A hand moved up his leg.
Joshua jumped to his feet, disentangling himself from the girl’s claws. The Golden Liquaz bottle sprayed some of the golden liquid on her face and dress. “I’m sorry,” he said, searching for a tissue.
“No worries, Lover Boy,” the girl said, licking a drop off her face. Her eyes glittered with satisfaction. A camera flashed behind him. Joshua tensed, knowing that the liquor spill wouldn’t be posted as an accident.
Joshua meandered through the swarm of almost-bare bodies and went to find an empty spot. He patted his head. It was weird feeling his scalp. He rubbed his chin. Hassan had hooked up his beard and sideburns.
The deejay put on one of his songs, and Joshua lifted a hand to acknowledge him. The crowd applauded and jammed out to the beat. Joshua nodded along. He had spent hours in the studio developing his own sound.
“JJ-LUV!” the crowd chanted.
“It’s sounds like they want to hear a live version of ‘I String the G String.’”
Joshua shook his head. A few able-bodied men came and pulled him to his feet. Propelled by the crowd, Joshua was led onto the stage. Three groupies surrounded him. He caved and took the microphone. Joshua spat out the lyrics on autopilot. The crowd jumped and screamed his name.
He executed a few of his JJ-LUV exclusive dance moves, but throughout the entire performance, his bones ached. He just felt… tired. He hadn’t written a new tune in months. For Joshua, that was unusual. He usually wrote at least three ballads a month.
He finished the song and the deejay thanked him. Joshua gave him a fist pump and headed off the stage.
“Do you want company, tonight?” a young woman asked, tugging his shirt out of his jeans and sliding her hand across his midriff.
He knew his eyes were wide. Joshua sidestepped her, but another picture flashed. He bit back a groan.
A hand pinched his butt. Joshua turned to see a girl who looked fifteen wearing way too much makeup, giving him a suggestive smile.
“Shouldn’t you be in school?” he asked, shaking his head.
Joshua signaled to his security. Sean and Mongoose pushed through the crowd and made a path for him. Joshua scuttled out of the club. “What time is it?” he asked.
“Ten-thirty,” Mongoose said.
His mouth dropped. “I was only there for forty-five minutes?”
Sean nodded. He was a man of few words and only spoke when he had to.
Hearing someone scream, “JJ-LUV,” Joshua rushed toward the SUV. Sean and Mongoose jumped in front. Sean got behind the wheel.
“Who’s going home with you tonight?” one of the paparazzi said.
Josh tripped on the sidewalk.
“He’s drunk!” a photographer yelled out. “Get a picture of that!”
Sean helped Joshua to his feet, and they kept moving. Joshua gritted his teeth. He had three feet to go before he could breathe.
“I wasn’t ready to leave,” Mongoose said. “That deejay had the crowd pumped.”
Joshua massaged his temples. “I didn’t eat well today. I have a vicious headache coming on.”
“Go by the drugstore for some aspirin,” Mongoose said to Sean. He turned to Joshua. “Unless you want me get you something more relaxing.”
Joshua shook his head. “I don’t want anything off the streets. You’re only asking because you want a hit.”
Sean’s guffawed. His entire body shook.
“J. J., you wrong for that. I’m clean.” Mongoose averted his gaze and turned around.
Joshua leaned into the soft leather and closed his eyes. “You’d better be. Because I meant it when I said I don’t want no drugs around me.”
“Hmph.”
Joshua popped an eye open. He could tell by Mongoose’s hunched shoulders that the younger man was sulking.
Sean pulled into the Walgreen’s. “Get me a chocolate bar and a bottled water,” Joshua said to Mongoose.
Mongoose jogged into the store. Sean pulled out his cell phone.
Joshua thought of his grilled chicken breast and broccoli waiting for him at home. He would warm a plate Mae had packed for him to take to his Atlanta penthouse. Joshua also had homes in Miami, L.A., and London, which his accountant had pushed him to purchase.
He patted his six-pack. Joshua kept a strict diet. He avoided carbs, sodas, and snacks. Josh was grateful he could afford someone to cook him healthy meals. But on the rare occasion when he cheated, Joshua went for the chocolate. He had the body, heart, and lungs of a twenty-five year-old.
“Boss, you need to see this.” Sean said, eyeing his cell phone screen and chuckling.
Josh leaned forward. “What is it?” Had someone posted a pic or video online already?
“Some lady posted an ad for a stand-in to go with her to Jamaica. It’s trending all over social media. Apparently, she has about thirteen hundred offers.” Sean continued swiping the screen. “People are posting to this link like crazy.”
Joshua plopped back into the seat. “So what?”
“So, the story is her fiancé jilted her and she’s finding a replacement for her honeymoon in Jamaica.” Sean shook his head. “I won’t tell you the best part. You’ve got to see for yourself.”
Sean held out the phone.
His enthusiasm ignited Joshua’s curiosity. He took the device out of Sean’s hand, tapped the screen and scanned the ad. Then his mouth dropped open. “Her fiancé’s name is Joshua James.”
Sean nodded. “That’s what’s crazy.”
“Why would she do something this insane? How old is this woman?”
“She’s a looker. That’s why her page is blowing up. She has over thirteen thousand followers.”
Joshua pulled up the woman’s profile picture and gasped. She had huge brown eyes, flawless skin. Her name was Geneva Samson. She had a smile that caused a stirring in his gut. An attraction Joshua hadn’t experienced in months. “This must be a fake page or a prank,” he said.
Sean shook his head. “It looks legit.”
Joshua scrolled down the post and read some of the comments. Some were suggestive, but most men took the offer seriously.
Mongoose entered the vehicle. He looked between the two men. “What’s with you two?”
Joshua handed him the phone.
“Whoa.” Mongoose slapped his forehead. “J. J., you need to jump on this. She’s fine. Let me check out some of her pictures.” He slid his fingers on the screen. “Look at that body. She’s doing a handstand. The hound-dogs are barking.” He made a howling sound.
Sean pulled off, and Joshua popped an aspirin in his mouth.
“Mongoose, quit it.” For some reason, Joshua hated Mongoose and the other men’s lewd comments. “She’s a woman and should be treated with respect.”
“Correction. She’s a fine woman I’d like to—”
“Mongoose!” Joshua yelled. He tore open the chocolate bar and took a bite.
“I was going to say, I’d like to know.”
Sean shook his head at Mongoose and then addressed Joshua. “You could use a break.”
Geneva Samson’s face flashed before him. Joshua eyed the older man. “What are you saying? I can’t add my name to that mix. She might be mentally unstable. She must be to post that ad.”
“I took a good look at her. She’s going to attract the wrong attention. If you volunteer, you’d be rescuing her from possible psychopaths, and you’d get the break you’ve been harping about since we’ve been on tour,” Sean said.
Mongoose’s eyebrows rose. “That’s the most I’ve heard you talk in months.”
“Shut up, fool.” Sean focused his attention back to the road.
Joshua rubbed his head. Sean’s argument had merit. Sean knew Joshua hated the thought of a woman in danger. And, he did need a break…
He shook his head. That he was thinking of volunteering made Joshua as crazy as this woman was.
Joshua munched on his chocolate bar. He hadn’t been intimate with a woman for eight months. When he felt the urge, he had chocolate. If he did put his name in, and she accepted his offer, he would need to take a case of chocolates with him. Because if from far away she made him hum, what would it be like if he saw her in person?