Crazy Maybe (11 page)

LUKE

Well, fuck me.

First, she ignores my texts from last night.  Then she goes all day without calling, texting or coming to the gym.  I’ve been worried about her all day and couldn’t wait to see her.  I didn’t get a wink of sleep last night for thinking about her and how she acted when she got out of my truck.  Then after I sent her all those texts last night and she didn’t respond when I told her I wanted her, I was sure I had crossed the line and she didn’t want me after all. 

Then I find her at the club, dressed to the damn nines and looking sexy as hell.  She didn’t even hear me come in but if she’d been meeting some other guy I was damn sure going to put a stop to it.  The past few weeks of hanging out with her have been great and I wasn’t about to let some other fucker step in and mess up my good thing. 

But when she tried to give me the waitress’s note just now, my first thought was she was trying to get rid of me.  Everything added up to that until she repeated the words I said to Brandon.  My blood was fucking boiling, thinking my brother had called her or made a move on her.  I would beat his fucking ass and I wouldn’t care what my family thought about it. 

Then she said she heard me say it, and right now I’m sure being sucker-punched in the gut couldn’t hurt worse than this feeling.  I can’t even blame Brandon for this – this is all my fault.  All my doing, because I wouldn’t be a man and say what I really wanted.

How do I come out of this without looking like a weak-ass punk?  I sigh heavily and think to myself, “
You don’t.  You deserve what you get.
”

I take her hands in mine and look deeply into her eyes, keeping my gaze glued to hers to hopefully show my sincerity.  I’m eternally grateful for how this restaurant is designed.  Rather than having the table separate us, the seats are designed for couples to sit intimately beside each other, sharing food and spending quality time together.  She’s so close, the sweet scent of her perfume invades my senses every time she moves.

“Andi, first of all, I’m sorry I ever said that to Brandon.  It’s not how I really feel at all.  Brandon and I have a difficult…..history….and, I didn’t want to say anything to him before I’d even talked to you about it.  I really hate that you heard that.”

She looks at me with blatant skepticism and I don’t blame her.  I’ve given her so many mixed signals and if I’m completely honest, I don’t even know that I can do this.  But what I do know is I don’t want to go another day like today - without seeing her, hearing from her and thinking I’d lost her.  My concentration wasn’t for shit today and if it hadn’t been for Shane, I probably would’ve left the gym to go find her.

I stroke my knuckles across her cheek and feel a twinge of electricity move through me.  I open my hand and place my palm on her cheek then push my fingers into her hair while my thumb lightly strokes along her neck.  She closes her eyes for a moment and leans into my touch and I’m captured again by how beautiful she is.

“You’re so
beautiful, Andi.  You literally take my breath away when I look at you,” I whisper to her.  “Please just….forget I said that to Brandon.  He was trying to rile me up and I just wanted to block him.”

I watch as she swallows hard but her eyes a
re still averted from mine.  She nods and turns away from me.  She reaches for her glass and I notice the trembling in her hand. 

“Talk to me, Andi.”

She takes a minute but she finally answers.  “I’ve never been one to hold in my feelings, Luke.  I’ve always believed it was best to just put them out there…..to be up front so there’s no confusion.  But I’ve went completely against that with you because I….well, I wanted you to come to your decision on your own.  Without any pressure from me.  But I can’t do this anymore.”

My heart just stopped beating.  I’m sure I’ll keel over in the floor any second now.  When she finally looks at me, the pain in her eyes is so evident, I almost wish I would just fall over.

“I can’t pretend that I only want you as a friend.  I meant when I said I don’t do one night stands or friends with benefits though.  If you think you want anything more than friends with me, you have to be sure because I can’t do this back and forth anymore.  Decide what
you
really want, Luke, and do it soon….or I’ll make the decision for you and it’ll be final.”

Well, shit.  Did she just really give me an ultimatum?

“If you only want a friend, that’s fine.  I will be friends with you but nothing else.  No flirting.  No touching.  No more mixed messages. 
Just friends
.  And I’ll move on.  Just….decide.”

I nod and before I can
say anything in response, the flirty waitress returns, much more subdued this time since Andi embarrassed her, and places our dinners in front of us.  We somehow make it through the meal with idle conversation and go back to the club together.  Several of our friends are already there and we make our way through the crowd to join them at our usual table.  Just as we sit down, I look up and saw Brandon moving through the crowd towards us.

Isn’t this night just getting better and better?
  Yeah, because he wasn’t even looking at me.  He is making a beeline for Andi. 
Ah, hell no! 
Andi sees him and stands to hug him and I can’t withhold my sarcasm.

“Well, look what the cat dragged in.”

Andi, sweet as ever, keeps her eyes on Brandon and says, “Have a seat!”  So, of course, the bastard sits in the empty chair beside Andi, forcing me to lean up and look around her to see him.

“What are you do
ing here, Brandon?”  I demand rudely.

“Alicia mentioned Andi was singing tonight and we wante
d to hear her,” Brandon answers coolly, not even bothering to take his eyes off Andi while he answers me.

“
We?
  Who is
we
?”  I ask sardonically before I see Alicia and her husband, Greg, making their way to our table.  Shane and Will grab a couple of chairs for them and I make introductions all around the table.

I mak
e the stupid mistake of removing my hand from the back of Andi’s chair and Brandon’s arm quickly takes up the empty space.  I take Andi’s hand in mine and ask, “Dance with me?”  She nods and I shoot Brandon a warning look as I stand up. 

A slow song co
mes on when we get to the dance floor and I pull her in tight against me, brushing a kiss on her cheek.  I feel a small shudder run through her as her body molds into mine.  We start moving with the music and I tighten my arms around her just a little more.

“A
ndi,” I murmur in her ear then pull back so she will look me in the eye.  She looks up at me from under her long lashes, with a hint of shyness about her that sends a sudden protective impulse through me. 

Before I can say anything else, someone co
mes up and taps Andi on the shoulder, “You’re up in ten minutes.” 

Andi nods
at the rude moment-stealer and looks back at me.  “You ready for this?” 

I nod at her and look around the club as she takes
my hand to lead me backstage. 
Holy hell – there are a lot of people here tonight!

ANDI

I’m not over-analyzing why Brandon is here.  Or why Luke seems so pissed about why Brandon’s here.  I’m not even going to think about what Luke was about to say when Mitch came up to tell me my song is coming up soon.  I’m just going to get in character, sing my song, and have fun with a bunch of great people tonight. 

I will not think about how seductive this song is or how my body will react to singing it to Luke in front of the entire club.

I will not think about it.

I will not.

Shit, that’s all I can think about.

I lead Luke backstage and show him to the dressing rooms since we didn’t have time to do it after dinner.  He doesn’t really need the dressing room since he’s already wearing his “costume,” well, except for the Lone Ranger-type mask that he’ll be wearing.  I may have forgot to mention that to him before because he’s not looking real happy as I hand it to him.

“Please?  It’ll work, trust me,” I console him as innocently as possible.  He huffs and puffs a little but finally concedes. 

His consent earns him a kiss on the cheek.  “If I’d known you were going to do that, I would’ve turned my head and made you plant it square on my mouth,” he seductively chides me. 

I playfully tell him to behave before adding, “Give me just a minute to change and we’ll get set up on the stage.”  He nods and waits outside the dressing room door for me.  I may have also forgot to mention to him that I’ll only be wearing a man’s button down shirt onstage.

Yeah, I definitely forgot to mention this little fact.  When I open the door and casually say, “Come on, Luke,” he quickly grabs my arm and twirls me around to face him.

“Where the hell are the rest of your clothes?”  He is literally growling the words at me.  I mean, I’ve read about how men “growl” out a response, but I’m almost positive he’s about to turn into some kind of man-beast right in front of me.

“This is it – this is my costume.”  My eyes are big and innocent, like I have no idea what he’s referring to.  His eyes narrow to mere slits in his face, which by the way, has turned into a lovely shade of scarlet red due to the high volume of blood rushing for the top of his head.

“The hell you say!  You are not going out there like this!”

“Yes, I am.  This fits the scene, Luke.”  I stay calm, knowing that yelling right now will only delay us getting the stage even more.

“Whose. Shirt. Is. That?”  Each word is pointed, sharp and holds deeper meaning that he will even say out loud.

“Shane’s.”  This answer visibly relaxes him for a split second.

“WHY THE HELL IS IT UNBUTTONED?”  He’s just now realized this little fact.

“It’s not unbuttoned,” I start but his stance becomes increasingly menacing, “all the way.  The last two are buttoned.”

He is about to go nuclear when Mitch saves me as he calls out, “Andi, you need to be onstage now.”

“OK!”  I happily rush towards the back entrance to the stage and call over my shoulder, “Luke, put your mask on and get in position.”

Luke has no choice but to follow me now and he knows he has to be quiet because the previous performer isn’t quite finished yet.  I take my place at the table with the wine and roses while Luke crouches down to hide behind the bed.  When the curtains open and the music for my song starts, I’m transformed into another world and I forget all about Luke being pissed off about my lack of clothing.

The microphone is fit snugly over my ear so I can use both hands freely and move about the stage.  I’m singing
Familiar Taste of Poison
, by Halestorm, tonight.  Love is the familiar poison.  The wine is a metaphor for love and her lover urges her to consume all of it, until she becomes consumed by him but apparently he doesn’t need her as much as she needs him.

The music starts off slow and ominous, but seductive and alluring at the same time.  My voice is soft as the song starts.  After the first couple of lines, I pick up the wine glass and empty wine bottle and move to the front of the stage as Luke stands up behind the bed, wearing all black and holding a long-handled sickle in one hand.   I sing the next few lines of the first verse and begin the chorus. 

As I sing, I sit on the floor of the stage and lay the empty wine bottle down beside me.  I then take a small capsule filled with a white powder, break it open and pour it into the wineglass, as I finish the last line of the chorus.  The music continues while I drink the wine with the imaginary poison in it.  I put the glass down and stand back up, leaving the empty bottle and glass lying on the stage floor well in front of me and out of the way.  Luke, playing the part of death, lays the sickle down, steps out from behind the bed and stealthily moves to the front of the stage, standing just behind me.

I look over my shoulder at Luke as I sing the first line of the next verse. 

He’s behind me but my movements mimic his, as if I’m his puppet on his string while he’s seducing me until he completely owns me.  He’s so close to me, his front to my back, as death continues to seduce me and I sing the rest of the verse.

My voice becomes a little louder and more forceful as I repeat the chorus.  After the first line of the chorus, Luke’s arm snakes around my waist.  Because my shirt is unbuttoned, his hand slides inside the shirt and is warm against my skin.  He pushes himself closer into me from behind and tightens his grip around my front.

At the end of the chorus, Luke moves around to my side and I turn to fully face him, our profiles to the audience.  The crescendo of the music and my voice hit the high point of the song.  The pull I feel to him is intense.  We didn’t rehearse it this way, but I can’t help but be drawn into him.  My arm reaches out to him, encircles his neck and our faces are mere inches apart as I sing the next verse to him, oblivious to the throngs of people watching.

My hands are on his face and our eyes are locked in place, on each other, never wavering.  I feel his muscular arms move down my back until they rest just under my ass.  Suddenly, he lifts me up and my legs wrap around his waist.  I’m still singing to him but we must look like we’re making love on stage.  And I don’t even care because I am so lost in this man right now. 

As I sing the last repeat of the chorus, he begins walking back to the far side of the bed, so he can lay me down on it but not block the audience’s view of the show as I continue singing to him.

My legs are straight and my arms are folded over my chest, as if I’m now dead, and Luke leans in and deeply kisses me, sliding his tongue in my mouth, gently caressing mine.  Just as the music starts to fade away, he stands erect and holds the sickle again, as if death itself is now standing over my lifeless body. 

The curtains close and the crowd erupts in thunderous applause.  I open my eyes and Luke helps me stand up off the makeshift bed as he takes his mask off.  The curtains open again and we take our bow at the front of the stage.

I’m the first one to turn around and head backstage.  My feet quickly carry me towards he dressing room.  My body is still humming with electricity from Luke’s touch and his kiss.  I can’t even think straight but I can feel him behind me, close on my heels.  I march into the dressing room but I can’t turn around just yet.  I hear him come in behind me and slam the door shut.

Before I can blink, I’m spun around and
pushed up against the door.  Luke lifts me and my legs instinctively wrap around his waist.  He leans in and greedily takes my mouth with his.  The kiss is furious and feverish, like neither of us can get enough.  His obvious erection is grinding into me and every thrust is excruciatingly delicious through the flimsy silk panties I’m wearing under this shirt.  The shirt that is now being pushed off my shoulders as Luke’s mouth moves down my neck and onto my collarbones. 

LUKE

If anyone had told me that karaoke could be considered foreplay, I would’ve told them they were full of shit and obviously not doing it right.  That is, before tonight, while I was onstage with Andi and had to use every bit of my restraint to not make her totally and completely mine in front of the whole damn club.  Especially when she climbed up my body and wrapped her legs around me. 

We did not rehearse that at all, but when she moved into me while singing that song, it just felt so natural.  Of course, while we rehearsed our parts, she wasn’t actually singing the song.  We just played the original song over and over.  But
holy hell
, Andi singing it while staring into my eyes made me seriously afraid I was going to embarrass myself onstage.

I really didn’t like her wearing just that button down shirt and her sexy bra and panties onstage.  But I have to admit, it really did fit the scene she created.  And I really appreciate
d it when my hand slid under the shirt and across her silky smooth skin.  Speaking of silky smooth, I about lost my shit when I slid my hands under her ass to lift her up to straddle me.   But she’s never wearing anything like that on stage again.  EVER.

Now I’m following her to the dressing room and she’s moving through the people milling about back stage like a fucking freight train.  I don’t know if she’s trying to get away from me or trying to get alone with me, but I’m not giving her one damn second to push me away.  Enough’s enough – we are good together and we’re going to give this attraction a chance. 

I close and lock the door behind me and grab her up before she can overthink it.  She’s so responsive to me that I’m not sure who initiated the kiss but it’s awesome.  I have her pinned against the door and her legs are around my waist again.  She feels so damn good, like she’s made for me, and I haven’t even got inside her yet.  It’s all I can do to break the kiss and move down her neck to other interesting areas.

I push the shirt off her shoulders easily – Shane’s a big guy so this shirt swallows her whole.  I lick, kiss and bite down her neck to her collarbon
es and I’m amazed at how sexy they are.  I push the shirt down more until her arms are free and the shirt pools around her hips.  I pull back to look at her flushed face, lips swollen from our kiss, her breasts moving in time with her heavy breaths and I’m again floored at how beautiful and sexy she is.

I take one of the taut buds of her nipples in my mouth through the lacy bra she’s wearing and lightly tug on it with my teeth.  She moans approvingly and her hand tightens into a fist in my hair, slightly pulling on it and driving me into a frenzy.  I’m about to tear the bra off her body when the door behind us suddenly vibrates from someone pounding on it. 

“Hurry up in there, Andi!”  The voice on the other side of the door calls.

Andi drops her head to my shoulder in frustration before answering, “Ok, Sandy, be right out.”

“We will finish this later tonight, Andi.”  I am leaving no room for argument.  This is killing me to let her go but I am enjoying watching her put her dress and high heels back on. 

Once she finishes dressing, I wrap my arms around her and add, “Andi, I don’t want a one-night stand or a friend with benefits.  I want to be with you and only you – I want to give us a chance.”

Her answer sends shivers down my spine.  “I’m with you, Luke.  I’m with you.”

The other girl comes rushing in the room as soon as Andi opens the door and we make our way back to our friends.  Alicia gushes at Andi over her performance and everyone congratulates us on the show but I give all the credit to Andi.  “This was all Andi’s creativity.  I just did what she told me to.”

Brandon’s knowing eyes picked up on a change in me with Andi.  “You two sure are good friends, Luke.”  I see Andi tense at his dig and know she is thinking about my words from last night.

“Yeah, I couldn’t ask for a better friend than An
di,” and her head quickly jerks in my direction as she looks up at me in disbelief, “and I couldn’t ask for a better girlfriend, either.”  I smile at her and watch as her face visibly softens and her gorgeous smile fills her face. 

Brandon ca
n’t hide his blatant look of satisfaction at my declaration.  I admit, I have to consider that my brother is a better man than I’ve given him credit for in the past.  I sit down beside him and he leans over towards me, “Best decision you’ve ever made, little brother.”  I nod thoughtfully, knowing deep down, he is completely right.

We’re hanging around the club until they
announce which contestants will move on to the next round.  Of course, Andi is one of them because she was phenomenal on stage.  Her next round is two weeks from tonight.