I nod. “Yeah, they were just signed and are recording their debut album now.”
“That’s exciting. I’d love to check them out sometime.”
“Actually, I’m pretty sure they’re playing a gig tonight. You guys want to attend before leaving the fun city for the quiet countryside?”
“Yes!” Riley jumps to say. She turns to Preston and gives him puppy dog eyes. “Can we? Let’s do something fun while we’re here. It sucks driving up here pregnant just to pack up the car and drive back the next day.”
Preston looks over at Calvin. “What do you think? Mom and Dad are here to help with the move. Maybe they wouldn’t mind watching Mason so the four of us could have a night out.”
Calvin smiles and nods. “I’ll call Piper.” He turns and heads back into his office.
Preston, Riley, and I talk while we await the verdict.
He comes back out a few minutes later and says, “Piper said they’d be happy to watch Mason. What time does the show start and where?”
I pull out my phone and look over their online schedule. “They go on at 9 p.m. at The Ol’ Pub.” Aww, the first place I saw her play. Hopefully tonight ends the same way that one did.
“Sounds good. We’ll see you there.” The guys each grab a box and Riley holds the door open for them to take everything outside.
I head back into my office and text Luna.
I’ll be at the show tonight with some friends. Hope that’s okay.
Of course. We can be friendly; we just can’t out ourselves to the band.
But we can out ourselves at my place. Tonight?
I’m wet just thinking about it.
I drop the phone on my desk with a grin, more than excited to hide away in my apartment with her.
When the day ends, I decide to skip the gym since I’ve put in so many extra hours over the last month. I go straight home to shower and change for the show. I get to the bar around 8:30 p.m. and send Luna a text to let her know I’m here, though I plan to hang in the back so the band doesn’t see me and think something’s up. I order a beer and find a big booth in a dark corner at the back of the bar. I text Calvin and let him know I’m here and that I’m saving us a booth. I sit back and sip my beer, just relaxing and checking out my surroundings.
I see a flash of purple moving through the crowd and the next thing I know, Luna’s smiling face is walking over. She sits across from me in the booth and I lean forward just to be closer.
“How’d you get away?”
“I just slipped out. Come on. Let’s find some privacy.” We stand up and she takes my hand, leading me back outside and around to the small alley. She spins me around and presses my back to the wall while her lips find mine. I feel like this is totally backward, but I’m more than happy to let her take the wheel every once in a while. I like that she’s taking charge. Our kiss goes on for several minutes and I lose all train of thought. I forget that she’s about to go on stage. I forget that I’m supposed to be saving a table for my friends. I forget that we’re supposed to be hiding. I turn her around and pin her to the wall. My hand lands on her thigh and I hike it up over my hip as my hand slides between her legs. Her warm, wet center welcomes me as I push her panties to the side and slide my fingers between her slick folds. She moans into my kiss.
“We can’t do this now,” she whispers against my lips.
“I know. I’m just giving you something to look forward to,” I reply, quickening my hand on her clit. Her hands on my chest turn into tight fists as her chest starts rising and falling at a much faster rate.
“Oh,” she breathes out, “don’t stop,” she softly begs.
“I don’t plan to,” I promise, pushing her over the edge. It’s so dark in the alley that I can’t watch the changing expressions on her face, but I wish I could. Her hold on me and the sounds she’s making are more than enough to have me hard as a rock. Her whole body is tight as she rides out every last wave. As soon as her whimpers quiet and her muscles begin to relax, I remove my hand and kiss her hard.
When I pull away, I say, “Think of me on stage.” I pull her away from the wall and swat her on the ass as she passes by me. She lets out a giggle and a yelp, but walks into the bar ahead of me. I lean against the corner, trying to calm myself down.
After several minutes of letting my body settle, I head back inside and see everyone at the table I’d been sitting at. I walk over and Calvin stands up.
“I thought you were saving us a table?”
I smile. “I did. See? I left my beer here.” I pick it up and take a swig. I look around at everyone. “Piper, Preston, Riley, nice to see you again.”
“Thanks for the invite,” Piper says, stirring her pink drink.
I nod and open my mouth to tell her no problem, but the jukebox gets shut off and the crowd suddenly goes wild. I turn around and see my girl on stage. Her face is still flushed from the things we did outside and her eyes are glistening with excitement.
“Yes! Let’s go to the front!” Riley says, standing up.
Preston grabs ahold of her and pulls her back. “Are you crazy? You’re very pregnant. You’re not jumping in a mosh pit!”
“It’s not a mosh pit. Come on!” She tries tugging him forward, but he holds strong, pulling her back into his arms.
“No, I want you back here with me where it’s safe. I don’t need you getting knocked down and trampled. I’d tear this place apart.” He kisses her softly on the forehead and that seems to work. She melts into him and I can’t help but feel a little jealous. I wish Luna and I were free to be a couple, but that’s just not possible right now. I have big hopes for the future though.
Piper and Calvin stand and sway as I sit down, scooting into the corner of the booth so I can see Luna through the crowd of people. She rocks out on the guitar—singing her heart out while moving back and forth across the stage so everyone in the audience gets a good view of her. She walks to one end of the stage, where she winks and flirts with the audience, then skips to the other end, putting on the same show for that side of the room. People are eating her up—like always—and I can’t help but feel proud of her, excited knowing that at least half of these guys are wishing they could take her home tonight, and it’s my bed she’ll be sharing.
Piper and Riley are now up dancing around in our small space, so Calvin sits across from me to give his wife more room to dance. He looks at me and shakes his head. “You’re a dead man, you know that?”
I laugh. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re in love. I can see it written all over your face right now. You really think you’re going to be able to let go of her in six months?” he scoffs.
I shrug. “I’ll do whatever I’ve gotta do to keep her as long as possible. I know I’m setting myself up for failure, but it’s going to be a hell of a ride getting there.”
He takes a sip and shrugs, letting the subject fall, but I can’t help but think about what he said. Am I in love with Luna? I love watching her perform. I love spending time with her. I love being buried deep inside her. But am I in love with her? It would explain why I felt as shitty as I did the month I had to live without her. But the thought has never crossed my mind. If that’s the case, is she in love with me too since she claims our time apart was really hard for her as well? We’ve never even come close to uttering those words to each other. In fact, Luna has always played it cool around me. She doesn’t get clingy. She doesn’t demand my time or attention. Until last night, she never came to me—I’d always gone to her. She’s not your typical woman. If possible, she’s even harder to read.
The band plays several songs before taking a break, at which point Preston and the girls pile into the booth.
“I can’t believe how good this band is!” Riley says, voice full of excitement.
“They’re going on tour soon. We’ll have to buy tickets,” I respond.
“Is that the girl you were seeing, Daniel?” Piper asks.
I look over at
Calvin. “Couldn’t keep a secret, could you?”
He shrugs. “Hey, telling my wife secrets doesn’t count,” he argues.
I admit it. “Yes, that’s the girl I was seeing. Not anymore,” I lie, not wanting more people than necessary to know.
Riley glances toward the stage and back to me. “Too bad. She’s hot and about to be famous! That purple hair . . . I’m so jealous.”
Preston snorts. “I like your hair just as it is. Please don’t die your hair purple.”
I laugh and Riley rolls her eyes.
“So, how are you two liking country life?” I ask, wanting to fill the silence created by the lack of music.
“I grew up there, so I’m used to it. This one, not so much,” Preston says, motioning toward Riley.
She holds up her hands, showing us her palms. “I love living there. I just forget that you can’t run out at 2 a.m. to get pizza or coffee or tacos. I’ve lived in the city for too long. I’m spoiled.”
I laugh. I’m also too used to city life. I’d never make it in the country. Once you live in the city, you almost forget that some places don’t stay open all night. I’ve bought groceries at midnight before. I’ve gotten out of bed with a taco craving. And everything is always right there at your disposal.
“What do you guys do there? I mean, there are at least a few restaurants and bars, right?”
Riley nods. “Well, right now, we’re so busy with unpacking and preparing for the baby that we don’t have much time to get bored anyway. And once our place is done, we’ll have to help Calvin and Piper with theirs. We’ve been talking about getting horses too, because we have stables. And Piper wants goats for some reason.” She rolls her eyes and I look over at Piper.
“Have you seen them dressed up in pajamas? It’s adorable! I don’t know who wouldn’t want them!”
I look over at Cal. “You’re going to have your hands full.”
He nods and his eyes go wide. “Don’t I know it,” he says, tipping back his drink.
The band takes the stage again and just like that, the girls are back up and dancing. Calvin goes to dance with his wife and Preston joins his. I’m now sitting all alone and feeling a bit left out. I guess I’d better get used to it. It’s going to be this way as long as I’m with Luna, and it will be this way after she leaves.
I look up and her eyes lock on mine. She smiles and winks, licking her lips before belting out another verse. She’s so beautiful up there that it steals the air from my lungs. Suddenly, it doesn’t matter how alone I’m feeling right now, because I know that later tonight, I won’t be feeling this way. She’ll fix it all.
Nine
Luna
The band is on fire tonight and the crowd is eating it up. I’m absorbing their energy and using it to fuel the music. I sing every last song in our repertoire, and by the time we’re wrapping up, my fingertips are numb from sliding across the strings of my guitar. I say goodbye to the crowd and make my way backstage to grab my things.
“Luna. Drink?” Van asks.
I grab my purse and pull it over my shoulder. “Not tonight. I have to work at the store tomorrow, followed by a guitar lesson. Plus I’ve been working on a song and the next line is itching to get out.”
“A new song, huh? What’s it about?”
I shrug. “It’s not for the band. It’s just something that’s bugging me and needs to get out of my head. I’ll catch up with you at the label tomorrow?”
“Yeah, sure,” he agrees as I brush past him.
I make my way outside. I turn to the right then to the left, looking for Daniel, but maybe he hasn’t come out yet. I don’t want to walk inside for fear of running into Van, so I cross my arms over my chest to wait. Moments later, Daniel’s car comes to a stop in front of me. The passenger-side window is rolled down and he dips his head to look out it. “Need a ride?”
I smile and climb into the passenger seat. The moment the door closes, he hits the gas and we’re zooming off through the night. He takes my hand in his as he drives us to his apartment. Until last night, I’d never been to his place, but it’s nice and quiet and I know we’re safe there. The guys don’t know where he lives, so I don’t have to worry about them randomly showing up and catching us off guard.
He parks the car in the garage and we both get out and walk up to the elevator hand in hand.
“You hungry? I can order dinner.”
“I could eat,” I agree. “I’m in serious need of a shower after that show though.”
The doors open and he leads me inside. “You can get a shower and I’ll order us something to eat.” He pulls me closer, his lips softly brushing against mine. We finish our journey to his apartment and he unlocks the door, allowing me to walk in ahead of him. I shrug out of my coat and hang it up by the door, then head through the living room and his bedroom to the connected bathroom. I start stripping out of my clothes as the water warms.
He sticks his head into the bathroom with a stack of takeout menus in hand. He sees me half-naked and smiles. “Anything specific you want?”
I shrug. “Surprise me,” I reply, lifting my shirt above my head.
He tosses the menus over his shoulder as he stalks toward me. He pulls me against his chest and his mouth finds mine. He kisses me hard and fast, and when I try pulling away, his mouth just descends my body, kissing my jaw and neck, then moving down to my breasts.
I playfully push him back. “Oh no, I need a shower and food before any fuckery.”
I slip out of his arms and slide into the shower.
“Fine, I’ll order food,” he says, picking up the menus and leaving me alone in the bathroom. I dip my head back and let the hot water wash over my hair. I pour shampoo into the palm of my hand and begin massaging it into my hair. I feel a cold breeze and open my eyes to find him standing in front of me, completely naked. I get a full view of his hard body, and if possible, he only got sexier during the month we were apart. His biceps are bulging and tanned. His pecs are huge and his abs are rock-hard. I count six before following that trail of hair down to something I want to wrap my hand around.
“Are you checking me out, Ms. Rock Star?” he asks around a smile.
A grin escapes. “What if I am, Mr. Lawyer?” His hair is longer than it used to be and it gives him a carefree look instead of the stuffy lawyer look he always had before. His beard is growing out, putting a nice shadow on his angular jaw.
He reaches out and pulls me against him. “I may have to bend you over my knee and punish you.” He leans forward, pressing his lips to mine. He backs me into the water and moves his hands up to help wash the shampoo out of my hair. When it feels free of bubbles, he picks me up against him and presses my back to the shower wall. I can feel his excitement between us. He pulls his hips back, allowing himself to glide between my folds. My stomach tightens, ready to feel him inside, but the doorbell rings and he pulls back.
“Food’s here. That was fast.” He puts me on my feet and I’m breathless as I watch him throw on a robe and leave the bathroom.
I quickly finish up my shower and shut off the water. I grab a towel and wrap it around myself, exiting the bathroom and walking into his bedroom. That’s when I stop at the familiar voice. It’s Van.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Van says.
“Oh, no problem. What’s up?” Daniel asks. I hear the sound of them sitting on the couch.
“I just wanted to come by and talk to you about Luna,” Van says.
“About Luna? We aren’t together anymore and haven’t been for over a month,” Daniel points out.
“I know, but I think something’s up with her,” Van says. “I think she’s about to come back to you. I don’t know how she feels about you exactly, but I do think you’re a nice distraction for her. You could take her mind off the band and the stress of recording a record. And as much as I wish I could give you my blessing, I just can’t. I’m concerned about the band. I’m afraid that if you two get too serious, she’ll back out of
the commitments she’s made to the band and our contracts.”
What the fuck? Why would he come here with this shit? How did he even know where Daniel lives?
“I appreciate your concern, Van, but Luna and I are done. And, well, frankly, what we do isn’t any of your business. I appreciate your concern and I’m sure Luna does as well, but there’s nothing to worry about. As I already said, we’re not together, but if we were, I wouldn’t ever dream of holding her back.”
“I know, and I’m not saying you would. I’m just afraid you would influence her decisions whether you wanted to or not. Anyway, I’m going to go. I just wanted to warn you.”
“Warn me? Warn me about what? That Luna might show up here wanting to start things again, or warn me that you don’t approve?” Daniel doesn’t sound happy.
“Both, I guess,” Van says, and I hear the door open.
“That’ll be $26.50,” someone else says. It must be our food.
“That’s a lot of food for one person,” Van says.
“Who said I was alone?” Daniel throws back.
I don’t hear anything after that except the sound of the door closing and locking. “Luna, food’s here!” Daniel calls out, and I finally walk out of his bedroom.
“What the hell was that?” I ask, falling onto the couch in my towel.
Daniel sets the food on the table in front of us. “No idea, but Van doesn’t seem happy about us being together.”
“Like I told you, I don’t know what his deal is. I mean, there’s a fine line between being a good friend and acting overbearing, you know? I know he’s concerned about the band, but this is getting a little crazy, right?”
Daniel shrugs as he digs our food out of the bag. “I guess I don’t blame him. I mean, they do have a lot riding on you. The whole band is counting on you to get them where they want to be. Van’s just wanting to ensure his ticket to fame isn’t snatched out of his hands.”
I take a deep breath and accept the cheeseburger he’s handing over. I guess he’s right, but it still aggravates me to no end. This is my life—my affairs, my business. Not his. I’d never dream of telling him he couldn’t be with someone. I don’t know why he thinks it’s okay to do that to me.
Rocking His FAKE World: A Fake Boyfriend, Opposites Attract Romance (Love You Forever Book 3) Page 9
