Mindy 5
We came out of the kiss, and I fell into him. There were kisses that gave you a warm glow, kisses that were sweet, kisses that lit a fire, then there were kisses that burned deep into your soul, and you knew this man had the potential to capture your heart.
This was one of those kisses. A kiss that scared me and caused me to never want to leave his side. I couldn’t think straight, couldn’t separate my thoughts from my emotions. I needed air. I needed to walk away. I needed to guard my heart.
Instead, I seemed glued to the floor, glued to his intentions, whatever they were.
Arlo took my breath away.
He slipped his hand into mine, stared into my eyes for a moment, and I knew I would follow him into hell if I had to. I wanted more of him, wanted to feel his mouth on mine one more time, wanted to have crazy-hot sex with him… now… here… in this moment, and nothing short of a lunar explosion would stop me from getting what I knew we wanted.
I knew I would have to lock up my heart, tight, or I’d be falling hard and fast for him before I could stop this love train from rolling right over me. Something about him had turned my head from the first moment we’d met.
Dion, I could slide into a compartment. Even his kiss today didn’t open that door… at least not enough so I couldn’t close it again, temporarily, but Arlo was a whole different kind of compartment. One that I desperately wanted to squeeze in with him, no matter how tight the fit.
“C’mon,” he said, taking my hand.
He guided me through the throngs of folks either dancing or standing around the bar area. We were headed backstage, and once we walked through the black curtains, the place seemed deserted. We passed stage and lighting equipment, some stacked office furniture, and a row of closed doors. When we came to an open doorway, we stepped inside, and at once, I knew this was the band’s waiting room.
I knew it wouldn’t be used tonight because the Girls With Guitars were playing and according to Tammy, none of them really used this room, unless there was some kind of emergency. They showed up with their guitars and went right onstage. Afterwards, they liked to mingle with the customers. When they did need a break, Tammy took them back to her private office, which was massive. I’d done my initial interview in that office. She could easily fit twenty or thirty people in there if she had to.
He pushed open a door wider and walked inside, and I followed him in. A long, gray sofa adorned the far wall, which had been signed by more country stars than I could count. There was a makeup station on another wall, an open door that led to a private bathroom, and a long wooden table took up yet another wall. There was even a mini fridge and a snack area loaded down with everything from Snickers bars to gluten-free crackers and cheese sticks wrapped in cellophane.
“Why are we here?” I asked, knowing damn well why as soon as he closed the door and walked over to me. “Are you playing tonight?”
“Damn straight I’m playing, but not with my band.” He wore a killer smile that tore my insides apart.
“Why, Arlo Farber, are you saying you want to play me tonight?” I teased, loving how easily I could talk to him and tease him.
He suddenly seemed confused. The man was way too kind and decent for his own good. “I thought… I mean… if you don’t want to…”
I pushed the door closed, snuggled in closer to him, and said, “Shut up and kiss me.” I wore my best smirk.
“If you’re sure,” he teased, taking a step back, taunting me with his phony reluctance. “I don’t want to do…”
I stood on my toes then and crushed my lips to his. As soon as I did, he wrapped his arms around me, then slid his hands down to my ass, and lifted me off the floor. I instantly went with the move and wrapped my legs around his hips. My arms were now free to surround his head, so I raked my fingers through his thick, brown hair. It had a sort of reddish tint to it that I’d been attracted to from the moment I spotted him at the cemetery. It was one thing to see him in a video or up on a stage, but a totally different experience to see him, Dion, and Jackson outside, standing in the sunshine.
I liked that his hair never looked combed, with no product of any kind. There was a slight curl to it that gave him a kind of little-boy-who-just-got-out-of-bed look. Probably why so many women swooned over him.
Me included.
“That’s perfect,” he said between kisses, his strong arms holding me up. “You smell so fucking good.”
He kissed my neck, and I stretched my head back to get the full experience. I loved how his lips dragged over my throat and how he nibbled on my skin. It tickled and filled me with a wicked lust for his mouth between my legs. If he could do these things to my neck, what the hell could he do to my lady parts?
And as if he could read my mind, he set me down on the table and cupped my pussy with one of his big hands. Heat surged through me like I’d been plugged into something that wasn’t about to let me go until I reached the stars.
“Tell me what you want.” His voice had gone all low and raspy. God, this man was pure heat, and in that instant, I decided to turn this lust around in his favor. “First off, do you know if that door is locked?”
“It’s not. Jimmy told us he removed the lock. For this very reason.”
I felt the tingle shoot right through me as I grinned. “Good. I wouldn’t want to deprive someone the thrill of walking in on us.”
He chuckled. “You’re the most amazing girl I’ve ever met.”
“Keep talking like that, and we may never leave this room.”
More smiling and chuckling. “You’re so fucking hot. I get hard just talking to you.”
I reached out then and felt the impressive bulge between his legs.
“So hard,” I muttered. “I want it.” He unbuttoned his jeans, and I unzipped his fly. Within moments, we freed his perfectly shaped, heavy dick. He and Dion had thick, long cocks that initially scared me. I mean, how the hell could I fit all that down my throat without gagging?
Still, I was willing to try.
When he reached inside his pocket for what had to be a condom, I said, “Not yet, cowboy. I have other plans.”
I gently pushed him back to the sofa, where he landed on his ass. I dropped to my knees and devoured his delicious dick without any problem whatsoever, relaxing my throat to take him in further than I’d ever been able to take any other man. I pumped him hard and fast, gently caressing his balls with each stroke, until he let out a moan that I knew came from a place he hadn’t meant to go. And when he brushed all my hair off my face so he could watch and pulled it back tight, causing me to have to look up at him, I knew we had connected more than either one of us had intended.
“You’re too fucking dirty, Mindy. This… this was supposed to be a quick fuck,” he muttered. “I never… never… expected… this.” His voice was low and breathy. As if he were doing everything he could to not come in my mouth.
Not an option.
I closed my eyes and concentrated, even though I could tell he was reluctant. Even as he tried to move me off with his hands on my shoulders, I kept going.
“Fuck you,” he quietly said, as I sucked him even faster and deeper, massaging his balls with my hands now.
And when he let out a low, sexy moan, I felt him unload down my throat. It came so fast, I couldn’t help gagging, but I refused to stop until he was completely spent.
I’d never felt so powerful with a man before. As if I were in charge, and he couldn’t resist me… which he totally couldn’t. It sent me spinning, only to want more from him, to do more with him.
I wasn’t about to end this thing yet. That idea of this being a quick fuck… well, that was total bullshit. This would be anything but…
If we were in bed, most guys would roll over now and fall asleep, but we weren’t in bed, and Arlo wasn’t most guys. I could tell, just like me, we were only getting started.
“Your turn,” he said before I could head off to the bathroom to freshen up.
“Give me a minute,” I said, standing.
He grabbed my hips and ran his hands up and down either side. “A minute’s too long. I want you now.”
I sniggered. “You won’t even know I’ve been gone.”
“I doubt that,” he said, pumping his cock, which looked ready for the next round.
“How is that even possible?” I asked, staring at his ever-growing cock. Just gazing at his hand on his dick soaked my panties. Between him and Dion, I didn’t know which one was sexier, but at this point, I didn’t care. They were both magnificent.
“You’re magic, remember?” He let a little snigger escape from the back of his throat, and my knees wanted to buckle right out from under me.
“Oh, so, I’m causing it?” I couldn’t help but tease him. He was so… teasable.
“Ah-huh, and if you want more, you’ll be in and out of that bathroom like greased lightning.”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” I told him as I dashed off.
Not more than a few minutes later, I was cleaned up and ready to go again, but when I opened the door, I ran right into Tammy Jennings and in a split second, my whole world came tumbling down.
I had no idea what the rules were for employees having sex inside her establishment, but from the look on her face, I didn’t think it would be good.
“I was hoping to find you two here,” she said.
“Um, what?” I asked, buttoning the top button on my shirt, feeling about as uncomfortable as a bug caught on a windshield.
“Arlo, I know you and your band are just getting set up here in Sweet Whiskey. Looking for a place to live and all… and Mindy, I’ve been chatting with Emma and the other owners over at Last Call, and they’ve been talking you up, doll. I had no idea you were such a smart cookie. Since you’ve been there, not only are you the dance instructor, but you’ve run a dance hall before, a successful dance hall. One of our bartenders also knows a lot about running a business. I’m not too worried about the kitchen or ordering liquor around here. I have some great people who can do all that, but I’m worried about booking the talent and making sure everything runs smoothly while Jimmy and I are gone.”
“Gone?” I asked, wondering what the hell she was getting at. My stomach lurched. I was just getting started with my plan. I took a deep breath to calm my ever-growing nerves.
“Gone? Where you headed?” Arlo wanted to know.
“Somewhere quiet. Somewhere peaceful where Jimmy and I can regroup. I don’t want to get into the details of it, but the stress of running this place is taking its toll. So, before we end up in a nursing home with some horrible disease, or worse, we need to take some massive action. That funeral for my dear friend Scarlet really had an impact on us. She was such a strong and vital woman with a heart as big as the oceans. A little too big for her own good. In any case, Jimmy and I… well, we’ve decided to take a year off. But we can’t do it unless we know we’re leaving the place in capable hands. Not only do we have an obligation to our employees, our regular customers, and all those up-and-coming country bands we like to feature, we’re also not ready to sell the place. We like being part of all this; we just can’t run it. At least not the way we’ve been.”
“So, what are you proposing?” I asked, taking a seat next to Arlo on the sofa. When I did, I noticed his jeans were zipped and buttoned up tight, thank goodness.
She pulled out a folding chair from the table and sat her petite self down. She wore stretch jeans, white cowgirl boots with the highest heel anyone could get on a boot, a soft-pink, fitted sweater, and big dangly earrings, undoubtably made by a local artist. I knew Tammy liked to support the locals whenever possible. Thus, the reason everyone loved her so much.
“We’ll draw up a contract so you two can have everything in writing, but I’d like you two to run the place while we’re gone. Arlo, I know you’ve got your band and all, but what I’m looking for is someone to oversee the talent that comes into this place, and I know you’ve got that covered. You won’t have to actually book the talent; all you need to do is approve or say hell no. I’ve got someone else in mind to do all the heavy lifting. You won’t have to do this for the entire year we’re gone, unless, of course, you decide that you really like it. But if you could direct talent traffic for the first four or five months, that would be great. After that, I think the person I have in mind will be able to take over.
“Of course, you’ll be well compensated, and just so you know, there are several employees who you can both lean on for extra help. My top picks are Colt Johnson and CindyLou, both outstanding employees and friends. They’ll also be compensated. I should tell you, Mindy, that I also considered CindyLou for what I’m offering you, but in talking to her, she told me that her life is full right now, and she’s perfectly willing to assist but doesn’t want anything to do with running this place on her own. Are you good with that?”
Everything was coming at me so fast, I didn’t know how to react. I stared at her for what seemed like a long time, then I said, “Sure, if you are… good with that. But just to be clear. Are you offering me a management position? Like in running this place?”
“Yes, but Jimmy and I will still have the final word if you decide to do something that will radically change the environment or do anything to upset our loyal customers. Will that work for you? Actually, that goes for you as well, Arlo. We’re hoping to put you in charge of the talent. Of course, there’s already someone who helps Jimmy, and that person will continue to help out… if that’s okay with you.”
“Um, I think I’ll have to consult with Jackson and Dion first.”
“I already talked to them before they left after their dance lesson. They seemed okay with it, as long as you were.”
“Why didn’t they tell me?”
“Dion wanted it to come from me first,” she said, looking hopeful that Arlo would agree. I didn’t know if he would consider any of this. It seemed like a lot to take on, especially since Arlo was part of a successful band. They’d come here to regroup. This offer didn’t seem like it could help with that. It seemed like it would just toss more coal on the fire.
They were all looking for a break. Thus, the reason for their retreat to Sweet Whiskey. Plus, Arlo was a musician, not a talent manager. I couldn’t understand why she would even consider asking him.
“And this contract would only be for a year, right?” he asked, looking as though he wasn’t sure how to handle any of this.
“Yes, and like I said, I have several employees who can help you. I don’t want to stifle your music career in any way with this proposition. I just know how you have your finger on the pulse of country music and know what bands are hot and what bands are on the downward slide. In other words, you know this business inside and out.”
“I had no idea you were so plugged in,” I told him as I turned to him.
“Yeah, I love that kind of stuff. Keeps my edge. Keeps the band’s edge knowing exactly what’s trending in country. Jackson’s good at it, too. Even a bit better than I am, but he hates being in the limelight. Still, it’s like the best side hustle ever. It’s saved our ass so many times, I’ve lost track. And it’s helped move us up the charts. This might actually work.” He turned to Tammy. “You know me too well.”
She shrugged. “It’s a gift. So, can I draw up the paperwork, and can we meet in the morning? I’ll ask a few other of my employees to join us. They’ll be excited to get this thing going.”
“When… when will this transition happen?” I wanted to know.
“As soon as I can find somewhere for Jimmy and me to settle for the next year,” she said. “Someplace totally different and away from the business. We can’t stay here. We won’t be able to let it go if we do. We need to get away, far away, like out of the country.”
“Have you considered Italy? You must know that Sally, Dion’s grandmother, owns a small lemon grove on the Amalfi Coast. No one lives in the main house. The workers have their own quarters, and once a year, we fly in for a week or two, or Sally sometimes vacations there. I think that’s where she’s going for her honeymoon, but after that—it’s only a couple of weeks—but after that, the villa is free again. It’s an amazing place. I have pictures. Sally used to spend a lot of time there, but she doesn’t like to travel anymore, so the place is usually empty for most of the year.”
He showed us pictures on his phone, and I couldn’t believe what I saw. The view of the Mediterranean alone was worth the cost of the trip, not to mention the villa itself. Right out of an Italian movie. Simply beautiful, complete with blooming flower pots everywhere on the large, tiled veranda.
I could tell that Tammy’s excitement was growing.
“Are you sure Sally would rent it to me? And Dion would be all right with it?”
“They wouldn’t take a dime from you. The place more than pays for itself from the lemons. His family sells them to local limoncello makers. The lemons have won awards, and Sally gets top dollar for each lemon. Those plants are over a hundred years old… maybe older. And the lemons… they’re the size of grapefruits, and they’re so sweet, you think you’re eating some exotic fruit, instead of a lemon. There’s nothing like lemons in Amalfi. They’re like nothing else in the entire world. It’s a beautiful place, and it couldn’t be more relaxing for you and Jimmy. Plus, Positano is only a short drive away, and that place is magnificent. I’ll ask Dion about it as soon as I see him later tonight. I’m sure he’ll want to call you. Will that be all right?”
Tammy face beamed. “Honey, if this works, I’ll double your salary.”
“I’m fine… give the extra money to Mindy. I have a feeling she’ll do something great with it.”
They stood and hugged, and when Tammy gave me a hug as well, I knew my life was about to change in ways I never could have predicted.
Plus, I had a feeling this was only the beginning.
“Now,” she said, “will you two join me in a toast to new beginnings? Anything you want. It’s on the house!”
I gazed over at Arlo, then back at Tammy. “Sure, but can you give us a minute?”
“Absolutely, doll,” she said. “I’ll grab my guitar from my office and meet you at the main bar. I go on in about a half hour. Jimmy’s home tonight, resting, but when he hears the news, I’m sure he’ll want his own celebration. This is working out better than I ever imagined.”
“That’s because Mindy is magic,” Arlo said, as he slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me in close.
“She sure is, and you boys better hang onto her; I have a feeling she’s just the woman y’all need.”
“Believe me, we have no intention of letting her go.”
“I knew Jimmy made the right decision about you boys. It’s gonna work out just fine… better than fine. Now, I better get that guitar and get on out there. Can’t be late for my own show.”
And she hustled out of the room before either one of us could even say another word.
Once she was gone, we fell back on the sofa with a loud humph.
“Holy shit,” I said, trying my best to fully understand what had just happened. But before I tackled that… “What I want to know is how did you zip up so quickly?”
“Years of practice.”
I chuckled. “What kind of practice?”
“Fortunately, Tammy always wears heels, and I heard her coming a mile away.”
“But the door was closed.”
“Like I said, I heard Tammy’s heels clicking on that wooden floor like she wore cleats.”
I slid my hand down the front of him.
“Don’t do that unless you’re willing to take this to the end, which we can’t do now. Tammy might drop in again, or she might already be waiting for us at the main bar. Either way, and as much as this pains me to say, we should call it a night and continue this another time. If we’re going to be working here together for the foreseeable future, we’re going to have plenty of time to catch up. And I owe you… big time.”
“Yes, you do… seriously big time,” I said, chuckling. And in that instant, I saw myself falling hard for this man. He had a sexy charm to him that drew me in like a dog to a bone… so to speak.
“Are you sure you can handle it?”
He picked up my hand and rubbed his thumb on my palm. I felt an instant rush of heat down my body that landed right between my legs. I liked the way he moved, the way he touched me, even when he said no.
“I can handle anything you’ve got,” I told him, my voice so low and sexy, I barely recognized it.
“Be careful what you challenge me to do. I love a challenge. Puts me in a focused state of mind.”
“Then you’re on. I’ll be waiting to see what you can do, and it better be good, or you may not be worth my time.”
I threw him one of my biggest grins. I didn’t mean to, or rather I didn’t plan on it. The grin just came out naturally. I liked this guy… liked him a lot. Arlo had a way about him, a way that intrigued me and made me want to do things I normally wouldn’t consider.
“Get ready, baby girl, because I already have some ideas planned for you that will take your breath away.”
“Your kisses already do that. What else you got?”
He looked shocked. “My kisses take your breath away?”
I nodded, running my thumb around his lips. “And they make my knees weak.”
“Wow. I never had that kind of reaction from a woman before.”
“You never kissed this woman before.”
He pulled me in tight. “This is a test.”
He kissed my eyes first, then the tip of my nose before he laid one on me that was so sexy, my knees did buckle. If he hadn’t been holding me tight up against him, I swear, I would have landed on the ground in front of him… it was that kind of kiss… right to the soul of the matter.
“Holy shit!” I sighed, trying to regain my balance, which seemed almost impossible.
In the next few moments, he’d grabbed hold of my hand again and led me out the same way we’d come in. As we walked, neither one of us said a word. I knew I was still trying to absorb not only our little rendezvous but also Tammy’s generous, but binding offer.
Things were suddenly moving way too fast, on way too many fronts and despite my mantra that I didn’t do overwhelm, I was having one hell of a time trying to keep up.