Satellite of Love (17 page)

Tears stung her eyes, and she blinked them away. “Why, Michael, that’s poetic. I love being with you too.” She kissed him, wishing she had more words to tell him what he meant to her. Opening the buttons of his shirt, she slid it off his shoulders and ran her fingers up his arms. His skin contracted and became pebbled under her touch. He shivered. His member strained against her leg as he moved down her body, taking her left nipple onto his mouth.

She gasped. None of her dreams had been this complete. Being near him made her dizzy and hot. His tongue rasped across her tender flesh, sending tendrils of joy through her. One week wasn’t going to be enough. One lifetime wasn’t going to be enough. “Oh Michael. That feels so good.” She laced her fingers through his hair. Long dark strands tangled around her hands. “Make love to me. Please. I want your whole body on mine. I want to have my legs wrapped around you while you thrust into me. Please. I need you. I missed you.”

He stood up. For a minute he hesitated at the side of the bed, breathing heavily as he studied her. Then he shoved his jeans down and kicked them off as he located the condoms in a bedside table. She bit her lip. She wanted to tell him to skip the protection because it was taking too long. Too long? Maybe she had lost her mind. Unfortunately, she was enjoying it too much to worry.

When he crawled back onto the bed, he mounted her, plunging deep into her with one long stroke. She shuddered, clasping herself around him, and Michael pressed his face into the curve of her neck. His hot mouth opened over her jugular in a silent moan. He thrust into her again, filling her. Digging her fingers into his back, she gave a strangled cry. Ecstasy arced through her. He thrust into her twice more before his own climax rolled over him.

“You are so sweet to me,” she murmured, running her finger through his hair.

“Sweet?”

She kissed his cheek. “I was starting to think I’d imagined you.”

“Me too.” He shifted off her. “Sorry that was so quick.”

“You can make it up to me later.”

“That so?” He pinned her hands over her head. “Demanding.”

“I know it’ll be a hardship.”

“It’ll be a hard something.”

“I was hoping for that too.”

He laughed and rolled away. Jumping off the bed, he said, “let’s go get you some coffee or something. I want to keep you awake so I can play with you later.”

She slid off the bed. His comment released a slither of anxiety in her chest. “From a gift to a toy?”

“Sure.” He pulled his jeans back on, strolled around the foot of the bed and wrapped his arms around her. “Toy, treasure, breath, life, everything I ever wanted and all I need.”

“Everything you ever wanted and all you need? That’s a tall order.” She forced herself to breathe before she passed out.

He put his hand on the top of her head. “No. Just about five six.”

* * * *

Bear pulled out a chair for Maureen and Marc gave him a dirty look. Marc’s date pulled out her own chair and plopped down. Marc needed to hook up with some classier women. Maureen smiled up at him.

Waking up next to her this morning had been heavenly. She’d been awake, reading a book in bed. Tonight he hoped to leave her so exhausted she slept until noon tomorrow. He settled in his chair and waved away the wine list. The restaurant had been Marc’s choice and was way too fancy. Probably trying to throw Maureen, but in the pink dress he hadn’t liked so much, she looked like she dined here every day. Cool and confident. The dress had been a good choice.

“So this is the wonderful Maureen,” Marc said. “How do you like California so far?”

“I just got in last night so I haven’t seen much.” She folded her hands in her lap and leaned toward Bear. He draped his arm across the back of her chair. “Today, we just hung out at the house after we went to the grocery store to pick up some supplies. We didn’t see anyone famous, either.”

“Oh?” Marc cocked an eyebrow. “Who did you expect to see?”

“Nobody really, but Michael said Tim Allen shops there.” Maureen took the napkin off her plate and shook it out. Then she laid it next to the plate instead of on her lap.

“Rick Allen,” Michael corrected.

She shrugged. “Well then, I wouldn’t have known him if he walked up and bit me. Tim Allen, I would recognize at least.”

Marc’s eyes radiated disbelief as he glared at Bear but said to her, “I’m pretty sure you could pick Rick Allen out in a crowd too.”

“Maureen isn’t really up on music. We spent most of today listening to CDs.” He caught her eye. Most of the day when they weren’t busy doing something else. A blush blossomed on her cheeks and he felt an answering tug in his groin. When had he thought that dress didn’t look sexy on her? Every damn thing looked sexy on her.

A waiter invaded with menus and recommendations while his assistant came around to fill their water glasses and deliver bread. Maureen fiddled with her napkin again so he leaned over and kissed her cheek behind his menu.

“Don’t let him bug you,” he whispered.

“I’m not.” She caught his eyes for a moment and then dropped her gaze. “Is it that obvious?”

“To me.” He squeezed her shoulder. He wished he could tell her that meeting Sandy was going to be easier, but it wasn’t. Sandy had all of Marc’s disapproval and thirty years more practice throwing it around. “I don’t care what they think and you don’t need to.”

She put her hand on his leg.

“What do you want?” he asked. His mom always had his dad order for her and it seemed classier than her ordering for herself.

She smirked gently. “Why don’t you get me the fillet, medium rare.”

“Good choice, my lady.” He closed his menu and set it in the table.

“So what do you plan to do while you’re here?” Marc leaned on the table, ignoring his menu. “Because Bear’s going to be busy all week screwing up at rehearsals.”

“Screw you.” Bear sipped from his water glass.

“I thought I’d go see some museums or something while he’s busy.”

“We should go shopping,” Marc’s bimbo said. He really wished he’d been paying attention when Marc introduced her.

“That would be nice.” Maureen smiled.

Bear doubted it, but he wasn’t going to try and stop her. At least, not in front of Marc. “There’s lots of stuff for Maureen to do while she’s here. She wants to meet everybody and next weekend we’re going to Disneyland.”

“Disneyland.” Marc’s eyebrow cocked again. He was going to get a cramp doing that.

“My kids would never let me live it down if I was in Los Angeles and didn’t go to Disneyland.” She grinned.

“You have kids?” Marc asked.

“She has students.” Bear gritted his teeth. “She’s a teacher.”

She squeezed his leg, reminding him to calm down. They’d had long conversations about him keeping his temper. His friends needed time to get used to her. Blah. Blah. Blah. She was right but he just couldn’t figure out how she managed to keep cool.

“I’m happy to get to see Michael again,” she said.

The waiter invaded again to get their orders. The assistant waiter dusted the table as if any of them had bothered to touch the bread.

“What grade do you teach?” Marc asked.

“Second.” Maureen clasped her hands in her lap.

“How long have you been doing that?”

“Twelve years.”

“You looking to hire a teacher, Marc?” Bear asked.

Marc turned his flat, assessing gaze on him. “I’m trying to learn a little more about your brand new fiancee none of us has met.”

“Fiancee!” Marc’s date gasped. “Can I see your ring?”

“I don’t have a ring yet. Michael and I decided since everyone was so concerned about our sudden engagement, we would wait a little before making it official.” Maureen held herself stiffly and didn’t look at him. The subject had turned into a full-blown argument today. He’d been gung ho to go diamond shopping and she was just as determined to wait.

“I see.” Marc studied her like a chess grand master witnessing a play he’d never seen before.

“This is a nice restaurant, Marc. Michael said you chose it. Do you eat here often?” Maureen surveyed the room. The whole place was lit by candles. Huge candelabras full of them hung from the ceiling. Whatever they might have saved on electric, they probably spent on having a team come in every day to change and light all the candles.

“No, our manager recommended it.” Marc folded his arms.

So this was Sandy’s game and Marc was just the first offensive. Marvelous.

“It is lovely.” Maureen leaned back against Bear’s arm. “Marc, why don’t you tell me a little about yourself. I really want to get to know Michael’s friends. He says you play guitar.”

Stroking her shoulder with his fingers, he half listened while she steered the conversation. Marc was more used to being on this end of the interview anyway and now that she had more control, she had stopped fiddling with her napkin. Marc’s date planted her elbows on the table, watching the two of them like she might watch ping pong. The assistant waiter came around to deliver their drinks and double check the bread and water.

“I think I should wash my hands before dinner,” Maureen said when the waiter left.

Bear jumped up and pulled her chair out.

Marc and his date exchanged a look. “Uh, I guess I should go too,” his date said. She started to get up and Marc stood to help her.

Maureen brushed a kiss across Bear’s cheek, taking the opportunity to whisper, “Stay calm.”

Bear nodded and watched her walk to the far corner of the restaurant with Marc’s date on her heels. When he turned back to the table, Marc was already sitting down and scowling.

“What was that all about?” Marc demanded. “Are you going to jump up like a fucking jack-in-the-box every time she stands up?”

“It’s polite and Maureen is a lady.”

“I’ll bet.”

Staying calm was a tall order. Maureen had no idea. He took a sip of his wine and waited.

Marc twiddled a cigarette through his fingers. “You know what she’s doing, don’t you?”

“Trying to take me for everything I’m worth?”

Marc glared at him. “There is no way she’s that clueless. She knew who you were the second she laid eyes on you.”

“She’s not clueless. She just isn’t interested in music. The only preset in her car is NPR.” He shrugged. “She likes dinosaurs, gardening and
The X-Files
.”

“Dinosaurs, gardening and
The X-Files
.” Marc tapped the cigarette on the table. “And you’re just the sucker to fall for it.”

“I’m not falling for anything. Dammit, why can’t anybody believe we love each other?” He slammed his fist on the table, making everything on it jump. The other diners in the restaurant turned to stare.

“Because you’ve got a better chance of getting struck by lightning than of finding a woman who loves you for who you are instead of
who you are
.” Marc stood up. “I’m gonna go get some dirty looks.”

“You know that doesn’t make any sense, right? A woman who loves me for who I am and not
who I am
?” he asked Marc’s departing back. Marc gave him the finger over his shoulder.

9

While washing her hands, Maureen tried to figure out how much to tip the bathroom attendant. She’d never had to navigate a situation like this before. Any of this. Nichole wouldn’t be any help either. The other woman had started chattering the moment they walked through the lounge doors and had not stopped, even when they were in the stalls.

“So I think I’m going to be able to move in with Marc before they go on tour,” Nicole babbled on. “He hasn’t said anything, but these guys like to have somebody at home while they’re on the road. He hasn’t said anything about my expense account either. I kinda need him to get on the ball about that. I owe like a ton on my credit cards and any second now they’re going to cut off my phone and then how’s he going to get in touch with me? So when do you want to go shopping this week?”

The abrupt silence almost deafened her. Then the absurdity of what Nichole had said sunk in. The girl was in deep on her credit cards, about to lose her phone because she couldn’t pay the bill and she wanted to go shopping? Was there a planet on which this made sense? She turned to the attendant to see if the astonishment was mutual, but the attendant maintained a passive expression as she handed Maureen a towel. “I haven’t really made any plans,” Maureen said. “Did you want to go Monday?”