Love Rock'ollection: The Brutal Strength Rock Star Trilogy, books 1-3 (33 page)

“No worries.” He pulled out his own burger, peeled back the crinkly paper, and took a huge bite.

She hesitated, shrugged, and then started in on her own food.

“It doesn’t count as a date if we just sit here and eat together at work, does it?” He gave her a sly smile.

She stopped chewing and stared at him. His playful attitude surprised her, after what she had put him through the last few days, and she couldn’t help but be amused by his creative work around. She shook her head.

He responded by winking at her.

Unable to hold it in, her face broke into a huge smile and laughter spilled freely from her lips. She couldn’t figure this guy out and was done trying. The tug of war between her hormones and her head was officially over. She was giving in.

A last tiny bubble of concern floated to the surface of her thoughts warning her that she might get hurt, but she decisively stuck a pin in it. She found herself extremely attracted to JR and wanted very much to see where this thing between the two of them might lead. She was all in. Feeling lighthearted for the first time all week, she relaxed back in her chair and took a sip of her soda. The carbonated beverage tickled her nose.

Green eyes fixed on her, JR watched her for a moment, noticing the precise moment when the tension drained from her shoulders. A smile flickered across his face before he leaned back and took a sip of his drink as well. They gobbled up the rest of their greasy fast food feast in companionable silence.

“Why are you working so late?” he asked as they finished.

“I was making out the seating chart for your concert at the Rickshaw. There’s limited seating and Beth says it’s very important who sits by whom.”

“You’ve been at it since you came back from lunch.” She cocked her head at him.
Uh oh.
Now she knew how closely he’d been keeping tabs on her. He swallowed nervously, his brain screaming for him to redirect. “How’s that going?”

“Good, except I somehow missed giving Carter Besille a seat. And I can’t remember where I was supposed to put him.”

JR stood and came around to her side of the desk. After a brief glance at her legs, he smiled and knelt down beside her to look at the club layout displayed on the computer screen.

Sam’s heart beat furiously in her chest. She couldn’t help but study him with a sidelong glance. She was a sucker for boyishly handsome and JR had that going for him for real.

Unexpectedly, he turned his head to face her.

Sam stared at his lips, merely inches apart from hers. Involuntarily, she leaned forward before noticing something that made her stop. Her lips curved up. Turning, she rifled through the takeout bag on the desk. Retrieving a napkin, she swiveled back to face him. “You have some mustard on your beard. “Here.” She reached out and dabbed at his face, the napkin making a scraping sound against the bristle.

JR held his breath, eyes intent on hers as she touched him.
Holy crap, the girl was hot!
He’d have covered his entire face in condiments if he would’ve known it would get her this close.

Her task completed, Sam’s gaze rose to meet his.

For a couple of heartbeats neither said a word. The air in the room crackled with energy. Mesmerized by those grey eyes that sparkled like moonlight on the surface of the ocean, a wave of desire built up and then crashed over him.

Sam really wanted JR to kiss her. In fact she couldn’t ever remember wanting anything more. Closing her eyes, she leaned closer feeling the warmth of his breath fan across her lips. She tilted her face back in anticipation. When nothing happened she opened her eyes. JR was staring at her, eyes dark and intense.

JR had never wanted to kiss a woman more in his entire life, but didn’t trust himself to stop there. Sam wasn’t like any other woman he’d ever known. He didn’t want to scare her off, so he settled for gently tucking one of her silky chestnut curls behind her ear.

Sam shivered as his fingertips lingered and grazed the skin behind her ear. In a dazed whisper, she managed to joke, “Do I have ketchup in my hair?”

“No. Sorry,” he said voice husky, “but I’ve wanted to do that since the day I first met you.”

She glanced down self- consciously, cheeks blooming with color, and twisted the napkin nervously in her hands. The level of intensity between the two of them frightened her, so much so that she started to second guess her decision. And he hadn’t even kissed her yet.

“Beautiful,” he whispered in a low voice, continuing to stare at her unabashedly.

“What’d you say?”

JR cleared his throat. “I said are you full?”

“What? Oh, yeah. Thanks for the dinner. You’re a lifesaver.”

“No problem. My pleasure.”

The husky tone to his voice had her staring at his lips again.

He pointed at a spot on the seating chart. “Hey, why don’t you put Besille…here?”

Reluctantly dragging her gaze away from the object of her desire, she mused,
Facial hair should be against the law…especially on him.
It too temptingly highlighted and framed those kissable lips.
Brow creasing, she focused back on the screen. She squinted at where he pointed and shook her head. “No, that won’t work. That seat is for you… for your guest.”

Tipping her chin back between a curled thumb and finger, JR told her, “If I was going to invite anyone, Samantha, it would be you. And you’re already going to be there.”

“Oh.”

He stood then, tall, lean frame towering over her. “Is that all you had left to do?”

“Yeah. Thanks again for dinner.” She slipped on her shoes, gathered up the takeout detritus and tossed it in the trashcan. Opening her desk drawer, she pulled out her purse. JR hadn’t moved. She glanced up at him.

He gave her a worried look. “How are you getting home?”

“Well, I usually take the bus, but…” she frowned at her watch. “I’ll probably take a cab.”

“No. No way. Not this late. I’ll take you home, Samantha.”

“Sam,” she corrected automatically.

“Sam,” he said in that husky voice again that sent shivers down her spine.

“Ok.”

He smiled. “Where are you staying?” he asked as they moved down the quiet, darkened hallway. When he put his warm hand on the small of her back, she didn’t object.

“WHAT’S THE DEAL between the two of you?” Sara demanded with her hands on her narrow hips. A couple cast wary glances as they sidestepped around the sisters facing off in Black Cat’s long downstairs hallway.

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t play coy with me, Samantha Anne.” Sara’s voice rose in volume. “He’s been picking you up and taking you to work. I thought we agreed going out with JR was a bad idea.”

“No. You said it was a bad idea, and at the time I didn’t disagree. Anyway, technically we’re not going out,” Sam hedged, shifting her weight from foot to foot under her sister’s accusing glare.

“Semantics.”

“I think you’re wrong about him,” Sam whispered, lifting her chin.

“He’s a player.” Sara had seen the two of them eating lunch in the busy break room earlier today. JR’s arm had been across the back of her sister’s chair, and Samantha had been laughing. They’d looked real comfortable together, chairs close enough for their knees to be touching. If they weren’t technically dating yet, it was only a matter of time.

“I just don’t want to see you get hurt,” Sara’s tone softened and she tugged gently on one of Sam’s curls.

Chris had stopped in the hall before rounding the corner, hearing most of the animated conversation. As he emerged from his eavesdropping vantage point, he was confronted with two sets of identical questioning eyes. He wasn’t sure why it hadn’t dawned on him before now that the congenial intern and the prickly diva were sisters.

Sam pulled Sara in for a quick hug. “I’ve gotta go. Don’t worry so much. I promise to be careful.” Then speaking louder for Chris’ benefit, she wagged her finger. “Play nice, Sara.” Moving past her sister, she patted Chris on the shoulder. “Always nice to see you.”

“Likewise,” Chris replied automatically before turning to Sara. “Your sister, huh?”

“Yeah.” Sara’s posture noticeably stiffened.

“She’s a sweet kid. I’ve worked a little bit with her this past month. Smart, too.”

Sara smiled. Playing nice might be easier than she’d previously thought. She was a sucker for compliments about Sam. It didn’t hurt that the man wasn’t hard on the eyes, either. His sexy ass jeans hugged his lower body in all the right places and his grey t-shirt stretched tightly across his thickly muscled chest.

Chris thought the seductive smile on Sara’s face ought to be illegal, or at least come with a written disclaimer. It made her grey eyes twinkle and softened her expression, bringing her beauty up to another level of irresistible.

“So, I listened to what you’ve got so far on the album.” She arched a brow. “It’s good… really good. Reminds me a little of Mellencamp or Mumford & Sons. A lot of potential for crossover. Once our song’s released, I’m sure it’ll bring in some of my country fans for you.”

“That’d be great,” he said, following her into the recording room. Maybe she wasn’t such a dragon lady after all. Her next words confirmed it.

“Mary might know what she’s doing, after all, huh?”

He nodded and pulled out his guitar. “You got any ideas for us?”

Sara gave him a quizzical look and shrugged, a subtle movement that caused the front of her purple shirt to shift across her breasts.

Staring at the enticing view, Chris lost his train of thought for a moment. “I mean for a song,” he clarified, licking suddenly dry lips. “When in doubt I always choose one of the big three. Which will it be: Sex, drugs, or rock ‘n roll?”

Sara chuckled. “In country music it’s more like trucks, honky tonks, or heartbreak,” she quipped.

“I can certainly relate to that last one,” he said with chagrin. “Why don’t we work with that?”

SAM DROPPED HER coat and messenger bag on the suite’s upholstered living room chair. “Hey,” she said with a sigh.

“Hey, yourself. How was work?” Sara asked, unfolding her legs and looking up from her laptop. She patted the seat cushion next to her on the couch.

Sam flopped down beside her. “Tiring.” She chewed on her lip and gave her sister a tentative sidelong glance. “Sara, listen. I’ve decided to go out with JR and I just wanna know… what’s it gonna take to get you to tone down the rhetoric?”

“I don’t know Sam.” Sara grimaced. “I have a lot of reservations about the guy, but you’re a grownup. It’s your life, not mine.”

“I appreciate that. But it would make me feel better if you’d at least give him a chance.”

Sara rubbed the back of her neck. “Alright, Sam, I’ll try.”

“Great. Listen, I heard that JR and Chris are going to be at Soho Billiards tonight. They’re celebrating with some guys Chris hired to be in his band. Why don’t you and I crash the party?”

Sara smirked. “You already had this all planned out in your mind, didn’t you, Munchkin?”

Sam blushed. “Maybe.” She stood, grabbed her sister’s hand, and pulled. “Come on. Let’s show ‘em how hot Texas girls can be,” she said in a drawl, raising a teasing brow. “I’m sure you want to look nice for Chris.”

Sara followed behind her, muttering indignantly, “Why in the world would I care what he thinks?”