The crowd screamed as I bowed. We’d been playing for over two hours, and I was exhausted, but finally my head had shut up. I hadn’t seen Johnny at all, and I was relieved. The crowd was record breaking, all of them singing along with us.
“Thank you so much, Outrigger!” I screamed into my headset. They screamed back at me, and then quieted when I held my hand up so I could talk. “Tonight was our last night here, and it’s been amazing. We can’t wait to come back again and play. But after tonight, we’re headed back home to practice to go on tour! Isn’t that amazing? We’re beyond stoked to tour with Halestorm, and if I’m honest, I’m fangirling over it. I mean, it’s fucking Halestorm, right?”
The deafening sound cleared out the last of the memories in my head. “So to finish up tonight, I thought I’d sing one of my favorites from them. Hell, all of their songs are my favorites. But as a tribute to them, and for the years I’ve been idolizing them, without further ado, here’s ‘Love Bites.’
We rocked for the next three minutes. Every time I screamed into the crowd they screamed back. I jumped around the stage, giving it my all. What I wouldn’t give to be on stage singing along with Lzzy Hale as she did this song.
I waved one more time and headed down the hallway to the room, downing two bottles of water in quick succession. The guys filed in after me, all of us pumped from a great show.
“You were epic tonight, Bex,” Ryver fist bumped me, followed by Tanner and then Beau. Beau eyed me, but I turned away from him. I didn’t have time for him to try to read my current mood. I was fine now. “Whatever got you into beast mode, let’s keep that shit up.”
I laughed. If only they knew. “Thanks, guys. What’s on the agenda tonight?” It was just after eleven, and I didn’t want to go back to the room. I told myself it was because I was pumped after the show, but I knew the real reason.
Ryver wiggled his eyebrows. “Groupies.” Tanner cackled and they high-fived.
“Hell yeah,” he agreed. “Those girls out there are hardly wearing any clothes. I say we celebrate.”
Beau was still watching me, not saying a word. I knew he wouldn’t follow the guys out there. Just then, Natalie appeared.
“Fantastic show,” she said. “What do you guys think of going out and signing some autographs? I got security all lined up to keep the crowd controlled.”
“Sounds good,” I said immediately, causing four sets of eyes to swing to me. I hardly ever wanted to play nice with fans. Not that I didn’t appreciate them, because I did, but it was hard for me to be around so many people at once.
“Really?” Natalie eyed me.
“Yeah. Let’s do it. Then I want to crash. What time are we headed out tomorrow?” We lived in the area, but still a good forty-five minutes away from the beach.
“Whenever you want to,” Natalie said. “Check out is flexible.”
I thought of waking up next to Johnny and giving him head as a wake-up call. What the hell is your problem? No! Abso-fucking-lutely not! Never in my life had I woken up next to a man—willingly. I sure as shit wasn’t starting now. I shook my head to rid myself of the ridiculous thoughts.
I looked at myself in the mirror. My cheeks were flushed, and my hair was wet on the ends from sweat. The only time I looked alive was after I played. “Let’s go out there. I want to eat something, too.” As if on cue, my stomach growled. I hadn’t eaten since last night. I’d been in no condition to do anything earlier today.
We’d been hanging out and signing things for fans for over an hour. Natalie had secured us a table, and we were now sitting and eating. I still hadn’t seen Johnny. I’d seen the other guy, I thought his name was Cal.
The roadies were breaking down our set and loading things up so we’d be ready to head out tomorrow. I’d be glad to sleep in my own bed again. I lived with Beau and Natalie, as I had for all of my adult life. They got me and knew I needed space, but they were there when I needed them to be.
“You okay?” Natalie slid into a seat next to me, sipping her beer. We were drinking tonight, celebrating our fantastic show.
I turned to her, narrowing my eyes on her. She knew how I felt about her asking me that shit in public. “Fine,” I spat, turning my body away from her. It was a wonder she stayed with me at all, the way I treated her.
“Sorry,” she mumbled. I didn’t say anything. I chugged my beer, shoving my chair back.
“I’ll be right back.”
Natalie’s eyes met mine. “Where are you going?”
“To the fucking bathroom. Is that okay, Mom?”
Beau’s head snapped up. “Don’t be a cunt, Bex.” He was the only one other than Natalie that would stand up to me. Ryver and Tanner watched in silence. Smart men.
I flipped him off and walked away to the bathroom. I flung open the door, holding on to the sink as I stared at myself in the mirror. I forced myself to take deep breaths. It’s okay, I chanted to myself over and over until I felt my body start to relax.
I stretched my neck from side to side, breathing out as the tension started leaving my body. I flung open the door and ran directly into a brick wall. At least, that’s what it felt like. Stumbling back, I felt strong arms grab me. Fuck. Of course, it was him.
“Whoa,” he chuckled. “I’m used to women falling at my feet, but not like that.”
I ripped my arm away from his. “Shut up. What are you doing, stalking the women’s bathroom?”
He shrugged. “Natalie told me you were in here.”
“Why? Why do you care?”
He sighed, running his hand through his dark hair. “I don’t know.”
“Well stop,” I said, shouldering my way past him. “We won’t see each other after tonight anyway.”
“You live not far from here,” he said.
I turned to face him again. “So? You told me yourself this was a weekend thing only. I don’t do relationships. And as of now, our weekend fling is over.”
“I never said I wanted a relationship with you,” he said, his nose flaring. So I was making him mad, too. Good.
“What do you want,” I seethed.
“I want to satisfy you again,” he said into my ear. Goosebumps spread over my body. “I gather you’ve had a shitty day. I think I have just the medicine you need to take it away. No matter what your words say, your body says something else. The way you’re leaning into me right now? Your body is betraying you. And I bet, just as I did earlier, if I touched you right now you’d be soaked. You on that stage tonight was hotter than the last two nights combined. Admit it, Bex. We’re good together.”
My eyes widened at his words, and he must’ve seen the panic in them. “Good sex together,” he clarified, grinding into me. “Take me to your room.”
I looked over at Natalie, who was watching our exchange. I turned away from her. “Fifteen minutes,” I said. Johnny lifted his eyebrow.
“Meet me there in fifteen minutes. Not a minute before or after,” I repeated. “Got it?”
“I’m going to do a lot of things to that sassy mouth, Bex. You better be ready for me.”
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me a puddle of desire.
I wrapped a towel around me, my hair dripping down my back. I’d had to shower first tonight. As hard as I’d performed, I’d been twice as sweaty as last night. Plus, I’d had to shave and exfoliate. If tonight was it with Johnny, I was going to make it count.
Tonight is it. It has to be. I’d had a long term ‘buddy’ before, but that never turned out well. Someone always got feelings. And that someone was never me.
A rapid knock on the door made me jump. I smiled. He was right on time. I loved controlling things.