by Olivia Marks
“I wish I’d known you too,” he said smoothly. He cocked an eyebrow. “What’re you doing all the way over there anyway? Come sit over here.” He waved at a black leather chaise lounge near the window. “You want something to drink?”
I sat obediently. “Sure,” I squeaked.
He headed out and I took the chance to ogle his tall, lean, and very muscular frame. God must have been in a very good mood when he made Liam. He returned pronto with a bottle of something pink and a glass.
“I’m pretty sure drinking alone qualifies me as an alcoholic,” I joked.
He gave me a half smile and produced a bottle of mineral water. “Does this help?” He poured me what turned out to be pink champagne into a crystal flute. “I don’t drink,” he admitted quietly.
“Why’s that?”
He shrugged and his eyes grew distant. “Not my bag.” He handed the flute to me and his expression lightened. “Let’s toast,” he said, smiling again.
“To what?”
“To meeting you today,” he said with that heart-melting smile. “I think that’s reason enough.” I couldn’t even handle how he looked like such a tough bad-guy but he had such a sweet smile. I bet he has a really good heart, I thought. And just like that I could feel my attraction to him deepen even more. Oh boy, I’m really in trouble.
I touched my glass lightly to his bottle of water and then sipped the champagne, which was deliciously fizzy and dry with hints of sweetness. Over the rim of the glass I took the chance to take Liam in—his straight, noble nose, his finely cut lips, his serious dark brows, his sexy stubble. Liam caught me looking and raised said brows in gentle amusement.
“So what’re you doing in the city? You’re not from around here, I can tell. And believe me, I mean that in the best way possible. New York girls can be stuck in such a bubble. I can tell you’re pretty real.”
I blushed. But how could he not be into New York girls? I thought. They’re so together, so perfect. Everything I’m not. “Hey take a compliment,” he said, playfully touching my shoulder.
I looked down. “I’m going to college next year so Aimee and I thought we’d spend our last summer of freedom somewhere a bit more, uh, worldly. I haven’t travelled much outside of Minnesota.”
“Worldly isn’t always good. There’s lots of temptation in New York City.” He took a swig of his mineral water. “But hey, we used to be neighbors! I grew up in Milwaukee.”
“No way! My parents took me there on holiday when I was in grade eight. Though I think they mainly just wanted an excuse to go to the breweries. Not that that’s all there is to Milwaukee,” I added hastily.
“Naw, the brew is good there. Maybe too good,” he added a tad darkly. He seemed to wave off the thought when he said, “So you just graduated high school? How old are you anyway?”
“Nineteen,” I said sheepishly. “You?”
“Get out of here! I’m an old man compared to you—twenty five,” he joked.
“That doesn’t bother me,” I said and quickly took another sip of champagne to hide my embarrassment. Wow, the booze must be going to my head. “You’re not trying to get me drunk are you?”
He frowned. “I’m not that kinda guy. My rock and roll lifestyle is strictly about making great music, not about living like a dick.” He nudged my side slightly, sending tingles up and town my body. “Midwest values, right?”
I nodded and finished my glass. “Well if that’s the case, I’ll have another.”
We spent the next hour or so sitting side by side on the leather chaise while I prompted Liam to fill me in on Led Zeppelin. He happily spun his favorite albums, Led Zeppelin IV, and filled me in on their history and their influence on modern rock. I listened closely.
I had been thinking of studying marketing in college but his passionate explanation got me thinking whether I’d rather study music instead. I was fascinated by how one style of music influenced another. Wow, he’s not only hot but he’s smart too! I thought. Even if I end up in the friend zone, AGAIN, at least I can learn a lot from this guy.
He also finally put on Hazard 41’s debut EP. It was similar to Black Dawn’s style in the swooping guitars, scorching riffs, and tortured lyrics. But there was also something even more raw, more primal in their songs. I felt my heart catch to hear the longing in their music. I told Liam as much and while he looked pleased, his embarrassment was just as obvious.
“How long you in the city?” he said, changing the subject.
“Until August. We’re crashing with Felicia.”
“Hmm,” he said, considering, his green eyes scanning my own. “That’s not a lot of time. I hope we can hang out a lot before you go. I could definitely use someone cool and down-to-earth in my life. Plus, you’re pretty easy on my eyes,” he said, his eyes smiling.
What?! I thought. He has to be joking. What about all those size-two rock bunnies outside? My second thought was: a soon-to-be rock star and model-hot guy wants to spend his summer with you? Don’t mess this up Shayla and say YES!
“Yeah,” I said in an effort to be casual. “I’d like that.”
“Alright then. Deal?” He reached out a hand. I grasped it in mine. His grip was firm, his eyes searched mine. My hand immediately started to sweat and I could feel my face getting hot.
“Deal,” I whispered.
“As your new tour guide, I’m going to give you an official New Yawk experience.” He hadn’t let go of my hand and as he stood up he gently pulled me with him. “To the roof!”
We left our cozy room to wind back through the now totally loaded crowd and drugged up crowd. I could see what Liam meant by darkness.
A wrought-iron staircase in one corner wound its way up the ceiling. We headed up and emerged onto the roof. I gasped as I saw the city glittering beneath us. Liam held onto my hand as we walked to the edge.
“No way! I can’t believe I’m really in New York. It doesn’t seem possible.”
“Welcome to the city,” he commented, looking over the expanse of shining lights and towering buildings, all accented with the sound of honking horns and the background rush of traffic. “I have a feeling like it’s going to be a really great summer.” His dark, smoldering eyes turned back to try to meet mine. “Whaddya think?”
“Sure,” I mumbled, my eyes not quite meeting his. Kiss him! Kiss the delicious hot man! My brain screamed. I half-heartedly scolded it to stop living in fantasyland.
But despite all odds, Liam gently tipped my chin to face him. “You can be so shy sometimes, it’s funny. A pretty girl like you should have more confidence.”
Me, pretty? Liam scanned my face and then, unexpectedly, he leaned forward and kissed me softly on the lips. My mouth burned, my heart raced, and my arms and legs began to tingle. If he can do this to me with one kiss, what happens next? I confusedly thought.
And then just as suddenly his lips left mine. His eyes looked down at me with concern. He was so tall that I realized I was standing on my tiptoes. “More?” he asked softly. “Or do you want to go back to your friends?”
“More please,” I said meekly and leaned forward for another scorching embrace.
Chapter Two
“OK missy, details!” Aimee loomed over me. My brain vaguely registered that we must be in the pull-out couch in Felicia’s living room. I was still getting used to waking up in a strange place.
“What time is it?” I said in a gravelly voice, shutting my eyes again. Just give me one more hour of sleep, please God…
“It’s noon, sleepyhead! I’ve been dying to hear about your night. You were so exhausted before that I gave you a free pass. But you’re up now. Spill!”
I groaned and rolled over. “Aimee seriously one more hour and I’ll be good.”
“We have a whole city to explore, brunch to eat, cupcakes to scarf, and gossip to share. Up, now!”
The thought of cupcakes perked me up enough to roll out of bed and go through the process of showering, combing out my rats nest, and donning m
y jeans, favorite pink Roxy shirt, and blue sneaks. Aimee put up her flaxen blonde hair in her signature ponytail as well as a cute hot pink sundress that nicely fit her curvy frame. Suitably prepared for interaction with the outside world, we left Felicia a note and crawled out of her Upper West Side apartment.
Only diner food would satisfy our massive hunger. We landed at Metro Diner nearby, a retro place with checkered black and white tile, red vinyl booths, and traditional comfort food. Aimee ordered a club sandwich with fries and a strawberry milkshake while I opted for a traditional eggs, bacon, and toast breakfast with coffee. Aimee thankfully allowed me a gulp of the strong coffee before she dived in.
“Don’t even try to be shy with me. I know you and Liam must have gotten cuddly. You were gone way too long to just be discussing the weather.”
I rolled my eyes. “It was no big deal. We just listened to some records, chatted about music. It was pretty chill.”
It was Aimee’s turn to roll her eyes. “Quit withholding. Was there or was there not kissing action?”
I stared deep into my coffee cup like it held the secrets to my future. “Yeah, a little.”
Aimee whooped, causing the nearby patrons to frown at us with concern. “You go, girl!
The closest I got to Johnny Nine was stealing his toothbrush from the bathroom.”
“Aimee!”
“Hey, it was the best I was going to get. But you! You kissed a rock star! This New York experience is definitely working out for you.”
“Well,” I countered. “He’s not famous yet.”
“Famous or not he is smoking. Did you see the way his jeans clung to his body?”
Had I seen it? Of course I had. “He’s actually super interesting too. He knows a lot about music history. And he’s from the Midwest too.”
Aimee considered me quietly. “Wow, you like him! That’s gotta be a first since…Bobby?”
The mention of his name made my flinch. The last thing I wanted to talk about was the years of humiliation I’d suffered being in love with someone who wouldn’t even give me the time of day. Things with Liam could still go south. I didn’t even want to consider that I could feel again just as humiliated as I had with Bobby.
Aimee probably spotted the serious look on my face because she quit her line of questioning and let me focus on the greasy, delicious breakfast platter that had just appeared in front of me. We filled our boots and then plotted our next move: cupcakes. All the cupcakes.
Before we’d come to New York, Aimee and I had been obsessed with them. We’d even gotten matching pink cupcakes tattooed on our upper arms. We’d become experts at baking them, too. Aimee loved red velvet but I liked plain old vanilla with pink icing.
Since we’d discovered Magnolia cupcakes in New York we’d been making regular pilgrimages. So that morning we took the train downtown and hopped off near the Rockefeller Center. As soon as we entered the tiny shop we were overwhelmed by the scent of freshly baked cake. We both sighed simultaneously and looked at each other with glee.
Red velvet and vanilla cupcakes procured, we settled down by the fountain outside the Rockefeller Center to munch and people watch.
“How do people here not eat there every day?” Aimee commented.
“Maybe they’re sick of them.”
“Not possible,” she gravely replied. She looked at me out of the corner of her eye.
“Be straight with me Shay, are you happy about Liam or not? You seem a little down.”
I savored my last bite of tender cake and rich frosting. “It’s probably just the late night.” I caught Aimee’s serious look and sighed. “I just don’t want to be hurt,” I said in a low voice. “Liam’s nice to me but he’s hot, a rocker, he could get any girl. I’m just some awkward chick from the Midwest. What if he blows me off?”
Aimee leveled with me. “Look Shay. Not every guy is going to be that idiot Bobby. He was so self-absorbed that he wouldn’t have seen a car speeding towards him. You’re super cool, super smart, super hot, and super single! You’re a sweetheart but you need more confidence in yourself.”
“That’s what Liam said,” I mumbled, wishing I had another cupcake so that I could eat my feelings.
“Well he’s right.” Aimee grasped my shoulder and looked into my eyes. “We’re here this summer to be more than just some small-town Duluth girls. Here’s your chance to shine. What are you waiting for?”
* * *
“One day,” Aimee sighed as we stood in Tiffany’s, gawping over the display cases of engagement rings. We’d decided on a leisurely stroll on Fifth Avenue after our cupcake feast. Without saying anything, we’d both gravitated towards the famous jewelry store.
The shop on Fifth was a grand stone multi-level affair with row upon row of glittering glass jewel cases. We’d already been in several times to sigh and moan over the engagement rings on the upper floor. I preferred the simple diamond solitaire in white gold while Aimee swooned over the extravagant emerald cut with a diamond band.
An elegant saleswoman with a tight chignon frowned at us from the other side of the display case, clearly recognizing that we were not there to buy.
Just then my cell rang. I jumped slightly but relaxed when I realized it must be Felicia. After all, no one else had my cell number, except for Aimee.
“Hello?” I answered, still distracted by the dazzling objects in front of me.
“Shayla?” a deep and very sexy male voice answered. I started. A memory started to emerge out of the fog of my brain—sweet kisses on a moonlit rooftop, the musky smell of a certain tall rocker, me writing my phone number in pen on his hand.
“Liam?” I squeaked. “Hey.” Aimee’s head whipped over to look at me, her eyes wide. I shook my head at her and scuttled off.
“Err hey, you took off kind of fast last night. I just wanted to check in and say hi.”
“Oh yeah, uh I just wanted to get Aimee home. We’re in Tiffany’s right now.” I smacked my head. Tiffany’s? What girl admits she’s looking at engagement rings?
“Is there something you’re not telling me?” he said, sounding amused.
“No,” I said quickly. “We’re just trying to find a present for Aimee’s mom.”
“Wow, big spenders,” he chuckled. “Well if you’re not too busy blowing your credit card, I was wondering if you’d like to meet up with me this afternoon. I have this press gig with the guys. Hate this kind of thing. I was hoping you could come with and make it more enjoyable.”
I paused for a moment, forcing my scream of joy into a silent whistle. Aimee’s eyes from across the room were like saucers. “Yeah, I think I can make it,” I said casually once I’d regained my composure.
I strolled into the Minetta Tavern a couple of hours later, now dolled up in my skinniest black jeans and a loose black sleeveless top with a cute pink pocket. Felicia, who was home when we raced in, talked me into wearing a black fedora and applying some smoky eye shadow. When I looked at myself in the mirror I wasn’t sure who as looking back.
The tavern was a huge cavernous space with smoky mirrors, a tin ceiling, retro chandeliers, and a classic black and white tiled floor. Tables covered in white cloth were crowded around the massive room. I immediately spotted Liam on one of the red leather banquettes in the corner surrounded by his equally jaw-dropping band mates. I squeezed through the tables but he still didn’t recognize me.
“Whoa Shayla,” he said, recognition finally flooding his face. “You look awesome! Great hat.”
I blushed. His band mates said nothing. They simply looked up from their smartphones and stared at me blankly.
“Hey guys,” I said awkwardly. They nodded and went back to playing with their phones.
But Liam jumped up and gathered me into a warm hug. My body instantly relaxed in his embrace. He smelled wonderfully musky again, like sandalwood, cloves, and, how else could I say it, sex. It was a scent I was raring to bottle and sell. I bet I could make millions.
He pulled away, his mu
scular arms still holding me. He was wearing simple dark ripped jeans and a tight white shirt with his usual chains. His face was covered in stubble but his hair was freshly washed and it spilled over his shoulders, gleaming subtly in the low light. His intense green eyes searched mine. I was over the moon to realize that he was happy to see me. How could this be possible? My brain yelled at me. You were certain he’d never call.
And yet there I was, sitting next to him on a red leather banquette. Chatter filled the room as New York’s trendiest dined on steaks and seafood in the posh but still informal space.
“How are you feeling?” Liam asked, his arm curling around me behind me. My whole back started to tingle.
“Not too bad. Aimee and I did the diner thing this morning and that brought us back to life. Plus, we made a pit stop at Magnolia.” I shrugged guiltily. “It’s getting to be a bit of a bad habit.”
“Yeah I noticed your tat.” He gently traced the outline with his finger. “Really nice. Well, if you like diners you’ll get a kick out of this place. Though it’s a bit too fancy for me. Same stuff as a regular diner but three times the price. Anyway, order whatever you like. The reporter will pick up the tab.”
After my artery-destroying morning, I was almost ready for a green salad and giant smoothie but one look at the menu confirmed that that wasn’t going to be possible.
“Who’s the interviewer?” I asked, tearing my eyes away from the eye-popping prices.
“Guy from New York magazine.” He took a deep breath. “I really hate these things. I know I gotta do them, but man I hate answering their questions. That’s why I asked you here, to keep me on the level. Like I told you, you’re a good influence.”
I blushed. His thigh kept brushing against me. It wasn’t hot in the room but I felt like I was melting. I looked up to see the lead singer, a big muscular guy with piercing blue eyes, staring at me curiously. And it wasn’t exactly in a flattering way—he was looking at me like you might look at a weird-looking animal in the zoo. I looked back down at the menu, confused.