Backstage Pass

Chapter 15

She carefully placed the little crab back in the sand and nudged it toward the surf. “Run for your life, Pinchy. I’ve seen the way this man eats.”

“Hey!” Brian grabbed her from behind, his fingers digging into her ribs. She laughed and struggled out of his grasp, taking off at a full sprint along the edge of the water. She could hear Brian’s steps just behind her. She slowed slightly so he could catch her. He collided with her back and she stumbled. Her arms shot forward to catch her fall, but Brian rescued her from an impending face-plant and scooped her up into his strong arms.

She laughed, slightly breathless, and gazed up at him.

“I almost bit the dust,” she said, “or I guess it would be sand. You rescued me.”

“Does this make me your hero?”

“You were already my hero.”

He grinned and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, right. I’ve never met a woman who needed saving less than you do.”

“That’s not true. You’ve saved me from loneliness.” She kissed him. “And s****l frustration.” And she hadn’t heard Jeremy’s accusations in her head for a while now.

He chuckled. “Then you must be my hero, too.”

She kissed him again, her arms stealing around his neck, her fingers intertwining with the long silky hairs at the nape of his neck.

“Don’t get me all worked up,” he murmured against her lips.

“Why not? We’ve got the beach all to ourselves.”

He groaned into her mouth and hugged her closer. She deepened the kiss. He pulled away. “That’s enough of that.”

He set her to her feet and she wobbled unsteadily. He took her hand and started walking again. She walked beside him silently, pondering his reluctance. This wasn’t like him. Had she done something wrong?

“Have you worked up the courage to ask yet?” he asked, scooping a piece of driftwood from the beach and flinging it into the waves.

“Huh?”

“Why I’m not rutting around on you in the sand yet?”

“Oh that. I hadn’t noticed.”

“We’re here to get to know each other better. And I don’t mean in the biblical sense of the word. We already know each other that way. I’ve decided no s*x until after the show tonight.”

“No s*x?”

“That’s right.”

“And why do you get to decide?”

He grinned. “It’s more of a personal challenge. Do you have any interest in getting to know me at all? Personally, I mean.”

“Can’t I just Google you? Isn’t your entire life somewhere online?”

He scowled. “Probably.”

She reached up and smoothed his forehead with her fingers. “Don’t make that face. Tell me how Sinners was formed.”

He glanced at her. “Do you want the real story or the more theatrical, online version?”

“The real story. I can always read the online version later.”

He smiled nostalgically. “Trey and I were the outcasts of Beverly Hills.”

“You lived in Beverly Hills?”

“Yeah, my dad got rich and famous when I was a kid and Trey’s dad is a plastic surgeon, so we lived in the Hills.”

“No s**t? I never would have guessed that in a million years.”

“We didn’t really fit with the other rich kids and everyone else on the planet hated us because we were rich. So we stuck together. We played guitar. A lot. In eighth grade, we started a failing band—”

“Crysys.”

He chuckled. “I thought you hadn’t Googled me.”

“One of Trey’s groupies mentioned it.”

“Ah. Anyway, we got seriously heckled during a party gig in the tenth grade. By Eric Anderson.”

“Eric Anderson?”

“He’s since changed his last name to Sticks.”

Myrna chuckled. “I always thought it was strange that a drummer had the last name Sticks.”

“Yeah, he’s lame that way and had it legally changed. Anyway, when he heckled us, Trey got so pissed. I honestly don’t think he’d ever been that pissed before. He dove off the stage and tore into Eric. Trey was always fighting back then, but this was beyond brutal. Blood everywhere. Shattered Eric’s cheekbone. Good thing Trey’s dad is a plastic surgeon.”

“Trey?” She found that hard to believe. He didn’t seem the type to hit someone that hard.

“Yeah, I was always breaking up his fights. I got my ass kicked more than once because of that chip on his shoulder. He’s chilled a lot in his old age.”

“Yeah, twenty-eight is ancient.” Myrna rolled her eyes at him.

“It’s a hell of a lot older than sixteen. Anyway, after he and Eric beat each other to a pulp at this chick’s birthday party, Trey said something like, ‘Yeah, well, if you can do better, why don’t you prove it?’ And Eric did. He’s f*****g gifted, you know?”

“He is a great drummer,” Myrna agreed.

“That’s what he plays now, but he can play guitar, too. Bass. Piano. Sax. Violin. Ukulele. Fuckin’ kazoo. You name it, Eric wails on it.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“And he has a fantastic voice. He sang and played bass for Crysys until Sed found us, and then he switched to drums permanently.”

Myrna’s brow furrowed. “Why did he switch to drums?”

“He’s the best drummer in the business. And… Sed gives him an inferiority complex.”

“Sed gives everyone an inferiority complex. The man has more self-esteem than fifteen supermodels combined. I think he was a monarch in his past life or something.”

“Henry the Eighth, probably.” He made a cutting motion across his throat complete with sound effects.

Myrna laughed.

“Sed’s always been confident like that,” Brian said. “He came up to us after a Crysys gig and insisted he was our new singer. Sixteen years old and he knew his place on the planet. He said he’d been looking for a band to front. Told Eric point blank that he didn’t have the star quality or looks to front a band and he should go hide behind the drum kit.”

Myrna flinched. “That was harsh.”

“He was right. We were going nowhere. If it weren’t for Sed, we’d still be playing birthday parties for spoiled rich girls. He had a plan, knew where he wanted to go, how to get there, and he made it work. For all of us. Sed changed the band’s name to Sinners and we searched for a bassist to replace Eric.”

“Jace.”

“Nope, we had a different bassist before Jace. Jace has only been with us for two years. Our first bassist was Jon Mallory—Eric’s best friend in high school. Unfortunately, Jon was usually too high to find the stage. If you could swallow it, snort it, smoke it or shoot it, he’d do it. We tried to help him get through it. He was in rehab half a dozen times, but he almost brought us all down with him, so we had to let him go. It was hard to kick him out of the band. Just making the decision was hard, but watching Sed tell him… f**k. That was brutal. He was like family, you know, especially to Eric. I feel sorry for Jace at times. He has big shoes to fill and Eric sure doesn’t make it easy for him.”

“Drugs and alcohol mess up so many lives.” She’d probably still be married to Jeremy if it weren’t for his drinking problem. “So how’d you find Jace?”

Brian smiled at her. “He came highly recommended by Trey’s older brother.” He winked. “Okay, your turn.”

“My turn?”

“This isn’t a one way conversation.”

“Wait. What do you mean he came highly recommended by Trey’s older brother? Wink. Wink. Were they lovers or something?”

Brian’s shocked expression was quickly replaced by raucous laughter. He stopped walking and wrapped his arms around his belly as he continued to laugh. She thought he’d fall into the sand and start rolling back and forth at any moment.

“What is so funny?”

Brian wiped tears of mirth from his eyes. “Oh God. I needed that laugh.”

He hugged her to his side, still chuckling sporadically.

“I still don’t understand what’s so funny. Trey is gay, isn’t he? I mean he doesn’t really look or act the part, but…”

Brian tugged her by the shoulders to face him and looked down at her. “Gay? No, not really. Trey is more of an equal opportunity lover. His brother is straighter than an arrow, however. And I think Jace would rather die than be with a man. Just picturing Jace Seymour and Darren Mills together struck me as hilarious.”

Darren Mills? Why did that name sound familiar to her?

Brian continued, “What I meant was Jace tried out for Dare’s band and they were going to hire him, but their original bassist decided to stay after all. So when Dare found out that we needed a bassist to replace Jon, he sent Jace our way. We were lucky to get him. I mean, he’s good enough to get an audition with Exodus End at the tender age of twenty-one. That’s pretty f*****g amazing.”

Myrna’s eyes widened. “Exodus End?” That’s where she knew the name Darren Mills. Or rather, Dare Mills. Her lead-guitarist-senses tingled at full throb.

“Please don’t tell me you’ve never heard of Exodus End.”

She grabbed him by both arms and gave him a vigorous shake. “Of course I’ve heard of Exodus End. What planet do you think I’m from? Do you know them? Personally?”

“Uh, yeah. Trey’s brother is their lead guitarist.”

“No s**t? You’re teasing me, aren’t you?” She didn’t know why she’d never connected Trey and Dare Mills. “Holy Toledo!”

“Holy Toledo?” He laughed at her sudden bout of fan-girlness. “Nope. Not teasing. You know, we’re opening for Exodus End at the end of June in Las Vegas. Maybe you’d like to meet him.”

Her heart rate accelerated. “Oh my God. I’ve died and gone to heaven. He’s the absolute best guitarist on the planet.”

“Hey…”

Brian was pouting again. Myrna patted his cheek affectionately. “I’m sorry, Brian, but he is.”

Brian chuckled. “You could at least pretend I’m the best while in my presence. Especially since I have your car keys.”

“You know I think you’re awesome.”

“On second thought, I won’t introduce you to him. Not only is he a better guitarist, he’s better looking, taller, more famous, richer. He’ll steal you away from me.”

“Not a chance.” She stood on tiptoe to kiss him, a contemplative look sliding into place. “Richer, you say?”

“All right, that does it.”

She squeaked in surprise when he lifted her off the ground and tossed her over his shoulder. He gave her ass a playful swat.

“You, Miss Evans, are being very naughty today.”

“I’m always naughty.”

“True. But today’s naughtiness is poking holes in my fragile ego.”

Myrna laughed and slid her hand down the back of his pants to toy with the smooth skin on his butt.

“None of that.” He pulled her hand out of his pants.

“Since when is your ego fragile?”

“Since I met you.”

“So is that the attraction?”

“Huh?”

“Well, I can’t help but wonder why you’re so interested in me when you can get much better looking and younger women who jump at your every command.”

“There are no better looking women than you. Though I admit most of my girlfriends have been younger. Okay, all of them have been younger. I didn’t know what I was missing.”

She slid her hand into the back of his pants again.

“What are you doing?” he asked, pulling her off his shoulder and setting her back to her feet.

“Convincing you to let me down.” She grinned up at him mischievously. “It worked.”

He shook his head at her. “You never do what I expect you to do.”

“Then maybe that’s the attraction.”

“Is it really so hard for you to believe that I’ve fallen for you for no reason whatsoever?”

“There has to be a reason.”

“It’s more like there is no reason for me not to fall for you. You’re everything I want.”

“I don’t think I’m cut out to be a rock star’s girlfriend.” It made her heart ache to say it, but it had been weighing on her mind a lot lately. The more she talked to Brian’s groupies, the more jealous she became. She knew he had no real interest in them, but they were so available and she knew she wasn’t there for him emotionally. What if he decided she wasn’t fun anymore? That he needed more than she could give him? Would he toss her aside? And why did that thought bother her so much anyway? It wasn’t as if they were serious.

He touched her cheek gently. “Then don’t be a rock star’s girlfriend. Be Brian Sinclair’s girlfriend.”

“They’re one and the same. Your life is so interesting and mine is so ordinary. Boring. I’m an over-educated farm girl from the Midwest.”

“And I’m a college dropout from the West Coast.”

“You went to college?”

“For one semester.”

“What did you study?”

“Girls, mostly.”

She poked him in the ribs. “Why did you drop out? You could have graduated Summa c*m Laude.”

“Sinners signed a record deal.”

“Wow, that young? Did your father help you get it? He must have millions of connections in the business.”

Brian laughed. “Here’s the thing about my dad. He never once encouraged my music career. We cut our first album with a small independent label and went on tour in a piece of s**t van for eight months. I’ve never been hungrier in my life. It didn’t help that Jon kept stealing our cash to feed his drug habit. When I finally swallowed my pride and asked my dad if he could offer some support, do you know what he said?”

“What?”

“If you really want to follow this dream, you need to suffer for it so it means something to you if you manage to reach the top. He wouldn’t even buy me new guitar strings. Ever try to play a solo missing your second string? Uh, yeah… Not good.”

“Did you hate him for that?”

“Nah, I thought I did, but now I realize he was right. If you don’t have to work for something, you just don’t appreciate it as much.”

Myrna nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I can understand that. That’s why I went for my PhD. My parents didn’t support me when I went to college. They thought I should get married and have kids. Stay home and raise them like a clone of my mother. So when I was in college, I worked my ass off at odd jobs while most of the traditional students had their tuition and bills paid by their parents. Going it on my own really did make me appreciate it more. I worked harder to get good grades, too. I wanted to prove I could do it.”

He hugged her. “See we do have more in common than great sex.”

“Fabulous sex.”

“Amazing sex.”

“Yeah, let’s have some of that right now.”

He squeezed her butt. “Not until after the show.”

“You know I love a challenge, right?” She closed the gap between them, her hand cupping his half-hard c**k through his pants. “I’m very determined to get what I want.”

“Something else we have in common.” He removed her hand from his crotch. “Will you watch the show tonight instead of interviewing the groupies?”

“Will you make it worth my while?”

“Do you have to ask?”

“Brian, I’m incredibly turned on right now.”

He groaned. “You don’t plan to make this easy on me, do you?”

“Do you have to ask?”

He stared at her for a moment, worrying his lips with his tongue. He looked ready to pounce on her and she was more than ready to be pounced on.

“Farmer’s daughter, huh? I know nothing about farming,” he said. “What’s that like?”

She sighed in exasperation. “You really are going to make me wait until tonight, aren’t you?”

“Yep.”

She turned and started walking back the way they’d come. They must have walked at least a mile down the beach. “Farming is boring,” she called over her shoulder. “That’s all you need to know.”

He jogged to catch up with her. “You’re not going to get out of this that easily. Tell me something about yourself.”

A rumble of thunder reverberated above. Myrna looked up at the black clouds. “I think we should make a run for it.”

“It’s too late. We’ll never outrun it.”

The first fat rain drops splattered across Myrna’s upturned face. “We’re going to get soaked.”

She dashed toward the car at a full run. When she reached the car, she tugged the door handle. Locked. Brian had the keys. She turned to find him sedately walking up the beach.

“Hurry!” The clouds opened wide and drenched her within seconds. “Brian, hurry!”

She could see him grinning to himself as the rain plastered his hair to his head and his shirt to the contours of his chest. He didn’t pick up his pace though. She stood there, shivering, waiting for him to open the car. When he finally reached her, he drew her chilled body against his, his strong hands splaying over her back.

“Open the door.” She reached behind her to grab the door handle.

“No.” His fingers sank into the wet strands of her hair, tilting her head back. He stared into her eyes until she released the door handle and slid her hands up his belly and chest. He lowered his head and kissed her, his fingers easing her dress’s zipper down. He brushed the straps of her sundress from her shoulders, exposing her breasts to the elements. Goose bumps rose to the surface of her skin and her n*****s ached as they beaded in the chilly air. Rivulets of rain trickled over her shoulders, between her breasts, down her belly. Brian lowered his head and collected water from her skin with his warm tongue. His mouth burned over her flesh.

Myrna groaned and reached for his fly. If she unleashed The Beast, she knew he would end her torment and possess her body with his. Hopefully right there on the cold, slick hood of her car. Before she could release the button of his jeans, he grabbed her wrists in a steely grip and pinned her arms to her sides.

“No,” he said.

He gazed up at her, water dripping from his nose and chin.

“No?”

“That’s what I said.”

He sucked her beaded n****e into his mouth. His hot tongue rubbed against her sensitive flesh, drawing moans of pleasure from her. She struggled to release her wrists from his grip, wanting to bury her fingers in his hair, but he refused to set her free. She jerked her body away from his devilish tongue, changed her mind, and twisted to offer him her other breast.

When he didn’t immediately draw it into his mouth, she looked down at him. His devilish grin made her heart throb.

“Do you want me to suck this one, too?” He stroked her neglected n****e with the tip of his nose.

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes, please.”

He drew the flat of his tongue over her offered n****e and she shuddered.

“I think my work here is done.” He stood straight and released her wrists.

“Oh no it’s not.” She threw her body against his, her fingers tangling in the wet strands of his hair, her mouth seeking his in a desperate kiss. He kissed her in return, while drawing the bodice of her dress to cover her breasts and zipping the garment at her back.

He pulled away all too soon. He looked up at the sky, blinking rain from his eyes. “I don’t think this rain is going to let up any time soon.” He retrieved the keys from his pocket and unlocked the car door. Before she could climb into the warm, dry interior of the car, he asked, “Have you changed your mind about going to L.A. with me yet?”

“Is that what this is about?”

“Nope. I just want you to want me really, really bad.”

“Mission accomplished.”

“We’re lost,” Myrna said. “Pull over and I’ll get directions.”

“We are not lost,” Brian said. “We’re in Tampa. That does not equal lost.”

“But we’re not at the stadium and your show starts in an hour.”

“I am aware of that.”

“Then stop being so stubborn and pull into that gas station. I won’t tell them you’re lost. I’ll nonchalantly ask them how to get to the stadium.”

“I’m not lost.” He released an exasperated breath and pulled into the gas station. “Just buy a map.” He handed her his wallet.

She sighed. She guessed rock stars were still men. Was there a man in existence who would admit he was lost? She hurried into the store, not caring that her hair looked like she’d stuck her tongue in an electrical outlet. While she purchased the map, she asked the clerk for directions.

Within minutes, she was back in the car with Brian. She handed him the map.

He started to unfold it. “What street are we on?” He glanced around as if expecting to find an arrow labeled “you are here” nearby.

“No idea. But the clerk said you should go about eight blocks that way.” She pointed down the street.

Brian grinned at her. “See. We weren’t too far off.”

“Then get on the interstate heading south. Take the third exit.”

“Oh…”

“Turn left and follow the signs. It’s about twenty minutes from here. Assuming we don’t get lost again.”

“Shit.”

He backed the car and headed in the direction Myrna had indicated. By the time they found the tour buses behind the stadium, it was nine-thirty.

They hurried up the bus steps and were confronted by Sed. “Where the f**k have you two been? The show starts in half an hour.”

“Get out of the way. I need a shower. You can yell at me later.” Brian shoved Sed aside and peeled his shirt off over his head as he headed for the bathroom.

“Well, hurry up!” Sed called unnecessarily.

Myrna followed Brian into the bathroom. If she was going to watch the performance, she needed a shower, too. She had sand in unimaginable locations and her once white dress was now a grimy shade of puce. Brian turned on the water in the tiny shower and unfastened his pants.

“Are you going to watch?” he asked.

“I’m going to join you.”

“I don’t have time for you to join me.” Now gloriously naked, he stepped into the shower.

“I need a shower, too. I’m filthy.”

Her dress and panties landed in a pile on top of her discarded sandals. She stepped into the shower behind Brian, who was lathering his hair with shampoo. She hadn’t planned on touching him, just sharing the flow of water, but when this man was naked and within reach, she couldn’t help herself. She kissed his shoulder and his entire body jerked.

“Myrna, please don’t. I’m already horny as hell. I don’t need to go on stage with a hard on.”

“It’s your fault for turning me down on the beach.” She pressed a kiss to the center of his back, the unpleasant taste of shampoo in her mouth. “And on the hood of the car.” She kissed his other shoulder. “And inside the car.” Her hands circled his body to slide up his belly. “And every hotel we passed for 70 miles.”

“Can I help it if my girlfriend always wants my body?” She could hear the smile in his voice.

“Like you don’t contribute to my uncharacteristic, insatiable appetite.”

“What do you mean, uncharacteristic?”

“Do you really think I usually need hours of s*x every single day? When I have a steady lover, thirty minutes twice a week is sufficient.”

“Really?” He turned to rinse his hair, scrubbing with both arms above his head. Her hands moved around him to massage his firm buttocks. She kissed his collarbone.

“So do I not satisfy you, or what?” he asked.

He knew better, but that ego of his needed constant feeding. “You always satisfy me. Now that I know how good it can be, I want you all the time.”

He grinned down at her. “I feel exactly the same way.” She didn’t believe him, but now was not the time to call him on his fib. He had to be on stage in twenty minutes.

They switched places so she could wash her hair while he lathered his body with soap and insisted on rubbing the bar over her breasts and belly. They switched places again so he could rinse his body while she finished washing. Squeaky clean, he kissed her and left her to her own devices.

After hurrying through the rest of her shower, she wrapped a towel around her body and rushed to the bedroom. Brian was already half dressed. She watched him tug a T-shirt on over his head. He reached for a studded belt and laced it through his belt loops.

“What should I wear?” she asked.

“You look damn good in that towel.” The slight growl in his voice made her throb between her thighs. They were both worked up to a s****l frenzy. How would she ever get through watching his entire show without pouncing on him in front of a stadium full of fans?

She grinned. “I don’t think that’s wise.”