Rocked (Rock & Romance II.)

Chapter 17. - Carpet and the Drapes

A/N: Happy weekend! This chapter is dedicated to Starfire14 ! Thank you for the love, and here's what you wished for:

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True to his word, Lukas organized a little New Year's Eve get together – and I meant the 'little' part with a grain of salt.

I guess it was a contained one if one took into consideration the fact that he was a fucking rock star. The modest party of about a hundred people took place in London and Lukas' new house, as well as their whole backyard – which had a gazebo, a gigantic heated pool, an outside jacuzzi, and a whole outdoor kitchen where they hired cooks, waiters, and bartenders to entertain their closest friends.

I wore a short, black dress that looked more like a wrapped sheet than a cocktail gown, but Callie swore it was the latest fashion, and so I did my best to ignore the low decolletage and the high slit that just barely covered my panty line, paired with the only wearable booties that I owned. Not that I planned on staying long enough for my feet to hurt...

The moment I stepped a single foot in the place, I knew I've made a mistake in coming.

Of course, London, Callie and I have brought in many new years together – but never in this fashion. And never with a man attached to one of our sides.

Not that Lukas LaBelle wasn't always with us – as far as London's obsession went, I couldn't recall a single conversation in the last decade that didn't involve bringing him up in one way or another. The strange part was that now he was real, and actually physically present.

And usually had his tongue down my best friend's throat – which she seemed to be very delighted about.

I actually arrived on time, which meant that it would take at least another half hour before Callie would show. And since she has always been the social butterfly of our group, I felt so damn out of place with all these celebrities I was supposed to recognize.

I glanced around, locating a spot away from the meat of the crowd. The gazebo was completely empty, saving me from the embarrassment of the fact that I didn't know anyone here, but didn't feel like making new friends either.

Instead, I took out my phone and pulled up a reading app.

I had no idea if a minute or ten has passed with me nose-deep in an interesting new study, but next thing I knew, someone slid down the bench next to me and threw his hand over the back of my seat.

I glanced up to find hazel eyes that looked nearly black in the dark, and smiled. "How's it going, big shot?"

He leaned down and planted a huge, sloppy kiss on my cheek, letting me know that he was already a few drinks into the party, and therefore in his flirtiest stage. "You look hot, Ginger!" Jesse whistled, running his eyes down my body in an appreciative manner only a straight male could muster. "How come you never date?"

I tapped my forehead. "I'm smart, remember? Smart enough to know that some men are all the same."

Jesse huffed and leaned back on his seat. "You're right. Men are pigs!"

I lifted my brows and laughed. This was why there was no tension there. Jesse was basically one of us. Now his brother, on the other hand...

I felt him approach without having to look. I knew it was Ash who sat on the other side of me, by the way my hair stood on end like there was static coming from his way. Some unexplainable magnetic energy was sucking me towards him, whether I wanted it or not. "What am I interrupting?"