Wicked Bad Boys (93 page)

J
ohnny returned
to the stage and performed a phenomenal second half of the concert. Personally, I thought the first half was fine, except for the minor stumble when he missed his cue at the beginning. His crew and the backup singers felt differently, and were positive he was having a breakdown. They made a point of keeping it to themselves, although for some reason, they didn’t notice me standing in the hallway backstage while they gossiped in the green room.

Johnny would have nothing to do with me on the drive to the airport, or the plane ride home. I tried to corner him on the plane when he went to use the bathroom, but he brushed me off and said he needed some space.

He did not like the idea of casual sex with me.

His loss.

All I knew was my heart was not going to be put out there for him to deceive me again.

I
had tossed
and turned the entire night after we flew back to LA. I told myself she was lying, putting up a front to make me see how much I hurt her. What we had shared was not a casual thing, and there was no way in hell I would let her try to convince me of that. It was hard to say no to her on the flight back last night, but it had to be done. I banged enough girls for the sake of fun and killing time. Amanda was not going to get rolled into that long list.

She was mine.

If I had to wait for her to see it for herself, then that was what I had to do.

Just a fling. Yeah, right.

I got up late the next day, got dressed and headed to the kitchen for coffee. As I walked in from the back entryway, I watched Amanda disappear into the living room. Her words stung again, hitting inside my chest like a raw nerve. Fred and Jenny were having breakfast, but I was not in the mood for talking. I told them good morning, got my coffee and retreated to the back porch.

T
he day
after our flight home was awkward. Johnny had spent most of the day on the back porch or in his bedroom. His door was closed all day, and the one time I went to see how he was doing, he grumbled something, and told me to stay away from him until I came to my senses.

Wow.

Later in the evening, the housekeeper started to prepare dinner. He had not come down for meals, and my curiosity got to me. I still had a job to do, which involved making sure he was safe and secure. I slipped from my spot in the living room and went up to let him know dinner was ready.

“What?” Came his muffled reply from inside after I knocked on the door.

“It’s Amanda. Are you coming down for dinner?”

I heard some shuffling before his door opened.

“What?” he repeated, standing inches from me. His eyes narrowed as he looked at me. He was not a happy camper.

I looked up at his forehead. “Are you all right? How’s your head?”

He turned slightly so I could see the mark on his temple. It was red and smooth, but the swelling had gone down. I reached up and traced a finger over the skin.

He flinched away from my touch. “I’m fine, Amanda.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to see a doctor?”

“I said I’m fine,” he barked.

“Okay.”

We stared at each other briefly before he looked away.

“Listen,” I started, certain I needed to break the icy silence to say what needed to be said. “I hope there are no hard feelings about last night.”

“I don’t accept it, but I get it.”

“Johnny, I’m trying to make this work. Remember when you said we could be friends?”

“That was before…”

“Before what?”

Johnny looked over my shoulder. “Come in. I don’t want to have a conversation like this standing in a doorway.”

I hesitated before taking a step. It seemed too intimate, too personal, too close to go into his room now. I knew where this could end—with Johnny fucking me senseless in his bed, thinking we could have more, when we no longer could. He was clear about not wanting anything casual with me. On top of that, considering how I really felt, and how fast my heart started to race, he might as well have asked me to bear his firstborn.

Taking my hand, he pulled me inside and closed the door. Johnny turned to face me as I stood near his sofa.

“So tell me. Before what?” I asked.

“Christ…do I have to tell you?”

“Yes. I think you do.”

He sat beside me and took my hands in his. “Before you said you were mine, Amanda.”

He paused. My heart stopped.

“I don’t want to lose you.”

“I think friendship is best,” I told him.

“No.”

“You don’t want to be friends?”

“I can’t do this ‘just friends’ bullshit with you. I won’t torture myself like that. Plus, I don’t want anything casual with you…”

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” I said.

“I know I messed up. I’ll do whatever you want to make it up to you. Why is that not enough?”

“It just isn’t.”

“You can’t give me another chance?”

“It’s not a good idea.”

“Jesus! Why do you have to be like this?”

He stood up and began to pace. I was ready to walk out. I didn’t need to rehash this over and over again. He returned to me and kneeled on the floor, taking my hands again.

“I have feelings for you, Amanda. Real feelings. They’re not because of seeing you fight, or following your career, or any of that. Sure, I’m still a big fan of yours—”

“Johnny, come on. Let’s get real.
You’re
the celebrity here, not me.” I laughed, shocked he thought of me that way.

“I’m still a fan, Amanda. Always was, always will be…So yes, I asked Kevin to hire you for this job. It was not a random thing. Kevin checked out your experience before bringing you out here. You earned this gig. I didn’t expect we’d have this connection, but we do.” He cupped my chin with one hand, looking deeply into my eyes. He was so serious and intense, and I wanted to look away. I could not break from his gaze.

“I want more now.”

“But I—”

He stopped my lips by placing his on mine, swallowing up my next sentence in a heart-stopping kiss. Each tiny movement of his lips, and his tongue tasting me sent sparks through my body. He electrified me, lighting me up from the inside out. It was intoxicating and addictive and…

Wrong.

I pulled back before it could go further.

“We can’t keep doing this.”

“Why not?”

“Because you want more…and I don’t. Trust me. I’m doing you a favor.”

“How is pushing me away doing me a favor? Tell me.”

“Do you really want to know?”

“Yes. Tell me.”

“I could stay and let you fuck me, and please me, and make my body come over and over, Johnny. For one week. It will only be great sex. Nothing more. I’ll end up hurting you when I leave.”

It hurt me to be that brutally honest, and I was certain it hurt him more. I couldn’t bear to look at him anymore.

I pulled away and practically ran out of his room.

M
y great escape
from Johnny’s room took me down the stairs and into Fred’s guest office. I asked if they would keep an eye on him. He and Larry agreed, so I went back to my room and changed into my running gear. I had to get some air. I ran for over an hour. The brisk run in the cool night air helped clear my head and exhaust my body. I finally felt confident that if I got into bed, I could sleep, instead of lying awake for hours obsessing over my stance with Johnny.

While I had been running, I reminded myself of the business plan I left sitting on my desk back in Miami. Soon I would get back home and see my friends, sleep in my own bed, get back to my gym and return to my normal routine. Everything I had been missing over the past weeks. I figured that if I kept focused on all the things to look forward to, eventually, the pain of taking such a hard line would go away.

Eventually.

It didn’t help much. I was kidding myself. Leaving LA would not be easy, but my mind was made up.

The house was quiet when I got inside. I went upstairs to have a quick shower, changed into a comfortable sweat suit, and took the back stairs down to the kitchen to look for leftovers from dinner. There were three covered plates in the fridge— the housekeeper had become used to Johnny and his guests eating outside of the normal schedule. I took one out and heated it in the microwave. I ate quickly, and returned upstairs to go through my nighttime routine—brushing my teeth, flossing, and as I was going to sleep alone, piling my hair up into a topknot.

Before I slipped in between the sheets, because it was still my job, I decided I would check in on Johnny. I went across the hall and knocked.

“
A
manda
?” came his muffled voice from the other side of the door.

“Yes.”

“Come in.”

He sat up in bed when I stepped in. The blankets slid down to reveal his smooth, bare chest.

Geez. I didn’t need to see him like that.

“I’m checking in on you before I head to bed.”

“All’s fine in here,” he said softly, getting up to come to the door—in just his black, satin boxers. “Have a good night, Amanda.”

“Goodnight, Johnny.”

He stood at the door as I turned to leave. I hesitated for a split second. That was just enough time, it seemed. All my resolve disappeared when I turned back to face him. My fingers could not resist running down the hard muscles of his chest, admiring every line and curve of his perfectly defined pecs. He drew in a sharp breath when they skimmed across his nipple.

“Amanda. What are you—” Johnny said, stilling my hand, stopping my fingers from exploring his perfect body.

“Shhh,” I whispered, pressing my fingertip to his lips. “I want to compromise.”

He shook his head, but held my palm on his chest. “I don’t see any middle ground here, Amanda.”

“I’ll be yours. For the week.”

“That’s no different from what you wanted earlier.”

“Of course it’s different.”

“How?”

“It won’t just be a casual thing. I'm not making any promises about after the week is up, because I’ll be heading back to Miami. The difference is I’m giving you another chance. I won’t shut you out anymore.”

He looked at me, quietly processing it.

“Can we do this?”

My question hung between us for a moment. He answered by lifting my hand to his lips and forming a kiss against my fingers. It sent sparks across my body. He grabbed my wrist and made a point of kissing each finger. He opened his mouth and drew lazy but intensely suggestive circles along the palm of my hand with his tongue. I closed my eyes, enjoying his sizzling touch.

I needed him—physically. Being with him, like this, was the only thing that made sense.

He moved in close.

“Of course,” he whispered in my ear, nibbling on my earlobe.

“Johnny,” I moaned, feeling the heat pool between my legs. “I need you. Now.”

Without another word, he pulled me in past the doorway. He tugged at the fabric of my shirt. I pulled it up over my head, revealing my naked breasts, loving the way he held my eyes for one more beat before dropping them to my exposed breasts.

“God, Amanda, you’re so beautiful.” His voice thickened with emotion.

He leaned in and kissed me slowly. His lips pressed to mine lightly at first, but need and desire overtook us both. We clung together, letting the kiss deepen until he pushed my lips apart and his tongue entered my mouth. He kissed me as if it was the first time.

I was on fire.

My body was his, for now.

I would have done anything to let the moment last. Our bare chests were pressed together. I gasped and moaned as he pulled away and let my hardened nipples brush against his smooth torso. His gaze looked down between us, roaming around my body. I pulled him back to me, my lips missing him already.

“Johnny, please don’t stop,” I whispered. It was a plea for him to continue our pleasure, to distract me from how impractical this compromise really was.

He gave me one last look before engulfing me in another scorching kiss. He took my mouth, owned it as he explored and tasted and dueled his tongue with mine. He pulled away again, dipping his head down, leaning in to lavish my nipples, taking each into his mouth in turn, kissing them, flicking them with his tongue, sucking on each. My arms locked around his neck, pulling him in, helping him give his undivided attention to one, then the other again. I clenched my fingers against his firm upper back muscles as he pleasured me. His hands roamed my body while he continued to tease my breasts. I hissed when he dropped to his knees and kissed my throbbing mound through my sweat pants, moving toward my throbbing center.

“Oh God, Johnny,” I whimpered. “Please fuck me. Don’t make me wait.”

His eyes found mine. He needed me too. He didn’t need to say it. He walked me backwards until I reached his bed, and removed my pants with one swift pull down my sides. His boxers were off just as quickly.

I climbed into the bed still wearing my panties, relaxing on my back.

He growled. “You’re taking a big chance getting into bed with those.”

I parted my knees to give him a better view. He buried his head between my legs, sending hot kisses through the thin material, making his way lower, over my clit, down to my folds. I was tingling everywhere. My clit was dying to be touched. I moved my hips, trying to speed his trail of kisses farther south. He laughed softly against me, the vibrations teasing my clit that much more.

“Lorne,” I said, trying to get his attention.

As the word left my lips, he groaned softly. His fingers slipped beneath my panties, pushing the soft fabric to one side. He gently stroked against my folds. I surged toward a new level as he teased me. My own fingers went to the waist of my panties. I tried to push them down to give him better access, but he used his free hand to stop me.

“We have all night,” he reminded me softly. He looked up from between my legs and met my eyes once again. Seeing his head between my thighs made me gasp with anticipation. He smiled, groaning as he returned to kiss and nibble and suck as he slid two thick fingers deep inside me. My eyes rolled back and my body tightened. He began to pump in and out of my hot pussy, each stroke sending me higher before he finally pushed through my panties and found my clit again with his tongue.

I moaned, forgetting about anyone else in the house.

I didn’t care.

I gave myself over to the pleasure he delivered. His lips sucked at my clit at the same pace as the thrusts of his finger. I was so close to the edge I could scream. I rolled my hips, grinding down on his face and fingers. My fingertips dug into his back, and slid down his shoulders, pressing him into me harder.

“I’m…oh God…I’m coming Lorne…”

My words trailed off.

He kicked up the pressure another level, leaving me breathless as my body responded to his new rhythm. He held me down firmly to the bed, taking me closer to my climax. He worked faster and his thrusts became fierce. I couldn’t hang on anymore. I called out his name when the rush of sensory overload ripped through me. I bucked and seized under his grip, and still he held me down, sucking and teasing me until I collapsed. He waited a minute, letting me catch my breath, and slowly pulled off me.

As soon as he lifted up, I tugged on his shoulders, pulling him up my body.

“Fill me, Lorne.”

He moved up to me, and my hand slid down his body, finding his cock, wrapping around his thick shaft.

“I need you. Please,” I panted.

“I need you too, Amanda.”

He was above me, looking down into my eyes as he said it. My heart thrummed within my chest.

He kept his eyes locked on mine, lowering himself down, slowly, until he was aligned and ready to enter me. His hips pressed against mine. I could not wait. I gripped his waist and pulled him in. I was so wet, so ready.

“Fuck,” he groaned, sliding the rest of the way in. “You’re so fucking tight, baby.”

I sighed with pleasure as he rocked into me, pulling back slowly, plunging in deeper. His lips met mine for a searing kiss. He slid his tongue into my mouth while his manhood sank into my channel. I moved up to meet him, matching his rhythm, taking him deeper inside me, giving him what was already his to take.

Only his.

“Fuck me harder, Lorne.”

He did. He buried his cock inside me hard and fast, pelting me over the edge before I could prepare myself, leaving me in a shaking, weak, disoriented, sated state. He continued, pounding wildly into me, and as I came down from the heights, he tensed and released from his own orgasm. After a while, he pulled off and stretched out beside me, holding me so close I could hear and feel his heartbeat.