Chapter 7

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Kim nodded breathlessly, her cheeks flushing as Jon smiled at her again.  He tipped his head toward the concrete steps leading to the second floor.  “I’m up top.”  His voice was slightly husky, tinged with excitement.  Together they turned, Kim silently following his lead as Jon headed for the stairs.

When they reached the landing Kim paused as Jon stepped toward the nearest door.  “Here we are,” he announced, turning the knob.  The unlocked door swung easily inward.  “After you.”

Kim hesitated for a second before brushing past Jon to step through the doorway.  She heard him inhale as she passed, and her pulse raced.  She stopped just steps inside the door, gulping in a breath and trying to remain calm.  Oh My God.  They were alone.  In his apartment.

As she tried to maintain her composure Kim’s eyes traveled around the small apartment.  She was somewhat surprised at what she saw.  It certainly didn’t look like the kind of place a rock star would live.

She was standing in a sparsely-furnished, rather messy living room.  Sunlight filtered in between the slats of  yellowed plastic vertical blinds screening a sliding glass door that led out onto a tiny deck.  Matted beige carpet stretched across the floor between dingy white walls that were adorned with tacked-up posters of rock legends and scantily-clad women. 

An ugly brown couch sat against one wall, fronted by a battered coffee table strewn with papers, magazines, empty soda cans, and fast-food wrappers.  On the opposite wall a shelving unit fashioned from concrete blocks and two-by-fours held a large television and VCR.  Videotapes and audio cassettes were piled haphazardly on both sides of the TV.

Beside the television stand stood a glass-fronted walnut cabinet holding an expensive-looking stereo.  Three-foot-high speakers sat in opposite corners of the room.  Two guitars, one acoustic and one electric, leaned against the sides of the stereo cabinet like stylish bookends.

Kim’s eyes drifted to the other side of the apartment where a round glass-topped dinette table and chairs sat in a small nook next to a tiny kitchen.  Her gaze returned to center and she saw a short hall directly in front of her, leading to an open door.  Through the doorway Kim could see the end of an unmade bed, its rumpled red sheets spilling off the mattress and onto the floor.  A jolt of heat shot through Kim’s core at the idea of Jon’s hard body reclining naked in the bed, draped in those scarlet sheets.  Her lips parted as a soft little sigh escaped her at that thought.

Jon pushed the door shut with a quiet click and watched Kim as she evaluated his apartment.  The amused little smile on her luscious lips made his own mouth water.  He was dying to see if those lips tasted as sweet as they looked. 

Jon could practically read Kim’s thoughts as she looked around:  “THIS is where he lives?”  He chuckled softly.  “Sorry, it’s kinda a mess.  I wasn’t expecting company, and I’m not much of a housekeeper.”

Kim visibly started at his words.  “Oh!  No… it’s…”

“A fleabag, I know.  But it’s MY fleabag.”  Jon grinned self-depricatingly as he heard Kim’s nervous giggle.  “A real bachelor pad, as you can see.  Nothing matches, no curtains, hardware-store special furniture…”  He gave Kim a little wink when she turned to look at him.  “No woman’s touch.  And I’m sure I left the toilet seat up.”

Kim could hardly breathe as she stared into Jon’s gleaming blue eyes.  He was so close, only a short step away, between her and the door.  She could feel the heat of his body and his musky scent filled her senses.  “I… it’s…. nice.”  She didn’t know what else to say.

“Thanks.”  Jon stared at Kim for another long minute.  When he spoke again his voice was huskier.  “You want something to drink?”

“Umm… water?”  Kim asked meekly.

Jon nodded.  “Okay.”  Giving in to his urge to touch her, he reached out to gently brush his hand over her arm.  “You can drop your bag anywhere.”

Jon’s touch sent a shiver of pleasure racing through Kim’s body.  As his words sunk in she realized she was still holding her backpack slung over her shoulder.  She had been so caught up in her surroundings and Jon’s closeness that she had completely forgotten why she was here:  to shower and change for work.  “Oh.  Umm…  Where’s your bathroom?”

“It’s through there.”  Jon pointed down the hall.  “You have to go through the bedroom to get to it.”

Kim’s heart leapt into her throat.  Holy SHIT…  Suddenly she was very nervous.  She had really wanted to be alone with Jon, hoping that a little privacy would lead to…. what?  She could hardly believe that he was interested in her, that he seemed to feel the same intense sexual attraction that she felt.  But the evidence was right before her, in Jon’s piercing blue eyes.  The lust in his gaze was unmistakable.

Jon watched Kim’s reaction to his words, smiling as she chewed on her bottom lip.  He knew she wanted him; he had learned long ago to read the signs.  And now that the opportunity was presented she was nervous.  Relax, Baby… he thought, confident that in a moment he would put her at ease.  All it would take was one kiss. 

“Let me get you that water.”   Jon stepped past Kim, heading for the kitchen. 

Kim stood frozen for a moment before moving slowly over to the table. She slid her backpack from her shoulder and set it on the glass top, then closed her eyes.  She willed her racing pulse to calm, even as she craved more stimulation.  Kim heard the soft slam of the refrigerator door, then the crackle of ice cubes being popped from a tray, then the clink of the cubes inside a glass.  The soft swish of water running from the tap followed.

Kimberly opened her eyes and turned to face Jon, just as he moved toward her.  She hardly breathed as he approached, stopping a scant step in front of her.  Jon handed her the glass.  “Here.”

“Thanks,” Kim croaked.  She took a quick gulp of water, thankful for the ice he had thought to include.   The chilly liquid soothed her suddenly-parched throat.

Jon watched as Kim drank, trying to maintain his cool countenance.  Christ, he wanted to touch her.  When he had wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him during the shoot he could hardly contain his arousal.  Her flesh was so firm yet yielding, her skin so soft.  When she raised her face to look at him, he knew it was time.

Jon gently took the glass from Kim’s hand, then leaned toward her as he reached to set it on the table behind her.  She shrunk slightly back from him, letting out a soft gasp of surprise.  Jon moved his hand to brush back a strand of damp, dark hair from Kim’s face.  His other hand went to her waist as he dipped his head to capture her mouth with his. 

Kim saw stars at the touch of Jon’s lips.  Then she felt his hand on her arm, warm and comforting, as his mouth gently caressed hers.  God, his lips were so soft… just like they looked.  “Mmmmm….” she sighed as she tilted her head slightly, submitting to his kiss.  Her lips parted, accepting his tongue as it pushed inside to stroke hers.  Of their own accord her hands went to Jon’s chest, her palms resting lightly against the soft tee that draped his hard pecs.

Jon grinned as he pulled back to look at Kim.  She looked dazed, but there was a sexy smirk curving the corners of her pretty mouth.  “You’ve been wanting me to do that,” he observed softly.

“Yes,” she breathed, her cheeks flushed.

Kim’s husky admission made Jon’s cock throb with excitement.  “What else do you want me to do?”

Kim blushed, fluttering her lashes shyly as she looked away from his face, to her hands against his chest.  Her fingers moved to trace over the pendant hanging from his neck.  “Well… you could start by taking your shirt off.”  She surprised herself with her response.  It was unlike her to be so forward; usually she let the guy set the pace.  But Kim couldn’t help herself.  There was something about Jon that emboldened her.

“Okay.”  Jon reached for the hem of his ripped tee and stripped it from his body, slinging it aside.  He gave Kim a sexy grin.  “Your turn.”

Kim’s eyes widened, but her smirk remained.  Without a word her hands went to her midriff, her fingers curling under the rolled edge of her makeshift tank that was pulled tight against her skin.  She tugged at the fabric for a moment before realizing she would have to loosen it before she could pull it up over her breasts.  Nicki had tied her shirt up tightly in the back when they were fashioning their photo shoot wardrobe.  “Umm…”  Kim’s cheeks flushed even more as she reached behind her back, fumbling with the knot of fabric there.

Jon chortled.  “Do you have a particular attachment to this shirt?” he asked, his eyes twinkling.

“No, not really.”  Kim’s fingers scrabbled over the knot, looking for a way to loosen it.  But it wasn’t budging.  Dammit, Nicki…

“Good.”  Kim let out a little squeak of surprise as Jon reached for her neck.  He grasped the ragged neckline of the t-shirt with both hands and yanked.  The thin fabric ripped easily, exposing Kim’s tanned chest and turquoise bikini top.  Jon tugged a little harder and the fabric unrolled from its band under her breasts, the tear extending to the shorn bottom of Kim’s tee.  With a final tug the t-shirt separated into two halves, hanging loosely over Kim’s now-heaving chest.

Kim’s knees felt weak as she stared into Jon’s hypnotic blue eyes.  She was hopelessly turned on by his aggressive move; he had literally ripped the covering from her bosom, like some plundering scoundrel in a Harlequin romance novel.

“I’ll get you a new one,” Jon murmured as again his mouth descended to Kim’s.  He kissed her provocatively, delighted when she responded with equal fervor.  Again their tongues tangled and Jon’s hands went to Kim’s shoulders.  He slid his palms lightly over her skin, down her arms to her hands.  His fingers closed around hers, squeezing gently.

Pulling his mouth from hers with a soft gasp, Jon rested his forehead against Kim’s for a moment before pulling back to smirk at her again.  Her beautiful hazel eyes were dark with desire and her lips were full and shiny, swollen from the kiss.  “So… what else do you want, Kim?”  His voice was barely above a whisper, more of a honeyed purr.  It was the sound of pure sex. 

Kim’s womb clenched at the question.  Jesus, she wanted HIM.  To ask her to communicate with words what she craved was almost cruel.  She could barely remember her own name let alone tell Jon that she wanted him to make her continue to feel like she was feeling, only better, sweatier, harder, faster, wetter… 

Kim’s head spun as she considered the many possibilities.  Only now they weren’t just possibilities.  All she had to do was answer…

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