In Rhythm, page 3
“I heard it in a song once.”
She smacked her forehead so hard with her palm she swore she’d see a bruise later.
“But the music today brings people together, no?” he questioned.
“So did disco. That PLUR lifestyle of Peace, Love, Unity and Respect is yet another borrowed and repackaged element of ’70s dance culture.”
“You can’t deny Europe’s role in dance music popularity. London and Manchester techno? Acid? Come on.”
“Not at all. The UK, in particular, helped dance music grow. People in the US who listened to the sounds coming out of the UK were awed by the music. But where was it coming from?” Velvet gave him an opportunity to respond.
“The US. Chicago and Detroit.”
That he knew those details turned her on. “Exactly. DJs like Frankie Knuckles from Chicago, and techno/house DJs like Jeff Mills and Kevin Saunderson from Detroit. Go figure, right? We needed other countries to make our own shit popular again before we embraced it.”
“You’re an educator. You should do a course on this.”
“It’s not like you can’t look this shit up. It’s a matter of interest, not accessibility.” Velvet eyed him. “I’m going to give you one more chance to redeem yourself.”
“I didn’t realize I needed redemption.”
She ignored him. “It’s an out of genre music question.”
“Music is my genre.” Zazzle rolled his neck and shoulders like he readied for the fighting ring, and her shoulders bounced mirthfully.
“A real DJ knows this answer.” She clapped her hands together. “Ready?”
“Wow. Not harsh at all. Candy and LED did not overexaggerate your...uh...passion.”
“They did try to warn you.” She shrugged. “Don’t let me down, okay?”
He stroked her arm. “I’ll try not to.”
“Are you trying to distract me?”
A mouthful of teeth sparkled at her. “Is it working?”
“No.” She feigned dismissiveness but his touch still haunted. “This is serious.”
“Yes, this is serious.” He stifled a smile, making him too adorable for his own good.
She rolled her eyes. “You know New York City boroughs, right?”
“Yes. Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan,” he rattled off. She loved that he used the in front of Bronx. It was a New York native move that she appreciated.
“In what New York City borough was hip-hop created?”
“Hmm... Queens?”
She gasped and her lungs stopped functioning altogether.
Zazzle grabbed her by the shoulder. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. The Bronx.” He jiggled her shoulders and she started breathing again.
Her neck muscles thawed and she pointed up at him. “You almost lost me forever.”
“Then I’m even happier I answered correctly.” His hands slid down her arms to her wrists and he placed her hands around his waist. The action magnetized their bodies. “The last thing I want to do is lose you.”
He captured her lips and her, and her heart pattered. Their tongues touched and she doubted her panties could withstand another kiss from him. He sucked her lower lip and his hand slid to her ass, the motion pressed her against the hardness forming below his pelvis.
“Zazzle.” She mumbled against his lips. “We’re in the middle of the festival.”
“I can’t explain this, Velvet.”
“Me either.”
“And... I’m not sure I need to. I just don’t want to miss it.” His amber orbs shined like the sun hitting a jar of honey.
She pulled away and tried to think of the right words to say.
“Not so fast.” He hauled her back to him. “What are you doing later?”
“Unless it’s performance-related, we don’t plan that far ahead,” she teased.
“Come back to my place.”
If he thought she was that easy, he was absolutely right. At least this time. She wasn’t in the habit of banging dudes she just met but she struggled to summon the morals required for the present situation.
“I don’t sleep around.”
“I’m not asking you to sleep around. Just with me.”
His suggestion tempted her to shimmy out of her iridescent rhinestone chainmail halter top but she opted to stick with option number one: keep clothes on.
“And you? Am I just another addition to your playlist?”
“I don’t have a playlist except the one I want to make with you, tonight.” He tapped her lips with a brief kiss. “Come with me.”
“But Candy—”
“She’ll understand. Plus I’m sure she and LED could use some alone time. Don’t you think?”
“The festival has some great performers—”
“No one, I’m sure, you haven’t seen play before. Plus you have a full lineup tomorrow including us.” He pecked her chin. “Say you’ll come.”
Her fear had her creating obstacles and excuses that couldn’t hold up against what she truly wanted.
“Yes. I’ll go with you.”
Chapter Three
Zazzle’s mussed hair and Velvet’s disheveled clothes indicated they had a problem keeping their hands to themselves. His scent stuck to her like the glitter from the design the face paint lady had drawn on her shoulder. Velvet huffed air like she had done cardio by the time the car stopped on the short ride to his place. Time jetted past them and she wanted to savor every second with him.
Zazzle’s accommodations reaffirmed to Velvet how big-time he was and just how low-time Bedazzled Beats were in comparison. The three-floor rental complete with viewing deck conflicted with their carefree time at the festival.
“Are you kidding me?” She rested her scooter at the entrance and spun through the open floor plan with its luxury, contemporary furnishings. Her head tilted back as she stared up at the glass skylight that appeared to replace the roof. The bright lights in the house blinded.
The place came with amenities like the three-foot-tall gift basket that lay on an asymmetrical glass coffee table in the middle of the living area, untouched.
He zoomed around the island and through the open kitchen. “Can I get you something to drink? Beer? Wine? I’m pretty sure they have everything. I can make you a cocktail.”
Velvet stilled her movements for them both. “Beer’s fine.” Whether she kissed him like she’d never stop or needed a breather from the quantum speed their relationship leapt, he adjusted to whatever pace she threw at him.
Spending time with Zazzle had allowed her to get lost in him to the point where she forgot what being Zazzle from Tres Armadas meant for him beyond the festival grounds. She’d seen fans lose their minds and their shirts when he danced onstage. That Tres Armadas not only played one of Temptation’s most coveted time slots, but would also close out the festival tomorrow night, stamped the trio with approval from the fans who’d voted them there. The regal digs surrounding her, and Tres Armadas’s popularity, certified his celebrity.
Velvet dreamed of one day holding that spot. One goal at a time, she reminded herself. I’m going to get there. “Are you psyched to play tomorrow?”
He rummaged through a refrigerator and produced two bottles of beer. “We’ve played the festival for several years now and you would think it’s no longer fun. That there’s no magic, no thrill, but it’s still amazing to close out the event.”
“I’d give my left eyeball to play the main stage.” Her internal declaration made it past her lips.
His eyebrows knitted.
“Too much?”
He pinched his index finger and thumb together. “You don’t have to give up an eyeball. You just have to work hard. I’ve been at this for a while and all the fans want is good music. They want to see you give it your all and know that you love the music as much as they do. I’ve seen you perform and your vinyl set was fucking phenomenal. I’m sure that’s why the fans voted you here.”
Her eyes bulged. “You’ve seen my vinyl set? When?”
“When you were getting a massage in the yoga tent.” He casually handed her a beer.
“Oh.” Her cheeks warmed. She loved playing records with all their perfect imperfections. She could rock a party the new-fashioned way and the old-fashioned way, but still cherished and nurtured her vinyl skills, even in the technological realm of the current dance music scene.
“Just keep doing what you’re doing...” He swigged his beer. “Times ten.”
Her forehead wrinkled. “Times ten?”
“More if you can handle it. A good manager can help you push, but you have to go for it. Leave the crowd wanting more. Make them call for encores so they remember your name. They’ll chant it later and the effect will multiply. The more fans who see Bedazzled Beats perform, the more fans who have the power to vote for you.”
Velvet mentally jotted down everything he said, some of which she and Candy were already working on. “Thanks for the tips.”
“Anytime.” He guzzled his beer, finishing it in one shot.
Did he have nerves like she did? She guzzled her own beer and held the sweating bottle so tightly she thought it might slip through her fingers. She positioned herself at the window and saw him approach in the reflection of the glass.
“This is nice.” She faced him and her head referenced the house.
“I only arrived this morning so I haven’t been here much with press and other engagements or it might not be so nice,” he admitted.
“Wild parties, huh?”
“Sometimes.”
“You’re hot and famous. Of course you’d party.” She omitted “with women” from her inquiry.
“You think I’m hot?” He grinned.
“I didn’t say—”
“Yes, you said.” He placed one hand on her hip.
Velvet grabbed his hand. “Come on.” They ran up the stairs until they reached the top. Her contracting lungs craved air. It wasn’t her house but she found the glass partition that led outdoors. She unlocked it and stepped onto the viewing deck with Zazzle close behind her.
The other houses were further away than she realized, and from the height of the viewing deck she could see the festival lights. A cream-colored patio daybed with retractable canopy and complete with throw pillows rested in the corner.
Velvet sat down on it and tested the stability of the elastic rattan and steel frame. She grinned. “Convenient.”
He scratched his head. “I didn’t put it there. I promise.”
“Too bad.”
“In that case, it was my idea,” he cheesed.
She strolled over to the railing and looked out at the expanse of land around them. A large dimly lit concrete circle sat a fair distance away from the house but remained part of the property’s lawn. Symmetrical lines formed an H in the middle. “Is that a helipad?” She pointed to it and looked to him for confirmation.
“Yes.”
“You have a helicopter?”
The breeze fluttered his hair. “No, but one will take us to the Egyptian tomorrow night after our festival set, and then to my house in the LA area.”
“We’re flying after the festival, too, but we’re sharing a ride with LED and all our stuff.” Velvet thought the convenience of his life must be nice but again his celebrity infiltrated their regular moments. “If your house in LA accommodates a helicopter, like this one, then you can officially call it property. It must be massive.”
“If taking you to my place tonight by helicopter will impress you, I can arrange it.”
“Umm, no thanks.” Not that she didn’t have the capacity to enjoy the lifestyle perks of the rich and famous, but she much preferred their no-frills vibe. She squinted to make out the San Gabriel Mountains against the towns adjacent to San Bernardino. The lights from the giant Ferris wheel and light show from the main stage electrified against the darkened landscapes.
“You can see it all from here. Amazing,” she awed. His arms circled her from behind. She closed her eyes and sank into Zazzle’s heat.
“You’re amazing.” He planted a kiss on her neck and turned her to him. “I’ve only known you for a little bit but I’ve never met anyone like you, Asha.”
“You’re just saying that. There are billions of women in the world. I can name dozens of truly amazing ones.”
He jiggled her chin. “Woman, I’m complimenting you. Let me.”
Nervous laughter escaped her lips. “Sorry. Try it again.”
He smiled. “You’re so vibrant. Like the music you play. Like your passion for dance music. It’s life itself. I feel it.”
She stroked his cheek. “I feel the same way about you, Isaak.”
“I want you, Asha. Is that all right with you?”
She put her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. “That’s more than all right with me, Zazzle.” She locked lips with him, and welcomed the taste of him again.
“I’m not Zazzle. Here with you, I’m Isaak.” His mouth mushed her lips. His hand glided up and over her belly to massage her breasts.
“Isaak,” she moaned.
“Yes.” He undid the tie on her halter top and as his eyes roved over her exposed body, she shivered.
He yanked her pants down and she wiggled out of them, her black polka-dot underwear the only barrier to nudity. She tugged his shirt up until she freed him from the rainbow-colored garment. His inkless skin was lighter than the kisses the sun left on his face and her palms smoothed the soft muscle definition of his chest and abs.
His staccato breath mimicked hers. “Here?” His eyes searched the grounds.
She kissed over his chest and up to his lips. “Yes. Here.” Her hands found his neck and played with his hair as she tugged him to the patio daybed. She released him to scoot onto the cushion, watching him as he unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them down and off with his underwear. The dark deck shadowed his erection, yet it still commanded her attention. She slid her panties off and flung them aside while he retrieved a condom from his jeans. The Temptation Festival logo glowed on the black wrapper.
“I didn’t know they glowed.” She plucked the condom from him.
He chuckled and his hardening cock bounced. “I wanted to keep this one for my collection, but right now, all I want is you.”
“Collection?”
“Yes, I collect condoms. The cooler the better. Like this one,” he said.
“Sorry, but we need you,” she said to the condom. Zazzle’s melodic laughter made her swoon. She tore open the wrapper and passed the rolled rubber to him. She used her inner calves to caress up the length of his leg while he sheathed himself.
His body descended over her figure and he moved with her like he’d done in various ways since she met him. Their rhythm had been in sync and their connection unbroken even when they disagreed. Now as he captured her mouth, and his skilled tongue explored with familiarity, she wanted to steep out every drop of goodness from what blossomed between them.
“Isaak?” She sank back into the cushions and his upper body blanketed her while the lower half of his body nestled between her limbs.
“Yeah, baby.”
“Is this real?”
He nodded. “Yes, schatje. This is real.” He consumed her mouth.
The word he used felt good. She didn’t know what the word meant and she didn’t care to ask. All she knew was that Isaak injected himself into her bloodstream and she was infected with him to her core.
He kissed her deep and for long torturous minutes. Steadying himself on his forearm, he slid one hand between their legs. His fingers glided over her skin until he cleared a path to her clit. Her back arched and when she moaned, his tongue plunged deeper into her mouth. She swallowed the taste of him and pawed his shoulders.
“Shit! You’re so wet for me, baby.” He stayed there, stroking her, watching her. If he didn’t stop, she’d explode.
She pulled his hand away. “I don’t want to come yet. I want to come with you inside me.”
Desire splayed on his features. “I should do more.”
Damn, he is fucking adorable. “This is more, Isaak. Having you inside me, fucking me, is more.” She squeezed him closer.
“I want you this way, too, Asha.” Devouring her mouth again, he maneuvered his cock to her center and the pressure of his tip rubbing against her clit made her hips lift to meet the touch. Her hands grasped at the pillows behind her and she dug her nails into the fluff.
“Hold me,” he rasped. “I want to feel you all over me.”
She did as he commanded with enthusiasm. He positioned his cock at her entrance and filled her to capacity.
“Isaak. Fuck,” she moaned. “Fuck, you feel...” She lost herself in pleasure with him.
“So good, baby.” He groaned as he moved within her. His hips lunged with determination and she received each thrust with force of her own. Her insides cried for more and tingled as he plunged deeper and in rhythm with her. Their eyes locked as the growing storm that swelled inside her grew inside him, too. She tipped her hips up to help him reach her G-spot and his increased momentum delivered sensations that continued to balloon within her. She caressed the sides of his torso and her nails raked over his now-perspiring back. Not even the cool night breeze, kissing them both, tempered the passion building between them. She gripped his pounding hips and jerked him to her.
“Isaak,” she called and locked her arms around him like shark jaws. Every inch of her trembled and exploded at her orgasm’s brilliant arrival.
She blinked at the stars dazzling her vision. Don’t black out. Hold him. Stay with him. She panted into the crook of his neck and her iron legs clamped around him in a full-body grip. His short pumps sent shock waves through her. His pelvis moved down tempo and an image of him dancing flashed in her mind. The rhythmic lunges continued until he erupted. The heat of his arrival scorched her internal walls through the latex like hot syrup. Her muscles contracted around his shaft.
