Ethan certainly had an unmistakable on-screen presence whether it was a stage performance or one of their dark, entertaining music videos. The Strum was an impressive over the top band, but they'd successfully reinvented themselves for the MTV generation from their days as an unknown indie group. Now all three of them, Jaime, Ethan, and the more reclusive drummer Henson were the undisputed Kings of Rock. Mandy was beginning to understand just how big a deal it was to be following them on their London gig in a few days and she became breathless thinking of what this could mean for her career-wise.
Ethan did cut a larger-than-life image, especially during his rapid-fire shred guitar solos, with his white blonde hair streaking fire as he head banged to the all-consuming beat. He exemplified a wild and theatric persona when he was in front of a live audience and while he was no less the ‘bad boy' in person, Mandy saw a flicker of something more … a deeper, perhaps darker side of Ethan. She could feel that beneath his styled-up image, there was a real person she would have liked to get to know.
Too bad all he thought about was turning her into yet another booty call or groupie rather than treating her with the respect that she deserved.
Mandy turned off her computer and lay down on her bed, for once letting her mind roam back to those searing moments in Ethan's closet. She smiled at the thought of what her closest friends would say about what had happened between them when she suddenly realized that that she had no interest in ever telling them. But then her smile died as she sighed deeply, wishing the day with Ethan hadn't ended with that cold distance between them. She admitted that it had hurt, but there was nothing that she could do about it. Her thoughts growing fuzzy, she fell asleep with the thought that she really didn't care what some self-absorbed rock star thought of her in the first place. Or did she?
The buzzing of her cell phone caused her to sit up in bed, confused and panicked. She mindlessly reached for the source of the noise and found her phone under a pillow. Still half asleep, she groaned as she hit the ‘Accept' button.
"Mandy?"
"Huh?" She blinked, wiping the side of her face, feeling the faint moisture. She never dribbled. She must have been exhausted after the day's drama. "Who's this?"
"It's me. It's Ethan."
Mandy froze, suddenly registering that raspy, stirringly distinct voice. "Ethan? Are you okay? Is something wrong?" Mandy asked, clearly surprised to hear his voice on the line. She was suddenly wide awake and when she glanced at her bedside clock, her jaw dropped in bewilderment. Why was he calling her at...one a.m.! She had to be dreaming or …
"Yeah. I mean no, nothing's wrong. Are you alone?" he asked lightly.
"Alone? Yes, I'm alone. What are you … why are you calling? How did you get my number?"
"The same way I got your house address. But never mind about that. Can you – come out with me for a second?"
Mandy was unable to process his request for a few seconds. Ethan, calling her in the middle of the night, asking her to go out with him. What was he thinking?
"Ethan, are you drunk?" Mandy asked suspiciously.
"Drunk? No! I may have had a few at the club, but I'm not drunk at all. No. I just needed to talk to you. About yesterday. Or earlier today – I was an ass. I don't want you thinking I'm like that. Wanting to get into bed with every woman I meet. It's just not true, Mandy. I respect women. Very much. And I didn't want you to come away with the impression that I wanted you on the London team just to get you to sleep with me. Crazy as it is, I like you, Mandy. I don't even know why. It's just how I feel when I'm around you. There's a … peace. Something that I can't explain to you or anyone really, but it gets to me in a good way and I need that. So, are you coming down? I'm in the black Lambo parked in front of your house."
Wait … what? Mandy scrambled off the bed and to the nearest window overlooking the front of her house. Sure enough, there was a black, sleek-as-sin Lamborghini stationed in front of her house. In the driver's seat was Ethan, his distinct blond hair and tattoos visible through the open window. He looked up, saw her, and smiled, lifting a hand.
Mandy gasped, stared for a moment, and turned sharply from the window. Still clutching her phone to her ear, she began to pace her room. "Ethan. I can't. It's just … crazy. Why would you even … ?"
"I'll be on my best behavior. Promise. I just want to see you. Half an hour, tops. We'll just go for a short drive. Anywhere you want, Mandy. Just to talk."
His voice was like molten hot honey.
"You aren't going to make me beg, are you?" he said in that low, growly voice that sent shivers down her spine.
Mandy didn't know what to say or think. There she was, standing in the middle of her room while Ethan Tyler, the most recognizable face of The Strum, was downstairs waiting to take her for a drive in his sexy sports car.
"No, I don't think it's a good idea," she said wryly. "And Ethan, what about your security? You're out alone in the middle of the night. Is that even safe?"
She heard him huff. "I'm not worried about the streets … I grew up on them, Mandy. I didn't always have such an easy life, you know. So don't worry about me, princess, I can take care of myself … and I can take care of you. You'll be safe with me. So, you coming? I really need to see you."
Whoa. Mandy's stomach clenched into a tight ball, her breathing hitched. There was more than a hint of desire in his voice and she found herself lost in it. Then she sighed deeply. "I'm sorry, Ethan, but … I can't. I wish I could, but … "
"Right. I understand. It was crazy of me to think you'd want to see me. But I was at the club with all these people and I just … I didn't want to be there anymore. For the first time in a long while, I felt like the loneliest person in the world. And then I thought of you, how you are so real. And how you don't treat me like I can walk all over you. I admire that. It's actually one of the reasons I like you. But you're right. It was wrong for me to show up in the middle of the night. Really selfish … and I'm sorry. I'll let you get back to sleep."
"Ethan – wait!" Mandy bit on her lip, her nostrils flaring as she sucked in air. Pausing for a brief second, she whispered into the receiver. "I'll be right down."
"I'll be waiting."
Mandy heard the smile in his voice and couldn't help smiling herself. She moved quickly, dropping her phone into her purse before quickly changing into a pair of her most comfortable jeans, a simple tank top, and her favorite black leather cropped jacket. She skipped down the stairs and within minutes she was climbing into the sexy automobile.
Even as she questioned her sanity and what the hell she was doing, she turned to look at Ethan, who was looking her over with stark admiration.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," she said, breathless from the rush as well as the flash of white in his grin and the gorgeous sight of his face. The annoyed, short-tempered, and thwarted Ethan from earlier that day was gone.
To her surprise and inner delight, he leaned in and kissed her gently on the cheek, a gesture she felt to her toes. It wasn't suggestive at all, but it still drove a pulse of heat to her groin and she felt her body throbbing from the heat of his touch. Even when he was being gentle, he still exuded strength and power.
"Thank you for coming out, especially after the way that I treated you. I wanted you so badly that I didn't think for a minute about what that would do to you. I wouldn't blame you if you thought the worst of me, Mandy."
"I don't," Mandy replied softly, realizing that she meant it. There was a good side to everyone, right? And beneath the many foibles that set him apart from everyday people, she knew that there was much more to him than she first thought. True, she was awestruck as ever by him – after all, he was a rock star, but he also came off as someone with depth. He couldn't make the beautiful music he did without having that special something.
She couldn't help but think about his words from earlier that day. When he'd told her she might be in his life for a reason, to redeem him. She didn't really understand what that could mean or if it had all been part of his master plan to soften her up for the kill. But for now, well, she just felt honored that though he could be with anyone right then, he'd sought her out. And it felt right. Here and now, with him, as they shot off into the night to some unknown destination.
Mandy pushed thoughts of her boyfriend Marcus from her mind and assured herself she was doing nothing wrong. Ethan Tyler was an important client, and right now he needed a friend.