Rock Hard (Rock Kiss #2)(14)

“What?” Paying for a bra and panty set that would look phenomenal on her knockout curves, Molly pointed a finger at her. “You’ve been holding out on me.”

“Hah! More like I’ve been protecting you from the madness,” Charlotte said as they walked out into the sunshine. “This is only my second day in the position, but he’s already driving me insane. Yesterday he made me work till ten at night, caused me to miss a date with Ernest—”

“What you and Ernest are doing isn’t called dating, Charlie.”

Charlotte folded her arms, trying not to think about the fact she’d been fantasizing about the wrong man ever since Gabriel Bishop walked into her life. “So maybe he hasn’t made a move—”

“After a year.” Molly’s voice was gentle but firm. “Doesn’t Ernest spend the whole time telling you about his model-airplane collection?”

Glaring at Molly, Charlotte said, “I admit he’s a bit obsessed with his models, but he’s small like me, kind, and he doesn’t raise his voice at me.”

“You know I like Ernest; he’s a lovely, sweet man.” Molly shoulder-bumped her. “I understand why you want to be attracted to him, but the truth is you aren’t.”

Charlotte ducked her head, not wanting to face a fact she’d been happily avoiding for a year. As long as she was “dating” Ernest, she had a safety net, a way to pretend she was normal for at least a fraction of time.

“You convinced me to be brave,” Molly whispered. “I think you can be too.”

“I’m not like you, you know that.”

“Do I?” Her best friend shook her head. “You said you were in awe of me for standing up to Queen Bitchface, but I remember you telling off the worst clique in the school until they crawled off with their tails between their legs.”

“It’s different when it’s someone I love.” She’d take on anyone who hurt someone who belonged to her. “When it’s me…” Charlotte swallowed, her next words a rasp. “He scares me.” It was a confession torn out of her soul.

Molly’s expression suddenly somber, she drew Charlotte to a bench in the nearby square, the water fountain to the side creating a gentle background melody. “T-Rex?”

At Charlotte’s nod, Molly put her hand over Charlotte’s. “Are you afraid to be around him?”

“No,” Charlotte said, realizing her best friend had taken the wrong meaning from her words. “No, not like that.” Stomach tense and chest tight with the weight of what she was admitting, she glanced at her watch. “We better go—we’ll be late getting back to work.”

“I’ll make up the time.” Molly squeezed her hand. “And since T-Rex didn’t let you leave till ten last night, I’m sure he can’t argue against a long lunch today.”

“Yes, he can.” The man was totally unreasonable.

“Do I need to storm the battlements and steal you away from his clutches?”

“Ha-ha.” Teeth sinking into her lower lip, Charlotte just blurted out the truth. “He scares me because of the way he makes me react. Sometimes I want to grab that tie of his and—”

“Do the kind of things I’ve been doing with my rock star?”

Charlotte blushed. “Only in my more insane moments.” She pushed up her glasses. “Have you seen how big he is?” Even thinking about his body made her breath catch, and it wasn’t in fear.

“Sexy big.” Molly waggled her eyebrows. “Also, you shouldn’t expect rational advice from me—I brought a man home after meeting him in an elevator.”

Charlotte laughed, gleeful. “Now you’re about to head off with him for a dirty, dirty weekend.” She was so happy for her friend.

Dropping her head in her hands, Molly moaned. “What am I doing, Charlie?”

“I told you, being the brave one.” She jumped as her cell phone rang. “It’s His Carnivorousness,” she muttered after reading the caller display. “Hello,” she said in a far more professional tone. “Charlotte speaking.”

“Ms. Baird, where the hell are you?” came the growl down the line. “Do you not realize I pay you to be available when I need you?”

Charlotte’s hands itched for that jug of ice water. “Yes, I realize that,” she said, managing to keep her tone polite. “However, I did work well beyond my contracted hours yesterday.”

“What? Ermine complaining already?” A snort. “Don’t tell me you’re pacifying your boyfriend when you should be at your desk.”

Charlotte saw red. “Yes, I am,” she said, her mouth moving ahead of her brain. “In fact, we’re about to check into a hotel.” Stabbing the End key, she turned to find Molly staring at her.

“Did you just tell your boss you were about to check into a hotel with Ernest?” her best friend asked in an awed whisper.

Charlotte froze, suddenly realizing what she’d said. “Oh God!” It was a mortified wail, her breath stuck in her lungs. “I told you he was driving me insane.”

Molly nudged Charlotte’s head between her knees. “Breathe, Charlie.”

Charlotte tried, but she could tell her face was still bright red when she sat up. “I can’t go back to the office now.” How would she even face Gabriel Bishop? “I’ll have to quit.” Interviewing for a new position couldn’t be any harder than trying to explain to the boss that she hadn’t in fact been about to check into a hotel with her boyfriend who wasn’t really her boyfriend.