Pierced: Pierced Trilogy Boxed Set (47 page)

“That man has caused Josh nothing but grief. In life and in death,” Lee sighs. Then his countenance brightens and he smiles at me. “But it’s nice seeing this side of him for a change. Even if he is acting a bit reckless. But love makes us do that sometimes, doesn’t it?” He smiles knowingly at me and I am speechless. Love? Reckless? What is he talking about?

“What did I miss?” Josh says as he returns to the table with our drinks. He sits down between Lee and me and glances from one to the other while I try to recover from all I’ve learned.

“I was just telling Samantha how nice it is to see you acting love-struck and reckless,” Lee says without hesitation, looking Josh in the eye. He talks to him in a straightforward manner, pulling no punches and mincing no words. And Josh appears to respect him for it. Even though he blushes again.

“Lee…”

“I know this is none of my business, kid,” he interrupts him with a raised hand. “But that’s never stopped me before, has it?” He smiles and Josh chuckles slightly, shaking his head. “I have been watching the two of you since before the band took the stage, and I can easily see that there is something happening between you. And I know that I should be encouraging you to step back because Samantha’s case is still ongoing but … frankly, your happiness is more important to me than your job.”

“Lee,” Josh says again but, Lee cuts him off once more.

“Just be careful, kid,” he says sternly, looking at Josh with a serious, almost angry, expression. “Use a little better judgment. This has become a high-profile case because of Samantha’s family connections. You know that!” His eyes soften as he says, “Look, whatever you two are doing behind closed doors, that’s your business. But this … this was a little ballsy, kid. What would you have done if Skinner or Marcos had been here tonight? How would you have explained this?”

Josh says nothing as he looks down at the table for a second, clearly chastised, then he looks up at me. He sighs heavily.

“Your set’s over, son. Why don’t you get Samantha out of here?” Lee says reasonably, and Josh nods his head. Lee looks over at me and extends his hand once more. “Samantha, it was lovely to meet you, dear.”

“It was great meeting you,” I smile as we shake hands. I’ve really enjoyed meeting Lee. He appears to genuinely care about Josh and I like that about him. He moves to leave and he pats Josh on the shoulder as he does.

“Thanks, Lee,” Josh says before Lee can stand up.

“For what? For busting your chops and telling you that you’re wrong?” he smiles. Josh smiles sadly at him but says nothing, and Lee pats his shoulder once more. “I’m just trying to look out for you, kid,” he says quietly.

“I know,” Josh nods. “Thanks.” Lee stands then and walks away and Josh looks at me with raised eyebrows. “I guess we should get you home,” he sighs.

I nod and look over to the dance floor where Megan and Scott are still burning it up. “They look like they’re having fun. I hate to cut their evening short.”

“Just tell them I’m taking you home,” Josh says. “I need to get my gear from the stage and load it up. Meet me over there after you talk to them, all right?”

“Okay,” I say as we both stand. But before we can part for our respective tasks, we are interrupted by Josh’s partner and the pretty woman I assume is his wife.

“Band was tight tonight, Guy,” he says, a nervous smile on his face as they shake hands.

“Thanks, Dave.” Josh answers and I can tell that he’s anxious but I don’t understand why exactly. He kisses the brunette on the cheek and then we all stand awkwardly for a few seconds.

“Um, hi. I’m Lindy Conner,” the brunette says, extending her hand to me.

“Hi, Samantha Colby,” I say, taking her hand.

“Samantha, you remember my partner, Dave Conner,” Josh says, by way of introduction. “His wife, Lindy.”

“Yes, of course,” I smile. Another awkward silence. “Well, I need to speak with my cousin for a moment. It was nice meeting you,” I say to Lindy Conner and make my exit from the overwhelming tension between Josh and his partner. Yikes! What is that all about?

I make my way onto the crowded dance floor and tell Megan that Josh is going to take me home, and I thank them both for hanging out with me tonight so I could hear his band play.

“We’re going to stay a bit longer and have some fun,” Megan says loudly.

“Yeah, the next dance floor we’ll be on will be at our wedding reception and the music will be too stuffy to dance to,” Scott chimes in with a smile.

I give them both big hugs and say goodnight, then I turn to head for the stage where I’m supposed to meet Josh. But as I do, I glance over and notice that he’s still standing in the spot where I left him with Dave and Lindy Conner, and their exchange looks like it’s getting heated.
Oh, no
. I walk back in that direction to see what’s going on. They’re attempting to keep their voices down but, once I’m standing behind Lindy, I can hear everything.

“What happened to you and me not having a problem, Dave?” Josh grumbles.

“That was before you started doing stupid shit like bringing her in here,” Dave shoots back. “Really, Guy? The bar that half the precinct hangs out in? What the hell are you doing? What, you think I’m the only one here tonight that recognizes you’re on a date?”

“Well, you are the only one up in my face right now,” Josh growls.

“That’s because I’m the only one who knows how far this thing has gone,” Dave spits back. “Damn it, Guy! Why can’t you just keep it in your fucking pants until this case is closed!”

“Fuck you, Conner,” Josh shouts at him and, before I know what’s happening, Lee Parson and the lead singer from Josh’s band are pulling him backwards, restraining him before his fist can reach its intended target on Dave’s face. I don’t even know where they came from. It’s as if they magically appeared out of nowhere, just in the nick of time. I watch, feeling helpless, as they struggle to hold him, and Josh resists them furiously.

A wide circle has formed around them and Lindy and I are standing in the middle of it, both of us looking shocked and embarrassed as we look from the confusion to each other and back again.

“Let go of me! Get the fuck off of me,” Josh yells, breaking free from his restrainers.

“Calm down, Guy,” Lee yells at him.

“I’m fine!” He is glaring at his partner and panting slightly, his face red with anger. Then he looks over at me and blinks, taking a deep breath. He runs both his hands through his hair in agitation and takes a step toward where I still stand next to Lindy Conner. “Lindy, I’m sorry,” Josh says looking her in the eye. “I didn’t mean to lose control like that.”

“It’s okay, Josh. I happen to think you were justified,” she says, shooting a scathing glance at her husband. She turns to me and says, “I am so sorry, Samantha.”

I smile meekly at her, unable to speak for the moment. It’s been such an amazing day. I can’t believe it’s ending on this sour note. Josh takes my hand silently and leads me away to the stage, and I watch as he packs his guitar into its case. We say nothing as he picks up his amp with one arm and his guitar case with the other and turns and heads off the stage and through the back of the bar. I follow dutifully, admiring his arms as we go and wondering idly how much that amplifier must weigh. To me, it looks huge. It must be at least fifty pounds, yet he’s carrying it like it weighs nothing.

We exit through the back door of the bar and I can see that his truck is parked very near the door. He places the guitar and the amp in the back of the truck and covers them with a plastic tarp. Then he opens the truck door for me and waits for me to get in. But instead of getting in, I stand there and just look at him. He’s reluctant to meet my gaze for a moment, looking everywhere but at me. But I wait him out.

“Get in, Sam,” he says gruffly, still not looking me directly in the eye. I step an inch closer to him and reach up and lightly touch his face, running my fingers over the stubble at his chin. Finally, his eyes meet mine and I can see apprehension and fear and uncertainty. I don’t want him to feel that way. Taking another tiny step closer, I gently kiss the side of his mouth. Josh looks at me intently for a few seconds and then he turns his head, exposing the other side of his mouth to me. Smiling slightly, I lean in and kiss that side too.

He gives me a small smile then and wraps an arm around my waist, resting his forehead on my own. “I’m sorry, Sam,” he whispers to me. “I didn’t mean to get so upset in there. I let my temper get the best of me.”

“Hey,” I look up at him, my hand still caressing his face. “Josh you have nothing to apologize to me for. I’ve had such a lovely day with you. The car show and Fairhaven. Making love and cooking dinner for you at your place. And watching your band play. It was a perfect day,” I smile sweetly at him and he looks at me as if he can’t believe I’m real. Then he smiles his beautiful megawatt smile at me. “What do you say we go home and end this perfect day properly,” I say softly with a raised eyebrow and a coy smile.

He tightens his arms around me and pulls me closer, nuzzling my hair and inhaling deeply. “End the day properly, huh? I like the sound of that. Your place or mine, Miss Colby?” he whispers.

“Yours,” I answer after a slight hesitation.

He looks at me with a puzzled frown for a second and I think I’ve surprised him. Then I turn and climb into the truck. He holds my hand as he drives, only letting go when we reach his place and he turns into his driveway. We are quiet as we enter his house and I watch as he puts the guitar and amp away in their places in the corner of the small living room.

“You hungry?” he asks quietly, and I shake my head.

“Not for food.”

He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear and then lightly runs his finger down my cheek. “And what are you hungry for, Samantha?” he asks me softly, a smile playing on his lips.

I reach out and touch his cotton covered abs, feeling the ripple of his muscles as I run my hand slowly up to his chest. “You.” My voice is small but husky, full of longing as I look up into his heated blue gaze. He gives me a sexy smile and kisses me deeply, his hands playing in my hair as he holds my head in place. And suddenly I feel consumed by heat and desire. My hands seem to move of their own volition as I work to pull his shirt up, eager to feel his skin beneath my fingers.

He helps me in my task, taking hold of his t-shirt at the collar and pulling it over his head, letting it drop to the floor. Then he reaches for me, sweeping me into his arms and heading toward his bedroom. He sets me on my feet and wastes no time divesting me of my top.

“Sit down, baby,” he softly commands, and I do as I’m told, sitting down at the end of the bed. He kneels down on bended knee and takes first my left foot in his hands, unzipping my ankle boot and removing it, followed by my sock. He does the same with my right foot and sets my boots neatly off to the side. Then he stands and looks down at me. “Lay back. Let me peel you out of those painted on pants.”

Again, I comply immediately, and he takes hold of my leggings at the hip. “Lift your hips,” he says with a small smile, and he slowly pulls them past my hips as I do. His hands slide slowly down my legs then as he pulls the leggings all the way off and I lay across his bed wearing only my black lace strapless bra and thong panties, and nothing else. He stands and looks down at me for a moment, his beautiful blue eyes moving greedily over my body as he works on removing his own jeans and shoes. And as he gazes at me, I suddenly feel very self-conscious. I can feel my face flush slightly and I chew nervously on my bottom lip.

“Do you have any idea how sexy you are, Samantha?” he asks me. And I get the feeling he’s actually waiting on an answer from me as he stands gloriously naked in front of me. Timidly, I shake my head, still chewing my lip absentmindedly. “I don’t know how you couldn’t,” he says, and his voice is so earnest as he looks deep into my eyes. He steps forward, placing a knee on the bed and crawling slowly over me. I move as he does, scooting back toward the head of the bed. Reaching behind me, he takes hold of the bedspread and pulls it down beneath us and I lay back onto the pillows as he lowers himself down on top of me. “You are the sexiest woman I have ever seen in my life, Samantha,” he whispers to me, and I melt.

He kisses me then, deeply and passionately, his tongue stroking mine slowly and sweetly as his hands play over my flesh. His fingers work to release the clasp on my strapless bra and he tosses it to the floor, never breaking our kiss. He caresses every inch of me, his hands kneading my hips and my waist and my breasts. He lowers his mouth to my eager, pink nipple and suckles hungrily. I moan loudly as my back arches involuntarily and my fingers twist in his wavy hair.

“Oh, Joshua,” I moan again and his answering groan fuels my passion.

His hand travels slowly down the length of my leg and then back up and he takes hold of my panties, pulling them down slowly and discarding them somewhere between the bed and the floor. He rolls over then, taking me with him and my hair falls around us, like a velvet curtain. His hands fist in my hair as he kisses me. Then he looks up into my eyes and says, “You are so beautiful, Sam. I want to watch you while we make love. I want to watch you come, baby,” he says, kissing me again.

Oh, my.

He grabs a condom from the bedside table and opens it as I pull myself up, sitting astride him. Taking the condom from the foil packet, he prepares to put it on.

“Can I do it?” I ask him, timidly and he looks up at me, smiling slightly. Without a word, he hands me the condom, watching me intently. With trembling fingers, I position the latex disk over him, pinching the tip of it first like I’ve seen him do over and over.

“That’s good,” he says, his voice husky as he watches me roll the condom down over his impressive erection. Once it’s in place, he moves with urgency. “Come here, baby,” he says, reaching for me. He positions himself beneath me and we move in unison as he enters me, filling me completely as I lower myself down onto him.
Oh, God.
This feeling is so delicious. I love this position, feeling him deep inside me as he stretches me and my body molds around him.