A Touch of Heaven (9 page)

* * * *

Chapter 8

Paige smiled despite her aggravated mood.
They were on their way to Riverdale, and to the Reunion. They
decided to leave early so they could explore the town a bit before
the Reunion started, so after much grumbling for the early morning
wake-up call, all six girls were crammed into Paige's car and
headed back to where it all began.

They had been on the road
for almost an hour and the topic of conversation, as it had been
all morning, was the only thing Paige had heard since the night
before—Simon and her
wild
ride
.

She knew telling her
friend's was a mistake of major proportions, but for once in her
life, she felt like bragging. They all had wonderfully sinful
stories to tell and being the spinster she felt like she was, had
nothing to tell other than how her last boyfriend liked to dress up
and play
games
during sex.

She still couldn't help but smile every time
she thought about Simon or their night together, but having the
others go on about it all day was beginning to wear thin on her
nerves. What should have been a private moment had turned into a
spectacle. If she had to recount the entire thing one more time,
she was sure she'd have to kill Kim for not letting the subject
drop.

She felt relieved they had taken the news so
well and not belittled her for being stupid enough to sleep with a
stripper. Sure, women talk about it all the time, but to actually
act on it? Now that was a different story altogether.

"So, Paige, are you going back to The
Pleasure Dome next week?" Kim asked, grinning.

"No, Kim. We've been over this a thousand
times already," Paige said with an exasperating sigh. "It was just
a thing, that's it."

"Yeah, but you said it was mind blowing.
Remember? Best sex you've ever had kind of mind blowing."

"Kim, I remember what I
said. I was there. You do know the whole point in having a one
night stand is… that's its
one
night
."

"Yeah, but if the one night was
exceptionally good, then seconds are just as tasty."

"Well if she doesn't want him, then I may
just hang around and give him a go myself," Heather said, primping
as she looked into her small hand-held mirror. "I mean, a guy that
hot just begs to be fucked."

"Heather!" Paige yelled, looking in her rear
view mirror.

"What? You said you weren't going back."

"I know but—"

"Oh I get it," Amy said, smiling. "Paige
doesn't want him, but she doesn't want any of us having him
either."

"I never said that," Paige protested.

"So you wouldn't mind if one of us fucked
him six ways from Sunday?"

"And what makes you think he'd want you?"
Paige asked, defensively.

"Ohhhh, now you've gone and done it, Amy,"
Courtney chimed in laughing. "Don't be messing with Paige's beef
cake."

"Shut up, Courtney," Paige spat out
irritated. "And he's not mine."

Paige gritted her teeth, trying to remain
calm. How dare they purposely provoke her into a fight? Of course
she still wanted Simon. What woman in her right mind wouldn't? But
that didn't mean she would ever get to explore the option. And for
them to act like they could waltz into that club and have the same
ride she did, burnt to her very soul.

Of course, they were probably right. She
sighed at the thought. They probably could walk in there, give the
man a little taste and get thrown up against the wall and fucked
senseless, just like she had been.

"Only because you're too chicken to go after
what you want."

"And who says I want him," she lied.

Every girl in the car grinned as they looked
at Paige before they all burst out laughing.

"Paige, you are either the
dumbest fake-blonde I've ever known or you're the biggest prude the
world has ever seen," Kim said, laughing. "You would have to be
fucking insane
not
to want him! Hell I want him and I haven't even had a chance
to taste him… yet."

Paige glared at Kim in the
rear-view mirror as the word
yet
reached her ears. She knew they were playing her.
It was a game they knew all too well. Her being so defensive over a
guy she didn't even know just proved they still knew how to play.
But just hearing them go on and on about him was pissing her off in
a major way.

So what if she wanted him? They all did. It
didn't mean she was going to whore herself out to him for a good
hard fuck up against a wall every Friday night.

"Oh, bathroom, bathroom, bathroom!" Courtney
yelled as she pointed to the convenient store up ahead. Paige
rolled her eyes before she slowed the car down and got into the
turn lane.

Pulling up to the store, Paige parked the
car and reached for her purse, the other girls talking and giggling
amongst themselves. She was trying really hard to stay in a good
mood for the reunion. Having to see her old high school boyfriend,
Lance, again caused her stress levels to rise to an all-time
high.

She was on the verge of hysterics. All the
talk of Simon was only causing her more distress as the gang
continued to grill her and not let the subject drop.

"I'll be back in a minute guys," Paige told
them, palming her small purse and opening her door. She got out of
the car with Courtney following close behind. If she didn't get
away from them for five minutes, she was going to dump them on the
side of the road and leave them there.

She loved them dearly, but lord they got on
her nerves.

The remaining girls all sat back, waiting
for the duo to return before they looked across the parking lot as
the sound of a motorcycle caught their attention.

"Well hello there, daddy," Kim said grinning
as she watched the motorcycle come to a stop next to the store.
Everyone's eyes were fixated on the driver.

He swung his leg over the seat and stood
before Heather said, "God what is it about a man on a
motorcycle?"

"It's all that black leather," Amy said, her
smile matching that of her friends.

He reached up to grab his helmet, removing
it and laying it on the seat of his bike and the car exploded with
excited screams.

"Holy fucking shit!" Kim yelled, slapping at
the seat in front of her. She looked out the window and pointed to
the driver. "Look, look, look!"

Standing right there, fully clothed from
head to toe in black was Simon. His short peroxide blonde locks
were wild and curling slightly as he placed his helmet on the seat
before he walked around the front of his bike and headed in the
store. Every head turned, following his movements as they watched
him saunter across the sidewalk.

His black leather jacket swung loosely
around his body. Again he wore black jeans but instead of bare
feet, large black boots made him look every bit the badass he
probably was.

He turned his head to the right, scanning
the parking lot. Kim grinned before shaking her head. The way he
walked screamed sexual grace. The man knew he was hot. If he didn't
something was seriously wrong with him.

There wasn't a sound coming from anyone.
They all watched him in rapt silence. The minute he stepped into
the store, screams broke out in the car, laughter and yelling
almost deafening them all as they bounced in their seats
excitedly.

"Oh my God!" Kim yelled, laughing hard.
"Paige is going to shit a brick when she sees him!"

* * * *

Chapter 9

Paige rolled her eyes when
Courtney
finally
exited the bathroom. She pushed the door closed behind her and
locked it before she leaned against it and inhaled deeply, letting
it out slowly. Turning to the mirror, she gave herself a long look
before freshening up her make-up.

She tried getting her irritation to wane.
She hated the thoughts of everyone making jokes about what had
happened between her and Simon. She knew she'd only been asking for
it. She shouldn't have told them anything, but truth be known,
she'd been excited. Excited to finally have something to tell. And
boy did she tell.

She recounted the details of what Simon had
done to her—the way his mouth and body had felt along her skin and
how good he felt under her hands. She blushed thinking about
it.

Simon had made her flesh burn and his kisses
alone were breath taking.

She looked at her
reflection and reached up to adjust the straps of her top. The tiny
smile she'd fought all day crept back up on her face as the
mirror
that held her
interest the night before started flashing images in her mind. It
sent tingles through her body.

She watched a slight pink hue cover her face
and her smile widened. She gathered up her things and turned
towards the door and pulled it open. When her eyes landed on the
person waiting by the wall, she gasped softly before she slammed
the door back shut.

"Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh
my God!"
Paige screamed to herself as she
leaned her head against the door and tried to get her breathing
under control. She felt ready to hyperventilate. Her heart nearly
burst from her chest and a dizzying wave forced her eyes
closed.

"Please tell me I didn't just see Simon
leaning against the wall?" she whispered, her chest expanding
quickly as her breathing quickened.

"No, it wasn't him. He's
in L.A. You're an hour away from L.A... it's just your
imagination."

She finally convinced herself she imagined
him standing there. All the talk of him was probably the reason.
She straightened her back and looked at the mirror again. The
slight pink hue that previously covered her cheeks now blazed
bright red.

Taking a deep breath, Paige turned back to
the door, turning the handle and pulling it open just enough to see
out into the hall with one eye.

Her eyes widened in shock. Sure enough,
there he stood, leaning against the wall, hands shoved down into
the pockets of his coat and looking every bit as yummy as he had
the night before.

Swallowing hard, Paige once again shut the
door, locking it, before turning and leaning back against it.

"Shit, what do I do
now?"
she asked herself, looking around the
tiny room.

This is so not
good.
She started pacing
the small-enclosed area.
What am I going
to say to him? Uh, hey Simon. Remember me, the slut you
fucked
against a wall last
night?

"Damn. Why does shit like this always happen
to me?" She stopped and looked back into the mirror. "Why can't my
life be boring and uneventful like it usually is?"

What was she going to do? He would
undoubtedly want to know why she took off the night before. She
still wasn't one hundred percent sure herself. Well, other than
making a complete fool out of herself.

She chewed her bottom lip,
contemplating her options and staring at her reflection.
Just open the door and run,
she thought. Her plan seemed halfway feasible in her head
until she realized how ridiculous it was.
That'll never work. He'll see you no matter what!

Her smile fell away before she sighed and
turned her body and leaned her butt against the sink.

Okay, Paige, get a grip.
You had amazing sex
with an exotic dance,
an incredible gorgeous exotic dancer, who just so happens to
have given you the best orgasm of your life. No
wait, make that two orgasms and who is
now
standing outside the door, looking oh so delicious and completely
fuckable.

"Okay," she whispered, shaking her last
thoughts away. She turned and looked back into the mirror. "Just
open the door, turn to the right and walk quickly and maybe he
won't see you." She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

Turning back to the door,
she took the couple of steps toward it and grabbed the door handle
before she steadied herself. She looked back at the mirror and
fluffed her hair,
just in
case
, before she took another deep
breath.

"On three," she whispered, counting to
herself before turning the handle and opening the door. Her eyes
widened when she saw Simon standing at the door, hand raised as if
he were about to knock, and she froze.

***

Startled would be an understatement when the
door opened and Simon saw Paige. He stared down at her, seeing her
wide eyes before a smile crossed his face.

This had to be his lucky day.

"Well, hello there, beautiful," he said,
trying hard not to let his excitement in seeing her again show. He
moved, leaning his shoulder against the doorframe and trapping
Paige inside the bathroom.

"Uh, hey," she quietly said, her words a
breathy whisper.

Simon smiled as he stared at her before his
thoughts turned to what he knew was coming. The smile vanished as
quickly as it came.

The reunion would be a train wreck. He knew
it. Knew it the minute he saw her sitting in front of that stage
and set his sights on her.

He originally hadn't planned on going but
curiosity won out. He'd purchased his ticket, telling himself she
wouldn't know who he was, that any of them would know. He could go
in, see if she were there and…

Well, he didn't have a plan beyond that.
Sure the romantic notion of her taking one look at him and falling
head over heels in love popped into his mind but he wasn't that
deluded. Things like that didn't happen in real-life. The most he
could hope for was her thinking he was someone else. Simon. A man
far removed from the quiet, shy Colin. But that was before. That
was before he'd pulled her into a dance. Before he tasted her.
Before she came around his cock screaming his name.