by Ava Walsh
“Not that.” He took her hand across the small table because they were in public, so he could and she wouldn’t tell him no. “Being used for your pretty face and wholesome personality. I hope you’ve been romanced. You deserve that, Min. Real romance.”
She stared at him, blinked once or twice. “Sure. I’ve had romance before.”
“Good. So how is it you’re without a man right now? I imagine your attention is in pretty hot demand at your little college.”
“First of all, my college isn’t little. It’s a state university. Second of all, I’m not so in demand that I don’t have time for a faux summer fling.” She gave him a secretive smile, and dimples deepened in her cheeks.
Devon sat back in his chair as the waiter brought their appetizer. Their menu was at the mercy of the chef tonight.
Mindy leaned forward and picked up her fork. “So this is really smoked foie gras and pigeon?” she whispered.
He grinned at her, took a quick bite with his fork, and chewed thoughtfully. “It’s actually delicious. Try it.”
She gazed at him, and her perfect breasts rose and fell with a deep breath. She took a small bite onto her fork, blew on the steaming morsel, then popped it into her mouth. “Oh! That really is good.”
“I told you so. Now you have to try at least a bite of everything he sends over. Besides” —he glanced toward the bustling cooking area— “they’re watching, so we have to at least pretend to enjoy it.”
She swallowed and took a sip of her wine. “Good point.”
They drank, ate and laughed through the next two courses. She told him a little more about her experiences at college, though she didn’t mention any boys. Maybe she was being discreet? Still, her anecdotes about what a normal life looked like were like water for him—refreshing and cool. He’d forgotten what it was like to be a regular guy.
She made him remember that hungry younger man, willing to work as hard as it took for even a moderate amount of success. He missed those days. Just him and the guys. And Mindy, hanging around, watching them practice in the garage and telling them they were the best band ever.
When dessert came, she smiled with a shake of her head. “Goat’s milk sherbet. Seriously? I’m game if you are.”
“Why not, Mindy? Live life, be daring. Take a chance.”
“On dessert?” Her cobalt blue eyes twinkled from the laughter they’d shared.
On me. “Sure.” He took his spoon out and held it aloft, above the sherbet. “Ready?”
“Yes.” She opened her mouth and he spooned the sherbet through her waiting, full lips.
She closed her eyes and swirled the sherbet around on her tongue. “Mmm.”
Her face was killing him right now. He wanted to be the one who put that look there. He wanted to kiss her senseless, touch her until she cried out his name.
Tonight, he’d kiss her for the cameras, take every chance to touch her, and when they went back to the hotel room, he’d make his move. He could tell by the way she responded to his touches that she wanted him as well. He’d take her, and they’d both be satisfied.
Chapter Seven - Mindy
After they left the restaurant, they drove to the zoo. Some of the photographers followed behind the limo and took pictures as they were ushered into the closed zoo, his hand at the small of her back.
She pulled up short and looked around. Despite the zoo being completely empty of tourists and visitors, popcorn and cotton candy vendors still sold their creations.
“You want something?” he asked.
“Cotton candy. This is very strange.”
“What is?” He led her to the vendor and got her a cone of the spun-sugar substance. No money exchanged hands. “Here you go, sweetheart.”
“Don’t you have to pay for that?” she asked as they walked away, looking over her shoulder. This was the first time she’d ever been to such a public venue with a “celebrity,” and it was weird. No one should be this important.
“When you pay to shut down the park, it’s sort of included in the price.”
“Why couldn’t we come here with everyone else?”
He gave her a wide grin. “Because it would be a madhouse. Security for the record label would never allow it, for one thing. For another, people would recognize me, and then they’d all be staring at me instead of the monkeys.” He pointed at the primates frolicking in a pen beneath them. They had some branches and a couple of trees to hang from.
“It’s kind of sad, without everyone else. Those poor animals.”
He tore off a piece of cotton candy and held it out to her. He slid it between her lips with his fingers, and she let her tongue capture the sticky dessert. What was he trying to do to her? Everything inside of her went on high alert as his fingers left her mouth.
“Do you want a bite?” she asked, unsure where her daring came from.
“Definitely.” He opened his mouth and waited.
She took some of the candy and placed it on his tongue. His mouth came around her fingers and sucked gently. Something shot straight through her. Desire, she shivered as the realization struck her. She’d never wanted anyone the way she wanted him, right now, in the middle of the massive zoo. Such an odd experience.
He put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her in close as they walked toward the aquarium.
In the darkness, they walked past brightly lit glass windows, where sharks swam aimlessly. An octopus fluttered by and she looked at him with a smile. “Okay, I’m starting to appreciate not being jostled by crowds. This is my favorite part of the zoo. It’s like a different world in there.”
“Yeah, it is. It’s sort of… serene.”
“Exactly. Wouldn’t it be great to escape to that world sometimes?”
He leaned against the wall and slid down. “Let’s escape there now. Sit with me?”
“Sure.” She sat down cross-legged beside him and looked up as a school of exotic fish swished its way across the top aquarium. “This is beautiful.”
Taking her chin in his hand, he turned her face to him. “You’re beautiful, Min.”
She giggled. “You can barely see me.”
“I see you now like I never have before. I know we’re in private but…can I kiss you? You know, without endangering the family jewels?” He caressed her cheek with a knuckle.
She wanted him more than ever now. She knew she risked her heart if she allowed it, but after all those daydreams where Devon finally noticed her, how could she say no? “Yes, please.”
He gave her a soft smirk as he leaned in. “So polite.”
Then his lips were on hers. Placing a hand on her cheek, he tilted her head back and deepened the kiss, gliding his tongue into her open mouth.
Why shouldn’t she make out with him here? No one could see them. They were alone and it was dark in the aquarium.
He wasn’t done with her yet. Just when she thought she might lose her mind from the kiss, he trailed his lips down her neck. “You smell so good,” he mumbled.
She captured his mouth once again as his hands roamed over her shoulders and neck. Before she realized what was happening, he’d unbuttoned her blouse and slid his hand inside, into her bra, and toyed with her nipple. Mindy leaned her head back and gasped. The sensation sent tingles coursing down her body.
“That’s right, Min.” He breathed in her ear, panting softly. “This could be so good. You and me.”
She struggled to find her train of thought. Devon wanted her. That’s all there was in her brain right now.
He pushed her back gently and leaned above her, his forearms holding him up. He let his mouth wander to the valley between her breasts and she let her head fall back on the carpet. This, she’d wanted exactly this for so long. To see the desire shining in his eyes as he devoured her with his mouth.
“I don’t know much about these things. But—” He’d tugged her bra up and let his mouth find her nipple in the backlit darkness. A sea turtle and fish swam overhead as he touched her as no
one else ever had. “But do you have a condom? Like, here, with you?”
“Always.” He lifted his head and offered her a devilish grin. “What do you mean, you don’t know much? Like you don’t have a lot of experience?” A line slashed his brow.
She leaned up on her elbows and kissed him slowly and thoroughly while his hands roamed her body. When she pulled away, she spoke in short bursts. His hands were driving her mad. “I have... no experience.”
He stopped all at once and sat back on his haunches. She pushed herself up, simply because she wanted to be closer to him in this moment.
“What does that mean? You’re… you can’t be.”
She pulled his t-shirt over his head. “I mean…this will be my first time.”
His hand came up between them and he grabbed his t-shirt from the floor where she’d tossed it. “Whoa, stop. You’re a virgin?”
“It’s not a big deal,” she whispered. “Not with you.”
“It’s a very big deal, especially with me, sweetheart.” He tugged his shirt back on. “We’re not real.”
Her lips parted in surprise and her heart stammered in her chest. Had he just said they weren’t real? “It feels pretty real.”
“Sure, I want you, kid.”
“I told you not to call me that.” She began tugging her bra down and buttoning her shirt back up, cheeks flaming with heat. All that, he’d touched her all over. And now, he was done because she was a freaking virgin? “What the hell was this to you?”
“I thought we’d have some fun. I didn’t know you’d never… you know.”
“You didn’t know I’d never had sex. If you can perform the act, you can say the words. Even a virgin can say them. Is that too shocking for you?” She stood up and gave him a long, cold stare. The colder she could be right now, the better. Her heart felt like an ice bucket.
“You don’t act like a virgin.” He stood, tucking his shirt back into his jeans.
Shoving a hand against his chest, she yelled at him, “Screw you, Devon! Are you saying I acted slutty? Is that what you mean?” Her voice echoed strangely in the aquarium.
“You acted responsive. I just wouldn’t have expected that from someone who didn’t know anything about… what comes next.”
“I’m leaving.” She turned and stalked away and he caught up with her at the exit.
“You need to hold my hand while we leave.”
“Forget you and your record label for five seconds. I’d die before I held your hand right now.” She stormed out. When the driver hopped out and opened the door for her, she climbed into the waiting car.
He followed behind, waving at the yelling fans and reporters behind the gate. Mindy rolled her eyes in car. Was there anything about him that wasn’t for show?
Chapter Eight - Devon
Devon was finishing up a sound check on stage before their concert later that night. He’d been struggling all day to keep his mind on his singing rather than on Mindy.
When they got back to the hotel the night before, she’d stormed upstairs. She went into the bedroom and locked the door, without even tossing out his pillow or blanket. As he’d laid on the couch, cool without his blanket and uncomfortable. He’d heard her crying.
He felt like a complete bastard. He’d never meant to make her think there was something wrong with her. He’d been surprised, and he hadn’t communicated very well that he wasn’t a good enough guy to have her first time with. He’d end up breaking her heart much worse if he hadn’t pushed her away.
Finished with the sound check, Devon walked offstage and headed out to the backstage door. Bret caught up with him as he was getting in the car. Great. That was the last thing he needed. “Share a ride, man?”
“Sure,” Devon said. He didn’t know what to say to Bret at this point. He’d tried to seduce his sister, and if Bret knew that, he’d beat the hell out of him. It wouldn’t be pretty, for either of them. Especially if Bret knew his sister was still so innocent.
“So how’s it going with Mindy? She sounded pretty upbeat when I called the room this morning.” Bret looked out the window as they passed some early fans gathering outside the arena for tonight’s concert.
“Did she?” That was news to him. He hadn’t seen or heard from her since they arrived back at their hotel last night. Except for the crying. That he couldn’t get out of his mind.
“Yeah, the image consultant you hired was coming by to show her some clothes. I guess Chet set it up for her.” Chet took care of all the little details they didn’t want to bother with anymore. This was a little detail Devon had completely forgotten about.
Mindy was right. All he cared about was himself and his record label. Sure, he didn’t want to lose the record contract for the guys, either, but mostly? He just cared about himself.
His dad had been right when he said Devon was a screw up because, damn, had he made a huge mistake in trying to seduce Mindy last night.
“Hey, man. Where’s your head at? You haven’t said more than two words all day,” Bret said.
“Sorry.” Devon scrubbed his face with a hand. “I’m getting road-tired, I guess. And I’m not getting enough sleep on that couch.”
“Hey, you stay on that couch or I’ll kill you.” Bret punched him in the arm playfully.
If he had any idea how close Devon had come to taking his sister’s virginity last night, Bret would never forgive him. Devon forced a laugh. “Like I said, Mindy isn’t my type.”
“Don’t try to bullshit someone who has known you as long as I have. Your type is female and warm. You’ve gotten better choices since we got famous.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m an ass, I know.” And he did. He didn’t know why that thought was making him so gloomy today. He used to not care about it.
The car pulled up to the hotel. Tomorrow it would be a new hotel, and a different one the day after that. At least he was glad they weren’t all still sleeping on a tour bus together.
He got into the elevator alongside Bret. His best friend got off on his floor, and Devon continued up to the seventeenth floor. This was his stop, and he made his way out of the elevator and let himself into the room.
A woman wearing dress slacks and a purple blouse with a mane of highlighted blonde hair stood beside Mindy. They were looking at two dresses. “I think the pink looked beautiful with your coloring. What do you think?”
The two of them turned when he shut the door. With both their eyes on him, he had to say something. “Hi, sweetheart.”
“Hi.” Mindy glanced at the consultant then dragged her gaze back to Devon. With a small sigh, she crossed the room and gave him a peck on the lips. “Why don’t you tell us which dress you prefer, Devon? I like the blue, but she recommends the pink.”
Mindy made her way back to the dresses.
“In my experience, when you pay someone for an opinion, you listen to it, even when you don’t want to hear it.” He’d done that plenty of times with his manager. But he sounded like an ass again, didn’t he? “But I’m sure you look beautiful in both.”
Mindy nodded, keeping her distance from him. “Pink it is, then.”
“I hope you got more than one dress out of all this.” Devon offered Mindy a smile she didn’t return.
“She’s set for several weeks.” The consultant took the blue dress and hung it on a rack that she then zipped up and wheeled to the door. “Remember what I said about your makeup. Keep it light, play up those fresh looks of yours. Bye, now.”
She shut the door behind her and Devon raised his eyebrows. “What the hell does ‘fresh looks’ mean?”
“Oh, you know. Young, naïve.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Like a virgin.”
Devon sat down on the couch and patted the seat beside him. “Come sit with me for a minute.”
Mindy did, but she didn’t sit next to him. She put herself on the opposite end of the couch. “I’m sorry I forgot about your blanket and pillow last night.” She peered with intensity at her hands.
&n
bsp; “I deserved it.” He waited a beat. “Don’t deny it.”
It took her a minute but she gave a small laugh, and she finally lifted her gaze, studying his face. “I should go decide what I’m wearing to the show tonight.”
“Let me finish. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. Everything I wanted to say came out all wrong.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” She looked away, lifting her eyes to the ceiling as though she were afraid she might start crying any minute.
“I’m almost done. What I meant to say is that you’re too important to me for… me to ruin things. I want your first time to be special. I care about you. Always have, ever since you aggravated me and your brother to let you join in when we played video games.” He scooted to the edge of the couch and stood to pace the room. He was like a caged tiger. He needed to get away, but more than that he needed to make sure she understood him.
“So, you still think of me as a kid? Is that what you’re saying?”
“I think I proved last night that I don’t see you as a child, Min.” He looked at her, in her black yoga pants, yellow tee shirt, and red hair in a messy bun. She wore a little makeup. The image consultant probably had shown her how to do it. Freckles dotted her face. “I think you’re a beautiful woman. I think I did manage to articulate that much last night.”
Mindy approached him and he held his arms out for a hug. She walked right into it, burying her face in his chest.
“Forgive me?”
“Yes.” She pulled back and gazed up at him. Her lips shone in the. light. And just like that, he wanted to kiss her again. But he wouldn’t let himself do that again. He wasn’t sure how much control he actually possessed anymore. Not when it came to Mindy.
Chapter Nine - Mindy
Mindy put on her new lacy lingerie. She turned this way and that, looking at the peekaboo pink lace of the bra and panties.
Devon had meant what he said, she knew that. She couldn’t stop thinking about it. He’d said she was important. To him, not just to her brother. He’d said that he cared about her.