Page 86 of Revelry

“Well, I couldn’t exactly punch your pretty face. Not the lead singer of Taint. Imagine the field day the press would have had with that.”

I run my hand down her arm, over her hipbone and across her upper thigh, tracing my fingertips over her pubic bone, applying slightly more pressure as I stroke her clit through the soft cotton.

“I remember these panties,” I say quietly, and lean over to get a better look at her arse. They’re the ones that she’d worn that night we’d kidnapped her and taken her to the bar, the ones that Levi had writtenRock Stars Onlyon as she was hoisted up on Zed’s shoulder and her arse was on display.

I remember how much I’d wanted to fuck her then, how I’d stared at her and wanted inside, even in front of the other guys. I’d wanted to throw her down on the asphalt and show them who she belonged to, and let them know that I was the only rock star getting inside those panties. I hadn’t done anything about it then, but I sure as hell would now.

“I couldn’t bring myself to throw them out.”

“Do you know how hard I was that night?”

“I’m guessing about as hard as you are now.” She leans in, softly kissing my lips. “You mean I could have been fucking your brains out since July?”

“Ali-Cat, if it were up to me, I’d have fucked you senseless in front of everyone that first day at Harbour Records.”

“I think I would have liked to have seen that. It would have made for some awesome angry sex.”

“You want angry sex?” I say, looking down at her face. She tilts her head up and stares at the ceiling, as if she’s really contemplating it.

“No. Not with you.”

“Not with me? With who, then? Levi?”

She nods, and chews on her bottom lip.

“Why not with me?” I ask, trying to keep the anger from my voice and failing.

“Because it’s more with you.”

“More? What does that mean?”

“I don’t know.” She shakes her head and tries to sit up, but I pull her back down on top of me, so she’s wedged between the table and my chest. Her heart beats rapidly against my chest, and her breath is hurried. My lips tip up in the corners. “Do not smirk at me, mister.”

“Where are you running to, Ali-Cat?”

I tilt her chin up towards me and I lean down as though I’m about to kiss her cheek, but I whisper in her ear instead, “What did you mean by more?”

She lets out a deep sigh. “I meant that it’s different with you … withjustyou.”

“Yeah, probably because there’s not another cock in the room.”

“It feels different when the two of us are together. Different from when I’m with Levi, when we’re with Levi.”

“Have you fucked him on your own?” I try to keep my voice even, but I can’t because the words taste bitter on my tongue.

“Um, are you forgetting Vegas?”

I flinch, tense my jaw and take a deep breath. I have to get over that shit, but the thought of the two of them alone eats me up inside.

“No. I could live to a hundred and twenty and I’ll never forget Vegas.” I trace a finger over her face, across her brow, and down the length of her cute little upturned nose. “Have you fucked since? Alone?”

“No.”

“Do you want to?”

“I don’t know, Coop.” She takes a deep breath.

“Are you in love with him?”