Sex, Gossip and Rock & Roll

CHAPTER THREE

CHARLI cranked up the stereo as they left the city traffic behind, hoping Luca would get the hint. She’d tried telling him to his face; it had done nothing. Maybe the subtle approach would work better?

Yeah, and maybe he’d shut up for the duration of the tour. Absolutely no chance.

Ever since he’d kissed her she’d avoided looking at him; couldn’t look at him, really, not without staring at his mouth. And if she did that. She could verbally flay him all she liked but her eyes couldn’t lie. One look and he’d know exactly how his kiss affected her: rattled beyond belief.

Forget the fact she hadn’t had a date in nine months let alone a hint of a smooch. Abstinence couldn’t explain her irrational, overwhelming urge to keep kissing him until they were breathless, the urge to run her hands all over him, the urge to tear her clothes off and straddle him and let him prove to her if half of what she’d read about his playboy reputation was true.

A car overtook them on the freeway, the four-wheel-drive’s tail-lights seeming to wink at her and she blinked. Even damn inanimate objects were laughing at her expense.

How stupid could she be? The kiss meant nothing, was more of the same teasing he’d been doing ever since she’d had the misfortune to knock on his hotel door.

For some unknown reason he’d wanted to rile her the second he’d opened the door to her wearing a towel and that infuriatingly cocky smile. So far, he’d done a good job of it. He’d flirted with her, insulted her and kissed her, all within the first hour. Didn’t bode well for the rest of the fortnight.

‘We nearly there yet?’

‘What are you? Four?’

Slowing to let a truck pass, she smirked. ‘Silly me, that’s just your IQ.’

He chuckled, a low, throaty sound that rippled over her like soft velvet.

‘I love it when you’re feisty.’

‘I love it when you’re silent.’

She turned up the music, unconsciously humming along with her favourite pop ballad. Of course he had to go one better, singing along in perfect tune, the lyrics sounding like erotic pillow talk tripping from his lips.

She gulped, her hands clenching the steering wheel so tight her knuckles stood out. A hot flush started somewhere in the vicinity of her belly and spread upwards and outwards, burning her up from the inside out as he crooned about touching and pleasure and all night long.

‘Interesting taste in music,’ he said when the song thankfully ended and she sighed in relief.

‘I like pop. Didn’t peg you for a fan, though.’

‘Why’s that?’

‘Don’t guys go in for heavier stuff?’

She jumped when he reached across and squeezed her hand on the gear stick.

‘Thought you’d have figured out by now, I’m not your average guy.’

‘No, you’re more annoying than most.’

Though that was a lie. Sure, he’d done his best to wind her up when they first met, was still doing it in fact, but he wasn’t annoying so much as intriguing. And that was what made her mad; that she’d been all set to dislike him, and every time he opened his mouth only reinforced the fact, but she couldn’t.

He was the first guy in ages to pique her interest, to make her want to retaliate. The first guy to make her body tingle from top to toe, to make her skin prickle with awareness, to make her yearn for more than a teasing brush of his lips.

‘Why don’t you admit it?’

Grateful she had to focus on the freeway, she didn’t need to look his way to hear the laughter in his voice.

‘Admit what?’

‘That I’m growing on you.’

‘Yeah, like fungus.’

‘Now who’s the child? Didn’t that one get used around third grade?’

‘Should be about your level, then.’

She saw him recline his seat out of the corner of her eye and wriggle around to get comfortable before clasping his hands behind his head.

‘You know, I’ve been around the block a few times. Dated princesses, movie stars, models. But you, you’re something else.’

She didn’t know if he’d just complimented or insulted her but the thought of him being with all those women served as a wake-up call. He’d said it himself. He’d been around and no way was she foolish enough to become another string on his guitar.

‘So you’ve slept around a lot. Doesn’t make you a good judge of women.’

‘Who said anything about sleeping around?’

She blushed, hating how she’d have to dig herself out of this one.

‘You did—’

‘I said dating. Not the same thing. Do you sleep with all the guys you date?’

‘‘Course not!’

Besides, she’d have to date to have a chance at sleeping with them and she’d been so busy these past few years, proving herself, proving to Hector he hadn’t made a mistake taking in a scruff like her, she’d had limited down time. When she had dated she’d chosen guys so removed from her past that once they got beyond the first few dates she found they had nothing in common.

Ironic, the cool musos who once held so much appeal left her dead now. She’d seen what that world could do, the havoc it wrought if you got caught up in the glamour and the rush, and thankfully she’d never been inclined to date Landry’s clientele.

‘You seeing anyone?’

‘Like that’d stop you,’ she muttered, shooting him a withering glance as he held up his hands in surrender.

‘Hey, I like a challenge but I don’t poach.’

‘What’s it to you anyway?’

Her heart stuttered when he leaned across, their shoulders brushing, and it took all her concentration to focus on the freeway and not land them in a ditch.

‘We’re both single. We’re stuck together for this tour. We’re attracted to each other. You do the math.’

‘One plus one equals a bit fat zero?’