by Brooklyn Ann
Actually, tension in her muscles eased at his gentle tone. At least he didn’t seem to be too mad at her.
At the studio, Kat felt a different sort of awkwardness, as she didn’t have any sessions herself. Today they were focusing on the bass and drums. Klement had told her that she could stay home, but she wanted to watch him play—and spend a few stolen moments alone with him in the truck if she could get them.
To her surprise, Cliff had managed to drag his hungover ass out of bed to accompany Roderick. He met her in the sound engineer’s booth and offered her a McDonald’s hash brown. Kat was beginning to suspect that he was one of those people who couldn’t stand to be alone. Her mom was like that, and Kat would call her soon. She should. Right now, her aunt was staying there. She hoped they two were having a good time.
Her thoughts broke off as Klement stepped into the recording booth. She admired his confident demeanor as he shrugged the strap holding his bass over his shoulders, donned the headphones, and signaled for the engineer to begin.
Frank pushed a button, and Klement began playing, but Kat couldn’t hear a thing. Feeling like an idiot, she grabbed a pair of headphones from the table and put them on.
Throbbing bass notes filled her ears, thrumming through her body and pulsing in her blood. It took her a moment to recognize that he was playing his riffs for “Sorrow’s Harvest.” Kat’s lips parted as she watched his fingers dance along the fret board in a blur of speed, but it was his right hand that plucked the strings with a deftness that made heat unfurl in her lower body. Last night, those skilled fingers had worked their magic on her, inside her.
To her embarrassment, she found herself getting wet again. Even though Cliff and the sound guy couldn’t see her predicament, she couldn’t help but cast them guilty looks. What was it about this man that affected her so much?
Cliff’s eyes were closed as he mouthed the lyrics to the song and moved his fingers in time with the rhythm section. Kat clenched her fists, determined to follow his example and focus on the music instead of lusting after the musician.
Bringing forth her guitar solos from memory, Kat moved her own fingers in time with her parts. Tapping her foot to compensate for the missing drum beat, she let the music overtake her consciousness, drowning her in melodious desire.
When the bass stopped mid-song, the silence was as sudden as a bucket of ice water, and Kat’s eyes snapped open as Cliff pushed the microphone button.
“You sped up after the third bridge.” He released the button and turned to Kat. “Now we get a chance to get back at him for his nit-picking.”
Klement’s voice filled her ears. “Damn it, I was afraid of that. Should I start over at the second?”
In the end, it took three takes for him to get the bass track for the first song and four takes for the second. Kat tried to give helpful feedback, but mostly she remained transfixed watching and listening to him.
After all of her years of listening to Bleeding Vengeance, how had she not realized before how incredible he was? His riffs were fast and complex, blowing the usual pedestrian thrums of many bassists out of the water. He was fierce, he was dynamic. And as she watched him move with his instrument like he was joined to it, she’d never seen anyone look so powerful, so alive.
On the ride back home, he was so quiet and fidgety that she didn’t dare broach the subject of their lovemaking again.
Klement fixed a quick dinner of halushki for them back at the house, a delicious Czech pasta dish, before retreating to his office. Kat went to her own room and tried to call Kinley, but her friend’s phone was out of service. With a sigh, Kat settled on fiddling with their website and writing a post on Thrashfest.
Klement’s door opened, and his footsteps came down the hall. Was it her imagination or had he paused for a moment nearby? The urge to follow him made her muscles twinge, but Kat stayed in her seat. The last thing she wanted was to be seen trailing after him like a lost puppy.
Her phone rang. Gratitude filled her for the distraction, until she looked at the caller ID and her heart stopped.
It was IT Guy.
Why was Klement calling her as his alias? They didn’t have any website work scheduled until next week before she left for Thrashfest.
She took a deep breath and willed herself to sound normal as she answered. “Hey, IT Guy.”
“Hi, Kat.” It was Klement all right, though his voice echoed over the speakerphone and he was adding a slight Southern accent to his usual tone. “I’m calling to let you know that I’ll be unavailable for the next couple of days.”
Also, there was a sound of rushing air in the background. The noise triggered her memory, and she figured out where he was calling from. The grow room.
“Oh? Where are you going?” What excuse was he going to come up with?
“I’m going to take a break and figure some things out,” he said quietly. “Something in my professional life is getting…personal.”
Was he talking about her? He had to be. Nothing could be more of a professional and personal conflict than her getting naked with him last night. But did he mean it in a good way or bad way?
“Me too,” she couldn’t help saying.
“Hmmm.” Uncomfortable silence ensued before he spoke again. “So, how’s everything going with the band?”
As much as he must be trying to hide it, he sounded nervous. As she understood. It was so weird talking about Klement to Klement.
“Great. Almost all of my guitar tracks are done, and they invited me to play Thrashfest with them.”
“Excellent!” He sounded genuinely enthused. “And how are the guys treating you? None of them are getting inappropriate, are they?”
Kat had to cover her mouth to conceal a startled squeak. Was he worried about how he behaved last night? She laughed. “No, but I’m afraid I got a little inappropriate with the bassist.”
He feigned a scandalized gasp. “You naughty girl.” Then he sighed. “I thought you were going to wait for me.”
“You never expressed any interest that way,” she retorted, momentarily forgetting who she was really talking to. “I don’t know where you live, what you look like. Hell, I don’t even know your name.” Well, now I do.
“I was just teasing you,” he said quickly. “Wait. You mean I would have had a chance?”
What kind of a game was he playing? Kat answered honestly. “Yes, if we’d ever had the opportunity to meet. But I guess that’s a moot point for now. I’m going to see how things go with Klement.”
“What’s he like?”
Klement’s curiosity emanated from the phone. He wanted to know what she thought of him?
“He’s funny and kind, and extremely intelligent.” Kat couldn’t hold back a smile. “He’s a lot like you.”
IT Guy Klement laughed. “Sounds like you have good taste. I hope everything works out with that.”
“Me, too. And I hope everything works out with your situation too.” She meant every word. After all, it was her situation as well.
“I’ll let you know when we talk again.” Klement paused awhile before he sighed. “Well, it’s getting late. I better let you go.”
“Goodnight, IT Guy.” Klement, she mouthed in addition.
After hanging up, Kat paced the length of her room, mind spinning with the implications of their conversation. Was it possible he was considering telling her the truth? God, she hoped so. That would spare her the awkwardness of confronting him. Except…what would she say when he told her who he was? Should she tell him she already knew? Or should she pretend to be surprised? The thought of further deceit churned her stomach.
She replayed their conversation in her mind. It seemed like he’d wanted to check up on her and gauge her feelings about what happened between them. But why couldn’t he have just talked about it with her in person? Was he more insecure even than she was?
Taking a Xanax and changing into her pajamas, she struggled to calm her racing thoughts. Klement had been right about one
thing. It was late and she would be worthless in the studio if she didn’t get some rest.
After brushing her teeth, she headed back to her room. Klement met her in the hall, her robe tucked under his arm. She froze at the sight of his tall, handsome form, studying his face for answers to a million questions.
“I thought I’d return this,” he whispered, giving an enigmatic half smile that made her want to leap into his arms and wrap her legs around him. Despite the strange situation with his deception, she still wanted him more than anyone else she’d ever wanted.
“Thanks.” She took the silky garment, enjoying the brief touch of his hands. She was about to say something else—she didn’t know what—but he’d already turned and walked back to his room. It took every effort not to follow.
Kat carried her robe back to her room. She was about to toss it in the dirty clothes pile, but then she caught a whiff of a tantalizing, masculine scent. Lifting the black satin to her face, she realized it smelled like Klement.
Even though it was the sort of childish thing a teenager would do, Kat took the garment to bed with her, cuddling it tightly as she slept and dreamed of him.
Chapter Seventeen
The hours at the studio dragged for Klement. Normally he loved this point of the process, when everything was coming together, but now it only seemed to rob him of time with Kat. Though only a glass partition separated them, she was impossible to touch.
Even worse was Cliff’s disillusionment with his drinking buddy. Because of that, he and Rod had stayed in last night, and it looked like they’d do the same tonight, giving him no excuse to do anything naughty with Kat. He should be grateful for that. Messing around with her could only cause trouble.
And, he still needed to figure out how he was going to tell her that he was IT Guy. The deception couldn’t remain, not after he’d slept with her. He really shouldn’t touch her again until she knew the truth.
Despite that reasoning, he found himself hard as a rock the moment they were alone together in his Suburban. Alas, they had to run to the parts store and then finish up fixing her car. That was the first priority, he told himself.
Once working, Klement busied himself putting the injector back in the throttle body while Kat changed the tire. But, while reconnecting the hoses and wires to the throttle body and air cleaner, her presence became sheer torture. To hell with the consequences, he had to have her again.
An idea unfurled in his mind. Tempting and dangerous.
His fingers curled at his sides as he resisted the urge to brush a stray lock of hair from her face. “Well, shall we fire up your car and see if it works?”
She nodded and dug her keys out of her pocket, and Klement chuckled as she jerked the driver’s seat forward so she could reach the pedals. After giving him a look full of anxious hope, she turned the key. The station wagon’s engine cranked over with a roar.
Her eyes widened, and her lips curved up in a broad grin. “Oh my God, it works!” She scrambled out of the car and jumped up and down before running over to him and giving him a big hug. “And she sounds even better than she did before.”
Reluctantly, Klement disengaged from her embrace before she felt his raging hard-on from the sight of her bouncing breasts. “We should get cleaned up.”
She followed him to the industrial sink he’d installed at the corner of his shop. After they’d scrubbed their hands with a caustic but effective degreasing soap, Klement turned. Kat’s t-shirt had gotten wet, revealing the dark lacy shape of her bra beneath the fabric, and madness overtook him. He pulled Kat into his arms and covered her mouth in a hungry kiss.
It didn’t stop there. After devouring her mouth for what felt like a blissful eternity, he sank to his knees and lifted her shirt. He kissed along the outside of her bra before pulling it down and taking a delectable nipple into his mouth, and her throaty moan was like an aphrodisiac, bringing his desire to a heated frenzy. He rolled her nipple between his fingers, circling his tongue around the other.
“I still haven’t processed anything regarding the other night,” he murmured against her silken flesh. “I just can’t seem to stay away from you.”
“Me neither.”
Then Kat reached down and fumbled with the zipper on his jeans, bringing back a semblance of mental clarity. He broke away from her and strode to the shop door.
“Oh, God. You can’t stop now,” she whimpered.
“Stop?” He laughed mirthlessly. “There’s no way in hell I’m able to stop. I’m just locking the doors so we don’t get interrupted.”
The lock clicked with tantalizing finality and promise.
Kat seized him by the hips and unfastened his jeans, freeing his engorged cock. Sinking to her knees, she took him in her hot, wet mouth.
Klement tangled his hands in her hair and threw back his head in sheer ecstasy as her lips and tongue worked magic on his throbbing shaft.
“God, Kat,” he gasped. “If you keep this up, I’m going to come.”
“Mmmm.” Her voice vibrated along his hardness.
He withdrew himself from her mouth and pulled her to her feet, unzipping her jeans before he bent her over the hood of the car. Sliding the denim down past her hips, he reached around to flick his finger along her swollen clit. She was hot and slippery with wetness. Kat gasped and moaned, but he didn’t stop teasing her sweet core until she was whimpering.
“Please, please…”
He did like to hear her beg.
Reaching into his back pocket, he got a condom from his wallet. His lips curved in an ironic smile. He didn’t normally carry them. Some part of him must have anticipated this from the start.
Despite the latex barrier, sliding inside Kat felt like heaven. Reaching beneath her shirt, he caressed the smooth skin of her back before grabbing her shoulders and pulling her against him, driving himself deeper. Her moan of pleasure rippled through his body, intensifying his own joy. He quickened his movements, reveling in every angle and sensation of his cock moving in and out of her tight center.
The rhythm broke when Kat reached up and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. Not wanting her to be distracted, Klement gently gathered her dark tresses into his hand. But maybe he pulled too tight.
“Oh, yes,” she gasped. “Harder.”
Primal eroticism jolted through him as he tightened his grip on her hair and pulled.
“Yes!”
With one fist in her hair, he yanked on her locks and deepened his thrusts.
“Harder,” she moaned.
With a low growl, he complied, mercilessly slamming his cock into her, his grip on her hair holding her captive, jerking her against his body to meet his assault. His other hand slid up from her clit and up under her shirt to grasp her breast.
“Oh, God, yes!” she cried out as he pinched her nipple.
The feel of her hips bucking against him, and her tight, wet heat clamping down on his cock made him lightheaded with pleasure.
“Please don’t stop,” she whimpered as he tugged her hair almost brutally. “Yes, like that. Oh please, please—”
Her words broke off in a wordless cry as her pussy clenched around him in rapid spasms. The musky scent of her arousal permeated the shop as she slammed her hips against his, riding him just as hard as he was riding her. The sound of their flesh colliding heightened his arousal to a new level.
Klement threw his head back as his orgasm tore through him, jolting from his cock, tightening his balls and spiraling all the way down to his toes. The climax ricocheted through him in a never-ending loop, intoxicating and relentless. And when he thought he couldn’t take any more, the pleasure subsided into bone-melting bliss.
At last he released her hair and rested his hands on the hood of the car as she continued to gasp and quiver around him. It was almost enough to make him ready again, if not for his muscles feeling like jelly.
“Oh my God,” he panted against her neck.
“I know,” she whispered. “That was amaz
ing.”
Reality seeped into his blissful satiation, darkening the glow. “I hope no one heard us.”
“Oh shit, I was kinda loud.”
Reluctantly, he withdrew from her and helped her to stand. “Yeah, you were.”
As they pulled up their pants, Kat suddenly frowned.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
She looked down at her toes. “Well, as long as this is going on, do you plan on getting um…involved with anyone else?”
“No.” He chuckled. Jealous already? It might have irritated him, but instead he found it adorable. He felt the same way about her.
Studying the floor with intense concentration, she continued. “There’s one more thing. I need a ride to a pharmacy to refill my Xanax and birth control, but I also want to…um…well, it occurred to me that we didn’t use any protection for oral, so…”
“So you’d like us to go get tested?”
She nodded, face flaming.
Klement frowned at her discomfort. Why did society make people so embarrassed to address practicalities? “Don’t be nervous about common sense. You don’t know my history, and I don’t know yours. You can be straight with me about anything, Katana.”
She gave him a level look. “And you can be straight with me as well.”
Guilt gnawed at his gut. So, yes, he needed to tell her everything. Unfortunately, now wasn’t the best time. “I’ll make us appointments, okay?”
“Okay.”
Suddenly, her eyes glimmered with mischief. “Hey, if we check out, maybe you can come in my mouth.”
He just stared at her. Her words made his sated cock stir with renewed hunger. And maybe I can feel you without a condom, he wanted to add. But instead of giving voice to his wicked thoughts, he chucked her on the chin. “You’re terrible.”
Actually, though, he was the terrible one—for getting into a relationship with her and not telling her the whole truth. And, with a trip to the clinic in the works, this was definitely a relationship.
Klement shoved his hands in his pockets as they left his garage workshop. He would have to tell her soon, definitely. After talking with her last night, he’d gotten the impression that she really cared about him—about both of his identities. Hell, she’d told him that he, as IT Guy, would have had a chance with her, but now she intended to be faithful to him as Klement. Surely she’d embrace him as both…right?