ROCK ME

POV: Missy

“Are you ready?”

I looked up from the concrete to Valeria’s wide green eyes. Her hand was hovering over the door to Club Freedom, and there was a wide grin on her pretty face.

Muffled music blasted from the building and assaulted us every time someone opened the door. My throat was constricted, and a large nervous lump was ready to strangle me.

But I was so ready.

I’d been waiting for this day for the past two years. Valeria and I made a pact at the beginning of eleventh grade. If we hadn’t lost our virginity by the time we were going to college, we’d go out in hopes of losing it.

It seemed like a great idea at the time, but now that I was standing outside where my potential first could be, I was freaking out. My potential sex partner was waiting for me on the other side of that blacked-out door.

I wasn’t going to be a virgin anymore.

And I was happy.

Being in the spotlight because of my older brother’s band, Fringe, my appearance played a huge part in my dating life. That’s the reason I didn’t have one. Dad made sure people knew who I was and what not to expect from me: sex. Only two of my potential boyfriends had asked me out more than once, and only because they were trying to get close to my dad, who managed my brother’s band.

Walking into that club meant I could find someone who wanted to be around me without knowing who I was—without my dad finding out, without anyone finding out.

“I’m ready,” I said.

Valeria grabbed my hand and swung the door open. I felt like I was walking into adulthood, as lame as that sounded. An X was drawn on our hands with glow-in-the-dark markers that lit up bright green so the bartender could see the underage drinkers coming.

The music vibrated in my head, and it was oddly numbing. Valeria and I beat a couple to the last bar table available.

“We’re really in a club,” she said, looking around like she may miss something important. For some reason, I didn’t think anything significant happened in clubs. “Let’s try to find you a guy.”

I frowned. “Let’s see what happens first. No rush.”

Her green eyes narrowed as she pulled at the hem of her Band-Aid dress. “Missy, don’t back out on our deal. Do you really want to go to college a virgin?”

No, I didn’t. Going to college as a virgin made me feel even less ready for the experience. Not that I thought you had to be to get in, but I wanted to be prepared for the social part of it. I didn’t want a guy running for the hills when he found out that I was a virgin. College is where you meet your soulmate people! Well, maybe.

“I’m not backing out. I want to dance a little. Or something.”

Val waved me off and started scoping the floor anyway.

“Blond or brunette?”

I shrugged and pulled my dress down my thighs. I was more exposed than I had ever been, besides a swimsuit. The V in the front of my dress was a little too low, but nothing compared to the shortness of the dress. What was I thinking? “Either or, it doesn’t matter, I suppose.”

Valeria frowned and rapped her knuckles against the table. “It would help if you looked too, Missy. If you don’t want to—”

“No, I do.” I sighed and took deep breaths to calm myself. “I’m just nervous. My pits are sweating.”

She gave me a knowing look. “You’re right. Let’s go dance. Just let loose.”

Valeria took my hand and guided me out onto the dance floor. Some rap song was playing, but it was so loud that I couldn’t pinpoint which one. Valeria grabbed my hands, held them over her head, and started to sway her hips.

Dance, Missy. I know how to dance. I can do this.

Ten minutes later, we were covered in a thin layer of sweat, and both of our heels were in our hands above our heads. I’d never been to a club since I’d just turned eighteen, but something about the freedom and dancing was invigorating.

Valeria motioned her head toward the bar, and I followed her. She sat on a stool, and I was happy to see I wasn’t the only one sweating like a pig. “I need something to drink; I’m about to die,” she gasped out.

She flagged down the bartender and ordered us two Shirley Temples. I leaned down to rub my feet, but when I looked over at Valeria, she was gaping over my shoulder. “Don’t look now, but Rocker Hercules is totally checking you out.”

Rocker Hercules? What? I frowned. It didn’t sound that appealing. Slowly, I turned to pretend to pick at my dress. As casually as possible, I let my gaze drift upward toward the bar’s opposite side.

Oh, my.

Holy Heck.

Rocker Hercules fit him just right. Hercules’ body with tattoos and piercings. Tattoos and piercings. I had never liked them before, but they looked good enough to eat on him. Where was a spoon when you needed one?

The imaginary lint on my dress was the last thing on my mind. My sights were zeroed in on those too-blue eyes staring at me. The corner of his mouth curled, and a dimple appeared on his right jaw that was covered in scruffy, dirty blond hair.

Dirty blond hair would do, Valeria. It would certainly do.

I swallowed the nervousness in my throat, and he watched me as I took him in. A plain gray t-shirt fit him snugly, showing lean muscles beneath the fabric. I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath until he started moving toward me, and I sucked in another lungful before coughing like crazy.

“Ohmigod, Missy, stop. He’s coming over here.” Valeria started hitting me on the back to help, but it only made it worse.

When I finally regained my composure, the barstool beside me scooted across the tile floor. I kept my eyes glued to Valeria and watched as her smile grew bigger and bigger.

I was mentally shaking my head and begging Valeria for an escape plan when I felt a calloused finger touch my bare shoulder.

I twirled around before I lost my nerve and came face to face with him. And I knew then he’d be taking me home with him, and I’d be losing my virginity. This guy didn’t know it yet, or maybe he did; his smile was cocky, and I knew he would take care of me.

“What’s your name, Princess?” he asked gravely and deeply. A voice that could wheedle any woman out of her panties, I assumed.

“Mi—Stephanie,” I lied. Stephanie was my mom’s name. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how stupid it was. Who wanted their potential sex partner to call out your mother’s name during sex? Way to go, Missy.

I didn’t want anyone to know who I was.

His ice-blue eyes drifted over my face and down to the scoop of my dress before slowly returning to meet my gaze. There was no inkling of regret or embarrassment for checking me out. Straightforward.

“I’m Paxton,” he said before looking over my shoulder at Valeria. My heart started to jackhammer in my throat. It wouldn’t have been the first time someone had chosen to approach Valeria over me, whether it was my ‘doesn’t put out’ status at school or not.

“I’m Valeria,” she said, offering him her hand. He shook it and turned his attention back to me.

“You want to dance, Stephanie?′

Did I? I nodded and took his hand when he offered it to me. It was calloused at the fingertips, and the thought of his hands running over my skin made my thighs weak. I could only imagine what he could do with those hands.

With my hand in his, he made his way to the floor, maneuvering through the gyrating crowd that parted easier for him than me. Once we’d reached the center of the crowded tile floor, he pulled me closer using our linked hands and dropped both hands down to my hips.

It felt like his palms were fire, searing my skin until he pulled me closer, and his breath began to hit my face. “You’re beautiful,” he said, his voice gentle yet gritty. Why haven’t you been dancing with anyone?”

My tongue felt like sandpaper. “I—I was dancing with Valeria.” But I was sure he meant someone of the opposite sex.

He watched me closely, eyes dropping to my parting lips. “I saw,” he said.

He saw? Was he watching me? My skin heated when he smiled down at me. “Are you nervous, Stephanie?”

Yes, how can he tell?I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth, nervous habit, and Paxton pulled me closer to his chest, my nipples grazing him. The contact made my stomach twist, but Paxton’s calloused thumb sliding across my bottom lip, untucking my lip from my mouth, made everything else fade into the background.

“Don’t do that, Sweetheart, or I’ll help you next time.”

Mush. My brain was mush. I watched him watch me as we swayed to the music until the song changed, and he turned me around until my backside was pressed against his front. Heat swarmed my body, and I was thankful that darkness would hide my blush.

His hips guided me to a steady beat while his right arm, covered in tats that I was dying to look at, snaked around me and pulled me closer to him. His breath slid over my neck as he whispered the song’s words into my ear. A soft moan left my lips, and I doubted he could hear it over the music, but his fingers gripped my hip tighter.

“Do you want to get out of here?” he whispered gently against my neck, his lips a hairbreadth away from my waiting skin.

Every part of my body burned for him to touch me. Was I ready to go? I was. Completely and totally ready.

I slowly nodded, and at the exact moment it took me to agree, he dragged me off the floor and toward the EXIT.

Everything around me was a blur. I could only focus on Paxton dragging me from the club. My heart beat wildly as we exited through the door into the humid air.

Paxton’s grip tightened, and then I was pushed against the wall. His ice blue eyes studying my face—my mouth. Sliding the pad of his thumb over my bottom lip made my sex clenched.

“I’m going to kiss that pretty little mouth, Stephanie,” he whispered.

Stephanie. Who is Stephanie? I would have giggled if my lower region wasn’t screaming for him just to kiss me already!

“Then do it,” I whispered back. I would have blamed it on the alcohol like every other girl at the club, but I hadn’t had any. The drunkenness wasn’t from anything other than him.

If to torture me, a dark smile lifted from the corner of his lips, and his eyes dropped to my parted mouth. It seemed like hours but probably wasn’t longer than a few seconds before he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine.

The hand on my mouth cupped my jaw and forced my lips upward for a better angle. His other hand trailed down my side to cup my ass before lifting me onto his hips and pressing me against the wall.

“You taste so sweet,” he mumbled, swiping his tongue against the crease of my mouth for access. Cool metal slid across, and my adrenaline skyrocketed. It was a piercing, and I liked it.

I opened, welcoming his tongue and tightening around him when I felt a growl vibrate in his chest. “Sugar,” he mumbled against my mouth. I had no idea what that meant, but I was on fire and didn’t care.

All rational thought was seeping from my ears, and everything now was taking over. I wanted him deeper, more and more. I wanted him all. And I didn’t care that I was hooking up with a guy outside of a club.

His fingers dug into my thighs, and he pulled away, resting his forehead against my own. “I want to make sure we’re on the same page, which by that kiss, I’m assuming we are, but I want to take you home to my bed tonight. Got it?”

Did I ever? I bit my tongue to keep from screaming when he leaned down and nipped at my jaw, then neck. How was I supposed to answer with him doing that? The metal from his tongue ring slid up the length of my neck and then back down.

“Answer me,” he said.

“Yes,” I whimpered, my vision blurry from the commotion going on between my legs. I needed a release, and Paxton would give it to me.

He lowered his hand and let my legs fall to the ground while he nipped up to my bottom lip and sucked it into his mouth. My legs were jelly beneath me.

Click.

My brows furrowed, I could hear something, but his mouth was too hot and all over me.

Click.

What was that?

Click.

I pried one eye open and stared over Paxton’s shoulder. Behind us, a man with a camera was standing, snapping pictures with his cell phone.

I stilled. Why was he taking pictures? Had he recognized who I was? “What’s wrong?” Paxton whispered in my ear. “You change your mind?”

No, I hadn’t. Nothing was going to ruin this for me.

I shook my head. “Take me to your place.”

And he did.