“No, man,” he said to the fan. “Thank you for the appreciation, but it’s my night off. I’m on a date.”
Cara leaned into him. “Let’s go check out our cool room, bars aren’t great when there’s no drinking involved.”
“I’m okay with that plan.”
They went back to the suite. David had checked in under Tommy’s name. It was still before ten o’clock so he rolled up the cover to the piano. Cara counted drums, guitar and now a piano. Add to that his sexy voice and he was a volatile mix of talent.
“How come the guy didn’t want you to sing?” she asked.
“He just wanted Jay more. I sing all the time. I’m just not really a singer,” he said. “Jay is a front man. It sells the music.”
“I prefer you, but I guess they know what they’re doing,” shrugged Cara.
“To a point,” David said passionately. “This guy is screwing with the product. I know the product. He forgets I’m the one who created it in the first place.”
He launched into a beautiful tune. It was vastly different from the screaming jams he hammered his drums to the night before. He sang for her. Cara felt her heart swell, like it was going to burst within her chest. She was crushing on him fiercely.
They were both tired. By the end of the song, she was yawning.
“Falling asleep on me?” he asked. “Come here, beautiful.” She lifted from the nearby chair and walked into his open arms. Strong arms that lifted her and set her on the ivory keys. The chord that sounded wasn’t pleasant, but his hands on her smooth thighs were. Calloused fingers made their way between her legs and with a swift yank, he tore her panties free.
Cara fumbled with the button and zipper on his jeans while he tore open a condom he'd pulled from his pocket. Prepped and ready, he thrust inside her, the sound of the notes made by their movement became the music to which they claimed one other. Soft and lilting. Hard and punishing. They created a song that defined who they were. Two bodies frantic to connect. Two people desperate to feel loved.
David hiked her legs around his hips and he moved deep inside her. Like a musical masterpiece, they kept up the pace until they both reached a crescendo so powerful, Cara nearly wept.
Exhausted, they slipped from the piano, and opened the slider to the terrace to let in the fresh California air throughout the night. In the morning, they made love, or what Cara thought making love would feel like. Two bodies with one purpose—to please one another.
After breakfast, David drove her home so that she could do her homework. Saying goodbye broke her heart. She knew it was just a fling. A few nights of bliss followed by reality.
Chapter Ten
Cara
Later in the evening after she was rested and finished with her homework, her boss called. Someone was sick, and he needed a replacement. She was pretty beat, but he promised that she would be first cut if it was slow. She put on her uniform and drove her ancient car to work.
She was a little disappointed to come to work and see it was pretty slow. On the bright side, she could help seat people and then go back home. She waited at the podium with the manager.
“So,” he said, elbowing her lightly.
“Yeah?”
“David Hansen?” He lifted his right brow.
“He’s a friend of Tommy and Marissa’s,” she said calmly.
“Those weirdos?” he asked. Because Tommy dyed his hair black and wore it waxed up in spikes, the manager always made cracks about them when they came in.
“They’re not weirdos,” she said. “They’re very nice and they’re friends with a bunch of people including someone named Jay Seeger.”
“Those two are friends with Jay Seeger? Bring him here and you can have a month off—paid.”
Some man at the counter was surfing the net on his phone and looking at her. Cara smiled politely, but did busy work until she could go home.
The man turned his coffee cup over and summoned her.
“Can I have coffee?” he asked.
“Certainly,” she said.