Fearless (13 page)

Kat and I looked at each other, tempted to roll our eyes, but at least I saw a little smile peeking from the corner of her mouth.

“Tell you what,” he clasped his hands together and rubbed his palms. “Do you have a demo or something?”

“I do, but it’s crappy quality. I made it myself. That’s why I came here, to record a better demo, an EP.”

“If you’re talented, the sound quality doesn’t matter. Give me a copy and I’ll slip it to a couple of people who work here. I’m not promising anything, but you never know. Someone might like it.” He gave her a warm, reassuring smile and I threw her a sidelong glance. This guy had better be for real. Kat deserved some good fortune, for at least a little while, after today.

Kat took a recordable CD from her purse. “Thank you so much. You don’t know how much this means to me. I’m Kat by the way,
Elvis
.” She extended her hand for a shake. “And this is my friend, Niki.”

“I’m Conner, that’s my real name. I’ll see what I can do. Write your name and number on it and I’ll call you, let you know if anyone likes it,” he said and added a wink to his charming smile. I envisioned him posing for a toothpaste commercial with that magnificent smile, holding up a tube of Crest next to his pearly whites.

Kat scribbled her name and number on the CD and handed it to him.

“Thanks again, Conner.” She said as we turned to leave. She picked up her black guitar case and I grabbed her tote bag.

“Thanks,
Elvis
. Hope to see you in a toothpaste commercial soon.” I called back as we started walking away.

“Toothpaste?” he called out. “No, I do underwear commercials,” he added with a big smile.

I giggled and pushed the door open for Kat as she toddled through with her guitar case. A couple of minutes later we were sitting in some gnarly, rush hour traffic, heading back towards Santa Monica.

“Kat, I’m so sorry this happened. It really sucks. I know how much you were looking forward to making a good CD.”

“That goddamn fucker took my money. What an asshole. Now I have to start all over and find a real producer. How the hell was I supposed to know he was a low life scumbag?” Kat’s voice was cranking up in pitch as she reflected on what happened. “I just can’t believe I was that stupid.”

“You’re not stupid, Kat. You were just an easy target for a guy like him. Maybe we will see Pete, the so-called music producer, around one day and you’ll get your money back.”

“Um, I’m pretty sure there’s no way in hell that’s gonna happen. But maybe this Conner guy can help. By the way, what was with the toothpaste commercial remark?”

“My bad. Just my screwed up sense of humor.” Kat gave me the, ‘if looks could kill’ stare. “What - the guy had a killer smile. What can I say?” I shrugged my shoulders and pitched one eyebrow up.

“He
was
kind of cute.”

“He was damn hot.”

“I could see him doing underwear commercials. I bet under that monkey-suit he had a body like Beckham.”

“I noticed how he looked at you. I have a feeling he’ll be calling you soon, no matter what.” I laughed. “So cheer up, girl. Maybe your new friend Conner will hook you up with a legitimate music producer and you’ll even get a new underwear model boyfriend to boot.”

Chapter 13

Jesse

My head was all fucked up now. Pussy will do that to you. Made me all frustrated and irritated whenever I was away from Niki. For the first time in forever, I felt like things weren’t impossible, like good luck was right around the corner. I used to want to numb myself when I was in pain; shit, that was just normal for me. I mean, would a surgeon operate without anesthesia? But now I had Niki in my life, I didn’t feel the pain. Fucking Manny called it being pussy-whipped. What a joker. Like he would know much about women and love anyway? Oh shit. The ‘L’ word. Love?
Is that what this is?

It felt right. Niki was everything I had imagined the perfect girlfriend could be and more. Not that I was the type of guy to sit around dwelling on such matters. I was used to living life on the fly, dealing with shit as it happened and rolling with the punches. I wasn’t the type to hold hands and sing ‘Kumbaya’ while reflecting on the meaning of life.

But Niki…she was beautiful and wise beyond her years. And she had this healing effect on me whenever we were together. Go figure. I didn’t know why she made me feel so good inside, but I wasn’t going to bust a nut trying to figure it out. I was just stoked that she had agreed to go to New York with me, because I don’t think I could last two weeks without her. I’d be a fucking wreck.
And
I couldn’t stop thinking about her and how fuckingly, smokingly, gorgeous she was. Yeah! That’s what I’m talking about. Bam! Suck on that,
Manny
.

It wouldn’t be long until I left for New York for my meetings with team managers and to check up on how my mother was doing.

It had been four days since our bike ride to Malibu and I craved Niki more than ever. After the newspaper article hit, Rookies blew up big time. I was back to a grueling schedule of work and sleep, work and sleep. Every night the bar was packed with people, coming to shake my hand, telling me what a great thing I was doing, helping Kenny with the bar and his bone marrow transplant.

I still felt a little torn about Kenny and all the secrets being spilled. I felt like a punching bag, sometimes. I promised Niki I’d see someone about it; talk out my feelings so I wouldn’t be tempted to drink them away. But damn, that shit’s expensive. I didn’t have medical insurance and I didn’t have a daddy who paid for everything. But once I get back into racing, my money situation will be right as rain.

I was damn lucky to finally have a night off. With my fingers curled around my cell phone, I did a backwards dive onto my bed wearing nothing but my birthday suit, since I had just showered. After four days of nothing but freaking work, my mind was flooded with thoughts of being with Niki; being wrapped up in her arms, her soft breasts pressed to my chest. Just thinking about her made me rock hard. She had better be ready to do something to relieve all my tension.

I opened my cell phone to her picture. I added one of her sitting on the motorcycle the day we were up at Malibu. The pic caught the perfect angle of her face in the sun, when the wind blew her long dark hair around her smile. I brought up her number on the screen. She answered right away.

“Jesse, I was just thinking about you,” she said. With my back up against the headboard of my bed, I leaned back into the pillows and a slow smile creased my face.

“Who was on top in your little day dream? I want all the juicy details,” I chuckled. God, does she know how much fucking self-control this takes? Four days of waiting, four days of desire, just crashed together with all of my raging testosterone and caused my head to feel light and buzzing.

“Ha. Are you picturing me without my clothes on again?” She sounded so delicious over the phone. I wished she could have felt what I was feeling. Every flash of exquisite, mind numbing pleasure she brought me.

“Oh baby, you have no idea.” What this girl did to me rocked my world, and everyone else’s within a hundred mile radius, just with the sound of her sweet voice. “I’m off work tonight and there’s nothing more I’d rather do than come over, have you wrap your legs around me and rock you for the rest of the night.” I thought I heard her breath catch. “So, what are you thinking?”

“Well, I am sitting here in a very thin T-shirt and no bra and oh it’s soo cold in here I think my nipples just poked through my shirt.”

She was so devious. I think I fucking growled or some shit like that. “Listen, my agent wants to book the tickets for us to fly to New York. He needs some personal information about you for the airlines. So how about I come over and we can get that squared away?”

“You better come over tonight or I’ll have to spank your sorry ass.”

“You are a bad, bad liar. Don’t go making promises you can’t keep,” I snickered. “I’ll be there at seven. Do you want me to bring some food?”

“Sure, how about Chinese? I’ll teach you how to use chopsticks like a pro.”

“Perfect. See you at seven.”

Chapter 14

Jesse

The hours of the afternoon passed quickly and before I knew it my shift was over and I was free to go see Niki. I passed a tray of used beer glasses over the bar top to Chase, when a familiar voice popped in my ear.

“Wow. I can’t believe how you guys have turned this place around.”

“Kenny! Geez, you scared me there.” Kenny had to shout to be heard over the pop music playing in the bar and it caught me off guard. Customers were talking and watching the latest sports games on the various TVs mounted on the walls. I whirled around and gave Kenny a big smile. He looked better, healthier.

“It’s packed. This is great, Jesse. Business hasn’t been this good for months.” Kenny was beaming. He leaned in slightly, like he wanted to tell me a secret. “I hope I can keep up tonight.” He was pumped to be back in his bar and running the show. It was written all over his face. Chase gave him a nod and a hello from behind the bar.

“You look good. How do you feel?” Chase called out over the countertop of the bar.

“Not bad. The two day break from the chemo helps immensely. That shit sucks the energy right out of me.”

We pressed through the crowd and worked our way to the open aisle at the end of the bar, and went around behind it, to the cash register area. Watching him jump right in and work the register made me realize how important his job was to him. I looked at him differently now, with the knowing that we shared something. We both loved our careers and we’d had them taken away from us, at least temporarily. My injuries were healed and as soon as Kenny finished his chemotherapy I would be able to give him my bone marrow and he’d be fully recovered in no time.

Life was looking good and in two short weeks I’d be in New York, visiting my mom, wondering how or if I would even approach her with my new knowledge. I didn’t want to tell her the truth about Kenny while she was still in the care facility. Who knew how she would handle it. Shit, I wasn’t sure if I wanted her to ever know the truth. Maybe it would be better to just let sleeping dogs lie and besides, I had more pressing things on my mind right now.

“Glad you could fill in for me. I got a little hurricane named Niki waiting on me and it’s been four days without…” I wiggled my eyebrows up and down. “If you know what I mean.”

“Yeah, whatever. You go have fun. Even though I may look like a corpse lately, I’m not dead yet, you know.” Kenny laughed. He worked quickly, expertly prepping the mixed drink station for Chase.

“You don’t get to use that against me. Well, Kenny, I hope you can survive tonight. I don’t think Chase can handle all these customers by himself. I don’t want him to call and interrupt me.” I patted his back.

“You better get your ass out of here before I change my mind.”

“I love you man, I really do but… I’m out of here.” I spun on my heels and headed to the door. “And no monkey-business from the two of you.” I wiggled my index finger back and forth from Chase to Kenny, feigning a stern face. Kenny chucked a nasty, dirty bar towel at me, but I ducked, laughing, and it missed me.

Ten minutes later I was inside Chung’s Chinese takeout, ordering practically half their damn menu. I had no fucking idea what Niki liked so I got a little of everything.

“You have big party tonight?” the guy behind the counter asked with a huge, toothy smile. Apparently I was his biggest customer of the evening.

“Throw in a couple extra of those fortune cookies while you’re at it. I need some good fortune tonight.”

“You got it, mister. Have good night. See you soon.” He bowed and handed me three bags of food. I tipped him an extra ten bucks. His smile grew even wider, as if he couldn’t express his gratitude in any other way.

I sprinted up the stairs to Niki’s apartment and rapped a beat on the door.

A voice called out through the thickness of the door, “Coming.” Two seconds later I was feasting my eyes on Niki. She was freaking gorgeous, in a short tight fitting dress, her long dark curls falling down around her shoulders just the way I picture her when I wake up with a hard on and…oh shit, there it goes again. “Wow, you look hot,” I said as I dropped the bags on the floor and grabbed my girl. “And you smell fucking amazing too.” I sniffed at the sweet scent coming from her neck.

“What took you so long?” She rose up on her tiptoes and threw her arms around my neck as I brushed my lips along hers, all the way to her lips. I pulled her into my chest. It felt good and warm with her there, up against me. “I’ve been excited all afternoon…”

I silenced her lips with mine and ran my hands through all that loose hair, imagining how I could mess it up even more with her naked in bed. I pulled away and exhaled. I had my fix, at least enough to tide me over until later, when I planned to fuck her six ways to Sunday. “Sorry baby, I had to show Kenny a few changes we made at the bar to more easily accommodate the rush of customers coming in, as a result of
your
brilliant idea. So technically, it’s your fault I’m late,” I said with a smile.

“Excuses, excuses.” She gave me a coy look. She pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Tell Kenny I'm just glad I could help,” she continued and bent down to pick up the bags of food. Her arms stuffed with the three large paper bags from Chung’s, she headed to the kitchen. “Are we expecting company? These bags are huge.” She laughed.

“I wasn’t sure what you liked so I got a little of everything.” I snatched two of the bags to lighten her load and carried them to the table where she had already placed plates, napkins and even a couple of burning candles. The apartment looked warm and cozy. The candlelight flickered and reflected off the wall, making everything in the room appear warm and fuzzy. I stood behind Niki and circled my arms around her waist as she worked on taking the food out of the first bag and placing it on the table.

She leaned her head slightly to the side, giving me personal grazing rights to the side of her neck as she worked.