Ballad:Rockstar 05(3)

"Huh?"

"B-B for Blush Baby. Jesus, Coley, you'd think you've never been kissed  before," Spenser snickers. Silence. "Oh shit. Please tell me Lucian  Cordero was not your first kiss. Shit. If that's the case, we're all  doomed. You're going to marry him and have his babies for sure. Christ.  And I let this happen. Lucy and Ben are going to kill me. Make sure they  have a closed casket no matter what. I don't want people staring at a  dead, lifeless corpse that looks nothing like this awesomeness," he  prattles on.

Lucian smirks at me and I smirk back.

"You're safe, Spense. Lucian wasn't my first kiss," I tell him.

"Well, damn. I was kind of hoping I was," Lucian replies.

"What. The. Fuck?!" explodes from the doorway. We turn, Lucian's hand  still resting against my cheek and mouth, and we're met with a red-faced  Ben Kingston, hands fisted at his sides.

"What ‘what the fuck'?" I ask, narrowing my eyes.

He looks away from me to Lucian, who's grinning.

"What's up Ben?"         

     



 

"Did you fucking kiss her?" Ben bites out.

Lucian chuckles. "Sure did. Just a few minutes ago. Sweetest kiss I've ever had, no lie."

"You motherfucker," Ben curses, making his way across the room in quick strides but stops halfway.

"What's the problem?" Lucian asks, still grinning.

"Get your fucking hand off her. You don't touch her and you sure as fuck don't kiss her!" he yells.

"Hey! What the hell is wrong with you?" I yell back. "He didn't do anything I didn't welcome."

"The hell you say," Ben says, hands on hips.

"Who are you to say who can or can't kiss me or touch me?" I ask the  manwhore of the BFD tour. It's no secret he fucks random chicks all the  damn time.

"What?" he asks, confused.

"I asked who the hell you are to say who can or can't touch or kiss me?  If I want Lucian to kiss me, he will kiss me and it's none of your damn  business, Ben Kingston. Go find one of your whores and let her keep you  busy. This," I say, pointing a finger between me and Lucian, "is between  me and him."

Ben stands there, jaw ticking, teeth grinding, hands fisted at his  sides. If this were a cartoon we'd see steam coming out of his ears.  Hell, the top of his head would blow off from the steam and fall back  down. Of all the people to think they have a say. I scoff in his  direction. He gives me looks, heated ones, interested ones, but that's  as far as it goes so he can just step off.

I turn to Lucian, who's still grinning, and kiss his thumb. Ben growls.  I'm not kidding. He let out a growl. The man has issues. Lucian winks  and drops his hand when I turn to face the mirror.

"Finish beautifying me, Spense," I say to a dumbstruck Spenser who has  his makeup brushes clutched tightly to his chest, his eyes wide and  focused on Ben. "Spenser!" I say louder and he jerks.

"Oh, yes. Okay. Oh my. This is …  I need Lucy," he says softly. "She  handles these things." He sends a quick text then turns to me. I look in  the mirror to see Ben staring at me. I wish he would stop. The looks  seem like they mean more than what they do and it's more than I can  handle.

I turn away from Ben's hard gaze and meet Lucian's softer one. He gives  me a wink and I smile at him. He seems nice and he gives me butterflies  kinda the way Ben's gaze does-kinda.

I hear the door open and I look in time to see Ben's tall, muscular  frame walk through the doorway. He doesn't even look back. No. Not Ben.  Instead, he slams the door behind him blanketing us in silence once  again.

"Well then," Spenser says, all flustered. He pulls his shirt from his body and fans himself. "Is it hot in here?"

"Scorching," Lucian answers.

Holy Hannah. What's going on? What just happened in the last thirty  minutes has changed what I thought I knew and what I thought I wanted. I  never considered there to be more than one possibility, more than one  man who'd be interested in me. I'm sick. I'm no prize. Maybe holding out  for Ben Kingston is a dumb idea. And, after that display, maybe it's  one I can stop entertaining. He doesn't want me but doesn't want anyone  else to have me. That doesn't work for me. Not at all.

As Spenser applies my makeup, Simone tends to Lucian.

Maybe Lucian Cordero isn't bad news like they think. I mean, people  change, right? Some people, anyway. But not Ben. Nope. Ben will always  hide within the safety of distance. I'm not sure why and I'm not sure I  even want to know the answer to that anymore. He's kept me dangling with  those looks for the last couple months. But now? I think I'm going to  see what else is out there for me.

I don't know Lucian but I do know what he makes me feel and it's nothing  I've ever felt before. Maybe Lucian feels something too. I guess only  time will tell.

All I know right now is Ben Kingston better get himself in check and not  mess with Lucian or the chance that Lucian and I might have to get  close. He has no right. He's made it plain he isn't ever going to act on  whatever lies behind those eyes and now it's my turn to make it plain  to him that he needs to stop with those empty-ended looks.

I'm an all or nothing type of girl and Ben has nothing to offer.

Lucian grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze, sending me one of those  blinding smiles that I can't help but return. My heart skips a beat and  low in my belly I feel those flutters. When he lifts my hand to his lips  and kisses my knuckles, I lean forward, his eyes go wide for just a  second before settling back to soft and wanting. Then he leans forward  and kisses me again. Just a soft brush of lips and I raise my hand to  his cheek.         

     



 

I lean back slightly and look into his eyes. Why is he doing this? Why  me? Is it pity? I'll kick him square in the balls if it is. If it's to  toy with the sick girl, he'll get more than a kick in his jewels. If  it's to use me, he wouldn't be the first. But if it's for more? Then I  want to get to know him better and see what ‘more' means and where it  leads.

"Oh shit!" Lucy exclaims from the doorway.

"Holy smokes," Sera whispers, eyes wide.

Spenser turns to them, opens his mouth, then closes it.

"They rendered Spenser speechless," Xander says from the doorway, grinning like a loon. "What's up Lucian?"

Lucian presses his lips to mine again. "This isn't a game to me."

It's my turn to stare wide-eyed. I nod.

"Well, I'll be damned," Xander says.





Chapter 2


Coley



"Looks like Lucian likes your girl, Lucy."

Lucy puts her hands on her hips. She nudges Sera with her elbow. "Can  you blame her? Look at him. God, those eyes," she mutters, getting  closer to us.

Lucian grins.

"Oh," Sera mutters, her hand going up to her chest. "You're so pretty," she tells Lucian and he lets out a loud laugh.

"This, from the model," Lucian replies. "Hey, Xan," he greets and they fist bump.

"Making a move on Coley?" Xander asks.

"Nah. The days for making moves are long past. I'm just going with what  feels right," Lucian replies, looking at me with that pretty smile.

"How's that any different?" Lucy asks.

He turns to look at her. "I used to go with what felt good."

"Holy Hannah," I whisper. Lucy's mouth forms a perfect O.

"I hate to be the one to break it to you, but Ben's had his sights on her," Xander tells him.

I scoff. "Have you ever seen me and Ben together-alone-let alone him  touch me? I've got cancer not the plague. His interest is superficial  and I don't have time for that."

"You don't have time-?" Sera asks. "Oh. But you're okay now, right?"

I nod. "For now."

"No more kissing, Lucian. Her lipstick will not be smudged again and  that shade of burgundy doesn't work with your skin tone," Spenser  scolds.

I snicker. "I don't know. It looks kinda cute."

"Yeah, my makeup-wearing days are over too," Lucian jokes.

"I bet you were hot," Sera blurts out as she chews on her index fingernail.

"Again, says the model."

I snicker.

"Okay, all done except for the clothes," Spenser announces.

Lucian leans in close. "Are you naked under there, BB?"

My face heats and he chuckles.

"Damn," he mutters and doesn't bother to even try to conceal the fact  he's adjusting his erection. That's so hot and from what I'm seeing,  he's got more than enough to satisfy.

I grab a piece of paper and fold it in half, then fan myself. "Is it hot in here?"

Lucian gives me a knowing grin and I ignore him. I don't know what to do  with him. It's easy dealing with Ben and his looks-because they're only  looks. But Lucian? He looks at me like I'm Little Red Riding Hood and  he's the Big Bad Wolf and he'd like nothing more than to eat me up. Holy  Hannah.

Spenser takes a step to the side and I see my reflection in the mirror  and gasp. No longer resembling the sickly girl, I take in the way the  makeup enhances my eye color making them pop, the way the eye shadow  gives them a sultry look. I can't stop my eyes from filling, seeing  myself as beautiful, something I never thought I'd get to see-or be.