Roaring Hot! (Contemporary Romance): A Billionaire Biker Romance (16 page)

Amy noticed a mic hanging right above them, and another soundman trailing Teo and the mystery woman. So, this was the shock of the show. A catfight.

“You want me to scratch her eyes out?” Amy hissed.

“You go, girl. Take back your man.”

Amy swung her fists and marched toward the couple who had yet to break from their kiss. When she reached Teo, she grabbed the back of the slut’s dress and inserted herself between them.

Teo’s eyes widened. “Amy, I thought you weren’t coming.”

“So you decide to step out on me? Is this how it’s going to be with you? A different girl every week?”

He lowered himself to her, eye level. “You played hard to get, you lose.”

“We’ll see about that. I’m not letting this slut get her clutches on you.” She peeled the woman around to face her and gasped. The slut was a mirror image of her. Pushing her away, she growled. “Who are you?”

“I’m Amy, your replacement.” The squeaky Minnie Mouse voice stung her ears. Behind her, Mia pantomimed fighting, signaling her to start the catfight.

“No you’re not.” Amy shoved the woman back.

She went flying, her arms twirling. This was too easy. But Mia caught the fake Amy and pushed her back in the ring.

Mia? What a traitor. Of course, this was entertainment.

Fake Amy put up her fists and swung. Real Amy ducked, then used her karate skills, going down for a sweep with her leg. She toppled Fake Amy who plopped to the ground, her petticoats flying in her face.

Real Amy pressed her advantage and pounced on Fake Amy. She ripped the bodice off her, exposing a pushup padded bra.

“Ha, ha, these aren’t even real,” Real Amy jeered.

“Stop it, stop it. You bitch,” Fake Amy squealed. “Teo’s done with you. He loves me now. We’re perfect for each other and very sexually compatible.”

Real Amy shook Fake Amy. “You slut. You beepin’ slut.”

“Call me whatever names, but Teo prefers me in bed over you.”

Hands grabbed and separated them. Real Amy wiped sweat off her nose, expecting Teo to catch her in his arms.

“Are you okay?” Instead, Teo reached down and helped Fake Amy up. “So sorry you ran into her. How about we take these clothes off and go clubbing?”

“Sure, I’ve got just the dress, a little red laddered number.” Fake Amy squeaked and threw herself into Teo’s arms.

“This is sick, disgusting.” Real Amy struggled as she was propped by several men and escorted out of the barn.

Once outside, she blew several deep breaths. How utterly humiliating. Teo no longer cared about her. All those empty words, the diamond necklace and earrings, chump change for a billionaire. It was like giving your sweetheart a bag of jellybeans. How could she have fallen for it and believed he meant what he’d said?

Mia clapped an arm around Amy. “What are you going to do now? Are you going to sit back and let that squeak walk off with Teo and his billions?”

Obviously the camera and mic followed them.

“Never. If he thinks he can play me, watch me play him.” She turned toward the camera. “Stay tuned as I pay back the playboy.”

“Cut,” Mia said. “That was awesome. What do you think about Prince Teo now?”

“He’s a real ass.” Amy crossed her arms and marched toward the limo.

On the drive back to the hotel, Amy felt the full weight of the evening pressing over her heart. A small part of her had believed Teo had truly loved her. Hadn’t she been the only woman Oba-chan gave the locket to? Hadn’t she touched his heart when she urged him to contact his mother again? Even though she didn’t love Teo, it hurt like hell to think he’d gotten over her so quickly.

Unless he was acting. She tapped Mia. “Was Teo instructed to be mean to me tonight? Was it scripted?”

“Oh no, you didn’t know? He called Ronaldo and asked him to find a substitute. Someone who looked just like you from a distance. That way, the show can still go on without you.”

Icicles threaded through Amy’s veins as her hopes evaporated. “So you’re saying he wanted me off the show? When did he hire Desiree?”

“Last week, while your father was in the hospital.” Mia filed her nails and yawned.

Amy’s heart sank into the Indiana mud. Teo had never cared about her. She was obviously replaceable in his scheme to transition from a motorcycle racer to an actor. His hiring the nurse and pretending to want her on the show was just a backup plan to ensure he had plenty of costars to work with.

“And they cooked up this catfight? What was the reason?”

“Entertainment, of course!” Mia rolled her eyes. “So, what are you going to do about it? You have one more scene, because after tomorrow, you’re going home. Desiree Shimizu will take over your role. Last chance for revenge. Make it good.”

Amy blinked hard to keep tears from ruining her makeup. She turned away from Mia who crunched loudly with a bag of chips. What could she do before striking out? How could she test Teo? Could she make him jealous? Would that show if he truly had feelings for her or not? Of course it would.

“Here’s what I’m going to do.” Amy grabbed the bag of chips from Mia and stuffed a tortilla chip into her mouth. “I’ve a friend from acting school. I’ll fly him out tonight. You and Ronaldo set up something so Teo can catch us making out.”

“Even better, we’ll set it up so he catches you in bed. He deserves it. What an ass to flaunt that phony in your face.”

“Exactly. When me and Johnny hit the club, or wherever you guys will set us up, Teo won’t know what hit him.”

Mia slapped her back and whooped. “You go, girl!”

Teo cut the cameras and sent Desiree away with Ronaldo. Pain gripped his heart at the way he’d treated Amy. Of course she’d deserved it. She’d humiliated him by telling him she wasn’t showing up, and then acted like a street fighter when he found a substitute.

Even though he’d told himself he was done with Amy, seeing her had tripped his heart all over again. Of course, part of him had wanted to punish her and make her jealous. Judging by her initial shock and reaction, he’d say the act hit the spot.

Amy was definitely jealous, which meant she had feelings for him. All he had to do was keep the Desiree charade going until Amy realized how much she cared about him.

Back at his hotel, he put in a video call to his grandmother.

“Oba-chan, how are you feeling?”

“Fine. I saw those pictures of you and Amy at the square dance. Glad you guys got over that fight about hiring the nurse.”

“Yeah, we’re good. She forgave me.”

Oba-chan grinned. “She’s a good girl. I like her. She really cares about you. I can tell. I’m a great judge of character. You make sure you treat her well.”

“I will. I’m glad you like her. She likes you too.”

“I can finally rest easy. You ride carefully. Don’t get hurt, okay? Of course Amy will remind you too. She loves you, but she’s able to let you be. Not many women can do that. Let a man be what he wants. She’s a real gem.”

“I know. I’m kind of tired right now.”

“Is she around? Can you put her on?”

“Actually, she’s taking a long bath.” Teo yawned loudly. “I have to turn in because we have time trials tomorrow.”

“Sayonara. Give Amy my regards.”

“Same here, Oba-chan. She sends her love.”

* * *

Saturday evening after the time trials, Teo and Desiree walked into a cocktail party sponsored by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Formula 1 racers mixed with motoGP racers, every man parading around with gorgeous arm candy.

Of course, Desiree was dazzling in her skimpy red laddered cocktail dress and sparkly red stiletto heels. Men checked her out and envied him, whereas women darted suspicious glances and narrowed their eyes when their men took a second look.

“We should dance.” Desiree tugged Teo’s arm. A slow love song had come on, and couples headed for the dance floor.

“Not right now,” Teo said. He wasn’t exactly sure what the script was this evening. He’d resisted calling or texting Amy. Had she been acting a script last night or was she really furious he’d been kissing Desiree?

In any case, she was gone. Ronaldo told him Amy had turned tail and flown back to San Francisco. She hadn’t bothered to contact him. He’d have to wait it out. After the race, he’d go after her and explain. Maybe he could recapture the closeness he’d felt with her on the Napa trip.

“If we’re not going to dance, at least get me another drink,” Desiree squeaked. “Who are you looking for anyway?”

“No one.” Teo guided Desiree toward the bar.

A rousing cheer whooped across the dance floor, turning heads.

A dark haired man wearing a white blazer, white vest, and white slacks was striking a Saturday Night Fever pose under the disco ball.

The dance floor pulsed with red, yellow, blue, and white lights in a Lego grid pattern, and the falsetto voices of an old time disco band screeched annoyingly. Something about staying alive.

Teo craned his neck at the spectacle. The moron was jerking his hips and twirling his hands like an idiot from the dawn of civilization. His black shirt was unbuttoned halfway to his waist, and his poufed up hair was stiff with gel.

He twirled and jerked and grabbed a woman who danced with him, up close, in a phony ballroom style. Teo angled to get a better look.

“Oh, I love disco oldies.” Desiree squeaked like a mouse on steroids. “Let’s dance, please, please, please?”

She grabbed Teo’s hand. Wiggling her butt, she dragged him onto the lighted dance floor.

The Saturday Night Fever man and his girl twirled around and around, taking up all the room on the floor. What a bunch of inconsiderate louts.

“Can we dance like them?” Desiree pounded his chest.

Teo wouldn’t be caught dead bopping to that ancient disco music with the monotonous beat. One of his older stepmothers was a big disco queen, complete with a Donna Summer wig.

“Why don’t we wait for the next song?” Teo backed from the dance floor.

The annoying couple twirled and spun to the music. At the crescendo of a chirping falsetto “Staying alive!!!” the man dipped the woman. Her face arched back and her hair touched the ground.

Amy! No way. Why was she dancing with that asshat? The pair swung around and around, their hands out, oblivious to all the people bouncing around them.

Teo edged his way toward them. He had to be mistaken. Was this really Amy or did Desiree have a twin? Was she one of triplets? Quadruplets? How many of them were there?

“I want to dance with that man next. He’s so cool, just like John Travolta.” Desiree bounced up and down with orgasmic fervor. “Ohhhh … They’re playing ‘You Should be Dancing.’ Yeah!”

Meanwhile the film crews were recording the spectacle from all angles and the paparazzi snapped pictures. What if Oba-chan spotted Amy with that slick nineteen seventies poser? Teo had to rescue her, but how?

“I’m going to cut in,” Desiree squealed. “You won’t dance disco, I will.”

She rushed the slick dude in the white suit and elbowed Amy aside. The man turned his megawatt smile on Desiree, and she oozed and gushed and yuck, tiptoed up and kissed him. Ewww.

Amy jiggled and wiggled by herself, as if she were Olivia Newton John, another ancient starlet his oldest stepmother idolized.

Teo had had enough. While Desiree boogied down with the John Travolta impersonator, he cut into Amy. “May I have this dance?”

She sneered, rolling her eyes. “You’re really sinking low to dance to this drek.”

“What about you? Who’s the guy?”

“Johnny Dee, my boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend? Since when?” He narrowed his eyes, glaring at her as if he could force her to confess her actual attraction for him.

“He’s always been, off and on, but lately on, very much on.” Amy jerked her hips to the beat.

Meanwhile, Desiree clapped her hands and bumped hips with Johnny Dee. What was with these women? Couldn’t they tell what a loser he was? What kind of guy dressed like that? Gold chains, so sleazy, and high heeled boots.

“What’s wrong? You jealous?” Amy bumped his hip and danced with her hands above her head, clapping and snapping her fingers.

“Of him? No way. He’s not worth an electrical impulse. Let’s get off this dance floor and talk.”

“Excuse me, cutting in.” Johnny Dee elbowed his way between Teo and Amy while depositing Desiree at Teo’s side.

“Wait, I’m not—” Teo reached for Amy, but Desiree stepped into his arms.

The music slowed into “More Than a Woman.” Oh no.

Desiree gripped Teo hard, not letting go, and Teo was forced to watch Amy and Johnny, while pretending to dance with Desiree.

They swirled and twirled in each other’s arms, their gazes locked like real lovers. Sweat glistened down Johnny’s face and his lips were moist. His expression was a man mesmerized.

Even worse, Amy danced like a woman in heat, her body melting into Johnny’s, mirroring his every move. Nausea erupted deep in Teo’s gut. This couldn’t be true. Amy had better taste than a guy in a white polyester suit with a gold chain over his chest. The poser was so phony, he even had a strip of white bandage across his face, like he’d been in a fight.

But Amy was lapping it all up. As the song drew to a close, the white polyestered knight picked her up and they held each other tight, spinning around and around kissing, kissing, kissing.

Would that song never end?

* * *

“You two were awesome,” Mia said, clapping her hands. “We got all of Teo’s reactions on video. That man was fuming! Now, to cap it off, let’s go to his hotel room.”

Amy looked back, her fists clenched. Teo didn’t seem much disturbed. He and that phony Desiree were bopping to “How Deep is Your Love.” Humph. She hadn’t had any effect on him other than a few angry words.

“You sure you want to do this?” Johnny slicked back his hair as he and Amy got into the limo. “I can make it real. Take off the body suits.”

Amy mock slapped Johnny. He was such a joker, and yes, even though she had had sex with him back in her acting school days, now that she’d been intimate with the intense Teo, she couldn’t rekindle anything casual.

They returned to Teo’s hotel room and set the stage while Mia coordinated with Ronaldo.

Amy dusted her cheeks and chest with blush and pulled on a flesh-colored bodysuit. She messed up her hair and crawled under the sheets.

“Don’t, don’t take it all off.” She shot Johnny a warning. But Johnny, being Johnny, flung his boxers onto Teo’s laptop and hopped onto the bed.

“Oh, la, la,” Mia whooped, covering her mouth. “Did I see a ding-a-ling-a-ling?”

“Hey, baby,” Johnny knelt and flashed her. “The correct terminology is dong-a-long-a-long.”

Mia giggled and jiggled her million cascading bracelets around, rolling her hand in a motion suggesting a hand job.

Amy groaned inside. What strange people she was surrounded with. Those two could have each other.

“Okay, guys. Let’s get ready.” Mia turned her attention to the film crew. She hid the cameraman behind the curtains while the sound man discretely hung a mic over the four poster bed.

“They’re on their way,” Mia said, looking at a text message from Ronaldo. “Okay, start humping, sound effects, ready, go.”

Amy moaned and Johnny groaned. They bounced and slammed on the bed. Amy threw her head across the pillow repeatedly jerking while Johnny used his knees and arms in a pushup position to get more movement.

The keycard slid into the lock.

“Oh … don’t stop. Ahhh … I’m … I’m coming,” Amy squealed at the top of her lungs. “Yes, yes, oh, yes!”

“Oh, baby, that’s right, do it, oh yeah. Fuck. You feel so good.” Johnny’s voice was a bit stiff, but his moans made up for it.

The lights turned on and Desiree squeaked like Mickey Mouse getting castrated. She slumped on the ground in a faint.

“What the fuck?” Teo launched onto the bed and ripped Johnny off of Amy.

Pow. He socked Johnny on the jaw and knocked him to the ground.

“Stop it.” Amy pulled Teo’s shoulders, but he jumped on Johnny and pummeled him.

By now, the cameraman was out of hiding and filming the fight.

Johnny head butted Teo and kneed him in the groin. Teo buckled forward, bending double, as Johnny recovered and got off the ground.

Teo grabbed Amy. “Why? What have I ever done to you?”

Amy’s lower lip quivered. “I’m sorry.”

He held onto her face with both hands and shook his head. “We could have had something real. We could have had forever. But you ruined it. You ruined me.”

Amy didn’t move. This was her last act, and she didn’t want it to be over. She knelt in front of Teo, face to face, waiting for him to dismiss her.

Teo didn’t move. He sat on his haunches and thumbed Amy’s face. “You were wearing a bodysuit.”

“Of course. You didn’t think I’d really …”

“Cut, cut. That was great.” Ronaldo’s voice boomed from above them. “Awesome drama. Great job.”

“Let’s leave the lovers,” Mia said. “Come on everyone, pack it up. Tomorrow’s race day. Desiree, you’ll be holding the umbrella for Teo and serving him his water. Guys, let’s upload the film. We got some kickass scenes. Congratulations.”

* * *

“You’re driving me crazy.” Teo knocked his forehead against Amy’s after the departure of the crew. “Batshit crazy.”

“How can that be?” She rested her palm on his cheek, her fingers trembling.

“I’ve never needed anyone the way I need you. I can’t shake you from my mind. I know I sound creepy, deranged, dangerous. I can’t let you go. Even though you’re hurting me like hell, I still love you.”

“I don’t want to hurt you, Teo.” She pecked a light kiss on him, barely touching him with the edges of her lips. Which meant he was an idiot to be sharing this with her. All his life, he’d had to keep up a macho image. The guy who played hard and never got hurt. The fast rider, the cool hunk. It was what women wanted. The smooth operator.

Only Amy had torn off his mask, opened him up, and here he was: gritty, and vulnerable. She had him by his heart.

“Guess you don’t like what you see.” He swallowed a lump, but couldn’t help leaning into her caress. “I’m just a regular guy doing the best I can. I want my grandmother to be proud of me and my father to notice me. I want to win the championship cup at least once. Then I’ll go out on top. I’m twenty-seven already and there’s more to life than racing. I want to live, fall in love, and have a family. I don’t want to be that shadow, the limping veteran with thirty screws in my leg and an artificial hip joint, a scrap heap of a man, aiming for one more race. I want more than racing.”
I want you.

Her hands smoothed over both sides of his face and she tilted her head and kissed him again. Inhaling, she stood, leaving him kneeling in front of her.

Teo lowered his head and closed his eyes. Had she no response for the words he’d spilled from his heart?

“Come to bed, Teo. You have a race tomorrow. Come.” Amy beckoned from under the covers on the same sheets she and that actor had been romping on.

What the hell was wrong with her? Did she think every male was after one thing? She’d just broken his heart, and she wanted to offer him a consolation prize? No thank you.

He rose to his feet. “I’m not sleeping here. I’ll call downstairs and change rooms. You can stay.”

“Don’t go,” Amy said. “We still need to talk.”

“I’ve told you everything.” He gathered his laptop from the nightstand. Silently, he shoved his clothes into his suitcase and unplugged his cell phone charger.

“One last question.” Teo zipped up his suitcase and turned to Amy. “Where’s your heart? Do you even know what’s real? Or is life to you one big fucking stage?”