Shaking my head and rolling my eyes at him as I reach for the door handle, I ask, “Are you trying to tell me we’ll be sleeping on the floor?”

Chuckling as he exits his door, he responds, “Pretty much.”

I get out of the car and glance over at him. “Well then Mr. Rock Star turned Boy Scout, show me the way.” I can’t help but laugh; thinking about how similar our carefree domestic attitudes are.

He points his finger at me and says, “Don’t laugh. I told you I just moved in.”

I approach him as he waits at the front of the car for me, and he takes my hand, leading me up the stairs. Once we reach another small bank of steps that lead to the landing, he ushers me forward. When we get to the top, he reaches above the door and removes a key from the ledge.

Turning around, I notice the key in his hand and quickly jest, “Hey River, first rule of a new house never let anyone know where you hide your spare key!” As I look at him, my breath catches from his close proximity and my pulse starts to race when I notice his muscles showing through his t-shirt as they flex and roll with his every movement. Unashamed, I continue to watch him as he reaches around me to unlock the door and reaches again to put the key back.

Before I can add any further words of wisdom to my already expressed thoughts, I notice his eyes drift down to my skirt. His fingertips lightly brush the hem before his hands brace the doorframe on both sides of me. The sunlight is peaking through a small round window behind him, only highlighting his extreme attractiveness.

He dips his head so we are eye-level. “Since we’ve already established you’re not a stalker, you knowing where I hide the key just makes it easier.” He laughs and thinks for a moment before slowly slipping his tongue out of his mouth and dragging it across his lower lip. Leaning in, he places his knee in between mine and kisses me hungrily. He kisses up and down my jawline and neck, almost as if trying to find my pulse. It should be easy, since it’s racing. He returns his lips to mine and we continue our kiss. This kiss isn’t just any kiss; it’s a kiss very much full of need. Not just his, but mine. It’s a kiss that leaves me breathless and wanting more.

I wonder how is it that one-minute we can be having a normal conversation and the next minute I want to strip down in his garage and f**k him right here? This need is completely new to me. My inability to control my libido around him is making me a little nervous, and I decide to escape this situation. Lowering my head, I turn around and duck under his arm, reaching for the doorknob.

“Easier how?” I finally manage. Without glancing back, I open the door and pass by his overwhelming sex appeal.

Putting his hand over my eyes as I start to walk into the house, he whispers in my ear, “I’ll explain later.” He kisses the side of my neck, and I can feel his smooth skin as he says, “After we finish what you started in the car.”

Fumbling around my words, I say, “Oh, did I start something in the car?”

Since he vocalized his intentions, exploring his house right now doesn’t seem like a priority. Especially since he’s standing so close behind me, and I can breathe him in. I can smell his invigorating scent—clean and fresh.

Softly chuckling, he says, “Don’t play innocent. You know you did. Not that I minded in the least.” He says this as he slides one hand down my body and reaches under my skirt. Running his fingers down my garter belt he growls in my ear, “And I can’t wait to see these just as soon as I show you around.”

I roll my eyes. I really don’t need a house tour right now. I just need to tour him. “Okay, if that’s what you want to do first.”

With one hand still over my eyes, he guides me to where he wants me to stand. Then removing his hand, he says, “You’re cool to look now.”

Opening my eyes, I change my mind; I definitely need a house tour. I’m standing in what must be the most mod looking kitchen I have ever seen. There is a twelve light ultra modern fixture hanging from the ceiling that is at least eight feet long. I assume a table belongs underneath it. Stainless steel appliances grace the entire kitchen and there are thick glass shelves above the appliances where you would normally see cupboards. The floor is a mix of black and white paint swirled together, it is almost industrial looking, very chic. The counters are jet-black granite with white pearl splashed throughout. There is a high bar with curvy, black stools along it, and on the other side is the living room. It is unlike any kitchen I have ever seen.

“River, this is stunning,” I remark as I take it all in before moving toward the living room.

He follows and I can feel his eyes on me as I move. “Yeah, stunning.”

The living room is painted white and rich black walnut wood panels the wall in front of me. A large black and white picture of River and his band is on display. Underneath the picture is a long gray tufted sofa that is flanked with a few vintage guitars resting in their stands. To the left is a huge flat-screen TV that is sitting on a small stand. Surprisingly, no video gaming system is attached.

Strutting over to the couch, walking that walk I love so much, he sits down and pats the couch. “Xander outdid himself,” he says, patting the couch. “He picked this out for me and had it delivered.” He glances up at the picture and points to the TV and guitars. “He said these are house-warming presents.”

“That’s really nice of your brother,” I comment while walking over to get a closer look at the picture.

While stretching his arms out on the back of the couch, River says, “He can be, sometimes. You can be the judge when you meet him.”

“Well if he’s anything like you, I’m sure I’ll like him.” I almost said love but quickly caught myself. My emotions are running away from me; I have to rein them in.

“When was this taken?” I ask, still looking at the large photograph on the wall. “A while ago, maybe four years. It was our first official released band photo,” he says while laughing quietly. “It was a big deal for Xander. It was his first accomplished task as band manager.”

“Having your brother looking out for you must relieve a lot of stress. I don’t have any siblings, but always wanted a brother and a sister.”

“I love my brother and my sister, but they can both be a pain in the ass.”

“Well, since I am an only child, I would have loved to have had even one pain in the ass growing up with me,” I teasingly respond.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he says, trying to reach for me, but I am already walking over to the large glass doors that seem to go on for miles. Gushing when I reach them, I am in awe. The view is out of this world. In the distance I can see each letter of the Hollywood sign. It’s truly amazing. I wish I brought my camera up from the car because this is an incredible photo opportunity. Opening one of the doors, I step outside to an equally amazing outdoor living area that spans the entire length of the house. The upper deck has a wooden table with twelve chairs around it, along with a built-in barbeque grill. To the right and left are modern spiral staircases. Each circles down to the lower deck containing a large rectangular pool and hot tub. Several cloth-covered benches line the half-wall made of plexiglass.

I turn to River, who hasn’t said anything, and he’s watching me intently. “This is your view?” I sputter out. “You can see the Hollywood sign,” I whisper, spelling out the word instead of just saying Hollywood.

In the time we've spent together, River certainly hasn’t given me any indication that he’s as wealthy as his surroundings suggest. Sure, he stayed in a nice hotel and spent plenty of money over the weekend, but he’s just so laid back and down to earth.

After seeing this house, with this view, I start to wonder what I’ve gotten myself into with him.

Snapping me out of my reverie, he comes up behind me and wraps his arms around me. “Hey, you okay?

“Yeah, I just had no idea.”

“No idea of what?”

“That you’re one of the rich and famous.”

Chuckling, he says, “Hardly. Just in the right place at the right time.”

River presses his body into mine and adds, “And I had no idea either.”

“No idea of what?” I parrot back.

His body moves as he laughs, and I feel his hardness behind me. “That you’re one of the enamored that has to spell Hollywood instead of saying it.”

Pouting my lips, I turn around and give him a slight shove. “You’re an ass. I’m just surprised. It seems like something you would have mentioned. That’s all,” I say motioning to the sign, the view, and his house.

“You mean like, hey I just moved into a really sweet new place, and by the way, you can see the Hollywood sign from my backyard?” he mocks, turning me around and pulling me back in for a tight embrace.

“Well, when you put it that way, I guess not,” is all I can say because he’s leaning into my neck, caressing it with his tongue so hard I know I’m going to have a mark. My body shudders from his touch, from his warm breath, and I giggle. “What are you doing?”

“I think you know,” he chuckles against my skin.

I sigh and breathe deeply.

“I’ve had enough show-and-tell for now, and I have one more room to show you,” he says as he leads us back into the house. “Let’s finish what we started in the car, in here,” he continues as we cross the living room and walk down a hall to an open door at the end.

“Your bedroom,” I manage as I look into the very large empty room. There are multiple closed doors inside it. One most likely opens into a bathroom and the others are probably closets. The room also has the same large glass doors as the living room, and I can see the sign and the city from here as well. Everything is just so beautiful.

I laugh when I look into the actual room. In the middle is an air mattress with pillows and blankets thrown on it. Turning to face River, I smirk at him and he smirks right back. He really does light up my insides. So much so, I know my darkest days are behind me.

“What are you smiling about?” I whisper while running my hands firmly up his chest.

“I don’t know. What are you smiling about?” he responds while moving some of my hair aside.

“I can’t believe you were telling me the truth. We really are camping.”

“I never lie,” he says, suddenly very serious.

Grabbing his hand, I lead him to the center of the room and turn to face him. “I never meant it that way,” I whisper into his ear before sucking on his upper lip.

He mumbles something I can’t comprehend, but for some reason, I don’t ask him to repeat it. He lightly shakes his head and runs his finger over my lips.

The sun is shining so brightly into this room, there is no hiding myself. I cannot cover up what I once didn’t want him to see.

Never taking my eyes off his, I break our embrace and peel my shirt over my head before pulling down my skirt, letting it fall to the floor at my feet. I’m now standing in front of him in the lingerie I bought for his eyes only, and I smile at him as I run my own hands down my body and he gasps loudly.

His fingers trace the skin above my push-up bra and moves down to my ribs before tracing circles on my almost non-existent stomach muscles. “You’re so beautifully sexy, perfect really,” he whispers as he leans to kiss the same trail he just etched with his finger.

I stand there, unable to move, his touch is searing, my heart is racing, and I really don’t know what is happening to me. Every time he touches me, the feeling becomes more of a need and less of a want.

As he stands back up, his powerful green eyes scan the length of me—slowly. Grinning, he runs his hands down to my garter belts as he says, “I’ve been wanting to see what these look like since this morning.” Then unsnapping, first one, and then the other, he continues, “It was certainly worth the wait.”

He leans back a little, catches my hand, and turns it over. Bringing it to his mouth, he gently kisses each fingertip, stopping to suck on them for just an instance before kissing my palm.

“I’m glad you like the outfit,” I pant out. My eyelids are fluttering as he breathes on the sensitive spot of my wrist and I continue, “I bought it just for you.”

I brush my fingers along his cheekbones and rub my thumbs underneath his eyes. As I jump into those eyes, I kiss him deeply before nipping at his lower lip then tracing my tongue along the inside of his mouth.

Groaning, he threads his fingers though my hair then runs them down my back, unhooking my bra but not removing it. I pull his shirt over his head and he rips his jeans off before I push him down on the mattress. As I stare into his eyes, so full of desire, I straddle him as he grunts, “I’ve wanted to do this since your little ‘name that tune’ game.”

I hover over him, wearing nothing but my lingerie, and I let his eyes devour me; I can feel our connection growing even stronger. And today, in the early hours of the evening, on the absolutely brightest and most beautiful day of the year, we slowly do what we haven’t done before. We begin to make love.

Chapter Eighteen

PINBALL WIZARD

How does she do it

I wonder how she is so good

She doesn’t even watch

As the ball whizzes by

She’s always happy to win the game.

Despite having slept on an air mattress, I wake surprisingly rested. Rising, I make my way to the bathroom. I look back over my shoulder and grin at the sight of River sleeping so peacefully. I notice again we don’t seem to have sides of the bed. I quietly pad over to his closet and find a white button down shirt on top of a bunch of boxes. While slipping it on, something grabs my attention. The top box has River’s boxers in it and Pac-Man catches my eye immediately. Pac-Man? Really? I love Pac-Man! When I was younger, my father used to take me to an old-fashioned arcade down the street from The Greek at least once a week. Still grinning, I slip on the boxers and make my way through the empty house to the kitchen in search of coffee.