Taking Her There Chapter One

Contemporary 13,300 word novella Previously published8/2013 by Samhain Publishing Editor: Linda Ingmanson

When Angeline Rowe is finally released after sixmonths in court-ordered detox, finding paparazziready to pounce isn’t unusual, but she is surprised tosee the familiar face of her old limo driver, and evenmore surprising is the fact that he’s as big a flirt asshe, and sexy to boot.Angeline’s manager had to beg starving artist AndreSalidas to come back to work for “HurricaneAngeline.” He figured the increased salary would beworth it, but the woman in the back seat haschanged. She’s now a bit more fragile, a lot moreintriguing.Once home, Andre thinks maybe he has found hismuse—until a cold blast from her past threatens toblow out any flame they’ve sparked.

Taking Her There is a story about recovery. Itdelivers a sincere portrayal into the life of a celebrityafter they hit rock bottom in a pretty public way andhave to learn what it takes to find redemption.This is a very short story. Read it for exactly what itis. Don’t expect a lot of depth and characterdevelopment. It’s not meant to be that type of story.This book is a spicy, sexy story you can get throughon a lunch hour or a few hours at the pool. It’s full ofpushy reporters, witty sarcasm, hot sex, ex-lovers,and a beautiful romance full of passion and desire.

Taking Her There needs more reviews!If you’d like to share your honestopinion about this book, email theauthor for a copy.

Chapter One “Miss Rowe… Miss Rowe!” “How does it feel to be finally sober?” “Will you make amends with Luke?” “Or did you switch teams in rehab?” “Angeline!” “Miss Rowe!” Angeline clenched her molars together.She would love nothing more than to raiseboth middle fingers and tell the paparazzi justwhere they could shove their questions andall their flashing cameras, but she’d hate togive them a sensational story. Two years ago,she’d ripped a Nikon out of some bastard’shand and thrown it into the street, where itwas immediately squashed by a two-tontruck. Unfortunately, the memory card had

survived, and the last photograph on it madethe front page in all the rags in five countries.That picture made the photographer rich, buthe’d still had the audacity to sue her for hisruined camera and “mental anguish”. With the photographic evidence, herlawyer urged her to settle. It cost her almosttwenty thousand dollars, but it was totallyworth it. “Are you going home to Indiana?” “Will you grant Good Morning USAthe interview you promised?” She kept walking, focusing on the clickof her heels to drown out the pushy reporters.Each step took her farther away from therehab hospital she’d been ordered into andcloser to her long, black limousine at the gate.God, she missed her bodyguard, but in a way,this crowd had been a much-needed egoboost. At least the sleazy tabloids still caredabout her, if only in regards to making a buckoff her misery. “Have you talked to your family?” “Do you think you’ll have a hard timestaying on the wagon now that you’re out?”

“Did you gain weight in rehab,Angeline?” None of your fucking business. Okay, maybe she filled out her jeans alittle more now than six months ago when shewalked into Redlands Rehabilitation Hospital,but did supermarket tabloid readers reallygive a shit? Four more steps and she reachedher limousine, where her driver had the dooropen. She raised her eyebrow but saidnothing. She’d fired him—well, her entirestaff—when she was sentenced to hermandatory stint in the dehydrator. At least shethought she had. Maybe that was another oneof her hallucinations. Once the door closedbehind her, muting the reporter’s voices, shethrew her purse across the length of the carand let loose with a string of profanities. “You promised.” Angeline spun around. Sure enough,her image consultant, Percy Tuttlebaum, satwith his smug little grin surrounded by a redgoatee. “They can’t hear me. You never saidanything about swearing in the privacy of my

own car.” She didn’t flip him off, but shereally, really wanted to. Percy chuckled as if he’d read hermind. Once the driver was behind the wheel,the limo pulled away, and Angeline didn’teven want to look back. Redlands had beenher home for the last six months and eightdays, but there was no love lost. If she neversat through another group session in her life,she’d be happy. She toed off her shoes, the five-inch,glossy red heels she’d worn when shechecked in. She’d left everything else there.Let the other residents fight over her pajamasand yoga pants. As if she’d ever have anotherreason to wear Velcro tennis shoes. Of courseshe’d never wear these heels again. She’d tossthem onto the Interstate if she didn’t knowPercy would nag her all the way homebecause of it. Sliding a glance his way, shehuffed, “What are you doing here?” “I came to pick you up. Obviously.”Percy always had an air of superiority abouthim. Angeline knew now that it wasn’t somuch snobbishness as his infinite patience.

“That’s what the dude behind the wheelis doing here. What exactly are you doinghere?” “I’m a friendly face.” He waved at thefront window. “Do you even remember thatdude’s name?” Angeline stared at the smoky glass andthe shadowy figure driving her car. She rarelyremembered names, but she couldn’t forgetsleek and sexy Andre. She’d pointed him outof a virtual lineup from the pool of driversshe’d been presented with. If Angeline Rowewas out on the town, she for damn surewasn’t going to have an ugly old driver. Sheslid a sidelong glance at Percy. Her only otheremployee now. The only reason sheremembered his name was because it was sofucking ridiculous. Percy Tuttlebaum, forChrist’s sake. “Andre Salidas.” “What?” Angeline scowled. “His name. It’s Andre Salidas.” “I knew that.” Partly. She rememberedhis first name, had never asked him for hislast.

“Well, I had to beg him to come backto his job, so be nice.” “I’m always fucking nice.” “Language.” “Putain de merde, je suis toujourssympa!” Before she could raise her middlefinger, the car jerked. Andre lifted a hand inapology. Angeline shot a glare at Percy. “Canhe hear us?” “Yes, I can, Miss Rowe,” cameAndre’s voice through a speaker. “There’s amute button right below the window, if you’dprefer.” “I know.” Angeline shrugged. “As longas Percy doesn’t have a shit fit about mecussing in front of you, I don’t have anythingto hide.” “Yes, ma’am.” She raised one eyebrow at Percy, whojust shook his head and pulled out his tablet.“I’ve got you in for a haircut and color at two.Would you like your manicure and pedicurebefore or after?” “Ugh. Do I have to?” Her signaturepixie haircut usually required monthly trims,

and though she wasn’t red-carpet ready, sheseriously didn’t want to face any small talkfrom her hairdresser. “You’re the one who wanted to bepampered.” “I said that like two weeks ago. Whichis an eternity in that hellhole. Can’t I just gohome? Veg a little?” “Fine with me. I’ll cancel yourappointment. Which reminds me, I put a fewfeelers out for a new staff, with prioritiesbeing bodyguard, housekeeper and—mostimportantly—a personal assistant for you. I’mnot going to keep playing both roles.” Heignored her dirty look. “Andre?” “Yes, sir?” “Please drop me back off at my officebefore you take Miss Rowe home.” “You got it.” Either she’d never noticed Andre’ssexy voice, or half a year confined with onethousand females and twelve angry nursesmessed with a girl. Suddenly, her whole ideaof pampering took on a naughty twist.

At the height of her career, back whenscreenwriters fought over her, she was able tosnare a night of serious fun with just aboutany man on the receiving end of hersuggestive wink. Now, after her very publiclyhumiliating DUI, possessions charge andsubsequent detox, her on-again, off-againboyfriend Luke Edwards had abandoned her.No phone calls, no visits, no letters. Not thatshe was surprised. She knew theirrelationship had been purely physical. Heneeded a high-profile girlfriend to keep hisname in the news; she needed a man to proveto the public that she was stable. Now she notonly looked wildly unstable to her fans, shealso had no one to go home to. Although heseemed to have found a new headliner lastmonth, according to American Magazine’sspread about his Mexican vacation with JetLark, the emo-pop star with the big tits. She didn’t need anyone to wait for heranyway. After spending her birthday lockedup, it was definitely time to treat herself tosome really raunchy sex. It looked likepresently she had two options: Percy

Tuttlebaum—who was a total no. Not onlywas he happily married, he was PercyFucking Tuttlebaum—or Andre Salidas. She didn’t know a thing about the guy.She’d never actually taken the time to get toknow him. Since her staff turned over soquickly, it really was a waste of her time andenergy. Maybe now she was sober, itwouldn’t hurt. “So Andre, you from aroundhere?” Angeline crossed her legs and waggedher bare foot back and forth. “Yes, ma’am. Born and raised in LA.” “So you probably know all the bestplaces to go for a good time.” She focused onthe shadow of the rearview mirror, knowinghe would look back at her. “I’m not sure what you mean, miss.” “I think you do.” Angeline winked. The limo slowed in front of Percy’soffice building, and Percy packed his tabletaway. “Angeline…” His disapproval wasalmost tangible as he tucked his tablet underhis arm. “No drinks.” She opened her eyes wide and adoptedher most innocent expression. “Drinks? I

never said I wanted any alcohol. Goodness,Perceval. You’re the one who needs rehab. Isalcohol always on your mind?” Andre’s snicker came through thespeaker, but Percy just shook his head.“Here.” He reached into his briefcase, thentossed her a cell phone box. “I’ll call youtomorrow after you veg. Right now I’m theonly one with the number. Try to be selectivefor a while.” Angeline carefully schooled herfeatures to hide her pure pleasure in owning acell phone again. The cops had taken her lastone when she used the case to conceal hercoke stash. In her hand, she held not only thelatest and greatest device known to man, butit was hers. And it represented both a smalland immensely huge piece of freedom. Shetore it open and powered it on. “Aren’t you afraid I’m going to call mydrug dealer and schedule a delivery?” Percy got out of the car, then leanedthrough the window. “I trust you.” With awink, he tapped the roof of the car andwalked away.

Trust. She’d let a lot of people down in thepast four or five years. She didn’t deserveanyone’s trust. The phone in her hand broughtit all home. She’d spent the last six monthsjust looking forward to the day she’d get outof Redland. Now that she was a free woman,she needed another focus. Gaining trust mightbe a good one. “Home, miss?” “Please. Thanks, Andre.” “My pleasure.” Staring at Percy’s back, Angeline wasleft with her silent thoughts as Andre droveher away and eventually merged onto thefreeway. There were other rehab facilities closerto home, but Redlands was one of the fewequipped to deal with increased securitydemanded by high-profile patients. Asconfining as her hospital stay had felt, it wasnothing compared to the long drive home shefaced. Depending on traffic, she could becooped up for the next two hours at least.

She couldn’t wait to get back into herhome gym and run on her treadmill until herlegs ached. Or swim fifteen laps in her pool.Maybe take a three-hour nap. It didn’t matterwhat she did. Today she was again in chargeof her life. The city’s Halloween decorationsreminded her exactly how long she’d spentlocked up. Isolated. While the rest of theworld went about their business. The onlything Angeline had done to commemorate herbirthday was to refuse her mother’s phonecall, even opting to have a bland turkeysandwich in her room rather than join the restof the patients in the dining room. I’m such a bitch. She powered the phone on and addedher first contact. Mom and Dad. “Glad to be out of there?” Andre’svoice broke her out of her morose musings. She squared her shoulders and huffed.“You have no idea.” “One summer during college, I spenttwo weeks painting my very religious aunt’shouse right in the middle of the Bible Belt. I

think that’s about as close to dry as I’ve everhad to be.” “Okay, now imagine twelve of youraunts and several hundred recovering drunksin their pajamas all up in your business.” Another chuckle. “I don’t think I wantto imagine that. My dad threatened militaryschool so often that I have an irrational fearof camouflage to this day.” “Hah! You were a difficult child, huh?” “You have no idea.” “Oh, really? I’m not sure I like the ideaof my driver having repressed anger issues.What’s to stop you from driving us over acliff?” “Don’t worry, Miss Rowe. You’re safewith me.” Her half-closed lids were lost on him,thanks to the tinted window, but she couldn’thelp the expression and even found her lowerlip between her teeth. “You have no bad boyleft, huh?” There was a long pause before heanswered. “I’m a very good boy.” His voice

dropped low and dripped with sexualovertones. Angeline crossed her legs andsquirmed in her seat before sighingdramatically. “That sucks. Good isn’t anyfun.” “Try me.” Her heart pumped, echoing in her ears.“Good boys don’t tease.” “Exactly.” She grinned. Though the conversationcaused her neglected libido to hum, Andre’seasygoing personality actually put her at ease.She’d never actually had a conversation witha driver. The trip passed quickly as heplayfully flirted, and she gave backeverything he dished out. He even soundedgenuinely interested as he asked about thefood and amenities at Redland, and she foundherself answering without her usualhaughtiness. Finally, she asked, “Why did you comeback, anyway?” “I like your cars.”

She rolled her eyes. “You just likeddriving me around. Admit it.” “You think I have a penchant forabuse? No offense intended, Miss Rowe, butyou’re not the easiest person to work for. Mr.Tuttlebaum had to offer me a pretty heftysalary to quit my other job and come back.No one else would take the job. You havequite the reputation down at the agency.” Angeline snorted. “I think people areall too willing to believe all the outrageousshi…stuff they read online. I’m not as bad asthey make me seem.” “Are you trying to convince me?” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “I drove you around town for aboutnine months. You called me at three in themorning to drive you to get a milkshake twocounties over. I hear your phoneconversations, your intimate discussions withyour musician boyfriend—” “Ex-boyfriend.” He chuckled. “I already know you’rean outrageous woman.”

Heat rose to her cheeks. “Then whycome back to work for me?” “It sounded like a better schedule forme. Only one client to answer to rather thanseveral. Leaves me time to pursue my…otherinterests.” “What—” “And I never said I didn’t likeoutrageous.” Angeline stared out the window asAndre took the exit off the interstate andweaved through the streets of herneighborhood. From the time she’d beenvoted Prom Queen as a sophomore in highschool, Angeline had happily taken her placeon top of the pedestal society set out for her.She liked it. Being in charge, calling theshots. Who wouldn’t? Even with her very public downfall,she still had fans all over the world sendingcards and letters. That still didn’t make thecrowd currently camped out on her cornerany more welcome. Several crude wordsbubbled through her brain, but she utteredonly one.

“Fuck.” “Yeah. Looks like we may have aproblem.” Andre’s voice was steady as ever.“What do you think?” “I think it’s going to be a longweekend.” “You want to go through them, then?” “That’s my house. You’re damn rightwe’re going through.” She’d tried drivingaway once. It only made the headlines worse. The car inched through the mob, andreporters pressed so closely up against thecar, she hoped the rear tire would catch a fewtoes. Their questions all jumbled together andwere muted through the car windows, so evenif she gave a damn, she wouldn’t be able tounderstand any one of them. Andre pressed the button to open thehuge gate door. “Is someone waiting foryou?” “No. I don’t have anyone.” Her surlywords came out almost too morose. She satup straighter as the gate closed behind them. “Sure you do. I read about your familyin Indiana. And you always have Percy.”

“Psh. I’m sure he’s e-mailing all hiscolleagues right now, trying to unload me.” “You have me.” Angeline let her mouth hang openwhile he pulled to a stop, then closed it as hegot out and walked to the back door to open itfor her. This guy was something else. With the door open, she slid both barefeet out first, then emerged from the backseatas if she were arriving on the red carpet, toget her first clear look at the man she’d beencasually chatting with over the past ninetyminutes. Nothing unusual about his black suitpants and jacket, black tie and crisp whiteshirt. Though she noticed for the first timehow well the pants fit his long legs. When shelooked into his face, she caught her breath. She’d been starved of eye candy forway too long, because she didn’t rememberhim looking this damn good. Of course she’dprobably never looked him in the eye untilnow. Long, angular features put together intoa very appealing shape. Full lips that madeher lick her own. Brooding eyes shadowed by

the brim of his hat. He looked more like acollege frat boy than a limo driver. Theponytail at his nape only added to hisEuropean appeal. “Have a great day. Enjoy your newfreedom.” He touched the brim of his cap inan old-fashioned gesture. “You can’t leave.” “Why not?” Why not, Angeline? “Well…aren’t yougoing to carry in my things?” He glanced into the limo beyond her,then raised one eyebrow. “You want me tocarry your purse and shoes?” She cocked her head. “I told you Idon’t have any other staff. And you told meyourself I’m paying you extremely well. Ithink it’s the least you can do.” With her chin high, she brushed pasthim and walked toward her house, ignoringthe fact that her bare feet sounded anythingbut proud, and her house keys were inside thepurse good old Andre would be carrying. Tomaintain control, she crossed her arms andwaited on the veranda.

Turning to watch his progress, she gota great view of his backside as he bent over tolean into the car. Percy, I owe you big.Angeline bit her lower lip and groanedquietly, her hands itching to run through thatlong, black hair. Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome looked abit ridiculous with her glittery handbag in onehand and her strappy heels dangling from theother. Though it did add a little bit ofattractiveness when his purely masculineswagger sent them swinging. As he neared,she stuck out one hand, and he passed her thepurse. She reached into the pocket, which waspitifully empty besides her now-expireddriver’s license and a six-month-old pack ofgum, and pulled out her keys. Andre said nothing as she opened thedoor and stormed through. Percy must havehired someone else to air out her house,because it didn’t have the stale scent ofabandonment. Home at last. She dropped her purse onto a table,then turned again to face him. “Well?”

He held out her shoes but didn’t crossthe threshold. “Just set them anywhere. Then youmay return to your other duties.” His eyes narrowed. A sultry look ifever there was one. He took three slow stepsinto the room, his focus on her the entire way.Even when he let her shoes drop to the floor,he didn’t look away. Or even blink. Angeline’s heart thumped, and just asher vision seemed to blur, Andre Salidasshowed up in hyper clarity. One more stepand he was in her personal space. The twenty-four-inch radius that she rarely allowedanyone into. Alarms didn’t sound, and herass-kicking instincts lay dormant. “Do you know what I think?” Hisvoice. God, his voice. Low and rumbly, itwashed over her skin to tease each nerveending with a gentle lick. She swallowed. “What?” “I think you do a lot of hiding behindthat dominatrix façade you’ve built.” Hiscoffee-tinged breath was warm on her cheek.“I think that’s probably how you get through

your time isolated in your glass palace.Probably how you get through your day-to-day life being ordered around by directorsand agents and”—he dropped his focus to hermouth when she licked her lips—“boyfriends.” “You don’t know a damn thing about—” “I know everything there is to knowabout you. Your whole life is an open book.You never used that mute button in all thetime I’ve been driving you around. If I wereanyone else, I’d blush.” She took a step back “Then you know Idon’t—I never hide.” He took a step toward her, one side ofhis mouth curled in a knowing grin. “Sureyou do. You hide behind your superstarstatus. Every time you stick your nose in theair, you’re trying to take attention off thelonely woman you really are. You showed theslightest hint of vulnerability in the car whenPercy told you he trusted you. Even throughthat tinted glass, I saw the hardness in yourface and body just melt away. It revealed the

real you. Human. Feminine. That’s what youhide.” Before she knew it, her back hit thewall. Andre hadn’t touched her, but rode herchest with barely three inches between them,and she had to curl her fingers into fists torefrain from reaching out to that heat. “You get home, and that’s when youbuild your guard back up. You put on yourridiculous mask and put yourself back incharge. I can’t believe you ordered me tocarry your fuck-me heels.” She spared one glance at her shoes,then snapped her attention back on the manshe had to crane her neck to see. “You…workfor me.” God, her voice sounded so damn weak.She stuck her chin out but refused to repeatherself. “I’m your driver. When I’m behind thatwheel, and when you’re in the backseat, youcan send me in whatever direction you want,and I’ll take you there. But if you think aboutit…” He reached up to remove his cap,revealing a headful of shiny black hair, a halo

of blue enticing her again to release the bandat his nape and let the silky-looking strandsflow free. “That still puts me in charge.” A shiver tickled her spine. “What doyou want?” His mouth moved closer to her ear, andshe let her eyes slide closed. “I want what youwant. I want you to relax. Let me take over.” If she relaxed any further, she’d meltinto a puddle on the floor. “What are youdoing?” “If I tell you I’m going to kiss you, willyou fire me before…or after?” She should fire him now. No onedominated Angeline Rowe. If she could openher eyes and get the strength to shove himaway, she’d do it. Maybe not. “Depends on the kiss.” She half expected a laugh. Maybe as hehigh-tailed it out the door. So when his lipsbrushed hers, she couldn’t stop the gasp thatsent air rushing between them. Warm, softand firm.

“After, it is.” His mouth moved. Softly,almost like a dream, his lips enticed hers toopen. Only their lips met; he held himself ahair’s breadth away from her everywhereelse. His breath stirred the peach fuzz on herearlobes. His chin rasped against hers withthe hint of stubble. Any other day, she’d beall over this guy, knocking him to the groundand taking charge of the encounter herself.But the mere act of restraint—not physicalbut pure power of will—kept her handsplastered to the wall behind her. Oh God. It had been way too long sinceshe’d been kissed like this. Scratch that—she’d never been kissed like this. Not even inThe Rogue’s Bounty, where critics proclaimedshe’d performed her best love scene yet. ThatHollywood leading man had nothing onAndre Salidas. My driver. His tongue, warm and soft, venturedinto her mouth. She met the intrusion with herown, licking the tip, drawing it farther intoher mouth to apply a hint of suction. Whenshe angled her head for more, he growled—a

purely sexy, masculine sound—then pulledback just slightly. She opened her eyes to find herself upclose and personal with a young AntonioBanderas look-alike. His arms had her cagedagainst the wall, his elbows braced by herears. “Now,” he said, his voice low enoughto send vibrations through her skin. “I realizeyou’re the type of woman who likes to be incontrol. I also see that you’re dying to rubthat beautiful body up against me, yet youhaven’t moved a muscle to do so.” She took a deep breath. God, hesmelled good. “Now I wonder why that is?” Hepressed a hot kiss on the corner of her mouth.“Either you really don’t want me to dothis…” More kisses, this time along herjawline and up to the sensitive patch of skinbehind her ear. “Or you’re waiting for me totell you exactly what to do.” Angeline tilted her chin to give himmore room but didn’t move away from thewall, her palms now damp and her lady parts

hot and throbbing. Why wouldn’t he take justone step closer? She whimpered. She was being seduced. Pure andsimple. Way back in the deepest part of herbrain, she knew this. As a regular seductress,she knew the signs. Ply him with glimpses ofskin and promises of ultimate pleasure and aman would stand in a boneless pile of drool,just like she was doing right now. Oblivious, mute and completelyfocused on one damn thing. Only she’d mether match. In fact, Andre Salidas was hersuperior, because where she’d flash bits of titsand ass, Andre had her up against the wall, athrobbing mess of desire, without eventouching her, let alone shedding a single pieceof clothing. “Please.” “Okay, Angel. I’ll take the driver’sseat.” Angel? Angeline wasn’t into cutsienicknames, especially when she was anythingbut angelic. She’d even stormed off a movieset the last time a man dared call her Angel.Now it just sounded…

Sexy. “Touch me. Right hand around mywaist, left on my chest.” His voice hadsharpened, and she responded withoutthinking. She ran her hands across his backand down his chest, reveling in the heatradiating from beneath his clothes. “Pull me closer. I want you to feel whatyou do to me.” When she brought his body againsthers, she sighed, and he caught it in hismouth. His erection pressed into her belly.She moved against the hard ridge andwondered why the hell she didn’t have thecourage to tear his pants off. Instead, herhands were right where he’d told her to putthem. “You feel damn good, Angeline. Softand warm. I want to know more. I want to seeeverything.” “Please.” Was that the only word shecould say? She nuzzled his neck and madeher own path across his cheek. “I want yourcock.” “Language, Angel.”

“Fuck me.” That got his attention. Grinding hiships against her, he ravaged her mouth with apassionate kiss. He slid his hands down hersides and cupped her ass, lifting her eventighter against him. She hooked her leg around his andworked her hips in a seductive rhythm. Theman had a gift. Every inch of her body wasnow hyperaware of everything he did to her.His chest rubbing against hers, making hernipples into sensitive hard nubs, his handskneading her flesh, his mouth moving overand inside hers, filling her with his taste, hisscent. “One choice. Here or in bed?”

Taking Her There Copyright 2012, Olivia Brynn oliviabrynn.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, ortransmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author. Manufactured in the United States of America This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’simagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.