“You’ve helped me with the publicity for my grand opening. I’d be happy to do something fun like help you host a party.”
“Thank you so much. Where do we start?”
My mind went into party-planning mode and I made a mental checklist. “Let’s get together this afternoon. The liquor store and party goods store are in the same block. We’ll then sit down and figure out what to do for food. And I can bring some of this gruesome business paperwork you can help me decipher.”
We reached the gym’s entrance. Some of my regulars were already hanging outside chitchatting, waiting for class to begin. I swear my classes had as much of a social component as a physical and mental one.
“I have the place to myself,” Lily said. “Nico’s playing a show in Portsmouth. We can order takeout and have a girls’ night in.”
“Good. I could use something low key.”
“There’s one thing I should warn you about,” Lily added with a sly smile.
“What?” I answered with hesitation.
“Mike might be at the party.”
The buoyant mood faded. “Oh great.”
“Knowing him, he probably won’t. When not in band mode, he’s kind of a recluse. Giving you a heads-up, just in case.”
Mike
While I dressed in leather pants and a white loose-fitting shirt for our show in Portsmouth, I thought about the blonde from last night. I’d been concerned about her since I left her apartment. Had she been drugged by someone or had she taken something herself? The way she stared at the blood with confused fascination made me think she was as surprised about it as I was.
I pulled my hair back, tied a long bandanna over my head and drew some scars with eyeliner, going for a pirate look tonight. Why the hell couldn’t I remember her damn name?
I remembered faces and details, but was never good with names. It had gotten me in trouble with the ladies more than once. Recalling the address she gave the cab driver, I ran a reverse address search and found out who lived at that address. A guy named Richard Peterson and a woman named Allana Miles. She lived with a guy? Bugger, as Nico would say.
Expectation left me as quickly as if someone had poked a balloon with a pin. Had she been cheating on him when we hooked up or had they recently moved in together?
Why did this bother me? We slept together once months ago. No promises, no strings attached, just the way I liked it.
Resisting the urge to Google her and find out more, I closed my browser. She lived with a guy and she showed absolutely zero interest in me last night. Why bother getting hung up on some woman who used me once for a hot fling with a rock star before going back home to her live-in boyfriend?
I glanced at the computer again. I could call her, make sure she was okay. That wouldn’t be weird, would it? The number would be a landline, though, for their apartment. And if her boyfriend answered, that would suck.
Nico handed me my leather jacket when John and I picked him up. I’d taken a cab straight home after Allana ditched me, and texted him to grab my stuff.
On the drive north, I wondered how I could ping Nico without giving away too much of my interest. I turned back to face him. “Nico, you know Lily’s friend Allana?”
“Allana? No.”
“You know, the blonde you introduced me to at Vamps when you started dating Lily?”
“You mean Ally? Where did you get Allana from?”
I couldn’t admit looking her up without sounding like a stalker. “Never mind about that. I ran into her last night.”
“Yeah, Lily said you two went home together.”
“Not exactly,” I admitted. “We took a taxi to her place, but she didn’t let me in.”
John, our drummer who was driving, chuckled.
“Smart girl,” Nico said. “I always liked her. Don’t know what happened to her judgment that night. I warned her about you.”
“What?” I said horrified. “Why would you do something like that to your bro?”
“Chill out. She’s Lily’s friend. I didn’t want her to get hurt so I warned her not to expect anything long term.”
“I’m shocked,” I replied in mock horror. “Offended and shocked.” I stroked my chin. “Where would you get such a narrow-minded idea of me?”
John coughed, muttering something, and gave an exaggerated impersonation in my voice. “The ladies all want a piece of this.” He motioned to his body. “And I have to spread it around to make them all happy. What can I say, I’m a lay-deez man.”
“True, true,” I replied. “The ladies do love this.” I motioned down my body. “So what’s the deal with her anyway?” I asked Nico. “She lives with her boyfriend?”
“She lives with a guy,” Nico replied. “I don’t think they’re together. Why do you care anyway?”
“Just curious.” Although relief flooded through me, it vanished as soon as I contemplated another possibility. “Are they friends with benefits?”
“How the hell would I know?” Nico said. “I don’t ask who she sleeps with.”
“Ask Lily. She’ll know.”
Nico shook his head. “I will do no such thing. As far as I’m concerned, the more distance between you and Ally, the better.”
“And why is that?”
“If you hurt her, that will come back to Lily, which will come back to haunt me. All because you have a problem keeping your dick in your pants.”
My chest tightened at the idea of causing Allana pain. “Oh come on, just because I’m interested in her doesn’t mean I plan to break her heart.”
John gave me a knowing look.
Nico added, “Stay away from her, will ya? She has enough going on right now.”
“Like what?” I shifted in my seat. “Guy drama?”
“If she didn’t tell you, it’s none of your business. She’s a sweet girl. Helping Lily plan our New Year’s party.”
A light bulb went off in my head. “So she’ll be at your place next week?”
“Oh no. I shouldn’t have mentioned it,” Nico said.
“Looks like my New Year’s Eve plans have opened up.”
“I thought the idea of New Year’s Eve horrified you, with all the hype about a kiss at midnight.”
That was true. The midnight kiss had so much associated with it, it set up unfair expectations for the year ahead. But picturing kissing a hot blonde at midnight made the venture far more enticing. “No, I will be a charming guest with a megawatt smile at your party.”
“I hope she brings a date.” Nico smirked.
John laughed. “Then you’d be gaping open-mouthed.”
“Laugh now, my friends.” If she showed up with a guy, that would be a serious clink in my plan. “He’d be the one left gaping when he sees her going home with me.”
Chapter Three
Allana
Lily and I stopped at a party goods store and I grabbed a cart. Since Christmas just passed, we walked by a number of marked-down goods. Thank God the holiday was over. At my parents’ house, I’d faced the usual onslaught of inquiries from relatives about my love life, followed by a boatload of questions about the studio. When I left the bag of gifts for my nieces and nephews no longer weighed me down but my anxiety did. Nothing like well-meaning relatives to add stress.
I maneuvered the cart to where the New Year’s goods were stocked.
“Do you have a color theme in mind?” I asked Lily.
She scrunched her nose. “Do I need one?”
“We’ll go with basic black and white.”
“Ah, yes. That works.”
“How many people are you expecting?”
“Oh, I don’t know. There’s the band and some of Nico’s coworkers, you, a couple of people I worked with, my mom and her boyfriend, and a couple of friends from the White Mountains. So I’d say no more than twenty.”
Mike might show. A part of me glimmered inside at the prospect, another part cringed. I forced him out of my head and did a quick mental count for party goods.
I grabbed enough packages of black paper plates, white paper plates, black napkins with Happy New Year printed on them, and some utensils. Spotting party packages of noisemakers and tiaras, I said, “Let’s get a couple of these.”
“You’re the boss.” She threw them in the cart. “Pretty soon you’ll actually be your own boss.”
“Don’t remind me,” I said as steered the cart to the cash register. “I’m already terrified. Do you know how much paperwork is involved with starting your own business?”
Lily smiled. “Unfortunately, yes. I filed a ton to consult on my own.”
“Nice, you can lead the way. I have a folder of documents from my accountant, which don’t make a grain of sense to me.”
“Sure, once we finish Project New Year’s Party, we’ll switch to Project Yoga Studio over takeout. How about Thai?”
“Always.”
I picked up some streamers, banners and balloons and threw them into the cart.
Lily asked, “Do we have everything?”
“From this store, yes. Next up, liquor store.”
We rolled over to the register and she added, “I can’t wait to take my first class in your new studio.”
“Fingers crossed, we’ll open mid-January. You’ll be in my first class, I hope. I need you for moral support.”
“Wouldn’t miss it. Think of the slew of people who will follow you to your new place.”
“That’s what I’m hoping. If not, I’m making the biggest mistake of my life.”
Mike
I glanced at the clock for the eighth time. It was still only 8:30. The party had begun a half-hour ago, but I didn’t want to appear overeager to see Allana. Hopefully she’d be alone.
I reached Nico and Lily’s townhouse after nine, ignoring the feeling building inside. They’d made a good choice, one that fit their lifestyle since neither of them had time to take care of landscaping, snow removal and all the repairs that came with owning a single family home. The landscaping fit the setting, not too manufactured and not too overdone to compete with the Tudor style of the townhouses. I suspected Nico leaned toward this style having grown up in England. Lights shone from the living room but the curtains were drawn. The closer I came to the front door, the sharper the sounds from inside. The sound of System of a Down’s Chop Suey drowned out most of the voices. Nico picked the music, I gathered.
When I entered the living room, the scent of food wafted over me. It smelled delicious, but I was more focused on the guests than the food. I scanned the groups of people and recognized buddies from work, but not Allana. After initial greetings and a few spinach-cheese bites, I headed into the dining room. Nico and Lily had drinks in their hands and were talking to an older couple I didn’t recognize. When they noticed me, they came over.
“You made it.” Nico patted me on the back. “I’m honored you chose us over the Twilight Zone marathon.”
“It was a tough choice.” I grinned.
Lily beamed, “We’re glad you came.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss a party given by two of my nearest and dearest of friends.”
Nico faked a cough and said, “Bullshit.”
I leaned closer to Nico and whispered, “Where is she, dude? You said she’d be here.”
“Take it easy, she’s around.”
Lily took a sip of her cocktail, watching me over the glass as if sizing me up.
Allana stepped out of the kitchen area carrying a plate of appetizers. A wave of emotions hit me like a rock to the solar plexus—relief, anticipation and God knows what else. Her hair was pinned up under a sparkly black and silver tiara reading Happy New Year. A few loose strands curled around her face, offset by dangling diamond earrings. Her eyes were lined with black accentuating her sapphire eyes. My eyes traveled over every inch of her luscious body. She wore a fitted sleeveless black dress with a low neckline that showed a hint of tantalizing cleavage and ended at toned thighs. The dress was covered with silver bits that matched her jewelry, but when she smiled at guests while offering them mini quiches, she outshined them all.
Damn, she was drop-dead sexy.
I stared, no, full-out gawked at her, unable to look away. My heart raced and I wasn’t sure why. The expectation that had built up all week erupted like a volcano.
When she reached us and saw me there, a bevy of emotions flitted across her face and the smile that had left me dazed vanished. My arms hung heavy at my sides. “Allana,” I said and bowed in an exaggerated manner to cover my sudden awkwardness.
Her face dropped. “Why did you call me that?”
“Call you what? Your name?” A warning bell went off. “You asked me your name last time I saw you and I’m just telling you I do know.”
“Nobody calls me Allana,” she said. “Except my family.”
Nico said, “Thanks, Ally.” He took the plate of quiche. “Why don’t you enjoy yourself? We got these.”
Uh oh, how did I screw up?
Lily watched Allana, whose eyes were still focused on me, waiting for an answer. “Everything okay?” Lily asked.
“Yes,” Allana replied.
“Okay, I’ll be in the living room if you need me.” She walked away. “Thanks for all your help.”
She leaned closer to me and a wave of her scent hit me, coconut and maybe a hint of almonds, leaving me in a euphoric state. “Who told you my name is Allana?”
“I don’t remember,” I said, raising my hand in a carefree manner. “You must have told me last summer.”
“I introduce myself as Ally.” She narrowed her eyes.
“Why? I like the way Allana flows.”
“Ally is more approachable than Allana. It sounds like someone high-maintenance. A drama queen.”
“I think it fits you well,” I countered. Great, now I was sticking my foot in my mouth. “Not because you’re high-maintenance,” I clarified, “but because you’re beautiful.”
“Okay, Mike,” she said, unconvinced. “You’re smooth, I’ll give you that. But I recognize bullshit when I see it. What’s the real story?”
Busted. What could I come up with next to cover it up? I scanned my brain for something, anything, and came up with zip. Rather than digging myself into a deeper trench, I decided to go with the truth.
“I looked you up online using a reverse address search.”
“What?” Her mouth opened in a wide O. “That seems kind of cyber stalker-ish.”
“No!” I protested. “It’s just using technology. That’s what it’s there for. So we can find information.”
“So what did you do—Google me?”
I cocked my head and spoke in a posh English accent. “As a matter of fact, I did not.”
She peered at me with suspicion.
“It’s true. I may be no good at relationships, but I do like the old-fashioned way of getting to know people through a normal progression, not getting an information dump online.”
She continued to stare at me as if I were an animal she was trying to decide was cute or dangerous. Couldn’t I be a little of both?
I added, “Do you have deep, dark secrets you’re afraid I’ll uncover?”
She laughed, her guarded expression softened. A good sign. “Hardly. If you searched for me, all you’ll get is a bunch of results with yoga, Pilates and fitness tips. You, on the other hand, are all over the Internet. The Velvet Cocks website for one.”
“We created that ourselves,” I said, pumping my chest out.
“Social media,” she continued, counting on her fingers. “Lord knows how many fan sites.”
“Cyber stalk much?” I teased with what I hoped was a boyish grin. “What’s out there is limited to what we want the public to know about us. All you’d discover is I’m a software engineer who can play guitar.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “Are you saying there’s more to you than that?”
“I don’t know you well enough to divulge my secrets.” I leaned in closer, her delicious scent filling my nostrils. �
��But I might like to.”
She tried to stifle a smile, but it escaped and dazzled me. She shook her head. “I knew you didn’t remember my name.”
“It’s not because I forgot you in particular. I never remember names. I’m a numbers guy. If you’d given me your phone number, I would still remember it.”
“Well, it’s just as I expected.” She ran her hands over her dress to smooth out any wrinkles. My eyes followed the path of her hands. “So I’m not surprised.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’re a rock star who sleeps around. Can’t expect you to remember every one-night stand.”
I dropped the smile and caught her eye. “I remember every detail of that night. You have two cats, an orange tabby and a gray one, and a tank full of angelfish. You told me how you loved animals and wanted a house full of them one day. You wished your landlord would allow dogs. You poured us two glasses of Merlot, which we barely touched before stumbling into your bedroom. Your room was painted light-blue, but with one yellow wall. With the lights out, star stickers glowed on the ceiling, the Big Dipper, Orion and a smattering of stars. An abstract painting that looks like a moon in the night hung over your bed and framed pictures of family and friends are on the other walls. You had a copy of the Dalai Lama’s The Art of Happiness on your nightstand and you highlighted some passages in blue.” Her mouth had dropped, but I continued, not finished yet. “We shed our clothes in record time, so hot for each other. I still remember your soft moans, how you responded to my touch, how good it felt with you clenched around me.” My cock twitched at the memory. “You told me you were a yoga instructor and I joked how I’d test your flexibility, which we did many times that night.”
She covered her opened mouth, appearing astonished. “Oh my God, Chee. Mike. Whatever I’m supposed to call you.”
“Call me Mike.”
She dropped her hand. “How many names do you go by?”
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