Where is he going with this? She just wanted to go home. “He seemed okay at first.”
“What happened?”
Emily was at a loss. Why was he asking about Nicki’s ex? “He invited me to have a three-way with them.” She enjoyed Jack’s shocked expression. She tilted her head, daring him to ask any more questions.
“Big mistake,” Elliot said. “You’re not the type. Guy must be an idiot.”
That caught Emily off guard, and she was flattered by his observation. “He’s an idiot because he kept asking after I declined.”
A loud knock on the dressing room door brought a sense of relief to Emily. Good, they could finally leave.
“Come in,” Jack said.
Jeff entered alone.
Emily’s smile faded.
Jeff looked at Jack. “They’re gone.”
chapter
EIGHT
The color drained out of Emily’s face so suddenly, Jack feared she might pass out. He needed to fix this. “What do you mean they’re gone?” He might have to kill Curt or, at the very least, maim him.
“I mean they’re gone. They left. We searched all the usual places,” Jeff said. “I called Polson. He took them back to the hotel about thirty minutes ago.”
Jack dialed Curt, but the call went straight to voicemail.
Emily shot to her feet, grabbed her purse, and headed to the door. “I have to go.” Pulling out her phone she turned to Jeff. “Can you tell me how to get out of here?”
“Ye—”
“I’ll take you home.” Jack jumped up and crossed the room in three strides.
“Oh,” Emily stammered. “You’re gonna take me to New Jersey?”
“Sure.”
“That isn’t necessary. I’ll take a cab.”
“No. This is my fault. I didn’t think they’d leave the building.”
“Guess they needed privacy for all that spanking.” Elliot snickered.
Jack was pissed at Curt but aimed it at Elliot. “Black, don’t be a dick. Can’t you see she’s upset?”
Elliot’s smirk disappeared. “I’m sorry.” He stood and put his arm around her. “He’s right, I am being a dick.”
Emily didn’t move away.
Jack glared at Elliot.
He smirked back. In a whisper, he said, “Jack’s a good guy. He’ll make sure you get home safely.” Elliot stepped back, looked at Jack, winked, and left.
Emily stood there, still in shock over her friend’s abandonment.
“Let me take a quick shower, and I’ll get you home. Jeff, we’ll meet you outside in twenty minutes.” With Elliot gone, Emily might not feel comfortable alone with him. “On second thought, stand by. If you hear a peep out of her, a hiccup even, rush in and kick my ass, ask questions later.”
An unexpected chuckle escaped Emily’s lips. He liked the sound of it.
“Sure thing, Jack. I hope you know what you’re getting into.”
Drawing Emily back to the couch, Jack said, “Jeff’s an ex-Marine and—”
“There’s no such thing as an ex-Marine,” Emily and Jeff said simultaneously.
Jeff looked at Emily with a raised brow.
“My dad was.”
Jeff gave a curt nod. “How?”
“Car accident.”
Jeff’s stern face softened. “I’m so sorry.” He looked at Jack. “I’ll be outside.” He pointed to his eyes with his index and middle fingers and then to Jack. His lips curved up slightly. Jeff turned and left, closing the door. Jack was certain that was the first time he’d seen Jeff smile in the three months since he’d hired him.
Emily chuckled and smiled. Jack wanted it to stay there, so he grabbed her bottle of water off the table and handed it to her. “I really don’t want my ass kicked, so in case of hiccups, take a few sips.” Smiling, he turned and headed into the bathroom.
Jack peeled off his clothes and stepped into the shower. He considered taking a cold shower, but he was long past that helping. Adjusting the temperature to just under scalding, he grabbed the shampoo and lathered his hair.
Images of Emily filled his mind. The sound and feel of the water raining down on him and the stroke of his hand calmed him. She had a beautiful laugh. And chuckle. Her beauty left him breathless. Her hazel eyes, rimmed in green, were browner when she was pissed. He’d love to find out what shade they turned when she comes. How would it feel to kiss her lips? Taste her? Caress her skin? Jack groaned as he stroked himself.
Hearing his name, Jack opened his eyes to see Emily standing there. Naked. He faced her, his dick at full attention, his hand still stroking. She stepped into the shower, and he tugged her under the spray. Emily’s full lips smiled at him as he pulled her close and kissed her. He palmed her ample tits, stroking her nipples with his thumbs, which elicited a shiver from her. Emily’s hands went to work on him; one hand stroked his hard cock while the other cupped his balls and gently rolled them.
Oh yeah, that feels so fucking good. He moaned into her mouth, and she responded by nipping his tongue gently with her teeth.
She spread her legs and rubbed his bare cock between her thighs. She was so fucking wet. Emily knelt on the floor and took his slippery cock all the way into her mouth. The sensation was unbelievable. She swirled her tongue around the tip and nipped him lightly with her teeth. If this went on any longer, he’d come.
He pulled out of her mouth and motioned for her to stand. She didn’t. Instead she pressed her tits together and leaned closer to his cock. He couldn’t resist. He thrust forward, pushing his cock into the valley between her tits. So close.
But he needed to be inside her, so he pulled back and helped her to stand. Their lips met in a savage kiss. He trailed his hand down her flat stomach and cupped her pussy, briefly circling her clit, and then slipped his middle finger inside her. Her moan echoed off the shower walls. She was fucking drenched. He stroked her clit with his thumb, and she clenched her muscles around his finger, breaking the kiss to lay her head on his shoulder.
When he withdrew his hand, she whimpered. Raising his fingers to his mouth, he licked her juices. He offered her a finger, and she took it between her full lips.
Jack had to be inside her now.
Turning so her back was up against the shower wall, he lifted her, and her long legs wrapped around his waist. One upward thrust and he was inside her, only a little at first—he wanted her as crazed for him as he was for her. Emily moaned and tried to push down, so he pulled back.
He pumped into her slowly. So fucking good. Emily said his name over and over, which drove him wild. Taking her mouth again, their tongues tangled. He felt the familiar pull in his balls, and he couldn’t stop himself from coming. She was coming too, so he kept pumping into her.
“Jack, are you okay?” Emily asked, her voice distant.
Jack’s eyes shot open. He was alone. Shit.
“Yeah, be out in a minute.” He leaned against the shower wall and let the water wash over him for a few seconds before turning it off and stepping out. He quickly dried himself and looked around for his clothes. He must have left his bag in the dressing room. “Emily, can you bring my bag to the door? I forgot my clothes.”
“I don’t see it.”
“It was on the floor next to the couch.”
“I’ll look around.” Seconds ticked by. “Wait,” Emily yelled.
Jack tied a towel around his waist, and walking to the doorway, he peered out. Oh shit. Emily knelt on the couch, looking over the back. As she reached behind the couch, her delightful ass rose in the air. He should look away but couldn’t.
Emily yelled, “Got it.” Pulling herself back onto the couch, she turned and saw him.
Now he looked away. Too late, his dick was semi-hard again, and she’d caught him staring at her ass.
“Assuming you didn’t put it there, I don’t know how it got back there.” Emily handed him the bag.
“Neither do I
.” Jack’s mouth was suddenly dry. He stood there wearing only a towel and holding the bag. Elliot.
“Why would Elliot put your bag behind…”
Jack must’ve said Elliot’s name out loud. “When you went into the bathroom, I got a text. My phone was in my jacket on the chair. That would’ve given the bastard time to chuck my bag behind the couch.” Emily stared at him. At least he had the bag in front of him, so she couldn’t see the towel tenting at his groin.
She looked him up and down. “What? You’re standing there in a towel, I’m not supposed to look?”
Now it was his turn to smile. The expression of female appreciation on her face made every day in the gym worth it. Thanks to Elliot, he was sure she was interested. She’d been doing a good job of hiding it. Patience. With a wink, Jack turned and strode into the bathroom.
J
Damn, that man had the most perfect body she had ever seen: tanned, toned, and wow. Emily took a few steadying breaths. He’d stared at her ass when she was so elegantly draped over the couch trying to retrieve his bag. Why shouldn’t she get an eyeful? And what had Elliot been thinking? Jack didn’t need help.
Jack in a towel was entirely too intimate. She’d only seen serious boyfriends in such an intimate way. And men in movies, but the effect wasn’t the same. An almost naked, living, breathing man in the same room with you was much more potent.
Warmth pooled low in her belly and radiated throughout her body. Damn. Emily fanned herself. She’d gotten a better look at his Celtic band tattoo around his right biceps. He also had “SH” in a fancy script, tattooed on the back of his neck, just below his hairline.
Delicious didn’t even begin to describe him. If there was a window, she’d stick her head out it to cool off. Why was she reacting like a schoolgirl? She wiped her damp palms on her jeans. What was wrong with her?
Sully was handsome. He kept his blond hair short, but Emily always wished he’d grow it a little longer so she’d have more to run her hands through or tug. His green eyes had mesmerized her. Not as tall as Jack or as ripped, but he was fit, and he’d looked hot in a suit and tie. He spent more on his wardrobe in six months than Emily did all year. To his credit, he never tried to change her more laid-back, comfortable way of dressing. He’d always said he loved her the way she was, but considering how things ended, that couldn’t be true. Emily tore her thoughts off Sully. This emotional roller coaster ride was exhausting. One minute she was eyeballing Jack, and the next she was fighting off memories of Sully. She was in hell.
“Hey, you never answered my question.” Jack stood in the doorway pulling on his shirt.
“What question?”
“I asked for your phone number.”
Shit, that little ogle was costing her. His swagger was on full display, and he wouldn’t let this go easily. “You said that you’d like my phone number, which isn’t a question, so no failure to answer on my part.” She kept her face neutral, but at Jack’s expression, she couldn’t help but grin. It was better than crying.
“Fair enough. Emily, may I please have your phone number?”
Jack’s cocky grin was breathtaking, but she had to end this now. “No.” Shit. His stunned expression had her fumbling to explain. “Jack, you seem like a great guy. My breakup was awful, and I’m not ready to date again. I’m not even sure you’re asking to date me.” Emily shifted her gaze from him. “I don’t sleep around, and I’m not into revenge sex, as Nicki calls it.” Damn, she was rambling again.
Seeing Jack nearly naked had scrambled her brain. “If you’d singled out any other girl, you’d be balls deep by now. I’m sorry you wasted your time.” As flattering as it was to have Jack’s interest—he was handsome, talented, and hot as fuck—she wouldn’t lead him on.
Jack leveled her with a huge smile. “I haven’t wasted my time. It’s been a pleasure getting to know you. No reason we can’t keep in touch until you are ready.”
“Would you stop smiling at me? You are the most exasper—”
A loud knock on the door interrupted her, and it opened before Jack could say anything. Jeff pushed in and said curtly, “There’s trouble with Buzz.”
Then all hell broke loose.
Jeff’s expression told Emily this wasn’t just some bullshit rock star drama. Jack rushed for the door.
“Shoes,” Emily yelled.
He stopped and looked around.
“They must be in the bathroom,” Emily said.
He rushed into the bathroom and returned hopping on one foot while pulling on the other boot.
“What’s happened?” he asked.
Jeff looked at Emily.
“It’s okay, she’s trustworthy.”
That was all Jeff needed to launch into a sitrep. “Don’t have all the details, but there’s been a confrontation with a white male and two of my security guys. Not sure how Buzz figures into this, but since he’s there, I thought you’d want to know.”
Jack grabbed Emily’s hand, and they raced out of the dressing room with Jeff leading the way.
Emily’s head spun. She didn’t understand why Jack grabbed her hand, but she didn’t want to waste time asking. When they reached the area where the commotion was, Jack dropped her hand and yelled to Jeff, “Stay with her.”
He ran to where two security guys had a man detained. “What the fuck are you doing here, Dewbury?” Jack asked, addressing the detainee. One of the security guys said something to him, and Jack swung at Dewbury. His punch landed on the guy’s jaw, and he fell backward.
Jeff moved Emily behind him, effectively blocking her view of the fight. She spotted Buzz sitting on the floor against the wall. Emily touched Jeff’s arm and pointed to Buzz. Jeff nodded, and they walked to where he sat. Jeff stopped two feet in front of Buzz, and Emily sat on the floor next to him.
Buzz stared at a spot on the floor between his knees. When he turned to her, he looked dejected.
“Hey,” Emily said.
Buzz nodded and returned to staring.
She glanced over at the melee. Security attempted to get Jack off the white male. It wasn’t going well for them. Whoever this guy was, he felt the full weight of Jack’s fury.
She let the silence draw out. If Buzz wanted to talk, he would.
“I should’ve walked away as soon as I saw him. He’s bad news.”
The security guys were finally able to disengage Jack from Dewbury. Blood trickled out the side of Dewbury’s mouth, and he had the beginnings of a nasty black eye. He was doubled over, so two security guys held him in place. And even though security held Jack back, that didn’t stop him from kicking the guy.
“That’s on me,” Buzz said, looking back at Emily.
“Are you okay?” Emily asked.
“Yeah.”
What would Vince do? He’d leave it up to Buzz to talk. Emily slid closer and put her arm around his shoulders. When Buzz moved, she was afraid she’d crossed a line, but he pulled a baggie filled with different pills out his jacket and handed it to her. Oh, fuck. She shoved the baggie into her jeans pocket.
“He gave me that. I don’t know why I kept it,” Buzz said weakly.
“Because you were tempted. A guy you used to know handed you a bag with pills in it, and in that instant, you forgot you were sober and took it.”
“I’ve been sober for two hundred and sixteen days. How could I forget that? I worked hard to get here, and it’s even harder to stay sober.” Buzz shook his head. “He used to be a friend, but we lost touch.”
Buzz closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall. “He got in with a bad crowd, petty theft, vandalism. Then he got busted for dealing. Did a few years upstate. I thought he’d cleaned up his act. It was nice seeing a friendly face, we shook hands, and in the process, he left that in my hand.”
Emily placed her hand on his.
Buzz exhaled slowly, his voice quivering slightly. “He said ‘Great show. Free sample, call me.’ One of the secu
rity guys saw it and yelled out, and they detained him, but then the baggie was in my pocket. It all happened so fast.” Buzz swore under his breath.
“You didn’t ask him for drugs.”
At Emily’s statement, Buzz looked at her. “God, no, of course not.”
“You’re not responsible for his actions.”
“But why didn’t I throw them back at him or give them to one of the security guys?”
The anger in his voice sent a shiver down her spine. “That guy is an asshole, okay. You need to focus on what really happened here, Buzz. You didn’t ask him for drugs.”
“I held onto them. I must have wanted them, right?”
Emily was out of her league here. “Maybe you should call your sponsor.”
Jeff’s security guys hauled Dewbury away. Jack calmed down, so they released him. He strode over, stopping to have a word with Jeff, and then crouched next to Buzz. “Hey, man, how ya doing?”
Buzz shook his head and looked away.
“Did Dewbury give you anything?”
Buzz nodded.
Emily took the baggie out and handed it to Jack. “Buzz gave this to me.” She gave Jack an encouraging smile.
“Jack,” Buzz started, “I swear, I didn’t ask him for those, and I didn’t take any. You have to believe me.” He looked down. “You guys have been with me one hundred percent, and I wouldn’t let you down like this.”
Jack touched his hand. “I know.”
“You know what, Buzz?” Emily said. “You were tested, and I say you passed.”
“Damn straight,” Jack agreed.
“Jack,” Jeff said.
Jack stood and turned to Jeff, handing him the baggie.
Buzz took out his phone, so Emily stood and stepped away to give him privacy.
Jack walked over and sagged against the wall.
“He’s calling his sponsor,” Emily said.
“I can’t thank you enough. Buzz should’ve been my priority, but when I saw that motherfucker, I lost it. If you hadn’t—”
“Hey,” Emily said, leaning against the wall next to Jack. “You don’t have to thank me. Anyone would do the same.”
With You: A Rock Star Romance (Rocked in Love Book 1) Page 7