The Key to Love Read online

  “Only that I enjoyed you. What are you keeping from me?” His eyebrows stitched together. He hated secrets.

  “If you don’t remember, I’m not going to tell you, sorry,” she said, still toying with his leg.

  “Don’t be like that,” he said.

  “I’m going to be like that. Forget I said anything.” She removed her hand from his thigh.

  Frowning, he snagged it and moved it back. “I liked what you were doing. You can go higher, you know.” He tugged her hand toward his groin.

  Quickly, she snatched it away. “You’re impossible,” she said, but a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

  “No, you’re impossibly gorgeous. I can’t help it with you. I’m so attracted to you. I don’t know what to do with myself,” he said.

  “Are you really?” She gave him a sidelong glance.

  “Can’t you tell?”

  She pursed her pretty lips but said nothing.

  Annoyed by the elephant between them that seemed to be all his doing, he stared out the window at the lightly falling snow, glistening in the street lamps. When will this damn snow end? And what the hell did I say or do to piss her off? Note to self—stay sober tonight. Deciding to change the topic, he turned back to face her, and said, “So, you used to be a rocker chick, huh?”

  “Back in the day, yes,” she said, a wistful-looking smile playing at her lips. “I was the lead guitarist in my band.”

  “The lead guitarist…I’ll bet you were hot.” He chuckled, picturing her straddling a guitar in those fucking hot boots on her legs. Then, he conjured up another fantasy of her playing the guitar while he took her from behind. I’d love to hear that tune. His breath quickened, and he squeezed her strong leg.

  She didn’t slap his hand away, which he took as a good sign.

  “I was. It was fun for a while.” Her forehead creased, and her lips fell down in a frown. “And then it wasn’t. Let’s not stir up old, icky memories.” Turning her head away from him, she lapsed into silence.

  “I like hearing about your past, Mia. I like getting to know you,” he said a few seconds later, as her silence gnawed at his insides.

  “Not all of it is pleasant,” she said, still staring out the window. “And, I’d rather not remember it.”

  “How can I help?” he said. “This date is veering south. Let’s not start out on a bad note.”

  Pivoting back to face him, she tapped her lips. “Kiss me, Keys. That will help keep the memories at bay.”

  His eyebrows shot up at her sudden, bold request, which contrasted with her ignoring him since Mexico. “Gladly.” Keys angled his lips toward hers and kissed her cherry-flavored black lipstick, stoked by her rocker attire. He kissed her sweet and slow, savoring her warm mouth. His tongue slid into her mouth like a tease, drawing back, moving deeper.

  She deepened the kiss, hooking her hand around his neck and sliding one leg on top of his. “Mmm.” Her palm slid up his thigh, stroking the bulge in his Levi’s.

  Taking that as an invitation, he slid his hand under her skirt and wiggled his fingers inside her silky panties. Fuck. She’s so fucking wet I could come. Still keeping his lips locked with hers, he stroked her juicy folds.

  She moaned into his mouth, then gently pushed his hand away.

  He lowered his mouth toward her ear and whispered, “You’re so wet. You can’t tell me you don’t want it.”

  She cocked her head toward Arjun.

  Sure enough, the skeevy driver kept glancing at them via the rear-view mirror.

  “Eyes on the road, dude,” Keys commanded, pointing toward the windshield.

  “Whatever,” Arjun said, directing his attention away from them.

  “Where was I?” Keys said, tilting her chin up with his fingertips.

  Her fingers curled around his, and she leaned toward his ear. Then, she whispered, “You were at the place where you were going to say, ‘of course, Mia, I respect your wishes to not get dirty in the back of the Uber car with the pervy driver staring at me.’”

  “Ah,” he said, tapping his temple. “Now, I remember.” He liked the way she schooled him. Normally, he’d simply dismiss the woman’s retorts or demands. But, none of the women he’d banged in the last year came even close to Mia. In fact, none of the women he’d ever dated excited him the way Mia did.

  He kissed her knuckles, tugged free his digits from hers, and maneuvered his arm around her shoulders. Jacked with adrenaline and lust, his other hand tapped out a rhythm on the armrest.

  Several minutes later, he glanced out the window. “Here it is,” he said to Arjun.

  The driver nodded and pulled near the sidewalk.

  Keys slid from the car and held the door open for Mia.

  When she exited, he let his gaze linger on her sexy body before leading her toward Crash.

  Outside of the nondescript building, a line of twenty-somethings wound around the corner.

  Keys put his hand behind Mia’s back and guided her to the front of the line.

  “Currying favors, Keys?” she said.

  “Always. There are perks to being a rock and roll legend.” He strolled toward the hefty shaved-head bouncer who checked IDs and allowed passage into the club.

  The bouncer looked over at him and smiled. “Hey, man. Long time no see.”

  “Ricardo,” Keys said, pulling him in for a quick man hug. “Que pasa?”

  “No mucho. Esto y aquello, ¿sabes?” Ricardo grinned.

  “I hear that,” Keys said. “It’s always this, and that what keeps us busy.” He gestured to Mia. “Mia, Ricardo. Ricardo, Mia Song.”

  “El gusto es mio,” Ricardo said, lifting her hands to his lips. “The pleasure’s all mine.”

  Mia blushed and allowed the kiss on the top of her hand before gently extricating her hand from Ricardo’s.

  “You are a beautiful woman,” Ricardo said, stepping back.

  “Thank you,” Mia said.

  A surge of pride filled Keys’ chest. Practically every guy here would be salivating over the beauty by his side. “Mia and I would like to enter this fine establishment.”

  “Sure, sure,” Ricardo said.

  The people near the front of the line gawked.

  “Do you know who that is?” a woman said to the guy next to her. “That’s Keys from Marked Love.”

  “Who’s the woman with him?” the guy said.

  “Don’t know.”

  A ripple of murmurs spread down the line. Mobile phones were held high, and flashes filled the air.

  Ricardo unhooked the velvet rope next to him and waved Keys and Mia through.

  They pushed past heavy red velvet curtains and entered the dark bar and dance floor.

  The place was just as Keys remembered. A large dance floor. Check. Odd-looking bar fashioned like a dungeon with cruel torture devices hanging on either side of the liquor. Check. Cages filled with fake birds hanging from the ceiling. Check. A stage at the front of the room with a killer sound system. Check. Check. Check.

  He and the rest of his band had played here back in the day. It’s where all the up and comers frequented when they were trying to make a name for themselves.

  Still sparsely occupied, he knew the place would be jam-packed within an hour. All those eager music lovers wrapped around the building would fill the building to bursting.

  Keys eyed the scene and decided it needed a jolt of energy. An unknown band played on stage with all the zeal of a dead pony. A few people danced on the floor in front of the band, but most of them crowded around small tables, or jammed themselves around the bar, kick-starting their alcohol consumption. The heady scent of weed hung in the air.

  “I’m going to play the rock star card and see if we can inject some life into this place,” he said to Mia.

  “What do you have in mind?” she said.

  “Well, when they see a rock star, the excitement builds. Just like what happened outside. So, let’s get visible.” Holding Mia’s hand, he pushed his way t
o the bar.

  The bartender’s eyebrows flew up when he looked at Keys. “Hey, Keys! Good to see you, man. It’s been a while.”

  Keys put out his hand and shook it. “I know, I know. Been grinding out the hits, you know? Stardom has its prices.” Keys gestured to Mia. “This is Mia. Mia, meet Dave, also known as Doctor D.”

  “A pleasure,” Doctor D said, extending his hand.

  Mia shook it.

  Doctor D turned to Keys. “What can I get you? A whiskey?”

  “Nah,” said Keys, glancing at Mia. “I’ll have an amber ale.”

  “Perfect,” Davastic said. “We’ve got a great one called Bitch in Heat. It’s got a bite.”

  Keys laughed. “A Bitch it is. You, sweetness?” he said to Mia.

  “I’d love to taste what some male brewer had in mind when he created the ale. Two, please,” she said. “Wait…you don’t have an ale called Bastard’s Blood, do you? I used to drink that all the time.”

  “Sure do, sweetheart. A Bitch and a Bastard, coming up.” Doctor D smiled and hurried away.

  Keys turned to Mia, tracking all the eyes glancing his way surreptitiously. “Seriously? You used to drink Bastard’s Blood? That’s got an alcohol content of thirty-nine percent.”

  “Sure. I was a wild thing back in the day.” She pressed her forearms on the bar top.

  “I think you’re still a wild thing. You just keep it under wraps. I’m going to set you free.” He winked at her.

  “We’ll see,” she said.

  Doctor D returned, setting two frothy mugs of ale before them. “Drink up.”

  Keys pulled out his wallet and slid out a credit card. “Start a tab.”

  Doctor D nodded, snatched the card, and whirled away.

  “Watch this,” Keys said to Mia. “It’s so easy to stir excitement.” He pivoted, so his back was to the bar. Then, he lifted his mug to her. “Cheers, angel.”

  She clinked her mug to his. “Cheers.”

  Keys took a swallow. He lowered his mug and turned to the guy next to him. “Drink up, man. Cheers.”

  The guy’s eyes widened, and he touched his mug to Keys’. “Cheers.”

  Keys continued the same action to everyone near him. Energy spread through the crowd like a match had been lit on kindling.

  “Do you see who’s over there? It’s Keys, from Marked Love,” a woman said.

  “Holy shit. Keys is here,” a guy called out.

  Keys let out a chuckle. “It’s like a child’s play,” he said to Mia. He faced the bar and took another swallow of his brew.

  The music faded as the dead pony band finished their set.

  After a few minutes, a new band took their place. Keys pivoted around. “Oh, nice. Those guys are some friends of mine. They’re an up and coming band called Drum Box. They’re pretty good.”

  “What kind of music do they play?” Mia said.

  “You’ll hear for yourself in a few minutes. They’re kind of breakbeat mixed with dubstep. They’ve got an edgy sound. I think they’re going to go places. When I break away and do my own thing, they’ll be a great opening act. Make a note, Ms. Manager.”

  “Yeah, about that…” Mia began.

  “You already agreed,” Keys said.

  “Yes, but since I’ve been back, working for Zander…”

  Keys interrupted her. “Nuh-uh. You said yes. Zander will live. We’re doing this.”

  “Well, you said a lot of things you don’t remember,” she muttered.

  “And you won’t tell me what they are. So, that’s a dead topic. Let’s stick with the things we both remember.” He lifted his hand toward Pete, the lead guitarist of Drum Box, who stood on stage.

  Pete brightened and tapped the drummer, a guy known as AyJay. He said something to AyJay and pointed in Keys’ direction.

  AyJay’s face lit up. He looked across the room, found Keys, and waved.

  “This is going to be great. You’re going to love them,” Keys said to Mia.

  “I can’t wait,” she said. “If you endorse them, they’ve got to be good.” Her body seemed to quiver with excitement.

  As predicted, soon, music lovers packed every inch of the club. Rumors of Keys’ presence still echoed all around him. People craned their heads to glimpse the keyboard legend. A few came up and congratulated him on the Grammy’s and told him how much they loved the latest album.

  Keys endured all the attention. It filled the room with energy, and he loved energy.

  Fifteen minutes later, a Crash staffer shuffled onto the stage.

  “Is everyone ready to party?” he yelled.

  The crowd roared.

  “I. Can’t. Hear. You. I said, is everyone ready to party?”

  The crowd clapped, screamed, and shouted.

  Keys loved the din. This kind of response always led to a great night. He put his arm around Mia and tugged her into him.

  She slipped her arm around his waist.

  “Let’s give a warm welcome to Drum Box,” the announcer said, and the room exploded with cheers and shouts.

  Pete, AyJay, and the rest of the Drum Box band appeared, pumping their arms up and down. Once satisfied with the audience’s enthusiasm, they each picked up an instrument and started playing.

  “Care to dance?” Keys had to yell over the din of noise.

  “Sure.” She took his hand, and they made their way to the center of the floor.

  Keys eyed Mia’s supple body as she moved to the music. He matched her movements as they moved to the driving beat. For the next hour and a half, they moved and grooved to the edgy music, slipping to the bar now and then to drink their brews.

  When the band took a break, Mia’s eyes were wild with excitement.

  “Oh, my god, Keys, that band is the best! I agree with you. They’ll be a great opening act.”

  “I told you so,” he said as he led her from the dance floor. Dancing next to her, watching her body undulate and shimmy all night had him jacked with cravings. He tugged her into a darkened hall, away from all the people.

  “What are we doing?” she said, once he’d backed her against the wall.

  “I can’t take it anymore. I want you so fucking bad,” he said.

  “I know. I want you, too,” she said. Her hands lifted to his shoulders.

  “Do you?” he said.

  “Yes. You are such a sexy dancer. I’ve had to work to keep my hands to myself,” she said, sliding her palms along his chest.

  “We can’t have that. All that restraint can’t be good,” he said.

  “No, it can’t be,” she said, flashing her lovely smile at him.

  He dropped his lips to hers and kissed her, letting his lips brush softly against hers. Then, taking his time, savoring the electricity flowing between them, he moved in a slow circle. Her lips felt supple…yielding to him in a way no one had done before. When he deepened the lip lock, it seemed as if their souls collided. His cock stiffened so hard he thought he might explode on the spot. The whole kissing experience felt like a discovery...a new way to connect. The realization stirred both fear and craving inside of him.

  He wrenched himself away and looked at her breathlessly.

  Her eyes were flushed and eager.

  “You know I don’t do this with other women, yeah?”

  “Do what? Kiss them? “ Her brow furrowed.

  “Right. I never kiss them. It seems too... Too...” He struggled to find the right word.

  “Intimate?” she supplied.

  “I guess. It never felt right. Not since...” His voice trailed off.

  “Sarah?” Mia said.

  His jaw grew rigid, and he didn’t answer.

  “Keys...”

  “I’m not talking about Sarah, ever. She’s dead to me. “

  She blew her breath out in a huff. “She doesn’t seem dead at all. It’s like she still has a grip on your balls.”

  He let out a sudden, strangled cough. “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me. She’s s
till around, Keys.”

  “Sarah is not your problem,” he shot back.

  “No, she’s not. You are with the things you say and don’t remember.”

  “This again.”

  “Yes, this again.”

  “Why won’t you just tell me what I said so I can make amends?” His frustration choked his ability to take a breath.

  “Because I’m not,” she stated. “If you can’t remember, I’m not going to be the one to tell you.”

  His mind whirred, scanning their last night in Cancun.

  “Look, Keys. If I were the one to tell you, we’d both be embarrassed…you for what you said and me for wanting it to be true. I’m sorry I keep bringing it up, but it’s stuck in me like a splinter.” She placed her palms on his chest.

  He placed his hands over hers. “So, fucking tell me so we can both move on. I’m wracking my brain to remember.”

  “I need to leave,” she said. “I have to work tomorrow.”

  “On a Sunday?” His eyebrows launched high on his forehead.

  “Yes. I’ve been trying to finalize some orders and finish up the details on an event Zander is hosting and need to take advantage of the quiet tomorrow.” She blew out her breath.

  “Where are we going?” he said, desperate to be inside of her.

  “I’m going home. Alone. I’ll catch an Uber.”

  Her statement punched him in the solar plexus. He blinked, unable to think of anything to say.

  She looked up at him with sad eyes. “Thank you for the awesome date.”

  “What? No, Mia. You can’t leave.” The floor seemed to swallow him up like quicksand.

  “I’m so sorry. I’ve got to go.”

  “When will I see you again?” It felt pathetic to beg her, but he couldn’t seem to help himself.

  “I don’t know. I just…I need to go. Goodbye, Keys.” She turned and sped away on her sexy high heeled boots.

  Keys stood in the dark hallway staring at her as she fled. Why can’t I remember what I said or did? And why is it such a big deal? He had no answers. The only thing remaining was a hole in his heart, the size of the Pacific Ocean.

  Mia

  On Thursday, five days after her botched date with Keys, Mia sat in a swamp of paperwork, ready to tear her hair from her head in large, painful clumps. Her task list stretched to the moon, and no way could she find the time to complete everything.