Blaze: Underground Encounters 6 Read online

  What are you doing? You’re acting out of character.

  Since it was clearly one night, I rationalized that I didn’t have to establish boundaries. It freed me to act how I wanted without worrying about how she’d respond.

  But you’ve had many one-night stands before.

  True.

  Weariness came over me; it had been a long night. Before long, I drifted to sleep holding her as the final notes of the album played out.

  Ally

  We must have fallen asleep. I woke up to the sunlight creeping into the bedroom. Last night I hadn’t paid much attention to the surroundings. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I scanned the room. Fantasy-style framed prints hung on the walls. Knights on horseback, warriors, fair maidens, as well as a Lord of the Rings one featuring Aragorn. I’d seen the first movie and thought Viggo Mortensen was yummy in that role. Mike liked the character for different reasons, I’m sure.

  His bed took up most of the room, I guessed it to be king-sized. The comforter covering us was black and soft, some sort of fine cotton blend. How did that get on us—did he cover us up after I dozed off?

  Mike lay next to me, his arm and leg draped over my body, breathing in a slow, steady rhythm.

  Today was the big day, the one in which I received the keys for the studio. Before I faced the challenge ahead, I relished the moment, savoring the warmth where his skin touched mine.

  After several minutes, I shifted. With so much to do, I had to get up.

  He leaned against me and murmured, “Morning.” He pressed his hardening erection against my ass. “God, you feel good.”

  Wiggling my ass back to encourage him to continue, I murmured, “Mmm, good morning.” I peeked over my shoulder.

  His sleepy hazel eyes gleamed with an underlying passion. A disarming look that almost made me sigh.

  He snaked an arm around me and touched one of my breasts. My nipples tingled and hardened as he stroked them, sending white-hot heat between my legs. He reached between my legs and stroked me, intuitively knowing what I craved. I ground back against him as I grew wet with need. He pressed his cock there, teasing me. As the friction grew, so did my need.

  “Fuck me again, Mike, before I have to leave.”

  “Oh, you’re not going anywhere any time soon,” he said, and flipped me onto my stomach.

  I pushed up onto all fours. “I have to go,” I said. “I’m meeting the landlord at one.”

  “Then I still have a few more hours.” He slapped my ass and I yelped.

  “Did you like that?”

  As the stinging receded, it fueled my lust. I whispered, “Yes.”

  “I didn’t hear you.” He slapped me again harder.

  “Damn it,” I cried. “Yes. I like it!”

  “That’s better.” He placed his hand where he’d just struck, giving relief to the heated spot. Then he reached around to stroke my slit. “You’re so wet. You really are a naughty little kitten, aren’t you?”

  “Tigress,” I murmured, acknowledging his earlier reference.

  “Yes. Tigress,” he agreed. He teased my entrance with his cock and I moved back, encouraging him to fill me. He moved the head in and then pulled it out again. “Now,” I pleaded. “Don’t make me wait anymore.”

  He disappeared from behind me and when I turned back, he had grabbed a condom. After he put it on, he rubbed my folds again, making me wait for what I wanted. When he finally entered me, he did so slowly at first. So much so that I cried, “More!”

  He planted his hands on my shoulders as he filled me to the brink of pain. He thrust in the last few inches and I cried out.

  “You like it rough, don’t you?”

  “I do,” I admitted. Especially with the way he touched me.

  He grabbed my hair and tugged, nuzzling my neck. “I bet you like this, too,” he whispered.

  “Mmmmm…”was all I could utter.

  God, he was so friggin’ hot. All this primal, masculine need driving him.

  He thrust deeply into me, pumping into me fast and hard. I grabbed at the headboard, thankful it had wooden slats for me to hold on to. I glimpsed a painting of a medieval battle above his bed. Damn, if I didn’t feel like a ravished maiden completely enjoying herself. Then the sensations building inside took all my concentration.

  “You’re so fuckin’ wet, Allana. You feel so damn good.”

  My reply came out one moan after another and occasionally a squeal as he rammed into me. He reached around and rubbed my clit, commanding my attention as the sensations grew more intense. I could barely take it, one part of me wanted him to stop, the other thought I would die if he did so. My fists tightened around the wood, I swore my knuckles must have turned white.

  “Come on, girl. Come for me.”

  He increased his speed and thrust as well as the pressure on my clit. When I thought I couldn’t survive another moment of such overwhelming pleasure and pain, my world shattered behind my eyelids. As the aftershocks rippled through me, he slammed into me three more times with such force, I cried out. Then he grabbed both shoulders again as he released himself inside me. After we were both spent, we fell back onto the bed.

  “Oh my God,” I said in between breaths. “Wow.”

  “I agree,” he replied, just as breathless. “Sorry if I was too rough.”

  “Wasn’t it obvious I liked it?” A smile inched across my face. “I might be sore for the rest of the day.”

  He grinned. “Good. It will remind you of me.” He climbed out of bed, his cock still jutting out, and he put on boxers. “Coffee?”

  “Oh yes,” I said. “Although that woke me up.”

  “And you probably worked up an appetite. I know I did. How about I make us some breakfast?”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Do you do this for all your partners?”

  He smiled like a proud little boy showing off a drawing. “Only the special ones.”

  A true lover of music, Mike already had music playing through the house. I didn’t blame him, I’d play music constantly as well if I had this kind of setup. Glenn Danzig’s voice pumped from different speakers, singing I’m the One.

  We passed the other bedroom that he used as a study. I peered in at a desk with two large monitors positioned side by side and two bookcases overstuffed with books.

  “Is this where you work?”

  He nodded. “When I work at home.”

  “Can I peek?” I asked.

  “Knock yourself out.”

  I scanned one of the bookshelves stacked with an array of thick computer books on concepts I had no idea of.

  I said, “I have a feeling this book on Java has nothing to do with coffee.”

  He laughed. “Not even remotely. It’s a programming language.” He rubbed his face. “Coffee. I need coffee right now. What a night.”

  “And what a morning,” I added.

  Two framed photos of a boy around ten and a girl around seven were on his desk. “Who are they?” I asked.

  “My niece and nephew. And godchildren. His face lit up as he glanced at the photos. “They’re my sister’s kids.”

  Peering closer, I saw the similarity in their features to Mike. “I can see the resemblance. Especially the eyes.”

  “The Harvey genes run strong, we always say.”

  So, Mike was an uncle, a godfather to his sister’s kids. Each time I saw him, I learned a little more about him, which piqued my interest. He wasn’t just rock-and-roll fantasy I brought home for a fling months ago, but a real person.

  Thinking that way was dangerous. I’d been burned before, and I wasn’t eager to experience that pain again. Changing the subject, I said, “It’s a nice workspace.”

  “I spend whatever time I can here. Between work and the band, it isn’t much. Luckily, I work from home often.”

  “Work from home? That’s a foreign concept for someone who works in the fitness industry. Work in their home, maybe, but rarely your own.”

  Mike shrugged. “It depends
on the industry. There’s a big need for software engineers right now. Companies are climbing over each other to find new hires. I get offers all the time.”

  “You’re not tempted to move on?”

  “I like where I work and the work I do. Nico and I have been working on software the past year to improve medical treatment. If patients have better care, I feel I’m helping to improve and even save lives. All from my laptop. Also, our company gives us leeway with flex time, which is what we need for the band.”

  That was pretty cool, to be able to help people from a computer. How different from his band persona. Whenever I learned something new about Mike, it tore down my previous impression—and I liked what I learned.

  “It’s almost like you have two careers. How do you manage it?” For someone who was about to juggle working at a gym while opening a studio, I could use the time management tips.

  “We cut down our hours at the company to have more time to work on VC. The band takes a lot of time between writing music, practicing, recording, playing shows, promoting.” He counted each one on his finger as he named them. “We work more like consultants now, overseeing projects and supervising junior software engineers.”

  “VC’s popularity keeps growing. Do you see a time you might have to quit your day job?”

  “You sound like an interviewer.” He laughed. “They ask us that question all the time. And the answer we give them is we can do our jobs from just about anywhere. Just need a laptop and smartphone. Even if we’re on a tour bus one day, we could geek out instead of drinking and passing out like the cliché of the rock star on the road. So, like the saying goes, I’m not going to quit my day job yet.”

  We entered the kitchen and took care of the essentials, particularly with brewing hazelnut coffee, we moved on to the next priority—food. Mike cooked scrambled eggs, and I cut up a honeydew melon.

  “I need to leave after breakfast,” I said.

  “What’s the rush?” He gave me a naughty smile over his shoulder. “I thought we could have breakfast in bed.”

  “I thought we just did.” I smiled back. “I want to go by my place and shower first.”

  “I have water that flows through my pipes.” He extended his arms to the walls in a dramatic gesture. “Behold, a shower!”

  “You’re such a goofball.” I bumped his hip with my own. “But, I have to go.” When I saw a dark shadow pass over his face, I asked, “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” He forced a smile. “Want me to drive you to the studio? I’d like to check it out.”

  “I have to go alone. Get my head straight and see what a mess I’ve gotten myself into.”

  “Fine. Promise me a private tour later.”

  I paused my cutting. “I don’t think that’s wise.”

  “Why not?” He scooped some eggs onto two blue china plates.

  I took the time while I added the melon to the plates to formulate a response. “Because we said one night, Mike. No empty promises.”

  “It’s not an empty promise. I want to see what your new venture is. After all, I toasted to it last night.”

  “It doesn’t sound like a good idea for either of us.”

  “How so?” He opened a drawer and pulled out silverware.

  “It hints at something, I’m not exactly sure what. But, I have no brain capacity for anything else right now.”

  “I get it.” He carried the plates into the dining room. “No more bandwidth.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Never mind.” Mike’s expression darkened. “Just geek talk.”

  Chapter 6

  Mike

  After Allana left, I settled on my couch to chill out, playing video games while music pumped around me. After fifteen minutes, I gave up, distracted.

  Weird.

  I should have felt content to have my space to myself again. It was New Year’s Day, and I had a rare day off. No work and nothing with the band. The perfect day to chill out and not think about what else I should be doing.

  But no, I thought about her. How was she doing in her new studio? Why was she reluctant to let me visit it?

  Because you’re a jackass. After blowing her off and forgetting her name, she knows better than to expect anything more from someone like you.

  When I entered my room, the messed up bed reminded me of our activities. I gathered the sheets to wash then, but then stopped. Her scent lingered on them. They could wait another night.

  You need to man up. You’re acting insane. How many girls have you banged without getting all soft like this? You know you’re only doing it because she was the one who put the limits on this thing, not you.

  Was that what it was? If she had insisted I call her, would I feel the same way right now?

  One part of me thought I might like the idea.

  No, this is all Nico’s fault. All his parading around in a relationship with Lily. It’s rubbing off.

  Next time I saw him, I was going to curse him out.

  Ally

  After I signed the final paperwork, the landlord gave me the keys and left. For the first few minutes, I walked around in awe with a huge smile on my face, touching one wall after another, trying to convince myself it was real. It finally happened.

  This was my new place, my future. This main space would be where I’d hold classes. I had the small office out back and a restroom that clients could access to change.

  After the elation rose and fell, reality set in. My grin evaporated as I appraised it with a critical eye. The studio needed a ton of work. It needed mirrors on one of the walls and the floors replaced, which I’d arranged for ahead of time. The contractors would get started tomorrow.

  I spent the next few hours focusing on one task after another. Opening a new business required so many decisions. Every little detail had to be decided on. Much more than I had ever would have expected. By late afternoon, I’d worked myself up into a panic and called Lily.

  “Happy New Year,” she rang. “And congrats on your new place.”

  “That’s why I’m calling. I’m here now. And I’m starting to freak out.”

  “Why?”

  I paced from one end of the studio to the next. “There’s so much to do. Not only with getting the place set up in time, but all the marketing and advertising, the website, social media, accounting, business decisions, getting people in. I don’t know if I’m cut out for this. I think I’m over my head.”

  “I’ll be there in half an hour,” she said.

  The urgency in her voice made me think. Perhaps I was a tad bit frantic and overreacting. I took a deep breath.

  “You don’t have to do that,” I said. “You probably have a ton to clean up after the party. I’m sorry I’m not there to help.”

  “Nico and I cleaned up this morning. And you did enough beforehand. Now it’s my turn to come help you and don’t try to talk me out of it.”

  When Lily arrived, I’d practically paced a hole into the worn tile floors that would have to be pulled up and replaced with hardwood—one of the countless things I had to take care of.

  “There’s no way I can do this,” I said. “I’m only twenty-four and I know nothing about running a business.”

  “You’ll learn,” she said. She handed me a tall French Vanilla coffee.

  “You must have been sent from the gods,” I said. “You know what I need to power through.”

  She sat next to me, put her coffee beside her and opened her laptop.

  “We’re going to come up with a list of what you need to do and when. I like lists to stay organized. With your tasks in a timeline, you can visualize the steps to get where you want.”

  I took a sip of coffee, letting the hot liquid warm my throat. Amazing how such a small thing could bring such comfort. “Is this what you did when you began consulting?”

  “Sort of.” She tapped away on her laptop. “I started a home office out of my condo, though, so I didn’t have to deal with contractors and setting utilities, s
tuff like that. But the business part’s essentially the same.”

  I sat upright and inched closer to see her laptop screen. “How so?”

  “You need a sound plan to know what you’re going to work toward. What you need to consider is who you’re trying to reach, what problem you’ll solve for them, and how you’ll resolve it.” She pulled up my business plan on the screen, one we started months ago.

  “Easy. We discussed this already. People who want to find or improve their mind-body balance.”

  “And how are you going to solve this need for them?”

  I scrunched my face. “You know this already. We’ve gone over this before.”

  “Yes, but you must remember your goals back when this was just an idea. Now that it’s becoming a reality, it’s easy to lose the bigger picture and freak out.”

  “Okay.” I took a deep breath. “I will offer a variety of classes for different levels and offered at different hours to accommodate my clients. I’ll also be available for private sessions for those who prefer one-on-one practice rather than part of a group.”

  “Yes, that’s a good start. But, why should they choose you? Convenience is one thing, but there are other studios around.”

  “Because I care about this, I’m passionate about it. Otherwise I wouldn’t have dumped all my time and energy into opening my own place.”

  “Nope. That’s about you. What about them? What are you going to do for them?”

  Eek, Lily was tough, making me think. No wonder she was good in the promo department.

  “I will offer them a mind-body experience that not only fits their lifestyle, but grows with them,” I said. “Rather than becoming bored by stale routines, they will constantly grow and develop through new challenges.”

  “Okay, we’re getting there.” She opened a browser and frowned. “I forgot we don’t have Internet here yet.” She opened a new document and typed “Task List” at the top of the page and “January 2nd” underneath it. Then she created a bulleted list with the first item: “Call to set up Internet and phone.”