“I’m not afraid,” Anna whispered.
“Good,” Davey said.
He erased the inch, allowing his body to touch hers. Anna did her best not to overreact to the touch, but every muscle in her body tightened, causing her to jump a little. Davey’s hands touched her hips, gentle but with enough command that Anna quietly moaned under her breath.
“I promise, Anna, it’s not what you think it is,” he said.
“Then when is it?” Anna asked.
A valid question. She wanted to know what exactly she was doing in the hotel room of the rockstar. But Davey didn’t answer. He took his right hand off her body and reached for the guitar. Using his fingertips, he pulled at the headstock and held the guitar standing, waiting for Anna to take it.
When she finally did. she knew she had to walk away from Davey’s warm, strong body that felt so good against hers. Something about it, maybe because she felt the hardness and definition of muscle even through his shirt, made Anna feel that nothing bad could happen to her. Nobody could find her and nobody could hurt her.
When she sat on the couch, she looked up at Davey.
“You just play,” he said. “I’ll go get us another drink.”
He moved away and Anna looked at the neck of the guitar, counting the strings, knowing that all six were there. There were few times in her life playing an instrument left her nervous but as she closed her hands for a second, she realized how sweaty her hands were.
She knew the longer she waited to play, the stranger it would become. She put her fingers to the strings and her left hand moved into a chord position. Plucking three strings, Anna started, playing an E minor softly. It was a sad chord and a sad sound, but as she moved up the neck a little, she let the open string notes ring wile switching chords, giving the audio illusion that more notes were being played than what really were.
As she relaxed into playing, her fingers on both her right and left hand worked together. She recalled some classical pieces, stuff she had been playing since she was a kid. Davey appeared in front of her, taking a seat across. He leaned back on the other couch, holding his glass to his lips. His eyes were dazed and purposeful, staring at the guitar. Anna switched to just playing one string, climbing up a scale, ending on the same note she started with.
She paused and when Davey looked at her, she went into a Chasing Cross song. She played the slow intro to a Chasing Cross song and watched as Davey’s face lit up. He clapped his hands together and then hurried from the couch. Anna watched as he grabbed another guitar and sat back down.
Holy hell
,
she thought,
I’m playing guitar with Davey...
Davey strummed the chords once as Anna plucked them.
“You strum now,” he said.
Anna used her nails to strum and now it was her turn to be amazed. Davey’s fingers took over and started to play the lead parts of the song, hitting them note for note, sounding more haunting and more beautiful on an acoustic guitar than the electric guitar played on the album.
It was Anna who finally stopped. She swallowed hard, feeling the emotion of the music getting to her. Davey followed suit and placed his guitar next to him. He grabbed his drink and enjoyed it all in one gulp. He went back to the kitchen area for another one.
“Are you okay?” Anna asked.
Davey walked back to the couch and when he looked at Anna, she could see his eyes glazing over. The whiskey was working.
“Is anybody okay?” Davey asked.
“Good point.”
Davey took a sip and reached for his guitar, flicking the strings. “What’s your story, Anna?”
“What do you mean?”
“Part-time waitress. Full-time art and music teacher. And now you’re in the hotel room of a rockstar.”
“That about sums it up,” she said and smiled.
“No, it doesn’t.” Davey leaned forward. He put his drink down and pointed at Anna. “I see something. Behind those eyes. Behind those beautiful blue eyes.”
“I could say the same about you,” Anna said.
“No, I don’t believe that. Not behind these dark eyes. That’s why I love my eyes.”
“You can still see in the darkness,” Anna said.
Davey’s lips puckered. “Christ, Anna, you should write music. I should call Johnnie and tell him we have a song writer.”
Anna blushed. “I’m going to get another beer.”
She stood and watched Davey’s eyes following her body bottom to top. He had no worries about it now and that both enticed and scared Anna. When she returned with a beer in her hand, Davey had finished his glass. Two small ice cubes remained in the glass slowly melting.
“Come here,” Davey said, waving for Anna.
She walked to him but kept a distance. She hated herself for doing so, but something about Davey was just...
intense
.
“You know, sometimes I wonder if my father listens to the band,” Davey said.
His head was back, resting on the couch, his eyes locked on Anna. She just stood there, blinking, trying to be casual.
“You know what I mean?” he asked.
“Actually, I don’t.”
Davey smiled. “Of course you don’t. That’s the thing about you, Anna. I feel like I’ve known you all my life. But I haven’t. You had to deal with that mess at dinner. Thank you for that.”
“It was my job,” Anna said. She debated on what to do. Davey was obviously feeling the effects of the whiskey.
“But I think about that though,” Davey said. “You know? I sometimes wonder if he’s driving around in a pickup truck... or with a new family... or working out... listening to Chasing Cross.”
“Wouldn’t that be a good thing?” Anna asked. “If your father...”
Davey put up a finger. “It would seem so. Then again, he’d have to know who I am.”
Anna’s mouth made a small o and her heart skipped a beat. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Davey said. “It was his choice to leave, right?”
Anna nodded. She knew what that felt like too. She felt her left hand twitching. She started to reach for Davey but found the arm of the couch instead.
“It shouldn’t get to me,” Davey said. “And you know what? It normally doesn’t. Then today had to happen. Right? I mean, come on, it just happened. Moments come and change your life like... BOOM...” Davey snapped his fingers.
“That’s what makes it exciting though,” Anna said. “How things can change in a second.”
“That’s right,” Davey said.
And with that, Davey changed everything, in a second.
His hands were at Anna’s hips and before she could make a sound, she found herself on the couch, on top of Davey. She was on her knees, hovering over him, her hands clutching the top of the couch. She looked down into Davey’s eyes and saw her hair dangling near his face.
“I love your eyes,” Davey said. “And your hair.”
“Davey...”
Davey’s hands slipped around to her lower back. His hands were strong, kneading at the tender muscles of her back. Her body welcomed the releasing touch. After a long work shift and the daily stress of life, Anna needed it.
She moved her right hand from the back of the couch to Davey’s dark hair. Her fingers trembled as she touched him, her mind and heart in a battle of what should happen and what could happen.
“I never wanted to be him,” Davey said. “Just so you know.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Anna asked.
“Because I trust you. Because your eyes won’t stop pulling me in.”
Anna felt herself lowering to Davey. She licked her lips and looked at his, wondering what they tasted like.
“I can’t hurt anyone,” Davey said. “I just can’t do it.”
“Then don’t,” Anna said. “Davey, I trust you too.”
“Tell me something then. About you.”
Anna glanced back to his eyes. They were dark but kind. Dark but bright. Dark but very alive.
“I have to work two jobs right now,” Anna admitted. “Actually, it’s more than
right now
... it’s probably forever.”
“Why? What happened?”
“I love my job. I love teaching. And I don’t complain about what it pays, I never would. I’m not that kind of person. But there’s just not enough...”
“Why?” Davey asked again.
Anna watched him start to tense up. She sighed and closed her eyes. She hated telling the story. It always brought her down, like someone chopping her at her knees.
“Because my ex maxed out my credit cards. And I let him.”
“You let him?”
“Well, he took the cards and used them. I knew about it. I let it happen.”
“He can’t get in trouble for that?”
Davey’s eyes blinked fast. Anna felt the moment between them crumbing to dust.
“He can’t,” Anna said. “It’s been too long and I let it happen.”
“Why?”
“I thought everything would be okay. He was supposed to be starting his own business and life was supposed to get easier.”
“It didn’t,” Davey said under his breath.
“No. Not when he started taking cash advances to buy drugs.”
Davey’s lip curled. He looked ready to hurt someone. Anna took her hand from his hair and put it back to the couch. She looked down, remembering just how close their bodies were. Her legs open, her knees on the couch.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“For what, Anna?”
“For saying anything. I didn’t want to ruin the night.”
“It’s not ruined,” Davey said. “Not at all. Did he... your ex, did he ever hurt you?”
Anna swallowed. “What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean.”
“Twice,” Anna said. “He was messed up both times. It was quick though.”
“It doesn’t matter. No woman deserves that in their life. Ever.” Davey touched Anna’s face, moving slowly. “You’re a good person, Anna. For standing up and doing the right thing.”
“Tell that to my phone that never stops ringing,” she said.
“Maybe I will,” Davey said.
Davey’s right thumb moved to Anna’s lips, touching her bottom lip for a just a second. Then down to her round chin. Anna slowly put her head back and felt Davey’s thumb touching her neck. When the rest of his fingers joined in, he was at her shirt. His hand then rested at her heart and while it had romantic implications she could sense he had other intentions with his hand.
“Davey, are you sure you’re...”
“What?” Davey whispered. He moved forward and Anna could feel his breath on her neck.
“Single,” Anna whispered.
“Single? Yes. Anna. I swear. I wouldn’t lie to you.”
Davey’s lips touched her neck and Anna shuddered.
“I just don’t want to be hurt,” Anna said.
“I won’t hurt you,” Davey said. “I’ll take care of what is mine.”
Anna had a feeling there was more implied in Davey’s last comment but she never got a chance to know. Davey stood from the couch, holding Anna. She clutched the back of his shirt as his hands touched her ass. He looked up at her as she looked down at him.
She knew he was heading to the bedroom and when they were there, Davey stood at the edge of the bed, lingering.
“What’s wrong?” Anna asked.
“I can’t do a one night thing,” Davey said.
Anna enjoyed that Davey was a little drunk. Seeing him open and honest turned her on even more.
“Technically, it’s morning,” she said.
Davey smiled. “It’s not just that though...”
“I’ll meet you half way then,” Anna said.
“How so?”
“I said I wouldn’t sleep in your bed,” Anna said. “I will. I’ll sleep with you as long as you don’t sleep with me.”
“You’re asking a rockstar not to make a move while you’re in his bed? That’s bold.”
“What are you going to do then?” Anna teased.
Davey climbed the bed to his knees and lowered Anna down. With her back on the bed she realized her legs were still wrapped around Davey. As she opened them, his right hand slid behind her leg, squeezing enough to make her jump and laugh.
“Ticklish?” he asked.
“Basically everywhere,” Anna said and felt her cheeks burning.
“I’ll have to test that theory out someday,” Davey whispered. He lowered his mouth dangerously close to Anna’s. “But not tonight...”
Anna exhaled a whimper, never feeling so turned on in all her life.
Davey pulled at the bed sheets and Anna moved as needed, casually lifting and lowering her body, never taking her eyes off Davey. She wiggled her way under the covers and remained there, unsure what to expect next from the rockstar. He reached for a lamp at the bedside table and then turned the light off in the room.
As he stood at the edge of the light cast against the wall, Anna watched as Davey took his shirt off. She could barely see him, so once he walked into the direct dim light, her mouth fell open.