AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“She’ll be home,” Alex said and chuckled. What did he find so amusing?
“Just checking,” Ash said. “Mel, don’t you think you should wear something warmer? It gets really cold at the shoreline at night.”
My hand went to my bare neck and exposed cleavage. I wasn’t wearing Ash’s scarf. I’d thought about grabbing it last minute but reconsidered, not wanting to wear something that reminded me of Ash while on my date with Alex.
“She’ll be okay. I’ll keep her warm,” Alex grinned. “We’d better get going or we’ll miss the first few songs.” Alex put his arm around me and ushered me toward the steps. I wanted to pound Ash for stalling us. He knew perfectly well I wasn’t planning to be home in the morning. That was if everything went the way it was supposed to go.
“Mel,” Ash called out to me as I took my first step down the stairs. I turned to look at him. “Don’t do it,” he said.
I lowered my eyes, not wanting to see him standing there, watching me leave. He looked so dejected. But why? I knew he cared about me as his friend, but really, he needed to either deal with the fact that I needed to experience other guys, or take me in his arms and profess his undying love for me. And I knew that was never going to happen. Not in this universe.
Alex kept his arm around me as we headed down the stairs.
“What’s he talking about?” Alex asked.
“Nothing important.”
“He sure made it seem important.”
“It’s nothing. Really. He just worries about smoking weed at concerts and wants to make sure I don’t,” I supplied and smiled at my quick thinking.
“He doesn’t need to worry about that. I don’t smoke, but wecandrink, and if he’s worried about me drinking and driving, I have a surprise for you.” As he held the outside door leading to the sidewalk open, I walked through, my eyes widening in amazement at the sight of the limo parked at the curb, complete with the driver standing by its open door. “Our ride,” Alex grinned as he splayed his hand out toward the black, shiny car.
“A limo? Yeah, I guess there’s no worries about driving.”
“It’s the only way to go to a concert. No parking to worry about, and no worries about getting home.”
Classy, I thought and shook my head at all the bad things Ash had said about Alex. Boy was he wrong.
We sipped champagne on the way to the Shoreline and nibbled on crackers and cheese. It was a good thing he’d thought to bring something to eat since I’d forgotten all about food before leaving.
Alex and I ended up sitting in the “real seats” underneath the canopy. They were great, actually—two rows back from the stage. Maroon Five and Adam Levine were stupendous. They even had heaters above us so I wasn’t cold at all. But it seemed like everything reminded me of Asher. I couldn’t get him out of my head. Especially the way he’d stood at his door, watching us leave as if it were the last time he’d ever see me. I hated that look on his face.
“Oh, God, Alex, that was so freakintastic!” I said as we piled into the limo.
“I know. Adam’s such a great performer,” he agreed. “Want some more champagne?” He held up the unfinished bottle we’d started on our way to the concert.
“No. I think I’ve had enough.” On top of the glass I’d had on the way to the show, I’d had two more glasses of wine during the concert. I wasn’t in the mood to get drunk with the prospect of Asher waking me up so early, and knowing him, he was probably waiting up to see what time I came home. God, why did he have to make such a big deal out of this? Just as I had that thought, Alex leaned in and kissed me. His tongue darted in between my lips before I even had a chance to get to know how his mouth felt against mine. I pulled back a bit, but he held on so tight I couldn’t break the seal. All I could think about was when Asher had kissed me the first time and how caring he’d been, how soft his lips felt, how tender and gentle he was when his tongue had entered my mouth. Alex was the complete opposite. He was hard and demanding and I wasn’t ready for that.
I finally freed myself from his mouth and shoved him back. Not too hard, but enough so that I could breathe. He smiled at me. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I…ah…I just didn’t expect that so quickly.” I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to kiss him again. All my plans to have sex with him had vanished the minute his tongue assaulted my mouth.
“That wasn’t quick. I’ve waited all night to kiss you.” He leaned in again for another kiss, but I turned my head and his lips landed on my cheek. “Okay. Something’s wrong.”
“I’m sorry. Alex. I thought I wanted this. I thought…I just can’t. The concert was fantastic and I thank you for taking me, but…I’m not going to sleep with you.” There. I said it.
He laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“You.” He sat back in the seat and lifted the bottle of champagne out of the holder, pouring some into one of the flutes. Then guzzled in down.
“Why do you find this so funny?”
“You’re a virgin, aren’t you?” he said matter-of-factly. I blinked.
“I…ah…”
