Excerpt of Rock King by Tara Leigh

Shane Hawthorne wanted me, Delaney Fraser, to be his girlfriend? Something told me I should make a break for it, leave now before he reduced my world to rubble. But I didn’t. I stayed put, waiting for him to supply more details. Waiting for Shane to redefine my world, because as far as I knew, relationships didn’t require conference rooms and contracts.

“I’m sure you’ve seen the gossip rags. I’m no choir boy. But
I’m not looking for drama, Delaney. When I’m on the road,
fans and groupies are constantly trying to sneak their way
into my dressing rooms, hotel rooms, even onto the tour bus
and private planes. The best way to discourage them is by
having a beautiful woman by my side. I want that woman to be
you.”

I tilted my head to the side, something telling me I should
read between the lines, but I didn’t even understand where
the lines were. “Me?”

A rumble erupted from deep in Shane’s chest. Dear God, his
laugh was even sexier than his voice. “Yes, you.” He widened
his thighs, pulling my chair closer and drawing my knees
between his legs.

As if in slow motion, I watched his hand coming toward me, a
shiver of pleasure rolling down my spine as it curved around
the back of my neck, his fingers blazing a path into my hair
as he leaned forward. Then all I felt was Shane’s full lips
descending on my own, his mouth brushing against mine in a
whisper-soft caress. But he pulled back too quickly, leaving
me wanting more. My eyes fluttered open, absorbing the
impact of his provocative grin like a kick to the solar plexus.

This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening.

And then it happened again. Shane pressed harder this time,
swallowing my breath as his tongue pushed into my mouth.

Shane Hawthorne tasted like spearmint and something headier,
muskier…liquid testosterone maybe.

When he broke away, he took my soft groan of protest with
him. One taste of heaven wasn’t nearly enough. “So, what do
you think, Delaney—will you be my girlfriend?” Shane looked
at me as if asking me to share his life was the most natural
thing in the world.

Swallowing the want surging up my chest, filling my lungs,
clawing at my throat, I managed a quiet whisper. “I think
it’s a bad idea.”

Shane hooked a thumb beneath my chin, holding me still as
his needy gaze scanned every inch of my face. “But it feels
so good bein’ bad.”

He clearly didn’t know the first thing about me. All my life
I’d been a good girl. Coloring between the lines, following
the rules. Until one night, I slipped up. Put my own needs
and wants ahead of anyone else’s, without considering the
consequences. I learned a painful lesson. Being bad came at
too high of a cost.

“Be bad with me, Delaney.” His words ghosted across my lips,
and I opened my mouth, breathing them in. I felt myself
yielding to Shane’s persistence, succumbing to the strength
of my own desires.

The pull I felt toward Shane was a stronger lure than the
money Travis had offered. But I was entirely wrong for the
job. If they only knew what a mess I’d made of my life, they
would never hire me to maintain order in Shane’s.

Shane said he wasn’t looking for drama. Of course—because he
didn’t need to. Drama found him. And now he wanted to bring
me into the center of the storm. His storm.

Electricity buzzed between us, the air still and sharp.
Every glimpse of Shane, every taste of him, sent my body and
soul plunging into chaos. And with him so close, every
breath sent a shower of sparks racing along my skin.

The connection between us…it was volatile. Hazardous.

I was powerless to resist it.