Just Between Friends (Prequel to the Forbidden Series)

11

Much to the awe of his friends Mike arrived at Ronny’s house with Chase and Kat in tow. Mike, the confirmed bachelor, had not only brought a woman with him but a child. He descended the stairs to Ronny’s basement with the little red-haired girl giggling and riding on his back. Eric blinked and rubbed his eyes, not sure if he was seeing things. Here was a man that could barely remember the names of the women that he bedded and he was playing with this child and enjoying himself.

David could not conceal his surprise. He had not seen Mike genuinely happy like he was now in years. He was showered and alert, without the usual aura of a hangover that followed him until his first drink. This woman must be some sorceries, he decided, some wonderful blessing from God.

Mike dropped the child onto the forty-year-old couch that rested against the cement walls of the basement, and she squealed in delight. Ronny flashed a flirtatious grin at Chase as she took a seat beside the child. “Nice to see you again.”

“This is Kat, Chase’s daughter, I promised her she could listen to us practice. Do you guys mind?” Mike asked studying the faces of his friends for any indication that he may have been wrong and finding none.

“Not at all; it will be nice to have an honest audience… from the mouth of babes and all that jazz.” Eric smiled at Kat and held out his hand to shake hers. “I’m Eric.”

“Besides any women that can blow off Mike and have him show up the next day with two beautiful girls is always a pleasure to have around.” David nodded to Chase impressed that she had brought out a side of his longtime pal that he had not thought existed. However, he was a little concerned about Mike’s intentions toward the mother and child, but now was not the time to bring it up.

Ronny positioned himself behind the drum-set he left set up all the time. He pulled his shirt off preparing for the rigorous workout his arms were about to go through. He always worked up a sweat when they played and being in his basement instead of on stage he decided to be comfortable. Kat’s eyes almost bulged out of her head. Her mouth hung open at the sight of his muscular arms. She tugged on Chase’s sleeve and pointed at Ronny. “Mama look, that man got stung by a bee, he’s all swollen help him. My Mama’s a nurse she’ll make you better.” Kat reassured Ronny, and the room filled with laughter.

Chase’s face went bright red to match her hair, and she felt horrified by her child’s remark. “Kat!” She snapped. “He is supposed to look like that; he’s very strong. There was no bee, now say sorry that was very rude of you.”

“It’s ok,” Ronny laughed, “I must look huge to a child. Come here, Kat.” He held out his sticks to the sulking child. “Would you like to try?”

Kat jumped up and ran overtaking the sticks from him. Ronny positioned his huge hands over hers and guided the rhythm. She laughed, and when he took the sticks back, she rubbed her arms. “Wow, that’s hard.”

“Now you know why I’m so big.” He smiled.

Eric strapped his bass over his shoulder and turned it quickly. “Are we ready to get started?”

David, his guitar already over his shoulder, pushed the switches of the control boards positioned on top of an old broken table. Mike strapped his guitar on and plugged the long black patch cord into its body. He smiled at Chase and then nodded to the others that he was ready to begin. They played a few tracks straight through at first enjoying the sight of the enthusiastic six-year-old who was dancing around and clapping her hands. David was the group’s frontman, and when it came to one of their ballets, he put down his guitar and sang the song while dancing with Kat, whom Mike was sure now might have had a small crush on his bandmate.

When they finally broke for supper. Ronny took Chase and Kat upstairs to order pizza; pour juice for Kat, and a few more adult drinks for the rest of them. Hot from the energy exerted over the last few hours, David took his shirt off and wiped his forehead with the damp fabric. “That was fun, but I think that solo is missing something don’t you?”

Mike pushed his damp hair back behind his ears. “Yeah, it just doesn’t have that kick to it. Damn, I wish I could figure out what it was I’m missing.”

“I don’t know, but we better get it sorted out, or we can’t use it at the Inferno.” Eric dropped onto the couch. “On the bright side of things Kat loves us.” He grinned.

“Yeah, man what’s with the kid?” David asked. “Not that we don’t love the little cutie but women with children… not your typical style.”

Mike displayed a look of indifference and worked on his chords. He shrugged his shoulders. “Well… we’re old friends. She happens to have a kid… no big deal, not like we’re involved or anything.”

Eric and David exchanged wondering glances. “But you want to be.” Eric pointed out their observations. “Or else you would never have brought them here.”

“You never get jealous and never see a woman past the time it takes you to get dressed the next morning. Yet last night you looked as if you would beat Ronny within an inch of his life and today you bring her and her kid to rehearsal. What voodoo spell does this girl have on you? I am curious as to what she did at eighteen that could have you so captivated eight years later.” David crossed his arms over his chest waiting for an answer.

Mike simply smiled and peered up at him from his instrument. Chase came down the stairs. Her entrance drew their attention. She stopped at the bottom of the steps and locked her happy gaze on David. She closed the gap between them and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

Stunned he lowered his arms and tilted his head slightly. “For what?”

“For making Kat so happy. I haven’t seen her this happy in years. She is having the time of her life. She likes you.”

“I’d be careful David she’s far too young for you.” Eric joked.

Chase walked over to Mike who had hidden his reaction to her affections by continuing his fingering. “What are you doing?” She asked.

“Just trying to fix this solo. It’s missing something, but I can’t seem to get it.” Her fingers slid up the neck of the guitar gently stroking the polished wood.

“Let me see,” Chase said her voice low, their fingers brushing briefly as he yielded the instrument to her. Eric and David sat straight up, her simplistic gesture seeming strangely erotic, and at that moment they saw what it was that held Mike’s attention. She slid the strap over her shoulder and mimicked the chords she had just witnessed him playing. Her eyes closed and she drifted away into the music. She looked like a natural behind that guitar. Her body swayed to the beat she created. All three of the men finding they couldn’t take their eyes off her.

Eric jumped to his feet suddenly. “That’s it, play that part again. Do you guys hear that? That’s it, the missing part. Mike did you catch that, can you copy it?” Mike nodded smiling. When they were kids, Chase used to do the same thing. When he was stuck on some creative level, she would feel her way through what he had written and come up with whatever he needed to complete it. “Damn girl you are good.”

Chase blushed, she looked happy behind that guitar. “I haven’t played in years.” She passed the guitar back to Mike.

“You would never know to listen to you.” David complimented her talents.

“Thank you,” she moved back to the stairs, “the pizza should be here any minute. Ronny says you should come up.”

She ascended the stairs, and once she was out of earshot, David turned to Mike. “If you don’t keep this one, I sure as hell will.”

“Why didn’t you tell us she could play?” Eric asked. “Sexy, talented, and smart… f**k I’d date her without a second thought. I can’t believe you ran from that. Damn you were dumb.” He laughed making his way upstairs.

“Thank you for your opinion,” Mike remarked sarcastically.

“Well, we like your choice in girlfriends, if you were going to pick one at least it wasn’t one of those superficial bubble heads you usually take home with you,” David said reaching for the doorknob.

“Chase isn’t my girlfriend.” Mike protested, his pulse racing at the finality of the word threatening his lifestyle. “We’re just friends.”

David stopped short, and Mike collided with him on the steps. “I thought… aren’t you f*****g her?”

“I f**k a lot of women, and I never date them. It’s not like that’s some breaking news bulletin.” Mike displayed his contempt for the idea openly. “Besides I’ve been witness to your so-called relationships, and they only reinforce my desire to avoid the horrific experience. Things are good just the way they are.”

Eric slapped Mike hard on the side of the head. “You are so stupid. You can’t be playing your games with a single mom. You get involved with Chase, and you get involved with her kid too, it’s a packaged deal. When you hurt her, you hurt the kid. When you get involved with a single mom, that child gets attached and starts thinking of you as a father figure. Then you f**k off and abandon her just like her father and put her through that hell all over again.”

David’s expression was hard, and his tone was as blunt as Eric’s. “Don’t f**k with her, Mike. This is a whole different ballpark, nothing like those bar tramps. You have to do right by a single mother. If you don’t have any intentions of something with some level of commitment, keep your pecker in your pants… or I’ll kick your ass myself.” He warned. Mike understood why David felt so strongly about the matter. A single mother raised him, and he had watched men come and go through his life always leaving his mother alone and with one more child to care for. When it came to single mothers, he had strong convictions.

The two turned, and David opened the door. When they reached the living room, Kat was kneeling on the floor behind the black chipped coffee table. Three large pizza boxes open in front of her and a huge greasy slice in her little hands. Ronny had turned on the television for her, and she was engrossed in some cartoon. Mike reached for a slice of pizza and strolled into the kitchen where Ronny stood talking to Chase about their favourite musicians.

“No one beets Roderick, they were the best.” Ronny boasted, being one of their biggest fans.

“They were good, but I would have to say the Raw Addiction were the best.” Chase disagreed pouring herself another drink.

“Girl you are nuts.” Ronny picked up the drink he had poured for Mike earlier and handed it to him. “Mike tell her she’s nuts.”

“Leave me out of it I like them both.” Mike grinned taking the drink he offered.

“You’re both nuts.” Ronny smiled taking two other drinks with him to the living room for Eric and David, leaving them alone.

Mike sipped the rum and coke in his hand. Chase leaned against the counter and watched him with a smile. “Not hungry?” He asked noting that she didn’t have any food with her.

“I’ll get some.” Chase smiled coyly at him. “I’m having a great time. It’s been so long since I just hung out and listened to music. Thank you for bringing us.”

“Thank you for fixing my solo; you’ve impressed the boys, they just love you and Kat.” Mike returned her coyness with his flirtatious grin. Placing his drink and food on the table beside him, Mike advanced on her. Placing his hands against the counter on either side of her, Mike pinned Chase between him and the counter. The desire to touch her sweeping through him. “How can I ever repay you for fixing my song?” He asked huskily, his voice low for her ears only.

Her lips brushed against his lightly teasing, enticing him, bringing him to a full erection with her suggestive actions. “I can think of a few ways.”

“I was just thinking the same thing, come with me.” He grasped her hand in his and guided her to the staircase that led upstairs. With a sense of urgency, Mike took the steps two at a time practically dragging Chase behind him. Reaching the top of the steps, he spun around and pulled her into his arms and began kissing her. Chase’s arms wrapped around Mike and his fingers twined in her long hair cupping her head in his hands and pulling her face closer to him.

He was almost possessed by the desire rushing through his body driving him. Her hands searched his body, her mouth possessing his with a wild urgency. Mike backed Chase up against the now closed door. His hands took hers and moved them up to his shoulders. “Hold on to me.” He instructed his voice heavy with lust.

Her face was flushed and her skin aglow with the pleasure he was offering, but she looked away, looking self-conscious.

“What’s wrong?” Mike asked his question childlike.

“They’re going to know. I’m embarrassed.”

“Don’t be they won’t say anything.” He assured her with a kiss.

“They're used to it, are they? Do you run off and have s*x with women that often that it doesn’t faze on them anymore?” She asked a hint of jealousy underlining her words.

“Well…” Yes, was his answer but given the current change in her tone he felt it best not to tell her the truth, “they like you and encourage me to make you happy, I’m simply doing as I’m told. They will be thrilled to see the smile on your face.” Mike lifted her fingers to his mouth and kissed her hand gently.

“Sure.” She said not believing a word he said. He knew that look on her face well enough to know she was now annoyed with him, and he would be wasting his time to try to persist.

Mike groaned and took her hand, he wouldn’t push the matter if she did not feel comfortable, but he would collect on a rain cheque later. “Come with me and let’s get you something to eat.”