“My given name is Michael Rodrigo Harvey.”
“Okay, Michael Rodrigo. Keep your voice down.” She scanned the room. “I don’t want anyone to hear us.”
“Why not? You were a little sex kitten. Any guy would kill to change places with me right now.”
She blushed and blinked in slow motion, and then took my arm to steer me down the hall away from people. “That’s not something any girl wants everyone to know about her.”
“Got it,” I motioned across my mouth with a zipping noise. “Sex tigress secret under wraps.”
“I was a sex kitten a moment ago.”
“You deserve a promotion.” I leaned in closer. “Now please after my walk down memory lane tell me you’re not here with anyone tonight.”
“You mean a guy?” She raised her eyebrows.
“Yes. Using my cyber detecting skills where I uncovered your name, I noticed a male lived at that address too.”
She grinned. “And your stealthy skills didn’t reveal whether we’re a couple.”
“No, that’s where technology falls short. Nor did it indicate whether you’re sleeping together.”
“You sound a tad jealous. Do you feel this possessive about women you sleep with?”
I contemplated her question, gazing out into the room. “No. I usually don’t care.”
“Color me lucky,” she returned. “So what makes me so special? Or is this a ruse to sleep with me again?”
“Let me answer the easier question first. Yes, I definitely want to sleep with you again. I thought you were hot in those sexy fetish outfits at the club. And now…” I exhaled with a whooshing sound. “I can’t stop thinking about unzipping your dress to see what you have on underneath.”
“That’s not gonna happen, rock star.” She straightened to her full height, not even reaching to my shoulders.
“Why not?”
“Because that remarkable rendition just means you remembered the sex. Not only did you forget my name at Vamps, you didn’t remember me.”
“I did when I got a closer look.”
She shot me a skeptical look. “And why would you want to sleep with me again? Someone who might have just slept with you because you’re a rock star, as you so eloquently pointed out.”
“Because it was hot. And I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. Wondering if you’re okay.”
“Of course I’m okay.” She waved an arm. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Another question I don’t know the answer to.”
“For such a smart guy, these simple questions are tripping you up?”
I nodded. “In case you haven’t guessed, I’m better with technology than people. So will you answer this question—are you with anyone?”
“No. I’m not sleeping with my roommate, nor do I want to. In fact, I’m so busy right now I don’t have time for a relationship.”
“Why, what’s up?”
“I’m opening my own yoga and Pilates studio. It’s more work than I ever could have imagined.”
Ah, that was what Nico meant about her being busy. Relief settled over me when I realized it wasn’t something awful like planning her wedding.
“Good for you. Are you excited? Or terrified?”
“Both. Lily’s been helping me with the website and promo, but I still feel over my head. I get the keys to the place tomorrow.” She shook her head. “Actually I’d rather not talk about it tonight. It’s my last hurrah for a long time as I’m about to become a small business owner.”
“All right, no more talk about your new venture. Let’s get you a drink.” I found an open bottle of wine and poured two glasses. “To you and all your future successes.” We clinked glasses and each took a sip.
Allana
Mike perplexed me. This was the third time we’d spoken, but unlike the other two times, he didn’t sport the aloof rock star persona and he seemed kind of normal.
Not to mention sexy as hell.
Mike introduced me to some of his coworkers, all super-smart guys who worked in technology, just like him and Nico.
“You might know John, the drummer in the Velvet Cocks. Here are some of the other knuckleheads I work with.”
What a different world from my own. While they worked on computers all day using their brains, I tried to help people work on their body and turn off the chatter that went on in our brains all day long. I took a mental note to target a class toward corporations with staff on computers all day.
“Knuckleheads?” I laughed. “I thought you guys are all brains. Tech guys who are changing the world or something like that.”
“Oh yeah, we’re all good with technology,” Mike agreed. “Doesn’t mean we’re not all jackasses.”
“Speak for yourself, Mike,” the one he introduced as Ryan said. “Weren’t you supposed to stay in and watch the Twilight Zone marathon tonight?”
Mike appeared stunned but recovered in a flash. “I changed my mind. I can watch that anytime. Nico invited me to his party so as a good buddy, I came here.”
Ryan appeared unconvinced. “Yeah, right.”
“Excuse us,” Mike said. “I see your ugly mugs all day. I want to spend some time with a much prettier one.” He grinned and steered us to the corner of the room.
My mind was spinning, seeing him in a normal setting and interacting with guys he worked with. I’d only seen him in Chee Keydood mode, with the wild stage outfits or tight leather pants. But tonight he wore casual clothes, a well-fitting pair of jeans and T-shirt, which made him seem more down-to-earth and approachable, more a real person than a persona. The skull shirt and tattoos reminded me he was still a badass. The combination of the bad boy rock star in a normal setting threw me off. I didn’t know what to make of him, but whatever it was, it was drawing me in. No matter what I said to try to keep him at a distance, every part of my being gravitated closer.
“Do you always give each other a hard time like that?” I asked.
“Hell, yeah. That’s nothing. Nico and I share a space when we go into the office. You should hear us giving each other crap all day long.”
“How do you get any work done?”
“We get in the zone, baby.”
I pictured him and Nico, alternating between banter and working on some technology I couldn’t wrap my head around.
Mike said, “You know what I’ve always hated about New Year’s Eve?”
“What?”
“The pressure of the midnight kiss.”
I grinned. “Tell me about it.”
He leaned in closer. The aftershave he wore tickled my nostrils with a pleasurable scent and I inhaled deeper.
“So why don’t we take the pressure off and kiss now?” His voice was a smoky caress in my ear.
“What makes you think we were going to kiss at midnight?” Although I countered his expectations, my gaze flickered from his soulful eyes down to his finely chiseled lips.
“Thought we’d start off the new year right. Full of promise for good things to come.” He tilted his head down, leaning closer still.
My lips parted on their own accord. “I don’t know if it’s wise to kiss someone tonight who you know you won’t see tomorrow.” Despite my cautious words, my traitorous body leaned closer to him. My breasts were only inches from his chest, tingling from the closeness.
“That doesn’t have to be the case.” His voice came out so low and sexy, it sent sensuous vibrations into my ear.
My eyelids lowered as my body froze with anticipation, wanting and waiting for more.
“What do you say?” he whispered, tilting my chin up. His lips were centimeters from mine and his warm breath left me trembling.
Through hitched breath, I murmured, “I say kiss me.”
When his lips finally touched mine, scalding sensations shot through me. All my nerves lit up, electrified by such a tiny action. Spurred into action, I wrapped my arms around his neck as I kissed him, melting into his arms. As his lips caressed mine, he reminded me how well he kiss
ed. He didn’t rush it, thinking of the kiss as the gateway to race through to get to other areas the way some guys I knew did. He took his time, savoring the moment as his tongue explored me.
Our bodies touched and the awareness of his growing erection against my hip inflamed a need to connect with him. If we weren’t in someone else’s place, I doubt I could have stopped myself from wrapping my legs around him and begging him to take me right there.
But we were in Nico and Lily’s place with guests around us, not a club like Vamps where kissing in the dark shadows hardly caused a second glance. Although I wanted to ignore reason, the sensible women inside commanded some self-control. I pulled away with reluctance.
“Happy New Year.” He grinned.
I glanced around the party, wondering if we caused some heated scene. People were caught up in their conversations and we were far enough away that we didn’t seem to generate gawking observers of an X-rated affair.
“Take me home, Mike.” I said, still breathless from the kiss.
His eyes widened with surprise and he bowed halfway with a boyish grin. “It would be my honor.”
We’d have to say goodbye to Lily and Nico.
Lily. I couldn’t leave her like this. Sure, the party was going off without a hitch. Everyone was well-fed and holding a beverage of choice. But still, I was her security blanket. If I ditched the party to go home with some guy, she’d take it as a personal affront, think the night turned out lame and I decided to go somewhere better.
“No, we can’t.” I shook my head. “Not yet.”
The grin disappeared. “Why not?”
“We have to stay until at least midnight to be polite. It’s a New Year’s party after all.”
Mike exhaled and closed his eyes as if trying to find some self-control himself. “As long as you don’t change your mind after midnight.”
“I’m not Cinderella.” I grinned. “Everything doesn’t change once the clock strikes twelve.” Although my body was still overcome with lust, some sense had returned to me, remembering who he was. “But this is just one night.”
He furrowed his brows. “Excuse me?”
“No empty promises about calling each other, no pretending that this means anything more than it is. We can spend the night together and then go our separate ways tomorrow.”
Mike stared at me for several moments out of warm chestnut eyes that made me want to take back what I said. But I had to be practical. He was a rock star with commitment issues. And I was a busy woman about to take the biggest plunge in her professional life. I didn’t need any drama from men, especially one who had women hanging over him each night he went on stage, a role he seemed to relish and take every advantage of.
“If that’s what you want, mi’lady.” He cocked his head. “Your wish is my command.”
Mike
The next few hours went by in a blur as I fought getting hard. My mind filled with one erotic image after another as I envisioned all the things I wanted to do with her when at last I’d get to take her home.
Don’t back out. Don’t change your mind.
As if I could will her with my thoughts.
She helped Lily in the kitchen and although everyone was stuffed, nobody resisted the tiny cupcakes and cheesecake bites. How could anyone resist anything Allana offered? She was a fucking goddess. Her smile lit up her face. The guys from work stammered in awkwardness around her and then gawked at her ass as she walked away. I couldn’t blame them. She had a perfectly shaped round ass, tight from yoga, but with enough oomph for guys to think damn! I should know—I was one of them.
I nursed a Jack and Coke, with more soda than alcohol. I didn’t want to drink too much because I was driving and I wanted to be at peak level later. There were enough assholes on the roads who had too much alcohol on New Year’s Eve as it was.
A quarter to midnight, Allana came back to me holding two glasses of champagne. She offered one to me so I abandoned the other glass.
“Have you finished your hostess duties for the night?”
“Yes. Nico is pouring more champagne for the toast.”
“You’ve done great. Everyone is fat and happy. Especially me.”
“I’ve seen you naked. And I can say with utmost confidence that you don’t have any fat on you.”
“Coming from a fitness guru, that’s a pretty good compliment for a software engineer. We’re not known for our buff muscles.”
“Guru,” she repeated with a snort. “Hardly. It must be all the rock shows that keep you in shape. I’ve seen the way you jump all over the place onstage. Must be some cardio. You work up quite a sweat.”
“I aim to entertain.”
Nico turned down the music and said, “Everyone have a glass of champagne or something else to toast with?”
A lot of murmurs of agreement. He put on a television station airing the celebration and put it on mute. Lily handed out horns and other noisemakers. When the numbers flashed on screen, we counted down along with the clock.
“10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. Happy New Year!”
We cheered and blew horns. I dropped the spinning device Lily had given me. I pulled Allana into my arms and leaned her back as I planted my lips on hers. She held on to me as she responded with a fiery passion. This was unlike any New Year kiss I’d ever experienced. No awkwardness, no pressure of things to come, just one night with Allana.
Just one night.
It excited me to bits, no doubt. I was going home with a beautiful woman who had kept me in a semi-erect state all night. But why did it also leave me with a sort of ache inside?
As people began to leave, Allana and I helped bring plates in off the dining room table, especially the food that was perishable. I ended up with Nico in the kitchen area while Allana talked to Lily.
“Look at you loading up the dishwasher,” I teased. “The rock singer domesticated.”
“Ha ha,” he said, loading plates. “Sounds like the bad tag line for a reality show.”
“Totally,” I agreed. “I can see it now. Follow the band from the tour bus to the stage and then to their lives at home.”
“Except in our case, it’s still a tour van.” He closed the dishwasher. “Moving on up slowly in the rock ‘n’ roll world.”
“I wouldn’t want to be in a reality show anyway. Who would want people in their business? Why do all those celebrities do it?”
“No kidding. Lily would freak out if I even joked about it.”
Nico nodded to where Allana and Lily were chatting in the living room. “What’s up with you and Ally?”
“We’re getting along smashingly.”
“You are?” Nico squinted. “You mean a woman who you slept with is still talking to you? Shocking.”
“I know. She’s a good one.”
“I thought you drove them all off.”
“I do. And I did with her. But apparently she’s not impervious to my natural charms.”
“Or she’s had too much to drink and lost all sense.”
“For shame, Nico. For shame,” I exaggerated. “As if a woman would have to be drunk to sleep with me.”
“You mean some aren’t?”
Allana
“Are you sure you want to go home with him?” Lily asked.
“Yeah, I’m sure. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because before tonight, you were pissed at him for not remembering who you were.”
“I know.” I cast my eyes down. “I’m over that already. It was one night months ago and he’s not good with names.”
Lily narrowed her eyes. “Did he put some kind of weird voodoo spell on you or something?”
“No. Not at all.”
“I don’t get why you’d hook up with him again.”
Since I’d been trying to justify this to myself the past couple of hours, I had a ready response. “Well, if you must know. One—I get the keys to my studio tomorrow and I’m kind of freaked out. So rather than tossing and turning all night wor
rying, I’d rather toss and turn doing something a little more fun. Two—We already hooked up once, the chemistry was great, and since we already slept together, it doesn’t count as someone new. And three—he’s hot as hell. Being around him turns me on so much, I—”
“Okay, okay,” Lily said. “I get it.” Her eyes filled with concern. “Be careful. You know what he’s like.”
“I do. And I’m taking advantage of the situation. One night. No strings attached. I don’t have time for anything else in my life right now. Tomorrow we’ll go our separate ways. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because I remember you saying something similar over the summer. And that didn’t stop you from getting hurt when you ran into him at Vamps.”
“I wasn’t hurt,” I said, crossing my arms across my chest. “I was as humiliated as anyone would be running into someone they’d slept with who didn’t remember them at first.”
Lily sighed. “I think I should try to talk you out of this, but something tells me I’d be wasting my time.”
“Don’t worry about me, Lil. I’m a big girl. I’m going to have one last night of fun before I bury myself in my business. No harm done.”
Mike lived about fifteen minutes from Lily and Nico’s, but the way he drove, I thought it would take us twice as long.
“You realize this road is a fifty mile-per-hour limit?” I said. “You’re not even going forty.”
His knuckles were white clutching the steering wheel. “Tons of drunk drivers are always out on New Year’s Eve. And I want to get you to my place in one piece.”
“Are you always this protective of women in your chariot?”
“No. I have far too many speeding tickets to my name. But I lost a friend in high school to a drunk driver on New Year’s Eve.”
“Oh.” A pang of compassion hit me. “I’m sorry.”
“Thanks. Like I told you, I’ve had this compulsion to protect you since the Viking guy entrusted you into my care.”
“It’s really strange,” I said. “You don’t have to worry about me anymore. Whatever danger was there is gone and I can take care of myself.”
“I’m sure you can, but humor me, okay?” His grip relaxed and he inched up near forty-five miles an hour. “I’m accelerating. Are you happy?”
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