All Your Reasons Read online

  “If you’re trying to get out of a date, it’s not going to work. First we fuck, and then I take you out for dinner. No ifs or buts.”

  “You’re very demanding, aren’t you?”

  “I get what I want, Presley, and I want a date with you.”

  I know I’m not going to win this round. He’s just too damn persistent. So, I plaster a smile on my face and agree. “Okay, but you better perform, otherwise there’s no date.”

  He laughs. “Performing is what I do best, beautiful.”

  God help me.

  ***

  I unlock my front door and pull Jett inside. His flirting on the plane and the drive here has been relentless, and I’m desperate to get our clothes off and have him inside me. He’s worked me into such a state, I don’t think he’ll actually have to do very much at all to give me an orgasm. His words alone are orgasm inducing.

  We make it into my bedroom, clothes almost all discarded, and he wraps his arms around me, holding me close. His mouth descends onto mine and we lose ourselves in a kiss that tells each of us how much we’re wanted. He’s fucking me with his mouth, and I’m sure my pussy would reach out and grab hold of his dick if it could.

  “I need you in me now, Jett.” I talk while kissing, so I’m not sure if he’ll understand what I’m saying, but he does.

  He pushes his erection into me, and it’s a torturous bliss. Ending the kiss, he growls, “I fucking need that too, sweetheart.”

  The only piece of clothing separating us is my panties, and he rips them off. Literally rips them in half. Then he picks me up and throws me on the bed. Feral desire flashes in his eyes as he climbs on top. He straddles me and holds out a condom. I have no idea when he got that, but I’m more than impressed we don’t have to fuck around any longer. If he doesn’t get his dick in me soon, I’m going to go crazy.

  I take the condom and have it on him in record time. Shifting my gaze to his, I beg, “For the love of god, fuck me.”

  He doesn’t say anything, just grunts his approval and positions his cock at my entrance. His lips smash down onto mine, and as his tongue enters my mouth, he thrusts inside.

  Oh...holy fuck...shit....fuck!

  My arms go around him, and I dig my fingers into his back as I take everything he gives me. Jett fucks me with a raw need. I feel it flowing between us, connecting with my same need. It joins us and we move in perfect synchrony. Sex has never felt this good for me and I have an overwhelming desire to give him more than I’ve ever given a man. A desire to open myself up completely and let him take anything he wants from me.

  He stops moving and looks at me with hunger. “You wanna ride me?”

  I do, but not now. Now, I just want him to fuck me until I see nothing but exploding light. I shake my head and squeeze my legs around him tighter. “No.”

  No more words are needed and he thrusts inside again. He does it slower this time while holding himself above me and keeping his eyes pinned to mine. It’s like he’s trying to look into my soul, like he’s searching for something there. His eyes reaching out to me while he fucks me awakens my closed off heart. I’m helpless to stop it, and as he moves me closer toward orgasm, he also moves me closer toward him.

  “Fuck, Presley, I’m gonna come. You close, baby?” His head drops down to rest on my shoulder as he keeps moving inside me.

  “Yeah...” I move with him, chasing it.

  And then it hits. White light begins flashing behind my eyes and pleasure like I’ve never known possesses me. I hold onto him tighter and my core clenches around him.

  “Fuck!” he roars as he comes hard. He thrusts one last time and then his body tenses as his release grips him.

  I’m lost inside my own pleasure just as much as he’s lost in his. We’re clinging to each other, but for those few moments, we’re disconnected. The only thing we’re connected to is our bliss.

  Eventually, he lifts his head and murmurs, “Shit...”

  I open my eyes to look into his. Giving him a smile, I nod my head. “Yeah....shit.”

  He laughs and pushes up off me to go and dispose of the condom in my bathroom. Then he comes back and lies next to me on his back. We’re silent for a while, and I love that he doesn’t feel the need to fill the silence with small talk.

  He reaches for my hand and holds it. “You okay?” he asks.

  I’m trying to process all the emotions coursing through me. I truly don’t know what I’m feeling. But I turn to him with a smile and shift onto my side. Trailing my hand up his stomach to his chest, I reply, “Yes, I’m more than okay.”

  He pushes a couple of strands of my hair off my face. “Was that performance good enough to score a date with you?”

  God, he has no idea.

  “As if you’re going to let me say no,” I mutter, not wanting to admit to either of us just how much I now want that date.

  He chuckles softly. “Good point.”

  I shift positions onto my back, and we’re quiet again for a while. It’s not until he presses a kiss to my forehead that I realise I’ve almost fallen asleep. I blink and look up into his eyes. “Sorry.”

  His face crinkles into a smile. “All good, sweetheart. You obviously need some sleep, so I might go.”

  Disappointment washes through me but I say, “Okay.”

  I mustn’t do a very good job at hiding what I’m feeling because he says, “I don’t want to go, trust me. But I’ve got an early morning tomorrow and I really think you just need some sleep without me distracting you. If I stay, you’re not gonna get much sleep.”

  “You’re right. I do need sleep.”

  His eyes search mine, almost like he’s making sure I’m being honest. Then he brushes his lips across mine before pushing up off the bed. As he dresses, I also leave the bed to dress so I can walk him out.

  At the front door, he snakes his arm around my waist and kisses me. “I’ll call you,” he promises before turning and leaving.

  I trudge back to bed trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach. He says he’ll call, but will he? And do I really want him to? I have such warring emotions where Jett is concerned, and I fall asleep with the thought that it’d be best if he didn’t because then the decision will be taken away from me. And I won’t be able to fuck another thing up in my life.

  Chapter Four

  Presley

  I sink down into the chair at the café and look at my best friend, Erin, sitting across from me. “What?” I ask as she grins at me.

  “You’ve totally been laid.”

  “I have.”

  “Tell me more,” she throws out as she opens her menu and glances down at it.

  “First, tell me if you’ve heard of a band called Crave.”

  “Fuck yeah, everyone’s heard of Crave.”

  “Shit.” Am I the only person on the planet who hasn’t heard of them?

  “Oh my god, did you fuck one of the Crave men?”

  I answer her only with a smile.

  “Holy fuck, Presley!” She’s momentarily impressed but then she remembers who she’s talking to. “Wait, I thought you were done with rockers.”

  My chest heaves, and I blow out a long breath. “I was.... I am...” My voice trails off as I struggle with this answer.

  “Oh god, you’re not.”

  I take in her concern. Erin watched me fall apart while Lennon treated our marriage as if it meant nothing to him. “Jett seems different.”

  Her eyes widen. “Jett Vaughn... bloody hell, you attract them, don’t you?”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Jett’s the ultimate rock star, sister. He fucks ‘em and leaves ‘em. Don’t do this to yourself.”

  I bite my lip. “I think I’m past the point of no return,” I admit.

  “Fuck,” she mutters. “You do remember you met, fell for, and married Lennon in a matter of four weeks, don’t you? And that it wasn’t the best decision you ever made.”

  “Yes, and I’ll never do that again. An
d trust me, I don’t want to fall for another rock star, and I’ve told him that, but there’s just something about him I can’t say no to.”

  “Crap,” she says, and then she reminds me why she’s my best friend. “Well, I guess we’re taking a ride on the rock star train again.”

  I grin at her, relieved she’s not giving me a hard time over this. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

  “No, you haven’t told me that. You’ve been so damn busy with your work. And on that, how did your shoot go?”

  The waiter interrupts us to take our orders and then I open up to her. “I’m in a rut with my work. It’s gotten to the point I don’t even want to get up in the morning if I’ve got a shoot on. Those models are slowly killing my soul, and I don’t think I want to take on any more fashion jobs.”

  “I’ve been waiting for you to tell me this.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, the writing’s been on the wall for awhile now. Sounds like you need a timeout.”

  “Well, I’ve got my three months off, so I’m going to spend some time really thinking about it.”

  She nods. “Good. I can’t wait to see what you come up with. What’s Darla going to do?”

  “She’s travelling Europe for a couple of months, and then I guess we’ll see where we’re at. She hurt her ankle while we were away, so she’s decided to stay with her family in Sydney for a week or so because she’s struggling to walk on it.”

  “Shit. I hope it gets better before she leaves for Europe.”

  “You and me both. Now, tell me what you’ve been up to,” I say.

  Erin’s an accountant and she fills me in on her work and also updates me as to which guys she’s currently dating. She always dates more than one guy at a time and is so damn fussy I’m worried she’ll grow old alone.

  Our food arrives and we laugh about her sexcapades while we eat. Hanging out with Erin is like coming home, and by the end of our lunch date, my soul feels happier. As we’re walking out of the café saying our goodbyes, my phone rings.

  “It’s Michael,” I say. “I’d better get it or he’ll just keep calling.” Michael’s my agent and has a tendency to forget people have lives outside of work.

  She gives me a hug goodbye. “Keep me updated about Jett,” she orders, and I nod.

  As she walks away, I answer my phone. “What’s up, Michael?”

  “Presley, I’ve got a job for you tonight.”

  “No, I told you no more jobs for three months, and I meant it.”

  “I know, but this isn’t a fashion job, so I thought it might be a foot in the door to something new.”

  My interest is piqued. “What is it?”

  “Concert photography.”

  “Michael, I know nothing about concert fucking photography.”

  “You underestimate yourself, darlin’. And besides, they’ve asked for you in particular.”

  “What the hell?”

  He ignores me as he usually does. “So, you up for it? Can I tell them yes?”

  He’s right; a foot in the door is what I need. And besides, doing this job will tell me if this might be something I’m interested in. “Sure, book me in.”

  “Thank fuck ‘cause I already told them yes. They’re sending a car for you at five.”

  “Jesus, why so early? Is this a kid’s concert?”

  “No, not a kid’s concert. Not sure why they want you there so early, but they’re paying you good money for this, so just run with it.”

  “Okay,” I say absentmindedly because I’m still wondering why the hell someone would request me for this job.

  “Gotta go, babe. Talk to you tomorrow.” He hangs up and I realise I never asked him who the band was. Guess I’ll have to wait to find out.

  ***

  Five o’clock rolls around and I’m waiting patiently to be picked up. Jett hasn’t called, and I hate to admit I’m disappointed. But perhaps when he said he’d call, he meant within the next few days. I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt, even though Erin told me he’s a player. I’ve spent the afternoon trying not to think about him, but I can’t get him out of my mind. And it’s put me in a bad mood. Not the fact he didn’t call, but rather, the fact he’s gotten under my skin.

  My thoughts are interrupted by a knock on my door. Time to get this show on the road.

  As we drive to the venue, butterflies form in my stomach. I’ve been trying to avoid thinking about how nervous I am, but now that we’re nearly there, I can’t ignore it any longer. Fuck, I hope I don’t let them down. That would definitely not be a foot in the door.

  Turns out the concert is at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre which only intensifies my nervousness. They must be a successful band to be performing here.

  Why the fuck did they request me?

  The driver pulls into a closed off carpark and lets me out where I’m greeted by a security guard. I tell him my name, and he radios the information to someone else. A moment later he lets me in, giving me directions as to where to go.

  There are people everywhere, all hurrying around me as I head off in the direction he indicated. My phone buzzes with a message, and I pull it out of my bag to check it.

  Michael: Kick ass babe xx

  Me: Thanks. Will do, otherwise I’m kicking your ass for getting me into this shit.

  Michael: I’m leaving town. Didn’t I tell you?

  Me: All good. I can hunt you down.

  I shove my phone back in my bag and am still thinking about Michael a couple of minutes later when I spot a familiar face at the end of the corridor I’m in.

  What the hell?

  Jett?

  I do a double take and realise it really is him. He’s watching me with an intensity that sends desire through me. I want him, there’s no denying it.

  I walk to where he is. “You requested me?”

  His intense stare doesn’t waver as he answers me. “I had to be sure I’d see you again.”

  I’ve never had a man look at me the way he does. It’s want, need, and hunger all wrapped up in appreciation, and I want to bask in it forever. I never want him to stop looking at me like that. And I sure as hell don’t want him to ever look at any other woman like that. Shit, jealousy has reared its ugly head, and I don’t even have a reason to be jealous. I’m fucked if I ever do, and if I date him, I’m sure I’ll have plenty of reasons.

  “Did you think I’d not make good on my promise of a date?”

  “Wasn’t taking any chances,” he murmurs as his eyes shift to look behind me.

  “Hey, Presley,” a voice behind me says and I turn my head to find Hunter looking at me.

  “Hi, Hunter.”

  “So, you’re gonna photograph us tonight, huh?” he says.

  “It would seem so,” I answer him but move my gaze back to Jett. He’s watching me again with that intense look. His body is tense, and he seems to be on edge a little. I’m not sure why.

  “Can’t wait to see what you come up with.” He gives me a warm smile and lifts his chin at Jett before leaving us.

  “Do you really want me to take photos?” I ask Jett, unsure of his intentions.

  “Hell, yes. I asked around about you and have heard amazing things about your photography.”

  “Who’d you ask?” I’m keen to know who recommended me.

  “I asked a photographer we’ve worked with before. Shane Nichols. You heard of him?”

  “Holy shit! Shane recommended me? He’s one of my inspirations. I love his work.” Jett would have no idea what this information means to me. I’m blown away Shane would recommend me, let alone even know who I am.

  “Yeah, he did. He said he’s been following your career for awhile now and loves your work. Also said you have a very unique style to your photography.”

  “You do realise I haven’t done concert photography, don’t you?”

  His intense stare finally gives way to that grin of his I’m beginning to love. “Yeah, but seriously, with what I’ve h
eard about your skills, I’m sure you’ll come up with some amazing photos.”

  His belief in me is unexpected but appreciated. Hell, when your own husband didn’t have unwavering belief in everything you did, it’s almost mind blowing for someone you’ve just met to show it.

  “Thank you,” I say softly.

  He grabs my hand and begins walking us down the corridor. “Come on, let’s get you set up,” he says, and my initiation into his world begins.

  ***

  Jett watches me as I survey the stage. We’re standing to the side of it where roadies are busy with the finishing touches to get it ready for tonight. “You’re nervous about this, aren’t you?”

  I turn to him. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t.”

  “Why?”

  “In the photography I specialise in, I have full control over the models, the lighting, and the angles I can shoot.” I motion toward the stage. “With this, I have no control over any of that. There’s also the clutter to take into account.”

  He seems fascinated with this. “What do you mean by clutter?”

  “Things like microphones, stands, cables, amplifiers, scaffolding in the background, lighting rigs... those sorts of things. And then if I’m photographing, say you, and I have the shot all lined up but then another band member jumps into the shot...that kind of thing is another issue.” I smile at him. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m really looking forward to this, but I’m nervous I’ll let you guys down.”

  “Presley, I’ve no doubt you’re gonna do a spectacular job. You won’t let us down, so please stop worrying about that. Just listening to you talk shows me that you know what the hell you’re talking about.”

  His words calm me a little. My nerves have already started to ease. Having the time to check the stage out and come up with some ideas has helped me with that, and I silently thank Hunter for his compulsive need for everyone to be here hours before the concert begins.

  “Jett,” a guy calls out from the stage.

  He turns to see who is calling for him, nods at the guy, and then looks back at me. “That’s our lighting tech, so I need to see what he needs. Are you okay on your own?”

  I nod and give him a reassuring smile. “Go. I’m all good.”