Dream Me Off My Feet (Sex, Love, And Rock & Roll)

by Kisner, Stevie

  She saved the post as Road Rules 1 and closed it, then opened a new document and began to type of Cherie, JT and Paul. Except for the occasional cigarette break, she lost all track of time in her fantasy world, never noticing the sun slink toward the horizon, heedless of her growling stomach protesting its lack of intake since sometime the day before.

  In the midst of writing a particularly steamy scene, the time when she most hated to be interrupted, a quiet knock sounded at her door. It was so hard to recapture the mood when the scenewriting got broken in two. She ignored it long enough to finish the current paragraph. The visitor was persistent and knocked again, louder. With an exasperated groan, she hit Save and rose to answer the door.

  It was an embarrassed-looking Rafe who met her frustrated gaze. Her features softened; he must have locked up his computer again, and she didn’t want him to feel he was intruding. Hell, this was part of her job. Creative fun time would wait until later.

  “Hi, Rafe. Torturing your laptop again?” she chuckled.

  “That obvious, is it? Yeah, the bloody thing froze on me. I need something with more memory, I think.” He looked sheepish, so shy when he wasn’t on stage.

  “Let’s go see what’s wrong.” She followed him down the hall, leaving her door slightly ajar, unconcerned that it was neither closed nor locked. This was the security floor, requiring a key to get the elevator to stop here, and they’d rented the entire thing.

  ****

  JT was hungry, and didn’t want any of the crappy room service food, which would probably take an hour to arrive, anyway. He wondered if Korina had eaten yet. Most likely not. From what he’d seen, she did seem to exist almost solely on caffeine, nicotine, and orange juice. He decided to charm her into coming along. It’s time to begin pulling those strings ever so slightly.

  He stuffed his feet into zippered motorcycle boots. Absolutely no shoelaces or bow-tying today. The plan was to tease her, not himself.

  He found her door unlatched; it drifted open a bit as he knocked. “Kori?” he said, poking his head into the room. There was no reply.

  He took another step inside. “ Hello?” The room was quiet.

  He walked further in. If I’m lucky, she’ll be half-dressed and asleep on the bed, and I can sneak a peek. So I’m no gentleman, he chuckled to himself.

  The room was empty. Damn. Turning to leave, he noticed her laptop on the table. It was still on. The screen was filled with her words. What have we here? Maybe I’m lucky, after all.

  He bent down to read. Nope, no gentleman at all. He was immediately drawn in to the love scene on the computer screen. Ah, the further adventures of JT and Cherie. Now I’m the one who’s getting teased.

  He scrolled through the pages, disappointed that she’d left off in mid-scene. Must have been interrupted…Uh-oh, she could be back any minute, then. Better get your butt outta here, JT, you nosy fuck. How would you explain that?

  In several long strides, he was through the door again and drew it almost fully closed, just as he’d found it. He left his own door slightly ajar, hoping to hear her when she returned. After reading the half-finished scene of heat, he wanted more than ever to continue the tease.

  ****

  “You just had too many windows open at once, Rafe,” Kori said. “Even with a lot of random-access memory, you can overload it, and it won’t know what to do first, so it won’t do anything at all.” She poked around in the files a bit, then asked, “When was the last time you dumped your cookies and temp files?”

  “Tossed my cookies? What?”

  “Used your disk cleanup tool. To get rid of all the unnecessary stuff, and free up your memory.”

  “Oh, the maintenance stuff…Stu usually does that for me whenever it locks up. Should we do that now?”

  “You should clean it out whenever you think about it, if you can’t remember when you did it last. Or at least look at it, see if it’s getting huge and slowing things down. Then you won’t lock up so often.”

  “Me? But I’d rather have a pretty woman in my room to fix it,” Rafe teased.

  “You’re incorrigible, all of you. I swear…” She accessed the proper menu and showed him how to delete the files.

  “I won’t remember all that, you know,” he said.

  “Oh, come on, now.” She shot him a one eyebrow look. “You can play a six-string guitar, a five-string bass, a four-string bass, and the piano. And those are just the instruments I know about. I refuse to believe you’re stupid. You can remember how to do this, Rafe.”

  “Well, I might give it a try, just so long as you’re around to fix it when I mess it up again,” he smiled.

  He really does have the sweetest smile, she mused, all the way up to his eyes. It’s a shame he doesn’t show it more often. She glanced at the screen, finally noticing the time. Damn! I was supposed to call Mark half an hour ago. Where’d the day go, anyway?

  “I’ll be around when you need something. Think of me as Stuart with long hair.” She bid him goodnight, explaining that she had to call home, and went back to her room.

  She immediately noticed the lack of a screensaver on her laptop. She checked the settings, and found the screensaver set to come on at five minutes. How strange. I’ll have to watch that; I’d rather find out there’s something wrong with it before we leave Salt Lake.

  Kori picked up her cell phone, dialing her home number as she settled against the pillows on the bed. Mark answered at half a ring. “I miss you,” he said as he picked up.

  “I miss you, too, honey,” she replied. She recounted her day’s events, carefully avoiding any mention of the night before, or of her morning before the electronics megasuperstore. “Seems we kept missing each other today. I’m glad you were home this time when I called. I hate getting the answering machine when what I really want is to talk to you.”

  “I think, from now on, I’ll call you on the cell phone. The hotel connected me to JT’s room this morning, and I woke him up. He was nice about it, but I still felt guilty waking him so early.”

  Oh, no. JT answered the phone in here? God, what did he say to Mark? “You know, I think that’s a good idea. The cell’s almost always with me.” I need to talk to JT. Shit.

  Kori talked to her son for a few minutes, sending goodnight hugs and kisses through the telephone, and promised to call him again tomorrow. She and Mark hung up shortly after; he needed to tuck Zach into bed, and the rumbling in her stomach reminded Kori that she hadn’t eaten in recent memory.

  But first, I need to know just what he said when he picked up my telephone this morning. She stepped up to JT’s door, found it slightly open, and nervously called out his name.

  JT reclined on the pillows piled at the headboard of the bed, ankles crossed, hands folded over his chest, the picture of relaxation. If you didn’t notice the agitated bouncing of his booted foot, or the fidgeting thumbs. Through his open door, he heard her return. He also heard the muted telephone conversation, including the soft “I love you” before she said goodbye. His heart pinged at that, wishing he had someone to tell those words to, someone to say them back.

  She rang off several minutes ago. Should I go over and knock? Or might she come over here, instead? Damn it…

  He’d wanted to leave off with her for a while, make her come to him. Willingly, and of her own accord. And he was so looking forward to driving her to do it. Nothing compared to the thrill of a good tease. Even when you’ve engineered the outcome. But after reading her most recent love scene, written just hours since he’d left her bed —

  “JT?” a slightly choked voice called from the hall outside his door. He jumped; he hadn’t heard her come out of her room. Well, of course not, you dolt, her door wasn’t closed either. His boot resumed bouncing.

  “Come on in, Kori,” he answered quietly, his voice belying his jumbled emotions and half-aroused state. “I was just thinking about you.”

  She pushed the door open and walked a few slow steps inside. She didn’t say anything, m
erely cocking one eyebrow at him in disbelief.

  He met her stare, his eyes flickering hidden fire. “Actually, I was wondering if you’d like to join me for dinner. Not that you ever seem to eat. But I’d enjoy your company.”

  She pointedly ignored his invitation. “JT, what did you say to Mark this morning?” She held his intense gaze; the butterflies in her stomach turned circles and loops. She had to be certain he answered her honestly. The bouncing foot stilled.

  “I don’t remember, exactly. I was asleep when the telephone rang. I know I told him he had the wrong room. And that I wasn’t bothered that he woke me, because I had a lot to do today. I never let on that he had the right room but the wrong person.” He sat up, studying her face. “Why? Did he say he didn’t believe it?”

  “No, he only said that when he called this morning, he got you, and it must have been a mistake by the hotel operator. I was just worried. Over nothing, I guess.” She looked down toward the rug. “He trusts me.”

  JT watched her avert her eyes and chew at her bottom lip. Having trouble denying yourself already, dear? Damn, how I want her…here, now. But it has to be her making that move. Her decision. “And he should trust you. Last night was an error in judgment for both of us.” He rose and walked over to her, drawing a finger under her chin to raise her face. Her eyes met his, and he saw the desire there, along with the uncertainty. “I told you I won’t seduce you, Korina.” At least, not that you’re aware of.

  Even his voice felt like a caress. She stood frozen in place, biting at her bottom lip again to still its trembling. “I…I’m…” she half-whispered, then cleared her throat, finding her voice. “Let’s go get that dinner, okay, JT? I just need my shoes from my room.”

  He followed her next door and leaned against the wall, watching her fingers work the laces. She’d ruined the thought of tennis shoes for him forever. White shoelaces would now always mean a different kind of workout. He didn’t realize he was grinning until she spoke.

  “What?” she said, looking up in mid-bow.

  “What, what?”

  “What’s that smirk for?” She finished pulling the bow tight.

  “I wasn’t smirking. Smiling, maybe. I don’t know. Just happy, I guess.”

  “Well, I’m ready.” She stood. “Let’s g….” and crumpled to the floor.

  Eight

  Korina watched the world get sparkly and black around the edges, then it all went gray and was gone.

  JT was at her side in three long strides, but not soon enough to keep her head from hitting the floor. “Fuck!”

  He knelt next to her, and watched her chest rise and fall. She was breathing. Good. He pulled her head into his lap, stroking her pale, soft cheek. “Kori? Love, are you okay?” He watched her eyelids flutter but never quite open. Leaning closer, he said, “Talk to me. Say something. Please.”

  Through the loud roaring in her ears, Kori heard someone speaking. To her? Maybe…

  She opened her eyes, and was lost in a sea of crystalline green. Fringed by golden…bangs?

  “JT?”

  The sea crinkled at the corners as he gave a slight smile. “Oh, thank God, love. Are you all right?”

  “I think so. Why are you in my face?” She felt the carpet underneath her hands. “And why are we on the floor?”

  “You fainted dead away. You gave me quite a scare,” he soothed, still stroking her soft cheek. The color was returning, but she was still too pale.

  “I did? I never faint. Unless…oh. Uh-oh.”

  He pulled back a bit, and Kori was better able to focus on his face. “ ‘Uh-oh’ what? Are you ill?”

  “Uh, no. I just need to eat something. I forgot to. Low blood sugar makes me get woozy, sometimes.” She struggled to sit up, but a firm hand on her side held her down. The fingers began to move gently.

  “Christ, woman. I can count your ribs. When was the last time you ate?”

  She closed her eyes. “Um, yesterday? Yeah, yesterday. I had breakfast. I think. What’s today?”

  JT released an exasperated sigh. “It’s Sunday. What do you mean, ‘I think?’ Don’t you remember? Don’t you eat?”

  “Does Diet Pepsi count?” She attempted a smile.

  “No, it most certainly does not.” He glared down at her. “I can see I’m going to have to keep a close eye on you.”

  “You already do,” she mumbled. “I noticed.”

  “Beg pardon?”

  “Nothing. Nevermind. Look, I’m okay, now. Can I get up?” She struggled against his implacable hand again.

  “Only as far as the bed, young lady.” He slipped his arms under her and rose to his knees, intending to pick her up.

  “Young lady? I’m only a few years younger than you, mister. And I…wait just a minute! You’ll hurt yourself. I’m heavier than I look. I can stand up by myself.” He ignored her as he picked her up easily and placed her gently on the mattress.

  “And I’m stronger than you give me credit for. You’re light.” He was surprised; she really didn’t weigh much, for looking so solid. He’d felt her underneath him last night, but hadn’t truly looked at her nude body. He’d been too overcome by desire and lack of sleep. “You must have a large pair of lungs hidden in that bony ribcage. You’re all air. I’d hate to hear you scream.”

  “I could blow your ears off.” She looked up as he stood over her, batting her eyes in mock innocence. “So, if I’m stuck here, how’re you planning on feeding me?”

  He picked up the phone. “Easy. I’ll just call and order something up.”

  “Room service? Yucky sandwiches and runny eggs. Ick.”

  “No, not room service. I can get real food sent up from the restaurant. Fame does have a few rewards.”

  He placed a quiet call to the restaurant, not letting her hear the order. “They said half an hour, so figure on forty-five minutes.” He sat on the bed and leaned down, hands on either side of her. Her eyes widened. “How’s your head? You knocked it pretty good when you fell.”

  She reached up to touch her forehead, wincing at the bump she found there. “I’ll live.” He leaned closer still, looming in her vision. Her eyelids fluttered closed. His breath whispered over her skin, followed by the gentle touch of his lips on her bruised forehead. Then it was gone.

  He pulled back, studying her. Anticipation radiated from her features. Tug a string or two, JT. He smiled inwardly. This was working out even better than he’d planned.

  Well, this certainly feels strange. I’m the caregiver, not the cared-after. Her husband had long ago given up trying to make her rest when she was sick or rundown. Always the one to keep my chin up and soldier forward until it was physically impossible to keep going, that’s me. I could stand a little pampering. Besides, I get this feeling that if I fight him on this, he’ll only watch me even closer. Better to make him relax and think I’m giving in. He doesn’t fully understand the meaning of the word ‘headstrong’ when it comes to me…

  Except when he touches me; when we get that connection, that wavelength. Then I’m blown away, just an observer of my own body. It’s never been that way with anyone before. But then, I know so very few people as driven as he is. Except maybe me.

  JT stayed by her side, wondering what she was thinking but not wanting to ask. He hoped it was about him. Hell, I’m not too self-centered to admit that I am, and that I want to be a part of whatever she’s thinking about.

  He thought fleetingly of her husband, and experienced a twinge of guilt. He dismissed it before it could grab a foothold. I’m not stupid. This is definitely more than a simple fling, but could never be a long-term relationship. I won’t be a homewrecker. I just want a slice of that happiness, for even a little while.

  And, who knows? Could give me something to look forward to on the road, and when she has an extended stay when we’re in the studio. She’ll stay at the house, same as everyone else. A little mind-blowing casual sex in a (hopefully) long-term friendship.

  His lifelong experiences
with female friends taught him an invaluable lesson. It’s best to get any attraction out of the way first, else it simmered beneath the surface until it exploded. And usually ended the friendship when the sexual relationship fizzled out.

  Too often, the women saw it as friendship grown into love instead of what it really was: a frenzy of lust neither one could manage to keep in check. He’d lost too many valued friends that way. They always seemed to expect more; more than he wanted, or even had in his heart, to offer. A friendship can only stand so much flirting and sexual tension before frustration wins all and someone gives in. And innuendo and flirting were simply a part of his nature. One he wasn’t willing, or perhaps even able, to change.

  He had yet to find a partner secure enough to tolerate that part of him. And so, with the lack of trust already there, and the punishments inflicted before he’d even committed the crime, he’d strayed. Many times.

  He’d looked away while he was lost in his thoughts; when he glanced back, her eyes were closed. “Kori?”

  “Yeah?” came the hoarse reply. She opened heavy-lidded eyes to meet his.

  “Just checking. I thought maybe you were asleep.”

  “No, I was only drifting. Thinking.” Her eyes opened wider, but still lacked her normal spunk.

  “What about? Wanna share?”

  “Just about how it’s so nice to be looked after when I’m not feeling one-hundred percent. I usually don’t allow it. I’m the Energizer Bunny, I keep going and going until I land on my face. Pisses Mark off to all hell and back. But I can’t seem to quit.”

  “You know, ‘rock til you drop’ wasn’t meant to be a motto for your life. It’s just a song lyric.”

  “I’ve been this way forever. Even went to school sick, unless my mom made me stay home. I just can’t quit until I’ve done more than enough. I’m impatient, and hate it when my body betrays me with its needs.”

  He bit back a comment about the needs of her body. Not now, JT. Wait until the food gets here. Or better yet, make her start it…