Chapter Text
As the clock struck four early Sunday morning and she could feel her eyesdroop, Joanna hoped she would wake up with a clearer head and littleknowledge of the night she’d had. But when she opened her eyes hours laterand the first thing she thought of was the feel of Michael’s tongue curvingaround hers, pinpricks of desire cascaded down her skin and she groaned.“Christ,” she grumbled, pressing her hands against her eyes.
Another hour passed, and she stumbled into the living room, her eyesimmediately focusing on Charlene, who looked bright-eyed and bushy-tailed ontheir couch, a cup of coffee perched in her delicate hands. Her roommate wasalready fully dressed in her sweats, her duffel bag undoubtedly by the frontdoor in preparation for some time either in the gym or in one of the dancestudios on campus. She met Joanna’s tired eyes, and her blank, contentedexpression morphed into a teasing, knowing grin.
“Say nothing,” Joanna grunted.
“About what?” Charlene asked. “About your fake boyfriend being an undercoverp*rn star, or about that steamy make-out session you two had?”
Something electric tingled under Joanna’s skin for a second. “I can’t dothis with you,” she mumbled. “Not without coffee and maybe some ibuprofen.”
“Have at it.”
After Joanna downed a couple of small pills and poured the last of the warmcoffee into a mug, she collapsed onto the couch next to Charlene. “Youalready said ‘I told you so,’” she said into her mug. So what else is thereto say? We’d both been drinking and everything just…came out.”
Charlene raised an eyebrow. “You were drinking, but not drunk.”
“I was tipsy,” Joanna said.
“But not drunk,” Charlene repeated. “Michael wasn’t drunk either. Heactually seemed pretty sober, even with all that whiskey.”
“Maybe he’s just better at handling his liquor.”
“Are you arguing with me?” Charlene asked. “Or are you arguing withyourself?” When her best friend didn’t reply, she sighed. “Despite what youthink, I’m not trying to convince you of anything you’re not already sureof. I know you. Even with the alcohol, you have an extraordinary amount ofcontrol over yourself. You never do anything that you don’t want to do.”
Joanna breathed into the dark liquid. “Yes.”
“So last night meant something, Anna.”
“Seriously, Charlie, what do you want me to say?”
“I want you to quit lying to yourself about how attracted to him youactually are.”
Joanna squeezed her eyes shut. She had spent so many years pushing the ideaof him to the periphery, simultaneously being aware of him and pretendingthat he was no more than a blip in her daily life. She knew better than tobe pulled into the same trap as the others because she knew it wouldn’t endwell. A part of her was a bit too delicate back then, a bit too romantic, toweather some major crush from afar.
Now she was a bit older and tougher, and her heart was a little morehardened than even the year before when Ben had tried to poke holes throughit for his amusem*nt. Now Michael swooped in like a forgotten specter,bringing with him waves of sudden, intense attraction that Joanna was scaredto let herself feel.
She met Charlene’s gaze, but the words wouldn’t come out. How could she tellher that she wanted Michael Jackson’s lips on any part of her body he’d bewilling to touch? Or how could she even admit that his smile and thesimplicity of his actions, from hand-holding to laughter to holding her bag,made some remote part of her insides twist?
“Okay,” she said, carefully setting her coffee on the table. “Maybe Iwouldn’t mind it if he f*cked me once or twice.” Then she slammed her handsover her ears to muffle as much of Charlene’s screeching as possible.
As the end of October approached, Joanna buckled down on her work. Michaelhad his meeting with his AE advisor on the horizon and a weekend workshopwith the troupe members, so again she didn’t see him as much, not even inbetween classes. She got through her days in and outside of school withbarely a thought to that party. However, the nights weren’t nearly asforgiving: flashes of his dark, hungry gaze from the party were at theforefront of her fantasies, followed swiftly by the imaginary feel of hismouth and tongue moving from her lips to her jaw to her neck then evenfarther down, and she found herself smothering her noises with her pillowmost nights as she became intimately reacquainted with her vibrator.
This is pathetic, she finally thought as her eyesdrifted shut at the end of the sixth straight night. He didn’teven know I existed before all of this…I need to get a f*ckinggrip.
That next Monday started like any other day. She went to the art studio thatmorning and fretted over the fact that she needed another subject for hermovement collection but quickly. The portrait of Charlene was nearlyfinished, only needing a few touches of paint in the background. An emptycanvas sat just behind it, looming over her as threateningly as the deadlinefor the fall showcase. When her adviser, Dr. Monroe, stopped through thestudio for the bimonthly check-in, a slight frown crossed his round face.
“You have the uncanny ability to execute your vision quickly withoutsacrificing the craft,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean you can just pull acompleted twenty-four by thirty out of your ass in days. You’ve gotta get onit.”
Joanna could feel her stomach bounce anxiously against her diaphragm.“You’re right, Doc,” she admitted. “I have an idea of what to do, so I’llstart today.” With a nod, the large man moved away, leaving Joanna in herthoughts as she slipped her headphones back over her wild bun and ears. Asthe gentle, folksy melodies of Labi Siffre played, she stared at the starkwhite canvas until her eyes crossed, and a certain slender dancermaterialized in her mind in different positions and forms.
“Oh, well, I’m feeling so fine
Oh you know I’ll lose my mind for sure
Gimme some more”
Her eyes drifted to the top of the canvas; she could even picture him in thedoorway of the art studio, his broad shoulders and toned thighs obscured byburgundy sweats and his smile attractively wide as he set his sights on her.The closer and crisper his visage grew, the more his smile flattened untilhis expression morphed into one of concern.
“Well I don’t know whatcha got, but I want it
You make me feel so hot, so don’t stop it”
He was saying something. What was he saying?
Then he reached out, and a very real, firm pressure tapped the crown of herhead. She blinked and reached up to yank the headphones back off her ears.
Michael, who was also very real, regarded her quizzically. “You okay, Joey?”he asked.
A hot wave of embarrassment rushed over her body. “Oh, I’m fine,” sheblurted. “Sorry. I spaced out.”
The easy smile that she knew returned to Michael’s face. “Good. You scaredme for a sec there.” He leaned in a little more, and the faint scent of aspicy cologne floated around Joanna’s nose. “You do realize the bell alreadyrang, right? We’re gonna be late soon.”
“sh*t.” Joanna jumped off her stool, grabbed her canvases, and shoved theminto her lockers.
“Wait, Joey, wait, slow down,” Michael called out through puffs of laughter.“Take your time. Being five minutes late doesn’t count against us.” Hepaused. “D’you need to put anything else in this bag?”
“No,” she replied as she locked her portfolio locker, “And I don’twant to be five minutes late. Being late in a classthat small is so embarrassing!” She turned just as he let loose a round ofgiggles, and a bit of the tension trickled out of her pores as she watchedhim adjust her portfolio bag on his shoulder. The manic part of her braincalmed, and she slowed her movements to look at him. “There’s that sexychivalry,” she said.
His eyes met hers, and a boyish half-smile rose to soften his features.“Only for you, Joey,” he murmured.
“Oh, you know it’s you I do adore -- “
She turned away and busied herself with closing her satchel, but acornucopia of emotions sparkled inside her chest cavity. “Nah,” shechuckled, pressing the stop button on her Walkman. “You’ve got to put thatparticular skill to good use someday. Can’t just waste it on me.”
“Huh.” There was a hint of something in his tone that she couldn’t make out.“I guess you’re right.”
Joanna finished cleaning her station, and they walked out of the studiotogether.
“No class today?” Michael asked.
“Only half-time today,” she replied, keeping one foot moving in front of theother as he slipped his fingers between hers. “Some of our advisors cametowards the end of class.”
“Yours, too?”
“Yeah.”
“And?”
“And almost everything is going according to plan.”
Michael waited until they climbed the final stair to the second floor beforeturning to her with a raised eyebrow. “Almosteverything?”
She scoffed, electing not to say anything at the moment. “What about you?You’re the one who decided to record and engineer an entire studio album.”
He pressed his lips together briefly. “I didn’t chooseit,” he said. “It chose me.”
She elbowed him in the arm. “You know what I mean! Seriously though, how’sit going?”
“Really well,” he replied. “I have so many ideas…so many demos. But I’dalready narrowed down the tracks I wanted over the summer, and I’m about athird of the way done with the recording. That’s what takes up the mosttime.”
They reached the classroom just as the bell sounded above them, and Joannasighed in quiet relief. “That sounds more like what the actual artist woulddo. You sure you don’t wanna be a star?” She gave him a sidelong glance asthey slid into their desks. “I think you have what it takes.”
Michael looked down at his desktop and chuckled. “I don’t think I’m cut outfor it,” he murmured. “There’s a certain kind of mentality that’s needed,and I, uh…Marlon has that, but I don’t. But I’m okay with that. Really.”
Joanna was about to say more, but their professor’s voice cut through thegeneral chatter. Michael tapped his lips with his index finger and silentlyshushed her, the twinkle evident in his gaze. She stuck her tongue out athim, and his suppressed smile broke free and bright like the sun emergingfrom behind a band of clouds.
She ignored the extra beat her heart took.
“So, feel free to say no,” Joanna said an hour later as they settled in fortheir history class.
“No,” he said automatically, and then he chortled when she swiped at him.“Tell me. What’s up?”
“So you know how my senior collection is about movement through the eyes ofmy subjects and others?”
“Yeah.”
Joanna began to fidget with her pen, twirling it this way and that. “I’vecome to the conclusion that I need another subject.” She looked over to seeMichael focused entirely on her, his expression open and patient. “I waswondering if you would be that subject.”
His eyes widened, and she blurted, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.It’s just that, you know, I really liked the little of your dancing I’veseen.”
“I didn’t say no,” he said, his voice gentle. “I’m just wondering what I’dhave to do. Do I have to pose for it?”
“Not exactly,” she replied with a shake of the head. “You just do what younormally do. I usually take photos first, develop them, and then base mypaintings on what I get.”
It had been a foregone conclusion that she would ask him the moment sherealized she wanted another subject for her collection. Charlene’s set wasethereal and nearly perfect in every way. Joanna knew that her best friendcraved perfection in her craft: no hair out of place, no trace of hardship.A part of Joanna appreciated that dedication to presenting a completelyfinished product to the masses, even if her objective was supposed toshowcase a look from behind the scenes.
Michael, on the other hand, came off as a dancer who would be too into themoment to be conscious of the camera. Joanna didn’t know why she felt thatway, but she just had that feeling. It was also another way to hide the factthat she wanted an excuse to stare at him, whether through her lens orotherwise.
“I’ll do it.”
She met his gaze with a wide one of her own. “Really?”
“I’d be happy to. I can’t leave my girl in the lurch,” he said with a quickwink.
She felt her face warm. “Thanks, Mike. Seriously.”
He merely shook his head in reply, his soft smile never waning.
“So when can I come by?” she asked.
“Anytime,” he replied. “D’you want pictures of just me, or during troupepractice?”
She thought for a moment. “Is it possible to capture both? A little bit oftroupe practice and a bit of your solo practice? I could only do solo workwith Charlie, so it might be nice to change things up.”
“Sure.” He leaned in close, and that faint scent of laundered clothing,heady cologne, and something uniquely Michael, wafted through her nostrils,relaxing her yet making her tense. “So, uh, what are you doin’ tonight?”
“Watching you dance, I guess,” she drawled, feeling the corners of her lipstip upwards.
He leaned in even closer, bumping his shoulder against hers. “I’m lookingforward to it,” he said.
Later that evening, Joanna found herself steps away from dance studio B,satchel bouncing against one hip and camera bag bruising the other as sheapproached. Michael had told her hours before to slip into their practiceroom at any point. “The music will probably be too loud for us to hear youanyway,” he’d said sheepishly. “But I’ll warn the others beforehand.”
So now she was taking him up on that offer, her fingers already itching forher camera shutter and her sketch pencils simultaneously. The issue was thatabout a dozen other students -- mostly women and mostly dance or musicmajors -- were huddled around the floor-to-ceiling windows, their murmursbarely audible over the heavy music that shook the glass.
Joanna sighed and shifted her things in her grip, stomach tightening inanticipation of what she knew would happen. Here we go.She propelled herself forward, sliding around lean bodies and smallmountains of bags to reach the door.
“What are you doing?”
Joanna turned to find at least six pairs of eyes staring at her. “Goinginside,” she said.
“But they’re practicing,” another dancer said, the severity in her featuresgrowing the longer she stared.
Joanna glanced between them and the door. “I know that,” she drawled.
“So you can’t go in,” the first dancer said.
Joanna hoped her smile was more sympathetic than she felt as she blindlygrasped at the door handle. “Well, the captains gave me permission, so -- “
Another one of them stepped forward. “Who do you think you are anyway?”
Joanna didn’t have time or patience to answer as she pushed the door openand managed to slip through, bags and all. The first thing she felt was theintense, harmonious rumble of the bass of the music and syncopated footstepsas they reverberated from the soles of her feet and straight up into herchest.
“Should’ve brought earplugs,” she muttered silently to herself. She didn’tspare the onlookers outside a glance before she spun around, immediatelylocking eyes with Michael, who was standing in the front. He leaned againstthe mirror, his skin dewy and the collar of his sweatshirt damp. His mouthwas flattened, and Joanna would have second-guessed showing up if not forthe clear warmth in his eyes. Then the look was gone in a flash, and hisgaze cut back to the dancers in front of him.
“Hwang, too fast!” he called out.
Joanna snapped back into action and quickly set up her gear: she set up hersimple tripod in what appeared to be an unused corner and then took out hercamera. As she double-checked her film, the music stopped, leaving behind acacophony of heavy breathing.
“Take five,” she heard Marlon say.
She had just snapped the enclosure on the back of her camera shut when thatfamiliar soft-spoken voice sounded just above her head. “Hey, you made it.”She looked up to see Michael peering down at her setup. “So this is whatyou’re gonna do?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yeah, I’ll start with the photos and then maybe do some quicksketching. It depends on how I feel.”
“Ah, the mercurial artist,” he quipped, his smile small and a bit…fond?Joanna figured it was just a trick of the light.
Several of the other troupe members gathered around them. “Are you gonnamake Mike here even more of a star than he already is?” Marlon had barelygotten an arm around his brother’s neck before getting shoved away.
“Knock it off,” Michael grunted.
“I’d be so flattered if someone painted me,” Sam sighed as he raked wisps oflong hair off his face. “I’d probably fall in love with them immediately,girl or guy.”
Joanna laughed with the rest of the dancers but didn’t miss how her fakeboyfriend’s ears grew red.
“Alright, alright,” Marlon said. “Let’s all get back to our jobs, residentpainters included.” The dancers returned to their places while Joannaprepared her camera.
Michael took his place in the starting formation and gave her one lastglance. “Ready?” he asked her.
“Pretend I’m not here,” she answered instead. “I am but a ghost haunting youand your dance studio.” She pressed her eye to the camera’s viewfinder justin time to capture the quirk of a smile rippling across his handsomefeatures.
Joanna spent the last half-hour of the Starlight Troupe’s dance practicetaking photos: Michael in the middle of a spin, Michael’s upturned face, andquick shots of his equally fast footwork. She managed to capture aparticularly vivid close-up of his face, shiny with sweat, and his eyesintently focused on the mirror in a way that a not-so-small part of herwished she was on the receiving end of. At any rate, she made sure to be asunobtrusive as possible, and Michael seemingly began to forget that she waseven there, for which she was thankful.
The last five minutes of practice were spent talking over the highs and lowsof the hour and the plans for the upcoming days. They apparently had totravel for a competition within the next couple of weeks, which Joanna filedaway for future reference. She then took close-up shots of his profile,appreciating how his features sharpened in the moment. The practice came toan end quickly after that, and the dance majors who had been plasteredagainst the windows outside began to filter in, tossing duffel bags andsweatsuits this way and that. A few of the young women made a beeline forMichael to shower him with effusive praise, to which he ducked his headslightly in embarrassment, and he seemed to thank each and every one ofthem. Joanna smiled down at her camera, fishing another roll of film out ofher pocket. The dancers were very obvious with their flirting, but she knewthat Michael deserved every bit of praise he got.
As she switched out the film rolls, she spotted the small group of dancersfrom outside out of the corner of her eye and how they made a beeline forthe area where her supplies were. She stepped toward them, anxiety rollingacross her stomach like the breaking tide. “Excuse me!” she called out, butit was too late: all four girls tossed their bags on top of her things, andthe tripod collapsed in a heap. She rushed over. “What the -- “
“Oops!” one dancer -- the one who had first approached her outside --exclaimed, her voice pitched for dramatic effect. “Is thisyour stuff? I didn’t see it there!”
“Really?” Joanna grunted, shoving the duffel bags out of the way. “You sureabout that?”
“Why are your filthy hands touching our stuff?” another girl snapped,obviously catching sight of the long-dried paint stains on her fingertips.
“Why did you dump your stuff ontop of someone else's?” she shot back.
“We don’t care about sh*t that doesn’t belong in this room.”
Joanna looked up at the girls who were towering over her, taking in thestony glares.
“So,” the first girl sneered, “Go back to the basem*nt where you belong.”
“Hey.”
Marlon ducked around the group, shooting a look between the women. “What’sthe problem here?” he asked.
The clique of dancers turned to him, their scowls immediately transforminginto smiles. “Nothing. We’re just talking.”
“Talking?” he repeated. “Not how I saw it.” He eyed the ringleader. “What’swrong with you, Toni? She didn’t do anything wrong.”
Michael appeared in front of Joanna’s crouched figure. “Joey, you okay?” heasked. “What happened?”
She took two deep breaths to will away the rage. “I’m okay. Justa…miscommunication.”
His eyes narrowed just slightly. “I see. Come here.” He held out a hand andshe took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet. He didn’t let go though,and instead laced their fingers together. “Why are you giving her a hardtime?” he asked.
The dancers and much of the room fell silent, and Joanna felt the pinpricksof the stares on her skin.
“You know,” he continued, “That she is my girlfriend. You also know that sheis Charlene Lewis’s best friend. But most importantly, she is a human being.So it’s kind of wild that you think that you have the right to throwyour sh*t on her stuff.” He turnedhis head to Joanna then. “Joey, how much did you pay for that tripod?”
She sighed. “Mike -- “
“Joanna.”
The sharpness in his voice made her breath hitch in her chest. “Got it onsale for fifty bucks,” she mumbled.
He turned back to the other girls. “So do any of youhave fifty dollars cash to hand her if her tripod’s broken? What about herbag? What about her pencils?”
The three women in front of them were wide-eyed and stunned. “Geez. Sorry,Michael,” Toni muttered.
“No,” he said. “If you won’t say that to the person you wronged, then what’sthe point of saying it at all? Just expect to cough up the cash ifany of her stuff is broken.” He bent down and swipedJoanna’s satchel off of the floor. “Get your tripod,” he said to Joanna. “Irented a smaller studio for the next hour, so we’re moving.”
Joanna forced herself to move from her spot, reaching down to pick up thetripod off the floor. After a quick inspection, she determined that itdidn’t look damaged. If it is, then I know who to lookfor. “I’m sorry, Marlon,” she murmured.
The older senior immediately shook his head. “It’s not your fault,” hereplied. “It’ll get handled.” He gave her a quick wink and then turned awayto corral the rest of the troupe members out of the studio to make way forthe dance intensive group.
Joanna readjusted her camera bag and looked up to see Michael already by thedoor. She quickly followed him out, her body hot from residual anger andembarrassment. The two seniors were silent during their walk around thecorner. It wasn’t until he ushered her through a smaller dance studio thathe spoke. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
She shrugged, lowering her belongings to the floor. “It’s fine,” she said.“I just never thought my mom would be right about something.”
“What?” he asked.
“That you never quite escape high school…the attitudes, I mean,” shechuckled.
Michael’s answering smile was grim. “I…didn’t know people would react likethat,” he admitted. “And I feel like it’s my fault.”
“It’s not.”
“Well, either way, I’m sorry about that.”
“Don’t be,” she said. “I mean, I had a feeling something like this wouldhappen.”
Michael stared at her. “Something like what?”
Joanna slumped against the mirror. “This kind of attention.” She took hercamera out but only fiddled a bit with the lens. “I knew that I kind of puta target on my back since you’re so…you, but I didn’tknow just how big the target would be. Makes me wonder how this wholebreak-up thing will go down. We’re, what, halfway through already?”
He heaved a sigh. “You know I wouldn’t let you go down with the shipyourself, right?”
She looked up from her camera. “Really?”
“You hurt me, Joey,” he joked, clutching his chest dramatically as he sliddown the mirror to the floor next to her. “I thought that you knew by nowthat I wasn’t a total jackass.”
She laughed down at her knees, and her smile grew wider at the sound of hisgiggles. Then an index finger poked her cheek.
“Look at me.” She turned her head and met a gaze so handsomely earnest thatshe found herself wanting to nod before he even spoke again. “Ifanyone says something they shouldn’t, or doessomething, anything,” he said, “Tell me, okay? Evenafter all this is over, I don’t wanna hear anyone talk bad about you. Sojust…tell me, alright?”
He could kiss her. He could kiss her, and she would have no complaints aboutit. “Wow,” she murmured.
“What?”
She refused to look at his mouth. “Nothing…Casanova.” She just couldn’t helpherself.
He watched her for a moment more. It was one of those instances where Joannarealized she didn’t know Michael quite like she assumed she did. As soon asshe thought he was easy to read, the shade of his irises would change to anemotion she hadn’t seen before. It was like she was peeling a layer of himback, one at a time, and she wondered if she would ever get to the core ofhim. When he finally turned away with a breathy laugh, she released animperceptible sigh of relief.
It’s not like any of this mattered. No matter what he said, she didn’t evenknow if he would ever speak to her again after this.
“You know…I’ve joked about it, but I don’t think I ever asked you directly,”she started, “But, uh…is there someone you’re interested in, for real?”
Michael stared straight ahead, unblinking, and she wondered if he’d eventuned in to what she said. But as she opened her mouth again, he mumbled oneword.
“Yeah.”
Her chest twisted into something uncomfortable and just a bit painful, butshe swallowed down her saliva, hoping it would serve as a balm to whateverridiculousness she was feeling. “Seriously? For how long?” she asked.
His Adam’s apple bobbed. “A while,” he replied curtly.
“What’s she like?”
He stayed quiet.
“Oh, come on, Mike,” she huffed. “Give me something.”
“Why do you wanna know?”
“Because I thought we were friends.”
His shoulders dropped with the release of his breath. “Yeah,” he murmured.“Friends.”
Joanna felt herself bristle. “What, we’re not?”
“No, no, we are,” he blurted.
“Then tell me something.” She didn’t know why she waspushing this so hard. Maybe it was because she knew she was accessing apiece of Michael that no other woman on campus could access. But a tiny partof her conscience hissed that maybe she wanted someone to compare herselfto. But why would that be necessary? This whole thing istemporary. We don’t like each other like that.
She didn’t understand the prickly pain in her chest at that thought.
But she pressed on. “What’s she like?” she repeated.
He cut his eyes to her. “She’s a lot like you, actually.”
The fluttering in her stomach surprised her. “What, she’s sarcastic andmean?” she quipped.
He let out a surprised laugh. “You’re not mean,” he responded. “But sheis sarcastic, and she’s really smart…and reallypretty.” He said this last part softly, almost reverently.
Joanna bit her lip. “Do you like her a little, or a lot, or…?”
Michael’s head finally dropped toward his drawn-in knees and just shrugged.
“Okay, so then why did you agree to do this with me? What if she -- ”
His short, sardonic bark of laughter cut her question to shreds. “Shedoesn’t like me back,” he said. “Not the way I want her to.”
She frowned. “Michael -- “
“But what about you, Joey?” he interrupted, turning hisgaze back to her. “Is there someone special in your life?”
Still reeling from the sudden shift in focus, Joanna let loose a laugh ofher own. “Would we be doing this if there was?”
“I guess not,” he conceded with a soft snort. “I still can’t believe youhaven’t been snatched up.”
“I mean, don’t get me wrong: I’ve had my fun,” she replied with a smallgrin. “I just…I don’t have time for the bullsh*t of dating right now.” Sheturned her gaze to the door. “I’m working on this project, then my ArtHistory thesis, then my grad school applications…and I just don’twant to date right now.”
He blinked at her. “You don’t? Really?”
“Yeah,” she replied with a shrug, “Really. Just…no one has caught myattention enough to want to give up my time like that. Not since -- “
“Ben Alexander,” he finished for her. “I get that. I should be as focused onmy projects as you are.”
“Aren’t you? It’s not like I see you all that often outside of class.”
Michael shrugged, his expression neutral. “Yeah, I guess.”
As he pushed himself to his feet, Joanna couldn’t help but wonder what elsehe was holding close to his heart. But then he turned back to her, his smileand hip co*cked to the side and all trace of his seriousness gone, and shewas once again thrown for a loop.
“Now c’mon,” he drawled, stretching his arms toward the ceiling, “I’m readyfor my close-up, Ms. Norman.”
Joanna laughed before she could stop herself. “That was a sh*tty delivery.”
“Well, I’m not an actor, in case you forgot,” he retorted with a grin. As hewent to fiddle with the studio’s sound system, Joanna had a feeling theywould be having the same conversation about his mystery girl in due time.What she didn’t know was how exactly she’d react to it.
They didn’t speak about it again.
The halfway point of their agreement fast approached but with little fanfaresince the Starlight Troupe had a big competition coming up the followingweek. The Friday before the dancers were set to leave, Joanna spottedMichael standing just outside the door to her Life in Art class with a smileon his face and a single red rose in his hand. She narrowed her eyes as sheapproached him, pointedly ignoring whatever was happening with her chest.
“What’s the deal?” she asked.
“Hello to you, too, Joey,” he chuckled. “Happy anniversary.”
She froze. “Huh?”
“One month of dating, silly!” he admonished, though he looked like he wantedto laugh.
“But I thought it was this weekend,” she said, riffing off his response.
“It is, but I’ll be in New York. So, uh, I thought I’d give this to younow.”
She took the rose into her stained hand. It was blood red and perfectlybudded, and she couldn’t help the smile that stretched across her face atthe sight. Before she knew it, she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek,the action brief and dry. She met his shocked gaze and smiled even wider.“Thank you,” she murmured.
His expression melted into something warm and a bit shy. “Anything for you,Joey,” he uttered.
Then he was gone for a whole week, leaving Joanna behind with unceasingmemories of the softness of his kiss. It seemed so strange, she thought. Howcould he profess to have these long-term feelings for this mystery woman,but then be able to treat her with something not unlike adoration?
She thought about this dilemma as she stood in the darkroom on a Wednesdaynight, staring down into the pan as her photos finished developing. As thedays passed, she’d become more and more sure of what she wanted: she andMichael got along so well, but a brushfire of desire flickered beneath thelayers of their blossoming friendship. It was hard not to feel that way ifshe was being honest; Michael was funny, attentive, and intense in a waythat excited her, and she was hard-pressed to remember the last time she’dfelt that way about anyone. The fact that he was incredibly attractive onlyadded kindling to the already burning flame.
But she knew the score. Once the eight weeks were up, they would break up,and he might finally have the nerve to chase after the girl he truly wanted.
Something about that fact stung, and she didn’t know why.
She mentioned this part of their conversation with Charlene one day, and herbest friend looked at her as if she had grown two heads. “He said that she’sa lot like you?” At Joanna’s nod, she threw her headback so forcefully that she winced when it bounced off the back of thecouch. “Both of you are f*cking ridiculous, I swear to God,” she groaned.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re smart,” Charlene retorted. “You’ll figure it out eventually.”
Now, as she stood in the darkroom and watched Michael’s face -- sharpjawline, pronounced cheekbones, focused gaze -- seep into the space on thefilm, she wondered if she wasn’t as above getting hurt as she thought.
The night the troupe members returned to California, Joanna was scanning thecontents of the draft of her thesis’s bibliography when she heard Charlene’sgiggles float through their apartment followed by quick footsteps towardJoanna’s room. The artist could only sigh as her best friend flopped ontoher bed.
“Guess who that was on the phone,” she mumbled into Joanna’s pillow.
“Do I need to?” Joanna asked.
“It was Marlon,” Charlene continued. “The troupe won the large division ofthe national tournament. They’re officially the best team in the country!”
Michael is probably over the moon about it. “That’sgreat,” Joanna said instead, letting a smile drip into her tone. “Good forthem.”
“Did Michael call you?”
“No.”
“Are you gonna call him?”
“Why would I?”
Charlene blinked rapidly before sighing. “Because you two are dating -- ”
“Fake dating.”
“But I was about to say I thought you were friends.”
Joanna thought back to Michael’s laugh and the fading feeling of his mouthon hers. “Yeah,” she acquiesced, “I guess so.”
“Then the phone works both ways, you know.”
Joanna nodded but didn’t lift her head from her draft until it was too lateto keep her eyes open. She didn’t hear Michael’s voice until she emergedfrom her art class the next day. He was standing at the foot of thestaircase as if he hadn’t been gone for over a week; his eyes landed on her,and his expression immediately brightened. Joanna grinned before she couldstop herself. They met in the middle, his large hands on her waist beforesliding around to her back, and he squeezed her so closely to his chest thatshe swore she could hear his heartbeat through the layers of clothing.
“God, you are a sight for sore eyes,” he murmured against her ear. “I missedyou.”
Her heart stuttered, and she squeezed his neck once before pulling away tolook up at him. “You did?”
“Of course I did,” he replied, his grin still strong. “What, I can’t?”
I don’t know if I want you to. Instead, she said, “Iheard the troupe won that national competition. Congratulations.”
His eyes widened briefly before he ducked down with a bashful chuckle. “Itwas just in the large division, but -- “
“Nope.” She pressed her index finger to the center of his forehead andpushed his head and gaze upward. “None of that. Marlon told Charlene thatyou guys placed first, so that’s what happened. Confidence looks good onyou, so own it.”
He stared down at her for a moment, his eyes darkening with someindecipherable emotion, and then his grip on her torso tightened. “Okay,” hesimply said. “So, uh, Marlon and I reserved space at this new club downtowntonight, and he’s already asked Charlene to meet up with him.”
She looked up at him through her lashes. “So?”
“So be my date, Joey. Please?”
“Sure,” she replied. “What are, uh, girlfriends for?”
Michael huffed a little laugh and leaned in to kiss her cheek, and shecouldn’t help but be mildly disappointed that it didn’t land a few moreinches to the left.
Hours later, long after the sun had set, Joanna sighed as Charlene flittedaround her with a blush brush. “Are you done yet?”
“Almost,” Charlene replied, shooting her a grin. “I mean, this is amilestone for you. You never go out without yourglasses. What’s the special occasion?”
Joanna shrugged. “There is no ‘special occasion.’ Just…wanted a change ofpace is all.”
Her friend waggled her eyebrows. “Oh really? It has nothing to do with thegorgeous dance co-captain who couldn’t keep his handsor eyes off you during today’s class?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” the younger woman groused, but she could still feelher cheeks warming. Her eagle-eyed roommate was right: it seemed likeMichael had turned the boyfriend charm up since he’d returned from New York.He’d sat to her right during their Music and Film class, and some part ofhis hand was constantly touching her: a pinky to her wrist, the sliding ofhis hand over her forearm to point out a discrepancy in her notes, and allcomplete with that warm, private smile of his. The same behavior continuedthroughout their history class until she felt her body would never stoptingling.
“Ooh, you’re thinking about him right now, aren’t you?”
Joanna shot Charlene a glare. “Stop it.”
Charlene smirked. “Are you gonna tell him that when he sees you? Because Iguarantee that all that touchy-feely stuff is only ataste of what he has in store for you tonight.”
Joanna studied herself in the mirror, noticing the sheen of her deep blueshift dress and how it brushed against her body just right, the tousle ofher ponytail, and the bright look in her eyes. She could feel it in herbones: something was going to change tonight, and she felt almost powerlessto stop it.
When she and Charlene stepped out of their taxicab and into the K.O. Club,Joanna was taken aback by how industrial it seemed. The decor was allexposed brick and steel with sleek bars and tabletops, giving it a modernfeel. Though the club was still relatively new, it was packed with people,mostly young but with some older clientele.
“This place is massive,” Joanna muttered.
“Yeah -- Oh!” Charlene pointed to another corner of the club and, withJoanna’s wrist tight in her grip, wove through the dancers and bar-hoppersand to the large section of the cordoned off for the Starlight Troupe’scelebration. Joanna spotted Sam first, eyes closed and head thrown back inlaughter amid a conversation. Just beyond him, pulled into a conversation ofhis own, was Michael. He was leaning against a high-top table, his drink inhand, as he was engaged in what seemed to be a deep discussion with Kevin,Oliver, and another troupe member she didn’t know the name of. What she didknow was that, even in the dimmed light, he looked wonderful in dark denimjeans and a shirt of an even darker blue.
Charlene’s tightening grip on her wrist had her facing forward as theyapproached a burly security guard standing watch by the VIP entrance. Shebarely opened her mouth before they both heard the loud shout of, “Hey,Charlene!”
Marlon stepped from behind the guard, his handsome face bright with his grinas he turned to the man. “These lovely ladies are on the list,” he said tohim, and Joanna could almost feel Charlene swoon next to her. He turned toher friend and his smile seemed to widen and soften simultaneously.
“Hey, beautiful,” he greeted before leaning forward to kiss her on thecheek.
“Hey,” she echoed, sounding more gone than Joanna had ever heard her sound.
Marlon turned to her next, a polite yet curious look on his face. “Hellothere,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve met.”
Charlene burst into laughter, and Joanna’s eyes rolled before she couldthink to stop them. “Really, Marlon?” she deadpanned. “I don’t lookthat different.”
His eyes widened. “Joanna?”
“Duh,” Charlene giggled.
“C’mon, give me a break!” he exclaimed, his laughter bleeding into his tone.“I’ve never seen you without glasses before…or with your hair done up likethat.” He gave her a once-over, but there was no heat to it: he lookedintrigued and a bit smug. “Damn,” he said. “Wait ‘til Mike gets a load ofyou.”
Joanna blinked at him as Charlene gave him a light smack to the arm.
“Don’t come on to your brother’s girlfriend,” she admonished.
“Funny,” he shot back. “I thought you were gonna say, ‘Don’t come on to yourgirl’s best friend.’”
As soon as he led them past the velvet rope, Joanna did what she did best:escape the sexual tension between the two co-eds. “Just go ahead and kissalready,” she said to them. “I’m going to get a quick drink.”
“Make sure to put it on Mike’s tab!” Marlon called after her, and she held ahand up in acknowledgment as she made her way to the bar. She ordered herusual whisky ginger and scanned the space. She glanced toward the VIPentrance and smiled when she saw Marlon and Charlene right where she leftthem, nearly pressed against each other as they flirted.
I hope he finally asks her out, or at least takes her home withhim tonight.
She let her eyes drift around the room until she found Michael again. Fromher new angle, he was facing her almost full-on, and she could very clearlysee how open his shirt was: it was unbuttoned down to the middle of hissternum, showcasing a peek of his lean, muscular chest. His hair was done upin its usual curls, though slicker and more put together than during theschool day. He was beautiful, and Joanna’s mouth went dry at the sight ofhim.
“Hey, baby, how about I buy you a drink?”
“Don’t call me ‘ baby,’” she said automatically, turning her gaze to thedirection of the voice. The man wasn’t much taller than her, but headmittedly filled out his shirt well. A few semesters ago, she maybe wouldhave entertained him for a spell, but now she had no interest. “And no,thank you,” she continued. “My drink is coming.”
The man stepped closer. “Then how about another one after that?”
“Nah,” she said with a shake of the head. “I don’t think my boyfriend wouldlike that very much.”
“Boyfriend?” he snorted. “Where is this boyfriend of yours?” She felt thewhisper of his polyester shirt against her bare arm. “I bet you’re lying.”
“I’m not,” she responded coolly. “Are you a CalArts student? You’re actuallyin the VIP section he paid for.”
At that moment, Michael’s eyes cut in her direction and stayed there. He mether gaze, and his eyes narrowed for a split second before he did a visibledouble-take, his mouth falling open. Joanna’s smile spread across her face,and she winked at him before lifting her drink to her lips. Michaelimmediately said something to his friends before making his way toward thebar, his stare never leaving hers. Her insides fluttered wildly, and shejust gave in to the sensations, feeling too good and too admired to worryabout the implications of her feelings.
Later. I can deal with all of that later.
Michael was suddenly right in front of her, his stare even morelaser-focused and intense up close. “Joanna,” he greeted, his voice low,“I…wow.”
“The cat caught your tongue, Casanova?” she asked cheekily, the other manbeside her immediately forgotten.
“It caught more than my tongue,” Michael replied. “You lookamazing.”
She felt the back of her neck heat up. “Thank you.” She dared to reach outand touch his shirt, feeling the silk and a whisper of the skin against it.“You’re looking pretty good yourself.” Her fake boyfriend’s smile onlywidened at the compliment.
The stranger mumbled, “All you had to say was that you were MichaelJackson’s girlfriend.”
Michael turned to the man. “Excuse me?” His voice was polite if not a bitcool. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”
The man looked like he was about to sneer but thought better of it. “Nevermind.” He slunk away, and Michael turned back to Joanna as if he hadn’t evenexisted.
“Where’s my brother and your best friend?” Michael asked.
“Probably making out or damn near close to it,” she responded with a shrug.
He snorted. “I figured that.”
She let her smile briefly drop. “But I do have to say,” she said, “That Iwill make your brother’s life a living hell if he hurts her.”
“Don’t worry about that,” he said. “He really, reallylikes her.” His answer was hushed against the crowd, yet the sincerity wasplain in his voice. Her chest trembled with sudden affection, and she took aquick breath to quell it.
“I’m glad,” she said honestly. “Charlie needs someone who adores her.”
Michael searched her face. “What about you, Joey?”
“What about me?”
“Don’t you need someone like that, too?”
She stilled for a split second before lifting her drink to her lips again.“Don’t worry about me, Casanova,” she said, taking a long sip.
He tilted his head and smiled a bit indulgently. “You said we were friends,”he spoke. “So of course I’ll worry about you.”
Right. Friends.
Michael didn’t give her a chance to reply before grabbing her hand. “C’mon,Joey, dance with me.”
“Alright,” she conceded. “As long as you do all the work again like lasttime.”
He grinned. “Don’t you worry about that.” His hand spread wide against thesmall of her back and pressed her closely against his body. “Just let go andmove with me.”
Joanna felt her body relax against his, and she allowed him to take controlas they moved to the sensuous beat. Michael linked his fingers with hers,and his beautiful smile went soft around the edges as his eyes remainedtrained on her. She tried not to fidget under his gaze, but she couldn’thelp the next words that came from her mouth. “What? Is there something onmy face?” she asked.
His mouth twisted in what was a smothered laugh. “It’s what’snot on your face, actually,” he replied. “I’ve neverseen you without your glasses before.”
She shrugged. “Just wanted something different.”
“Well, it is different. But not in a bad way! I just…”With his attention so focused on her face, his words drifted into the din ofnoise around them, and Joanna refrained from rolling her eyes.
“What?” she pressed.
“Your eyes are a lighter brown than I thought.” Michael blinked as if hecouldn’t believe those words came from his mouth. “What I mean to say is…youwere always pretty before. Now I can see more of it, that’s all.”
Joanna chuckled. “Thank you for the awkward compliment, Casanova.”
He ducked his head, but she could still feel his shoulders shake with brieflaughter under her hands. Then he looked up at her. “I’ll try to be lessawkward then.” He pulled her closer, so close that his nose almost touchedher temple.
Joanna breathed slowly out. Michael’s scent -- the subtle cologne mixed withlaundered clothing and soft, washed skin -- was intoxicating, and whenpaired with the feel of the cords of muscle beneath her hands, she felt herstomach warm with attraction.
Then his mouth touched her outer ear. “You look gorgeous tonight,” hemurmured.
Her chest tightened.
“So gorgeous,” he continued, “That the other guys can’t help but stare atus.” He moved his lips down to her earlobe and gave it a small, barely-therekiss. “I wanna show them what they’re missing out on. Will you let me?”
Joanna found herself nodding, and Michael grinned against her skin beforesliding his hand to the curve of her waist. He gently pushed her away fromhim but held onto her hand and lifted her arm in the air, forcing her into atwirl before stepping forward to mold his chest to her back. The hand thatwas once on her waist now found its place pressed against her stomach.Joanna’s gasp left her mouth and promptly dissipated into the air unheard.
Michael’s mouth touched her ear again. “I thought you couldn’t dance,” hesaid, the amusem*nt plain in his voice.
“I can’t,” she retorted.
“Well, you look like you could be a fast learner.” Every word slipped frombetween his lips like warm liquid, turning innocuous phrases into innuendo,and Joanna wondered how long it usually took for him to smooth-talk his wayunder a girl’s clothes, a thought she forced out of her mind as quickly asit came.
“You’re enjoying this too much,” she said.
“No, I’m not,” he replied easily, “But I could be.” His pinky brushed thewaistband of her panties through the fabric of her dress, and sheinvoluntarily bucked back against him. A harsh breath blew past her cheek,followed by a rushed request of, “Don’t get mad.”
She felt her forehead scrunch in confusion. “Why would I -- “ Her questionpetered out when Michael’s lips met the side of her neck in a full,open-mouthed kiss. Then he kissed her again, a little higher up, andagain along her jawline. Her moan caught in her throat,and she pushed her ass back against him a second time, and this time hepushed back, rocking their bodies in time to the heavy beat of the music.Their dance was turning into something entirely different, something erotic,but Joanna found it hard to care when her body was beginning to throb fromthe inside out. As his right hand slid up her arm and down her waist, shegrasped at his left and trapped it against her belly.
“You’re awfully handsy tonight,” she said, keeping her voice even.
“That’s because I spied with my little eye…” He grinned against her jaw, “Anemesis of ours.”
“Oh?” She bit back a gasp as his lips brushed against her skin. “And whomight that be?”
His fingers snaked up her neck to grasp her chin, and he gently turned herface to his. “Kiss me first.”
She melted under his darkened gaze. “Yes, sir,” she breathed. The kiss waselectric and barely on the right side of chaste and she felt the ground spinunderneath her. Then Michael caught her lower lip between his teeth, and shelet her jaw fall open enough to trace the tip of her tongue along his upperlip. His groan reverberated into her mouth as he kissed her deeper anddirtier, slipping his tongue inside. Joanna tried to stave off the impendingarousal but her body worked against her; she moaned as she felt the wetnesspool inside her panties.
He pulled back just enough to speak. “Okay, now I’menjoying it too much,” he murmured, breathlessness and amusem*nt filling hisvoice.
Good, so kiss me again. Joanna swallowed against thedryness of her throat. “Yeah, I can tell,” she quipped instead, rockingagainst the fullness of his trapped dick again.
Michael touched his forehead to hers. “You’re killing me, Joey.”
“Kiss me again,” she blurted.
He immediately obeyed, but the touch was markedly more chaste, leaving herwanting more. He pulled back enough to press his forehead against hertemple. “The guy we’re swindling out of money is at the other…and he seemsquite interested.” He nudged her cheek with his nose. “Look at our twoo’clock.”
She opened her eyes and turned her gaze to the bar only to meet DarrylSteadman’s intense stare. He didn’t look away either; the more he looked,the narrower his eyes became. Even from a distance, she could tell hisfingers gripped the glass with enough force to potentially crack it.
Hmm. Interesting.
She turned her gaze back to Michael and laughed out loud like he was tellinga joke. “Of course,” she said. I don’t really care, but, uh…” She reachedbehind her to give his neck a squeeze, leaned in, and bit his cheek. Hejerked back with a yelp and pout, and she cackled at the reaction, placatinghim with a kiss over the same spot. “Let me be nosey for a minute. You okay?Want anything?”
His responding smile was wide and a bit goofy, but that look in his eyesdidn’t change. “I’m fine,” he replied softly. “Just want the pleasure ofyour company.”
She rolled her eyes, but her smile didn’t fade as she peeled herself away.As she walked to the bar, she tried to ignore the pang in the chest at thesudden separation, and she decided to focus her thoughts on why Darryl mightbe there. She knew that a couple of people were still friendly with him, butit didn’t occur to her that he would show up to a troupe event.
She stopped two stools down from him, pressing her torso to the sleek metalsurface. “Whisky ginger, please, under Michael Jackson’s tab,” she called tothe bartender.
“You got it.”
She thanked the man and then cut her eyes to the right to meet the gaze ofher target. “Fancy seeing you here,” she said aloud.
Darryl gave her a thorough once-over. “Isn’t it?” His eyes perused herfigure a second time. “Seems like you’re enjoying yourself,” he continued,his voice pitched low.
She masked her body's shudder with a careless shrug. “I’m making it workalright,” she replied.
“I’d say it’s more than alright,” he said. “I guess the thousand bucks isn’tenough for you, since you’re using Jackson’s money for your pleasure.”
She turned to face him fully. “And I guess it wasn’t enough for you to gethumiliated by him in front of your teammates since you’re at a Troupeevent,” she shot back. “He told me why you got kicked out, and it’s a shameyou had to lie to get me to sign on to this, uh, job.”
“You’re just like all the others,” Darryl sneered. “The god over there openshis mouth and you rake in whatever he spews, whether it’s gold or sh*t.”
“Funny you say that because other people corroborated his version ofevents,” she said. “But that’s neither here nor there. I’m here because myboyfriend invited me. What’s your excuse?”
Darryl’s ensuing laugh was loud and obnoxious. “Boyfriend?” he scoffed.“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
“He is,” she replied. “For roughly two more weeks, per yours and myagreement.”
“Holy sh*t,” Darryl huffed in disbelief. “Don’t tell me you’ve fallen forthat asshole.”
Joanna almost snapped, Don’t call him an asshole, butshe reined in that zing of anger. Instead, she asked, “Why are you soangry?”
He blinked at her. “Huh?”
“Why are you angry?” she repeated, watching hisexpression shutter, his gaze never breaking. Then it hit her. “Oh wow.You’re jealous.”
Darryl nearly choked on the beer he was sipping on.“What?” he spluttered.
She reached out for her almost-forgotten drink and took a sip. “You are. Itmakes perfect sense, you know. Michael Jackson’s a guy who knows nothingother than being popular and handsomeand rich and nice, and since hehas all of those qualities, he should just be grateful and try not to ruffleany feathers, right? So how dare he also have more thanjust an ounce of integrity and decide to just kick a guy out of the club? Itdoesn’t matter that he’s the co-captain of the squad, or that he’swell-respected. He should just stand by and shut up. Is that it?”
She leaned in. “‘He needs to get taken down a peg.’ That’s what you said,right?” she said, the calmness of her voice warring against the hot bloodboiling underneath her skin. “That’s why I’m here, actually: to be hisgirlfriend and then break his heart. That’s what you hired me for. Maybe youweren’t aware of what being his girlfriend entailed since nobody here hasseen what he’s like when he has one. But, dude, let’s keep it on the levelhere: did you honestly think that this whole ridiculous spiel would becompletely clinical and that I wouldn’t get a benefit other than the money?”She chuckled. “I mean, f*ck, that’s no fun.”
Darryl’s jaw tensed. “No, I -- “
“I clocked how you looked at me when I came over here,” she murmured, “And Ithink that you thought you had a chance with me after this was all over. Ormaybe it’s even more than that…maybe, perhaps, you want to live vicariouslythrough the guy you claim to hate so much.” She took another sip of herdrink, and as soon as she caught a glimpse of Michael, she could see himsway upright and make a beeline for them. “Look, Steadman, in the end,you’ll get what you want, and if you abide by your part of the contract thenso will I. How I get it is none of your business, so it’s best you rememberthat.”
Darryl’s face grew stormy and he opened his mouth to speak only to snap itshut again. No sooner had he done that when a large hand slid across thesmall of her back. A smooth cheek met the crook of her neck, the two fittingas perfectly as puzzle pieces, and she huffed out a quiet laugh.
“Wondered what was takin’ you so long,” came the soft-spoken rumble. “Tiredof me already?”
She glanced at Michael out of the corner of her eye. “That’s the corniestthing you’ve said to me yet, Casanova.”
“I’m sure it’s not,” he replied with a grin. He straightened up, standing atfull height to eye the man before him. “Hello, Darryl,” he said, his voicemonotone and chilled.
Darryl had to look up slightly to meet the senior’s glare. “Michael,” heresponded stonily. “Lala invited me here, or else I wouldn’t be seen at thislame-ass party.”
Michael snorted. “So I guess you two are on again, huh?”
“None of your business,” Darryl snapped.
“And my girl is none of yours,” Michael replied, “So back off.”
The other man’s lip curled into something ugly. “Yourgirl and I have more history than you think.”
Joanna’s jaw dropped, but before she could utter a word, Michael stepped infront of her. “Watch your mouth.” His voice was still quiet, but razor-sharpin its threat. “Unless you want me to finish that fight once and for all.”
“I ain’t scared of you,” Darryl sneered, stepping forward.
Michael tilted his head. “You’d better be.”
“And we’re done,” Joanna interjected, pressing her hand to Michael’s chest.“He’s not worth it, Mike.”
Michael glanced back at her, the steel in his gaze melting slightly. “You’reright,” he finally said. “He’s not.”
She grabbed his hand and pulled, and he followed her without muchresistance, instead swinging around and slinging an arm around her neck. Hepressed his mouth to her ear and whispered, “I’m about to get all macho andmark my territory again. You don’t mind, right?”
“Ew,” she grunted, her tone and her body both void of disgust. “I guess so,for your manly pride and all.”
“Thanks, Joey.” He kissed a spot just below her ear. “I want every guy hereto think that you are mine.”
The very center of her stomach burned. “Well sh*t, Casanova,” she muttered.“Who knew you could be sexy as hell?”
He grinned against her skin. “Not just my chivalry?”
The next kiss landed on the spot between her jaw and ear, and Joannaswallowed down an embarrassing noise. “Congrats, you’ve upgraded.”
He pressed his face further into her neck and laughed. “God, you are thefunniest and most infuriating woman I’ve ever met.”
They stumbled into a low-lit hallway. “Infuriating?” she exclaimed. “Sincewhen? And for what reason?”
“Since this whole thing started,” he replied, guiding her to the exposedbrick wall. “You don’t take anything seriously.”
“I take plenty of things seriously.”
“You don’t take me seriously.”
She looked up at him. “I didn’t know I was supposed to.” He leaned back, andshe froze at the look in his eyes. What is he doing?“Mike?” she whispered.
He stared at her for a moment longer before his gaze flickered upward, justto the right of her face. Then he craned his neck down to sink his teethinto the meat of her trapezius, and she arched into him with a gasp.
“He’s coming,” he muttered.
Joanna’s eyes fluttered closed for a moment. “Who?”
“Who do you think?”
She forced the rational part of her brain to work, and the first word thatdribbled from her mouth was, “Bathroom.” She pulled him sideways and towardsthe closest open door of the three there, and she would have trippedbackward over the threshold if Michael didn’t have a strong grip on herwaist. Once they were both inside, Joanna all but collapsed against the doorto close it, twisting the lock for good measure.
“Oh my God,” Michael breathed.
She glanced around. The bathroom was small but spotless, with a toilet inone far corner and a urinal in the other. The porcelain sink was steps awayfrom them and fully stocked with stacked paper towels and a full dispenserof soap. Well, at least the staff cares about hygiene.A laugh bubbled to the surface before she could stop it.
Michael took a breath, almost as if he was breathing in the distinct smellof the hidden potpourri. “What the hell was that even about anyway?” heasked. “Why was Darryl so mad?”
“Because I pissed him off,” she giggled. “He thinks I’m having too much funwith this whole situation…that I’m enjoying it all too much.”
He laughed with her, his chin tucked toward his chest as he peered up at herthrough his lashes. “And are you?” he asked.
She replied with a playful eye roll and a shrug of the shoulders. “It’s beennice,” she admitted. “Even a little bit exciting.”
His eyebrows quirked just slightly. “Exciting?” he echoed.
“Yeah. You know…” Then she mouthed, “The double-cross.”
He looked down at her for a moment, then turned her gaze to the door behindher, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
“Michael?”
“He’s outside,” he hissed.
She pressed her ear to the door, and sure enough she could hear his whinytenor voice yelling in the immediate vicinity of the room. As she turnedback to meet Michael’s gaze, she was struck with a hilarious, slightlyembarrassing, and maybe altogether horrible idea.
She looked Michael in the face, took a deep breath, and released a loudgiggle mixed with a half-voiced moan. “Really, Mike?” she said aloud,struggling not to break at the bewildered look on his face. “You couldn’twait to take me home?”
His eyes widened more, and then a mischievous grin spread across his face.“Can’t help it,” he said, the words coming out in an exaggerated grunt. “Youlook so…goddamn sexy.”
They nearly collapsed then, bending forward to press their mouths into eachother’s necks to muffle their laughter. She grasped at his sides as shepushed herself off the door, only to pull him in and slam back against it.Michael’s yelp sunk into her skin, and she couldn’t help the bark oflaughter that finally escaped her. “f*ck, yes, please,” she moaned.
Michael pulled away just enough for her to see the mirth in his gaze. “Youlike that?” he asked.
She grinned. “Yeah.”
He took one last peek at the door before pinning Joanna with a peculiarstare. “How bad do you want it?”
And with that question, her mind screeched to a halt. It was at that momentthat she realized just what kind of predicament they were in: locked in asmall unisex bathroom, with her back pressed against the door and Michaelpressed against her. Even through the layers of clothing, she could feel thetautness of his body and how still he was, almost as if he was holdinghimself back. His smile had already disappeared, and his expression hadmorphed into one that was deeper, keener. She suddenly felt exposed and rawin her want for this man.
She breathed a response before she realized what she was saying. “Why don’tyou find out?”
He dove in to kiss her, his tongue eventually sweeping any other words away.His hips rolled against hers, and she felt her insides coil into themselves,forming small balls of sensation that clustered down around her pelvis. Shepressed back, opening her mouth more and giving back as good as she got, andshivered at the muted groan she heard in his throat. He pressed into heronce more, his erection again growing prominent against his jeans.
“Am I reading this wrong?” he muttered against her mouth.
She wet her lips and shook her head. “No,” she whispered back, “You’re not.”
“Good.” Then he moved down her jawline and her neck, leaving wet,open-mouthed kisses in his wake. At the same time, she felt his hands, largeand sure, skim her hips, down, down, down, until his fingertips brushed thehem of her dress.
“Michael,” she breathed. “Mike -- “
“I wanna touch you,” he rasped against her neck. “Can I touch you?”
Her entire body throbbed at the prospect. “Yeah. Yeah,please,” she whispered.
He bunched the hem of her dress in his fists and slid the fabric up herthighs. “I’ve wanted to touch you the moment I saw you,” he mumbled againsther skin as he grabbed her right knee and hiked it over his hip. “You haveno idea.” He kissed her again, swallowing the moan she emitted when hisfinger glided over her bare stomach. Those same fingertips grazed herlace-covered nipples next, tracing circles over the fabric before pressinginward.
“Then touch me,’’ she said into his mouth.
He grinned, and his fingertips slid back down her stomach. The moment hetouched her lace panties he grunted out a harsh, “God.” His fingers driftedlower and met the wetness that had pooled in the crotch. “MyGod, you’re soaked.”
She said nothing, only bracing herself as he pulled at the waistband of herpanties enough to slide his hand inside. When he took a middle finger andslipped it between her folds, she keened, gripping his bicep in one hand andthe back of his neck with the other. She pushed her hips forward until onlyher shoulder blades were pressed against the door, and she craned her neckdown to look at where his hand was fully underneath her black lace, theinsistent movement of his fingers matching the undulating sparks ofsensation taking over her body. She moved her gaze to where his erectionstrained prominently against his tight jeans and felt her mouth water.
“You’re so hard,” she croaked in response to his earlier statement. Shelooked up to find him staring down at where they were joined, eyes blownwide and his lower lip caught so tightly between his teeth that she thoughthe might draw blood. “Let me, ah, touch you, too --wait -- “ But he pulled his hand out of her underwear, and his knees hitthe bleached tile floor.
Joanna resisted the urge to curse. “But you don’t have -- you’re not -- “
He giggled -- he f*cking giggled, she thought, almostincensed -- as he looked up at her with a gaze that was almost pitch black.“I know I’m not,” he said. “And I know I don’t have to, but…but I really,really want to.” There was a dark growl to his voicethat she’d never heard before, and she nearly whimpered at the intense pulsebetween her legs. He pulled her hips closer to his face, but his eyes werestill locked on hers, wanting, waiting. “So can I?”
She stared down at him. In the back of her mind, she knew it wasn’t the bestidea to do this here, but her heart and her bodyoverruled that rational thought. “Yeah,” she rasped. “Yeah, you can.”
His responding grin was so boyish and radiant that Joanna thought the breathhad been knocked out of her. “Thank you,” he said quietly. He gripped thesides of her panties and pulled, dragging them down her thighs and legsuntil they hit the floor. His right hand -- still wet and sticky -- slidaround the back of her right thigh, and he applied just enough pressure tohave Joanna move; she swung her leg over his shoulder, shivering from therush of cool air between her legs. His smile was still present as he turnedhis mouth to her inner thigh, and he pressed a gentle kiss there.
“Beautiful,” he sighed. He kissed the same spot again, this time opening hismouth and grazing the skin with his teeth. “I’m gonna make you feel good, Ipromise.”
Joanna huffed a soft laugh as she felt his mouth move closer and closer towhere she wanted it, and she squeezed her eyes shut. “I’ll hold you tothat,” she whispered.
“On two conditions.”
She blinked her eyes open. “What?”
“One: keep your eyes on me.”
She dropped her head and looked down at him. He rubbed slow, soothingcircles into her left hip bone, but it only made her wetter. She bit her lipto keep her moan at bay.
“Two,” he said, his breath hot against her, “I want him to hear how good Imake you feel. I want him to hear how you sound, and know that he’ll neverget a chance to get those sounds out of you. So don’t hold back.”
Jesus Christ. She moved her head up and down in somesemblance of a nod. “Yeah, okay,” she panted.
Michael’s smile transformed into a sensual smirk that made her standing kneegrow weak. “Good girl,” he whispered.
Then he leaned in and licked her from perineum to cl*t, and Joanna gasped,the sensation hitting her like a boxing glove filled with bricks. “sh*t,”she mumbled. He hummed and licked her again, slower this time, and shecursed again, reaching down and sliding her hand through his hair. Michaelmoaned into her folds, his eyes never straying from hers as he moved histongue forward, drawing shapes and lines along her skin, licking around hercl*t but not quite getting there. She tried to jut her hips forward, butMichael held her still in his strong grip, and before she knew it awhine escaped her mouth.
Michael’s eyes squinted and he huffed out a small laugh against her.“Couldn’t help it,” he murmured. “Wanted to taste you first.”
“Oh my God,” she blurted, “Who are you?”
“Me?” He pressed a small kiss into the crease of her thigh. “I’m yourboyfriend of forty-two days.”
Something in her heart shifted then, something not unlike regret and anotheremotion she couldn’t pinpoint. But then Michael ran the flat of his tonguedirectly against her cl*t, and her brain short-circuited. “Oh my God,” shegroaned.
He hummed against her again. “Yeah, yeah, lemme hear you,” he said, hiswords slurred and rushed, and then he went to work, his tongue tracingsymbols of infinity, tracing letters, tracing nonsense on her skin. She lether jaw drop and the first of many moans fell out, watching almosthelplessly as Michael’s lower face disappeared into the apex of her thighs.She had never considered herself a noisy lover and never had someoneparticularly care if she muffled her sounds or not. But Michael wasdifferent. He seemed to love noises of affirmation, matching each moan andgroan with one of his own, squeezing the leg on his shoulder in tandem.
Then he added his fingers, slipping two inside at once and curling themback, punching out a noise she only ever made alone in the comfort of herown room. She tightened her calf and pulled him in by his back. “Please,”she whimpered. “Right there, yes.”
He blinked up at her, humming in question, and she nodded rapidly, sighingas he did as told. He closed his eyes briefly, his eyebrows furrowing. Shepulled on his hair just enough to get his attention and reveled in thesurprised noise she got in return.
“Eyes,” she whispered. “Remember?” He smiled into her skin, and she grinned.But then the knot inside of her grew tighter, and her mouth fell open againas she felt herself break apart piece by piece. “Oh,”she gasped. “Oh, f*ck.”
He moaned with her, his eyebrows pinching together again, but this time, hekept his eyes on her. His tongue moved faster and his fingers thrust harder,and she felt on the edge of a precipice, that knot on the verge of popping,her body so close to falling.
“Michael, I’m…Michael!” she gasped loudly, and with onelong moan, she came, her thighs trembling with adrenaline and pleasure, herbody vibrating from the sensations of the most intense org*sm she’d had inmonths. She sighed as he stroked her through it, the blood draining from herbrain and leaving her dizzy in the afterglow.
Michael leaned back a little, his lips and chin glistening, and pressed hismouth to her thigh again. His gaze was heavy when he finally pulled hisfingers away, and out of the corner of her eye she could see him yank hisjeans open and shove his hand inside, the same hand she had just come onbarely a moment before. Then his arm started to move again, and Joanna’sbody throbbed in response.
She tugged on his hair once more, pulling his head back until there wasenough space for her to see him work his way toward his own org*sm. A quickflash of fantasy -- of their positions being switched, of him coming downher throat, even of him being her over the nearby sink and taking her frombehind -- made her shudder. “f*ck,” she whimpered.
“Yeah,” he choked out, “Yeah, ah, Joanna -- ” He gavethree more long strokes before he groaned loudly, eyes wide and voiceechoing in the small space. Their breaths were loud and heavy as they camedown from their highs. Joanna felt like her world had been tilted on itsaxis a bit. It was almost like she was trapped in two parallel universes: inone was Michael, the funny, confident, yet goofy guy whose grin always grewthat much wider when he could make her laugh or pull some sort ofinformation out of her; in the other, there wasMichael, the man from the house party, who jokinglyreferred to his past self as a manwhor*…the one who was still on his kneesbefore her, her come on his face and his come on the bathroom floor.
His grip on her thigh finally loosened, and he gingerly pulled her leg awayand set it down on the floor. Then he took one look at her panties andcringed. “Sorry, I think I…” He made an absent gesture, and Joanna felt thebeginnings of a smile.
“It’s okay,” she said, her voice sounding muffled to her ears. “My dressisn’t that short.”
He nodded and tucked himself back into his underwear with his clean handbefore leaning back on his haunches to stand. He looked at her expectantly.“Good?” he asked, his voice husky.
Joanna stared at him for a moment. The best I’ve had in a longtime. “Come here,” she murmured.
He stepped forward, and she hooked her fingers into his belt loops to pullhim closer. She buttoned his jeans and zipped him up. She stepped over hersoiled panties and turned on the faucet, her hand closed tightly around hiswrist as she pulled him along. She wiped his chin as best as she could, andthen looked him in the eye, meeting his inscrutable gaze before leaning upto kiss him on the mouth. She could still taste herself there, and she hadto tamp down an errant flare of arousal. She leaned back against the sink,smiling when he pressed against her, his hands bracing the ceramic edge oneither side of her hips.
“Really good,” she uttered.
Michael smiled widely, his eyes big and bright, and Joanna found herselfwanting to make him smile like that as often as possible. “Really? I mean --good. That’s good,” he replied, leaning in to kiss her again.
“Cute,” she mumbled against his lips. “What’re we gonna do about those?” Shegestured to her underwear.
Michael smiled and reached around her to quickly rinse off his hand. “I gotit,” he said, “Don’t worry.”
Joanna turned around to check her outfit and hair. “You do?”
“Yep.”
She watched as his reflection scooped up the small pile of lace and stuffedit into his jeans pocket. “Oh my God,” she snorted. “Please don’t tell methat’ll be part of your special collection for when you get lonely.”
Michael chuckled. “I was just gonna sneak it out ofhere for you,” he joked, “But since you put it thatway…”
She whirled around and glared at him. “Perv,” she chided.
“Who, me?” He gave her a charming smile, his gazefocused and intense as he leaned against the door. He wasn’t even two feetaway, but Joanna’s body, to her slight trepidation, felt like even thatdistance was too far, and she gripped the edge of the sink to anchor herselfin place.
“So,” she started, “Should we talk about this?”
He licked his lips, and Joanna tried to keep her mind straight. “What isthere to say?”
“A good bit,” she replied.
“Oh. Okay,” he acquiesced with a small shrug.
They stood there in silence for a time before Joanna cleared her throat. “SoI guess you’re, uh, somewhat attracted to me…maybe.” Her voice rose at theend, turning her statement into a question which, to be fair, it kind ofwas. How did they end up here? Why did they get carried away like this?Kissing at the party was one thing, but this was something else entirely,and she didn’t quite know what to make of the development.
Michael stared at her with wide eyes for a beat, and then he burst intolaughter, his head dropping back against the steel door.
Joanna’s stomach dropped with it. “What? What’s so funny?” she asked evenly.
He lifted his head to look at her again. “I’m sorry,” he snickered, “But youthink I’m only somewhat attracted to you? Really?”
She could feel her frown deepen, and his laughter finally subsided as hisirises darkened. He sucked his lower lip in between his teeth, and her innerthigh throbbed from the memory of his mouth against her skin. He crossed thesmall bathroom in two steps and came close to crowding her but not quite,his gaze still locked on her.
“Joey,” he murmured. “Baby.”
Her breath hitched, and as Michael reached out and dragged the knuckle ofhis index finger up the slick fabric of her dress, from the spot just abovethe center of her and up her stomach, she forced herself to exhale.
“It’s hard for me,” he said, his words spaced out in careful, methodicalbeats. “I know this isn’t real, but it’s hard for me to keep my hands tomyself when I’m around you.”
Joanna felt herself tighten in response, and at that moment she hated thefact that she didn’t have clean panties to wear. But there was one smallthought that wouldn’t disappear. “But what about that girl of yours?” sheasked. “The one you, uh, like so much?”
He said nothing at first, but his gaze changed from dark and wantingto…still wanting, but also confused and a bit indulgent. Joanna almost feltlike she was missing something, but she couldn’t quite suss out what it was.
“Joanna,” he started, “That doesn’t mean I’m not wildly attracted to you.Also, no matter how…fake this all is, I’m still yourboyfriend for eighteen more days, and I want to take that seriously.”
She could only stare at him. This must be a trap, because how ishe even real? She felt tingly all over and suddenly she had thesmall yet distinct feeling that this whole scheme wouldn’t end as well asshe expected. She cast those thoughts out of her mind with a chuckle. “Areyou trying to get rid of the whole ‘Casanova’ moniker?” she asked coyly.
“I don’t care what you call me,” he said, taking one more step until hischest was pressed to hers. “I just want to prove that I amnot a commitment-phobe.” Joanna couldn’t help butgiggle, and his grin widened as he let go of her dress only to slip his armaround her waist. “So…what d’you say?” he questioned. “Can I kiss you everyonce in a while?”
She slid her hand around to the back of his neck. “You can do a little bitmore than that,” she said, “If you want.”
And there it was: that deep, almost unendingly ravenous glitter in his eyes,and she felt the arm around her waist tighten. “Just a little bit?” hemurmured, dragging the fingertips of his opposite hand up her spine and intoher hair.
She found herself trapped against the sink again, and she swallowed down herimpending moan. “You’ve gotta make it worth my while though,” she whispered.
A soft puff of laughter rang in her ears. “Believe me,” he uttered againsther lips, “It would be my pleasure.” The ensuing kiss was unhurried butquickly careening toward being filthy, with him tracing her lower lip withthe pad of his tongue before delving inside to scoop up her whine. Her brainturned to static, and her body began to move seemingly on autopilot, her legsliding up and hooking on the small part of his back to pull him closer.Michael rolled his hips into the crevice of her dress once, almost as if inslow motion, and she gasped at how he was half-hard again already.
The loud pounding of the door sent them both lurching out of the throes oflust. Joanna bit back a screech.
“Hey! Is someone dead in there? I have to take a piss!”
Michael and Joanna took one look at each other and burst into near-silentgiggles. “One minute!” he called out, releasing his grip on her thigh. Hepulled her away from the sink to right them on the tile floor. Then hekissed the space between her brow, the touch soft and tender. Thenearly-forgotten sensation of affection and something else -- something moreforeign -- unfurled from her belly button out, spreading insidiouslythroughout the rest of her body.
Michael pulled away just enough to gaze down at her. “Ready?” he askedsoftly.
Joanna knew then that she was well and truly f*cked. She managed a smileanyway. “Yeah. I’m ready.”
