my living room, with my bandmates. Paige, or Logan rather, is my new assistant.

  What the ever-loving fuck?

  Chapter 9

  Logan

  In and out, in and out, three words that are on repeat in my mind, reminding me to breathe. I’m standing stock-still in his living room staring at him, Michael. Then it hits me . . . he lied to me. I’m angry long enough for my brain to catch up to the fact that I also omitted the truth. I gave him my middle name.

  “Out, now!” he roars. Cole, Gavin, and Tristan linger around me. Cassidy and Mr. Jones leave without another word.

  “Leave,” he says again through gritted teeth.

  I feel an arm come around my shoulders. Looking over, I see that it’s Gavin. He smiles down at me, winks, and turns his attention to Mi—Kacen.

  “Welcome back, man,” Gavin says.

  Kacen’s blue eyes flame with anger. “I need a minute with, Pa—Logan.” He looks from me to Gavin.

  “Don’t think that’s a good idea, my friend. You seem to be standing on the cliff of anger, and our girl here”—he pulls me closer—“doesn’t need to be on the receiving end.”

  Kacen lets his arms hang at his sides. His fists gripped tight. “I’m not going to hurt her, or yell at her. I just need a fucking minute with her.”

  “It’s obvious the two of you know each other,” Tristan pipes up.

  “You could say that.” Kacen answers him, but his eyes never leave mine. “I met Logan in Hawaii.”

  “Ah, so she’s the one.” Tristan laughs.

  “K, you good?” this from Cole.

  His answer is a simple nod, eyes still locked with mine.

  Cole steps next to me and gently squeezes my arm. “We’ll just be in the kitchen. Guys.” He jerks his head toward the door. Tristan follows obediently while Gavin releases me, but doesn’t move to follow him.

  Once he’s no longer touching me, Kacen moves his heated eyes from me to his friend. They have some sort of silent conversation that has Gavin releasing a heavy sigh and retreating toward the kitchen.

  Then there were two.

  “So, Logan . . .”

  “So, Kacen . . .” I mimic him.

  Running his fingers through his hair, he sits on the couch. “Come sit,” he says without looking at me.

  Slowly, I walk to where he’s now sitting on the couch and sit on the opposite end. I clasp my hands in my lap and stare at them, just waiting for him to tell me that I no longer have a job.

  Kacen surprises me when he clears his throat, gaining my attention. He holds his hand out for me. I slip mine into his and we shake. “My name’s Kacen Michael Warren. It’s nice to meet you.”

  My eyes find his, our hands still locked. “Nice to meet you, Kacen. My name’s Logan Paige Andrews.”

  His shoulders relax when he hears Paige is my middle name. Without knowing, we both omitted our first names, wanting to be someone else without the lie.

  Realizing I still have a grip on his hand, I release my hold and place my hands back in my lap.

  “You were gone.” His voice is thick as he speaks softly. I’m sure he’s worried about his bandmates listening in. Although it sounded like they had already heard about me, about Paige.

  “I’ve never been much on goodbyes. Besides, we both knew it was a fling.” Something I’ve never done. I don’t exactly know the protocol on this type of thing.

  “Yeah,” he agrees. “I still would have liked to have been able to say goodbye to you.”

  Me too. “Hawaii . . . was a first for me. I wasn’t exactly sure on the protocol and just figured slipping away was the best bet.” I decide I might as well be honest with him.

  We’re both quiet while the words I had just spoken lay between us.

  “So, you’re my new PA?” he asks.

  “Well, yes, I guess as long as you decide that I can keep my job.”

  “I requested a male. Jones looked at your name and assumed.”

  I nod. “He explained that you would be upset and there would be a chance that I could possibly be . . . relieved of my duties.”

  “The guys,”—he gestures toward the kitchen—“they’ve run off the last several assistants, for various reasons.”

  “He explained that as well.”

  “Look, I know how excited you were about this position. I’m willing to see how things go, if you think you can work with me after . . .” His voice trails off.

  After you gave me the best sex of my life. “I can.”

  He studies me. “The guys can be—”

  I interrupt him. “I’ve spent the day with them. I know they can be flirty and suggestive. However, I’m not some groupie. The fame of the band does nothing for me. I don’t want the spotlight. I want to do my job and that’s it. I can handle them.” I just don’t know if I can handle being around you.

  “All right then. We’ll try it and see how it goes. I’m sure Cassidy has shown you your office?” I nod. “Good, she will be the one training you, so to speak. Really, your main job is keeping us in line.” He smirks.

  “Challenge accepted.” I wink and hold out my hand. He briefly hesitates before giving it a firm shake.

&n
bsp; “You can come in now,” he yells over his shoulder. All three of them come bursting back in the room. Gavin’s gaze locks on mine. I smile, letting him know all is well.

  “So, do we get to keep her?” Cole asks.

  “Jesus, she’s not a fucking pet,” Kacen chides him.

  “No, but she is one hell of a cook. I vote we keep her,” Tristan adds.

  Kacen runs his fingers through his hair and shakes his head. “Yes, she’s staying.” His eyes lock with mine. The blue pools take me back to just a few days ago. I push the thoughts of our time together in the back of my mind. Just a memory, Logan. Just a memory.

  “Okay, well, I need to find Cassidy. There were a few things she was going to discuss with me about your schedule. I’m just going to head to my office.”

  I stand to leave and Kacen grabs my hand. “Logan, it’s after five. You’ve been here all day.”

  I smile down at him. “I’ve already been informed that the job has unconventional hours. Besides, I spent most of the time hanging out with these three. I hardly feel like I worked at all.” With that, I leave the four of them staring after me. Once I clear the door, I rest my back against the wall and suck in a deep breath. I’m relieved I get to keep my job, but nervous as hell working with him every day. How am I going to separate the memories of our time in Hawaii from this new working relationship we have?

  “Off fucking limits, I mean it.” I hear Kacen’s warning as I scurry down the hall to my office.

  Chapter 10

  Kacen

  “I mean it. Logan is off-limits.” My voice is stern. They need to know I mean business.

  “It’s her, right? She’s the one from Hawaii?” Tristan asks.

  I nod. “Off-limits,” I repeat.

  “You staking your claim?” Cole chimes in.

  “She’s my fucking assistant,” I seethe. I’ve never staked my claim, never wanted to. Right now in this moment, I want to, if not for the simple fact that I don’t want them to touch her. Memories of her writhing beneath me flash through my mind.