Rockin' the Heart (Hot Wired) (17 page)

“
I wish I was a lesbian.” His eyes narrowed just a fraction, and she explained, “Life would be simpler.”

Heath chuckled.
“That’s where you’re wrong. Women are much more complicated than men. I just want a shot at winning your heart, Sam. A woman would want so much more than I do, flowers, jewelry, lyrics, sex toys.” He tapped the vibrator and winked. “Demanding creatures.”

“
I’ve not asked for any of that.” She pushed up on her elbows. “What makes you think I want or require any of it?”

Dead serious silver eyes captured hers.
“What
do
you want, brat?”

Sprawled on the bench and legs still spread open while Heath sat with her feet in his lap, Sam pushed into a sitting position. Aware of his concentration, she wiggled as sh
e eased her skirt downward to cover herself. She crossed her ankles and hitched her legs to the side in what she hoped created a proper posture.

“
I want this charade to be over.” God knew she’d never liked the idea of it, and she’d been upfront with everyone about her feelings.

“
I offered you an alternative.”

She fisted her hair and pulled it back to tie into a knot.
“Your offer terrifies me.”

“
You think I’m not scared?”

Sam peered at him.
“You seem pretty put together, Heath.”

She caught a flash of doubt
in his eyes before he shadowed them from her view. He twined his fingers with hers and squeezed just a bit. “All scenarios frighten me. But when I think about seeing you with another man, happy, and it not being me….” He shook his head and let his shield drop so she could suffer his anxiety with him. “That eats at me. I ask myself if I can live with that? Will I regret not trying everything to have you for myself? Wondering are you better off without me? I want to do what’s right by you, Sam.”

“
Any woman would be fortunate to have you in her life.”

“
But am I good enough for
you
? Even I can’t answer that.” He drew her hand up to his mouth and kissed the back of it. “The what ifs nag me like a doomsday prepper’s obsession with the apocalypse. I can’t let a little fear stop me from loving you.”

“
Don’t say the L word.”

“
Are you going to give me the chance to earn the right to say it?”

How
’d she respond to that when she had no idea what to say? Should she give him a chance? Could
she
take that chance? No idea what she planned to say, she opened her mouth to respond but his cell interrupted.

“
It’s Tab’s ringtone. She can wait,” he said when she remained silent.

“
Tab never waits.”

Grumbling beneath his breath
, he dug the phone out of his jeans pocket and hit the answer button. “You’re on speaker.”

“
Perfect. That means Sam’s with you. Jase is freaking out because he can’t locate her. Where are you?”

“
In the limo headed to a hotel.”

“
Hang on.” A brief pause as she told someone she’d located Sam and to ‘chill the fuck out’. While the agent attempted to cool Jase’s worry, Sam texted him an apology.

“
You’re not in Hot Wired’s limo,” Tab said.

“
Took Tone Deaf’s ride. They can catch a taxi.”

She questioned if he did that on purpose because she
’d been chatty with the other band’s drummer. For sheer spite at flirting with her, she wouldn’t put it past Heath to dole out a little revenge.

“
We’ll meet you at the hotel.” Giggling on the other end announced the groupies that’d be joining them.

“
We’re staying elsewhere.”

A long disturbed moment of silence on Tab
’s end. Sam could picture the woman pursing her lips in thought like she often did. “Are you two thinking of making this charade real?” she asked in a hushed whisper as if she didn’t want Jase to hear her inquiry.

Cool as ice, Heath smiled at Sam and
told Tab, “That’s none of your business.”

“
Oh, Jesus Christ, you
are
.” Could the woman sound more elated? “The moment you arrive at your hotel, I want the name so I can send some reporters that way.”

“
We can manage heat without your help.”

“
Fang, you listen—”

“
Goodbye, Tab.” Disconnecting the call with Tab mid-sentence, he exhaled a weary breath. “It’s bullshit like this”—he shook the cell at her—“that makes me feel like a selfish bastard because I can’t give you the one thing you crave the most.”

Like he knew her well enough to know what she desired most.
“What do you think that is?”

“
Paparazzi freedom.”

There were a great many things Heath wanted to know about Sam, but that would be the fun of getting to know
her
and not just the little girl he’d watched grow up.
If
she gave him a shot, the probability she’d dismiss his request lingered. The limo pulled up to the hotel, and after a moment Tex opened the door.

Heath left Sam standing with Tex a few feet away while he met with the concierge. He could ask for privileges, but trying to keep their residency low-key
, he simply asked for the penthouse suite.

“
That’s two king-sized beds. Would you like smoking or non-smoking, sir?”

“
Non.”

“
Your name?”

“
Heath Fangor.” He removed his credit card from his wallet and glanced back at Sam and Tex. She actively engaged two teenagers. Not surprising. If she even suspected someone recognized them, she went out of her way to chat with a fan. She dubbed it ‘good public relations’.

“
Fangor…hmm…where have I heard that name?”

Just once
it’d be nice doing something normal without being identified. He winced, luck like that seldom dogged his side. Recognition came with stardom. Not that he’d truly understood fame and how rabid fans and reporters could be until they’d hit celebrity status.

He turned to give the
smart-dressed woman his attention. “Hot Wired.”

“
Hot—
oh
! My thirteen year old daughter’s a fan.”

Amused by her sudden
identification, he teased, “We’re for moms too.”

“
You’re the one all over my daughter’s wall.” The woman multitasked with ease chatting and manipulating her keyboard. Efficient and not impressed, if her obvious disregard to his mom comment was any clue. “Lexi—that’s my daughter—says you’re the hottest thing out there.” She looked him over. “You look different than in those posters.”

Why
’d he get the impression she’d just insulted him?

“
Better or worse?” He almost called her ‘ma’am’, but decided the word might offend her.

“
Mr. Fangor, that question will lead me straight into trouble.”

Shot down politely by a mother who
appealed to him in a downhome kind of way. A novelty he hadn’t experienced in a long while. Most folks kissed his ass. Unused to her refreshing honesty, Heath chuckled and retrieved a piece of stationary. This felt like old times before Hot Wired hit it big and he became not just a name, but a fantasy for women—and men—worldwide.

Sam was right. He was a conquest for groupies, fans
, and reporters. They gravitated to him, hoping his stardom would rub off on them, but
all
of them wanted something from him. Whether it be a lurid roll in the sack, an ordinary signature or photo, or the reporters screwing him for a spot at headlines, they all used him.

Bothered by the sad waste he made of his life, he watched the woman strike the key
board, each clack like a clang of wisdom. He couldn’t even pretend he was different than those who used him. He benefited from the groupies, orgasms without complications and zero emotions.

He wanted more from life. Something with substance. He glanced over his shoulder. Sam continued to chat with the teenagers. Tex at her side
dwarfing her petite structure. God, the woman tore him up. She didn’t want him saying the “L” word, and truthfully it scared him how much she meant to him. Terrified him how much he wanted to
say
he loved her.

“
That your girlfriend?”

Mousy mom became the n
osy-body, but it was obvious she knew next to nothing about them or the band, so Heath didn’t attempt to sidestep the question. He just wished he could say yes. “She’s… complicated.”

“
Aren’t all women?”

“
That
is a question that’ll lead
me
straight into trouble.”

She smiled and
slid the contract toward him. “Good save. I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

From her lips to God
’s ears
.

Heath signed where indicated and
rapped his knuckles on the hotel stationary. “For your daughter.”

Pondering t
he stationary a long moment, she fiddled with the edges before tucking the slip of paper into the pocket of her work uniform. “Normally, I wouldn’t accept this, but Lexi’ll be beyond excited. Thank you.”

On the tip of his tongue was
to ask if it was against staff policy to accept something as simple as a signature, but he decided against it. “My pleasure. Have a good evening, Ms. James.”

Too bad
Sam wasn’t next to him to praise him on his southern manners. She scolded him and Jase often about their demeanors. He couldn’t speak for Jase, but Heath had gotten used to telling people what to do and expecting it to be done. Money talked, not niceties. Asking politely rarely entered his mind any more. Employees were paid to do a job. Civility wasn’t part of the package deal, but Sam made it her job to ease the way with them.

“
Ladies,” he said to the girls when he joined Sam and Tex.

“
You’re hotter in person.”

“
Taller too.”

Those were the first two sentences out of the teens
’ mouths. “You’re short, that’s why I look tall.” He winked at the brunette to soften his comment. She giggled, so no insult was taken.

“
It’s killing me. I have
got
to ask.” The blonde youth peered between him and Sam. “You’re
really
dating?”

Her
friend had her fingers over her mouth like she trapped in a word-demon that threatened to rape and pillage one syllable at a time.

Okay
.
Teens are weird
. They were odd and, despite his less than advanced age, he had zero in common with them.

Devilry flitted across
Sam’s face. “Yeah. Dating and all the good stuff that goes with it.”

Heath curled his arm around her shoulder and kissed the side of her head.
“I got lucky.”

“
What’s it like?” The girl muffling her mouth asked after she peeled her fingers aside long enough to speak.

I repeat, w
eird.

Wrapping her arms around his waist,
Sam leaned into him. “It’s a lot like others probably feel. It’s exciting.”

Sum your relationship up in two words or less
. And ‘exciting’ failed to express everything he experienced.

After a few cell snapshots and penning his John Hancock, they made
their way into the elevator. Tex stood in the corner observing them like a parent would horny teens. The floral strap of Sam’s bag hitched over his shoulder failed to mitigate his imposing posture.

“
Can I expect to see more performances like tonight in the future?”

“
Of course.” Sam nudged Tex. “You know Hot Wired always slays their concerts.”

Tex gave her a playful punch on the shoulder
, but his expression remained deadpan. “I’m talking about yours and Fang’s performance.”

“
Oh.” She shook her head and delivered Heath the evil eye. “I thought I’d puke. I forgot I promised to kill you for that.”

“
Forgive me?” Hands clasped in prayer-like fashion, he performed a pitiful interpretation at beseeching clemency.

“
You looked like a natural. Couldn’t tell you were nervous at all.” Tex grinned. “I heard fans talking about it afterward. They liked the interaction a lot.”

“
You did good, brat.”

She scoffed.
“You don’t deserve forgiveness. You’d do it again given the opportunity.” Hell, yes he would. “I don’t know how y’all get up in front of the audience like that without hurling.”

She executed a gagging motion
, and Tex chuckled. “I’m a wallflower too.”

“
Hardly!” Sam poked Tex on the arm. “You never go unnoticed, you big brute.”

From the first day these two met, they were like kindred souls.
“Your nerves didn’t show.”

“
Not again, Heath.”

That
sealed her future and guaranteed he’d drag her back on stage first chance he got. “No promises.”

Heavy-lidded sapphire blues snagged on his lips.
“Not. Again.”

Her words materialized a touch husky, giving him insight to her thoughts. If not for Tex, he
’d have put her against the wall and kissed her until she was breathless.

The elevator dinged when they reached their floor
, and she flinched at the noise, blinked at the red-lit numbers as if she’d forgotten where they were located. She’d always had a way of focusing on one thing to the point everything else around her faded. He liked being her single-minded concentration.

“
Is it sweltering in here or is it just me?” Tex vacated the elevator, and surveyed the area before motioning for them to join him.

“
I’m fine. Maybe you’re trying to come down with something.” Sam swiped her fingertips across the bodyguard’s forehead. “You feel cool.”

No way Sam could be that naïve. Heath
gave Tex a knowing smile. With a burly laugh that shook Tex’s shoulders, he took the keycard to the room Heath had reserved for the evening. “You’re too much, Sam.”

She sent Heath a
‘huh’ expression he’d seen a billion times.

As they followed Tex, Heath
palmed the back of her neck and leaned toward her, placing his lips against her ear. “He was talking about being hot because you were eyeing me like candy you planned to devour the first moment you were alone.”

“
I wasn’t!” She kept her voice low, but not her appalled reaction.

Tex opened the door, told them to wait just inside while he cleared the room.

Sam fidgeted, refused eye contact, and tugged on her bottom lip with her teeth. Her jitteriness charmed him in ways that left him clueless. Even at her worst moments, Sam maintained her coolness, sometimes through detachment, other times through bluff and pomp. That she was frazzled appealed to his need to dominate her, to demonstrate she was meant for him and him alone.

“
I want to kiss you so bad right now.”

Jerking at his comment, she swallowed hard, but kept her scrutiny in the general direction Tex
had departed.

“
I won’t though. Not until you give me your answer about
us
.”

A nervous
air plowed into him. She shuffled her feet, and he thought she would say something, but Tex saved her with his return to announce the ‘all clear’. A breath of relief flooded out of her, and she walked straight to the window that overlooked the city. She stared out at the black evening, the window’s reflection highlighting her scrunched eyes. Just as lightening zigzagged across the sky, she opened them.

“
I’ll be in the hall.”

“
You know you can take the sofa, Tex.” Heath said as his protector swung open the door to take up point in the hallway.

“
Nah.” Tex flicked his gaze in Sam’s direction. “I’m good.”

They must be an easy read
because his guard made it obvious he knew something was up between them.

“
I’m gonna go to bed and read for a bit.” Sam made no effort to move in the direction of a bedroom.

Heath nabbed the bags by the door, walked to her and offered her luggage.
“Me too.” He’d rather talk, but she needed time to think. Pushing Sam further would be a blunder, and he would do nothing to impede his chances.

“
Thanks.” She gripped the strap and hesitated.