Not Just Another Romance Novel (10 page)

Scott stood. “Be right back,” he said, and he headed over toward the soda machine.

I nodded, and Austin cast me a sharp look. “It’s not what you’re thinking, though. Nothing happened.”

“Nothing?” Shannon sounded disappointed.

“Well, not
nothing
. I mean, I am human. But we didn’t, um, have sex.”

“Are you going out with him again?” she asked.

“He wants to hang out after he plays Emerson’s tonight.”

“Let’s go! Can we go? Do you want to go?”

I laughed at Shannon. She seemed almost as excited as I was.

I nodded. “I’d love to go.”

“Go where?” Scott asked, sitting down with a bottle of iced tea.

“To see MFB tonight at Emerson’s. You in?” I asked him.

He shrugged. “Maybe.”

Maybe
?

It was so non-committal. He usually jumped at the chance to go out, to listen to music, to do something on a Friday night.

I thought again that something was bothering him, but if he wanted to talk about it, he would.

Shannon started grilling Austin about the other members of MFB, hoping to procure her own rock star.

“How did you do on the test?” I asked Scott.

“I thought it was easy.”

“Think grades are posted yet?”

He shook his head. “I just checked a little while ago.”

“I looked for you by the tree after class.” My voice was quiet. I’d been kind of hurt he hadn’t been around, but then Dax had shown up and I’d pretty much forgotten about it.

“I didn’t know how long you’d be, so I figured we’d catch up later.”

I nodded. It was a weak explanation. He always waited.

His predictability was one of the things I appreciated most about our friendship.

* * *

I took a longer nap after our study session, knowing it would be a late night. I finished reading my book, one about a girl who fell for her best friend.

Turns out she found her happy ending with the best friend’s brother. Didn’t see that one coming. I didn’t even think Scott had a brother.

I glanced through my tattered list of potential leading men. I didn’t really have much of a desire to continue my project after meeting Dax. The other men couldn’t possibly measure up.

But I had to continue my research. I had a paper to write, and I still needed to know how these book stereotypes affected real relationships.

I had just pulled up a dominant/submissive page on Facebook when I heard a knock at my door. I closed the window quickly and headed over to answer it.

Shannon stood there with a big smile on her face.

“Guess what!” She bounced with excitement as she bounded into my apartment.

“What?”

She collapsed on my couch with a grin. “You all thought my idea was dumb, but I found some motorcycle boys who were wearing these matching vests and I followed them. They led me right to their club.”

“Oh my God, Shannon. Do you realize how dangerous that could have been?”

She made a face at me. “Zero danger. I didn’t go in. I just followed them to see where they went.”

“What if they drove to Nevada?”

“Then I would’ve followed them to Nevada, I guess. I don’t know. I would’ve turned around eventually.”

I laughed. She was such an airhead sometimes.

“Anyway, I thought the two of us could drive back so you could find your biker boy. We could bring Scotty or Austin if you want some protection. And maybe I’ll find a biker boy of my own.”

I didn’t doubt she would. She was gorgeous, and I found it interesting she didn’t have a boyfriend. My psychological analysis of her told me it stemmed from the lack of a strong male presence in her life. She compensated with attention from boys, negative or positive. It seemed like she was almost always dating someone new, but we’d never really sat down for a long chat about why.

“When were you thinking we could run this little experiment?” I decided not to commit until I had more details.

“Tomorrow or Sunday.”

I sighed. If I wanted a biker to add to my list, this seemed to be my most likely option. “Fine. Let’s do it.”

“Really?” she squealed.

I laughed. “Really.”

Shannon stayed a while longer to chat. She brought up Austin and gushed about how attractive he was. “Scott’s kind of cute, too,” she said, and I shrugged as if I hadn’t noticed.

But I had.

It seemed to be all I noticed lately about Scott.

I wasn’t sure when everything had changed, but suddenly I had a little crush on my best friend Scott.

I hated complicating our friendship with these weird feelings I kept having. I didn’t want anything to change. I loved Scott’s friendship. I loved having someone I could depend on.

But things were weird between us, and they never had been before. It had only been a few days since I’d noticed the sparkle in Scott’s eyes. A week at most.

But it was there, and it was causing all of this awkward tension between us.

It had to just be the test. It had to be school. Now that our Stats midterm was over, things would go back to normal.

After Shannon left, I took another shower, but this time I dried my hair and took my time getting ready. I wanted to be beautiful for Dax. I was excited to see him again, but I was even more excited for what might follow.

We weren’t on a first date anymore.

We’d survived our pact.

We hadn’t made a pact about our second date.

I pulled on my favorite jeans, a pair of black heels, and a white sleeveless blouse cut lower than I typically wore. I curled my hair into perfect waves.

And I had an hour to kill before we were going to leave.

I pulled open another dominant and submissive page on Facebook and clicked around. I studied some of the pictures.

The more pictures I looked through, the more shocked I became. How were the pictures of hot male models I loved to ogle on my favorite blogs blocked, but these naked, tied up women were totally unblocked?

And there were much, much more vulgar photos than just being naked and tied up.

I closed the site and tried another.

On the next page, I found a link. “Looking for a Dom? Click here.”

I clicked the link, and it brought me to a website. It looked just like the dating sites I’d signed up for at the beginning of this experiment, but the fine print seemed a little different. I read through the information. All dominants who were on the site were verified. They weren’t allowed to sign up without providing personal information to prove who they were, and that made me feel a little safer about what I was getting into. I didn’t trust things I found online so easily. There were an awful lot of creepers out there.

I answered questions about likes and dislikes. A whole section of soft and hard limits came up next.

I didn’t hate the idea of being tied up or blindfolded. I didn’t even hate the idea of being submissive, being told what to do.

But as I scrolled through the questions, there were a few things I took issue with.

Gagging, for one. Plastic wrap over my face? No. Being tied up with rope. Being whipped or hit in any capacity. And for sure I wouldn’t be allowing anything up my “exit only” place.

I blushed just reading some of the questions. I may have been a little more conservative than I thought.

I didn’t think this lifestyle was for me, but the books made it seem so…hot.

And I’d never know if I didn’t try.

I submitted my questionnaire and figured I’d check my email in the morning.

13

Scott drove. I was glad he’d decided to join us. We needed a fun night out without the pressure of studying and school. I sat in back with Shannon, and Austin sat up front.

With any luck, I’d be going home with Dax instead of with my friends.

We pulled into Emerson’s at about half past nine. The parking lot was crowded, and I spotted Dax’s white Camaro. He was already in there.

My heart started beating faster as a nervous shudder ran down my spine. I took a deep breath in through my nose and let it out slowly through my mouth.

We got out of the car and headed toward the bar. Dax wasn’t up on stage yet, but he wasn’t scheduled to start for another half hour. I glanced around but didn’t see him.

We found a table by some miracle, and Shannon and I told the boys to sit. Last time they’d treated, so this time we would. We headed over to the bar, and I ordered two Stellas—one for me and one for Austin. Shannon ordered two Blue Moons—one for her and one for Scott. It was the only one he would drink since he drove.

“Is Scott acting weird?” Shannon asked while the bartender poured our beer into plastic cups.

I shrugged, but secretly I was comforted by the fact that she’d noticed, too. “I haven’t really noticed.” It was a flat-out lie.

“Watch him. See if you notice anything weird.”

“Maybe he’s just worried about his thesis.”

She shrugged, and then the bartender came back with our bills. Shannon paid first and headed back with the Blue Moons. I’d just thrown a couple of bills down for a tip when I felt arms lace around my waist and a hot mouth on my neck.

“I’m glad you’re here early.” Dax’s voice rasped close to my ear, and then he dragged his lips back down my neck again.

Jee-zus.

Those lush, perfect lips were making me feel pretty glad I’d arrived early, too.

“Me too,” I moaned back into him. He smelled fantastic once again. This time I noticed Armani mixed with Jack Daniels, and the combination drove my senses wild with need.

Between the sex questions I’d just answered, our first date no sex agreement, and Dax Hunter’s mouth on my neck, I felt more turned on than I’d ever been in my life.

Everything inside of me begged to go out back and screw him in a dark alley before his show.

But what if this thing between us was actually headed somewhere? Maybe sex in a back alley behind a bar before a gig wasn’t how I pictured our first time.

He spun me around. His fingertips dug into my hipbones, and he planted a hot kiss on my lips right there in front of the bar. In plain view of everyone around us. In plain view of the legions of disappointed women whose eyes had been following his every move.

He pulled back and leaned his forehead to mine, his breath hot against my mouth. I really loved it when he did that. “I have to go get ready, but I saw you and needed to kiss you.”

“Don’t go.” It took every last bit of power I had not to sound all whiney when I said it.

He smiled down at me. I could tell he didn’t really want to go. “I have to, sweets. Enjoy the show.”

I smiled. “I know you’ll be
good
.”

He laughed, pressed his lips to mine once more, and I watched as he disappeared into the thickening crowd. He moved quickly, presumably trying to get back behind the stage so they could start their set. I noticed with a bit of jealousy the women who kept stopping his progress.

But, then, none of them had slept in his bed the night before. I brushed the jealousy away.

I glanced over toward my table, and six eyes were staring over at me. All three of my friends turned away quickly, as if they hadn’t just witnessed the sexiness of Dax Hunter planting a hot kiss on me.

When I returned to my friends, I handed Austin his beer. “Can you get me a cold one? This one’s all hot from you two.”

I giggled, and Shannon laughed as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

Scott, however, remained silent. He took a sip of his beer, and then he clenched his jaw. The muscle in his jaw worked back and forth in anger.

Was he mad at me?

He was acting like he was, but I couldn’t really think of anything I’d done to upset him. I racked my brain. I must’ve done something.

Had I thanked him for bringing my study guide?

I wasn’t sure. I didn’t think I did. Maybe. That had to be it. But it would be awkward to just randomly bring it up now. I’d wait for a good moment.

Austin looked over at me. “I’ve known Dax for a long time, Piper. And I’ve never seen him like that with a girl.”

“Like what?” I asked, sipping my Stella.

“Like you’re the only one in the room. Even with his ex, he was never like that.”

I blushed and stared down at the table.

“He likes you.”

“Well I like him, too.”

Shannon grinned like an idiot. “He’s so hot, Piper!”

I grinned back at her.

And again, the Scott remained silent.

The music seemed to get a little louder, which obstructed our conversation.

“Let’s dance!” Shannon said.

I nodded. “Come on, guys!” I said to Austin and Scott.

We weren’t going to sit at the table once MFB took the stage, anyway. Someone who needed the table could have it. That way we could make our way to the front by the stage and stare at the beautiful Dax while he did his thing.

We edged our way through the crowd and got as close to the front as we could. A large group had already formed in front of the stage, so we didn’t get the luxury of a front row view. Some fast dance song boomed through the speakers, and Shannon started shaking it with Austin. That left Scott standing awkwardly next to me.

He still refused to meet my eyes.

“Scott, what’s wrong?” I asked.

He shook his head and shrugged, indicating nothing was wrong.

Liar.

“Did I forget to thank you for my study guide? Because I checked my grade. I got a ninety-three. Without you, I’d have gotten a B.”

A soft smile turned up his lips, and he finally looked over at me. I noticed for the first time his eyes had lost their sparkle. Something was definitely up with him, but he clearly didn’t want to tell me about it. “You thanked me. And good work, Piper. I’m proud of you.”

“What did you get?”

“One-oh-two.”

I grinned. “Good work, Scotty!” I held up my hand for a high-five, and he smiled and hit my hand with his.

And the damndest thing happened when his hand touched mine.

A flash of sexual electricity shot through my hand and up my arm.

It had to be my imagination. We’d touched hands before. High-fiving was our thing. But I’d never felt that current coming from him. And for some reason, the whole encounter made my eyes burn.

Was I about to cry?

I took another deep breath, just like the one in the car, and focused my eyes on the stage ahead of us.

It had to just be me. Maybe I was PMS-ing a little early this month. I’d been drinking more than usual the past couple of days. I hadn’t gotten much sleep. Everything was out of whack because of my project and my Stats midterm.

I’d drink a few beers and focus on Dax.

I’d force the thoughts about Scott out of my head. Because I couldn’t have feelings for Scott. Just like in the book I’d finished earlier that same day, it would never work out for the female lead and the best friend.

* * *

When the lights went out and four of the five members of MFB took the stage, the women in the crowd started screaming. Some fog machine created a mist over the stage, and the lights hit it in such a way that the room looked mystical and sexual.

Brody sat behind the drums and picked up his sticks. He twirled one of the sticks around and threw it up in the air, catching it expertly. Women went wild at his talent of catching a stick, but I had to admit it was pretty impressive. And despite the “broad” comment the night before, Brody was hot. All of the guys in the group were easy on the eyes, actually. I assumed the tall and lanky guy with long, blond hair who walked over to the bass guitar was Kane. I assumed Rascal was the redhead on keyboards based on what Dax had told me, and that left Adam on lead guitar. Adam hit a hotness level somewhere between Brody and Dax. He had short, cropped hair, and he had these intense eyes and really sexy, strong arms.

The song began with a steady beat of the drums, and then the guitars joined in. Rascal seemed to be doing something with keyboards, and a great beat started. I swayed to the music, and then the mystical and sexual man himself strode across the stage and grabbed the mic between both of his hands. He closed his eyes, swaying sensually to the beat, as if the beats behind him were taking over his movements.

The women in the crowd went wild. If they’d cheered before, the moment they spotted Dax, the cheers turned into out of control screaming.

My heart raced as I thought about how every woman in this bar wanted him…but I was the one who he’d asked to meet up with him after his show.

A grin spread across my face, and I watched as Dax opened his eyes and started singing the lyrics of the song. It was a different song than they’d opened with the last time. His eyes landed directly on me, as if he’d already searched me out and knew exactly where he wanted to look.

His voice was smooth, but he injected this rasp every so often that made me think about sex.

Truth be told, there wasn’t much about Dax that didn’t make me think of sex.

I giggled at his shirt: “I Bang on the First Date.” From my experience, at least, it wasn’t really true.

Just like last time, he introduced the other guys in the band after the opening song. And just like last time, Dax announced how they only had time for one more song much too quickly, but as I glanced at the clock on my phone, I realized they’d been on stage for just over ninety minutes. I was lost in Dax and the music.

MFB was super talented, and I was frankly surprised they hadn’t hit it bigger than the local scene. They had quite the following, as evidenced by the women still screaming in the crowd, but it wasn’t just because they were five attractive men. They had raw talent, all of them, and I wondered how different their sound would be if Dax had the opportunity to play lead guitar. He backed up Adam on a few songs, but mostly he focused on vocals.

I wanted to hear him play a song. Just him, his guitar, and his voice.

Just for me.

Maybe I’d ask him later.

Their final song ended, the crowd cheered, and the lights came back on. People started filtering different ways. Some went to the bar for more drinks, others sat at tables, and a few women stayed in front of the stage hoping for their shot at one of the five members of MFB.

It was pretty easy to spot which ones wanted Dax. They wore MFB t-shirts, but the backs proclaimed they were “Dax’s Darling” or “Dax’s Date.” One shirt even proclaimed, “I’m Having Breakfast with Dax.”

I rolled my eyes, but I wondered how much of it was true. How many of these girls had he slept with?

According to Austin, the number had been fairly significant since his ex had cheated on him. He self-medicated with sex, apparently. It was probably emotional suicide to get involved with him, but I had a hard time caring when I thought about how his lips felt when they were on my skin.

I had mental substance, and I wondered if it set me apart from the groupies with their personalized t-shirts.

And then the other part of me wondered if they personalized the shirts themselves or if they’d bought them that way. I had a sneaking suspicion they came that way, that Dax sold his very sexual persona for profit. Maybe it was part of why he’d slept with so many girls after he’d broken it off with his ex. Maybe it was part of the person he projected onstage.

But it wasn’t the Dax I’d gotten to know the night before.

It wasn’t the guy who stopped kissing me because he didn’t want to put me in the same category as the other girls who’d only been part of his life for one night.

I realized he had a public persona to upkeep, and I would just have to understand and deal with that. It was too early to call what we had exclusive.

Besides, I still had other men I planned to date. I’d be a total hypocrite to draw a line for him if those exact same standards didn’t apply to me.

The only difference was I had to date other people because of my experiment. If he dated other people, he was just a manwhore.

I probably needed to just tell him about my project. It would give me a whole lot of peace of mind.

But it would compromise my research, and that’s what had gotten me the date with him in the first place.

Shannon grabbed my hand, pulling me out of my thoughts, and led me toward the bar. At some point during the show, beers had been pressed into my hand. I’d been too absorbed into the music to notice who’d handed them to me, but I held a stack of three plastic cups in my hand. I wiped a bead of sweat from my eyebrow as I ordered two more Stellas, a Blue Moon for Shannon, and a Pepsi for Scott.