Deadly Dosage (51 page)

Donna came over by me. “He’s
fantastic, Sunny. When does he sing your song?”

“You’ll know when I do. Chuck
enjoying himself?”

“Keeps mumbling that we should be
out with Sam. I told him to shut up, so he’s been ignoring me.”

“Sorry, Donna. Guess I put you in a
spot,” I said sympathetically.

“Hey, you’re my best friend. No way
was I going to miss this. I’m surprised Peacock hasn’t made an appearance.
Maybe Blondie refused to go out with him on short notice.”

“She needs to get used to that.”

“Jeez, what do you think of
Brandi’s date?”

“Scary. Looks like he overdosed on
steroids. Too many muscles and major zits.” I saw Lloyd finally break away from
his eager fans. “Here comes Lloyd.”

     He came over to me and rested his hand on my
thigh, just below the hem of my dress.

“Hi, Mick,” I teased, trying to
keep my jealousy in check, but not doing a very good job.

     “Sorry about that,” he said with a sheepish grin.
“Is this yours?” he said, pointing my diet cola.

“Yeah, help yourself.” I watched
him pick it up and drain its contents. “Want something else?”

He grinned at me and leaned forward
sliding his hand up my thigh, under my dress. He whispered in my ear, “Is that
an invitation or are you teasing the tiger?”

He gave me goose bumps…the good
kind. “Maybe I want the tiger to attack,” I replied salaciously.

His eyes glistened recklessly. “I
guarantee you won’t be disappointed.”

I fanned myself. “Is it hot in
here?”

Alan handed him a beer.

“You sound great. How long has your
band been playing together?”

“Mmm, around three years. Long time
for a band really.” He swallowed some beer and caught my eye. “Don’t worry. Two
beers won’t even make me tipsy,” he said softly to me.

 His hand was still on my thigh and
driving me crazy.

 “Pills, not bad for your first
gig!” Nik said, stopping to hug him on her way to the bar. “The band’s soooo
much better with you.”

He kissed her on the cheek. “I
think I’m rusty. A few notes were flat.”

“Mr. Perfectionist,” she laughed.
“Anybody here notice flat notes?” she yelled.

Eric raised his hand.

“Jealous asshole,” she said
quietly, winking at Lloyd.

“When are you going to sing for
Sunny?” Donna asked. “We’re getting impatient.”

“Second song,” Lloyd said, stroking
my leg, gazing at me.

Oh boy. I grabbed his beer and took
a sip.

“We need to use the little girls’
room then before you go on. Who’s coming with me?”

Autumn and I got up to follow her. If
women learned to go to the restrooms singularly, there would be more stalls
available.

Lloyd stopped me and gave me a
dreamy kiss. “Hurry back. I’ll get you another soda. Looks like you need to
cool down. Your chest is beet red.”

I didn’t need to look. I felt the
heat. “Thanks.” I followed the girls to the rest room.

When we returned from the restroom, Donna said, “Speak of
the devil!”

Sam and his date were coming
through the door. “Oh great! I hope he doesn’t come to our table. That would be
awkward as hell.”

“He’ll do it,” Autumn said. “Ignore
him, Sunny. Don’t let him ruin your night.”

“I won’t,” I said. “That’s what
he’s wants.”

When we got back, I purposely
wrapped my arms around Lloyd and gave him a long kiss.

“Hon, if you keep doing that, I
won’t be able to concentrate. Drink your soda.”

I smiled and picked up the glass.
The ice was practically flowing over the top so I had to lean over it and
slurp. “How much time do you have left?” I asked wiping my chin.

“I don’t know. Rob,” he shouted, “how
much time?”

Rob looked at his wristwatch. “Five
minutes. We better go setup.”

“Okay. Time to go, hon,” he said.
He kissed me on the forehead and left with Rob. Fred and Eric trailed behind.

Timing was perfect. Sam approached
our table just as Lloyd left. Thankfully, Nik was at the bar with Tina, getting
another pitcher of beer. Sam stopped at the other end of the table with his
date. Chuck was thrilled to see him. Sam’s little toady. I’m sure he called
him. I needed to find a new boyfriend for Donna.

Sam glanced over at me, his eyes
settling on my legs. Feeling self-conscious, I looked away and uncrossed them.
That was uncomfortable, so I re-crossed them. I kept my eyes on the stage,
watching the band members plug instruments in and test the mike. Lloyd was busy
talking to Rob, so he didn’t notice Sam at our table, which was a very good
thing.

I heard Sam introducing his
‘friend’ to everyone. He had the audacity to bring her over to me. “Sunny, I’d
like you to meet Sherri.”

I shook her fragile hand. “Nice to
finally meet you. Sam told me Saturday you know all about me.”

Sam cleared his throat. He looked a
bit peaked, but I could almost hear his mind calculating a clever response.

The girl studied his face, with a
questioning expression. Then her eyes lit up. “Omigod! You must be his aunt!
Are you feeling better?”

Autumn overheard and choked on her
wine. She whispered to Alan and he laughed.

Sam looked at me, pointed to her
back, and made the ‘crazy’ motion with his finger by the side of his head.

I smirked back. “Much better,
thanks.” I stared in Sam’s eyes. “Heart problems. Touch and go for a while
there but I’m completely cured now.”

“Goodness,” she said, falling for
my tale. “Sam, I didn’t realize she was so young.”

“Yeah, well, she wasn’t planned,”
he said coolly, narrowing his eyes, “were you?”

“Nope. I surprised my parents,” I
said, playing along.

“I can see the family resemblance,”
she added lamely. “The dark brown hair and you both have the same type of
mouth.”

I almost laughed. Autumn did, but
she pretended she was laughing at something Alan said to her. Sam’s skin
lightened a shade and he cleared his throat.

“Sherri,” he said, “why don’t you
get us some drinks?” He placed a ten spot in her hand and rudely shoved her in
the direction of the bar.

When she left, Sam gave me a slight
smile. “You were awake when she called?”

“Uh huh,” I said, sipping my soda.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” he
asked, searching my eyes.

“What was the point?” I shrugged.
“It wouldn’t have changed anything.”

“No, I guess not. It hurt you
though. Is that why you said you felt sick and left?”

I studied his face for a moment
wondering if he felt any remorse. Hard to say with Sam. I shrugged. “Doesn’t
matter now. I’ve moved on. You might want to set your sights a little higher
though, Sam. She’s pretty but not your intellectual equal.” I turned to Autumn.
“Want to go down by the stage with me? Looks like the band’s getting ready to
play.”

“Sure.”

I grabbed my handbag to go and Sam
caught my arm. “You look gorgeous tonight. I wish I were your date.”

“Thanks, Sam, but you’re not. Try
to remember that.” Autumn was watching us. “Ready?” I said to her. She nodded
and I smiled and left.

Lloyd
walked back to the microphone and caught my eye. The crowd was clapping and
more than one female was trying to grab him. The band played an introduction to
the song “Street of Dreams.”

     “This
is it!” I shouted to Autumn.

     She
turned toward the stage and I began to feel butterflies in my chest. He looked
so handsome up there. Confident and maybe even a bit cocky.

     Then
he looked me straight in the eye and said seductively into the mike, “Recently…
I saw a face of loveliness…on a street… of my dreams. This song goes out to
her. For you, Sunny.”

     When
he started singing, everyone else in the world vanished. Only he and I remained
in the room.

     I
gave him a wolf whistle when he finished and threw him a slutty red and black
satin thong, hitting him in the chest. He picked it off the floor, did a quick
examination, winked at me, and stuffed it in his rear pocket.

     When
we returned to the table, Donna pulled me aside.

     “I
have to go. Chuck wants us to follow Sam to Leo’s. Sam just about had a stroke
when you tossed that thong at Lloyd. He told Chuck where he was going and left.
Poor Sherri had to run after him or he would have left her behind. Tell Lloyd
he was awesome. Bye!”

     “Bye,
Donna.” I watched her and Chuck leave. I didn’t envy her. My ears would be
burning tonight.

“Lloyd, you can
come in now,” I yelled from his bedroom.

He
opened the door and stopped, stunned by the vision I created. Lit votive
candles illuminated the white and red, rose petal covered bed. A bottle of
mid-price champagne sat on his nightstand, with two crystal champagne flutes.
My favorite slow songs from the seventies played softly from his CD alarm
clock.

“Wow.
How long have you been planning this?”

“Since
our first slow dance, when you sang to me.”

     His eyes
darkened as he took in my appearance. I wore the outfit he had purchased for me
from the slut store in the mall. Short red and black plaid skirt, black cropped
shirt opened to expose a red satin bra and the strappy, black stilettos.

     “Hon, if you
had worn this outfit in the bar, you would have given every guy there a heart
attack.”

     I smiled and
walked over to him. My hand touched his heart. “Then you approve.” It was a
statement, not a question.

“Are
you sure about this, Sunny? This will change everything,” he said seriously.

“Aren't
you the one who told me to start thinking with my heart? Still sober?”

He
laughed. “Yeah, why?”

“You
said it only counts when you're sober.”

“So
I did,” he smiled sensuously, pulling me into a close embrace.

“And
I want this to count.” I kissed him with everything I had to give. “I love you
so much, Lloyd.”

     “That’s what
I’ve been waiting to hear.” He kissed me and began swaying me back and forth to
the music, with my arms around his neck and his arms around my back. He began
singing along to the song. His silken voice and warm breath near my ear, made
me melt in his arms.

     His hands
reached down to my buttocks and pulled me closer. My hands held his head and my
fingers played with his hair as we kissed. When he parted and started singing
again I said, “You’re driving me crazy, Lloyd. I can’t wait.”

I
pulled him in the direction of the bed. “Ride me like your Challenger. Hard and
fast,” I said seductively. “Don’t make me wait any longer.”

     His lips
crushed mine and then he pulled away. “Uh uh, Summer,” he said with a throaty
purr, one hand pushing my hair away from my face while the other rested on my
lower back. He gently kissed my neck, letting his lips linger on my searing
skin.

“Best
to,” he said letting his tongue glide over my heated neck, “baby the…” down to
my cleavage, “engine for...,” his nimble fingers untied my cropped shirt
“maximum performance.” He slid his fingers underneath the material, pushing it
off my shoulders, and bent over to kiss them. His lips brushed my skin as he
unclasped my bra and dropped it aside. “Engines,” he purred in my ear, “require
lubrication.” His kisses trailed down to my nipples, “before engaging in,” he
paused to lick, “heated,” his tongue followed a pathway down to the waistband
of my skirt, “extended…,” he knelt on the floor and licked the inside of my
thigh, “racing.” His head went under my skirt, and I let out a muffled cry of
pleasure as his tongue took me to paradise.

Chapter
58

Saturday,
March 3rd

I woke to
the smell of roses. When I opened my eyes, I saw why. Lloyd was holding a
handful of rose petals under my nose.

     “Thought
that would wake you,” he said with a smile, letting them drop on my hair. “Want
to repeat the last thing we did before we fell asleep?”

     “Was
that…oh yeah!” I said remembering with a wide smile.

     His
eyes glistened recklessly as he took me in his arms. “One more encore,” he said
before scooping me in his arms.

Twenty minutes later, he kissed my forehead. “Ready for
breakfast?”

     “Sure.”
My stomach was rumbling. “I must be hungry. I can even smell coffee.”

     “That’s
because I made it before I made it with you.”

     “My
aren’t you efficient. So what are we eating?”

     “I
think I have oatmeal, cereal, and eggs. I’m out of bread. Or we could go out
for breakfast.”

     “Let’s
go out. I’m in the mood for some eggs, hash browns, and bacon, but I’ll still
have some coffee here.”

     “Yeah,
that sounds good. Go hop in the shower. We should be able to get there before
the senior citizens take all the tables.”