by Jaye Cox
"Fuck, Tiny Dancer. You look hot," Romeo says as he takes in my outfit. I think I blush a little since I’m not use to anyone thinking I’m hot. Cute maybe, but not hot.
"You do. You look awesome,” Rayne says as he walks in behind all the others. I run over to him and launch myself into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist. I kiss his neck as he gets me against the wall and whispers, "I love you so fucking much it hurts. I can’t wait to get you naked tonight.”
“Get a room so they rest of us don't feel left out," Dex says.
"Unless you're letting us join in, then by all means, please continue,” Romeo says. He’s such a pervert. Rayne gives them the finger and puts me down. "Until later,” I say, and wink at him as I walk off to find Sam.
CHAPTER SEVEN
I find Sam out back lying on the grass. She can be a bit weird at times but it’s nice to finally have a good female friend. I sit down beside her and we just stare at the stars. "So" she says, "Tommy’s cute, have you two ever....?”
"Have we ever what?" I’m pretty sure I know what she’s asking but I want her to say it. She wouldn't be the first to ask.
"You know―hooked up or dated?"
"No. Never."
"Really? You’ve been friends with him your whole life and you’ve done nothing?"
"No, why?" I ask, curious as to where she’s going with this. She and Morris are tight, so I know it’s not because she’s interested in him.
"I was just curious why he reacted the way he did today if he doesn't have a thing for you - it doesn’t make sense.
"Tommy and I are close; we have been since I was five. His Mum and my Dad haven’t really been around much since they both work at the hospital. They relied on each other when it came to taking care of us. Tommy’s taken it upon himself to be my protector and substitute brother.
"Still seems strange to me since he knows Rayne, too. They’re good friends and you don’t go around punching friends over nothing."
"It wasn't just nothing though, Sam Rayne was an ass today and that’s not something I'm use to.”
"I’m not excusing Rayne’s behavior, but he has continuously told you he’s not a nice guy. Since he’s been with you, it’s the nicest he’s been to anyone in a long time. What happened today was between you and him - Tommy shouldn’t have gotten involved.”
"Yeah, maybe you’re right."
She laughs, "I’m always right."
"I’m going to find Rayne; are you coming in?"
"Nah, but I’ll be in soon."
I go back into the house through the kitchen to find a few more people are here. Some faces I recognize some I don’t, but I don’t miss Tammie. She’s talking to some guy and as I try to walk past her without her seeing me, another guy I met at the guys last gig yells my name and says hi, which causes her to turn and look at me.
"What are you doing here? I thought parties weren’t your thing."
"They’re still not my thing, but my boyfriend lives here and you know me; I do try and please everyone.” I was trying to be sarcastic, but I don’t think she caught on because what I said is so close to the truth.
"Isabella Preston has a boyfriend? Well, this I have to see since Tommy obviously didn’t want you. He always came to me, if you know what I mean."
"What you do with Tommy isn’t any of my business, Tammie. This conversation is pointless and I have a boyfriend to go see."
"Lead the way,” she says. I raise my eyebrow at her because I wasn’t sure if she was serious that she really wanted to follow me, but she does. "So who’s this boyfriend of yours?”
"Not that it’s any of your business, but my boyfriend is the guy Tommy brought to your party."
"The one I made out with?” she asks with a sly smile that I want to slap off her face.
"Yes, him.”
"Well, he doesn’t look like your boyfriend to me. He does look like he’s having fun with her though.” I look over and sure enough Red Claws is all over Rayne. Not that he seems to notice, since he’s laughing at something one of the guys just said. I think to myself, fuck it. I’m going to show this bitch he’s my man, not hers. I will snap her red claws off, one by one if she keeps touching him. I walk straight through the small crowd to Rayne, whose eyes lock with mine, he knows I mean business. He smirks at me and leans back into the couch. When I reach him, I straddle his lap, leaning in to whisper, "Do I need to remind you I’m yours? Because I think you may have forgotten?"
"I think you should remind me."
He stands with me still straddling him and walks us toward his room. I catch a glimpse of Red Claws and Tammie watching us and give them the finger. Seriously, staying with these guys is turning me into a bitch, I love it. I know I don’t have much experience sexually but I’m taking control tonight. I jump off him when he locks his door and I walk him backwards until his legs hit the bed and he falls into it. "I don’t think I told you how much that jacket turns me on."
I don’t answer him, I just jump on top of him and kiss him so he’ll always remember my lips touching his. I lift his shirt by the bottom and guide it over his head, then run my hands down his body sliding them down his V's and lightly run my fingers down each side until I reach his belt. My hands are shaking so much I struggle to unclip it. Once I have undone and unzipped his pants, his erection comes out to greet me. At times like this, I’m glad that he goes commando. There is nothing hotter than Rayne Hollywood’s dick springing out in front of your eyes, I kiss down his body and run my tongue down his left V, grabbing him at the base of his dick. I place a kiss on the top and run my tongue up and down the base a few times. I’m winging it here. I’ve never given a blow job before; everything sexual we have done has been Rayne pleasing me. Sam reassured me it’s not hard to do since men really don’t care, they’re just happy you’re willing to let them stick it in your mouth and if I swallow, then it’s better than Christmas. I put the tip in my mouth and take him in as far as I can. He must like it because I hear him say, "Fuck yeah." He grabs my hair and lifts his hips to pump in and out of my mouth. I keep my hand at the base of his dick so I don’t gag and I curl my lips over my teeth. I apply pressure and match his movements as I alternate between my lips curled around my teeth and fanning my lips around his dick, while also swirling my tongue around it. I let him out of my mouth and take him quick, as far as I can and give him one long suck to the tip. "Fuck, Don’t stop, I’m nearly there." I feel him thicken in my mouth and he pulls out and I watch cum slide down my hand. I wipe my hand on a towel he hands me and lie down beside him on the bed. "Tiny Dancer, that was the best, first blow job I have ever gotten."
I roll over to face him and we’re lying nose to nose as he pushes the hair out of my face and tucks it behind my ear. We just chill for a while and breathe each other in. I must fall asleep because when I wake up it’s still dark. Rayne isn’t in bed next to me so I go to see where he is and get a drink, I walk down the dark hallway and don’t hear any noise; everyone must have left already. I get a drink and that’s when I hear him strumming on his guitar. I walk into the rumpus room where he’s sitting with his back against the wall and his head hanging down. His notebook sits next to him on the floor; I’ve noticed he doesn’t sleep much at night. He must sense I’m watching him because he looks up at me from under his hair, the look in his eyes isn’t something I’ve seen before; they’re so black tonight and full of darkness, I instantly get chills. His eyes hold so much hurt it scares me to see him like this and I wonder who, or what, has made him this way. I don’t know if I should stay or leave him be, so I decide a good girlfriend would at least try to comfort him. I sit beside him and without saying a word, he pulls me to sit between his legs and rests his guitar over me. I lean into him and rest my head back against his chest and listen to his heartbeat while he plays. I’m not sure what he’s playing, but it sounds like all the hurt and pain he has inside him is showing through his music. The sound of his hums echoes through the room. I start drifting off to sleep whe
n I feel him shift behind me. He lifts me with ease and kisses me on the head. "Shh, it’s ok. I got you," he says, walking us back to the room. He sits me on the bed, pulls off my boots and helps me out of my jacket and dress. I’m so tired I can barely sit up. It must be close to daylight by now. Rayne pulls off his shirt and slips it over my head. I put my nose under the neck of his shirt and smell it. I love the way he smells. It’s my new favourite smell. I curl up under the covers as Rayne gets in behind me and puts his arm over my waist, "Thanks for earlier. You make all the crap not seem so bad when you're with me, and it’s nice knowing I’m not alone."
"Will you tell me about it?"
"Maybe one day but it’s not something I talk about or something that you need to worry about."
"As long as you know you can tell me anything and I’ll still love you."
"No one has ever loved me before, so this is all new to me. I’m learning to be a boyfriend and I want to be a good one, but it’s only a matter of time before I fuck up. That’s just what I do, I’m toxic."
"Rayne, you have lots of friends who love you. There’s Dex, Romeo, Morris, and Sam."
"Not the same way you love me and how I love you. No one has wanted to love me. Women will fuck me and use me the same way I use them. I’m afraid I’ll love you too much and then you’ll leave me.”
“If you love me too much, I’ll love you that much more back. You’re mine and I’m yours. When you hurt, I want to hurt with you. When you’re happy, I’ll be happy with you. If you’re in a bad place, I’ll be here holding your hand. It will always be me standing here beside you, always and forever. If you try to push me away, I’ll chase you until you’re willing to catch me again. Just remember, I’m only human, Rayne. If I need to leave, I’ll always come back. I’ll always find my way back to you, and I will love you with everything I have until the last beat of my heart." I entwine my fingers in his and pull him into me so he’s as close as he can get, then I close my eyes and start to drift off to sleep, to him humming in my ear.
CHAPTER EIGHT
To say I’m excited about today is an understatement; it's our first Valentine’s Day together. I’ve never spent a Valentine’s Day with a boyfriend before. Every year Tommy does something sweet for me, but it’s not the same.
I bought Rayne a card and a photo of us together and put it in a frame that says: Forever and Always. I get up and plan to cook Rayne breakfast in bed but then decide that's a bad idea when I burn the eggs. I should’ve known better and just bought breakfast in the first place. I leave a note on the bench and go down to the bakery and when I get back, Red Claws is there. Does this woman have no self-respect? She’s always hanging around like a pesky barfly.
"Don’t you have your own house?" I ask as I walk past her.
"I do, I just prefer the view here better," she says, as Rayne comes walking out in a pair of jeans hanging low on his hips, pulling a shirt over his head.
"Hey, Tiny Dancer. I wondered where you disappeared to." He said and kissed me on the lips.
"I went to get us some breakfast." I say, smiling across the room at Claws.
"I’ll have to eat on the run. I have some band stuff I have to take care of, but I won't be too long."
"Are you ready? We need to go," Kandi, aka Red Claws says as she smiles at me with her ridiculous bright red lip stained mouth. She pisses me off just by looking at her. How can he not see she wants him? Maybe he does and just likes the attention.
"You're taking her with you and not me? Are you freaking serious? Today of all days?"
"Just drop it, I have to go," he says, grabbing a croissant.
"No, Rayne I won’t just drop it, I thought we would spend the day together."
"For fucks sake, I won’t be long. I need to get this shit done and we see each other every day -don’t be that girl."
"That girl? You don’t want me to be that girl, yet you’re taking that girl with you?" I say, pointing at Kandi.
"She has to come. Just trust me."
"Why?"
"Fuck, I don’t have time for this. Be jealous and have a tantrum, just do it once I leave." Kandi smiles. She knows what she’s done. She didn't have to come here. I give her the finger.
"Shit. Grow up, Tiny Dancer."
"Screw you, Rayne." I just stare in disbelief as he walks out the door, with no care that today is Valentine’s Day. We had talked about going on a picnic. I’m fuming he would be going anywhere with another woman today, even before spending any time with me. What could be so important that he would just take off? I wish I could call Tommy about it but he’s been a little distant since his fight with Rayne. We still talk occasionally, mostly when I don’t give him a choice and call his house phone. The more I think about what happened, the angrier I get. If he really likes skanks, then I’ll show him skank. I’ll go buy myself a skimpy dress and some hooker heels. It’s not like I have anything better to do. I channel my inner slut and go on a dress hunt. Yeah it might be childish but how else can I fight for my boyfriend’s attention when in walks Kandi, with her short dresses that make him drop everything to run off with her. I leave his gifts on the bed and head out. I doubt he even remembered today was Valentine’s Day. I’m about to leave when the doorbell rings. I bet it’s just Sam. She loses her keys all the time. I open the door and it isn't Sam, but it’s a guy holding a big teddy bear with a single Calla Lily.
"I have a delivery for Isabella Preston."
"That’s me."
"Just sign here, please." I sign for the bear and take it inside. Maybe Rayne did remember and really had somewhere important to be. I feel bad I overreacted, until I open the card.
BELLS.
I’m sorry for acting like a brat. Please forgive me. You’ll always be my first Valentine and my best friend.
BFF's Forever.
X Tommy.
I have mixed emotions. Tommy always knows what to do to make me feel better. It makes me smile for a few minutes, until I start to get angry the bear isn’t from Rayne - I should’ve known better. Rayne wouldn't know my favourite flower is a Calla Lily, it’s the only real memory I have from when my mother used to live with us. She would always put fresh Calla Lilies in a vase on the table and only Tommy knows that. I never intentionally kept it from Rayne but I just don't talk about my mother very often. I love her, she just hasn’t been around for the important times I’ve needed a mother. I’m lucky I have Tommy because he’s been my rock when I needed her. I try Rayne’s phone and it goes straight to voicemail, so I send off a quick text to Tommy.
ME: Thanks for the bear, I’m sorry too. Come out with me tonight.
TOMMY: Let’s never fight again. I miss my best friend. Can't tonight I have to study for a test. We’ll catch up soon though.
ME: Ok. I'm off to go buy a slutty dress.
TOMMY: Do I want to know?
ME: No.
TOMMY: LOL. Have fun.
ME: ; )
I Remember Sam telling me about a little shop where she gets all her dresses from, so I decide to go and look for something there. As I walk into the shop, I can tell this is the place I need to be in to get something tight and short. I look through a few choices and they’re all terrible. I don't know how I’ll pick. "Can I help you with anything?" the sales lady asks.
"Yes. I need something really short that says, screw you."
"I have the perfect dress. We just got it in today. Tammie, can you bring the new dress out, please?" Of course she works here; she probably gets paid in clothes.
"Isabella, what brings you here? Taking up a new job as a stripper?"
I roll my eyes, "I’ll try it on."
"Dressing rooms are over in the corner. I’ll get you some shoes to try on. What’s your size?”
"Seven." She leaves and I go to the dressing room. I try on the dress and it’s so short. I wouldn't be able to bend over that’s for sure. I look in the mirror and the front is very low and revealing; just covering my breasts as the middle falls right above m
y belly button. The back also hangs low. I would normally never show this much skin, but it’s perfect.
"Does it fit?" the sales lady asks.
"Like a really tight glove."
"Come out and give us a look." I walk out and try to pull the dress down a little because it really looks like something you should wear under a real dress. The sales lady hands me a pair of heels and once I have them on she makes me do a spin. "That dress must have been made for you; you look hot. Tammie, how hot does she look in this dress?"
"Wow. You actually do look good, Isabella. What’s the occasion, anyway?"
"I want to go dancing tonight." The sales lady goes to check on another customer and it’s just me and Tammie standing there in an uncomfortable silence.
"There’s a club in town called Dismount. It’s the place to go if you want to dance," she says.
“Why would you tell me that? You hate me."
"I don't hate you, I just don’t like you."
"Fair enough and the feeling is mutual."
"Crazy idea. Why don’t we go together, and before you say no, all my friends are doing Valentine’s Day shit with their boyfriends and you obviously have no plans."
"This won't mean we’re friends; just two people in the same place to dance and possibly get wasted."
“Oh, God no. We won’t be friends and we’ll never speak of it again."
"Sounds good. What time will you be there?" I ask.
"Nine," she says. I never would have thought in a million years I would go anywhere with Tammie, but why the heck not? It’s not like we’re going to be best friends, although I must admit she knows how to party and I need to get all this stress and anger out before I explode. I go back to my house and see my father just as he’s about to head off to work. I lie and tell him I’ve come to get some more clothes. All he says is to lock up when I leave. I spend the rest of the day checking my phone like a crazy person, hoping Rayne would message me and tell me how sorry he is. I could just forgive him and everything would be good again, except the message never comes. I check my phone one last time and still nothing, I’m starting to have second thoughts about tonight. I hate dealing with big crowds when I’m not behind the comfort zone of a bar. Shit, why did I tell Tammie I would meet her? I don't like her but I can’t just ditch her now and not show up. I look at the time. Now I’ll be lucky to get to Dismount on time, I really hate being late. I start to relax as I find a park with five minutes to spare, but before I get out of the car, I make sure I double check the Hollywood Tape is keeping everything in place. Who would have known you can buy tape to keep your breasts in your dress? I must admit, I do feel sexy. I’ll never say it out loud or ever tell anyone else though. I show the bouncers my ID as I walk through the doors into Dismount. The place is already crowded with the music blaring through the speakers and lights flashing over the ceiling. The closer I get to the bar, I see a smoke machine letting out smoke over the dance floor. I spot Tammie at the bar, with a couple of guys.