Steady Beat by Lexxie Couper Read Free Book Online

hear from me tomorrow. Which you will, Pepper. Promise. In fact, I give you permission to call the media. Want me to put Perez Hilton’s number in there? If I renege on our deal, you can call him and play this message to him.” He dialed her phone, shaking his head and holding up a finger at her when she went to answer it.
    “Hi, this is Pepper,” Pepper’s smooth voice came through the connection, tickling his ear. “Please leave a message after the beep.”
    “G’day, Pepper. This is Noah Holden, the drummer in Nick Blackthorne’s band. I’ve just made a deal with you to audition as lead singer. I won’t back out of this deal if you agree to come back to my hotel room, even if it’s only for coffee and ice cream.”
    Pepper’s mouth fell open.
    Noah ended the call and smiled at her. “See? I’m serious about hearing you sing.” He leant forward, holding her stare with his. “I want to hear you sing. You intrigue me. And I haven’t been intrigued for a long time.”
    She chewed on her bottom lip. “When?”
    Noah’s heart quickened at the way her lip glistened with moisture. “Tomorrow. I’ll call the guys and get them together tomorrow arvo.”
    “Arvo?”
    He smiled at her frown. “Sorry, afternoon. So, want to go now? From here, I mean?”
    Apprehension flicked over Pepper’s face.
    “Only for coffee and ice cream, remember?” he said with a chuckle. “No sex. You’ve got that on record. Although you have no idea how much I want to make love to you right now.”
    A pink blush painted her cheeks. She studied him, her head turned slightly, her elbows tucked into her sides. He waited, his heart thumping in his ears, his feet jiggling on the floor. God, let her say yes.
    Pepper nodded. “Okay. Coffee would be great.”
    Noah had to stop himself from fist-pumping the air. “Excellent.”
    “I know a really good, quiet café around the corner,” Pepper said before the image of him laying her naked on his hotel suite’s bed finished forming in his head. “They have amazing apple pie. Would you like to share a slice with me?”
    Swallowing at the rapid beat in his throat, Noah smiled. “I’d like to share anything with you, but am happy to start with pie.”
    She lowered her head, smiling up at him from lowered lashes. On any other woman dressed in such short hot pants it would have shouted, “Hey, wanna fuck me?” But on Pepper, it only spoke of a shyness Noah already found entrancing.
    Rising to his feet, he held out his hand. “Shall we, then?”
    For a heartbeat, she didn’t move. Her gaze stayed fixed on his offered hand. And then, with a shaky breath, she slipped her fingers around his.
    Noah couldn’t stop his grin. He liked the feel of her hand in his. He normally didn’t do handholding. His fingers liked to be free. To tap out a beat whenever needed, on whatever surface was around. Heather had often called him out about it, complaining he preferred fidgeting to holding her hand. He hadn’t disagreed. Which made the fact he still held Pepper’s hand as they exited the bar all the more surprising.
    Almost as surprising at the blinding camera flashes detonating in their eyes on the street.
    “Noah, Noah!” a strange voice shouted from behind the white explosion. “Over here.”
    “Noah!” another called, more flashes firing. “Who’s your friend? Where’s Heather?”
    “Noah!” a third shrieked. “Is Blackthorne here? Why was the band all together? Are you re-forming?”
    Beside Noah, Pepper froze. He shot her a look, ignoring the paparazzi. He’d grown accustomed to their particular brand of annoying years ago.
    Pepper however, was unprepared. She stared at the three photographers firing shot after shot, her eyes wide. Every time a flash bleached the night, she flinched. Every time she flinched, her grip on his hand grew tighter. Tighter.
    Flash. Flinch. Squeeze.
    Flash. Flinch. Squeeze.
    Noah snared their joined hands with his free one, wriggling his thumb between