CupidRocks Read online

  Cupid Rocks

  Francesca Hawley

  When her parents’ rock band The Pack performs at a bar, Mandy discovers her True Mate, Joe Blackwolf, the band’s lead singer and guitarist. All she has to do now is convince Joe that she told a little white lie to make her mom happy, convince her father that rock musicians aren’t all alike, and convince her new mate’s family that rockers aren’t all that different from classical musicians.

  Joe Blackwolf is celebrating his fortieth birthday. And what he wishes for when he blows out the candles is to find his True Mate. He succeeds when he meets Mandy Goldwolf. At first, he believes her mated to someone else. Finding out the truth leaves him free to explore every inch of her smokin’ hot curves, but Joe and Mandy are neck-deep in overbearing relatives and everyone is in for a rockin’ Valentine’s Day.

  A Romantica® paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

  Cupid Rocks

  Francesca Hawley

  Chapter One

  Mandy Goldwolf squeezed one of Zach Blackwolf’s perfect, firm ass cheeks. He whipped around ready to cuss her out then shook his head.

  “I should have known it was you. Shit, where the hell have you been?”

  “What’s the problem? They’re here, aren’t they?”

  “Yeah. Shouldn’t they be? If they miss gigs, you should have told me before I agreed to sign them.”

  “They don’t miss gigs…ever…but they’re notorious for being late for setup. Believe me, I remember well.”

  “From growing up?”

  “And after.” Mandy shook her head thinking of all the rushed setups back in the days she used to tour with the band.

  “You performed with them?”

  “A long, long time ago.”

  “So why not now?”

  “I got tired of the travel.” Which was true enough, but it wasn’t the reason she quit. She briefly closed her eyes as she felt the familiar stage fright tighten her belly…and her throat. Mandy took a deep breath. She didn’t have to worry about that now. And hadn’t for more than ten years.

  Zach studied her, then shook his head. “Well, lateness wasn’t an issue. They were like an hour and a half early.”

  “So what’s the problem, Zach? Hell, you may have to start turning people away. It’s going to be a good Saturday night haul for you.”

  Mandy looked around the bar. It was already full and nearing capacity. He was going to do some good business tonight…just like she told him. Her parents’ rock band, The Pack, had a following.

  “Business isn’t the problem. Your mother is.”

  “She usually is. What did Carly do now?”

  “She breezed in the door, walked over and drew me into a preemptive hug. Then she gave me a smacking kiss on the cheek.”

  “Well, Carly’s like that.” Mandy shook her head at his aggrieved tone. What was the big deal and when had Zach gone drama on her? He was straight for God’s sake.

  “That wasn’t the bad part. After she kissed me, she leaned back, her face full of wide-eyed innocence and said,” his voice went up an octave and he took on Carly’s southern drawl, “‘Welcome to the family, Zach honey. When are you going to make me a Granny?’”

  “She was just kidding, Zach.” Mandy laughed at his dead-on impression of her mother.

  “No, she wasn’t. She was fucking serious. Damn it, Mands, I can’t handle that kind of pressure. I’ll crack and tell her the truth.”

  “Don’t roll over on me, Zach.”

  She gave him a conciliatory hug. He’d always been a lousy liar, but he had to back her on this one. Carly would never let her live this down. Damn, that’s what she got for buddying up to principled, yet hunky wolves.

  “I’m really not sure about this one, Mandy. I mean—”

  “It’s only for a little while.”

  “You said they were taking off several weeks to do some recording.”

  “Yeah, I know but you don’t have to hang out the entire time.”

  “They’ll expect me to hang out with them. How do I get out of it?”

  “You run a business and have to spend time here. They won’t think anything of it.”

  “Bullshit! Your dad asked me why we aren’t living together now.”

  “I explained to Carly that you have your own place right next door.”

  “They didn’t like it. Your dad asked if I was some kind of whelp who lets my bitch decide when we do it. I mean, he’s your dad.”

  Mandy shook her head. “Eddie has also been in a rock band since he was twenty. Sex, drugs and rock & roll, ya know?”

  “No, I don’t. I guess the only good thing about me is that I’m not a musician. When your mother kidded him about your last lover, he got livid.”

  “Yeah, he didn’t think much of Rik.”

  “You’re talking about Rik Laughlin, aren’t you? The lead singer of The Wolfmen?”

  “That’s him.”

  “Was he a jerk?”

  “No, he’s a good guy but he’s a musician. Plus Rik is kind of fickle and since Eddie already seems to think musicians are a bad deal anyway…” She shrugged. “Eddie shredded him like Rik was a guitar and Eddie was on stage. Rik didn’t like it.”

  “I can relate.” Zach shook his head. “Your dad liked the fact that I owned a business.”

  “He thinks steady income is a good thing. Sometimes Eddie’s a total Neanderthal.”

  “Steady income is a good thing.”

  “I know, but Eddie just has an attitude. Always has.”

  “This is so not going to work, Mands.”

  “How long have we known one another?”

  “Three years.”

  “Yeah. You’ve been my heat buddy for over a year and my best friend ever since you moved in. We can do this.”

  “Babe, you owe me big. Soooooo big it’s gonna take me years to figure out what you could possibly do to pay me back.”

  “Yeah, I know.” If only Carly hadn’t been so adamant about meeting her mate. Lying had been a reflex to put her mother off the trail. She looked around. “So where are they?”

  “In the dressing room backstage. They practiced a bit during setup and did a sound check. The Blackwolf on lead guitar is really good.”

  “Joe? He’s new. Well, relatively.” Mandy shrugged, smoothing down her skirt. “He joined the band about a year and a half ago. Red found his True Mate and dropped out.”

  “He was a Redwolf, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Red Redwolf?”

  “Not very original, but Red wasn’t really an original guy. Good singer though. I wonder what the new wolf is like.”

  “Great guitar player, excellent singer. Haven’t you met him?”

  “No, they haven’t played in the area in a while. Carly and Eddie would roll through on the way to a gig, but I haven’t even met the new lead.”

  “Well, I guarantee this crowd is gonna love him.”

  “Why?”

  “Cause he’s pretty hot.”

  “Zach, are you sure you’re straight?”

  “Yup, I was informed of his hotness by two of my waitresses. Their only complaint was that he was a hot old guy.”

  “Old? Carly said he was only turning forty this year. That’s not old.”

  “It’s old when you’re in your early twenties. I’ve got to start employing older waitstaff. They make me feel like a dirty old wolf whenever I give ‘em the eye.”

  “Then quit giving them the eye.”

  “Hell no.” Zach snorted. “The day I don’t give a hot chick the eye will be the day they bury my body in the cold, cold ground.”

  God, she loved him. Why couldn’t he have been the right one? But he wasn’t, and they both knew it. She just hoped Carly didn’t fi
gure it out.

  * * * * *

  Joe looked in the mirror and ran a hand over his jaw. His face was as smooth as he could make it given his heavy beard, so he rinsed his razor and set it on the sink to dry. He looked good…for forty. Forty. Shit.

  “Are you about done in there, birthday boy?” Carly called through the door.

  “Yeah. I’ll be out in a minute.”

  Forty and what did he have to show for it? Last year they’d been out on the road for three hundred days. He had no mate. No pups. He was just old and wrecked. What the hell was he doing? He groaned when someone banged on the door again.

  “C’mon, man.” Tom Whitewolf, the band drummer, pounded on the door. “I’ve been drinking coffee all night. I’ve gotta piss before I hit the stage.”

  Joe straightened his jacket and lifted his chin. Forty wasn’t dead. Two of the young wolf bitches working the bar tonight had whistled at him. He was still hot. He shook off his sense of gloom and opened the door, wincing at the bright light of the main room compared with the dim bathroom. He blinked his eyes to adjust.

  “We thought you’d never come out. Come on, hon. Blow out your candles.”

  A cake. They’d made him a cake. With candles—a four and a zero. His last band didn’t even know when his birthday was and they would have been more likely to call him an old man than bake him a cake. Joe grinned. Changing bands eighteen months ago was the best move he’d made in a long time. It was much better to be the “baby” of the group than the old man.

  “At least you didn’t try to light forty candles,” he joked. “We’d have the fire marshals in here.”

  “Hey, watch that kinda talk, man. My last cake had sixty on it. Fucking huge cake, too.” Eddie Goldwolf assured him, his arm around Carly’s shoulder.

  “Eddie, must you swear?” His mate frowned at him.

  “Yes, Carly honey, I must.” He tugged his True Mate close to plant a kiss on her laughing mouth. “Blow out the candles, Joe”

  Joe leaned forward and took a deep breath.

  “Don’t forget to make a wish.” Sharon Whitewolf, Tom’s True Mate and the band’s bassist, ordered.

  I wish to meet my True Mate this year. A pup on the way would be nice too. He blew out his candles then he opened his eyes.

  “So what did you wish for?” Carly asked.

  “I’m not telling or it won’t come true. Thanks for the cake.” He hugged Carly and Sharon. “Come on, we need to tune up. We’re due on stage in ten.”

  It didn’t take them long to tune guitars and then they were ready. Already Joe could feel the adrenaline kick in. The edge of performing. He took a deep breath. If he ever doubted why he stayed on the road, this answered all his questions. The rush of excitement fired his blood as they lined up backstage.

  “A full house,” Eddie murmured.

  “Good.” Joe nodded.

  He loved playing to a packed house. Every so often a loud laugh filtered back to where they waited in the wings, but mostly the sound reminded him of the rumble of the ocean crashing on rocks. Ebb and flow. He fingered his beloved Les Paul Gibson. His father gave him this guitar when he went on the road with his first band…God, twenty years ago. He shook his head. He caressed the fine wood body. This guitar was his oldest, best friend and tonight he’d make it sing.

  Carly nudged him when the bar owner mounted the stage to introduce them. This was it. He closed his eyes as the cheers started. All he needed to do was find one lady in the crowd to flirt with from the stage. Just one and he was set. He owned the room when the females started to scream.

  “Ladies and gentlemen. Thanks for joining us here tonight. Are you ready to rock?” The crowd roared. “I don’t hear you…” Again, they roared. Louder. People pounded the tables. Yeah, they were ready and so was he.

  “C’mon, Zach. Just get ‘em out here to play!” Someone in the crowd yelled.

  The bar owner laughed. “All right. Without further delay, here they are—The Pack. Let’s hear it for them!”

  They ran to their places on the stage, hooking up to the amps. Tom counted them off and Joe set the tone with the opening riffs of Sweet Child of Mine. Eddie and Sharon joined in while Carly added keyboards. Joe stepped to the mike and he was in the zone. Immediately. God, it felt good. He threw a grin Eddie’s way and got a wink in return.

  Joe started to sing and finally noticed the crowd who filled the dance floor in front of the stage. They bounced to the music like a human wave breaking on shore. Where was she? His muse. The flash of a camera drew his gaze and he saw her, camera in hand taking shot after shot of the band. He winked at her and she laughed. He’d found her. Not very tall, but blonde, stacked and curvy. His favorite kind of female—a big girl. Plus sized. Sweet T & A.

  Joe played for all he was worth and her eyes lit up while she snapped away with the camera. He stepped back to let Eddie take the lead on the next song, enjoying the give and take. It was just like jamming, except with an audience to share the fun.

  The blonde angel stayed near the stage during the first set. Joe couldn’t take his eyes off her. This was more than the usual muse for a night. He wanted her. Bad. And the way she watched him…it looked mutual. She leaned forward and licked her lips every time their eyes met. Females had a certain look when they wanted to fuck him. He’d had enough groupies through the years to know the look. With that camera, she wasn’t the usual “groupie” kind of chick though. Reporter? He hoped not. She didn’t look officious or objective enough for the press. She was young, but not so young that it creeped him out. Still, she was young enough to stroke his ego. Especially tonight.

  He set out to flirt with his angel. They always played three long sets to rev up the crowd all the way to close. The band carefully built the first set, raising the energy in the room. The more excited the crowd, the more likely they’d stay for the rest of the evening. The longer the crowd stayed, the more money they spent, and the happier the venue owner was. More importantly, the longer they stayed, the longer he could play. At the peak of energy, the crowd screamed and stomped their feet. The band closed the set and asked everyone to stay around for the next one.

  Joe climbed down from the stage while he searched for his blonde. She was alone at her table, but she glanced over at him. He smiled. Fierce and hungry. She blushed but she smiled back. Time to make a move.

  “Am I dead, angel? Cause you look like you’re straight from heaven.”

  “That has to be the worst line I’ve ever heard,” Mandy laughed, looking up into warm brown eyes. She shivered as he settled into the chair beside her.

  “Maybe, but it made you laugh.” He took her hand. “Can I buy you a drink?”

  Joe waved over a waiter and ordered for them without once releasing her hand. She could feel the rough calluses guitar playing had created on his fingers, but they turned her on. He turned her on.

  This was Joe? “Good ole Joe” as Eddie called him. He was neither good nor old. No. He was gorgeous…and talented. Zach wasn’t kidding when he’d said this Blackwolf was a great guitarist and singer. For the first time since Carly bugged her, she wished with all her might she hadn’t lied about Zach being her mate. Zach might be handsome, but Joe made her throb in places that hadn’t throbbed in all of her thirty-five years.

  “So what’s with the camera, angel? Fan or reporter?”

  Mandy looked down at her fingers clenched around her camera strap. If she told him who she was, he’d back off so fast she’d see skid marks on the floor. Just this once she wanted to pretend she was someone else. Just tonight. She leaned forward, pressing her lips against his ear.

  “I’m more than a fan. I’m a groupie. Can’t you tell?”

  He shuddered, turning his head he met her gaze. The fire glowing in his eyes set her boiling. Yes. She had to have him. Now.

  “A groupie? For just any rock musician?”

  “No, Joe. I want you.”

  “Fuck, yeah,” he growled, standing so abruptly his chair toppled ov
er. No one nearby noticed as he dragged her to her feet. “Where?”

  Mandy looked over toward the hallway leading to Zach’s office. They had a clear path. She pulled him after her and they ducked into the shadowy space. He pressed her to the wall and took her mouth in a deep kiss. Their mouths meshed together. Joe pulled back to nip at her lips, then ran his tongue along the inside edge of her lower lip. She caught his long dark hair in her fingers, holding his mouth to hers.

  Fire. Heat. She’d never felt anything like this in her entire life. She moaned as his mouth slid to nuzzle her neck. Mandy wrapped her free arm around him, clutching his leather jacket. She lifted her right leg along his hip. He stepped into the opening she’d created, thrusting his hips against hers.

  She shivered as his rough fingers slid under her skirt to cup her ass. He pulled her more firmly against his hard cock then reached up to her peasant top, untying the drawstring to bare her bra-covered breast. His hot breath teased her neck and then his warm tongue licked along the curves of her neck and breasts.

  “Hey. Anyone seen Joe?” Mandy and Joe froze as she heard Eddie’s voice. He was close. Too close. She looked in the direction of the entrance to the hallway. She didn’t see him, but he was right there. She knew it. Mandy closed her eyes, fighting to keep her panting excitement from giving them away.

  “I think I saw him with a hot chick earlier. I didn’t get a good look at her though. Just noticed she was his type,” Tom responded with a laugh.

  Joe groaned in her ear and kissed her cheek. She turned to look up at him. He was still on fire—she could see it—but there was a definite question in his dark eyes. Stop or go?

  She lowered her leg and he sighed, then she smiled and grabbed his hand. “This way,” she whispered.

  Mandy knew there was an empty unlocked office back here and she wanted this wolf and she wanted him now. He chuckled as they moved into the darkness. She found the door on the right and turned the knob. Hearing the click, she pushed, wincing at the creak when the door stuck. He pushed her through and they shut and locked the door behind them. Mandy flipped the light switch, blinking a bit to adjust to the table lamps that came on. She’d been expecting an overhead.