Lynn and Leif Forevermore Ch. 04

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Lynne was having such fun performing, even singing Karaoke. She needed that rush of adrenaline, it was the only place where she felt unconditional love. On that stage, somehow, someway, she had the power to touch people, and if only for that moment, their eyes were focused on her, and they loved her. Absolutely loved her. And she felt in control of the situation. She knew she had control issues, but...she liked being able to control a situation, after having been controlled for so long.

And Leif, if he ever was going to learn to be a decent performer, needed to learn how to control a crowd. So before he'd have a chance to decline, she cued the next song, Ain't nothing like the real thing, by Marvin Gaye, and Tammi Terrell.

Leif claimed that he could not sing, but somehow, she figured he must at least be able to carry a tune if he could play the guitar. And, if he really couldn't sing, and she sensed it, she would be there to bail him out. The stage was the true place where she felt in command, where she knew she had all the experience in the world. As long as the sound was good, on her stage, she controlled the outcome.

He'd confided his fear of performing in her, and she almost felt it was her duty to show him, how very sexy he was, and if he was as talented as he'd led her to believe, and the only problem was stage fright, those looks and charisma should lead him to be able to capture an audience.

She could see Leif recognized the song, because he drummed the table in anticipation.

"Well, Tammi needs her Marvin to sing the song. What did you think I'd sing it solo," she called from the stage.

She then, leapt out into the crowd, and began singing as she weaved between the small cluster of tables near the front of the stage.

"I've found my Marvin Gaye. Every Tammi Needs a Marvin," she added.

Leif look panic stricken.

"I've got you. It's okay baby I got you. I won't let you fail," she offered gently extending her hand.

She was more than ready to just go up and sing the song by herself if he was that frightened and wouldn't follow her lead. However, the fact that he placed his hand in hers told her so much about his personality.

The warmth surged through her as she guided him up to the Karaoke stage.

She could feel that his hand was clammy, because he was nervous.

They'd missed Marvin's part when she was gathering him from the audience.

So she led Tammy's verse. She grabbed him firmly by the waist, and looked up into his gorgeous blue eyes. Sure, staring into those blue eyes was part of the drama to get the Karaoke folks worked up into the performance. But his blue eyes were working on her, stirring her even has she tried to get the audience worked up, and "into" their performance.

She stroked his chiseled face, and broke into,

"Ain't nothing like the real thing baby,"

She could see, his eyes searching hers, and she knew, that even though he was familiar with her singing style, she still held him spellbound by her voice. Good thing for him, she was spell bound by how handsome he seemed, and the more she stared at him, the more she liked, even those messy blonde dreadlocks.

She sang with all her heart and conviction, as though she believed the words that Tammi sang to Marvin on wax. Maybe she already felt those feelings for Leif.

When her part was over, Leif's face was an inch from her own. And, rather than sing along, he looked as though he wanted to kiss her.

Words bounced around on the Karaoke screen. Her face was an inch from his own, and he was disorienting her, with the clean smell of his bath soap, lingering, on his cheek, but he did not distract her so much that she missed their cues.

"Babe, it's your line now, come on, you've gotta keep up," she teased.

She was always a natural performer. It had come that easy. Since she was around ten, giving her first "shows" for other children in the neighborhood.

The audience chuckled at their banter.

"Hell no babe, I'm a guitarist, I don't sing, can't believe I'm up here," he added in rhythm to the song, spoken rhythm, no singing for him.

"I'll let you kiss me goodnight, if you sing the damn song," she chided.

"I read your letters, when you're not here, but they don't move me, they don't groove me like when I hear, your sweet voice whispering in my ear," sang Leif, albeit quietly.

Damn. That fool could sing. Really? He blew her mind. While he wouldn't steal the spotlight from her, as a lead singer he had an excellent voice to be a guitarist. He probably sang as well as the lead vocalist in his band. She hadn't heard the lead vocalist, but she knew music, and she knew voices, and unless the lead dude in Duce Dutchies sang like Robert Plant, or Chris Cornell, Leif would probably vocally demolish the other dude if he practiced.

Why was this boy hiding all his talent.

When it was her turn, rather than sticking strictly to the script, she sang,

"Don't he sound real good ya'll give him a 'round cause he's really shy,"

And the crowd clapped so hard, the whole bar was clapping in unison.

"I play the game, a fantasy, I pretend, I'm not in reality. I need the shelter of your arms to comfort me," sang Lynne.

This time, when his lines came around, he was much more confident. He grabbed her, firmly by her petite waist, almost lifting her off the ground, and pulling her close into the circle of his arms, as he sang.

Then it was her turn to sing.

While she was singing he whispered.

"I should kill you for bringing me up here against my will. But you're as sexy as hell up here,"

His hot breath, whispering in her ear like that, with all those eyes looking on made a tingle rise straight through her core, and she squirmed, he aroused her so much and made her so nervous she was flustered, and her voice cracked, but with years of skill, she expertly disguised it as a vocal trill.

Then together they sang:

"No other sound, is quite the same as your name, no touch can do half as much, to make me feel better, so let's stay together,"

They sang until the music on the Karaoke track faded, and ended to thunderous applause.

Lynne, the veteran show-woman did a three quarter curtsey, and then, said into the Microphone, I think Mr. Leif should take his bow too.

"Thank ya'll so much,"

The crowd shouted, "More, more, more".

She always left them in a frenzy.

She took the Mic one more time.

"If ya'll want more, you gotta come on and see me at Gray's Alley tomorrow. Or else, I'll be back in a few days, singing on this damn machine again,"

The crowd chuckled.

She exited the stage to let someone else have a turn, but she always knew once she'd blessed the crowd, no one else touched that microphone for the rest of the night.

Leif exited the stage directly after her.

She was nervous as to what he might say, or if he'd be mad at her for pushing him out there, despite the fact that he had a nice voice and could have a budding stage presence if he wasn't so shy.

"You're crazy as hell, and I like you so much," he murmured, grabbing her on the small of her back.

He pulled her forward, crushing her body to his.

He cupped the back of her neck with the other hand, and with his lips just inches from her own, started to lean in and kiss her, and she trembled a little bit, and turned to offer him her cheek.

It wasn't that she didn't want to feel those small but shapely lips upon her own. It was that she felt nervous, shy and scared, as though she was a little kid, who'd stirred up slightly more than she was prepared to handle.

He turned her on so much just by touching the small of her back she was scared to let him kiss her. Terrified. She felt like a thirteen year old on her first date. And metaphorically, because she only had one boyfriend, and they'd had a strange relationship, she wasn't that far off.

"I...I know how to be a gentleman," he groaned, and he kissed her forehead lightly, with a little bit of force, that was halfway between a kiss, and a sensual suck.

"That's all I'll require for now," he added huskily his hand in the small of her back once more, and then he kissed her cheek.

"I'll just keep kissing your face and stay away from your lips for now, until you are ready," he added arduously. He leaned over and kissed her cheek with that same tender relish that was halfway between a kiss and a firm suck.

When it seemed as though he was ready to lean in and peck her ear, a wave of longing quaked her thighs, and seemed to spread clear between her buttocks.

Oh my, oh my, she'd never felt such passion before with a real, live man!

She was scared! She didn't know it was possible to feel like that around a real live man. She knew she lacked sexual experience, having only been with one man before, but she felt dampness on her panties, and she'd never really been damp with her ex. She only was damp after playing with her toys. This real life man, was scaring the hell out of her.

"Ummm...okay...this is moving a little fast for me...let's.....Hey, do you like games...I have the high score on frogger...over there...highest score of anyone in the bar...that's an old school game...I bet no one knows how to play it but me...that's why I have the high score....because it's so old....I love old school games," she said, in a voice that she realized sounded like a panic stricken maniac and she practically ran in the corner to the video game console, anything to be away from the magnetic heat of his kisses on her face.

"If....if that's supposed to be turning me off, it's having the opposite effect. You scared of a little kiss? On your face. No lips. No tongue? A little kiss makes you nervous? A grown up sexy woman like you? I'm....I'm even more intrigued. Are you a good girl Lynne? I like good girls. Can't say I ever knew one as good as you are, but I can wait for you. We can cool it down for a sec. Sure....sure, we can play frogger. I know all about Atari. Those are the only games my old ass brother knows how to play. You're too young to be playing an old ass game like frogger,"

She chuckled with laughter.

"I love old ass games. Old ass games are the best games. You should see the collection I own," said Lynne.

"I was hoping to get that slight little snort that you do when you are really tickled," he said.

"Don't make fun of me...I hate that I snort when I laugh. I normally try to hide it until I'm close to someone," she quipped punching his arm.

"No, when you snort, its cute as hell," he added.

"Thank you...I...Maybe I feel a little close to you if I let you hear me do it sometimes, and I don't realize it," she added softly, huskily.

"I'm glad you feel close to me. I already feel so close to you that it's a little scary, in the most wonderful way I could ever imagine. I'm gonna grab us a few beers and I'll be back to beat you at frogger, get the game set up," he teased.

He stroked the crown of her hair and brushed his nose in it. She felt him smelling her but it was a tender feeling, full of reverence.

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