“What do you want fans to think of you when they see you perform?” I asked.
“They’ve already made up their minds about me. Doesn’t matter.” He refilled his glass.
“And you’re okay with that?”
“Are you okay with belonging to your fans?” He turned the question back on me.
“Who is this?” I held up the picture, trying to change the subject. I hadn’t come here to feel trapped. I came here to be freed. Freed the way a man like Luke could release me.
Luke stood. “That is my brother, Linc. He used to play too.”
“Not anymore?”
“No. He blew out his ACL in college his senior year. It ruined his chances in the pros. After three surgeries he finally accepted he was done, but he’s my manager. A lot nicer than yours is too.” He grinned. “And he doesn’t give me shit about anything.”
“Jake has his days.” I didn’t want to remember him either. I was here to escape. Here to forget the chains and the ropes that kept me bound to him and my brand.
“That guy needs to find someone else to manage.”
“And you know something about the music business?”
Luke took the picture from my hand and placed it on the shelf. “I don’t know shit about the music business.”
The air felt thick between us. He would have kissed me backstage if that bumbling cellist hadn’t interrupted us. Now we were alone. No crew. No fans. No benefit guests. Just the two of us alone on a ranch in the middle of nowhere.
I thought about the blanket of stars outside covering the ranch. I thought about how I snuck out of my room to be here. I thought about how this tough, hard man had done everything he could to impress me tonight. And it worked. I was here, ready to fall into his hands.
His thumb ran along my bottom lip. I could hear the raspy voice singing through the speakers. There was so much anguish in the words I felt them pierce my heart. I looked into his eyes, wondering if he heard what I heard. Did the lyrics move him like this?
“Are you a fucking angel, Lexi Wilde?”
I shook my head. “No,” I whispered.
I swallowed hard. My chest heaved with breaths that were struggling to escape. He hitched one of my legs up to his waist and I bit my lip. I could feel him pressing against my thigh. His body wasn’t the only thing that was rock solid.
I moaned a little, the sensations starting to sink in. This was real. It was no longer how much I could dare myself, or how shameless Luke’s flirting was. I wasn’t talking myself into it anymore. I wasn’t pretending it could never happen. The warmth of his body was real. His hands holding me close. The look in his eyes. The intensity of his lust.
“I thought you might be.” He didn’t let go. He let me feel how solid every inch of him was.
“I’m not. Why would you say that?” I searched his eyes. I could barely speak. His hands held me with fire. His eyes with promises.
“When you walked onto that stage with the white lights and that voice … and then you winked at me.”
I giggled. “I did? I winked at you?”
He nodded. “Oh, you’re trying to tell me you weren’t flirting with me from stage?” His fingers dug against my curves and I groaned lightly.
“Not at all.” I shook my head. “I look at all the men like that.”
“Then maybe you are a devil.”
“Maybe I am.” I was almost shaking. Every muscle was tense with anticipation. Agonized with the need to be soothed.
“Want me to call the driver back?” He lowered his head so that his lips barely grazed over mine. I didn’t know how he could draw me in like this. I couldn’t look away. “Because there’s only one thing I want from you Lexi Wilde.”
“And what’s that?” I whispered.
“To fuck you until the sun comes up.” He said it boldly and flatly, but it set every nerve I had on fire. My core tightened involuntarily and I could almost hear the hammering of the blood in my veins.
He had the most beautiful dirty way with words.
“Oh my.”
“Tempted?” he asked.
I nodded my head. He had no idea how tempted I was. Why else did I sneak out of the hotel and drive here? Why did I give him my number? Why did I dare him to bid on a date for me? Why was I doing any of this? He made me lose my damn mind.
I wanted to break free so badly, I didn’t have control. I couldn’t control anything in my life, but I could control this. I could have this night with Luke and there wasn’t anyone to stop me.
Jake couldn’t tell me what to do. I could let my hair be wild. I could smear my makeup. My clothes could fall to the floor. It didn’t matter. It was all up to me. I wanted it so badly I could taste it. I could taste him.