“Annie, no. I don’t think you do,” he said, raking his hands through his hair. “It has nothing to do with you.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized how lame it sounded. It was all Annie needed to hear. She turned away sharply and headed toward her apartment door.
Michael quickly stood and caught her by the wrist. Then he spun her around to face him. With a sudden jerk, he pulled her hard against his chest. He felt her breath expel in a sharp, short burst. Annie wriggled to free her hands, which Michael clung to tightly.
“Annie, look at me,” he commanded. As soon as their eyes locked, Annie stopped her struggle. Slowly, he bent his face toward her, until his lips were close enough to gently brush against hers when he spoke. Then he suggestively slid her hand below his belt buckle and pressed it against the hardened mound of his manhood. Annie gasped and attempted to pull her hand away but Michael continued to hold it in place.
“Like I said, my reasons for stopping have nothing to do with not wanting you,” he whispered against her parted lips and then he kissed her again.
“You don’t owe me an explanation,” she said, pulling away, attempting to put some space between them.
“It’s a legal issue,” he stated, dragging his tongue up the side of her neck and teasing her earlobe. “The only exchange that happens between us is supposed to be strictly business.” Then his mouth found hers again, his tongue delving even deeper until Annie thought she would explode from the pleasure. “I don’t consider what we’re doing exactly businesslike, do you?” he sighed against her trembling lips.
“It not a big deal. Really. We can forget this ever happened,” she lied again.
Michael laughed. “Then you must be made of stone because I know I won’t forget this happened.”
Annie’s head fell to his chest. She could feel the loud thump of his beating heart and smiled. It was a wonderful sensation to know his heart was racing for her.
“Believe it or not, I had to sign a contract stating I wouldn’t have any personal contact with any members of the sponsored bands. I could get myself, and you, in a lot of trouble just by being here right now.”
He rubbed slow, deliberate circles on her back with his strong hands. “If the press got a hold of a story like this, they’d say you slept with me in order to win the contest.”
Annie sighed. She wondered if this was his way of politely dismissing her. For all she knew, he had a girlfriend stashed away at his house.
He pulled her tighter against his body. “You’re not saying much. What are you thinking?” he asked.
“Honestly?”
“Of course.”
“I’m still having trouble believing you’re even here right now. So, the fact that we’re having this particular conversation is a bit surreal to me.”
He pressed his mouth against her ear. “I’d like nothing better than to take you inside and finish what we started,” he whispered.
Annie stepped back and studied his face with indecision. “What makes you think I was going to invite you inside? Or perhaps you were planning on grabbing me by the hair and dragging me inside like a caveman?”
He smiled sheepishly and dropped his head, slowly shaking it. “Wow, well, I’ve been called a lot worse but I’m not a caveman. I’m sorry. I guess I was assuming something I shouldn’t have been.”
His eyes lifted to hers. He seemed genuinely remorseful. She tipped her chin in a sign of defiance. “I’m probably not like the other women you’re used to dealing with, Michael. So I accept your apology.”
“You're nothing like the other women I've known which is why I find you so... intriguing.”
Annie placed her fingers over her mouth. “Intriguing. That’s a good word. I like it.” She gazed at him silent for a moment. A slow smile ebbed across her face. “You intrigue me, too.”
His lips curled seductively. “I'm glad to hear that,” He stepped away and tried to adjust his pants. “Maybe after the contest is over we can revisit this – that is, if you're still intrigued .”
Lightly, she reached out and touched his chest. “I’ll take your offer under consideration and get back to you.”
“You’re such a smart ass,” he laughed. “Well, I better get going while I can still walk comfortably.” He bent in and kissed her softly on the cheek. “That would be a guy thing,” he winked.
He stepped back from her and pushed his hands into the front pockets of his pants, trying to adjust himself again and make his pants more comfortable. He noticed her watching and laughed. “It’s a curse, what can I say,” he teased.
“Are you still coming to our gig tomorrow night?” she asked.
“I’m planning on it. Sir Morgan’s Cove, right?” he asked, while walking backwards down the driveway.
“Yes. I’ll see you then.”
Michael quickly turned away from Annie and headed toward his car. Annie watched until she could barely make out his image on the sidewalk in the darkness. Then she wandered back to the solitude of the back yard. The night air made her shiver and it was then that she realized he had forgotten to take his coat. For a fleeting moment she thought of running into town to give it to him. But what would the point be? She’d wait and give it to him tomorrow night.
In the far off distance, Annie heard the roar of Michael’s car engine slice through the stillness of the night. She closed her eyes and smiled, hugging herself tightly. She shivered at the memory of his touch, collected her music and guitar, and went inside.
She wanted him so badly and it wasn’t purely physical. It reached beyond his kiss, far deeper than the burn he left on her skin from the touch of his fingers. It was something she saw behind his eyes. She felt like a moth to his flame. Every time he looked at her, he drew her in deeper. Every part of her body ached for him.
CHAPTER FIVE
Annie and White Rush hit the stage on time, just as Michael slipped in from the back door escorted again by his bodyguard. He quietly grabbed a stool and sat stage left, out of view from the audience. Annie’s face beamed with excitement when she saw him and quickly missed three chords in a row. Michael skewed his face, grinned back at her, and teasingly shook his head in mock disgust. Annie was relieved when the set was over and darted off stage to say hello to him.
“Aren’t you going to play solo while they take a break?” Michael asked.
“I wanted to say hello to you first,” Annie replied, feeling like a young girl trying to impress her teacher.
“Why don’t you play the song you played for me last night.”
“No way. I can’t,” Annie shot back, shocked by his suggestion.
“Why not? It sounded great to me,” Michael coaxed.
“It’s too personal. I can’t.”
“Then, you wrote that song for yourself?”
“I guess you could say that,” she replied.
“That’s a cop-out and you know it.”
“Michael, I can’t. Gary hasn’t even heard it and I don’t feel it is ready to be played on stage yet.”
“Okay, fine. Then I guess we’ll have to work on it some more.”
Annie grabbed her acoustic guitar and headed back on stage to a roaring applause from the audience.
“That’s what it’s all about,” Michael nodded, knowing exactly what Annie was feeling at that very moment.
An hour and a half later, White Rush was packing up their equipment with another exuberant gig under their belts.
“Before you leave, Michael, I have something for you,” Annie said, touching him on the arm. Then she bent behind her guitar cases and picked up his leather biker jacket. “You forgot this last night,” she said, casually handing it to him.