“That’s a good idea. Hey, do you think your band would want to play at her party?” Jack’s voice seemed hopeful. “That might get her excited.”
“I dunno, man. They might be really busy packing and shit.”
“I’m sure Aimee’s parents could afford to pay you guys. And their house is in a sweet spot. Will you ask them?”
“It would probably be easier to ask them if I accepted their offer to go on tour,” I laughed.
“I think you should do it. I’ll miss you a bunch, but it doesn’t mean we can’t stay in touch. Besides, think about all the stories you are gonna have from being on tour, think about all the cool cities you will visit, and think about all the hot groupies that will want you!”
“You make valid points. Especially the last one.” I laughed again. “Okay. I’ll think more about it this weekend, and I’ll let you know. I’ll let you get back to your family.”
“Alright buddy. I’m so excited for you!” It was easy to hear Jack’s grin on the other side of the phone.
“Thanks, buddy. Love ya.”
“Love ya too. Bye.” I hung up the phone and then looked at it for a few minutes while my mind replayed the conversation.
Was I a coward? Was I just running away from my problems if I decided to join the band? Probably.
Was I a backstabber by doing what I did with Aimee in her father’s car? Was I betraying my best friend by having the discussion of a relationship with his girlfriend? Yes.
My phone buzzed in my hands, and I almost dropped it. It was a text message from Aimee, and I wondered if the girl’s ears had been burning.
Thinking about you. Can I come over?
I looked around my apartment and judged it clean enough for Aimee to visit me. Then I smacked the palm of my left hand to my forehead. What the fuck was I thinking? I needed to stay as far away from her as possible. I shouldn’t even go to her party.
I just talked to Jack. He is worried that you are breaking up with him.
I realized it was a mistake to have the conversation as soon as I hit the send button on my phone.
Ummmm... that is part of the plan. Remember? Can I come over?
I shook my head as if she could somehow see it through the screen of my phone. I began to type in another response, but the phone rang, and I saw that Aimee was calling me.
“Hey,” I said after I answered.
“Hello,” she purred her greeting. “Can I come over? I’m so bored.”
“Jack said he’s been trying to call you.” I restated what I’d just texted her.
“I know. I’m letting him down slowly and gently. Like we talked about. Are you at home?”
“Yeah, but I wanted to talk to you about-”
“Good. I want to talk too. I’ll be over in like forty five.”
“No, let’s just talk on the phone,” I gritted my teeth. Aimee coming over was a bad idea.
“We’ll just talk, and then I’ll go home. I just need to get out of my house. Parents are bugging me.” She sounded more than insistent. I guessed that, even if I said no, she would probably show up at my place anyways.
“Can we meet somewhere for dinner?” I asked.
“Yeah! Dinner sounds like a great idea. We’ll figure out where to go when I get there. See ya soon.”
“Wait, let’s just pick a place, and I’ll meet you.” I said into the phone, but she had already hung up.
“Fuck me,” I groaned and paced my apartment for a few minutes.
I had just cleaned the kitchen, and my living room was clean. I walked back into my room and made the bed, picked up some of my discarded clothes, put them in the hamper, and then inspected the bathroom. I normally spent time Wednesday nights and Saturdays picking up my apartment, but I’d done a bunch yesterday before Kim came over. Everything looked presentable enough to show a girl, but I wished I had an apartment that didn’t have a bathroom right off of the bedroom. I really didn’t want Aimee coming into my bedroom for any reason.
I paced around my apartment for a few more minutes and then took a deep breath to relax myself. I didn’t need to do anything with Aimee I didn’t want to do. I didn’t have to fuck her. I didn’t have to kiss her. I didn’t have to jeopardize my friendship with Jack. We could just talk, grab dinner, and then she’d totally leave afterwards.
Yeah right.
If I hadn’t felt an overwhelming attraction to the girl, our relationship would be so much simpler, but that could be said about any relationship I’d have with a girl. Attraction just got in the way of thinking clearly. It was easy enough to deal with Aimee over the phone, but in person I knew that my body would crave her. I’m sure she knew that as well.
I thought about watching some television, but I knew that it wouldn’t be a deep-enough distraction. Instead, I went back into my room and grabbed my Martin guitar from my closet. I found my notebook of songs from Jump! Kick! and then I sat on my living room couch to play. The practicing helped ease my mind and focus on what was probably going to be the next phase of my life. The idea of leaving my familiar apartment, car, school, and friends was overwhelming, but Jack had been right when he said this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
There was a knock on my door, and I glanced at the clock on my DVD player. A little over forty minutes had passed since Aimee hung up on me, and I guessed the beautiful brunette girl was here. I got up off my couch and went to unlock my door.
“I heard you playing!” Aimee beamed at me. She wore tight faded blue jeans that didn’t quite cover her ankles, leopard-spotted high heels, and a white t-shirt with the word “PLUSH” written in glitter over her breasts. Her purse matched her shoes, and she looked all sorts of hot, dripping sexy.
“Yeah, just killing time.” I still held my guitar in my hand, and I opened the door more so the smoking girl could walk inside. She stepped in past me, and my eyes drifted down her back and lingered on the shape of her pert ass. The jeans looked like they were tailored perfectly to fit her butt, and I felt my cock began to stir. Ugh. This was a fucking bad idea.
“Will you play for me?” She set her purse down on the coffee table and then sat on the couch with her ankles crossed. Kelly, Katherine, and Kim all had the type of bodies that you’d expect volleyball players to have: long, lean, and tight everywhere. Aimee looked like she was a model straight off of the cover of a fashion magazine. Her legs and thighs were thin, along with her waist, but her breasts were full, and her waist had the perfect amount of hourglass giving shape to her hips.
“Sure,” I laughed and felt my nerves fray. Damn it, she was too good looking. She shouldn’t be here. “Afterwards we can head out, okay?”
“Okay.” Aimee smiled slightly, and I couldn’t tell if she was just humoring me. If she knew how attractive I found her, I guessed that she would take more control of the situation.
I sat down on the opposite side of the couch and put my fingers to the strings. I didn’t really have any songs in mind, so I played a few Spanish-sounding chord progressions with some arpeggios thrown in for flavor. I kept my eyes on my fret board for the first few minutes of playing, but then I risked a glance at Aimee.
The dark-haired girl smiled at me, and her eyes practically shouted her raw desire. Girls liked guitar players, I knew this, and I shouldn’t have been playing for her now. We should just get out of my apartment and grab an early dinner. Then she could go home.
She wasn’t planning to go home, dumbass. And you knew that when you allowed her to come over.
“What do you feel like eating?” I stopped playing and set my guitar down. I was somewhat surprised that she hadn’t tried to slide closer to me.
“Something yummy,” she said, and I glanced away from her face. It was obvious what she had intended with her words.
“There is a sushi place up in Porter Ranch that is good. Want to go there?”
“Sure!” She got off of the couch and clapped her hands once.
“I’ll put away my guitar.”
I picked up the Mar
tin, wiped it off with a soft towel, and then put it in its case before I took it back to my room. I kind of expected Aimee to follow me back into my bedroom, rip off her clothes, and jump me, but she didn’t. I returned from the hallway to see her standing by the door.
“My car’s out front. I can drive if you want.”
“Sure,” I replied. This was good. She was being polite and not trying to force me to do anything.
Yet.
We left my apartment and walked down to her Mercedes. The drive into Porter Ranch should have normally taken ten minutes, but it was the afternoon of the holiday weekend of Thanksgiving, and there were a bunch of people driving around looking for Christmas shopping.
During the drive, Aimee talked about Thanksgiving. She spoke about how much her parents liked me and also complained about how annoying Beth was. I didn’t do a good job of engaging in the conversation though. My mind was occupied by thoughts of my future and what I could do to get Aimee to leave after dinner.
“She told me that she is in love with you. She is being so fucking dumb.” Aimee’s words suddenly ripped me out of my reverie.
“Wait. What?” I asked.
“Beth came into my room last night. ‘I am in love with Eric, dear Sister,’ she said all serious. ‘I’ve never been in love before. Can you tell me what to do?’ I can’t believe she would come ask me that. Bitch, she knows you and I are together.” Aimee sighed.
“Oh no.” I put my face in my right hand.
“I don’t know what her game is. I love my sister, but she isn’t interested in you. She is just trying to piss me off.”
“Why would she be trying to piss you off?”
“It is just what she does. She’s always done it. Maybe because I am the older sister? We are supposed to take care of younger siblings, and she never liked it.” Aimee laughed, and I wondered if the pretty girl really knew her sister.
“Turn left here?” Aimee asked.
“Yeah. In the little mall up ahead.”
We parked in front of the sushi place and then walked inside. It was busy, but we were able to find two seats at the sushi bar.
“Looks good!” Aimee smiled at me when she saw the chefs cutting some fresh tuna.
“Yeah it is a good place.” I thought about the last time I’d come here. Kelly was supposed to meet me after her game, but then she’d gotten stuck talking to her coach, and I’d just gone home. Beth had been waiting for me there.
“You have plans to leave this summer?” I recalled Aimee saying something about it when we were talking about her breaking up with Jack.
“Yeah. Europe. Mostly Italy for Beth’s school, but then we have a few other places planned. You know...” Aimee leaned in closer to me, “I was thinking about asking my parents if you could come with. Are you taking any summer classes?”
“No.” My brain ground to a halt with her question, and I tried to make sense of her words. I actually had planned on taking summer classes, but I was just saying ‘no’ to her request.
Aimee just thought that the world was hers. She could do anything she wanted to anyone she wanted. She had everything: brains, money, and perfect beauty. Even as I sat at the bar next to her, I saw every single man in the place throw casual glances in our direction. Aimee had been used to getting whatever she wanted, so of course she must have thought that I would just put my life on hold and go with her to Europe for the summer. I started to think that the entire reason that she didn’t get along with her sister was because Beth didn’t let Aimee get her way all the time.
“Great! Then I’ll ask my parents. They love you, shouldn’t be a problem.”
“I can’t come with you during the summer. Sounds like fun, but I think I am going to be on the road myself.” The waiter came to take our drink orders. We both got water, and Aimee ordered us sake to drink.
“What do you mean?” Aimee asked after the waiter left.
“Remember that band I told you about at Thanksgiving?” She nodded. “I met with them for lunch. They have asked me to go on tour with them.”
“Wow! That is amazing!” She opened her pretty mouth with surprise. “Of course they would ask you, you are an amazing guitarist and really sexy.” She winked at me.
“Haha, thanks.” I felt my cheeks turn hot at her compliments. Damn. It didn’t matter how much I tried to guard myself from Aimee, my body knew how hot she was and responded to her compliments accordingly.
“When do they want to leave for the tour?”
“After Christmas.”
“Ohhh.” her face suddenly turned sour. “For how long?”
“A year at least, maybe longer if the first part goes well and album sales are good.”
“Ohhh.” She was frowning now, like she had chewed on a tart piece of lemon in her water. “Is that what you want to do?”
“I’m thinking about it.”
“What about school?” I could tell she was struggling to smile.
“I’ll finish this semester in three weeks, then I’ll just take a break.” I shrugged.
“What about your job? I thought you liked it?”
“I do. Hey, I haven’t made a decision yet.” Her frown had turned more toward a look of tragic loss, and I reached to squeeze her shoulder.
“Sorry. I think this is a good opportunity. I’m just sad that you’ll be leaving,” she said the words, but they sounded like she was about to sob.
“I understand. I’ll miss everyone too. This is a great opportunity though. The pay is going to be really good, and they are giving me a chance to join the band full time on the next album.”
“Yeah. It is great...” She sighed, and the waiter returned with our drinks. I poured the girl some sake and then toasted her with my own small ceramic cup.
“Thanks for having dinner with me.”
“Yeah, thanks for having dinner with me.” It looked like she was forcing a smile onto her pretty lips.
“Sorry to spring this on you.”
“No. I’m glad you told me. I just wish-” The waiter interrupted us and asked if we’d decided. I grabbed the menu real quick and ordered us a few rolls that Aimee nodded at.
“I wished you’d stay.” She held up her hands really quick and smiled with perfect teeth. “I don’t want you to pass on this opportunity, but I was thinking that you and I would have a chance to develop our relationship after I’d broken up with Jack.” She shrugged when she finished talking and took another sip of her rice wine.
“I remembered when we had talked about Jack last,” I took a sip of my own sake, “You mentioned how we were both young and should be dating multiple people. We should be experiencing the world. Remember?”
“I don’t think that was exactly what I said.” She scrunched her nose.
“You said something like it.” I laughed and thought about how she liked to twist words around to match what she wanted. Beth was the same way.
“Maybe it won’t work out with the band, but I would be foolish not to try. It’s your advice.”
“Maybe I said something like that.” She looked at her water before stirring the ice with her straw. “What are they offering to pay you?”
“Little over eighty for the year.”
“You could make more than that coming to work for my dad and mom.”
“I don’t know anything about pharmaceuticals,” I smirked.
“They have a whole business department. I’m going to do marketing for them. They have finance people, accountants; you could even work with me in marketing.”
“If the band doesn’t work out, then I might take you up on that.” Our rolls arrived, and we both picked up our chop sticks.
“Sounds like you’ve made the decision.” She picked up a slice of roll and didn’t look at me.
“There are a lot of reasons to stay. But there are more reasons to go.”
“What about us?” She set down her chopsticks without taking a bite and turned to me. Her blue eyes looked angry.
“What a
bout us?” I asked. It was probably the wrong thing to ask, and her eyes narrowed even more.
“I thought we were going to be together. I’m dumping Jack for you.” She frowned.
“I know. I’m sorry.” It was sometimes better to admit fault with girls. I could have argued that our relationship still hadn’t started, or that she hadn’t dumped Jack. If anything, she could now make a better-informed decision about dating my friend. Maybe if she knew that I wasn’t going to be around for a year, she’d decide to continue with Jack.
“It’s okay. I get why you want to leave. I just didn’t expect it.” She smiled at me and picked up her sushi again with her chop sticks. I sighed inside and felt the tension leak out of my shoulders. She’d be okay with this. We hadn’t really done much more than kiss, well, and I’d fingered her to an orgasm in her dad’s car.
“Maybe I can fly out to a city and see you on tour? Or when you come back to LA?” she giggled around a mouthful of sushi. A bit of rice fell out of her mouth, and she let out a happy gasp.
“Yeah that would be great. I’d love that.” The tension has totally left my shoulders now, and I ate another slice of roll.
“I can be like one of those groupies who go back into the VIP room with the band and fuck the hot guitarist.” She winked at me, and I almost coughed up the food in my mouth.
“I dunno about that,” I managed to say.
“Oh, I am just kidding. That is like something Katherine would say,” Aimee said with a smirk.
“Yeah that actually does sound like something she would say.” I laughed when I thought of the Jewish girl’s dirty sense of humor.
“Are you two still,” she paused and bit her lip, “hanging out?”
“What do you mean? I saw her at Brent’s house party with this band.”
“Ahh cool. She’s been so busy with volleyball, I haven’t talked to her. She has a thing for you, and I know you two slept together at Jack’s party.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say.” I shrugged my tense shoulders and reached for the sake. The little jug was almost empty.
“She’s my best friend. I just wanted to know if my future boyfriend was still interested in her or if that was just a one-night thing.” I was surprised at how boldly Aimee was speaking.
Rock God_Book 3_A Contemporary Harem Fantasy Page 10
