Like a Dream Come True

Lianna woke up on Sunday with a screaming hangover. Taking her head in her hands, she squeezed her eyes shut against the awful intrusion of the morning sun coming in through her bedroom blinds. “I’m never going to drink again,” she muttered just before she remembered what the night before had actually entailed.

A smile crept across Lianna’s face despite the pounding headache that made it seem like her brain was trying to escape her skull. Joseph. The kiss on his balcony… his attentiveness at the club… his body teasing hers in the car… her time alone before she drifted off to sleep… A blush crept across Lianna’s cheeks as she remembered what she had done to herself, all because of her overwhelming desire for Joseph.

Heading straight for the shower, Lianna felt quite a bit better as she reentered her bedroom, a towel in her hand drying her hair. Just then, her phone started ringing. Immediately, Lianna went into a frenzy trying to figure out where she had left the tiny contraption the night before. Finally she found it under the pile of clothes she had worn to the club, and grinned to see that it was Joseph.

“Hello there,” Joseph’s voice was cheerful. Obviously, he had more experience with large amounts of alcohol than Lianna did. “How are you?”

“Aside from feeling like my brain is melting, I’m great,” Lianna laid back on her bed and grinned. “So how did the rest of last night go for you?”

“I guess it went well,” Joseph told her. “Especially considering that I had to give up a wild night of deviancy with you. Actually, it looks like the producer we wanted is going to do our album. We still have to kiss his ass a little, but that shouldn’t be a problem.”

“That’s great,” Lianna responded enthusiastically. “What exactly does kissing his ass entail?”

“Well, the band all has to show up to this party he’s throwing tonight,” Joseph told her. “Then we drink his alcohol, and eat his food, and stroke his ego. Speaking of stroking… I’d love for you to come to the party with me, and then come back home with me afterwards.”

“Sounds good to me,” Lianna said without thinking and felt her face flushing once again. “I mean… I can come to the party.” Hearing Joseph laugh heartily, Lianna was overcome with embarrassment. “I’m so glad you’re able to make yourself laugh at my awkwardness.”

“Don’t be humble. I didn’t make myself laugh, you did,” Joseph chuckled again. “Anyway, there’s no reason for you to feel awkward with me. So, do you want to meet me at my place again? I mean, I can swing by and pick you up, but I thought you might want to bring a couple overnight things to leave at the condo, you know, a toothbrush, a change of clothes, a vibrator, whatever.”

Rolling her eyes, Lianna couldn’t help but smile to herself. “I’ll meet you at your place,” she told him. “Will eight o’clock be okay?”

“That’ll be perfect,” Joseph replied. “And all kidding aside… I’m really looking forward to tonight, Lianna.”

“I’m looking forward to it, too,” Lianna admitted quietly. They said their goodbyes, and Lianna hung up. Her stomach was full of knots – both of excitement and nervousness. Looking over at Starsky spread out across her bed, Lianna reached over and pulled the fat cat into her lap. “Your mama has no idea what she’s getting herself into, does she?” she asked the furball in her arms. Starsky’s only response was to cuddle into her chest and begin purring.

-----

“You have a sex date!” Madison exclaimed as she sorted through Lianna’s closet later that evening. “I mean, I’m all for spontaneity, but it’s about friggin’ time you got laid, no matter the circumstances. Besides, I’m sure someone with Joey Hart’s experience will make this a night you’ll never forget, impulsiveness be damned!”

Pulling her lower lip under her front teeth, Lianna didn’t say anything. What Madison had just said was something Lianna had been thinking about since her first date with Joseph. “Maddy,” Lianna’s voice was small and nervous, making Madison turn around with concern to her friend sitting on the bed. “About that. What if I’m not… I mean, he’s probably been with dozens… maybe hundreds… I’m just afraid I’ll be…”

Moving to Lianna’s side, Madison sat on the bed and put her arm around the nervous girl. “Sweety, I didn’t mean to freak you out,” Madison said soothingly, running her hand encouragingly over Lianna’s arm. “Lee, this is a guy that could have almost any woman on the planet – and he wants you. Famous or not, this kid’s taken by you. And tonight is going to be wonderful. You really like him, don’t you?”

Nodding her head and giving Madison a half-smile, Lianna tried to calm her fears. “And I guess I should also remember that I’m not even like my normal self when we’re close,” Lianna said, more to herself than to Madison. “He brings out this, like, primalness in me. I lose all control, and all I want is him.”

“Well, then,” Madison grinned, rising from the bed again. “Use that! Enjoy it, explore it, but don’t fear it. Now, come here and help me choose the outfit for you that is going to be crumpled on his bedroom floor tomorrow morning.”

Laughing, Lianna rose and joined Madison in front of the closet. “I kind of love you,” she told her neighbor with a grin.

“That’s fine, but fuck the rock star first,” Madison’s eyes were shining. “Then we’ll talk about delving into your bisexual curiosity.”

-----

The same security guard was working at Joseph’s building as had been there the night before. This time, he didn’t give Lianna any trouble, immediately ringing up to the condo and motioning to Lianna to go up. Holding onto her overnight bag, she felt like her heart was going to explode out of her chest, Alien-style. She checked herself in the mirrored doors, admiring the satiny navy tank top that Madison had lent her. It showed off her curves and brought out her blue eyes, and it looked great with her blue and black plaid hiphuggers.

Joseph’s door flew open before Lianna even lifted her hand. “Hey sexy,” he smiled at her. “Come in. Let me take your bag. We don’t have to leave for another fifteen minutes, so you want a beer or something?”

Biting back a smile, Lianna felt herself calming down quickly. Joseph was being sweet and attentive, and he seemed as excited to be with her as she was to be with him. “A beer sounds great,” she told him, walking into the living room while he went in the kitchen.

Glancing out the glass doors leading to the balcony, Lianna shook her head once more at the breathtaking view. Sitting down on the tasteful, but likely exceedingly expensive, gray couch, Lianna was joined by Joseph a moment later. He handed her a beer as he sat. “I wish we didn’t have to go to this party,” he told her, leaning over to kiss her lightly. “You look amazing tonight. I wish we could just stay here.”

Blushing, Lianna looked at Joseph. He had on green cargo pants and a black t-shirt, and somehow, even in that simple outfit, he looked unbelievably sexy. “I wish we could, too,” she told him honestly. “But this is a good thing for the band, right? And unless your manager finds something else for you to do tonight, we’ll be coming back here.”

Putting his beer down on the coffee table, Joseph reached over and brushed some hair back from Lianna’s face. “Come hell or high water, we’re coming back here tonight,” he promised. Leaning over, his mouth pressed against Lianna’s. Blindly, she reached out and put her beer on the table before sliding her hands onto his waist. His kisses were firm and desirous. His teeth nibbled at her bottom lip until Lianna parted her lips to allow his tongue to enter her mouth, massaging hers. Feeling his hand travel slowly down her neck, over her collarbone, and finally to her breast, Lianna felt a shiver run though her body. “Would you like to see my bedroom?” Joseph murmured against her mouth with a grin.

Pulling back, Lianna stood up with a smirk. “We have to leave in, like, ten minutes,” she reminded him. “And this is leading us down a path right now that we don’t have time for yet. Let’s go outside for a minute and cool down,” she turned towards the balcony and made it a few steps when she felt Joseph grab her by the waist and turn her around.

“Well, then, I’d rather do this for ten minutes,” Joseph smiled down at Lianna. His hand slid behind her head, his fingers burying in the silky hair at the nape of her neck as he dropped his warm mouth to meet hers. Lianna felt helpless; her whole body was screaming for Joseph. As his other hand slid under the back hem of her shirt, her skin felt like it was on fire wherever he touched it. She kissed him back eagerly, running her hands over his back, savoring the feeling of his tight muscles under her fingers.

Before she knew what had happened, Lianna and Joseph had sunk onto the stairs. His hand moved forward under her shirt, massaging her breast through the fabric of her bra, teasing her nipple with his rough touch. As his mouth traced soft kisses over her ear, jaw and throat she felt him pulling at her shirt, and she raised her arms without thinking. As soon as he had removed her top and bra, Joseph leaned up further to slide off his own shirt. He looked at her for a moment, taking in her body silently while letting the back of his hand run softly over her stomach before settling back down between her thighs. His head dropped again, this time to take her breast into his mouth. Letting out a soft moan, Lianna tried to choke out some words. “We’re going… we’re going to be… to be late,” she forced out, followed by a deep groan as she felt Joseph’s teeth scrape lightly over her nipple.

“I’m a rock star, right?” Joseph looked up at her and smirked. “People expect me to be unreliable and behind schedule.” Moving his body up hers more until he could look directly into her eyes, he stopped smirking and his green eyes burned seriously. “I have to have you right now, Lianna,” he said in a voice so husky, Lianna couldn’t speak. Instead, she reached one hand up to caresses his cheek and pull his mouth down to meet hers. She used her other hand to take his, leading it to the button on her pants and offering her wordless consent.

Lianna barely felt the carpeted stairs pressing into her back as she leaned up to let Joseph remove her pants and underwear. He stood up and quickly slid out of his pants and boxers, and Lianna couldn’t help but be shocked to see just how many tattoos ran over his chest, stomach, thighs and calves. She then smiled at a tattoo of a sparrow on each hipbone. Leaning forward, she ran her lips over one gently and looked up into Joseph’s eyes. “These the tattoos you were pushing for me to see?” she smirked.

“The very ones,” Joseph grinned, but immediately he let out a soft moan. Lianna’s tongue had darted out to trace the shape of the tattoo on his left hip, and her mouth had continued moving, kissing his thigh softly. Nervously, Lianna applied small kisses up his hardened length and smiled as she felt him tremble slightly. Her tongue escaped her mouth, running over his shaft, and she felt him sink his fingers into her hair as she took him into her mouth. Moving her head forward, Lianna took as much of Joseph as she could into her mouth before sliding her head back. She repeated this several times, using her tongue to trace the underside of his erection and her lips to apply pressure to his width. Finally, she felt him gently press her back and away from him, laying her against the steps once more.

“I need to be inside you,” Joseph said as he lay back down on top of her. His mouth pressed hard against hers, nearly bruising her lips, his tongue imploring her mouth. With one hand, he took Lianna’s wrists together and pinned them above her head; with the other, he led himself to her entrance. Her body was dripping wet, as Lianna was feeling a desire she had never experienced before. He thrust into her hard, all the way, with one quick movement, causing Lianna to call out in pleasure and surprise against his mouth.

Joseph’s mouth moved over Lianna’s jaw to her throat, and he tasted her skin as he buried himself deep inside her several times. When he finally released her wrists, Lianna immediately ran her hands over his back. She raised her hips to meet his thrusts as his body desirously took hers, pumping into her fast. His hand teased her nipple, his tongue traced wet trails over her throat, and he pushed himself inside her over and over, causing waves of pleasure throughout Lianna’s body. Never before had she given in so fully to her body’s desires. For the moment, all that could think of was how hot his breath was on her skin, how firm his muscles were under her fingers, how hard his cock was inside her.

Nipping at her neck, Joseph slid one hand under Lianna’s ass to bring her closer to him with each movement. There bodies were growing slick with perspiration, and Lianna reveled in the salty taste of Joseph’s shoulder under her tongue as her nails began scraping across the vastness of his back. She felt her body begin to offer signs that she near coming: her muscles contracted low in her stomach, heat bore through her whole body, and suddenly she cried out loudly, unconsciously burying her nails in Joseph’s back as she lifted her hips to be filled with him as she felt like her body was exploding. The tightening of her muscles must have been too much for Joseph, as barely a moment later he bit into Lianna’s shoulder to muffle a cry as he slammed deeply into her one last time, releasing hot liquid inside her.

They both lay there panting, holding tightly to each other, for a long minute. Finally, Joseph lifted his head and looked at Lianna with heavy lidded eyes and a happy grin. “That was awesome,” he said softly.

Giggling, Lianna nodded in agreement. “It was, “ she said softly, sliding her hands over his bare back once again. “But I’m probably going to have a killer backache from these stairs tomorrow.”

“Well, I’m sure I have one hell of a case of rugburn on my knees right now,” Joseph chuckled. “Not to mention the scratch marks on my back.” When Lianna blushed, Joseph shook his head. “Don’t feel bad about that. I loved that you got lost in the moment. It was incredibly sexy. And speaking of getting lost in the moment… I’m sorry I didn’t get a condom before we started.”

Shrugging her shoulders, Lianna moved one hand from his back so she could trickle her fingers over Joseph’s perfect face. “It was stupid of both of us,” she said as she looked into his bright eyes. “But I’m on the pill, so this one time…”

“Just so you know,” Joseph looked seriously into her eyes. “I’ve never had sex without a condom with anyone that wasn’t a girlfriend.”

“Until now,” Lianna smiled lightly.

“I’d like to think my record still holds true,” Joseph dropped his mouth to Lianna’s again, kissing her gently. As he did, Lianna tried to figure out what he had just said. Had Joseph just told her he considered her his girlfriend? “Of course,” he lifted his head and gave Lianna a smile. “That’s really up to you. Having a musician for a boyfriend can be a serious pain in the ass, from what I hear.”

Smiling, Lianna felt like she was going to burst with happiness. “I guess I can give it a trial run,” she grinned at him. Looking supremely content with her answer, Joseph finally disentangled himself from Lianna and rose, offering her his hands to help her up. “I know we’re late already,” Lianna said suddenly as she stood. “But is there any way I can take a two minute shower? I’m all… sticky. And I must look like a wreck right now.”

Pulling Lianna into his arms, Joseph rested his forehead against hers. “I’ve never seen you look more beautiful,” he said without a hint of teasing in his voice. “But I understand needing a shower. I’ll show you where everything is.” He took Lianna’s hand and began heading towards the bedroom.

Watching Joseph lead her up the stairs, completely nude and unembarrassed, Lianna smiled. She had just experienced the most satisfying sexual experience of her life, and to make things twice as good, Joseph considered her his girlfriend. It felt like everything she had never dared to dream for was coming true.

-----

Sinking into the backseat of the Towncar, Lianna sighed in contentment. She had showered and freshened up, and she and Joseph were on their way to the party – albeit an hour late. Joseph sat next to her and slid his arm around her waist, tugging at her until she was nearly sprawled across his chest, the back of her head resting on his shoulder and his hand under the fabric of her shirt, idly running his fingers over her stomach.

“I feel so relaxed,” Joseph whispered into Lianna’s hair. “I wish we didn’t have to go to this party. I wish I could have just stayed naked and curled up around you in bed, just holding you.”

Normally Joseph wasn’t so tender or innocent with his words, so hearing him say that made Lianna’s heart swell. Looking up over her shoulder, she gave him a grin and reached to touch his face. “We can do that when we get back,” she stroked his cheek.

“Uh-uh,” Joseph grinned. “I’m going to violate you in tons of ways when we get back. Sorry, but this party ruined it for you. My cuddling desires are few and far between, and unless they’re fed when they’re happening, I go right back to being my regular horny guy self.”

Laughing, Lianna leaned up to kiss his lips lightly. “Well, maybe that’s actually what I want – to be violated, to violate you.”

“I love it when you talk dirty,” Joseph growled in her ear.

“I’ll try to remember that,” Lianna responded.

They fell into a comfortable silence for the remainder of the drive. Lianna thought about how good it felt to be lying in Joseph’s arms, how nice it felt to feel his course fingertips brushing over her stomach, how endearing it was that every once in a while, for no reason at all, Joseph’s lips would graze over her forehead or temple or cheek. I could definitely get used to this, Lianna thought happily to herself. She didn’t care about the huge condo or the car services or the party they were going to; she could get happily used to just being close to Joseph.

-----

Fifteen minutes after arriving at the party, Lianna felt like her head was spinning. There was a ton of people in the penthouse apartment. Joseph had spent the first few minutes greeting the producer, a heavy-set middle-aged man with an English accent. Then they went in search of the rest of the band, Joseph holding onto her hand while he led her through the crowd. “Zip,” he called out.

Looking past Joseph, Lianna immediately recognized the lead singer of Broken Dynamite from pictures in magazines. He was a good-looking guy, tall and thin, probably of Middle Eastern descent, with a warm, welcoming grin. “Joey,” Zip smiled from his spot at the bar. He had a tiny brunette wrapped under his arm, smiling adoringly at him.

Joining them, Joseph smiled at his friend. “Hey, this is fucking nuts, huh?” he motioned toward the room.

“At least he agreed to do the album,” Zip replied. “And whatever you did, thanks for convincing him. I really didn’t know if we’d be able to get him. If I had known he’d be at that show last night, I would have gone, too.”

“And ruined our chances?” Joseph joked. “No, it wasn’t a problem. Listen, I want you to meet someone. This is Lianna. Lianna, this is Zip.”

“Oh, the chick from the plane,” Zip smiled easily. “It’s nice to meet you, Lianna. And this is… shit, I’m sorry, I forgot your name.”

“Denise,” the girl clinging to his hip didn’t seem even slightly annoyed with the fact that Zip couldn’t remember who she was.

“Hi,” Lianna smiled at the two of them. She wasn’t really sure what she was thinking. Zip seemed like a genuinely nice guy, but it was weird to her that he didn’t remember the name of the girl whose ass he had his hand on at the moment. Still, she couldn’t help but be complemented that Joseph had mentioned her even to the members of the band. “It’s nice to meet you both. Does anyone know where there’s a bathroom?”

“I have to go, too,” Denise told her. “I’ll show you.” Without even giving Lianna a chance to say anything more to Joseph, Denise grabbed her hand and led her across the apartment. Surprisingly, the bathroom was unoccupied. Like the rest of the place, it was enormous and decadent. A huge mirror covered one wall, a couch rested against the opposite wall, and a large marble table stood in the middle of the room. There was a second door that led into the actual toilet area. “You go,” Denise told Lianna, checking herself out in the mirror and adjusting her breasts to create the most cleavage.

After Lianna had used the bathroom and washed her hands, she opened the door that led back to the other portion of the bathroom. She was surprised to see Frankie standing there, looking as striking as she had the night before. However, she was more surprised to see what she was doing.

A mirror had been placed on the marble table with white powder spread on it. Frankie was using a credit card to carefully chop up the powder and break it into thin lines. When she was done, she handed a small straw to an awaiting Denise, who eagerly took the piece of plastic and leaned down towards the mirror. Only then did Frankie look up at Lianna. “Oh, Lena honey,” she smiled. “I didn’t know you were here! Look at that, our Joey going out with the same girl two nights in a row. Will wonders never cease?”

Before Lianna could respond, Denise had finished snorting up her portion of the powder and handed the straw to Frankie, who took it and leaned over to inhale her own line. Standing up, she sniffed a few times, wiped off her nose, and looked at Lianna while holding out the straw. “You want a line, Lena?” she said. “It’s likely to be a long night.”

“It’s Lianna,” she replied, not sure what to say. “Um, I’m fine, thanks. I had a Red Bull earlier.”

Looking at Lianna like she a child, Frankie rolled her eyes. “Suit yourself,” she said, leaning down to do the final line. She wiped off her nose once more and looked Lianna up and down. “You seem sweet,” she said condescendingly, and Lianna felt the hair on the back of her neck rise. “So let me give you a little advice. If you have any intention on holding onto Joey for any amount of time – which I advise against anyway, since it’s unlikely at best - you’re going to have to stop acting like a deer caught in headlights when you’re faced with the facts of the lifestyle.”

Her mouth opened slightly, but Lianna didn’t know how to respond. She just watched as Frankie walked to the mirror, leaning her head back slightly to check her nose for any residue, and then ran her fingers through her hair. Without another word or even a glance in Lianna’s direction, Frankie picked up the mirror, stuck it in her purse, and left the bathroom.

“She’s really mean,” Denise’s voice took Lianna by surprise. She had forgotten that there was anyone else in the bathroom. “But she’s the best at what she does and the band loves her, so if you like Joey, don’t fuck with her. That’s just some friendly advice.” Denise shrugged and gave a half smile to Lianna before walking out of the bathroom.

It took Lianna a couple minutes to compose herself before she ventured back out into the party. She found Joseph where she had left him, and she moved close to him. “How are you doing?” he grinned at her, putting his arm around her shoulder.

“I’m fine,” Lianna tried to smile at him.

Furrowing his brows, Joseph looked over at Zip and Denise. “We’ll be right back,” he said. He then began leading Lianna into a less densely populated corner. “You’re not fine, so don’t lie to me. What’s bugging you?”

Touched that Joseph had immediately noticed that she was shaken and even more so that he cared enough to take time out to talk to her about it, Lianna shook her head. “It was nothing. It’s just, well, I ran into Frankie in the bathroom…”

“And she was a bitch?” Joseph guessed. “Listen, don’t let her get to you. Frankie advises us professionally, not personally. She’s a bitch to almost everyone, and it’s why she’s so good at her job. But you and she don’t have to get along in order for you and me to be together, okay?”

Nodding a little, Lianna still felt uncomfortable. “I guess I was also just a little freaked out because she was doing coke right there, in front of me.”

Looking confused, Joseph shook his head. “And…?”

Her heart sinking a little at Joseph’s comment, Lianna thought about what Frankie had said in the bathroom. “Well, do you…?” she finally got up the nerve to ask.

Looking like he understood her a little better, Joseph gave her a smile. “I used to, but not anymore. I drink – a lot, as you know, and I smoke pot sometimes. But I basically gave up everything else. Does that help at all?”

Forcing herself to smile at him, Lianna nodded. “Yeah, I’m sorry. I guess I was just worried… It was stupid.”

Leaning over, Joseph planted a soft kiss on Lianna’s lips. “No problem,” he grinned at her. “Now, come with me. I want you to meet the rest of the band.”

As Lianna followed Joseph back into the crowd, she tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling she had in her gut. Somehow, it just felt wrong that Joseph didn’t think anything about the fact that the woman who basically controlled the band had just been snorting coke in the bathroom. She just kept hearing Frankie’s words echoing in her head.

“If you have any intention on holding onto Joey for any amount of time – which I advise against anyway, since it’s unlikely at best - you’re going to have to stop acting like a deer caught in headlights when you’re faced with the facts of the lifestyle.”