HARLEY

O kay, so this wasn’t exactly the date I’d been imagining, but it was still with Ace Novak and I certainly was not about to let that fact slip through my fingers. He may have only seen me as another piece of ass, but I was going to make him work for it. I pushed myself to run at my full speed even though I’d never call myself a runner. Coming up short to the front door of the mansion, I skidded through the last few steps, dust from the gravel wafting up my legs and leaving an additional layer of dust across the worn leather of my boots.

“I let you win,” He smirked, joining me a few seconds later. A small line of sweat shone on his forehead. It was mid-afternoon in LA, basically hot enough to fry an egg on the street, yet he still looked handsome even when sweaty. With a head of shaggy black hair that was always falling into his eyes, sharp cheekbones and a jawline that seemed to be cut from marble, he could have been a model. And that was just his beautiful face. Despite being a typical partying rock star, he obviously worked out too because the guy filled out his t-shirt with muscles in all the right places. One look and my mouth went dry instantaneously. I was going to have to keep myself in check. A little romp with a hot rock star? Yes, please. Remembering that’s all this is? Harder but doable. After all, with how I made my living, it should have been easy, but Ace Novak was no regular club guy.

“Maybe.” I threw back at him, tossing my hair over my shoulder and turning to the door. Letting my head tilt back, I arched my back, sticking my ass out towards him, while I took in the full length of the imposing double door frame. Sure, it was a typical move… but I did it because it always worked. Men were so predictable. I could feel his gaze warming my ass immediately. Granted, my jeans hugged my curves tight, and they were the kind of low cut that made sitting down next to impossible.

A question peppered with both a tight restraint and heated desire, floated in my direction. “Shall we?” he motioned into the house as he opened the door.

Yeah… it was going to be a fun night after all.

I nodded my thanks and entered the expansive space. It was a typical hacienda style mansion that was fairly common in these parts. Lots of open space and a great indoor, outdoor feel that came from the center court and opened up on to a relaxing pool and dining area. Lush flowers and plants filled the space. The sun shone through the open ceiling and lit up the room from the inside out. It was nothing short of beautiful.

“This is stunning,” I began. “How long have you lived here?”

“Not too long. I used to have a loft in the city like Jax, but I hated it there, all cooped up inside a box where a shit ton of other people lived. It felt so constricting. Claustrophobic even. So, I sold it and bought this place three years ago. Haven’t been able to spend the time here that I would have liked but hopefully in the future, I will. It was a bit of a snap decision, but I tend to do that. If I see something I like, I just go for it. The details come later. Sometimes it benefits me and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s all just luck of the draw.”

Something about the way he rolled his eyes made me giggle.

“I get it,” I nodded. “I’ve been that way too. Just ask Aria. She’ll tell you how easily I can flip from one thing to another.”

It had been nothing more than a random comment, but yet it seemed to displease him. His eyes squinted closer, and he peered at me for a second too long before shaking his head in what seemed to be… disappointment? Hmm… I locked away that little tidbit of information in case it would be needed later.

“Yeah… so I might not have spent a lot of time here, but you know what I have spent time on?” he grinned.

I groaned, half expecting a dirty joke. “Mm… what’s that?”

“Cooking!” He announced with a grin.

I raised an eyebrow. “Is this cooking thing is real? Because I’ve had guys say they can cook before and uh… yeah, let’s just say that I would have rather ordered a pizza.”

“More than real, it’s actually pretty good. I’m no chef or anything, but I’m also not totally useless.” Ace grinned. “And in fact, one reason I chose this house was because of the kitchen.” Hooking an arm through mine, he led the way to literally the nicest kitchen I’d ever seen up close, let alone been standing inside.

“This place looks like something from Cribs.” I whispered under my breath, referencing one of my all-time favourite MTV shows. Seeing how the other half lived was one of my secret television watching passions. There was a huge gas stove, panelling that covered the appliances so that they blended in with the cupboards and a huge marble topped island that centered it all together. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the large, open-concept living room overlooked a dense forest, right across from the kitchen. A fireplace, bookshelves and several inviting couches with soft blankets and pillows completed the space.

“This is so beautiful.” I whispered.

“Not as beautiful as you.” Ace whispered in my ear before making his way around the back of the island. Reaching down to the wine fridge, he pulled out a bottle of chilled white, poured us both a glass and raised his up. I followed suit and a slight pause settled over us both.

“I’m thrilled that you said yes, Harley. Having you here today is really… cool.” he smiled.

Cool? It was an odd choice of words and one that made meme feel weirdly awkward.

“Yeah…” I nodded, clinking my glass to his. “Sure is.”

Ace started collecting various ingredients from the pantry and fridge.

“Do you like bruschetta?” He asked as he began washing cherry tomatoes and pulling basil leaves off a nearby plant.

I nodded as I sipped my wine. I’d kind of been expecting a more exciting date, but I’d also never been on one with a celebrity before. Typically, men tried to impress me by showing off their success, kind of like Ace had with the limo and possibly even with this house.

Except he had a point about being recognized… so maybe he wasn’t showing off? Confusion was taking over and making me doubt everything. Dating was not my forte. Sure, I’d had private helicopter rides to San Francisco for dinner by the Bay. A night at the opera, dinner at restaurants that I could ever get a reservation at. But cooking at home? The one and only time that had ever happened to me was with that old dude who nearly killed me with his bad shellfish.

Then again…

A little voice inside my head whispered uncomfortable truths. Those were never dates. It was true. They had been clients. Clients who were looking for more. More what? Anything really. More than they could get in a club setting, more personalized attention, more sexual favours, more of everything they could take from me. More of what I’d always freely given.

So why was there a little voice in my head hoping that tonight would be any different? At first, I’d been excited because he’d asked for me personally, but somehow my fan girl persona had thought it meant something that it didn’t. I knew that now, and I just had to remember it and stop letting my mind flip flop.

Ace pushed a plate of homemade bruschetta on small pieces of toasted baguette my way. “Try it!” his eyes gleamed with pride. “It’s famous around these parts…” he chuckled, “…or at least it is with the band.”