The Unidentified Redhead (Redhead #1)(18)
Author: Alice Clayton

I stood over Holly, holding the phone in one hand and the other over her mouth.

“You will be quiet, starting now,” I instructed in a low voice. She nodded her head, her eyes wide. She licked my hand in an attempt to throw me off. I had had enough.

I could hear Jack laughing maniacally over the phone.

“Hi, Jack. Things are under control here now. Can I call you back in a few minutes?” I asked, tightening my grip on Holly’s mouth.

“Are you really naked? Like, all kinds of naked?” he asked in between wheezes.

“All kinds of naked. And wet. Now, that should be enough to tide you over for a few minutes. I’ll call you right back.”

“Jesus, wet? Wait, Sheridan, wait!” I heard him say as I hung up the phone.

“Nice touch with the naked and wet,” Holly mumbled through my hand.

“Yeah, I thought so, too,” I answered, hitting her in the face with my loofah.

A little while later, with my armpit band-aid firmly in place, I sat on my bed in my robe, looking at my laptop. I had seen the pictures, several times. I looked sassy. I looked sexy.

You looked gooood.

I did look good. I dialed the phone.

“I can’t believe you hung up on me after giving me that kind of visual. You little c**k tease,” he grumbled. His voice was low and thick.

If I could hear Jack Hamilton say one word for the rest of my life, it would be cock.

“I had an ass to kick. I saw the pictures. Sorry about that,” I apologized.

“Why are you apologizing? I should’ve warned you about that. That isn’t the first time this has happened.”

“Yeah, Holly mentioned that things were beginning to get a little crazy for you. You OK with that?” I asked, leaning back onto the pillows. I needed to get ready to go out, but I wanted to talk to him a little.

“It’s not too bad. I mean, meeting people who are fans of the stories is actually cool. It’s weird though, because I’m boring. If they only knew how boring I actually am, they wouldn’t be interested.” He sighed.

“I don’t think you’re boring. I find you quite … stimulating in fact,” I answered, in a low voice.

“Really? What exactly do you find stimulating?” he inquired.

“Well, right now it’s your voice. That damn accent is driving me crazy.” I breathed into the phone. This had gone from innocent to sexpot fast.

“It’s always the accent that drives you American women crazy. I’d no idea you fancied it, too … ” he trailed off.

“Oooh, fancied it. Say more like that,” I begged, smiling into the pillow.

“Like what, Grace?”

“Talk British to me,” I whispered, only half joking.

“Dustbins.”

“More,” I encouraged.

“Crumpets.”

“More!” I demanded.

“Knickers.”

If I could hear Jack Hamilton say a second word for the rest of my life, it would be knickers.

“Say put another shrimp on the barbie!” I cried.

“Grace, that’s Australian,” he chided.

“Say it!”

“Fine. Put another shrimp on the barbie. Bloody hell,” he muttered.

“Aaaahhhhhhh!” I screamed into the phone. Holly was passing by my room and rolled her eyes. I grinned at her.

“Are you quite finished now?” he asked.

“Oh, my yes. That was great. Thank you for that.” I giggled.

“Anything for my unidentified redhead,” he replied.

His unidentified redhead? Damn skippy.

“So, what do you have planned for the evening?” I asked.

“I’m going to a club opening, somewhere off Robertson,” he said, not sounding that excited about it.

“Well, be careful. And you’re not allowed to sleep with anyone from any reality show on MTV,” I warned.

“Oh, laying claims now, are we?” he teased, making me realize what I had just said.

Too early, Grace.

“Wait, don’t I get to lay any claims tonight?” he protested.

Maybe not too early …

“None of my claims are getting laid tonight, but go ahead.”

“You’re not allowed to sleep with anyone who has ever watched a reality show on MTV,” he continued in a silky voice.

“So there is, like, an after midnight clause?” I teased.

“Don’t tempt me, Grace, or I’ll comb every club in West Hollywood looking for you, starting at the stroke of midnight,” he stated matter-of-factly.

My toes curled. I still needed that second shot of Hamilton.

“Heh heh, you said—” I started.

“Stroke. I know, I said, ‘stroke’. I’m on to you, Sheridan,” he reminded me.

Please be on to me … at least on me.

“OK, Holly’s wearing a hole in the carpet outside my door. I need to get going. I’ll speak to you soon?” I hated to get off the phone, but I couldn’t take much more of this. The next time we bantered, I hoped it was with seriously less clothing on.

“Yes, I need to meet up with my mates. I’ll call you tomorrow. Don’t put too much sparkle on your boobies. They look great, by the way. Nice robe.” He chuckled.

“Thanks. I, wait, how did you know I’m wearing a—”

“Night, Grace,” he whispered.

I sat for a minute on my bed.

What the fudge?

I heard a snicker and looked toward the door. There was Holly with her camera phone. On the screen was a picture of me just a few minutes ago. My robe had fallen open just enough that you could see the tops of my yahoos, to say nothing of how high it was open on my legs.

The worst part was that she had taken it when I was screaming after he said

“shrimp on the barbie.” I looked like I was in a  p**n o.

She danced away from my lunge and said, “Never throw your loofah at me again. I know where it’s been.”

Bloody hell.

Chapter 9

The night was fun. Holly and I met up with Nick at a club in West Hollywood.

They were having “decades” night, and we danced all night in the eighties room. I didn’t mention to Nick the fact that I had been engaged in a back-and-forth with Jack. First, I knew how big a crush he really did have. Second, he worked in the industry too, and that was just too tempting a rumor.

After the hangover from the other day, I made sure to restrict myself to a two-drink maximum, despite Nick’s best attempts to get me wasted and on stage with a drag queen. It was not going to happen—the getting wasted part.