by T. S. Ryder
“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 c
alled 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.
“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.
And, as she looked at her new lingerie in the mirror, she knew what she had to do, or she’d never forgive herself.
Tonight, she’d slip into that new pink dress and go to the show. And when they got back, she’d claim she had a headache and ask Devon to take her back to the suite. And once inside, she’d seduce him.
She wrapped her arms around Devon as they walked into the arena. People snapped photos of them and Devon stopped to wave. Mindy knew they weren’t there to see her, so she stood nestled by his side and smiled.
When he sang one of August Doll’s heart-wrenching ballads, he brought her out on stage and sang to her. She blew him a kiss and the audience erupted in applause. She didn’t know how he managed to maintain his sanity, being famous all the time.
They climbed into the limo with Bret after the show. “That was brilliant, Dev, bringing Mindy out,” Bret said.
“Yeah, let’s not do that again.” Mindy had hated being the center of that much attention. She wasn’t the important person here. Her brother, Devon, the other guys in the band, they were the ones who mattered. “I’ve got a headache. And it’ll look suspicious if you show up without me, Devon. Can we just go back to the suite?”
“Sure. Partying every night gets old.” Devon gave her a smile and she nearly melted into a puddle in the car. She was so hyped up about her plans, she might just burst into flames. She wanted Devon, so much. The taste she got last night, of his kisses and his touch, weren’t nearly enough. It might not ever be enough, but she’d worry about that later. For now, it was tonight.
In the hotel room, Devon took off his denim jacket and tossed it on a chair. “You want to watch some TV before you go to sleep? Or is your headache too bad?”
“TV, please,” Mindy replied.
When he sat down on the couch with the remote, she sat down beside him. He flipped through the channels until he came to a reality show about strangers sharing a house. She remembered that about him, that he was a reality
TV junkie.
She tried to think of how to start. He’d get suspicious, and maybe shocked, if she just started kissing him, so she rested her head on his shoulder. He gave her a questioning glance when she did, but it wasn’t long until he put his arm around her.
He smelled like lemons and leather, and she wanted to taste his neck, the way he’d nibbled on hers the night before.
“Min, what are you doing?”
“I’m… thinking about how good you smell, to be honest.” Why not tell him the truth? She was a virgin—she wasn’t going to seduce him with her superior moves.
“Oh. You had this funny look on your face.”
“I think that look is called desire. I, um…” She lifted her gaze to his face. “I want to be with you. Last night wasn’t a mistake. I knew exactly what I wanted.”
He watched her, his face intense. He didn’t move a muscle.
“I wish I’d never told you that you were going to be my first because then you wouldn’t have stopped.” She lifted a hand and placed it on his chest. Muscles bunched beneath her fingers as he reacted to her touch.
“You don’t want me to be your first. Your first time should be with someone special.”
“I wish you’d stop saying that. Do you really not know that I’ve been in love with you for years? You are my someone special, Devon.”
He pushed himself up from the couch and ran a hand through his long, blond locks. “I’m not, Min. I’m a screw-up. Somehow, some way, I’d let you down.”
She shook her head. “I don’t see how that’s possible.”
After a minute, he stopped pacing to stand in front of her. One minute, he was staring down at her, breathing hard, and the next, he grabbed her by the shoulders, pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
She slid her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. She kissed him back, hungry for his taste. He broke away and fisted his hand in her long auburn hair. “Do you mean that? You’re in love with me?”
“I don’t expect anything from you, Devon. I just want to be with you.” She moved her hands up under his t-shirt. His skin burned hot.