Blaze: Underground Encounters 6 Read online

  “Oh, Ally. You’re one of a kind.” Lily nudged my shoulder. “I’m sure he just forgot your name in the moment. You’re such a hottie that you make guys forget simple things like words.”

  “I doubt that. Besides, I totally expect a guy like him, who sleeps with so many women, to forget names.”

  “Do you regret hooking up with him?”

  I thought of that hot summer night in Vamps when I asked Nico to introduce me to Chee. Our flirty banter took on a more seductive tone and we were all over each other by the time we left the club. “No, not at all. I got what I wanted that night and so did he. Case closed.”

  “What happened with you two last night?”

  I remembered flashes of the night. The part about the woman. Throughout the night, I had erotic dreams of being with her. But why did she bite my neck? Did she have a weird vampire fetish like Mike had suggested? Her eyes had taken on a reddish hue that I didn’t notice at first… probably just contacts. I’d seen people glue on vampire fangs a few times at Vamps as well as wear unnatural-looking contacts, like indigo or red cat’s eyes. That stuff was easy to come by these days at any Halloween store or online. “Something kind of strange,” I admitted.

  “What?”

  “I fooled around with a girl.”

  “Get out!” Lily said. “That was the last thing I thought you’d say. Where did that come from?”

  “It just sort of happened. We didn’t get far. She just kissed my neck.”

  And drew blood. I kept that part out. No need to freak her out with something that was fuzzy and I couldn’t explain.

  Lily raised an eyebrow. “Too much to drink?”

  I shook my head. “I only had one drink, even though it packed a punch. Tempting Fate, I believe it was called.”

  Lily snickered. “Guess so.”

  “I did feel strange, dazed somehow, but it wasn’t like I was drunk.”

  Lily bit her lip. “You think someone slipped you something?”

  “Hmm, I hadn’t thought of that.” It would explain the euphoric sensation. God, I wanted her so badly at the time. And I’d had all those weird dreams.

  “Shit, Ally, are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry. I was a willing party, and I liked it.”

  Our conversation drifted to other topics. We turned a path heading back to the gym.

  Lily said, “You’re still coming to our New Year’s Eve party, right?”

  “Of course. I’d love to see my uber-private friend in entertaining mode.” When her face dropped, I asked, “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m over my head. I don’t know what I’m doing.” She glanced at a squirrel that scurried from us to a safe spot behind a tree.

  “Relax, Lil, it’s a party. Not some convention.”

  “A convention might be easier for me to plan and publicize. Having an intimate party with friends is much more daunting.”

  I laughed. Only Lily would react that way. “You’re overthinking it. Like you said, it’s just for friends. They’re there for your company, not an experience. Just put out some drinks, appetizers, and New Year’s party goods and everyone will be happy.”

  Lily’s eyes flashed wide like she’d just run out of a haunted house. “I’ve never been part of a couple hosting a party. I’ve only hosted work events. Introducing people, small talk, and—Nico’s coworkers will be there. I don’t want to blow it.”

  She was intelligent, creative, and professional, promoted to some big corporate position in her twenties. After she started dating Nico, she quit being a workaholic for the company and started her own consulting agency. She even did the publicity for Vamps. But, she found social interactions awkward. A classic introvert, I guess. Hmm, maybe that’s why she could relate to Mike.

  “Do you want me to help you with the party?” I asked.

  “Would you?” Her eyes filled with hope. “You’re so good with people. Everyone loves you.”

  “Of course I’ll help.”

  “You’re sure you’re not too busy putting together the studio?”

  When Lily left her high-paying job to go out on her own, she inspired me to take a risk as well. I’d been teaching yoga and Pilates at a gym franchise. I loved teaching classes, but the money-focused atmosphere of a corporate gym turned me off. For months, I’d been preparing to open a studio and would finally have a place as of January 1st.

  “You’ve helped me with the publicity for my grand opening.” I placed my hand on my heart. “I’d be happy to do something fun like help you host a party.”

  “Thank you so much,” Lily said. “Where do we start?”

  My mind went into party-planning mode and I made a mental checklist. “Let’s get together this afternoon. The liquor store and party goods store are in the same block. We’ll then sit down and figure out what to do for food. And I can bring some of this gruesome business paperwork you can help me decipher.”

  We reached the gym’s entrance. Some of my regulars were already hanging outside chitchatting, waiting for class to begin. My classes had as much of a social component as a physical and mental one.

  “I have the place to myself,” Lily said. “Nico’s playing a show in Portsmouth. We can order takeout and have a girls’ night in.”

  “Good. I could use something low key.”

  “There’s one thing I should warn you about,” Lily added with a sly smile.

  “What?” I answered with hesitation.

  “It’s unlikely, but Mike might be at the party.”

  Shit. My cheeks simmered with heat as I remembered our last humiliating encounter.

  I grimaced. “Oh great.”

  Mike

  While I got ready for our show in Portsmouth, I played the Clash. Rock the Casbah blasted through speakers throughout my house. I picked out leather pants and a white loose-fitting shirt and dressed.

  I thought about the blonde from last night. What had happened to her? I’d been concerned about her since I left her apartment. Had she been drugged by someone or had she taken something herself? The way she stared at the blood with confused fascination made me think she was as surprised about it as I was.

  I pulled my hair back, tied a long bandanna over my head and drew some scars with eyeliner, going for a pirate look tonight. Why the hell couldn’t I remember her damn name?

  Although I remembered strange details, I was never good with names. It had gotten me in trouble with the ladies more than once. I opened my laptop and ran a reverse address search, recalling the address she gave the cab driver. The results listed the residents as Richard Peterson and Allana Miles. She lived with a guy? Bugger, as Nico would say.

  Although intrigued, my expectations dissipated as quickly as air from a popped balloon. Had she been cheating on him when we hooked up or had they recently moved in together?

  Why did this bother me? We slept together once months ago. No promises, no strings attached—just the way I liked it.

  Resisting the urge to Google her and find out more, I closed my browser. She showed absolutely zero interest in me last night. Why bother getting hung up on some woman who used me once for one hot night before going back home to her live-in boyfriend?

  After John and I picked up Nico, he handed me my leather jacket. I’d taken a cab straight home after Allana ditched me and texted him to grab my stuff.

  On the drive north, I wondered how I could ping Nico without giving away too much of my interest. I turned back to face him. “Nico, you know Lily’s friend Allana?”

  “Allana? No.”

  “You know, the blonde you introduced me to at Vamps when you started dating Lily?”

  “You mean Ally? Where did you get Allana from?”

  “Never mind about that. I ran into her last night.”

  “Yeah, Lily said you two went home together.”

  “Not exactly,” I admitted. “We took a taxi to her place, but she didn’t let me in.”

  John, our drummer who was driving, chuckled.
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  “Smart girl,” Nico said. “I always liked her. Don’t know what happened to her judgment that night. I warned her about you.”

  “What?” I said horrified. “Why would you do something like that to your bro?”

  “Chill out. She’s Lily’s friend. I didn’t want her to get hurt, so I warned her not to expect anything long term.”

  “I’m shocked,” I replied in mock horror. “Offended and shocked.” I stroked my beard. “Where would you get such a narrow-minded idea of me?”

  John coughed, muttering something, and gave an exaggerated impersonation in my voice. “The ladies all want a piece of this.” He motioned to his body. “And I have to spread it around to make them all happy. What can I say? I’m a lay-deez man.”

  “True, true,” I replied. “The ladies do love this.” I motioned down my body. “What’s the deal with her, anyway?” I asked Nico. “She lives with her boyfriend?”

  “She lives with a guy,” Nico replied. “I don’t think they’re together. Why do you care anyway?”

  “Just curious.” Although relief flooded through me, it vanished as soon as I contemplated another possibility. “Are they friends with benefits?”

  “How the hell would I know?” Nico said. “I don’t ask who she sleeps with.”

  “Ask Lily. She’ll know.”

  Nico shook his head. “I will do no such thing. As far as I’m concerned, the more distance between you and Ally, the better.”

  “And why is that?”

  “If you hurt her, she’ll tell Lily, and then it would come back to haunt me. All because you have a problem keeping your dick in your pants.”

  My chest tightened at the idea of causing Allana pain. “Oh, come on, just because I’m interested in her doesn’t mean I plan to break her heart.”

  John gave me a knowing look.

  Nico added, “Stay away from her, will ya? She has enough going on right now.”

  “Like what?” I shifted in my seat. “Guy drama?”

  “If she didn’t tell you, it’s none of your business. She’s a sweet girl. Helping Lily plan our New Year’s party.”

  An idea formed in my mind like stage lights flooding the stage. “She’ll be at your place next week?”

  “Oh no. I shouldn’t have mentioned it,” Nico said.

  “Looks like my plans have opened up.”

  “I thought the idea of a New Year’s Eve celebration horrified you, with all the hype about a kiss at midnight.”

  That was true. The midnight kiss had so much associated with it; it set up unfair expectations for the year ahead. But, when I pictured it with a hot blonde at midnight, the concept had more appeal. “No, I will be a charming guest with a megawatt smile at your party.”

  “I hope she brings a date.” Nico smirked.

  John laughed. “Then you’d be gaping open-mouthed.”

  “Laugh now, my friends.” If she showed up with a guy, that would be a serious clink in my plan. “He’d be the one left gaping when he sees her going home with me.”

  Chapter 3

  Ally

  Lily and I drove to a party goods store to stock up on supplies for her party. I grabbed a cart and pushed passed the marked-down Christmas goods. I was glad that was over. At my parents’ house over the holidays, I’d faced the usual onslaught of inquiries from relatives about my love life, followed by a boatload of questions about the studio. When I left, the bag of gifts for my nieces and nephews no longer weighed me down, but my anxiety did. Nothing like well-meaning relatives to add stress.

  I maneuvered the cart to where the New Year’s goods were stocked.

  “Do you have a color theme in mind?” I asked Lily.

  She scrunched her nose. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  I smiled. “We’ll go with basic black and white.”

  “Ah, yes. That works.”

  “How many people are you expecting?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. There’s the band and some of Nico’s coworkers, you, some people I worked with, my mom and her boyfriend, and a couple of friends from the White Mountains. I’d say no more than twenty.”

  She didn’t name Mike by name, but he fell under both the band and coworker category. He might be there. My pulse sped up, seeming to trip over itself like it wasn’t sure if this was good news or bad. A part of me glimmered at the prospect of seeing him again. After all, I had a mega crush on him in the past. The other part cringed at the recent humiliating encounter.

  I forced him out of my head and did a quick mental count for party goods. I grabbed enough packages of black paper plates, white paper plates, black napkins with Happy New Year printed on them, and some utensils.

  Spotting party packages of noisemakers and tiaras, I said, “Let’s get some of these.”

  “You’re the boss.” She threw them in the cart. “Pretty soon you’ll actually be your own boss.”

  “Don’t remind me,” I said as I steered the cart to the cash register. “I’m already terrified. Do you know how much paperwork is involved with starting your own business?”

  Lily smiled. “Unfortunately, yes. I filed a ton to consult on my own.”

  “Nice, you can lead the way. I have a folder of documents from my accountant, and none of them make a grain of sense to me.”

  “Sure, once we finish Project New Year’s Party, we’ll switch to Project Mind-Body Studio over takeout. How about Thai?”

  “Always.”

  I picked up some streamers, banners, and balloons and threw them into the cart.

  Lily asked, “Do we have everything?”

  “From this store, yes. Next up, the liquor store.”

  We rolled over to the register, and she added, “I can’t wait to take my first class in your new studio.”

  “Fingers crossed, we’ll open mid-January. You’ll be in my first class, I hope. I need you for moral support.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it. Think of the mass of people who will follow you to your new place.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping.” I bit my lip and then swallowed. “If not, I’m making a huge and very expensive mistake.”

  Mike

  Twilight Zone reruns played in my living room, but I was distracted. I glanced at the clock for the eighth time. It was still only 8:30. The party had begun a half-hour ago, but I didn’t want to appear overeager to see Allana. Hopefully she’d be alone.

  I reached Nico and Lily’s townhouse after nine, ignoring the feeling like I drank too many Red Bulls building inside. They’d made a good choice, one that fit their lifestyle since neither of them had time to take care of landscaping, snow removal and all the repairs that came with owning a single-family home. I was aware of this since I had bought a small Cape Cod house.

  Snow clung to the bushes in a picturesque way, as if they wanted to play their part in a New England winter scene. The landscaping fit the setting, not too manufactured and not too overdone to compete with the Tudor style of the townhouses. I suspected Nico leaned toward this style having grown up in England. Lights shone, but the curtains were drawn. The closer I came to the front door, the sharper the sounds from inside. The sound of System of a Down’s Chop Suey drowned out most of the voices. Nico picked the music, I gathered.

  When I entered the living room, I almost didn’t recognize it. Sparkly things dangled from every surface. I scanned the small groups of people milling about. I spotted a few buddies from work, but not Allana. That was okay. I could play it cool.

  The scent of food wafted to me, especially that of meatballs and melted cheese. It smelled delicious, but I was more focused on the guests than the food. After initial greetings and a few spinach-cheese bites, I headed into the dining room. Nico and Lily had drinks in their hands and were talking to an older couple I didn’t recognize. When they noticed me, they walked over.

  “You made it.” Nico patted me on the back. “I’m honored you chose us over the Twilight Zone marathon.”

  “It was a tough choice.” I grinned.<
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  Lily beamed, “We’re glad you came.”

  “Of course. I wouldn’t miss a party given by two of my nearest and dearest of friends.”

  Nico faked a cough and said, “Bullshit.”

  I leaned closer to Nico and whispered, “Where is she, dude? You said she’d be here.”

  “Take it easy, she’s around.”

  Lily took a sip of her cocktail, watching me over the glass as if sizing me up.

  Allana stepped out of the kitchen area carrying a plate of appetizers. A wave of emotions hit me like someone had taken my guitar and smashed it into my solar plexus—relief, anticipation, and others I couldn’t identify. But, it made my skin get all tingly with heat.

  Her hair was pinned up under a sparkly black and silver tiara reading Happy New Year. A few loose strands curled around her face, offset by dangling diamond earrings. Her eyes were lined with black accentuating her sparkling blue eyes. My gaze moved over every inch of her fit body. She wore a fitted sleeveless black dress with a low neckline that showed a hint of tantalizing cleavage and ended at toned thighs. The dress was covered with silver bits that matched her jewelry. When she smiled at guests while offering them mini quiches, she outshined them all.

  She was fucking hot.

  I stared. No, full-out gawked at her, unable to look away. My heart raced and I wasn’t sure why. The expectation that had built up all week erupted like a volcano.

  When she reached us and saw me there, a bevy of emotions flitted across her face. The smile that had left me dazed vanished, replaced by a wary expression. My arms hung heavy at my sides like I’d just heaved a brick weight of a server up six flights of stairs.

  “Allana,” I said and bowed in an exaggerated manner to cover my sudden awkwardness.