Wonderlust (Steel Roses #1) Read online

  “Yes. He has the pool house, and I have the apartment above the garage. Mary is the housekeeper and cook. She goes home on the weekends. Steve is my right hand man on the security detail, but he doesn’t live at the mansion. There are others that come and go, but I don’t want to confuse you with all their names.” Wow, that was a lot of people to look after one man. “Everyone is excited to meet you, though.” He grinned over at me. “Milly is hard to replace, but Gina spoke very highly of you and how you handled Alex.”

  “I’m not sure that I handled him. I pissed him off, though. That’s for sure.”

  “He argued with Milly a lot. They were like an old married couple. He needs to be put in his place from time to time.”

  “I don’t want to spend every day fighting with him. That would be exhausting.”

  “Unfortunately, that’s Alex.” Shane was quiet for the rest of the drive. I gazed out the window, mesmerized by the sites in front of me.

  Alex’s mansion was high up in the Hollywood Hills. It was surreal how quickly the scenery changed. One moment we were driving through the horrible traffic toward the downtown lights, and the next we were high up in the hills. It took my breath away. It was very secluded compared to the other mansions in the area.

  “Steve, open the gates,” Shane called at the intercom once we’d approached the long driveway. Two large steel gates began to creak and slowly open, revealing the stunning mansion.

  Holy shit! I was going to live in this paradise? The whitewash mansion was gigantic and very modern. It looked as if it had three floors to it, all surrounded in glass to capture the amazing view I expected. There were also the side buildings and the Olympic sized swimming pool, with a cascading waterfall that ran down a beautiful rock structure. Alex’s Hollywood mansion was more than I could have ever imagined, and I hadn’t even looked inside yet.

  “It’s quite something, isn’t it?” Shane chuckled, looking at my gob smacked expression.

  “Uh huh.” Still stunned, I could hardly speak. He pulled up outside the three-door garage.

  “Couldn’t Alex afford a house with more garage doors?” I teased.

  “Don’t let Alex here you say that,” he chuckled. “I’ll get your bags later. Come on. You need to meet everyone first.” I liked Shane. He was very calm and collected. I could see why he was in the security industry. He put everyone at ease. I was glad Gina has asked him to pick me up.

  The inside of this place was just as magnificent as the outside. It was a mass of white walls, gold frames, and deep red carpets. I met Mary in the grand white marble kitchen first. She was a middle-aged woman, with light brown hair cut into a bob. The cookies she was busy making gave her a motherly feel and smelled amazing.

  “If you need me to iron any of your clothes once you’ve unpacked, let me know,” she called as Shane led me away.

  “Thank you, but I’m sure they’ll be fine.” Jeez, she was just like my mother.

  “Mary is a bit of a mother hen.” Shane winked, leading me down a long hallway and pointing out rooms as we walked past. There were so many: the games room, the library, the bar, the television room, and the music room. This was just the ground floor, too! I was in awe of everything.

  “I’m going to get lost in this place,” I chuckled. This mansion needed a map!

  “I’ll watch out for you.”

  “Thanks.” I smiled shyly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. I always wore my hair up when I was working because I hated when it got in my face. The humidity here was making it a little unruly, though.

  “Alex is probably out by the pool.” Oh, the life of a rock star. I took a deep breath, ready to face him again.

  There were a few people out by the pool. The first thing I noticed was a mass of beautiful, long blonde hair and these long sexy legs, with long slender feet that were in the most amazing silver stilettos I’d ever seen. Alex and his blondies; I had to hide a smirk.

  The figure turned as Shane called out, and my gaze froze on the blond. It was a man! Wow! His eyebrows were perfectly shaped and he could apply his makeup better than me. His face looked familiar, too. I was sure I'd seen him in magazines before.

  Mr. Feminine strutted gracefully over to me. “Natasha, this is Diego Britvic,” Shane introduced. I was in awe of this guy. Maybe he could teach me to walk in those shoes. He moved better than a catwalk model.

  “So, you’re the one that bruised Alex’s ego? I love you already, Honey! And you’re gorgeous, too!” He pulled me into a tight embrace, taking me by surprise. Oh no! Had Alex told everyone? Why would he do that?

  “I’m not sure anyone could break through that ego of his, but it’s lovely to meet you.” Diego eyed me carefully before looking over at the other side of the pool.

  “Alex, aren’t you going to get up to greet Natasha?” My eyes scanned across the water until I found him. My mouth fell open at the sight of Alex in just his swim shorts. His sun-kissed body made my legs clench together. That wasn’t a good reaction if I was going to be spending a lot of time him. None of that stopped me from gazing at his body from head to toe, though. He was lean but had strong, broad shoulders, and all his tattoos were on full display. His left arm had a tattoo at the top that was music related. Thorns, music notes, and roses joined together with the letter ’H’ underneath. He had two stars on either side of his chest. My eyes fell onto the crucifix on his torso, near his heart next. He could have been sculpted by Michelangelo himself for how perfect he was. Lastly, my eyes fell on the lonely Latin quote, dum spiro, spero on the inside of his left arm. I’d always loved the meaning of that quote—While I breathe, I hope—and always wondered why he’d chosen it.

  “It’s a pleasure to see you again so soon, Miss White.” Alex had a playful grin on his beautiful face when he reached me. I didn’t like it.

  “I don’t know what you were complaining about the other day, Alex. She’s a beauty.” Diego stretched his hand out to the touch the side of my face. “You better watch yourself with this man-whore. He’ll eat you alive if you let him.”

  “Diego, don’t you have to straighten your hair or something? You can go, too, Shane. I’ll take it from here.” At Alex’s command, everyone disappeared from the pool area. He really was the king of his castle. Did everyone always obey his orders? “What?” he asked, snapping me from my thoughts. He seemed a little vexed with me already.

  “Do you always clear a room this fast?”

  “It’s a rock star perk. I always get my own way.” Something told me that we weren’t talking about clearing the room anymore.

  “My last employer trusted my judgment and it worked well that way.”

  “I’m sure we can come to some sort of arrangement.” Alex’s piercing blue eyes wandered to my cleavage. Really? He couldn’t even be subtle for a few moments?

  “We won’t if you keep trying to get into my knickers!”

  “Knickers? I prefer the word panties. It’s sexier.”

  “They both mean the same damn thing. You’ve forgotten your British roots.”

  “You’re bringing up panties a lot…”

  “It’s not going to happen, Mr. Harbour.”

  “You really think you can resist me?” he asked smugly. Stupid egotistical rock star! Hadn’t he learned anything from our first meeting in London?

  “Oh, I know I can.” Why did I enjoy denting his vanity so much? Oh yeah, because he deserved it.

  He was thoughtful for a few moments. “Okay, if you say so. Let me show you to your room.” He was backing down? Well, that was a surprise.

  I lost count of how many doors I passed while following him silently down the corridor.

  “This one is yours.” He pushed the door open, revealing a pale blue room. It was smaller than I had imagined, compared to the size of this place. Clearly, I wasn’t getting the same accommodations that his last PA had, and that was fine by me.

  “It’s lovely, thank you.” I didn’t want to play his game. The room was more than ad
equate for my needs.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. If you could get Shane to bring my belongings up, that would be a great help, thank you. I’d like to get settled in before we start talking about my duties and your schedule, if that’s okay with you.”

  “We can do that tomorrow morning. You must be exhausted from all the traveling.” He was right; I was extremely tired. “I’m sure if you see Mary, she’ll fix you something to eat. You’ve got to be hungry, too. Please feel free to take a look around house to familiarize yourself. You have your own office, but that can wait until tomorrow. I’m glad you decided to give this job a shot, Natasha.” Stunned, I watched as he glanced at me before leaving without another word.

  Walking into the room, I turned on the few lamps and wandered around the space. I had my own white tiled bathroom, which was definitely a good thing. The large, dark oak bed in the middle of the room looked comfortable, and there was a matching dresser and closet. Yes, the room would suit me just fine. The best part were the large glass windows that looked out over the Hollywood Hills. Thank God it didn’t have a pool view. Watching Alex in his swim shorts all the time would be a little too distracting. I scolded myself internally. I came here trying to run away from my feelings for David. Now was not the time to lust after my new boss. He was a jerk anyway. It should be easy to keep my feelings in check. There was only one problem with that: Alex was my first ever crush. You don’t forget those easily, especially when they’re flaunting their incredibly sexy bodies in front of you, and clearly trying to get into your knickers. Fuck my life! Why had I agreed to this job again?

  It didn’t take me long to unpack once my luggage had been brought up. When I was done, I had a long, soothing shower before slipping into a pair of shorts and a vest. Tying my hair up into a wet bun, I decided to take a look around the mansion like Alex had suggested.

  Mary was still in the kitchen and kindly made me a chicken sandwich when I wandered in looking for something to eat.

  “What do you think of the house?” she asked, opening the fridge to get me a glass of juice. She was a mature, round lady, with a warm smile.

  “It’s incredible. The magazine features don’t even come close to what it’s truly like.”

  “Alex only allows the media to see parts of his life. He’s been that way since… well, no, it doesn’t matter.”

  “How long have you worked for him?”

  “Ten years.” She smiled, placing a glass of juice on the table for me. “And I don’t know anymore about him now than I did the first day I arrived. Other than what he likes to eat and drink, of course. We all have our roles, and he tells us what we need to know—nothing more. Milly was a lot closer to him, but they had a different kind of relationship. He let her in.”

  “Why did she leave?”

  “Gina didn’t tell you?” I shook my head. “She got her own talk show.” Wow, I wasn’t expecting that. I was hoping it was more along the lines of suing Alex for sexual harassment. If my first meeting with him was anything to go by, that was more believable. “She’s been a celebrity in her own right for so long. She stayed as long as she could, but even Alex couldn’t hold her forever.”

  “I have some big shoes to fill, that’s for sure.”

  “Gina is a great judge of character. She handpicked all of us, even Milly all those years ago. You’ll do just fine.”

  “This sandwich is great,” I groaned, taking my first bite. “Thank you, Mary.”

  “Remember, you can help yourself to anything you want, and you can add any items onto the weekly shopping list.” I nodded as I watched her pick up a bottle of whiskey, some ice, and a glass. I gathered that wasn’t for her. “I have a few errands to run, but Shane should be around if you need anything.”

  “Where is Alex?”

  “In his music room, I expect. He’s either there or in his entertaining room with a few people.” Oh, it was that kind of entertaining room. “I wouldn’t bother him at this time of night, though. He’ll be occupied either way.”

  “With his music?” I teased, knowing full well what Mary was trying to tell me. Rock stars were all sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. I’d already suspected that he would be no different.

  “Something like that,” she chuckled on her way out of the kitchen.

  After wandering around the mansion for a while, I heard laughter coming from one of the rooms on the ground floor.

  “Why didn’t you give her Milly’s old suite? You’ve given her the smallest room in the house.” It sounded like Diego talking.

  “She has to earn her keep before she gets anything from me,” Alex slurred a little. He sounded drunk. “I’ll break her, she’ll be in my bed before the end of the three month trial, then I can send her packing with a broken heart.” Shocked, I froze in place and listened to his hateful words. That was why he’d offered me a three-month trial. This was all about getting me in the sack!

  “She seems really sweet, Alex. Don’t do this to her.”

  “I’ll find out just how sweet she is when I’m in between her legs.” Ugh! He was disgusting!

  “You’re a fucking whore, do you realize that? If you spent as much time on your music as you do trying to score pussy, you’d have your next album finished by now. ”

  “You might be right, but Miss White has no idea what’s in store for her. I’m looking forward to teaching her a lesson or two.” I’d heard enough. If Alex Harbour thought that he could seduce me, he had another thing coming! I wasn’t going to quit, though. There was no way I would give him that satisfaction. I had a better plan, and that was to play just as dirty as him!

  Chapter Four

  “I trust that you slept well?” Alex asked, watching me help myself to some breakfast the next morning. Mary had put a wonderful spread out. I wasn't sure if it was because of my arrival yesterday or if this was normal.

  “I did, thank you. Aren’t you going to eat?” I questioned, noticing he hadn’t picked any food up.

  “No, I had my breakfast earlier.”

  “Was all this on my behalf?” I gasped. Alex nodded. “Mary shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble.”

  “She likes to make people feel at home.”

  “I can see that.” He was still trying the Mr. Nice Guy act, but I wasn’t falling for it.

  “Once you’re done, meet me outside by the pool. I’ll show you to your office and we can get down to business.”

  “Okay.” I smiled back politely.

  After three pancakes with syrup, a bowl of fresh fruit, and two glasses of juice, I was ready to face him. As I was leaving the kitchen, I made a mental note that I’d need to get Mary’s pancake recipe. They were delicious.

  Mr. Ego was outside by the pool with Shane when I walked out.

  “Good morning,” Shane greeted me warmly before looking back to Alex. “I’ll wait until I get your schedule for next week, then I’ll make some calls.”

  “Thanks, buddy.” Alex patted him on the back, and then we were alone. “Right, let’s get you settled in. Everything is going to shit. Gina bailed on me for some emergency in New York, and we’re behind schedule already. Plus, I need Shane to run a private errand for me.”

  “That’s why I’m here. We’ll have you back on track in no time.” I wasn’t the most confident person when it came to personal things, but when it was about my job, nothing fazed me.

  “I take it you like to have the press questions prescreened before they reach you?” I mused, looking at my computer screen. My office was huge. It was larger than my bedroom. Like the rest of the mansion, the walls were white. I had two large black leather couches—one in each corner—and a large, tropical fish tank opposite my ridiculously large, dark oak desk. It also featured two large sliding doors that led out toward the pool. There were plants everywhere, too.

  It didn’t take very long to get everything in order. Gina had handled almost everything before rushing off to New York.

  “How do you know that?” Alex
seemed surprised. I could tell he was impressed with how quickly I took control of his calendar.

  “You’re the celebrity that everyone wants to know in great detail. The press eat that shit up. I know part of my job is to protect you from that.”

  “You’ve surprised me, Straight Lace.” Great! He clearly had a nickname for me, and he’d already used it a few times now. What pissed me off was that he was partly right! Leaning toward me, he took my hand in his. “For the record, I want to know you in great detail, too.”

  “I wasn’t talking about me,” I snapped, quickly pulling my hand away.

  “Oh, sure you weren’t. I get it, you’re dedicated to your work, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun while you’re here. We’re going to be working very closely together.”

  “Is that the kind of relationship you had with Milly Crown?”

  He burst out laughing, which made his eyes softer, more human. It took my breath away. Alex laughing was a sight to behold. “Milly would have cut my balls off if I’d even looked at her in that way. She’s like a sister to me.”

  “What makes you think I won’t cut your balls off if you keep making these advances toward me?”

  “I don’t know, but I have to admit, it would be hot to watch you lose control like that. I have a feeling you’ve never let it all go before.”

  “That’s a little dangerous, leaving me in control of your balls.”

  “Baby, I’d let you control my balls all night long if you wanted.”

  Swallowing hard, I tried to refocus. I was burning from the inside. Alex Harbour’s balls. God, the days I used to dream about having just one night with him and his balls. No! Stop it, White!

  “Let’s just stick to me controlling your calendar, shall we? Blurring the lines in a professional relationship is never a good thing.”

  “If that’s what you want. You don’t like to live dangerously, I get it.”

  “I don’t see how any of that would be your business!” I snapped. This man was infuriating!

  “It was only a statement. Calm down!”