The Road to L.A.

by Buchanan, Gina

  “A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be sitting here all alone, pouting. It looks like you could really use a drink right now.”

  Carly turned to the source of the unfamiliar voice and came face to face with a curly-haired, young man. His tanned skin contrasted nicely with his black hair, and his smile was absolutely hypnotizing. She took note of his ultra-trendy clothes which looked as if they belonged on a rack in some store on Rodeo Drive. He had on a large gold ring on his right finger and a gold Rolex on his left wrist. She couldn't help but admire how well he was put together. He placed two drinks filled with a caramel-colored liquid on the table and asked, "You mind if I sit down?”

  Carly shook her head. She welcomed this distraction.

  “I just can’t figure out how such a beautiful girl like you could be at one of L.A.’s trendiest clubs with no man by her side. I guess that means I’m just a lucky guy,” he said, still gracing her with that beguiling smile. Carly couldn’t help but to smile back at him. His attention and flattery was definitely welcomed, and he did it with such envied charm. She could have sworn she’d melt like butter in the presence of his arresting gaze.

  “Are you here with anyone?” he asked her, an expectant look in his dark eyes. Carly looked at him bashfully and shook her head. Words suddenly seemed to fail her. This man was definitely good-looking and exceptionally charming. He held out his hand to her and she took it. His handshake seemed more of a gentle caress.

  “I’m Nick,” he introduced himself. “What can I call you, besides beautiful.”

  Carly was beaming, and she giggled nervously at his flattery. She relished the attention she was receiving from him.

  In a timid voice, she revealed to him her name.

  “Well,” Nick began, “it’s a pleasure to meet you, Carly. You come here often?”

  He discreetly slid the drink to her and she picked it up hesitantly. She eyed the brown liquid and then took a small sip. The alcohol seemed to sting the inside of her mouth, and she could feel it sliding down her throat. “This is actually my first time here. I’m not from around here.”

  Nick straightened up in his seat and asked earnestly, “Really? Where are you from?”

  “Ohio.”

  “Where in Ohio? Cleveland?” he pried.

  Carly shook her head and answered, “Clanton. It’s a small town about an hour away from Columbus. Nothing special.”

  “Ah,” Nick said, grinning, “a small town girl, eh?”

  She nodded. He scooted his chair closer to hers as if desirous of intimately studying this new topic of sincere interest. He leaned in close to her until his breath warmed her cheek. “I find small-town girls very sexy.”

  She bit her lip to keep from giggling again. He grabbed his drink and took a long sip before placing it back down on the table to continue his query.

  “So, how do you like L.A., small-town girl?”

  Carly shrugged and answered, “It’s cool. It’s definitely not Clanton.”

  “Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?” he asked playfully.

  “At this point, I really don’t know,” she sighed wistfully, reminiscing about all of the disappointments she had experienced ever since coming to L.A.

  “Well, then let me cheer you up, small-town girl.” Nick slid both drinks away and said with a sparkle in his eyes, “Let’s dance.”

  Her eyes lit up, and she eagerly accepted his offer. She loved to dance and the music had suddenly become inviting, beckoning her to join the other dancers on the floor. Nick clasped her hand in his and led her through the crowds until they had found an empty spot for just the two of them. She felt absolutely giddy. For the moment, all thoughts of Jake slipped her mind. Nick’s eyes were pinned on her as she moved to the music. She felt a strong feminine power over him as she swayed her hips seductively to the rhythm of the music. Nick placed both of his hands on her waist and slowly pulled her closer to him. His eyes faithfully followed her body’s every move, from a slight sway to the right, to an alluring sway to the left. She could have sworn he remained oblivious to everything else around them as she held his full attention. She knew that nothing could have deflected his focus away from her as the primal energy between them burgeoned. She decided she wanted to exploit and manipulate his raw hunger, so she intensified her gyrations, making them evermore seductive. She knew the sexual energy fostered by her suggestive movements was dangerous, but she didn’t care. It felt liberating and exhilarating to know that her seduction was driving Nick into a lustful frenzy. Nick’s sexual desire was all-too apparent as his eyes smoldered and his pants bulged. Carly was lost in another world completely, unaware and completely oblivious to Jake's hurtful actions. He was still in the midst of conversation with the lovely brunette. The other two women had moved on when they realized Jake was uninterested in them. He was entranced by the breathtaking beauty of this brunette who professed to be a model. Jake wouldn't have thought otherwise, for she was quite tall and definitely had the measurements to qualify. His eyes roved her body, and he watched as she swayed her hips to the music. She placed her arms around Jake's neck and brought herself closer to him.

  "You wanna touch me, I can see it in your eyes," she whispered seductively.

  Taking his hands, she placed them on her buttocks, and he responded with a strong squeeze.

  "Hey, Jake," Danny called.

  Jake failed to acknowledge Danny until he called Jake's name a second time.

  "What?" Jake responded with an overly annoyed tone.

  "Bro, Carly is out there dancing with some dude. She sure looks sexy, dancing like that with him. Damn, makes me wish I would've taken her out there."

  He abruptly turned to the dance floor and spotted Carly almost immediately. The young man had her positioned so intimately against his body that their grinding movements appeared overtly sexual. He glared at the young man and noticed the pleased expression on his face. This did not sit well with Jake. His displeasure soon turned into seething jealousy, especially when he caught sight of the man reaching down to plant a soft kiss on Carly's cheek. Before long, Jake had abandoned the brunette model and bolted to the dance floor. He aggressively pushed his way through the crowds, not caring if he knocked anyone over in his overzealous attempt to reach Carly. She dipped down to the floor, and before she could stand back up to face her dance partner, she heard Nick grunt. Jake had pushed him so hard he had slammed into another couple on the dance floor.

  “What the hell’s your problem, man?” Nick bellowed. He bravely stepped up to his attacker, even though Jake was noticeably taller and more muscular.

  “Keep your fucking hands off her!” Jake threatened, causing several onlookers to back away from both men.

  Nick put his hands up as if provoking Jake to initiate a physical fight. When Jake did not oblige him, Nick decided to verbally lash out at the rock star.

  “Just because you don’t have your hands on this fine piece of ass…”

  Before Nick could finish, Carly shrieked as Jake threw a hard punch at the young man’s face. Nick fell to the floor and then cupped his nose. Blood trickled between the young man's fingers and streamed down his hands, ultimately dropping in perfect circles on the floor.

  “You fucking broke my nose!” Nick exclaimed with utter disbelief.

  Carly watched in horror as Nick scrambled to his feet and hurried away, still cupping his nose. Jake grabbed her arm and pulled her along as he headed for the club’s rear exit. She first protested by attempting to free herself from his iron grip, but she soon realized her exertion was futile and gave up. Once outside, Jake slammed the heavy metal door behind them. He continued to pull her along as he approached the car, ordering the driver to take them home. He refused to wait around and deal with police if the guy decided to press charges. The driver extinguished his cigarette and opened the door for them. Carly took the seat opposite his and glared at him with narrowed eyes. His eyes, in turn, swirled like raging blue storm clouds.

  “Why were you lett
ing that guy feel all over you?” He finally asked, his deep voice filled with festering ire.

  Carly ignored him, still fuming. He noted the silent determination on her face and decided it best to wait a while before attempting to converse with her again. The ensuing ride home was filled with tense silence, and Carly was thankful when the car finally pulled into the driveway and halted in front of the mansion. She couldn’t wait to slip into her bedroom to get away from him. She didn’t know if she could so easily forgive him tonight for his barbaric behavior. The door opened, and she quickly climbed out. She waited for Jake to unlock the front door and, as soon as he had, bolted past him. Before he could utter a single word to halt her retreat, she was well on her way to her bedroom. She closed the door behind her and then sank to the floor as an overwhelming urge to weep consumed her. She hated being angry with him, but she was still reeling over the violent actions he had displayed. She also thought it absolutely unfair that she had dealt with his shameless behavior with all those beautiful girls, yet when she was lavished with attention from a single man, he took on such brutish behavior. She forced herself off the floor and decided a warm shower might ease her emotions. She undressed and wrapped a towel around herself, then flipped her hair into a tight bun. Before she could turn on the shower, movement from behind caught her off guard. She emitted a startled cry and threw a towel at Jake's face.

  “Get out!” she shouted.

  He grabbed the towel with his hands before it was able to strike him in the face and said earnestly, "I wanna talk."

  His stern expression turned soft when he took in her partially bare form.

  “Are you crazy?” Carly snapped. “This is not exactly a good time for a heart-to-heart conversation.”

  Carly's grip on the towel tightened to ensure it would stay in place.

  “Besides, I’m still too upset to talk to you.”

  Jake threw his arms up in exasperation at her stubborn attitude.

  “I don’t see why you’re so upset. I was trying to protect you. That guy was all over you, and you were allowing it. You don’t know how these L.A. guys operate. They flatter you and make you feel special, then they take advantage of you.”

  Carly let out a curt laugh before replying, “I can take care of myself. Besides, you weren’t exactly paying attention to me, considering your hands were plastered all over those sluts.”

  Jake’s irked expression mutated into one of sheer delight, and he chuckled.

  “What’s so funny?” she demanded in a fierce tone.

  “I think,” he started, stepping closer to her, “that you…”

  Carly held on to the towel for dear life as he approached. Their bodies were soon close enough to each other that she could feel the rough material of his jeans rubbing against the skin of her bare legs. “I think you were jealous,” he finished.

  Carly groaned and turned her face to the side. But his hand came up to her chin, and he forced her to look straight at him.

  “Admit it,” he demanded in a deep, husky voice.

  “No,” she whispered stubbornly.

  She stepped back while Jake moved forward, and she suddenly found herself backed against the wall. She silently cursed the unrelenting obstacle behind her for thwarting her retreat. Jake placed both his hands against the wall on either side of her so she wouldn’t be able to escape, and he then pressed his body firmly against hers. He bowed his head down to her ear and said gruffly, “I’ll just have to force it out of you.”

  She tilted her head to look up at him.

  “And how exactly do you plan on forcing it out of me?” she asked.

  A raw desire started to spread through her body, causing her heart to beat faster. He didn’t answer her with words. Instead, his lips came down hard on hers for a searing and passionate kiss. Carly moaned as his tongue thrust forcefully inside her mouth, hungrily exploring and possessing her very being. After their lips had parted, he said, “I think you know how.”

  He tore the towel away from her body and squeezed the soft flesh of her breasts. He then brought his mouth down to her nipples and eagerly teased them with his tongue. She let out a soft, impassioned moan as his mouth worshipped her delicate neck and his hands kneaded the flesh of her buttocks. The excruciatingly pleasant feelings he was producing inside of her eventually caused her to arch her back as her body became increasingly enflamed with desire. His touch ceased for a moment, prompting her to open her eyes. She found him undressing, revealing an athletic physique that only intensified her primal need. He then leaned down to ravish her mouth once again, and she pressed herself against his masculine body, craving the feel of his bare skin against hers. His hand slipped furtively inside of her, and she moaned with pleasure as his finger explored her moist, warm depths. Their kisses became ever more feverish, and the fire within her blazed with relentless fury. Before long, Jake found himself kneeling before her with a sudden urge to taste her sweetness. Carly cried out as he gave in to his craving, casting her into a whirlwind of passion and ecstasy. He rose to his feet, and she threw her arms around his neck. She saw the crude hunger in his eyes as he effortlessly lifted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist while pressing her back and buttocks against the wall. The rhythmic movements started out slow and gentle, and his erect member seemed to consume her entirely. His thrusts became increasingly rapid as he found himself pumping deeper inside of her. She was so lost in the throes of passion that she barely remembered being carried into the bedroom and laid down on the bed. When she had finally reached the culmination of her ecstasy, Carly cried out and shook from the resultant explosions that erupted between her legs. Jake grunted loudly as the built-up tension in his loins finally gave way to pleasurable release. He then moved to lie beside her so he could hold her close. He made love to her twice more that night. And each time she cried out not only from the pleasure he gave her, but also from the overwhelming emotional joy that spilled from her heart.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The sun spilled between the blades of the blinds, casting bright yellow streams throughout the room and provoking her to finally awaken. The memory of the previous night immediately filled her mind, and she turned to glance at the vacant side of the bed. She looked around the room and found him standing at the foot of the bed, his muscular chest fully exposed to her. He dressed himself in a button down shirt and smiled at her when his eyes caught her staring at him. He moved to sit next to her on the bed and caressed her face with his hand.

  “I gotta go meet with my manager. But I promise I won’t be long.”

  He leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her lips before leaving.

  Now she was all alone. She rested her head against the pillow and allowed a contented sigh to escape her lips. She fell asleep again, only to see Jake in her lucid dreams. She awoke a few hours later, beaming after a pleasant dream about Jake. After idly lying abed for several moments longer, she finally rose and rummaged through her suitcase for something to wear. She found herself glancing at Jake’s shirt hanging over the chair in the far corner of the room. She reached for it and slipped it over her head. After pulling on a pair of denim shorts, she left the bedroom and walked down the hall. Before reaching the stairs, however, she heard the sound of male voices emanating from the kitchen, and she decided she needed to make sure she didn't look like a mess before heading downstairs. There was a bathroom a few doors down the hall and she scurried to it. She examined herself in the mirror and did a quick grooming of her face and hair. Once satisfied with her appearance, she turned to leave. But her exit was unexpectedly thwarted as a pretty young blonde suddenly appeared in the doorway. Carly felt awkward under her bold scrutiny, which was made worse by the sneer that gradually marked her makeup-laden face. The blonde immediately recognized Jake's shirt and replied in the nastiest tone Carly had ever heard.

  "So, Jake's fucking his maid now?"

  "What makes you think I'm his maid?" Carly responded quite mildly. She had an idea as to the motive behind
the remark, but she was intent on maintaining her cool.

  The blonde scoffed and lifted her chin in an obvious display of arrogance. With a condescending tone, she answered, "I thought all Mexicans were maids."