Authors: Julia London
American Diva (5 page)
They had stopped moving; they were barely swaying. Jack was gazing into her eyes, his gone dark with desire. His hand pressed against the small of her back; the fingers of his other hand splayed across her cheek and her jaw, holding her there as he lowered his head to kiss her.
She sighed with pleasure into his mouth as his lips touched hers. His hand skimmed her cheek and neck as he dipped his tongue into her mouth. It was a tentative kiss, soft and tender, but startled Audrey’s entire body into a vicious sort of longing.
She moaned deep in her throat, and his hands were suddenly cupping her face, his kiss gone from tentative to ravenous. He nipped at her lips and tongue, swirled his tongue in her mouth. A damp heat began to build between Audrey’s legs. His kiss knocked her back, sent her tumbling with an astonishing desire to feel him hard inside her. The strength of her desire matched his, pressed against her belly and in the way he held her.
He released one hand from her face, caressed her body, his hand sliding down the curve of her hip and up again, to the side of her breast. He took her breast in his hand, squeezing it, feeling it, and Audrey could feel it swell in his palm. Her imagination was running wild now, and she pressed against his hard cock, moving suggestively.
But then the song changed, and Audrey’s own voice was penetrating her consciousness.
He had her on his iPod
. It was “Frantic,” the title song from her new album, the single just released. He’d lied—he knew very well who she was, and with an instinctive, protective gasp—she really couldn’t trust
anyone
—Audrey rocked backward, away from his mouth and his hand.
. It was “Frantic,” the title song from her new album, the single just released. He’d lied—he knew very well who she was, and with an instinctive, protective gasp—she really couldn’t trust
anyone
—Audrey rocked backward, away from his mouth and his hand.
She looked up, into Jack’s eyes, and saw the hunger shimmering in them. She felt that hunger just as palpably, but took another step backward, stumbling a little when the iPod earbud yanked free of her ear, and then another step—until she was out of his reach. “I thought you’d never heard of me.”
Jack sighed. “I lied.”
“
Why?
”
Why?
”
“Good question,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t really know, to tell you the truth.”
“You don’t
know
?” she repeated angrily. “I thought I was safe with you!”
know
?” she repeated angrily. “I thought I was safe with you!”
That seemed to surprise him. “You
are
safe with me. I would never do anything you didn’t want—”
are
safe with me. I would never do anything you didn’t want—”
“I don’t want this!” she snapped, and started walking almost blindly as a rush of shame and indignation and desire filled her.
“Audrey, wait—
hey!
Let me drive you back!”
hey!
Let me drive you back!”
“No thanks!” she shouted. Her mind swam with confusion; her body
still
pulsed from his touch. She’d made a terrible mistake, a stupid, horrible mistake.
still
pulsed from his touch. She’d made a terrible mistake, a stupid, horrible mistake.
“Are you okay?” he called after her.
She didn’t answer, just walked as fast as she could to her ATV.
She cranked it up and turned it onto the larger path leading to the other side of the island. There was a space of about twenty feet where the trees and palms opened and she could see the beach clearly. He was standing right where she’d left him, his hands on his hips, a dark swath of hair across his brow, watching her. She sped up, hitting a bump in the road so hard that she bit her lip.
“Dammit!” she spat, and drove on into the night.
When she returned to her room in the cottage—skirting around the pool area, where the party was, apparently, still going strong—she’d hardly fit her key in the door before it was pulled open.
Lucas was standing on the other side in his boxers. “Where have you been?” he asked, his brown eyes widening at the cut on her lip. “What happened to you?”
The flush of shame bled into her cheeks and she looked down, sweeping past him. “Nothing,” she said. She’d never been unfaithful. Even though there was a lack of intimacy and other problems between her and Lucas, she had
never
been unfaithful, and it galled her that she’d come so close.
never
been unfaithful, and it galled her that she’d come so close.
But Lucas stopped her with his hand on her arm—a hand that was surprisingly much smaller than Jack’s—and made her look up.
He frowned and brushed his thumb across her bottom lip, wiping the blood away. “What happened to you?” he asked again.
“
Nothing
,” she said, wrapping her fingers around his wrist and pulling his hand from her face. “I just bit my lip. That’s all.”
Nothing
,” she said, wrapping her fingers around his wrist and pulling his hand from her face. “I just bit my lip. That’s all.”
He nodded, glanced at her lip again, then turned away and pushed a hand through his mouse brown hair. “Are you tired?”
Audrey dragged the back of her hand across her mouth where he’d touched her as she walked into the bathroom. “Yes,” she said. “It’s been a long weekend.”
“Okay. We can talk tomorrow when you’re rested.”
Talk
. Audrey sighed and braced herself with both arms against the sink. “Talk about what?” she called from the bathroom.
. Audrey sighed and braced herself with both arms against the sink. “Talk about what?” she called from the bathroom.
“About the play list for the next album,” he said. “I don’t know how you feel about this, but I’d like to include the ballad I wrote.”
In the safety of the bathroom walls, Audrey closed her eyes and let her head drop between her arms in frustration. “It’s not really a ballad-y sort of album, do you think, Lucas?”
“No, not really . . . but I was thinking we can change my piece up a little. You know, give it a little juice. It would be a nice tie-in to my album.”
But you don’t have an album!
she raged in her head. Yet she said, “Sure,” and picked up a washcloth, wetting it. God, she was so tired. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep. But when she did crawl into bed a few minutes later—leaving Lucas to pore over his sheet music—all she could seem to think of was Jack Price, the way his body had felt against hers, the way he’d kissed her with such demanding passion.
she raged in her head. Yet she said, “Sure,” and picked up a washcloth, wetting it. God, she was so tired. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep. But when she did crawl into bed a few minutes later—leaving Lucas to pore over his sheet music—all she could seem to think of was Jack Price, the way his body had felt against hers, the way he’d kissed her with such demanding passion.
Another shiver coursed through her spine, and Audrey rolled over, squeezed her eyes shut.
Just get me off this island
, she thought.
Just get me off this island
, she thought.
The boats came for the guests at ten sharp the next morning. Some of them were still dressed in the loud floral print shirts and baggy shorts they’d worn the night before and stumbled barefoot onto the beach, clutching a bottle of booze in one hand.
More than one party animal had to be escorted by staff to the waiting boats and deposited gingerly on the white cushioned seats below.
Marty Weiss, the birthday boy, was one of the last to come out of the compound, and only after several sharp warnings from his wife. He winced at the sight of Carol standing and waiting by the golf cart that would whisk them down to the beach and the boats. Her mascara was smudged beneath her eyes, and her unnaturally blond hair was standing practically on end. From where he stood, it looked like she’d buttoned her Hawaiian shirt wrong, and he wondered only mildly where
she’d
been all night.
she’d
been all night.
He hated to leave the island—he’d had the time of his life here. He glanced nostalgically around, and spied Audrey LaRue coming out the back door of the cottage where she had stayed. She was wearing linen trousers and a halter top and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. The woman was beautiful, he thought with a sigh. Just gorgeous.
He glanced back at Carol, who had shifted her full weight onto one hip, one hand on her waist, glaring at him. He gave her a tentative wave, then instantly started in Audrey’s direction.
Marty scarcely gave Audrey time to register his presence before grabbing her up in a big bear hug and lifting her off her feet. “Thank you,” he said earnestly. “
Thank
you, thank you, thank you!”
Thank
you, thank you, thank you!”
“You’re welcome,” she said, pushing against him. “Will you please put me down?”
He put her down, held her at arm’s length, and beamed at her. “You’re really marvelous, Audrey. Do you think that—”
“
Marty!
”
Marty!
”
Carol had snuck up directly behind him, judging by the blast of her voice that rang in his ears and made him jump through his skin. “The
boat
is
leaving
,” she said, practically foaming at the mouth. “So unless Miss
LaRue
is going to fly you in a private plane to Chicago—”
boat
is
leaving
,” she said, practically foaming at the mouth. “So unless Miss
LaRue
is going to fly you in a private plane to Chicago—”
“N-no!” Audrey LaRue quickly interjected. “I, ah . . . I
can’t
. It’s not my plane.”
can’t
. It’s not my plane.”
“It’s not?” Carol asked, momentarily distracted.
“It belongs to the record label. Not me. I have no control over the plane or who flies in it,” she said, both hands up and waving.
“
Damn
,” Marty muttered, disappointed.
Damn
,” Marty muttered, disappointed.
Carol whirled back to him, her bloodshot eyes narrowed on him. “Good
grief
, Marty! Your little birthday fantasy is
over
!”
grief
, Marty! Your little birthday fantasy is
over
!”
“And it was the best birthday of my life, Carol,” he said earnestly before turning back to Audrey. He grabbed Audrey’s hand and ignored her squeal of protest as he brought it to his lips. “
Thank you
, Audrey. You have made this the most memorable birthday—”
Thank you
, Audrey. You have made this the most memorable birthday—”
“No, Martin,
I
made this the most memorable birthday!” Carol shouted, slapping at his hand. “Stop pawing her!”
I
made this the most memorable birthday!” Carol shouted, slapping at his hand. “Stop pawing her!”
Audrey yanked her hand from his grip and smiled a little. “You take care now, Mr. Weiss,” she said, glancing uneasily at Carol.
“Take care? My whole life has been transformed—”
“Oh for God’s
sake
, Marty! She could be your granddaughter!” Carol snapped as she began marching toward the golf cart.
sake
, Marty! She could be your granddaughter!” Carol snapped as she began marching toward the golf cart.
“Not my
granddaughter
!” he shouted back, offended. “My daughter!”
granddaughter
!” he shouted back, offended. “My daughter!”
But as it was apparent that Audrey LaRue was not going to save him from traveling with a postmenopausal woman who had not slept or eaten in several hours, Marty consoled himself with the thought that he would always have the video of his birthday bash concert, as well as the pictures of him and Audrey LaRue, to remind him of his one glimpse at heaven.
And that evening, when he arrived home in Chicago, the first thing he did was head for the computer to download those photos to share with the Audrey LaRue cyber-fan club. The next thing he did was dash off a long thank-you to his friend in Hollywood.
A few days afterward, Rich Later, Audrey’s business manager, received that thank-you, forwarded to him by the friend of the friend of Marty Weiss. Rich was dressed in a vampire outfit, checking the location of the Brothers of the Night meeting, when he got the e-mail. It made him furious. Livid. As livid as he’d been when Audrey, through Lucas, had agreed to go to this fat fuck’s birthday party. It appalled him that angelic Audrey had sold out. She’d sold out, sold
herself
to that fat fuck, just like a whore.
herself
to that fat fuck, just like a whore.
Hell, maybe she
was
a whore. Maybe he had been fooled by a dirty, cheap whore. Rich was so furious that he decided to write Audrey another anonymous letter and tell her exactly how he felt about her whoring ways.
was
a whore. Maybe he had been fooled by a dirty, cheap whore. Rich was so furious that he decided to write Audrey another anonymous letter and tell her exactly how he felt about her whoring ways.
STILL WORKING THINGS OUT
(
Celebrity Insider Magazine
) Fresh off their getaway to a private island in Costa Rica where they reportedly flew to patch things up, Audrey LaRue, 28, and Lucas Bonner, 30, were spotted at a New York eatery deep in conversation. A source told
CIM
that Audrey is committed to Lucas, and has promised to cut back on the party scene. “She’s been under a lot of pressure lately and just wants to have fun,” the source said. “But Lucas is a homebody. He thinks the night scene in Los Angeles could be detrimental to her image and her career.”
Celebrity Insider Magazine
) Fresh off their getaway to a private island in Costa Rica where they reportedly flew to patch things up, Audrey LaRue, 28, and Lucas Bonner, 30, were spotted at a New York eatery deep in conversation. A source told
CIM
that Audrey is committed to Lucas, and has promised to cut back on the party scene. “She’s been under a lot of pressure lately and just wants to have fun,” the source said. “But Lucas is a homebody. He thinks the night scene in Los Angeles could be detrimental to her image and her career.”
That didn’t stop Audrey from stepping out with some gal pals. She was spotted at the popular Dime Bar in Los Angeles while Lucas was sharing a hip new sound in the music-loving capital, Austin, Texas.
In the Studio
(
Music Scene Magazine
) Audrey LaRue is back in the studio to put the finishing touches on her third album,
Frantic
, set to be released the end of this month. She is collaborating again with Lucas Bonner, who promises this album will “be a more soulful mix than the previous albums.” Fans of the extremely popular LaRue will have a chance to hear her live when she embarks on an eighteen-city tour of the U.S. in July to coincide with the album’s release.
Music Scene Magazine
) Audrey LaRue is back in the studio to put the finishing touches on her third album,
Frantic
, set to be released the end of this month. She is collaborating again with Lucas Bonner, who promises this album will “be a more soulful mix than the previous albums.” Fans of the extremely popular LaRue will have a chance to hear her live when she embarks on an eighteen-city tour of the U.S. in July to coincide with the album’s release.
Four
The
third letter Audrey received from the guy who wanted her dead was fairly graphic in the details of how he would kill her if she didn’t stop whoring.
third letter Audrey received from the guy who wanted her dead was fairly graphic in the details of how he would kill her if she didn’t stop whoring.
It was the last straw for Lucas, who had found it in the mound of mail Rich, the business manager, had brought in.
“We have to get security,” he said. “No arguments, Audrey. This is serious—this whack job could show up in one of your tour cities.”
The knot in Audrey’s stomach tightened. She’d gotten a lot of mail since she’d hit the major leagues, and some of it had been pretty weird. But nothing was quite as disturbing as the letters she’d gotten from this particular fan.
“I know just who you should get,” Mitzi, her publicist, said as she painted her nails. They were in the artist’s lounge of the recording studio, waiting for a booth to free up, along with a host of label reps and various hangers-on Audrey didn’t even question any longer.
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