Slow Body Rock (Rockstar Romance) (9 page)

Near
me
.

Thumping music pumped into my fibers. It made me dance, but the alcohol was what made me feel free. No one cared I was underage, they didn't dare turn me away. I'd told the guys I'd been to afterparties before. It galled me how right they'd been, though. This was nothing like the parties Barbed Fire ended up at.

Packed to capacity, the club was sweltering. Bodies without faces ground against me, turned me to hamburger with their rough motions. Tossing back my third—fourth?—rum and coke, I closed my eyes and rolled into the sea.

Thump. Thump. Thump. The rhythm rocked my heart.

It was fun, time being eaten away like this. My temples were expanding with pressure from the noise.
Alcohol, I've had too much alcohol.
Something bumped me; a hip or a thigh.
I should stop, get some air. I need to breathe!

Foreign fingers hooked around my waist. I didn't know him, his face was amethyst in the glow of the lights. “Hey,” he croaked, dark bruises under his eyes. “I know you, you're Lola.”

“Yup.” With one hand trapped by my drink, I tried to use the other to pry myself free. The guy, whoever the fuck he was, wouldn't have it.

Yanking me close, his sour breath invaded my nose. “You were amazing up there.” His nose touched my forehead, sniffed my hair. “Come on, let's dance, babe.” Too fast, his fingers ran up my ribs like giant spiders.

No way, not letting this happen.
The asshole had on a giant grin; a blast of ice and rum stole it away. I dropped the glass, the plastic 'clonk' not reaching me over the music.

In disbelief, he wiped his face. His eyes were furious. “You fucking bitch!”

There was a part of me that wanted him to try something. My brain was full of disgust for the other night, when the guards had thrown me down so easily.

I wasn't a victim, those days were in my past.

He didn't take a step; his eyes shot up, over my shoulder. In the funny lighting of the club, Drezden was a purple demon. I'd have called him an angel, but I didn't need saving.
And face it,
I thought, squinting at his tight jaw and liquid eyes.
There's nothing angelic about him.

“There a problem?” He was looking at me, clearly talking to the guy soaked in my drink. The nameless shithead knew who my 'hero' was. If he'd recognized me, Drezden Halifax was a given.

The asshole scrubbed his cheek, barely talking over the music. “No problem. Forget it.” He faded into the crowd, another writhing body.

I had a funny thought about human wallpaper. I couldn't indulge in it, though; Drezden hadn't stopped staring at me. “I didn't start that,” I said, expecting him to be snippy. “And I could've handled it myself.”

“The drink stain on his shirt says you did.” Cocking his head like a hawk, a smile tugged at one side of his lips. “If I get too close, will you do the same thing to me?”

Tobacco and salt filled my nose, replacing the sourness of the stranger. “You'd need to get me a drink, first.” Drezden threw back his head, laughing. If he thought I was being funny, it was fine. I honestly didn't
know
what I would do if he got too close.

His green eyes became black smoke. “And if I don't give you a drink at all?”

“You think I've had too much already.” It was a flat statement. I was half-way to drunk, but not there yet. Things were fuzzy and fun and my head could have floated away. But I wasn't smashed, I held my own feet. I knew when some creep was getting too interested.

Probably.

Drezden isn't a creep.
I ran my eyes over his torso in that tight fitted ribbed top, a clean replacement after our show.
It's possible I'm the creep.

The singer was quiet. We stood there in the middle of a war, fists and knees punching all around us. Magically we were untouched. Always, he and I managed to escape in a bubble no one dared to break. What did others sense around us? What kept them at bay?

His fingers glided up my outside wrist before I thought to stop him. By then, it was too late. “It's not that. You can drink as much as you want. It's just hard to dance with a glass in your hand.”

Heat twinkled like stars in his face; I wanted to gaze forever and vanish into his galaxy. It was so easy to just fall into him. If I tumbled headfirst, I'd float forever and never return. “You want to dance with me when every girl here is clawing her eyes out to get your attention?”

“Why would that matter?” He tugged me, guiding me closer to his chest. “I want to spend more time with you.”

More?
The music rolled in my belly, coaxing me to give in. “We spent the last two days on a bus together, then played a show tonight. How can there even be more time to spend?”

“Whatever time there is, I'll find it.” Drezden's hands dug into me. It was a beautiful pain, begging me to crush myself against him. “Guess I'll just spend less time breathing.”

My fear warned me not to get closer; if we touched our bodies, we'd both burn up.
But would it be the worst way to go?
I looked for my tongue, tried to make it wet my dry mouth. Nothing was in my control anymore. All my pieces wanted to obey the ache Drezden was creating. “Suffocating over me sounds ridiculous.”
When did my hips start rocking to the beat?
“Normal people just cut out activities they can afford to stop.”

He made a path up to my shoulders, tracing the outside edge of my sleeves. “Advise me.”

Boldly, I reached behind him. His nostrils flared wide. The spike of pleasure I got from surprising him was... thrilling. Especially when I closed my grip on his back pocket; the pack of cigarettes crinkled. It was scant millimeters from a straight up ass-grab.

Drezden's expression darkened. “This,” I said softly. We were close enough that the music didn't blur me out. “How about you try smoking less? Earlier today, all the time you wasted when you stormed off to—”

“I know.” His palm closed over my fingers, trapping me against his pocket. “It's just something I do when I'm stressed.”

He'd told me he didn't get scared over shows. My gut prickled, knowing there was only one other thing that could make sense. “Then why not just quit?”

Thumbs squeezed, I worried he'd leave his fingerprints. “Withdrawal is soul sucking.” In his pause, there was something unsaid. Watching me with a dangerously dark hunger, he bent down. His whisper clenched around my lungs. “When did you become my drug?”

There were so many words I wanted to say.

Too bad he'd stolen them all.

I keep trying to tell him no. My mouth says one thing, while the rest of me revels in betrayal.
I needed to do so many things. None of them could be good for me.

Get closer to him. Sean was the one to tell me that.
My brother had always been a voice of reason. There was no way he could have meant I should grow
this
close to Drezden Halifax.

At this rate, I'd crumble and give in.

I think I already have.

Together we started to weave. I didn't struggle; when he released my hand, I kept it on his ass. There was a pulsing in me, in us. It went beyond the rapid music.

We didn't dance like strangers. I expected more mistakes, more fumbles. Drezden held my lower back, coaxing me to roll my hips. Before I'd been seeking air. Now, I swelled with extra. I was a balloon, waiting for Drezden to pop me.

How could my fragile existence stand up to his sharp appetite?

Taking my waist, he brushed his pelvis—
himself—
against me. The stiff resistance of his hard-on brought a whimper from my lips. It was magnetic, my knees becoming melting ice cream. Even through my pants, I felt the dampness on my inner thighs.

My ribs crushed on him, rubbing over every single fucking muscle he had... and he had a lot of them. What remained of my resistance was flying away. I was up against an enemy I'd never faced, not really. Here I was, falling apart at the hands of a man I'd glorified over the years. He was dancing with
me
, he wanted
me
.

I couldn't recall why I'd been rejecting him.

His lips came for mine. I beat him there, linking my arms around his thick neck to keep him in place. I tasted myself, the sweetness of rum. His flavor was stronger in the end. It left spots in my brain, implanting a gluttony for him.

Nothing would ever be the same between us.

When had I stopped caring?

****

T
he elevator dinged.

Drezden had pressed me on the mirror, holding my chin so he could take his time with my throat. I didn't remember getting into the hotel. There was just a vague fog made from purple lights, crisp air and the crunching of tires. A part of me knew we'd just climbed into a waiting car. The rest was all teeth and seeking tongues.

He kissed better than anyone could have—should have—been able to. The last time we'd been in this elevator had been this morning. Then, when he'd shoved me on the wall and tried to convince me to give him a chance... I'd almost done it.

Adrenaline, had that been my downfall? Performing in front of thousands, tipping over into a world where I could have whatever I wanted... that had to have been the reason.

I'm unbreakable. Nothing can ruin this. I'm a rockstar now. The world is coating my fingers, my tongue.

I wanted to swallow it down.

Shoving him off of me, I led him to my room. He stopped us and banged his keycard on the door next to mine. Then we were inside, the slamming sound announcing what was to come.

A ripple of fear surfaced at the sight of his bed.

Wait. What am I doing?

His hands pushed my hair off my neck from behind. My worries went with it. “Lola, god... I can't believe you're here.” He grazed the curve of my jaw with his teeth. Hard finger tips moved down my back, tugging the hem of my shirt up.

Swallowing didn't help me find a response. I tried again, but only a quick gasp escaped. He'd discovered my skin, exploring my spine. Drezden bumped my bra strap; without asking, he unclasped it.

It happened so fast, my shirt ripped over my head. The black lingerie whispered when it hit the floor. On reflex, I crossed my arms over my chest. Drez spun me, eyes eagerly raking over my pale flesh.

Nerves were erasing my confidence. I reached for the light; his body blocked me. “No,” he growled, scooping up my chin. I froze under the need in his stare. “I want to see you, all of you.”

It's too much. This is too much.
I'd thought I'd gone back to the room of a man who just wished to be with me. I'd forgotten who he really was. Drezden Halifax had let slip some of the beast inside of himself. I'd glimpsed it before, but in closing his hotel door, I'd walked into his lair.

In private, he could be himself. He could let go.

I'd stumbled into a drowning whirlpool when I'd thought it was a fucking jacuzzi.

He kissed me violently, tugging my lower lip with his teeth. I felt myself falling, thought it was vertigo until I actually hit the bed. Drezden went down with me. He pounced, tangling fingers in my hair, raking my scalp.

He's going to destroy me.
And yet, the more he touched me, the less I fucking cared. His warmth settled over me, a shadow cloaking his eyes. Leaning away, he flashed me a quick smirk. It stole more of my resistance.

Palms dragged down, scratching my ribs. I wriggled, openly whining as he explored me. Drezden was skirting around my breasts. I was initially thankful, terrified to let him touch me there when I was already losing my mind in less tender places.

Soon enough, the throbbing in my lower belly grew disappointed. The smirk he'd given me made sense.
The bastard, he's teasing me. How can he have the strength to tease when he acts like he wants me so badly?

He looked down, green eyes contaminated. “Something wrong, Lola?”

My poor lower lip was getting chewed up. “Why are you—why go so slow?”

His index finger brushed down my middle, just between my breasts. “You want me to speed up?”

Such a fucking bold question.
Narrowing my eyes, I tried to look fierce. A gentle caress from his hand near my hip changed that. “I just... no. Fine. Do what you want.”

There, a flash of that wicked creature. “I certainly will.”

The muscles in my legs squeezed, toes pointing in my boots. A hollowness was forming in my core. Drezden made me want things I couldn't say out loud.

Inch by inch, he twirled his fingers closer to my chest. I was breathing heavy, my cheeks pure fire as my breasts shook with my panting. It was impossible to hold anything back. With him sitting on me, knees on either sides of my thighs, I was trapped. I knew he felt every tiny twitch of my hips grinding.

I willed my body to calm down. I wasn't surprised it didn't listen.
At this rate, my brain will just crumple like used paper.

Looking over him, the light behind his head made his features sharp as daggers. The indents along his bare shoulders hinted at his strength, his complete restraint in being patient with me. I languished to see more.

My arms lifted, abandoning the side of me that was still wary. Drezden flinched as I gripped his shirt, trying to raise it over his head. I thought he'd help me; his hands imprisoned my wrists. “No,” he said sternly. “It stays on.”

“That's not fair.”
I want to see you, too.
Trying again was futile, he just crushed my wrists until I squeaked.

Shoving my arms down onto the mattress, he pressed his nose to mine. The gold flecks I'd loved in his eyes now reminded me of jagged glass. “You want to see more of me? You're so sure?”

My voice was a mere croak. “Of course I'm sure.”
I think I am, I think...

Considering me for a long minute, Drezden let my hands go. He straightened up, then stepped off the bed. I was paralyzed as he unbuckled his belt.

“I'll show you more.” The leather fell to the floor, my heart jumping. “If more of me is what you want, then I'll give it.” His meaning had a razor edge. He wasn't removing his shirt, he was unbuttoning his jeans. The sound of the zipper reverberated in my atoms.