The Redemption(17)

He pulls back to look me in the eyes. “You’re braver than you know yourself to be.”

“I’m only brave because you give me strength.” I glance down and when I look back up, I feel like we might just kiss again. Licking my bottom lip, I take in a deep breath, but when I release it, he says, “Two steps back for now, but one day, Rochelle Floros, I’m gonna be the man of your dreams.”

I don’t dare mention that I’ve already had a few dreams of the naughty variety about him. “What about my reality?”

He walks backward a couple of steps, a self-assured grin on his face. With a cocked eyebrow and two thumbs to his chest, he replies, “Right here. Reality and fantasy all rolled into one, baby.”

Putting my hand on my hip, I can’t stop the smile he brings out of me. “A bit cocky, aren’t we?”

“I’m very cocky, but you already know that from the first time we fuc—”

“Oh my God, I meant arrogant, not your, your—”

“That works too.”

“Pfft. Go. Go before I feel the need to knock that chip off your shoulder.”

He reaches the door and pulls it open. “We’ll be knocking, but it will have nothing to do with chips.”

“What about shoulders?” I tease.

“I always knew you were a kinky girl.” He goes inside and I’m left standing there like a fool in the middle of the sidewalk with a huge goofy grin on my face.

I pull my phone out and check the calendar. The band gets back to LA in eleven days, so I text Dex: How about lunch in twelve days?

Dex: Going out or staying in?

I type back: I’ll cook for you.

Dex: What are you going to cook?

Me: Are you coming over or what?

Dex: I love when you beg. It’s sexy.

Me: I’m not begging. I’m asking.

Dex: Since you’re asking so nicely, the answer is yes.

Me: You’re incorrigible.

Dex: I’ve been called worse.

Me: I just bet you have.

Dex: Stop bugging me. I need some beauty sleep before we leave for Boston. You think I wake up this hot naturally? Oh wait, that’s right, I do.

I burst out laughing and reply: LOL. On that note, Mr. Humble, sweet dreams.

Dex: Forget sweet. I’m hoping for wet if I have my way, sweetheart.

My eyes go wide and my mouth drops open. I quickly shove my phone into my back pocket and hurry inside the hotel. Within minutes, I’m knocking on the door.

He opens his door wide and with a wry smile while acting innocent, he asks, “And to what do I owe the pleasure?”

I walk under his arm and slip inside his room. “I could use some sleep too.”

As I strip off my shirt and jeans, he suddenly gets this cocky expression on his face as he lets the door slam shut. “Don’t let me stop you from getting naked or anything, but what happened to two steps back?”

In just my bra and thong, I sit down on the edge of the bed. He moves closer as if he has no other choice. His eyes trace up and down my body leaving a trail of goosebumps in the wake of his heated gaze. I lean back on my elbows while he stands between my legs, his fingertips touching the tops of my thighs and slowly sliding down on the inside.

My thighs tighten in response and he smirks. With a teasing smirk of my own, I crawl up the bed, giving him full view of my ass, climb under the covers, and snuggle in before we cross a line we know we shouldn’t. I hear his heavy, impatient sigh as I pat the bed next to me. “Well, c’mon. Let’s get our sleep on.”

His shirt is over his head and off, his jeans dropped just as fast. He slips under the covers and I immediately move to lie against his side. We lay there in silence for a few minutes. I find comfort when I hear his steady heartbeat, then whisper, “How about just one step back?”

“Deal,” he says, then kisses the top of my head. He stretches and turns off the bedside lamp and gets more comfortable while I stay wrapped around him. “I think I’m gonna like this stepping back friends business.”





This new plan, the deal I made with Dex, seemed like such a good idea at first. But when I woke up in his arms just before noon, I wanted to stay. I couldn’t though. He had to get up to catch a flight to Boston for the next show and I needed to get back to LA.

This was only supposed to be a short trip when I planned it. But something about having his body wrapped around me made me want to see if Janice wouldn’t mind keeping the boys another night.

“You should probably go,” Dex says, his voice husky with sleep.

“What?” I tilt up to find him smirking down at me. “Why do you say that?”

“Because this feels too good. And if you’re not careful, I might have to steal you away and take you with me.”

“What if I came voluntarily?”

“That’s the plan.” The double meaning is exaggerated by his hand slowly running up the side of my body and back down again. He sits up and rubs his face before pushing his hair back. “So you gonna come?”

“And you call me dirty.”

He laughs, then says, “Not dirty, kinky.” He leans in really close, his lips against my ear. “There’s a difference and I’m more than happy to explore that kinky side with you… and the dirty side.”