by Kristen Echo
“I don’t ask questions I already know the answer to, and you didn’t answer.” She leaned into him, but instead of pulling her closer, he took a step towards the exit, careful not to step on the broken glass. The distance caused her arm to stretch to stay connected.
“I’m neither. What’s your name?” He tucked the loose strands behind his ear, giving her a full view of his ruggedly handsome face. This guy was all man.
Oh boy. “I’m Caroline. And what’s your name, Mr. Man?” Again, the words came out before she’d vetted them. Mr. Man seemed fitting because he was so damn manly. No other description came to her empty, lust filled to mind.
Again, his blond brow arched and her arousal skyrocketed. He assessed her, and his lip twitched in the corner. “Call me interested. Follow me.” He pulled her away from the stools, putting some distance between them and the bar.
Leading the way, he tossed open the doors, and she followed him into the hall. The lights were still dim, but she could make out the flecks of gold in his dirty blond hair. The color was much darker than her own blond, and she liked it. A lot. She wondered what it would feel like. One second she was staring at the back of his head and the next her back was against the wall. His large body pressed against her, caging her in the most delicious way. Her breath hitched.
“So, you want to kiss me?” He leaned his forearm against the wall by her head. His face inched towards her. He was so hot. It felt like the room was on fire and he was still holding her hand. His lips hovered, so close she almost tasted him. But he didn’t kiss her.
“Y… yes,” she said no louder than a whisper.
“Then do it.” He dropped her hand, which had been sandwiched between them.
Her purse fell to the floor. She wasted no time grabbing his face between her hands and pressing her lips against his. It was like she had jumped off a building and landed on a mountain of marshmallows. His lips were so soft and wet. She licked across the seam and he opened. His facial hair was soft like his lips and she liked the rub of it against her cheeks. When his tongue wrapped around hers, her entire body quivered.
She may have kissed him, but he took the lead and she loved every second. Like in those cheesy movies she loved so much, her foot lifted off the ground. Her knees were weak and Caroline would have fallen if his body wasn’t holding her up. His hands dove into the curls alongside her face. He wrapped them around his fist, guiding her face where he wanted. In that moment, nothing else mattered but him and her. She didn’t even know his name. Did it matter? Nope, not even a little.
Her hands wandered into his mid-length wavy hair. The softness was such a contrast from his vibe. He looked like a Viking. The kind of guy who pillaged and took what he wanted. She was more than willing to give him everything. He sucked on her tongue and she moaned.
His growl of approval shot right between her legs. She ground against his leg like a cat in heat. Every move he made was purposeful. As though, every lick and tug was designed to evoke the maximum amount of pleasure. He kept one hand wrapped around her hair as the other grazed along her side. She whimpered when it lowered and he gripped her ass. Hard. His fingers bruising her flesh and she couldn’t get enough. She melted into him; lost and completely under his command.
More. She wanted so much more and she was about to suggest leaving when someone cleared their throat and tapped her shoulder. She recognized Maddy’s cough and gentle touch. She’d never been so pissed off to see her friend. Caroline tore her lips away and looked over at her friend. “Not now.”
Her friend giggled, covering her face. “Girl, we’re on. It’s show time.”
Right. Her first set with the band. How had she forgotten? She’d been looking forward to this moment for the past month. Her entire adult life in fact. This was her big night. Time for her debut set. Caroline wasn’t here to make out with a Norse god; she was here to sing.
But how could she walk away from something like that unaffected?
“I need to leave.” Her lips felt puffy and swollen and no doubt her carefully crafted curls looked a mess. His eyes stayed locked on hers. The light silver took over, making her lose track of her next set of words. She was usually never tongue tied. “Um, I… gotta go.”
Repeating herself was not the plan. He’d rendered her into a useless rag-doll; straw brains and all. His devilish grin didn’t help the situation. Nor did his silence.
The gum she’d been chewing was no longer there. Instead, she noticed his jaw chomping on her stolen gum. That was all kinds of sexy. Caroline didn’t trust her legs, so she linked arms with her friend and headed for the door.
“See you around, Mr. Man.” She wished she had left without a word. Or thought of some witty remark; been cool and aloof. That’s how she should have played it, but she couldn’t even pretend that kiss didn’t rock her world.
Her lips tingled and so did something else. As she glanced over her shoulder, she noticed him adjusting his pants. Oh yeah. She wasn’t the only one affected. Whether she saw him again or not, that was the best way to end a crappy year.
Chapter 3
Her heart had never pumped so fast in her life; not even her freshman year when she stepped on stage for her first open mic night. Never. She could have used a couple of minutes to regain her composure. Heck, she needed days to recover from that kiss. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a chance to dwell on a newly developed crush. Odds were good she’d never see Mr. Man ever again. That feeling sank like a rock in her stomach.
“Well, that kiss scored a ten from my viewpoint.” Maddy slapped Caroline on the back, causing her to stumble forward. For such a small package, Maddison Albright packed a punch.
Caroline regained her footing before slamming into the wall. The backstage room wasn’t much bigger than a closet. Their gear scattered around, waiting to be put to good use. “Felt like an eleven,” she whispered, not loud enough for the others to hear, but needing to voice her thoughts. Her lips still tingled. So, did her ass. Damn, those hands. She wondered what other parts he might have sent ablaze if given the chance.
“That was hot! Hands down the best kiss I’ve seen this year,” Nathan announced. Coming from him that meant a lot.
Caroline beamed at the compliment. Her cheeks ached from the silly ear to ear grin plastered on her face. She’d known he would be able to kiss, but she never expected him to make her weak at the knees. Seriously, he was the best kisser ever. Part of her hoped he’d stick around for the show, but then she wasn’t exactly sure what she would say to him. “Thanks for the kiss, want to get naked and sweaty?” There’s no way she could ever be that forward. But her thighs flexed at the thought of being wrapped around that big body. Her fingers danced along her bottom lip as she contemplated her options.
“I’ve never seen you so wrapped up in a kiss before. I thought I was the actress in our relationship?”
“You are; I wasn’t acting. That… oh his.” She sighed unable to describe her feeling. She switched tactics. “Thanks for taking those ladies for a walk. You’re a genius.”
Maddy smiled, but it was short lived. “Girl, you can’t kiss that guy again. I think—”
Brody wrapped his arm around her shoulder possessively. “Cheap tricks; that kiss wasn’t more than a seven. You looked hot, but he’s a chump.”
Caroline disagreed with his statement and his closeness. Maddy raised her eyebrows, forming deep lines on her forehead. Caroline wanted to know why she shouldn’t kiss Mr. Man again. It had been months since her last relationship ended, and she was ready to move on. Granted, she wasn’t the love em and leave em type. Caroline liked commitment and being in a relationship. This scared away her ex-boyfriends who felt she was too intense and needy. She didn’t think there was anything wrong with planning and knowing what she wanted.
She also knew what she didn’t want. “There were no tricks involved. Just two lips and one amazing tongue.” She removed his arm and walked towards her violin case.
“I’ll show you tongue,” Brody mumbled as
he picked up his guitar. “I could do better. Kissing me would be off the charts hot.”
Her need to keep the peace overruled her need to respond. She didn’t want to argue or start a fight with her new band. While her friend had proven her abilities over a year ago, tonight was her turn. She had a lot to prove to this group, so she bit her tongue. Her eyes landed on Peter as he grabbed his sax, wrapping the strap over his shoulder. She needed one last vote to officially end this conversation. “What did you think, did I win?”
“That was smoking. You’ve got my vote, Caroline.” He blew a high note for extra emphasis which made her blush. Peter was her new favorite person. His easy charm and vivacious personality made people gravitate to him. “Since no one else will get a turn in before the end of the year, Caroline wins.” Peter fanned his face.
“Thanks, Pete. Now, we can move on to the next order of business; blowing the roof off this hotel.” She removed her instrument from its case and inspected the strings. It looked good.
“I think you made that man blow his load and honey, I would have traded places with you in a heartbeat. That guy is fine. The way he manhandled you was perfection. I’d love to get a big set of mitts like that on my ass.”
Caroline’s cheeks turned redder than Rudolph’s nose. “Peter!” She swatted his arm.
“What? It’s true. You looked about ready to come and I bet you left woman juice on his slacks. It was epic.” He clapped his hands, and she wanted to die.
What he said was totally possible. She was damp down there and she had rubbed herself against his thigh. More like humped his leg. She covered her face with her hands to hide the embarrassment.
“Enough!” Brody’s voice boomed. “We have a show to do. Get your heads out of the clouds.” He opened the doors which lead back into the ballroom. “Let’s get out there and do this. It’s time to see what people think of our new sound.”
The band had been close to signing a record deal when the rug was pulled from under them. They shifted gears recently, taking her on as a female vocalist and adding some violin riffs. She prayed the crowd would be receptive. The risk had been high, dropping out of school and moving out of her childhood home. But the reward would be life changing. She lacked the desire to follow her father’s footsteps; Caroline wanted to pave her own path. The first steps lead her to this moment.
Brody was right. There would be a time to daydream about sinful lips and rough hands, later. “I’m ready.” She gripped her bow and exhaled audibly. Their playlist was memorized and her body vibrated with excitement to step out in front of the crowd and play. She hoped her father would finally understand her talent was better served in front of an audience and not a hockey team.
Maddy bumped her hip and giggled. “Don’t be nervous. You’re gonna kill it.” She gave her a wink and walked under Brody’s outstretched arm. A look passed between them, and Caroline wondered what that was all about.
“Of course she will,” he said, holding the door open for them all. The rest of her band members went ahead of her. This was an acoustic set, so there wasn’t much to set up. The drum kit was already in position and Brody had his sticks in his back pocket.
Before she passed through the door, he squeezed her arm, halting her step. His grip wasn’t tight, but there was determination written all over his face. “When the show’s over, maybe we—”
“Let’s not keep them waiting. Okay?” She gave him a small smile and pulled her arm free. The last thing she wanted was to talk about hooking up. The way his eyes stared at her cleavage let her know exactly what interested him. She’d suspected he had a crush on her with how he flirted constantly, but now was not the time or place. Never was a better option, but at some point she’d have to address the elephant in the room. She wanted to prove her musical talent first, and then she’d let him down gently.
“Yeah, we’ll pick this up later.” The hint of irritation in his voice didn’t go unnoticed.
Letting it go, she walked out into the ballroom. It was packed with people dressed to the nines. Her sister was the first face she saw when she looked out at the crowd. The rocking motion persisted. Caroline had half a mind to leap off the stage and yell at Meagan. But it wasn’t her fault; she was following orders. They all knew better than to cross her father. He could be a tyrant.
Next, she spotted her father talking to a young couple who looked very much in love. They couldn’t take their eyes off each other and the way their hands were locked sent a pang of jealousy through her. It looked like they would never let go of each other. One day, she hoped to meet someone who wouldn’t be able to let her go either. The man, no doubt another hockey player, wore a suit and his tie matched the girl’s auburn curls. They were so damn cute together. As if they read her mind, the couple turned their attention to her and smiled. Her father pointed in her direction and the couple nodded. She was still furious with her father and gave a slight irritated wave before taking her position in the center of the stage.
She couldn’t get over the fact he let Connie stay, but she wasn’t her mother. It wasn’t her decision to make. But that didn’t mean she had to like it. She couldn’t look at her father anymore without wanting to cause a scene. Maddy stepped close enough for her long brown hair to graze her arm. “She’ll be fine for another thirty minutes. Once she hears you sing it will calm her. Relax,” she said in a low voice.
Her entire body was stiff, and she had to take a calming breath. “You’re right. Thanks. Are you all ready?”
The band nodded and Caroline made sure they were all set up. The ballroom had a small stage built in the corner. It wasn’t more than a foot off the ground, but it gave her a chance to look out into the sea of well-dressed party-goers. She didn’t want to find him, but that didn’t stop her from scanning the room until she found him. He stood along the entry wall, looking as large and brooding as he had when he first walked in. Only now his hair was slightly more disheveled. Caroline avoided looking down at his pants. Not caring to know if Peter had been right. Yet, once she found him, looking away became impossible. There was a pull there that she couldn’t explain.
“Hello everyone; are you having a good time?” Nathan belted into the microphone. He had a voice meant for the radio; deep and seductive. There were some cheers, but it was all fairly subdued. Mr. Man didn’t move an inch. He stayed glued to the wall. Stoic; his expression masked by his burly beard. “I guess you didn’t hear me. Are you having a good time?”
This time the crowd yelled back and cheered. That was more like it. But the man in leather didn’t respond, only stared at her. Nathan introduced the band, and she smiled on cue, but her eyes remained locked onto the ominous hunk of sex on two legs. She broke first and looked away before speaking into her mic. “Let’s put this year behind us in style.” She placed her violin under her chin as Brody counted them down. They started with a bluesy Elvis cover with a modern twist. Caroline closed her eyes and let the beat take over. When it was time for her to sing, she lowered the violin and let her voice take on the rasp she’d practiced. The lyrics rolled into the mic as she sang for Connie.
Her sister loved her voice. When Connie was a baby, Caroline would slow the beat of current pop songs down and lull her to sleep. Singing to her sister was how she discovered how healing music could be. The loss of their mother had forced her to grow up fast. Her father did his best, but having an autistic baby was overwhelming even for the strongest person. Connie needed so much attention and her final diagnosis had taken years to come. If Connie was in the midst of a breakdown, Caroline would sing until it passed. As the years passed, her voice still had the same effect on her sister. She opened her eyes and noticed that Connie had visibly relaxed. The little girl wouldn’t look at the stage; she rarely looked at people directly, but Caroline knew she saw her.
The crowd swayed to their adaptation and seemed to like it. It sent a rush through her. Being on stage was the best. She wished she hadn’t waited so long to follow her heart. When that song ende
d, they rolled through half their playlist to a roar of cheers. People liked their music; they liked her and that was the best feeling in the world. Her throaty sound was being well received.
She’d purposely avoided the blond kissing machine, but her eyes sought him again. With his jacket still on, he wasn’t clapping; just staring. Once she locked onto him, the rest of the set flew by. He never danced or smiled, or showed any outward sign of appreciation.
“Let the countdown begin,” Caroline said. Beside him, not one, but three women approached. They wanted their New Year’s Eve kiss. She couldn’t blame them, but she didn’t need to watch. She gripped the mic stand hard enough to snap it. He crossed his arms over his broad chest. His lips moved as he talked to the women.
“Ten, nine, eight.” The crowd joined in.
They chanted and cheered. “Seven, six, five.”
Why did he have to be so imposing and delicious?
“Four, three, two.” She diverted her attention and focused on Maddy.
“One; Happy New Year!”
The band played their version of Auld Lang Syne and the dance floor was littered with people kissing. She avoided the back wall. Keeping her eyes on her friend, who had her eyes on Brody. There was definitely something going on there. How had she missed that one?
The second the song ended the band left the stage, retreating to the back room. Her first gig was over and she floated on a high like she’d never experienced before. Nothing could bring her down. She put away her violin, stood up and got spun around. A set of warm lips covered hers. The kiss was rough, demanding and unexpected. Her eyes widened as Brody pulled her body closer to his.
This was not happening. She pushed Brody back with a giant shove. A second later he was on the ground and Mr. Man was standing over him. WTF!
Chapter 4
The first kiss of the year was not supposed to be like that. Caroline’s heart rate accelerated but not in a good way. It was as if the world stopped spinning for a moment and everything froze. The drummer was on the ground, and Mr. Man was leaning over him with his fist slammed against his jaw. Brody’s shirt was tucked inside his death grip and his eyes wide with panic.
