Page 5 of Wicked Love

“Old enough to drink in a place called Dick’s Hole.” She squinted. “Why do you think they named it that? I’m not sure it’s not creepy.”

I shrugged. “Who knows? It’s been an establishment in this town forever. Nobody knows the real story behind its name.”

“Oh.” She paused, seemingly to think. “You live here?”

“Used to. I live in New York now.”

“Are you like famous?”

“I wish. Nah, I’m a musician. On Broadway. I play the piano in musicals.”

“You do?” I nodded.

Lowering her down, I gripped her arm, waiting for her to get steady on her feet.

“You good?” I asked.

“Sure.” She scrunched up her face, studying me. “I think you’re really cute. For a pianist.”

“What does that mean?”

She rolled her eyes. “Told you already you’re beautiful. Would you prefer I tell you you’re hot?”

“Yeah.”

She took one of my hands in hers, examining my digits. “You have long pianist’s fingers. I bet you can do a lot of things with those.”

Was she serious right now? Never before had a girl compared my piano skills to sex. There was just something about this one that aroused every inch of my body. Her sultry voice, her confidence, her sex-appeal, her entire being. I couldn’t explain it, but she was seeping under my skin without my realizing it.

“Too bad you’ll never know,” I teased.

We fixated our gazes on each other, neither of us blinking. The tension swirling between us sparkled with heat. Why was I unable to let her walk away?

“You sure you’re old enough to drink?” My voice sounded rough. I coughed, trying to get rid of the lust thickening my vocal cords.

She cupped her mouth and leaned closer, her chest brushing against mine. In her two-inch high heels, she was only a couple of inches shorter than I. Her scent, fresh and herbal, teased my nose. “Good genes. One day I’ll be grateful that I look younger than my age. For the record, I’m not really twenty-one, but I’m an adult, so who cares, right?”

“I won’t snitch on you.”

She did some kind of military salute, two fingers pressed against her forehead. “Thank you, sir.”

“I went from cute pianist to sir?”

She giggled, the clear sound regaling my ears, and she took my hand between hers. Her touch injected me with a sense of calm I never experienced before.

“Why are you spending the night in a shitty bar, Joe? You looked lonely earlier. I’m sure there are much more enjoyable places for you to be.”

Why did it surprise me that she noticed me too? Since I’d arrived, I had barely been able to detach my gaze from her.

“My dad. He’s the best man I know, but now he lives in a plastic world, and it saddens me. Not that he is a plastic guy, but soon he’ll turn into one. Anyway, he asked me to come home this weekend. I’m here only for him, but I needed to take the edge off first. Avoid getting home too soon.”

“I get it. My mom is a nutcase. I wish we were not related most of the time.”

We sat at the bar, and I ordered two glasses of water.

“Don’t need to keep playing my lifesaver,” the girl said. “I’m smart enough to stop drinking when I reach my limit.”

“Which is?”