RockMySenses (3 page)

Lily snickered. “Guess so.”

“I did feel strange when we kissed, dazed somehow, but it
wasn’t like I was drunk.”

Lily bit her lip. “You think someone slipped you something?”

“Hmm, I hadn’t thought of that.” It would explain the
euphoric sensation when we kissed. God, I wanted her so bad at the time and all
those dreams last night. That was weird. I may have wondered what it would be
like to be with a woman, but that was stepping beyond curiosity. “It’s
possible.”

“Are you okay? I mean, she didn’t get you to do something
you didn’t want to do, did she?”

“No, I’m fine. I was a willing party.”

Lily’s eyes widened with curiosity. “So what was it like?
I’ve never kissed a girl.”

“Well, I’m not switching teams any time soon,” I said with a
chuckle. I thought about her soft lips and how aroused I was. “But I liked it.”

We turned a path heading back to the gym. Lily said, “You’re
still coming to our New Year’s Eve party, right?”

“Of course. I’d love to see my uber-private friend in an
entertaining mode.” When Lily’s face dropped, I asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I think I’m over my head,” Lily said. “I don’t know what
I’m doing.”

“Relax, Lil, it’s a party. Not some convention.”

“A convention might be easier for me to plan and publicize.
Having an intimate party with friends is much more daunting.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re overthinking it. Like you
said, it’s just for friends. They’re there for your company, not an experience.
Just put out some drinks, appetizers and New Year’s party goods and everyone
will be happy.”

Lily grabbed my wrist, terror flashing in her eyes. “I don’t
know how to be in host mode. There are all these things you need to do. Introducing
people, small talk, and—I don’t know how to handle stuff like that.”

She was intelligent, creative and professional, promoted to
some big corporate position in her late twenties. After she started dating
Nico, she quit being a workaholic for the company and started her own
consulting agency. She even did the publicity for Vamps. What she had going on
professionally, she lacked in social interactions. A classic introvert. Hmm,
maybe that’s why she could relate to Mike.

“Do you want me to help you with the party?”

“Would you?” Her eyes filled with hope. “You’re so good with
people. Everyone loves you.”

“Of course.”

“You’re sure you’re not too busy putting together the
studio?”

When Lily left her high-paying job to go out on her own, she
inspired me to take a risk as well. I’d been teaching yoga and Pilates at a gym
franchise. I loved teaching classes, but the money-focused atmosphere of a
corporate gym turned me off. For months I’d been preparing to open my own
studio and signed a lease on a place as of January 1st.

“You’ve helped me with the publicity for my grand opening.
I’d be happy to do something fun like help you host a party.”

“Thank you so much. Where do we start?”

My mind went into party-planning mode and I made a mental
checklist. “Let’s get together this afternoon. The liquor store and party goods
store are in the same block. We’ll then sit down and figure out what to do for
food. And I can bring some of this gruesome business paperwork you can help me
decipher.”

We reached the gym’s entrance. Some of my regulars were
already hanging outside chitchatting, waiting for class to begin. I swear my
classes had as much of a social component as a physical and mental one.

“I have the place to myself,” Lily said. “Nico’s playing a
show in Portsmouth. We can order takeout and have a girls’ night in.”

“Good. I could use something low key.”

“There’s one thing I should warn you about,” Lily added with
a sly smile.

“What?” I answered with hesitation.

“Mike might be at the party.”

The buoyant mood faded. “Oh great.”

“Knowing him, he probably won’t. When not in band mode, he’s
kind of a recluse. Giving you a heads-up, just in case.”

Mike

While I dressed in leather pants and a white loose-fitting
shirt for our show in Portsmouth, I thought about the blonde from last night.
I’d been concerned about her since I left her apartment. Had she been drugged
by someone or had she taken something herself? The way she stared at the blood
with confused fascination made me think she was as surprised about it as I was.

I pulled my hair back, tied a long bandanna over my head and
drew some scars with eyeliner, going for a pirate look tonight. Why the hell
couldn’t I remember her damn name?

I remembered faces and details, but was never good with
names. It had gotten me in trouble with the ladies more than once. Recalling
the address she gave the cab driver, I ran a reverse address search and found
out who lived at that address. A guy named Richard Peterson and a woman named
Allana Miles. She lived with a guy? Bugger, as Nico would say.

Expectation left me as quickly as if someone had poked a
balloon with a pin. Had she been cheating on him when we hooked up or had they
recently moved in together?

Why did this bother me? We slept together once months ago.
No promises, no strings attached, just the way I liked it.

Resisting the urge to Google her and find out more, I closed
my browser. She lived with a guy and she showed absolutely zero interest in me
last night. Why bother getting hung up on some woman who used me once for a hot
fling with a rock star before going back home to her live-in boyfriend?

I glanced at the computer again. I could call her, make sure
she was okay. That wouldn’t be weird, would it? The number would be a landline,
though, for their apartment. And if her boyfriend answered, that would suck.

Nico handed me my leather jacket when John and I picked him
up. I’d taken a cab straight home after Allana ditched me, and texted him to
grab my stuff.

On the drive north, I wondered how I could ping Nico without
giving away too much of my interest. I turned back to face him. “Nico, you know
Lily’s friend Allana?”

“Allana? No.”

“You know, the blonde you introduced me to at Vamps when you
started dating Lily?”

“You mean Ally? Where did you get Allana from?”

I couldn’t admit looking her up without sounding like a
stalker. “Never mind about that. I ran into her last night.”

“Yeah, Lily said you two went home together.”

“Not exactly,” I admitted. “We took a taxi to her place, but
she didn’t let me in.”

John, our drummer who was driving, chuckled.

“Smart girl,” Nico said. “I always liked her. Don’t know
what happened to her judgment that night. I warned her about you.”

“What?” I said horrified. “Why would you do something like
that to your bro?”

“Chill out. She’s Lily’s friend. I didn’t want her to get
hurt so I warned her not to expect anything long term.”

“I’m shocked,” I replied in mock horror. “Offended and
shocked.” I stroked my chin. “Where would you get such a narrow-minded idea of
me?”

John coughed, muttering something, and gave an exaggerated
impersonation in my voice. “The ladies all want a piece of this.” He motioned
to his body. “And I have to spread it around to make them all happy. What can I
say, I’m a lay-deez man.”

“True, true,” I replied. “The ladies do love this.” I
motioned down my body. “So what’s the deal with her anyway?” I asked Nico. “She
lives with her boyfriend?”

“She lives with a guy,” Nico replied. “I don’t think they’re
together. Why do you care anyway?”

“Just curious.” Although relief flooded through me, it
vanished as soon as I contemplated another possibility. “Are they friends with
benefits?”

“How the hell would I know?” Nico said. “I don’t ask who she
sleeps with.”

“Ask Lily. She’ll know.”

Nico shook his head. “I will do no such thing. As far as I’m
concerned, the more distance between you and Ally, the better.”

“And why is that?”

“If you hurt her, that will come back to Lily, which will
come back to haunt me. All because you have a problem keeping your dick in your
pants.”

My chest tightened at the idea of causing Allana pain. “Oh
come on, just because I’m interested in her doesn’t mean I plan to break her
heart.”

John gave me a knowing look.

Nico added, “Stay away from her, will ya? She has enough
going on right now.”

“Like what?” I shifted in my seat. “Guy drama?”

“If she didn’t tell you, it’s none of your business. She’s a
sweet girl. Helping Lily plan our New Year’s party.”

A light bulb went off in my head. “So she’ll be at your
place next week?”

“Oh no. I shouldn’t have mentioned it,” Nico said.

“Looks like my New Year’s Eve plans have opened up.”

“I thought the idea of New Year’s Eve horrified you, with
all the hype about a kiss at midnight.”

That was true. The midnight kiss had so much associated with
it, it set up unfair expectations for the year ahead. But picturing kissing a
hot blonde at midnight made the venture far more enticing. “No, I will be a
charming guest with a megawatt smile at your party.”

“I hope she brings a date.” Nico smirked.

John laughed. “Then you’d be gaping open-mouthed.”

“Laugh now, my friends.” If she showed up with a guy, that
would be a serious clink in my plan. “He’d be the one left gaping when he sees
her going home with me.”

Allana

Lily and I stopped at a party goods store and I grabbed a
cart. Since Christmas just passed, we walked by a number of marked-down goods.
Thank God the holiday was over. At my parents’ house, I’d faced the usual
onslaught of inquiries from relatives about my love life, followed by a
boatload of questions about the studio. When I left the bag of gifts for my
nieces and nephews no longer weighed me down but my anxiety did. Nothing like
well-meaning relatives to add stress.

I maneuvered the cart to where the New Year’s goods were
stocked.

“Do you have a color theme in mind?” I asked Lily.

She scrunched her nose. “Do I need one?”

“We’ll go with basic black and white.”

“Ah, yes. That works.”

“How many people are you expecting?”

“Oh, I don’t know. There’s the band and some of Nico’s coworkers,
you, a couple of people I worked with, my mom and her boyfriend, and a couple
of friends from the White Mountains. So I’d say no more than twenty.”

Mike might show. A part of me glimmered inside at the
prospect, another part cringed. I forced him out of my head and did a quick
mental count for party goods. I grabbed enough packages of black paper plates,
white paper plates, black napkins with Happy New Year printed on them, and some
utensils. Spotting party packages of noisemakers and tiaras, I said, “Let’s get
a couple of these.”

“You’re the boss.” She threw them in the cart. “Pretty soon
you’ll actually be your own boss.”

“Don’t remind me,” I said as steered the cart to the cash
register. “I’m already terrified. Do you know how much paperwork is involved
with starting your own business?”

Lily smiled. “Unfortunately, yes. I filed a ton to consult
on my own.”

“Nice, you can lead the way. I have a folder of documents
from my accountant, which don’t make a grain of sense to me.”

“Sure, once we finish Project New Year’s Party, we’ll switch
to Project Yoga Studio over takeout. How about Thai?”

“Always.”

I picked up some streamers, banners and balloons and threw
them into the cart.

Lily asked, “Do we have everything?”

“From this store, yes. Next up, liquor store.”

We rolled over to the register and she added, “I can’t wait
to take my first class in your new studio.”

“Fingers crossed, we’ll open mid-January. You’ll be in my
first class, I hope. I need you for moral support.”

“Wouldn’t miss it. Think of the slew of people who will
follow you to your new place.”

“That’s what I’m hoping. If not, I’m making the biggest
mistake of my life.”

Mike

I glanced at the clock for the eighth time. It was still
only 8:30. The party had begun a half-hour ago, but I didn’t want to appear
overeager to see Allana. Hopefully she’d be alone.

I reached Nico and Lily’s townhouse after nine, ignoring the
feeling building inside. They’d made a good choice, one that fit their
lifestyle since neither of them had time to take care of landscaping, snow
removal and all the repairs that came with owning a single family home. The
landscaping fit the setting, not too manufactured and not too overdone to
compete with the Tudor style of the townhouses. I suspected Nico leaned toward
this style having grown up in England. Lights shone from the living room but
the curtains were drawn. The closer I came to the front door, the sharper the
sounds from inside. The sound of System of a Down’s
Chop Suey
drowned
out most of the voices. Nico picked the music, I gathered.

When I entered the living room, the scent of food wafted
over me. It smelled delicious, but I was more focused on the guests than the
food. I scanned the groups of people and recognized buddies from work, but not
Allana. After initial greetings and a few spinach-cheese bites, I headed into
the dining room. Nico and Lily had drinks in their hands and were talking to an
older couple I didn’t recognize. When they noticed me, they came over.

“You made it.” Nico patted me on the back. “I’m honored you
chose us over the
Twilight Zone
marathon.”

“It was a tough choice.” I grinned.

Lily beamed, “We’re glad you came.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss a party given by two of my
nearest and dearest of friends.”

Nico faked a cough and said, “Bullshit.”

I leaned closer to Nico and whispered, “Where is she, dude?
You said she’d be here.”

“Take it easy, she’s around.”

Lily took a sip of her cocktail, watching me over the glass
as if sizing me up.

Allana stepped out of the kitchen area carrying a plate of
appetizers. A wave of emotions hit me like a rock to the solar plexus—relief,
anticipation and God knows what else. Her hair was pinned up under a sparkly
black and silver tiara reading Happy New Year. A few loose strands curled
around her face, offset by dangling diamond earrings. Her eyes were lined with
black accentuating her sapphire eyes. My eyes traveled over every inch of her
luscious body. She wore a fitted sleeveless black dress with a low neckline
that showed a hint of tantalizing cleavage and ended at toned thighs. The dress
was covered with silver bits that matched her jewelry, but when she smiled at
guests while offering them mini quiches, she outshined them all.

Damn, she was drop-dead sexy.

I stared, no, full-out gawked at her, unable to look away.
My heart raced and I wasn’t sure why. The expectation that had built up all
week erupted like a volcano.

When she reached us and saw me there, a bevy of emotions
flitted across her face and the smile that had left me dazed vanished. My arms
hung heavy at my sides. “Allana,” I said and bowed in an exaggerated manner to
cover my sudden awkwardness.

Her face dropped. “Why did you call me that?”

“Call you what? Your name?” A warning bell went off. “You
asked me your name last time I saw you and I’m just telling you I do know.”

“Nobody calls me Allana,” she said. “Except my family.”

Nico said, “Thanks, Ally.” He took the plate of quiche. “Why
don’t you enjoy yourself? We got these.”

Uh oh, how did I screw up?

Lily watched Allana, whose eyes were still focused on me,
waiting for an answer. “Everything okay?” Lily asked.

“Yes,” Allana replied.

“Okay, I’ll be in the living room if you need me.” She
walked away. “Thanks for all your help.”

She leaned closer to me and a wave of her scent hit me,
coconut and maybe a hint of almonds, leaving me in a euphoric state. “Who told
you my name is Allana?”

“I don’t remember,” I said, raising my hand in a carefree
manner. “You must have told me last summer.”

“I introduce myself as Ally.” She narrowed her eyes.

“Why? I like the way Allana flows.”

“Ally is more approachable than Allana. It sounds like
someone high-maintenance. A drama queen.”

“I think it fits you well,” I countered. Great, now I was
sticking my foot in my mouth. “Not because you’re high-maintenance,” I
clarified, “but because you’re beautiful.”

“Okay, Mike,” she said, unconvinced. “You’re smooth, I’ll
give you that. But I recognize bullshit when I see it. What’s the real story?”

Busted. What could I come up with next to cover it up? I
scanned my brain for something, anything, and came up with zip. Rather than
digging myself into a deeper trench, I decided to go with the truth.

“I looked you up online using a reverse address search.”

“What?” Her mouth opened in a wide O. “That seems kind of
cyber stalker-ish.”

“No!” I protested. “It’s just using technology. That’s what
it’s there for. So we can find information.”

“So what did you do—Google me?”

I cocked my head and spoke in a posh English accent. “As a
matter of fact, I did not.”

She peered at me with suspicion.

“It’s true. I may be no good at relationships, but I do like
the old-fashioned way of getting to know people through a normal progression,
not getting an information dump online.”

She continued to stare at me as if I were an animal she was
trying to decide was cute or dangerous. Couldn’t I be a little of both?

I added, “Do you have deep, dark secrets you’re afraid I’ll
uncover?”

She laughed, her guarded expression softened. A good sign.
“Hardly. If you searched for me, all you’ll get is a bunch of results with
yoga, Pilates and fitness tips. You, on the other hand, are all over the
Internet. The Velvet Cocks website for one.”

“We created that ourselves,” I said, pumping my chest out.

“Social media,” she continued, counting on her fingers.
“Lord knows how many fan sites.”

“Cyber stalk much?” I teased with what I hoped was a boyish
grin. “What’s out there is limited to what we want the public to know about us.
All you’d discover is I’m a software engineer who can play guitar.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “Are you saying there’s more to you
than that?”

“I don’t know you well enough to divulge my secrets.” I
leaned in closer, her delicious scent filling my nostrils. “But I might like
to.”

She tried to stifle a smile, but it escaped and dazzled me.
She shook her head. “I knew you didn’t remember my name.”

“It’s not because I forgot you in particular. I never
remember names. I’m a numbers guy. If you’d given me your phone number, I would
still remember it.”

“Well, it’s just as I expected.” She ran her hands over her
dress to smooth out any wrinkles. My eyes followed the path of her hands. “So
I’m not surprised.”

“What does that mean?”

“You’re a rock star who sleeps around. Can’t expect you to
remember every one-night stand.”

I dropped the smile and caught her eye. “I remember every
detail of that night. You have two cats, an orange tabby and a gray one, and a
tank full of angelfish. You told me how you loved animals and wanted a house
full of them one day. You wished your landlord would allow dogs. You poured us
two glasses of Merlot, which we barely touched before stumbling into your bedroom.
Your room was painted light-blue, but with one yellow wall. With the lights
out, star stickers glowed on the ceiling, the Big Dipper, Orion and a
smattering of stars. An abstract painting that looks like a moon in the night
hung over your bed and framed pictures of family and friends are on the other
walls. You had a copy of the Dalai Lama’s
The Art of Happiness
on your
nightstand and you highlighted some passages in blue.” Her mouth had dropped,
but I continued, not finished yet. “We shed our clothes in record time, so hot
for each other. I still remember your soft moans, how you responded to my
touch, how good it felt with you clenched around me.” My cock twitched at the
memory. “You told me you were a yoga instructor and I joked how I’d test your
flexibility, which we did many times that night.”

She covered her opened mouth, appearing astonished. “Oh my
God, Chee. Mike. Whatever I’m supposed to call you.”

“Call me Mike.”

She dropped her hand. “How many names do you go by?”

“My given name is Michael Rodrigo Harvey.”

“Okay, Michael Rodrigo. Keep your voice down.” She scanned
the room. “I don’t want anyone to hear us.”

“Why not? You were a little sex kitten. Any guy would kill
to change places with me right now.”

She blushed and blinked in slow motion, and then took my arm
to steer me down the hall away from people. “That’s not something any girl
wants everyone to know about her.”

“Got it,” I motioned across my mouth with a zipping noise.
“Sex tigress secret under wraps.”

“I was a sex kitten a moment ago.”

“You deserve a promotion.” I leaned in closer. “Now please
after my walk down memory lane tell me you’re not here with anyone tonight.”

“You mean a guy?” She raised her eyebrows.

“Yes. Using my cyber detecting skills where I uncovered your
name, I noticed a male lived at that address too.”

She grinned. “And your stealthy skills didn’t reveal whether
we’re a couple.”

“No, that’s where technology falls short. Nor did it
indicate whether you’re sleeping together.”

“You sound a tad jealous. Do you feel this possessive about
women you sleep with?”

I contemplated her question, gazing out into the room. “No.
I usually don’t care.”

“Color me lucky,” she returned. “So what makes me so
special? Or is this a ruse to sleep with me again?”

“Let me answer the easier question first. Yes, I definitely
want to sleep with you again. I thought you were hot in those sexy fetish
outfits at the club. And now…” I exhaled with a whooshing sound. “I can’t stop
thinking about unzipping your dress to see what you have on underneath.”

“That’s not gonna happen, rock star.” She straightened to
her full height, not even reaching to my shoulders.

“Why not?”

“Because that remarkable rendition just means you remembered
the sex. Not only did you forget my name at Vamps, you didn’t remember me.”

“I did when I got a closer look.”

She shot me a skeptical look. “And why would you want to
sleep with me again? Someone who might have just slept with you because you’re
a rock star, as you so eloquently pointed out.”

“Because it was hot. And I haven’t been able to stop
thinking about you. Wondering if you’re okay.”

“Of course I’m okay.” She waved an arm. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Another question I don’t know the answer to.”

“For such a smart guy, these simple questions are tripping
you up?”

I nodded. “In case you haven’t guessed, I’m better with
technology than people. So will you answer this question—are you with anyone?”

“No. I’m not sleeping with my roommate, nor do I want to. In
fact, I’m so busy right now I don’t have time for a relationship.”

“Why, what’s up?”

“I’m opening my own yoga and Pilates studio. It’s more work
than I ever could have imagined.”