Unexpected Consequences

by Jaye Cox

  He doesn’t say anything, but he’s breathing in a way like it’s practiced; deep breath in and release, deep breath in and release. He does this for about a minute and starts to relax a little.

  "You smell so nice,” he says as he stands. I don’t let go, so now he’s piggy backing me around the room. "Giddy up, cowboy."

  "Cowboy? More like stallion.”

  I laugh, “So, cowboy; don’t you think you better go practice? It’s what we came here for, remember?" He opens the door with me still on his back and runs down the hallway and out through the kitchen, into a rumpus room set up with all their instruments.

  He gallops, or attempts to do a half skip-run, over to a sofa and falls back onto it and onto me as we both laugh. I haven't had this much excitement in my life and I’m starting to realize how boring I was. No wonder I don’t have many friends and the few I do have, well, they grew up with me and their parents are friends with my dad. It’s all so perfect’. "I’m a loser," I say quietly to myself.

  "Who’s a loser?” asks a very attractive guy. I’m talking close your mouth, Isabella Elizabeth Preston because you're drooling on the couch hot. It’s almost unbelievable someone could be so attractive, and his eyes are so blue, it’s hard not to notice them. It’s like Barbie and Ken had the perfect child and out came him.

  “That would be me,” I manage to squeak out. Rayne laughs as he can see I’m speechless, and even though I think Rayne is hot in his sex god rocker way, this guy is just ridiculously perfect. "Tiny Dancer, this is Romeo - he plays guitar."

  "Nice to meet you, Tiny Dancer," he says, flashing me a mouthful of really white teeth. He walks over and talks to Dex who’s sitting at his drums, tapping, or maybe they call it beating.

  "He’s something else, isn’t he?” Rayne says. I’m not sure if it’s a question or if he’s just stating an obvious fact. It kind of looks funny having these three in a room. Rayne and Dex look the band part, but not Romeo. He looks just as you would think someone with the name Romeo looks.

  "Morris, our bass player, should be here soon. He’s always fashionably late because I don’t think he even knows how to read a clock. Oh wait, there he is,” Rayne says, pointing to the guy walking through the door. Morris has a similar look to Rayne and Dex. Not as many tattoos as Dex and not as much rock and roll as Rayne.

  They play a few originals and a few cover songs. I don’t know many of the cover songs but they sound awesome and I’m grateful they’re not a metal band or anything. They sound like a cross between Bush and the Kings of Leon, depending on the song. Rayne has that real husky tone to his voice and once again, I want to throw my panties at him. I wouldn’t really do that because I am way too conservative and would most likely go red from embarrassment. I don’t know how I’ve survived nineteen years being this boring.

  How is Tommy friends with me still? Maybe my dad pays him to be friends with me. It’s a more believable theory than him actually liking me. I have never - besides the other night - gone to a party. I’ve never drank before the other night. I don’t smoke and I’ve never done anything to break the law; I’ve always followed the rules. I’m trying to remember if I have even ever run a stop sign and I certainly have never even talked back to my father before today, so it’s official; I’m a loser and I need to do something crazy. Not that I would know where to begin, but I have a feeling I’m about to go on one crazy ride with Rayne and right now I’m all for sitting in the front seat of that ride, hands in the air as I’m about to plummet over the edge.

  The guys take a break and as much as I would love to stay and watch, I have to go to work. I try to let Rayne know I have to leave but he’s so pre-occupied talking music with Dex, so I just make my way back to his room and get my stuff. I send him a text so he’ll know I tried to tell him I was leaving. I’m making my way out to my car when I bump into a couple of...women? I don’t even know what to call them because they look more like poster girls for a strip club, and they have on as much clothing as a stripper would.

  "Well, well, well, what do we have here?” the blonde one says, pointing her ridiculously long red nail toward me.

  "I’m Isabella, a friend of Rayne’s." They both start laughing like I’ve said something funny.

  "What’s so funny?” I ask.

  “Rayne doesn’t do female friends,” the brunette one says.

  “No, he only does females,” the red nailed one pipes in.

  "You're right, Kandi and Kourtney,” A male voice says from behind me. It’s Morris, and up close, he’s ruggedly handsome with sandy blonde hair and day old stubble. He has his eyebrow pierced and a scar under his chin.

  "Rayne doesn’t have female friends but Rayne is with Isabella. I suggest you remember that, or you won’t be welcome here anymore,” he says.

  "Well, hell really has frozen over; the devil has found himself an angel, one that doesn’t see he is the devil, or maybe she does but thinks she can save his soul?" Snaps Red Claws. She and her friend walk away laughing like a couple of hyenas.

  "Thanks for that.” I say to Morris.

  "Not a problems, they have already tried to cause trouble for my girlfriend, Sam."

  "My ears are burning, are you talking about me again?" A woman says as she comes up behind Morris.

  "Yeah, I am.” he says, giving her a kiss, "Isabella, this is Sam, my girlfriend. Sam, meet Isabella. She’s Rayne’s girl.”

  "Nice to meet you, Sam." She has to be one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen; tall and curvy in all the right places with dark hair and dark brown eyes.

  "I’m sorry, but I have to get to work. Maybe I’ll see you at Paulie’s tonight after my shift." I make my exit before I run into anyone else and have to feel anymore awkward than I already do.

  I’ve been at work now for a few hours and I’m behind the bar when the band walks in. Morris and Sam walk in first, then Dex and Romeo, and then the brunette woman from earlier. I get a sinking feeling in my gut as I watch the door for Rayne to enter and in he walks, with skanky red claws on his arm and I instantly feel like an idiot. He said he was a bad guy and I said I didn’t care. How stupid was I to think I could have been different, even though I knew he felt the connection we had.

  He knows I work here and he doesn’t look around for me or even try acknowledge me in any way. That nearly brings me to tears. Am I so inconsequential to him? He could have at least sent me a text back saying, ‘It was nice to have met you. See you around.’ I keep myself busy and try not to seem obvious when I look his way to see if he’s looking at me, which he isn’t. Skanky red claws is still right up his arse, following him everywhere. The band is set up, so she takes her stance with her other friend right up front with a few other girls. It’s their first night here and they already have a mini fan club. I can’t compete with girls like that; tall, leggy, and always up for anything.

  They’ve been playing for a while now and the bar is quiet enough to leave Tim the other bartender, alone while I do a glass run. I wouldn't say the girls’ uniform is overly skimpy, but the skirts are short and the shirts show more than enough cleavage. I take my tray and start collecting glasses from the empty tables and take them back to the bar, where a couple of guys who went to the same school as me are now sitting. It’s the same thing every weekend― guys hit on me and I turn them down gently. "It’s Isabella, right?” the guy says. I’m positive his name is Gary.

  They were popular and in the same grade as Tommy. "Yep, that’s me. The same girl you didn’t acknowledge throughout high school”. I don't know where that came from. I’m not usually so rude, so I put my attitude down to being pissed about Rayne ignoring me. I feel like I’m being watched and I refuse to turn around and see so I ask Gary or whatever his name is, if he and his friend want a drink. I call out to Tim and he gets their drinks. I lean over the bar to grab some straws, even though I know they won’t want them. It’s all for Rayne’s benefit and I’m sure the two guys behind me aren’t complaining either.

  “Hey
Isabella? I think Mr. Mysterious is staring at you and your friends. If looks could kill, well, you know,” Tim says.

  “Good.” I smirk. Tim laughs as he grabs the glasses I have collected and stacks them to be washed. I decide to flirt a little with Gary to give Rayne a little taste of his own medicine. So I laugh at everything Gary says that’s remotely funny, with a little extra enthusiasm and touch his arm for good measure.

  When the song stops, I hear Rayne saying the band is taking a quick break. I decide playtime is over and it’s time to get back to work. I need to see what Rayne is doing, so I get behind the bar in time to see him whisper something in Gary’s ear. The poor guy looks like he just pissed his pants. Gary nods and walks away with his friend. That’s when Rayne turns and looks at me and winks with a smug look on his face. Goddamn him! He still looks hot with the sex god hair, ripped jeans and leather jacket. He makes me feel angry and turned on at the same time. I need to just get back to work as I only have a few hours left when I’m grabbed by the arm and realize it’s Rayne. He pulls me over the bar and plants a kiss on my lips. "Don’t, Rayne. I’m working," I say pushing him away.

  "That didn’t stop you before while talking to your friend” he says, even using air quotes.

  "Why do you care?” I say, pissed he has the nerve to call me out, "Why don’t you go back to clawzilla over there and let me get back to work.”

  "I’m sorry, Tiny Dancer, I didn’t mean to upset you. I really like you but I told you, I’m not a good guy - I don’t think before I do anything, I’ve never had to. You also don’t need to worry about Kandi. There’s nothing happening with us, so please forgive me. I’ll make it up to you and cook you breakfast.”

  “You can cook?” I ask.

  "Yep. Now say you’ll have breakfast with me when I finish up here. If you don’t, I’ll keep begging you and making a scene until I’m out of a job and I embarrass you in the process.” He gets on his knees and puts his hands together like he’s praying, and flutters his eyelashes at me with a pouty lip. “Please?”

  “Ok, I’ll have breakfast with you,” I say, before I even realize the words have left my mouth. I’m seriously crazy; he ignored me until someone else showed interest in me. What am I letting him do to me? With a pouty lip and a few flutters of his eyes, I’m a goner and willing to agree to anything he says I work on getting my mind back to cleaning so we can get out of here on time.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  So Rayne really can cook, he has made the best omelet I have ever eaten, given I generally eat cereal at home because my father doesn’t cook. He can barbecue and that’s as far as his cooking skills go. My mother, well, she wasn’t around to teach me to cook. When I do see her, she has a personal chef cook for me.

  The guys all stagger in at different times; first was Morris and Sam, who retreated to their room as soon as they came in. They were followed by Dex and Romeo, let’s not forget Kandi and Kourtney with their fits of giggles that I prefer to call cackles. When they see me with Rayne, they actually look disappointed but this time I get a fake hello, which I’m sure is just because they don’t want to get exiled from the inner circle of rock gods. I smirk to myself that girls would really go to these lengths for a few seconds of attention, from a guy that won’t remember their name tomorrow. I’m not naïve, I know sex is good, but to act like a tramp to spend the night with one of them? I’m sure their parents must be super proud!

  "Do you want to go watch a movie in my room, away from all this?” he says.

  "Sure.” I follow him to his room, a little nervous that watching a movie could mean something different to him.

  He hands me a folder and asks me to pick a movie. He has quite a few chick flicks and it makes me laugh but I wonder if he bought them just for his female company.

  "What’s so funny over there?” he asks.

  "Oh, just checking out all your chick flicks, I didn’t take you as the romantic type.”

  "There’s lots you don’t know about me and they are not chick flicks; they’re comedies, thank you very much.”

  "Ha! The badass likes chick flicks. Admit it.”

  "Never.” he says with a smile.

  “Fine. I want to watch Bio-Dome.”

  He throws me a shirt and tells me it will be more comfortable and he’ll get us a drink while I change. I change and lay on the bed then immediately text Tommy because I’m nervous about how to explain that I’m a virgin to Rayne.

  ME: Hey. How do I bring up that I’m a virgin and not ready to have sex?

  TOMMY: You just say it, Bells. If any guy isn’t willing to wait for you, then he doesn’t deserve you.

  ME: You have to say that ‘cause you're my best friend.

  TOMMY: I mean it.

  TOMMY: Who are you not giving your virginity to anyway?

  ME: Rayne.

  TOMMY: Dammit, Bells. Please not him.

  ME: Why not? I like him and I’m thinking about it. You lost yours at fifteen to Becky big tits, so don’t judge me.

  TOMMY: Ok, fair enough. Just please think it through. I don’t want to see you hurt and he will hurt you.

  I don’t text back because I thought he would be happy for me since he’s constantly on my back about just doing it so I don’t have it hanging over my head. I honestly have never had a boyfriend before; sure I’ve been out with guys, but when your father is like mine, you don’t get away with sneaking in boys. It’s only since I turned nineteen that I’ve had some freedom, and that reminds me; I better text my father. Even though we had a fight I don’t need the cops looking for me when he files a missing persons report.

  ME: Staying at a friend’s place. Will be home to talk tomorrow. XXOO, Isabella.

  FATHER: Ok.

  Just Ok. That’s not like him. He must really be pissed at me, but I don’t care. Rayne comes back with some drinks and puts the DVD on. We both lay back on the bed and he’s so close our arms are touching, giving me goose bumps. The silence in the room, besides the TV, is awkward. I’m not sure if I should tell him I’m a virgin, or play it off like it’s no big deal. Rayne Hollywood doesn’t strike me as inexperienced, he is a man who oozes sex appeal, and women just throw themselves at him. He rolls over to face me and I do the same to him. We’re nose to nose and he just looks at me, almost making me forget how to breathe. I really need to figure out how to control that if I want to spend more time with him. Breathing is required for living.

  "I’m a virgin,” I blurt out like an idiot. Rayne is actually laughing at me, he must think I’m joking. "Rayne, I’m serious. Stop laughing."

  “I know and I told you I don’t expect you to have sex with me, Tiny Dancer. I won’t lie and tell you the thought of not having sex with you weirds me out, and I don’t know if I can handle not doing it, but I won’t force you into anything you're not ready for. I like that I could possibly be the one to teach you what I know. I like you. I feel what’s between us and it freaks me the fuck out. I don’t do relationships. I’m a shitty person and it would be smart of you to stay away from me.” He knew? Of course he did.

  "Well I think I should decide what I want to do, since my whole life my father has told me what to do. I obeyed him like the perfect daughter he expected me to be and I’m sick of being perfect. It’s so much pressure; I need some fun and I want you to be that fun for me, I want to feel free.”

  What is with me saying what people want to hear? From the moment those words leave my mouth, I know he’ll break my heart. As much as I want to be free and fun, I think I’m the opposite. Everything I have ever done is controlled and planned out –We’re complete opposites. On paper we wouldn’t make sense; he’s carefree and spontaneous and I like control and order. He walks in a room and it is all about him; I just blend into the background. He knows who he is and owns it; where I have no idea who I am. He is honest and I say what people want to hear. I love all this about him. He’s imperfect, which is what makes him perfect to me.

  "I’m not saying I won’t have sex with you. I’
m just saying it won’t be tonight but I’m not saying no to everything else." I say casually.

  "Really?” he asks with a huge grin on his face.

  I just nod and hide my face in his chest. He places a finger under my chin and makes me look at him, "don’t be embarrassed to tell me what you want, ok? Come take a shower with me so we can get started on everything but sex.” He gets up and pulls me by my ankles until I’m at the end of the bed, I stand and gesture for him to lead the way.

  We’re both wrapped in towels and since I didn’t bring a spare pair of clothes, I’m hoping I can borrow that shirt from him. I sit on his bed and watch him look for clothes, giving me time to admire his body. His towel hangs low on his hips so his V is visible. I already know what it’s pointing to and I must say, what’s under that towel is very impressive. He has a nice six-pack and a nice amount of belly hair―just enough for me to run my fingers through it. I can imagine myself licking every inch of his body.

  Shaking my head I can’t believe that I have gone from not caring about anything to do with sex; to imagining myself in so many different sexual positions with him so fast. "Like what you see?” he teases me. I just nod and possibly blush a little since I just got busted lusting over his body. I was two seconds short of drooling on myself.

  “Good,” he says, “because I like what I see.” Now he unhooks my towel and pulls me to stand and watches as the towel drops to the floor. He runs his hand from my face, down my body, over my left breast and down my stomach to my vagina. I would generally over analyze using the word vagina. It sounds so stupid, but it’s what it is, I can’t say pussy. That word sounds so dirty and here I am, hoping to have a few firsts on my list of sexual experiences and all I can think about is the words vagina and pussy. I force myself to focus, since I’m easily distracted and get lost in my thoughts. When I let my mind go, I can’t help but feel how good this is. I spread my legs apart a little as he rubs his thumb over my clit. With the sensation that transfers between us, every time we touch and along with the pleasure of him touching me, it’s the best feeling I have ever experienced in my life. He leans in and kisses my neck and whispers in my ear, "Lay on the end of the bed and spread your legs for me.”