Wicked Innocence (9 page)

Micah

I’d never been to a strip club before.

Walking inside, my heart pounded as the security guy checked my ID. He nodded, and gave me a wink. What the hell was I doing? All this just to prove some kind of stupid point to Sax?

I got the feeling class wasn’t high on the list at this establishment. Don’t get me wrong— it was clean and all that, but I felt like I’d just walked onto a seventies porn set.

Lining the center of the room we little podiums, each with their own pole. Small lights surrounded the bases of the podiums. The main stage was up the front, with a short runway extending down into the seating area. What really hit the spot were the thick, red velvet curtains hanging behind the stage and the painted-on tassels decorating the red walls.

Throw in the deep red carpet, and the place was very . . . red.

Dancers were rubbing against the poles, wearing little more than tiny G-strings. I glanced at Sax and let out a giggle. The poor guy looked mortified, like he didn’t know where to look.

“You’re finding this very awkward, aren’t you?” I said with a chuckle.

He shot daggers at me. “And you’re fucking loving it,” he growled. He was right—I was enjoying his discomfort immensely. “Can we go over there and get a drink or something?” he asked, nodding toward the bar.

I giggled and nodded.

Everywhere I looked were breasts and, in some cases, everything was on show. Despite the little I knew about strip clubs, I got the feeling this wasn’t the finest establishment in the world.

Some of the girls looked young and fresh—not much older than me. Others? Well, let’s just say I admired their confidence and leave it at that.

I slipped onto the seat next to Sax. The barmaid—who was topless—walked up to us, and I giggled as Sax sighed loudly. He hated this. I love that he was so uncomfortable with me being there. As childish as it was, I felt like it was payback for the way he reacted after our kiss.

“Do you want something to drink?” he asked. I wanted to laugh. He still couldn’t look at me?

“A soda,” I replied. “With vodka,” I added. Hell, I felt like being bad. I crossed my arms over my chest as he ordered our drinks. “We’re really not even looking at each other now?” I finally asked.

“I’m sorry, Micah. I don’t want things to be weird, it’s just…I don’t know what to say. I shouldn’t have kissed you and I feel like a royal asshole for not having more resolve.”

“It’s fine. I get it.”

He reached out and grabbed my arm. “I don’t think you do. I like you, but I have to put the band first—and then there’s your age.”

Right. He was my manager and he was ‘too old’ for me. I let out a laugh. Imagine if he knew I was actually four years younger than what he thought I was.

I reached for the drink the barmaid had set in front of me. “It’s all good. We’ll pretend it never happened.” I stood up and gave him a smile. I could be civil and act like there was nothing between us, but I didn’t have to like it.

“Where are you going?” he asked, a twinge of annoyance in his voice.

“What business is it of yours?” I shot back. “I don’t see you hounding after the others.”

“That’s different,” he growled. He stood up, his lips only inches from mine. “You’re my responsibility while we’re on tour.”

“Fine, but that doesn’t mean I have to sit with you. I don’t need a babysitter.” I stormed off, walking over to the edge of the stage where the other guys were sitting, drinking and laughing as some chick performed a rather impressive routine with a pole.

I plonked down on the seat next to Liam and sighed.
Who the fuck does he think he is?
He infuriated me. And I knew the only reason for that was because I liked him.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Sax moving in our direction. I groaned internally. Was it too much to ask for a little space from the guy? Just as he reached us, a busty blonde wearing only a sparkly G-string approached us.

She smiled playfully, curling a strand of her hair around her index finger.

“Can I interest any of you in a lap dance?” she purred, eyeing up the guys.

I stood up. “I’ll take one.”

Sax’s eyes widened in shock as the blonde led me away. The rest of the guys cheered. I had no idea what I was doing—all I knew was I needed to not be in the same space as him for five fucking minutes.

She pushed me into a booth and sat me down in a red velvet armchair and proceeded to try and mount me.

I giggled, embarrassed. “You don’t, uh, need to do this. I was just trying to make someone jealous,” I said, blushing.

She rolled her eyes as she fondled her breasts. “Honey, I’m on camera. If I don’t perform I don’t get paid, so you might as well sit back and relax. Who knows? Maybe you’ll enjoy it,” she smirked. She turned around and stuck her ass in the air, flipping her hair back and forth as she slowly removed her G-string.

Facing me, she straddled the chair, thrusting her bare hoo-ha inches from my face. I dissolved into another round of giggles, the vodka obviously having gone straight to my head.
This
was why I didn’t drink.

She rolled her eyes again, but looked mildly amused this time as she continued to dance to the rhythm of the music.

“So, what’s up with this guy?” she asked.

“We kissed, but now he doesn’t want anything to happen. Which would be fine if I didn’t have to be around him all the time. I feel like such an idiot.”

“The best way to make him realize he’s being stupid is to act like you don’t care. Don’t pine over him. Let him realize his mistake. Though requesting a lap dance was pretty genius,” she added with a chuckle.

I grinned. It was hard to take this chick seriously when she was rubbing her nipples in my face.

Finally the song ended. She stood up and put her thong back on, flashing me a smile. She held out her hand, which I took, and led me back out to the main area where the guys greeted me with cheers and high fives.

Sax stood behind them, scowling. His eyes flashed angrily as he grabbed hold of my hand. I bit my lip to hide my smile. He was so damn pissed and I
loved
it.

“We’re going. All of us.
Now
,” he growled.

***

“Where’s the chick that was throwing herself over you at the bar?” Liam said, throwing a grin in Sax’s direction. “Thought you would have had her bent over your bed by now.”

“I’m not you,” Sax shot back, his eyes darkening. He glanced my way. Our eyes met for a brief moment before he looked away. “I don’t fuck everything with a pulse.”

“Hey, who said they had to be breathing?” Harry laughed. His eyes fell on me, and then dropped to the floor. “Sorry, Micah.”

“Don’t mind me. I just had a lap dance, for God’s sake.”

“You’re surprising, M. I never would’ve expected that from you,” Harry said with a grin. I saw him glance at Sax. What was that about? My stomach flipped. Had he said something to Harry about us…our kiss?

You’re being paranoid. Harry is the last person Sax would confide in.

***

We got back to the motel and ordered some takeout. After all the food and several more rounds of drinks were gone, the guys left to go back to their own room. I sat on the floor watching Sax, who had been knocking back the drinks like there was no tomorrow.
For someone who doesn’t drink, he sure can put a few away.

“Hey, what’s the go for tomorrow?” asked Liam, sticking his head back through the doorway.

“I don’t know. I’ve got shit to do around here, so you guys can take the van.” He threw the keys to Liam. “Just be back by eight in case we have a show. And no drinking.”

Liam rolled his eyes and nodded. “What about you, M?”

“I’ll just hang around here too, I think.” I smiled at him. Wow. He was calling me M. I felt a twinge of happiness. That meant I was starting to fit in. I glanced at Sax.

Well, with most of the guys, anyway.

I stood up and walked toward the bathroom, aware that Sax’s eyes were on me. Closing the door, I locked it. My body was craving a nice hot shower.

I turned on the taps and waited for the water to reach temperature. Peeling off my clothes, I let them fall to the floor before stepping under the stream of water.

Holy shit, that feels good.

Tilting my head back, I let the hot water run down over my face. I loved my showers, and going even a day without one has been awful. I could feel the tension in my shoulders melting away.

Under the sanctuary of soothing hot water, my mind wandered back over the evening’s events. It had been a fun night—especially seeing Sax get so worked up. He had been so concerned with what I was doing that it occupied his whole night.

Why had he kissed me in the first place? No, it wasn’t even the fact that he didn’t want to explore whatever this was, it was the way he just shut me off with no explanation. You’d never know he was the older one. I might be shy, and I might keep to myself, but I knew enough to realize that communication was the key to any relationship, whether it was work or romantic.

Turning the taps off, I stepped out onto my now wet clothes and reached for my towel. Fuck. I’d forgotten to bring my pajamas with me. Sighing, I wrapped the towel around me and kicked my clothes into a pile in the corner of the room.

I took a deep breath, opened the bathroom door and walked out, my head held high. As I strutted across the room, I could feel his eyes on me, and a shiver raced down my spine. Turning around, I raised my eyebrows as I held his gaze. He didn’t move, nor did he falter. He just kept staring.

“Is there a reason you’re staring at me?” I snapped, clutching the towel closer to my body.

He stood up, his eyes burning into mine. “You’re walking around in a fucking towel, and you need to ask me that?” he snorted. His jaw twitched as his gaze slowly and deliberately ran over my body.

I gripped the towel a little tighter against me. “Me?” I said with a laugh.

Was he serious? Sure, I’d purposely pushed his buttons, and sure, that wasn’t my most mature moment, but he’d shut me down, not the other way around. If anyone was messing with the other here, it was him.

He stepped forward until his body was almost pressing against mine. He was so close I could smell the alcohol on his breath. I swallowed, eyeing him suspiciously. What was he up to now? Drunk and frustrated was not a good combination.

“How badly do you want to kiss me right now?” he whispered, his warm breath touching my neck. I gasped as his tongue curled around my earlobe, sucking…nibbling….

Oh God.

My hands shook as I closed my eyes. I was frozen, unable to move, every touch electric. His hands moved up my thighs, wrapping around my hips. I gasped as my towel fell away when he lifted me onto his hips, his hands firmly gripping the backs of my thighs.

“You’re so cute when you play hard to get,” he murmured, kissing my neck, his erection pressing against me. The faint smell of whiskey hit me again, and something inside me snapped. I wrangled out of his hold.

“And you’re drunk,” I leaned down and grabbed my towel, covering myself up. “Exactly how many shots did you have?”

He shrugged, his mouth nipping at my neck. “I’m not drunk, Micah. I just don’t give a fuck anymore. I’m done with the games.”

“Okay, but it took you half a bottle of whiskey to realize this?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.

He was right—I did want to kiss him again. With every fiber of my being, I wanted to feel his body against mine, but there was too much at stake. I had too much to lose for him to decide in a drunken haze that he wanted me, and then change his mind again in the morning.

His hand met the bare skin of my thigh. I groaned softly as his fingers began to ride up over the curve of my backside.

“What’s the matter?” he smirked. “You don’t want me to do this?”

I exhaled sharply as his tongue ran over my neck.

Why was he making it so damn hard for me to resist?

“Come talk to me when you’re sober,” I said firmly, removing his hands from me.

My body screamed at me, begging for more of his touch. I couldn’t deny how badly I wanted him.

He groaned but relented, a smile playing on his lips. “You think I’m going to feel differently tomorrow?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at me.

I shot him a look. Did I really need to answer that? He’d been hot and cold all week: one minute he didn’t care about anything other than being with me, and the next he was all business.

“‘Night, Sax,” I said with a tight smile. I flipped off the light on my side of the room and walked over to my bed. All this teasing was frustrating the hell out of me.

In the darkness, I pulled on a tank top and my pajama shorts and climbed into the bed, pulling the covers up over me. Even though it was the middle of winter, my body was scorching hot—a side effect of being so close to him . . . so close to doing what I’d so desperately wanted to do . . .

I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of his breathing. My hand crept underneath the soft cotton sheet, my fingers softly tickling my breasts. I could hear his heavy breathing in the darkness.