Page 110 of Rock Chick

His eyes crinkled their approval. His arm snaked out and pulled me to him. And his mouth went to the skin below my ear.

“You done pretending to be mad at me to hide bein’ scared?” he murmured.

My whole body stiffened.

“Don’t be a jerk.”

His head lifted and he looked me in the eye.

“You’re right. That was an asshole remark.”

Holy shit.

What did you say to that?

“I’m tired, it’s been a long day,” he continued, his hand coming up to pinch his nose between his eyes.

“That’s all right,” I said. “And no, I’m not mad at you or pretending to be mad. But I need to put makeup on and all my good stuff is at your condo, so I have to visit Chez Burgundy.”

I had put my Lynyrd Skynyrd outfit back on for Beau Jo’s. I changed my top to a thin black silky, partially beaded, spaghetti-strapped affair that was in the Sushi Den section of my closet. This necessitated no bra, and since Lee seemed quite happy laying back on my bed with his arms crossed behind his head, watching me change (and I would have felt like a naïve fool locking myself in the bathroom), I had to pull a Jennifer BealsFlashdancemove and take the bra off after I put the top on. I kept the jeans, but exchanged the belt for the one with rhinestones and the boots for high-heeled sandals with jet beads sewn across the front strap. I added about two dozen shiny black bangles on my wrist and some dangly earrings.

When I was done, I turned to the bed. I thought Lee was watching me, but he was asleep.

I sat next to his hip, and the minute he felt my weight on the bed, his eyes opened.

“Why don’t you rest?” I asked. “We’ll come back after the show.”

His hand came from behind his head and his finger traced the silky strap at my shoulder. “I’m not lettin’ you out of my sight.”

My breath had started coming faster when he touched me. “It’ll be okay. Everyone’ll be there.”

His eyes locked on mine and I read that nothing more could be said. Lee had made up his mind.

His finger hooked in the strap and tugged it toward him. Either I could resist and risk the fragile strap breaking or I could acquiesce. I liked the top so I leaned into him.

His arms circled me and I rested my hands on his chest.

“How long is this gonna last tonight?” he asked.

I thought about it.

“It should be over around one or two. I’m on drag duty, so I have to stay until the bitter end.”

His eyes had become melty-chocolate, but now they hardened with impatience.

“I’m never gonna do anything but sleep with you in my bed, am I?”

God, I hoped that wasn’t true. That would suck. Now that I was kind of coming to terms with our togetherness, I was looking forward to certain things we hadn’t gotten around to doing, like the exchange of bodily fluids.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the melty-chocolate had come back into his eyes.

“You don’t have to answer. Your face said it all.”

Great.

We went out the back and through the adjoining gate to Tod and Stevie’s. I knocked at their back door and put my head in.

“Yoo hoo!” I called.

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