P L A Y L I S T

Takin' Care of Business - Bachman Turner Overdrive

An hour later, Zari's fingers tingled from gripping the steering wheel. Without the weight of the cast and having use of her hand again felt weird. She headed down Main Street and parked in front of the Parkers Prairie Bulletin. The weekly newspaper came out on Thursdays, and she wanted to make sure her ad made the deadline. Although she'd not asked Gabriel's permission to offer piano lessons at his house, she figured he wouldn't object. She'd schedule students around his work hours.

Because school was still in session, three students a day would be all she could handle until summer vacation. For now, she'd start with piano, but later, if things went well, she'd consider adding other things.

Once she finished paying for her classified, she walked to Grillenium Falcon. She'd not been inside the bar, but from the street, it looked nice. Pushing open the door, a bell jingled. She doubted the tinkle did much good at night. But since it was barely past noon, other than two older men sitting at a corner table, and a thirty-something couple at the end of the bar, the place was empty.

The bartender, a tall, muscular, guy with salt and pepper hair, looked to be in his early fifties. He stopped putting beer into a refrigerated case and turned to look at Zari.

"Afternoon, Miss." He glanced past her as if expecting someone, then focused on her again. "What can I get you?"

Zari took a deep breath. If she'd ever made a face to face pitch to a future employer, she didn't remember it. "Hi. I'm Zari Davis, and I wanted to talk to you about performing here. I noticed your sign out front says you feature bands on weekends, and you have a karaoke night."

He moved closer and rested his arms on the polished counter. "I'm Dale. You have a band?"

She hiked one hip onto a stool, propped her foot on the rung. "No. I perform solo. I'm willing to do it for tips. Maybe just one night a week."

He pulled his brows together. "You think tip money will be enough?"

"My goal is exposure to get other paying gigs. You know. Weddings, birthday parties, rehearsal dinners. It might even help your business. I don't know if you rent your facility out for private parties, but if someone wanted to hire me, then I could pitch the bar as a venue—if you wanted."

He looked her up and down, then settled on her face again. "What type music? Anything posted online I could see?"

Zari relaxed a little. At least he didn't brush her off. Now all she had to do was close the deal. She gave him her best smile. "I don't. But I see you have a piano so I could play a couple of things for you. Almost all of my songs are original."

He cocked his head. Pursed his lips. Nodded. "Okay.  Show me what you've got."

Once seated on the bench, she ran her fingertips over the keys. Other than the few notes she'd played at Gabriel's, she couldn't recall the last time she'd played, but figured it was like riding a bike.

Dale scooted a chair closer, spun it around and straddled it. "Any time you're ready."

"Well, I should warn you. Apparently, I've had some bad breakups, so my songs are a bit on the..."

"Sad side?"

"No. More on the I'll-write-a-song-to-get-even-with-you side."

Dale chuckled. "Okay, Taylor Swift. I'm anxious to hear them."

"This first one is called, "You Can't Emoji Your Way Out of This."

When Zari finished, Dale's face had turned red from laughter. "That's kind of cute. Got another one?"

"Depending on how risqué you'll allow me to be, here's one I call, "Nothing Between Us But Your Penis."

Dale threw his head back, and belly laughed, and she launched into song. This time when she ended the number, he laughed harder.

"Girl, you may be just what this place needs. I'll try you for a couple of weeks and see how it goes. If you're the hit I think you'll be, we'll work out a salary. What night you interested in?"

Zari slid to the end of the bench and hugged him. "Thank you!" Then she backed away. "Oh, sorry. I'm just excited."

He grinned. "Me, too. You're original. I like that. So, what night?"

"I've actually given this some thought. I designed and printed small posters, just in case it worked out." She pulled them from her bag and passed them. "I thought Thursdays would be good."

Dale eyed the papers, then handed them back to her. "Sounds good. I'll get you some tape, and you can display the announcement in the window. You can also put one at the bodega. I own it, too."

Later that day, as Zari returned home from her daily walk, her mood couldn't be better. Even without a complete past, she couldn't imagine a life more perfect. Her cast was off. Memories were trickling in. The job market had opened up. And she had the greatest guy.

Speaking of which, she was tired of waiting for Gabriel to call.

After removing Rebel's leash, she watched him head towards the water bowl while she dropped in a few flakes for the fish. Once done, she headed down the hallway for a bath.

Finally, she no longer had to bathe with one hand hanging out of the tub, and tomorrow, she'd be able to put on her own bra! Never considered that'd be something she'd look forward to.

Grabbing the pilfered magazine from her purse, she sank deep into the water. Since it was more than two months out of date and on the verge of falling apart, she doubted they'd miss the publication.

Rebel settled on the rug, sighed, and rolled his eyes up at her.

Maybe Zari should get a male's point of view. "It says here, men like, in this order, for the woman to initiate sex, have oral sex, and third, anal sex." She stopped. "Next on the list is dirty talk. Not sure I can pull that off, but I can try. What do you think?"

The dog didn't move.

She raised her eyebrows at the silent pup. "Oh, so you don't have an opinion? You're no help. According to this, guys also like foreplay. I believe that because Gabriel loved the hand jobs. Even told me so and afterward made out with me."

Rebel closed his eyes.

"Yeah, see that's what I'm talking about. I need to be bold and unpredictable to keep things exciting." She closed the magazine, laid it next to Rebel, and thought about her new singing gig.

She ran her song catalog through her head. Earlier, she'd remembered the history of some of those songs. Cheating. Bad breakups. Well, those days were over, and the silly rhymes were just that. No longer did her heartbreak when she sang them. The subjects of those verses were just a bunch of jerks that had led her to where she was now. Happy and in love. Soon to be engaged. And as soon as Gabriel got back home, she was going to screw his brains out. No more restrictions. No reason for him to resist her advances.

Just the thought of him made her hot. She stepped out of the tub, wrapped a towel around her body and climbed onto the bed bringing her phone with her. Already after nine o'clock. Where had the day gone? She launched the Facetime app and dialed Gabriel's number.

When he answered, she held up her arm. "Look. I got my cast off today!"

"Oh, hey. That's good news. Are you doing okay?"

Sleepy eyed, she realized she'd woke him. "I'm sorry. Were you asleep?"

"Time change. It's a little later here, but that's okay."

"I won't keep you. I just miss you so much, and you haven't called..."

"Yeah. I'm sorry about that. Been working sixteen hour days and by the time I grab a shower, I'm ready to pass out."

"Your room looks nice. What I can see of it."

He sat up and propped pillows behind his back. "It's not a five-star hotel, but it's decent, and they give out of state workers a discount. Cole and I split the cost, so it works out pretty good."

"Where is he?" She asked curiously, eager to get him alone, even if it was through a screen.

"In the bar, probably."

She shifted in bed, the towel slid lower on her breast, and she didn't stop it. Gabriel's eyes widened with interest.

Maybe she wasn't with him, but she could make him wish she were. "I can't wait until you get home. Now that there are no bedroom restrictions, I've got plenty of things I want to do to you."

He took a deep breath. "Don't say that. You'll get me..."

[[MATURE THEMES AHEAD]]

"What? Hard?" She winked and shifted around, spreading her legs and placing the phone between them, propped against the edge of a history tome she lifted from his bookcase.

The thin towel barely covered her.

He gritted his teeth as if being tortured. "Yeah. It makes me think of what you did to me before I left and that will definitely cause a reaction."

"You mean the hand jobs? If I was there, I'd do more than that." She gave the towel a little tug, and it fell to her waist. "A lot more."

"Dammit, Zari. You're killing me," he rasped out as she shuffled closer to the screen.

"Maybe I should tell you."

"Not a good idea."

"So, you don't want to hear how much I love your body. Or how bad I want to taste you?"

His breathing shuddered. "Jesus."

She smiled triumphantly. "Are you hard now?"

"Yes."

"Let me see."

"No!"

"Please."

He blew out a breath, lifted the sheet, and she got a good look at his tented boxers. She licked her lips. "Pull down your underwear."

"Why are you doing this?"

Her heart hammered with panic. His pained expression said this had been a mistake. The last thing she wanted was to turn him off. She'd been a fool and just wanted to end it and pretend this call had never happened. "I'm sorry. I thought you might like phone sex, but I'll stop. Talk to you later."

"Don't hang up! I do like it." He swallowed soundly and bit his lower lip, leaning back and angling the camera so she was in clear sight of him. He hooked his thumb in the elastic and tugged until his cock popped free.

"Are you sure because I don't want you to do anything you are not into."

"I'm not."

He looked so wrecked, she couldn't resist.

"Good because I love looking at your cock. Now, touch yourself."

"Zari," he whispered gruffly.

"So, you've never self-served?"

"Didn't say that. Just never with an audience."

Her fingers caressed her breasts, but her hazy mind couldn't help imagining his hands on her body, his hands finding exactly where she needed to be touched and leaving her gasping with need. She cupped her breast, pinched the nipple, and moaned. "Are you sure? Because seeing you with a hard-on makes me wet. I'll touch myself, too." She ran her hand down her belly then between her legs. "Come on. Please?" She moved against her hand. "Oh God, that feels good. I can't wait for you to do this." She was trying to find a good pace, a rhythm. Talking slowly, but not too slowly, her voice sexy and low -- that wasn't hard, because, well, she was watching him watch her.

"Fuck." He circled his erection and went to work.

"I wish I could touch you right now... I would go down inside those cute boxer briefs to cup your balls. I'd spend just a minute or two rolling them in my fingers, just because I love that feeling, but then I would shift my hand up where I really want to be, right at the base of your cock."

He groaned, breathing harshly as his head fell back against his pillow. She worried her lip between her teeth, the edges of her lips quirked in a smile.

"I would keep my thumb and forefinger curled snug around you, and let my pinky slide up the underside of your shaft, right to that little indentation before the head, right there, and then back down. And then, because there's just no time to mess around tonight, I would reach back down with my left hand to cradle your balls again, and use my right hand to to grip your cock."

Her voice was husky to her own ears. "I'd use my tongue to run up the entire length of the underside of your cock from the base to the tip."

Gabriel groaned on the other end of the phone, gasping for air.

She took deep breaths, her chest heaving with the effort as she lost her place. "I wish you were inside me. It's all I think about." Her next words came on breathy sighs. "Say something."

"Can't. Not what I'm thinking."

"I want you to. Tell me."

"Dammit, Zari." He hesitated a moment, seemingly at war with himself. "Let go of the towel. Open your legs for me," he gulped and she grinned, cupping her breasts as she leaned back, widening her legs to his view. He sucked in a shallow breath as his eyes zeroed in on her glistening thighs.

"Already so wet, babe. You're enjoying this aren't you, Zari? God, I wish was there to taste you."

His voice was soft and wrecked. Zari whimpered at the thought of his head between her legs as her cunt clenched. Another wave of arousal gathered at her opening. Gabriel's hand tightened the hold on himself, leisurely moving up and down. Her own hand slid down her body and two fingers immediately found her clit.

"Ah, ah," he chastised as he noticed her hand. "Did I tell you that you could touch yourself?" She stopped and hesitantly withdrew, her thighs clenching.

"Good girl. Open yourself up for me, use your fingers and coat them in your wetness."

Zari quickly scrambled to follow his instructions. She had no idea where this side of Gabriel suddenly appeared from, but she was excited to learn, or relearn, something about him. She used both her hands to spread herself open, gathering some of her wetness on her fingers as her chest rose and fell with heavy pants.

"Suck your fingers clean," he ordered. "I want you to taste yourself like I would taste you."

His voice was hoarse, his cock twitching in his hands as Zari eagerly cleaned off her fingers, loudly making exaggerated sucking sounds while moaning.

"Sweet girl," he mewled. "Now fuck yourself with your fingers, but do not touch your clit. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes," she sighed, her voice high and breathy. Closer to a moan.

A loud moan of relief escaped her and she slowly pumped her fingers in and out, making sure not to touch the throbbing little bundle of nerves.

His eyes had darkened considerably as he watched her carefully, speeding up his own hand. She felt fearless in that moment, wild and untamed. Any lingering worry she had about Gabriel not wanting her had diminished completely.

"You're so beautiful, Zari. I want to bury deep inside you and make you come harder than you ever have."

Her hips canted upwards.

"Fuck, Zari," he groaned.

"Yes. Fuck Zari, that's the idea." She just moved faster at his voice, the sounds growing louder. "I need to come, Gabriel. Please," she whined and moved even faster, her back arching at the sensations.

"Come for me," he rasped out. He squeezed himself as hard as he could, thrusting his cock into his hand. Zari bit her lip and worked her fingers in tight circles against her clit. She threw her head back. Gasped for air. Her muscles clenched as she came hard and fast, her free hand clutching the bedsheets.

He whispered her name as if it was a prayer. It was all he could do before he erupted like a volcano.

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I ain't even gonna lie. I've been saving that gif for this chapter.

Anyone else get secondhand embarrassment rereading their own sex scenes? I'll read anyone elses but I will not look at mine.