Cafe in the Park (Siren Publishing Classic) (8 page)

“Come on, sport. You need some air. Let’s get you outside.” With what looked like no effort at all, he guided CJ away.

Emily turned to watch.

CJ was trying to get away from the older man, and he squirmed around to look at Emily. When he saw she watched, he grinned and waved at her.

Emily looked away.

The people around her had parted for CJ’s departure. Now they pressed back eager to see and hear the next song from the band with no interruptions.

Emily assumed that the older man who’d helped was a bouncer. When he came to stand with her, she smiled, grateful for his assistance.

He nodded a greeting. “Chris sent me to take care of you. I’ll stand nearby. Are you okay? That guy didn’t hurt you?”

Emily couldn’t help the grin that formed on her face. This must be Art. She glanced at the stage where Chris stared over as he played the guitar. She smiled at him and then turned to Art.

“You must be Art. Thank you for your help with him. I know the guy was drunk, but I think he might have been a pest if you hadn’t removed him.”

Art smiled. “Yes, I should have introduced myself immediately. I am Art.”

“How did Chris tell you about the guy?”

“Called me over from the wings and sent me.”

Emily had been busy fending off CJ, so she hadn’t seen Chris do this. A glow of pleasure that Chris would be watching out for her warmed her heart.

* * * *

Veronique had been watching, too. She got up from her seat in the booth and hurriedly followed the departing drunk. Here was a likely target for a meal and a bed, maybe more judging by the scene with the girl in the black dress. Maybe the guy could be useful in her plan to get Chris or some kind of handout from him.

She dashed out onto the street. The drunk was leaning against the wall a yard or so up the street from the club entrance.

She approached him. “Hi, I’m going to get a cup of coffee. Want to come with me?”

CJ grinned. He lurched forward, put his arm around Veronique’s shoulders, and agreed.

They slowly walked along the street to a place Veronique knew still served dinner at that time of night.

* * * *

Chris was frantic when he saw the man hassling Emily. His first instinct was to leap from the stage and drag the man away, and then common sense took over. He walked to the wing where Art sat, and asked his friend to intervene. The lead singer gave him a quizzical look as Chris walked back to the front of the band, but otherwise the song they played was unaffected.

Chris smiled at Art as the older man stood with Emily, and then he turned his smile on Emily. He thought he loved her that morning, but now he knew for sure. He loved her. His lion roared to go after the drunk and carve him up, but instead, Chris put the emotion into the next few bars of music he played. He spun around and forward. The young women in the front rows of the crowd went wild.

* * * *

Emily watched this. Chris looked dangerous, sexy, and beautiful. She sighed with pleasure at the sight of him.

After three more songs, the band’s set ended. People applauded, stamped, and called out, and the lead singer thanked them. He turned to Chris and brought him forward to the microphone. When Chris said goodnight and thank you, the crowd erupted with delighted calls.

Emily knew he was a favorite. She glanced at Art. “Everyone loves Chris, don’t they?”

Art nodded. “Oh yes, especially the ladies.” Then he cringed. “Sorry.”

She grinned. “No, I can see it. Who can blame them?”

The band exited the stage into the darkness of the right wing.

“I’ll take you to a booth, Emily. Chris will meet you there.”

She followed Art to the side of the club where booths lined the wall. They were mostly empty. Art stopped at one and waited for Emily to slide onto a seat.

“Can I get you coffee or a drink?”

Emily nodded. “Coffee is great, thank you.” As Art walked away to the bar counter, Emily stared out at the dance floor. There were more lights now and dance music provided by a DJ.

Chris stalked toward her through the crowd.

Her heart thumped in her chest. Joy flooded her body. She expected the fans would talk to him, try to touch, but no one did. They parted and let him pass by. One or two gazed after him, but that was it.

He bent to her and kissed her. His hands slid into her hair. He lingered, kissing her until lust crept over her, stealing away reason. All she wanted was his hands on her body, his skin under her own fingers to trace, to stroke.

Chris pulled back, reluctance in his movement. “Hi. Is everything okay? That guy didn’t hurt you?”

Art had arrived alongside with a tray of coffees.

Emily smiled. “No, Art helped, and anyway he was so drunk, I think he was about to fall down.”

Chris dragged a chair up next to her. He glanced at Art as he put the coffees on the table.

“Thanks, Art, for taking care of Emily and the coffee. Sit with us.”

Art put down little stone pots of cream, hot water, and sugar, alongside the huge white cups of black coffee. The ensemble was remarkably civilized for a nightclub. Emily had expected coffee in paper cups, and she grinned at Art. “Wow, this is lovely, thank you.”

“I should leave you two to catch up,” he told Chris after nodding at Emily’s thanks.

“No, Art. Have coffee with us.”

Chris took Emily’s hand as he spoke and held it firmly.

Art sat down opposite them, smiling. He pulled his coffee cup in front of him.

Chris let go of Emily’s hand. “Art, meet Emily. I hope she’ll be in my life always, so I want you two to be friends.” He turned to Emily. “Emily, Art is my best and probably only close friend. Sorry the introductions are a bit late. I’m not very good at that stuff.”

She caught a note of sadness in his voice. It made her wish he wasn’t wearing dark glasses, so that she could see the expression in his eyes.

“I’m sure we’ll be friends.” Emily smiled at Art and gave him a look that she hoped showed how much she already cared for Chris.

Art nodded again. “We probably already are.” He laughed a little.

She picked up her coffee. “Thanks for bringing coffee.” She took a sip. It was rich and aromatic. She put the cup carefully back on the saucer.

“Chris, do you ever take off the dark glasses when you’re not on stage?” She was close enough to him to catch the sudden tension in his body.

“It’s part of the act. You know, the mystique, so no, not usually.”

The other band members joined them. They stood around the booth, saying hi to Emily and smiling, but after quick introductions, and arranging a rehearsal, they all left to eat somewhere.

Art stood. “Hey, I’ll get on with packing up now. Phil is already on stage dismantling the speakers. Do you need a lift home or anywhere?” He looked at Emily. “I brought Chris, so…”

Emily glanced at Chris. “I drove here. I can take us wherever.”

Art knocked his knuckles on the tabletop with a smile. “That’s great. See you both later.” He was off at a pace walking toward the stage.

Emily watched him go for a moment.

Chris put his arm around her shoulders. He kissed her cheek, and then in a surprising gesture, he swept off his sunglasses. He leaned in to kiss her.

She held his face. A shade of stubble on his jaw grazed her palm, the effect so sexy she slid her hand along again.

His lips softly teased hers. His tongue traced the seam of her lips.

She opened them desperate for his tongue on hers. Her heart beat so hard she could hear the blood swish in her ears. Her pussy creamed and throbbed, dousing her panties. If he pulled her across his knee and fucked her right then, she would thank him, beg him not to stop. Every nerve flamed from his kisses. A murmur of desire formed in her throat. She whimpered softly as his hands traced her backbone and around to secretly stroke her nipples as he shielded the sight with his body.

He drew back from her. “Emily, I ache to make love to you. Do you want to come home with me? See where I live?”

She waited for her breathing to slow a little before she could answer. “Yes,” she croaked out, and then smiled at her reaction to him. Lust consumed her.

He stood and waited for her to stand. He put on his dark glasses, but before they covered his eyes, Emily saw a glimmer of emerald green in them, quite beautiful and strange. She gazed intently at him, and then the Wayfarers were on and he took her hand to leave the club.

The night air seemed cool after the atmosphere in the club, but as they walked together to where Emily had parked her car, she realized the breeze was warm. It flowed over her shoulders and into her hair, lifting tendrils to her cheek.

Chris slipped his arm around her shoulders and kissed where the tendril touched.

At the car, Chris waited for her to sit in the driver seat before he dropped down onto the passenger seat beside her. He turned to her and gave her his address.

Emily keyed it into the satellite-navigation unit.

It amused Chris and he smiled. “I could direct you.” He reached over the transmission and kissed her.

Emily smiled, too, happiness bubbling within her. She could take his delicious kisses forever. She started the car and joined the traffic.

When they drove up the private winding lane that veered off the main road up the hill, Emily started to wonder about his home.

The sheer drop on one side, and the tree-strewn hill on the other side of the road, lent an air of adventure to the last part of the drive, and then they were there. Emily stared at the house built partly into the rock. The place was lit up with a brilliant porch light and lights on the three balconies she could see. Multitudes of flowers in half barrels lined the front wall and formed a guard of honor up to the double front door.

She turned off the car engine and sat gazing out of the windscreen.

Chris was silent for a few moments. Then he opened the car door. “We can go in there, Emily. I own the place.”

She looked across at him. “Sorry, yes, it’s so big. As big as the whole apartment building where I live.”

Chris closed the passenger door and strode around to her door.

Emily was half out, but he took her arm and helped before closing the car door.

“You don’t like it.” His disappointment at her reaction to the house was tangible.

“No. I love it. It’s beautiful, just so…big.” The word intimidating hung unspoken. She’d imagined the place might be a cabin-type house there in the hills, not tiny, but never as huge as this house.

Chris took her hand and led her to the front door. He opened the door and punched in a security PIN on the alarm panel just inside the hall.

Emily followed him.

Chris took her hand again.

“I’ll show you around. I want you to like the place. I want you to think of it as another home.” His voice wavered a little. He took off his dark glasses as he flipped a row of switches and the place lit up.

As he showed her around, Emily realized he was desperate for her approval. She didn’t understand it, but she wanted to comfort him. “Chris, this is a great place. I love it.” She meant that. The rooms were cool and spacious, but strangely empty. Apart from a few antiques dotted about, there wasn’t much furniture. There were large plants in big ceramic pots in each room. Somehow, the trek through the massive house reminded her of being in a lush mountainous jungle.

Chris stood at the foot of another staircase. “Art lives up there. He has an apartment.” Chris waved at the stairs.

Emily smiled. “Okay.”

Chris wilted a little. He sighed. “I haven’t offered you a drink or anything. Come to the kitchen, we’ll get something and then I’ll take you to my lair.” Anxiety echoed in his voice.

Emily laughed. “Your lair.”

Chris stopped and turned to her. “I meant my favorite room. The place I hang out most.” He’d brought them to the kitchen and let go of her hand to open the fridge. “What can I get you? Juice, or would you like coffee or soda. There’s cola. Art drinks it.” He looked hopeful.

Emily’s heart lurched with love. She went to him and hugged him.

“Chris, I love your house. It’s like you, beautiful, cool, mysterious, and appealing. I want to be here. I want to be with you.” She longed to tell him she loved him. She knew she already did. He wasn’t only sexy. He was extremely loveable.

Chris crushed her to his muscular body. He snuggled his face into her neck in a kiss. Then trailed kisses up her jaw to her mouth. “Thank you.”

He traced his fingers down her cheek. “What will you have to drink, or are you hungry?”

Emily smiled at his care. “Orange juice will be great if you have it.”

This obviously pleased Chris a lot. He brought heavy-bottomed glasses from a cabinet, filled them with ice cubes, and then poured in orange juice.

Emily watched him. The elegance and power in his movements mesmerized her. The angle of his jaw, the way his dark hair fell over his forehead, enticed her. She longed to touch him again.