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“Lola.”
Dion had the kind of velvety voice that made a woman’s panties wet, and I was no exception. Even as hungover as he was, he still oozed the kind of sex appeal that never quite made it to his pictures. He was all dark good looks and unbridled animalistic sexuality. Just the way he said my name in that breathy voice made something heat up inside of me. Turning around so I could do something, anything but look into his too beautiful face, I busied myself making the coffee. I didn’t bother asking him how he took it; I didn’t trust myself to speak just yet. But it occurred to me that I should probably have known how he took his coffee before thinking about marrying him.
Without meaning to, I giggled.
“Want to let me in on the joke?” Dion’s breath moved the hair at the back of my neck, and I shivered before I could help myself. “Lola?”
“Stop saying my name like that, Dion.” Clanging the spoon against the edge of the cup, I felt him grimace behind me, so I did it again, louder this time.
“Lola, stop. It’s like a needle through my brain.” He took a step backwards, his fingers massaging his temples, and I grinned.
“Good. The state you were in last night...hey!” I squeaked as he touched me, his fingers brushing against mine as he took the steamy cup from my hand. I tried to steady my voice. “You shouldn’t get like that, Dion. Something could have happened to you. Elodie told me you were doing better.” I internally cursed myself because for a second there, I thought he was going to take my hand. Maybe even bring it to his lips. Some romantic, idiotic thing that I had no place imagining. This was Dion Granger. He didn’t do romantic. No, he ruined a girl’s life without even meaning to. He may as well have taken mine out with a sledgehammer.
“It's almost like you care,” he murmured. Then slowly, almost like he was giving me a chance to move away from him, he reached around me to place the still full coffee mug on the counter at my back. When I didn’t move away, he kept his hand there, trapping me between him and the granite worktop. “I thought this was a nightmare?” His voice dropped, and my panties almost went with it. That’s how much of an effect he had on me, even when he looked like he had crawled through rubbish and smelt just as bad.
“It is a nightmare, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about what happens to you, Dion.” Staring at the patch of chest that was level with my eyes seemed like the safest option. Except it wasn’t. Looking at any part of Dion’s body was dangerous. But especially the parts I’d kissed. It would be so easy to bring my lips back to that spot. The one just above his left nipple…maybe let my tongue trail down, and…
Nope.
My head snapped up, and his eyes crinkled knowingly at the corners. Not that looking at his face was any better. He had the most kissable lips I’d ever seen.
“I like it that you care...” His lips lowered, and I had a choice. I could let him kiss me, and if I did that, we both knew exactly where it would lead. And I wasn’t talking about the bedroom either. Repeating the last few months of hell wasn’t something I was keen on doing.
“I’ve missed you, Lola. Louis said you didn’t want to speak to me, but I’ve gone to call you so many fucking times.”
His words sparked something inside of me. Something I had kept buried down deep. Hope. Hope that our few hours together might have meant something to him. Not that it mattered anymore. I had been overwhelmed by him. In the words of Isla back in Vegas, I had been star struck. But I wasn’t any of those things anymore. If the last few months had taught me anything, it was that I wasn’t made for the life of a rockstar’s woman. I didn’t want any of it. Fame was a poisoned chalice in my eyes – being involved with a man like Dion would only lead to my downfall.
And that meant what had happened at The Summit Awards with Dion could never happen again. No matter what, I had to stand firm with my knickers firmly on. Hell, I’d glue them to my ass if I needed to.
I could not survive round two with the sinfully, drop–dead gorgeous lead singer of Dionysus Rising.
“I do care, Dion…” I whispered, my eyes not leaving his. “And it’s because I care that I’m going to tell you this.” A smile twitched at the corner of my mouth. “You stink. Go take a shower.”
* * *
“I hope you don’t mind, but I borrowed your…” Dion paused in the doorway of the living room, his last words trailing off as he came face to face with Erik and Jax sitting on the couch next to Elodie. It was clear from the expression of utter shock on his face that he hadn’t heard them come in. There was a moment of embarrassment on Dion’s face at being caught in a woman’s bathrobe, and then he shrugged his wide shoulders. Unfortunately, the movement just loosened the belt at his waist even more. A tantalising triangle of tanned chest appeared, and I looked away guiltily. My hand reached up to rub over my lips to make sure I’d not drooled.
“If that gapes any more, Dion,” Erik said before sipping his coffee and eyeing the lead singer of the band he had helped make superstars, “then you might as well be buck naked. And none of us want to see that.”
Next to Jax, Elodie leant forward, her elbows on her knees. There was a mischievous look on her face. “Oh, I don’t know. I think the whole purple frilly thing suits him.” She winked, and the laugh I had been holding in spluttered out, along with the coffee I had been drinking.
Jax bristled and let out a little huff. “Woman.”
She gave him a smile before pulling his head down to hers, and I had to look away as the chaste kiss they shared between them grew into something more. “You know it looks better on you,” she purred.
Dion’s mouth fell open. “It's…” His eyes darted to mine, and it took all of my power not to laugh at the look of bewilderment on his face. “It’s not yours?”
Shaking my head, I raised my coffee cup to salute him. “It’s El’s, although I’m pretty sure it’s more Jax’s nowadays.”
“Well, damn, sorry, El. I thought it was Lola’s. I’ll just…” His hands went to the thin belt.
Jax moved with lightning speed, pressing both his hands over Elodie’s eyes. “I swear to God, if you get naked right here, I’m going to break your perfect teeth. Elodie doesn’t need to see your junk.”
“No fair, Jax,” Elodie whined theatrically. “I’ve seen his junk before, you know.” She prized his hands from her face. “Skinny dipping, remember?”
I looked at her blankly. Skinny dipping? When did that happen? She had told me all sorts of stories about her few weeks on the road with Dionysus Rising, but she hadn’t mentioned anything about skinny dipping. Jealousy blossomed in my chest, making it feel tight. My cheeks flamed red, and I glanced away. I had no reason to be jealous. There was nothing between El and Dion. She was with Jax. And even if it had happened before they got together, I had no right to be jealous.
“I would prefer not to see.” I managed to force the words out in the most nonchalant voice I could muster. It was a poor attempt to hide my growing unease. “Seeing Dion full frontal is not on today's to do list.”
