Falling For The Bad Boy

by Glenna Maynard

  Excited, I make my purchase and get back to the room, so I can hopefully knock Kai off his feet when he sees me tonight.

  I wash my hair and blow-dry it. The hotel has this great shampoo that tames my hair. I use my straightener to give it a finished smooth appearance. I take my time applying my makeup, giving my eyes a smoky look. I paint my lips a soft red to match my nails from my manicure yesterday. Spritzing a little perfume on my neck, I’m ready. Now I just have to wait for Kai.

  Around thirty minutes pass, with me tapping my foot anxiously, trying not to sweat. Finally, the door opens but it is Kelli and Khloe.

  “Katie pwincess,” Khloe shrieks, touching my dress.

  “You look beautiful, Katie. My son is a lucky guy.” Kelli gives me a hug, and I try not to cry at something as simple as a compliment and a hug.

  I snap a picture of Khloe-bug and me. I start to send it to Raven, but then I remember I am mad at her for ignoring my question.

  Hunter and Vance come through the door, their jaws drop.

  “Dayummmmmn,” they both say.

  I laugh and shake my head when Khloe walks over to them, holding her hand out expectantly, wanting to be paid for their swear word. Jake comes in with Kai trailing behind him. Jake looks at me and his hand smacks Kai in the chest to look at me.

  Kai swallows hard, then he smiles with those soul-piercing dimples at me, and I could die.

  His mom tells Khloe she has to get ready for bed and she pouts. “Kai, Katie pwincess, you no frog Kai, but Kai can kiss pwincess Katie,” she says, batting her little lashes at him.

  “I’ll do that,” he says, squatting down to hug her. “What I really need is a Khloe-bug hug for good luck tonight.” She claps and wraps her arms around his neck. He picks her up and gives her to his mom.

  The guys have gone to get ready so it’s just Kai and me in the living room of the suite. He comes to me in one easy stride. His hands are up the back of my dress and pinching my rear. When he feels that I am wearing a thong, he growls in my ear. “You aren’t going out like this. Put some leggings or something on,” he demands darkly.

  “No,” I reply, denying his request.

  “Baby, it’s spring break. The club is going to be crawling with horny college guys and Marines from Camp Lejeune. They will be trying to hit on you all night, and I won’t be able to concentrate, because I will be too busy trying not to kill them all for looking at you.”

  “Kai, I’m not changing. No one could tear me away from you. Not even wild horses,” I sing the line from the popular song and he laughs at me.

  “Killing me, Kat.”

  “I know,” I tease him. I take his hand from my butt and move it to my front. “Just remember what you are playing for tonight,” I whisper in his ear, pressing his hand against my center. His finger brushes against my smooth skin and he starts pushing me toward my room.

  “Oh, no you don’t. Go get ready.” I shove him towards his own room. He goes reluctantly.

  ~**~

  The guys look like bona fide rock stars as we get into the elevator at the hotel. Hunter spots some random girls in the lobby and invites them to come with us. Vance eagerly says, “Hell yeah.” I just shake my head. As long as they keep their hands off Kai, I don’t care.

  We all pile into Hunter’s van. I sit on Kai’s lap to make room for the newly acquired groupies. His fingers are teasing at the hem of my dress, rubbing over my thighs. “This dress is too short.”

  “Are you saying you don’t like it, Kai Cooper?”

  “I like it too much,” he says, and I feel him twitching in his pants beneath me. “Want you so bad, Kat,” he says, sucking on my neck.

  “You two are so hot together.” One of the girls says, watching us.

  “Thanks.” I smile, because I think so too.

  We pull up at the back of the club. Jake tells the girls they will have to go around the front to go in. They look annoyed but get out and go around the building. The guys get out and Kai tells them to give us a minute.

  I scoot off his lap and he takes my hand brushing his thumb over my knuckles. “I didn’t say anything to the guys. I didn’t want to put any pressure on them. There is an agent coming to watch us tonight. Raven got an email from him through our blog. She checked him out and he is legit. This could be huge for us.”

  “That is amazing, Kai. He is going to love Cooper’s Religion. I just know it. I’ve had this feeling all day that something great was about to happen tonight.”

  “Just don’t say anything to the guys. I don’t want to set them up for disappointment ya know.”

  “You’ve got this, Kai. I believe in you.” I kiss his cheek and open the door.

  Jake leads the way to the back door. There is a bear of a man standing guard with a clipboard. Jake shows him his ID and we are all shown in without a problem. Kai has his fingers wrapped in mine. His palm is sweaty. I can tell he is nervous. We are taken to a room and given drinks until the guys are set to go on. Kai gives me his phone, so I can film them when they get on stage. I left my phone in the room like a dummy because I was so excited.

  The owner of the club comes in and introduces himself. “If you guys need anything just let us know. We have a huge crowd tonight.”

  Kai speaks up and tells him he wants me near the stage, so I can film. The guy looks reluctant but agrees to let me.

  The guys are trying to seem cool, calm, and collected but I know they are freaking out. This is the biggest show they have done. I can see why Kai didn’t tell them about the agent. I am so proud of him. The guys all take a shot to calm their nerves. Kai hands me one, and I knock it back but nearly gag as the bitter liquid burns my throat. He pulls me in for a deep, rough kiss. His hands go to my rear, teasing at the back of my thong. He snaps the thin thread against my crack and laughs.

  I shove him away and tell him, “You better kill it out there tonight.”

  The club manager comes in and gives them their five-minute warning. I follow them to the stage. Kai takes his guitar and straps it over his chest looking like a rock god, and he is all mine.

  A bouncer escorts me to where I am to stand during their performance. I look out at the crowd. Oh my God, that dude was not kidding. There are hundreds if not a thousand spring breakers here. I get the video ready to record. My finger is hovering over the red button on the screen.

  “Please give a warm welcome to Cooper’s Religion.”

  Kai pulls up a stool and lowers the mic. Taking his seat with his guitar strapped over his chest, brown shaggy hair hangs across his eyes. His hand shifts, brushing his hair back, and he smiles when one of the girls from the hotel screams out, “I love you, Kai.” His dimples pierce straight through me, owning my soul.

  His voice comes out so soft and smooth, it is sexual and romantic the way he strums his guitar. “If this is what being hurt by you feels like, then…I love pain…” No lyric has ever rung truer for me. “Being loved is just like being suffocated.”

  His fingers move through the chords with ease, and he looks at me, his eyes burning with desire. “I’m on fire,” he sings the chorus, and I die a little on the inside. “I’ll be your pain, and you’ll be my biggest regret…you set me on fire. Give me your love and suffocate me…I’m on fire.”

  The crowd is loving it. I can’t believe he is singing our words. We wrote that together, my boyfriend and I wrote an amazing song, and people are loving it. I make sure to try to get a close-up of each of the guys equally as I capture their performance. I pan around and get a shot of the epic crowd. This is insane. Kai ditches the stool and they do a cover of Mudshovel, by Staind.

  I am in awe watching them. Jake is killing it on the drums, his shirt is off, and the girls in the audience are screaming about how sexy he is. I hear one girl say how she wants to lick the dragon on Vance’s head. I so hope I got that in the video, so I can tease him with it later. Raven is going to flip her shit because she missed this.

  Kai is holding the mic tightly between his ha
nds and growling the hard lyrics out to the crowd. The audience joins in singing the chorus with him. He holds the mic out to them. The sound is deafening, but I swear I am watching my boyfriend start his career. I can feel it. If that agent is here and watching, he is going to snatch them up in a heartbeat. He would be insane not to want them.

  I about lose my shit when Kai invites me on stage to sing a duet with him. I shake my head no, he points his finger at me, and the crowd cheers me on. I nervously walk onto the stage. I hope I don’t let him down. This night is so important to him.

  When I hear what song we are singing my eyes bug out of my head. Kai and I have only ever goofed off singing this in the car together. We sing, Future Starts Slow, by The Kills. It’s my favorite.

  Kai leans up against me playing his guitar sharing the mic with me. We sing our hearts out, as if we have always been a duo. I so hope someone is getting this on film.

  “Katie Francis, everyone,” Kai says, throwing a wink at me as I exit the stage.

  They do a few more covers and it is over.

  Kai rushes from the stage, hands his guitar to Hunter, and gives me a sloppy, sweaty kiss. I jump him, wrapping my legs around his waist and clasping my hands around his neck. “I’m so proud of you, Kai.”

  “Does this mean I killed it and get to see what you wanted to show me?”

  “No, but you can feel it for now,” I tease.

  He falls back into the wall, banging my knees in the process, but I soon forget that it hurts when his finger grazes the thin white lace triangle covering my waxed vagina. I can feel Kai’s arousal pressing into my thigh. He is so hard right now, and I am pretty sure my ass is hanging out of my dress, but I don’t care. I feel high on him…I am high from this whole night. His fingers dig into my butt cheeks and one of the bouncer’s whistles saying, “nice ass.”

  “Killing me, Kai. Want you so bad.” I throw his words at him.

  He takes my cue and carries me down the hallway leading to the back door. He kicks the metal door open with his foot with one strong thump. The cool air of the night hits my face, and I can taste the salt from the ocean on the tip of Kai’s tongue. My back is pressed into the hard brick of the building. His pants are unzipped, and my thong is shoved to the side. He takes me hard and fast against the wall. The brick is tearing at my butt cheeks, but Kai giving me all of him takes my mind off the pain.

  I am going to look rough as hell tomorrow but being with Kai is worth any amount of hurt.

  Hunter comes looking for us just as Kai is sliding me down from the wall. My dress gets snagged on the brick and tears slightly. Kai pulls his shirt off and gives it to me to cover my ass with.

  “Man, there is some dude in a suit looking for you.”

  I squeeze Kai’s hand. This. Is. It.

  Chapter 21

  I am clutching Kai’s hand when the man in the suit hands him his business card. Holy shit. I recognize him, well his name. He is not just some agent—he is the agent. This guy has discovered at least ten of my favorite Indie bands. I step back and give Kai and the guys privacy to talk with him.

  I watch my guy with pride and tears swelling in my eyes as he shakes hands with Clive Owens, agreeing to see him tomorrow before we leave town. After Clive walks away, Kai whispers in my ear, “You know what I will always remember about tonight, that will stick out the most?”

  “What’s that?”

  “That you totally just met Clive Owens with my cum running down your thigh.” He cracks a smile, flashing his dimples in my direction.

  Can I just die now?

  “Shut up, Kai.” I bury my head in his shoulder. “Well, you’re shirtless,” I tease but it is nowhere near the same.

  I go to the bathroom and try to make myself look somewhat normal while Kai and the guys load the van. My dress is trashed. But hot sex with Kai Cooper against the side of a building is totally worth it.

  The guys drive Kai and I back to the hotel, dropping us off so they can go back out to celebrate.

  When we get in the room, Kai wakes his mom and Khloe up to share the news, after getting a shirt and letting me change. No way was I going to try to explain what happened to me.

  Kelli can’t believe her ears. Clive wants to fly him and the band to LA in a week to meet with a huge record label. I know she has been supportive of Kai having the band, but I don’t think she realized how talented they are. I still have Kai’s phone, so I show her the video. She cries proud tears seeing how truly amazing he is.

  “I am so proud of you, Kai.” She wraps her arms around him. “Your father is going to be hard to convince. But if this is your dream, we will make it happen,” she tells him, embracing him once more. She reaches for me, bringing me into their hug. Khloe joins in, wrapping her arms around my leg, not knowing why we are all smiling with happy tears.

  ~**~

  I am so elated for Kai. Cooper’s Religion is going to take off. My boyfriend, the rock star. I smile at him as he and the rest of the band wait for Clive Owens to come talk to them before we check out. I am taking Khloe down to the beach to play one last time, so they can have privacy. His mom is staying to make sure everything is legit.

  Khloe is burying my feet in the sand. I pull my phone from my bag and mark today’s date as being the day my boyfriend has his dream come true. The date catches my eye. Today is Penny’s birthday. I do the right thing and I send her a text.

  Me: Penny I know I am the last person you expected to hear from today, but no matter how you feel about me. I am sorry I didn’t tell you about Aaron. Anyway, Happy Birthday. I hope you have an amazing day. Katie <3

  My phone rings. Penny is calling me. Despite everything, I miss her. “Hello.”

  “Katie.” She starts to cry. “I’m so sorry I was an awful bitch. I shouldn’t have treated you so horrible. I miss you so much.” She starts rambling about how Becks isn’t very good for girl talk and dating advice. I am shocked to hear that she broke up with Aaron. She ended up not going to her grandma’s house for spring break. She wanted to surprise Aaron, and well, she ended up being the one surprised when she caught him with a freshman. She says Becks punched Aaron and Aaron kicked his ass. That comes as no surprise.

  “Is Beckett okay?”

  “Yeah, he totally is milking having gotten a black eye and bloody nose defending my honor though. Where are you? I want to see you. My dad actually caved and bought me a car. It’s for my birthday and graduation,” she squeals.

  “Um, I am actually in Myrtle Beach with Kai. We are driving home today though.”

  Khloe is getting close to the edge of the water, so I hang up with Penny, promising she can come see me when I get back. She will flip her shit when she finds out I am living with the Cooper’s.

  I get Khloe and we go for a walk down the beach before heading back to the room. I hope that they have come to some sort of agreement with Clive by now.

  I tell Khloe we are getting ready to go home. She flops down in the sand, pouting. “Khloe no go. Stay beach,” she says, whining.

  “What if Katie gets you an ice cream?”

  She perks up and gives me her hand.

  I take her down the street from the hotel a little ways and get her a vanilla cone covered in sprinkles. I get a text from Kai asking where I am. I tell him Khloe, and I are getting ready to come through the lobby.

  Kai is pacing in the hotel lobby when I walk in with Khloe. Jake is sitting in a chair next to where Kai is burning holes in the tile with his feet.

  “Jake take Khloe to my mom, so I can talk to Katie.”

  The way he is shuffling his feet and scratching the back of his neck anxiously is freaking me out. I wait until Jake and Khloe are out of earshot.

  “Hey, you okay?” I ask him.

  “Promise me you won’t get mad.”

  “I promise. You are freaking me out. What is it?”

  He sits down in the chair Jake was just in and holds his arms open for me. I take a deep breath, afraid he is about to breakup with me
or something. I sit in his lap and get ready for whatever he is afraid to tell me.

  “Clive wants to represent Cooper’s Religion.” I start say something…but he puts his finger to my lips, shushing me. “I tried to get him to take you on with us, and he said no. I haven’t given him an answer. I wanted to talk to you first.” He is still holding his finger over my mouth, keeping me silent. “If I say yes, I will have to leave Monday morning for LA. He sent the video to his contacts and they want us. Clive and my mom got into specifics. If I take this chance, I could be away from you for months. I will have to finish school online or something.”

  I swat his finger away. “I love that you wanted me to go with you. I do, but this is it. This is your big chance, it may never come again and if you turn it down, I might kill you. I am so proud of you, Kai.”

  “Okay, so I am really doing this,” he says.

  “Yeah, you are really doing this, Kai Cooper.”

  “I just don’t want to hurt you, Kat.”

  “Then don’t.” I nudge his shoulder and get up, pulling him with me. I remember his words, ‘something that will hurt us both.’ My chest aches but Kai deserves this, even if it means letting him go.

  Upstairs, the band looks nervous when Kai and I walk in. They are waiting for Kai’s answer, on pins and needles, I am sure. He cracks a smile, showing off his dimples, and I can see the relief wash over their faces. I can understand that they would be afraid that I wouldn’t want Kai to leave me.

  I watch excitedly with Kelli as she snaps pictures of the guys signing Clive Owens as their agent. Khloe is on my hip twirling my hair in her fingers, and Kai looks at the two of us with this weird expression on his face. I don’t know what to make of it, but it makes my stomach flip flop. He hangs his head, rubbing the back of his neck.

  It’s Kai’s turn to sign. This is what he wanted, isn’t it? So why does he look so sad? Kelli and Clive go over more details about Kai since he isn’t eighteen yet. I tune out for most of it, trying to figure out what changed in the past five minutes for Kai. They finally reach an understanding and we are all loading into our vehicles to make the drive home.