Page 1 of Obsession on Repeat (Vinyl Hearts #1)

The fire marshal had called twice, but the club remained packed, the bodies inside moving in rhythm. Multicolored lights flashed over the crowd, sparking off glow sticks. Heavy bass continued to shake the walls and glasses that littered the tables.

I bounced along with the music, headphones pressed securely between my right ear and shoulder as I spun the record.

"Rory!" Alice, a bartender, cut through the noise. "They’re threatening to shut us down! Lower the volume!"

I let out a breath of disbelief.

"I’m serious!"

Chuckling, I adjusted the volume, but the crowd didn’t stop. I pressed the headphones to my ear. It made me happy to hear the music, to feel it run through me and see people enjoy it. Venom was the hottest nightclub in all of Sydney, Australia.

Alice returned to the booth, this time dragging a tall man behind her.

"If he’s a cop, I swear—"

"He’s VIP. Boss man said to take care of him."

"Since when did being a DJ mean I entertained for one?"

"Danny’s offering extra pay."

"Done."

The man hovered behind her, sharp in a tailored button-up and khakis. Dark features and oil-black hair, he easily towered over us. He was too clean-cut for this place, and with his handsome face, he wore the labels like a designer badge.

Most of the club hoppers were dressed in shorts and muscle tanks, the girls in skimpy dresses and skirts.

I kept my gear simple, wearing a white tank top with the club logo on the front and cut off shorts.

White sneakers had been on my feet, but after entering the booth, they were kicked to the side.

Dancing to the music, I watched Alice whisper in his ear before she disappeared. I waved him over. "Hey, you. Come here." I turned away when the break of the song erupted over the speakers.

He approached with a calm assurance and offered me his hand. "Lorelai Jones? "

I caught a whiff of his cologne, the smell pleasing and not overbearing. I released his hand after a second of letting my fingers linger against his. "Rory. No one’s called me Lorelai in years, but it sounds fancier on fliers. I’m trying to play it cool."

"Sullivan Masters."

Of course . Celebrities visiting the club was nothing new. "You’re from that Netflix show. My old roommate binged it once during one entire weekend."

"Two of Hearts, that’s the one."

I adjusted the knobs, another song drifting loudly from the speakers. "First time in Sydney?"

"I've got family here. I’m with a friend doing a promotion for work." He looked out over the crowd, clearly aware of the attention his presence drew. "I lost him… somewhere out there."

Nodding, I pressed the headphones against my ear. I switched up the tempo on the disc before allowing my gaze to slide back to him. "I’m sure he’s having fun!"

"Not too much, I hope. He’s got a wife back home. He needs to behave."

Laughing, I looked out at the crowd and spotted Alice watching us from behind the bar. "What about you? Are you having fun?"

He caught my gaze with his. "I’m not a club person, but the music is good. You make it look effortless. "

"It’s not." I flipped a switch, weaving a new beat in the mix. "But thanks."

"You’re certainly leading the crowd without saying a word."

His compliment didn’t feel rehearsed, it felt genuine. Surprising, for someone so used to the spotlight.

"It’s all in the timing."

He watched me work, his presence possessing a quiet confidence. He appeared to be the type of guy who didn’t need to try to be noticed. Golden boy, through and through.

"Maybe you’ll let me buy you a drink after this?"

The question was one I had heard a million times over, but I couldn’t help smiling at him.

"I’m on the clock!" I pointed to the large clock above the bar, the numbers lit up in neon lights that informed anyone capable of still reading that it was almost two in the morning.

"We close at three! You’ll have to ask me again later! "

Smirking, Sullivan stepped forward to gaze down at all the buttons on the turner, eyeing them curiously. "How does this work?"

"Two switchboards." I leaned in to rest my mouth next to his ear and inched up on my toes, my chin on his shoulder.

"You follow the tempo, and you can make it faster or slower.

When the song is done, you lower the knob to flow into the next song!

" I lowered my weight flat on my feet. "Want to give it a shot? "

"Show me."

I tilted my head back against his shoulder to catch his gaze.

Grinning, I grabbed his hands and pulled his arms around my waist, shifting him forward to reach the knobs.

The song changed, the tempo now slow and alluring.

The crowd went wild. Heavy bass flowed easily through the speakers as couples started to bump and grind to the naughty lyrics.

I shifted him closer, so he could adjust the knobs, the tempo picking up.

My grin deepened when I felt him place a hand on my hip, his other hand hovering over the knobs.

"How am I doing?"

"You’re a natural."

"You’re a very cruel person."

I glanced up from my half-empty coffee cup to see Alice sliding onto a stool beside me. "Is that supposed to mortally wound me?"

"You’ll survive. You know," she continued, "most girls wouldn’t complain about a hot actor hanging around their booth. "

"He was a customer."

"He flirted. You flirted back. That’s not customer service, babe. I call that chemistry."

Grunting, I downed the rest of my coffee, crumpling up the small cup, and chucked it into the trash can behind the bar. "I need more coffee, preferably something better than this shit Danny orders."

Alice jumped off the stool to scramble after me, trailing closely behind me to the front door. "You can’t avoid Sullivan forever. You’re not that rude. Besides, he knows where you work."

"I’m not avoiding him." I slid my sunglasses on, the weight of the messenger bag on my shoulder grounding me. "I’ve got my own shit to handle. He's a celebrity only in town for a minute. He'll be gone before I can blink."

"No offense, but when have you ever taken the high road when it comes to a hot guy?"

"The answer is never, but this isn’t the high road." I shoved the club door open. "I’m taking the easiest one."

The owner of the coffee shop greeted me loudly before the front door shut.

I slid my sunglasses onto the top of my head, the plastic resting against the high ballerina-style bun I magically manifested my hair into that morning.

I laughed at the sight of him already preparing my drink. "How’s it going, Ricky?"

"Things are great! You’re looking nice as always!"

Smiling, I leaned against the counter. I glanced at my plain gray tee shirt and ripped jeans, my plain black flip flops sticking out from the frayed edges. "Thanks. Today’s fashion is brought to you by thrift stores near my apartment."

He slid a cup of hazelnut-flavored coffee toward me and chuckled when I took a sip with my eyes closed, a small sigh of satisfaction escaping me. "For that reaction, it’s free today."

"You’re awesome, Ricky."

The doorbell to the shop chimed to signal the arrival of another customer, but I didn’t pause to look, taking several more sips.

I finally turned my attention to see who had entered and almost choked on the hot liquid.

Sullivan stepped inside the doorway, sunglasses tucked into the front of his crisp button-up, his hair perfectly undone.

"Mr. Masters, good afternoon! It’s good to see you again," Ricky greeted him. "I’ll have your order coming right up. "

I cocked an eyebrow as Sullivan approached me. "He knows your order?"

"I’m addicted to coffee, what can I say?" He glanced at my cup. "Have you already paid? You did say you’d let me buy you a drink."

"Sorry, sweetie. I’m already taken care of."

"Shame." He moved forward to take his cup and reached for his wallet with his free hand.

Ricky waved his hand to stop him. "Don’t worry about it. You two go enjoy the nice weather."

Smiling, I led the way outside; the door swinging shut softly behind us. I shifted my sunglasses to cover my eyes. "So…"

"So…" Sullivan sipped his coffee. "I'm surprised to see you this early. I didn’t think Venom opened until ten."

"It doesn’t. I always come in early for setup and cleaning." It was partly the truth, masking the real reason that I had nothing to look forward to all day except playing my music at night. The only day I took off was Sunday and that was because Danny forced me to. "What brings you by so early?"

"I was looking for you." A corner of his mouth upturned. "Alice told me where to find you."

"And why would you be looking for me?"

He chuckled as he caught my sly smile. "You vanished on me last night."

"My shift was over," I teased .

"Alice said you’d be difficult."

"Alice tells people a lot of things." I shifted my weight, buying a second of silence. "Listen, no offense, but I don’t have time for a relationship or… whatever it is you’re looking for right now. My work is my life; it’s the only thing I care about. There’s no room for anything else."

"You don’t have any friends?"

My grip tightened around my cup. "I don’t stay in one place long enough to make friends."

"What about food? You have time to eat, right?"

"Well, yeah, but—"

He flashed another dazzling smile. "Great. Let’s get something to eat, and you can tell me all about work."

I wondered if he knew exactly how his smile made my insides twist in knots. Did he practice in front of the mirror? If I trusted my gut, and I usually did, it was telling me that he knew exactly how he affected women.

"I don’t have time for lunch."

"You’re going to need energy for work tonight. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go, my treat."

"You’re persistent," I muttered into my cup.

"You’re interesting."

"I’m unavailable."

"That’s not what last night told me."

I hated how calm he was, direct and self-assured that he was going to change my mind. "You think everyone flirts the same? "

"I think most people pretend not to want what they want. You didn’t."

"I’m not most people."

Sullivan flashed me a disarming, Hollywood smile that he had no doubt used on countless people in the past. "Most people are boring."

"Are you always this charming?"

"Only when it counts." Shrugging, he sipped his coffee, glancing around as if any minute he expected paparazzi to surround us.

The mere idea of it made my skin crawl. There was no doubt in my mind that our picture had probably already been taken together.

He was a popular actor, a golden boy with a bright future ahead of him in the entertainment industry.

"I’m headed back to LA soon, but I’d regret it if I didn’t ask. Can I see you again?"

I stared at him, unsure what surprised me more, that he asked or that I wanted to say yes. "I’ll think about it."

"That’s a good start."

Shaking my head, I finished my coffee, chucking the empty cup into a nearby trash can. "I appreciate the offer for lunch, but I need to get to work and set up for tonight. Good luck with promotion."