I wasn’t ready forthat.
Ohfuck.
11
MAIA
Then
* * *
As I made my way back through a labyrinth of tents, equipment, and people to find our seats, I saw a tall guy who could only be Zane facing a wall, arms gripping it like it was going to come down as his whole body moved with each rapid inhale.
In the pre-party tent, he’d been brash and relaxed. He now had every appearance of blind panic.
Did he have stage fright?
I didn’t want to startle him, but he didn’t notice me until I carefully laid a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, you okay?” I asked gently as he turned his head to look at me.
His eyes were wild for a second until his brain caught up and he realized I wasn’t a stranger. He nodded. “Just nerves. I just have to find something else to focus on and it’ll pass.”
He’d stopped breathing so quickly, but he was still leaning against the wall. How horrifying must it be to have an involuntary reaction like this to doing your job?
“Can I do anything to help?” I asked, more than a little suggestively.
The poor guy was struggling. I wanted to peel the shirt off him and lick away his fears, but I’d settle for distracting him enough so he could make it backstage in time.
“Don’t you have a date to get back to?” he asked. Now he was looking at me with interest, eyes skimming the outline of my dress.
“Oh, I do…but first…” I ducked under his arm and stepped between him and the wall. For a split second, I stopped resisting him, stopped doing what I was supposed to do and melted into him, wrapping my arms around his neck and finding his mouth. He dropped his hands to my hips, gripping the fabric of my dress to pull me closer.
He’d taken his time the night before, kissing me slowly and thoroughly. Now, he devoured me hungrily like I might run away at any moment, which I suppose was exactly what I was going to do.
When I didn’t pull away, he groaned and kissed me deeper, tongue seeking mine. He palmed my ass and ground me against the erection pressing against his jeans.
I broke the kiss and scurried out from his hold, realizing too late just how in over my head I was with him.
“There. I gave you something else to focus on,” I said playfully.
He cocked his head. “Oh yeah? How much I want you?”
I laughed, feeling mischievous in a way that wasn’t like me. “Nope. Now you get to focus on how you’re going to get that boner down before the show starts.”
He trapped me against the wall between his arms. “Or I could focus on how I’m going to punish you for it…”
I gave him one more peck on the mouth, barely resisting the urge to sink into his kisses again. “You have to get out there and give me a show.”
He narrowed his eyes, but he was smiling. “This isn’t over. We’ll finish it later.”
Over my shoulder I said, “I’m busy later, remember?”
“We’ll see about that,” he called.
For the first time in a very long time, I wanted to throw my responsibilities to the wind and find him after the show. But I had bills to pay and was so close to launching down the career path I’d been working so hard for.
I couldn’t blow it now by flaking on a loyal regular, not to mention a friend.
* * *
