Licked (L.A. Liaisons Book 1)

by Brooke Blaine

  “You have my full trust…at the moment.”

  When he was done, we took our seats, our own little private dinner party in the middle of the Bowl. The hills behind the amphitheater showcased a spectacular view, but it paled in comparison to the man in front of me.

  And yes, he was still wearing the adorkable glasses.

  “Just one more thing,” he said, taking an insulated container out and pouring a slushy rose-colored beverage into our cups.

  “No you didn’t.”

  “I find it interesting that your favorite drink at Licked, according to Zoe, is called the Pink Pussy. Is there a story behind that I should know?”

  Of course Zoe would say that. “Other than my love for strawberries, no,” I said, holding up my cup as he did the same. “Well, there was that one time in college—”

  “What?”

  I gave him a wicked smile. “Just kidding. So what should we cheers to?”

  Hunter held up his cup and thought about it for a minute. “To the possibility of last first dates.”

  “To last first dates,” I repeated with a smile, clinking my drink against his and taking a long sip of the boozy strawberry shake. It wasn’t actually my favorite at Licked, but then again, I didn’t have a favorite. They were like my children; I couldn’t choose.

  He glanced down at the table and opened his palms wide. “So? What do you think?”

  A smile spread across my lips and I shook my head. “I think you pretty much covered everything.”

  “Worthy of at least third base later?”

  “Oh, I’d say you hit a home run. Feel free to cover all those bases.”

  Now, I’m not one of those girls who’s shy about my food. Not even on a date. They have to know what they’re getting themselves into, in my opinion, otherwise you’re stuck eating lettuce whenever you go out and gorging on everything in your kitchen when you get home. I’d already finished off seconds before I sat back from the table and patted my stomach. “That…was glorious.”

  “I have to say, for someone who’s not a very daring eater, I was surprised to hear you liked Cuban food.”

  “Yeah, but Porto’s is not weird food, it’s an L.A. staple, thank you very much.”

  “Good point.”

  Glancing over at the still-empty chairs next to us, I gave him a curious look. “I’m surprised they’re not taking advantage of this awesome box yet. Doesn’t it start soon?”

  Hunter just gave me a mischievous smile and shrugged.

  “Did you…no. You wouldn’t buy out two seats just to have the box to ourselves. Because that would be crazy.”

  “Yeah, that would be crazy.”

  My jaw dropped. “You are fucking insane, you know that?”

  “I thought it was more along the romantic line, but I guess insane works too.”

  “That’s too much,” I said, shaking my head, but inside, I admit, there were hearts and flowers exploding everywhere.

  “No. Never too much.” His voice had dropped an octave. He held my gaze for a long moment before his eyes crinkled with amusement. “Besides. I never said I did it. Maybe they’re just habitually late people.”

  I threw my napkin his way. “Or maybe you’re just a liar who did an incredibly sweet gesture.”

  “Please don’t tell your girlfriends. I don’t need them giving me ‘look at that poor sap’ looks. Not yet, anyway.”

  “Nah, it would only throw them all into jealous rages. I’m not really in the mood to have to fend everyone off you.” I caught a woman sitting in a row nearby glancing Hunter’s way and laughed. “Okay, maybe it’s a little too late for that.”

  “You do know I was carrying a big stick on our walk up here, right? I whacked a few guys who were wishing they had x-ray vision when you passed by.”

  “I must’ve missed that.”

  “I’m stealthy. It’s a gift.”

  “I’ll remember that in the future,” I said, a smile tipping my lips.

  “Excuse me, could I get a picture with you two?” came a woman’s voice from behind us. She was dressed as Diana Ross, and her fellow Supremes were in long gold gowns behind her. “We’ve got to have a picture with our fellow musicians.”

  “Yeah, of course,” I said, wondering what singer she thought I was. I pushed Hunter toward the middle so he could get a nice woman sandwich, and his hand went tight on my waist. After we’d posed for the photo, the Supremes wandered off, and in sync we heard them sing the chorus of “Stop! In the Name of Love.”

  “Oh wow. Do I get a serenade from you too?” I asked, my fingers curling around Hunter’s belt loops and pulling him closer. His arms went around me and his lips were warm on mine.

  “You might get a private performance later if I feel you deserve it,” he whispered in my ear.

  Mmm. Consider me on my best behavior.

  There was a steady stream of people stopping by our box and taking pictures of us in our outfits, though I was sure it was just so they could drool over Hunter later in the comfort of their sheets. But I couldn’t blame them, nor did I mind. Who knew Buddy Holly was such a fox?

  As the sun began to set, the band came out, each dressed in a full suit and tie, and one even wore glasses similar to Hunter’s, which had him joking that “that asshole Buddy stole my look.”

  They put on an unbelievable rock ’n’ roll concert with a stunning light show, infectious enthusiasm, and a wide range of hits. It was cool to hear some of my favorites live on stage instead of through the Licked speakers. We got a little Chuck Berry, a splash of Dion and the Belmonts, and, of course, plenty of Elvis. The only thing missing was a dance floor, but watching Hunter bop his head out of the corner of my eye to the music had a permanent smile on my face.

  So…damn…hot. And mine. Did I mention that? Hands off, ladies.

  No one else ever did show up in our box, so he’d set up a chair next to mine, his arm around the back as we enjoyed the show. Every now and again he’d sing along in my ear, and I couldn’t help my surprise each time. He knew this world, knew the music, knew the acts, and it just eased something inside me. As I looked him up and down, I wondered if both of us had been born in the wrong decade. For so long I’d felt ostracized for the way I looked, for the things I liked. Then I’d been appeased by my closest friends and family, who’d accepted me for the everything-vintage, doo-wop-lovin’ person I was, but I’d never actually felt like anyone understood and felt the same way. No one in my circle liked the same things I did, ice cream and boozy shakes not included.

  But with Hunter’s comforting presence next to me, it was like the missing piece I’d been searching for had finally snapped into place.

  Oh geez. I’ve turned into a sappy ball of mush. You’ll have to forgive me. I promise it won’t happen too much, or even I might gag from the sugar.

  Ahem.

  When the band came back on stage for an encore, fireworks went off overhead, the most dazzling display of pyro lighting up the night sky. It gave me an idea for our Saturday Song Day menu—a rainbow confection called “The Peggy Sue” with Pop Rocks and a tiny pair of chocolate glasses on top. I needed to figure out how to make those, stat.

  We stayed in our little safe haven as the rush filed out, nibbling on leftover empanadas. There was still a bit of the boozy shake left, and it gave me an idea for later in case his sweet tooth was as big as mine.

  “So. You interested in staying for a nightcap?” I asked, my brow raised. “I know it’ll be late when we get back, but—”

  Hunter threw everything off the table into the bag before I finished my sentence and then tugged me out of the box toward the exit.

  “Guess so,” I said with a smirk.

  GOTTA LOVE STACKED parking in L.A. Add that with the traffic, and we’d be sitting in his truck for a while.

  “You’re not tired, are you?” I said when I caught him stifling a yawn.

  “Never.”

  “Hmm. I think you are. Maybe I should find some way to wake you up.
”

  Hunter gave me a side-glance. “You have a caffeine drip I don’t know about?”

  “Well, no.” I tapped the window with my finger. “These seem pretty tinted. I bet no one out there could see anything in here.”

  “I’d be surprised if they could.” He narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

  Snuggling closer, I kissed his shoulder, working my way up his neck. “Because I don’t like anyone to watch me eat my dessert.”

  I moved away and reached in the backseat for the bag that contained the remainder of the boozy shake. After taking the top off, I scooped some on my finger and sucked it into my mouth slowly.

  Hunter’s eyes didn’t move from my mouth. “Do that again.”

  With a devious grin, I dipped my finger back inside and then painted my lower lip with the frozen strawberry mixture. “Want some?” I asked.

  Still completely stopped in traffic, I leaned forward and waited for him to meet me the rest of the way. His eyes were hungry on my mouth, and he held my chin as his tongue came out to taste. Then he bit down on my lip before sucking it into his mouth.

  “Fucking delicious,” he said when he pulled away. A honk sounded behind him, and he inched the truck along at a snail’s pace. Yeah, we’d be here for a while. And I, for one, was not complaining. I doubted he would be either in about thirty seconds.

  “Looks like you need to keep your eyes on the road, mister,” I said, nibbling his ear as I pulled his shirt out of his pants and unfastened the bottom buttons. “But don’t worry. I’ll make sure you get your dessert too.”

  A low rumble came from his chest. “I think you’re trouble.”

  The belt he was wearing came off, and the zipper went down. “I think you may be right.”

  When my fingers curled under the band of his pants, he lifted his hips and I pushed them, along with his boxer briefs, down his thighs. He was already getting hard, his cock just waiting to get licked, and I was more than happy to oblige. I leaned down over him, flicking my tongue over the tip, and felt him tense.

  That. That reaction is powerful. Knowing you’re in control of someone’s pleasure, that your mouth has the ability to get them off and make their wildest fantasies come true—that is hot as hell.

  His reaction had me moving my mouth down over his length, the feel of him warm and firm on my tongue. He truly was the best thing I’d ever tasted—I doubted anything I tried to replicate would come close to matching the taste that was all Hunter.

  “Fuuuuck,” he said, arching up into my mouth. “You’re gonna make me wreck the fucking truck with that mouth.”

  I lifted my head. “I can stop,” I teased.

  “No, no, let’s not get crazy. Where you going? Come back,” he said, reaching for me. I took the canister of Pink Pussy out of the cup holder. I’d really have to rename the drink after I’d had it all over Hunter’s impressive cock.

  Pouring some of the drink into my mouth, I leaned over his lap again and slowly sucked him inside, a tiny bit of the liquid escaping my lips and dripping down his erection.

  When I swallowed, I heard a strangled “God, Ryleigh,” and one of his hands fisted through my hair. He was white-knuckling the steering wheel with his other hand, his breaths coming out ragged.

  I stuck my fingers in the canister, getting them nice and covered, and then I let the drops fall down onto his tanned lower stomach and over the tip of him. He sucked in a breath, whether from the cold milkshake or from anticipation, I didn’t know. His hand tightened on my hair, holding it out of my face as I lifted my head from his throbbing length and planted kisses along the path from his abs down his pelvis.

  “You are seriously…testing…my self-restraint,” he said, his voice full of grit.

  When I moaned in agreement around his cock, I felt it jerk, his rock-solid erection ready to combust.

  His jaw was clenched and he kept his eyes straight ahead, not wanting to give away what was happening should the windows turn out to be not quite as private as we hoped they were.

  We were moving, albeit very slowly, and I was thankful we were in a truck a bit higher off the ground than my little Mini. Not that I would’ve cared about an audience at this point—there was no way I was stopping until we were both completely satisfied.

  “Fuck…feels…so good…fuck.”

  More drizzle. More teasing with my tongue. My lips tightened as I went down again, my fingers lightly caressing his balls, causing a guttural moan to rise out of his throat.

  “Gonna…come,” he warned, but I kept my mouth right where it was. Then his body tensed and jerked, his orgasm coming in a white-hot rush down my throat. I sucked down every last drop of him, the taste of strawberries still strong in my mouth.

  When he was finished, I leaned down again, my tongue coming out to catch any sweetness I’d missed. He let out a shuddering breath, his hand easing off my head as I sat up.

  “Yummy,” I said, giving him a devilish look as I cleaned my fingers off one by one with my mouth.

  “Christ, woman.” Hunter shook his head and pulled his pants back up. “You’re in so much trouble when we stop.”

  “Oh? But I wasn’t done yet.” Sliding my panties down my legs, I took them off and then tossed them into one of the bags in the back. I reclined the seat a little and threw my left leg over the console so that my ankle rested in his lap, opening myself wide.

  Keeping my eyes on the sexy man next to me, I inched up my dress to my waist, leaving me completely exposed as Hunter hit the gas, the traffic finally dissipating.

  “Ryleigh…fuck.”

  Getting him off, knowing anyone could see us, had made me wet and needy, my body aching for a sweet release. I teased my thighs with my fingertips, watching him continue to peer over at me while trying to focus on the road. When I touched myself, he cursed again, one of his hands coming off the steering wheel and across the seat, but I swatted him away.

  “You get to touch all you want…soon. If you can get us back to my place in one piece.”

  He growled, a feral sound that had me growing wetter. My fingers slid between my lower lips, and then back up to focus on my clit. I circled it, increasing the pressure as my breath hitched, and a spasm of pleasure shot down the lower half of my body.

  I moaned Hunter’s name, and this time I let him touch me when he reached for me again. His large palm covered mine at first, following my movements as I undulated against our hands. Then he moved his lower, coating himself in my juices before sliding a thick finger inside me. I cursed, throwing my head back against the seat and stroking my clit again. How he kept his eyes on the road and drove in a straight line while I rocked against his hand, I had no idea, but it just proved how much control he had. I doubted I’d have as much.

  “Another,” I said on a gasp, and he obeyed, filling me with a second digit. I rode his fingers as he flew down the road, trying to draw out the pleasure as long as I could, barely noticing when we’d arrived.

  Hunter slammed on the brakes, put the car in park, and shut it off before moving across the seat and leaning down to put his mouth between my legs. His tongue thrust inside me, wild and voracious, as if he’d been starving and I was the best thing he’d tasted in years. I grabbed the back of his head, my legs shaking and my eyes slamming shut as the pressure swelled, my body tightening all over before exploding in a release that had me both lightheaded and panting out his name.

  “Oh my…” I tried to say, taking a deep breath. “That was…damn.”

  Hunter took one last lick and then he gazed up at me, his eyes still heavy with lust. Then he gave me a look that was full of mischief.

  “I believe you just…what’s the term you use? Got Licked.”

  A WEEK LATER and it was chaos. Utter chaos.

  The shop was in the busiest part of the season, never an empty booth in sight, Hunter’s team was in the final stages of priming everything, the furniture was slowly being delivered and then subsequently covered in plastic, and the producers of Wake Up Ame
rica were due to stop by to check out the space, oh, anytime now.

  Stressed didn’t even begin to cover it.

  “Has anyone seen my clipboard?” I asked, frantically searching, opening and shutting drawers, lifting bowls off the counter.

  “I don’t think it’s in the freezer, boss,” Zoe said, shaking her head. “Maybe you could go in there and chill out for a bit, though.”

  I shut the freezer door. “Aren’t you a comedian. They’ll be here any minute and I’ve got all my stuff organized on it. I even color-coded with highlighters.”

  “This is why you should switch to computers. I’ve told you this.”

  “Ugh. Computers schmuters,” I said, collapsing on top of the counter and banging my head against the cold stainless steel.

  “Am I interrupting something?” a deep, familiar voice asked, and my head shot up. Hunter had peeked his head around the corner and was looking at me with an amused expression.

  “My clipboard’s not in the freezer. I’m toast.”

  Zoe gave him a pat on the shoulder. “She’s all yours.”

  “Find my highlights or you’re fired,” I called out. “Fired, I say.”

  “What’s missing?” he asked, coming into the room.

  Sighing dramatically, I pulled myself off the counter. “The release forms I signed for the show, among other things. I had them on the clipboard I always keep in the drawer, and it’s not there.” My arms went around his neck and I gave him my best pout. “Help?”

  “I must’ve missed the ‘please’ in there somewhere,” he said, one hand going around my waist.

  “Please, please help me, you big strong man you.” Yes, I said all that with a straight face, but trust me, it wasn’t easy.

  “You say you searched everywhere?”

  “Up and down and all around.”

  “Hmm.” He leaned down and gave me a kiss but then pulled back. “Did you say it was on a clipboard? Huh. That’s funny.”

  “No, it’s not funny. Don’t make me fire you too.”