by Aubrey Rose
“Okay. Deal.”
“Hey, did you hear about our gig in San Diego?” Julian said, changing the subject. “Cheap Trix is opening for us.”
“No way!” Asher bounced his feet on his skateboard. “That’s cool.”
“Cool? Really?”
“Yeah, I like them,” he said. “Catchy stuff.”
“I can’t believe you listen to girl rock.”
“The production value is off the hook,” Asher insisted. “So it’s girly pop rock. So what? Doesn’t mean it’s not good.”
“You’re crazy,” Julian said. He reached for his flask and then stopped himself. They would be passing by Los Angeles soon, and he thought he might just go and see if Shannon was at her place. No, he was going to see if Shannon was at her place. And he would bring a rose. If Asher knew anything, it was how to be a good boyfriend. No more drinking, he decided. He didn’t want a repeat of last time.
“No, you’re crazy,” Asher pushed himself off of the seat and balanced on his skateboard, wobbling only slightly as the bus changed lanes. He raised his hands over his head and shook his hips back and forth in a ridiculous dance move as he sang in a high-pitched voice.
“Run run run til there’s nowhere to go!”
Julian doubled over laughing.
“You wish you could have this kind of talent,” Asher joked, spinning the skateboard around in a tight circle in the middle of the tour bus. “Shake that fine ass, ooh baby!”
“As long as you don’t drop out of the band to join Cheap Trix,” Julian said.
“Don’t worry,” Asher said, flipping his board up into his hand and stowing it away overhead. “I don’t think they need another drummer.”
“Well, you’d make a decent backup dancer,” Julian said.
Asher’s eyes went wide.
“That is a great idea. I’ll keep that in mind if Wilder Side breaks up.”
“Let’s hope that never happens,” Julian said. “Where would I find a new relationship therapist?”
“You’d be lost without me,” Asher agreed.
“You know it.” Julian took the flask out of his pocket and put it in the side of his travel bag, zipping it up securely. He was excited to see Shannon. Damn, he was excited. He hoped she would be there. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he could make it through the day without another drink. He leaned forward and yelled up to the front of the bus.
“How many miles until we reach LA?”
CHAPTER THREE
Shannon stared across the doorway at Julian, a thousand thoughts running through her mind. It was him. It really was him. She didn’t know what to say.
Julian stepped forward, shyly offering her the rose. She took it, and his fingers brushed against hers. The single touch made her body flinch with a desire that she had been trying unsuccessfully to stifle for the past few days.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call,” Julian said.
“It’s…it’s okay. I understand. You’ve been busy with tour stuff.”
“That’s no excuse.”
“You’re in a famous band. That’s enough of an excuse, I guess.”
Julian winced, and Shannon thought she might have said the wrong thing. God, this wasn’t starting out how she wanted it to.
“I just mean you’ve got a lot on your plate.”
“It’s not that at all.” Julian’s voice was rough, as though he was stammering through the words, trying to figure out how to move his tongue to get the right letters out.
“What is it?” If it wasn’t his band, then Shannon didn’t know what it could be. A flame of anger began to rise up inside of her. If he hadn’t called just because…
“I was nervous. I thought maybe I messed up. With you.”
“Messed up?”
“I thought maybe you wanted to be able to tell people you were with, you know, a famous rock star. That it wasn’t really me you wanted. That I was just a good story to tell to your friends.”
Shannon’s mouth dropped open. That was what he was afraid of? A mixture of rage and relief swept through her.
“That’s… I don’t know what to say, Julian.”
“Just tell me what you’re thinking.”
“What I’m thinking?” Shannon threw one hand up in the air, gesturing wildly with the rose. “I’m thinking that it’s ridiculous you made up this whole motivation about why I wanted to be with you out of thin air. I’m thinking you shouldn’t have waited a whole week before asking me about it.”
“I’m sorry-”
Shannon stamped her bare foot on the floor. Now that he had made her talk, all of her anxieties were rushing out, and she didn’t want to stop. Ridiculous - this whole situation was ridiculous.
“I’m thinking that you are an idiot and jerk for keeping me in suspense this whole time.”
Julian’s eyebrows knitted together in the middle of his forehead. It was obvious no girl had ever spoken to him like this before. But Shannon couldn’t stop herself. He had to know what she had done to him.
“I’m thinking that you’re possibly the dumbest man I’ve ever met, because who on earth would meet you and not fall immediately in love with you? It doesn’t matter whether you were playing guitar on stage in a packed concert or on a cardboard box in an alleyway!”
Shannon didn’t notice Julian’s fierce look of desire, or the way that he was slowly inching over the doorstep towards her. Her eyes were welling with tears of anger mixed with joy.
“And I’m thinking that you owe me a lot more than just one rose if you’re going to come back and ask me to open my heart back up again!”
Julian stepped forward fully, closing the door behind him. Shannon gasped as his arm reached out around her, pulling her close to him. She could smell his cologne, and when he bent his head to her ear she could hear her own heart beating fast against his chest.
“What do I owe you?” His whisper was low, so low that she almost couldn’t hear it.
“I…you…”
“I know I messed up, Shannon,” Julian said. His hands slid around her back, and she could feel their strength through the terry cloth. She became abruptly aware that she was only wearing a towel, and she pressed herself against him to keep the fabric from slipping down.
“I’m sorry I hurt you, but I want to make it right. Whatever it takes. Whatever it takes.”
He pulled back slightly, and Shannon could see now that there was a hint of mischief in his smile.
“Whatever it takes?”
“Tell me, Shannon.” He bent his head down and kissed her on the crook between her neck and her shoulder. She shivered at the touch, already feeling the place between her thighs ache with desire.
“What exactly do I owe you?” His kisses moved across her collarbone, every one of them sending strange signals through her body. She was scared that he would leave again, scared that she would again be denied real love. Her body was responding despite her anxieties, though, and she could not help but moan when his tongue licked the hollow just at the base of her neck.
“Ohhh.”
“What can I do to repay you, Shannon?” Julian’s fingers moved up, hooking themselves around the top edge of her towel. Shannon began to protest, but Julian placed a single finger on her lips and she felt her words evaporate at his touch.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “I don’t expect you to forgive me just yet. I just want you to give me another chance. Is that okay? Can I have another chance?”
His eyes were locked on hers, and she could see a genuine fear in his eyes that she would say no. He seemed utterly vulnerable, even as his arm held her tight. Shannon could tell that no matter what had happened, he was truly sorry. He really did want her. It made her heart rush with the kind of passion she had thought only happened in books.
“Okay,” she said. She raised her arms, letting the towel drop freely to the floor. Julian’s eyes went wide as she stepped over the cloth and let her damp body come into contact with his. She raised one han
d to caress his cheek.
“Maybe just one more chance.”
Julian kissed her fervently, spinning her around and pressing her against the door. She squealed as he lifted her up, her legs wrapping around his waist involuntarily as he kissed her hard on the neck.
“Julian!”
“You said one more chance,” Julian mumbled, nuzzling her between her breasts. His hands gripped her ass, squeezing them and kneading them. Shannon felt herself being rocked against the door, and she leaned back for support.
“Ohh!” she cried out. Every particle of her being was aching for this, had been aching for this since the week before. She had been dreaming about his mouth for days, his hands, his hair, his eyes. Now that he was here, she felt dizzy, intoxicated with desire.
“Mmmm,” he said. His mouth found her nipple, sucked hard. She yelped.
“Oh, I’m going to have to repay you for that, too,” he said. Shannon giggled, but her giggle turned into a gasp as his tongue worked its way in a circle around her sensitive nipple, caressing the skin.
“Kiss me, Julian,” she said. “I want to feel you against me.”
He obliged, and she felt his lips soft and warm against hers at first. Then the kiss grew harder, more insistent. She moaned against his skin.
They were so engrossed in each other that Shannon didn’t hear the door opening until it was too late.
Brynn.
The door swung a few inches open, hitting Shannon directly in the back. Immediately she pushed back against it, slamming it shut. She heard a shout from the other side.
“Shannon?”
The doorknob started to turn again and she grabbed it. It jostled under her hand.
“One second, Brynn!”
Shannon extricated herself from Julian’s embrace, keeping her hand on the doorknob while she picked up the towel from the floor.
“Shannon? What the hell are you doing? Let me in!”
“I said one second!” She waved the towel at Julian, motioning him to go down the hall. Julian was laughing silently. Shannon yelled through the door of the apartment.
“Sorry, Brynn, I was just walking around naked. Give me five seconds to get to my room before you open the door!”
She let go of the doorknob and then sprinted down the hall, pulling a laughing Julian along with her. As they reached her room and slipped inside she heard the apartment door open.
“Naked? Shannon?”
Shannon poked her head out of the room back into the hallway.
“Sorry, Brynn, I’m getting dressed.”
“Why are you walking around naked in the apartment?” Brynn dumped her books on the counter in the hallway. “And why is there water on the floor?”
Julian poked his head out above Shannon’s.
“We’re just getting ready to go to dinner,” he said.
Shannon elbowed him in the side and he fell back into her room, cracking up. Brynn’s eyes went wide at the sight of a guy in Shannon’s room. She had never brought a boy back home before.
“Oh, right,” she said. “Sorry to interrupt. I’ll, um, I’ll just get my study binder and go back to the library.” She gathered her books back up into her arms.
“Sorry, Brynn,” Shannon said. Julian pulled her back into her room and shut the door.
“Getting ready to go to dinner?” Shannon put her hands on her hips. She was completely naked, water dripping down her body from the wet ends of her hair, but for whatever reason she didn’t feel the least bit self-conscious at that moment, standing in front of Julian.
“That’s actually why I came here.” Julian sat down on her bed and gazed around. Shannon saw the room through his eyes: the clothes strewn on the floor, the photography assignment spread out across her desk. There was even a stuffed animal on her pillow.
“Oh?”
“To take you to dinner. As part of my repayment for being a - what did you call me again? An idiot and a jerk?”
“No!” Shannon flushed now, embarrassed that she had let out her frustrations on him.
“I think the words you used were ‘the dumbest man in the world’, if I recall correctly.”
“Oh, hush!” she cried.
“No, it’s true,” Julian said. “I was an idiot to leave you, and a jerk not to call.” He stood up. “So I want to take you to dinner.” He bent down and kissed her gently on the mouth.
“Okay,” she said.
“Good. Our reservations are at seven.”
“What? I’ve got to get dressed!” Shannon spun around toward her closet.
“As much as I like this view,” Julian said, “I have to agree. You’d better put on something before I get too tempted.”
“Uh huh, right.”
“You made me lose control back there, but I don’t want to be late, so you’d better hurry.” He spanked her on the butt and Shannon let out a squeal that was more surprise than pain.
“I don’t know what I have to wear,” she said apologetically, pushing aside half of the hangers in her closet. “Is this a fancy place?”
“The fanciest. Are these your photographs?” Julian had walked over and was looking at her desk. Shannon felt the urge to sweep all the photographs into a drawer. Her work… There was a portrait study there of Brynn, studying as always, her hair brushed to one side as she focused on a mathematical theorem. Another set of photographs showed the landscape behind her college, the desert lit up red and orange by the early rays of sunshine.
“Um, yeah,” Shannon said. She felt naked. “They’re for class.”
“They’re wonderful.” Julian held up a photo of a bar scene. Shannon didn’t really drink, but she liked going to bars to take pictures. There were always the most interesting people there. When Julian put down the photo, she thought she saw a twinge of sadness in his eyes.
“They’re just assignments,” Shannon said, secretly proud.
“They’re really wonderful.” Julian said. “You’re an amazing photographer.”
“Oh hush already,” Shannon said. “Where are we going?” Her stomach rose nervously. Was he going to take her downtown? Maybe to that new French seafood restaurant. She didn’t really like seafood, but she would go anywhere with Julian.
“It’s a secret,” Julian said. “How about you wear that slinky dress you wore to the concert?”
“That’s way too sexy,” Shannon protested. “Wayyyy too sexy.”
“If you think it’s way too sexy, then it’s perfect.”
“What? Where the hell are we going to eat?”
Shannon sighed. She really didn’t have anything else. Jeans and sweatshirts, the college student’s outfit, and an ankle-length black dress with long sleeves that she had worn to her grandmother’s funeral the year before. It didn’t really fit her. Maybe if she just put a cardigan on over her slinky dress it would be okay. Maybe.
“Alright, alright, you win.” She pulled the slinky dress out of the closet and threw it on the bed next to Julian. It shimmered under the light.
Julian watched her as she quickly put on her bra and panties. Thank goodness she had just bought a new set. Her underwear never matched normally, but now she pulled on the red lace and thought to herself that it was a good thing she had done a shopping therapy trip with Jason.
“Sexy,” Julian said. “I like it.”
Shannon smirked and reached out to grab her dress. She stepped into it and pulled it up, smoothing the fabric over her hips.
“Zip me up?” she said, turning her back to Julian.
“I like watching you dress,” Julian said, kissing the place between her shoulders before pulling the zipper up all the way. “But not as much as I’m going to like watching you undress later.”
“Is that so?” Shannon said, arching her eyebrow. She pulled out a cardigan from her closet and slung it over her arm.
“That’s so,” Julian said solemnly. “It’s part of my repayment plan.”
Shannon grinned and picked up her purse from the mess all over h
er desk.
“Alright,” she said. “Let’s go.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Julian opened the door for Shannon to get into the car. Its yellow hood shone dimly under the last rays of the setting sun.
“Nice rental,” she said. Her fingers ran along the edge of the car door and Julian felt the familiar ache of desire inside of him. He wanted to take her hand and slide her fingers into his mouth, suck on her salty skin. He wanted to slide her hands between her thighs and make her come again, just as he had before. He wanted to-
“I’m sorry, what?” She had said something to him.
“I said what kind of car is it?” Shannon grinned, a smile that made his heart melt.
“It’s a Datsun 280z,” he said. “I asked the guy at the rental place to give it to me just for tonight.”
“It looks like an old racing car or something.” Shannon twisted in her seat, showing more than a hint of her cleavage. She was breathtaking.
Julian slid into the seat next to her. The leather seats smelled warm and inviting, the steering wheel oversized under the palms of his hands.
“This was the kind of car my dad had when I was a kid.” Julian breathed deeply, running one hand along the dash. “Of course, ours was a junker. He bought it for three hundred dollars and was always trying to get it to run.”
“Did you help out?”
“Yeah, that’s how I learned about cars. Hell, if I hadn’t joined Wilder Side, I would probably have become a mechanic. We must have replaced every piece of that car, twice!”
Shannon laughed as Julian continued. His mind drifted back to the past.
“I was ten years old or so, and he would bring me with him to the junkyards to find the scrap parts. It was so fun, like a scavenger hunt. I remember he would always examine the pieces I brought to him, even if they were completely rusted out and junky, even if they were the completely wrong part. He’d tell me what was wrong about them and I’d go running off to look for more. The junkyards were just filled with acres and acres of scrap cars, and I’d go climbing around on the old piles of junk looking for that one perfect piece that would make the car work.”