by Grace James
He just laughed harder, throwing his head back and howling into the night.
That moment, right there – THAT was my first clue.
10
“You idiot!” I shouted, as Connor’s feet finally hit the ground. “You scared me to death!”
He was still chuckling like a little kid at a fairground. “Come on! It wasn’t that bad.”
His casual dismissal made me livid. “Wasn’t that bad? Wasn’t that bad?! You could have died! Look – look right there, at those bolts, they’re practically –”
“You’re really cute when you’re mad,” he interrupted.
That threw me.
Before I could gather my wits enough to respond, he spoke again.
“Now, you promised me on my death bed – almost – that you would tell me why you really left the club with me.”
I folded my arms across my chest and gritted my teeth – I wanted to strangle him…and kiss him. He was really hot. And exciting. And crazy! So maybe Hayley was right about me, maybe ‘wild’ was my thing. Who knew?
“Or you could not tell me and I’ll just have to climb back up…” he said nonchalantly, starting to back away slowly towards the sign.
“Fine!” I snapped. I took a deep breath and looked down, unable to meet his eyes as I spoke. “I left with you because you’re gorgeous and confident and I thought you were interesting and I wanted to spend more time with you,” I paused, feeling my face burning. “But now I realize that you’re actually insane –”
“Amy?”
“What?” I demanded, still not looking at him.
He stepped closer to me and reached out, tracing my bottom lip with his thumb, placing his forefinger under my chin and gently tipping my head up so that I was looking at him. My breath hitched in my throat at the contact and I saw the green of his eyes shrink slightly as his pupils flared. It felt as though the moment stretched forever, his thumb caressing my sensitive lip as heat gathered at my core – all from the touch of his fingers.
I held my breath as he leant forwards and brought his mouth to mine – but he didn’t kiss me.
Instead, he nipped my bottom lip lightly with his teeth – just the slightest hint of pain – before he released it, and then licked along it slowly with his hot tongue.
Oh God.
It was the most erotic non-kiss of my life – not that I’d had much experience.
“Damn,” he breathed against my lips. “You’re beautiful.” His hand moved to the nape of my neck, pulling me to him as his lips pressed against mine. He tasted of smoke and bourbon, but with an underlying tang that was just Connor. I felt his other hand press against the middle of my back as he pulled me towards him; I snaked my arms around his neck in response and our kiss became more intense. His breathing had quickened and I could feel his desire in the way that his mouth moved over mine, the way his tongue penetrated my mouth, like he wanted to taste every inch of it. His tongue caressed mine skillfully, tantalizing me, making my nipples harden and my lower stomach clench.
I couldn’t help it, I moaned into his mouth.
His grip tightened around me and he pulled me flush against him. My breasts pressed against his hard chest as I arched into him, the friction of our clothes rubbing together tormented my already aching nipples.
He groaned and I felt the hardness in his jeans grind against my belly. The sound of his arousal, coupled with the obvious feel of his arousal, caused a tightening deep in my core.
The knowledge that I was exciting him as much as he was exciting me both thrilled and scared me all at once.
It was completely new territory for me – I’d had one boyfriend in high school and I’d only dated one other guy in my freshman year at college. I was currently at the beginning of my sophomore year and I had never even gone beyond second base.
It hadn’t been a conscious decision to remain a virgin. I mean, I wasn’t against sex. It had just never happened for me. I just hadn’t liked the guys I’d dated enough to sleep with them, and I didn’t want to do it just to be able to say that I had, so...
I felt my body tense in anticipation and apprehension.
Connor must have felt me tense up, because he broke the kiss and pulled back to look at me. His eyes were dark pools of lust. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice even lower than normal, thick with desire.
I stared at him, suddenly embarrassed beyond measure. “I – uh...”
His eyebrows furrowed. “Did I do something?”
“No! It’s just...I’ve never...you know...before, so...”
He shook his head, bewildered. “Never what?”
Feeling my face pulsing red with embarrassment, I pulled away from him.
Suddenly, understanding hit him and his eyebrows flew upwards. “You’re a virgin?!”
“I take it you’re not?” I shot at him, awkwardness and embarrassment making me snappy.
He was looking at me in slack jawed shock. I wanted the ground to swallow me up but, at the same time, I was angry with myself for being embarrassed. I knew there was nothing to be embarrassed about, but I couldn’t help it.
“Hell, no!” he exclaimed, running a hand through his hair.
“Well, sorry to disappoint you!”
“Wait, what?!” He shook his head like he was trying to clear it. “I’m not disappointed, okay? Not even close.”
“But–”
“I’m just...surprised – ”
“I’m only nineteen, it’s not like I’m forty!”
“I know.”
“Then why the reaction?”
“I just –”
“Just what?”
“I just can’t believe someone as hot as you hasn’t had sex already – like, lots of sex. Guys must try and get you in bed all the time.”
For a beat I stared at him in silence, then I broke into a wry smile as something occurred to me. “Like you did tonight you mean?”
He looked momentarily taken aback, then he chuckled. “Yeah, just like that,” he admitted.
I deflated, waiting for him to say something like Well, this was fun and all, but if you’re not going to put out, maybe I should just call you a cab.
But he didn’t.
11
“What’s your favorite movie?” Connor asked mildly.
I double blinked. “What?”
He grinned. “Your favorite movie? I assume you have one? What is it? Like, The Notebook or something?” He walked over to where he had left the drinks on the wall and opened a beer before offering it to me.
I looked at him tentatively as I took it. “Um, I’ve never seen The Notebook.”
“Every chick’s seen The Notebook.”
“Well I haven’t, and last time I checked, I was still a ‘chick’.” I put air quotes around the last word.
He chuckled and took a swig of his bourbon. “Alright, then what is it?”
“True Romance.”
“No shit – I love that movie! Tarantino’s a God.”
“You know, Tarantino didn’t actually direct it –”
“– he just wrote it and sold the screenplay so that he could make Reservoir Dogs, I know.” He shot me a slightly smug look in return for my look of surprise and took another swig of his bourbon. “Reservoir Dogs or True Romance, imagine having that choice.”
“Which one would you have picked?” I asked.
“I’d have had to go with Dogs.”
“Shocker – guy chooses violence over romance.”
He grinned and shrugged.
“Okay. What’s your favorite movie?” I asked.
“Space Odyssey 2001.”
“Really? That’s your absolute favorite movie of all time?”
“Why is that so hard to believe? Kubrick’s a legend.”
“You just seem more like a Full Metal Jacket kind of guy.”
He shook his head in mock disappointment. “Judgmental.”
“You’re the one making ‘every chick’ comments – that’s not
judgmental?”
“Nah, that’s just me making you mad ‘cause you’re cute when you’re mad.” He reached out and took my hand in his, urging me to stand next to him at the wall.
“You’re kind of annoying,” I said softly.
He laughed loudly. “Apparently hot girls like annoying guys.”
“They do, do they?”
“Based on the evidence in front of me, yeah, they do. You’re still here aren’t you?”
He was still grinning a little as he slowly leant in and kissed me again; it was an innocent kiss, no tongue, just warm lips, like he was testing the water, unsure if I would pull away. Just as I started to melt into him, he pulled back.
“Anyway, you never answered my question in the cab, about why you chose Vegas.”
“Noticed that, did you?”
“Not much gets past me.” His tone was a little self-mocking. “So tell me, why Vegas?”
I sighed and tried to fight the blush of embarrassment that was spreading over my face. Once again, I was unsuccessful. “True Romance,” I said quietly.
He looked down at me quizzically. “You gave that answer already. You can’t just use it again.”
I giggled. “No, honestly, True Romance is the reason I chose Las Vegas.”
“But Vegas isn’t even in that movie.”
“I know, but Alabama mentions it one time, she talks about how they stopped off in Vegas and bought clothes. And then there’s that scene with the phone booth – it looks like it was filmed just outside of Vegas.”
His eyes lit up with mischief as a slow smile spread across his face. “Yeah, I know that scene. Great scene.” His smile was replaced by a look of incredulity. “That can’t be why you moved to Vegas, to have phone booth sex? ‘Cause if that’s the reason –”
“No!” I swatted at his chest. “Of course not!”
Although that scene did make phone booth sex look pretty hot…
“Aw, damn...”
I rolled my eyes. “It was just the adventure of it all, the unpredictability. You know, waking up one day and having no idea your life was about to change in the most crazy way. It just seemed like a million miles away from how I grew up. I’m from a small town and not much happens there, Clarence and Alabama road tripping across the country just seemed so exciting and romantic…” I trailed off and shrugged, feeling silly.
“So you’re a romantic?” he teased gently, which made me blush even more. Seriously, I was probably rivaling a tomato by that point.
“I guess,” I admitted.
He took a sip of bourbon and seemed to consider for a moment. Then his mouth tilted impishly. “That’s good to know.”
12
We talked for hours. Connor held my hand and kissed me off and on the whole time, but he never tried to take it further – though I kind of wished he would.
As the sky started to lighten, he pulled out his cell phone and checked the time. “Damn, I have to go. Blake gives me a ride to work and he’s a dick if I make him late.”
“What do you do?” I asked. “Or – wait, do you do the band full time?”
“Not yet, we both work construction.”
“Oh, do you like it?”
“Yeah, it’s okay – it’s not forever.”
“Right, because rock stardom awaits.” I grinned mischievously.
He put his hand over his heart. “Thanks for believing in us,” he said with mock sincerity. “It really means a lot.”
“No problem.”
“Alright, at least come see us play before you write us off completely.”
“I was being supportive!”
“You were being a smart ass,” he said, grinning.
“Okay, I was. Seriously though, I would love to see you play.”
“Yeah, you probably would actually.” His grin widened. “We’re playing Friday night at Blake and Kane’s house – it’s just a backyard gig, but there’ll be one hell of an after party. You should come.”
“That sounds fun.”
“So you’ll come?” he pressed.
“Yeah, sure.”
“Give me your phone?” I handed it to him and we swapped numbers – then he called me a cab.
As it pulled up in the bowling alley parking lot, I took off his leather jacket and offered it to him. He took it, and then hooked his free arm around me and pulled me to him one final time and kissed me – hard and deep this time, like a promise.
When he broke the kiss I was pretty much gasping.
He grinned at me as he opened the cab door for me. “See you Friday, Beer-Drinking, Ball-Breaking, Dumpster-Climbing Amy Scott who’s pretty hot.”
I was still giggling when the cab pulled out of the parking lot.
13
I shared an apartment with my roommate from freshman year – Melanie Black. She was a Psychology major from Nashville. After summer break, we’d moved into a small apartment just off the UNLV campus. It was a little ratty, but the rent was reasonable and it was just big enough for the two of us.
As I walked into our small apartment that morning, my mind was still firmly on Connor.
Until I saw Mel.
Although only about five foot two and tiny all over, she had a natural air of authority about her, and could turn on you like a pit-bull if you pissed her off. Which I had.
As soon as I entered the apartment she sprang off of the couch and ran at me. “Where the hell have you been?!” Her voice was shrill with worry.
“I went out with Hayley –”
“Yeah! Last night! I know! But where have you been since then? Did you – oh my God – did you go home with a guy?! Amy, I’ve been worried about you. You never stay out all night. I called you, I texted, I was starting to think you’d been raped and killed and thrown in a dumpster!”
“Well, actually there was a dumpster involved...” I teased.
She had a look on her face like she was trying to stop herself from tearing my face off.
“Okay, I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “And I love you for caring, but I’m fine, Mel, really. I’m sorry you were worried. I should have let you know I wasn’t coming home – but I didn’t actually know I wasn’t going to come home...it just kind of happened.”
She looked slightly mollified. She pushed her thick brown hair behind her ears and puffed out a long sigh. “So, where were you? Did you meet a guy?” The expression on my face must have given me away because her hazel eyes widened. “You did! Tell me everything!” she ordered, putting her hands on her hips and staring me down (well, a more accurate description would be ‘staring me up’ – I was a good few inches taller). It was like I was thirteen and had just been caught sneaking out of my bedroom window to meet a boy.
“Yes I met a guy,” I admitted, grinning.
“Did you go back to his place?!”
“No...” I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face at the memory of the unexpected place I had ended up.
“Tell me everything,” she repeated.
So I did, I told her every detail.
When I had finished, she looked at me for a few seconds before she spoke. “You’re totally going to sleep with him.” No speculation. She said it like it was a fact.
Mel was nothing if not direct. And right. That girl was always right.
14
Connor walked into Realm Records on Friday night at 8PM, just as I was finishing my shift. I was serving a customer at the cash register when I saw him.
I was immediately struck by his gorgeousness. My God – I’d forgotten just how good looking he was. He was wearing faded black jeans and a thin gray hoodie with the sleeves shoved up to just below his elbows, showing off perfectly formed forearms – all sinew and tight muscle. My breathing quickened just looking at him.
His soft green eyes took me in as he walked towards me. “Hey, Amy Scott,” he greeted me with a grin. “You almost ready?”
“Sure, just let me change out back. I won’t be long.”
I qui
ckly changed in the restroom – I kept my skinny jeans on, but I swapped my t-shirt for a white, sleeveless blouse and swapped my Converse for brown ankle boots with a heel.
Connor was browsing through the vinyl records section when I re-entered the store.
“See anything you like?” I asked. “You get a free pin with every purchase.” I grabbed an old Limp Bizkit pin from the basket on the counter, raising my eyebrows and opening my mouth in mock excitement.
“Twelve year old me would’ve loved that,” he said.
I laughed. “Me too. Here.” I tossed the pin to him. “A souvenir.”
Flashing a grin, he pinned it to the back pocket of his jeans, then turned so I could see it. “What do you think?”
“Of your ass or the pin?”
Because your ass is yummy, I thought – but didn’t say.
“The pin. I already know my ass is epic.”
I burst out laughing. “Modest much?”
He shrugged, like Why would I bother? LOOK at me. The guy had a point.
I shook my head wryly. “Let’s go – I need to watch you guys play so I can write you off completely.”
He frowned, looking confused. “Huh?”
“What you said the other night – ‘at least come watch us play before you write us off completely’? It was a joke…”
He shook his head. “I don’t remember that.”
“Oh, well –”
“But I do remember kissing you.” He grinned and slipped his hand into mine. I felt a warm tingle spread up my arm at his touch. Leaning in quickly, he nipped my lower lip between his teeth, like he had on the roof of the bowling alley. Mmm. “Come on,” he urged. “Let’s go rock your world.”
When we got into the parking lot, Connor led me towards a rusty Chevy pickup – it must have been dark blue once upon a time but the paintwork had faded and was chipped and scratched in places.
Connor hopped in and leant over, opening the passenger side door from the inside.
“I thought you didn’t have a car?” I said as I joined him.
“It’s my cousin’s,” he explained. “It’s a hunk of junk but it’s better than walking...just. And we can fit all our gear in back for gigs.”