Dirty Game

24

Sierra

A few hours later I looked up from one of the cardboard boxes I had packed full of salt and pepper shakers. Emily was knee deep in casserole dishes.

“I had no idea your aunt had so much stuff.”

“Me either.”

The sun was starting to go down.

“How about a glass of wine?” I offered. “We should take a break.”

Emily smiled. “That sounds good, but what do you think about going to the Dock House?”

“Really? You want to drive over there?”

“Yes. Let’s go. We could never get in when we were in high school. There’s always music.”

“I might have gone earlier in the week with Blake.”

She laughed. “Of course you did. Want to go with your friend?”

I looked at her. “I’d love to. Let’s do it.”

“I’ll drive,” she offered. “I remember what a light weight you used to be.”

“Hey.” I took pretend offense.

As soon as we arrived I scanned the deck full of people crowding in front of the Dock House stage. There were sunburned tourists everywhere.

“I’ve never seen so many people here. This band must be really good,” Emily commented.

There were no drums or other musical equipment on the stage—only a couple amps and a microphone in the center—and crisscross lights were strung over the platform.

A hush seemed to settle over the crowd, but it was disturbed when one of the groupies up front began to squeal. “Here he comes!”

A tall form ambled across the dark stage to the center and turned his back to the concertgoers. I could make out the outline of a guitar strapped on the singer’s back, but nothing more.

He turned around as the stage lights came up and began to strum the opening notes of a familiar song. A deep, ultra-sexy voice belted out the lyrics, and it was a moment before I processed the crooner standing about five feet in front of me. I felt Emily pull on my arm, but all I could focus on were those bedroom eyes and that voice. Blake.

He had now reached the chorus, and the crowd joined in a sing-along, hoisting their drinks in the air. He smiled and sauntered across the stage, winking at his front-row fan club along the way.

“Did you know he could play like this?” Emily yelled over the noise.

I shook my head and followed him as he made his way back to the center, closing in on the song’s finale. I hadn’t imagined this drop-dead gorgeous man could be one bit hotter. Not for the first time this summer, he proved me wrong again. My pulse raced when I saw him search the crowd, glance past the shrieking girls, and lock eyes with me.

“Thank you,” he said over the applause and wolf whistles. “Thank you for coming out tonight.”

The cheers erupted.

He adjusted his guitar and continued. “It’s great to be around so many old friends at the Dock House. I hope you won’t mind if I test out some new material.”

The crowd roared again. I looked around at the happy audience smiling and shouting for more from the man who had rocked my world more than once.

“I’d like to dedicate this one to a special summer friend,” he muttered into the mic.

I stood behind the row of screaming girls, trying to absorb everything that was happening. As soon as Blake’s words launched into the bar, everything else around me faded to black. The only two people in the room were Blake and me.