Face the Music (A Brothers of Rock - GONE BY AUTUMN - Novel) (8 page)

“Are you just saying that to get me into bed?” Jocelyn asked, feeling bold.

Asher finally smiled. “Love, if I wanted you in bed, you’d already be there. But for some reason, I actually give a damn about talking to you. And being with you.”

Jocelyn swayed, or maybe it was the room swaying and not her.

Either way, she made her decision with her heart (more like her body) before her mind could catch up. Her mind would have been rational, responsible, riddled with fear.

She stepped forward, over that invisible line, and put a hand to Asher’s shirt. She made a fist and pulled.

I need this…

(7)

Jocelyn stared up at Asher and swore that he was trying to hold back. But then Asher brought his right hand forward and placed it on her lower back. That touch alone warmed her insides. A warmth that began at her breasts and quickly bloomed down between her legs. A feeling that had become foreign to Jocelyn.

Asher continued to stare down for another few seconds and then finally made the inevitable move. He didn’t disappoint either. It wasn't an unsure, hesitant kiss. No, it was the true rockstar, aggressive kiss of every girl's fantasy.

When Asher kissed her, he pulled her tight to his body. Their lips played for just a quick second before they opened their mouths at the same time. It felt almost instinctive, as if she already knew the way Asher would kiss her.

Their tongues touched with a silent jolt of electricity. Jocelyn sighed and held back a moan, not wanting to seem even more desperate than she already was. Asher’s hand then made a move down and cupped her ass. Jocelyn’s legs bent and she couldn’t hold back any longer. She broke the kiss and let out a groan. But Asher was already on the move, bending down to kiss her neck. His lips and tongue were lethal, cutting so delicately along her skin. When Asher stopped kissing her, he did so with a grunt and then Jocelyn felt herself being lifted. Asher had both hands at her waist as he lifted her up and spun her around. Her ass crashed onto the bathroom sink and she was at eye level with Asher now. His hands hurried up her body, at her sides, not touching her breasts, which was such torture that Jocelyn's mouth fell open. He cupped her face and his thumbs stroked her cheeks. Jocelyn quickly picked up that he was stroking her left cheek more than the right.

The cheek Chad had hit.

Asher’s eyes flared with anger. But it wasn’t anger toward her. It was anger for what had happened. Anger that he wasn't there to stop it the first time it happened. How could he possibly feel that way? He didn't even know her then. But then why did it feel like she had known him forever?

“Asher,” Jocelyn whispered.

He shook his head. His mouth came to hers again, stealing any chance she had to talk. Jocelyn simply closed her eyes and lost herself in it. Her hands clung to the cool porcelain of the sink. The kiss grew hotter, their tongues fighting in such a passionate way.

Jocelyn slowly released her grip on the sink, her body on fire, reminding her that she was making out with a famous musician. She needed to touch him. Feel him. Maybe find a better way to thank him for saving her tonight than just saying it and acting sad and confused.

There was no confusion here.

Jocelyn played with the bottom of Asher’s shirt at first, but the moment her fingers found bare skin, that was it. Her fingertips teased the top of his jeans and Asher thrust forward at her. One of his hands slipped to the back of her neck, playing with her hair. His other hand moved down her arm until he was touching her hand at the top of his jeans.

Asher then offered a few gentle and soft kisses.

“You’ve been drinking, love,” he whispered.

“Yeah? So?”

“It’s been a crazy night…”

“Make it crazier, Asher.”

“Fucking hell,” Asher groaned. “You can’t say stuff like that to me.”

“Well, I just did.”

Asher pulled back a few inches. “You realize who you’re tempting right now?”

“Yes. A hot guitarist from Gone by Autumn. Now, take me, Asher.”

Jocelyn watched Asher’s eyes flare again. He came back at her with force. He buried his mouth against her neck and kissed her wildly. Jocelyn put her head back and let out a long moan. It felt so good.
So fucking good.

Asher’s lips seemed to be everywhere all at once. His hands worked their way back to her ass and pulled. Jocelyn wrapped her legs around him and Asher lifted her up. For a second she thought about his hands. They were both injured. But it was already too late. Asher was turned and leaving the bathroom.

He kicked open the door to his bedroom. It was massive and a total shrine to music. The walls were a dark red. A large bed sat in the middle of the room. Large canvas artwork of guitars and stages hung on the wall. The far wall was completely filled with guitars. Some hanging, others on stands on the floor.

It was the sexiest room Jocelyn had ever seen in her life. As Asher kissed her and walked her to the bed, she thought about what she had wanted for her office. For her company. She wanted something cool and custom like this. Something that screamed her personality. Not that vanilla wall corporate shit that Chad picked out and forced upon her.

Asher put Jocelyn on the bed, one hand spread against the bed, the other hand against her hip. His thumb dug into her, holding there, but it was his eyes that kept her still and waiting for the next move.

She hesitated and watched Asher’s eyes flare, his mouth open and close a few times, but she wasn’t interested in being saved anymore. There were no more words to say. No more kind gestures of offering. Hell, there was no hope in this moment. It was about an instant and wild connection. That needed to be explored. That was the only chance Jocelyn knew she had at feel something real again.

She lifted a hand and touched the scruff on Asher’s face. That bad boy look poured from his face with enough temptation to make the nicest woman want to be dirty, for even two damn seconds. Her fingers slipped behind his neck and curled, digging into skin, pulling.

But Asher fought back. He took his hand from her hip and reached to grab Jocelyn’s hand from his neck. He then held it for a second and slowly lifted her hand over her head. He held that hand to the bed and then came down at her.

Their lips were just a short inch apart when Asher whispered, “You don’t have to do a thing, love. I’ll take care of you. Name it, and it’s done.”

His lips flirted with hers in a fluttery kiss. Before Jocelyn could really even get into the teasing kiss, Asher was on the move. His lips kissing her neck, down and down, finding the top of her shirt. Jocelyn arched her neck and then back, wishing her shirt could just simply disappear right now. But there was no need to worry; Asher had that all under control. The gorgeous rockstar took his hand from hers and hurried right to the bottom of her shirt. His hand moved up along her body and over her left breast. He kneaded her tender flesh and even over her bra, Jocelyn felt gentle pulses of pleasure throughout her entire body.

How long has it been since I’ve been touched like this…

She lost her breath but quickly gained it back a second later. She realized Asher’s hand had moved up even more, the gesture telling her to work with him to get her shirt off. Jocelyn moved as seductive as she could, lifting one arm at a time, feeling her shirt coming up and off. Asher's fingers teased at the top of her pants, unbuttoning them. His fingertips grazed the top line of her panties, but then slid back to her belly and up.

This time when Asher touched Jocelyn’s breasts, she thrust herself at him, wanting more. His fingers crept behind her and with a one handed move that was toxic - he unsnapped her bra with ease. Now when his hand came back, it was his warm palm to her warm and eager breast. Asher’s strong hand slid over her erect nipple, making her sigh with a whimpering moan.

Asher’s lips kissed back to Jocelyn’s mouth again. Their tongues flirted and then started up in a hot kiss again. Jocelyn felt the fire raging deep within her body. A deep and wild need for Asher to keep going. His hand massaging her breast. Her toes curled tight in her socks. Her heart and body eager for what else this sexy rockstar had to offer to make the night unforgettable.

Jocelyn felt her hand touch Asher’s arm. Curling around his stone like bicep for a moment and then sliding down to his wrist. When her hand moved over his, she was cupping her own breast with his hand.

The kiss paused long enough for Jocelyn to bite her bottom lip and look into Asher’s eyes.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I… what if I can’t?”

With that simple question, Asher took charge. His hand moved off her breast, but not before letting his thumb purposely rub over her hard nipple, making Jocelyn bite down harder on her lip. He touched her side and moved down a little. He then lifted himself off Jocelyn. She quickly felt cold and alone.

“Then you can’t,” Asher said. “Christ, I shouldn’t even be putting you in this position. I’m sorry. I’m just…”

“Used to something different?” Jocelyn asked.

Asher pulled a cover over Jocelyn’s exposed chest and shook his head. “No. I’m just lost in you right now, Jocelyn. I don’t want to have to control myself. But I get why I need to.”

He kissed her forehead and then moved from the. When he lifted her bra with one finger and held it out, Jocelyn shook her head.

“Can I stay? The night?”

“Yeah,” Asher said. “If that would make you feel more comfortable with everything. Of course. I’ll crash on the couch. You can have the bed. The sheets are clean, I promise.”

Asher smiled and Jocelyn felt herself blushing. She slowly shook her head again. “I don’t want to be alone tonight. At all. I want you… it’s your bed, right?”

Asher raised an eyebrow. “You know, you’re pretty gutsy right now. You know who I am, right?”

“I know.”

“Yeah, we can crash together.”

“Can I have something to wear?”

Asher let out a long breath. “For a woman that’s not putting out the good stuff, you have some pretty heavy demands.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I should just go.”

Jocelyn started to stand with the covers to her chest. Asher was right there, touching her shoulders. He swallowed hard. “Stay right here, I’ll get you something to wear.”

Asher went to his closet and returned with an extra long black t-shirt with a Gone by Autumn logo on it.

“It’s the best I’ve got,” he said.

“A Gone by Autumn shirt,” Jocelyn said with a grin. “Do you give these to all your groupies?”

“Not all,” Asher said. “Never to the ones who don’t fool around.”

“Well, that was more than I’ve…” Jocelyn caught herself and put the shirt to her mouth. That was a mistake in itself because the shirt smelled of Asher. And smelling him did something wild things to her body. A tightening feeling went through her body. Her nipples were both hard now, a warm gushing rushing deep within her core and finding peace right between her legs. She was wet right now, her toes curling again, her body aching for relief.

“What was that?” Asher asked.

“Nothing,” Jocelyn said. “I’m getting embarrassed.”

“Embarrassed? Are you kidding me? You’re in a rockstar's bedroom, half-naked, asking to sleep over. This is like a dream for a lot of those women in the audience you saw tonight.”

Jocelyn heard the words, felt the words, and blushed even harder. “Can I get a second to change?”

Asher crossed his arms and backed up a few steps. “You want me to say? I stay.”

The daring and bold move completely turned Jocelyn on. She should have felt uncomfortable, all things considered, but she found comfort in Asher.

Jocelyn turned and dropped the sheet. She looked over her shoulder and offered a little grin. It was fun to be flirty like this. Fun to feel like she had some kind of control over another person.

She put the t-shirt on first, and then took her pants off. She stepped from then and kicked them away from the bed. Slowly, she turned and then reached up, pulling her hair from the shirt.

“That was cruel,” Asher said. “Need a drink?”

“Yes, please,” Jocelyn said.

Asher got to the door and stopped. “If I come back and your panties are on the floor, I’m going to lose my damn mind for real. And when that happens, you won’t know what to do with yourself.”

Asher left before Jocelyn could respond. Although it didn’t matter because the words left her speechless. She sat on the bed and bit her lip, lifting the shirt up. She couldn’t believe what she was doing as she grabbed her panties and literally peeled them from her body. She tossed them toward the open door and fell back on the bed, giggling to herself. The drinks earlier were still messing with her mind, but she knew that tomorrow reality would come crashing back. But until she fell asleep, there was no reality. Just this wild fantasy with a rockstar. And that was pretty damn awesome.

*

Asher stood at the bar and poured two more drinks. Never before has his apartment felt so invaded and full. Yet Jocelyn had nothing with her. It was just her presence though. The fact that she was here. The fact that she basically pushed Asher out of bed for one purpose but asked him back in for another. A daring move, one that no sane or smart woman would have done with him. But Jocelyn did it and Asher fell for it. He didn’t want her to leave. First and foremost, for what she had gone through. He feared that she would end up back in the arms of that asshole again. In his mind he could almost hear the pathetic excuses that would be used to suck Jocelyn back in. And Jocelyn was not weak, not by any means at all, but rather confused. And scared. No woman treated like that was weak, even though a lot probably felt that way.

It angered Asher and made him want to keep Jocelyn right here for… well, for forever.

He laughed and grabbed the two glasses.

The second reason Asher didn’t want Jocelyn to leave was simple. She was damn beautiful and in his bed. Asher would have to have lost his mind to have a beautiful woman leave his bed before he was done enjoying her company.

He stepped to the open bedroom door and almost dropped both drinks. Right there on the floor was a pair of purple panties.