Ace (Playtime Series Book 1) by Gemma Arlington (distant reading TXT) 📕

me, but I knew she would flip and take twice as long to get ready. She was already gorgeous the way she was, she didn’t need to change a thing.

“I’m ready to go,” Elle smiled, grabbing her purse off the bench and walking out her front door.

She lived on the ground floor so it was only a small walk to the street where I had parked the car. I was a little excited. Hank loved his cars and rarely allowed anyone to use them but I had managed to sweet talk him into letting me drive his Jaguar-JX Sedan. The vehicle was a joy to drive and I was determined to have a Jag of my own eventually.

“You will have to sit in the back babe, I’m sorry,” I sighed as I rounded the bonnet to jump

into the front seat.

“Why?” Elle asked.

“You’ll see,” I smiled.

“Ace, what are you up to?” Elle inquired suspiciously.

“Nothing just get in the car, trust me you will like what you see,” I exclaimed, as Elle sighed and opened the back door of the car scooting inside. I expected to hear screams, instead I heard nothing. I opened the driver’s door and climbed in.

Eric was shaking his head with a smile on his face. It seemed as though the reason I heard no protests from Elle was because she was busy necking in the back seat with Damon. I rolled my eyes; seriously? I said she would enjoy it, I didn’t mean literally. If those two started fucking in the back seat I was going to kick them out and make her pay to have the car dry cleaned.

“You have a very interesting friend,” Eric stated with a grin.

“She has her weaknesses and hot guys in leather pants are one of them,” I replied, knowing that talking about Elle while she was in the back seat was probably wrong, but I wasn’t

going to give away too many of her secrets. She would kill me and besides I didn’t know Eric well enough to start spilling things about my personal life either.

“Where is this place?” I asked, as I pulled

the car out of its parking spot and into the traffic of L.A.

I hoped she would hear me and stop her make-out session with Damon in the backseat. I needed directions, or at least the name of this particular club or pub we were meant to be going to. After all, we were going to visit the band she recommended.

“Damon,” Eric yelled, making the two of them realize they weren’t alone.

“Elle, where is this club and the band you’re dragging me to see?” I asked again, knowing this time she would hear me.

“Umm, do you think you could take me back to my place?” Elle inquired, smiling to me through the rear vision mirror. Was she kidding? I had pulled up to a set of lights not even two minutes from her house. If she wanted Damon so badly I would happily let them out and they could walk back.

“You can get out now and walk if you wish,” I stated smiling.

She unbuckled and climbed over the seat, kissing me on the cheek.

“I owe you,” she whispered. “I’ll call you later with details,” she added. Oh my gosh, I hoped she wouldn’t. I heard her giggle as she exited the car.

I hate awkward silences. Why on earth did I say

it was ok for Elle to ditch and have a night of sex with none other than JED’s lead guitarist?

Now I was stuck in a car with Eric and he seemed about as happy as a pumpkin laying in the garden, waiting to be picked. I wanted to go home, open a bottle of wine and soak in my tub. I couldn’t do that with him in the car and now we had no destination.

“Do you mind if I tag along to wherever you’re heading? I don’t feel like going back to the hotel while the guys are busy drinking,” Eric mumbled.

Hmm, how would I answer this question?

“I’m going to go home, you don’t mind?” I asked, as he turned to me with a smirk on his face. I should have known. I was seriously considering not going home and just driving around L.A, but I really wanted a bath.

“Did you enjoy your studio time?” I inquired, trying to think of anything to discuss with him.

“It was interesting,” he muttered.

So that was all he was going to give me? I put my butt out on the line, even gave him

valuable one-on-one time in the studio, thanks to the tardy boys,

and I all get is, ‘It was interesting.’ Men! Argh! They were so frustrating!

Especially power-tripping rock stars who sit on their high horse and think they’re a gift to women.

I pulled the car into the street that housed Hanks Beverly Hills home. All the houses in this street were full of households in the million dollar price range. Hank supposedly paid quite a number for his, I didn’t know exactly how much because we never bothered to discuss money and I certainly had no desire to. I was just grateful for the roof over my head and the amazing man who helped me out of a sticky situation.

Hank was an angel. No matter what shit I copped from work about my so called relationship with him, I knew the truth. I would most likely always have him in my life.

I pulled into the driveway of the gated house, and flicked the switch for the automatic garage doors. I needed to tuck this little baby in its safe hidey hole, especially since it wasn’t mine.

I parked the car and climbed out. Eric seemed way too quiet for my liking. Why did he

have to turn on the silent treatment? The other night