Rock Me(10)

“Back to the hotel, man.”

His name was Chris, or Curt, or something. Something with a ‘C’. But really, he was just one more anonymous face in a long line of no one. One week. One night. One hour. My life was a revolving door of people who didn’t matter. Other than the band and Tia, I hadn’t talked to the same person more than a couple days in a row in years. And that was pathetic. Fucking lonely. We played. We wrote music. We worked our asses off.

And then? Hours alone in a hotel room. Hours on an airplane in my own head, analyzing my life.

I'd known I needed Crystal before I saw that billboard today. Our tour was over tomorrow and we’d all agreed to take some time off. Last show. My plan had been to fly to California, find her, drop to my knees and beg her to forgive me.

But then the universe delivered her to me. My Angel. Right here in New York, where everything started. And ended.

“Yes, sir, Mr. Kaswell.”

“Thanks.”

Common courtesy was automatic, but I was already rolling up the privacy glass. The band was booked at the nicest hotel in town, and I couldn’t wait to get Crystal in that king size bed, press her soft body into the mattress and make her sigh and whimper and say my name.

All. Damn. Night.

“Where are we going?” Crystal’s eyes locked on mine as the flash of streetlights streaked by, alternately lighting her beautiful face and abandoning it to shadow. Her hands were folded in her lap and she looked a whole lot nervous.

“The hotel.”

“Oh.”

The privacy screen stopped moving with a final bump of sound and I lifted my hand to cup her cheek. I couldn’t stop looking at her. Couldn’t stop staring. Hell, I’d never stopped wanting. I ran my thumb over her full lower lip, wondered if she’d reapplied her cherry lip gloss.

“Kit, this is crazy. You know that, right?” Her voice was breathless, soft.

“No. Not crazy,” I countered. “Long overdue.”

That made her blink and turn away to gaze out the window. Pain. That’s what pain looked like on my kitten’s face. And it was my fault. I’d hurt her, badly. Yes, I’d done it for her own good, ripped my heart out in the process. But all that was over now. She was all grown up, a successful writer. I was rich, famous, and had everything I’d ever wanted. Everything but her. The weight of success over love was not equal. Hell, I'd gotten the fame but I hadn't gotten the girl.

“Why are you doing this? Why did you come to the book signing today?” She looked at me for the briefest of moments, then away.

“Can we talk about it when we get to the hotel? It’s only a few blocks.”

“Okay.” She sighed but I didn’t want her to think too much. Once that brilliant mind of hers kicked back into high gear, she’d probably push me out of the fucking car and tell me to go to hell.

So, I kissed her. Not too hard, not too crazy. Not like I was going to strip her clothes off before we got to my suite. I kissed her because she made me happy. Because just being with her made the dull ache in my chest go away. She made it all go away.

We were wrapped around each other when the car pulled to a halt at the curb. The driver didn’t have time to give me a warning. The staff at this hotel were top notch, fast. Too fast.

The door opened and light from a string of bright lamps lining the front of the building flooded the dark interior of the car. Crystal’s eyes fluttered open and she lowered her hands to her lap again, away from me. I didn’t like it.

I got out, blocking the view of the bellman as I reached inside to help her onto the sidewalk. Her jeans and top with the interesting shoulder cut outs hugged every curve. Her long blond hair had come loose and curled around her shoulders in a soft, sexy wave. Just looking at her made every bone in my body ache with need.

Naked. Wet. Begging. That’s what I needed from her. Soft and submissive and taking me inside that soft body.

As soon as she was out of the car, I wrapped my arm around her waist and hurried inside the hotel. We didn’t speak as we passed the elaborate fresh flower arrangements, chandeliers and artwork. The elevator opened immediately and the staff greeted me by name more than once as we made our way to my suite.

Fifth floor. Balcony overlooking Central Park. Walls so thick you could play a rock concert and no one would hear a thing. The entire thing reeked of money. But Tia insisted. When we’d hit ten million albums sold a couple years ago, she rebelled and said if we were going to live on the road, we weren’t staying in shithole hotels.

I didn’t care where I slept. That was the truth. As long as Crystal was with me from now on.

Pulling the key out of my wallet, I opened the door for her and she walked inside without saying a word. The draperies had been pulled back to let in the city lights and the view was spectacular.