I shake my head. I wish I had a better answer to give him. But honestly, I still have no idea how any of this will wind up playing out. I’m afraid to trust my heart blindly again.
He nods and says nothing more. We play together for hours, laughing and falling back into that comfortableness we’ve had since the first day we met. Only, we’d never let anyone see our true relationship. Eventually Duff and his date come out and join us, and the two guys battle it out on the guitars, cursing and drinking beer. It’s not until Dylan walks back out into the lounge and eyes us strangely that I realize the relationship that Flynn and I have is starting to bleed through. We’re no longer able to hide the bond that has grown between us, even when we try.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Flynn
The last of my anonymity fades into oblivion as we walk into Club Sixty-Six in Vegas. In Like Flynn has toured before—I’d even been on TV—but after only a few weeks with Easy Ryder the vague recognition I was used to seeing on people’s faces changed into instant identification.
Mick looks over at me as a group of women swarm us the minute we walk inside. Together we sign autographs on the way to the VIP area. More than one woman slips me her number. Instead of tempting me, it makes me wonder if Dylan really does indulge when Lucky isn’t around. It’s not really a question one can ask directly without raising suspicion.
“I can understand why no one brings their wives and girlfriends on for the whole tour,” I say to Mick as we reach the bar and order two shots. We’re the first two from the band here.
The bartender pours two tequila shots and Mick lifts one into the air with a toast. “Over the gums and down the hatch, keep the wives at home and collect the snatch.”
I drink to his anthem with a chuckle, but then step out on a limb. “How is all that gonna work when Lucky’s shacked up in the bus permanently?”
“It’ll slow Dylan down, that’s for damn sure. But I’d bet the bus it doesn’t stop him from his visits with Jamie.”
“Jamie?” I don’t let on that Duff has already filled me in.
“Retired porn star. Been seeing her for a decade. Mark my words, Ryder will go missing one night while we’re here in Sin City.” He motions to the bartender for another round. “No ring is going to change that shit.”
Ring? A figure of speech, I hope. “Him and Lucky aren’t engaged.”
“Not yet. Think he’s planning on popping the question when we get out to LA.”
I only realize how much I drank when I stand to go in search of a men’s room and stumble up the step from the sunken bar. Turning back, I curse the step. “Who put that fucking thing there?”
Shit just goes downhill from there. Returning to the bar, I find Dylan, his arm wrapped around Lucky’s tiny waist. Even the simple touch bothers me tonight. Maybe it’s the familiarity his hands have on her body, I’m not really sure, but I find myself staring at his fingers. I’ve known what I was getting myself into from the get-go, yet anger bubbles from within tonight.
A petite young woman with dark hair, tan skin and pale blue eyes works at capturing my attention from a few feet away. Her eyes are so pale, with lashes so thick and dark, they hold me captive for a beat too long. She smiles, her tongue swiping over her glossed lips, then she leans in and whispers something to her friend.
My attention is diverted from the pretty little lady when Dylan says something to Lucky I can’t hear and then kisses her on the lips. The alcohol has slowed my response time and, when he releases her mouth, he turns and finds me staring. His eyes meet mine, and in some sort of unspoken challenge, he turns back to Lucky and kisses her again. Really kisses her.
I clutch the beer bottle in my hand so tightly I’m surprised it doesn’t break. Pale Eyes calls my attention away from the car accident in front of me. “Are you…Flynn Beckham?”
“That’s me.” I smile¸ turning on the charm. “And you are…let me guess…the woman with the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen.”
Pale Eyes giggles innocently, but the way she’s looking at me is in stark contrast to the sound. “I have tickets to the show tomorrow night.” She takes a step closer and runs the nail of her pointer finger down my chest.
It’s been a while, but it’s just like riding a horse…so to speak. “And what are your plans for tonight?”
Her eyes light up and she cocks her head coyly. “Whatever you want.”
Duff chuckles next to me. “Don’t forget your old pal Duff.” He turns to Pale Eyes’ friend and says, “You and me should probably stay with them. Looks like they could use a chaperone.”
If I wasn’t feeling like such a selfish bastard at the moment, Lucky’s face would shred me alive. Instead, I focus on the hand still wrapped possessively around her waist. I raise my eyes to meet hers before speaking to Pale Eyes, although my gaze doesn’t leave Lucky’s. “I’m starving. Haven’t had anything to eat since this morning. What do you say we get out of here and take care of my appetite?”
Who knew blowing off a woman would be more difficult than picking her up? After a quick bite to eat, Duff is steering the ladies back to the hotel room we’re sharing tonight, only I have no desire to join in on the festivities.
The elevator dings and the doors slide open at our floor. “Think you can host the party without me for a little while?” I ask, my arm holding the door in its pocket, allowing the trio to step out of the car, but I don’t join them.
“You’re not coming?” Pale Eyes giggles. “I was hoping we’d both be coming.”
“I need to take care of something. Duff will entertain you while I’m gone. Right, Duff?”
Slinging an arm around each woman’s neck, he grins from ear to ear. “You won’t even know he’s gone. I’m that good at entertaining.”
I remove my arm, letting the elevator glide closed. After an hour with those two, I’m positive neither will be upset I have no plan on returning. A night with any member of the band and a signed-postcard departing gift would be enough. The face that came with the evening wasn’t important to them.
Inside the lobby bathroom, I splash water on my face and stare at myself in the mirror. What the fuck am I doing? Everything I’ve ever wanted is right in front of me. Playing to sold-out stadiums, women with expectations of nothing more than a good time, traveling with a band of guys who are as passionate about music as I am. And I’m doing what? Leaving a very ready and beautiful woman and instead fucking up the chance of a lifetime by going down on the lead singer’s girl while he sleeps five feet away.
Inhaling a deep breath, I gather my thoughts, tuck them away in the back of my mind and do the only thing I know I won’t regret doing in the morning. Getting shitfaced in the bar.
The next morning I wake sprawled between two chairs in the dark lounge. Vaguely, I remember Brett trying to get me to vacate the bar at closing time, but by then I wasn’t even capable of putting one foot in front of the other. A wad of bills stuffed in the bartender’s hand later, I was in the quiet, dark bar—just me and my good old friend Jack. Daniels, to be specific.
A jolt of pain grips my skull as I straighten to upright. The new position arouses the slumbered headache that’s been lurking in the back of my head. “Fuck,” I grumble. My mouth taste like shit, my body aches from sleeping on a goddamn chair, and if the empty bottle wasn’t next to me reminding me of just how much I drank last night, there’s a good chance I’d think I had a brain aneurysm detonating in my head right now. Not to mention, my bladder might explode if I don’t get my shit together and go in search of a bathroom.
Elbows on my knees, I drop my head into my hands and let a string of curses fly before finally standing my ass up. What the hell time is it anyway?
The artificial light in the hallway causes a throb behind my eyeballs. That’s new. I squint to shield my retinas from the fluorescent glow and find the nearest bathroom. After relieving myself of a gallon of alcohol, I realize it’s still early in the morning and I haven’t slept for very long. Unfortunately, my natural alarm clock doesn’t seem to have an off button, and has gotten me up somewhere between drunk and hung over. You’re supposed to sleep through this shit.