Rock My World

by Lee Piper

  I stared at him for a moment. His hazel eyes were contrite and the rest of him seemed genuinely apologetic too, so I warily sat again. Somehow, the conversation had gone from playful banter to me wanting to castrate him in under thirty seconds. It didn’t bode well for the remainder of the afternoon.

  Aemon turned and gave me his most winning smile, no doubt it was the one that detonated panties everywhere. “Let’s start over.”

  Grudgingly, I nodded.

  “Good lunch?”

  I smiled.

  The workshop itself was awesome and I was grateful for the distraction from the awkward conversation Aemon and I just had. A young teacher from a private school in Darwin was taking our group through a heap of interactive online programs designed for greater student engagement. Since Geographe High had a laptop program in place, the ideas she discussed were easy to implement in my classes. Well, the ones that didn’t have Mark in them, of course. Because I just knew he’d find a way to mess the whole thing up. Dickwad.

  So, it wasn’t until my phone vibrated in my lap, immediately giving me vivid flashbacks of last night, that I realized an hour had already passed. I checked the text message.

  Levi: Bored. Can’t concentrate without u

  Aemon gave me a questioning look but I shook my head. Tilting the screen away from him, I surreptitiously replied.

  Me: Try harder.

  Levi: Nope, not working. Still want u … wet

  I gasped, and then tried to disguise my not-so-subtle exclamation with a cough. It clearly didn’t fool Aemon because he quizzically looked at me again, but I refused to meet his eyes.

  Me: Levi.

  Levi: Fucking amazing when u called that out last night ;)

  I put the phone down, shut my eyes and took a deep breath. Was the man trying to kill me? Now my mind kept replaying our scorching nocturnal activities in high definition and with surround sound. I thought back to the feel of his lips against my silken folds, the way he teased me with his tongue and gripped my hips as I—

  Aemon touched my hand and I almost jumped out of my skin. “You okay?” He mouthed.

  “Fine,” I whispered.

  In all seriousness, I really wasn’t.

  Me: Concentrate, Levi. Are you taking notes?

  Levi: Sure am. Detailed too. About how great ur pussy tasted, how sweet it felt being inside u. Even wrote about the look on ur face just before u came.

  Levi: Twice

  I squirmed in my seat. Aemon glanced at me again, his eyes registering my heated cheeks, shallow breaths and, I looked down. Fuck. Erect nipples. I turned away.

  Me: I don’t have a ‘look’.

  Levi: Yeah u do. See?

  A minute later, Levi sent me a photo. It contained the comprehensive dot points he’d taken of our mind-blowing sex from last night. I had to give him credit, the man was thorough. There was even a—I gasped.

  Me: Is that a freakin’ DIAGRAM?

  Levi: J

  “Grace, what’s going on? You’re acting … weird.”

  My eyes shot up to Aemon’s worried face. I must have looked completely unhinged because he actually shifted back in his seat. I tried to ease his concern by whispering, “Quit fussing. I’m fine, really.”

  “Want me to get you some water or something? You’re looking a bit flustered.”

  “Thanks, but I’m okay.”

  He nodded once and then turned his attention back to the guest speaker, so I took a calming breath before once again glancing down at my phone.

  Lord, give me strength.

  Sure enough, there it was. A stick figure sketch of me being fucked from behind by the stick figure representation of Levi. He’d even given me a speech bubble where I was quoted as saying, ‘Oh Levi, you sex god’.

  Me: Okay, this is complete bullshit for three reasons: 1. I never said those words, 2. Honey, you’re big but you’re not that big, and 3. You wouldn’t even know what my expression looked like because I was facing the other way.

  Levi: It’s my artistic impression

  Me: Your artistic impression is shit. You look like you’ve got a python growing out of your dick and I look like a wombat having a seizure.

  Levi: Fine, when we have sex tonight I’ll make sure we’re facing each other. That way tomorrow’s diagram will be more accurate, ok?

  My eyes glazed over.

  Aemon leaned in close and murmured in my ear, “It’s a good idea to have a personalized blog for each class, don’t you think?”

  I internally slapped myself across the face. “Um, yeah.”

  Me: What makes you think I’m going to let you fuck me tonight?

  “Not too sure about writing a post after every lesson though, seems like a lot of extra work to me.”

  “Mmm hmm.”

  Levi: Want me to fuck you this afternoon, then?

  “Hey, maybe we could collaborate and set up a trial blog together? You know, cross-school curriculum or something?”

  Levi: In half an hour?

  “What do you think, Grace?”

  Levi: Fifteen minutes?

  “Grace?”

  I looked up at Aemon but all I saw was the exit behind him. “I’m really sorry, but I’ve gotta go.”

  Me: Meet you out front in five.

  Levi and I practically sprinted the whole way back, hand in hand, to the hotel. By the time we reached the elevators, I was red-faced and gasping. Of course, Levi had barely raised a sweat and I blamed the fact that his legs were almost three times the size of mine, which meant that I had to work three times as hard to keep up. But I did. With thoughts of what we were about to do dancing before my very eyes, I could have run another five blocks. At least.

  Levi looked down at me as he pressed the button and his eyes instantly turned dangerous. “Fuck, I love seeing you like this.”

  “Like what?”

  “All hot and breathless,” he smiled sensually, “it reminds me of last night.” Stepping closer, he murmured, “Want me to lick your pussy again?”

  “What, now?” I gaped back at him, out of breath for another reason entirely. I swear, my panties almost self-combusted on the spot.

  “Elevators have a stop button, kitten. Come here.”

  He didn’t have to ask twice. Hell, after he murmured ‘come’, I practically launched myself at the guy. Drawing his face towards me with desperate, frantic fingers, our hungry mouths met and I was instantly on fire. How does he do it? How does he enflame me with this need that is never sated unless his lips are on mine? I simply couldn’t get enough of him. He consumed me.

  The elevator doors slid open and a flustered someone rushed past. But we didn’t move inside. Instead, Levi pushed me up against a gilded mirror on the wall, his hands in my hair, his tongue working mine and his hips—

  “Fuck me,” I exclaimed softly into his mouth.

  “I intend to.”

  “Levi, is that you?”

  Levi tore his lips from mine and turned at the sound. I was left leaning heavily against the cold glass, feverish and disorientated, wondering who on earth could have distracted him so completely from our frenzied kiss.

  And there she stood.

  “Katrina?”

  The girl at least had the decency to appear uncomfortable at what she’d just interrupted, and her alabaster cheeks flushed a subtle shade of pink. Bitch. Whenever I blushed it looked like I had third-degree burns. She stood there awkwardly. A tall, slender brunette, with the darkest brown eyes I’d ever seen. She was in her early twenties and the poor woman clearly wasn’t expecting to see Levi passionately devouring anyone in the hotel lobby if the surprise on her flawless face was anything to go by.

  “Shit, I’m so sorry. When you said you were in town I thought it was for your band, not…” She looked at me. I was partially hidden behind Levi and clearly uneasy. “Well, this is embarrassing.”

  We were all silent for a minute and I suddenly wished I was anywhere else. Stranded in the Andes maybe? At the bottom of a can
yon? Fuck, even being torn alive by a tank full of flesh-eating piranhas would have been more enjoyable.

  “I should go.” She hastily turned to leave.

  “Katrina, wait. Stay. It’s fine, isn’t it, Grace?”

  I stared up at Levi. Was he out of his freakin’ mind?

  But he missed my incredulity because he had already turned back to her. “At least have a drink with us since you’ve come all this way.”

  I kept staring at him, silent, before looking away.

  Katrina glanced between Levi’s earnest face and my hopefully blank one. “Um, I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

  “Please.”

  I felt sick.

  “Okay, but just one. It looked like you guys were in the middle of,” she paused and blushed again, “something.”

  I stared at the floor. Bring on the piranhas.

  We all moved into Oblivion. I trailed behind the other two, desperately trying to figure out what the heck was going on. What was Katrina doing here? It sounded like she’d traveled a long way, so why was she so hell-bent on seeing Levi after phoning him just last night? Is she interested in him? Fuck. That must be it.

  Surely, it would account for her arriving unannounced and looking so damn gorgeous in a freakishly natural way. I mean, she wore denim skinny jeans with Converse high top sneakers and an oversized red and black checkered shirt. It was open at the neck, unintentionally revealing some very healthy cleavage yet she somehow looked like a model straight out of a street fashion magazine. The girl had obviously never been near concealer in her life. Okay, so maybe I’d never used it either but that was because I refused to put shit on my face, not because I didn’t actually need to. A completely different reason, I might add.

  Christ. Levi and I were supposed to be naked and raw in the elevator right now. We were supposed to be calling out each other’s names as though our lives depended on it, not having a damn drink with an absurdly beautiful third wheel. She seemed nice too, which just made the whole fucking thing even worse.

  Kill me now.

  Levi bought a round of drinks and wandered back to where Katrina and I were mutely seated. I refused to open my mouth unless alcohol was being poured into it, while Katrina looked as equally in need of inebriation herself. It seemed saying anything that wouldn’t exacerbate the awkwardness any further was quite simply beyond her. If I didn’t resent her presence so much, I’d almost feel sorry for the girl.

  “One mid-strength beer for you.” Levi placed the frosted glass bottle in front of Katrina, who smiled warmly up at him in surprise.

  “You remembered.”

  “Of course, I remembered.”

  I looked away, nauseous.

  “And a whiskey neat for you.” He smiled down at me and his eyes crinkled in the corners. How have I never noticed that before?

  “Thanks,” I murmured.

  Levi took the seat next to me on the low couch, one of his hands rested on my exposed knee, while the other held his beer. There was an equally low table in front of us, complete with stupid tea light candles. Two upholstered armchairs with what looked like fern fronds regurgitated on them were facing us opposite. Katrina was perched self-consciously on one of them, looking like she wanted to be somewhere else.

  If only.

  We were all quiet, sipping our drinks and staring in different directions. Personally, I was eying the door. To be honest, I didn’t know what to say and was determined to speak as little as possible so my head/mouth filter wouldn’t betray my current feelings of frustration and foreboding.

  After quite possibly the most awkward lapse in conversation of all time, Katrina put down her beer and cleared her throat. “Um, Levi?”

  He looked up at her.

  “You haven’t introduced me to…” Her chocolate brown eyes looked pointedly in my direction and I instinctively threw my head back, taking another mouthful of what I now wished was arsenic.

  “Shit, you’re right. Sorry.” He chuckled before looking at me. “Grace, this is Katrina.” He looked back at her, smiling. “We practically grew up together. And Katrina…” He gazed down at me once again. “This is Grace, my…” He paused, his eyes softening before stating simply, “Grace.”

  I melted.

  I’d never even thought to categorize Levi and I. I mean before now we had always been us. It was a deceptively simple word. However, together or apart we were anything but. I mean, to call me his girlfriend didn’t cover the width or breadth of what we shared, and yet to say we were lovers implied that our connection was purely sexual. Clearly, the sex was freakin’ hot but there was also a heck of a lot more substance behind us than that. Partners? Too domestic. Sweethearts? Hell no. So, Levi calling me his Grace felt strangely … perfect.

  I smiled up at him, entwining my fingers with his and wishing beyond hope that this was going to be the fastest drink in the history of the universe.

  “So, how long have you both known each other?”

  Levi kept gazing at me and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Eleven days.”

  I grinned wider.

  “Wow. Not long then.”

  I stared across at Katrina, daring her to continue.

  “Oh, I didn’t mean—it’s just that you guys seem so,” she paused, “wow.” Katrina picked up her beer again before looking away and taking another drink. It was markedly longer this time.

  There was another long silence, before Levi asked, “So, how’s Adrift going?”

  She relaxed then. It was like the question had been the code breaker that unlocked her self-assurance, because she put the beer back on the table, leaned forward and began talking animatedly. Sadly, Katrina was also highly intelligent and motivated. She spoke of the music her band was producing and the opportunities they were creating for themselves. Apparently, they had just been signed to a Melbourne-based record label and were in the process of organizing an east-coast tour over summer before heading to Europe after that. If it was at all possible, she was even more stunning now. Her eyes were bright, her smile wide, and yep, there it was—a fucking dimple materialized on her left cheek.

  Jesus Christ.

  The more she spoke, the looser Levi’s grip on my hand became and before long he let go of it completely. Mimicking Katrina’s body language, he also leaned forward, elbows resting on his upper thighs as he asked interspersed questions. The two continued like that until I drained the last of my drink and stared at the bottom of the empty glass for what seriously felt like hours. I discretely checked the time on my phone. Fuck, it literally had been hours. The fact that they were talking about music terminology I didn’t understand, people I didn’t know and places I’d never been, only exacerbated my disconnection. It also highlighted how much I didn’t know Levi.

  What a sobering thought.

  So, I gave it another twenty minutes. But when they finally stopped talking about music and instead started rehashing childhood stories, I was officially over it. Standing up, I mumbled something about getting another drink and slowly headed towards the bar. Not that either of them even noticed. They were too busy laughing about Dom getting his arm stuck in a swimming pool filter when he was a kid, so I could have cartwheeled my way towards Patrick and they wouldn’t have batted an eyelid.

  I felt a conflicting sense of sheer annoyance and heavy sadness as I rested my palms flat on the bar. It reminded me of when I was little girl…

  I had been playing with my stuffed toy dog in the lounge room. We weren’t allowed any pets, so I was pretending to teach it how to sit and roll over. Mum sauntered into the room, bright pink acrylic nails clicking against the crystal wine glass in hand. She flopped dramatically onto the couch, spilling some of her drink on the black leather. I turned away. I hated it when she was in one of her moods.

  Earlier, I had heard Mum and Daddy arguing. They were yelling more and more at each other these days. I would go hide in my bedroom and look at the brightly colored pictures in my storybooks, imagining that
I was one of the characters being cuddled by a forever smiling Mummy and Daddy.

  Mum didn’t say anything for a while. Instead, she took deep mouthfuls of her drink and stared dejectedly at the framed wedding photograph hanging on the wall. I tried to ignore her and play with my dog, but her loud sighs kept reminding me she was there.

  “Never trust in happiness, Grace,” she slurred.

  I looked up at her but didn’t say anything. I just wanted her to leave.

  “It never comes to any good.” Mum raised her glass to the photograph and drunkenly toasted, “To marriage.” She tipped her head back and drained the rest of her wine before passing out unconscious in front of me.

  I shook my head and glanced up at Patrick. For once, he didn’t say a word as he poured me another whiskey. I half smiled, half grimaced my thanks in return. However, it was the sympathetic look in his eyes as I downed it in one mouthful that really pierced a hole in my heart. I carefully placed the glass back onto the bar, tipped him generously and turned to leave. As I walked out of Oblivion, I took one last glance at Levi and Katrina, she was sitting in the spot on the sofa I had vacated and the two of them were smiling into each other’s eyes. It took all of my willpower not to collapse in a heap on the lobby floor as I headed in the direction of the elevators.

  Alone.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Tear off that blindfold,

  Open your eyes.

  -MONDEZ, “Echo”

  I was standing, facing the window, having long given up on reading any of the novels I brought with me. What a waste of time. So far, none of them did what they were supposed to, none of them had distracted me long enough to feel anything other than a torrent of tempestuous emotions. I sighed, pressing my forehead and hands against the glass, relishing the sharp snap of cold as it fizzled against my fevered skin.

  I sensed rather than heard Levi walk into the room. The base of my neck prickled and a faint ache in the bottom of my stomach slowly uncurled. I’d have a freakin’ ulcer by the time this week was through. But I refused to turn around. Hell, I wasn’t even going to separate my eyebrows or fingers from the damn window. To be fair, leaving them glued to the icy surface was a far better option than backhanding him across the face, which was what I really wanted to do. So, as far as I was concerned, he could just deal with the back of my head and consider himself lucky.