Page 15 of Never Till Now

“Stop.” I swat his arm and push him toward the door.

“Seriously though. You really don’t want a relationship?”

“Do I seriously need a neon sign above my head saying guarded?” I sass.

“Maybe I’ll buy you an open sign and you can let me know when you’re available.” His banter makes me laugh. I can appreciate quick wit.

“If we can keep us on a strict friend, better yet, an acquaintance, level, then this might work.” I glance around the room as if it has more answers. “But…”

“But if either one of us begins to have the slightest urge for anything other than orgasms and laughs, we call it off.” Adam steals the words right out of my mouth.

“I’m putting a lot of trust in you to not need me like you preach.” I point my finger into his chest.

“Blondie, don’t want something you’ll never have.” He grabs my finger, giving the tip of it a soft kiss.

“You can leave now.” I open the door. “Let me give you my number so you can be my tour guide again.”

He enters it into his phone. “I’ll text you later.”

“Any dick pics and I’ll exile you,” I call out down the hallway.

“You know my dick is too large to fit on your screen,” he calls out and continues walking down the hallway.

Chapter 6

Adam

Relief flows through me when I manage to get everything finished for the week. I look down at my phone and have two hours until Lauren arrives. We are barely on a friend level and I want to keep it that way. Orgasms and laughs seem to be a great combination, so I’m glad she agreed to come over. My gut drops at the fear she still has an ulterior motive, like a snake knowing its victim and waiting until the right time to strike them down. My past is hard for me to ignore. I hope she is true to her word, but twenty-four is still young enough for the mind to change. I make a mental note to dive into why she is hell-bent against a relationship.

The lounge has soft, distant chatter from a few booths over as I make my way to the piano. Max nods from the bar as I pull out the leather piano bench. My fingers stretch before they rest upon the smooth keys. It’s been a week too long since I’ve played. I open with a light riff then straight into classical jazz. The melody takes me back to my childhood with every note I play.

I’ve never had a lesson other than with Theo, our jazz pianist, who played here for years. I remember running around the hotel as a child and hearing the melodies. The sounds resonated with me and lit up my ears, drawing me in. The melodies became the only way to tame my hyperactive self. I’d sit in the back booth every chance I could when I managed to sneak down at night. I’d spend hours hiding until I fell asleep and got caught. Eventually, Theo taught me the basics, but the rest was by ear. My parents didn’t show interest with my piano obsession. They assumed I was a busy boy, just wanting to smash on the keys instead of taking the time to listen. I would wait until no one was in here to be able to play. Every chance I could, I’d be on this bench.

My foot lifts off the pedals and I still embrace the elation that washed over me when I was finally tall enough to reach them. My parents were too busy with work to realize I kept up with playing. I don’t boast about being a pretty kick-ass piano player. It’s too personal to share and the only thing I am shy about.

I play a few songs and glance toward the bar. My fingers nearly fumble on the chords. There’s a drink in Lauren’s hand as she leans on the counter, talking to Max. If she spotted me playing, she didn’t acknowledge it. I ease off the keys, slowly ending the song. I try to be discreet, standing to move away from the piano before she turns at the stopping of the music. Her head tilts back, laughing at something Max says. Jealousy pumps through me with the way he made her laugh. She pops a shiny plastic cherry in her mouth from the bowl.

I watch a few heads turn her way and their eyes linger. Her leggings hug her sculpted ass and instantly my dick twitches, wanting to run my tongue along the curve of hers. A flowy tank top hides her toned stomach. Her blonde hair is pulled up into a ponytail and I can’t wait to wrap my hand around it. I shake my head and make my way to the bar, thankful how the dim light hides my growing cock.

“Do you always need to hit the alcohol before you see me?” I give her hair a light tug, causing her to squeak.

Cute.

“Extra cherries have me tasting sweeter.”

My eyes widen at her boldness, and she clasps a hand over her mouth.

“Oh my gosh.” She looks around to see if any customers heard her. “I hope you know I meant my lips.”

So, Blondie does get bashful. I hold my tongue as long as I can and don’t break eye contact so she knows exactly what’s going through my mind. Her eyes narrow, warning me not to speak.

“Oh, both types of lips are sweet, Blondie.” I watch her face match the color of the cherry bowl.

“For fuck’s sake, guys.” Max shakes his head, backing off.

Lauren clears her throat and slides some money across the bar to Max. Her stool pushes back, catching the attention of a few men as they tilt their heads to get a better look at her ass. I shoot them a glare and square my shoulders. Not that I really need to look any bigger than I am. Lauren has the supermodel height, but still, the top of her head rests at my chin. I place my hand on her back and she stiffens at the touch but doesn’t knock my hand away.

On top of her intoxicating scent, I’m more worked up after watching other men want what isn’t even fucking mine. I restrain myself from pushing her against the door of my place and claiming her right here. I should at least feed her. Nodding toward the kitchen, she follows and takes a seat on the island. Her hands rest on the edge of the counter as her feet dangle.