by Blue,Marina
“Knox!” Melody stepped forward as Knox stood up and opened his arms for a hug that Melody was happy to receive.
Rick said, “And now that you’re in such good hands, I’ll leave you to tend my bar, and get this competition started.” Rick turned and walked off.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” Melody said.
“I wouldn’t miss this,” Knox said.
“Me neither,” added Harry. “All Pearl had to do was casually mention that you’d be gracing Rick’s with-”
“Quiet down, Harrison.” Pearl gave his arm a light slap. “I only told these two.”
“And swore us to secrecy,” Harry said. “A difficulty, I may add, that was nearly impossible. You have no idea how cross my clients and workers will be when they discover they’ve missed this performance.”
“Well, it may not be my last. If I win.” Melody looked up at Knox. He was still in his white shirt and jeans. And his skin was as tan, taut, and smooth as ever. She ran her hands up his arms, and cupped his meaty bicep, which strained, even at rest, to rip his sleeve apart. She said, “Thanks for coming.”
“I’m pretty sure it’ll be us who thanks you. Have a seat.” Knox motioned to the empty chair.
The four sat down.
“Ok,” Pearl said, “so I think-”
The lights flashed twice, and Rick got up on stage. “Ok, thanks for coming out. As you know, we’re auditioning a few singers tonight.”
The crowd exploded with cheers and whistles.
But Rick quieted them down. “Just remember, show respect to all of the ladies, and remember, that no matter how you feel, at the end of the night I’m the one who makes the decision as to who my new singer is. And I’m interested in the best pair of pipes, and nothing else.”
There were some cheers. And some jeers.
“Hey, calm down!” Rick yelled. “Audience reaction will still be the most important measure of talent, got it? So yell for the girl who you love the most!”
And the hollering became markedly more excited and louder.
“Alright then,” Rick said. “First up, from Sea Arms College, is Stacy. Let’s give her a warm Craving Cove welcome!”
Half of the bar exploded, while the other half simmered with polite applause, and the blond cupcake took the stage.
“Go get em’, Stacy!”
“Wooo!”
“You’re amazing, girl!”
The blond girl walked to the front of the stage.
Melody rolled her eyes. “Jeez, what part of that girl’s not immune to gravity?”
“Hush,” Pearl said.
Stacy took the mic, and the band began to play the cords to a popular song Melody had heard on the radio ten times on her way to Craving Cove. A few beats passed, and then Stacy began to sing.
And unfortunately, she wasn’t half bad.
She hit the high notes, and the lows, and managed to shake her hips in just the right ways to get the men in the audience to go wild, even the ones not in her camp. And when she was done, she bowed, and walked down the steps and towards her table through a throng of supporters.
Rick took the stage, and said, “Alright ok, great work, great work! Now, give it up for Lynn!”
The other half of the audience went crazy.
“Go Lynn!”
“Crush it, girl!”
Meanwhile, Stacy’s supporters, the ones who’d been so enthusiastic before, clapped with half effort.
Then the Asian girl took the stage. And she was even better. She had a deep, smooth voice that oozed sex, and the crowd was eating it up. Lynn didn’t have the same range as Stacy, but she worked the crowd with practiced wiggles and shakes. And when she finished, the place went wild. Even the blond cupcake’s half was clapping their approval.
“I’m getting a beer, anyone want anything?” Knox said, as he got to his feet.
“I want a Craving-tini, but I won’t make you order it,” Harry said, joining him.
“I’ll get it,” Knox said. “It’s no problem.”
Harry motioned to Melody, who was staring at Pearl.
Knox nodded. “We’ll be right back, ladies.” And the two men walked off.
Once they were out of earshot, Melody said to Pearl. “We can still sneak out of here.”
Pearl snatched her friend’s hand with the grip of a longshoreman. “You’re going up there, and you’re going to blow these little girls out of the water.”
Fear and adrenaline pumped through Melody's veins. She was almost shaking. “But I’m not a singer. I just like singing.”
“That’s what singers do!”
“No, I’ve never done it alone in front of an audience before.”
“So? This is your destiny.”
“But I’m twice the age, and size of these two. It’s like a full grown chocolate Bundt next to twin cupcakes.”
“So what? You’re going to be great.”
“No! I’m leaving, I’m not going to make a fool of-”
“Listen here.” The familiar fire in Pearl's eyes once again burned like hot, glowing coals. “You’re going up there, you’re singing, and you’re going to show this room what a real woman looks like and sounds like. Now stop being afraid of what you can do,” she said. “And go do it.”
Harry and Knox returned and sat down.
Knox said, “So?”
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Rick said from the stage. “We have one last song for you tonight. Please welcome Craving Cove’s favorite daughter, Melody Song!”
The crowd clapped. And if the previous two girl’s receptions were weather, they were definitely twin monsoons. But for Melody, the crowd sounded more like a drizzle. Still, Knox, Harry, and Pearl were yelling loud.
Melody got to her feet.
And all eyes were on her.
She took a deep breath. And walked up the steps to the stage. The lights were brighter than she expected. She could barely see the crowd. Which, she supposed, would be a good thing. After all, any sideways comments or eye rolls would be lost on her, and she knew there’d be tons of those. In fact, everyone would be mocking her. What was she thinking? Why was she here? How did she let herself get talked into this?
Every fiber in Melody’s body was screaming. The stage fright gripped her with icy hands. But it was too late. She’d already taken the stage. There was no way out. She turned around, and called her tune to the band. Then, with a shaking hand, Melody grabbed the mic. She licked her lips. Behind her, the band began to play.
And for the first time, Melody Song began to sing in front of an audience, all by herself.
The first notes came out smooth. Quiet at first, but soon she picked up volume and pace, along with some confidence. The verse poured out of her like wine from a bottle. Rich, and thick. She was aware of every vibration in her throat.
But then a strange thing happened. She began to lose herself in the music. The notes. The voice, her voice, was no longer like wine. It was like water. An ocean, or more like a waterfall, gushing forth with power and purpose. And Melody was drowning in it, in the most amazing way. The sounds were sweet. Velvety. Warm. It was like having Knox inside of her that first time. So when the second verse started, Melody began to sway with the beat. Back and forth she moved. Naturally. Seductively.
And then the final part of the song hit. Melody’s voice rose up. No longer a waterfall, this was a flood filling the room. Powerful notes rang through the bar, practically peeling the paint from the walls and shaking the rafters. Melody began to move faster. More sensual. Powerfully. The music shaped her, and with her voice, she shaped it. The song lasted five minutes. But to her, it felt like seconds. And when she was done, the band stopped paying. And there was…
Nothing.
Only silence.
The room barely moved.
She covered her eyes, and though she couldn’t see out beyond the spotlights, Melody could tell the place was still packed.
Why was nobody saying a thing?
T
he answer was obvious.
She was right all along. She always knew that being a gifted singer was a lie she told herself.
Feeling mortified, she slipped the mic back into its stand. And meekly said, “Thank you.” Then she turned to leave the stage.
And suddenly it was like a bomb went off. There were cheers. People were pounding the tables. Stomping the floor. There were applause. Whistles. Cat calls even. And just when Melody thought it couldn’t get livelier, the response grew louder. The men and women were competing to see who could be the loudest. The din was fearsome. Overpowering. An unending wave that crashed all around her.
Melody smiled, and walked off the stage. Once she was out from beneath the spotlights she could see again. And every single person was on their feet.
Even the two cupcakes who’d gone before her were smiling and clapping, their faces filled with awe.
Melody waved again, and sat back down at the table next to Knox.
Knox looked thunderstruck. “You are so… That was… Amazing.”
“So worth the fifteen year wait!” Harry said.
Pearl had that look on her face. She said, “I told you so.”
And the crowd kept cheering. For another few minutes they continued to go wild. When it finally died down people came over one-by-one, to tell her how much they enjoyed her performance.
Melody beamed like a metal rod pulled from the fire. Warmth practically emanated off of her, and she accepted each compliment with a smile and thanks.
When her admirers finally stopped coming over, Rick swung by. “Hey Melody. You got the job. How does five times a week for one hundred a night sound?”
Melody smiled. “Two fifty.”
Rick said, “Done.”
Chapter 19
The rest of the night passed pleasantly. The four of them, Melody, Pearl, Knox, and Harry chatted about lots of different things. But after a ways they decided to leave, with Melody promising to start the next night. Once Harry had driven away in his black Lexus, Melody turned to Pearl. “Can you drive my car back home? Here are the keys.”
Pearl grabbed them. “Sure thing, but how are you getting home?”
Knox lifted his hand up.
“Right,” Pearl said. “Be as late as you want.” Then she winked, hopped in the red sedan, and drove off.
Melody spun around, and looked up at Knox. “So.”
He stared down. His silver touched blue eyes twinkled. “So.”
“Going to take me for a ride?” she said.
“Wherever you want to go.”
“Someplace secluded.”
“That’s my favorite place.” Knox led Melody to his bike, but instead of mounting it, he stopped. And waited.
“Aren’t you getting on?” she asked.
He motioned to the big, black cruiser sitting there like a sleeping bear. “After you.”
“Oh, sure.” Melody got onto the rear saddle. And as she did, the short dress slid up her thighs, exposing the black panties beneath. She tried to pull the hem lower, but the fabric was pulled too tight. “Are you going to get on? I’m feeling a bit exposed here.”
“No.” Knox put his hand on her lower back and pushed her forward.
She gently inched ahead, and then slid into the front saddle. Now the gas tank sat inches from her panties, and the wide metal pressed against her inner thighs.
Knox said, “There. Now you’re no longer exposed. Though those legs are looking pretty nice.”
Melody sat there, in the driver’s seat, and said, “Uh, thanks. But how are you going to drive if I’m up here?”
Knox threw his leg over the back, and dropped his weight onto the rear seat. The bike gave under his mass, and sank lower to the ground. He thrust his hips forward. And leaned over Melody. As he slid his hands around her waist, his tattooed forearms rubbed the bottom of her breasts. “I’m letting you take control,” Knox said. “Putting myself in your hands, so to speak.”
Melody paused. Knox wasn’t kidding. The keys were already in the bike. Melody’s mind raced… What if we crash? What if I can’t? What if… What if I stop worrying?
Melody grabbed the key, and turned it. The engine rolled over, and growled beneath her. She twisted the throttle, and the beast roared. She looked back, and said, “Hold on tight.”
Knox laughed. “Ok. But seriously, do you remember how to do this?”
“I should be fine.”
Knox put his heels on the rear passenger foot pegs. “Good to know.”
Melody pressed the shifter down with her left foot. The bike shuddered, and clicked into first gear. Then she eased off the clutch in her left hand, and they inched forward.
“That’s it, baby,” Knox said. “You remember how I like it.”
Melody said, “I remember you like it hard and fast.” And with that, she twisted the throttle and the bike fired forward.
Knox grabbed Melody tight. “Whoa!”
Melody yelled over the wind. “Right?”
As they left Rick’s, Melody dropped the bike into second, and then third gear. The engine yelled louder. “Do you know which secluded place you’re going to?” Knox said.
Melody replied, “The lighthouse.”
Knox smiled. “Classic choice.”
Melody directed the bike to the road that led out of town, and began her winding ascent. As they went, Knox slid his hands from around her waist. And dropped them lower, onto her inner thighs. “Don’t,” she said. “I have to concentrate.”
“You’ll be fine,” Knox said. And his right hand found its way between her legs. He laid his fingertips over her panties, and began rubbing in small circles.
“Holy shit,” Melody said. She started to pant, but somehow kept her focus on the road ahead.
Knox kept touching her. And pressed his legs together tighter, holding onto her hips from behind like a vice. Then, with his left hand, he pushed her panties aside, and rubbed her naked pussy. Melody's clit lit up like a light bulb. Blood rushed there, making her pussy soft and full and ready for anything that Knox wanted to do.
And what he wanted to do was push two fingers inside of her. “Whoa!” Melody lost control of the bike for a split second, and it swerved to the left then right.
“You ok?” Knox said in her ear.
Melody tightened her grip on the handles, and focused on the road ahead. It hair-pinned to the left and climbed upwards. She gunned it, leaned hard to the side, and took the beast up the turn with ease. As they climbed the next part of road she said, “Don’t do that again!”
Knox leaned in. She could feel his hard cock against her lower back. That, and the incredible warmth emanating off of him. It came in waves, pushing through her dress, and setting the skin below on fire. “Do what? This?” Knox pressed his fingers in deeper and kissed her neck.
“Oh God, yes. That. That’s what I’m talking about.” Melody leaned back, and rested her head against him. But she still managed to make the next turn.
“Ok, I’ll stop,” Knox said. And pushed another inch inside. “In a minute.”
“No rush,” Melody said. She was purring as loud as the bike’s engine, and relishing its vibrations.
“Turn here,” Knox said.
Melody looked, and saw the road ahead twisted left, and climbed ever higher towards the exit tunnel. But to the right, was a dirt road, which was easy to miss completely if the driver didn’t know where it was.
Melody did, though. She’d been down it before. Dozens of times.
So she slowed down, and when they got to the turn, she leaned to the right, and turned off the blacktop and onto the dirt.
“Thanks,” Melody said. “I wasn’t paying close attention.”
Knox pulled his fingers out, and pressed them back in. “My pleasure.” As he fucked Melody with the fingers of one hand, he used the other to rub her clit side-to-side, playing her like a cello.
Heat, natural and warm, flowed from his fingers. And as it rose up inside her, the road before Melody
wound its way through the darkness, with only the headlight to guide their way. It was enough, though, to make out the green trees on the right that grew tall, and hung over the road, while the mountain’s rocky wall was on the left.
And the entire way, Knox was inside her. But Melody wanted more. She needed to feel all of him, every inch, right then. So it was with a wave of relief when they came out of the darkened corridor, and into the small, deserted parking lot in front of the lighthouse.
“Pull around the back,” Knox said.
Melody obeyed. She steered the bike around the tower, and into a small, secluded spot that overlooked the cove. The moonlight was so bright she could see the entire town, and the spreading sea before her, though no one would see them.
She pumped the brakes, and the bike came to a stop.
But before she could put her foot down, Knox had both boots on the ground, and he used each powerful thigh to hold them steady.
Melody killed the engine. She looked up at the lighthouse. It was rigid. Tall. Thick. And proud. But dark. She leaned back as Knox played with her pussy. “I love this place.”
“Me too,” Knox said.
She sighed. “Does this… Oh… Does it still work?”
“Does what work?”
She closed her eyes, and rotated her hips. “The lighthouse.”
“Of course. I have a friend with the state who checks on the generators every two months.”
“Oh God,” Melody moaned. “Mmmmm. Why?”
“This place needs a lot of power. It may have to light up the town in case a hurricane makes landfall and knocks out the outside lines. That way, if a disaster strikes, sailors like me have somewhere to put...” He pushed his fingers all the way in. “Our boats.”
Melody looked back at Knox. “I’ll let you put it anywhere.”
Quick as could be, Knox retracted his hands, and grabbed a fistful of Melody’s hair. He pulled her farther back. It was forceful, but she came willingly, and gazing up at him, all she could see was his dark beard, his blue eyes, and those full lips. He leaned in and kissed her, never relinquishing the grip on her mane. When they broke free from their kiss, Knox slid his hand back onto her pussy. “Here’s perfect.”
