Like a Dream Come True

Lianna arrived back to New York in good humor. Her visit with her family had been great, but her date with Joseph had really been the icing on the cake. Even if I never see him again, she thought to herself, the expression on Vincent’s face the night we saw him, mixed with the passion of the kiss we shared in the park… I’ll never forget all that.

As soon as she had settled in, Lianna heard a knock on the door and knew who it was. Madison, her neighbor, had been cat-sitting for her. “Hey!” the vivacious redhead greeted Lianna as she opened the door, thrusting the cat towards her. “Starsky is a pain in the ass! Take him back now!”

Laughing, Lianna took the overweight tabby into her arms. “Thanks so much for taking care of him, Maddy,” she smiled at her neighbor. “Come on in, if you want. I’m just unpacking. But I’m sure there are still a few beers in the fridge.”

Closing the door behind her, Madison smiled. “Sounds good,” she said, heading towards the kitchen. “By the way, your cat is evil.”

“I know,” Lianna giggled, joining Madison in the kitchen. Within thirty seconds of arriving home, Starsky had regained his independence and taken off for his sanctuary under the bed. “Thanks again for taking care of him,” she added as she took the beer Madison offered.

“So how was the trip?” Madison leaned against the countertop. “How’s Kirsten doing?” Lianna’s younger sister had visited her the summer before and had gotten close with Lianna’s neighbor in the week she was there.

“Kirsten seems more mature and well adjusted than I am,” Lianna admitted.

“Oh, that’s tough,” Madison rolled her eyes sarcastically and took a swig of her beer. “So how about you? You have a good time with the ‘rents? Was it your usual wild-and-crazy vacation?”

Unable to stop herself from blushing, Lianna took a sip of her beer. “It was… fine.”

Putting her beer down on the counter with a clang, Madison gave Lianna a shocked look. “You had sex while you were there, didn’t you?” she exclaimed.

“I did not have sex,” Lianna professed honestly, moving into the living room and sinking onto the couch. “There was no sex of any kind.”

Searching Lianna’s denying expression for a moment, Madison sat next to her on the couch while a smile spread across her face. “No, you didn’t have sex,” she said confidently. “But you wanted to… You met someone! Come on, spill it Lee! You are, like, the most boring friend in the world! You haven’t really dated anyone since I met you last year. So what happened?”

Looking at Madison, Lianna considered what she could tell her. While her neighbor was far wilder and more promiscuous than Lianna ever intended to be, she was a very good person. She knew Madison would truly appreciate the details of this situation. “Okay, if I tell you everything, do you swear you’ll never repeat this to anyone?”

“Who could I repeat anything to?” Madison asked incredulously. “We have no friends in common, Lee. So just spit it out!”

Taking a deep breath, Lianna began speaking. She never let Madison interrupt with exclamations or questions while she told her story of meeting Joseph “Joey” Hart or while describing her one date with him. By the time she finished telling Madison about her whispered compliment after Joseph had driven off, Madison was in a rare state of silence. “Say something,” Lianna finally begged.

Shaking her head, Madison finished her beer with one swig while never taking her eyes off Lianna. Putting the bottle down on the table with a clang, she finally responded by smiling widely. “I always knew there was a vixen in there just dying to burst out!”

“Shut up,” Lianna blushed again. “There was no vixen – just a girl too stupid to notice the rock star sitting beside her for five hours.”

“So are you going to see him again?” Madison’s eyes had that excited, mischievous quality in them right then that usually drove men wild.

“I don’t know,” Lianna admitted nervously, taking a larger swig of her beer than she normally would. “I mean, really, it’s all up to him. I don’t have his number or anything. I guess I just have to wait to see if he calls.”

Frowning, Madison shook her head. “Well, not getting his number was definitely a mistake,” she said in a sage voice. “But still, if he calls, are you going to go out again? Please tell me you are, Lee. Please tell me you’re going to fuck that beautiful man once, just for me. Please?”

Laughing at her friend’s enthusiasm, Lianna didn’t know what to say. “That’s what you want me to say, Maddy? That I’ll fuck him for you?”

“Sweety, you need a good fuck more than anyone I know-” Madison’s words were cut off by the sound of Lianna’s phone ringing.

Picking up the phone off of the recharger, Lianna looked at the caller-id. “Oh God,” she said breathlessly. “It’s him!”

“Well, answer it, you idiot!” Madison responded.

Standing up and walking towards the bedroom, Lianna answered the phone. “Hello?”

“Ah, so you are back in the concrete jungle,” Joseph’s voice sounded welcoming. “See, I’ve been home for two days, thinking nonstop about you. I was wondering if I had dreamed about our date, or if it had happened long ago, in a galaxy far, far away…”

“So you’re a mama’s boy and a sci-fi geek?” Lianna teased. “Well, now I have some news to bring to the tabloids…”

Letting out a deep chuckle, Joseph responded quickly. “How was your trip home?”

“Oh, you know,” Lianna sat on the bed and smiled to herself. “I got upped to first class, got seated next to Justin Timberlake, and joined the mile-high club.”

“Well, as a sustaining member, I welcome you,” Joseph kept his voice calm. “Although, if I had known you needed a sponsor for membership, I would have gladly obliged on our trip over.”

“Have I told you yet that you’re a pervert?” Lianna laughed.

“A couple times,” Joseph confirmed. “And to be honest, you’re starting to hurt my feelings. Well, not really.”

Pausing, Lianna decided to stop joking. “I’m really glad you called,” she said softly. “I wasn’t sure you would…” Seeing Madison leaned up against the doorframe, eavesdropping without conscience, Lianna stuck her tongue out at her friend.

“I said I would,” Joseph didn’t sound the least bit flummoxed. “So here I am. I actually wanted to see if you had Saturday night free. A band I’m friendly with is playing in town, and I’d love if you came with me as my date.”

Feeling like her heart had dropped to her knees, Lianna tried to respond calmly. “Saturday? Well, I think I can fit you in.”

“Good,” Joseph said. “I have some stuff to do earlier in the day, so would you mind coming by my place and leaving from there?”

Lianna agreed to meet Joseph at his place, and wrote down the address while trying her best to ignore Madison’s overacting in the corner of the room. “So I’ll see you on Saturday,” she said, biting back a laugh as she watched Madison mockingly repeat her words silently and then pretend she was giving a blowjob.

“I’ll be there,” Joseph promised. “And I can’t wait to see you again. But once more, before I hang up, Lianna. Tell me what you are, what you don’t have to apologize for…”

Looking Madison straight in the eyes, Lianna felt her cheeks turn bright red. “I’m sexy,” she said. “Just like you.”

“Damn right,” Joseph chuckled, unaware that at that exact moment Lianna’s neighbor had thrown herself onto the floor in a fit of hysterics. “So, goodnight, then.”

“Goodnight,” Lianna forced out before hanging up the phone. “You,” she looked at Madison spread out on her carpet laughing. “You are not my friend anymore. I don’t ever want to talk to you again…”

“Of course you do,” Madison tried to pull herself together as she stood back up. “Who else is going to help you get ready on Saturday? Who else is going to help you look ‘sexy’?” She burst into another fit of giggles and threw herself on the bed.

“I hate you,” Lianna said in as cold a voice as she could muster.

“No, you don’t,” Madison sat up and gave an authoratative glance towards Lianna. “You’re just afraid of how much you want to fuck this guy, and I stand for every immoral and unethical sexual action known to man. Nay, I demand those actions!”

Laughing, Lianna shook her head. “So you’ll help me get ready for Saturday?”

“Is Paris Hilton a whore?”

“Ew,” Lianna laughed. “You just gave me a visual. But I’ll take that to mean you’ll help me get ready.”

“Yeah,” Madison stopped being teasing for a moment. Walking over to Lianna, she threw an arm over her shoulder. “I’ll do whatever it takes to help you feel good about yourself. You deserve it, Lee. You’re a good person.”

“Whatever,” Lianna shrugged self-deprecatingly. “But thanks in advance for the help…”

------

It had been a bit of an ordeal to get into the posh building where Joseph lived. The security guard had scrutinized her for several minutes before calling upstairs to the condo, where he was told to let Lianna go up. Even then, he watched her warily as she walked down the hall to the elevators.

Riding in the elevator up a couple dozen floors, Lianna looked at her reflection in the mirrored doors. She hoped she looked alright; Madison had insisted that she wear the outfit she was in: a nearly sheer army green top with a black bra clearly visible, black form-fitting cotton pants, and a black leather belt with a big silver buckle. Her hair was up in a loose ponytail, with little tendrils falling around her face, and she was wearing more makeup than she would normally even consider. “You’re going on a date with a guy who wears makeup regularly,” Madison had been adamant. “You have to wear some, too.”

As Joseph answered the door, all Lianna’s fears faded. He was not shy about looking her over from head to toe and letting out a small whistle. “Damn, you look hot,” he told her with a sexy grin.

Smiling, Lianna walked into the condo as Joseph beckoned. “Thanks. You don’t look half bad yourself,” she told him with a smirk. He looked far more like the Joey Hart from the magazines that night than he had the other two times she had seen him. He had on a loose gray wifebeater with baggy black jeans, a studded belt around his waist and a wallet chain hanging down his hip. His hair had been styled, made to stand up messily and point in all directions. “Actually, you look incredibly sexy.” She took a breath in, shocked the words had come out of her mouth.

Seeming unfazed, Joseph took her hand. “Let me give you the tour,” he said, leading her down the hallway. “Kitchen, dining room, bathroom, living room, den, and these are the stairs that lead to the bedroom, which I hope to be showing you later tonight.” He didn’t even pause at his suggestive comment, but just kept going right on. “This is my favorite. Come look at the balcony.”

Lianna couldn’t believe how amazing the condo was; it was enormous, and the view Joseph showed her went over Central Park and featured the New York City skyline. “This is insane,” she leaned against the railing, looking over her shoulder back into the condo through the glass doors. “Please tell me you have a huge bin like Scrooge McDuck, with piles of money that you roll around in.”

“Without my pants?” Joseph chuckled.

“What?” Lianna’s eyes got wide. She had no idea what he was talking about.

“Scrooge McDuck…” Joseph explained. “He didn’t wear pants. None of the… Ducks… did.” With that, they both started laughing. It took over a minute for them to gather themselves back together enough to speak. “You know, I laugh easier with you than with anyone else I’ve ever met.”

Blushing, Lianna didn’t know what to say. Since she had met him, Joseph had complimented her a lot, but it was mostly on physical appearance. This praise seemed much more tender and personal. “You make me laugh, too,” Lianna told him. “You also have an impressive way of working the idea of getting naked into any conversation. I was talking about Donald Duck’s uncle, for God sake!”

Shaking his head, Joseph smiled and looked at Lianna silently for a moment. Finally, he reached over and stroked her cheek gently. His mouth took hers softly, and Lianna felt her body melt against his. Her hands found their way to his hips as she parted her lips and felt his tongue brush over hers. With one hand still caressing her cheek, Joseph slid his other hand behind her neck and rubbed gently. The kiss was slow and mellow, and Lianna felt like her entire body had turned to Jell-O. She let out an involuntary whimper when she felt Joseph’s mouth release hers.

Chuckling, Joseph continued caressing her cheek and stared intently into her eyes. “I’m really glad I met you,” he told her softly. His eyes wandered over her face, from her hairline down to her lips and back up. “And I wish we didn’t have to go anywhere tonight, but we really should leave soon. The guys in the band we’re going to see are expecting me, and it would be rude to not show. Besides, there are a few people that will be there that I’d like you to meet: Frankie, our manager, and my friend, Tay”

Nodding, Lianna smiled. “Absolutely, we should get going.” Letting her hands slide nervously over the curve of Joseph’s waist, to his ribcage, and back down to his hips, she felt chills running down her spine. “And I’m glad I met you, too,” she added shyly.

Placing one last soft kiss on her lips, Joseph slid his arm around Lianna’s shoulder and led her back into the condo. “Besides, I do fully intend to seduce you tonight, so what’s the rush?” He jumped a little when Lianna’s hand jokingly slapped his stomach.

“Perv,” she grinned.

“So I hear,” Joseph smiled back at her.

-----

Lianna was surprised that a car service was driving them to the club, waiting while they stayed there, and then taking them back. It was a huge back Towncar, with roomy leather seats and a divider between the driver and the passengers. “This is the only way to live,” she laughed as Joseph pulled two beers from a small fridge built under the seat and handed one to her.

“I’m glad you like,” Joseph looked at Lianna intently. “I plan for you to get very used to this lifestyle.”

Blushing, Lianna took a swig of her beer to avoid the fact that she didn’t know how to respond. She had just been kidding around; she hadn’t meant to make Joseph think she was only impressed with his wealth. In truth, he could be a pauper and she still believed she be enamored by him. “I didn’t mean anything by what I just said-” she finally forced out.

“I know,” Joseph interrupted, shaking his head and smiling at her. “But I did.”

Glancing to make sure the tinted divider was up between them and the driver, Lianna leaned over. “For such an arrogant guy,” she placed her free hand on his shoulder. “You can be incredibly sweet. Did you know that?” She pressed her lips to Joseph’s, reveling in the electric charge she seemed to get anytime their bodies touched.

Joseph wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled Lianna into his lap, their kiss deepening. At that moment, Lianna would have done anything Joseph asked of her, but just then, the car pulled to a stop and the driver called out. “We’re here, Mr. Hart.”

Pulling back, Joseph looked into Lianna’s eyes and smirked. “Keep that thought in mind,” he told her, playfully nipping at her bottom lip once more before allowing Lianna to slide off his lap. The passenger door opened, and Joseph slid out of the car, leaning back in to offer Lianna his hand and help her out. She saw him hand his beer bottle to the driver, and so Lianna did the same. “We should be about three hours,” Joseph told the driver. “But go ahead and get something to eat, if you want. I’ll call if you’re not here when we want to leave.”

“Thank you, Mr. Hart,” the middle-aged driver said. Lianna thought for a moment how strange it was that this man, easily twenty years Joseph’s senior, was being so formal in his job basically serving Joseph. Don’t think like that, Lianna chided herself. Joseph’s been nothing but nice to this guy, and this is his job. Still, it was definitely a completely different life than any Lianna had known until now.

The car was parked behind the club, and Joseph took Lianna’s hand as he led her to a back door. “Joey!” the security guard greeted him with a big smile. “Didn’t expect a big name like you here tonight.”

“I’m just here to listen and hang out, Stevie,” Joseph said with ease. Lianna liked that he seemed to act the same around everyone, whether it was a girl on a plane that didn’t recognize him or a bouncer at a club treating him like a celebrity. Which he is, Lianna reminded herself wryly.

Joseph led Lianna through a complicated maze of corridors before arriving at the VIP lounge. He was greeted just as warmly by the guard to the VIP lounge entrance as he had been by ‘Stevie’. “Here, let me get a pass for your friend-” the security guard was saying.

“This is Lianna,” Joseph quickly interjected. “Get used to her face, okay? She’s going to be coming around here with me a lot from now on.”

Raising his eyebrows, the threatening-looking bald man smiled widely at Lianna. “Ah, so Joey finally found one to tame his wild ways. I have to say, I can see why. Here, keep this pass with you so you don’t have any problems coming and going.”

“Thank you,” Lianna felt her cheeks heating. What Joseph had said had been incredibly sweet. He was really making her feel special.

Scanning the room, Joseph smiled. “Oh, there’s Frankie,” he told Lianna. “Our manager, over by the bar.” He raised his hand in greeting and started leading Lianna over there. When Joseph had talked about meeting his manager ‘Frankie’, Lianna had envisioned a tubby middle-aged man. Instead, she was faced with a beautiful, lanky woman who couldn’t be much more than thirty. “At the bar already,” Joseph teased the woman. “I should have guessed.”

“Joey,” Frankie greeted him warmly, putting her arms around him. Lianna watched the woman while she and Joseph spoke for a moment. She had chin-length blond hair with black streaks through it and tattoos visible down each thin arm. What Lianna noticed most of all, though, was how very beautiful her face was; with her high cheekbones, straight nose, pouty lips and almond-shaped eyes nearly black in color, she could have been a model. “And who is this?” Frankie finally turned her attention on Lianna. Although her tone was friendly, Lianna got a strange vibe from Frankie, as if she already didn’t like her.

“I’m so sorry,” Joseph looked genuinely stricken. “Lianna, this is our manager, Frankie. Frankie, this is Lianna, the girl I met on the plane.”

“Oh yes, you did mention her,” Frankie smiled widely. “You’re the girl that didn’t recognize Joey and still talked to him. You’re a better woman than I. I wouldn’t give this loser a second look if his band hadn’t paid for my summer house in the Hamptons.”

Forcing herself to laugh, Lianna smiled at Frankie. “Well, it’s nice to meet you,” she said lamely. Normally she would have had a joke or quip to shoot back in this sort of situation, but for some reason Lianna felt completely at a loss in front of Frankie. She was entirely uncomfortable under the stunning woman’s gaze.

“Hey, rock star, can I get your autograph?” a deep male voice came from behind Lianna. They all turned to look, and found a tall man with a mop of bleached-blond hair and warm gray eyes. “I saw you on MTV and I think you’re the coolest.”

“Fuck you, Tay,” Joseph said affectionately. “Pay no attention to this asshole,” he instructed Lianna. “How you doing, man?”

“I’m good.” He looked past Lianna and got a smirk on his face. “Hello, Frankie. You’re looking lovely tonight, as always.”

“Blow me,” Frankie rolled her eyes. “Joey, I’ll catch up with you later.”

“You know, I get the feeling she doesn’t like me,” Tay said in mock horror as Frankie made her way across the room. “Anyway, introduce me to your friend, dickhead.”

“Lianna, this is Tay. Tay, this is Lianna.”

“It’s Tavian, actually,” he told Lianna with a smile. “I hate being called Tay, and Joseph knows it. He’s known it the entire five years we’ve been friends.”

Lianna immediately noticed that Tavian referred to him as Joseph, not Joey, and she liked him right away. “Hi,” she greeted him with a smile. “Well, I’ve only known Joseph for a little over a week, and I think he’s already learned how to bug me – and does it whenever possible.”

Smiling, Joseph shook his head. “Wanting to see you naked is not my way of bugging you. It’s just my way of… being heterosexual.” Laughing as Lianna elbowed him, Joseph looked over his shoulder and rolled his eyes. “Crap, looks like Frankie needs me for something,” his gaze was on the tall blond waving her hand at him across the room. He leaned over and kissed Lianna’s cheek. “You mind if I leave you with Tay for a minute?”

“Go ahead,” Lianna encouraged him. She knew she would have to get used to this lifestyle if she wanted to be with Joseph. “I’ll just stay here and get all your deepest, darkest secrets from Tavian.”

“I like this girl,” Tavian grinned at Joseph. “She really knows how to put you in your place.”

Giving him the middle finger, Joseph wandered over towards Frankie and a small group of people she was with. Turning towards Tavian, Lianna gave him a grin. “Well, I need a drink,” she told him. “Can I buy you one?”

“That would be great,” Tavian replied. “I’ll have beer.” Waiting while Lianna ordered the drinks, he took his appreciatively from her. “So, you and Joseph met on a plane, I hear.”

Flattered that Joseph had obviously mentioned her to more than a couple people, Lianna smiled. “Oh, that’s boring,” she shook her head. “No, what seems juicier is why Frankie hates you. What’s that about?”

“Well, basically, she’s a bitch,” Tavian shrugged. “Anyone who can’t move her career forward is worthless to her. Frankie doesn’t understand how Joseph can champion mediocrity by being best friends with a lowly art student like me.” Studying Lianna for a moment, he looked like he was deciding what to say next. “Actually, if I were you, I’d keep an eye on her. Joseph really seems to like you, but having a girlfriend probably isn’t in his ‘professional’ best interest in Frankie’s eyes. Just be careful around her. I mean, I don’t know you, but I do know Joseph, and I want him to be happy. Plus, I feel like you like him, too, and you seem sweet. Just don’t let Frankie fuck it up, if you can help it.”

Tavian’s words seemed to be serious, and Lianna was touched that someone that she had met minutes earlier was trying to help her be happy. “Thanks,” she told him. Then, wanting to change the subject to more relaxed conversations, Lianna’s eyes grew brighter. “So, how did you and Joseph meet?”

“We were roomies the first year he moved to New York,” Tavian told her. “We just got along really well right from the beginning. I’ve got to admit, though, it’s kind of weird to watch your friend go from waiter to rock star of the course of a couple years, while I’m still drawing political cartoons for the student newspaper.”

Lianna nodded. “I can see that,” she replied honestly. “But it’s cool you guys are still tight. Plus, this way you get to meet piranhas like Frankie and get your balls busted on a regular basis, right? That’s got to be worth something.”

“I like you,” Tavian laughed. “You don’t bullshit, do you? You call ‘em like you see ‘em.”

“Just like you, it seems,” Lianna replied warmly. “But I do it with more style and finesse,” she teased.

“Oh please,” Tavian rolled his eyes. “I am probably the coolest guy you’ll ever meet.”

“Actually,” Lianna loved getting into these quippy conversations with people. “I think you’re the type of guy that brought your cute cousin to prom to look cool.”

“Oh,” Tavian put his hand over his heart. “That hurt.” He grinned as he studied Lianna again. “No, seriously, I think you’re good for Joseph. If you’re able to be this forward with me after ten minutes, I can’t imagine the mean things you’ve said to him already.”

Lianna was about to say something else to Tavian when Joseph walked back up to them. “So, what did I miss?” he asked, putting his arm affectionately around Lianna’s shoulder and giving her a big grin.

“Well,” Lianna smiled back. “Tavian was just telling me about your experience with a transvestite hooker in Vegas last year…”

“Dude,” Joseph pretended to get upset. “You swore you’d never tell!”

Watching Joseph and Tavian joke back and forth, Lianna felt a warmth growing in her stomach. It might take some time to adjust to dating a celebrity, but as long as she and Joseph could joke around normally with regular people like Tavian, she didn’t think it would be anything bad. It would just mean adjusting to people like Frankie at the same time.

-----

Several hours passed, and it was like a whirlwind for Lianna. Every time she turned around, a drink was being thrust into her hand. She met so many people – some famous, most not – and Joseph kept pulling her by the hand to keep her by his side while he made his rounds. They watched the band play from the back of the stage; throughout the set, Joseph stood behind Lianna with his arms around her waist and his head leaned against hers. The affection he was displaying was incredibly endearing.

“Let’s go outside,” Joseph whispered in Lianna’s ear as the band played their final song. “Just for a few minutes, let’s be alone.”

Her head spinning, Lianna looked up at Joseph with a smile. “That sounds perfect,” she told him honestly. As he took her by the hand, Lianna followed him back through the corridors that led to the back entrance. She watched as he stuck his head into the driver’s side window of the Towncar parked out back and said something to the driver, who then got out of the car and walked over towards the McDonald’s that was next door. “What was that?” she smiled as Joseph approached her again.

“I sent him away for half an hour,” Joseph gave her a sexy grin. He pulled open the passenger door and motioned towards the backseat. “Just to give us a little time alone.”

Climbing into the car, Lianna turned and watched as Joseph followed and closed the door behind him. Before she knew what was happening, he had basically pounced on top of her and pinned her on her back to the seat. Lianna couldn’t help but giggle. “Forward, aren’t we?” she asked.

“I never claimed to be anything but,” Joseph smiled down at her. Lianna’s heart was racing as he dropped his head, and his mouth covered hers. They were both drunk, but alcohol had nothing to do with what they were feeling just then. As Joseph kissed Lianna deeply, she ran her hands over his back. She felt his mouth move down her neck, and she knew there was no way she could resist him. As Joseph leaned up and pushed her shirt up, his hand ran over the fabric of her bra. “You really are beautiful, Lianna,” he said softly before his lips fell to her chest.

Lianna sighed contentedly as she felt Joseph pull down her bra to expose her breast. One hand massaged her gently, his fingertips rough from years of playing guitar. He let the pads of his fingers scrape gently over Lianna’s nipple until it stood hard. Then he dropped his head once again, swirling his tongue around the aroused flesh and eliciting a groan from Lianna. As his mouth sucked at her talentedly, his hand slid down over Lianna’s flat stomach and began undoing her belt and pants.

Rubbing at the back of his neck, Lianna let out a loud whimper when she felt Joseph’s hand slide inside of her pants, running his rough fingers over the silky fabric of her panties. He touched her expertly, applying pressure to her clit in a way that forced Lianna to lift her hips desirously to meet his touches. It didn’t matter that they were in a car in a parking lot outside a club; if Joseph kept making Lianna’s body feel the heat and pleasure she was experiencing right then, he could do whatever he wanted to her.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the car window. “Fuck,” Joseph exclaimed, the desire he was feeling evident in his expression. He leaned up to kiss Lianna as he pulled his hand from her pants and sat up. Lianna sat up too, her face flushed as she tried to adjust her top and redo her pants. She watched as Joseph opened the side window. “Shit, Frankie, what is it?” he said, letting the window go all the way down to reveal the blond standing beside the car.

“Oh, good, your pants are still on, Joey,” Frankie smirked. “It’s not too late. You have to come inside. That producer we’ve been dying to get for the new album is in there, and I need you to do your charming and lovable act for him, to win him over.”

Obviously thinking hard for a second, Joseph finally let out a disgruntled sigh. “Fine,” he said through clenched teeth to Frankie. “Give me a minute.”

“Sure,” Frankie’s voice was light as she turned back towards the club and Joseph closed the window.

“Listen, I am so sorry about this,” Joseph turned to Lianna. “I mean, you have NO IDEA how sorry I am about this, but I have to do this thing…”

“It’s okay,” Lianna tried to hide the disappointment in her voice. “Work beckons. I understand. Do you want me to come back in with you?”

Looking torn, Joseph was silent for a moment. “You know what,” he told her, his frustration evident. “I have no idea how long this is going to take. We should probably just get the driver to take you home, and try this again another night.”

Reaching over, Lianna ran her fingers softly over Joseph’s cheek. “That’s fine,” she promised. “I had a wonderful time with you tonight, and we will get another chance to be alone, I know that.”

Smiling at her, Joseph shook his head. “You’re great,” he said softly. He leaned over to give her a soft kiss goodnight. “Just wait here; I’ll get the driver. And I’ll call you tomorrow – I promise.”

Nodding, Lianna leaned back into the seat and watched Joseph scramble out of the car. Adjusting her clothes a little more, Lianna couldn’t help but smile to herself. As much as she wished the night hadn’t had to end so abruptly, she really felt like Joseph liked her. She didn’t wonder if he would call the next day; she knew he would. “Where to, ma’am?” the driver’s voice came from the front seat.

Giving him her address, Lianna glanced through the window at the club once more. She couldn’t believe how much her life had changed in a matter of weeks. But the center of the change – the only thing that really mattered – was Joseph.

-----

Tossing in bed, all Lianna wanted to do was get some sleep, but she didn’t think that would be possible. Her body still tingled where Joseph had been touching her earlier. She felt like her skin was on fire, and she really needed some way to work through the urges that were holding her body hostage. Even if it meant taking care of it herself…

I’ve never done that before, though, Lianna thought as a blush crept across her cheeks. It was true; except for a few moments during sex in the past, when she was really just putting on a little bit of a show for her partner, Lianna had never touched herself. But tonight, every time she closed her eyes, she pictured Joseph, and she knew there was no way she would get any sleep unless she gave her body the release it was demanding. Nervously, Lianna let her hand move over the front of her pajamas until her fingers found a button. Opening the top button, Lianna then moved her hand down further to undo the two buttons beneath that one until her breasts were exposed to the air-conditioned air.

Closing her eyes, Lianna began gently massaging her breast with one hand. Running her fingers over the nipple, which had become partially erect from the cool air, Lianna teased it, rolling it between her fingers, pinching lightly as Joseph had been doing to her earlier that evening, until it became completely hard. At the same time, Lianna could feel a heat developing between her thighs as images flashed through her mind of what had happened in the car. Bringing her hand to her mouth momentarily, Lianna licked her fingertips and then returned them to her breast. The sensation was similar enough for her to remember what it had felt like for Joseph to flick his tongue expertly against her nipple just a couple hours previous.

Moving her hand across her chest, Lianna quickly began teasing her other nipple, feeling it grow even harder as her fingers caressed it. There was no way to ignore the ache she was feeling lower as she assaulted her breasts and thought of Joseph. Slowly, shyly, timidly, Lianna let her hand travel down over her stomach to the waistband of her pajama bottoms. Sliding her hand beneath the elastic, Lianna jumped when she felt her fingers graze over her panties.

The cloth was already damp from her desire, and Lianna briefly wondered if Joseph had noticed the moisture when he was been touching her there earlier. Biting her lip, Lianna thought of how Joseph had been stroking her, running his fingers over her softly, teasingly. He had applied a small amount of pressure around her clit, running small circles around it with his roughened fingertips. And then… well, then they had to stop.

No, Lianna told herself. Imagine what it would have been like, how it would have felt to if they hadn’t been interrupted. If Joseph had been able to take his time, continuing to tease her flesh with his hand… Lianna allowed her fingers to touch herself through the thin cloth, feeling the heat and moisture coming through the fabric barrier. Her body was longing for release as she let her hand find its way below her panties. Letting out a surprised moan, Lianna hadn’t expected her body to respond so strongly to the feel of her own fingertips against her swollen clit.

Lianna could easily remember the cocky look on Joseph’s face, the twinkle in his green eyes that said he knew that he was pleasing her. Moving her hand down a little further between her thighs, Lianna groaned at how drenched with liquid desire her body already was. She began running her finger along the moist slit, wondering how different it would feel to have Joseph’s calloused fingers grazing her core instead of her own soft ones. At the image of this, Lianna quickly reached with her other hand to rub at her clit. The chills that ran through her body encouraged her to allow her one finger to dip inside herself curiously.

Lianna’s body has hot and sopping wet as she let her finger move around tentatively. The soft firm walls ached to be touched, and as Lianna imagined Joseph’s large, strong hand feeling her, she let another finger slide unresisted inside her. Her body pleaded to be filled, to be stretched. Lianna’s mind finally gave into a completely imagined vision of watching Joseph take his hard cock in his hand and push it into her. Letting out a cry, Lianna slid a third finger insider herself, pumping in and out with one hand while the other hand touched, pressed, and pulled at her clit. Her body was shaking, her muscles tightening, as Lianna pictured Joseph before her. Releasing a loud whimper, Lianna felt a bolt of pleasure shoot from between her thighs through the rest of her body as her muscles contracted around her fingers, lasting several moments before finally subsiding, leaving Lianna panting on the bed.

Not opening her eyes, Lianna removed her hands from her pajama bottoms and concentrated on the waves of satisfaction moving like aftershocks over her body while her breathing tried to normalize. She pictured Joseph earlier that night, desire permeating his whole expression. She pictured the image she had created in her head, of his body above hers, penetrating her. She concentrated on the slight buzzing feeling that was still going on between her thighs. Lianna couldn’t believe this was she, so filled with lust and passion. There was no denying that Joseph brought out something in Lianna that she had never realized was within her, but as she drifted off to sleep finally, somewhere deep inside her, Lianna wondered if this new quality was going to be a good thing or a bad thing.