Chapter Sixteen

He wrapped his coat around her shoulders, the cold blast of icy air hit them on the street. “Where are we going again?” Christ, this woman was on speed sometimes. All he wanted to do was to take her home and sink into her. Jon’s eyes widened when they pulled up outside what looked oddly like a gentleman’s club. Sophisticats. “Uh Colby what are we doing here?” he whispered, the pink glittering lights already blinding him.

“Scared huh? Don’t worry I’ll be there to hold your hand.” She smiled with a devilish grin, one that only she could envoke.

He groaned, “That’s what I’m afraid of.” She’d brought him to a strip club? He chuckled, christ only Colby would think of this. What woman in their right mind took their guy to a strip club? She was already talking to one of the bouncers when he got to the entrance. The big burly black guy nodded in Jon’s direction and unclipped the red velvet rope to the VIP entrance.

She grabbed her arm as they walked down the dim hallway where the pulse of the music already was chattering his teeth. “Did you need to draw attention to me already?"

She laughed. “Relax, we’re getting a private room, so no one can see you except the dancers. Discrete. They know how to be here so don’t worry and just relax. And besides didn’t you say you wanted to see me make out with another woman? Well here could be your chance if you’re a good boy tonight,” she tugged on his collar with a wink.

He swallowed “What? You were serious when you said that weren’t you?” Fuck, she was dead serious. Before he could ask anything more a strapping leggy brunette wearing a glittery bikini grinned and opened one of the doors to the left. A large leather chair was in the center, with a bottle of whiskey, and two glasses and a bucket of ice stationed on the small mahogany table beside it.

“Take a seat sir, get comfortable and we’ll send your girl in,” she smiled at Colby.

Jon eyed Colby carefully, she went from all over him to now thrusting him in the path of another woman, what the hell was up with that? Unless – mystery maybe but one thing was becoming clear about Colby. She distracted him when she needed to. He smirked, she totally freaked out with the possessiveness after the dancing.

Two could play at this game. He wasn’t stupid. Colby wanted casual, he got that but something told him this might be harder for her to take than she thought –watching him with another woman.

Jon followed into the dimly lit room, still fucking confused. “You sure you want to be here when this all happens?” he asked. Any other woman he knew of that he’d had sexual contact with wouldn’t be dead in a place like this.

But again she wasn’t just any other woman.

Colby laughed, “Relax, you should know by now Jon that nothing fazes me, now come on,” she pushed him backwards into the chair and straddled him, letting the skirt of her dress hike up her thighs. She reached up and pulled the pins from her hair, letting them ping one by one against the floor until her hair tumbled around her shoulders. Fuck, she was a hellcat. His dick hardened when she bucked forward before latching her lips against his.

“And seriously if you get offers, you can take them Jon… I don’t mind – really.” Her sapphire eyes gleamed in the light. Offers? He didn’t want any offers. He wanted her. He cupped her hips and ran his hands up her sides. "Colby, I’m not-." Before he could finish the lights fell dim and the music changed to a seductive beat. The door opened and a leggy busty blond wearing a halter dripping in red and silver sequins, with a matching thong, strutted right on in. Colby winked and poured Jon a whiskey, perching herself on the edge of the arm chair swinging her legs over the side. The stripper rounded the chair like an eagle circling its prey, bending and grooving to the music.

His cock was already hard as a hammer, not to mention he had one busty blond dancing half naked in front of him, and the other woman he was two minutes previously from fucking, dangling on the arm of the chair. Reason toyed with arousal, and lost as he sank back into his chair, his eyes drifting down the long lean line of the woman gyrating in front of him.

Perfect round tits, and an ass made for slapping.

Warm lips brushed over his ear, “Turned on yet?” Colby leaned over, and he jolted when her hand slid over his thigh and cupped his junk. He groaned as he watched the woman swerve in, missing his lips by millimeters and lent over towards Colby. White sparkled breasts danced in his face, the only thing pulling his gaze away from them was Colby.

The woman’s tongue traced the curve of Colby’s lips, those pretty pink lips that should be around his cock right about now. But instead he watched as they enjoyed a slow hot kiss. He reached for the whiskey and slammed it down his throat.

Holy fuck, -- his cock was aching and he didn’t know whether he wanted to join in or yank her away from the woman. He needed to be inside of her. He sucked in his breath and watched the kiss deepen, his knuckles turning white around the grip on the chair when Colby groaned. The two curvy bodies tangled, leaving him wondering if he was watching a lesbian porno flick. But no this was Colby, his Colby.

She finally pulled away and picked up her own glass of whiskey and took a long sip. She hadn’t done anything as crazy in a long time. The buzzing in her brain was overwhelming her, the adrenaline pumping in her veins. But the point of the exercise had been achieved. Jon was shifting uncomfortably in the leather chair. She slid herself into the gap beside him so they were both tucked into the chair and hooked one of her legs over him.

“Turned on yet?” She whispered nibbling on his earlobe pulling it into her mouth. She rubbed her palm down his flat belly closer to his crotch.

His head tilted backwards hitting the plush leather, his eyes closed as lips slid across his neck, he knew they weren’t Colby’s. They just didn’t feel like hers, not as soft. Not as soft? They’re just lips asshole. He hitched when a hand cupped him, causing his hips to thrust towards her. God I love you ….His eyes slammed open and caught hers. Thank fuck he hadn’t said it out loud.

“What’s wrong?” Colby asked concerned, the color in his face had drained and his eyes had grown wide like he’d just seen a ghost.

Jon pushed the other woman away gently “I’ve got to go,” he quickly said pulling away and standing from the seat. He had to get the fuck out of there, Away from them all.

Away from her.

“Jon? It’s ok? Don’t feel bad about this, god. You shouldn’t," Colby coaxed. Maybe it had been too soon for all this. Maybe he wasn’t ready for other woman like this.

“I’ve just got to go, I’ll call you,” he stuttered leaving the room.

Colby jumped up, she should have let him go but she couldn’t. That look in his eyes had her worried. It wasn’t like the confident Jon she’d come to know, something had rattled those baby blues. She clamored out behind him to the street and looked around when she couldn’t find him. “Jon?”

A lone figure had made it to the corner, she hitched up her skirt and with the sharp click of her heels she made it to where he was.

“Jon wait,” she grabbed his arm and twisted him around. He’d already lit a cigarette and drew it from his lips.

“What Colby?” he snapped. His tone had changed and his face had grown dark. Love? He loved her? Was he kidding? How could he love her he hardly knew her. She was the total opposite to him.

“What the hell is up your ass?” she equally his cool tone, “I’m sorry if that wasn’t your thing, I thought it was just a bit of fun.”

He took a long draw of his cigarette. “Do you know anything apart from fun?” he asked. He regretted the words coming out when they did. What the fuck was wrong with him? This woman was making him a freaking mess.

She arched a brow and cocked her arm on her hip. “What the fuck is that meant to mean?”

“Nothing, look I’m going home."

“What’s wrong?” she asked with a sigh. “What happened in there?” She wrapped her arms around herself as the breeze whipped around them.

Jon went to turn away, leaving her standing there. But he didn’t. He scuffed his shoe on the pavement and didn’t meet her eyes. “When we were in the middle of all this, I started thinking about how much…I love you. How can that even be possible? I hardly know you?”

He hardly knew her, how could he possibly love her?

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Chapter Fifteen

As Jon took the stage, he propped himself up on the stool and adjusted the mic. He swung the black guitar over his knee and adjusted the strap. He could do this, he’d chosen a song to sing that show cased where he wanted to take the album he was planning on recording once he got home. Having already have penned a few songs, this seemed to show off the raw edgy emotion he was going to go with.

He looked up into the audience, the dance floor filled with people, but only one catching his eye. The flicks of gold against brown caught in the light as she swayed with the man, looking up grinning, laughing. Like only Colby could.

His fingers curled tighter around the frets as he watched her, spin her little web – and Daniel fall right into it. He half chuckled, but couldn’t pull his eyes away.

This is just a fling Jon. That’s all it ever was meant to be.

Then why in the holy hell was it, when he watched Daniels hand slide down her back and cup her ass – he wanted to leap off the stage and smack him one in the jaw. Fuck. He took a deep breath and forced himself to look away. It was just the connection, just the connection he missed – like he had with Dottie.

But this wasn’t about Dottie, was it?

It’s about the she-devil that’s come and turned your world upside down and all you can think about is her, as much as it pains you to admit that you fall for her spell every time.

It’s better to have that spell cast on him and not something else.
Dammit, just play the song asshole.

He stole her gaze, and she winked at him before turning her attention back to Daniel. Her hands linking around the back of his neck, and Jon felt his gut clench when her fingers teased the hair at his nape. That was his thing?

Wait? He had a thing now? Oh Christ.

The woman was a fucking conundrum. The end.

Fine, if she wanted to play this way. So could he.

He took a long slow strum, and the lights dimmed. It was show time.

~

She laughed and pressed her cheek against the side of Daniel’s head, resting her chin on his shoulder. As the lights dimmed across the room, her attention focused on the silhouette of the man she’d known for the past couple of weeks. He sat solo on a black stage stool with his guitar resting on his knee.

“Ah, this is a song that I’m planning on releasing on my upcoming solo album---“ he paused and Colby locked with his eyes. “Hope you enjoy it.”

He cleared his throat and his arm took one strong strum down the strings of the guitar.

A moody hollow drum beat took over the room, sexy – slow and mysterious.

The notes came from his fingers and the lyrics bled from his heart, her fingers loosened their grip from David, Daniel? She couldn’t remember his name. It didn’t matter anymore, what mattered was the man on the stage alone, spilling his guts out for all to hear. The pain wavered through his words, and she could feel the emotion, heavy on his soul.

This song was clearly written about something so close to his home and his heart. And she knew instantly that it was about his ex wife.

It amazed her to see him so lost in the song, steady and strong taking every note with precision, driving through the pain. He wasn’t that much different than her, in his zone. In that moment – nothing else mattered than that song.

She pulled back from the man she was dancing with, his voice had dropped into this low gravely delicious tone that was causing her skin to ripple.

It’s just me, it’s just me baby, it’s one more thing you should keep in your book of dreams.

“Colby?”

“Shh,” she waved off Daniel as she stood, now alone in the middle of the dance floor – feeling the pull of her feet to move closer to him, drawing her in, inch by inch. He was lost, lost on a journey in his art that she was oh so familiar with.

Except she couldn’t captivate every single person in the room, like on the level he was. The strains of moaning electric guitar took over from him as he stood, in his moment… eyes locked closed, hand gripped around the mic stand living the words that he was singing.

She had an urge, for the first time. Not to play with him, but to comfort him. She wanted to take whatever he was pouring out on that stage and make it better, not forever. The showmanship he displayed was just indescribable and flawless.

She was speechless, Colby Henderson was speechless.

The slow desperate croon of his voice was shattering her inside, piece by piece.

It’s just the song – that’s all. God, it’s just the sad song. No need to get overwhelmed now.

“Here,” she looked up and Daniel was holding a fresh glass of wine.

Yeah just what she needed, she smiled and took it as he stood back with her and watched Jon.

“He’s pretty amazing huh?” Daniel said taking a sip from his beer glass.

She nodded, “I’ve never seen him play. I mean I knew he was good – from, well I know his band’s songs…but I just didn’t expect this.” She tried to force the wine down, tried to use it to block what was coming off the stage. It was too real, too raw.

God, this man had loved – he had really loved and been burnt ridiculously for it. He had the capacity to love. To love her—

No – he didn’t and could never love her. Her belly bottomed out as she jammed her glass into Daniel’s hand. “Excuse me, I’ve got to go.” She shifted through the crowds, where in the blue hell was the ladies room here?

She trudged her way through the crowd and swung the ladies door open so it crashed against the wall.

“Shit, Thank Christ,” relieved there was no one else on the other side. She found a stall and fumbled with the lock.

Safety. Away from it, away from the voice… that haunting… love hurt voice.

She popped the lid down, and sunk down on the top, burying her hands in her face.

Calm down, just calm down. Nothing’s wrong here, He doesn’t love you. He just thinks he does.

No one could love her – in that way. It just wasn’t possible. She was fun, she was exciting – she wasn’t there just to be loved.

But god, the emotion that man had astonished her. For someone so jaded on the outside at times, he could smash a knife through a heart with his voice. Then it hit her.

Acting, he was just acting – that was all. This wasn’t about her, at all. She stood up and straightened herself up. She was being utterly ridiculous. Jesus. He was singing a song, playing a part – based on his feelings from his marriage.

The way he looked at her from across the room would haunt her, but he had to be playing games. That’s what they did – they played games.

By the time she’d readjusted herself and walked back into the room, the applause was over and Jon wasn’t on the stage anymore. Good, devastating singing man – over.

Daniel was leaning against the bar and smiled her way so she headed over, and took a deep breath to relax.

“Hey, sorry – I thought I ate something that didn’t agree with me, but turns out I was ok,” she grinned patting her stomach.

“You missed the end of the show, brilliant song. Now I’m interested more about this new album.” He turned to face her. “But enough about that, let’s talk about you.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

He was attractive, hell he was more than attractive – but something deep inside her gut twisted in knots. She was no longer in the mood to tease and play, and when her gaze fell on the man walking across the room she couldn’t help but smile.

She wanted to play and tease, just not with Daniel. Daniel had been snagged by someone else that was started to talk business with him, so it left her and Jon seconds apart.

“Hey,” she moved into him, her fingers finding the lapels of his jacket and dragging him close to her.

“Hey, yourself,” their noses bumped as he linked his arms around her waist and held her. “Enjoy the show?” he asked, the small knowing smirk sitting right on his lips.

Her eyes narrowed and she smiled into the kiss as she leaned forward. “It wasn’t bad.”

His chuckle vibrated against her mouth as he returned the kiss, “is that so? Or you were too wrapped up in Daniel to notice it?”

She caught the hint of sarcasm as his voice fell flat. “Well, he’s a nice enough guy, kinda cute.” She raised her brow. She was pushing him, but hell come on. She lived these days for pushing this man’s buttons. She just didn’t realize it yet.

She slipped her hands under his coat and cupped his ass, “and he’s not got a bad ass.”

He groaned and kissed her again. “Maybe you should be going home with him then?” His grip tightened around her, normally she’d be turned on how possessive and arrogant he was being. She loved that Jon – her job was to make that Jon come out and play.

But this had started the alarm bells to ring inside her head.

“Maybe I will.”

His mouth smashed against hers, taking any breath she had left as he wrapped himself around her. Their tongues wrestled as she poured everything into that kiss, her confused emotions were being sucked out of her as the kiss grew rougher.

“I need you Colby.”

Just the song, it was just the song. It’s made him weak. Like an actor that played an emotional scene, that’s all it is.

She was so living in denialsville. He couldn’t be falling for her – he just couldn’t be. This wasn’t part of the deal. This didn’t happen. Ok, that wasn’t always true. Sure guys had fallen for her in the past – and she’d been able to discard them to the side and move on.

This one, she wasn’t so sure if she could do it.

“Jon,” she whispered as he pulled away and nuzzled against the side of her neck.

“Colby – I want you.”

She moaned when his thumb brushed against her nipple, causing it to pebble under the silk of her dress. She closed her eyes, and for one minute lost herself in the idea of him, her fingers raking up into his hair as he continued to tease parts of her body.

“I could take you right now, in front of all these suits, and I wouldn’t care Colby. I wouldn’t fucking care.” He growled low in her ear, this was bad – he wanted to mark her now, brand her like his own in front of the rest of the pack.

No, she couldn’t – he couldn’t go there.

It was just the damn song. She kept saying it in her head, over and over hoping she would believe it sooner or later.

“That would be good for business now, would it stud?”

“I’m done, let’s go home.” He looked back up, his eyes dead serious. “I want to take you home.”

She dusted his shoulders and took a step back, “well – I’m all for getting out of this place – but let’s go somewhere first – to spice up the mood.” She was resorting to this, but she had to get him around other woman, to distract his mind of her and onto them. Especially half naked women.

His eyebrow cocked, “I’ve already nailed you in a bar Colby – come on, we’ll go back to my hotel room, it’s got porn if that’s what you want.”

She choked on her laugh, “trust me on this… you’ll like it.” She curled her finger around his tie, “unless of course you are scared and can’t handle it.”

This time his eyes narrowed, “I can take anything you give me.”

She dragged him towards the coat check and smiled, “Famous last words rock star.”

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