He groaned, immediately becoming erect beneath her hands.
Topaz started to unbutton his fly and rubbed him gently through the ilk of his boxers. He moved with her, trying to press himself against her hands. She tickled and stroked him lightly for a minute or so, and when she felt him thickening and distending under her touch smartly withdrew and backed towards the kitchen table. Then she unhooked her skirt and slowly wriggled out of her panties, starting to touch herself.
‘Topaz,’ Rosen breathed, his hard-on chafing against his pants. He wanted to be where her fingers were. To come where her fingers were. But he sensed she wanted something else first and he came towards her, ripping offhisjeans to free his swollen cock, and dropped to his knees, burying his face in the tiny, wiry red hairs of her pussy, hearing her groan.
Nathan started to kiss her softly, marx;elling at how wet she was, and when he felt her thighs relax slightly, he began
to lick her, slow, sure strokes, aiming to please.
Oh God, thought Topaz.
She reached down and moved his head, arrogantly guiding him for her pleasure. When she thought she could sense orgasm, she grabbed his wrists and pinioned his arms ‘
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behind his head, kissing him.
Nathan shivered with desire, watching this beautiful young girl astride him, her magnificent breasts swaying just out of reach, her soft mouth suddenly determined and lustful, crashing down on his.
Christ, what was she doing now …
Topaz had loosened her ponytail and was brushing his cock with her hair, in long, sweeping caresses, stroking him with a million feathery touches. He felt desire and surprise rip through him. Then she grabbed him with her right hand and positioned herself, slick and open, above him.
‘Do you want it? Tell me how much you want it,’ she whispered.
He stared up at her, aroused and amused.
‘Or I guess I could just leave you here,’ she teased. ” ‘No! I want it, OK. Just fuck me, damn it,’ Rosen gasped, and Topaz smiled and lowered herself on to his straining cock and flung her head back, her body arching, and he exploded inside her a second later.
She collapsed against him, panting.
‘What was that all about?’ Nathan murmured, stroking ,her hair.
Topaz smiled and kissed him.
‘I think you burnt the applesauce,’ she said.
Rowena stretched comfortably in bed and flicked on MTV. The morning sun streamed through the windows.
‘This is Alex Isseult with MTV News,’ said the TV excitedly. Rowena waved at her lazily, registering her constant little thrill of pleasure at seeing the Atomic Mass logo on MTV.
‘British supergroup Atomic Mass look certain to run into trouble this morning, as the current issue of White Light magazine, which hit the stands last night, reveals that two of the band members have previously undisclosed criminal records, including possession of drugs.’
‘ What?’ Rowena screamed, sitting bolt upright.
‘MTV News can exclusively confirm that New York
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authorities have already issued a statement banning the group from holding its planned launch party at Madison Square Gardens. The move is sure to cost Musica Records hundreds of thousands of dollars in wasted air fares and promotional costs. However, that may be the least of their problems: spokesmen for the DEA and the Justice Department have already said that they are actively considering deporting the band if the allegations are proven, meaning
the cancellation of a sellout tour and huge costs …’
‘ What?’ she screamed again.
Downstairs, insistently, the phone began to ring.
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‘How could you do this to me? I must have been insane to give you this label! Didn’t you anticipate the press would
dig around an act of this size?’
‘Josh, I - ‘
‘No!’ he screamed. ‘Don’t give me excuses! I have Holland on the phone every five minutes! Our goddamned fax is jamming because the worldwide MDs are having a mass panic!’
Rowena passed her hand across her forehead, cursing technology. Oberman might be three thousand miles away but he sounded like he was in the next room.
‘Gordon, this is not a game!’
‘I know that, Josh, I - ‘
‘You report to me, I look like a fool. And I can tell you
right now that Hans Bauer wants you recalled.’
She went pale.
‘I can’t cover your ass for ever. If it ever happens again,
you’re through. This is a fucking fiasco.’ ‘Understood,’ said Rowena faintly. Oberman slammed the phone down.
It was the last call in a long, long day, most of which had been spent in trying, fruitlessly, to get hold of the band and repeating ‘The allegations are being investigated. We have
no further comment at this time,’ over and over again.
She was totally shattered.
When Michael rang the apartment doorbell at nine, she was in floods of tears.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, mortified. ‘I forgot you were
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coming over-let me wash my face …’
‘Ssh,’ Krebs said, kissing her gently. ‘It’s OK, you go ahead and cry. I think it’s kind of cute, actually, the great Rowena Gordon showing weakness.’
She fled to the bathroom and doused herself in cold water, blew her nose and slapped on some foundation. Amazing, pathetic really, how even in this state She couldn’t bear him to see her looking less than beautiful.
‘Get out here, Rowena,’ Michael called.
She went back out to him, embarrassed by her appearance, her spectacular failure, forgetting he was coming over, everything. Also, the familiar sensation of desire was starting to crawl over her. Merely to be in the same room as him was usually enough.
He came towards her, sensing the shift in her mood immediately. His kiss this time was less consoling, harder, sexual. ‘What shall I do with you this evening?’ he said. ‘I was going o take you out to dinner somewhere discreet, to
celebrate, but I guess that’s inappropriate now.’
She nodded mutely.
‘Take off your shirt,’ he said. ‘I want to play with your breasts while I’m thinking about it.’
He started to lightly caress her, discussing various different positions he might take her in in a calm, detached tone of voice, as if talking to himself.
After two minutes she broke down, gasping.
‘Can’t hold it?’ Michael asked, smiling. ‘God, you’re really out of control today, Rowena, aren’t you? I didn’t even touch you between your legs yet.’
She started to unbutton his jeans, freeing his erection. He was red and swollen, and she wondered again how he managed to master his arousal so completely when she couldn’t hide hers for a second. Krebs could often go from erection to ejaculation without making a singl sound.
He spun her round so she was facing the wall, tugged down her skirt and panties and entered her, moving in aggressive, rhythmic strokes. As she shut her eyes in ecstasy he ran one hand across her groin, the other tracing a firm
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line up and down her spine possessively. She choked out his name as she came.
Michael tightened his grip on her shoulders and climaxed.
He held her firmly for a few seconds,just to make a point,
and then kissed her affectionately. ‘Always the best cure for stress,’ he said.
She smiled ruefully. ‘My problems are still there, though.’
‘Come shower with me,’ Krebs said. ‘You have no problems. Let me explain something to you, Rowena: you’re a friend of mine, and so are the band. When some little writer fucks with you, and fucks with Atomic Mass, they fuck with me.’
She glanced at him.
‘Nothing has been proved, and nothing will be. There are other stadiums in America, and you should also bear in mind,’ he added with heavy sarcasm, ‘that I have produced for a few other companies besides Musica Records. I have a lot of favours coming to me.’
He paused. ‘Do you know who’s responsible for this?’
‘I think so,’ said Rowena.
‘Good. Because you and I are going to talk to the press in a
language which they’ll understand, believe me.’
‘Michael!’ said Rowena.
She was excited now. She believed he was going to get
her out of this. Gratitude and relief and the giddy prospect of revenge surged through her; and then admiration; and then a slow, deep wave of almost violent desire.
He watched her redden. ‘You can consider this a continuation of your education,’ he said. God, how hot he could get her. She was the most passionate girl he’d ever seen in his life. He felt his erection returning.
‘Come here and pay me for it,’ he said.
The next day she was her old self. There was something great about dealing with a crisis of this size; Rowena kicked into action, pouncing on phones, yelling at repo.rters and
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Freddy deMann, Doug Goldstein and Warren Entner, and Madonna, Guns n’ Roses and Faith No More all cancelled exclusive interviews with White Light. Historically, artists are not fond of people or publications that smear other artists.
Michael was enjoying himself. ‘It’s just something for them to think about,’ he said. ‘Wait till I find Paul McGuinness. Then they can forget their U2 Christmas issue, as well.’
Rowena’s secretary stuck her head round the door. ‘Sorry to interrupt,’ she said, ‘but I’ve got Barbara Lincoln on line one. ‘
‘Put her through!’ said Rowena. ‘On the speakerphone!’ ‘Why the luck haven’t you called?’ Krebs demanded.
‘We had the phones disconnected while I talked to the band,’ Barlara explained. ‘Sorry, you guys.’
‘Sorry!’ Rowena exploded, furious. ‘Do you have any idea
what it’s been like in New York? Christ, Barbara - ‘ ‘Look, most of it’s not true - ‘
‘Why don’t you just tell me what’s true and what isn’t,’ Krebs said calmly.
‘I want to speak to the band,’ Rowena demanded, still furious.
‘Hey, this is me, Rowena!’ Barbara protested. The, your best friend, remember? Now take a deep breath, and listen to this.’
‘I don’t understand it.’ “
Richard Gibson, White Light’s editor, was presenting to the editois’ meeting.
‘I mean I really do not get this. The Atomic Mass issue quadrupled our circulation, I have extra print-runs for the next three issues. I mean these magazines arc just flying out of the stores and everybody knows it.’
‘So what’s the problem?’ Nathan asked.
‘I can’t sell advertising space. I mean not at all. Musica
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Records pulled their ads, OK, this I understand. But now Geffen is pulling, Mercury is pulling, Epic pulled a whole page ad for Screaming Trees this morning. Said they
decided to run it in Spin magazine instead.’
‘Anything else?’ asked Topaz.
‘Yeah. All our cover stories are cancelling interviews.’ ‘Like who?’Joe Goldstein asked, making notes.
‘Ever heard of U2?’ Richard replied, with the withering sarcasm music journalists reserve for money men. ‘Suddenly they can no longer fit us into their press schedule.
Bang goes my Christmas double issue.’
‘Madonna?’ Topaz probed gently.
‘Gone. Out of here,’ Gibson snapped. ‘I mean, this is insane. I have a music magazine which, right now, has triple the circulation of Rolling Stone, and I can’t get an interview or sell an ad.’
Joe Goldstein shot a baleful look at Topaz. ‘Richard, my friend,’ he said, ‘they’re going to shut you down.’
Gibson considered it. ‘No,’ he said. ‘It did cross my mind, OK. But the record business is highly competitive. Why would Geffen care ifMusica screws up?’
‘It’s Rowena Gordon!’ Topaz burst out.
Joe rounded on her. ‘Gordon doesn’t have that kind of reach, Rossi,’ he said. ‘If you could keep your little private vendetta out of this, you’d realize that. No; there’s somebody else involved now, and whoever it is, they’re going to shut you down.’
There was a silence.
‘Joe’s right,’ Nathan said, eventually. ‘There’s no other explanation.’
Topaz and Nathan walked home at sunset, holding hands.
‘Don’t worry about Goldstein,’ he said. ‘He’sjustjealous of you. He’ll come round.’
‘He blames me for what’s happening to White Light,’ Topaz said, and then added, ‘I guess they all do.’
‘Hey,’ Nathan told her, kissing her. ‘It is absolutely not your fault. OK? There isn’t one of them wouldn’t have run
23O
that story, and there isn’t one of them that wouldn’t have used our only music magazine to run it in. So relax.’
She was quiet all the way home. Nathan led her to the sofa and they sat down, and he clasped both her hands in his.
‘Tell me what’s bothering you,’ he murmured. ‘I can’t bear to see you like this.’
She looked at him, her eyes brimming. ‘I don’t know,’ she said. A large tear rolled down her cheek, and then another.
‘What is this?’ asked Nathan, kissing her. ‘This is not like my girl.’
‘Do you think’ - she faltered - ‘do you think I fucked my way to the top?’
‘What? No!’ he said, almost laughing, but she looked so upset he stopped himself. ‘Is that what this is about? Come on, Topaz! I didn’t make you MD of Girlfriend, did I? And I voted for you for Economic Monthly because you gave the best presemation. You stupid woman, it was a unanimous decision by eight people.’
She was really crying now. ‘Don’t leave me, Nathan,’ she sobbed.
‘Who said anything about leaving you?’ he said, bewildered. ‘I live with you! I love you, for God’s sake.’
She cried herself out for a couple of minutes, then wiped her eyes.
‘Are we finished yet?’ Rosen asked.
‘Yeah,’ Topaz snuffled. ‘Sorry.’
Tm not going to leave you, or reject you, like your
dumb-ass parents or your college friend. You got that?’ ‘Yes,’ said Topaz meekly, kissing him. ‘Come to bed,’ he said.
They lay entwined in each other’s arms. ‘What are you thinking about now?’ Nathan asked her.