Wicked: Leather and Lace [Wicked Series Book 2] (9 page)

"My plane leaves Sunday."

"So I only have two days left to ruin you for every other man on the planet."

A soft, feminine giggle tickled his chest before she lifted her head. “I think you've already done that. I still can't feel my legs."

"Well there's no reason for you to hurry home, then."

She stilled and glanced away. “I have to go back. I have a job. People who depend on me to see them out of the messes they've made."

He knew she couldn't stay and the look on her face told him that trying to convince her to would be a waste of breath. It didn't make it easier to let her go though and he wasn't going to humiliate himself by asking and have her refuse him.

The fact he even
wanted
her to stay confused him. He'd never taken any particular woman to his bed more than once. What was the point? Once you've taken what you needed, what more was there? Most of the women he seduced weren't worth the trouble of keeping around anyway. Once he turned his head, they were searching out the other guys, hoping to add them to their list of sex partners. He couldn't count the number of girls he and the guys had all shared at one point or another. The groupies hung around for one reason and one reason only. To bed a rock star. And most of them did.

Roxy's hand slid over his hip, down his leg and back up the front of his thigh. His cock twitched at the first brush of her fingers and he was surprised the abused organ even worked. She pushed him to his back, her lips peppering soft kisses over his chest to his stomach while her hair trailed over his skin.

He watched her make her way down his body, her fingers dancing across his skin, before her tongue darted out, licking a path up his shaft. She took him into the warmth of her mouth and he couldn't look away. Wouldn't dare miss a single moment of those lips wrapped around him, that hot tongue circling his cock before she sucked him back in.

A low moan crawled up his chest, his balls tightening as the head of his cock hit the back of her throat, and he hissed her name before reaching down, grabbing her shoulders, and pulling her to him. He kissed her, flipped her to her back and covered her body with his own.

Unlike the first time, he didn't rush through the act. He loved her with every touch, every soft kiss he placed on her flesh and every sigh he dragged from her body tore into his heart a little bit more. He knew having her here was a mistake. One he'd never recover from. He'd known it the moment he'd sent her spiraling to orgasm on the stairs, when his name was whispered past her lips like a prayer. He'd known in that single moment that Roxy would be someone he wouldn't be able to walk away from. His heart wouldn't let him.

He did want her. He wanted her with every breath he took. The question was, how did he convince her to stay.

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"Holly, call the police back. Our missing person just showed up."

Roxy grinned when Devin spoke and she closed the door behind her. “Very funny."

"Oh, it will be,” he said. “Curt is ready to burst a blood vessel. Where the hell have you and Luke been?"

"Not telling.” She tried not to blush but knew her face was already red. She could feel the heat crawling up her neck.

All the guys were there, lounging around the hotel suite, and every eye was on her.

"Where's Luke?” Mick asked. “You didn't break him, did you?"

"Not entirely,” she replied. “He is walking a bit funny though."

The laughter caused the heat on her cheeks to burn hotter. She sat on the sofa beside Christian and turned to face him. “Are we in trouble?” she asked him.

"You're not. Luke, on the other hand, probably won't survive it."

"Curt's pissed then?"

He chuckled. “Understatement of the year. He's one step away from total meltdown. Just don't make any sudden moves around him."

"I'll try to remember that."

Roxy glanced across the room, meeting Holly's gaze. Her friend's eyes blazed with anger. “What?"

"What, she says.” Holly shook her head. “You know what. Where the hell have you been? We were worried."

"No you weren't,” she said. “You knew I was with Luke."

"Uh yeah, but no one expected you to be gone for
two days
!"

The blush deepened. “Neither did I."

"You couldn't call?"

"She was probably too busy to call,” Mick said. “Knowing Luke, she spent the last two days butt-ass naked."

"Stop it,” Roxy said. Her head felt ready to explode. She'd never been one to embarrass easily but with everyone staring at her, knowing she'd just spent two days playing sex toy to Luke, she wanted a hole to crawl into.

Mick laughed and stood up. “Where is he anyway?"

"Talking to Curt. Or, that's where he said he was going."

"And you let him go alone?"

She shrugged her shoulder. “He's a big boy. He can take care of himself."

"And how big of a boy is he?” Holly grinned, winking when Roxy looked over at her.

"None of your business,” Devin said, grabbing her and pulling her closer to him. “Besides, she probably couldn't tell under the dingy lights of the seedy motel she's been hold up in."

"He wouldn't take her to some dive,” Holly said, rolling her eyes. “I've already told you, Roxy wasn't that desperate."

"Uh, thanks,” Roxy said. “I think."

"Well, they weren't in any decent hotel,” Mick said. “Curt's called every one in the city.” He glanced over at her and tilted his head to one side. “Please tell me you haven't been fornicating in the limo. We all have to ride in there, you know?"

Shaking her head when they all started laughing, Roxy leaned back into her seat. “If you must know, we were at his place."

The laughter died so abruptly you could have heard a pin drop. Every person in the room froze, even Holly.

"What?"

Christian found his voice first. “Luke took you to his place?"

Nodding her head, she turned to look at him. “Yes. Why?"

Mick broke the tension with a chuckle. “Oh man. Where the hell is he.” He marched to the door, yanking it open and looking out into the hall.

Roxy stood, glancing at every one in turn, and felt a shiver of fear ripple down her spine. They were all acting weird all of a sudden. “Okay, what's going on? You guys are starting to freak me out."

Mick turned, the grin on his face making the band's drummer seem younger. “I don't know whether to congratulate you or be afraid of you."

"Meaning?” she asked.

"Meaning, you've just accomplished something no other woman has
ever
managed to do."

They were still looking at her, gobsmacked, and she felt irritated all of a sudden. Turning to Devin, she pointed her finger at him. “Tell me."

"Tell you what?” he said.

"Don't play with me, Devin. Why is everyone looking at me like ... well, like that,” she said, pointing to Mick.

Devin grinned. “Well, it's just...” He shook his head and laughed. “Roxy, Luke's never taken a girl home before."

"Huh?” she said, raising an eyebrow.

He stood and glanced at Mick and Christian before turning back to her. “We've known each other for years,” he said. “And in that time, Luke's never once taken a girl to his apartment."

Roxy heard the words, gave them time to penetrate her brain, but they didn't make sense. “I don't understand what you mean."

"He means,” Christian said, “That you're the first girl in history to see inside Luke's private life."

She turned to look at him and frowned. Of all the guys in the band, Christian had the most honest face. He wasn't lying, that much she could tell.

"He likes you,” he said. “Apparently a whole lot more than he's let on."

The last two days replayed in her mind's eye on fast forward. Luke's subtle transformation from sex-starved rock star to the quiet, attentive, simple man, the most prominent memory. The strange look he'd given her when she mentioned all the women he'd seduced in his apartment the next. That didn't explain anything though.

She glanced at Mick. “He has a stripper pole in his bedroom. You can't tell me a man who doesn't entertain in his apartment would..."

"It was there when he bought the place,” Mick said.

"Oh.” Turning to look at Holly, she could see the excitement in her eyes and knew what she was thinking. It had worked. Her friend's crazy, harebrained idea had worked. Luke had pursued her, relentlessly, and had taken it one step further. He let her in on a part of his life no one else had ever seen, but what did it mean? She was too scared to even contemplate it. Scared she'd be right, that he did want her for more than a few tosses in the sheets, and lose herself to him completely. Scared she'd be wrong and have her heart ripped out in the process.

Everyone was still looking at her but she ignored them. Sitting back down, she stared at nothing and let her mind wander. What did she do now? She hadn't come for anything complicated. She just wanted a few days with her dream man. A chance to experience him in all his glory and she did. She'd touched heaven, felt it with every soft caress and whispered word against her flesh. He'd given her something no other woman he'd ever been with received.

She'd had all of him.

Roxy latched her suitcase and straightened, pushing her hair away from her face and rubbed a hand over her eyes. Her head was pounding, her vision still blurry, and her legs felt unsteady and weak.

The going away party Holly and the guys threw for her was one she'd never forget. The hotel bar had been packed with people, the music so loud you needed to shout to be heard, and she'd spent the night laughing and dancing while the best looking man in the room kept one arm wrapped around her.

Luke's attention throughout the night staggered her. She'd been the center of his world. When he wasn't touching her, he was watching her. His hungry gaze left her near breathless most of the night.

Once back in her room, he'd spent hours loving her. Her body was still sore in places she never dreamed anyone would go but every memory was etched into her soul.

She sighed and sat down on the bed. This was the part of her trip she hadn't been looking forward to. Leaving Holly, her best friend, and Luke, the man who in one week wormed his way into her heart. She'd known it days ago but ignored that part of her brain while it whispered she wouldn't be able to leave him. She had no choice. She had to leave whether she wanted to or not. She had a job, a life to get back to in L.A. She couldn't just leave it all behind. Could she?

A better question was, did Luke want her to?

A glance around her room and she smiled. The lamp was still in the floor, the curtains on the window dangling where they'd been pulled off the rod. They'd nearly destroyed the room in their sexcapades. There wasn't a hard surface anywhere Luke hadn't taken her in every way imaginable.

Hearing a knock on the door, she stood and crossed the room.

"You look like shit."

"You don't look so hot yourself,” she said, grinning while Holly walked in.

"You're all packed?"

Roxy nodded. Holly was staring at her and a tiny frown on her face nearly broke her heart. “I'm going to miss you."

"Me too."

Her eyes grew glassy and Roxy felt her own water. “Don't you dare cry."

"I can't help it,” Holly said. “I don't want you to go."

"Believe me, if I had a choice, I wouldn't."

"You could quit your job."

Roxy laughed. “And do what?"

"Become a professional groupie?"

"Ah yes, throw my career away to become a band ho."

Holly smiled. “You'd just be Luke's. Devin is mine and I don't think Luke would allow you anywhere near the others."

"Probably not."

They stared at each other for long minutes, neither saying a word. It felt like it was the last time they'd see each other. Holly would be gone for a good part of the year. The band's tour had them all over the country before they crossed the ocean and headed to the other side of the world. The thought of her being that far away was like a knife to the gut.

Knowing Luke would be that far away felt like a small death.

She turned, busying herself with her luggage.

"Are you in love with him?"

Roxy snorted a laugh and turned her head, letting her hair cover her face. “Don't be ridiculous, Holly. I barely know him."

"You know him better than anyone else ever has."

She shrugged her shoulder. “So. That doesn't mean anything."

"Yes it does,” she said. “And I can tell by the look on your face that you care about him."

The lump forming in her throat nearly choked her.

"It's okay if you love him, Roxy."

"No, its not."

"Why?"

"Because, he...” A tear slipped down her cheek before she could stop it and she sat down hard on the bed, burying her face in her hands. “I can't love him, Holly. I won't."

She cried, leaning into Holly's side when she sat down beside her and held her. She couldn't love Luke. She was leaving, headed thousand of miles away. How could she admit to something that would break her heart when he wasn't there?

Leaning back, she wiped her face. “It doesn't matter anyway,” she said. “What I feel for him doesn't mean anything."

"Why?"

"Because he doesn't feel the same."

"How do you know?"

Because he hasn't asked me to stay.

The door opened and she turned her head, wiping her face again when she saw Luke.

"Limo is here,” he said, stopping when he looked at her. Two lines of worry appeared between his eyes. “What's wrong?"

"Nothing,” she lied, smiling while she stood. “Just saying goodbye to my best friend."

He didn't look as if he believed her. She turned to Holly. “I guess this is it, then."

Holly stood, wrapping her arms around her. “I'm going to miss you, Roxy."

"I'll miss you more,” she whispered, embracing her before letting her go. “Are you sure you don't want to ride with us to the airport?"

She shook her head and said, quietly, “No. I'm sure you don't want me around when you have to say goodbye to him."