STAGESTRUCK - The Complete Series (2 page)

“Oh my God,” I said in wonder as Janette and I stepped out of the subway station and on to the streets of Manhattan.

“It’s overwhelming at first, isn’t it?” Janette said with a knowing grin. “It took me a month to be able to walk the streets and pay attention to where I was going.”

“It’s all just so… BIG.” I observed in awe. The skyscrapers towered around us and the entire city was lit up.

“The bar we’re meeting at is just a few blocks away.” Janette explained. “There’s no sense getting a cab, if you can walk in those shoes.”

“I can walk.” I assured her. I didn’t want to watch the city from the window of a taxi. I wanted to be IN it, to take in all of the smells and the noises along with the sights. With Janette leading the way we passed delis, all night laundry services, and an assortment of other storefronts that you’d never find back in my hometown.

“How long were you here before you stopped getting lost?” I asked in wonder.

Janette laughed at my question. “I still get lost.” She admitted. “But I found a great app that helps. We’ll download it to your phone. You won’t have much luck getting an actual person to help you around here.” She told me.

I watched the crowds moving around us. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry; they moved with purpose and without making eye contact with anyone around them.

“Here we are.” Janette announced as we arrived in front of a windowless building. “This is Syd’s. Everybody who’s anybody hangs out here.” She explained.

“Really? Is there any chance we’ll run in to someone famous?”

“Famous? No. Important? Maybe.” She answered as she swung open the door.

The interior of the bar was dark and smoky. Hard rock music poured out of large speakers that had been mounted in every corner of the room, and the tables were already full of people.

“We should have come earlier.” I observed. “We won’t have anywhere to sit.”

“My friend Damien works here.” Janette answered. “He saved us our usual table, it’s in the back.”

I followed her through the hoards of people on the dance floor; I resisted the urge to dance along to the music. Janette was moving fast, and I didn’t want to get lost in the crowd. We finally reached the back of the bar; our table was already half full with Janette’s friends.

“Nettie!” A tall, slender man in thick, black rimmed glasses exclaimed. “What took you so long? We were about to give up on you.”

“Oh, Parker,” she answered with a smile as she fell into his embrace. “I’m not that late. This is Kate, my new neighbor. I invited her along tonight; she’s new to the city. Kate, this is Bridget, Serena, Mark, and, of course, Parker.” She introduced us.

Bridget had short blonde hair and breasts that had obviously been surgically enhanced. Serena was a pixy sized woman with spiked purple hair and an assortment of facial piercings and visible tattoos. It only took me thirty seconds to realize that Mark and Parker were a couple; as Parker released Janette, he put his arm around his boyfriend’s shoulder.

“Welcome to New York City.” Mark said to me with a smile. “What brings you to our modest little town?”

“Kate is an actress.” Janette answered for me.

“Ahh… so you’re here to break in to Broadway.” Serena said with a nod. “That’s what brought me to New York as well.”

“Really? Have you had any luck?” I asked hopefully. I was excited to talk to someone with experience in the theater capital of the world.

“I gave it my best shot.” She answered with a sigh. “I spent two years busting my ass, going on auditions, kissing up to casting directors. Then I ran out of money and took a real job.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” I said sincerely.

Serena shrugged. “That’s what happens to most people.” She said simply. “I went to cosmetology school back home and I found a job doing make-up at one of the Lincoln Center theaters. It pays well, and I get to be a part of all the glamour. Do you have an agent yet?”

“I’m meeting with Marion Russo next week.” I replied.

Bridget whistled. “Marion Russo, she’s one of the best. You must have an amazing background if she’s agreed to meet with you. Where have you studied?”

“Actually, I went to Hawkeye Community College.” I answered bashfully. “But I did lots of volunteer work at the Waterloo Center for Arts. We did a youth theater camp last summer, and I worked with one of Marion’s nieces. She flew out for our final performance and gave me her contact information after the show.”

“Well, they say that the business is all about who you know.” Mark piped up. “And it sounds like you’ve got your foot in with the right people. I think that calls for a celebratory round of drinks.” He signaled a waitress and ordered six Manhattans.

“That’s kind of corny, isn’t it Mark?” Parker teased.

“Not at all.” He answered in exaggerated defense. “I think that it’s appropriate for Kate’s first drink in her new hometown to be the namesake of this fabulous borough. Can you handle whiskey, Kate?”

“I can hold my own.” I answered with a smile. The waitress delivered our drinks and my new friends and I toasted my arrival in New York. My first drink burned going down, but the alcohol eased my anxiety and soon I felt relaxed and at home. Bridget, an interior designer, entertained us with stories of some of her more outrageous clients and told me the best places to shop for vintage furniture. We made plans to hit the flea markets together that weekend, and Mark and Parker offered to join us.

“We may not have a design degree,” Mark explained, “but we have fantastic taste, if I do say so myself.”

Janette laughed. “You’ll learn quickly that the guys have no problem complimenting themselves.”

“A little self confidence never hurt anybody.” Parker countered.

“Speaking of self confidence…” Mark said, nodding towards the dance floor. “Do you feel like getting out there and showing us your moves?”

“With you?” I asked.

Mark laughed. “Yes with me. I may not sleep with women, but I do dance with them.”

He took my hand and led me out onto the dance floor. I saw a flash of surprise pass over his face as I began moving to the music.

“Not bad,” he said with a grin. “For a small town girl you sure have big city moves. Now, let me explain to you why we’re out here.”

“I thought we were here to dance.”

“We are,” he said mischievously, “but not with each other. See that hot guy at the edge of the crowd? He’s been eying you all night. What do you say I spin you into him, and you take it from there?”

I was so shocked by his suggestion that I didn’t bother to look at the man he was talking about. “No, I can’t do that.” I insisted. I’ve had plenty of experience with men, but I’m not the assertive type. And I NEVER have one night stands.

“Are you afraid of men?” He asked.

“No… but…”

“But nothing,” Mark insisted. “This is your first night in the city that never sleeps, you can’t go home alone.”

I could tell that he wasn’t going to let the idea go. “Fine,” I agreed. “I’ll dance with him, just to get you off my back. But I’m taking the train home with Janette tonight.”

“Are you sure about that?” Mark pointed behind me as he danced us closer to our target. Janette was grinding against a broad-shouldered man who looked like he’d just stepped off a Rolling Stone’s cover.

“Who’s that?” I asked Mark.

“Who knows? Don’t worry about Janette; concentrate on the task at hand.” With a smile, he spun me into the crowd. I ‘accidently’ grabbed the man he’d pushed me towards, under the guise of recovering my balance. The stranger was tall and lanky, with shaggy brown hair and piercing chestnut eyes.

“I’m SO sorry.” I told him. “My friend isn’t a very good dancer.”

“I’ll forgive you, on one condition.” He smiled and held out his hand. I accepted it and we started dancing, our bodies pressed together.

“I’m Max Shepherd.” He told me with a smile.

“Hi Max, I’m Katie Harper.” I laughed.

After our awkward introduction, we danced silently through the first song. The next song was a slow one, and I was surprised when Max pulled me close.

“I agreed to one dance.” I teased.

“Yes, and now you’ve made up for bumping into me.” He agreed. “I’m hoping you’ll agree to a second dance and explain WHY you bumped into me. It was pretty obvious that it wasn’t an accident.” He finished with a sly grin.

I blushed. “This is my first night in New York.” I confessed. “Bumping into you was Mark’s idea. He wants me to have a good time, and he thought that he saw you glancing in my direction.”

“Well, your friend was absolutely right.” Max answered with a smile. “So, this is your first night in the city? I thought there was something different about you.”

I blushed again. “Is it that obvious?”

“Not at all,” he quickly assured me. “I couldn’t put my finger on it, there’s just something different about you. You’re not like all of the other women here. How about I buy you a drink and give you some pointers on living in New York?”

“That would be great.” I smiled.

Max led me to the bar and I told him about myself. He asked all of the right questions and I was surprised by how comfortable I felt around him. We drank and talked for what seemed like hours, and then he leaned in close and whispered in my ear.

“Do you want to get out of here?” He asked.

I don’t know if it was the alcohol or the excitement of starting my new life, but I felt incredibly adventurous. “Yes.” I answered. “Yes I do.”

I ran back to the table to grab my purse and tell everyone goodbye. Janette had long since left with the man she’d been dancing with and Bridget and Serena were on the dance floor.

“I’m heading out. I’ll see you this weekend.” I said to Parker and Mark.

“Have fun.” Mark smiled.

I made my way to the door where Max was waiting. “I’m assuming that your place isn’t put together yet, since it’s your first night in town?” He asked.

“You’re assuming correctly.” I told him. “The place is a mess. It’s only about twenty minutes away though…”

“My place is closer.” He answered with a smile.

“Your place it is.”

Max hailed a cab; we couldn’t keep our hands off of each other, and by the time we got to his building our driver was pissed. Max tossed him a twenty and told him to keep the change.

A Grab and Go took up the bottom floor of Max’s building. We walked through the entryway to the right of the store and up a steep flight of stairs. Max had his keys ready; he opened the door of his apartment quickly and pulled me inside. I stripped out of my dress as he shut the door behind us.

“You really cut to the chase.” He said when he turned to see me in my underwear. I was relieved that I’d left the stick on bra at Janette’s.

“I’m just a girl who knows what I want.” I told him with a daring grin.

He took two long strides towards me and wrapped me into his arms. I grabbed his face in my hands and pulled his lips to mine. We kissed hungrily as I fumbled with the buttons on Max’s shirt.

“I’ll do it.” He said, replacing my hands with his. He stripped off his shirt, followed by his shoes and his pants. I felt his enormous erection against my side as he wrapped me in his arms once more. He walked us forward and I felt my calves bump against the seat of his couch.

“Is this okay?” He asked. “We can move to the bedroom…” He lowered his head while he spoke and flicked my nipples with his tongue.

“The couch is perfect. I want you now.” I told him. He pushed me down, laid me on my back, and then climbed on top of me. He used his tongue to blaze a path from my belly button to my earlobe before propping himself up with one arm and reaching for the end table. He took a condom from the drawer, opened it, and slid it onto himself with one quick motion.

“I want you so bad.” I moaned as his mouth returned to my breasts. He used one hand to guide the tip of his cock into my eager pussy.

“You’re so tight…” he groaned as he pushed the rest of the way in. “And so wet…”

I clamped my muscles around his erection in response. “You haven’t seen anything yet.” I said through heavy breath. I maintained my grip on his cock and rocked my hips in clockwise circles.

Max gasped in pleasure, and then started moving on top of me with short, deep thrusts. I wrapped one hand around his neck and grabbed a handful of his wavy chestnut hair. I tugged gently, trying to signal to Max that I wanted it a little rough. He took my hint, leaned down, and bit my right nipple. The blend of pleasure and pain sent me over the edge and I exploded in a deep, powerful orgasm. My climax triggered his and we collapsed together in a pile of exhaustion and ecstasy.

After a few minutes of cuddling, Max stretched and sat up. “I’m exhausted. Want to move to the bedroom?”

“Actually…” I answered slowly. “I have a long day tomorrow. I should probably just head home.”

“Will you be able to find home?” He asked. “I could take you, if you’d like.”

“I can handle it.” I assured him. We exchanged cell phone numbers and I made my escape.

‘I can’t believe I just did that.’ I thought to myself as I stepped back onto the street. I hailed a cab and asked the driver to take me to the subway station. ‘It’s alright… it’s the first night of my new life. I can have a little fun if I want to… besides, it’s not like I’m ever going to see him again.’ I assured myself as the cab pulled up at the station.