Linden: Rocking Pleasure: New Adult College Romance (Coral Gables Series Book 3) (25 page)

“
You’re right. It’s not easy to stay on top in the career I’ve chosen—or that has chosen me, I guess—but there are always loyal fans willing to pay for our songs and albums, and I believe the same will be true with a record store.”

“
But, Linden, in the days of iTunes, Napster, and all that, it’ll be really hard to make money selling music on physical media at all,” I warn.

He smiles at me. “If you’re such an expert, you might want to consider becoming a life coach or something like that.”

“
I’m going to be an architect, and maybe in twenty or thirty years, there will be a famous building somewhere designed by Thalia Leroux. But first, I have to get through a few weeks this summer working at my dad’s advertising agency, which is definitely
not
my dream job.”

“
I think I can make it your dream job for a short while,” he says with a wink. “Maybe even for the entire summer.”

I lift an eyebrow. Now is not the time to get distracted by his fabulous looks. I sit up and stare into his eyes. “And how do you intend to accomplish that?”

“
We’re still looking for someone to helm the advertising campaign for our new album. Our old agency didn’t do what we told them, so we sacked them.”

“
And you want to ask my dad to work on that?” I ask.

“
Why not? You could work on it with him. You’re young, so you know what appeals to young people, right?” Linden makes it sound so simple.

“
I may be young, but I don’t even listen to pop music.” I grin.

He chuckles. “What do I care? I just want to make your work experience a bit more interesting, if you have to work the summer away. Plus, that would mean we’d see each other even more. You know, we’d have to talk things through—several times.”

I laugh softly. “Oh, so you aren’t generous, just selfish!”

“
I’d say it’s a mixture of both.”

I shake my head and lean back into his arm, closing my eyes again. “Of course it would be nice if I could see you more often, but you won’t spend the entire summer in Austin anyway, will you?”

“
Not exactly, no, but I want to spend every free minute there with you, Thalia.”

“
Aw,” I sigh happily, placing my hand over his heart to feel the steady beat under his skin.

“
Did that touch you, or what?”

“
A little,” I admit, sighing once again. I can’t help it. It’s so cute how eager he is to spend time with me, to really be with me all the time. I thought he was crazy when he said he didn’t want to be without me yesterday and the day before, because we don’t even really know each other yet. But the way we’re going about it—spending all our time together—we’re speeding up the process immensely.

“
And now shut your pretty mouth, because I still want to cuddle,” he murmurs and pulls me into a tight embrace.

“
Aye, sir.” I giggle, shaking with laughter.

“
Do I have to shut you up with a kiss?”

“
You could try.”

Linden pushes me backwards and manages to climb on top of me before I can even think straight. He kisses me until I’m breathless and I turn my head away. “Okay, I’ll be quiet.”

“
Too late. The rules have changed,” he growls playfully. He lifts my chin, forcing me to look at him. Then he kisses me again, but this time he’s much gentler than before.

With another luxurious sigh, I let myself dissolve into his kiss, which becomes increasingly passionate.

We’re abruptly interrupted when Azer and Gavin come barging into the living room.

“
Ooooh, we’ve just spoiled the honeymoon phase,” Azer laughs.

“
Sorry, guys,” Gavin says.

Linden pulls away from me and throws them a fuming glance.

“
No biggie,” I say as I sit up straight. “Shit happens when you don’t lock yourselves in.” I smile at them.

Gavin nods, but Azer is still grinning and apparently bent on teasing Linden. “Dude, I still want to sit on that couch! Can’t you have your vanilla sex in the bed, like all good people do?”

I lift an eyebrow. “I don’t know what happens in your bed, but I have no idea what vanilla sex is,” I counter, deadpan.

Azer’s mouth hangs open. He’s obviously not used to this kind of backtalk. Gavin and Linden start laughing, but Azer, instead of having the last word, turns on his heel and leaves the room.

“
God, the guy is getting on my nerves with this bravado,” Linden growls, leaning back.

“
He’s been like this ever since she left him.” Gavin shrugs, sitting down in one of the armchairs. “I admit I need a break from his cynicism from time to time, too. He’s messed up, plain and simple.”

Linden nods, and then they talk about how Azer’s girlfriend ran away with a sound technician, and how she only sent him a short letter to inform him that they were through. I don’t contribute anything to this particular conversation, even though I feel uncomfortable—it’s none of my business.

Finally, the doorbell rings, so I jump up to get it. When I open the door, my heart skips a beat. “Jim.”

He looks at me with raised eyebrows. “Good evening, Thalia. What are you doing here?”

“
Uh, visiting friends,” I reply.

“
Is that the delivery guy, babe?” Linden calls.

I want the earth to open up and swallow me; it’s that awkward. “Erm … yeah,” I say.

“
You’re taken,” Jim concludes.

“
No, not exactly,” I say in a small voice. “I didn’t mention it earlier because I don’t know what to call this thing between him and me yet.”

Linden comes out of the living room and pulls his wallet from his back pocket. “How much is it?”

Jim tells him the total and hands me the pizza boxes. When Linden has paid, I pass the boxes to him and follow Jim out to the van. “Jim, wait up.”

He turns around and glares at me. “Why?”

“
Please don’t tell anyone he’s here,” I say sheepishly.

“
You’re fucking Linden Priest—a guy who’s very publicly engaged, by the way—and now you’re asking me not to tell anyone? What do you take me for? Gossip Girl?”

I shake my head. “No, I don’t think you’re a gossip or anything like that.”

“
Well, what do you think I am? And why do you want to keep your little secret so secret?”

“
It’s just … he’s on vacation here and isn’t keen on having a bunch of teen girls camping out in his front yard,” I explain. “This isn’t about what I think of you. I like you, if you must know, but only as a friend. There just isn’t anything more. If you got a different impression, I’m terribly sorry, but I don’t think I led you on. Did I, Jim?”

His expression is defiant as he slowly shakes his head, and then he just turns around without another word and gets into his van.

“
Jim!” I call after him, but he starts the engine and drives off. I wonder whether he
is
a gossip, after all, or whether I can trust him to keep quiet about Linden and me.

And then Linden comes back to the front door to look for me. “What’s wrong, babe?”

I look up at him and trudge back inside, feeling oddly deflated. “That was a classmate—the one I went to the movies with. He was upset that I went out with him while you and I have something going on, and he also seems to think I’m having an affair with an engaged man.”

Linden turns pale in an instant. “I’m not engaged anymore.” He sighs. “Did you ask him not to tell anyone?”

“
Of course I did,” I say, “but I can’t say whether he’ll keep his mouth shut. I think he was really angry.”

Linden puts an arm around me and leads me into the house. “Let’s hope for the best. So what if things go wrong? I don’t care.”

I nod, not convinced at all.

We sit down in the dining room, where his friends are already munching on pizza. I look at my pizza without enthusiasm. I’ve lost my appetite.

Things are about to go all kinds of wrong,
I think gloomily, even though I hope Jim won’t tell anyone that I’m practically living with Linden here. Our affair is nobody’s business, whether Linden is famous or not.

***

After Linden quizzed me on my upcoming exam topics, we went to bed. It’s late and I’m dog-tired, but I can’t find sleep thanks to Jim’s angry reaction.

For over two hours, Linden’s phone has been ringing and beeping, but he keeps ignoring all calls and messages.

“
Could you just take it and see how bad it is?” I ask when it rings yet again.

He sighs. “The guy obviously didn’t kept his mouth shut, and I’m in no mood to have my manager spoil the evening for us.”

“
Take that darn call now, or I will,” I rant, because I’ve heard that high-pitched ringtone one too many times.

“
All right, all right,” he says. He answers and mutters, “Priest,” into the phone. “Excuse me?” He grabs the remote and switches on the TV, which is conveniently mounted on the wall opposite the bed. “What station? ... Okay.” He flips through the channels, and now I can see it, too. A hastily concocted feature about him and me, in which I am the man-stealing bitch, the girl who destroyed the happiest couple in the music biz. Nice.

“
Yeah, I’m watching it … ” Linden says to the person on the other end of the phone. “Of course it’s not true. Thalia didn’t wedge her way into anything, because Trish broke up with me first,” he says defensively. “So there’s nothing wrong with me having a new girlfriend.” Then his face becomes a dark scowl, his anger clearly visible. “If you ever say a thing like that again, you’re fired. Is that clear? … Don’t talk about her like that, all right? I won’t allow anyone to say a thing like that. Either the fucking press revokes their dirty allegations, or I will go on a suing spree,” he growls. “Seriously, I’m taking them all to court.” With that, he hangs up.

“
Thalia Leroux is a student at the University of Miami,” the host announces with a fake smile. “We yet don’t know how she and Linden Priest met, but we’re on this, guys. We’ll find out soon enough whether this is merely another one of Priest’s countless wild affairs—or he’s found
love
this time.” The way she stresses the word “love” makes it sound like a dirty thing. Her glittering outfit is revolting.

“
Wow. Now the entire U.S. knows my name and thinks I’m a home-wrecking bitch. That’s great,” I spit. “Are they going to hound me till they have their full story?”

He shrugs. “I honestly don’t know, but if they ask you anything, it’s best not to answer at all. They also said I had multiple affairs, which is not true.”

“
You’re not a fan of comforting words, are you?” I ask despondently.

“
I’m just not very talented in that area,” he admits shamefacedly. Linden switches the TV off and pulls me into him. “Don’t worry too much. I’ll take care of it, so that they won’t harass you. Okay?”

“
Okay,” I breathe and burrow into his arms, as if I were hiding in his embrace. And in a way, that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m hiding.

Chapter 11

For days, I’ve been sneaking my way into lecture halls and taking detours on less busy roads, trying to avoid any encounters with reporters and photographers. But after three days of this stupid game of hide-and-seek, I’m so pissed off that I decide to go about my life in a normal manner.

After classes, I walk to my car with Cami and Hailey, because I promised them I’d drop them off before heading to Linden’s house.

“
Any news on the TV station recanting that awful feature?” Cami asks.

“
No, but I’ve been lucky enough not to run into any journalists so far,” I answer.

“
What does Linden say about all of this?”

“
He doesn’t dare leave the house. It’s a shame, because I’d love to go out with him one more time. He leaves town tomorrow. I’m going with him and returning Monday night, but that’s the last of our time together until summer break. And once I’m in Texas, I won’t have that much time anymore, what with working at Dad’s company and everything.”

“
Oh, fuck,” Hailey sighs as we reach my car, “they’re making it really hard for you.”

“
I guess it could be worse,” I say. “I just hope my name will be cleared in the near future. My dad’s beside himself, because all the celebrity gossip shows and columns are rehashing the story, branding me as the woman who destroyed an engaged couple’s love.” I unlock the doors.

We all get in, and I start it with the top still up, despite the nice weather. I don’t want anyone to spot us.

So far, I haven’t been bothered at all when I’m in my classes. Either my fellow students aren’t the type to pay attention to celebrity gossip, or I’ve just been plain lucky. In any case, I’m grateful I can attend my classes in peace.

But when I stop at a red light, I hear someone call out, “There she is!”

“
Craptastic,” I groan under my breath, rolling up the window and quickly putting on my sunglasses. When the light turns green again, I can’t go anywhere, because people are practically surrounding my car. I roll my eyes and hit the horn before rolling forward slowly. The cars behind me start honking their horns, too, so I hope that’ll convince these people to get out of the way.