Free Love Notes (Rocked by Love #1) by Susan Scott Shelley Page A

pulsed with music and
laughter. The after-concert crowd had thickened once word spread that The Fury
had arrived. Jayne stood by the bar, sipping her drink and chatting with Irisa.
After a week on the road, she was happy to be home and back in her own bed for
a few days. Her friend had invited Dom to the band's first L.A. show. The
ballplayer and Zander traded stories while signing autographs and posing for
pictures. Fans wandered between them and to the opposite side of the room where
Brendan, Landry, and Luke hung out by the pool tables.
    She swallowed her whiskey
and her frustration. No matter what she did, Luke still treated her with a
coolness impossible to mistake for friendliness. After five shows and countless
hours with the band, she'd hoped something would have changed.
    Beside her, Irisa hissed
a breath. "It's good to be home, but I'd thought tonight would have gone
differently."
    "Dom's pretty
popular." There seemed to be as many baseball fans as Fury fans.
    "I'm glad he came
and is getting time to talk to Zander, but it's like the flow of fans never
stops. I'd like to spend time with him too."
    "I'm sure things
will calm down soon." Jayne patted her shoulder. As she spoke, Dom turned
toward them and took a step in their direction. "See?"
    To give her friend some
privacy, she moved to the other end of the bar and signaled for another drink.
People-watching for a while relaxed her.
    Warm hands settled on her
waist. She stiffened, ready to throw an elbow into whoever held her. Then
Zander's scent surrounded her and she relaxed into his hands and twisted toward
him. "I'm glad it's you. I was about to break into self-defense
mode."
    "I wondered where
you went." He smiled and leaned in and brushed a kiss over her lips.
    "I thought I'd give
your sister and Dom some space. And I didn't want to crowd you while you were
with your fans." The band's strict "no groupies" policy
backstage during the tour meant every bar, restaurant, airport, and venue
parking lot turned into fan events.
    "I think I've spoken
to every person in this place. Except you." He slid his hands across her
stomach and drew her body against his solid wall of muscles.
    She sipped her drink,
enjoying the burn of the cinnamon flavor. His hand covered hers and he raised
the glass to his lips. Less than a week had passed since their conversation by
the beach. Keeping their blossoming relationship under wraps was harder than
she'd expected. She liked touching him and kissing him too much.
    He passed the glass back
to her and she finished it off. The burn of the alcohol was nothing compared to
the fiery desire in Zander's gaze.
    "Dance with
me."
    "But someone could
see us and—"
    He pressed the warm pad
of his finger against her lips. "The dance floor's crowded and believe me,
my guys won't be out there. But they could come up here any time for a drink.
We'll keep it friendly but I want to hold you. It's been a damn long day."
    She couldn't argue with
that.
    He stopped in a shadowed
space and drew her into his arms. Not as tight as some of the couples around
them, but close enough for her to breathe him in and enjoy the warmth of his
arms.
    A thunderous crash
drowned out the music. Angry male voices rang out from the direction of the
pool tables.
    Zander's hand tightened
on her shoulder. "Goddamn it. Luke's involved."
    The singer stood toe to
toe with a giant biker. And then the biker's fist flew and the crowd swallowed
them from view.
    "Shit. Find my
sister and get outside." He nudged her in the direction of the exit and
then ran toward the fight.
    Glass shattered and more
people yelled. She dodged people and tables, searching for Irisa. No luck.
    Chaos broke out around
her as the fight spilled out into the rest of the pub. The biker's friends and
Luke's supporters, including Zander, Brendan and Landry, jumped in.
    She couldn't leave—not
with them involved and not without Irisa.
    To her left, Zander threw
punches with two different men. Her stomach lurched.