Suddenly the rockstar smacked his head against the bench and faded out of consciousness.

Great.

I tried to wake him up but it was no use. He was out cold this time and probably would be out of commission the rest of the night. Cursing to myself, I weighed my options.

1) I could leave him on the bench and hope his band mates circled back to find him. That seemed like a dick move though, plus if his friends lost him in the first place and haven't found him yet they might not even be looking. Plus it would be bad publicity for the band if one of their members was found sloshed on Kings Street.

2)I could try to wake him up long enough to get an address out of him and call an Uber to get him home. Not likely since he was white girl wasted beyond anything I've ever seen and probably has lost the use of his appendages at this point from all the alcohol.

3) I could take him home with me. The only complication I could see was him being a strange man, famous or not, allowed into the apartment I live in alone as a young woman for the night.

I doubt he's capable of hurting me even if he wanted to in this state.

With that mildly comforting thought, I made my decision.

Eddie Munson was coming home with me.

We could find his manager in the morning and make sure he got back safely with no bad publicity. His manager would love that and maybe he'd even be willing to let me interview him and the band about rising to fame.

As a photographer for Dirtbag magazine, we needed a story and some phenomenal show photos to boost our brand above the rest. Having a member of America's newest rockstar band Corroded Coffin was an incredible opportunity for the magazine.

Of course I would make sure not to include anything about his failing sobriety because that would be cold blooded, even for a journalist.

Patting myself on the back for this incredible turn of luck and my ability to think on my feet, I called an Uber for me and Eddie and sat back on the bench with him to wait for our ride.

15 minutes later a white SUV pulled up to the curb and a middle aged guy stepped out. He crossed his arms and looked at me suspiciously.

"Should I concerned about what I'm lookin at here," he asked in a heavy accent that caught me off guard.

"Oh not at all. He gets like this sometimes but it's nothing some hot tea and Tylenol won't fix," I laughed, grateful that darkness had fallen before the driver arrived and saw Eddie's face.

I looped an arm around Eddie and the driver walked over to help me drag the drunken rockstar into the van. I handed the driver a tip ahead of time to thank him for the help and hopped in next to Eddie's limp body.

He reeked of tequila and weed and I rolled the windows down to air out the car before the driver could complain.

"He your boyfriend?"

I tensed a little and wondered if I should lie even though the man had done nothing to indicate he was a creeper.

"Uhhh sort of?"

The driver laughed and glanced at me in the rear view mirror.

"A girl like you should have as many boyfriends as she wants."

I couldn't help but feel a little anxious as we drove towards my place. He sounded like The Godfather for Christ's sake and my only backup protection was slumped in the seat next to me.

Thank god I carry a knife.

I laughed politely and the driver continued.

"He seems like a not so good choice. Too much drinking is bad for the soul, you know? Corruption of the mind and body like that should never be consumed in ounces as my father used to say," he chuckled.

Okay so not a creeper. Just an uncle with lots of stories type.

"Your father sounds like a nice man. Smart."

The driver looked at me in the rear view and shook his head.

"To me? Sure. Women? Not so much. This is what I meant by your guy not being such a good choice," he nodded at Eddie.

"Liquid courage can give one the courage to do things he should not do. Remember that."

I nodded and he smiled.

"We're here, Miss. This the address?"

I looked out the window and nodded.

"Indeed it is. Thank you...sorry I didn't catch your name."

The driver got out and opened the back door, pulling Eddie over his shoulder and yanking him out. As I stepped out and he rounded the bend with Eddie's flopping body, he smiled sadly at me and trotted up the steps into the apartment building.

What an odd man.

Following after him, I waved him towards the elevator and he stood silently by my side until the doors opened. He stepped in and set Eddie down on the ground, stepping back to look at him and clicked his tongue.

"He's no good. You would be wise to find another man who does not require so much liquor. And money," he smirked.

The elevator lights were bright enough to illuminate Eddie's face and I realized the man had probably recognized Eddie the moment he backed out of the elevator and got a good look at him.

I turned to the driver with wide eyes and he held out a hand comfortingly.

"It's not my business to tell, don't worry Miss. You keep his secret and I'll keep yours."

I nodded gratefully and pressed the button for my floor.

As the doors closed I called to him around the door, dying to know the answer to my question.

"Oh wait, what was your name, sir? The app doesn't say."

He tipped his hat to me as the door slid shut with a wink and not a single word spoken. As I waited for the elevator to hit the 9th floor, I wondered aloud about the odd man.

"Swear to god this city is full of nothing but oddballs and nepotism babies."

From behind me Eddie slurred a few words and scared the shit out of me.

"Amen to that, sister!"

Whirling around to face him, I clutched my heart.

"Jesus Christ you scared me."

He blinked lazily up at me and then looked around the elevator.

"Am I somewhere new or am I just tripping balls? I don't recognize anything," he giggled.

God it's like having a teenage son who doesn't know his limits yet.

"You're coming home with me tonight so you don't get photographed drunk as shit tomorrow morning, got it? You're welcome by the way."

He nodded and stood up groggily as the elevator doors opened.

Following me down the hallway, Eddie checked out the surroundings until I found the right key and opened the door to my apartment. Stepping inside, Eddie immediately ran in and spotted my fluffy carpet in the living room.

Thrusting himself on the ground, he rolled himself up like a burrito and peered out at me through the tufts of fur.

"This shit right here? Incredible. I need like 10 of these," he laughed, rolling around some more.

I looked at him in sheer irritation.

So much for that magic you're supposed to feel meeting your idols.

I shook my head at this weirdly pathetic yet somehow endearing man on my floor and sighed.

"You wanna sleep in the rug tonight or pull out the sofa? Your choice."

He stood up abruptly, still wrapped in the rug and looked at me with full seriousness.

"I wanna be in the bed. With you."

I arched an eyebrow and laughed.

"Yeah nooo that's gotta be Tequila Tom talking right now because Eddie doesn't sleep around according to his PR team," I grinned mischievously.

His eyes widened and he dropped the rug to throw both his hands up in the air.

"There's an article somewhere that says I don't sleep with women??? Is that why they don't come up to me??"

I laughed for real this time and he glared at me.

"Yeah I'm sure that's the only reason."

His glassy eyes suddenly cleared and he stood up, walking over to me and stopping mere inches from my face.

I inhaled sharply, confused on what the fuck he was doing.

His eyes flickered with something unreadable and he looked at my lips before gazing back into my eyes.

"I want you to tell your little magazine that I fuck. And when I do, I fuck hard."

I gulped and felt a few butterflies somewhere I shouldn't have.

Stepping back, I tried to laugh again and break the tension but all that came out was a nervous giggle.

"Wow you are really drunk, sir."

He gave a self-satisfied smile and walked away from me to sit back on the couch, a new swagger in his step. I wanted to cringe at it but he was kinda hot now that he was starting to sober up a bit. I pushed the incredibly dirty thought I had gotten when he spoke to me like that into the back corner of my brain and focused on getting through the night.

"Blankets are in the hall closet. Bathroom is this door here," I pointed, "and feel free to eat anything in the fridge except stuff on the bottom shelf. Those are my shmoozing treats and I very much need them to butter up my clients so paws off, munchies be damned."

He smiled and looked me up and down, nodding.

I don't like this. Or how I feel. Time to retreat.

"Sleep it off and we'll talk in the morning alright Munson?"

He arched a brow at the use of his last name.

"Sure. And hey if you come and visit me bright and early there might even be a surprise waiting for you," he winked.

Annnd that's enough of that.

"Right. Thankfully I wake up at 9 and not a minute before so uhh...tend to your surprise before then please."

With that I walked into my bedroom and shut the door.

"Goodniiight," Eddie called in a sing-song voice.

I rested my head on the back of the door and shut my eyes.

America's rock & roll sweetheart just offered me his morning wood in a drunken stupor and I'm supposed to go to work tomorrow like nothing happened? Good lord.

Suddenly I heard a knock on my door and flinched as the wood door vibrated against my back.

"Hey kid? Was that person you were talking to at the bus stop a reporter by chance?"

I wrinkled my nose and marveled at how he could possibly remember a random phone call I had but not his manager's phone number of several years.

"Uh...kind of?"

"Hmm. So what, are you like a little reporter too or some shit?"

I contemplated opening the door to ask why he was suddenly so interested in my life when he seemed ready to zonk out 20 minutes ago but held myself back. If I didn't engage much with him maybe he'd take his ass to bed.

"What do you care? Also just for the record you sound like a world-class douche when you say 'little' like the work I do for my magazine is a joke job or something."

I heard him laugh on the other side of the door and what sounded like him settling in against the door frame.

Lovely.

"Yeah? Well whatever loser told you journalism was a worthy career is the real

world-class douche."

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

I could practically hear the sneer on his face as his voice dropped to a borderline growl.

"It means if your idea of a get-rich-quick scheme involves bringing me here just to milk me for the inside scoop on my band, you're shit out of luck. Find another guy to fuel your Nancy Drew mystery bullshit."

The urge to slap this man was growing stronger by the second and I was practically shaking as I restrained myself from flinging the door open on his smug face. I didn't respond to him in case my voice conveyed how pissed I was by his words and he took that as an invitation to continue.

"Personally I'd be embarrassed if I had a job that made me stick my nose where it doesn't belong. That's a pretty quick way to make yourself unlikeable."

Finally something I can respond to.

"Well you certainly think I'm likable enough since you were trying to fuck me earlier in my own living room after knowing me how long? 30 minutes maybe? Personally," I mocked his tone, "I'd be embarrassed if my only personality traits were plucking a guitar, having a mullet, and being horny all the time."

I heard him inhale sharply on the other side of the door and smiled to myself.

Definitely a point for me on that one.

I heard his steps retreating to the couch and silently pumped my fist in the air. My victory was short lived, unfortunately, because after a moment of silence Eddie ramped himself up for another round of verbal lashing.

"That's funny actually cuz I think I remember you turning pretty red when I offered my services. Seems like those personality traits are good enough to get you in the mood, hmm? Beats scraping by on other people's lives that are infinitely more interesting than your pathetic one."

Contemplating whether or not to respond I stood there silently. A few moments later he called out again, this time his voice dripping with sarcasm and, dare I say, disrespect. He pitched his tone up an octave and made his voice extra whiny.

"Omg are you Eddie Munson? You're even more handsome up close. Can I get a picture for my little magazine? We really need a big break and I promise it'll only take a sec-"

Flinging open the door at his words I took a threatening step out and glared at him.

"OKAY listen up you little shit: Dirtbag is not some little kids project for bitter rich fucks like you to shit on in your free time."

He rolled his eyes and leaned back on the couch, smirking as he looked me up and down.

"Isn't this better? We're actually talking now and you're not hiding from me."

I glared at him as he continued.

"You called me bitter. Explain."

I snorted and folded my arms.

"Bitter because I've got a business I built myself full of people who respect and work with me to make my vision come true. All you've got keeping you afloat are shows, shots, and tour buses full of roadies who like Gareth more than you," I grinned, narrowing my eyes at him.

Serves the little fucker right for trying to roast me.

He sat up and clasped his hands together menacingly.

"Yeah? You think when people come to our shows their eyes are all on Gareth scrunched up behind his drum set? Or maybe even Jeff off to side playing basic chords?," he laughed.

"They're my buddies and they're fantastic musicians, don't get me wrong," he chuckled, standing up. Slowly walking over to me, he leaned against my bedroom doorframe and looked down at me.

"But most of those screams at our shows are for me. You would know that if you ever got hired to interact with real celebrities and not some sad locals in a cafe."

His boldness and weirdly accurate insult hurt more than I imagined it would. No surprise that a celebrity isn't all he's cracked up to be I guess but still...damn.

Regaining my composure I glared up at him.

"Wow! An egotistical music artist that thinks he's above his humble beginnings? How original,"

I rolled my eyes and pushed past him into the kitchen to brew myself some coffee so I wouldn't be so focused on wanting to strangle him.

He raised both eyebrows at me again and walked over to the kitchen, leaning over the other side of the island to watch me rifle through my Keurig pods. Seeing they were a mess and needing to focus on something other than the bitchy yet unfortunately hot rockstar in my home right now, I dumped them all on the island and popped a random one into the Keurig before setting out to organize the rest of the pods.

Eddie leaned over further and whispered,

"Whatcha doing there, champ?"

I ignored him and tried to decide if organizing by color, brand, or both would be best. He waved a hand in front of my face obnoxiously and I finally looked up at him.

"Someone seems to have sobered up quite a bit. Enough to mock me in my own home, at least," I snapped.

He held his hands up in mock surrender and smiled.

"Me? Mocking you? Nahhh I wouldn't dream of it, sweetheart."

Bruh.

"First of all never call me that again. Second of all, since you've sobered up a bit maybe you'd like to leave now. I'm sure you can remember your manager's number sitting on the sidewalk outside, yeah?"

He grinned wider at my sickly sweet tone and walked around the island, putting a hand over mine to stop me from organizing.

I looked at him with what I hoped was a look of pure irritation and not one of desire.

I hate that he's hot. And that his meanness kinda makes him hotter when I dish it out back to him.

He smirked deviously as he towered over me and leaned in even closer.

"You really want me to leave, sweetheart? Things are just getting interesting."

I wanted to fold. I mean I wanted to slap him for his comments about my career and kick him for keeping me out so late dragging his ungrateful drunk ass around but...I also wanted him.

I broke eye contact and looked at his chest instead.

"I mean you're a stranger in my house and you're not even drunk enough for me to pity you anymore."

Removing my hand from under his, I continued organizing the pods and tried ignoring his warm breath near my ear. He wasn't moving and I was painfully aware of how close his body was. I could see the veins in his arms and the shiny rings he was wearing as his arm rested on the spot my hand had just been.

Jesus take the wheel, I'm begging. I am not your strongest soldier.

Eddie leaned down even further until his lips barely grazed my ear. His voice lowered and his words rumbled throughout my body as he spoke.

"Tell me you want me to leave and I will. I just don't think that's what you really want."

I tensed and thought about what this whole interaction could mean. Did I want to go through with whatever he was hoping for? Was he even sober enough for this to be okay?

"I think you're still drunk Eddie," I whispered.

He laughed softly in my ear.

"Maybe a little. Doesn't mean I don't know what I want."

He spun me around to face him and smiled down at me dangerously. I did note, however, that he wasn't actually pressing up against me, just standing really close.

At least he's not a creepy drunk.

"Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me to leave."

My eyes widened and I looked up at him again unable to resist.

I don't think I can do this.

"Eddie," I whispered.

He tilted his head and it made me want to scream; his eyes were so...beautiful. They reminded me of a little puppy and that made him so much harder to resist. I understood the hype now more than ever surrounding Eddie Munson, no doubt about that.

"You're drunk. You can stay here tonight like I said but..."

"But?"

I put a hand on his arm and screamed at myself internally as I felt his muscles.

"Don't tempt me like this again. Got it?"

He smiled and shrugged, looking my face up and down.

"Sure thing, sweetheart."

He straightened up and walked away into the living room to settle in for the night.

I was honestly still stunned by what had just happened.

And what could have just happened if I hadn't resisted him.

Shaking my head to clear my racing thoughts, I hurried down the hallway towards my room.

Eddie called to me again, his voice softer this time.

"Sweet dreams!"

I shook my head and chuckled a little to myself.

"Yeah uh...thanks. You too Munson."

He laughed from the next room and I shook my head again, stepping into my room and closing the door.

What the hell have I gotten myself into?