by Adele Hart
“Why don’t you have Barney go fix you up a pot of black coffee?” he suggested.
“I already had something to drink,” she slurred. “Jay brought it to me.”
David stopped like he’d slammed into an invisible wall.
“Do you remember where he is?”
She pointed toward the crowd.
He walked her to a friend he could trust would keep her safe. “Stay here, can you do that for me? I’m going to take care of Jay,” he growled. All he wanted was for the asshole to leave.
Through the glass of the French doors, David spotted Tommy’s cupcake, as Jay called her. He warmed instantly at the sight of her. He stepped out, not realizing he walked into the middle of something.
“Hey,” he said.
“Leave me alone!” she shouted, dancing away from him.
David was startled until he got that she wasn’t talking to him. She was talking to Jay who was tucked into a dark corner. Jay moved forward, circling her. He had the cupcake hemmed between the rail and the door. He seemed buzzed as well.
Everything happened so fast. Cara shoved Jay. He stumbled and whined. He played like he was hurt, but Jay had a body made of steel and a heart made of stone. David knew first hand that he was a cutthroat business man. Jay didn’t stumble. Everything he did was calculated. Even when he bought the rights to some of David’s songs out from under him.
Jay stepped forward menacingly and Cara tossed her drink in his face. If it was the same type she had back at the concert venue, it had a lot of lime in it. Hopefully with any luck, Jay’s eyes were burning.
“You bit—!” he cursed.
“That’s enough,” David hissed. “Leave her alone.”
“You have dibs on the fresh meat?” asked Jay.
David barreled through, nearly knocking them both over the terrace.
“I’ve had it with you,” David growled.
Even in the perilous position, Jay didn’t give up.
“You’ve had it with everyone else, but not me. You need me,” he yelled.
“You’re out,” said David. “You need to leave the party, and you’re out of the jam.”
His threat woke Jay up.
“I’m the best front man there is,” Jay declared.
“We’ll live,” countered David.
Jay turned and pointed to Cara. “You’d throw me out over her?”
“Don’t look at her,” ordered David.
Jay walked away, shaking with anger and agitation. He disappeared into the crowd that had gathered at the door to watch the heated exchange.
David glided slowly towards her, his heart thumping as he tried to calm down from what had just happened. There would be serious repercussions for him as far as the band went, but he couldn’t think of that now. He needed to look after Cara.
“I’m sorry about all of that,” he said. “Are you okay? You and I seem to have some karma. Our paths keep crossing. By the looks of it, we both prefer the quiet outside rather than the people on the other side of the door.”
Nina stumbled out.
“Ugh,” he cursed.
“There you are,” she slurred. “I’ve been looking for you.” She tripped over the wrought iron furniture and was in danger of hurting herself. “Let’s go upstairs,” she begged.
“We’re already upstairs,” replied David.
He looked at Cara. “Excuse me,” he said and he bent and pushed his shoulder into Nina, lifting her up to fireman carry her. With the girl over his shoulder slowly becoming totally dead weight, David said, “Hey, I’m David by the way. I know Jay told you, but I wanted to tell you myself. I’m told you’re Cara, that means heart, doesn’t it?”
“Yes,” she replied smoothly.
Her eyes lifted to the cargo he carried, which from where she stood was probably a complete shot of Nina’s ass.
“Do not drink anything Jay gives you,” he warned.
“I won’t.”
He stooped so they would be at eye level. “Hey, I get that you don’t like crowds, but go hang out at the bar. I’m going to put her in one of Barney’s guest rooms. I’ll be right back,” he said.
“Okay,” she said softly.
David carried Nina behind Cara as they went back into the party. He wouldn’t stay. He wouldn’t be able to tolerate the vibe of the party if he didn’t think he would have a chance at a conversation with Cara. She was the realest person he met in quite some time. The only one he wanted to talk to.
Chapter Three
Cara
While she stood at the bar in a house she would never be able to afford, Cara reminded herself that she went to the jam and the after-party so she could mention it casually to her ex-boyfriend, Gary.
While waiting for David, she googled some of the people she met casually including Jay and David. She couldn’t believe they were well-known for both their music and exploits. To think she had never heard of either of them was crazy, but she was sure her ex had. Cara didn’t want Gary back, but still raw from being dumped, she was in the stage where she wanted to find a way to make him hurt too.
Shouting across the room took her attention away from her search. The roar of the party ceased as everyone stopped to watch Barney the host, David, and Jay bickered. David was making his case for throwing out Jay. Jay was arguing why he should stay. Tommy and Marissa, neither of whom drank, snaked through the crowd, packing tighter by the second, to find Cara.
“Hey,” said Tommy. “I’m going to go downstairs and bring the car around.”
The driveway to the house split in two directions so they could have parked up on the circular driveway as it bent around to the front door or veer off and park below, outside the garage. Marissa and Cara waited by the bar while the arguing continued, and Jay was told in no uncertain terms to leave. Like the peacock he was, he strutted around and refused to go.
“What do you know?” asked Marissa dryly. “See his feathers ruffle? This is the first time I’ve seen Jay not like the attention he’s getting.”
Tommy returned, out of breath. “The car won’t start,” he said.
“We’ll just stay here,” said Marissa calmly. “They’re tossing Jay out anyway so things will calm down.”
“We can’t,” he said tensely. “David and I have to be in San Jose tomorrow.”
“So do I,” said Cara.
David approached as two roadies came over to help Barney deal with the Jay situation. “Hey,” he said, clearly flustered. “You leaving?”
“Trying to, but the car won’t start,” said Tommy very clearly unhappy.
David flashed a full bright smile, it was the first real smile that Cara saw from him all evening. “What a surprise,” he teased gently. “Listen, come on. I brought the family car. Let’s get out of here. You can stay at my place, and I’ll drive us down to the studio tomorrow.”
“I gotta fix my car,” insisted Tom.
“More importantly, you’ve got to record an album,” said David. “I’ll have your heap of metal towed over to my mechanic. He’ll have it ready for you by the time we get back from San Jose. If not, you can borrow one of my rides.”
Cara knew Tommy was a proud man. The frown on his face showed his unhappiness to need help, but there weren’t many options. He turned to look at her.
“Are you okay with the new plan?” he asked.
She wasn’t crazy about not sleeping in her own bed, but it was already late, and the drive home was a long one. She felt oddly comfortable about the idea of sleeping at David’s house. The fact he said he brought the family car made him a family man which both assured her and made her heart sink. She was a little bummed he had a wife waiting for him.
She looked toward Tommy’s car. “Sure, that seems the best way to go.”
Tommy and David led the way to an elevator that took them down to the garage. As the doors closed, silence surrounded them. They had officially left the party.
“I’m glad that’s over,” David gasped. He turned to Car
a and smiled. “You don’t know who half those people were, do you?”
“No,” she confessed softly.
“Refreshing,” he said as his eyes wandered over her face.
The elevator landed and let them off in Barney’s garage. They had to cross the garage and climb stairs that would open up to the front of the house because David parked in the circular drive.
“Why did we just do that when we could have walked out the front?” asked Cara.
“Avoiding the crowd,” he smiled.
The three of them worked in tandem like they had done this before. They scurried to a smoky silver Mercedes sedan. When David said family car, Cara envisioned a minivan. Tommy and Marissa took the back seat, and she rode shotgun.
Her dress was super short. It was the perfect length when she was standing, but sitting was a different situation. She looked at the hem barely covering her lady bits and her face turned beet red because it looked like she had nothing on under the dress.
David silently teased her, gawking and then looking away, putting up his hand to shield him from the view, before dropping his hand and bugging his eyes out.
“Stop,” she chuckled.
Given what she read about him on the internet, he probably saw more skin than she was showing on an average Tuesday night. She eventually let go of her self-consciousness, but it took a while.
He drove very smoothly and slowly down the semi-circle drive lined with carefully manicured shrubs. David slammed on the breaks because like something out of a horror story, Jay popped out and leaped into the middle of the drive.
Tommy, David, and Marissa all collectively moaned, “Ah, man.”
Jay pounded on the hood, shouting, “Good luck without me! I am the only reason you’re anything!”
David flexed his jaw and shook his head.
“Better not do that,” he said for their ears only. “I’m warning you.” He gave the car just enough gas to make Jay step away, but not fast enough so that Jay couldn’t resume the position and block the drive.
“I am so done with that galactic loser,” said David.
She wanted to snicker because it wasn’t what she expected to come out of his mouth, but it was more than a little tense in the car. Fortunately, a car behind them honked and attracted Jay’s attention.
“He left dents,” he grumbled. “He’s so getting the bill.” He hit a button and the sound of a phone dialing filled the car.
Barney answered.
“Hey Barn,” said David. “Jay is out here banging on cars. Better have your security come out.” He looked over his shoulder to the backseat. “We good?” he asked Tommy and Marissa.
“Yeah,” they said collectively.
His eyes cut to Cara, and she shivered under his heated gaze. He had to know what he was doing. He’d perfected the you-want-me look.
“Good?” he asked with a touch of wickedness.
“Yeah,” she answered not sure if he was referring to her state of mind of him. Either way she was good—so good.
It was all she said—all she was able to say with him looking at her like that.
Chapter Four
David
All the way to his house, David relived the after-party, wondering if he came off like a jerk acting too alpha in front of Cara. He had to ask himself if he liked her because she was there and would be under his roof for the night or if it was something else. Something more. She seemed awful sweet. Was definitely sexy.
They were at his place in minutes. David parked right in front of his front door, not bothering with the garage. He was exhausted and just wanted to be inside his home. His friends were pretty beat as well. They basically sleep-walked behind him.
He punched the security code and opened the door. The lights were lit already, but as they entered, more turned on.
“Can I get anybody anything?” he asked.
“Pancakes,” Tommy said.
“Help yourself, dude,” said David. “Ladies?”
Cara shared her phone with Marissa and wasn’t quite paying attention to him. “Sorry,” she said. “Just got a funny text.”
“You’re getting funny texts at nearly four in the morning?” For some stupid reason, he felt jealous.
“Probably her boyfriend,” laughed Tom.
Now he was definitely jealous. “You have a boyfriend?” asked David with a heavy heart.
“Ex-boyfriend,” corrected Marissa.
“Oh,” said David with a smile. “You had a dumb boyfriend. I like him.”
Marissa read the message out loud and in a deep voice to mimic the idiot. “Cut the crap,” she read. “No way you are at a party with Jay Seeger or David Hansen.” Marissa showed the phone to David and busted up laughing.
“I like the part where she put ‘do you know who they are?’” David winked.
“You should totally take a picture.” Tommy told Cara. He nudged her over nearer to David, who was game.
Marissa took her phone and assumed the photographer’s pose while David swept Cara into his arms and dipped her without any warning. She was surprised, but went along with him which David took as a really good thing.
“Take a couple,” David said not ready to let her go. He made no contact with his lips, but he came close. He nuzzled her hair and faked like he was nibbling the arch of her neck. When she played along, he nearly thought he would lose it. She hitched up her silk-stockinged knee to his hip showing off the lacy edge. He had no choice but to cup her ass. He told himself it was to make sure she wouldn’t fall, but he couldn’t control his hands. When he gripped the firm globe, his heart somersaulted and his cock woke up.
“Good,” Marissa proclaimed triumphantly.
Tommy fist-pumped the air.
“Send,” called out Marissa.
Cara gasped. “Wait!” she ordered. “I didn’t see them. I—”
Her phone dinged while Marissa still had it and her face dropped from joyous to sober when she read the new message.
“What’s it say?” asked Cara, reaching for the phone.
“Don’t look at it,” she said. “David go on. Go to bed. We know our way around.”
Cara took the phone from Marissa and read it anyway. She straightened her spine and made a face.
“You’re right,” she agreed with Marissa. “That was a mistake.”
Rapid fire texts were arriving from the ex. She took the phone and silenced it.
“Problem solved,” she said, and set the phone down.
David picked it up and read it. “Whore?” he demanded. “What is it with guys who want to get their asses kicked tonight?”
“You’re just feelin’ like scrappin’,” ribbed Tommy.
“We know whores, and Cara, you’re not one,” said David.
“Thank you,” she smiled and bowed. “Now let’s not talk about him anymore. I got my shot in and what a shot. Thank you. I hope that wasn’t an imposition.”
David wanted so bad to hit on her, but he refrained.
“It was my pleasure, and I meant it,” he said. “He’s dumb.”
“I have to be at work tomorrow,” she said. “Not till five but still, I’m going to hate the morning.”
“What do you do?” he asked.
She hesitated.
“I’m a waitress—a waitress and a student,” she said. “I know I’m kind of old. But there’s a reason—”
“Old? What?” He smiled.
This would be the time if she were any other woman that he would draw her in close to him. These days he was careful about everything.
“Tommy and Marissa may be old,” he teased. “You’re the youngest one here.”
“I meant for school,” she said.
“You’re only thirty.” Marissa said. “Lots of people go to school when they’re your age.”
“I was just saying—,” she hemmed.
“She was just saying the reason why she got a late start,” said Tom. “It’s because she’s sober. Cara doesn’t drink like we do
n’t drink. We met her in a twelve-step program.”
“I was wondering,” David smiled easily. “That makes sense because you don’t seem rock-and-roll, which ironically makes you very rock-and-roll in my book. That’s okay. I’m a big believer in lime juice.”
He could see she looked vulnerable and didn’t want to add to her discomfort.
“Well, then,” he said. “You know where everything is.”
Tommy and Marissa headed for the kitchen. Cara lingered. David drank her up.
“Night,” he whispered softly to her.
Her phone buzzed.
“Is that him?” he asked. “Is he texting you again?”
“No” she shook her head. “Yes, it’s him, but he’s calling.”
“Did he dump you or did you dump him?” he asked.
“Me—he dumped me,” she said.
“Another girl?” asked David as the phone buzzed again.
“Lots,” said Cara. “Lots of other girls.”
“May I?” asked David. He reached for her phone.
Her sweet face lit up, and she handed him the phone.
“What’s his name?” he asked.
“Gary,” she replied.
David made a face at his name, which he would have done no matter what it was, just to make fun of the guy.
“Gary,” he answered the phone boisterously.
Now, he put his arm around Cara and drew her in. He almost lost his cool inhaling her perfume.
“This is David Hansen.” He covered the phone and filled her in. “Gary is expressing his doubt,” he said to Cara. He resumed his conversation. “Did you not get the pictures?” he asked. “Listen, forget all that. What gives you the right to bother this beautiful woman? You had your shot. Now hit the road, dude.”
Cara giggled against him.
“Listen, Cara is my girl now,” he said and winked at her. “Yeah, we’ve been up all night, and now we’re going to bed. That means we don’t need you blowing up her phone. Here’s what I want you to do. I want you to hang up and really think about the mistake you made.”
David turned to Cara.
“He’s asking if he sorry, can he have you back?”
