Rock Solid (Rock Hard #3) Seduced By The Rockstar - BBW Erotic Romance by Adriana Hunter Page B

had
she missed some deadline?
    “No, the story is not due for another week.
That’s not why I’m calling. I’m calling because I’ve been on the
phone all morning with Gage Stevens’ manager. Gage has apparently
gone missing as of last night. The last thing security saw was you
running from his tour bus in tears and one of his band mates is
sporting a bruised face in all the photos spread across the
tabloids this morning. I want to know exactly what happened.”
    Kate closed her eyes. There was no easy way
to explain this, especially to Ursula. She’d crossed a professional
line in her job and she’d probably lose that job once Ursula found
out the whole story.
    “Well, um…it’s like this…” Before she could
finish the sentence, Ursula cut her off.
    “Hold on. My assistant tells me Gage is
calling here, for you. We have him on another line.” There was a
brief muffled conversation. Then Ursula was back on the line.
    “This is highly unusual. He’s asking for your
phone number. Kate, you have a great deal of explaining to do. But,
do you want me to give him your number? He’s arguing that he will
only speak to you.”
    Kate’s mouth had gone dry, her heart
pounding. Gage was looking for her. She realized she was clutching
the phone, nodding her head.
    “Yes,” she whispered. No! Her mind
screamed.
    “Alright, we’ll give him your contact
information. But you need to meet with me first thing in the
morning with the status of this series of articles. There is no
room for failure with this, Kate.” The line went dead.
    Kate stared at the receiver in her hand,
shock flushing her face pink and setting her pulse into overdrive. This is all too much. She finally set the receiver gently
back down only for it to begin to ring almost instantly. She sucked
in her breath, staring at the telephone, almost willing it to stop.
It clicked over to the answering machine. And then Gage’s voice was
there, coming out of the speaker.
    “Kate? Are you there? Pick up…please…” In an
almost panic, Kate grabbed the phone from its cradle.
    “I’m here, Gage.”
    There was silence on the other end. She
thought he’d hung up, but then she heard the sound of his ragged
breathing. He sounds almost…frantic, she thought.
    “Kate, I thought I lost you…for a second
time. And I’m not ready to go through that pain, not again.”
    Kate had no words for Gage. She simply
waited, her heart in her throat, her chest growing tight with
anxiety. She heard him take a deep breath.
    “I know there’s a lot that was left unsaid, a
lot of things I did—or didn’t do—but I’m not willing to just let
you walk out of my life again. Not this time.”
    “Gage, what do you want from me?”
    “I want us to try again. I want to try again,
with you. I’m ready to listen to what you want…to really hear you
this time. Will you let me try? Will you give us…give me another try?”
    Kate closed her eyes. “I don’t know…”
    “Please. Kate, at least meet me somewhere,
talk to me. Please.” He hesitated. “I love you.”
    Tears slid down Kate’s face. As much as she’d
wanted— needed —to hear those words, she didn’t know how to
react now that Gage had finally said them. A sudden flush of molten
heat fused its way through her body, wrapping itself around her
heart, warming her skin, quickening her pulse and forcing her to
press her back against the wall for support. She slid down to the
cool floor in a crumpled heap, and took a deep breath.
    “Gage, I’ll meet with you…I really want
to…but not tonight. I’m so drained that I can’t even think straight
and I know you must be, too.” She heard him begin to protest but
quickly cut him off.
    “Listen to me.” She was surprised by the
sharp edge to her voice. She tried again. “Gage, please listen to
me. I said that I’ll meet you, but I just need to think first. And
to get some sleep. Plus, Ursula wants to talk to me. She thinks I
screwed up the articles. Call