Date With A Rockstar (11 page)

“Better watch that, or I'll start gushing. And I remember how much you said you hate that.”

He plugs his ears and floats on his back, humming a song I've never heard. I want to chase after him, but his chest floating on the top of the water is so real. He's not wearing many clothes and he's-wow-toned. I try to walk deeper after him, but a wave goes right over my head. My fingers graze his side as I duck under.

“I think I'd better teach you how to swim for your own good.” His forehead wrinkles with concern while he holds my arm.

I love the way his hand feels. “What do I do first?” I ask.

“Let your feet float up from the bottom.”

I do and my head dips below the surface for a second, then Jeremy firmly grasps me by the shoulders. “Did you sit down again?” He shakes his head at me. “Okay, let's try a more direct approach. I'm going to put my hand on your back and you lean into me. Your head stays
above
the surface of the water.”

“Got it.” His hand slides to the center of my back.
Please don't move your hand any lower.
He's about ten inches away from hitting the Fluxem mark. I don't want
him to find out like this. I bite my lip and try to relax my body. My feet leave the ground and I let him tip me back. My body floats to the surface and his other hand supports my upper back.

I open my eyes. I'm doing it. I'm swimming…or, well, floating. I smile up at him and he has a strange expression on his face. His head is close to my body and I think he's trying not to look at me. He focuses off to one side, then the other, and finally up at the sky.

“What's wrong?” I ask.

“I, uh…” He seems suddenly off balance.

He's not answering and I turn in his grasp. His hands trail to my front as I struggle to plant my feet. “What is it?”

“Nothing.” He clears his throat. “You're just a really pretty girl.”
Huh?
Jeremy Bane thinks I'm pretty! Oh, wait, I get it. He's physically excited. His hands are still on my arms. What do I say?

“Thank you. I think you're amazing, but I guess everyone does.”

He glances off to the side. Maybe I shouldn't have reminded him about all those other girls who think he's hot. What do I say now? His hands are warm on my arms and the silence stretches into awkward territory. He turns back to me and there's a scary intensity to his gaze.

And here it is. He leans in closer to me. His hands tighten a fraction, then his lips. His face tenses, his eyes check mine for permission. Then I realize. He's going to kiss me.

I drop my feet out from underneath me and sit down hard. My butt bounces off the sand and my hair waves above me in the water. Jeremy Bane almost kissed me and I almost gave him Fluxem. My chest is caving in. He hauls me out of the water.

“Jeez, you don't have to kill yourself not to kiss me.” He sounds hurt and exasperated.

“I, uh—” I suck in air and wipe at my eyes.
I don't want to tell you that I have a disease.

“Hey, it's all right,” he says, steadying me as I cough. His smile is gone and I'm an idiot. He steps a few feet back from me, releasing my arm. So clearly it is not all right.

“I didn't mean to fall down.”

He raises his eyebrows at me and wades toward shore. He stops when we're half out. He turns to face me and I'm stricken. I've ruined our date. His hand reaches around behind me and covers the mic on my shoulder blade. “I didn't mean to rush you or anything. I'm used to girls being-anyway, I am sorry. Forgive me?” He runs his hand through his hair and water drips down his arm. His eyes shift down to the water.

Forgive him. How can he even ask that? Everyone wants to kiss Jeremy Bane. It's just that I'm diseased.
“Of course, but you have nothing to be sorry for. I'm sorry, too.”
What did he mean by “girls being—”? Eager to kiss?

He takes his hand away and our conversation is being recorded again. I have to tell him about Fluxem. But how can I now? We wade out of the water. He cocks a grin at me, but keeps his distance, and I feel those two feet between us like a blow. The easy touching is gone.

The assistant waits at the edge of the dry sand. “We could barely film anything with you up to your necks in cloudy water. What were you thinking?” I scratch a design into the sand with my foot while Jeremy gets yelled at. “Your heads bobbing up and down aren't what I consider interesting television.” I take a closer appraisal of our warden for the day. I didn't think a small man could turn such a shade of red. He's like a tomato ready to burst at the bulges.

“I couldn't give a crap what you think is interesting for TV.” Jeremy brushes past him and I follow.

“Wait, we need you to do something worth recording.”

Jeremy picks up his pace and I stride along next to him. He's focused forward, fists clenched. I stop at the lawn chair to get my T-shirt and slip it over my head as I run to catch up.

“It's okay if I tag along, right?” My question lightens his expression and he slows his pace.

He looks at me through lowered lashes. “Yeah, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be taking it out on you. I get frustrated easily.”

Apologetic Jeremy is so damn cute my chest constricts. “Where are we going?”

“I thought we'd go check out the trees outside of the resort. They're not redwoods, but they're cool. You seemed interested when we were in the car.”

“Yeah, that would be awesome.” Even when he's angry he's thinking about me.

I probably shouldn't have said “awesome.” I'm definitely not impressing him. I pull my T-shirt lower to cover my butt. At least my mark is covered now.

“Your shirt is getting all wet.” He stares at me for a minute and then back at the road.

I look down and my bathing suit has made two wet triangles on my shirt; lucky it's not white or the red mark would show right through. “Eh, it'll dry.”

“I probably have an extra shirt in the car if you need to change.”

“I'll be fine.” I'm not exposing myself anymore than I have to around the show staff. He shrugs. The camera crew follows as we walk along the side of the road, staring off into the foliage. This place is beautiful. Jeremy pauses next to a huge tree; the wide base curves outward in a giant U-shape.

He crouches down, examining the exposed roots. “I'm not sure what type of tree this is.”

I stop next to him. “I wonder how old it is?”

“Who knows with all the growth hormones they're pumping into the soil these days. They might've grown a tree this size in a year.”

“Wow, that's crazy technology.”

“Too bad there's not enough green space to capitalize on it. Might help clean up some of this pollution.”

He stands back up. I wish I knew more about trees so that I could say something scientific and impressive. We start walking again. I brush my free hand against his, palm to palm. His fingers twine with mine and he glances at me in question. I can imagine his thoughts.
She wants to hold hands with me, but won't kiss me?
I love the way his fingers fold around mine. And I love the sound of the leaves rustling and birds chirping. Real sounds, not pre-recorded animals from decades past.

“You look happy.”

“I am. I've always wanted to be in a real forest.”

He nods. He might be starting to understand that I haven't had a lot of opportunities in my life.

“You're beautiful when you smile.” He keeps his head forward, and the comment makes me smile even harder. His thumb traces a circle on the back of my hand as we walk. I'm in heaven. “I can't figure you out, Monet.”

I wish I could've just kissed him in the water. “I'm no mystery.”

“Hmmm.” His gaze flicks over my body before turning back to the forest. He thinks I'm attractive. I want to spin in a circle. He even seems to like the purple bikini. But will that be enough for him to choose me to win?

“We'd better head back. I think our allotted time is up.”

Bam, happiness doused with ice water.

We wander back toward the resort. The cameras film us coming toward them. Jeremy might help me get the cure if I just tell him. He might be disgusted, but once I'm Fluxem-free I could get over the embarrassment. He'll probably realize I'm here for the money. That would suck, but I'd accomplish what I came on the show for.

Jeremy's thumb draws another circle on my hand. Oh. I'm ruined for other guys. This date will haunt me forever.

The assistant waits by the car. “Well, at least we have footage of the natural attractions and you two walking. Nice swimsuit, by the way, Monet. Do you mind taking the T-shirt off and posing for a few still shots?”

I fold one arm over my breasts, horrified. “I, uh—”

“She's not doing that.” Jeremy scowls and places his hand on my shoulder.

The assistant humphs and narrows his eyes at me. “If you're not going to take off your shirt, hurry up. Date time is over. I'm sure Jeremy wants to eat and have a few hours of downtime before his next date tonight.”

I imagine my steel cylinder in my fist as I punch this asshole. Doesn't he care at all what this date means to me? How important a few simple hours are to all of the contestants? This is one of the biggest moments of my life and he disregards the significance. Blood surges in my muscles. I'm strong enough to take him down, or at least I am now. After getting infected I needed to be able to protect myself. Maybe I should punch this guy. My mixed martial arts training is just going to waste.

“No hurry,” Jeremy tells him. “Monet and I are going to lunch together.”
We are?

The assistant snorts and the action balloons his belly in and out. Jeremy has his lips pressed tight,
holding in a smile. I wonder if he noticed my kill expression.

“I'll be right back.” Jeremy runs off across the beach. He jogs back with my wrap skirt and sandals in his hands, all sculpted chest and perfect abs. I'm suddenly breathless. He passes me my wrap before slipping into his T-shirt.

“Thank you so much,” I whisper. “Are we really going to lunch?”

“Yeah, why not? You got a date with someone else?” he asks jokingly, then looks ashamed when he realizes his own words.
He
does in fact have a date with someone else tonight.

I ignore the cataclysm of jealousy. “I'd love to go to lunch with you.”

WE SLIDE INTO the car and the cameras point at the backseat again. This time, instead of the assistant issuing directions to the driver, Jeremy leans forward, and in an authoritative voice, takes over. I don't know any of the street names or restaurants so the conversation is all gibberish to me. I try to relax in my seat, but the difference between Jeremy's life and mine is stark. He's so comfortable giving orders, and I can't imagine having authority. Still, I'm relieved that my date isn't quite over.

The driver pulls up in front of a tall, mirrored building. A few stories up the reflective glass changes to clear. Letters flash on the outside:
Blue Moon Café.
Cool. I wonder what they serve? I hope Jeremy offers to pay because I don't want to admit to not having a chip. Only a few pedestrians meander by along the scrubbed clean sidewalk. How many people have enough money to vacation here?

“What are you thinking about?” Jeremy asks.

I turn away from the limo window. “Sorry, I'm just taking in all the differences.”

Derek, the cameramen, and the assistant climb out of the vehicle. Jeremy pulls the assistant aside. “We don't need the film crew.” I glance at Derek and he grins back. I don't know what it is about that guy that puts me at ease. He raises his eyebrows as he watches
Jeremy and then shakes his head. Jeremy must be so sick of being followed, it makes sense that he'd have a friend for a bodyguard. I try not to notice Jeremy's increasing hand gestures and agitation.

The assistant stumbles back. “Look, you might think you don't have to answer for your actions, but you have signed a legally binding contract, and I
will
be filming this.”

From the hard edge to Jeremy's jaw, I can tell he wants to say more to the assistant and is holding himself back. Instead he removes the mic from his shoulder and throws it back into the limo. I quickly do the same with my own and his frown lessens. I slip my hand inside his and his shoulders relax. “The air here smells so much cleaner than Boston. But I guess you're used to this?”

He shifts his focus away from the assistant. “Nah, I'm not used to it at all. I travel a lot when I'm on tour. You'd be amazed at the shitty air quality all over the world. There are very few places that can afford a clean air dome.”

“I didn't realize there's one here.” I look at the sky, but I can't detect any barrier. “It must be amazing to get to travel so much.”

“Not really. A lot of tiny hotels and people like this.” He hooks his thumb back in the direction of the assistant who's giving directions to the cameraman about what to film. The door slides open in front of us and we step through together, his hand still holding my own. An escalator zigzags up the floors, and it's one of the clear ones. I hate being suspended on a single pane of glass. With a gulp, I don't even pause as I follow Jeremy on. The ground beneath my feet gets farther away and the railing hums through my fingertips. I just can't accept the safety of this technology. I quickly step off at the top. Thank God, the floors aren't clear, too.

The entrance to the café is in the shape of a sparkly, blue crescent moon. I bend my body into the curve as I walk in. Jeremy smirks at me. “You're not that big, I don't think you were going to bump into anything.”

I shrug. “I'm fitting in with the environment.”

He shakes his head at me. “Table for two.” His fingers slide along my hand, brushing my wrist as we follow the host to our table. He seats us at the edge where we can overlook the street below. From the inside, stars lightly frost the glass, giving the impression of the night sky. It's beautiful.