Centre Stage ~ 'Destined Lovers' Book 3

The Right Place

Chapter 2 – The Right Place

{Cara POV}

I heard the front door’s bell jingle and five rowdy male voices fill the air and reverberate around the record store I worked in. I peeked over the top of the shelves and my eyes widened…Marilyn Manson and his whole band were in here! Oh…Jesus…okay…breathe…just fucking breathe…

I looked again and saw Pogo, a bright smile lighting my face as he looked around. I ducked below the edge of the shelves. ‘He came to see me…he actually came…’ I edged back up to where the counter was and stood behind it, casually flicking through a copy of Rolling Stone with a picture of the band on the front. ‘Subtle, Cara…real subtle…’

I didn’t have time to pick up another copy as, at that moment, I heard a low, gravelly sounding voice chuckled darkly beside me. “Excuse me…Cara…” I looked over at Manson and then at the band, and smiled.

“Ah, hello again.” I smirked at them all. “Need something?”

“Yes…” Manson smirked and looked at Pogo. “You.”

“Me?” I scoffed and then saw Benny, my manager, standing behind them.

“You’ve got the rest of the day off…Sal will fill in.” Benny smiled and nodded…he was always more friend than boss…

“Um, okay…don’t need to tell me twice!” I beamed and grabbed my purse from under the counter. “Where we off to then?”

“Park.” John said.

“Some form of amusement…” Twiggy finished and then frowned. “We said it in the wrong order…”

“There’s a fair in Hamilton Park today…” I smirked as we waltzed out the front door. “Did you mean that?”

“Must’ve done.” Pogo chuckled with me.

“Alright then, gang.” I made a face at my own use of the word ‘gang’. “That-a-way!”

***

“Do you remember how everything started?” Pogo grinned mischievously at me.

“the beginning of it all!” Twiggy began to laugh, clearly off his face.

I shook my head at them. “What was in the beginning, oh, know-ed one?” I smirked up at Pogo.

“In the beginning, there was…well…” he smirked and held his arms out dramatically. “Me.”

“And what does the creator of the universe think of his work?” she smirked back.

“Fucking stupendous…humanity’s fucked up…but you get that on big jobs.” He chuckled.

“I’ve heard that said before.” She nodded, feigning seriousness for a moment before laughing loudly; glaring at passers-by when they looked at her weirdly. “What the fuck you looking at, huh, punk?!”

Pogo chuckled as they rushed off. “You’re not like other people.”

“You mean I’m not normal.” She smiled slightly and shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “Normal is a setting on a washing machine…nobody wants to be that.”

“I like her.” Marilyn stated loudly behind them both and they looked at him dubiously for a moment. “I give you leave to like her, Pogo…she’s a keeper, as in keep her!”

“Cheers, Manson.” Cara grinned at the shock rocker as he bowed dramatically and then walked off again. “Okay…that was odd…I mean…I’m odd…but that was odd even for me…”

“He’s like that,” Pogo smiled a little. “We all can be.”

“Then I guess I’m in the right place.” Cara smiled, playing with her hair.

“Yeah…” Pogo smiled back, biting hi s lip and laughing quietly with her; his eyes darkening. “I guess you are…”

***

While the rest of the guys wandered ahead, Pogo and I just meandered along a fair way behind them, just enjoying each other’s company. There was something about him…something that just… drew me to him…like I couldn’t control myself…

The way he looked at me sometimes…as if he could just…eat me. Woah, steady there, Cara. I mentally smacked myself…I’ve known him for twenty-four hours and I’m already thinking about… ‘Stop it…stop it now!’

“Cara? Hey!” I looked over at Pogo and he smiled wickedly at me. “Where’d you go?”

“Private thoughts.” I smirked back.

“Sexy thoughts?” he chuckled darkly.

“Damned straight!” I laughed with him.

He became quiet for a moment as we stopped by a tree. “Me too…” he said quietly as I leant back against the tree.

I suddenly became very aware of the full moon overhead, the stars twinkling, the light breeze wafting around us…and of just how alone we were in that moment. Pogo leant forward, placing his hands on the tree either side of my head as our breathing became heavy and uneven.

“Stephen,” I swallowed and bit my lip nervously. “I…”

“Shhh,” he murmured softly, a gentle smile tugging at his mouth as he leaned in. “Don’t spoil it with words…”

So I didn’t. I let him lean in and kiss me longingly, pressing me against the tree as he deepened the kiss further. A soft moan escaped my lips as he nipped at my lower lip…his teeth sharper than I’d thought. I pouted when he pulled back but understood why when he held up one finger and a moment later we heard wolf-whistles emanating from our right…where the rest of the guys had been spying on us.

I blushed lightly and smiled shyly up at Pogo, gasping softly when I saw his canines retract…or did I just imagine that? Yup, that’s definitely it…I’m going nuts…

“Um…” I frowned as I tried to think of a logical conclusion.

“Something wrong?” he asked, gently trailing a finger down my cheek.

I smiled and shook my head. “No, nothing.”

“Good, coz…” he smiled seductively and whispered against my lips. “I want to do that again…”

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Am I going alright with this one? ;)