The Complete Tempest World Box Set

by Mankin, Michelle

  Clouds hanging over my mind and thoughts parted, and I discovered much to my surprise that I actually enjoyed the museum. Though I’d lived in Seattle all my life, I’d never been inside the EMP or any museum for that matter. Not my thing. But the multi-level guitar sculpture in the lobby was impressive, and the layout was modern and interactive.

  “When’d you get into all this?” I asked her dragging my gaze up from her ass after we passed Captain Kirk’s chair and worked our way up the stairs to the last level. “Was it something your sister was into?”

  “No. It occupied me late at night. I had a lot of trouble sleeping after she was gone.” She turned to face me, her eyes shadowed with memories. “Sometimes I went into her room, put on her clothes, sat on her bed and listened to her music. She loved Brutal Strength. Your Tempest stuff sounds a lot like their edgy earlier music.”

  “Yeah. Well we were on the road with them on the last tour. They’re pretty full of themselves nowadays. Marcus Anthony’s an arrogant asshole.”

  “Really? I guess it’s from all the success. Avery’s certainly uber beautiful.”

  “Yeah?” I shrugged. “Bryan thought so.” I didn’t really get the appeal myself. And why he’d signed on for her twin Justin as front man for Tempest was an even greater fuckin’ mystery.

  Her brow rose. “Oh, I didn’t know they had a thing. All the pictures I’ve seen always have her with Marcus.”

  “I think it was pretty one sided.”

  Shaina slid her pendant back and forth on its chain as we strolled by an exhibit where kids had drawn pictures and added text about what music meant to them. “Was music something that you always wanted to do?”

  “Always. Yeah.” I paused trying to come up with the right words that would explain how I felt about music. “I love how a song can make you feel a certain way. The power of it. In a way, rock was as big an escape for me as old Captain Kirk was for you.”

  “I think all art’s like that.” She nodded and the afternoon rays spilling in from the window highlighted the copper and gold in her hair. “What were you trying to escape?”

  “Usual Southside scene,” I hedged. “In trouble most of the time, on the edge of it the rest. I had to learn to stand up for myself pretty early. Showing weakness in my old neighborhood won’t get you far. Plus my old lady wasn’t very warm and fuzzy.” That was way underselling it. As far as I could tell, I was practically invisible to her.

  “Surely she was proud of your accomplishments?”

  “I didn’t use to think she was, but now I just don’t know.” I sighed. “Back when it was just about the band and making music things were a lot clearer.” I wasn’t certain about a lot lately. My goals used to be simple and concrete. Get a better contract, make more money, and get more recognition from my peers. I’d already achieved all of those things. So why did I feel so empty? Why did my life feel so incomplete?

  “I think I get it. Sometimes I wish I could go back to the way it was when I just acted for my own sense of accomplishment, and to make my parents proud. There’s a lot more pressure now.”

  “Your father’s definitely proud of you,” I told her. “I was there the other night, Sweetness. I heard.”

  She nodded. “I know. I just feel so suffocated sometimes. A lot of people depend on me.” She tilted her head to the side and gestured to me. “I’d do better if I could just channel some of your cocky don’t mess with me attitude.”

  I grinned and traced a strand of her hair from her temple to her shoulder while looking in her pretty eyes. “You do alright.”

  We continued our whirlwind tour. Shaina was insatiably curious, absorbing every detail. She tugged me along, touching me whenever she got excited, which was often, especially during the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Her enthusiasm had definitely been a big factor in my enjoyment of the day, but since she wasn’t a big rock fan I thought it was unusual that she seemed so interested.

  Eyes a little sad, she mentioned that it reminded her of a role that she’d tried out for but hadn’t gotten. I started to pursue it, but she shook her head and pulled me out the door and down the hall to the next exhibit. If she was reluctant to talk about it, I certainly wasn’t going to press my luck.

  “I’m worn out,” she announced finally after we’d finished seeing damn near everything in the place. She curled her fingers around my arm and leaned on me heavily.

  “Oh no. Suck it up, Sweetness. You can’t miss your introduction to Nirvana.”

  “You mean, just like you didn’t miss the women from space?”

  “Um, fuck yeah. Those bitches were hot.”

  She laughed. The sound hit me in the middle of my chest, and I felt the warmth of it settling in deep.

  “I’ll make a proper rock fan out of you yet.” My eyes remained on her lips and the gruffness in my voice reflected the plans I was making for those lips a little later.

  I pulled her in front of the long glass prop case and put the closest set of headphones on her, careful not to get the cord tangled in her hair. I selected “Come As You Are.” I couldn’t believe she had never heard a Nirvana song before. That was unacceptable and soon to be remedied.

  I watched her as she listened, statue still, her lips parted and her eyes locked on mine. I saw the thrill of discovering something new and worthy dawning in them.

  And I understood, because the same thing was happening to me.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Shaina

  Ok Nirvana kicked ass.

  “Come As You Are” was a raw random stream of consciousness word association rhyming. Their music sometimes crooned, more often times screamed.

  And I loved it!

  I think I understood exactly what drew War to it. All the conflict and confusion, but with an unexpected soft side. Vulnerable.

  Much like the man beside me.

  He’d been patient as I blathered on about red shirts, away teams, and hyper-drives. He’d chuckled more than once and smiled at me at least half a dozen times, but best of all was the way he was looking at me right now.

  Like every cell in his body was in tune with mine.

  Like I was the most captivating woman he’d ever seen.

  But I was the one totally caught in his gravity.

  “Warren.” I took off the headphones. I was ready to leave. I wanted to be alone with him. I hoped that look meant that was what he wanted too.

  “Pinky! From Pinky Swear!” a very young sounding female voice squealed from behind me.

  I turned to see a preteen with dark hair and dark eyes coming toward us at a rapid clip. She gave War only a quick cursory glance before her gaze settled on me.

  “I love your show! The episode where you use your grandmother’s secret recipe to beat CJ in the school bakeoff is my absolute favorite!” she gushed while twisting her hands around her cell. I noticed they were trembling. I usually got one of two responses when fans actually recognized me. Either they were nervous like she obviously was or they were pushy and aggressive, at which point I got bitchy and pulled back.

  “Thank you. That’s one of my favorite ones, too.” I smiled. “What’s your name?”

  “Patrice. Patrice Williams.”

  “Nice to meet you, Patrice.”

  She brandished her cell. People didn’t usually ask for autographs much anymore. They wanted visual proof to show their friends. Patrice glanced at War. “Would you take a picture of me and Shaina?”

  I was mildly surprised that she knew my real name. Most kids got hung up on the Pinky moniker.

  “Sure,” War answered. “If it’s ok with her.”

  I nodded, turning the two of us around so that we were facing him, and put my arm around Patrice’s shoulders.

  War lifted the phone to take the picture, but for some reason his eyes widened slightly after he took the shot. That’s when I became aware of the rising clamor of voices behind me, accompanied by the sound of many footsteps. I turned to look and my own eyes widened at the stampede of children b
earing down on us.

  “Fuck!” War exclaimed.

  I thought it, but I didn’t say it out loud.

  “That’s my class,” Patrice explained. “We’re here on a field trip.”

  The students surrounded us, trapping us against the glass of the Nirvana display. Cell phone cameras started to go off, and my heart started beating as fast as the flashes.

  “It’s ok, Sweetness.” Warren noticed my unease and pulled me into his side, putting his arm protectively around me. “I’ll keep you safe. Why don’t you text the driver? Let him know we’re ready to go.” His voice was a low, comforting murmur in my ear before he straightened and addressed the crowd. “Hey kids. Pinky’s gotta leave in a couple of minutes. If you wanna take a picture with her, make a line behind me.”

  That authoritative manner he had kicked into commando gear. The kids and the adults who were milling around didn’t hesitate to follow his instructions. I inhaled a calming breath as the space around me began to open back up.

  When Bill arrived, he made his way through the throng to my side. Braced between them, he and War escorted me from the building. Some of the kids tried to follow, but luckily the adult chaperones called them back.

  Once we were ensconced in the backseat of the SUV, Bill asked if we wanted to return to my hotel. I started to ask War if he wanted to be dropped off somewhere, but was surprised and pleased when he spoke first and that his words reflected my heart’s desire. “Yeah, man. Take us back. I think this Trekkie needs to be beamed up.”

  Apparently, he didn’t want our day to be over either.

  Throwing caution aside, I laid my head on War’s strong shoulder and wrapped my arms around his slim waist. “Thank you for coming to my rescue in there,” I mumbled into his shirt deep breathing in his scent. “You are my knight in shining armor.”

  “I’m just a guy in jeans, but go with the other if that’s the way you wanna remember it. Wouldn’t want to destroy the fantasy.” He put a finger under my chin and lifted it. The metal of his ring was cold, but his skin was warm. His eyes too as they held mine. His face came closer. I held my breath, transfixed by liquid pools of mahogany that I would happily drown in before his lips softly touched mine.

  “Sweet as candy,” he whispered against my mouth before lifting his head and settling me firmly into his side. I remembered to breathe again only when he turned away to look out the window.

  “I’m surprised no one recognized you,” I observed quietly as I watched the passing scenery cast shadows across his gorgeous face.

  “I don’t think you and I have the same fan base.” His tone was teasing. He looked back at me with perceptive eyes. “I noticed you didn’t seem too keen on being recognized.”

  “I like acting. But the show’s taped, so there’s separation between me and the audience. I like it that way. It’s easier. If a joke doesn’t go over or something falls flat, the disapproval isn’t as immediate or quite as personal. That’s one of the reasons I’ve never left even though I’m getting tired of doing it.” I sighed. “Plus the show has my parent’s stamp of approval,” I blurted out without thinking. I was way more afraid of losing that than was healthy for a woman my age.

  He nodded as if he understood even the part that went unspoken. After all, I’d stuffed him in my closet to hide him from my father. I was pretty sure he was clued in to my lack of maturity. But there was no judgment in the empathetic gaze that met my own.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  War

  Shaina threw her ridiculously oversized slouch bag behind the couch as soon as we entered her hotel suite. I couldn’t begin to guess what all she might have in that thing besides an extra pair of shoes. She proceeded to shed her coat and scarf. In my imagination she was tempting me, beginning a striptease. A smile ghosting my lips, I rocked back, arms crossed over my chest, and enjoyed the show.

  She put a hand to the sectional for balance to slip off her high heels. The maneuver tipped her heart shaped ass in my direction, pulling her skirt even tighter across it.

  I stopped smiling, having to adjust myself instead. She was giving me quite the view. I doubted that it was intentional, but it didn’t matter. I had made a decision. Not that it was very much of a struggle.

  I wanted her.

  And I was going to have her.

  Period.

  End of story.

  Since I met her there’d been a growing sense of inevitability about it that I didn’t plan to fight anymore. If there were problems with expectations later, which there probably wouldn’t be, I’d deal with them then. I was fairly certain there was virtually no chance that she was contemplating taking a guy like me home after we were through, knowing what I did about her relationship with her parents.

  This was going to happen, and it was going to happen now.

  I moved in right behind her, slid my hands on the curve of her hips, and put my lips near her ear. “Shaina,” I whispered touching the tip of my tongue where my breath had just been. Then I used my mouth to add some suction. I was close enough to feel the shudder that rolled through her.

  My lips curled with satisfaction and hunger blazed in my eyes as I turned her around.

  “Warren, did you want something?” I loved the fact that though she looked surprised, her light green eyes were already darkened with desire like my own.

  I laid it out for her. “I want to shove that sexy skirt over your hips and fuck you over the couch or on the couch. Since I’m feeling generous, I’ll let you choose.”

  Her eyes widened slightly, but I already knew she was with me. “On,” she whispered taking the initiative, her fingers already starting on the first button of my shirt. Long tendrils of her hair escaped her braid and brushed just as soft as her whisper against my skin.

  I got hard imagining those silky strands forming a cocoon around our naked bodies as I fucked her.

  I couldn’t wait.

  I brought my hands up to her face, got her mouth where I wanted it, and fused my lips to her soft ones. I kissed her hard and long enjoying the heat and friction and the wetness inside her delicious mouth. When I eventually lifted my head, her eyes were half closed and we were both panting for air.

  I started working my way down the buttons of her blouse while she worked on mine. I finished long before she did. Her fingers fumbled on my buttons, almost as if she’d never taken a man’s shirt off before. I slowed her progress even more when I slid her blouse off her arms and took the hem of the light blue camisole she wore underneath and drew it over her head.

  “Dammit,” she muttered before her head went back down, her lip between her white teeth, immediately refocusing on my shirt.

  I would’ve smiled at how cute her dedication to that task was, but I was too fuckin’ floored by how sexy she looked now that all she wore was her tight skirt and bra. The light blue bra perfectly complemented the blouse and camisole that were now on the floor. Half of it was see through lace. I almost came just looking at those tight berry colored nipples in their blue frame.

  I wasn’t used to a woman in classy lingerie like hers. The ones I had were usually in leather and torn fishnet. Hell, truthfully, nothing in my life had prepared me for a woman like her. As impossible as it seemed, she wanted me and was just as out of control and turned on as I was, breathing so hard that her tits were practically falling out of that bra that was sweet and sexy all at the same time, just like her.

  I felt her soft fingers touching my skin. She’d finally unbuttoned my shirt all the way and was dragging the sleeves down my arms. I helped her out by shrugging. After that it was easy to remove the rest since I’d undone the cuffs earlier.

  I didn’t delay a second more. I had to get my hands on those tits. They weren’t large, but they were perfect. I lifted them, cupping the weight in my hands. They felt fuckin’ fantastic. My dick jumped in approval, and I absolutely loved the low sound she made when I brushed my thumbs across the peaks. She made me feel like I was the best she ever had and when I rolle
d the nipples between my fingers and tugged, her lips parted and her eyes closed, long russet lashes fanning out over her blushed cheeks.

  Fuckin’ beautiful.

  I swept her into my arms, lifted her up over the back of the sectional, and without warning dropped her onto the cushions on the other side. She came up on her elbows, surprised and sputtering. I threw myself over immediately after. I wanted that sexy curvy body underneath me.

  Now.

  Bracing my arms on either side of her shoulders, I lowered my head and fastened my mouth back on hers. I gave her my tongue the same way I planned to give her my dick, plunging it inside her wet mouth over and over again without holding anything back, hard and deep.

  “War,” she gasped, turning her head to the side and gulping for air. Her eyes were wide now and for some reason she looked a little scared.

  “Told you I like it rough darlin’,” I explained, brushing my thumb softly across the round of her cheek. “You ok? You still with me?”

  She licked her lips, ran a hesitant fingertip over my ink, and nodded.

  I grinned my approval and yanked away the flimsy lace that kept me from her breasts. I had to taste her.

  • • •

  Shaina

  I didn’t think anything in the world could feel better than the way he tongued and kissed my mouth.

  I was wrong.

  His mouth on my breast was better.

  Infinitely better.

  Galaxies far and away better.

  His lips swirled around the sensitive tips and he used just the right amount of pressure to make it feel really, really good. My body started to feel like it was on fire and I couldn’t catch my breath. My fingers sank into his silky hair and my nails dug into his scalp as my sense of urgency and the wetness between my legs intensified.

  I arched off the cushions to try to tell him without words that I wanted him to take me deeper into his mouth. He must’ve got the message because he drew me in deep, making low growling hungry sounds that I felt vibrate against my breasts and that made the throbbing much lower turn into an almost unbearable ache.