Free Rock Star: The Contest (Book 2 of a Bad Boy Romance) by Kate Ward

it’s more than that. He’s deep.”
    “Deeeeppp.” He mocked me. “Yeah, I bet he goes deep.”
    I slapped him across the arm.
    “Why not just find another girl, Spike? I mean I could set you up with one of the contestants. Maisey. She’s a firecracker.”
    “Maybe I’m not interested.”
    “What, you don’t think she’s hot?”
    He grinned, and wiped down the counter. “As much as I like a tight body, and a pretty face, it’s not all about that. It’s what’s inside here.”
    He pressed his finger lightly against my chest indicating my heart.
    “I never thought you were one for caring about what a girl thinks.”
    “I like a good time. Just like any guy. But after sex, it’s got to mean something more than that. There has to be a deeper connection. Otherwise once that’s gone, what have you got left?”
    “Right, that’s what I’m saying about Chase.”
    “Yeah, but really how much have you got in common with him? Let’s be honest here and lay the cards out on the table.”
    “Well…” I put my finger up. “We love music.”
    “So do we.”
    I narrowed my eyes.
    “We sing.”
    “Really? You sing?” He started laughing and I backhanded him with a cloth. “No, I mean, what about where you’re from?” he continued. “We’ve grown up together. I’ve known you for years. I know what ticks you off and what brings you alive. Those things can’t be discovered within a few weeks. Even if he was here for a month.”
    I began mopping the floor of some coffee that had spilled.
    “I know that. But if a person said that about anyone they thought of seeing, they would never date anyone. It’s the best part, getting to know someone.”
    He was about to respond when Amber Rose and Brad Urban walked in followed by a slew of media who were immediately shoved outside. They took a seat in the corner and Spike went over and took their order. A few minutes later Amber came up to the counter.
    “Meghan.”
    “Hi Amber.”
    “You want to join us?”
    My brow knit together. “I should really be working.”
    “Oh it won’t take long. We just wanted to have a quick word with you.”
    I glance at Spike and he nodded.
    “Yeah, sure.”
    I handed the mop to Spike and he took over.
    “Hey,” Brad said.
    I took a seat. Amber sat beside him.
    “So how are you liking the contest so far?”
    “Yeah. Good.”
    “How do you think you are doing?”
    “Shouldn’t that be something you are telling me?”
    “Right. Listen, there’s been a bit of rumor spreading and we just wanted to clear it up.”
    “About?”
    “You and Chase.”
    My stomach sank. I immediately felt as if I was under the glaring lights in a police station. I fidgeted in my seat and scratched my leg.
    “What about us?”
    “So there is an us?” Brad asked.
    “No, you were implying there was an us.”
    “Are you seeing Chase?”
    And there it was. The question of all questions. I could feel my cheeks beginning to burn. Every cell in my body was screaming out. I wasn’t very good at lying. There was always a look people get in their eyes when they are lying. It’s glazed and you can just tell they are trying to pull the wool over your eyes. For years I had been trying to master the art of not letting a person see what I felt inside. If I was sad, overjoyed or angry, I would use things like looking off to the side, or biting my lip or just a look of surprise. More times than not I would fail at it miserably. This was probably one of those times.
    “Why? Has anyone been saying anything?”
    “No. It’s just people have picked up on the way he is around you. Look, it’s not like we aren’t familiar with his taste in women. We know he’s a bit of a womanizer. But if it was true that you were seeing him, we would have to pull him out.”
    “Not me?”
    “No, you’ve got talent. You have the most to lose in this. It wouldn’t be fair to have you dropped.”
    I could see out the corner of my eye that Spike was listening.
    “No.