Chapter Four
Michelle
“Do you have a vehicle here or can I offer you a ride home?” Xander asks.
“Oh, no, I don’t have a vehicle. Dani drove. I figured I’d just call a taxi, Uber, Lyft. Something.”
“No way,” Xander says as he shakes his head. “Not trusting those services when you’re all alone. I’m happy to take you home.”
“If you’re sure, I’d love that.”
He lifts my hand to kiss my knuckles. “Positive.”
We walk back toward the bar where we collect our shoes. After Xander introduces me to his sister, Dina, they chat briefly as she tells him the other band members have already taken off and said they would see him tomorrow. He then tells her he’s taking me home.
“It was a pleasure to meet ya,” she says, and I reciprocate. “Xander will take good care of you. Hope to see you back soon.”
“Oh, you will,” I say. “Especially if you get that fried circuit fixed so he and the band can perform tomorrow.”
Dina winks. “Count on it.”
“Night, sis. See you tomorrow.” He kisses her cheek as she also tells him good night.
Xander then leads me around the bar to a black muscle car he’s unlocking with a FOB.
“Oh my God, a 1968 Camaro?”
“You know your muscle cars.”
I walk around the gorgeous piece of machinery, taking in its immaculate condition. When Xander opens the passenger door, he reveals cream leather seats and a sanitary dash. Instead of being restored to its original glory, this muscle car is equipped with some modern conveniences.
“Modified with EFI, power steering, A/C, disc brakes, and satellite radio.”
“How much power?” I ask with a face-splitting grin.
“I’ve got a Chevy LS small block V-8 that produces about 430 horsepower.”
We climb in and he starts it up, the rumble of the engine making me smile bigger.
“Ever race it?” I ask.
Xander chuckles. “Took it to Palm Beach International Raceway just after the car was completed about two years ago. Made a decent pass at eleven point nine seconds going 118 miles per hour.”
“That had to be a rush.”
“Yeah.” He looks at me. “So tell me how you know about cars?”
“My dad was a mechanic. Would work on a pit crew some summers and during winter testing. He’d take me to the races, and I loved them! Drove my mom crazy that I was such a tomboy back then.”
He puts the car in gear and rolls to the street’s entrance. “Which way am I heading?”
“South. Are you familiar with the Boca West area?”
“Only that it’s Southwest of here.”
I chuckle. “Smarty pants. You can take Highway 1 or hop on 95, then head west on Glades Road.”
“Got it.” He pulls out onto the street, heading south on Highway One. “Are your parents still around?”
“Yes, they’re over in St. Petersburg where my mom’s family is from. She has an uncle there who hasn’t been doing well this year and wanted to be close to him. He’s the last remaining family on her side.”
It’s not quite 11PM and traffic is moderate. I expect tomorrow to be bustling, given it’s the Fourth of July. I don’t get a chance to ask about his parents because he starts speaking again.
“So, I gotta ask,” he says. “What made you enter the contest? Don’t get me wrong, I had no problems seeing you up there.” He gives me a quick glance, winking.
I laugh. “Guess I thought I had something to prove. Like I still had it.”
“Not had; have. Believe me, you still got it.” His voice is playful yet sincere.
“Well thanks. I’m known for my antics. Not that I do that sorta thing on the regular, I just figured, what the hell.”
“What the hell, indeed.”
I turn in my seat to face him as best I can while buckled up. “How about you? Any crazy antics you’ve done lately?”
“Nothing,” he says a little too quickly.
“Oh, come on. Don’t tell me that. You’ve gotta give me something.”
He gives me the side-eye while grinning.
“Come on,” I coax. “You can tell me.”
“I lost a bet and had to get a Prince Albert piercing.”
My mind goes blank for a moment before I stutter. “Had to? What the hell kind of bet would you wager that kind of piercing on?”
“Last year I bet Rafe the Tampa Bay Rays would win the World Series. The Lightning won the Stanley Cup and the Rays were playing awesome, so how cool would that be if they had won too?”
“But that piercing? Why not your nose or, or your nipple?”
“Too easy. We take our sports seriously.”
“What about a tattoo? I’m actually surprised you don’t have any.”
He gives me a quick look. “You haven’t seen my entire body.” His voice becomes deeper, rough.
I cough. “Uh, no, no I haven’t.” I wait a beat. “So you actually went through with it? With the piercing?”
“I never renege on a bet.”
“Because you’re a man of honor.” I can’t help saying it with laughter in my voice. Not that I don’t think he’s honorable, but to go so far as to get his penis pierced? Wow!
“Damn right,” he says while smiling.
“So…”
He gives me another glance. “So, you’re wondering if I still have it.”
I feel myself blush and thank goodness he can’t see. Although I’m sure he knows that’s exactly what I’m doing.
“The answer is no, I don’t. Hurt like a son of a bitch and was nothing but a nuisance. Had me peeing out of multiple holes.”
Laughter explodes from me and Xander joins in.
“The bet was to do it. Nothing about the bet said I had to keep it. I took the damn piercing out within a few days and thankfully the extra hole healed shut.”
“Oh my God!” I continue laughing.
“I learned my lesson. Turned out Rafe already had one and would’ve had no problem getting another.”
“Okay, enough,” I sputter, waving my hands at him. “TMI!”
“Yeah, I guess I didn’t need to put that image in your head. Forget I said anything.”
“Too late!”
“You started it.” He laughs.
I look up just in time to see we’re nearing my turn. “You’ll want to turn at the next right.”
Xander slows down and makes the turn. I then guide him around the winding roads until we get to my condo. He parks, turning off the car and unbuckling his seat belt.
“House upon house upon condo,” he murmurs.
“Not much choice these days with all the expansion.” I unbuckle and turn so I’m facing him. “Where do you live? Near the bar, on the beach?”
“Not really.” When I cock my head in question, he chuckles.
“Dina and I own the building that’s next to the bar.
The band practices there and we also store our equipment in it.
The top floor has a decent apartment. I’ll stay there in a pinch, depending on gigs and practice.
Or work. But I have a place up in the Homeland area where Dina and Jerald own a home with property. ”
“Where’s that?”
“Do you know Wellington? About forty miles or so north?”
“Way up there?” I say with surprise.
Xander chuckles. “It’s not that far. Anyway, I helped them buy five acres before it was gobbled up and the prices became outrageous. Built a tiny home at the edge of the property.”
“You? In a tiny home?” I giggle.
“Hey, I may be a big guy, but I don’t need a lot of space. It’s perfect for me.” He looks out toward my building. “Do you like living here where you’re so close to your neighbor?”
I shrug. “I don’t mind. It has its advantages, like being close to West Boca Medical Center where Stuart and I worked. I can easily walk or bike to wherever I want to go. And there are no grounds to maintain. I grew up in a neighborhood, so I’m used to neighbors being close.”
He looks back at me. “Do you still work at the Medical Center?”
I nod. “Most of my patients are there. I work one day a week at Delray Medical Center.”
“Do you even own a vehicle?” His tone is teasing.
I swat his arm. “Yes,” I chuckle. “But nothing as cool or sexy as this.” I lean forward to run my hand along the dash while I look at him, giving him a wink.
“Come here,” he says while reaching for me, snagging me around my waist. He effortlessly hauls me onto his lap so I’m straddling him, my legs bent on either side of his thighs.
I feel the steering wheel against my back, but I don’t care.
My hands grip his shoulders as he frames my face, bringing our mouths together in a hungry kiss.
I work my hands up his neck to tangle my fingers in his hair as he angles his head one way then another as if not satisfied with his position.
He growls as his tongue joins in the feasting while his hands journey down to my hips and around to my ass, bringing my core against the hardness beneath his jeans.
A whimper slithers out of me as I grind against him like some wanton hussy, seeking friction on my clit.
“Fuck, I want you,” Xander says against my neck, his voice deep and raspy.
“Yes,” I say, my own voice sounding breathy and desperate.
Suddenly Xander lets his head fall back as he groans, his hands flexing on my rear.
“What is it?”
He straightens and looks at me, the ambient light from the streetlight illuminating the uncertainty on his face. “First on the beach and now in the car. Not very romantic of me. We just met, barely know each other, and I’m ready to cream my jeans over you.”
I can’t help but chuckle. My fingers tenderly comb through his hair, my nails scraping his scalp. We stare at one another, his mouth twisting.
“I keep thinking about what I did up on stage, putting my hands on you. Part of me wants to tell you I’m sorry. Told myself if it was someone else doing that, I would’ve wrung their neck. Another part isn’t sorry at all. I just couldn’t seem to help myself.”
“Well, lucky for you I actually didn’t mind. And since I like you and you’re so apologetic, as well as sexy, I’ll let you put your hands anywhere you want on me.”
“Michelle,” he groans, tightening his grip on my ass.
I lean close so our lips barely touch and whisper his name. “Xander.” I close the distance and proceed to kiss him at my leisure, savoring his taste. His lips are soft, pliant, allowing me to nip and suck, and when they part, I slip my tongue inside to tangle with his.