Star Struck(BBW Rocker Romance)(13)

A feeling of dread and shame overcame her as Mandy realized she’d not only betrayed Marcus but herself as well. This must never happen again. Ever.

Ethan Tyler treated women like objects of pleasure and nothing more. She’d do best to remember he was bad news – and always would be.

“Damn it,” Mandy sighed. Despite everything – despite the fact that she knew it was wrong to want Ethan – if she was honest with herself for just a moment, she would have to admit she still did. Very, very much.





Chapter Four





Mandy knew that what had happened between her and Ethan would only complicate their business relationship and make everything feel awkward.

The shopping excursion brought them around to the most exclusive shops in the city, with many of them featuring designs from the top names in the industry. Mandy was certain that she’d be able to stay focused on what was important – finding Ethan a few pieces that would blend with his natural style.

He brought along a single bodyguard with them, mainly for crowd control, and it was a good thing because hordes of groupies followed them from shop to shop. With his trademark good looks, chiseled face, and piercing eyes, he certainly stood out in the crowd, forever the rock god.

Mandy was grateful that a shopping experience with Ethan meant chaos and a whirlwind of non-stop activity. It removed any chance of awkward silence and also meant that they were never alone for more than a few minutes before some fan would appear on scene, her face melting in a feverish blush, screaming his name at the top of her lungs before being led away by security.

There was no chance for conversation on the way back either, with the bodyguard up front beside the driver, so Mandy took her place on the opposite side of the passenger seat of the luxurious Range Rover and flipped through her notes. Ethan spent most of the time on his cellphone, talking to his manager, his band mates, and even a female friend that he invited out for dinner after band practice.

Mandy tried to zone out his conversation, guessing he probably intended to lick his wounds with some willing female companionship tonight.

I knew it… she thought. Thank God I never gave in to that man.

Her mind flashed back to the things he’d said about her not being in love. What did he know about love, anyway? He hadn’t been with any one woman for more than a few short months before replacing her with yet another celebrity socialite.

He could ignore her as much as he wanted, Mandy thought as the car glided through the city streets, when something hit her like a ton of bricks.

She had cheated on Marcus.

Suddenly, Mandy was terrified to face him, feeling as though the guilt would be etched onto her expression, shame flickering in her eyes. Would he be able to detect that she’d been unfaithful?

Because she had been; she’d let her client kiss her like no man ever had before. He’d pushed her hard against the wall and she’d felt every masculine contour of his virile frame. Ethan had switched on a torrent of pleasure that had lain dormant for so long. Never in her adult life had she been so highly aroused by the opposite sex, and all with one kiss. She was pathetic.

Mandy knew she had to face the truth about what she had done, but she also had to face the truth about something else – the effect that Ethan had on her. Suddenly, her phone wailed its usual alert. It reminded her that she had messages and she flipped through the caller ID to see who had called while she was out shopping with Ethan.

Two of the messages were from Marcus, asking how her day was going. Mandy felt the gut-rotting ache of guilt in her stomach once again and she forced herself to breathe slowly, deliberately, until her head stopped whirling. She thought about just how trusting Marcus was, knowing that she would be working with the Ethan Tyler and still showing nothing but absolute support and encouragement. There was no hint of jealousy or concern.

His last message to her indicated that he’d be home from a meeting early if she needed to talk or if the entourage ever made her feel uncomfortable and she needed to step out and get some fresh air. “I’ll be right there to get you, wherever you are,” he had said on his last message.

It’s too late to rescue me, Mandy thought as she stared through the tinted glass of the car window. She sent a quick text to let him know that she was fine and was on her way back to the office.

Mandy knew there was no one else to blame. She made the decision to let Ethan kiss her – and she’d done less than nothing to stop him from kissing her again when it had almost reached the point of no return. Thankfully, Mandy had found a way back to her senses and denied Ethan the opportunity to add her to his list of conquests. She could only imagine just how uncomfortable the week-long London tour would be, and she shuddered at the thought.