The Pop Star Next Door

by Aleah Barley

“Damn,” he murmured against her mouth. “I’ve missed this.”

  Mouth still on hers, he danced her back through the living room. Frank Sinatra was playing in the background. The remains of dinner were still out on the table. It didn’t matter. When they got to the staircase, he wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her easily.

  His shirt was stiff, coarse against her skin, she gave it a swift tug.

  She’d been hanging around in a borrowed shirt and shorts that could double as underwear all day.

  He was wearing too many clothes.

  She couldn’t pull his shirt off over his head, not the way his arms were wrapped around her, but that didn’t stop her from pulling it out of his waistband. Her hands moved down to fumble with the fly of his pants. The button popped open, the zipper went down, and then her fingers were wrapped around the hard length of him.

  In the dark shadows of the hallway, it was too dark to see his face, but that didn’t stop her from running her fingers across his thin nose, his high cheekbones, and the dimple on his chin. Her back slammed against the wall. A man carrying her to bed was one of her favorite fantasies, but she’d always imagined that it would be a little more graceful.

  The door to her bedroom opened with a bang.

  Her butt hit the bed, bouncing twice, and then he was on her. One hand moved up under her shirt, while the other dipped down to unbutton her shorts. His fingers were cold against her skin.

  “You have no idea how many times I’ve imagined this.”

  Anna hadn’t. But, she liked soft kisses that took all night long, laying out by the ravine and wishing on passing stars. Ten years earlier, she’d been fourteen years old. Back then, he’d been seventeen and trouble.

  Now, he was all man. With a son and a life that he loved. A life that would be ruined if anyone knew what was going on between them. She went limp, the same way that she had the night before, but this time Nick didn’t walk away.

  “This is a mistake.”

  “It’s only a mistake if you don’t want it.” Nick rolled off her until they were lying side by side on the narrow bed, staring up at the cracked plaster of the ceiling. The music was quiet, but it still played in the distance. He wasn’t a big man, but every time he took a breath the mattress moved.

  “I know what I want, Anna. I want to get up in the morning, go to work, and be the best that I can be. I want to go home at night and make dinner for Adam.” Fingers reached out to touch her hand. “Tonight, I want you. What do you want?”

  What did she want? She didn’t think that anyone had ever asked her that before. The question was open, honest, and as sexy as the man who’d asked it. All red-hot confidence and determination. Then there was the way he spoke to her—listened to her—like he valued her opinion.

  Like she was a strong, capable woman who could make her own choices.

  “I want this.” This time she took control of the situation, rolling over so that she was straddling Nick’s waist. She tore his shirt off over his head, tangling her fingers in his short dark hair, holding him down against the bed while she bent down to take his mouth with hers.

  She was in control, but that didn’t mean she was the only one making any moves. He ran one hand up, under her shirt, until he reached one soft, firm, breast. He tweaked her nipple, making her gasp. Her skin was hot, sticky, fire raged inside of her before settling low in her belly. This time when he reached for the buttons on her shorts, she didn’t object. Her knees pressed harder into the bed’s thin cotton sheets, allowing her to rise up slightly while he undid the button fly and gave the tough denim a swift tug downwards.

  “You’re not wearing any underwear,” he said. His hand splayed across her belly, his thumb resting on her belly button, his little finger edging closer to the soft cleft between her legs. “I like it.”

  He raised his head slightly to kiss her mouth then wrapped his free arm around her back and forced her down closer. His mouth was hot, moist, against her breasts. A moan escaped her mouth. His fingers drifted downwards, stroking her in her most intimate place. Making her cry out hungrily, a finger entered her, then another one.

  It was too much, but at the same time, it wasn’t nearly enough.

  Pleasure welled up inside of her, building slowly. He flinched, suddenly speeding up his motions, and it was all too much. She closed her eyes, allowing a moment of pure joy to wash over her.

  Their position was good. She liked being on top. Unfortunately, it meant that neither of them was getting further undressed. It was okay for the moment, but the way she could feel Nick throbbing between her legs, even through two layers of denim, meant that in a couple of minutes, things were going to get awkward.

  Anna let go of him, pulling away. Their bodies no longer together, she felt suddenly cold and alone. That was all right. The feeling wasn’t going to last forever. Her shirt was borrowed. It had belonged to Papa Billy. She unbuttoned it carefully, folding it and dropping in on top of her bureau. Then she shimmied out of her shorts.

  “What do you think?” She struck a pose. “Hank says my butt’s too big—”

  “He’s wrong,” Nick growled. His expression was stony. “Your butt’s perfect, and who the heck is Hank to go around critiquing your ass?”

  “He’s my personal trainer.” It was nice to be appreciated. She did a smooth pirouette before pouncing back on the bed. She wasn’t the only one who’d been busy.

  Nick was naked, his body buff and muscular. There was a condom in his hands.

  “I can help you with that.”

  She ripped the wrapper open and bent to roll the latex over him. Then he was pushing his way inside of her, slowly at first then deeper. A swift thrust and he was all the way inside her. She rocked forward on top of him, smiling when he let out a ragged breath. She repeated the motion, forcing him deeper.

  Pleasure filled her up, making her moan.

  “Anna,” Nick moaned. His hands rested on her hips, nails digging into her skin. Lust was driving her wild, and through it all he was completely focused on her. “Anna.” They moved together, their bodies in perfect time. The feelings inside of them growing until they came to the inevitable, joyous conclusion.

  Chapter Twelve

  Anna woke up in a good mood. After so many years building castles in the air in Los Angeles, Mill City with its bright sunlight and quiet streets was so damn real. Car accidents and fighting with a man who didn’t care about designer clothes. A crumbling house with outdated electricity, plumbing that sputtered and rumbled, and a growing mouse population.

  Barbecue and one-night stands. Only, after the previous night, she didn’t know if a ‘one more night’ would ever be enough. It was just supposed to be a fling—a little neighborly consideration—but now she couldn’t imagine it coming to an end.

  She showered and dressed in a pair of her grandfather’s gray slacks and a worn men’s undershirt. The house was starting to come together. She was going to grab some coffee and work for a couple of hours before trying to find something else to wear.

  She skipped through the door to the kitchen—and stopped short.

  Nick was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the newspaper, and drinking coffee out of a cardboard to-go container advertising Maggie’s Diner. It was just supposed to be a one-night stand, but here he was in the morning light.

  “Those for me?” The last time she’d been in town, Maggie’s hadn’t sold to-go coffee, but they must have updated because there was another cup of coffee on the table next to a white paper bag that smelled like cinnamon rolls.

  Ribs and cinnamon rolls in the same week, her nutritionist would be appalled. That wasn’t even counting all the lemonade she’d been drinking—crisp and cold with pieces of real lemon floating in the top and grains of real sugar resting on the bottom.

  Her stomach rumbled hungrily just thinking about it.

  “Good morning, sleepyhead.” He folded the paper in half, his eyes never leaving the page. Tousled dark hair falling over one eye
he looked relaxed and comfortable, like he belonged there.

  Was this what it would be like if they were really dating? She’d come downstairs to see him, and he’d just ignore her? What about the paper was so interesting that he couldn’t even glance her way?

  “You know it’s almost noon?” He put the paper down on the table, creasing the edge carefully to keep the page he wanted open. His eyes were visible now, dark and warm, hooded by half-closed eyelids. Taking in her boring gray pants and old-fashioned tank top, his chocolate color deep, melting, full of desire.

  “I’m on vacation.” Anna tore open the bakery bag and picking out a cinnamon roll. “I can sleep when I want.”

  The thing was huge—practically the size of her head—she took a huge bite, not caring when warm frosting oozed across her hands. It was delicious.

  “Finish that quick. We’re going out.”

  Anna choked on a bite of her cinnamon roll. ‘Going out’ was something that happened to other people. It was offhand, spur of the moment, nothing like the life she lived in Los Angeles with photographers waiting around every corner just biding their time until she made a mistake.

  Getting off the plane in Boston, she’d given herself twenty-four hours to go through the house and see if there was anything she should keep. It might have only been three days, but it felt like she’d been there for the last ten years—dancing in the kitchen and flirting with the boy next door—

  Darryl had to be going ballistic. There’d been three messages on her phone the previous night and another two had appeared by the time she’d checked it that morning. Reminders of exactly what kind of minor scandal she’d create if someone spotted her in Mill City.

  He was wrong.

  Showing up on a small town street in a pair of pants she’d stolen from her grandfather with Nick smiling at her like she was the answer to his prayers wouldn’t be a minor scandal.

  It would be devastating.

  Mill City would be flooded with photographers within the day. Nick’s life would never be the same. Adam would never be able to run in the backyard again.

  “I can’t go out,” she said.

  A dark shadow crossed Nick’s face. His brow furrowed. For a moment, she could see the way his skin crinkled around his eyes. “Anna—”

  “I’ve got things to do,” she objected. “Shouldn’t you be at home anyway, taking care of Adam?”

  “Adam’s at school. Playing dinosaurs with his friends.”

  Dinosaurs?”

  Nick shrugged. “Kids like dinosaurs.”

  Dinosaurs, Anna would have to remember that. If Nick ever let her near the kid again then they could talk about dinosaurs.

  The coffee smelled so good. She grabbed the waiting cup from the table, taking a long sip to wash down the last bit of cinnamon roll. “You can hang out here if you want. I was thinking about going on a treasure hunt in the attic. There were some boxes of dresses—my grandmother’s old things—I thought I might find something else to wear.”

  “You can do that this afternoon. Right now, we’re going out… And don’t ask me where. It’s a surprise, and you’re going to like it.”

  Anna’s heart started to beat a little faster. A song was playing in her mind, music that she didn’t quite recognize and lyrics that she hadn’t written yet. It had been a long time since she’d felt this inspired, but there was just something about Nick…

  In the past ten years, he’d grown up. These days he was a businessman with a kid. He owned his own house, and at least two suit jackets. Leaning back against the counter in a pair of khakis and a crisp blue button-down shirt, he looked like he’d always been there.

  Like he belonged.

  The wild boy of her youth was gone, replaced by a man who thought about what she needed. A man she could trust for the rest of her life.

  That didn’t stop the words from echoing in her ears. ‘It’s a surprise, you’re going to like it.’ Those were the same words he’d used more than ten years earlier. She’d been sitting on the back porch, a knock-kneed twelve-year-old getting ready for another long summer at her grandfather’s house, wishing that she was anywhere else.

  Then Nick had been talking to her—the boy next door who’d spent so many years teasing her California accent and shockingly yellow hair—saying that he had a surprise for her. She was going to like it.

  He’d been too old for her at the time—three years was a lot back then—but the thought that she might escape a single day of weeding had her trailing after him all the way down to the swimming hole at the ravine. Splashing around in the cool water, she’d been so damn happy. The world couldn’t get any better.

  Two years later, Nick was still splashing her, diving off the boulders trying to draw her attention. Then he was holding her tight, telling her that he had a surprise—she was going to like it—and his mouth met hers. Kissing in the sunlight.

  For a brief moment, sanity fled. A surprise, her skin was warm, tingling at the very idea. Her hands shook with excitement. Grabbing the battered fedora from where it lay abandoned on the counter, she popped the hat on top of her head, took a deep breath, and squared her shoulders.

  “Let’s go.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Twenty minutes later, Anna pushed an escaped strand of yellow hair up underneath her hat as they walked through the front door of a sun-baked cement building. Inside, there was a reception area with cracked linoleum tiles and gray-green walls. The entire place smelled like industrial cleansers. There was another door to the right with a sign above the handle telling people to wash their hands. A rickety air conditioner was banging away in the distance, but that didn’t stop the sweat from pooling at the base of her spine.

  “Where the heck are we?” Anna demanded.

  “It’s a surprise,” Nick said.

  So far, she didn’t like it.

  A loud bang made them both jump. There was a second bang then someone was screaming, “Damn it, Leroy!” Clearly something was going on that Anna didn’t understand.

  Nick opened the door with the sign, motioning her through. Her legs were rigid, locked in place. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. No way was she walking through that door. Not without an explanation. “Where are we?”

  “The animal shelter,” he said.

  Her eyebrows drew together. “Why?”

  “Because it’s fun. It’s like going to the zoo, except you get to play with all the animals.” His curved lips were spread wide, grinning. Chocolate eyes twinkled. The man actually believed what he was saying, and something about his unabashed enthusiasm had her wanting to believe it too. “I thought we could look at the dogs.”

  “A dog.” There had been some kind of a mistake. “I’m not allowed to have a dog!”

  “Allowed?” His lips twitched. “Do you have dictatorial roommates?”

  “No.” The closest thing to a roommate that she had was her housekeeper, a woman in her mid-thirties who lived in the three-bedroom apartment above the garage.

  Sometimes if things were going particularly late, then other members of the staff would stay over. Her makeup artist had been doing that more often lately—a sign that the woman’s on-again off-again relationship with her boyfriend was off-again. The guest bedrooms were so far away from the master suite that Anna didn’t always realize there were extra people around until breakfast the next day.

  “What about your landlord? Does your lease have anything about pets?”

  Her landlord? She shook her head. “I own my house.”

  Nick’s smile was back. The easy expression on his face was warm and familiar. In another moment, he’d be laughing, and she just wanted to give him a swift punch in the kisser. It would be unfortunate to damage his perfect lips, but it just might have to be done. Teach him a lesson for being so damn smug.

  “You’re twenty-five years old,” he said, the words hanging in the air.

  She felt her face getting hot. Tears gathering behind her eyes. She was twenty-fi
ve years old. Too old to keep doing what she’d been doing. Tired. Used up. The smile was still there, plastered to Nick’s mouth, widening with every second that passed.

  “You’re an adult,” he repeated, but this time there was an edge of laughter to the end. His free hand reached out, long fingers running down the side of her cheek. Sparks of electricity flying. “You own your own house. You’re allowed to do whatever the hell you want. If you want a dog, then no one’s going to stop you.” A slight pause. “Not that you have to get a dog now. An animal’s a big decision, but there’s nothing stopping you from taking a look. What do you want?”

  She wanted him.

  Their lips met. The action easy, almost careless. Anna’s knees buckled. Her body pitched forward. For a brief moment, it seemed like she was going to fall, spiraling to the ground, but then Nick’s arm was wrapped around her waist. Her body molded against his, and they kissed a second time.

  The clean scent of soap eclipsed everything else. His lips were dry, rough against her skin. Her fingers curled into the collar of his pale blue shirt, the material surprisingly soft—but, that was Nick. Surprisingly soft. Her eyes squeezed shut, and fireworks played out across the back of her eyelids.

  Laughter exploded out of her chest making her squirm and convulse.

  Kissing a man in the middle of a public building—not just any man either, but Nick Maddox, the man she hadn’t known she was dreaming about for the past ten years—it was everything that she’d ever wanted. It was definitely more than just a temporary romance, but suddenly it wasn’t enough.

  Letting go of his collar, she surged past him into a room with cement floors and chain link dog runs.

  Three days in Mill City, that was all it had taken to change her hopes and dreams. ‘Sweet dreams and chart toppers’ were all well and good, but they wouldn’t warm her like Nick’s smiles.

  Maybe he wasn’t forever. If he found out the truth—there was no telling what he’d do, what he’d say. What she wanted wouldn’t be taken into consideration then.

  Maybe a dog. A puppy with big eyes and a huge heart who could welcome her home with a slobbery kiss and the kind of boundless energy that she was finding harder and harder to fake.