The Big One

by Louisa Bacio

  “Hey, hey, US spelling please. No U.”

  “What? Says who? You didn’t lay out those rules.”

  “We’re in America. By default, we go by our spelling.”

  With a grumble, he picked up the U and scooted in the r. “There, happy now?”

  “Very. L-o-c-a-l.”

  “No need to rub it in. I’ve got my working papers.”

  “Do you live here full-time then?” she asked, leaning over the game board.

  “Mostly, when I’m not on tour. The studios we’re working with are in States, so I am, too.”

  The heaviness of their earlier conversation dissipated. After he played his next word, he caught her staring out into space, looking past him. What could she be thinking about? Maybe their kiss. It affected him more than he let on. What made her so different than the other women he’d been around? For one thing, she didn’t giggle or gush all over him. She treated him as if he was…normal.

  He watched her. “Hey, earth to Kayla. Your turn.”

  “What?” She blinked and focused on him.

  Pointing to the board, he said, “L-o-s-e. ’Cause that’s what you’re going to do.”

  “Keep talking big. B-a-c-k.”

  “Why yes, I would like a back massage.”

  ***

  After an hour, the space on the board grew tight and she stifled a yawn.

  “Why don’t we finish this game in the morning?” he said. “It’s not like it or we will be going anywhere.” Carefully, he lifted the board and moved it onto the table. “Usually, I’d be up much later than this, but I’m beat. Maybe it’s the lack of stimulus.” He could have kicked himself. “Wait, I didn’t mean that like it sounded.”

  “No worries. I understand. It’s kind of like being up in a mountain cabin. Sure, the altitude has an effect, but it’s also the mental relaxation. Something tells me in your real life you don’t get a whole lot of downtime.”

  “Not much. When I’m on the road with the band, I’ve learned to sleep almost like they say they do in the military—wherever and whenever. It’s not the getting to sleep bit I tend to have a problem with, it’s the staying asleep part.”

  She looked at him with her head tilted to the side, probably trying to figure him out. He wasn’t going to offer any further explanation. Hopefully, he wouldn’t wake her with any of his antics tonight.

  “I like to get my eight hours,” she said. “I’m going to go wash up. I’ll put an extra toothbrush out for you.”

  “Extra toothbrush,” he muttered as she walked away. She thought of everything. But she wasn’t prepared for the likes of him. He didn’t want to scrub away the taste of her. Right now, all he wanted was more.

  Chapter Six

  Something had woken her, and she wasn’t sure what. She lay still, holding her breath and listening to the darkness. Earlier in the night, she’d enjoyed Sebastian’s company more than she’d expected. When he wasn’t acting all macho, he was quite kind. Her stomach did a little flip-flop as she remembered the feel of his lips. She was attracted to him. What living, breathing woman on this Earth wouldn’t be? After being alone with him for the day, she’d already seen past the pretty-boy exterior to the complexity and wit beneath. How often did he let his guard down?

  Even though he was a celebrity, Kayla figured he had a public and a private side. Look at her. She was certainly different at work than at home or around friends and family. Maybe she should give him, and herself a break, and do what she could to enjoy the next few days. Take this little trapped-in-the-bunker excursion like being stranded on a deserted island, have a fling. Who was the last guy she’d dated? Jimmy from Sales? Boy could that man talk without taking a breath.

  A whimper disturbed the even sounds of Sebastian’s slumber. She moved closer to his cot. His brow furrowed, and his eyelids twitched. Was he having a nightmare?

  “Shhh,” she soothed. “It’s all right. You’re safe.”

  Without any idea what he was dreaming about, all she could think to do was offer comfort. Earlier, he’d seemed panicked about being trapped in the bunker. Growing up in earthquake country, she was pretty jaded when it came to the shakers. For someone new, it could be extremely frightening. Maybe those fears were coming through his dreams, twisting reality into horror. She stroked his hair, wanting only to soothe, not disturb.

  The lines across his forehead smoothed out, and the tightness of his body relaxed. Once his breathing became more even, she went to stand. His reached his strong arms out, wrapping them around her body, and pulling her against him.

  “Stay,” he murmured, nuzzling against her neck.

  His body felt so warm and safe, she obliged, telling herself only for a few moments until he feel deeper asleep.

  ***

  Kayla woke to a hardness pressed into her backside. As the drowsiness lifted, she realized what she was feeling. What would it be like to wake every morning like this, in a man’s arms, safe, secure, and wanted? But that wasn’t reality. She shouldn’t fool herself into having the dream. She attempted to wiggle into a different position.

  “Keep doing that, and he’s really going to wake up,” Sebastian said. “Excuse the morning wood. He doesn’t know any better.”

  He stuck his hand between their bodies, copping a feel of her ass as he shifted his cock to the side. “Thanks for keeping me company last night.”

  “It seems like you were having some nightmares. Do you remember anything?”

  “Not much.” He shifted his gaze away, and she guessed he remembered more than he wanted to tell.

  Kayla got out of bed and decided to clean herself up.

  “Where are you going?” he mumbled.

  “Time to start the day.”

  “Already? Slave driver.” He turned over, flinging his arm over his head.

  Shaking her head at his antics, she pulled the curtain on the washroom area. She filled the basin with a small amount of fresh bottled water. She’d thought about having regular plumbing run down here, but at the same time she didn’t want to have to rely upon the system.

  Dipping a washcloth in the basin, she massaged her chest and neck, cringing as she reached the soft spot on the back of her head. Stupid to not secure the canister. It should have been one of the first things done for safety in earthquake country. Sure, the shelves themselves were tied up, and the walls reinforced, but she needed to do some more work on the bulkier items on the shelves.

  After a rinse out of the washcloth, she turned her attention to the lower half of her body, enjoying the sensation of the cloth between her legs. From the feel of him hard against her, she imagined Sebastian gave some good loving.

  If it was the end of regular civilization, he just might be a good candidate for a mate. She blushed at the thought. Resourceful, strong, and sexy as hell. And then there was his voice. When she awoke to the sound of his singing after being knocked out, it was like she had been transported to another sensual world. Check that. Maybe he wasn’t a good candidate; she’d have to fight off too many other women.

  After finishing up, she rinsed out the cloth, hung it to dry, and then yanked the plug on the basin. For now, it ran off into an oversize bucket, which would only last for so long. In another area of the shelter, she had a built-in drainage pipe that flowed discretely down a hill behind her house.

  From a set of drawers, she removed a tank top, a fluffy sweater, a pair of underwear, and sweatpants. She hadn’t packed away any sexy survival wear, just the basics of comfort and need. Maybe she’d have to fix that for the future.

  She took a mental inventory of the supplies they had, and what needed to be done over the next few days.

  Although the bunker had been stocked, she wasn’t prepared for what being isolated underground for an extended amount of time entailed. While she had the physical location and it was well stocked, it was different in practice. They were locked in, without an escape route, but when they got out, she’d have to take into consideration being secluded for a
longer period.

  ***

  After breakfast, Sebastian strummed his guitar, and what came out of it sounded more and more like a complete song.

  Always, though, Kayla was aware of his physical presence. The more time passed, the more he consumed the space. If she ran, he’d follow. If she shied away, he might pounce. His thigh brushed hers under the table, and her entire body heated up. When their hands touched while washing dinner dishes, she thought of him caressing her naked body. Lewd mental snapshots consumed her thoughts with every turn, every touch. Her desire strung taut, almost to the breaking point.

  Instead of continuing to fight it, maybe she should give in to her longings.

  The evening drew on, and they finished the game of Scrabble, with Kayla winning—narrowly.

  “What would you like as your prize?” he asked as they sat on the cot.

  Heat rose in her cheeks. “A kiss.”

  She leaned in, closing the gap between them. He pushed the game board to the floor, the tiles tumbling everywhere. For a brief moment, his breath blew hot against her mouth, and then lips touched lips, and she pushed aside the self-doubts to experience this moment. This kiss was nothing like the first.

  This one Kayla knew was coming, but still it surprised her. The magic they’d shared before flared right away, proving without a doubt the attraction wasn’t a fluke.

  Sebastian nibbled her bottom lip, and heat flushed through her. She opened—her mouth, her heart, and her body—to him.

  He slid his hands around her back, bringing her to him as he laid her on the cot. His hard cock pressed into her abdomen. The physical connection between them had nothing to do with being in an emergency situation, and everything to do with chemistry. They wouldn’t be dying anytime soon. He sizzled with sexiness, and she found herself unable to resist.

  As he continued to kiss her, he pulled off her sweater. Underneath, her nipples stretched the material of her tank top. She didn’t remember ever being so turned on, anticipating what came next. Forget what her mind kept arguing against; even if it was for this moment, she wanted Sebastian.

  “Hello, sunshine,” he said. “Look how gorgeous these breasts are.”

  Off went the next layer, and her breasts fell forward, asking for attention. Right away, he took a nipple in his mouth and sucked, flipping his tongue against the tip and making her arch into him. As he sucked, he made wet noises, which turned her on even more. He supported her back with his other hand, holding her in place.

  In his arms, under his attention, she felt beautiful and confident.

  “That feels so fucking good,” she said.

  His mouth stilled. “Kayla! Your language.”

  She ditched her conventions. No one else was there to judge her and what she wanted to do. In the outside world, she had to act a certain way. Here, trapped with Sebastian, a whole different set of rules existed—or didn’t. He gave her permission to be free.

  “Fuck my language. Right now I don’t want to be prim and proper, or worry about if I’m ruining or securing our chances of landing your account. I just want you.”

  “You have no idea how good that makes me feel,” he said. “Too many of the women I meet are concerned about the rock star, not the person I am.”

  “Rock star? Do I know you? Are you someone famous?” she teased him.

  “Funny one,” he said, and then tweaked her nipple with his thumb and middle finger.

  A moan escaped her. God, did he ever know how to excite her.

  “Stand up for me,” he said. She obeyed, letting him slide her pants all the way down to the floor.

  A chill hit her bareness, but disappeared when he replaced the material with his hands. She shivered beneath his touch. He slipped two fingers between her legs, pressing against her silky underwear. “Mmm, so very wet. Is all this for me?”

  She shifted, hoping to encourage him to travel farther.

  “Uh-uh, patience.”

  Swirling, twirling, he moved his fingers around in a figure eight, ratcheting up a higher emotional response.

  He brushed his lips against her stomach, flicking his tongue into her belly button. Her body quivered.

  His hair prickled the underside of her breasts.

  “That tickles.” She lounged on the cot, resting on her elbows, an open invitation. “Come join me?”

  “I thought you would never ask.”

  He settled next to her, leaning her back farther. He smelled woodsy. Half his body covered hers, one knee pressed between her legs, spreading them farther apart. His weight reassured her, steady and secure, and then he brushed down her panties, exposing her pussy to his touch. His middle finger found entry first, sliding inside her and tilting up below her clit.

  Her body shuddered. Damn. Why hadn’t she done this more often? Too much isolation, and not enough interaction. The feeling of being touched, consumed, settled through her while at the same time put her on edge. She wanted more, and now. His long hair fell over his forehead, and his eyes were half-closed. Deep in concentration, he rubbed her with his thumb, and she moved with him.

  “Does that feel good, baby?”

  “Mmmm, yes. Don’t stop.” His magic fingers caressed, drawing her out of her shell stroke by stroke. He built up her lust, and her heart conquered her fears. Her desire cranked up, as if he were winding an engine, even tighter.

  “Don’t plan on stopping for a long time. How long did you say we had down here?”

  “Three days—” Her breathing hitched as he sank another finger inside her and leaned over, flicking his tongue over her clit. He covered her with his warm mouth, circling and massaging.

  “And we already wasted one. I suppose that’ll be enough time to thoroughly work you over.” He gave her a wicked smile and then mouthed her pussy, not stopping until she’d draped her ankles over his shoulders and cried out his name.

  “You, I want you,” she said, digging her nails into his shoulders. He pulled off his T-shirt and she traced the outline of the tattoo on his rib cage. She’d caught a glimpse of ink on his side earlier when he’d stretched, but hadn’t been able to make out the design, a circle with a blue bar intersecting it.

  She trailed her fingers over the letters. Underground. His skin prickled beneath her touch.

  “Is this for your band?”

  “Pretty much,” he said, taking her hands and bringing them up to his lips. He sucked on her fingertips, sending shivers down her arms.

  She unbuttoned his jeans, and he lifted his hips as she slid the pants down. When she reached his briefs, he stilled her hands.

  “He may look a bit different than you’re used to?”

  What in the world is he talking about? “Huh?”

  “My cock. He’s uncut.”

  Her mind tried to translate what he was saying: Uncut? She hoped his cock wasn’t cut. Who would cut a man’s…? “Oh, uncircumcised.”

  “That’s right. So he may have more parts than you’re used to.”

  “Well, thanks for the warning. I would have figured that out.”

  “It’s just been my experience in America, you know. Some women get a bit turned off.”

  Was this big, macho singer apologizing for the way his cock looked?

  As she gripped him through the material, he rewarded her with a deep moan. “Does it work the same as a circumcised one?”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  “Then that’s all I need to know.”

  With a quick shove, she chucked his underwear and wished to hell the lighting was better. Then again, by the feel of him alone, he was huge—thick and long. Maybe she wouldn’t want a closer look after all.

  “Show me how to touch you,” she said, caressing him. The thought alone turned her on. He held onto his cock and stroked up and down. The covering undulated. “It adds another layer of friction,” he explained between gritted teeth. “At least that’s what I think.”

  Placing her hand over his, she caught the rhythm. She couldn’t close her fingers ar
ound him. The foreskin was soft, and a bit of pre-cum seeped out of the end. She slid her thumb over it, mimicking the way he’d done it earlier.

  “If we’re going to continue this liaison, you’re going to have to stop. That feels too good.”

  She hesitated, fighting with desire. “I want you, but I don’t have anything here. No protection.”

  Sebastian didn’t want to throw her, but he was packing.

  “No worries there. I always carry some,” he said.

  Next to him, she stilled. The lovely motion stalled, and he wondered if he’d said the wrong thing. Maybe he shouldn’t have admitted to being prepared?

  “You have condoms?” She leaned backward, and his poor cock stuck straight up, abandoned and sad.

  “Sure. In my guitar case. Inside pocket.” He’d had that little feature installed to hold special items. Guitar picks and a few rubbers always came in handy.

  “I’m not sure I want to ask right now, but go get ’em,” she said.

  He was back in the game. When he set off on this adventure, he never would have guessed he’d find a woman like her or get trapped in a bunker with her before taking a tumble. He would have figured it would be some boring exploration, not worth his time. By feel, Sebastian found the pocket on the inner lid of the guitar case. A slight tug on the clasp opened it and he slipped out a foil packet, making a quick count of the supply. Plenty to keep them busy.

  “You get lost over there?”

  The more turned on she got, the more sultry her voice sounded. Right now, she could do phone-sex calls. He wanted to make her cry out his name again, but this time buried deep inside of her.

  Always the quiet ones.

  “I’m coming,” Sebastian said.

  “Not yet, but you will be soon.”

  “Promise?”

  He ripped open the wrapper and slipped on the protection. With how wet she was, he wished they could go at it bareback, but safety first and all that.

  He stumbled, and a metal clang rang out before the pain hit his foot. “Bugger.” He’d fucking kicked something fucking hard. “Bloody buggering storage can.”