Linden: Rocking Pleasure: New Adult College Romance (Coral Gables Series Book 3) (22 page)

Carrying our giant popcorn buckets, we saunter into the theater and sit down in the last row. I don’t like sitting in the front rows, because staring upward makes my neck hurt. The movie must be really popular, because the room is packed, and not just with people our age, but older and younger ones, too.

A few minutes later, the movie starts.

***

I didn’t expect to be this bored. It’s also awkward because Jim puts his arm around me. “Could you … ?” I ask softly.

“
Oh. Sorry,” he says and takes his arm away. Before I can breathe my relief, he places his hand on my thigh.

I pull my leg away and cross it over the other. Then I lean toward the empty seat next to me and try to put some more distance between us. But that only seems to entice him, because he starts stroking my back.

“
Jim, please stop that,” I hiss. “We’re friends, nothing more.”

He finally pulls his hand away. I exhale and focus on the boring movie again. I had expected more action and tension, but it’s actually more of an action-driven romance, which would be okay, except this one is just cheesy.

Finally the credits start rolling, and I can hardly wait to get out of the darkened room.

Jim follows right behind me. “Would you like to go have a drink?” he asks as we walk out of the theater.

“
Maybe another time. I really have to go. Remember I told you I need to be somewhere?” I say, trying to put some regret into my voice so he isn’t too disappointed. But I know that I won’t be going out with him again, because I don’t like guys who can’t keep their hands to themselves.

“
Thally?”

I stop and look at him questioningly.

“
I’m sorry. I guess I misread your body language. I thought it was okay to do what I did.”

My eyebrows shoot up, and then I sigh. “It’s okay. I’m not mad at you.”

Actually, I am, but you apologized, so that’s that.

Jim flashes a sheepish smile. “Thank you.”

We walk back to the parking lot together. We remain silent, because I have no idea what to talk about now and my thoughts are busy with Linden. Jim doesn’t seem to know what to say either. Gets on my nerves, stuff like this.

He hugs me to say goodbye. “Thanks for the nice evening,” he says.

“
And thank you again for your help,” I reply after pulling away. “See you Wednesday in class.”

“
Yeah, see you. And drive carefully.”

I smile at him and get into my car, driving away as quickly as I can. I turn up the volume to clear my head. I’m confused about Jim thinking he could make a move. I can’t believe my body language told him he could grab me. And I certainly didn’t say anything that might have given him the wrong idea … did I? I can’t remember saying anything even remotely untoward.

When I stop at a red light, I dial Linden’s number and place my phone in the cup holder on speaker.

“
Hey,” he says. “How was it?”

“
Hi. Yeah, it was okay I guess. What’s up at your place?”

“
Fun,” he says. “The guys arrived about two hours ago, and now we’re brainstorming some lyrics.”

“
Oh. That’s exciting. Maybe I can join the session?” I suggest, unable to help my smirk.

“
Only if you sing,” he teases.

“
Okay, I guess that means I’m heading straight for bed,” I counter.

“
No … You’re going to sit with us, listen to our ideas, and tell us which are shitty and which are good. You’re a girl, so you must know.” He laughs.

“
I think I’ll be there in about twenty minutes,” I announce, liking the prospect.

“
I’m looking forward to it.”

“
Who is it, Lindy Boy?” someone on the other end yells.

I laugh out loud. “Lindy Boy?”

“
Erm … yeah. They’ve, uh, been teasing me with that for a-a while now,” he stammers.

“
That’s cute.” I can’t stifle my giggling.

“
I’ll see you in a bit, okay?” he says.

“
Yes. Cut me off. Bye.”

“
Bye, babe.”

I hang up and hear a horn behind me. “Yeah, yeah, take a chill pill, I’m driving,” I grumble, stepping on the gas. The honking stops as soon as I’ve made a turn.

***

A few hundred yards before I reach Linden’s mansion, I stop at the curb and look at myself in the rearview mirror. “Ugh … man,” I murmur, taking the pressed powder and a lipstick from my purse. I refresh the makeup before driving the last part of the way and parking my Mercedes in front of his garage. Then I get out, walk to the front door, but don’t even have to ring the bell before it opens.

An unfamiliar man smiles at me. “You must be Thalia. Linden keeps gushing about you. I’m Azer.”

“
H-hi, Azer. Yes, my name is Thalia,” I reply, stammering because I’m at a loss for what else to say. “A-and I’m sorry he’s gushing … ”

“
Come on in,” he says, pushing the door wide.

“
Thanks.” I slip in underneath his door-holding arm and flinch when he slaps my butt as I pass. Whirling, I ask, “What was that about?”

“
They’re in the living room,” Azer says, not addressing my annoyance.

“
Okay.” I make sure to walk quickly, so he can’t do anything funny again, but then I stop dead in the doorway, because I feel as if I’ve just landed in the middle of a male model contest. Each one of them is hotter than the last. But I still think Linden is the most handsome of them all.

“
There you are,” Linden greets me happily and rises.

I walk over to him and let him kiss me. “Hi.”

“
Guys, this is Thalia. Thalia, these guys are Mike, Gavin, and Azer, but you’ve already met him, and you also know Alexis.”

Alexis smiles at me. “Nice to see you again.”

The other two rise and shake my hand. “Nice to meet you. Linden hasn’t stopped talking about you since we arrived.” Gavin grins.

I blush. “I’m sorry about that.”

“
Don’t be, honey.”

“
You’re even prettier than Linden and Alexis said,” Mike greets me with a smile, and I feel as if I’m about to have a stroke, because the heat in my face is just too much. I must be beet-red.

“
Uh, sorry?” I say quietly. “I didn’t know he was telling you about me.”

“
But that’s normal, isn’t it?” Azer says. “We’re like brothers after all.” He’s sitting in an armchair with a bottle of beer in his hand.

“
Maybe,” I reply.

“
Don’t you talk about Linden with your friends?” Gavin asks.

“
Yeah, but not constantly,” I answer, as Linden pulls me close so I sit on his lap.

“
In any case, I’ve missed you, babe,” he murmurs into my ear, and I look at him. He strokes my back.

I smile at him, but I don’t say that I’ve missed him, too, because I don’t want his friends to comment on that.

“
Can we go on, Linden?” Gavin prods. “Your girl’s here now, and I don’t want to sit here the whole night.” He holds a guitar in his lap.

“
Yeah, we can,” Linden says with a nod.

I slide off his lap and sit next to him, and when he grabs my hand, I intertwine my fingers with his. “Oh, damn, I forgot. Do you want anything to drink, babe?” he asks.

“
I know where the fridge is.” I smile and let go of his hand again. “Does anyone else want something?”

Alexis nods. “Would you be so kind as to bring me a Coke?”

“
I’m still good,” Gavin says, and then Mike agrees.

Azer is still sipping his beer, so I say, “Okay,” and walk into the kitchen to fetch sodas for Alexis and me. On my way back, I can hear one of them singing.

“
Because you left me right here. I’m desperately standing in the rain and keep my broken heart in my hands.
”

I pass the piano, letting my fingers glide across the polished wood.

Linden looks at me. “Would you like to play? I think Gavin could use someone on the piano.”

“
I don’t even know what the chords are.”

Gavin recites the notes like a poem, while I hand Alexis his Coke.

“
I’d rather not … ” I squirm with a shy smile and sit down again next to Linden.

“
Okay.” He nods and then looks at the others again. “What’s the rest of the bridge?” Gavin sings the words again.

“
I have absolutely no idea,” Alexis admits.

“
I’m not in the mood for a ballad, sorry,” Mike says.

“
And I’m not the lyrics guy anyway,” Azer chimes in.

“
Can I hear it again?” I ask hesitantly.

Gavin starts to play again and puts a lot of emotion into singing the verse they just wrote. I hang on his lips like someone under a spell.

“
May I make a suggestion?” I say quietly when he’s done.

“
Sure, we’re open to anything,” he says.

“
Can you play the melody again?”

He starts the bridge once more, and I pick up when he finishes. “
Your love was my life and now you’re gone. It was a mistake to let you go, to let you go
.” I try to put feeling into my voice, but I’m not as good at it as Gavin. Not by far.

All five of them look at me with wide, expectant eyes.

“
Not right?” I ask shyly.

“
No, it’s good! It fits just great,” they rush to assure me.

“
Could you repeat that?” Gavin asks. “So I can write it down, I mean.”

I repeat my line, and he scribbles it on his notepad. “My God,” he murmurs, “you could be on a stage with that voice of yours.”

“
She even sang a duet with me the other night,” Linden says with a proud smile. “Even though she normally hates singing in front of strangers.”

I take a deep breath. “Because I often miss notes, the way I just did,” I explain sheepishly.

“
You held them better than me,” Gavin disagrees.

“
Just go on and ignore me, okay?” I feel awkward being the center of attention like this.

“
It’s impossible to ignore you, babe,” Linden whispers into my ear, before kissing my temple.

“
But you should try, because you have a song to write,” I whisper back.

“
One is already done. This is the second.”

Linden and his friends focus on their work again, finally ignoring me, more or less, and I prefer it that way. I have to admit, though, that it’s a cool feeling knowing that they added my two sentences to the song. I snuggle up to Linden, closing my eyes and listening to them sing and discuss and try out new stuff. It still isn’t my favorite musical genre, but I enjoy being part of this. Who can claim they’ve witnessed a popular band write a new song? Not many people, that’s for sure.

I bet there are fans who would give a lot to be in my place right now.

While they’re working, fatigue invades my body. “I should go to sleep,” I tell Linden in a low voice.

“
Do you want me to take you upstairs?” he asks.

I shake my head. “I can find the way on my own.”

“
Okay,” he murmurs. He kisses my forehead, then my lips, and I finally rise.

“
Good night, guys,” I say, taking my leave.

“
Sleep tight. Sweet dreams,” they all chime, talking over one another, and then I trudge up the stairs with my bags.

I set them down in Linden’s bedroom and sit on his bed. I’m too tired to change and shower. I slip into the bathroom just to brush my teeth.

***

In the end, I decided to take a shower and put on my pajamas, after all. Now I’m lying in Linden’s bed, sprawled out and cuddled into his pillow, eyes closed and breathing in his scent. It doesn’t take long before I fall asleep, and soon enough, I find myself in yet another confusing dream.

I’m standing in the press pit in front of a stage, while Linden is whipping his fans into a frenzy of cheers. His chest is bare, and his jeans are torn. “And now I’d like to introduce you to the woman who holds my heart,” he yells into the microphone.

I take it for granted that he’s talking about me, but then my hope is shattered. Shocked, I watch Trish walk on stage. They share a passionate kiss. I feel as if I’m wearing a too-tight corset, which is pulling tighter and tighter, pressing all the air from my lungs. My eyes are searching for an escape, and I’m getting frantic, but the barriers are moving toward me. I know they’re going to crush me; I can see them closing in on me.

I’m gasping for air, and that makes me start violently … and wake up. I shake off the dread and look around the room. It’s dark, even though I didn’t turn off the light. Linden is lying next to me, his hand on my thigh. “It was only a dream,” I tell myself in a low voice, listening to my racing heart. “Calm down.”

Linden scoots closer and kisses me on the cheek. “What’s wrong?” he mumbles sleepily.

“
I had a nightmare,” I say softly.

“
Do you want to tell me about it?”

“
No. Go back to sleep.” I dismiss it and snuggle up to him. I wait for sleep to descend again, but I’m worrying too much about the possibility that he’s still with Trish, and lied to me about the breakup.