Page 47 of California Love Songs
“Is your family planning anything for the big 3-0?” Erin wanted to know.
So she told Erin that her mom had planned a big family gathering on Sunday. “Siblings, cousins, uncles, and aunts. You know what my family’s like. I’d love for you to come,” Crystal said. “My actual birthday is on Wednesday. I’ll go to work as usual, maybe go to a salsa class that night.”
Erin said she’d love to go to the family party and then asked, “On your actual birthday, why don’t you come over to Jay’s place instead, and I’ll cook dinner for you? Get some champagne. I could invite Mila and Tessa, and kick Jay out so it’s just us girls.”
Crystal grinned and realized that Erin’s suggestion was absolutely perfect. After planning so many parties for other people, the last thing she wanted was to organize something for herself. She’d like nothing more than a low-key girls’ night.
When Crystal got home and was alone again, the restlessness of the morning, the all-consuming thoughts of Damien, returned. It was as though her body and her mind were at war. The way he’d been looking at her all day—the secret glances and those little touches during dinner had aroused her to the point of distraction. Just being around him gave her ideas she shouldn’t be having.
She’d had enough pizza that she couldn’t distract herself with snacks. She checked her email and her messages, returned a couple of phone calls, and then the rest of the evening stretched before her, empty.
There was only one remedy for this kind of malaise: dance.
She changed into a sleeveless black crop top and a salsa skirt, put on salsa shoes, and then headed to her small home dance studio. She cranked up the tunes and closed her eyes, waiting for the rhythm to take over. As the music pulsed, her body swayed. Then spun. Her blood seemed to thrum with excitement.
And yet Damien didn’t leave her head. Instead, he returned tenfold as her mind lingered on the sexy details of their dance on Saturday night. His strong arms, thrusting hips, the sheen of sweat on his neck, the salty way he tasted when his tongue found hers. She imagined him with her now, partnering her, spinning her, dipping her, seducing her.
She danced for a couple of hours but the restlessness didn’t abate. It was getting late. She was too wired to sleep. What was she going to do with all this energy?
Then suddenly she knew. Maybe it was crazy. Maybe she was out of her mind. But she couldn’t go on like this, aching for Damien.
Some urges had to be sated.
Not allowing herself time to think and talk herself out of it, she jumped into her car in her dance outfit and heels. She let herself through the gates and walked up to his house in the shadowy dark.
When she saw that it was in darkness too, she almost lost her nerve. Of course Damien was already in bed, probably in a deep and dreamless sleep, unfettered by thoughts of her kiss. But then she noticed a light on in his bedroom. She knew the keycode, but she didn’t want to startle him.
Instead, she banged on the front door, feeling half crazy. She waited a minute and then in case he hadn’t heard, she banged on the door again. She heard footsteps, the door opened, and there he was, standing before her, a startled look on his face. He was still wearing jeans, but his feet were bare. His shirt was untucked as though he had begun to get ready for bed.
But there was nothing sleepy about those eyes. On the drive over, she hadn’t planned what she was going to say, thinking that the moment would take over. Now that she was here, she couldn’t find the right words.
Clearly, neither could he—but the air between them was thick with them, all unspoken.
They stood on the threshold, just staring into each other’s eyes until finally, he reached out and put his hands on her shoulders. She nearly moaned at the sensation of his skin on hers as he pulled her toward him. She raised her arms, put them around his neck. Everything seemed to be in slow motion as she reached up for him and he lowered his mouth to hers.
The kiss was melting, tender, their lips pressing hungrily together, searching, until passion had its way and the kiss became more urgent, more insistent, until she was breathless.
His hand slid down her arm, brushing the bare skin beneath the crop top sending a pulse of electricity through her. They were so close she could feel the heat of his chest pressing against hers, the firm muscles of his torso.
Then she felt his strong hand in the small of her back, guiding her effortlessly, the way he had done countless times when they danced. But tonight, everything was different. His body was telling her to come inside.
Only then did she pull away and her breath caught as Damien’s eyes locked on hers, intense and full of longing. Her heart pounded in her chest. She took a small step toward him again, almost as if pulled by an invisible force.
“I want you to be sure about this.” Damien’s voice was low, a bit hoarse, as though he was struggling to hold back the same tidal wave of longing that she felt.
Crystal nodded, her lips parting slightly as she spoke. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
He didn’t answer her with words—he shut the door behind them and took her hand, leading her upstairs. Her body was fired up and the two of them almost danced up the stairs, hips sashaying, until they reached his bedroom and he pulled her toward him again, pushing the door open with his foot. The two of them tumbled into the room, warm with the glow of a small opaline lamp, and Crystal felt herself melting into him, her body responding to his with a fierceness she hadn’t expected. His hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer, as if he couldn’t get enough of her.
Her fingers slid up his chest, feeling the hard, warm muscle under his shirt. She could sense the tension in him, the way his control was fraying just like hers. The kiss became more urgent, more demanding, as though both of them knew there was no turning back now.
Damien’s hands traveled lower, skimming the curves of her hips in her skin-tight leotard. Her breath hitched, her body craving more, wanting to feel all of him. She pressed herself against him, her body aching for the connection, for the intimacy that had always been just out of reach.
Suddenly he picked her up and she hooked her legs around his waist. It was like they were dancing salsa again, so in tune were their bodies, and she loved the way he led her. He laid her down on the huge bed with its dark satin sheets, slipped off her high heels, and then his lips immediately moved to her neck, kissing her with a hunger that made her pulse race even faster. She tilted her head back, giving him more access, her hands tangling in his dark curls as she pulled him closer. The way he kissed her, the way he touched her, made her feel as though she were the only woman in the world.
She could feel his desire building, the way he was losing himself in her, just as she was losing herself in him. Crystal’s breath came in quick, shallow gasps as his hands moved lower, running over her curves again and tugging down her leggings. She arched her back, pressing herself into his groin and then grabbed the strong, hard muscles of his back to pull him even closer.
Damien groaned softly against her skin as she found the buttons of his shirt. She needed it off immediately. There shouldn’t be any material between them, just skin on skin. Impatient, she rolled the two of them over until she was sitting astride him. Staring into his eyes, she undid the buttons to reveal his muscular chest. She ran her hands over the smooth skin, unable to stop from smiling as he shivered beneath her touch.
