Part 24 (1/2)

”You know you're staring?” Wexler says in a voice that I have to inch closer to hear.

”You know you're an incredibly famous rock star?” I whisper back. ”Staring is kind of the law.”

Wexler laughs then, leaning back in his chair, looking at me as if I'm something he was surprised to find. Or maybe it's a move. I've had a lot of practice playing this kind of game with Stu, but he was my equal. Wexler is not, in any way shape or form, my equal.

But he does appear to be playing down at my level. For now. ”Is that all I am to you? An incredibly famous rock star?”

It's clear he's mocking himself, not me.

”Are you meant to be anything else?”

”I thought we were bonding here. Becoming friends. Exchanging revenge stories, revealing devastating ways we've broken hearts...”

”I think you might have broken more than me,” I say.

Wexler narrows his eyes and I see a flash of white as he bites his lower lip. His eyes are so piercing it's as if he's looking right into my fantasies.

”It's quality, Ruby, not quant.i.ty.” Then he goes to get up, pausing as he stoops near. ”And something tells me you're quality through and through.” He stays close, letting me hear him breathe. I'm aware that his mouth is getting closer to my ear and then he gives my earlobe not a kiss but a gentle pinch of teeth and a light tug. A fraction of a second later, he flashes me an entirely wicked grin that makes my insides quiver as he gets up to go to the bar. ”We've time for one more...”

Once I'm alone, I hold my hand out flat. Or at least I try to it's more than a little bit shaky. As is the rest of me.

I can't believe this is happening. He is so very s.e.xy.

Watching him come back with two pints of beer, my heart plummets between my legs and thumps there insistently. Wexler puts the drinks down and runs a finger along my wrist as if getting my attention, then presses my unspent tenner into my palm.

”My stage call's in fifteen minutes.” How is that the time? ”No one's allowed stage-side.”

As if I thought that was on the cards. A nibble on the earlobe might be five-star flirting, but it's not a promotion from fan to entourage.

”I'll be fine watching the normal way, at the front of the stage,” I say.

Wexler drinks some of his beer. I drink some of mine. I'm feeling a little woozy. I drink some more.

”So you won't be coming backstage afterwards?” he asks.

I drink again, because it's easier than using actual words when he's looking at me like that.

”Because I'd like it if you were.” Seriously, is this actually happening? ”I feel like I'm the one doing all the talking here.”

And he comes closer, moving his chair forwards until his leg is between mine, his face filling my vision with his s.e.xy eyes and lips.

And then I lose my mind, because I, Ruby Kalinski, go in for a kiss. WITH ADAM f.u.c.kING WEXLER.

26 * FIND MY WAY BACK

RUBY.

I feel like one of those wooden donkeys with tubes for legs held straight by taut strings that collapse when you press a b.u.t.ton. Taut, loose, taut, loose. If I wasn't concentrating so hard on walking, I'd probably slide sideways and fall right over.

That last beer hit me hard. Or that kiss.

I can't work out which I find harder to believe: that I went in for a snog with a rock G.o.d or that he actually kissed me back.

Adam Wexler. Kissed me.

Suddenly my legs are very loose and I have to stop for a second.

With tongues.

Now my whole body appears to have gone floppy.

Such a hot kiss.

It barely seems real given how many times I've fantasized about it, but I suck my bottom lip into my mouth and run my tongue across the most tender part, where his tooth scored the skin.

Definitely real.

I've come over all fuggy. Beer? Suns.h.i.+ne? l.u.s.t?

My brain is incapable of sensible thought. My mouth incapable of sensible action.

I am all over incapable of sensible anything.

But then I've never been the sensible one.

I need to find Kaz...

KAZ.

”Where's Ruby?” Lauren asks when I tell her it's time to go. ”I thought Gold'ntone was going to be the highlight of her year?”

When we tell the others where we're going, Ferris rolls his eyes and Nick comes out with, ”Blinded by your v.a.g.i.n.as, like everyone else.” Which earns him a punch on the arm from Eve.

”Don't be a d.i.c.k.” Eve smiles at me. ”Some men feel threatened by hotness.”

”Who says I'm threatened?” Nick looks outraged. ”I know I'm hot. I wouldn't have landed a girl as gorgeous as you otherwise.”