Free Rock My Christmas (FlameSmith in Love Book 1) by Laura Kitchell

counted five, all handsome and two with blond hair. They had to be the opening band.
    The members of FlameSmith strode past her, bigger than life. Their confidence and outfits proclaimed them every bit a mega-famous rock band. As they approached the Koreans, offering smiles, welcomes and handshakes, Burn stopped. He snapped a photo on his phone of the two bands meeting.
    He wore just enough eye makeup to turn his dark eyes hard as he studied the box in her hands. Black polish coated his fingernails. A sleeveless, red and black tiger-print shirt clung to his chest and abdominal muscles like a second skin. Black leather pants seemed to lengthen his legs, making him appear taller than his usual towering six feet four inches. He wore black biker boots, a studded red belt, and two scraggly, wispy silver scarves.
    Her heart thudded and she retreated a step. “Hey.”
    “I’m hungry. Make me a sandwich, would you?” He cast her a dismissive glance then headed for the welcoming party.
    Great. She’d gawked at him like some fan girl. What was wrong with her? She had come to do a job. It didn’t matter that the very sight of him in those clothes stole her breath. She had to deal with it.
    A sandwich. Right. She took a step then stopped and closed her eyes. Unbelievable. She’d creamed her panties.
     
    *    *    *
     
    Three songs into his performance, Burn began to wilt under the hot stage lights. Adrenaline no longer provided the energy he needed, and he shortened his show strides and lunges to mere walking steps. Jet lag threatened to sap him to nothing.
    Kendel stood stage right, always in sight. God, she was beautiful. The seventeen thousand cheering and singing fans didn’t matter. This was her first FlameSmith concert, and he wanted to give her a stellar show. Damn it.
    He belted his final note into his mouthpiece, stepped back for his final serious guitar scream in the number, then used Air’s guitar solo to switch off his headset and exit for a breather.
    Kendel met him where stage platform connected to concrete flooring. Handing him a dry hand towel, she said, “You went pale a minute ago. Are you okay?”
    “I’m going all sixes and sevens, I’m afraid.” He wiped sweat from his face and neck.
    “I don’t know what that means. Here.” She removed the cap from a water bottle and gave it to him.
    Ice clunked within the water. He turned it up, and each swallow lowered his temperature. “That was good. Thank you.”
    When he glanced at Air, who ended the song on a bounce and a drop, Kendel put the backs of her cool fingers to his forehead. “You feel clammy. Maybe you should eat this.” She presented a foil-wrapped chocolate on her palm.
    It was exactly what he needed. Taking it, he said, “You’re fairly fabulous. Do you know that?”
    She’d given him exactly what he’d needed without his asking. In three days, she’d become his best aide. And he liked her. All the more reason to keep her at an arm’s length. If her promise held true and he could come to trust her one day, she’d…
    Well, he couldn’t contemplate that now. He had a concert to give. Returning to the stage, he went to one knee and sent his arm in a circle to strike the first chord of the next song.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Nine
     
     
    Her limbs weak and her eyes scratchy, Kendel hugged the elevator wall on the ride to her room. Nine hours of sleep on the flight hadn’t prepared her for this twenty-four hour day of running, stress, and a sharp learning curve. Still, she smiled. She’d lived an adventure today, and it was worth every second.
    She put her hand in her back pocket and pulled out two keycards. Shit. She’d forgotten to give Burn his. Stepping off the elevator, she wavered. She hadn’t the strength to do anything about it. He’d have to knock on her door when he came from the after-party club. Simple as that.
    Somehow, she shuffled to her door through sheer will power and clung to