Quaid
Jennings is a psychologist in the City. His business partner and best
friend, Boyd, introduced Quaid to his favorite cousin, Faydra. She's
from Alabama, and is just visiting the City. As a treat, they take
her, and Boyd's girlfriend, Petra, out to dinner. A band is playing,
and they're very good. Faydra doesn't recognize them, but it's pretty
clear that Petra does.
The
band went on break. Seconds later, a tall, dark haired man hopped off
the stage and approached the table. Dressed in a skintight silk
T-shirt and leather pants, he was quite the tasty sight. Faydra
smiled as he approached. Petra's mouth fell open, then she gulped,
turned pale and blushed in the space of a few seconds. When he
flopped in an empty chair, she inhaled sharply.
“She
has no clue who I am,” he said to Quaid, taking Faydra's hand.
“Cullen Fellowes. Of Sardonic. Pleased to meet you, beautiful.”
He turned to Petra, laughing. “Don't have a heart attack, babe. Or
Boyd will slay me.”
“I'm
sorry!” she gasped. “So.... Oh, my god!”
He
glanced again at Faydra. “Still has no idea. Don't they listen to
our band where you come from in Outer Mongolia?”
“Outer—hm?”
She squinted at him. “I'm still trying to place you. Reckon it will
come to me.”
“I
don't know whether to be flattered or very disappointed,” he said
to Quaid. “Your girl hasn't got a clue.”
“I
live in a little bit of a bubble,” Faydra admitted. “Full time
college and helping with a sick mom.”
“Then
you're forgiven.” The dark haired man stood and kissed her hand.
Blue eyes twinkled as he took his seat. “Your friend knows me. You
okay, babe?” He kissed Petra's hand too.
She
held it with her other, eyes glowing. “Yes. Fine.”
“I
knew I should have become a rock star,” Boyd complained. “No
one's ever looked at me that way.”
“Not
me, either.” Cullen moved side to side. Petra's head followed his
movement, mesmerized. Cullen chuckled. “Sorry, Dude. I think I
broke her.” He took a sip of water from Petra's glass. She followed
this movement too, watching his Adam's apple bounce in his throat.
“So, Boyd, Quaid, how you guys been?”
“Better
and better,” Quaid said, taking Faydra's hand and kissing it.
Boyd
was watching Petra, who watched Cullen. Faydra squinted, trying to
figure out why he looked familiar.
“This
is the most awkward conversation I've ever had,” Cullen remarked
with a chuckle.
“More
than when Morgan gave you and your girlfriend a sex lesson?” Quaid
winked at him.
“Yeah.
I'm gonna....” He pointed over his shoulder at the door he'd
entered from. “Guy's will be out soon. Catch ya on the next break.”
Nodding, he got up and left.
Petra
blinked, looking dazed. “Omigod!” she squeaked and ran for the
ladies' room.
“I've
got this,” Faydra said and followed.
“Dude,
better me than you,” Quaid said. “Maybe you should get a Cullen
makeover. Dye your hair black and get blue contacts.”
Boyd
punched him, hard. “Not funny. Fay didn't look at him like he was
on the menu.”
“She
has no idea who he is. Which is, in itself, hilarious. I bet he never
had that reaction from any female, ever.”
“Ya
know what? Not helping.”
“Boyd,”
Quaid spoke in a quietly commanding tone.
His
friend turned unfriendly eyes on him. “What?”
“Whose
bed is she in?”
Boyd
glowered.
“Who's
giving her most excellent sex and making her scream his name over and
over?”
His
friend still didn't reply, merely took a gulp of his drink.
“Because
it's not Cullen's name I've been hearing half a dozen times a night.
He isn't the one making her smile like the Cheshire Cat.”
Boyd
signaled for another drink after knocking back the first one. Monica
brought another for him, removing the empty glass.
“Cullen
isn't her first love—or any love. Yeah, he's hot and famous—”
If
looks killed, Quaid would be on the floor, bleeding.
“But
he's not you.”
“No,
he's a famous rock star who held my girlfriend mesmerized. Like a
fucking python with a mouse.”
“You've
known him all your life. She just met him. It's a little bit of a
shock. I have to admit, when I first met him, he had a similar effect
on me.”
“You
didn't want to have sex with him,” Boyd grumped.
Quaid
laughed. “Well, I wasn't getting the full Cullen Effect. Trust me,
even straight as I am, I feel the magnetism. He's the most
charismatic person I ever met. If he wanted to run for president,
he'd win by a landslide vote.”
“Strangely,
this isn't making me feel better. Fay didn't fall all over him.”
“He
wasn't turning his charm on her. She didn't even recognize him.”
“Still—not
feeling better.”
©
2017 Dellani Oakes
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