Dare Me (Rock Gods #2) (3 page)

             
He grinned and starting pulling his track suit back on.

             
"The opening act just finished. Come on, guys. We are on in five."

             
They scattered and started primping in front of the mirror.

             
He leaned forward and tousled her hair again.

             
"Keep drinking that. You can come up and watch from the side."              She opened the water and dutifully took a sip. He smiled at her.

             
"At least I know how to get you to stop laughing now."

             
Her eyes widened as he leaned in and whispered.

             
"All I have to do is take my clothes off."

             
Her mouth was open as he waved and headed up to the stage. He'd had to stop himself from kissing the look of surprise off her face. He knew he shouldn't have said that but he was enjoying messing with her, just for the reaction. It was more than that though. He was dangerously attracted to her too.

             
Get a grip Kendall! She's just a kid. A very precocious and appealing kid, but a kid. She's too young for you.

             
He wondered how old she was. If she was sixteen like he thought he might look her up in two years. He made a mental note to get her phone number. He could text with her or something. Keep in touch. Wait for her to grow up.

             
That wasn't really his style, but he had a feeling she'd be worth the wait.

             
He turned to look at the rest of the group. They were bouncing on their feet, revved up and ready to perform.

             
He closed his eyes to focus.

             
Then he ran out on stage and got into position.

             
The lights came on and the crowd lurched forward en masse.

             
They waited a minute for the screaming to stop.

             
He counted down from five with his hand behind his back so they could see.

             
Then they started.

3

              Jessica stood in the wings, watching them perform. They were even better than they'd been as teenage boys. Now, they were even more precise, their voices stronger. And their bodies… Jeez.

             
Forget the guys behind him, it was Kendall who held her attention. Not to mention the rest of the women in a ten mile radius. He was tall, but not too tall. He was lean, but not too lean. He was muscular, but not too muscular.

             
He was fucking perfect.

             
Even from this distance she could see his gorgeous eyes, those smiling lips, that face with the high cheekbones and perfectly symmetrical features.

             
And that hair. Just messed up enough to make you want to run your fingers through it.

             
God, he was gorgeous.

             
It should be illegal to look like that.

             
She sighed. Oh well, she might as well enjoy herself. She pulled out her phone and took a few pictures, dancing around a little bit. She thought about posting them on her Facebook page but decided not to.

             
Yes, it was cool that she was backstage. But it was also not cool if she looked like a groupie. Besides Kendall might not like it. She would just take a few pics for prosperity.

             
Before she knew it the show was half over and he was grabbing her hand, pulling her back to the dressing room. He collapsed on the couch and chugged a bottle of water. The guys were all fist bumping each other and wiping themselves down with towels.

             
Jess grabbed one from the stack and threw it at Kendall. He grabbed it and grinned at her, wiping himself down.

             
"So? What did you think?"

             
"You guys still got it."

             
They all laughed. Kendall was watching her while he drank.

             
"Did you hydrate?"

             
Oops. She'd kind of forgotten to do that actually. She grabbed a water bottle and started chugging it obediently. She peeked to see if he was mad at her and froze when she saw the look on his face.

             
He was staring at her throat. No, lower. At her chest.

             
He looked like he wanted to kiss her there.

             
Or bite her.

             
Oh my god.

             
He raised his eyes and smiled at her as if he hadn't just given her a visual fondling. He toasted her with his bottle. Then he got up to change. Before he left he came and stood over her, close enough that she could feel the heat coming off him.

             
"You're feeling alright? Not dizzy or anything?"

             
She nodded dazedly. He had a strange effect on her. She did feel dizzy, but that was because of him. Not that she was going to tell him that.

             
Jessica wasn't that dumb.

             
In just a few minutes they were all changed into matching suits and fedoras. They looked gorgeous. She swallowed nervously when Kendall grabbed her hand and pulled her up the sloping hallway towards the stage again. Then he let go and ran back onstage.

             
She held her hand against her chest, wishing there was a way to preserve the feeling of his palm against hers. Tingles didn't begin to cover it. It felt like tiny earthquakes up and down her arms. And the butterflies he was giving her felt like little tornados in her stomach.

             
Jessica realized she was out of her element.
Way out of her element.
She had to decide whether to enjoy it a little while longer or to run for the hills. Part of her really felt like getting out of there was the safest bet.

             
That way she wouldn't get hurt.

             
Then again, what was the harm in enjoying the show?

             
Or flirting a little bit with the best looking man she'd ever laid eyes on?

             
Just a little while longer… she would wait and see what he said after the show. It was insane, but she had the crazy feeling that he wanted to kiss her. Even if she did look like she was sixteen years old.

             
He liked her, at least a little bit. That much was obvious.

             
The weird thing was that she could tell it wasn't in a perverted way, like some of the guys who asked her out. It seemed like he was battling himself. Like he knew he shouldn't kiss her, shouldn't even want to.

             
He thought she was twelve after all.

             
But he did want her. A little bit at least. Kendall Jackson, international rock star and serial model dater, wanted to kiss little Jessica Sheckler.

             
And by God, she wanted it too.

**********

             
Kendall shrugged out of his sweat drenched jacket and took a swig of water. He was staring at the girl he'd almost run over. Again. He couldn't seem to
stop
staring at her. He definitely did not want to send her home, even though that's what he knew he should do.

             
He wanted to go to bed with her. He had a vision of him peeling her clothes off and licking each tender looking bit of her as it came into view. And then he'd- well let's just say he wouldn't have trouble keeping her up all night, that was for sure.

             
Jesus, what was wrong with him? He could have his pick of women. For some mysterious reason he had a case of the hots for this spunky little girl with the huge eyes and huge- well, she was amply endowed. He's leave it at that.

             
She looked a little nervous, sitting there on the couch of the green room.

             
If she knew what he was thinking, she'd be more than nervous.

             
She'd probably be terrified.

             
"We should call your parents. Tell them to come get you."

             
"I don't have-"

             
"What?"

             
"Never mind. I should get out of here anyway. I just need to call a taxi. My friends took off already."

             
She stood up, grabbing her bag. She was all business all the sudden.

             
"Hey- don't go. I'm making sure you don't fall asleep, remember?"

             
She sighed as if he were a very slow person she was trying to get through to. He could see her resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

             
"You don't need to do that. I'm sure you have other things to do. Groupies to bang."

             
"I don't do that kind of thing."

             
She blinked at him.

             
"Sorry. I'm just hungry. I get cranky when I'm hungry."

             
"We could get something to eat. Unless your parents are going to ground you or something?"

             
"I told you- oh forget it. It was really nice meeting you."

             
She held out her hand. He stared at it. Her hands were delicate and clean. She had an expensive waterproof watch on. Something was bothering him about her. He just couldn't put his finger on it.

             
What he really wanted to put his finger on was
her.

             
"Thank you for a really great evening. Other than, you know."

             
He shook her hand, still staring at her. He had this crazy thought all the sudden. Maybe she was older than she looked...

             
"How old are you anyway?

             
She lifted her chin.

             
"Twenty six."

             
"Seriously? You're older than me!"

             
She gave him a look that could cut glass. He felt immediate relief. He wasn't a pervert for wanting to kiss her- or, do other things with that hot little body. She was the right age for him after all. Now there was no way he was letting her get away that easy.

             
"Yes, seriously. Do you want to see my ID?"

             
He grinned, contemplating all the things he could do with her.

             
"Yes."

             
"Shut up."

             
He laughed. She wouldn't bore him, that was for sure.

             
"Well, alright then."

             
"Alright what?"

             
"Now I'm definitely keeping you up all night."

             
"Excuse me?"

             
"I just meant- look, we're going to Vegas for the weekend. You should come with."

             
"To Vegas?"

             
"Yeah. That was I can make sure you don't fall into a coma or whatever happens with a concussion."

             
She rolled her eyes at him.

             
"Actually, that's exactly what happens."

             
"Okay so, let's go."

             
"I don't know..."

             
He leaned in and smiled at her. He knew he was playing with fire with this girl. She wasn't his usual fare of vapid but experienced women in the industry. But suddenly he didn't care.

             
"Come on. I dare you."

4

             
Jessica looked around the tour bus in awe. She was actually doing it. She was going to Vegas with fucking Kendall Jackson. She debated about pinching herself but decided she didn't particularly
want
to wake up from this dream.

             
It was so out of her normal range of experience that it felt like a dream. And they weren't even at the airport yet.

             
The In Tempo tour bus was tricked out, with couches, a bar, an enormous flat screen tv suspended from the ceiling and a gaming system that the rest of the band was currently gathered around. She was sitting at the kitchenette area table, watching Kendall flip through a deck of cards. She was trying not to stare at him. He was so insanely good looking it almost hurt to look at him. He was sending little shivers of desire through her body and he hadn't even touched her.

             
He seemed to think she was easy on the eyes too, judging from the glances he'd been casting her way.

             
There was just one little problem.

             
Kendall probably expected her to sleep with him.

             
Tonight.

             
It wasn't that she wasn't attracted to him. That was a given. It's just the idea of rushing into bed with him wasn't that appealing. Even if he was a gorgeous rock star. Besides, she hadn't been with any one in a long time. And she'd never been the sort to just fall into the sack with someone. There was something gross about that, even if the guy was a really nice, really hunky, really talented celebrity.

             
In fact, him being famous was the biggest problem she had at the moment. She didn't particularly want to be just another groupie. Even if she kind of was. Or had been, a decade ago.

             
She chewed her lip, wondering what the hell she was doing.

             
Or how she'd turn down sex with the man of her dreams.

**********

             
Kendall was staring at Jessica's body again. Her waist was so small he could span it with his hands. But above that and below it, nice juicy handfuls. She was saying something… he forced himself to pay attention.

             
"Hmmm?"

             
"I'm not so sure about this."

             
"What's wrong?"

             
They were standing on the tarmac, getting ready to board the private plane the hotel had sent for them. Jessica looked ready to bolt.

             
"This is really crazy. I can't just go to Vegas. I have to work tomorrow."

             
He frowned, trying to figure out how to convince her to come with him.

             
She had to come now. He was counting on it.

             
He had no idea how it had happened but he desperately didn't want the night to end. Not that he expected anything to happen necessarily... Well, nothing that his hormones were hoping for anyway. He was definitely going to get a kiss out of her. More than that. A lot more hopefully.

             
He had to get his hands on that tight little body.

             
But he could tell she wasn't the kind of girl who was going to just take her clothes off. He told himself he liked that about her. Even if it interfered with his baser desires.

             
It had been four months since he broke up with Becca. He'd gone out with a few girls since then but nothing serious. Models mostly. He had other things on his mind other than sex.

             
Usually that was the case. But not tonight. Right now he was trying to force himself to cool his jets. He didn't want to scare her off, did he?

             
"Call in sick. You did get knocked in the head after all."

             
He grinned at her, trying to put her at ease. To hide the fact that she was making him feel like a horny teenager for some wild reason. All he knew for sure was that he wanted to get this girl on the plane with him. Maybe that's what was throwing her off.

             
"Look, we don't have to do anything. Let's just have fun."

             
She smiled at him shyly. Jesus, the girl was sweet! He felt an overwhelming urge to protect her wash over him. She chewed her lip thoughtfully. He wanted to do that for her. God, her mouth was luscious… How had he thought she was a kid before?

             
"Seriously. I mean, you are very cute but I'm not a raving sex maniac or anything, I promise."

             
She laughed. Good. That was a good sign.

             
"Okay."

             
He grinned and grabbed his backpack.

             
"I'll even let you borrow my toothbrush."

             
She rolled her eyes at him. He kind of loved that she wasn't all that impressed by his status. She was definitely not putting him on a pedestal. On the other hand, he wouldn't mind putting her on one… much easier to get access to those insane curves she had.

             
Down boy.

             
He watched as she got checked in by the flight crew. Then she smiled at him.

             
"Let's do this."