Heart Shaped Spotlight

Spending as much time as possible together was the best plan. Her body definitely reacted to mine. Pheromones, lust, understanding – whatever it was, it was right. Once we settled into that feeling, she’d come around.

I didn’t bother unpacking, just opened my suitcase on the extra bed. Yanking off my t-shirt, I went to scrub my face and brush my teeth before pulling a fresh shirt on. My hand darted for my phone, eager to hit those buttons.

“Hello?” Trisha’s voice echoed as if she was in the washroom.

“Hey, gorgeous. Do you have brunch plans?”

There was a split second of silence, then a tiny muffled gasp. “You’re here already, aren’t you?”

“The power of coffee compels me. What room are you in?”

“You’re in this hotel?”

“Yeah. Apparently they let any old musician in here. What room?”

“I just got out of the shower. But, um, I’m in eight eleven.”

“Be there in ten minutes.”

I forced myself to wait nine minutes, then walked slowly to the elevator, and even slower down the hall to her room. I had barely tapped when she flung her door open.

Damn. Trisha was an absolute dream in a playful black dress with large hand-drawn looking red flowers. Her glossy hair was still slightly damp, and she was wearing just a bit of eyeliner.

My arm instantly snaked out to wrap around her waist, pulling her against me. “You’re always hot, but I think I like you in makeup,” I grinned.

“Now that I’m allowed to wear it,” she smiled.

“No lipstick was a good idea,” I said just before I kissed her. Her softness instantly melted my spine, and the door slammed shut as I pressed her against the wall, entwining our fingers and holding her hands over her head.

From the way she stretched up to me, moaning into my mouth, I knew she needed exactly what I did. After waiting so long, my body was screaming to take her now. Her bed was right there. Yet I still didn’t know how much she was ready for.

Tearing my lips from her, I murmured, “You’re lucky we have to be somewhere in twenty minutes, or I’d be pulling off your pretty dress.”

Her eyes were softly glazed. Knowing that she wanted me made me feel like the king of the universe.

***

Walking toward the huge corner table at my favorite Vancouver diner with Trisha's hand in mine, I thought that my heart was going to explode.

I was still riding the high of having accomplished the strange distinction of winning that contest. I was thrilled that the band members I wanted to get together for so long had finally all been available, and were now a team. And now they were all going to meet the love of my life, my sweet gorgeous…

"Trisha!" Lora squealed, jumping up and hugging the daylights out of her. "Thanks again for that insane dinner last night. I still can't believe that happened."

I was surprised to see Trisha hug her back without a trace of shyness. "I'm so glad that you were able to come," she said. "Nobody should eat that much on their own. It just wouldn't be civilized."

The girls were laughing like old friends, which made my heart swell even more. "Trisha," I said as she squeezed into the booth beside Lora, "This is Kevin our

lead guitarist, and Doug the drummer." They shook her hand as she flashed them a brilliant smile.

"What do you know, she's real," Doug said.

"Did you really think Nate would imagine himself an old girlfriend?" Kevin asked.

"Well, we can never be sure," Doug said, turning to Kevin as if the rest of us weren't even here. "The thing about lead singers is that all of their fancy breathing can sometimes deplete the oxygen to the brain. It's entirely possible that she was a carbon monoxide induced hallucination."

"I suppose you could be right," Kevin said absolutely seriously. "Many rock stars have their brains addled with drugs. Perhaps Nate overdid it on the coffee and really did himself in."

Lora reached across the table to smack the backs of their hands. "Shame on you. You're supposed to pretend to be likable until Trisha isn't afraid of you anymore."