Free Rockstar by Lexi Adair Page B

A tale-tale sign that she'd been unable to sleep. It wasn't so much the lack of a job or the absence of any career potential so much as the dreams that plagued her and the loneliness she felt when she awoke from them. She missed him. She could make the concentrated effort to forget him during the day, but the nights, those long, lonely nights, her subconscious centered solely on him.
    Sadly when she woke drenched in her own sweat, her heart pounding fiercely, the only thing she had to turn to was a tattered old bear. That used to be enough. But now, as much as she loved that bear, she found he was a poor substitute for the solid warmth of a man.
    Summer turned away from her reflection in the mirror and flipped on the shower. Stripping out of the faded old sweats, she stepped under a stream of warm water. She nearly moaned aloud as the water beat down in massaging pulses against her neck and back. The warmth of the water wasn't nearly enough to touch the cold emptiness dawning within, but at least it warmed her chilled skin.
    After her shower she made her way into her adjoining bedroom and headed for her closet. She yanked on a pair of faded jeans and grabbed Anthony's navy T-shirt she'd accidentally taken when she'd left his hotel room. It was pathetic, and she knew it, but she just couldn't help herself. It was two sizes too big for her and still carried the smell of him because she had refused to wash it. She lifted the shirt to her nose and inhaled. Yeah, she was sad, but it was only thing she had left of him, the only thing that was solely hers. They'd stolen her words, exposed her heart, at least they didn't know about this. They couldn't take that away from her.
    She pulled on her tennis shoes and headed back for the living room.
    A warm smile, the first honest smile she'd given since the whole article ordeal, spread on her face. Tim had been busy. He had straightened her living room, cleaned the kitchen and stacked her mail on the table in the breakfast nook. “Mom would die if she saw you."
    "Why?” he asked, a bewildered smile curved on his lips.
    "Do you remember what your room looked like when you were in high school?"
    A slow, guilty grin formed on his lips. “Yeah, well, people grow. Ready?"
    "If I must.” She turned down the hall.
    Summer threw open the apartment building's door and stepped out into a flood of flashing lights. People shouted questions at her from every direction, shoving microphones and recorders beneath her nose.
    "Miss Staite, can you tell us about your torrid love affair with Anthony Phoenix?"
    "Have you seen him since the article was published?"
    "Can you confirm that you are carrying his love child?"
    Summer stood silently. Shock drained the color from her cheeks and widened her eyes. How could she have forgotten? She turned ready to make her hasty retreat back inside but Tim wrapped his arm about her shoulders drawing her against him. Instinctually she turned her face into his chest. Let him shield her from the paparazzi as he drew her through the crowds.
    He settled her into the passenger seat of his car and slammed the door shut. He fought his way through the crowds to round the front of the car. Summer kept her gaze locked forward, her expression blank as the flash of lights exploded around her, blinding her.
    Summer barley noticed as Tim slipped behind the wheel and pulled away, leaving the frenzied crowd to trail off behind them. When she hadn't spoken for several long minutes he finally reached over and took her hand in his. He squeezed, offering her a momentary comfort. “Don't worry. You'll soon be yesterday's news."
    Summer said nothing as they merged onto the 101 heading north. For several long moments she stared quietly out the window and let her gaze drift across the coastal waters whipping by. She stared until her vision blurred and the world beyond the window was nothing more than an obscure smear of tepid blues, dark grays and white lights streaking by in the opposite