Chapter Seven - Mindy
After they left the restaurant, they drove to the zoo. Some of the photographers followed behind the limo and took pictures as they were ushered into the closed zoo, his hand at the small of her back.
She pulled up short and looked around. Despite the zoo being completely empty of tourists and visitors, popcorn and cotton candy vendors still sold their creations.
“You want something?” he asked.
“Cotton candy. This is very strange.”
“What is?” He led her to the vendor and got her a cone of the spun-sugar substance. No money exchanged hands. “Here you go, sweetheart.”
“Don’t you have to pay for that?” she asked as they walked away, looking over her shoulder. This was the first time she’d ever been to such a public venue with a “celebrity,” and it was weird. No one should be this important.
“When you pay to shut down the park, it’s sort of included in the price.”
“Why couldn’t we come here with everyone else?”
He gave her a wide grin. “Because it would be a madhouse. Security for the record label would never allow it, for one thing. For another, people would recognize me, and then they’d all be staring at me instead of the monkeys.” He pointed at the primates frolicking in a pen beneath them. They had some branches and a couple of trees to hang from.
“It’s kind of sad, without everyone else. Those poor animals.”
He tore off a piece of cotton candy and held it out to her. He slid it between her lips with his fingers, and she let her tongue capture the sticky dessert. What was he trying to do to her? Everything inside of her went on high alert as his fingers left her mouth.
“Do you want a bite?” she asked, unsure where her daring came from.
“Definitely.” He opened his mouth and waited.
She took some of the candy and placed it on his tongue. His mouth came around her fingers and sucked gently. Something shot straight through her. Desire, she shivered as the realization struck her. She’d never wanted anyone the way she wanted him, right now, in the middle of the massive zoo. Such an odd experience.
He put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her in close as they walked toward the aquarium.
In the darkness, they walked past brightly lit glass windows, where sharks swam aimlessly. An octopus fluttered by and she looked at him with a smile. “Okay, I’m starting to appreciate not being jostled by crowds. This is my favorite part of the zoo. It’s like a different world in there.”
“Yeah, it is. It’s sort of… serene.”
“Exactly. Wouldn’t it be great to escape to that world sometimes?”
He leaned against the wall and slid down. “Let’s escape there now. Sit with me?”
“Sure.” She sat down cross-legged beside him and looked up as a school of exotic fish swished its way across the top aquarium. “This is beautiful.”
Taking her chin in his hand, he turned her face to him. “You’re beautiful, Min.”
She giggled. “You can barely see me.”
“I see you now like I never have before. I know we’re in private but…can I kiss you? You know, without endangering the family jewels?” He caressed her cheek with a knuckle.
She wanted him more than ever now. She knew she risked her heart if she allowed it, but after all those daydreams where Devon finally noticed her, how could she say no? “Yes, please.”
He gave her a soft smirk as he leaned in. “So polite.”
Then his lips were on hers. Placing a hand on her cheek, he tilted her head back and deepened the kiss, gliding his tongue into her open mouth.
Why shouldn’t she make out with him here? No one could see them. They were alone and it was dark in the aquarium.
He wasn’t done with her yet. Just when she thought she might lose her mind from the kiss, he trailed his lips down her neck. “You smell so good,” he mumbled.
She captured his mouth once again as his hands roamed over her shoulders and neck. Before she realized what was happening, he’d unbuttoned her blouse and slid his hand inside, into her bra, and toyed with her nipple. Mindy leaned her head back and gasped. The sensation sent tingles coursing down her body.
“That’s right, Min.” He breathed in her ear, panting softly. “This could be so good. You and me.”
She struggled to find her train of thought. Devon wanted her. That’s all there was in her brain right now.
He pushed her back gently and leaned above her, his forearms holding him up. He let his mouth wander to the valley between her breasts and she let her head fall back on the carpet. This, she’d wanted exactly this for so long. To see the desire shining in his eyes as he devoured her with his mouth.
“I don’t know much about these things. But—” He’d tugged her bra up and let his mouth find her nipple in the backlit darkness. A sea turtle and fish swam overhead as he touched her as no one else ever had. “But do you have a condom? Like, here, with you?”
“Always.” He lifted his head and offered her a devilish grin. “What do you mean, you don’t know much? Like you don’t have a lot of experience?” A line slashed his brow.
She leaned up on her elbows and kissed him slowly and thoroughly while his hands roamed her body. When she pulled away, she spoke in short bursts. His hands were driving her mad. “I have... no experience.”
He stopped all at once and sat back on his haunches. She pushed herself up, simply because she wanted to be closer to him in this moment.
“What does that mean? You’re… you can’t be.”
She pulled his t-shirt over his head. “I mean…this will be my first time.”
His hand came up between them and he grabbed his t-shirt from the floor where she’d tossed it. “Whoa, stop. You’re a virgin?”
“It’s not a big deal,” she whispered. “Not with you.”
“It’s a very big deal, especially with me, sweetheart.” He tugged his shirt back on. “We’re not real.”
Her lips parted in surprise and her heart stammered in her chest. Had he just said they weren’t real? “It feels pretty real.”
“Sure, I want you, kid.”
“I told you not to call me that.” She began tugging her bra down and buttoning her shirt back up, cheeks flaming with heat. All that, he’d touched her all over. And now, he was done because she was a freaking virgin? “What the hell was this to you?”
“I thought we’d have some fun. I didn’t know you’d never… you know.”
“You didn’t know I’d never had sex. If you can perform the act, you can say the words. Even a virgin can say them. Is that too shocking for you?” She stood up and gave him a long, cold stare. The colder she could be right now, the better. Her heart felt like an ice bucket.
“You don’t act like a virgin.” He stood, tucking his shirt back into his jeans.
Shoving a hand against his chest, she yelled at him, “Screw you, Devon! Are you saying I acted slutty? Is that what you mean?” Her voice echoed strangely in the aquarium.
“You acted responsive. I just wouldn’t have expected that from someone who didn’t know anything about… what comes next.”
“I’m leaving.” She turned and stalked away and he caught up with her at the exit.
“You need to hold my hand while we leave.”
“Forget you and your record label for five seconds. I’d die before I held your hand right now.” She stormed out. When the driver hopped out and opened the door for her, she climbed into the waiting car.
He followed behind, waving at the yelling fans and reporters behind the gate. Mindy rolled her eyes in car. Was there anything about him that wasn’t for show?