Damaged Love

by Sarah J. Brooks

  “We’re all set,” he said, rubbing his hands together with glee. “Where’s Reid?”

  “I don’t know. Let’s start without him,” she replied.

  With a vigorous shake of his head, he said, “No, Reid’s the one who does the final call, man. Once when Mike was sick and we needed a temp, and another time when we sponsored a group, Reid’s the one to make the final call.”

  “So then, we filter them by doing a preliminary round. Reid will make the final call when he sees the ones we chose. Plus, Colt is here.”

  “Ha, you’re so smart.” His eyes twinkled at her.

  She smiled, turning to the noisy crowd before her while he walked to the table set up for the ‘judges’. She was on the makeshift stage looking down at them. Behind her, were the instruments they would use for this event.

  “Hello,” she said into the microphone, in her usually soft voice. No one responded. She tapped the instrument, and it returned a thud… thud … thud. She cleared her throat and went again. “Hello!” The room went silent. “Welcome. We will begin with Marlando on drums.”

  A man with long black hair that hadn’t been washed … ever, beanpole thin with scruffy jeans and armpit hairs strode up to the stage. Chelsea was expecting him to smell, based on his dirty look, but he’d drowned himself in Old Spice. Several minutes later, she was pleasantly surprised by his skills on the drums.

  By the end of the first hour, she had secured several second auditions spots. Colt still hadn’t shown any interest in the proceedings, and she was beginning to be concerned. Another hour went by, and all he did was shuffle in his seat and drink some water. Andrew was the only one talking to the contestants and making notes. Gritting her teeth, she walked over to him.

  “Colt,” she whispered. He didn’t budge. She tapped him on the shoulder, and he slowly opened his eyes.

  “What?”

  “What are you doing?”

  He looked confused. “Relaxing, why?”

  “Shouldn’t you be taking notes on the participants and giving them tips or something?”

  “Andrew is already doing it,” he replied. “Why should I?”

  She gave him a cutting stare. She could not believe he was being so blasé about the matter. This was his band. The very group he founded was in shambles, badly needing repair, and he was sleeping right through the process without a care in the world.

  “Why are you so unconcerned with this?” She was baffled.

  He stood and beckoned her to one corner away from Andrew’s ears. “I’ll work with whoever you all choose,” he said. “I just want things to work differently than before.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m trying not to be the jerk I was before and let Andrew take the first course. I was the one in the limelight; let him take the spotlight for a change.”

  Her heart softened. “That’s why you are doing this?”

  “Stop looking at me with those seductive eyes of yours,” he drawled.

  “I’m not looking at you with seductive eyes,” she denied, looking away.

  “Anyway, there’ll be a second round. I’ll pick the best from that lot.”

  “Okay, but at least show some interest, will you?”

  He nodded and saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”

  She rolled her eyes and went back to her spot near the stage. There were six people left to play their instruments. One of them had a box guitar. She was sitting quietly at the back until Chelsea called on Chloe. All black tight leather outfit, raven hair cut into a bob curved her oval face. As she entered the stage, she paused for a minute and stared at Colt. Chelsea noticed she was older than the others who went before her. This didn’t bother her. What got her attention was the way she looked at Colt.

  He returned to his seat and closed his eyes again. The girl started to sing an old song, something from the sixties. She sang well, but her guitar skills were what made Chelsea respect her. But could she play the bass?

  “Miss,” Andrew spoke into his microphone. The girl stopped and turned to him. “You sing well and play the guitar pretty well, but we need a bass player and drummer.”

  “I play the drums too,” she said.

  “Let’s hear it then.”

  “Wait,” Colt’s voice cut in. All eyes turned to him. Chelsea was definitely surprised. He’d showed no interested up to this point. “Who taught you that song?”

  The girl’s face broke into a smile. “Your mom … our mom.”

  He frowned before showing surprise. “Zoey?”

  “Yes, it’s me,” she said, placing her guitar on the floor and walking over to him.

  Colt stood and came around the table. They embraced for a long time while Chelsea watched, more curious than ever. As their relationship stood now, she didn’t feel he would be embracing a lover in front of her, so that made the girl his estranged step-sister. They pulled apart. Colt raised his head and beckoned her over. As she neared, then she could see that this girl was older than they both were. Her outfit and makeup gave her a younger appearance.

  “This is my sister, Zoey, the one I told you about,” he said as she approached.

  “Hi,” Zoey said. “You must be Chelsea. I read about you in the paper.”

  “Why are you here,” Colt asked, seriously. “You haven’t contacted me in so long, why now? Are you seriously thinking of joining my band?”

  “Actually no,” she curled her nose. “I have to talk to you.”

  “Yeah, tell me,” Colt replied.

  “Not today. Can I come see you tomorrow?”

  Colt looked at Chelsea questioningly. She answered for him, “Sure, we break tomorrow and resume auditions on Friday.”

  That was that. She gave Colt another hug before departing. So Zoey, aka Chloe did not audition to join the band but rather to connect with Colt. Why? She was to come back the following day to fill Colt in on whatever she wanted to tell him. Chelsea didn’t quite trust her. Something about her that seemed familiar. She could not quite place it; therefore, she kept mum about her feelings.

  Reid hadn’t yet returned from whatever he’d gone out to take care of. He was the one she would have told about her reservations about Zoey. Telling Colt may seem like she was jealous and that she didn’t trust him.

  It was curious that two women from Colt’s past entered the picture after so long. Carl Benson’s sister was one of them, and now Zoey. She wondered if Zoey was the one who stayed at Molly’s apartment. If it wasn’t her, then someone might be stalking him. Who else would have Colt’s photos and newspaper clippings?

  Chapter 43

  “Something’s bothering you,” Colt observed.

  They were alone, talking about the day’s events. Andrew had gone out, and Reid called to say he would be late. He’d spent the day at the lawyer’s office rectifying the band’s contract and securing a new one for Andrew. There was also the issue of Colt’s mother’s case which, he met with Detective Henry who brought him up to speed.

  “No, not at all,” she denied, looking down at her hands folded in her lap.

  He was sitting close to her on the sofa. The television was on with the volume down. Their closeness was making her stomach quiver. All she could think of was getting closer. She liked the feel of his heat when he was near. The smell of him was driving her insane. Was this love? She felt like she loved him, like she couldn’t breathe when she wasn’t around him.

  Everything about him, even his bad habits made her smile. She liked to see him brood. She liked when he smiled. She was confused. When he was angry, she wanted to hug him and calm him, and at the same time smack him upside the head. Most of all, she could not stand seeing him with another woman.

  “It’s Zoey, isn’t it?”

  “What?” She raised her eyes to his. How did he know that?

  “I know you,” he said, raising his hand to trace a finger along her cheek. “You’re not jealous, are you?”

  “No,” she replied softly.

  His fingers o
n her skin were leaving trails of fire behind. Her heart started a steady drumming, slowly increasing its pace into a trot. His thumb traced her bottom lip, and the heart stopped. Should she pull away or allow him to send volts of electrical current through her body?

  “I—well—hmmm.” The words got lost somewhere between her brain and lips. She completely forgot what she was about to say. She closed her eyes, sucking in a quavering breath. “Stop, you’re distracting me.”

  “You are the one distracting me, Chelsea,” he murmured. “You’ve been looking at me with those wide sparkling emerald eyes all day.”

  “Huh?”

  “I saw the way you kept looking at me all day.” He grinned.

  “You’ve been sleeping all day; how would you know that?”

  “Sleeping? Who said I was sleeping?”

  She gasped in mock surprise. “You’ve been watching me, pretending to be asleep?”

  “What better way to watch you watching me?”

  She stood, annoyed that he’d pretended not to be interested in the auditions while watching her through the slits of his eyes. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back down to the sofa. Her bottom hit the soft cushion, and she eased back. She needed to think clearly. He advanced on her again, taking a lock of her hair, bringing it to his nose.

  Luckily, she had already showered and washed her hair. He traced her jawline with his index finger while running his thumb along her bottom lip. The sensations assailing her were driving her insane; her body was aching with the need to experience what he was obviously offering.

  “Colt, stop,” she whispered.

  “Do you really want me to stop?”

  She did not answer. She could not answer. Her body was saying one thing, but her mind was saying no … or was it? Confusion also joined the myriad of emotions nagging at her. She knew this moment would come at some point or another; she was just not certain she was prepared for it.

  “No,” she heard her own voice answer him.

  His face was now closing in on her, getting closer. Her heart flew to her mouth then galloped like Usain Bolt sprinting the one hundred meters. If she’d planned on running away, she’d have to forget it now because she could feel all her limbs melt as his lips touched hers. They were gentle at first, then as he used his own lips to part hers, the kiss became intense.

  She wound her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Their bodies collided as his chest crushed her breast. His tongue danced around hers in a mating call. There was no turning back now; this was it. Therefore, when Colt broke the kiss, stood and scooped her up, she leaned her head on her shoulder and allowed him to carry her to the bedroom.

  Laying her gently on the plush covers, he stretched out beside her and cradled her in his arms. He flicked the side lamp to illuminate that otherwise dark room. She thought he would be ripping her clothes off and ravaging her. A little disappointment settled in her stomach. Why was he delaying?

  “Colt?”

  “Hmm?”

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, her confusion was fast beginning to turn into frustration.

  He looked down into her eyes and asked, “Nothing’s wrong, why?”

  ‘Because you aren’t … you know … you know,” she said in a small voice, looking away from him.

  “Making love to you?” She nodded. “I want to cuddle and do all the things I never did before. I want to do this right.”

  Her nipples were taut and screaming to be released from her bra. Her body was on fire, and he wanted to cuddle. He’d awakened something inside that she never knew existed, and he wanted to cuddle? He’d fucked every woman he’d taken to his bedroom, and now that she was ready to be with him, he wanted to cuddle?

  “I don’t want to cuddle!” her voice squeaked.

  He looked at her surprised. “Are you mad at me?”

  “Yes, why aren’t you making love to me?”

  “That’s because I want to take it slow with you, Chelsea,” he said in a low tone.

  She raised up to a sitting position. “I don’t want to take it slow. I’ve been taking it too slow already; I want what you so freely give to others!”

  “Chelsea, this isn’t like you,” he said, sitting up beside her.

  “I love you, and I want you to make love to me now,” she said.

  He was silent for a few minutes. She was now breathing heavy with all the emotions coursing through her. By the time she took a few breaths, she realized what she said and how she just acted. Her skin flushed red with embarrassment. She sprang from the bed, shocked at her own behavior.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me,” she apologized and moved toward the door.

  Colt was there before her, gently pulling her back. He hugged her from behind and kissed her neck. She leaned back against him as the sensations sprinted through her. His lips lingered on her neck while his hand came up and cupped a breast. She felt constrained in her clothes and needed to be set free.

  He trailed kisses from her temple to her nape, sending fireworks up and down her spine. She twisted, needing to feel those lips on hers again. He stepped back and gripped her shoulders, looking into her eyes. She could see the passion smoldering there.

  “Are you sure?” he asked, his voice thick with the emotions he was suppressing.

  She knew what he was asking and answered with a nod. “Yes, I’m sure,” she whispered.

  Gently, he pulled her close, cupping the back of her head and crushing her lips with his. Mind-blowing and utterly explosive was the kiss. Her knees buckled, and she pressed into him; her body trembled with the waves of pleasure coursing her.

  They tumbled to the bed, fumbling with the remnants of their clothes. Colt helped her out her jeans, but when it came time to assist him, her hand trembled so much that she could not unbuckle the belt. He quickly released it and stepped out of the garment.

  Colt paused, allowing his eyes to travel over her, from her breasts down to her stomach, to her thighs … all of her. Her hands absently came up to cover her breasts as she flushed from his scrutiny.

  “You’re beautiful,” he growled, cupping a breast and capturing her lips again. She loved being kissed by him. Each time brought new thrills, new aches, and needs.

  Colt pulled away briefly, only to let his lips devour her breast while she ran her hands along his shoulders. He trailed his hot lips from her breast down her belly, relishing at how she trembled at his touch. She arched her back, groaning as he continued to taste the sweetness of her skin. When he reached the junction of her thighs, he kissed the apex. She gasped and trembled some more.

  With a low guttural groan, Colt buried his face in the hair nested at her pubic, inhaling deeply. Tenderly, he parted her thighs, sticking out his tongue and touching the tip of her clit. She jumped, and he repeated it until she was wet and sticky.

  “Stop it!” she whimpered.

  Ignoring her, he plunged his tongue into her vagina. She moaned loudly and tried to pull away. He slowly pulled out and sank into her once more creating what he knew was the perfect pleasure any woman could ask for. He loved the way she responded to him, and that was his sole desire, to please her. He eased himself and covered her body with his, their heat coming together to create a blazing fire.

  Chelsea’s woman center was aching with the need for a deeper fulfillment. Though she’d never had a lover, she felt in her core that was what the feeling was, and she knew it was Colt she needed. He was kissing her eyes, nose, and cheeks. She loved the gentleness he was showing.

  She wrapped her thighs around him, allowing his cock to touch her opening. Carefully, he pushed his hips forward. His shaft entered partially in. He withdrew and pushed again, doing it several times until he was fully in. Her walls felt like they would burst open. She stiffened as his large cock pushed through her barrier.

  She groaned from the slight pain that shot through her vagina. Colt paused and kissed her, his lips moving gently over hers. Her body began to awaken once more as the pain
gradually subsided. She felt her insides melt and catch fire as her vaginal walls began to relax.

  He started moving his hips, his cock rubbing her walls creating waves of pleasure. His movements were slow and well timed. She knew he was deliberately trying not to hurt her. She kissed his neck and shoulders, gently biting him on the soft skin of his pectoral muscles.

  Gradually, he picked up the pace, increasing the pleasure building between them. Both panted as their bodies moved together in unison. Her cries of pleasure filled the room, as did his low growls. As they both rocked together to their own music, their bodies glistened with the moisture created by their mating ritual.

  Her walls began to throb as a spot of heat flared inside her abdomen, exploding into an earth-shattering volcano. It took her by surprise as her entire body was gripped by ecstasy. Her vagina tightened around him as a wave of current enveloped her. She gripped his shoulders, trying to contain her explosion. Too late, it shattered inside her belly, erupting like a volcano. Her entire body spasmed with her orgasmic release in wave after wave of pleasure. His lips muffled her screams.

  Colt, sweat glistening on his muscles as they rippled with his movements, felt his entire body catch fire. He watched Chelsea’s face as she closed her eyes as her orgasm came. He had the urge to lick the beads of sweat from her face and breasts. But, he felt his balls tingle, and a fire erupted in his groin. The feeling was new to him, but before he could decide what to make of it, his entire body felt as if he was floating upwards. His cock swelled, and a combustion happened inside his belly.

  He growled deep in his throat as his release came in an earth shattering blast. His back arched with arms trembling as the remnants of his orgasm left him. Soon, his arms gave way as he collapsed atop her in exhausted bliss.