The Tangled Series Complete Digital Boxed Set (Bad Boy Rock Star, Millionaire, and MMA Fighter Bundle) (28 page)

Chapter Eighteen

Tiffany

I opened my eyes the next morning and sat up quickly, images from the night before flashing in my head.

Ransom.

Looking around the bedroom, I sighed with relief. His clothes were still on the floor. He hadn’t bolted, and I hoped it was a sign that he didn’t regret what had happened.

I grabbed a short, pink terrycloth robe, and walked out to the kitchen, where he stood in his boxers, bent down, and searching inside of my refrigerator.

“What are you doing?” I asked, coming up behind him.

“Well, I was going to surprise you with breakfast, but your refrigerator is empty, Taffy,” he said, standing up.

I moved around him and looked inside. I smiled. “What, you don’t like yogurt, turkey bacon, or bran muffins?”

“Sorry, I hate Greek yogurt, turkey bacon has no taste, and bran muffins are for old codgers who need to poop.”

I laughed.

He walked over to my cupboards, and began opening doors. “Do you have any pancake mix or the fixings for French toast?”

“Sorry, no. It’s just me and I hardly have time to eat. Plus, I have to watch my figure.”

He looked at me and smiled. “Watch your figure?” He walked back over to me and tugged at the belt on my robe, opening it. “I’ll watch it,” he said, his voice husky as his eyes traveled over my nakedness. His teeth grazed his lower lip as his hands slid over my hips, pulling me against him. “That way you can eat what you want.”

I smiled as his lips touched my collarbone, and one of his hands cupped my breast. I remembered the incredible orgasms he’d given me the night before, and felt a tingle between my legs. “You’re crazy, you know that?”

“That’s what they say,” he whispered between nibbles on my neck, “But I don’t recall ever being this crazy before. In fact, I think I’d like to get even crazier by finding new ways to make you scream.”

My cheeks turned red. “Sorry, I guess I was a little loud.”

He bit my ear, making me shiver. “I loved it,” he murmured, tightening his grip on my backside. “Hell, I’m harder than a rock just thinking about you screaming.”

“Then quit thinking about it,” I whispered back, sliding my hand down his boxers. All of this talk was making me incredibly hungry, and yogurt was the last thing on my mind.

With a grunt of pleasure, he picked me up, and carried me back into the bedroom where he did find a few new ways to make me scream. 

***
 

Ransom

After a few more rounds in Tiffany’s bed, we both took showers, and then went out for lunch at Zeke’s, a local diner. Fortunately, it was after two o’clock in the afternoon, so there weren’t too many people in the restaurant.

“What time is the funeral again?” I asked as I dipped my fry into a cup of seasoned sour cream, and stuffed it into my mouth.

She looked up at me from her salad, her blue eyes larger than life. Her hair was still damp, her face void of makeup, and she was so beautiful that all I could think about was getting her back into bed. “You’re asking
me
?”

“I think I shot out most of my brain cells that last round,” I replied, smiling wickedly.

The truth was that I’d been in a state of fugue before the wake. If it hadn’t been for Sonia dropping me off at the funeral home the night before, I would have probably missed that as well. All I’d thought about was my mother, and the horror she must have felt staring at the barrel of the gun that shot her. Disturbing images of her frightened face as she realized what was happening had haunted me all week. Then, last night, being with Tiffany had taken me away from the cold harsh truth of reality for a short time. Now I wanted more. Much more. She was like a drug, a very addictive one.

She blushed, and it actually brought a tug of pleasure in my chest. “Well, the funeral is at five o’clock. I’m sure you’ll want to be there before it starts.”

What I wanted was to grab Tiffany, charter a plane, and get lost in a place where nobody could find us. Just the two of us, and a bed. “I suppose. You’re going, right?”

“Of course I’m going.”

“Good.” I reached over and grabbed her hand. “I don’t think I’d want to go if you weren’t there.”

“As flattering as that sounds, you’d have to go even if I couldn’t make it. Your mom would turn over in her grave if you didn’t show.”

I sighed and looked out the window. “I know. I’m just not looking forward to this big fiasco that’s taking place tonight.”

She took a drink of water. “I thought it was going to be a private funeral.”

“It’s supposed to be, but most of these people are strangers to me and Remy. Mom only had a handful of friends when we were growing up.” I smiled wryly. “I’m pretty certain that the newer ones are quite aware of who her son is. Just like my father’s funeral, they’ll come to get a glimpse of me. It’s pretty pathetic.”

Her eyes softened. “Don’t let it bother you. Just focus on being there for her, remembering her, and paying
your
respects.”

Our eyes met. “You’re right. I’m sure Sonia has set up enough security, that even my mom will be scrutinized.”

She made that cute snorting noise again, and I bit my lip, wishing we were alone. I couldn’t get enough of her. Her laugh, her smile, her body underneath mine…

“Excuse me,” asked our waitress, a young woman who’d done a double-take when she’d originally greeted us. “I’m sorry to be nosy, but are you that singer,
Ransom
?”

“No,” I answered, smiling broadly. “But don’t tell
her
that.” I nodded towards Tiffany. “It’s how I talked her into joining me for lunch.”

The waitress laughed. “Oh… sorry, I guess I blew your cover then.”

“It’s not a problem,” replied Tiffany, her eyes sparkling. “From what I hear, the
real
Ransom is quite the player, and would be at lunch with a group of five or six girls. He probably thinks the word
monogamous
is some kind of bad cough.”

“True,” replied the waitress. “And I doubt he’d be in this dive. Would either of you like a refill on your water or soda?”

“Just more water,” I said.

“Me too,” replied Tiffany.

When the waitress walked away I stared at her. “That was really harsh. ‘The
real
Ransom doesn’t know how to be monogamous’?”

“Oh, hell,” replied Tiffany, with a chuckle. “Don’t even try telling me otherwise.”

“I can be monogamous,” I protested.

She tilted her head. “Right. You know, last night and this morning was
incredible
, but, honestly, I don’t expect
anything
from you. I want you to know that.”

I reached over and grabbed her hand. “I want
you
to know something. Last night was special for me, too. It meant a lot. Yes, I’ve had a lot of women go through my life these last couple of years. Too many. In fact, if you want to know the truth, it’s been one big blur. Most of them, hell, I don’t even remember their names.”

“Nice,” she replied, smiling. “I’m glad we used protection.”

I rubbed the top of her hand with my thumb. “Don’t worry, honey, I
always
use protection.”

“Always?”

“Yes. As drunk as I’ve gotten, I have never blacked out. So you see, I
always
use a condom to protect myself. That is,” I chuckled and lowered my voice, “when I can actually perform.”

Her jaw dropped. “What?”

“Hey, I’m not afraid to admit that easy or slutty chicks don’t do it for me. Not anymore. Not like when I was in my early twenties and just wanted to wax my dick every chance I’d get.”

She shook her head. “Wow. I am just… wow. Seriously, wax your dick? That sounds gross, even coming from you.”

“Sorry,” I said, kissing the side of her hand. “Basically, what I’m saying is that I’ve been thinking a lot about you. You’re like a breath of fresh air, Taffy. Not only do I have a lot of respect for you, but you’re so damn real. You’re not fake, not like most of the women I’ve met who are only interested in me because… well, obviously because I’m famous.”

She arched an eyebrow. “How do you know that
I’m
not after you for your money or your fame?”

I chuckled and released her hand. “Because you’re only after me for my body.”

She smirked. “Is that right?”

I grabbed another fry. “Don’t deny it. You know, I haven’t forgotten that kiss, at my graduation party.”

“I was just a kid,” she replied, picking up a cucumber with her fork. She brought it to her lips, and something about the way she licked the white dressing from the corner of her mouth made my pants tighten.

“You’re definitely not anymore.”

She smiled. “At least you were man enough to push me away. Although, it hurt when you did that, though, you know.”

“I’m sorry,” I replied. “I didn’t want to, but I had to. You were much too young.”

“I’m glad that you did it, because,” she grabbed a cherry tomato with her fork. “It now makes me respect you that much more.”

I watched her slip the tomato into her mouth. “You respect me?”

She finished chewing, and nodded. “Of course. You’re a good man, Ransom. I know we haven’t spent a lot of time together, and most of what I do know of you these days is from the tabloids, but I can tell you still have a decent side to you.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” I replied, sticking another fry into my mouth.

“I mean, you could work on your table manners,” she teased. “Like closing your mouth when you eat, but other than that, you’re a pretty good guy.”

I opened my mouth and stuck out my tongue.

She rolled her eyes. “Okay, that’s gross.”

I leaned forward. “That’s not what you were saying earlier when my tongue was out.”

Her face turned red, and I smiled.

We finished the rest of our food in silence, and when I finished the rest of my burger, she looked at her watch. “Do you need a lift anywhere before the funeral?”

I looked down at my clothes. “I need a new suit. Can we stop at my place?”

“Your place?”

“Yeah.”

She bit her lower lip. “I don’t want anyone to see us together. What if Icon finds out?”

I stared at her incredulously. “Icon? You’re still going through with the contest? After everything that’s happened?”

“Well, yeah, why?”

I sat up straighter. “I thought you’d come to your senses after my mom’s murder, and what happened between us last night.”

“What are you talking about?” she asked, frowning.

“It’s what I’ve been trying to tell you all along. This contest is a mistake. Seriously, you have no idea what it’s like, once you’ve signed the dotted line with Icon. It seems like the American dream, but it’s far from it.”

She frowned. “How can a television contest seriously be that bad? One that made you a star. A very rich and successful one at that.”

“Sure, it all looks awesome from the outside.” People at the next table turned to stare at us, and I lowered my voice. “But, Icon is a cesspool of greedy assholes who will give you a record contract with a lot of glam, but take away most of your freedom in return.”

“Explain what you mean by that,” she said, looking at me like I was nuts. “You seem pretty free to me.”

“That’s how it looks, but believe me, I’m far from being free. Hell, being here without their permission is against my contract. Sleeping somewhere in a place where they can’t monitor me,
isn’t
part of the contract. I can’t even take a shit without them knowing where it is, or what brand of toilet paper I’m using, because of the damn contract. Is that what you really want?”

She shrugged. “Maybe you should have negotiated a better contract.”

“They don’t negotiate,” I said matter-of-factly.

“You know for sure?” she asked, her eyes searching mine.

No, I didn’t know for sure, but I wasn’t going to admit it. If she actually won the contest, she’d probably be too enamored with the prizes to question what was in the small print. I knew Taffy, and I also knew how manipulative Icon was. “Yes,” I lied. “There is no negotiating. It’s all or nothing.”

She put her salad fork down. “Well, regardless, Ransom, I’m not some gullible little ninny who can’t read a contract, or make her own decisions. I mean, you’re kind of jumping the gun anyway. I probably won’t even make it past the second round.”

“I’m not saying you’re gullible. I’m saying that it’s a lot of work to make it that far, possibly go all the way, only to have them dictate your life for the next seven years. It’s not worth it.”

“I’d like to be the judge of that. You’ve made it, and aren’t happy,” she said, staring at me angrily. “I see that. But you are not me, and I should be able to make my own decisions.”