Rock Me, Stalk Me Read online

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  About the Author

  Bibliography

  ROCK ME, STALK ME

  by

  Jamie DeBree

  SMASHWORDS EDITION

  * * * * *

  Rock Me, Stalk Me

  Copyright 2012 by Jamie M. DeBree

  Edited by Carol R. Ward

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author's imagination, and used fictitiously.

  Chapter 1

  Holly barely dodged another hit from the huge purple leather bag swinging around on the arm of its oblivious owner. The crowd waiting in line at The Afterglow had grown more restless as the night wore on and now, in the dim light and cool, insect-laden air, a stampede of sorts seemed inevitable. She'd heard it was the hot place to be, and her agent had offered to call in a favor to get her through the door, but Holly had decided to wait in line with the "normal" people just for the experience. All night limos and expensive sports cars had been pulling up, various stars and popular people stepping out and waving to the line as they walked straight through the front door. Occasionally they'd stop and pick someone out of the waiting throng to accompany them, inciting applause and the occasional squeal of jealously from the remaining hopefuls.

  It wasn't terribly surprising that the women who normally got tagged were barely dressed in scraps of shiny, filmy fabric that left little to the imagination. Holly looked ruefully down at her blue jeans, black suit jacket and red v-neck sweater and knew her chances of getting a date were virtually null. The black stiletto boots had been a splurge earlier today, and she was glad to have them not just for the classier look, but also for the extra height. Apparently women in Hollywood had no concept of a heel less than four inches tall.

  Three giggling girls jostled her from behind, the big purple bag pushing her out toward the velvet ropes. She watched another expensive sports car arrive and smiled, thinking of the scene in her new book where the heroine would meet her hero in a line like this one, and he'd whisk her inside to his private table, capturing her heart just before he ravished her body...

  "Excuse me. Miss?"

  Holly blinked, drawn out of her daydream to find a rather imposing broad-shouldered guy in a black suit staring at her from the other side of the rope. "Me?"

  He nodded. "Mr. Winston would like to invite you to join him inside." He held up the rope expectantly as she looked past him to see Sean Winston, one of the hottest young movie actors of the year watching her with a confident grin on his baby face. He knew she wouldn't say no. All the girls around her were screaming and yelling and shoving her under the rope, but she shook her head. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Her heroine would never settle for someone nearly ten years younger just because he was a star. She had far too much respect for herself.

  Holly looked up at the bodyguard, who seemed confused. "Tell Mr. Winston I'm sorry, but I'll have to pass." She glanced to her left and motioned to a younger, very excited blond in a scrap of fabric that almost passed for a dress. "I bet she'd be happy to...um...accompany him inside."

  The crowd fell nearly silent as the bodyguard slowly lowered the rope and turned back to his boss. The star's lips pulled together tightly, and he stalked up to the rope, reaching under to grab Holly's wrist in an iron grip.

  "Come on," he said, tugging her forward as the rope was lifted again. "I want you with me tonight."

  Holly tried to free herself, yanking hard against him and digging her high-heeled boots into the ragged red carpet. "I said no! Let me go!" She pulled hard as flashbulbs went off all around and the crowd yelled insulting remarks. Those she caught surprised her. Apparently Sean Winston wasn't the only one who thought she was crazy for turning him down.

  "Let her go, Winston. She's with me."

  Holly fell backwards as Winston released her without warning. Caught by the crowd before she hit the ground, they propelled her forward again like a slingshot, under the rope and into a solid, wiry mass of muscle, leather and chains.

  "Ow," she said as a metal something-or-other connected with the outer edge of one eye. Strong arms steadied her, and the same smooth, calm voice she'd heard before whispered in her ear.

  "You can do whatever you want when we get inside, just play along, okay?"

  She nodded, finally regaining her balance enough to look at her would-be rescuer. Her jaw dropped open, and she found herself utterly speechless as she looked up into the face of Eddie Pierce, one of her favorite rock stars of all time. He grinned, clearly amused by her reaction.

  "I take it that's a yes?"

  * * *

  Eddie took the mystery woman's hand and tugged her toward The Afterglow as the crowd cheered behind the velvet ropes. The look on her face when she'd recognized him had done wonders for his ego, which had taken a beating this afternoon at the news of slow sales for his latest album. Briefly he wondered if he'd just rescued a stalker, but there was something unassuming about this woman's demeanor that seemed genuine.

  As they entered the club, he watched her look around, taking it all in. The place was packed, and bodies writhed on the dance floor as the music pumped a steady bass beat through the dark room. Side-stepping a waitress on a mission, she moved farther into the room and he followed, not quite ready to let her go just yet. He closed the distance and slid an arm around her waist, leaning down to speak in her ear when she flinched at his touch.

  "Relax, it's just me. What's your name?"

  She looked sheepish, a faint blush tingeing her cheeks pink. "Holly," she said, pitching her voice over the music. "Thank you for bringing me in."

  He nodded, fascinated by her pixy face and the keen expression in her eyes. He knew he was staring, but he couldn't seem to help it, and when she was jostled closer by people mulling behind, he welcomed the feel of her body pressed against his. Her blush deepened as she pulled back, and looked around, clearly uncomfortable in the crowd.

  "I have a table upstairs - why don't you join us? You can watch without getting run over." He breathed in her sweet, fruity scent, and barely resisted the urge to taste her neck before he straightened to look at her.

  "I don't want to impose," she yelled, just before another group of people pushed her against him, hard this time. He pulled her close, more to protect her from the throng than anything else, but knew there was no way she could miss the bulge in his jeans. He put a few inches between them, but didn't release her.

  "You're not imposing. Besides, having a beautiful woman beside me will keep the vampires away. Or most of them, anyways." She rolled her eyes, but a smile played at the corner of her lips, and he grinned, knowing he had her. "Come on." He took her hand again and pulled her behind him to a staircase off to the side. Joey and Mark were already sprawled on one side of the curved booth and Eddie motioned for Holly to slide in the other side so she'd be able to look over the railing. He slid in beside her, finall
y able to hear himself think.

  "Holly, this is Joey, my drummer, and Mark, my bass man. Guys, meet Holly."

  She held out her hand to each in turn. "It's nice to meet you both. I'm...well, not to go all fan girl, but I love your music."

  "The girl with good taste," Joey said, smiling. "Winston's a sleazy kid. Good call brushing him off like that."

  Mark nodded his agreement, and Eddie looked over to see Holly looking sheepish.

  "I didn't mean to make a scene," she said lightly. "He's just so young..."

  Mark nodded knowingly. "Hear that Eddie? You won because you're old, man."

  Eddie shook his head as Joey howled with laughter.

  "No - that's not what I meant at all!" Holly looked from one to the other, her eyes wide. "I just....I mean, I'm not exactly young myself..."

  Eddie laughed. "Relax, Holly. They're just messing with you. And you don't look a day over twenty, so you can't blame poor Winston for trying." He winked, resisting the urge to trace her tiny nose with his finger.

  "Heads up, gang," Joey said, his eyes locked on something over Eddie's shoulder. "Incoming."

  Eddie groaned, then draped an arm around Holly's shoulders and pulled her close. "I need a huge favor," he said, keeping his voice low. "I need you to sit on my lap, put your arms around my neck and kiss me."

  Holly didn't have time to answer as Eddie pulled her up onto his lap and placed one of her arms around his neck. He leaned over her, his lips just a mere breath away and grinned. She stared up at him, frozen in disbelief with her heart pounding in her chest.

  "Kiss me back," he whispered. And then he lowered his mouth to hers.

  All of the sounds and smells of the crowded bar faded to nothing as she closed her eyes and focused on his warm, gentle movements. His tongue asked for entry and she gave it willingly, her other hand sliding up his neck to hold him in place. He leaned her back further for better access, holding her tight in his embrace as he feasted on her lips.

  "Better put that one back, Eddie. She looks expensive."

  The shrill, high pitched female voice was like ice water, and Holly's eyes flew open as Eddie gave her one last, lingering kiss and a wink before he looked up at the interloper. A tall, supermodel thin woman with a flawless olive complexion and long blond hair in a high ponytail stared down at them with an amused look on her face.

  "Why, Sherry?" Mark spoke up from across the table. "So he could downgrade to a cheaper model like you? If I remember right, that didn't work out so well last time."

  Holly tried to pull away, but Eddie merely tightened his hold on her. "What do you want, Sherry? I'm kind of busy."

  "I can see that," the woman said, eying Holly up and down. "You know, we could share her if you want..." Holly tightened her grasp on Eddie's neck at that, earning a chuckle as he stroked her back.

  "You know I don't share."

  Sherry shrugged, the hem of her mini dress rising high enough to be almost indecent. "Your loss, sugar. I just wandered over to see if you needed some company, but apparently this one beat me to it." She glanced across the table at Jason. "Unless you want some lovin'? I'm not picky." The whine in her voice was starting to give Holly a headache.

  "We're well aware of that," Jason said, his tone cold. "Thanks but no thanks. I'm expecting someone."

  Another shrug. "Suit yourself. If you need me," she reached out to touch the side of Holly's face, and Holly turned away, hiding her face in the juncture of Eddie's neck. Sherry giggled. "You know where to find me."

  Tentatively lifting her head as she heard stilettos clicking away from the table, Holly found herself staring straight into Eddie's soft gaze. "You okay?" he asked, leaning forward to place a soft, open-mouth kiss on her lips. Instinctively she kissed him back, earning an easy smile as she drew back and licked her lips.

  "I...yes," she said, feeling the color rise in her cheeks again as she felt his cock move against her hip. "I should move..." She forced herself to release his neck and scoot back over to her side of the booth, and this time he let her, though he captured her wrist when she would have put space between them. Glancing across the table, she noted the other two men watching with great interest. Jason was grinning broadly, and Mark looked like he was trying not to smile.

  Mark leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table to address Eddie. "I think it's time we took this party back to the house. Lynn and Terri are already there, and I think I saw Manda downstairs. You two coming?"

  Holly realized all three men were staring at her. "Oh. You're inviting me? I'm not sure..." Her head was still foggy from the kiss, and she blamed that on her apparent inability to think. Or speak, for that matter. Get a grip, Hol!

  Eddie squeezed her hand, smoothing his thumb in easy circles over her skin. His touch wasn't helping to clear her thoughts.

  "It's no big deal," he assured her. "We're just gonna hang out for awhile. It's quieter than the bar, plenty of booze, and lots of spare bedrooms if you want to crash for the night. Low key all the way."

  A petite brunette walked up and slid onto the seat beside Jason, leaning in for a kiss before she grinned at the rest of the group. "What's shakin', guys?" Her gaze lit on Holly with a friendly tilt of the head. "And who's this?"

  "Manda, meet Holly." Jason nodded her way. "Eddie rescued her from Sean Winston in the line out front. And she rescued him from Sherry."

  "Wow, busy night. It's nice to meet you, Holly."

  Holly smiled. "Thanks. It's been...very interesting, to say the least."

  The men burst out laughing, and she couldn't help but chuckle with the other girl. When the laughter died down, Jason spoke up.

  "We're heading back to the house. Holly was just trying to decide whether to come with us or not."

  "You totally should," Manda said, getting to her feet. "It's way more fun. I have a swimsuit I can loan you for the hot tub, if you want. Although Lynne might be more your size."

  Holly thought about the book she needed to write, and how some of it would take place in an expensive home. This could be her only chance to see how the other half lived. Knowing other women would be there made her feel better about it too.

  None of which were the real reason she wanted to go.

  "Okay," she said, earning another squeeze of Eddie's hand. "Sounds like fun."

  The limo ride was impressive, but when Holly stepped out of the car and got her first look at the house, her jaw dropped. Manda, Jason and Mark had all gone on ahead leaving her alone with Eddie, and he grinned at her reaction.

  "Impressed?" he asked, lacing the fingers of one hand through hers. "Most of the time I can't believe it myself, to be honest, and I've lived here for nearly ten years. Come in, I'll show you around." He tugged her forward and she happily followed, gazing up at the structure as they climbed multiple sets of stairs and wondering if there were any secret passages or rooms, and if he'd show them to her. The outside was big and modern, with hard lines and square shapes, but it was offset by large full trees and impressive shrubs that she made a mental note to look more closely at in the daylight. The thought made her warm as she considered the circumstances that would see her staying the night, and she was glad when Eddie released her hand to get the door.

  "Thank you," she said, quickly moving across the threshold in hopes he'd miss the color in her cheeks. Quickly forgetting her embarrassment, she let her gaze travel up and up and up to the huge crystal chandelier that hung over the large entryway. "Oh wow. That is absolutely gorgeous," she breathed, walking around it to watch the light from different angles. When she looked back down at Eddie, he was watching her with a peculiar look on his face.

  "I can think of at least one thing more beautiful in the room," he said, never cracking a smile.

  Holly laughed nervously. No one had ever directed a line like that her way, though she used them frequently in her novels. If he hadn't been so serious, it would have been positively cheesy.

  "Um, thanks, I guess." She turned a circle, seeing three do
orways and a wide staircase all leading in different directions. "Where's everyone else? I don't hear any noise."

  He smiled then, nodding his head toward the doorway directly across from the one they'd entered by. "The main living room is that way. They're probably outside in the hot tub by now - there's a sliding glass door out to the back yard. Why don't you go find them, and I'll be there in a few minutes?"

  She nodded, not sure she liked being sent off by herself, but not wanting to appear clingy. "Okay," she said, trying to gauge his mood from his expression, but his face was blank. Aware she'd already hesitated too long for comfort, she turned and went to find the living room, all too aware of his stare as she left.

  It was just a short walk to the living room that featured gray carpet and green overstuffed furniture in a sunken center. She walked around the seating area to the wall of glass on the other side, and went out the open door to a large tiered patio. Teal blue water was lit from underneath, and at the farthest end she saw five people in a large, bubbling hot tub separated from the pool by only a thin surface-height divider.

  As she approached, Manda stood up to wave her over, revealing two very tan, very naked breasts with dark nipples at full attention. Holly slowed, her pulse racing as she wondered just what she'd walked in on.

  "Everyone this is Holly," Manda said, settling herself on Jason's lap. Holly was thankful for the copious bubbles hiding the underwater view. "You know Jason and Mark, and those two hotties," she gestured to a brunette and a redhead on either side of Mark with no visible swimsuit straps showing, "...are Lynn and Terri, Mark's wife and girlfriend, respectively." The women waved and Mark smirked as he pulled each of them close for a kiss.