Licked (L.A. Liaisons Book 1) (20 page)

A group of men in T-Birds jackets and women in Pink Ladies attire were posing for a picture in front of the sign, and when they were finished, Hunter asked if they’d take one of us. He handed his phone over then wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close as we smiled for the photo. Our photographer counted down from three, and when she said “one,” Hunter grabbed me under my knees and lifted me into his arms. I laughed and yelped in surprise before reaching down to smooth my dress and make sure I wasn’t flashing anyone.
 

“How was that one?” Hunter called out.

“So adorable,” the woman said, handing his phone back.
 

And it was. She’d taken it at the exact moment he picked me up, huge grins on our faces, and my leg kicked up like I’d meant to do it.
Aww, our first photograph.
Yes, I’m aware that’s sappy, but I just don’t care.

As we walked up the incline, we passed event-goers picnicking everywhere—on blankets along every open spot of grass along the path and at picnic tables. So many of them sported doo-wop skirts and pedal pushers.
 

Ah. These were so my people.

“What do you think?” he asked, like he even needed to. This was so perfect for a first date that I couldn’t even articulate it properly. Instead, I said, “You did good, Mr. Morgan. Really damn good.”

Hunter led us to the garden boxes with a prime view of the stage, which was a bit of a surprise for me considering I’d never sat below section S way up high with the wooden bench seats before, but hey, I wasn’t about to complain.
 

Our center box fit four people, but the other occupants hadn’t arrived yet, so for a little while at least we had it all to ourselves. He set up the table and chairs before reaching into one of the bags he’d brought and pulling out a white tablecloth and a battery-powered candle.
 

“Ooh la la, you’ve gone all out tonight, haven’t you?”

“Well,” he said, looking up at me, “I really wanna get laid.”
 

“No, you didn’t just say that,” I said as he laughed and went back to setting up. Making myself useful, I unpacked the bags, and—

“You brought Porto’s! Shut up, shut up.” I opened the familiar yellow box and feasted my eyes on the empanadas and potato balls lying inside. “How’d you know these were my favorite? And you brought the guava cheese things… Okay, now I’m drooling. I’m sorry, I know that’s not sexy, but I’m so excited. How’d you know?”

“Hey, you told me before that I know everything about you, and now you doubt my ability to bring you food you like?” He tsked. “I hope you don’t stroke out when you see the drinks.”

“You have my full trust…at the moment.”

When he was done, we took our seats, our own little private dinner party in the middle of the Bowl. The hills behind the amphitheater showcased a spectacular view, but it paled in comparison to the man in front of me.
 

And yes, he was still wearing the adorkable glasses.

“Just one more thing,” he said, taking an insulated container out and pouring a slushy rose-colored beverage into our cups.
 

“No you didn’t.”

“I find it interesting that your favorite drink at Licked, according to Zoe, is called the Pink Pussy. Is there a story behind that I should know?”

Of course Zoe would say that.
“Other than my love for strawberries, no,” I said, holding up my cup as he did the same. “Well, there was that one time in college—”

“What?”

I gave him a wicked smile. “Just kidding. So what should we cheers to?”

 
Hunter held up his cup and thought about it for a minute. “To the possibility of last first dates.”

“To last first dates,” I repeated with a smile, clinking my drink against his and taking a long sip of the boozy strawberry shake. It wasn’t
actually
my favorite at Licked, but then again, I didn’t have a favorite. They were like my children; I couldn’t choose.
 

He glanced down at the table and opened his palms wide. “So? What do you think?”

A smile spread across my lips and I shook my head. “I think you pretty much covered everything.”

“Worthy of at least third base later?”

“Oh, I’d say you hit a home run. Feel free to cover
all
those bases.”

Now, I’m not one of those girls who’s shy about my food. Not even on a date. They have to know what they’re getting themselves into, in my opinion, otherwise you’re stuck eating lettuce whenever you go out and gorging on everything in your kitchen when you get home. I’d already finished off seconds before I sat back from the table and patted my stomach. “That…was glorious.”

“I have to say, for someone who’s not a very daring eater, I was surprised to hear you liked Cuban food.”

“Yeah, but Porto’s is not weird food, it’s an L.A. staple, thank you very much.”

“Good point.”

Glancing over at the still-empty chairs next to us, I gave him a curious look. “I’m surprised they’re not taking advantage of this awesome box yet. Doesn’t it start soon?”

Hunter just gave me a mischievous smile and shrugged.

“Did you…no. You wouldn’t buy out two seats just to have the box to ourselves. Because that would be crazy.”

“Yeah, that
would
be crazy.”

My jaw dropped. “You are fucking insane, you know that?”

“I thought it was more along the romantic line, but I guess insane works too.”

“That’s too much,” I said, shaking my head, but inside, I admit, there were hearts and flowers exploding everywhere.
 

“No. Never too much.” His voice had dropped an octave. He held my gaze for a long moment before his eyes crinkled with amusement. “Besides. I never said I did it. Maybe they’re just habitually late people.”

I threw my napkin his way. “Or maybe you’re just a liar who did an incredibly sweet gesture.”

“Please don’t tell your girlfriends. I don’t need them giving me ‘look at that poor sap’ looks. Not yet, anyway.”

“Nah, it would only throw them all into jealous rages. I’m not really in the mood to have to fend everyone off you.” I caught a woman sitting in a row nearby glancing Hunter’s way and laughed. “Okay, maybe it’s a little too late for that.”

“You do know I was carrying a big stick on our walk up here, right? I whacked a few guys who were wishing they had x-ray vision when you passed by.”

“I must’ve missed that.”

“I’m stealthy. It’s a gift.”

“I’ll remember that in the future,” I said, a smile tipping my lips.
 

“Excuse me, could I get a picture with you two?” came a woman’s voice from behind us. She was dressed as Diana Ross, and her fellow Supremes were in long gold gowns behind her. “We’ve got to have a picture with our fellow musicians.”

“Yeah, of course,” I said, wondering what singer she thought I was. I pushed Hunter toward the middle so he could get a nice woman sandwich, and his hand went tight on my waist. After we’d posed for the photo, the Supremes wandered off, and in sync we heard them sing the chorus of “Stop! In the Name of Love.”

“Oh wow. Do I get a serenade from you too?” I asked, my fingers curling around Hunter’s belt loops and pulling him closer. His arms went around me and his lips were warm on mine.

“You might get a private performance later if I feel you deserve it,” he whispered in my ear.
 

Mmm.
Consider me on my best behavior.
 

There was a steady stream of people stopping by our box and taking pictures of us in our outfits, though I was sure it was just so they could drool over Hunter later in the comfort of their sheets. But I couldn’t blame them, nor did I mind. Who knew Buddy Holly was such a fox?
 

As the sun began to set, the band came out, each dressed in a full suit and tie, and one even wore glasses similar to Hunter’s, which had him joking that “that asshole Buddy stole my look.”
 

They put on an unbelievable rock ’n’ roll concert with a stunning light show, infectious enthusiasm, and a wide range of hits. It was cool to hear some of my favorites live on stage instead of through the Licked speakers. We got a little Chuck Berry, a splash of Dion and the Belmonts, and, of course, plenty of Elvis. The only thing missing was a dance floor, but watching Hunter bop his head out of the corner of my eye to the music had a permanent smile on my face.
 

So…damn…hot. And mine.
Did I mention that? Hands off, ladies.

No one else ever did show up in our box, so he’d set up a chair next to mine, his arm around the back as we enjoyed the show. Every now and again he’d sing along in my ear, and I couldn’t help my surprise each time. He knew this world, knew the music, knew the acts, and it just eased something inside me. As I looked him up and down, I wondered if both of us had been born in the wrong decade. For so long I’d felt ostracized for the way I looked, for the things I liked. Then I’d been appeased by my closest friends and family, who’d accepted me for the everything-vintage, doo-wop-lovin’ person I was, but I’d never actually felt like anyone understood and felt the same way. No one in my circle liked the same things I did, ice cream and boozy shakes not included.
 

But with Hunter’s comforting presence next to me, it was like the missing piece I’d been searching for had finally snapped into place.

Oh geez. I’ve turned into a sappy ball of mush. You’ll have to forgive me. I promise it won’t happen too much, or even I might gag from the sugar.

Ahem.
 

When the band came back on stage for an encore, fireworks went off overhead, the most dazzling display of pyro lighting up the night sky. It gave me an idea for our Saturday Song Day menu—a rainbow confection called “The Peggy Sue” with Pop Rocks and a tiny pair of chocolate glasses on top. I needed to figure out how to make those, stat.

We stayed in our little safe haven as the rush filed out, nibbling on leftover empanadas. There was still a bit of the boozy shake left, and it gave me an idea for later in case his sweet tooth was as big as mine.

“So. You interested in staying for a nightcap?” I asked, my brow raised. “I know it’ll be late when we get back, but—”

Hunter threw everything off the table into the bag before I finished my sentence and then tugged me out of the box toward the exit.
 

“Guess so,” I said with a smirk.

GOTTA LOVE STACKED parking in L.A. Add that with the traffic, and we’d be sitting in his truck for a while.
 

“You’re not tired, are you?” I said when I caught him stifling a yawn.
 

“Never.”

“Hmm. I think you are. Maybe I should find some way to wake you up.”

Hunter gave me a side-glance. “You have a caffeine drip I don’t know about?”

“Well, no.” I tapped the window with my finger. “These seem pretty tinted. I bet no one out there could see anything in here.”

“I’d be surprised if they could.” He narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

Snuggling closer, I kissed his shoulder, working my way up his neck. “Because I don’t like anyone to watch me eat my dessert.”

I moved away and reached in the backseat for the bag that contained the remainder of the boozy shake. After taking the top off, I scooped some on my finger and sucked it into my mouth slowly.

Hunter’s eyes didn’t move from my mouth. “Do that again.”

With a devious grin, I dipped my finger back inside and then painted my lower lip with the frozen strawberry mixture. “Want some?” I asked.

Still completely stopped in traffic, I leaned forward and waited for him to meet me the rest of the way. His eyes were hungry on my mouth, and he held my chin as his tongue came out to taste. Then he bit down on my lip before sucking it into his mouth.
 

“Fucking delicious,” he said when he pulled away. A honk sounded behind him, and he inched the truck along at a snail’s pace. Yeah, we’d be here for a while. And I, for one, was not complaining. I doubted he would be either in about thirty seconds.

“Looks like you need to keep your eyes on the road, mister,” I said, nibbling his ear as I pulled his shirt out of his pants and unfastened the bottom buttons. “But don’t worry. I’ll make sure you get your dessert too.”

A low rumble came from his chest. “I think you’re trouble.”

The belt he was wearing came off, and the zipper went down. “I think you may be right.”

When my fingers curled under the band of his pants, he lifted his hips and I pushed them, along with his boxer briefs, down his thighs. He was already getting hard, his cock just waiting to get licked, and I was more than happy to oblige. I leaned down over him, flicking my tongue over the tip, and felt him tense.
 

That.
That reaction is powerful. Knowing you’re in control of someone’s pleasure, that your mouth has the ability to get them off and make their wildest fantasies come true—
that
is hot as hell.
 

His reaction had me moving my mouth down over his length, the feel of him warm and firm on my tongue. He truly was the best thing I’d ever tasted—I doubted anything I tried to replicate would come close to matching the taste that was all Hunter.