Rock Star Billionaire

“Now you're in the lead with nothing before you but the open country road. Can you feel it? Can you feel the wind and the warmth of the sun? Can you feel the freedom running through your veins and the power of the engine humming between your thighs? You can go as fast you want to go, for as far as the road will take you, over the horizon and beyond."

As Ethan spoke softly to me, Keith silently waved the crew back to their stations.

As I listened to Ethan's words, I forgot about the uncomfortable suit and worrying about my bare breasts popping out, and I just remembered the emotions of that day when we'd gone riding together. I didn't know it, but my face began to glow with happiness as a smile of pure joy curved the corners of my lips.

As Ethan backed away from me, he said, "You can do anything you want in this world, Kayla. I believe in you. It's why I picked you for this job. Now open your eyes and give me that beautiful smile that is uniquely yours."

I did, and the one thing I saw when I opened my eyes was Ethan standing right behind the camera, watching me with those intense gray eyes and smiling at me with a look of pure admiration and pride. It made me feel beautiful, interesting, confident, and ready to take on the world.

I smiled back at him, giving the camera everything I had from sexy to playful to serious to sweet. The cameras captured it all, giving the editors choices for every mood they might possibly want to print on the cover and providing for a very diverse and interesting photo spread within the pages of the magazine. It was very successful shoot, and by the time it was over, I felt exhausted and yet very proud of what I had done.

"Great job everyone, especially you, Kayla," Keith beamed as the crew started packing up their equipment. "I had thought we should go with a more experienced model, but Ethan insisted that you were our girl, and he was definitely right. We'll sell a record number of bikes after this issue comes out because of you, and every magazine in the country is going to be knocking on your door, begging you to model for them."

"Thanks, but I'm sure that has a lot more to do with Ethan's design and brilliant business sense than my picture." I blushed, unused to such praise.

"Yeah, but it was that business sense that caused him to pick you for the job," Keith pointed out and then left before I could say anything in return.

"Great job today," Margie bubbled as she helped me change out of the jumpsuit in the wardrobe room. "The crew always goes out for drinks after a shoot to celebrate. Do you want to come along?"

"Thanks, but my boyfriend is waiting for me. I think I'll just take shower and go home."

"I'll stay and help you get dressed," Margie offered happily. "I can do your hair if you like."

"No, thanks. You go out with the crew and relax. You worked hard today. Besides, I'd rather just enjoy a good, hot shower by myself."

"Okay. The cleaning crew is still here and security will let you out. I hope one day we get to work together again."

"Me, too." I gave the petite intern a hug and watched as she left. There was a shower in my dressing room where my clothes were supposed to be waiting for me, no doubt washed and pressed by Margie's careful hand. I luxuriated in the feeling of the hot water rinsing awa

y the day’s sweat from my body, the heavy make-up from my face, and beauty products from my hair. As much as it felt glamorous to be all made up, it felt so much better to be free of it all and just be myself.

I climbed out of the shower to find that Margie had left a pile of big, fluffy towels for me. I wrapped one around my wet hair and the other around my body and went in search of my clothes. That's when I ran right into Ethan, standing in the doorway of my dressing room, holding my jeans and tee-shirt on a hanger.

"I believe these belong to you," he said, flashing that incredible smile.

"Thanks," I said curtly and swiped the hanger from him quickly with a long reach of my arm, not wanting to get too close to him. Then, with my eyes cast down at the floor, I continued softly, "Thanks for what you did today. I would have been fired if it hadn't been for your help."

"The great job today was all you; I just helped you get past your own head and into the emotion of the bike. That's what sells motorcycles: the feeling riders get from being out in the open air. I knew you could convey that all-American feeling of being free with your natural beauty and easy smile—you just needed to relax enough to do it."

"Well, thank you. I wasn't sure I'd still have a job after what had happened..." I didn't need to finish the sentence. We both knew I was talking about the scene at my apartment.

"I wasn't sure you'd still show up for the job, but I'm really glad you did. I needed to know that you were alright."

"Of course, I'm alright. Why wouldn't I be?"

"It seemed like you two were having a pretty intense argument. I was worried he might be hurting you, and when I came in, he had his hands on you. Does he ever get physically abusive with you?"

"How can you ask me that? Mick and I are in love. He would never hurt me, and if I recall, you were the barbarian who started punching people and ripped our door apart."

I expected Ethan to at least apologize for that, but he didn't. Nothing but a long silence filled the air between us until he finally broke it. He took my hand in his and gently rubbed the back of it with his thumb. When his eyes stared intently into mine, I felt as if they were penetrated through to my very soul.

In a voice that was quiet, and yet powerfully strong, he said to me "You don't have to put up with less than you deserve. I'll protect you and provide for you. I can satisfy your every need, even the desires you don't even know you have yet. Let me be the one to take care of you."

My heart melted in that moment, my knees quivered, and I felt a wave a dizziness wash over me, but I shook it off and forced myself to stand strong. What was this dream I was being offered by this incredible man?

Mick had seemed like a dream when I'd first met him, too, and the waking reality turned out to be far more disappointing, but he was my fiancé, and didn't that mean I owed him my loyalty even if he was far from perfect?

I pulled my hand back and said, "I have a boyfriend. He'll take care of me."