Starstruck (11 page)

He’d caught her by surprise and she had to restrain herself
from throwing him down and taking him right on the dining table. She ran her
hand up his chest and gently pushed him away. “You’re not getting out of it
that easy. I want to hear something about
you
now. You’ve hardly said a
word.”

“What do you wanna know?” He ran his fingers from her hand
to her shoulder and back down again. Goose bumps tingled along her arm from his
touch.

“I don’t know. Anything. Do you have any brothers or
sisters? Where did you grow up? How did you become the rock star you are
today?” She liked teasing him and loved his reaction every time she called him
“rock star”. He sort of cringed, lifting his shoulders a little, apparently not
so comfortable with the nickname.

He narrowed his eyes. “You do that on purpose, don’t you?”

“Yes…yes I do.” She smiled wickedly.

He huffed, pretending to be annoyed as he fought a smile.
“Okay, I’ve got two brothers, Gianni and Leo, both younger than me. No sisters.
I grew up in Hillsdale, New Jersey. Had a normal upbringing, I suppose, hated
school like every other kid. My best friend Rick and I took music classes
together when we were twelve. A few years later, my folks bought a restaurant
so we moved to New York. I waited tables for a couple years, writing as much as
I could. Then I started performing in the streets, trying out material on
passersby.”

“You went busking? I’d like to see you try that now.”

His chuckle was boyish, contagious. “Yeah, well, we’ve all
gotta start somewhere. You know, I got more change doing that than I did in
tips at the restaurant. Anyway one day I was on the sidewalk with a small group
of people listening to me play and this guy stopped. He was the only one
without a smile on his face. He just stood there, arms crossed, glaring at the
change in my open guitar case. Everyone else walked on when I finished, but
this guy just stared. He made me kinda edgy, so I packed up my gear and got
ready to leave. Turns out he was the owner of a little record label. He asked
if I had any more original songs and, if I did, to send him a demo tape.”

Jesse’s eyes lit up as he recalled his journey. Sam hadn’t
seen this side of him before and she liked it. He was passionate about his
music, much like she was about her art.

“I ran all the way to my apartment building that night,
called in sick and stayed up until dawn going over everything I’d written. Next
day, I saw my folks and they loaned me the cash I needed for some studio time.
Rick and I got the band together and the rest is history. Been doin’ it ever
since.”

“So you and Rick are really close?”

“Been best friends since our first day of school. Rick lived
right around the corner from where I grew up.”

“What about the other guys? How long has the band been
together?”

“Next month, it’ll be twenty years.” He rested an elbow on
the table and palmed the stubble on the side of his face. “God, that makes me
feel so old when I say it out loud.” He smiled. “And we didn’t meet Drew,
Jackson or Ronan until they auditioned. We’re all pretty tight now, but Rick is
more like blood to me.”

“What about Jerico? Where did the name come from?”

He chuckled. “Rick and I joined our names together and added
‘co’ onto the end to cover the rest of the crew.”

“What’s so funny?”

His gaze dropped to the table. “We came up with the name
when we were, like, twelve.” He cleared his throat before raising his eyes back
to hers. “Not many people know that part.”

Not many knew?
She looked down at her wineglass,
fiddling with the silver charm on the stem.
But…he must have been with
countless…

Surprisingly, for the first time since meeting Jesse, she
thought about the women in his life.

“What’s up? Not boring you already, am I?” He captured her
hand and gently squeezed.

“Ah…can I ask you something? I don’t want you to think I’m
prying and I have no illusions about…well…you and me, but I just need to know.
Is this something you do often? With women, I mean? And know that regardless of
your answer, I’m still spending the night with you.”

He stroked her fingers, examining her hand, his eyebrows
drawn together.

* * * * *

She squirmed a little in her chair when he didn’t answer her
question straight away. He wanted to put her mind at rest but didn’t want to
lie to her either. He raised her hand to his lips and brushed her knuckles
across his mouth, carefully thinking over his words before he spoke.

“I want to be honest with you, Sam. Completely free of any
bullshit. I haven’t always been a saint, but not everything printed in the
magazines is true. Being in this business, well… Women were laid out on a
platter by the time I got back to my dressing room most nights. I suppose you
could say I led the typical life you’d expect. We lived the clichéd sex, drugs
and rock ‘n roll life for years, but that gets tiresome. Like having too much
chocolate cake, I guess…until you’re sick, you know? So yeah, I have been with
a hell of a lot of women, but when I started seeing Becky a few years ago, I
stopped all the messin’ around. I’d had enough. I was ready to settle and
finally get serious about someone other than myself.”

“That would be Becky Sampson, right? I’ve seen pictures of
you with her. She’s stunning. Can’t say I think much of her acting skills
though. A lot of B-grade fluff, if you ask me.”

He laughed. He totally agreed.

Is that a spark of jealousy in her eyes?

“Yeah, she’s stunning all right, but not real pretty on the
inside. I called it off two months ago. Our relationship just wasn’t going
anywhere and the band
hated
her. She turned into a real bitch after I
broke it off. Threw our friendship in my face and has been causing me grief in
the press ever since. She started rumors that—surprise, surprise—were
conveniently leaked to the media. One that we were getting married and another
saying she was pregnant with my love child. That’s why I came back to London
for a while. Hopefully by the time I get back, she’ll have moved on to her next
victim.” He rolled his eyes.

“I haven’t been with anyone since Becky and I’ve never wined
and dined a total stranger. Not like I have with you. I really hope you believe
me when I tell you that. I’ll admit when we first met I was only thinking about
having some fun, but now…I don’t know. All I do know is I like being with you.
I’m not sure what comes next.” He met her eyes.

“Sam, I don’t want to make any promises I can’t keep, but
I’ll always try to be honest with you. I’d like to see you again in New York
before you go back home, if you want to. I’ll be busy, but I could probably
organize some time off on the weekend. There’s a party I have to go to on Friday
night. Maybe you’d like to join me?”

“Friday night? I think I have plans—a charity thing. I’d
have to check.”

“So anything else you wanna know? Did I answer your
questions?” He leaned back in his seat.

She smiled. “Yeah, I think you did.”

Chapter Eight

Stepping from the elevator, Sam automatically stopped at
Jesse’s door but he pulled her forward, continuing up the corridor to her
corner suite. “I wanna stay in your room tonight. Have you tried the hot tub
yet?”

She dug the key card from her small bag. “Yes, it’s
gorgeous. If only it would fit in my suitcase.”

“Enjoy the jets?”

She shook her head. “Didn’t use them. Just soaked.”

“Ah, but that’s the best part.” He unlocked and opened the
door. “How ’bout you get the bath running and I’ll order us some champagne.
Make it nice and hot so we can wander in a bit later.”

Sam disappeared into the bathroom while he called room
service and raided the fridge for the strawberries, cream and a silver bowl of
chocolate sauce. It was the perfect consistency, laced with liqueur to prevent
it from hardening—just how he liked it. He placed the goodies on the small
table near the couch and ran to open the door, leaving it ajar for the room
steward.

When he returned to the middle of the room, Sam appeared in
the bedroom doorway. She was draped in black silk, a kimono-style bathrobe tied
at her waist. His eyes ravished her from afar. She’d kept her stockings and
high heels on…and the necklace. He grinned.

Gravitating toward him, she released the sash and pushed the
robe aside, hands on her hips, revealing a violet G-string, matching satin bra
and black garter. He was so close to touching her when she suddenly yelped,
closed her robe and shot back into the bedroom.

“Oh! Oh, I-I’m so sorry. The door…the door was o-open, I swear.”

A rather flustered young man stood near the door, holding an
ice bucket and bottle of champagne. Jesse chuckled, digging into his pocket for
a tip as he approached the pristinely uniformed man.

“If it’s any consolation, I think she’s more embarrassed than
you are.” With a wink he waved the guy out the door and locked it. His legs
couldn’t carry him back to Sam quick enough.

He came to a halt in the doorway of the bedroom.

She was lying on the bed, her face buried in a pillow. She
raised her head when he chuckled. “Has he gone?”

“Yep,” he said, popping the “p”. He stalked toward her,
smirking like a cat that had caught a canary.

“I would never have done that if I’d known the door was
open. Why didn’t you tell me?” She groaned and jumped off the bed, pushed him
aside and stomped into the living room.

“Where’s the fun in that?” He followed and poured them each
a drink as she sat on the couch and ditched her shoes, relaxing into the
overstuffed cushions.

She examined the spread on the table and picked a strawberry,
dipped it into the chocolate and bit it in half.

“Hey! I wanted to feed you those.” He sat next to her,
offering a glass of champagne.

“Nup, that’s it for me. I can’t possibly eat any more. I’m
stuffed.” She devoured the last of the berry with a grin.

Jesse swept his finger through the cream, slowly brought it
to his mouth and licked it off. “You sure you don’t want more, baby?” He pulled
out his most cheeky smile, the one even his mother couldn’t resist.

“No, no, but you go right ahead. I’ll watch,” she said,
lobbing back some sass of her own.

Trying the chocolate, he hummed with approval, his eyes
glued to her. Dipping again, he smeared some across her bottom lip, smiled, and
then licked it straight off with the tip of his tongue.

She shivered.

With a satisfied grin he stood and attended to the fire,
building the flames high. When he turned back around she was blatantly ogling,
her eyes already undressing him. He peeled off his jacket and vest, folding
them neatly over the armchair. Then he loosened and removed his tie, undid the
top three buttons of his shirt and sat beside her.

Sam’s gaze honed in on the bare skin his open shirt
revealed. She wore her emotions on her face. The subtle parting of her lips and
the dilation of her eyes belied her thoughts.

“Penny for them?” he said softly. He leaned in and pressed
his chest against her, brushing the hair away from her neck. Kissing the warmth
below her ear, he was elated she’d kept the necklace on.

“Ahhh…” she sighed as he continued the gentle assault with
his lips. “I can’t think of one damned thing at the moment.” She closed her
eyes as he pushed her farther into the couch, slipping open her belt, revealing
her luscious curves.

She’s fucking perfect.

He returned to the milky softness of her neck, nibbling her
ear. “I hope you’re not tired, darlin’,” he whispered. “I really don’t wanna
waste any time sleepin’.” He brushed his mouth up to hers, his fingertips eager
to meet more of her skin.

He was pleased to discover her bra clasped at the front,
allowing easy access to the two beauties he’d so quickly fallen in lust with.
He caressed her mouth with his tongue, savoring the hint of chocolate and
strawberry, loving how easily she responded to his every touch.

Playfully nipping her lips, he swept two digits into the
bowl of chocolate while simultaneously unsnapping her bra. It fell to the sides
and he ran his fingers down the valley of her bosom, painting a sweet, dark
trail to her navel. The contrast on her pale skin was beautiful and, for a
fleeting moment, he wished he could sign his name, mark her as his—permanently.
He dipped into the silver dish once again and smothered her ripe nipples with
more chocolate sauce. Transfixed by his artwork, his eyes tracked the dark
lines dribbling down the firm mounds of flesh he was salivating to taste.

Sam seemed to gasp and giggle at the same time when he
reached for the bowl of whipped cream and greedily submerged his whole hand. He
smeared it down her breasts and over the flat of her stomach, camouflaging the
chocolate tracks, licking the excess off his hand when he was done.

She grabbed his wrist and sucked one of his fingers into her
mouth. His eyes rolled back into his skull and he emitted a primal groan from
deep inside his chest, her velvet-lined tongue swirling around his fingertip
with delicate suction. She tore off his shirt and tossed it over the back of
the sofa.

He licked the cream from her taut stomach, hunting for the
rich chocolate with the tip of his tongue. He bided his time, adoring every
inch of her as he moved up her body. She heaved a sigh when he touched the
underside of her breast, and then used her whimpers to guide him, tormenting
areas where her breath hitched most before advancing to the next. He devoured
her breasts until they were almost clean, vehemently sucking each nipple into
his mouth when he reached his chocolate reward.

She arched toward him, pulling him closer. Her entire body
tensed and she shook in his arms. She was a vision to behold. He was in awe of
her. He’d made her come just by teasing her.

He continued to taste her flesh until her quivers slowly
subsided, and then tugged her silk robe and bra off her shoulders and stood in
front of her, an open invitation. She offered her hand and he gladly accepted,
leading her to the bathroom.

* * * * *

Jesse faced her after testing the water, ran his hands down
her hips to her sinfully bare thighs and rested his palms at the clip of the
garters. He kissed her before detaching the straps, rolling each silk stocking
down her leg and over her pointed toes. He peeled off her knickers in one swift
move as she tried to balance, clutching his shoulders.

She stepped into the sunken bath and immersed herself, the
warm water lapping her chin and cheeks. Closing her eyes, she dunked her head
back to wet the rest of her hair, and then looked up to the wicked grin on
Jesse’s face.

“Turn on the jets.” He was still smirking as he stepped out
of the bathroom.

She leaned across the spa and pushed the big black button. A
gushing stream battered directly across her nipple and she squealed just as
Jesse returned with their champagne.

“What’s wrong?” He placed the flutes on the back ledge of
the bath.

“The jets got a little
too
personal, that’s all.” She
reached for her drink as he stepped out of his trousers.

He moved like liquid…cool, fluid, without any cockiness or
arrogance, just masculinity at its best. Everything he did screamed sex and, in
her opinion, his good looks had only improved with age. She imagined his
physique was better now than in his early twenties, more muscular while still
remaining lean and sleek. Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe he really had
stopped living the party life.

Jesse stepped in behind her, adding more hot water until he
seemed satisfied with the temperature. He pulled her back to his chest and she
rested her head on his shoulder. He held her for a long time, occasionally
stroking the side of her breast with his thumb.

All her nerves stood on end, tingling with anticipation. She
swallowed hard against the lump in her throat.

Is this our last night together?

“You okay?” he asked just above a whisper.

She opened her eyes and shifted, applying slight pressure to
his groin, his erection probing the small of her back. She ran her hand between
his muscled thighs and cupped him, gently rolling his balls between her
fingers. He hissed, tightening his arms around her waist, rocking his hardened
cock against her wrist to gain some friction.

He spun her on top of him. Her breasts pressed firmly to his
skin and the thud of his heart beat against her. His soft, sensual lips
captured hers in a searing kiss as he ran his hands down the length of her
spine, massaged her bottom and rolled his hips against her.

She withdrew from his kiss, a devilish smile upon her lips
as she wiggled until he loosened his grip. Sliding down his slippery chest, she
tweaked his nipple with her teeth, lapping at it with her tongue when it
stiffened in her mouth, and then kissed a path down his stomach.

Jesse rose outstretched to the surface of the water,
studying her with fascinated eyes as she squirmed down to between his thighs.
He caressed the side of her face as she licked her lips, wrapping her fingers
around his hard shaft. She pumped him, her motions slow, her confidence
building when he thickened in her hand. She stroked the head of his cock with
the tip of her tongue. His body quivered as she fondled his balls and devoured
his length before sliding her lips up again. His girth was incredible and
almost too much for her to handle. She teased the sensitive head before taking
him back down her throat as he shuddered beneath her. She liked the power,
having control and seducing him for a change. According to his moans, he
heartily agreed.

She shuffled onto her knees and supported his hips, helping
him stay above the surface. Slowly sliding him in and out of her mouth,
allowing the muscles at the back of her throat to swallow, she hoped the motion
tickled the tip of his cock. He twitched inside her mouth and she smiled around
him.

“Ohhh fuck, this is torture,” he groaned, his hips jerking.
“I’ve been hard since you got up onstage, baby. If I let you have your way, I’m
never gonna get through what I’ve got planned.” He reached between his legs,
clutched her shoulders and pulled her back to his chest. He kissed her lovingly,
leisurely, until his heart rate against her breast returned to normal.

“Turn around,” he said, his voice hoarse.

She swiveled on top of him and sat on his lap. Wrapping his
hands around her waist, he pushed their bodies to the foot of the bath. His
breath quickened in her ear. “Just relax and let me move you, okay? Lean on my
chest. I’ve got a surprise for you.”

She turned her head on his shoulder and kissed his neck as
his hands roamed down her hips and held her thighs.

“Bring your legs up, darlin’.” He grasped her behind the
knees when she obeyed, resting her feet on the wide ledge in front of her.

His fingers glided over her clit, driving her insane with
need. Pushing with his hips, he raised her higher in the water as he continued
to rub and circle her, sliding two fingers between her folds only to return to
her throbbing nub.

Sam’s breath deepened as he sucked on her earlobe,
continuing his onslaught with his hands. He traced her center with his
fingertip and slipped inside, withdrawing only to add a second finger,
massaging her clit with the pad of his thumb.

Warm water from the jet pummeled the back of his wrist as he
raised her another inch. When he removed his hand, she finally realized what he
intended.

She cried out and tried to squirm away when the gush of
water pelted against her. Jesse held her firm, returning her into the stream as
she whipped her head along his shoulder and screamed with delight. He held her
in place with one hand while the other explored her hardened nipples. The warm
bubbles swirled, elevating her excitement. His solid cock twitched against her
back as he rocked her gently, increasing her pleasure as the jetting water
lapped her swollen clit. Back and forth it coursed over her, flicking with
lightning speed. She didn’t know how much more she could handle. She was beyond
ecstasy. She’d left the planet.

“Let yourself go. Let it take you over,” he breathed into
her neck, nibbling the line of her jaw.

Warm, frenzied pressure built inside and she released with a
sudden jolt as he held her tightly. She tried to arch her body above the stream
but her efforts were futile. He was too strong, his hold too firm. She lost her
senses, electrified beyond control, bucking hard against his hands and panting
his name with what little breath she had left. His kind of torture was
heavenly.

He lowered them both back into the water and shuffled on his
butt until he’d reached the opposite side of the bath. Laying his head against
the padded rest, he refused to let her go, his hold tight around her waist. She
exhaled a long, satisfied sigh and kissed his cheek, resting her forehead
against him.