by J. S. Cooper
“See you soon,” I said, and I stood there until she’d closed the door behind her. I rushed over to my own door and Frosty came running up to greet me as I walked in. “Hey, buddy boy,” I said as I bent down to stroke his head. “Hold on, I’ll take you on a walk in just a second. Let me just grab some water.” I walked to the kitchen and Frosty followed me. “Talk about clingy.” I laughed as he touched my leg. “I thought women were bad, but you take the cake, Frosty.” He whined then, and I played with his ears before grabbing his leash. “Come on Frosty, let’s go. If you’re a good boy, I’ll see if Lila will let you come over tonight as well.” I didn’t stop to question why I was so excited to get to Lila’s place or why I felt like I was already missing her when I’d just seen her. “Frosty, I’m going to show her the time of her life tonight,” I said as we headed out the door and down the stairs. As we passed Lila’s front door, an idea for a song came to me and I started humming.
“So I hope you like quiche.” Lila moved back and forth in the kitchen cutting stuff up and I nodded.
“It smells great, as evidenced by Frosty’s eager anticipation next to the oven.” I pointed to the dog, his eyes were wide and anxious as if he knew that his chances of getting some of the quiche were slim to none. Maybe I’d sneak him a quick piece if he was a good boy.
“He’s just so cute. I wish I had the time to get my own dog.” She looked at Frosty wistfully and I wondered what else she wished she had.
“Thanks for letting me bring him over. I spoke to Danielle this morning, and she said he gets lonely in the evenings so I figured might as well let him hang with us.”
“How is she? How’s London?”
“She’s good. Busy.” I shrugged. “She loves her job, but I think they take advantage of her.”
“Aw, that’s rough.”
“Yeah and it doesn’t leave her much time to date. She’s unlike us, I think she’s ready for a serious relationship. My parents keep hinting for grandkids and thank God, she’s the one getting all the calls.”
“That sounds like Dante. His grandma is harassing him into getting married and having kids.” She laughed, and I frowned as she brought up his name. Was she obsessed with this guy? Couldn’t she talk about anything else?
“Anyway, I got the idea for a new song today.” I changed the subject before she decided to continue going on about Dante. What sort of name was that?
“Oh yeah?” She gave me a look and I could have sworn that she’d laughed to herself before she spoke.
“Yeah, maybe I’ll play it for you later.”
“That would be cool.” She shooed Frosty to the side so that she could open the oven door. And I watched as she put on an oven mitt so that she could pull the quiche out.
“Do you need my help with anything?” I said, realizing that I probably should have offered my services an hour ago as opposed to when the dinner was almost done. “I can wash up afterward if you like.”
“I will not say no that.” She giggled as she took a knife from her knife block and started to cut the quiche. “I hate to wash up.”
“Well just look at us . . . two perfectly domesticated people,” I said and then I jumped up and headed to the fridge when I realized what I’d said. “I’m getting another beer, want anything?”
“No, thanks,” she said as if she hadn’t noticed how awkward my last sentence was. Why did I use the word domesticated? I didn’t even know I knew that word. I had no idea why I had used it. I was just here to get laid. “Frosty, come with me,” I called out to my sister’s greedy mutt as I made to leave the kitchen. “Do you mind if I turn the TV on? I’m curious to see what games are on tonight.”
“Sure, and if you can’t find anything I’m pretty sure Grey’s Anatomy is on tonight.”
“Sorry, what?” I blinked. “I don’t know who Grey is and I sure don’t want to see his anatomy.”
“It’s a TV show, silly, about a hospital.”
“No thanks.” I gave her my most winning smile. “That doesn’t sound like anything I’d be interested in watching. Which reminds me of another reason why I’m glad we’re not in a relationship. I don’t have to suck it up and watch boring girly shows to be polite.” She just stared back at me and rolled her eyes.
“And you wonder why you’re such a catch,” she mumbled under her breath, but it was loud enough for me to hear.
“Are you saying you don’t think I’d be a catch?”
“You mean to anyone other than a sex-crazed vamp?” She cocked her head to the side.
“You don’t like sex?” I was annoyed at her answer.
“I love sex, but if I was considering you for a real relationship I’d want more than just good sex.”
“If you were considering me?” I raised an eyebrow up at her. “So you haven’t even considered me?”
“Of course not.” She took some plates out of the cupboard. “We both know you’re not looking for a relationship and you’re not relationship material either.”
“Unlike Dante?” I snarled, starting to feel angry.
“What?”
“Do you think Dante is relationship material?” I didn’t wait for her to answer. “That’s a guy that just wants sex, I’m telling you. He wouldn’t even come for dinner, he’d just be in the bed waiting and then he’d be gone.”
“I don’t think so.” She shook her head. “Dante’s a good guy.”
“Uh-huh.” I walked back into the kitchen and stopped in front of her. “Let me ask you this.”
“Ask me what?”
“Have you already fucked him?”
“I know you didn’t just ask me that?” Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. “Really, Carter?”
“So?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but no. Dante is just me friend.”
“Yeah?” All of a sudden I felt pleased. “That’s good.”
“You’re crazy, dude.” Her eyes stared into mine and for a few seconds I was scared she was going to ask me to leave.
“Maybe it’s because of you. I remember, I remember when I lost my mind.” I sang the Gnarls Barkley song and did a little dance and she started laughing. “I love the sound of your laugh,” I said. “It’s so infectious. You’re always so happy.”
“You haven’t seen me at work.” She grimaced and picked up both plates. “Grab the salad from the fridge and follow me.”
“Oh, we’re not eating in here?” I nodded toward her carefully made up table in the corner of the room.
“No, we’re going to be naughty and watch TV and stuff our faces.”
“Sounds good to me.” I walked over to the fridge and grabbed a glass bowl filled with a very delicious looking salad. “Can I bring anything else over?”
“I have some French bread and butter but I’ll get it. I need to slice the bread.”
“You’re spoiling me.” I patted my stomach. “Or you’re trying to get me fat so no other woman will want me.”
“Yup, that’s my plan.” She giggled. “Follow me, Carter.” And she proceeded to walk down the hallway to her living room. She placed the plates on her cherry wood coffee table and then switched on a lamp in the corner of the room. “Here’s the remote,” she said as she walked out of the room, and I settled down on her comfy white couch and flicked the TV on. I sat back and looked around the room while I waited for her cable box to come to life. She had two bookshelves on one side filled with stacks of books. Next to the shelves was a tall green plant. I had no idea what the plant was, but it looked cool. I looked to the other side and there was a large window overlooking the street, her curtains were open, but I supposed she was so high up that it didn’t matter.
“What did you find?” She walked back into the room with a plate piled high with slices of a crusty looking baguette and a dish of butter.
“Nothing yet,” I said. “This all looks very delicious by the way.”
“Dig in,” she said as she sat next to me. “I hope you enjoy it.”
&n
bsp; “Oh I will,” I said and then placed the remote on the coffee table and went in for a kiss. Her eyes widened in surprise but she kissed me back passionately. My fingers went to the buttons on her shirt and I leaned forward to kiss her neck. “I think I’d like a special appetizer first though.” I groaned as she reached down to massage my cock and I fell back as she started to undo my zipper.
“I think I’d like my appetizer first, actually.” She winked and me and I just grinned up at her enjoying the sexy fun way she unbuttoned my shirt and kissed my chest. My whole body warmed as her lips touched my skin. Lila was someone different. Someone special. I knew that in my heart. I just didn’t know if I was ready for someone like her in my life at this point.
Lila
“Black Magic Woman”
I could hear my alarm ringing, but I didn’t want to wake up. I was enclosed in Carter’s warm strong arms and it felt like heaven. I didn’t want to have to face reality and go to the firm, but I couldn’t ignore the alarm any longer.
“I’ve got a gig later tonight.” Carter kissed my cheek as soon as I opened my eyes. I blinked at him sleepily. He was staring down at me with a strange expression on his face and I wondered how long he’d been awake.
“Is that your way of telling me you need to leave so you can go and practice?”
“No.” He grinned and kissed me on the lips this time. “It’s my way of telling you I have a gig tonight.”
“How long have you been awake?” I asked him suspiciously as I noticed he was surprisingly lucid for someone that had just woken up. I felt slightly self-conscious as my naked body pressed into his. My breasts were crushed against his chest and I could feel his manhood pressing into my belly intimately. I thought of all the things I’d done to his manhood the evening before and I blushed. I had given him a blow job as soon as I’d put the baguettes on the table and then he put me on all floors and entered me from behind so slowly and tantalizingly that I’d begged him to fuck me hard. I’d never used that kind of language before, but he just brought it out in me.
“About an hour,” he said lazily as if it were no big deal and ran his hands through my wild mane.
“And you’re still in bed?” My eyes widened in surprise. Had he been staring at me this whole time? And if so, what did that mean? “Don’t you always practice in the morning? Do you need to go?”
“I wanted to look at your beautiful face, and I didn’t want to disturb you from your beauty sleep.” He reached over and touched my naked breast and played with my nipple. “Plus, I was hoping I’d get a reward for being a good boy.”
“A reward?” I bit down on my lower lip and I could feel myself growing wet. For heaven’s sake, I’d just woken up. I wasn’t sure what had come over me.
“I want to feel myself inside of you again.”
“Carter.” I blushed. In the light of the cold sober day, I felt a little shy to hear his words. I still secretly loved how dirty he was, but the words still took me aback.
“What Lila?” He leaned forward and took my nipple in his mouth and tugged on it gently. “Don’t you want a morning quickie?”
“I have to go to work, Carter.” I moaned as I half-heartedly pushed him away and covered myself.
“Boo. It sucks that you have to rush to work.” He made a face.
“Life of an attorney.” I sighed, once again regretting my career choice.
“So are you going to come to my gig tonight?” he asked hopefully, his face resembling that of a little boy’s asking Santa for a gift.
“You want me to?” I asked surprised. We’d already seen each other two nights in a row, I didn’t think he’d want to see me again tonight. He’d made it dreadfully clear that he wasn’t looking for a relationship or anything serious. In fact, he’d gone on and on about women becoming too attached to him too quickly. Hadn’t he said that he liked to see a girl once a week and no more than that.
“Yeah, I want you to come.” He sat up in the bed then and brushed back his hair. It was growing out and was slightly too long at the front now. It covered his eyes every time it fell forward, and it made him look younger somehow. “So will you?” he asked again softly and if I hadn’t known him better, I would have thought there was uncertainty in his tone. But there was no way that Carter Stevens was uncertain about anything.
“I’ll try,” I said. “I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make it. What time do you guys go on?”
“Eight.” He pulled the sheet down so that it was no longer covering my breasts or any part of my body. “You’re so damn sexy, you know that, right?” His words warmed me, but a part of me wanted to hear more than that. I wanted our conversations to be more in-depth, though I wasn’t sure that that would ever happen.
“Do you have time to listen to the new song that I wrote?” He stretched, and I watched as his muscles rippled. I smiled at the dark tan of his arms as they contrasted against his much fairer and paler chest. “What’s so funny?” His eyes narrowed as he gazed at me. “You don’t want to hear it?”
“No, I’d love to hear it,” I said and sat up. I leaned over and gave him a kiss. “Play it for me.”
“Go and shower,” he said after he kissed me back. “I’ll get some breakfast together and walk Frosty quickly. Then I’ll grab my guitar and you can eat while I play.”
“Yes, boss,” I said, and he laughed.
“You can call me boss any day.” He jumped out of the bed and I watched as he walked across the room, his naked butt firm and delicious. I couldn’t stop my eyes from devouring him as he turned around and came back toward the bed. “Why are you still in bed?” He stood there in front of me and I looked down and saw his member saluting me, already somewhat hard.
“Um just watching you,” I said, loving the way his eyes were staring at my breasts intently. I watched as he swallowed and then shifted his weight.
“Out of bed.” He reached for my hands and pulled me up.
“I’m not ready yet.” I yawned but got out at his insistence. “Just because you’re ready doesn’t mean I am.”
“If you’re going to get your work done and have time to watch me tonight, you need to make sure you get into work on time,” he said in a stern voice and I tried not to roll my eyes at him. Since when had he become so responsible? And since when did he care? He pulled me toward him so that I was standing with my body pressed up against him. I looked up at his handsome face and my heart melted slightly. He was just so good looking. It wasn’t even fair.
“Fine, fine,” I said and ran my fingers down his chest. “I’m going to go in the shower now and I’m going to try to make it tonight, okay?”
“Okay.” He nodded. “I’d really love it if you came,” he said, his blue eyes bright. “It would mean a lot to me.”
“Okay,” I said and pulled away from him and walked over to my closet. I wanted to ask him why it would mean a lot to him. I wanted to ask him what he meant by that. Why did he care if I came or not? Did it mean he was falling for me? Or did he just like to have a lot of groupies around? I tried to remember what Danielle had told me about him, but I couldn’t remember. I wanted to ask her more about him, but she was in England, plus he was her brother. The brother she’d warned me about. I wasn’t sure what she would think if I called her and started giving her the fifth degree about his dating history.
I couldn’t believe that I was falling for him. It wasn’t that he was perfect. He was far from perfect, but there was a vulnerability about him that drew me to him in a way I’d never been drawn into any other guy. It was unexpected because he was so handsome and so talented. He was a frigging rock musician for heaven’s sake, he could have any girl he wanted. He could be the cockiest most arrogant bastard and still get away with it, but there was a softness and a kindness behind his mask. He was a good guy even though he desperately tried to portray a different persona.
“Dante, hurry up, we’re going to be late.” I tugged on his shirt as he stood looking at his phone. I stared at my watch, a
nd I sighed. We were already thirty minutes late. I didn’t want to miss Carter’s whole set.
“I’m just texting Kate and Sarah to let them know where we’re going to be. They want to meet lover boy as well.”
“Dante.” I made a face at him. “Do not say anything like that around him!”
“Would I dare?” He laughed. “That guy is an asshole if I ever saw one.”
“He’s not an asshole.”
“You’re only saying that because you’re sleeping with him but trust me. I know an asshole when I see one.” He smirked at me. “I would know one because I am one.”
“Uh-huh.” I rolled my eyes at him. “One day you’re going to meet Ms. Right and she’s going to knock you off of your feet and you’re not going to know what happened.”
“I’d like to see that.” His hazel-green eyes looked at mine with a devious look. “Never going to happen.”
“Where are they? We’re so late.”
“Lover boy going to be upset?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I told him that I wasn’t sure if I could come . . .” I pulled out my phone to check my texts. I smiled when I saw Carter’s name on the top of the screen. Going on now, hope to see you. It had also made me smile when I’d received it, and it made me smile now. I hadn’t responded because I’d wanted to surprise him, but now I was nervous that I was going to be so late that I wouldn’t get to see him perform at all.
“They will be here in five minutes,” he said and put his phone in his pocket. He then looked into my eyes for a few seconds with a very pensive look, and I could tell that he wanted to tell me something.
“What’s up?”
“I don’t know whether or not I should say this. It’s not really my place, but . . .” His voice trailed off as he looked at me thoughtfully.
“What, Dante?”
“I’d be careful around this guy,” he said finally. “I don’t know his intentions or where he’s coming from, but he seems like he’s all over the place and I think you can do better.”
