Changing the Key: A Detrimental Rock Star Romance (Book 1) Read online

  Unable to wait a minute longer, I knocked on her door. Hearing the lock shifting and seeing the handle turn had my pulse thumping.

  “Hi,” she said, leaning into the edge of the door.

  “Good morning,” I said, leaning in to kiss her cheek. Her skin was velvety soft, and she smelled like home.

  “Give me five more minutes.”

  “No problem.” I would gladly wait all day if she asked. Damn. I was so hooked on this girl.

  Following her inside, I noted that though her room was smaller than my suite, it had the same muted color scheme and generic art on the walls. Not that it mattered. My eyes were drawn to Anna. She wore denim shorts and a purple t-shirt, but today there was a pencil sticking out of the messy bun on her head as she padded barefoot towards the bed. It was an adorably sexy look and, finally having her alone, had my dick sitting up, begging for attention.

  An open laptop sat on the neatly made bed along with scattered papers and a notebook. She sat back against the headboard and lifted the computer to her lap.

  “You better not be working on your day off,” I warned, settling beside her and trying not to focus on the fact that we were in a bed. Bobbing and weaving, I angled to get a better view as she shifted to hide the screen. I tried grabbing the laptop, but she was quicker.

  “Stop it,” she laughed. “If you keep that up, I won’t be able to finish and I’ll never be ready to go.”

  “Finish what?”

  “It’s just some personal stuff that I have to get done.”

  I sat still but peeked over her shoulder. There were charts and graphs and some sort of document open. “Shawn would be impressed. What is it?”

  “Nothing.” She kept typing, shielding the screen with her body.

  “Ooh, a secret. Are you some sort of femme fatale, sent to discover all of our secrets and sell them to the highest bidder?” A hint of a smile broke through her concentration. “No? Are you trying to weigh the cost to benefit ratio of monopolizing the raspberry market?” Remembering the look of pure joy on her face as she ate her weight in raspberries this past week had been well worth the favor that I owed the catering manager for adding them to the menu whenever possible.

  She pressed her lips together to restrain a smile. “No, but you have a very vivid imagination.”

  That imagination currently required a tight leash to keep from wandering to the many ways we could be making better use of the bed we were on.

  “Hmmm, let me try again. Are you completing a data analysis on the number of women this week who have asked me to sign their tits versus the number of panties thrown on stage?”

  Blank stare. “Ew, no. Now, hush.”

  I huffed in mock annoyance and crossed my arms. The clicking of keys was the only sound as I waited impatiently. I had everything planned out, ready to give Anna a day of fun and relaxation, something she probably hadn’t experienced in a while.

  “All done,” she finally announced, hopping off the bed to put the laptop and papers on the dresser.

  “Are you really going to keep me guessing?” Her reluctance to tell me only had my curiosity growing.

  Chewing the inside of her lip, she hesitated. “Will you promise not to make fun of me?”

  The vulnerability in her eyes slayed me. I held up my right hand, swearing an oath. “I, Jaxon Dominic Hartley, solemnly promise to never, ever make fun of you.”

  Her eyes remained guarded and her voice lacked confidence as she spoke. Yet there was a hint of defiance in her posture. “I was finishing some work for an online class I’m enrolled in.”

  Her admission was surprising, but I was oddly proud of her. “That’s awesome. Why would I make fun of you for that?”

  She huffed out a self-deprecating laugh. “Because I’m almost twenty-six years old and I’m still not done with college.” She was quick to put herself down, and it pissed me off. If anyone else had done it to her, I would have taken serious offense.

  “So? I dropped out after two and a half years with no intention of ever going back. Do you think less of me?”

  A look of disbelief covered her face. “No! You’re so talented and already so successful with an amazing future ahead of you.”

  I moved to stand in front of her. “Yeah, and it didn’t happen overnight. It took years of dedication and a lot of hard work to get here. I admire you for continuing to go after something you want, especially when it’s difficult.” Putting the pieces together, my respect for her only grew. She was flat broke with no evidence of family or a support system other than her friend Megan. It took sheer grit and determination for her to go to school while supporting herself.

  “Really?” Looking up at me, she was practically begging for my approval. Anna was an amazing woman, but it was clear that not many people in her life made her feel that way.

  “Absolutely.” I kissed her on the forehead. “Besides, college girls are hot,” I added with a smack to her ass. “Now get ready for our epic date day.”

  “What do you want to see first?” I asked.

  She gripped the map of the zoo, studying it like there would be a quiz later. Then she eagerly scanned the area around her. “Everything!”

  Grabbing my hand, she pulled me down a densely landscaped path towards a series of enclosures. Her energy was unstoppable, reading every informational sign and observing every animal in sight.

  I simply watched her.

  She took countless photos, pulling me beside her whenever she posed for a selfie. Relentless in her quest to see it all, she only agreed to stop when her stomach growled loud enough to alarm the bears were passing. Even then, she insisted on quick-serve sandwiches, impatiently bouncing her leg as we ate at an outdoor patio table.

  “You know the animals aren’t going anywhere, right?” I teased, although I loved her enthusiasm.

  “I know, but we should have gotten an earlier start. What if we run out of time?” She was so earnest, so genuinely concerned that she might miss something.

  I reached out to cover her hand with mine and raised it to place a kiss in the center of her palm. “Then I’ll bring you back again tomorrow.”

  “You would do that?”

  “Yes.” I would do anything to see her smile. I. Was. Hooked. “So just relax.”

  A sigh escaped her lips. “Okay, I’ll try. I’m just excited.”

  “I can tell,” I laughed. “When’s the last time you went to the zoo?”

  She put her sandwich down and wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Never.” She had the same look on her face as earlier, hoping I wouldn’t make fun of her.

  It wasn’t as though not going to the zoo as a kid constituted neglect, but it made me sad to think of her missing out on the experience. Clearly, it was something she would have wanted to do. It also made me wonder what else she had missed out on. She deserved the world, and I wanted to be the one to give it to her.

  “Then I guess I picked a good place for our first date.”

  “It’s perfect.”

  A few hours and dozens of exhibits later, I barely caught her as she threw herself at me, fully wrapping her arms and legs around my body. Her laughter was contagious, probably drawing a lot of curious stares. I didn’t care. The deafening squeal in my ear didn’t even phase me.

  “I fed a giraffe!” She eased her grip, but I held her firmly in place as I walked us to an isolated area behind a nearby building.

  “Yes, you did,” I said, pressing her against the wall, my hands under her ass to support her.

  This was it. The need to taste her crashed over me like a tidal wave. Pure joy radiated off of her, and it was intoxicating. I wanted it to infuse me from the inside out. Her eyes grew heavy. Her breathing slowed. I felt her fingers drift up my neck just before I leaned in and devoured her.

  The first taste was an explosion on my senses. Soft and warm, her lips pressed with mine, then opened to welcome me inside. She was sweet, like the juiciest berry, and my tongue swept to the deepest depths to savor ever
y drop. Her throaty hum sounded better than any melody. Eagerly matching each stroke, she gripped fistfuls of my hair to hold me close. She didn’t need to worry. I wasn’t going anywhere.

  Gently nibbling her lower lip, I pressed into the cradle of her hips once before releasing her to slide down my body. With my hands finally free, I touched her. Roaming, exploring the curves of her body, I felt my way from her hips to the small of her back, then up her ribs. I stopped myself just below the swell of her breasts, triggering a whimper from her. Greedily, I swallowed the sound, needing to consume it. Starved for air, I broke the seal of our lips but sought out smaller kisses like aftershocks still needing to be released.

  Remembering where we were, I forced myself to regain a thread of control. Though we were well hidden, we were still in a public place filled with children. Walking around with a rod in my pants would not be appropriate.

  Anna’s head rested on my shoulder as one hand covered my racing heart.

  “Holy shit,” I panted, concentrating to formulate a coherent sentence. “Give me a minute.”

  Her head nodded, and she hummed in agreement. After several minutes of recovery, I tipped her chin up so I could see her face. Green eyes, glazed with arousal, stared back at me, and my chest tightened. Knowing that I had put that look on her face with our first kiss made me want to take her back to the hotel and spend the rest of the day learning all of the ways I could pleasure her. The chemistry between us was undeniable, and we’d only just tapped into it. I couldn’t wait to get the full effect. But damn, what a kiss! It wasn’t just the best first kiss. It blew every other kiss I’d ever had out of the water.

  That line of thinking needed to stop if I had any hopes of keeping my dick under control. After a final sample of her delicious lips, I slung an arm over her shoulder. “Let’s go, beautiful.”

  The remainder of our zoo experience continued to be memorable. With a slightly faster pace, we made it to all of the exhibits, tucking ourselves into the secluded spots along the way for more kissing. It was the best day I’d had in a long time.

  Thankfully, Anna was nothing like any of the women I’d ever dated. There wasn’t a single materialistic or self-centered bone in her body. Most of the women I’d met over the past few years expected to be taken to an expensive restaurant and wanted to be seen in all of the latest hot spots. Not Anna. She was thrilled with our trip to the zoo and had even offered to pay her share. While I insisted that I should pay for everything, it was a nice surprise for her to even offer. It had even taken some convincing, insisting that it wouldn’t count as a date unless I’d been the one paying for it.

  Wanting to get her a souvenir to remember the day, I snuck into the gift shop while she was in the restroom. I decided on something simple, knowing that the usual tokens of flowers, chocolates, or jewelry weren’t the way to Anna’s heart.

  I held my breath as she opened the bag and pulled out the stuffed giraffe. Her fingers gently stroked the little mane of hair down its long neck. Without a word, she fisted my shirt and pulled me down for a kiss that nearly brought me to my knees. Oh yeah, I knew my girl.

  My girl. Even if it was only for five more weeks, she was mine.

  She continued to hug that giraffe the whole ride back to the hotel. After freshening up, we met back in the lobby. I wore jeans with a grey long-sleeved Henley. I had also opted for a grey beanie and my glasses. Lance had alerted the group that there were posts on social media about us being in town, though our specific hotel hadn’t been named.

  Anna had changed into a navy, polka-dotted sundress and sandals. Her hair was loose and flowed down her back, making me want to sink my hands into it.

  “You look very handsome,” she said. “I hope it’s not weird that I’m wearing your sister’s dress. She generously offered to share her wardrobe since mine is so limited at the moment.”

  “You’re beautiful,” I assured her, not caring if she’d been wearing a burlap sack. Gathering her up, I led us to a small alcove for a kiss that nearly steamed up my glasses. Whenever I wasn’t near her, I just wanted her close. And whenever she was close, I wanted her closer.

  “These are incredibly sexy.” She reached up to straighten the thick dark frames.

  “They’re fake but help keep me from being recognized.”

  “Very Clark Kent,” she hummed, going up on her toes for another kiss.

  “Damn, we need to go. Another one of those kisses and we’ll be ordering room service and eating dinner naked in bed.” Though Anna looked like she wouldn’t mind that scenario, I managed to get us out the front door.

  Since the hotel was close to Water Place Park, we decided to enjoy the fresh air and the scenic riverwalk. We found a burger bar for dinner then walked the urban park, holding hands and stopping frequently when the need to touch and kiss became too much to ignore.

  The sun had gone down, but the path was busy and well lit. We’d chatted throughout the day, yet there was still so much I wanted to know about her.

  “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” I asked.

  “Only child. Is Callie your only sibling?”

  “Yes. I always wanted a brother though. I met the rest of the guys in high school, and they’ve become like brothers, so I guess I got my wish.”

  “Is Eli your best friend?”

  “Yeah. I know I can count on all of them, but I’m closest with Eli. In high school, they all used to spend a lot of time at my house. But Eli’s mom died when he was younger and his father traveled for work, so he stayed with my family a lot. We naturally spent more time together and have a deeper bond.”

  Anna was lost in thought as I reached up to smooth the worry line between her brows.

  “He was lucky to have you,” she admitted.

  Guiding Anna to an empty bench, I took her hand as we sat and watched the lights reflecting off of the water. “Who were you lucky to have?”

  She remained quiet for so long I wasn’t sure if she was going to answer me. “I had a foster mom that was really good to me.”

  Damn. I tried to school my reaction but knew I was failing miserably. My heart raced as if I’d just finished a marathon. Imagining so many horrible things that she could have been through sparked a desperate need for answers. Knowing that the situation had been severe enough for her to be taken from her home made me want to lash out. At who, I wasn’t sure. I had to clear my throat from the emotion clogging it.

  “Will you tell me what happened?”

  Silence filled the space between us for a long moment. “Are you sure? That’s not really a casual relationship type of question.”

  She had a point, but I didn’t care. “Just because our time is limited doesn’t mean I’m not interested in learning more about you. It’s your story and I’d like to know it.”

  I took a deep breath, convincing myself that if she could live through it, I could certainly hear about it. Still, she hesitated and her eyes looked conflicted. Then her spine stiffened as she pushed her shoulders back, donning an invisible layer of armor before she spoke.

  Chapter 12

  Anna

  Rows of torches flickered along the surface of the river as a light breeze lifted my hair. Tucking a wayward strand behind my ear, I stalled to collect my thoughts. My story wasn’t that uncommon, and I’d definitely heard worse over the years. Even so, it wasn’t something I shared with most people. But Jaxon made me want to open up, and knowing that he was best friends with Eli helped assure me that he would understand. I just hoped that he wouldn’t look at me any differently afterward. I had worked too hard and come too far to let anyone feel sorry for me.

  “I grew up in poverty,” I began, watching his thumb make circles on my hand. “It was just me and Mama, and we moved around a lot, most times living with other people.” My skin started to crawl as I remembered the filthy, crowded trailers with leaky roofs and broken windows. “There usually wasn’t a lot of food to go around, and I was kind of an afterthought, but it was all I knew. I though
t my life was normal.”

  Jaxon moved his hand to rub it along my thigh in silent support. “When I started school, I noticed a difference. The other kids wore clean clothes and got new shoes when they outgrew their old ones. They also had the cutest matching backpacks and lunchboxes. I felt out of place but enjoyed learning, and I made some friends. Plus, I got to eat breakfast and lunch, and there was heat in the winter. It was a haven for me.”

  “You didn’t have heat at home?” His voice was quiet, but it was laced with steel.

  I shrugged. “Not always. One trailer we lived in didn’t even have running water. We used the hose from the side of the neighbor’s place.”

  A low growl was his only response.

  “Things changed when I was seven. Mama had a new boyfriend, so we moved into his trailer. I had to switch schools, but his place was quiet and I had my own bedroom for the first time I could remember. They were too wrapped up in partying to be home much, so I was left alone a lot.”

  Looking back, I had never felt like I belonged anywhere and had to be self-reliant at a young age. Friendships had been short-lived because we moved so often, so I had been excited to make some friends in the trailer park.

  “That was the spring I got stuck in the freezer. My friend’s mom ended up calling DCFS when she found out that Mama hadn’t come home the night before. A nice lady asked me a bunch of questions while I showed her our trailer. I told her that sometimes Mama didn’t come home, but I knew how to tell time and get myself ready for school. I even showed her the peanut butter in the cabinet to go with the apples I’d brought home from school for dinner. I was so proud of myself.” A humorless laugh burst out at that memory. “I practically built the case for her. It was neglect, plain and simple. She arranged for foster care until she could locate Mama and make sure I had safe living conditions.”