Page 512 of Rock Me All Night
"That's cold, Jess, writing off my personality like that." He smiles but there's a hint of sadness in his eyes.
It's almost like he believes that I am writing off his personality, that I couldn't possibly be interested in anything besides his body or his fame.
He blinks and it's gone. Then he's close enough that I can't think anything.
His whisper sends goosebumps down my spine. "There's no question. We both know you're interested in my body."
Okay, that's as much confidence as I can muster for the afternoon. I bring my stacks of maybes to the counter in the center of the room and narrow it down to three pairs of glasses.
I try the pastel pink pair. It's pretty, sweet, feminine.
"Those are perfect," he says.
"My ex would always tell me not to wear girly stuff. That I needed to grow up."
"He sounds like an asshole."
"That's easy to say now that he's my ex. But I was with him a long time."
I was sure I loved him. That he loved me. Hewasan asshole, but he was charming too. Funny. He always could convince me he knew best, that he was looking out for me rather than trying to get his way.
Things were okay. Until I got into law school at USC. He asked me to choose—him or school. But he didn't even wait for me to answer him. Just started sleeping with my sister.
How could I have been so wrong about him?
My chest heaves as I exhale. I want to share this insight with Pete. It's not like me. Usually, I keep my feelings under lock and key.
It's safer that way.
I try to change the subject. "He was charming but he was a snob. Made fun of me for reading young adult. He couldn't stand that I had a poster of Katniss Everdeen in my room."
"Jess, I expect better from you. That's inexcusable. What kind of asshole doesn't love Katniss?"
I laugh. "You read YA?"
"I read everything." He cocks a brow. "Even the dirty stuff."
Another laugh escapes my lips. That flutter in my belly builds. I like him. Not because he's famous. Not because he's hot.
There's something about him, this steadiness to his voice, this confidence in his expression. I feel like I can be myself with him. It's dangerous, how much I want to reveal myself to him.
His eyes stay glued to mine. "You should read whatever you like. With all due respect, I've only known you twelve hours and I can tell you need to let your hair down."
"Should I come to your work and fuck a guy in the bathroom there?"
"Sure. But you're not going to shock anyone. I've heard every guy in the band and most of the people in the crew have sex."
"You wouldn't send a peon to break it up?"
"No, I'd listen. Nothing I like better than listening to a beautiful woman come."
My cheeks flush. He'd listen to me… That mental image returns—him pressing me against the bathroom wall, one hand digging into my hair, the other between my thighs.
Pete shakes his head. "Jess, if you're going to think about me naked, you could at least have the decency to describe the scenario to me."
Uh. I stammer something incomprehensible.
I suck down my iced coffee but it's no help cooling me off. I'm still melting. Better change the subject. "No, I, uh, I'm going to law school in the fall—" I cross my fingers. I know the gesture doesn't change the chances of my loan going through, but I'll take any ounce of luck—"and getting caught having sex in public is frowned upon."
