Page 35 of Lethal Seduction

I’m in heaven.

“Oh good, you found the seats,” Michael says as he comes over carrying souvenirs. He hands me a beer and a t-shirt with Lady Dames’ picture on it, glittery beads and rhinestones catch the overhead lights and flash.

“What do I owe you?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “Nothing. My treat. I’m just glad I didn’t have to see the concert alone.”

“How’d you manage to get such great seats?”

“My credit card let me purchase them in advance before the general public.”

I scan the growing crowd. People are dressed in crazy outfits that could double for a comic book convention or Sci-Fi movie premier. There are people of all walks of life and every sexual orientation and age. It’s awesome to see and experience.

“Pretty amazing how there’s so much diversity in this auditorium right now,” Michael says and then takes a swig of his own beer.

I nod. “I was just thinking the same thing.” I feel so overcome by the whole spectacle I have to fight back tears. Leaning my head into his chest, I take in his warmth and positive energy.

He sighs and wraps his arm around my shoulders and we stay like that for a few minutes while I compose myself. Once I’m sure any possible wetness from my unexpected tears has dried, I straighten up in the chair. I can tell he’s looking at me, but I don’t want to look back at him, not yet.

The energy flowing between us is powerful and intoxicating. Closing my eyes for a moment, I envision leaping to my feet, straddling his lap, and kissing him so passionately I’d take his breath away. My heart pounds and I swallow hard. Turning to return his gaze, our eyes lock, and he smiles. The dimples in his cheeks deepen the wider he grins.

“Are you having a good time?” he asks.

I nod. “The best.”

Before we speak again, the lights dim and the crowd roars. The stage lights up with multicolored lights that flash and swirl outwardly into the audience.

“I thought there was going to be an opening act?” I yell to be heard over the crowd.

He shakes his head. “They cancelled. Lady Dame is going to play longer than planned to make up for it.”

“She is my queen,” I say.

Suddenly, the crowd erupts into borderline hysterics. I stand as everyone around me jumps to their feet. At the tip of the cock-shaped stage, no more than fifteen feet away, Lady Dame herself, blasts through a trap door and lands on her feet in front of us.

My vision tunnels, but I hold to consciousness with every last fiber of my being. I wouldn’t miss this concert for anything in the world. The music blares to life and the thousands of spectators begin dancing in place to her latest number one single, Popcorn and Candy.

Michael leans over and says into my ear, “I’m so glad you’re here.”

I throw my arms around him and squeeze before resuming my jumping to the beat of the song.

The concert lasts over two hours and I’ve been dancing so hard, I can barely make it up the stairs to exit the venue. Exhausted is an understatement.

“Let’s go get some midnight tacos somewhere,” Michael says. “I’m starving.”

Normally, I would have said no thank you because I’m so tired, but Michael is special. I feel it in my bones.

Not wantingto screw this up because I haven’t exercised in so long my legs are giving out, I give him a thumbs up. “I could eat.”

I hobble as fast as I can behind him until we get to the car. After getting inside, he asks, “Do you have a place you’d like to go?”

There isn’t any place I can think of, so I simply shrug. “You pick.”

He pulls out of the parking lot and avoids the traffic leaving the concert by turning left. I have no idea where he’s going, but he seems to, and that’s good enough for me. He puts on some soft music which soothes me to sleep even though I hadn’t planned on it.

I awake to him softly nudging me. “Patrick,” he says. “We’re here if you’re still up for it?”

“Of course,” I say. “Sorry about that. All the excitement of the evening got me drifting off to sleep.”

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