“Sounds good.”
Five minutes later, they walked up to the ride entrance. Much to her surprise, for the time of day, the line wasn’t very long and moved quickly. Before Holly knew it she was seated inside a wet, rocking boat carved to look like a log.
Christian climbed in and took the seat directly behind her, while Seth eased into the seat all the way in the back.
“You haven’t developed a fear of heights, have you?” Christian whispered against her ear. His sexy warm tone caused a delicious shiver to run down her body. How was it she still carried a torch for him, especially when they’d never actually slept together?
“No.” She turned her head and found her mouth mere inches from his. “Have you?”
“Not a chance.” He leaned in and placed a small kiss on the tip of her nose, then grabbed the built in handle under the front opening of the boat. “Up we go, sweetheart.”
With the help of the conveyor belt, the log climbed high into the air. When they finally reached the top, the drop was small, but still sent up a splash that peppered her blouse with water. The boat bumped and twisted along the tiny canal, turning this way and that, climbing and dropping at intervals until they reached the peak of the ride.
Heart in her throat, Holly challenged herself to keep her eyes open as the boat topped the final hill.
“Here we go!” Seth screamed from behind.
Before he’d finished his sentence, the boat dropped along with her stomach as they rushed towards the base of the ride. A scream filled with both terror and joy tore from her throat and Christian’s arms tighten around her waist. With the plunge over, the boat slowed quickly right before a giant gush of water flew over the nose, soaking her and Christian.
“God, that’s cold,” she gasped, pushing her hair from her face.
“I’m fucking soaked,” Seth stated from behind her and Holly turned to look at Christian. Water trickled down his face and dripped onto his already wet shirt, but his eyes were focused entirely on her. A giddy thrill caused her belly to drop a second time. She’d seen that look in the past, right before they decided it was best not to get involved because of the band.
But the band isn’t an issue any longer. So what was stopping her from taking what she’d always wanted? There wasn’t any doubt in her mind that he’d leave again for the road, but why couldn’t she at least experience the joy of loving him even for a short time? She lifted a hand to his face, brushing away an errant drip. He grabbed it in his, spread her fingers and placed a gentle kiss directly in her palm. A shiver raced through her, though she couldn’t be sure if it was a result of his kiss or her simply being wet.
“Christian,” she whispered, knowing her voice sounded husky and not caring much either way.
“Time to get out you two.”
Holly looked up to see Seth standing next to the boat, holding out a hand. She took it, lacing her fingers through his as he helped her step from the wet boat. Almost immediately, she felt the heat of Christian’s body behind her. “W-what’s next,” she managed to squeak as the three of them headed for the ride’s exit.
Seth gave her fingers a quick squeeze. “Whatever your heart desires, sweetie.”
She swallowed audibly as they walked across the bridge out of the ride. What her heart currently desired wasn’t allowed by the park. In an attempt to buy a few moments to get her wayward libido under control she he turned to gaze at the sunset and instead found dark clouds looming in the distance.
“Um, guys, I think I know why the line for the ride wasn’t that long.”
“Why?” they asked in unison as they both turned to look.
“Shit, that looks like one nasty storm brewing,” Seth said.
“Yeah.” Christian’s gaze diverted to another steel coaster just twenty feet from where they now stood. “I don’t know about you two, but I’d rather not be near all this metal in an electrical storm.”
“Me, neither. How about we get out of here?” Holly added.
Christian took her hand in his. “Good idea. Come on.”
By the time they reached the parking lot, the storm now hovered directly overhead, casting an eerie feel on the surroundings. A bolt of lightning stuck in the distance, the residual crack caused Holly to jump. Then the sky opened up, drenching anything and everything in the storm’s path.
Christian wrapped an arm around Holly’s shoulder and steered her down a long lane of cars. “Almost there,” he shouted over the roar of the rain.
A few feet away the lights of an Escalade blinked. Christian grabbed the passenger door handle, opened it and helped Holly inside. He then climbed into the back as Seth took his position behind the wheel.
Holly pushed her hair back and tried to settle into the seat the best she could. “As if I wasn’t wet enough already.”
Rain pelted the vehicle’s roof, the sound drowning out the possibility of any serious conversation. With seatbelts in place and windshield wipers on high, Seth pulled out of the parking spot and into the line of cars now fighting to exit the lot.
“What’s your new address?” Seth had to shout over the deafening sound of the rain hitting steel.
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. My place is nearly an hour from here,” Holly replied, cringing at her own words. It was a storm like this one that had washed out the road she used to live on and sent her car tumbling down the embankment. It was a storm exactly like this one that had changed the course of her life forever.
“It’s okay,” Seth offered. “The place we’re renting is only about twenty minutes from here. We’ll go there and ride out the storm.”
If his statement was meant to make her feel better, it didn’t. In her current state of mind, walking through the door of their home would be the equivalent of stepping inside the lion’s den. She wouldn’t have a chance.
Chapter Four
Less than a half an hour later, Seth put the truck in park in the driveway of the rented duplex. “Give me a minute and I’ll unlock the door.”
Christian nodded from the back seat. “You got it.”
While Seth sprinted through the deluge for the door, Christian helped Holly from the vehicle. They made quick work of the path from the drive to the front door. Safely ensconced inside the home, Holly stood on the linoleum entryway dripping water on the floor.
“I guess I probably should have checked the weather before I agreed to go to the park today.”
Christian brushed strands of wet hair from her face. “If you had, we wouldn’t be here right now.”
“True, but I’m soaked and dripping all over your floor.”
“So are we,” Seth said, flipping on the overhead light. “Don’t sweat it.”
Instantly, Christian grimaced at the mess he and Seth had left behind that morning. For the five years prior to the band’s record deal, they’d all lived together in a two-bedroom apartment. Seth and Christian shared one room, their base player Nick and the singer Collin shared the other while they’d blocked off the den area with sheets so Holly could have her own space.
She’d lived among their filth, picking up after them when she wasn’t working at one of her two jobs, so she’d seen them at their worst. Still, it shamed him for her to see that in the time since, neither he nor Seth had managed to break their slobbish habits. “Please ignore the mess.”
She smiled. “I see some things never change.”
“And some things do,” he shot back. Her grin slipped as their gazes locked. Back at the park he swore he’d seen desire in her eyes, but after they exited the ride he’d reconsidered, thinking he’d been mistaken. Now, as she stood in front of him, dripping wet, he realised he hadn’t. Heat shot directly to his groin and he wondered if she could see the steam rising off him from where the rainwater sizzled against his skin.
“I shouldn’t be here,” she said even as she lifted a hand to stroke a finger along his cheek.
“I can still take you home if you like.”
He snaked an
arm around her waist and pulled her against him. Her breath escaped as a gasp, and her hands came to rest against his chest.
“And have to worry about you driving back in this rain?”
He tilted his head and leant forward until his lips all but brushed over hers. “I’m touched by your concern.”
“You should be.” She slid her other arm around his neck and took possession of his mouth.
Her actions had him pulling her hard against him as he sank deep into the kiss. His balls drew up tight as his cock came to life, pushing against his jeans. Their lips tangled and for several long seconds he nearly forgot where he was.
Seth’s voice barely registered as Christian lost himself to the moment. “I’m just going to go make myself a sandwich.”
Then, nearly as quickly as the kiss started, it ended with her pulling away and tucking her head. “I-I’m sorry, Christian. I shouldn’t have done that.”
The last thing he wanted to hear was an apology. “Why?”
“We’ve been apart for a long time and kissing you after only a few hours back together seems a little impulsive.”
He curled his finger beneath her chin and forced her to look up at him. “If I remember correctly, you used to have no problem being impulsive.”
“That was before…” She glanced towards a picture hanging on the wall. “Just before that’s all.”
Out-manoeuvred by her sudden mood swing, Christian took a step back and motioned to the bedroom. “I think I have a clean, dry shirt for you to change into while your clothes dry out.”
She shook her head and shifted from one foot to the other. “That won’t be necessary. I’m okay.”
No matter what was going through her head, he couldn’t allow the possibility of her getting sick because she stayed wet clothes. He took both her hands in his, forcing her to stand still and look at him. “You’re soaked and whether you know it or not, you’re shivering. You need to get out of those clothes before you make yourself sick.”
He sensed her hesitation, could almost feel her vulnerability and wished more than anything that he could put her at ease. Back in the day, they were best friends, trusting each other with everything, including their innermost thoughts and secrets.
Could she know exactly how much he wanted to make love to her right now? Did she want him too? If so, would she act upon her feelings? The Holly he remembered tended to act on impulse, to go with the flow, except when it came to the band. From booking shows to dealing with conflicts between the band members, she analysed all sides of an issue before making a decision. The band was serious business, her dream to make come true.
Being able to separate those two aspects of her personality was something about her he’d always admired. Now, however, he wished the impulsive girl he’d seen snippets of over the past few hours would return. Since that probably wasn’t going to happen, it would be important for her to understand that she was in control.
“Look, I’ll admit that I’d love nothing more than to take you to bed and make love to you all night, but you’re in charge here. Nothing is going to happen that you don’t want, okay?”
After several long, silent seconds, she looked up, meeting his gaze. “T-that’s exactly what I’m afraid of,” she whispered.
“Sweetheart—”
She placed a finger over his lips. “Don’t, Christian. We’ve both spent years dancing around our attraction for one another in order to not risk the band. The big difference between then and now is, we’re both older and the band isn’t standing in the way.”
If she only knew… “Nothing has to happen, Holly.”
“You’re right, but you know as well as I, that if we don’t explore this…” she motioned between them, “whatever this is that exists between us, we’ll both regret it.”
Knowing she spoke the truth, yet unprepared for the direction the night was about to take, Christian inhaled deeply. Then there was the whole band issue. Could he take her to bed now, knowing he would be asking her to rejoin Sanctuary later? If he asked her back into the band first, then nothing would happen between them and he couldn’t stand the idea of staying ‘friends’.
“You’re probably right, but I don’t think we need to rush into anything. Let’s start by getting you into some dry clothes and see where the evening takes us.”
She nodded and took his hand, allowing him to guide her down the small hallway and into the bedroom. He eyed the bed as he walked to the dresser to retrieve a shirt for her. Outside, the storm seemed to be passing, unlike the one currently churning inside his body.
It was a hell of a thing. This morning he wasn’t sure she’d even be willing to talk to him and now absolutely anything was possible. His dick hardened with that thought and Christian moved out of her line of vision to adjust himself. More than likely, she’d already noticed the growing bulge in his pants, but there wasn’t any reason to convey his current state of discomfort. After repositioning his shaft to a more comfortable spot, he began rooting through the drawer and came up with an old white AC/DC concert tee.
“This should do for now. If you’ll change I can throw your wet clothes into the dryer.”
“Thank you.”
Christian snagged a clean pair of shorts out of the drawer and backed out of the room. “You’re welcome. I’ll just go change in the john.” Quickly, he made his way to the bathroom, where he worked to strip out of his wet jeans. His mind raced as he considered the possibilities. She wanted to make love to him. That knowledge was enough to both excite and scare the shit out of him.
For years, he’d kept her on this sexual pedestal, just out of reach—a fantasy for his libido. Now, faced with the very real possibility of ending that fantasy, he realised how nervous he was. What if he didn’t live up to her expectations? Did she even have expectations when it came to sex with him? Could he bring Seth into the fold without freaking her out and why did the idea of sharing her suddenly seem so distasteful?
Christian tossed his jeans towards the overflowing laundry hamper and walked out. When he’d set this plan in motion six weeks ago, he’d had a firm direction of how he wanted it to play out. The problem was Holly had thrown a pipe wrench into the cogs of his wheel with her admission. She wasn’t supposed to make wooing her back so easy.
The kitchen light spilled out into the living room area. Seth was a bottomless pit when it came to food. More than likely, he was still in the kitchen eating.
“Hey.” Christian opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water.
“You get Holly some dry clothes?” Seth asked before taking a bite of the bagel with cream cheese he’d made.
“Yeah.” Christian twisted the lid off the bottle and took a long swig. “I’m confused as all hell.”
“I think you have a right to be. I heard her admission.” Seth leaned against the counter and crossed his now dry, jean-clad legs at the ankle. “She’s making this too easy for us.”
“That worries me.”
“Why?”
“Because when it comes to anything associated with the band, it’s not in Holly’s character to jump into a situation without analysing all sides.”
Seth set the bagel down and picked up a glass of milk he’d poured himself. “Seems to me she’s been thinking about this particular situation for a long time. I say don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Take what she’s offering for face value and enjoy it.”
“What about the band?”
Seth took a long drink, downing half the glass of milk before coming up for air. “What about it? We all agreed that you getting her into bed had to happen first. No way could any of us stand the sexual tension you two radiate when you’re together.”
“Yeah, I know what we agreed to, but—”
“But nothing,” Seth cut him off. “It will be much easier on all of us, if you two are a couple first and band mates second. Now we have another six weeks before Rally’s rehab is up. That gives you time to work on building up your relationship first
. Then we’ll work on her with the band.”
Christian looked out into the living room and considered Seth’s words. “You’re right. It just feels weird to know that after all these years I might get the one thing I’ve always wanted and couldn’t have.”
Seth finished his milk, put the glass in the sink and pitched the remainder of the bagel in the garbage. “Well,” he said wiping his hands on a paper towel. “I’m heading off to my room to watch some television.”
“Wait? I thought—”
Seth held up a hand, stopping Christian. “I know what you thought and I’ll wait for another night. No point in pushing our luck. She wants you, buddy. She’s always wanted you. For now we go with that.”
As relieved as Christian was to hear his friend say the words, he still felt guilty for leaving Seth out of the fun. “I can’t believe you’re okay with this.”
Seth placed a hand on Christian’s shoulder and squeezed. “More than likely you’re going to get laid tonight and I have to say I’m jealous as hell, but we have a greater purpose here. If that means I have to take the hit for cause then I will.”
“Yeah, you’re a martyr.”
Seth laughed. “I’m realistic. There’s been sparks between you two for as long as I can remember. It’s only right that you finally get to light that fire. There will be time later to warm her up to the idea of maybe playing around with both of us. For now, I’m heading to my bedroom.”
Chapter Five
Holly stripped out of her wet clothes, debating shortly on whether to leave her bra on before chucking it onto the pile with her jeans and blouse. Maybe it was the fact that she hadn’t had sex in over a year. Maybe it was nothing more than her attraction to Christian that had her being so bold. Whatever the reason, she knew by Christian’s own admission that she was in control.
She pulled his shirt over her body, noting how it nearly touched her knees, then glanced at the mirror hanging on the back of the bedroom door and checked out her reflection. There was a time, before the band made it big that she used to wear his shirts all the time. That was when the entire band rented a small two bedroom apartment and they’d all be struggling musicians, sharing everything but their beds and working two jobs to make rent.
That's Rock-N-Roll Page 3
