But he seemed to understand this and took my hand, lazily bending each of my fingers.
“So how long have you known that band?” I asked him.
“About four hours,” he said. “I met them at a truck stop outside LA this afternoon.”
“Really?” My belly fluttered again. He was a hitchhiker. A drifter. Not even the band knew him. “And they just brought you along and put you onstage?”
“Pretty much,” he said. “It’s not too unusual. There are places where musicians hang out just to pick up last-minute gigs. When I was on Sixth Street in Austin, a drummer I played with couldn’t so much as load his set in his car before someone came running down the street asking if he could sub in on a job.”
This was all so new to me. “But don’t you have to practice together? Match your style?”
The pale strip lights along the roof cast just enough light for me to see his face. “A decent musician has a deep set list,” he said. “This past week I’ve played everything from George Strait to Meatloaf.”
His voice was calm and deep, so I began to relax again. Brandon was here. I wasn’t totally at this man’s mercy. “Is there anything you won’t do?” I asked.
His grip on my hand tightened. “Are you going to suggest something I might say no to?”
I knew a nicer, more wholesome girl would have blushed, but I knew a challenge when I saw it. “I might.”
He lifted the back of my hand to his lips. At first he pressed a simple, chaste kiss on my skin.
Then he bit me.
“You crazy boy!” I said, laughing. “I’ll get you for that.”
“Will you, now?” He grabbed my waist and lifted me onto his lap. “I think I’ve got you.”
He buried his face in my neck and hot need bolted through me like a flash fire. I couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh as he nibbled along my jaw. I had completely forgotten what it was like to feel like this with someone. This was the stuff I lived for, right here.
“I want to touch everything,” he whispered against my cheek. “You are the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
I didn’t answer, not trusting my voice. My breath came in rapid huffs.
Very little penetrated the dark windows of the limo, but the street lamps flashed by as we sped through the city. Chance kissed me again, and I closed my eyes, paying attention to his seeking mouth.
His tongue sought mine again, and I forced any worries about him being such a stranger away. It wasn’t the first time I’d been impulsive with someone I’d just met. And it probably wouldn’t be the last.
I kicked off my killer heels, tired of them dangling. My legs were up on the seat, my butt in his lap. He had a good solid hold on me, one arm around my waist, the other hand roaming along my back, probably noticing my lack of a bra.
He tasted like a dream. In the quiet of the car, I could hear his voice, singing to me from the stage. I wanted to hear it again, and was torn between his kiss and having him perform just for me. The thought of that low rumble close enough to feel as well as hear drew a rush of heat through my core.
I broke away, my hands on each side of his face. “What’s your favorite song to sing?” I asked him.
His eyes found mine, amusement dancing. “You sure pick an interesting time to ask questions.”
“Plenty of evening left,” I said. I ran a finger along his cheek. I could tell he was normally clean shaven, but this late in the evening, his skin was rough with stubble.
He turned his mouth to my hand and kissed my palm. A thrill zipped through me. Maybe I wouldn’t ask questions. I was about to lean back in when he said, “When I was little, my Gram would sing me a lullaby, you know the one, about Papa buying a diamond ring.”
I couldn’t suppress a giggle. “That’s your favorite song? A lullaby?”
“Maybe.” He frowned. “I guess I should have said something clever, like Johnny Cash, or something romantic just to seduce you.”
I touched a finger to his lips. They were firm and soft and warm. “I think you already did that onstage. I like that you were honest.”
“I never was much of a liar,” he said, and his mouth met mine again.
I let myself fall, drifting along with his kiss, the heat of his body, and his hands, moving again along my back. We would be at the beach soon. Maybe I should slow this down. Take a little time.
Chance lingered, not in any rush, tasting me, nipping at my tongue with his teeth. He made me giddy. I wanted to laugh, to cling to him, to fall apart, all at once. He was everything in a single package. Passionate, silly, romantic, careful.
I hadn’t been this swept away by anyone in a long time. If ever.
Chapter 10: Chance