Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Luc
Lovesong
The Cure
Her cheeks flush a deep, gorgeous pink. My dick throbs against the constraint of my jeans at the thought of her bare under that little skirt.
If I wasn’t so goddamn hungry, I’d already have one hand sliding up her thigh to find out the answer for myself. But I am starving. And, for more than just her, so instead, I shift in my seat, and let a low chuckle roll out of my chest.
She doesn’t say anything right away. Just stares out the windshield, stiff and silent like she’s trying to act unaffected.
But I see it. The way her thighs press together just a little tighter.
The way she swallows hard, her jaw locked like she’s trying to keep a whole-ass reaction from slipping past her lips. That’s not nothing.
And when she finally speaks, “Luc”, it’s breathy, it’s soft, it’s just this side of flustered. Music to my fucking ears. I bite back a grin and keep my focus straight ahead, letting the silence stretch out. I want her squirming. I want her wondering what else I’ll say. What else I’ll do.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch her glancing at me, like she’s checking to see if I’m still watching her.
I am. Of course, I am. It’s practically impossible not to.
“We’re here.” She blurts out as we pull up in front of a hotel entrance. She shifts into park as the car rolls to a stop, a valet driver appearing from the shadows to open her door.
“Checking in?” He inquires, extending a hand to help her out of the car, as I exit on the opposite side.
She wasn’t kidding. It’s gorgeous here.
“Nope.” She takes the ticket he offers. “Going to the restaurant.”
“Got it.” The valet nods. “See you in a little bit.”
She thanks him, walking around the rear of the car to my side. I grab her hand in mine, liking how smooth it is, noting how perfect it feels in mine.
My heart does a little jolt against my rib cage at the realization. I’m leaving tomorrow. There is no way I can let myself get attached to this girl. To any girl. My lifestyle just doesn’t support that luxury.
Maybe when I decide to stop touring with the band. Besides, I’m only twenty-eight. I’m nowhere near ready to find ‘the one’ and settle my shit down. This is not the time to fall in love.
“You freaking out?” Her fingers clench around mine, pulling me out of my own head.
“What?”
She inclines her head toward our linked fingers. “Your palm just got really sweaty.”
I’m glad I have my glasses on so she can’t read any truth my eyes might reveal. “It’s hot.”
I realize it’s a shitty excuse the moment the words leave me. Not only are we now at the top of a mountain, we’re in the hotel lobby, which is clearly air-conditioned.
“If you say so.” She chirps. I know she’s letting it slide, so I don’t push the issue. She’s giving me this one and I’ll take it.
We reach a hostess station and she asks for a table outside.
It’s almost eleven, and we seem to be lucky, catching the restaurant between the breakfast and lunch rush.
We’re led to a table that’s out on a deck, up against a wooden banister.
The view is amazing. All I can see are miles and miles of pine trees. Not a single hotel or casino in sight.
“You were right.” I pull a chair out for her to sit and then lower myself into the seat beside her. “You would never know The Strip is thirty miles away.”
“Told ya.” She beams as she accepts the menu from the hostess who informs us our server will be with us shortly. “They have the best bloody Mary’s too, if you’re interested.”
“Vodka for breakfast?” A wide smile breaks across my face. “You are definitely my kind of girl.”
She snickers. “The easy kind?”
My expression softens, and I slide my sunglasses off. “I don’t think that about you at all.” I scoot my chair until it’s flush with hers, wanting her to understand I mean it. “I think you’re incredible. Smart. Funny. Obviously independent.”
I rest my hand on the bare skin of her thigh. “I definitely do not think you’re a girl who jumps into bed with people you’ve just met. Especially someone like me.”
“Okay.” Her response is quiet, her eyes shifting away, and it feels like she’s just telling me what she thinks I want to hear.
“I mean it.” I squeeze my fingers around her flesh until her gaze swings back to mine. “I have never, and I do mean never, spent the day with someone after a hookup. You aren’t that. You’re much more.”
Our gazes remain locked, both of us staring into the soul of the other, looking for what, I’m not sure, until we’re wrenched back to reality by a chipper voice.
“Sorry to interrupt. You two ready to order?”
“Two bloody Mary’s to start.” I clip out, not breaking eye contact with Lily, wanting her to feel my full attention is on her, and her alone.
The waitress reads the situation and advises she’ll be back with our drinks in a second before scurrying away.
“I’m trying to figure out why the hell a girl like you decided to spend the day with a guy like me.” I turn my head away, twisting the cap on my head until the bill is over my eyes, shifting in my seat.
“A girl like me?” She counters, her head tilting as her focus remains on me.
“Good.” I state bluntly, scratching at my scruff. “And don’t try and deny it. It’s what you are. And it’s not a diss in the slightest. Girls like you tend to stay away from guys like me.”
A grin breaks across her face. “Well, to be fair, I was trying to hide out in that room from you.” Her head falls back on her shoulders as a short laugh escapes her.
“We can see how well that turned out.” Her gaze connects with mine again as her voice softens.
“Not that I have a single regret over how things have turned out.”
Relief floods my chest at her confession, easing the tension in my shoulders, my posture slouching a tad as I relax. “Good.” I pop up on my elbows, leaning across the space between us to swipe a kiss against her lips, sealing our confessions away for now.
“What do you recommend?” I reach for the menu. “I’m fucking starving and could eat a damn horse.”
“The eggs benedict are to die for here and my usual go-to, but since we missed breakfast, I’m a fan of their pizza. They make the brick oven kind here.”
“I’m down with a pizza.” I nod, browsing the menu. “Maybe a burger and fries too. Oh, and the buffalo cauliflower looks amazing too.”
“That’s a ton of food, Luc!” She chides on a giggle.
“I told you; I’m starving.” I grin broadly back at her. “I can eat. Don’t worry about that.”
“Okay, if you say so.” She shrugs, the smile never leaving her face as the waitress appears with our drinks and takes our order, leaving us to ourselves again.
I take a sip from the glass in front of me, the tart flavor of the salt and tomato bursting over my tongue. “Wow.” I hum in approval. “These are good.”
“Yep.” She clinks her glass against mine, before tasting hers. “The best around.”
I stare openly at her for a few minutes, watching her enjoy her drink as she looks out over the railing at the view before us.
“How old are you? Did I ask you that last night? I can’t remember?”
One side of her mouth quirks up. “Don’t you know it’s not polite to ask a girl her age?”
“Just curious.” I murmur as I pull another sip from my glass.
“I’m twenty-four.” She provides without further prompting, her lips pursing a moment before she continues. “I don’t think that breaks rule number one as long as I don’t share my birthday with you.”
I chuff out loud. “Okay, no birth dates allowed.”
“Well?” She coaxes, red liquid sliding up the straw she has clamped between her lips as she sucks. Damn if that doesn’t have my dick twitching.
“Well, what?” I respond, adjusting myself discreetly under the table.
“How old are you?” She inquires, eyes squirting in assessment as they peruse my face.
I forget she’s not a rabid fan and doesn’t really know anything about me. Different. In all the best ways. “I’m twenty-eight. Twenty-nine next month actually.”
She holds up her hand. “Nope. I don’t want to know when.”
I shake my head, grinning. “It’s not like you can’t google it. I’m not a big fucking secret online.”
“I won’t though.” She contends, her expression sincere, and it makes me fall just a little bit more for her.
“I believe you.” It’s weird getting to know someone organically. It’s not a common thing in my world. There just isn’t the opportunity for it.
I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to get to know someone in a normal way. Generally, everyone already knows everything about me, or at least, what they perceive is everything about me.
I’m wishing now that I didn’t agree to rule number one so quickly because I realize I want to know more about this girl. And that in itself is a complete mindfuck. I’m leaving tomorrow. What good would getting to know anything more about her even do?
It’s not like I’m going to have a relationship with someone after spending one day with them, let alone one where I’m on the road half the damn year. Right?
The food arrives and we share the pizza and fries, while I devour the burger and cauliflower. Conversation is easy while we eat. We keep it light and discuss arbitrary things like our favorite foods, the weather, and questions about my show that night.
I order another drink, but she switches to a diet coke, noting that she has to drive us back down a mountain. What I’d like to do is get a room here and hide away in it with her for the next twenty-four hours memorizing every inch of her body. Fuck the show tonight.
The thought stops my heart cold. I’ve never, not once in ten years, wanted to blow off a show. A sweat breaks out over my skin, goosebumps prickling in its wake.
Well, fuck.
This is new.
Haven’t felt this before.
Is this what having a heart feels like?