Madelynne Ellis - Come Undone

‘You sad fuck,’ he muttered when he finally managed it, while the taste of his own tears mixed with the water spray.

When he eventually crawled out of the cubicle and through into the bedroom, it was on legs still composed of jelly.

The patter of feet sounded on the stone stairs. Then Dani stood right by him. ‘Are you all ri –’ She bent, but he still had to tilt his head to see her properly. Her heavenly legs went on for ever.

‘I heard a noise.’ She briefly pressed the tips of two fingers against his shoulder, and then equally quickly withdrew.

‘What noise?’ A loud buzzing filled his ears, but he guessed she couldn’t hear that.

‘A howl. It sounded as if you were hurt. You were yelling for me.’

‘I stubbed my toe,’ he lied, which naturally accounted for why he was on the floor. She didn’t need to know the sordid truth. That he’d been screaming over a fantasy he’d constructed about fucking her, because screaming in passion beat screaming in pain.

Xane got to his feet, using the foot of the bed for leverage. ‘It’s nothing. I’m OK.’

‘Um … Oh … All right.’

His movement seemed to be causing her some problems.

‘What I mean is …’ She clammed up. Xane watched in appreciation as her tongue peeped out and swept across her dry lips. ‘Um, do you … that is … do you need a towel?’ She gestured to the one lying on the bed within reach of his hand.

Xane picked it up and used it on his hair. He had no issues with showing a bit of skin, and he liked the way his full frontal nudity seemed to hijack her capacity for speech. ‘What?’ he asked innocently, in response to her wide-eyed stare.

He liked distractions. Distractions were good. Distractions meant he didn’t slip into a vat of poisonous memories that would only make him sick with loss.

‘Nothing.’ She half-turned away. ‘That is … you’re blond.’ She blushed a furious and deeply appealing shade of red.

Xane glanced down at his body. Sure, he was blond, but he’d spent so long dyeing his hair jet-black he often forgot that other people didn’t know that. ‘Nice to see you’re taking a meticulous account of my assets.’ He laughed, actually rediscovering his sense of humour from somewhere. It made the salt tracks on his face pull against the skin.

‘It’s not easy to avoid,’ Dani snapped defensively. ‘Oh, God, what am I saying?’ She covered her face with her hands. ‘I think I’d better wait upstairs.’

‘You could help me dry my back.’ He turned, presenting her with a rear view, and held out the towel.

‘Um, I’m not sure I should do that.’

What had ‘should’ to do with it? Fantasising wasn’t enough, Xane decided. He wanted to drown his sorrows with this girl. He wanted to know if she really was interested in him – Xane the person, not Xane the rock god. ‘My back doesn’t bite.’

‘The rest of you probably does.’

True . Nice that she realised it.

‘I think I’ll leave you to get dressed.’

‘I wasn’t planning to. It’s late.’

She straightened up. A startled gaze replaced her glow of embarrassment. ‘Yes, of course. I’ve stayed too long.’ She patted her outfit, but appeared to have left her mobile upstairs, so she couldn’t check the time. ‘I ought to get off.’

Yep, he’d definitely never met a fan like her before. And he knew it wasn’t lack of attraction holding her back, because she’d admitted the desire was there, and he could see it in her eyes anyway.

‘I’ll go fetch your duvet for you and then see myself out.’

‘Wait –’ too late, she’d already scampered off ‘– you’re welcome to stay.’ He probably sounded desperate, but … if she left now, he was doomed to a lonely night in hell, with nothing to distract him from mulling over Steve and Elspeth’s happy union, and the hole it had torn in his gut. If he could just manage to work his legendary charm, instead of acting like a prick around her, then …

Urgh! He bent over the sink feeling nauseous. A swarm of insane hornets had taken up residence in his skull. OK, he just needed to lie down a minute.

Xane flopped down on the bed and rolled onto his back.

Two seconds, and then he’d find some slouch pants and talk to her. Maybe she’d even listen and believe him when he told her what a bunch of arseholes the rest of the band were.

‘I brought you some water.’

Xane lay spread-eagled across the centre of the bed when Dani returned with the duvet. He didn’t move to acknowledge her arrival. Just lay there exposed with – how had he put it? – all his assets on display. And pretty glorious assets they were too. Not just his … his male bits, but the rest of him, pierced nipples, washboard abs, the swirls of black ink tattooed across his right thigh and other parts, and his … his cock. OK, her attention kept focusing in that direction, but how was any red-blooded woman supposed to resist when their idol was laid out like a gift? Most would have their phones out by now, capturing pictures. Dani didn’t require a photographic reminder; Xane’s image was now burned into her brain alongside the memory of him kissing her.

It didn’t matter that it hadn’t meant anything to him, because – oh, my fucking God – Xane Geist had kissed her.

Nope, she corrected herself. He hadn’t just kissed her. He’d outright propositioned her, and even knowing he was a player – hello, rock star – and regardless of what he’d said when he’d first invited her into his place, she was still ready to let him break her heart.

Dani bit her lip, trying to suppress the urge to molest him while he slept. She particularly wanted to follow that fascinating golden line of hairs that led down from his navel to the thicker bush around his cock. In fact, damn if she didn’t want to push her nose up against him and breathe in his scent too.

What the hell was wrong with her, thinking lewd thoughts about a comatose man? Remain calm, Dani. Keep it together. You’ve played it cool so far.

She tiptoed to the bedside and set down the drink she’d brought him. What a shame he hadn’t stayed awake to swallow it. He’d have a thumping headache in the morning.

‘Here.’ She tucked the duvet around his body. ‘You’ll get cold otherwise.’

Xane didn’t respond.

Maybe she ought to roll him into the recovery position, in case he was sick.

No. She’d leave him. That would be best. She’d go now and not touch him. Better that than for him to wake while she was manhandling him into position and had him across her lap.

‘Well, goodnight, Xane. I’ve enjoyed meeting you.’ She bent and pressed a dry kiss to his brow. ‘I won’t forget this.’

No, she’d be reliving tonight on a daily basis, imagining how things might have gone if he hadn’t passed out, and if she hadn’t been so timid. If she’d only touched him after he’d kissed her, or followed him into the shower, or even dried his back for him instead of standing dreaming of licking the water droplets from between his shoulder blades …

Damn him for sleeping. She wanted another chance. It wasn’t enough to say she’d met him, or that the sensation of his kiss had been imprinted onto her lips.

Maybe he’d forgive her for stealing one last keepsake. It wasn’t as if she intended to take anything that hadn’t already been offered.

Dani kissed her fingertips, meaning to blot them against Xane’s lips. But as she leaned towards him, she recalled the soft trace of his tongue and the odd pressure of his lip ring, and somehow her mouth met his. Even then, she meant only to press lightly before slipping away into the night.

One taste and her resolve broke. A tight spasm gripped her pussy. If only he’d awaken and kiss her back.