Rock Me (New Adult Romance) (2 page)

“It’s a pretty amazing opportunity. And
obviously, it comes with perks,” I said, not sure what to say. I pretended to
admire the limousine in order to tear my eyes away from his powerful gaze.

“Like everything it has its perks and its
drawbacks. With all the glamour there’s a lot of darkness and superficiality
too.”

I frowned, turning my eyes back to him.
But his gaze was off in the distance. “What kind of darkness?” I asked,
genuinely curious. I’d never thought of the rocker lifestyle as anything but
playing great music, making good money, and living like people did in the
movies with fancy cars and fancier houses.

“You’ll see once we get to the party,” he
said vaguely. He looked at me again, his eyes soft. “Don’t worry I’ll be with
you. I’ll make sure everything’s chill. The last thing I want you to feel is
uncomfortable.” He gently reached over to run his fingers through my hair.
“You’re too good for that lifestyle, I can tell already.”

We entered Johnny’s loft in the
fashionable Meatpacking District and immediately my movie theories were confirmed.
It was huge with wide, tall windows and exposed pipes and pillars. Long sleek
purple couches and gold frame chairs sat atop a massive zebra print rug. Black
and white prints of artful nudes covered the walls. Chandeliers hung from the
ceiling.

“Oh my God, it looks like a brothel,” I
whispered to Aimee.

“I’m going to find Johnny’s bedroom,” she
whispered back. I tried to hold on to her, but she scampered off, waving
giddily. “Please watch her,” I hissed to Felicia.

“Got it,” Felicia said with a look that
said ‘why me?’ She was really cool but I knew she felt like hanging with us was
like babysitting 24/7.

I turned my attention back to Liam. “Wow,
it’s quite the place.”

He shrugged. “You want to meet the crew?”
He waved out at the crowd of model-perfect people with their perfectly pressed
hair, designer clothes, and bored looks. I shrunk back instinctively. Would
these people react to me the same way Liam’s band mates had? If so, I didn’t
want to risk it.

“Can we go somewhere a bit quieter?”

“Sounds perfect to me,” he said in that
deep, rough voice.

We settled into the music room which was
decorated with huge blow-ups of Johnny’s heroes such as Kurt Cobain, Robert
Plant, Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger, and more (I didn’t know who most of them
were but Liam gave me a tour). Microphones were scattered on the plush purple
rug and stereo equipment lined one wall. Liam closed the door and headed for
the huge rack of vinyl.

“What do you want to listen to, sugar?”
he asked, flipping through the records.

“Your album?”

He laughed and flashed me a smile that
was so good-natured I wondered who this supposed bad-boy was. “Aw, we’ll get
there. Any other requests?”

“You choose,” I said, flustered. I liked
Black Dawn and a couple of other big rock bands but I suspected he knew a lot
more about rock history than I did.

He shrugged and popped a record into the
player. Even I could identify the melodic but rocking sounds of the Red Hot
Chili Peppers.

“This is a great album!” I exclaimed,
proud that I wasn’t completely ignorant. “
By the Way
, 2002!”

“Yeah! Nice one. You dig them?”

What I dig is you!
I thought suddenly and to cover my
embarrassment I started blathering. “They were one of my favorite bands in
middle school. Aimee and I saw their concert in Minneapolis. I had a poster of
them over my bed and everything.”

He smiled, his sexy lips curving in a way
that made me melt. “I felt that way about Jimmy Page when I was a teenager. I
had his posters and I even listened to Led Zeppelin albums during class, well
when I wasn’t skipping and hanging out in the music room.”

“Did you have your own band?”

“Yeah, a couple of buddies and I thrashed
around, though we weren’t that great. There was this one dive that would let us
in even though we were underage. We’d play for a beer. I think everyone was too
drunk to notice how badly we stunk.”

“I wish I’d known you in high school,” I
blurted out. “I would have thought you were really cool.”

“I wish I’d known you too,” he said
smoothly. He cocked an eyebrow. “What’re you doing all the way over there
anyway? Come sit over here.” He waved at a black leather chaise lounge near the
window. “You want something to drink?”

I sat obediently. “Sure,” I squeaked.

He headed out and I took the chance to
ogle his tall, lean, and very muscular frame. God must have been in a very good
mood when he made Liam. He returned pronto with a bottle of something pink and
a glass.

“I’m pretty sure drinking alone qualifies
me as an alcoholic,” I joked.

He gave me a half smile and produced a
bottle of mineral water. “Does this help?” He poured me what turned out to be
pink champagne into a crystal flute. “I don’t drink,” he admitted quietly.

“Why’s that?”

He shrugged and his eyes grew distant.
“Not my bag.” He handed the flute to me and his expression lightened. “Let’s
toast,” he said, smiling again.

“To what?”

“To meeting you today,” he said with that
heart-melting smile. “I think that’s reason enough.” I couldn’t even handle how
he looked like such a tough bad-guy but he had such a sweet smile.
I bet he
has a really good heart,
I thought. And just like that I could feel my
attraction to him deepen even more.
Oh boy, I’m really in trouble.

I touched my glass lightly to his bottle
of water and then sipped the champagne, which was deliciously fizzy and dry
with hints of sweetness. Over the rim of the glass I took the chance to take
Liam in—his straight, noble nose, his finely cut lips, his serious dark
brows, his sexy stubble. Liam caught me looking and raised said brows in gentle
amusement.

“So what’re you doing in the city? You’re
not from around here, I can tell. And believe me, I mean that in the best way
possible. New York girls can be stuck in such a bubble. I can tell you’re
pretty real.”

I blushed.
But how could he not be
into New York girls?
I thought.
They’re so together, so perfect.
Everything I’m not.
“Hey take a compliment,” he said, playfully touching my
shoulder.

I looked down. “I’m going to college next
year so Aimee and I thought we’d spend our last summer of freedom somewhere a
bit more, uh, worldly. I haven’t travelled much outside of Minnesota.”

“Worldly isn’t always good. There’s lots
of temptation in New York City.” He took a swig of his mineral water. “But hey,
we used to be neighbors! I grew up in Milwaukee.”

“No way! My parents took me there on holiday
when I was in grade eight. Though I think they mainly just wanted an excuse to
go to the breweries. Not that that’s all there is to Milwaukee,” I added
hastily.

“Naw, the brew is good there. Maybe too
good,” he added a tad darkly. He seemed to wave off the thought when he said,
“So you just graduated high school? How old are you anyway?”

“Nineteen,” I said sheepishly. “You?”

“Get out of here! I’m an old man compared
to you—twenty five,” he joked.

“That doesn’t bother me,” I said and
quickly took another sip of champagne to hide my embarrassment.
Wow, the
booze must be going to my head.
“You’re not trying to get me drunk are
you?”

He frowned. “I’m not that kinda guy. My
rock and roll lifestyle is strictly about making great music, not about living
like a dick.” He nudged my side slightly, sending tingles up and town my body.
“Midwest values, right?”

I nodded and finished my glass. “Well if
that’s the case, I’ll have another.”

We spent the next hour or so sitting side
by side on the leather chaise while I prompted Liam to fill me in on Led
Zeppelin. He happily spun his favorite albums, Led Zeppelin IV, and filled me
in on their history and their influence on modern rock. I listened closely.

I had been thinking of studying marketing
in college but his passionate explanation got me thinking whether I’d rather
study music instead. I was fascinated by how one style of music influenced
another.
Wow, he’s not only hot but he’s smart too!
I thought.
Even
if I end up in the friend zone, AGAIN, at least I can learn a lot from this
guy.

He also finally put on Hazard 41’s debut
EP. It was similar to Black Dawn’s style in the swooping guitars, scorching
riffs, and tortured lyrics. But there was also something even more raw, more
primal in their songs. I felt my heart catch to hear the longing in their
music. I told Liam as much and while he looked pleased, his embarrassment was
just as obvious.

“How long you in the city?” he said,
changing the subject.

“Until August. We’re crashing with
Felicia.”

“Hmm,” he said, considering, his green
eyes scanning my own. “That’s not a lot of time. I hope we can hang out a lot
before you go. I could definitely use someone cool and down-to-earth in my
life. Plus, you’re pretty easy on my eyes,” he said, his eyes smiling.

What?!
I thought.
He has to be joking.
What about all
those size-two rock bunnies outside?
My second thought was:
a soon-to-be
rock star and model-hot guy wants to spend his summer with you? Don’t mess this
up Shayla and say YES!

“Yeah,” I said in an effort to be casual.
“I’d like that.”

“Alright then. Deal?” He reached out a
hand. I grasped it in mine. His grip was firm, his eyes searched mine. My hand
immediately started to sweat and I could feel my face getting hot.

“Deal,” I whispered.

“As your new tour guide, I’m going to
give you an official New Yawk experience.” He hadn’t let go of my hand and as
he stood up he gently pulled me with him. “To the roof!”

We left our cozy room to wind back
through the now totally loaded crowd and drugged up crowd. I could see what Liam
meant by darkness.

A wrought-iron staircase in one corner
wound its way up the ceiling. We headed up and emerged onto the roof. I gasped
as I saw the city glittering beneath us. Liam held onto my hand as we walked to
the edge.

“No way! I can’t believe I’m really in
New York. It doesn’t seem possible.”

“Welcome to the city,” he commented,
looking over the expanse of shining lights and towering buildings, all accented
with the sound of honking horns and the background rush of traffic. “I have a
feeling like it’s going to be a really great summer.” His dark, smoldering eyes
turned back to try to meet mine. “Whaddya think?”

“Sure,” I mumbled, my eyes not quite
meeting his.
Kiss him! Kiss the delicious hot man!
My brain screamed. I
half-heartedly scolded it to stop living in fantasyland.

But despite all odds, Liam gently tipped
my chin to face him. “You can be so shy sometimes, it’s funny. A pretty girl
like you should have more confidence.”

Me, pretty?
Liam scanned my face and then,
unexpectedly, he leaned forward and kissed me softly on the lips. My mouth
burned, my heart raced, and my arms and legs began to tingle.
If he can do
this to me with one kiss, what happens next?
I confusedly thought.

And then just as suddenly his lips left
mine. His eyes looked down at me with concern. He was so tall that I realized I
was standing on my tiptoes. “More?” he asked softly. “Or do you want to go back
to your friends?”

“More please,” I said meekly and leaned
forward for another scorching embrace.

 “OK missy, details!” Aimee loomed
over me. My brain vaguely registered that we must be in the pull-out couch in
Felicia’s living room. I was still getting used to waking up in a strange
place.

“What time is it?” I said in a gravelly
voice, shutting my eyes again.
Just give me one more hour of sleep, please
God…

“It’s noon, sleepyhead! I’ve been dying
to hear about your night. You were so exhausted before that I gave you a free
pass. But you’re up now. Spill!”

I groaned and rolled over. “Aimee
seriously one more hour and I’ll be good.”

“We have a whole city to explore, brunch
to eat, cupcakes to scarf, and gossip to share. Up, now!”

The thought of cupcakes perked me up
enough to roll out of bed and go through the process of showering, combing out
my rats nest, and donning my jeans, favorite pink Roxy shirt, and blue sneaks.
Aimee put up her flaxen blonde hair in her signature ponytail as well as a cute
hot pink sundress that nicely fit her curvy frame. Suitably prepared for
interaction with the outside world, we left Felicia a note and crawled out of
her Upper West Side apartment.

Only diner food would satisfy our massive
hunger. We landed at Metro Diner nearby, a retro place with checkered black and
white tile, red vinyl booths, and traditional comfort food. Aimee ordered a
club sandwich with fries and a strawberry milkshake while I opted for a
traditional eggs, bacon, and toast breakfast with coffee. Aimee thankfully
allowed me a gulp of the strong coffee before she dived in.

“Don’t even try to be shy with me. I know
you and Liam must have gotten cuddly. You were gone way too long to just be
discussing the weather.”

I rolled my eyes. “It was no big deal. We
just listened to some records, chatted about music. It was pretty chill.”

It was Aimee’s turn to roll her eyes. “Quit
withholding. Was there or was there not kissing action?”

I stared deep into my coffee cup like it
held the secrets to my future. “Yeah, a little.”

Aimee whooped, causing the nearby patrons
to frown at us with concern. “You go, girl!

The closest I got to Johnny Nine was
stealing his toothbrush from the bathroom.”

“Aimee!”

“Hey, it was the best I was going to get.
But you! You kissed a rock star! This New York experience is
definitely
working out for you.”

“Well,” I countered. “He’s not famous
yet.”

“Famous or not he is
smoking
. Did
you see the way his jeans clung to his body?”

Had I seen it? Of course I had. “He’s
actually super interesting too. He knows a lot about music history. And he’s
from the Midwest too.”

Aimee considered me quietly. “Wow, you
like him! That’s gotta be a first since…Bobby?”

The mention of his name made my flinch.
The last thing I wanted to talk about was the years of humiliation I’d suffered
being in love with someone who wouldn’t even give me the time of day. Things
with Liam could still go south. I didn’t even want to consider that I could
feel again just as humiliated as I had with Bobby.

Aimee probably spotted the serious look
on my face because she quit her line of questioning and let me focus on the
greasy, delicious breakfast platter that had just appeared in front of me. We
filled our boots and then plotted our next move: cupcakes. All the cupcakes.

Before we’d come to New York, Aimee and I
had been obsessed with them. We’d even gotten matching pink cupcakes tattooed
on our upper arms. We’d become experts at baking them, too. Aimee loved red
velvet but I liked plain old vanilla with pink icing.

Since we’d discovered Magnolia cupcakes
in New York we’d been making regular pilgrimages. So that morning we took the
train downtown and hopped off near the Rockefeller Center. As soon as we
entered the tiny shop we were overwhelmed by the scent of freshly baked cake.
We both sighed simultaneously and looked at each other with glee.

Red velvet and vanilla cupcakes procured,
we settled down by the fountain outside the Rockefeller Center to munch and
people watch.

“How do people here not eat there every
day?” Aimee commented.

“Maybe they’re sick of them.”

“Not possible,” she gravely replied. She
looked at me out of the corner of her eye.

“Be straight with me Shay, are you happy
about Liam or not? You seem a little down.”

I savored my last bite of tender cake and
rich frosting. “It’s probably just the late night.” I caught Aimee’s serious
look and sighed. “I just don’t want to be hurt,” I said in a low voice. “Liam’s
nice to me but he’s hot, a rocker, he could get any girl. I’m just some awkward
chick from the Midwest. What if he blows me off?”

Aimee leveled with me. “Look Shay. Not
every guy is going to be that idiot Bobby. He was so self-absorbed that he
wouldn’t have seen a car speeding towards him. You’re super cool, super smart,
super hot, and super single! You’re a sweetheart but you need more confidence
in yourself.”

“That’s what Liam said,” I mumbled,
wishing I had another cupcake so that I could eat my feelings.

“Well he’s right.” Aimee grasped my
shoulder and looked into my eyes. “We’re here this summer to be more than just
some small-town Duluth girls. Here’s your chance to shine. What are you waiting
for?”

* * *

“One day,” Aimee sighed as we stood in
Tiffany’s, gawping over the display cases of engagement rings. We’d decided on
a leisurely stroll on Fifth Avenue after our cupcake feast. Without saying
anything, we’d both gravitated towards the famous jewelry store.

The shop on Fifth was a grand stone
multi-level affair with row upon row of glittering glass jewel cases. We’d
already been in several times to sigh and moan over the engagement rings on the
upper floor. I preferred the simple diamond solitaire in white gold while Aimee
swooned over the extravagant emerald cut with a diamond band.

An elegant saleswoman with a tight
chignon frowned at us from the other side of the display case, clearly
recognizing that we were not there to buy.

Just then my cell rang. I jumped slightly
but relaxed when I realized it must be Felicia. After all, no one else had my
cell number, except for Aimee.

“Hello?” I answered, still distracted by
the dazzling objects in front of me.

“Shayla?” a deep and very sexy male voice
answered. I started. A memory started to emerge out of the fog of my
brain—sweet kisses on a moonlit rooftop, the musky smell of a certain
tall rocker, me writing my phone number in pen on his hand.

“Liam?” I squeaked. “Hey.” Aimee’s head
whipped over to look at me, her eyes wide. I shook my head at her and scuttled
off.

“Err hey, you took off kind of fast last
night. I just wanted to check in and say hi.”

“Oh yeah, uh I just wanted to get Aimee
home. We’re in Tiffany’s right now.” I smacked my head.
Tiffany’s?
What
girl admits she’s looking at engagement rings?

“Is there something you’re not telling
me?” he said, sounding amused.

“No,” I said quickly. “We’re just trying
to find a present for Aimee’s mom.”

“Wow, big spenders,” he chuckled. “Well
if you’re not too busy blowing your credit card, I was wondering if you’d like
to meet up with me this afternoon. I have this press gig with the guys. Hate
this kind of thing. I was hoping you could come with and make it more
enjoyable.”

I paused for a moment, forcing my scream
of joy into a silent whistle. Aimee’s eyes from across the room were like
saucers. “Yeah, I think I can make it,” I said casually once I’d regained my
composure.

I strolled into the Minetta Tavern a
couple of hours later, now dolled up in my skinniest black jeans and a loose
black sleeveless top with a cute pink pocket. Felicia, who was home when we
raced in, talked me into wearing a black fedora and applying some smoky eye
shadow. When I looked at myself in the mirror I wasn’t sure who as looking
back.

The tavern was a huge cavernous space
with smoky mirrors, a tin ceiling, retro chandeliers, and a classic black and
white tiled floor. Tables covered in white cloth were crowded around the
massive room. I immediately spotted Liam on one of the red leather banquettes
in the corner surrounded by his equally jaw-dropping band mates. I squeezed
through the tables but he still didn’t recognize me.

“Whoa Shayla,” he said, recognition
finally flooding his face. “You look awesome! Great hat.”

I blushed. His band mates said nothing.
They simply looked up from their smartphones and stared at me blankly.

“Hey guys,” I said awkwardly. They nodded
and went back to playing with their phones.

But Liam jumped up and gathered me into a
warm hug. My body instantly relaxed in his embrace. He smelled wonderfully
musky again, like sandalwood, cloves, and, how else could I say it, sex. It was
a scent I was raring to bottle and sell. I bet I could make millions.

He pulled away, his muscular arms still
holding me. He was wearing simple dark ripped jeans and a tight white shirt
with his usual chains. His face was covered in stubble but his hair was freshly
washed and it spilled over his shoulders, gleaming subtly in the low light. His
intense green eyes searched mine. I was over the moon to realize that he was
happy to see me.
How could this be possible
? My brain yelled at me.
You
were certain he’d never call.

And yet there I was, sitting next to him
on a red leather banquette. Chatter filled the room as New York’s trendiest
dined on steaks and seafood in the posh but still informal space.

“How are you feeling?” Liam asked, his
arm curling around me behind me. My whole back started to tingle.

“Not too bad. Aimee and I did the diner
thing this morning and that brought us back to life. Plus, we made a pit stop
at Magnolia.” I shrugged guiltily. “It’s getting to be a bit of a bad habit.”

“Yeah I noticed your tat.” He gently
traced the outline with his finger. “Really nice. Well, if you like diners
you’ll get a kick out of this place. Though it’s a bit too fancy for me. Same
stuff as a regular diner but three times the price. Anyway, order whatever you
like. The reporter will pick up the tab.”

After my artery-destroying morning, I was
almost ready for a green salad and giant smoothie but one look at the menu
confirmed that that wasn’t going to be possible.

“Who’s the interviewer?” I asked, tearing
my eyes away from the eye-popping prices.

“Guy from
New York
magazine.” He
took a deep breath. “I really hate these things. I know I gotta do them, but
man I hate answering their questions. That’s why I asked you here, to keep me
on the level. Like I told you, you’re a good influence.”

I blushed. His thigh kept brushing
against me. It wasn’t hot in the room but I felt like I was melting. I looked
up to see the lead singer, a big muscular guy with piercing blue eyes, staring
at me curiously. And it wasn’t exactly in a flattering way—he was looking
at me like you might look at a weird-looking animal in the zoo. I looked back
down at the menu, confused.

Liam must have picked up on my
discomfort. “Hey man, you never seen a beautiful woman before?” he said
jokingly, though there was a definite edge to his voice.

“Whatever bro,” the guy mumbled, looking
back at his phone. Liam, almost defiantly, tipped my face up to look at him and
kissed me softly on the side of my mouth. “I’m so glad you’re here,” he
murmured.

The journalist arrived, dressed in
rolled-up pants, fancy shoes, square glasses, and a checked shirt. The whole
nerd-chic thing really seemed to have taken off. I could never have imagined a
guy back home dressed like that, though I thought it was kind of cool.

The journalist settled in and thanked us
all for coming. Liam introduced me, but the guy barely glanced my way. We
ordered first. Liam egged me into choosing the $26 Black Label burger, which
apparently was one of the best burgers in New York. My arteries were begging me
not to, but what was I going to say to a free crazy-expensive burger?

The interviewer switched on a tiny
recording device and dived into his list of questions. The band looked a lot
more awake than I’d ever seen then, eagerly answering every question while
laughing and joking freely. I got the sense that this interview was a big deal
for them.

But Liam didn’t join in the fun. He
didn’t volunteer any information and only answered direct questions in the
briefest of sentences. I watched him curiously, wondering why he was so
reluctant to participate.

The food arrived. The burger was like a
work of art—caramelized onions sat on top of a juicy slab of beef that
was sandwiched between two fluffy brioche buns. I tried one of the skinny
little flies that accompanied it. It was salty, crunchy, and definitely the
best French fry I’d ever tasted. Whatever power had decided I was going to get
a to-die-for meal
and
a rock god this afternoon was definitely looking
out for my best interests.