Starstruck (24 page)

The emerald tear I gave you

And placed upon your heart

Can’t compare to your beauty, baby

You’re a natural work of art

If the genie grants me one wish

I’d wish for an endless night

Take you on a magic carpet ride

And make everything all right

Are you the one I’m searching for?

Have you ever dreamed of me?

Could I be the man you need?

Could I be your destiny?

You are the one I’ve searched for

In my dreams it’s only you

You are my kindred spirit

Your heart is pure and true

I don’t wanna let you go, baby

I need you here with me

My heart and soul belong to you

You are my destiny

He strummed the final note on his guitar as he lifted his
head. To his amazement, she was silently crying.

“Jess, that was, that was…really beautiful. I can’t believe
you did that.” She leaped off the sofa and onto his lap, and he moved the
guitar just in time to avoid her head. She kissed him passionately, not caring
that they had an audience.

“Hey! I helped write it too, you know.” Rick chuckled and
whined at the same time.

In a flash, she jumped from Jesse’s lap onto Rick’s, nearly
crushing his family jewels with her knees as she hugged him tightly and kissed
him twice on the cheek. He fell back to the floor, taking her with him as they
giggled like they were lifelong BFFs.

They sang a few more of their favorite new tracks and asked
Sam which she thought should be their first single. They were having trouble
making a decision and didn’t have much time left. She picked the second song
they played, apparently no doubt in her mind it would be an instant hit.

They chatted for a short time after until Sam started
yawning. She announced her bedtime and Jesse whispered in her ear he wouldn’t
be far behind. She pecked Rick on the cheek, saying good night, thanking him
again for helping write her song.

“Good night, darlin’. I’ll leave my bedroom door open so you
can sneak in once he’s asleep, okay?” He winked and Jesse threw a cushion at
his face. “You’d better save a dance for me tomorrow night too. I’m lookin’
forward to this party.”

She stopped short at the door and spun around. “Whose party
is it anyway, Ricky?”

He shot a swift glance at Jesse. “You haven’t told her yet?”

He smiled across the room at her. “It’s a surprise.”

“Sorry, darlin’, my lips are sealed. Boss man’s spoken.”

She tossed her hair dramatically as she turned and left,
laughing her way up the stairs, stomping her feet for full effect.

Chapter Fifteen

Jesse had been neglecting his work since returning from
London and Sam was becoming guilt-ridden over how she was monopolizing his
time. They hadn’t spoken much of his upcoming tour, but he had mentioned the
first single from the new album was due for release the following week. She’d
already overheard him on his cell, rescheduling two meetings, and she wasn’t
about to let him postpone any more on account of her being a guest in his home.

He was about to become extremely busy with approximately
twelve weeks of promoting before the actual tour even began.

While he attended a meeting on Friday, Sam was being
pampered at a natural health and beauty spa. He’d arranged the appointment as a
surprise, not wanting her to be alone for the entire day. He’d told her he
wanted her to feel special when they went out on their first
real
public
appearance in his home city. That he still felt bad a guest of his—a member of
his crew, no less—had harmed her last night, and wanted to do something to help
make it up to her, no matter how much she insisted it was unnecessary.

Jimmy, as it turned out, was a man of many talents and made
it clear he wanted more work should Jesse need his services again. He escorted
her into New York as her chauffeur and personal bodyguard with strict
instructions not to let her out of his sight.

He did just that, even throwing in some compliments of his
own when she emerged from the spa a few hours later.

She’d been scrubbed, buffed and polished and every part of
her was renewed. There had been no lingering sign of injury to her cheek, so
after her makeover she was quite excited about the mystery party Jesse was
taking her to after the charity dinner hosted by Johnson & Nichols.

The house was empty when she entered. Jesse had previously
presented her with a spare key. Only his parents, his housekeeper and Ricky had
access. The gesture was special and the nicest thing he could have done for
her. She didn’t want emeralds and diamonds. Respect, honesty and trust were
enough.

She was beyond clean and her hair and makeup were perfect.
The only thing she needed to do was dress. With a couple of hours to kill, she
used the opportunity to explore the other rooms in the house.

She took her time, admiring the way each room was decorated.
Entering Jesse’s huge library, she browsed the ornate bookshelves, impressed to
find many leather-bound first editions. She hadn’t placed him as a literary
lover and was pleasantly surprised. One more tick to add to their growing list
of all things common.

She left the library for the music room at the end of the
eastern wing. It was filled with awards and memorabilia spanning Jesse’s
career, gold and platinum framed records adorning the walls. Customized racks
held an elaborate guitar collection and between the two large displays hung a
series of framed pictures—Jesse on a series of
Rolling Stone
covers.
Sequenced, the covers showed the boy growing into the man.

In the first his skin was baby-smooth, his hair long and
wavy. The black leather pants he wore looked painted on, laces zigzagging up
the sides of his legs.

She chuckled at the young man staring back at her.
Way
too pretty.

The middle picture was more masculine. The longer hair gone
and he was absolutely gorgeous in a pair of faded, torn blue jeans, shirtless.
Freshly shaven, hair wet, he was lying on a leather couch, one arm bent behind
his head, the other seductively brushing the floor rug below.

“There’s that smirk,” she whispered.

She moved farther along, appreciating the fine features of
the man she was quickly growing to adore.

Her eyes fell on a beautiful, white baby grand piano next to
a huge bay window overlooking one of the gardens. She opened the window, the
smell of roses assaulting her senses, and played a few chords on the smooth
ivory keys. She’d never heard a piano so eloquent, let alone caressed one with
her fingertips.

She played a few pieces, both classical and modern, running
them together until movement caught the corner of her eye. She started as Jesse
pushed the door open.

“What are you up to?” He smirked as he strolled into the
room, hands deep in his pockets.

She glanced at the thirty-year-old Jesse on the wall, and
then back to the older, sexier version standing in front of her, wearing only
blue jeans, just like in the photo.

She grinned when he straddled the piano bench beside her and
kissed her the sweetest hello.

“Damn, woman, you smell good.” He nuzzled her neck and
inhaled. “Did you enjoy yourself today?”

“Yes, thank you. The massage was to die for. I’d never had
one before. I was so relaxed, I almost fell asleep. I love your piano, by the
way. It’s beautiful.”

“It should be.” He rose and pulled her to the door. “It was
a gift from Elton. C’mon, I’ll help you get dressed.”

Sam paused, her eyes wide with disbelief, and gazed once
more upon the grand masterpiece. With a chuckle, he smacked her ass, dragging
her from the room.

In the confines of Jesse’s bedroom, his playful side
emerged. He only stopped touching and kissing her long enough to choose a long
black-and-white silk gown with matching heels. Then he sat on the corner of the
bed and unabashedly watched her undress.

She slowly lifted her shirt up her torso, careful not to
disturb her perfect hair and makeup. She glanced over as he put his hands on
his knees and leaned forward, his lustful gaze sending delightful shivers up
her spine.

How had she gotten so lucky? Why did such a powerful,
globally adored man choose to spend his time with her when he could have anyone
he wanted? She wasn’t ugly. Her face and figure weren’t unpleasant. But
compared to the women he’d had on his arm—their faultless faces splashed on the
covers of magazines for the past twenty years—she was just plain Jane. Nothing
to write home about.

He licked his lips when she popped open the button at her
waist and dragged the zipper down. His gaze followed her every move. She wiggled
her hips and pushed her tight jeans over her legs. As she stepped out of them,
he pounced with a smile the devil would have gladly sold his soul for.

They only had a few days left and no way in hell she would
deny him. She wanted as much of him as she could get until their time ran out.

He pushed her to the wall, stroking her jawline with the
pads of his thumbs as he plunged his greedy tongue between her lips. He was
possessive with his hands as they roamed across her body, his fingers digging
into the sides of her thighs. He licked a feverish trail down her neck, over
her collarbone, and flicked open her bra. He latched on to her breast and she
arched off the wall, dragging her fingers through his hair.

With a hiss, he released her nipple. “We don’t have much
time, baby. This is gonna be hard and fast.”

He crushed his lips to hers while fumbling with the button
of his jeans. She quickly pushed against his chest and spun him around,
smacking him to the wall. She wanted to be in charge.

She scraped her fingernails down his bare chest and stomach,
his eyelashes dropping to half-mast as she hesitated at the open flap of his
worn jeans. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer,
brushing her nipples against his skin, zapping them to attention.

She wanted to finish what she’d started when they’d bathed
together at the English hotel. She hadn’t had her lips around his dick since.

He likes it when you take control. Come on, Sam. Just be
bold.

She stared him directly in the eye, molding her hand around
the bulge in his pants and gently squeezing. “Keep your back against the wall
and your hands by your sides. I swear, if you ruin my hair, I’ll stop…and I
don’t want to stop this time.”

“What the hell is up with you?” He chuckled and came forward
for a kiss, but she pulled away before his lips found purchase.

She poked his chest with her fingers. “I said…hands at your
sides, on the wall.”

He rolled his eyes though his mouth twitched at the corner.
He removed his hands from her hips and pressed them to the wall.

Before she lost her nerve, she pooled his jeans and black
silk boxers around his ankles and wrapped her hand around the base of his cock.

He gasped. “What the hell…”

Dropping to her knees, she pumped him once and kissed the
swollen head. He groaned and she pumped him again, licking the small salty drop
that leaked from the tip.

His hips shifted off the wall with a jolt and his hands
clenched into fists. “Fuck!”

She peered up and for a moment her confidence wavered. She’d
never done this before.

His eyes were locked onto her face in awe but a frown marred
his handsome features. He inhaled deeply. “You have no idea how much I want
your mouth,
bella
, but I don’t want you on your knees. You don’t have to
do that. Not you.”

Tension drained like a sieve from her shoulders and she
relaxed with a sigh, running her free hand up the inside of his thigh to fondle
his balls. He groaned louder.

“I want to do this, Jess.” She pumped his length, squeezing
firmly as she reached the tip, and smiled when it hardened even more. “Just
keep those hands away from my hair. I didn’t spend hours at the spa for
nothing.”

She winked before wrapping her mouth around him and sliding
her lips as far down his cock as she could without gagging.

“Fuck…yes-s-s.” His large hands moved to the front of his
thighs and twitched at either side of her face. She pulled him almost all the
way out and met his eyes with warning, sucking just the tip as if he were a
lollipop.

He screwed his eyes shut and slammed his hands beside his
hips, sucking air through his clenched teeth as the back of his head thumped
the wall. “Jesus, Sam. Tell me this is not a fuckin’ dream.”

What?

She didn’t want to stop and think about what his ramblings
might mean. She loved how his body was responding to her and it made her brave.

She moaned around him, sucked as much of his length as she
could down her throat, her hand firmly around the base of his cock, sliding
behind her lips as she set a steady pace.

His hips lightly bounced to meet the bob of her mouth and
his head tilted forward as he panted. Each time she glanced up, his eyes were
glued to her lips. It was the sexiest, most intimate moment of her entire life.
The more pleasure he derived from her mouth the more it turned her on.

She rubbed her thighs together, her panties soaked through.

He quickened his thrusts and pushed a little harder, his
cock tickling the back of her throat, his hands clawing at the wall.
“Ahhh…baby…move. I’m gonna come.”

She tightened the suction of her lips and held onto his
thighs, trying to tell him with her eyes she was putting her trust in him to
not thrust past the limit she’d set.

Three more pumps and his hands gripped her shoulders,
holding her still as he pulsed against the back of her throat.

She swallowed around him, massaging him with her tongue
until his cock slipped from between her lips and he fell back against the wall
with a thud.

His breathing was ragged, a sated smile upon his lips.
“Jesus Christ. You’re definitely tryin’ to fuckin’ kill me, woman.”

She rose to her feet and pressed her breasts to his chest,
rubbing her hands over his biceps. “I’d kiss you, but I really should brush my
teeth.”

She grinned, no longer doubting her oral skills. He chuckled
and squeezed her panty-clad butt, mashing his mouth to hers in a searing clash
of tongue and teeth. The energy seeping from his pores was a heady mix of
felicity and lust, leaving her giddy and weak at the knees.

He suckled her bottom lip before releasing it with a pop.
“And not a hair out of place,” he whispered. “Now it’s your turn.”

He spun her back to the wall and dropped straight to his
knees, dragging her panties down her legs. She’d barely stepped out of them
when he pulled her left leg off the floor and placed it over his shoulder.

Her muscles tensed with a start as his mouth covered her
clit and gently sucked. She gazed down her body and was met by his reverent
blue eyes.

“Watch me,” he whispered.

He entered her with two fingers as his tongue snaked out
from between his lips and circled her clit, around and around, teasing the
small nub. She couldn’t pull her eyes away. Didn’t want to. The visual was so
erotic, so naughty.

The cables inside her lower abdomen tightened and she ached
with the need to come. He quickened the thrust of his fingers, his free hand
sliding her raised leg to the crook of his arm, which he braced against the
wall, spreading her thighs wide.

Her chest heaved as he tilted his head to the side and
licked and flicked his tongue across her clit with firm, rapid strokes.

She was done for.

The cables snapped and euphoria spliced through every nerve
ending, every atom of her being. Her head fell limp against the plaster, eyes
finally closing. She moaned as her hips jolted off the wall, her legs trembling
with the effort to remain vertical.

She tried to catch her breath as her foot was lowered to the
floor, and then strong, warm hands rubbed up her thighs before settling around
her waist.

She pried her eyes open to be met with the crash of his
kiss. His lips against hers were as smooth as silk and the sultry swirl of his
tongue made her quiver from head to toe.

When he pulled his mouth away, he chuckled, eyes beaming
with happiness. “Now we can both go brush our teeth.”

After they were dressed and polished, Jesse insisted she
wear the emerald necklace.

She followed his motions in the mirror as he smiled with
overwhelming satisfaction and draped it around her neck.