Dirty Secret: A Bad Boy Romance (Bluefield Bad Boys Book 3) (4 page)

Chapter 7

Dawson

It hadn’t been my imagination. Other passengers were taking a comical amount of trips to the bathroom. I couldn’t blame them. Lenix Harlow was a sight to see, especially sitting in the dingy, narrow coach cabin. I was still having a hard time believing that she was in the seat next to me, except that I’d already memorized the scent of her perfume and the way her lips curled up perfectly for her smile. It was one of those moments in time that you wanted to tell your friends about but you knew, damn well, they wouldn’t believe a word of it. Guess it didn’t really matter as long as it was going to be part of my memory forever. And, with the way Lenix laughed, talked and made me want every inch of her just with the way she looked at me, I was sure that the unreal moment in time was going to be etched in my brain forever.

“Where are you headed after this bird touches down?” Lenix turned to the side again so she could face me.

“I’m meeting my sisters down at some motel on a beach called Newport Cove. We’re all on vacation.”

“How cute that you’re meeting your sisters.”

“Yeah,
cute
isn’t exactly the word I had for it. But all of my friends had to work, so I kind of settled for Aubrey and Megan. And they settled for me too. I grew up with three sisters.”

“Did you?” Her thin shoulders lifted with a heavy sigh. “I always wanted siblings. This probably sounds pathetic, but for awhile, when I was, like, seven, I invented a sister. Her name was Clarice, and she had flowing blonde hair and blue eyes and I was totally jealous of her. But I loved hanging out with Clarice.”

I smiled. “That’s funny. If you were jealous of her blonde hair and blue eyes, why didn’t you just imagine her with short, dark stubbly hair and beady eyes?”

“Because she was my sister, and I didn’t want her to be sad.”

“Of course. What was I thinking?”

“Excuse me.” A woman with a t-shirt that had a panda bear picture on it came up from behind. “I don’t want to bother you, but my kid sister is absolutely nuts about your band.” She held up a pen and a copy of the safety instructions for turning the seat into a floatation device. She smiled down at it. “I’m sorry. I didn’t have anything else.”

Lenix laughed and took hold of the instructions and the pen. “I’ll sign it up here, so I don’t cover any of the instructions. I could never forgive myself if you couldn’t get your seat to float. What’s her name?”

“Bonnie. She’ll be so thrilled.”

“My friend and I were just talking about how much we love our sisters.” Lenix looked over at me. “Weren’t we?”

“Yep, we were.”

The woman gave me a quick glance, then she thanked Lenix and left with her autographed safety instructions.

“Anyhow, before I veered off on my beautiful blonde sister story, I was going to say that we’re going to Newport Cove too . . . for a resting vacation. Long string of coincidences, don’t you think? First our shoes went through security together and then we both ended up here in these seats talking about our sisters and the fact that we’re going on vacation in Newport Cove. And you’re a drummer, apparently. Another coincidence.”

“Yeah, a lot of coincidences, except that I’m a fake, wannabe drummer and your sister is kind of a fraud too.”

“Right, Clarice is a fake, wannabe sister. See another coincidence. I’ll have to look you up when we get to Newport.”

“That’s all right. You don’t have to say that. I’m sure I’ll have a memorable week with my two older sisters, who I have nothing in common with except that we all grew up under the same roof and we all love my mom’s macaroni and cheese.”

She reached up unexpectedly and pushed a long strand of hair off my face. Her touch had been as faint as a whisper, but it made the air stick in my lungs for a second.

“Do you doubt me, coal miner?” she asked with a blink of her long lashes.

“Come on. You’re—you’re
you
. Don’t worry. I have already accepted this as the highlight of my vacation, and I’m already prepared for it to go south from here. And the flight home—well that’s really going to suck without you sitting next to me.”

A massive figure moving out of the corner of my eye dragged my attention from the girl sitting next to me, a girl who was stealing more of my heart with each passing second. The giant who had loomed over us when I gave Lenix back her shoe was filling up the aisle with his huge, scary presence.

Lenix followed my line of vision. “Nope, I’m not going up there.” She lifted her small, slim hand and waved it at him. It was quite a sight, a tiny, petite woman telling a monstrously big guy what to do. “Just turn around, Hulk Hogan, and go back the way you came. I’m fine.”

The bodyguard glowered down at me. His head was the size of a basketball, and I had no doubt his fists could punch through the side of the airplane if given the chance. I stared back at him, and he eventually gave up. With a look of disappointment, he turned around.

Every head in coach was stretched up to watch the big guy walk away.

“Axel,” Lenix called.

He turned back to face us.

“You know I love you.” She blew him a kiss. Laughter rolled through the cabin. The bodyguard’s barrel chest rose and fell with a frustrated sigh. Then he turned around and disappeared behind the secret curtain. The curtain was just like the railroad tracks in Bluefield that separated the haves from the have-nots. Only today, I was sitting on the have-not side, and it was fucking awesome.

Lenix turned to me. “He gets his feelings hurt easily.”

“Is that before or after he chews a bowl of glass chunks for breakfast?”

Lenix’s laugh sounded like music. “You are funny, my coal mining friend. Let me see what else I can guess about you.” She lifted the seat arm between us, and without another thought, she tossed her smooth, bare legs across my lap.

“Do you mind?” she asked pointing to her legs. “I’m getting a cramp in my calves and need to stretch them.”

“The day I mind having a hot pair of silky legs draped across my lap is the day they need to dig me a six foot hole.” I slid one hand under her calf and started to massage it. “Do
you
mind?” I asked about me touching her.

“The day I say no to a guy with an impressive set of muscles and tattoos touching me—well, you get where I’m going with this. And, by the way, that feels great.” She tapped her chin. “O.K., I’m going to tell you things about yourself, and you tell me if I’m right or wrong or something in between.”

“Interesting game. Go ahead.”

“I already know you’re ridiculously brave and completely reckless since you risk your life down in middle earth every day.”

“Don’t know about brave but the reckless thing is pretty spot on.”

“Ooh, that’s nice.” She moved her leg so my hand would slide a little lower. “Right there. Perfect. I just want to point out that they do not offer this particular service in first class. I think I might write it down and shove it in their suggestion box. If there is such a thing.”

She reached up and brushed her fingers lightly over the curved scar I had above my eye. It was one of many marks, lasting impressions, from my
reckless
life. Her touch coupled with her beautiful legs on my lap was making my cock stand up and take notice. I shifted back some in my seat, not wanting it to become too obvious.

“This scar and the few others I see tell me that you have seen more than your share of barroom brawls.” She peered up at me from beneath her long, dark red bangs. “Over a certain lady, perhaps?”

“Haven’t earned too many that way. Although, I have ended up on the other end of a pissed off boyfriend’s fist. There’s a bar near my house with a backroom fight club. It’s a nice way to blow off steam and win some extra cash.”

When she pursed her pink lips, all I could think of was kissing them. “Too bad, I was liking the scenario of you fighting for a girl. It’s romantic.”

“Sorry to burst that romance bubble. I’ve just never met the one woman who makes me want to spit fire if another guy so much as looks at her.”

“Some poor girl out there is missing out on all this hunkiness.” She clucked her tongue in disappointment. “And she doesn’t even know it. That is truly tragic.” She leaned back and tilted her head in assessment. “Which brings me to another guess. Even though you haven’t narrowed it down to one lucky girl, you are a fucking awesome lover. Am I right?”

I laughed. “I don’t know. You’d have to ask all the—”

“All the? Well, I guess I can check true next to the man whore box.”

“Shit, if you’re going to make it sound like that, then I don’t want to play this game anymore.”

“No, you’re right. Judgy stuff turned off.” She turned an invisible key on her lips. “Last guess.” She squinted her golden eyes as if that helped her read my mind. “You’re happy with your life some of the time, and the rest of the time, you wish you could start the whole damn thing all over.”

“Wow. You’re good.”

She leaned back and stretched her legs. “Nah. That one was easy. I think almost every person on the planet can own up to that one.”

“Even you? I mean you’ve got it all. Right?”

For the first time since she sat down, she looked sad, sort of like a lost, little girl. “There are plenty of mornings I wake up and wish I could start all over again.”

She grew quiet. My fingers traced the creamy smooth skin on her legs. Her eyes drifted shut, and all I could think about was seeing that same sleepy face on a pillow next to me.

The captain’s voice came on the intercom, startling us out of the moment. He let us know that we would be landing in half an hour in California where the sun was shining and the temperature was ninety degrees.

Lenix reluctantly pulled her legs off my lap. “I’m going to say something that I have never said, nor had I ever expected to say in my whole life.”

I looked at her expectantly.

“I wish this flight were longer.” She leaned over with a laugh and kissed my cheek. “Until we meet again my ruggedly handsome coal miner.” She hopped up out of the seat. All eyes turned toward her, and I thought then that even if she hadn’t been a famous rock singer, all eyes would have turned toward her. I know mine sure as hell would’ve.

Her long bangs nearly hung in her golden eyes as she turned around and blew me a kiss. Then, she disappeared behind the first class curtain.

Chapter 8

Lenix

I’d only been to California for several concerts and then, we’d passed through the state so quickly, the palm trees and beaches had been just a blur. Even my only memory of Disneyland was a fake white mountain jutting up from behind the trees lining the freeway as we sped past in our tour bus. But I liked the place. It left you with a feeling that summer would never end and that barbecues on Christmas were totally doable.

Graham had rented the beach house from a wealthy business friend. It was a cool three story house that overlooked the cove. The balcony was surrounded by Plexiglas to make sure none of the view was impeded. A deep blue ocean rippled into gentle crests all the way out to the horizon line. The ivory sand was mostly empty. Beachgoers were back in school and back in their offices. There were only four other equally posh houses on the cove. At the end was a cluster of small white cabins with blue roofs, each decorated in cheesy nautical ornaments like fishing nets and lanterns. It was the only motel on the beach.

I continued a short, rather sexy daydream about my plane ride mate as I pressed my stomach down on the lounge. The sun on the California coast was relentless, but it felt good on my skin.

The screen door to the balcony slid open. Duff walked out carrying my phone. “It’s beeping and vibrating and doing all kinds of shit by itself on the kitchen counter.” He glanced at the screen. “That jerk you were dating, the asshole from that detective show keeps calling.” He placed the phone on the wicker table next to the chaise lounge.

My phone buzzed again. I reached over and turned it off.

Duff pulled up a chair and sat down. He lowered sunglasses over his eyes. “Thought you broke it off with him.”

“I did. For some reason he thinks I’m interested in his day to day activities.”

“What happened to that guy, Mick, the stunt man with the beefy biceps? Your words, not mine.”

“No sense of humor,” I muttered against the pillow of the lounge. “In fact, he was the antithesis of witty, if there is such a thing. Beefy biceps or not.”

The screen door slid open again. “Whose beefy biceps are we discussin’?” Brick lifted the beer he was holding like a hand weight and tapped the unimpressive bulge in his arm.

“We sure as hell weren’t talking about those ping pong balls,” Duff said.

“Look who’s talkin’, stick figure man.”

“Yeah, well I’m not claiming to have any biceps, so that argument is stupid.”

Brick dropped his head back and guzzled the beer, finishing the show with a good ole boy beer can fist crush. “Speaking of biceps, who the hell was that guy you were sitting next to on the plane? Axel said you were sitting next to some shady looking guy with shaggy hair and tattoos.”

“Said the guy with shaggy hair and tattoos,” I said without looking up from my lounge.

“Yeah, but the key word there was
shady
,” Brick continued, obviously not put off by the fact that I wasn’t terribly interested in the chat. “Bet he wondered how the hell he got so damn lucky as to have Lenix Harlow climb into the seat next to him.”

I finally made a small effort to respond to him by lifting my face and sneering back at him over my shoulder. “Oh yes, I’m sure he considered it equivalent to winning the damn lottery. And there wasn’t a damn shady thing about him. He’s a coal miner who was flying out here for a vacation. And frankly, I was the lucky one for landing in that particular empty seat.”

“
Oh
,” Duff said with emphasis. “Is that right? Sounds like you had a good time back there in coach.”

Brick tossed the empty beer can onto the wicker table. “Shit, Lennie, did you join the mile high club with the California bound coal miner?”

Duff laughed. I stretched my leg far enough off the lounge to kick his shin. “When you laugh at Brick’s stupid comments, it only encourages him to be even more stupid.” I looked back at Brick. “And just because you’re ridiculous enough to screw someone in one of those disgusting airplane bathrooms, doesn’t mean I am.”

“Who said anything about doing it in the bathroom. Those first class seats give plenty of room.”

The comment made Duff sit forward. “No way. When did you fuck someone in first class?”

“The first time was on our way to England with that hot little blonde sitting in the back row with her rich daddy.”

“Damn, bro, you’re a fucking pig. I sure as hell hope I never end up in one of
those
seats,” Duff quipped.

I put up my hand. “No more details. If you guys want to keep talking about this, then get off this balcony. You’re ruining my suntan session.”

“You jealous, Lennie?” Brick asked.

I snorted a dry laugh. “That’s it. You’ve found me out.”

“Right. Maybe you’d have more fun with the miner.”

“I’ve no doubt of that, Brick.”

I reached back and untied the string on my bikini. “Jeesh, this is the same sun that hangs over the east coast, but it sure feels a lot stronger. Duff, can you put some lotion on my back?”

“I’ll do it,” Brick said enthusiastically.

“No, let Duff do it. When you do it, it becomes too sexual.”

“Gee thanks,” Duff grunted as he leaned down to pick up the lotion.

“Believe me, what I said wasn’t meant as a compliment. I meant it in a dirty old man wearing a big trench coat type of way.”

Duff’s laugh boomed across the balcony.

“Fuck you, Lennie,” Brick spit out as he walked to the Plexiglas barrier. His loud laugh followed, but I was sure it had nothing to do with the comment.

I startled as the first glob of cold lotion hit my hot skin.

“Duff, come check this out,” Brick called. “Axel is chasing down some little guy with a camera. That big moose runs fast in sand.”

Duff left the pool of lotion between my shoulders and joined Brick at the balcony. “Shit, that’s that dweeb, Jergen or Jargon or whatever the hell his name is, the one that’s always following Lennie around.”

“Really? I thought Rush took care of the press yesterday.” I tied the suit string and reached back in a futile attempt to wipe away the lotion. “How did he find us so fast?”

Brick looked over at me. “Uh, maybe because he’s obsessed with you. I sometimes wonder if he’s working on his own. What paper would let their reporter follow around one person all day?”

Duff laughed. “Oh shit, I think Jergen just peed his pants. Axel is telling him something, and the guy keeps sinking lower in the sand as if Axel’s words are pounding him like a stake in the ground.” Duff shook his head in disappointment. “Looks like Axel’s going to let him live.”

“For now,” Brick added.

The screen door slid open, and Graham walked out onto the balcony with his phone to his ear. He walked past us and looked down at the scene on the sand. “Why the hell didn’t you grab the camera?” he growled into the phone before hanging up.

I rested back down and pressed my eyes against my forearms like a little kid, hoping that if I couldn’t see him, he couldn’t see me. But I could feel his glare on my back, and I knew what was coming next.

“You need to end this sunbathing session and go inside, Lenix. It doesn’t look right. You cancelled two engagements, and now you’re out soaking up the California sun in half a bikini.”

He waited for me to follow his orders. My bandmates had grown quiet.

“Fucking hell.” I grabbed my towel and trudged back inside.