Bombshell: A BWWM Romantic Suspense

Chapter One

Wake up, we’re here, Holly said.

Jana Peters opened her eyes, then grabbed onto the dashboard as Holly’s car bounced off the highway onto the rutted dirt lot. As Holly slowed down, Jana saw that they’d arrived. Peering out through the fogged window, she read the marquee above the bar.

Talent Show Tonight!

$500 Grand Prize

Holly brought her car to a stop directly in front of the steps leading to the bar and left the engine idling. This is it, girl. Jana reached for the plastic bag at her feet overstuffed with her performance clothes and tried to summon the courage to get out of the car, but it didn’t come. A couple talking loudly walked by and headed up the steps. Jana watched them move past the smoker’s congregating near the entrance then disappear inside. It was Friday night, so it didn’t surprise her that the parking lot was packed and the crowd inside would be near capacity. She tried not to think about how many people would be watching her, judging her.

Well, are you getting out? Holly sounded tense, impatient.

Jana dropped her chin to her chest. She couldn’t disappoint her friend. It was time to suck it up. She nodded and reached for the door handle, pushing it open a few inches. A wave of cold hit her, and it had nothing to do with the chill mountain air outside. Stage freight. She’d battled it her whole life. She loved to sing, alone. Not in front of others. That’s why she’d become a teacher, after all, and not a professional singer, like her mom.

Jana squeezed her eyes shut. Get a grip. This talent show is your only option. Holly’s not going to let you hide out in her apartment forever.

What’s wrong with you girl, you look white as a white person.

Pushing away an urge to be sick, Jana sucked in air, then unbuckled herself. I’m alright, just pre-show jitters.

Once Holly’s car was out of site, Jana squared her shoulders and climbed the wooden steps, as she raised the hood of her jacket and dropped her hair over her face. The place was packed with people, which Jana considered a small comfort. For once, she didn’t stand out. In one corner of the room, a line of people waited to register for the talent show. She took her spot, keeping a safe distance from a stout man with an accordion strapped to his belly in front of her. She kept her head down and her thoughts to herself as she waited her turn.

When she got to the front of the line, a joyless middle-aged woman with leathery skin and a scowl to match snatched the two twenty dollar bills out of her hand and stuffed them crossly into a two-gallon plastic jar. Jana felt a rush of excitement at the sight of all that money in one place. If she could win the contest, then the money would be hers.

The sour-faced woman scanned the form indifferently, then appeared to smell something unpleasant under her nose. Bombshell? she said.

Jana lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. Since she’d ask Holly to spread a rumor around town that she’d left town to help a sick relative. She didn’t want to put down her real name on the registration form, so she used the nickname Jimmy had given her. She looked the woman straight in the eye and held her gaze. Yes, that’s correct.

The woman gave a disdainful smirk but blinked first. Jana pushed past her and handed her sheet music to the man behind the piano. An eyebrow shot up as he stared curiously at the hand-written arrangement inked in her exacting and careful font. She assumed he’d never been asked to play an arrangement written on sheets torn from a yellow legal pad before, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her. She held her head high and didn’t flinch. Finally, he let out a little laugh and smiled.

Sure, I can do this, but you better hurry up.

Jana gave him a questioning glance. He motioned her to step closer. She did. He leaned forward and lowered his voice. Old fish face over there loves to disqualify contestants by making them miss their queue, so if you’re planning on changing clothes - don’t dilly dally. She doesn’t give refunds.

Thank you, Jana said. She scrambled through the crowds and prayed there’d be a place to change. The backstage was just a storeroom filled crates of liquor and ten or so contestants. Jana went to the ladies room and squeezed herself into the tiny stall.

By the time she’d managed to pry Holly’s too small dress over her full-size body, and then strap on Holly’s size ten ballroom dancing shoes on her size eleven feet while bouncing on one leg and holding onto the top of the stall door – she was completely out of breath. The strap dug painfully into her heel, but she didn’t care. She welcomed it. The pain would help her focus.

Once out of the stall, she stuffed her jeans and street clothes into the plastic trash bag, the bent down to look into the mirror. She touched up her makeup, then tried to fix her hair. Hopeless. She reached into the bag and pulled out Jimmy’s wig. She shook it out and admired the soft blonde Marilyn Monroe curls. Outside her door, she heard the muffled sound of someone at the microphone. They were starting soon – she needed to get to the backstage and be ready. They could call her first.

She held the wig up to her face. It seemed wrong, somehow, disingenuous, dishonest to put a blonde wig on a black girl. She shook her head. She didn’t have time for this. Just do it. She pulled it on.

The wig was from Jimmy’s drag queen collection. It was expensive, he kept reminding her, and she could understand why. It was quite stunning, soft real hair. Jana admired the way the light curls fell against her deep honey brown skin.

She tucked her black hair out of sight and took stock. She didn’t recognize herself – it was if she was looking at someone else. Even the nerves, her fears, her stage fright seemed to have vanished with her black hair. Bombshell has no fear. Go knock ‘em dead.

Throwing her head back confidentially, Bombshell walked into the backstage area, prepared to win the competition.

Chapter Two

On the way to his fishing cabin, Merrick Flynn stopped at the large country bar to get something for dinner. He knew his cabin wouldn’t be stocked with much since he’d neglected to inform the caretakers that he was coming for the weekend.

The nightclub hummed with the Friday night crowd and all the tables were taken. He didn’t want to sit at the bar and was about to order his food to go when he spotted a party getting up from their table near the front of the room. He snagged it and put his jacket on the back of his chair, then looked around for a server.

When she arrived a few moments later, she jutted out one hip and gave him a sexy smile. Well, Hello, handsome, she said, flipping her hair.

Merrick lifted both eyebrows and gave her the once-over. She was pretty, in a hard sort of way, like a girl who worked out daily and hit the tanning bed even more frequently. His first thought as usual was what she’d be like in his bed, and his second thought was, could she handle him. Hello, he replied.

I haven’t seen you before. Don’t tell me you’re just passing through.

I have a fishing cabin. I come around from time to time, he said, giving her a meaningful glance.

Her eyes flashed knowingly as a sexy smile stretched her tight face. I like fishing, but only if the fish are big. On the last words, she leaned over, to get a better glance at his package.

Merrick’s lips curved into a wicked smile and his voice dropped an octave. Honey, I’ve got the biggest fish you’ve ever seen.

A spark of excitement flashed through her eyes, and her lips parted into a curious O shape. He knew that she’d seen the outline of his flaccid, yet impressive member, and he liked the way it affected her.

Tina! Stop flirting with the customers, yelled a man’s voice from behind Merrick. Merrick turned his head casually and saw a bartender, glaring at his server.

Whatever, Sam, she said.

The server named Tina, stopped flirting long enough to take his order, then she hurried off.

Energized by the unexpected round of flirting, Merrick reconsidered his original plans for the weekend. He’d run off from work without even telling his staff what he was up to, to have a chance to decompress and re-evaluate everything in his life. He’d intended to do some fishing and maybe go hiking, and then do some work from the cabin.

He hadn’t thought about another way to decompress. He’d been so busy dealing with one construction or talent crisis after another that he’d seriously neglected his cock. Maybe all he really needed to get unstuck and move forward with his life was to indulge in a weekend of serious fucking. He hoped Tina was as interested as she appeared.

When Tina arrived with his food, he played it cool, thanking her for the food without another fishy innuendo. He’d learned from the best – his younger half-brother Tony, a total player from New Jersey. According to Tony, chicks preferred men who didn’t come off desperate. Act like you could take them or leave them, and they’ll want to go home with you every time, he’d say.

Will that be all? she said, trying to make him set the hook.

No, I’m fine.

Merrick started to take in the rest of the bar and sensed her falter. He was reeling her in. Are you sure? she asked, her voice turning seductive.

Merrick gave a noncommittal shrug as if to say, "whatever." Merrick caught the look in her eye as her confidence dropped for a split second and wondered for a moment if he’d hurt her feelings, gone too far, with his tough guy persona. He resisted the urge to apologize and try and make her feel better and was rewarded when she tossed her hair and made another attempt.

I mean, I’d like to see you – and catch that fish, she said winking in a meaningful way in the direction of his lap. That was enough for Merrick to respond. She’d taken the bait and he had her hook, line, and sinker. It was time to reel her in.

Oh, yeah? he said, lifting one eyebrow mischievously, still being careful to control the drag on the line.

Yeah, she said a little breathlessly. He saw her small rack heaving behind her tight shirt. Here, let me give you my number. She took a napkin from the tray she’d set down on his table and grabbed a pen. As she wrote, she bent from her waist and gave Merrick a perfect view of slight but perky cleavage, and started to write. He didn’t watch what she was writing because his eyes were glued to the hardening nipples poking against her blouse.

When she was done writing, she stood up and folded the napkin. She held it out to him, her eyes dancing with excitement. Merrick lifted his hand to take the note, but she whipped her hand away and let it fall to the ground.

Whoopsies. She bent her hand against her chest as if to say, I’m such a clumsy wumsy little girl. Charmed, yet unsure how this game was supposed to be played, Merrick started to lean forward to pick up the note, but she stopped him with an open palm. She dropped down into a deep knee bend and reached for the letter herself. But, instead of going for the paper, she put her hand on his knee and locked eyes with him.

His pulse quickened as he watched her fingertips begin a long slow creep up his leg. He flexed his quads and smiled to himself as she licked her lips.

As her fingers got closer to their target, Merrick felt the blood rush to his cock. When her fingers found his rapidly hardening tip farther down the pant leg then most men could boast, he let out an involuntary moan of pleasure, as she let out a squeal of elation, and her eyes went wide.

Told you, Merrick whispered.

Oh, my God, she replied, not quite in a whisper.

Her breathing was becoming more strained, probably from holding the deep knee bend for so long, but that didn’t stop her eager hand from measuring and squeezing his ever growing length. The more she touched him, the bigger he got, and with each pulse of growth, his jeans become uncomfortable as he watched her eyes bulge. If she was excited now, he wondered how she’d react when she could see it free of his jeans.

Probably the way most of his potential lovers reacted. Hell, no, I don’t think so, and you’re way too big to fit.

Merrick caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He was in a public place. Maybe he shouldn’t be doing this? He stiffened and pulled his hips away from the girl as she squeezed and pressed and pulled at his cock through his now unbearably tight jeans.

Relax, Tina whispered, No one’s watching.

Merrick wanted to believe her. His cock wanted him to believe her. His cock wanted him to lighten up, live a little, and give the girl a chance. But he was still nervous. He leaned forward to grab his drink. Beer at lips, he peered over the rim of the glass trying to see if he was giving a free show. She was right, it appeared, and no one was paying any attention to them.

See, told you so, she said.

Sweat broke out on his forehead as she continued to rub him down. She seemed to notice his discomfort inside his jeans. Calmly, she used her free hand to reach for his jacket which hung over the back of his chair. He got the hint and grabbed it, and used it to cover both his lap and her hand.

For a moment, Merrick thought that this might work, the idea of public sex sending even more blood to his growing cock. He lifted his hips and reached between his legs, adjusting his cock. While his hands were down there, he tried to unbutton the top button of his jeans, but she shoved his hand away.

Merrick shrugged and picked up his beer, scanning for possible onlookers as he took a few more drinks. Beside him, her breathing was getting louder. Her one-track mind hadn’t faltered, however, despite the physical strain. One hand continued to work his length while the other attempted to remove the next button.

He’d never tried the public sex thing before, but he was starting to understand the attraction. Just the possibility of getting caught seemed to arouse the shit out of him. His cock throbbed as every drop of blood in his body rushed to the scene of the crime. But, when the second button finally popped free and he felt her cold fingers graze the skin at the top of his boxers, his logical law abiding brain finally took over. Stop, you idiot, you could go to jail for this.

He clamped his fingers around her wrist even as her hand threatened to disappear into his pants. She shot him a surprised, disappointed look.

I’m sorry, Tina, not here, not now.

She shrugged and pulled her hand out of his pants. The jacket almost fell to the floor, but Merrick caught it in time. His cock twitched in agony and called him a traitor, but the rest of Merrick’s mind and body let out a sigh of relief. He’d dodged a bullet.

He helped Tina stand up, and watched her tugged her skirt back down her legs. She picked up her tray and held it high in the air. She bent down again, from the waist until her lips grazed his ear. Don’t forget to call me, big boy. You’ve got my number. She nodded in the direction of the note, still lying on the floor then left. As his cock deflated and his heartbeat returned to normal, he wondered if Tina performed that service for all of her male customers. If she did, he could see that increasing her tip money.

While he ate his food, the phone rang. What? Merrick said.

Nice to talk to you too, bro.

"I’m busy, what