Spicy (Bad Boy Rockers 2)

Eight weeks, two days and three hours. That’s the time it’s been since I last spoke to Reece. It was at Liam and Mia’s wedding and while I’d spent most of the day with Donovan, while trying to avoid being alone with Reece, I could still count the very seconds since I talked to him. Oh, he’d tried to talk to me at the wedding, but I wasn’t having any of it. He destroyed me leaving in the middle of sex to run off to another woman without one word to me.

I’d felt a connection with him from the first moment we met and it was only stronger after the afternoon spent with both Reece and Donovan. It had been Reece who, after one kiss, I’d craved like a drug.

I’ve seen him around, but we’ve not spoken. Once or twice I’ve felt his eyes on me, and looked around only to find him standing not too far away, totally transfixed on me. My heart catching every damn time.

I’m still hurt about what he did, and I’m also pissed because I find myself looking for Reece in any other guy who tries to pick me up. Which is such a pain in the fucking ass, not to mention frustrating as hell.

Well, my frustration is about to pick up a notch because Thalia and Phoenix have managed to persuade me to go and watch Deception perform on stage at a club called Kenza here in Lexington tonight. The guys have performed there about three times over the past six weeks and Thalia tells me they’re becoming popular with the Lexington crowd.

I was adamant that I didn’t want to see them on stage, but Thalia had convinced me by telling me one of my favorite groups were going to be there as well, Rebel Walking. That news basically sealed the deal.

Phoenix had driven us both here, and what a hell of a long car journey it was too, but finally arriving at our hotel and checking in didn’t leave us too long to shower and change. In fact, Phoenix had helped us up to our rooms, which are across the hall from each other, then ran to meet the guys at the club to set up.

And that is where I find myself, standing in the bathroom after a quick shower. Pebbles of water still cling to my hair as I stand in my bra and panties while trying to apply make-up. Butterflies dance in my stomach and I wonder whether or not Reece knows I’m going to be there tonight, and if he does, how will he feel about me being in his space.

Thump, thump.

I jump at the sound of someone banging on the door – probably Thalia.

“Callie, open the door.”

That’s Thalia for you, Miss. Impatient as well as my best friend and Phoenix’s fiancée. They were a cute couple, but sometimes embarrassing to be seen with in public. They couldn’t walk for five minutes without sticking their tongues down each other’s throats.

Grabbing a towel, I wrap it around myself just in case someone is passing in the hall. As soon as I start to open the door, Thalia elbows her way in, coming up short when she takes in my attire, her lips twisting into a frown. “Why aren’t you ready?” With a quick glance at her watch then back at me, she huffs out a breath. “I knew I should have told you thirty minutes earlier than what I did. You’d have been ready on time.”

Shaking my head, I disappear back into the bathroom to finish applying my mascara. Once finished, I flick my blonde hair over my shoulders and take a look at myself. I’ve always been pleased with my figure. Not that I’m arrogant about it, but my curvy hips and slim waist are nicely accentuated by my ample breasts. Unfortunately, since the morning I spent with Reece, my confidence has taken a beating and I’ve started doubting myself. Was it something I’d done? Some way that I looked? That made him leave the way he did.

Breathing deeply, I try to get back in control because tonight is going to be difficult, more so than I’ve admitted to anyone.

I can do this. I can really do this. Fuck!

Giving myself one last look in the mirror, I run my comb through my now dry hair and take a deep breath of reassurance.

I walk back out to the room and watch as Thalia lies back on my bed with her cell in hand. “What’s he saying?”

She laughs. “He says to tell you to get dressed and to get our skinny asses down to the club. He’s left passes at the door for us.” Swinging her legs from the bed, she sits up, and says, “It’s going to be okay, Callie. I don’t know what’s going on with him. I’ve seen him these past weeks and I don’t know what’s really going on, but I do know he’s missing you. Whenever your name’s mentioned he always leaves the room.” She shakes her head. “Let’s just go and get there, okay?” Smirking, she adds, “I’ll get Phoenix to introduce you to Luke, that should piss Reece off.”

P

ulling my new, short denim skirt on, I say, “I don’t want to piss him off. He has his reasons for doing what he did. Yeah, I’m still hung up on him and what he did hurts. It hurts a lot.”

I fasten the skirt and shove my arms into a deep purple tank. It comes to a stop just above my belly button. I meet Thalia’s eyes. “If I had an explanation for why he did what he did, then, maybe I’d be able to move on. But seeing him around town and knowing he’s purposely ignoring me is like a knife to my chest.”

Slipping my feet into my cowboy boots, I watch as Thalia walks over to the window and looks out into the night. She’s always there for me, through thick and thin, no matter what. My beautiful, dark haired best friend has no idea how much attention she draws to herself. I grin thinking about Phoenix’s reaction when he sees her tonight. Although I haven’t been to a Deception gig since the summer in Alabama, Thalia’s told me how he reacts when guys come around her while he’s on stage.

A couple of weeks ago they’d had one hell of an argument. Apparently, a guy was trying to pick her up while Phoenix was singing and in the middle of his song, he’d stopped and told the fucker “to get his hands off his girl.” Thalia had been pissed that he hadn’t let her handle it; instead he’d brought attention on her, which she hates. I’d ended up plugging my ears with my buds and listened to Pink so I couldn’t hear them making up.

Practically ready to leave, I walk back into the bathroom to apply my lipstick and with one final look in the mirror I’m ready. Well, I’m physically ready, whether I’m mentally ready to face Reece is another matter.

“Callie, please tell me you’re ready?” Thalia leans against the doorway.

“Yeah, I’m ready. How are we getting there?”

She looks away, and says, “Let’s go,” moving away from the door.

I grab my purse and stand, unmoving in the room with my hands on my hips waiting for her to turnaround.

“Dammit Callie. It’s two blocks from the hotel so I thought we could walk and get a bit of fresh air, you know.”