Groupie/Rock Star Bundle (41 page)

So Vanni just rocked me in his arms and kissed
the top of my head. Over and over again he kept saying, “I’m
sorry.”

He pulled me down onto the sofa in
my cabin, holding me across his lap. I realized he too was
trembling and how awful the whole thing must have been for
him.

“Oh Vanni,” I said as I cupped his face. “I’m
so sorry I didn’t believe you. I knew something was wrong with
her.”

“I should have listened,” he said as
his dark eyes met mine. “Do you believe me now?” he asked quietly
and I nodded. “About everything?” he persisted and I nodded again.
He caressed my face with his palm. “Andy,” he breathed softly
before his mouth descended on mine.

My arms wrapped around his neck and I pulled
him closer. After all this time and after all we had been through I
didn’t know if I could get close enough. I responded hungrily to
his deep, probing kiss. My heart felt like it might possibly burst
with the joy I felt to be in his arms and know beyond all doubt
that he loved me.

I wound my fingers in his hair, and I tugged
possessively on the silken strands. He groaned into my mouth and
kissed me harder. His hand slid up my leg to cup my hip in his
large palm, and he squeezed firmly, as if staking his claim on the
curves he had always made such a point to savor. I turned more into
his embrace, my full breasts pressed against that massive wall of
his chest.

He guided my legs to straddle his
lap as he kissed me harder, with more urgency. Both hands rested on
my waist as I pressed my body against him, exploring the deep
recesses of his mouth with my tongue.

I needed him so badly it felt like I
might wither and die if he let me go.

His hands slid underneath my top and up my
back, and then easily unlatched my bra. Without even bothering to
raise my shirt he cupped each generous breast in his hands. My head
tipped back as he moved those magic fingers across each hardened
peak, and with a moan of frustration I ripped away my shirt and
flung it off into a corner somewhere.

His warm mouth replaced his
fingertips, and his tongue teasingly tormented me until I was
writhing on top of him, my hands in his hair, burying his face in
my breast. He took playful nips out of my skin with his teeth,
which made me crazier for him.

Effortlessly he lifted me up and
planted me on the sofa as he slid off into the floor. With one
thumb he unfastened the top button on my jeans, and then I watched
as he pulled the zipper down with his teeth.

His eyes bore into mine as he looped
two fingers into my jeans and slid them down my body. I was
trembling from anticipation before he buried his face between legs,
so much so I shuddered violently with the force of a climax that
had been so long overdue.

He mercilessly teased me through to another
one, and then another, until I was begging for him in a hoarse
whisper that sounded more like a squeak. It was all I could
manage.

I watched as he rose up, discarding his shirt
as he did so. My breath caught when he unfastened his own jeans,
and revealed the hardened contours of his body. I opened myself up
for him and he easily fit in between my legs. When he entered me it
felt like the first time all over again. He opened me up like a
virgin and the pure joy of feeling him complete that hollow left by
his absence nearly made me tear up with joy.

I couldn’t think beyond the hands, his mouth,
his body, and that was all it took to make me dissolve into a
puddle underneath him. He didn’t hold back either. He drove our
lovemaking with a commanding force that left no room for anything –
or anyone – else. If there had been any question before where and
to whom I belonged, it was driven away with each powerful stroke
and the authority with which he growled my name.

I was delirious by the time he
climaxed. He was so overcome himself that he trembled in my arms
for long moments afterwards, trying to catch his breath. He said
nothing as he stroked my face with his fingertip. He tenderly
touched the cut on my lip, and my tender nose that was still
bloodied by Talia’s fist, and the sore puffiness around my eye that
seemingly got worse by the minute.

He started to say something but I knew it would
be another apology. I put my finger on his lips. I didn’t want to
talk about it. In fact, I didn’t want to talk at all. I just wanted
to enjoy this bubble where he was mine, I was his, and the world
outside did not exist. So I reached for another kiss, still hungry
for more of him.

Effortlessly he lifted me up and
carried me to the bed, and this time our union was slower and more
deliberate. We took the time to touch every square inch of skin,
first with our fingertips, then with teasing tongues. I tortured
him relentlessly until he was a quivering mass under my mouth and
fingers, and he clutched a handful of my hair as he begged me for
sweet release.

He was crazed by the time I finally straddled
his hips. His fingers dug into the soft cushion of my ass as I
gyrated slowly on top of him.

This was my time. I was going to enjoy
it.

“If only for a moment, girl,” I
could almost hear him sing in my ear.

It was our moment. It was our night.

By the time the ship docked in Cozumel I was
nestled in his arms while he slept. I had been awake for about an
hour, lulled by the sound of his heart beat strong and steady under
my ear. His hand rested on my bare back and my leg crossed over
his. I traced light figure eights along his chest. It was a luxury
to touch him after so many months apart. It was so hard-won, but
yet it still didn’t feel like it was my victory to
enjoy.

I thought about Talia, and how sick she had
been. She hated me because I had what she had somehow convinced
herself belonged to her. Though my face was sore and surely wore
the evidence of her assault, I felt truly sorry for her.

I knew what it was like to want him and not be
able to have him, especially when he willingly gave himself to
someone else. It wasn’t a fun place to be. I couldn’t imagine that
kind of conflict on top of mental illness.

Then I would think about Kat. Was
she on a flight to L.A. suffering from a painful broken leg while I
was here cuddling with her man? She thought I was her friend; she
had no idea that I’d even had a history with Vanni, much less still
loved him as much – if not more – than I ever did.

Vanni wasn’t the only liar in her
life.

And then there was Graham. I’d have
to look into his face today while my body wore the imprint of my
stolen night with Vanni. I’d have to see that same longing in his
face I knew was on mine whenever I was unable to be with the one I
loved. Again I was reminded he didn’t do one thing to earn that
pain except fall in love with the wrong person.

I empathized with him greatly.

But it was hard to stay truly unhappy when I
felt Vanni stir under me, opening his eyes to see me curled up
against him like a contented cat. He touched my face tenderly.
“That’s some shiner you have, babe.”

I wanted to hide my face but there
was no point. I just wrapped myself around him tighter.

“I’m sorry,” he said again as he pulled me
close against him. “I should have listened to you a year
ago.”

“It’s over now,” I murmured as I reached for a
kiss. It was the only true salve for my spirit.

He responded eagerly to me, and we came
together once again with the explosive brilliance of a supernova.
By the time we fell back against the bed we were out of breath and
shaking from the exertion. We opted for room service, which he
ordered while I showered.

My eye was purple from where one of
Talia’s punches landed, and my lip was swollen with an ugly cut
from where it had split. I sighed. There was no makeup to hide this
damage. Thankfully I had packed some dark sunglasses and hats so I
could camouflage some of my injuries.

I could tell by the way Vanni’s eyes moved over
my face he felt like a complete shit about what had happened, but
even though it hurt I was glad things happened the way that they
did. Maybe now that the authorities would be involved she could get
the help she needed, especially now that her behavior had escalated
to violence.

We disembarked to handle that
distasteful business early. She would be deported back to the
states and was not allowed back on the ship. Graham was notified
and briefed, but it was the look on his face when he finally saw me
that brought it home how violent the situation had
become.

His jaw clenched as he surveyed the
damage, but he kept his anger under control. He instead touched my
shoulder and asked if he could do anything.

“I’ve got it under control, boss,” Vanni
assured as he put his arm around me. It was a territorial gesture,
and I couldn’t look Graham in the eye because I knew he would be
able to tell that our relationship was no longer
platonic.

My insistence I didn’t want to get involved
with anyone now rang like a hollow excuse in my own ears, I could
only imagine what he was thinking.

Regardless of what he may have
surmised of the situation he remained cordial and professional when
we talked later that afternoon as we prepared for the final fan
event for DIB on the cruise.

For some reason Vanni had decided that this
cruise was the time for him to be cozy with me even when we were in
public. Aside from any overt public displays of affection, he was
definitely at my side at every opportunity, especially if I were
anywhere near Graham.

This made things particularly
awkward at dinner, when we all sat at the same table. I may have
been imagining it but it seemed that the more sour Graham became
the more triumphant Vanni appeared. He was quick with the innuendo
and the sexy smirk in my direction every time any comment could
venture down double entendre territory.

Every glance I stole at Graham
indicated he was growing more and more furious with each passing
moment. His jaw had clenched tight and he barely spoke, and he
ceased looking at me at all.

I didn’t know whether to be relieved
or annoyed when Vanni finally rose from the table and held out a
hand to me. He led me to the dance floor and held me closer than he
normally would. We were able to dance uninterrupted for about two
minutes before some fans decided to cut in. I nodded my consent and
blended back in with the crowd right on the edge of the action.
Though he danced with the two girls, he didn’t behave
inappropriately. He laughed and spun them around, but whenever they
tried to get close he would deftly add some personal space in
between them.

I guess if there could be any good that had
come from Tawnie and Talia it was that Vanni now understood he
couldn’t play with fire. I wore the physical evidence of that on my
face.

“Care to dance?”

I turned to see Graham standing behind me. His
eyes were darker than normal, and though his countenance was still
stiff from annoyance I knew he was directing it primarily at Vanni
rather than me.

I nodded and took his hand onto the
dance floor. With more force than he normally displayed he grabbed
me to him with one arm until I was molded against the hard lines of
his body. The sheer power he demonstrated took my breath away and
my wide eyes met his. He didn’t say anything. His eyes locked on my
mouth as he spun me around the floor.

I was too afraid to look for Vanni and see his
reaction. Instead I stayed focused on Graham’s face, which was
rigid with intention. His fingers dug purposefully in my back and
down toward my hip. I gasped as his palm dipped lower to cup my ass
firmly before he spun me away. I stumbled right into Vanni’s
embrace, whose scowl indicated he was not amused by what he had
seen.

Vanni pulled me back into his arms,
guided my arms around his neck and ground purposely against
me.

My head was spinning. Never before had I had
two men fight for me, much less so publicly. I whispered in Vanni’s
ear, “Let’s get out of here.”

His voice was low. “My thoughts
exactly,” he muttered as he grabbed my hand and practically drug me
from the dance floor and out onto the deck.

I gulped the fresh night air and
went immediately toward the rail.

“What the hell was that?” Vanni wanted to
know.

“You tell me,” I countered.

He put an arm on either side of me, grasping
the rail behind me. “Tell me again nothing happened with
Graham.”

“I’ll tell you myself,” we heard from behind.
Vanni spun around to see his boss standing right behind him. “Andy
and I have never made love,” he affirmed. “I wanted to but she
couldn’t. I would assume that has everything to do with you.” He
paused as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. “It’s just a
damn shame you don’t feel likewise about her. Where is Kat
again?”

“Listen, Graham,” Vanni started, much too
annoyed to be intimidated. “What happens between me and the women
in my life is none of your concern. This is my personal life, it’s
not business.”

“But it affects my business,” Graham said.
“More than that it affects someone I care an awful lot about.” His
eyes briefly lit upon me. “But Andy’s an adult. She can make her
own decisions. Obviously she’s chosen you.” Graham took a step
forward. “But when you look into her face and see those bruises, I
want you to think about how they got there. And what role you had
to play in it.” Then, quietly but firmly, “You make sure that you
do everything in your power to keep her from getting hurt in the
future. Because if you can’t, there are others who love her enough
to protect her and treasure her the way she deserves to
be.”