Wonderlust (Steel Roses #1) (24 page)

“You can’t throw this all on me!”

“You’re working
here
, Nat. Do you really need to think about it? You could leave with me right now.”

“It’s my
birthday
! I have things to do! I’m out with my parents tonight, too.”

“You’re parents are back in London?” he questioned.

“Yes.”

“Can I meet them?”

“Umm…NO!”

“Why not?” he pouted, leaning back against the desk. It was difficult not to admire the way his T-shirt strained against his abs.

“I think you turning up at my birthday meal would give them a heart attack.”

“I can be charming. Where are you having your meal? I could join you.”

“That’s
not
happening!”

“I fly back to LA in the morning, Straight Lace. I’m not leaving without a fight.” Was this just about my job or was it something more?

“David is coming tonight, too.”

“I gathered he would be. He’s the
boyfriend
after all.” I tried not to wince at his words but failed. He was far from that! “He’s
not
the boyfriend?” Alex asked with interest, tilting his head.

“Things are complicated.” Shrugging, I looked at my watch. “I need to get back to work, Alex.”

“You’re throwing me out when I’ve made all this effort for your birthday? Oh, by the way…did you get my gift?”

“Yes,” I blushed. “It was very thoughtful of you. Thank you.”

“I know how much you love watching the sky at night. I’ve been wanting to buy you one for a while now.” Was he trying to say that he’d been thinking about me these last few months? ”Can I see you after your meal at least?” His eyes were begging me, and I didn’t have the strength to deny him. The things he did in LA were done out of jealousy. It didn’t excuse him for sleeping with Maddison, but it did give me hope. We needed to talk. I had to tell him that he had gotten the phone call he’d overheard all wrong.

“Are you staying at a hotel in London?”

“Yes, The Dorchester.” We grinned at each other. The hotel where it all started. “I promise not to get into your panties unless you want me to this time, though.”

“Who said I was even going to visit you?” I teased, nudging him.

“I’ll turn up at the restaurant,” he threatened darkly, moving to pin me against the desk. I swallowed, holding in a groan at the feel of him so close after so long. “Come back and work for me, Straight Lace. I need you to keep me balanced.” Taking a stray lock of my hair, he twisted it around his finger. “You can’t be as serious about David as you think. You’re not even working for him.”

“It’s not serious with him,” I blurted out, lost in the deepness of Alex’s eyes. I’d forgotten how beautiful they were. Clear, crystal blue.

“But I heard you…”

“You heard wrong, Alex. I’m not in love with David. There’s nothing between us anymore. It’s just sex.”

“Then who were you talking about on the phone? I
heard
you, Nat! You said you loved someone and that you’d have to let the other guy down gently!”

“Alex, I don’t want to do this right now! You’ve disrupted my day enough. I’ll come and see you at The Dorchester after my meal tonight.”

“Do you promise? I need answers.”

“Yes!” I laughed at his adorable pout. God, did I miss those lips. “Now go! Before your fans tear this office apart!” The shouting and screaming outside was getting louder. I was in fear for his safety if he stayed any longer.

“You better turn up, Straight Lace.”

“I will! Go!” I laughed. Leaning in, he gently kissed my cheek before walking over to the door.

“I’ll see you later. Have a nice meal.”

Shane was waiting outside with the entire building’s security team. “You ready?” he asked Alex, darting his eyes at me. Alex nodded. “We’ll take the fire escape. Nice to see you again, Nat.”

“You’ll see her later. She’s going to drop by the hotel,” Alex commented.

“I’ll make sure security knows.” Shane turned to talk to one of the men beside him, and with one last glance in my direction, Alex was led away.

I didn’t get much work done after he left the building. All the women in the office were asking how I knew him, then one of them realized that I’d been his new PA and wouldn’t stop hassling me for his number.

“Will you be back on Monday, Nat?” Neil asked, watching me collect my bag at the end of the day. “I didn’t realize your previous job was working with Alex Harbour from Steel Roses.”

“Yeah, sorry. I forgot to write that down on my application form.”

“Why did you leave?”

Looking at him, I had no answer. “I don’t know.” Alex hadn’t set out to hurt me. Like me, he’d been guarding his heart. “Actually, Neil, I don’t think I’ll be back after today,” I muttered suddenly. I knew what I had to do. I was going to be on that flight with Alex tomorrow morning, no matter what.

“You look stunning, Nat. Is that dress new?” David asked, greeting me outside the fancy restaurant.

“No, I bought it in LA,” I replied, walking inside the restaurant and looking for my parents. It was actually the first dress Alex had bought me, but David didn’t need to know that. I spotted my parents in the bar area, sitting on one of the comfortable purple couches.

“My
Bambina
!” my mother cooed, pulling me into her arms as she stood up. “I can’t believe you’re thirty!”

“Me either, Mum.” Rolling my eyes, I looked over at my father. “Hi, Daddy.”

“Happy Birthday, Natty!” he beamed as I reached for him. “You look beautiful.”

We had a drink in the bar while the waitress took our order, then we were shown to our table. I frowned, noticing we’d been seated at a table with five chairs instead of four.

“How’s business, David?” my mother questioned, placing her napkin on her lap.

“Good. I signed an exciting new act today, and I’m still hoping your daughter will agree to come back and work for me so we can be a proper team again.”

“Nat, that’s wonderful! Why haven’t you agreed?” she asked, confused.

“Because I’ve asked her to come back and work for me, too.” I choked on my sip of water at the voice behind me. This wasn’t happening. Slowly, I turned around. Alex was stood right behind me in a blue suede suit with a white shirt that had the top three buttons undone. Alex didn’t do ties, after all.
Don’t drool. DO. NOT. DROOL!
“I’m hoping she’ll realize I’m the better offer.” Taking his sunglasses off, he took a seat opposite me. What was he doing here? I had specifically told him
not
to turn up! Goddamn rock stars!

“
Oh, mio Dio
!” my mother gasped. You could always tell she was gob smacked when she spoke in Italian.

“You must be Natasha’s parents. It’s wonderful to meet you.” Alex held his hand out to my father. “I’m Alex Harbour, rock star extraordinaire.” I held in a chuckle at my dad's shocked face before watching my mother almost pass out as Alex kissed the top of her hand. “Now I can see where Natasha gets her beauty from.”

“Oh, Nat, I like him,” she giggled over at me. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Alex.”

It was wrong of me, but I’d forgotten that David was sitting next to me. It was only when he squeezed my knee that I remembered.

“I don’t seem to recall you being invited, Alex,” he spat, shooting daggers at him. “And if you think Natasha will be taking your offer, you’re mistaken!”

“I think that decision is up to Nat. Wouldn’t you agree?” I wanted the ground to swallow me up. My parents sat watching eagerly as the two men argued over me.

“You can’t just show up like this! What fucking right do you have?!”

“Nat and I have unfinished business. If I want to come and see her for her birthday, I will!” David quickly rose from his chair, but I stood up and put my hand on his chest.

“Don’t,” I pleaded. “Not here. Not tonight. You know what he means to me,” I whispered. His shoulders slumped as he nodded.

“The timing has always been wrong with us,” he sighed, running his hands through my hair. “I could have made you happy. You know that, right?”

“I know, but things change. I was wrong about him, David.” He looked over my shoulder at Alex, who was stood right behind me now.

“You’re leaving with him?” David asked.

“I don’t know.” Tears were stinging the corner of my eyes.

“We need to talk, Nat,” Alex said softly. “You need to make a decision.”

“I was going to do that
after
my meal!” My anger flared at his words. This was what Alex did to me. I turned around and shoved his chest hard. “But just like everything else, you had to have your own way! You couldn’t let me do it
my
way! You selfish son of a bitch!”

“We can have this discussion somewhere more private, or we can do it right here. It’s up to you.” Alex clenched his jaw, looking over my shoulder at David and my parents. All the hurt and frustration bubbled to the surface.

“No, you’ve barged in on
my
birthday meal. Let’s do it right here! What do you have to say for yourself and your disgusting behavior back in LA?” I gave him my best bitch brow and waited for his answer.

“I wasn’t prepared to lose you again, Nat. Fuck! Do you have any idea what you mean to me?” He grabbed my arms and pinned them to my side. “I’ve been sitting in my hotel room trying to work it all out. If that call I heard wasn’t about David, it could only be about one other person. I’m scared shitless that I’m wrong, though.” Sobbing, I looked down at the floor. What did it matter? He was never going to return my love. “Straight Lace?” Lifting my face, he softly traced my bottom lip with his thumb. “If you come back to LA, I can’t promise you a fairy tale. I can’t say that I won’t fuck up from time to time, but I
can
promise that I’ll fall for you, if you’ll let me. I’m already half way there. You’ve gotten to me, Nat. Can’t you see that? I used to have this reoccurring nightmare where I was wandering down a back alley alone with nothing but my guitar strapped to my back. The path never ended, and I couldn’t leave it. I was always trapped. Those nightmares stopped the moment you began to share my bed. You must be able to see what you’ve done to me…what you
mean
to me. ” I was sure I’d stopped breathing. Tears were falling down my face. Everyone in the restaurant seemed to have stopped what they were doing so they could watch us.

“I…I need to get some air,” I gasped, holding my stomach as I quickly rushed outside.

Bracing myself against the wall, I took deep breaths. Alex Harbour had just admitted that he was falling for me! My insides were about to burst with happiness.

“It seems you have some big choices to make,” my mother stated, wrapping a jacket over my shoulders.

“I can’t put all my hopes and dreams in the hands of a rock star, can I?”

“You’re looking at him in the wrong way, Nat. What I just witnessed was a man confessing that he is falling for a woman. If you love him, go get him!” She winked, kissing my forehead.

“What about David?”

“Stop looking for excuses. Don’t run away this time. You’ll regret it. David will understand and in time move on.”

“I thought you were against me seeing Alex.”

“I was…” She looked back into the restaurant at Alex, who seemed to be deep in conversation with my father. I couldn’t see David. Had he left already? “…but watching him confess to you, looking at the affection in his eyes, that man is falling in love with you, Nat. He wants only you.”

“I want him too. So much,” I sobbed.

“Oh, Natty! Don’t cry. It’s your birthday.” Wrapping her arms around me, she kissed my hair.

“Nat, if this is too much and you want me to leave, just say so,” Alex called while I was still in my mother's arms.

“I’ll leave you two to talk.” My mother stroked my face, wiping my tear stained cheeks. “If you do decide to leave the country, please come and say goodbye first.” I had to laugh at her words.

Alex stood there with his hands in his pockets. “I was hoping for a better reaction when I admitted my feelings to you, Straight Lace. You fleeing out here isn’t giving me much hope.”

“You took me by surprise, that’s all. I…I never expected…” I shook my head, taking a seat on the bench behind me. This was insane. Alex couldn’t be falling in love with
me.

“You didn’t expect what?” he asked, sitting next to me.

“You…having…feelings for me!”

“Well, I do, so you’re going to have to deal with it. I know it might make working for me awkward, but we can figure something out. I meant what I said. If I can only have your friendship, I’ll take it. I’ll control my feelings somehow.”

Taking a deep breath, I let the words fall out. It was time to be brave. No more running. “We don’t need to work anything out, Alex. I was talking to my mother that night when you overheard me.” I swallowed heavily as he hung on my every word. I’d never held a man's attention like this before. “It was the first time I admitted to her that I was in love with you. I…I tried so hard to protect my heart, but you’ve taken it. There’s no going back for me. I’ll come back to LA with you. I’d follow you anywhere.” The breath was knocked out of me as he crashed his lips against mine. My hands molded into his hair and I groaned into his mouth.

“Do you have any idea what those words mean to me?” His lips were still against mine. “All this time, I’d believed it was the suit that you wanted, not me. It’s been driving me crazy, picturing the two of you together.”

“It’s you, Alex. You’re the man I want,” I muttered against his lips. He pulled me even closer, inhaling my scent.

“I’m going to fall in love with you, Straight Lace. You’ll be the only woman that can break me. Are you ready for that?” Pulling back, I looked into his eyes. He seemed fearful of my answer. When I touched the side of his face, he tilted his head, rubbing his cheek against the palm of my hand.

“I’m ready, Alex, for anything. Don’t look so afraid.” He half smiled and nodded before pressing his lips once more against mine.

“Nice room,” I mused, taking in the massive suite at The Dorchester.

“This was the suite I was staying in the day of the interviews.” Oh! “After I met you, I rolled around in
that
bed and made a right fucking mess.” I was burning, watching the hunger in his eyes. “I came so fucking hard, Straight Lace, and I’d only just met you. That’s why I called you that night. I couldn’t let you go. I
had
to have you. You had to be
my
girl!”

“You have me, Alex.” I closed the small distance between us, running my hands down his chest. “You’ve
always
had me.”

He moaned, backing me against the wall and grinding his erection into my center. “I’ve missed the feel of your body against mine.” As he lifted me by my butt and began to trail kisses down my throat, I wrapped my legs around his waist. “I’m not going to fuck you this time, Nat.” I was about to protest but he continued. “I’m going to make love to you. It’s been so fucking long since I’ve felt this way.” He seemed conflicted, maybe even scared. Who had broken his heart? I was desperate to find out.

“You’ll need to get me out of this dress first, then,” I whispered, pulling on his earlobe with my teeth to bring his mind back to the present. Sliding down his body, I turned around and stood while he slowly undid the zipper on my dress.

“Did you get dressed up like this for that fucker in the suit?” Alex questioned, letting the dress fall down my body so it pooled at my feet. I was standing there in my black lace underwear and stockings

“No,” I panted as he ran his fingertips down my back, stopping at the top of my black lace knickers. “This was all for you.” He was kneeling at my feet within seconds, his nose pressed against my panty-covered sex. I placed my hands on his shoulders to keep my balance.

“Fucking beautiful,” he cooed, inhaling. I was about to combust, looking at him kneeling before me like this. “Watch me, Straight Lace.” Painfully slow, he hooked his fingers into my underwear and pulled them down my legs. “Don’t break eye contact with me or you’ll be in trouble,” he teased, blowing on my overheated sex. I squirmed, my hands weaving into his hair as he took one lick against my clit. His attack was relentless but loving. He was worshipping me. When I eventually came, my legs buckled beneath me, but Alex was there to catch me and carry me to the bed. As I watched him strip in front of me, it suddenly dawned on me that I didn’t want any barriers between us. I’d been on the pill for years, and was always careful with protection on the occasions I had slept with someone. I was sure Alex would have been careful too.

“I’m on contraception if you wanted to…you know…” Why was I blushing?

“Are you saying I can go bareback?” he beamed, stroking himself. I subconsciously licked my lips. “I haven’t done that in years!”

“I’m safe. I presume you get checked regularly?”

“I don’t have any hideous diseases, if that’s what you’re getting at,” he chuckled, grabbing my ankles and pulling my legs apart. “Fuck, you have such a pretty pussy. I’m going to name her.”

I giggle snorted. “It’s got to go with Jackhammer. The two of them belong together.”

“Too fucking right they do,” he grunted, thrusting inside me, taking me by surprise. “Fuck, right now I’m thinking of calling her the Penis Fly Trap. Shit, you feel good.” I shouldn't have been laughing this much during sex, I was sure of it.

“Ungh, that doesn’t go with Jack…hammer, and stop making me laugh,” I gasped as he set a slow, gentle pace inside me. “What about Kitty?”

“Pretty Kitty. Mmmm…I like it.” I knew this conversation was over the moment he captured my lips with his. I clung to him as he began a faster pace. His lips and hands explored everywhere they could on my body, and when we finally climaxed, it was as one.

“Are you ready for all of this?” Alex questioned. I was currently lying on his chest, exhausted but sated. We’d been making love for hours, reconnecting in a way I’d never experienced before. “Matt, Cody, and Mason can be a right bunch of assholes like me. ”