Seduction by Song Read Online Free Page B

he’s absolutely right. I would love to tell him that he’s dead wrong if he thinks he can coast through life on his looks and fame. I would love to tell him that he should stick to chasing tail that actually wants to be chased. I would love to call him something totally nasty, but in the end, I’m the bigger person here.
    “Nope, nothing to say,” I tell him confidently. “Though if you wanted to apologize —.”
    He laughs and reaches out to me again, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear. I blink, surprised at the gesture. It’s still a complete breach of my personal space, of course, but the gesture is somehow careful, even intimate—like he doesn’t actually want to startle or offend me.
    “I’m sorry, Erin,” he says. “I’m sorry for making all your dreams come true. I’m sorry you’re playing hard to get—oh, don’t get me wrong. I will enjoy this chase, but I could have shown you the time of your life tonight. You know what? Scratch that—I’m not sorry you’re playing hard to get. It’ll make the conquest all the sweeter when you finally succumb to me.”
    I feel my eyes growing wider and my cheeks growing hotter, the promise of sex lingering so thickly in the air between us that it was practically palpable. His hand is still settled against my cheek, fingers curled against my skin, and I knock it away when I realize that he must be feeling how warm my cheeks are growing.
    “You’ll conquer me, huh?” I ask as I shake off the lascivious suggestion and regain my composure. “You can try, buddy, but you’ll be wasting your time.”
    “I doubt you could ever be a waste of time, bonita ,” he says deeply.
    The promise of the chase is clear enough. I try not to let it excite me, but when I realize that it is hopelessly exciting, I tell myself it’s only anticipation for the thrill of turning him down— someone needed to knock this guy down a few pegs, after all.
    If he was intent on pursuing me, then that someone would definitely —and happily—be me.

Chapter Four

Romeo is pulled away to mingle with his fans before long. The girls find me after a few minutes, arms loaded up with t-shirts and posters, and announce ( finally !) that we can start making our way home. I try not to look too relieved, but dealing with guys like Romeo was thoroughly exhausting and I couldn’t wait to climb into bed and forget all about the fact that people like him actually exist.
    Maddie and Juliet sing along to the songs we heard that night on the way home. I had thought that might be annoying, might aggravate this headache I feel sneaking back into my skull, but it has a surprisingly soothing effect on me. I suppose, at the end of it all, I’m just glad the girls had a good time.
    Juliet drops April and me off at our apartment first, and we all step outside to exchange hugs and split the loot they got from the friendly merch guy with all the pre-autographed goodies. April takes a couple of posters and a shirt before grabbing my hand and leading me inside.
    She waits until we’ve kicked our shoes off and changed into something more comfortable—sweats and my favorite worn-out tank top for me—before sitting me down on the couch with her patented we need to talk expression on her face.
    “Something’s wrong,” she says, without making it sound at all like a question.
    I blink a few times as I fold my legs beneath myself. “What do you mean, hon?”
    “Don’t hon me, hon ,” she says, a playful grin coming to her lips to ease the mood. “Look, I know you weren’t exactly— comfortable back there. Did Romeo do something?”
    I hesitate. Maddie was certainly the biggest fan of the Rocks out of all of us, and the last thing I wanted was to ruin Romeo Ortiz for her. That didn’t mean I was any happier about ruining him for April, either, but she did seem like she genuinely wanted to know.
    And I didn’t want her to assume the worst, either. I especially didn’t want to lie to her.
    “No,