Sometimes Brooke (The ALWAYS SOMETIMES NEVER Rock Star Romance Series Book 2) (2 page)

Leo Donovan.

“The Wild Child has returned,” he says as he places me back on my feet.

I gulp. He’s wearing nothing but a very small towel wrapped around his waist. He’s even sexier than I remember, and I thought I had every detail about him etched in my memory. His jet-black hair is a little shorter than when we were together, but his arms and chest have filled out considerably. I want to say, “You’ve been working out,” but my throat has closed and no words come out.

I remember his chest and arms being heavily tattooed, but he seems to have squeezed a few more onto his upper body.

“I’m on my way to the hot tub. Care to join me?” He raises one of his thick, dark eyebrows.

“I’m not wearing a swimsuit.” I manage to squeak out.

When he laughs I get tingly all over. There’s something about his laugh that completely captivates me. Maybe it’s because he always seems so carefree and contented and I’m neither.

Who am I kidding? Everything about Leo completely captivates me. Especially his eyes. They’re deep, chocolate brown and just as tempting as any dessert. As I stare into them for a long moment my stomach starts to do somersaults.

When I lick my lips in that familiar way that I do when someone places alcohol in front of me I know I need to get away from Leo as quickly as possible. I just got out of rehab and I don’t need any distractions. I need to stay clean, sober and celibate.

“I have to go,” I mutter, but it doesn’t even sound like my voice. Am I trying to convince him or me?

He’s blocking my path and he doesn’t appear to have any plans to move. “Where are you headed?”

I shrug because I actually have no idea. And not just at the moment. I have no idea where I’m headed in life either.

“It’s good to see you again.”

I nod, but I don’t look at him. The temptation is too great. The guy is gorgeous and he’s wearing nothing but a tiny towel. My body is screaming for me to fuck him right here and now. For a moment I’m taken back to the night we spent together. More often than not quick hookups and one-night stands are awkward and ultimately disappointing. Two people who don’t really know each other fumble around and try their best to make all the pieces fit together. But that wasn’t the case with Leo. It was like we’d known each other for years, but with all of the excitement of the first time. All of our pieces fit together perfectly.

It would be so easy to go for a repeat performance.

I wipe at a single bead of sweat that has escaped down my cheek.

“Sure I can’t convince you to get in the hot tub with me?”

I swallow, but my throat still feels unbelievably dry. “I can’t.”

When he laughs again my entire body quivers. “You can. You just won’t.”

I nod. This time when I look up at him I do so with as much fake disdain as I can muster. I need to make Leo believe that I don’t like him and that nothing is ever going to happen between us again. It’s the only way I’ll be able to stay on my already shaky path of recovery.

“Move,” I demand finally getting my voice back.

He shakes his head. “Nope.”

“Get the fuck out of my way, Leo.”

He’s still shaking his head, and that actually does piss me off. “Fine. Be an asshole then.”

I try my best to charge past him, but he’s too large of an obstacle for me to overcome. He’s easily four inches taller and sixty pounds heavier than me. 

“Why won’t you move?” I cross my arms over my chest.

“Tell me you’re happy to see me.” When he crosses his strong arms over his muscular chest it’s clear we’re at an impasse.

“You want me to lie so you’ll move.”

When he laughs again it nearly kills me. I can feel my knees go weak. But I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he’s right. I’m very happy to see him. Much happier than I should be.

“I want you to tell me the truth.” His eyes grow intense and my chest tightens in response. I feel like I can’t breathe.

A big part of recovery is being truthful, but it’s also about not falling back into old habits. And right now I’m just one tiny towel away from having Leo’s amazing cock inside of me. I try to forget about the incredible night we spent together even though it’s a memory I’ve rerun more than a few times over the last few months.

Now I’m the one whose head is shaking. “I can’t do this…”

Before I know it he’s closed the small distance between us. I can’t move any further back because there’s a wall behind me. He’s so close I can feel the heat radiating from his near perfect body. He puts his hands on the wall on either side of me and gets so close to me that I can feel his breath tickle my lips. “Tell me you don’t want me and I’ll leave you alone.”

My stomach twists into a tight knot and I nearly double over. The words rattle around in my head, but I can’t make them come out of my mouth. Just four words:
I don’t want you
.  But they’re stuck in my throat.

His eyes bore into me. “Tell me.”

Time seems to stop as he waits for my reply. I’m doing my best not to pass out. I’m completely overwhelmed by everything about him. The intensity of his gaze. The heat exuding from his body. And his overpowering masculine scent. It’s intoxicating.

I know the only way I’ll be able to say the words is if I close my eyes. If I continue to look at him they’ll never come out. “I don’t want you,” I finally whisper, my eyes shut tight.

I expect him to walk away, but instead I feel his breath on my neck as he moves close to my ear.

“Liar,” he whispers.

When I open my eyes I catch a final glimpse of his glorious ass as he struts down the pathway.

***

“We’re thinking about ordering Thai food for lunch,” Harper tells me when I finally find her in the kitchen. She’s standing in front of a large pile of oranges and grapefruits.

And what a kitchen it is. I’ve seen gourmet chefs’ kitchens that weren’t this decked out. They seem to have the latest of every kitchen appliance and gadget one could possibly own.

“Who does
we
include?” I use air quotes around
we
to emphasize my point.

She gives me a tight smile. “You’re going to have to get used to being around him and interacting with him. You’re going to be eating with him a lot.”

“Where’s the closest bar?”

“What are you talking about?” Her eyes narrow as she examines me.

“Being in the same room with Leo Donovan is like dropping me right in the middle of the most happening bar in town at about ten o’clock on a Friday night. It’s a relapse waiting to happen.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be testing your sobriety?”

“Testing is one thing. Being near Leo is tormenting.”

She raises an eyebrow. “I take it you ran into him already?”

“And he was wearing nothing but a hand towel. I haven’t had sex in…” I look around for a clock. “Do you have your watch on?”

When she rolls up the sleeve of her hideous paisley-print peasant blouse I notice she’s wearing a beautiful gold and diamond TAG Heuer Aquaracer.

“It’s almost one o’clock,” she announces.

“I haven’t had sex in almost forty-seven hours.” I grab her wrist. “Let me see that watch.”

When she pulls her hand away I notice her normally pale cheeks are turning a little red. Is she embarrassed?

“It’s nothing,” she insists.

“A five thousand dollar watch is not
nothing
.”

She gulps. “Do they really cost that much?”

I can’t help but laugh. “You don’t even know how much your own watch is worth?”

“I was afraid to look it up.” She heaves a heavy sigh as she glances down at the watch. “I didn’t need a new watch. My old Timex was doing just fine. Nic insisted on buying this for me.” When she looks back up at me she’s blinking back tears. “Do you really think it cost that much?”

I shrug. “Just a guess. It may have even been a little more.”

Now she looks like she’s going to be sick. “He spends way too much money on me.”

“I would have made him buy me a Cartier Miss Pasha. About ten thousand dollars. He got off cheap with that watch.”

“It’s a different world. I guess I’m not used to it yet.”

“Not only does Nic Rayne front one of the most popular rock bands in the world he’s also starred in some of the biggest box office hits of the decade. Wasn’t
Fire in the Twilight
like the highest grossing movie ever?”

She nods. “It made more money at the box office than
Harry Potter
and
The Hunger Games
combined.”

“Nic is worth hundreds of millions of dollars,” I continue. “Buying a five thousand dollar watch is nothing to him.”

She heaves a heavy sigh. “It still seems like a lot of money to me. It wasn’t that long ago we were struggling just to pay the rent and buy food.”

“I still don’t have enough money to pay rent or buy food,” I remind her.

“You don’t have to worry about that right now because you’ve got a place to stay and we’ve got plenty of food.”

“You’ve got plenty of oranges and grapefruits.” I point at the pile of citrus. “What are you doing with all of those?”

“Nic has wonderful gardens out back and he’s planted orange and grapefruit trees. I’m going to attempt to make fresh squeezed juice. Want to help?”

“It’s not like I have anything better to do. And I have a little bit of experience in the juicing department. We did some fresh squeezed juices at my dad’s smoothie shop, remember?”

As we peel the oranges Harper asks, “Are you going to tell me what’s going on with you and your parents?”

“I don’t feel like talking about it right now. Or maybe ever. Let’s just say I found out a few things when we had our family therapy sessions that put my entire life in a new light.”

And thinking about my parents while peeling oranges makes me want to find a bottle of vodka and mix a screwdriver.

“I hope you’re able to work things out. When my dad had a heart attack it made me realize how much I took my parents for granted.”

I put down the orange I’m peeling and look over at Harper. “My parents have basically disowned me. I know they’re ashamed of me. I’m ashamed of myself. I now have a criminal record. I’m an alcoholic, a drug addict and a slut. What a trifecta their only daughter turned out to be.”

She tosses a stripped orange into the juicer. “Now is the perfect time for a fresh start.”

“Leave it to Harper to always find the silver lining in every shitty cloud that rolls by.”

We both look up when we hear footsteps heading toward the kitchen. When Nic Rayne walks in Harper’s demeanor completely changes. Generally a little uptight and straight-laced Harper’s entire body relaxes. And when she gives Nic a quick wave her face lights up.

Tall and muscular Nic towers over Harper. When he pulls her into his arms I can see him breathe her in, almost as if he’s been starving for oxygen and she’s his only source of that essential element.

Everything about Nic is sexy as hell. He’s got to be the most charming and charismatic man on the planet. There’s little doubt why he’s a movie star. His smile alone is worth a million bucks. I wouldn’t be surprised if every straight woman on the planet has a crush on Nic.

“You made it,” he says when he finally looks away from Harper long enough to notice me.

“They finally released me from rehab,” I joke.

“You look good.” He’s already putting on the charm.

“I know I look like shit, but thanks for the ego boost. And thanks for letting me stay at your place.”

He drapes his arm over Harper’s shoulder. “It’s our place.” Then he places a quick kiss on the top of her head. “Shakes knows she can have whatever she wants. And she wants you to stay here.”

Harper flinches slightly at the nickname. I’m not sure exactly how she got it, but I know it’s short for Shakespeare and I imagine it has something to do with her being a writer, even though she’s not that kind of writer. She’s a journalist.

“Well, I appreciate it, Nic.”

Now he’s the one who flinches slightly. “Nic, really?”

Harper laughs. “It’s your name.”

He kisses her cheek. “You’re the only one who calls me Nic. Everyone has always called me Rayne.”

“I like busting your balls,” I tell him. “It gives me great pleasure to see you get slightly flustered.”

“Speaking of flustered. What the fuck did you do to Leo?”

“Absolutely nothing.”

He laughs. “Maybe that’s the problem. The dude needs to get laid.”

“Isn’t that what Raven’s for?” The remark comes out sounding snarkier than I intend. Or maybe I really am just a complete bitch. Sometimes it’s hard to tell.

Nic throws up his hands. “I don’t know what’s going on with those three. And I’m not sure I want to know.” He grabs a slice of orange and shoves it in his mouth. “These are good. Don’t juice all of them, okay?”

Harper plays with his chin. “I’ll save a few for you.”