My Night with a Rockstar

by Mankin, Michelle

  “Oh, right. Sure RJ,” she’d said, emphasizing my name for effect. “Sorry if your blood-sucking lies slowed me down. I’ll try to be timelier.”

  “I’d appreciate that,” I said, barely able to hold back the smirk I knew would not be appreciated.

  “Ugh,” she said, stopping off. And just before disappearing behind a wall of concrete, Dani turned back around and called to me, “You better be awake and alert when you get out of here, RJ Contreras! You hear me? Stay the fuck alive.”

  • • •

  Fading in and out of slumber, I jolted awake at the sound of a familiar voice…and a hand slapping me in the face.

  “Wake up, RJ! Come on. Wake up.”

  Blinking insanely, I squinted into the bright light. “Dani?”

  “Yes, it’s me. I was so worried,” she said, as her fingers slid over my face. “You don’t look good. You’re burning up.”

  “It’s as hot as Satan’s butthole in here,” I mumbled.

  “No, it’s not. You have a fever.”

  “Oh, is that what it is?”

  “Yes,” she said with a hint of a smile as she lay the back of her hand to my forehead. “That’s what it is.”

  Dani set down a lantern, illuminating the space around us, and as her face came into view, it forced my fever-ravished brain to try to make sense of her return.

  “Are you a dream?” I asked, feeling intoxicated despite no alcohol having passed my lips.

  “Yes, RJ.” She chuckled, fingers framing her bandaged cheek. “Behold your dream girl.”

  I nodded. “I like.”

  “Yeah,” Dani asked, suddenly shy as she bit down on her lower lip.

  “Uh-huh. I’d do you if, you know, my boys weren’t smushed like a hard-on in a pair of Levi’s.”

  She rolled her eyes. “If I had a dollar for every time I heard that excuse from a man...”

  Our eyes met as amusement passed between us. But then I remembered where I was and what she’d risked to come back to me, and I sobered right up. “Dammit, Dani. What are you doing back here? You promised to stay away.”

  “I know, but things have changed.”

  “What do you mean things have changed? They’re not coming?”

  She paused, clearly trying to find the right words. “They are coming…” she said. “It’s just…”

  I was too impatient to let her finish the sentence. “Just what? Does anyone even know I’m in here?”

  “Oh,” she flinched. “They know.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “So I got out, obviously. Then I found emergency personnel, told them you were trapped, and they immediately shifted people over to your rescue effort.”

  “Okay, that’s good.”

  “Yes,” she nodded. “That’s the good part of the story.”

  I cringed. “What’s the bad?”

  Without missing a beat, she replied, “All the rest.”

  “Dani,” I groaned, growing weary of the game. “Just tell me.”

  “Okay, here’s the deal. Our building has sustained major damage. You aren’t the only one in this zip code trapped in the rubble.”

  “So, are you saying I’ve been waitlisted?” I asked, my voice rising an octave. “Like a college freshman?”

  “Well, I wouldn’t have put it that way, but yes. If it makes you feel any better, everyone in our building is currently being waitlisted.”

  Trying to squash down the panic rising in my chest, I replied, “How does that make me feel better?”

  “I don’t know,” she said. “I’m not an expert on earthquake survival, RJ. I’m doing the best I can and, I promise you, so are the firefighters and police. When I found them, they were already pulling people out of our building. But then another aftershock hit, causing more damage, and now they’re waiting on some sort of safety evaluation before they’ll send their people back in.”

  I let the words sink in. They weren’t coming. No one was coming. I slumped back in my grave.

  Dani grabbed for my hand, the determination etched on her pretty face breathing life back into me. “Listen to me, RJ. I know it seems bleak, but I made damn sure they won’t forget about you.”

  “How?”

  “Do you have any idea how fast a social media post travels when you add the hashtag RJContrerasTrappedInEarthquake? Lightning speed, I tell you! Your fans went batshit crazy. Little Dayers started arriving two hours ago with their buckets and shovels, ready to dig you out themselves. They’re out there holding signs and chanting, ‘Free RJ!’ Reporters have arrived. Media barriers have been set up. And that, my vacuum-packed friend, is why no one’s going to forget you are trapped in the parking garage.” A grin broke wide across her lips. “You’re welcome.”

  I blinked at her, unable to divert my eyes. It was official. This was hands down the coolest chick I’d ever met. “You’re like single-handedly keeping me alive, Dani Malone.”

  She smiled. “Right?”

  “I’m still confused, though. If the building is condemned, why would they let you back inside?”

  “They didn’t. It’s dark. I slipped past the police lines.”

  My eyes widened. She was just continually surprising me. “It’s like you’ve gone through basic training.”

  Nursing her injured arm, now cradled into a sling, Dani gingerly pulled a duffle bag off her shoulders and dropped it to the ground. Reaching inside, she pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to me. “I suppose I could argue that dealing with you these last few months have prepared me for battle.”

  After gulping down the water, I riffled through her duffle bag filled with camping supplies. “Did you go back to the apartment?”

  “Uh…no.”

  “Where’d you get this stuff?”

  “From the dude I was supposed to go on a date with tonight. I borrowed one of your fangirl’s phones and messaged him. I asked to borrow money. He even drove me to the supercenter down the street and waited while I filled up a bag with all the stuff I’d need to save you. Wasn’t that nice of him?”

  I nodded. “Sounds like a keeper. And so cool of him to loan money to you, which you would then use on his competition.”

  “Are you…” Dani hesitated, as if not sure she should ask the question we both knew was coming, “the competition?”

  Lifting her gaze, she searched my eyes for an answer. There really could be no worse place or time to pledge my allegiance but then, I also understood the fragility of this moment. If I didn’t act now, there was no guarantee I could physically do it later.

  “I am now,” I replied.

  Neither of us spoke as we tested the waters of this new and surprising bond. Certainly, this uncharacteristic attraction I felt toward Dani could be a consequence of the disaster porn we were now immersed in, but whatever I was feeling in this moment was worth pursuing. She was what I wanted and, in this place, buried in this hole, I was going to stake my claim. The other guy be damned. He wasn’t winning this war. And, yeah, there was probably a good chance I wasn’t making it out of here alive, but Dani would always know that I was the man who wasn’t afraid to try.

  Clutching the back of her neck, I tangled fingers into her hair and pulled her toward me. Dani’s lips parted, anticipating my move but getting it wrong. She wasn’t dealing with an amateur here. I was a goddamn rock star. I knew how to seduce a woman. Bypassing her lips, my hot breath hovered over her ear. Dani stiffened, her eyes closing and her chest rising and falling with every breath. Under the soft ambient light of the lantern, Dani was the embodiment of all that was right and beautiful and exciting in the world. If I died, this—her—would be what I missed most.

  Running my tongue lightly along the edge of her ear, I gave her lobe a tantalizing little flick. Dani gasped and I felt her shudder. I’d barely touched her, but her body was responding, and that encouraged me to go further, dig deeper. My lips trailed along her cheek until they pressed into the corner of her mouth. Dani’s breasts heaved and I t
ook that as my invitation, sliding my fingers over the top of her shirt and lightly gliding by her nipples.

  “RJ,” she moaned, arching her back.

  I covered her open mouth with mine, capturing her lips, and circling my free arm around her waist, I pulled her in for a long, lingering kiss. Dani met my intensity with her own, her tongue sliding along the inside of my lips. My blood ran hot, mixing with the fever ravishing my body, and suddenly I felt the weight of my imprisonment. What was I doing? Nothing. Even if I wanted to take this further, I physically couldn’t. As long as I was stuck in this hell, I couldn’t have her. I couldn’t have anything.

  Frustrated, I pulled away. Dani’s swollen lips hung open, her heavy-lidded eyes blinking in confusion.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “I can’t. I’m sorry. I just wanted to feel something…with you.”

  “And you didn’t?” she asked, and the vulnerability on her face made me want to protect her forever.

  Placing my hand to her cheek, I traced my thumb in circles over her soft skin.

  “I felt too much,” I whispered, casting my gaze downward. “And that only magnified the situation I’m in.”

  Dani straightened, taking a seat opposite me and crisscrossing her legs. “So, that was all real?”

  “Oh, it was real… and then some.”

  “Good. That’s all I needed to hear.”

  “Did I pull ahead of the competition?” I asked.

  She smiled, outlining my lips with her fingers before placing a soft kiss on them. “There never was any.”

  Dani wrapped her arms around me, laying her head against my shoulder as I settled into her embrace. It was going to be a long, hard night—but, for the first time in my life, I wouldn’t be facing the darkness alone.

  • • •

  I hope you enjoyed Ripple Effect. To find out if RJ and Dani make it out of the parking lot alive, look for the full-length book releasing in 2021.

  *This partial story was written exclusively for this anthology and was condensed to fit into five cohesive chapters.

  In the meantime…

  Does Mother Nature have a beef with the AnyDayNow boys?

  RJ’s bandmate Bodhi might say yes when he’s caught up in a swift-moving wildfire in the hills of the California coastline. Like the Wind is a love story set amidst an all-too-current fiery landscape and was originally written as an exclusive Audible Original. Like the Wind is now out in ebook and paperback.

  And if you’re looking for more sharp dialogue, strong women, and damaged rock stars check out J. Bengtsson’s Audie Award Nominated, Top 10 bestselling debut novel, Cake A Love Story. Survivor of a childhood stranger abduction, Jake thinks he’s put his past behind him. He thinks he’s okay. It isn’t until he meets Casey that he realizes all he’s been missing out on in life.

  Amazon

  Audible

  J. (Jill) Bengtsson is the bestselling author of the Cake Series. She writes contemporary novels focused on love, humor, passion, and family. Her heroines are strong, nurturing, and quirky while her heroes are what dreams are made of - gorgeous, committed, and in need of a little saving. A native Californian, Jill’s novels are set under the glittering lights of the West Coast entertainment industry. They are for the dreamer in all of us.

  Be sure not to miss new releases and sales by J. Bengtsson by signing up for her newsletter.

  ABOUT THE BOOK

  Lucian Kane is sex personified. A popular musician with a bad boy reputation, Lucian always gets what he wants. And what he wants more than anything is the virginal new girl. She’s not like anyone he’s ever known. He’s spent his whole life only looking out for himself. Why does he suddenly want to take care of her?

  Blaire Barton is a sheltered farm girl. Promised to the convent from a young age, Blaire has never been able to make a single decision for herself, until now. Running away from all she’s ever known, she finds herself alone, broke, and working for the most beautiful man she’s ever seen. Why is she considering giving up everything to have him?

  When the devil meets an angel, who will be converted?

  Sometimes baptism happens in the flames.

  The night holds the secrets we bury.

  What is it about the dark that brings to light all the questions we’ve left unanswered during the day? I close my eyes in the hope that sleep will quiet my mind, but sleep won’t come. There must be a reason. The night has always been my safe place. When everyone goes to bed, I can finally turn off their voices and focus on mine. I can try to differentiate between their expectations of me and what I want for myself.

  I should be tired, but I’m not. The current of change simmers under my skin and creates the electricity of possibility. Deep in my soul, I know that if I’m going to make a decision, it has to be tonight.

  I sit up in my bed and change my clothes. My inner voice is loud and unyielding. My long repressed needs are shouting to me in the hope that I listen this time. Every sentence I say to myself makes more sense than the one before it. Go. You’re not meant to be here. Run. I quickly stuff my bag. I hurry, not because I’m afraid I’ll change my mind, but rather because I’m afraid someone will stop me and change it for me.

  Slowly opening my door, I glance left and right. I sigh in relief when I find myself alone. My feet seem to have a mind of their own as they quickly and quietly lead me down the dark corridor. When I reach the door leading outside, I glance back one last time. I’m relieved when that last look only confirms my decision. It’s time.

  Blaire

  A storm is brewing.

  I gaze up toward the sky through the window of my seat on the bus. My daddy taught me how to read the clouds. As a family of farmers, we learned how to see, feel, and smell when rain was on its way. The prickles on my skin coupled with the nimbus clouds in the distance are a clear indication it’s about to happen. I’d give it twenty minutes, based on the strength and direction of the wind. I wonder if I’d be able to smell it in the air if I were outside.

  Closing my eyes, I picture my brothers putting the horses in the stable and see my daddy with his hands on his hips staring up at the heavens and sniffing the air. Oh, how I wish I was going home right now. But I can’t go home after what I’ve done. They’d be so disappointed in me.

  The bus screeches to a stop. This is the fifth stop since I climbed aboard.

  My headrest pulls away from my neck and I feel little fingers touch my hair. I smile and turn around slowly. Her mother has her eyes closed this time.

  “Only two left,” she whispers.

  “Thank you for telling me. What would I do without you?”

  She shrugs before twirling her left pigtail with the yellow ribbon around her finger. Esmerelda, the little girl behind me, is traveling with her mother to visit her grandmother for a month. She’s pretty much told me her life story since she woke this morning. I stare at the pink ribbon in her right pigtail and grin. Her pigtails don’t match because she thinks matching is boring. I admire her ability to be so confident in her decisions at the ripe old age of five. Maybe I should ask her for some advice on mine.

  “Are you ever getting off the bus?” she asks innocently.

  “I think they’ll make me eventually.”

  Her mother cracks open one eye and sighs loudly. “What did I tell you about bothering Miss Blaire?”

  I smile. “She’s no bother.”

  “Momma, I think she’s lost. She doesn’t know where to go.”

  Esmerelda’s mother briefly glances at me then starts rummaging through her purse. I assume she’s trying to avoid admitting her daughter has me pegged.

  Facing forward, I blow a stray hair from my eyes. Out of the mouths of babes. Esmerelda’s right. I’ve been hoping for a sign telling me where to go, but so far, I’ve got nothing. Maybe I’m more lost than I realize.

  Her mother distracts her with some pretzels and I slump down in my seat and get lost in my thoughts. When I slipped out the back door of the con
vent late last night, I had no plan for myself. My whole life I’d been told what to do and where to go. This was the first time I’d ever made a decision completely on my own. I hopped on the first bus I could find that was going in the opposite direction of home. It felt good, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I’m completely freaking out about what I’d done.

  Glancing at my watch, I realize that by now, surely Sister Alma Jo knows I’m missing. I hope she found my note. Tears threaten my eyes. I hate letting people down and I hope they don’t think I’m a bad person. I mean who makes a lifelong promise and then abandons it?

  Leaning my head on the window, I watch several people pulling their bags down the stairs and off the bus. I turn my head to count the empty seats when out of the corner of my eye, a large red brick building with a familiar shape draws my attention. It’s not just any building. It’s a beautiful old church with a steeple and stained glass windows. Leaning toward the seat next to me, I strain to get a better look at it through the opposite window. It’s old, but well-kept and cared for. It’s like a magnet and I feel it pulling me. When I almost fall out of my seat, my gut tightens.

  The bus doors begin to close and I yell out without thinking. “Wait! This is my stop.”

  Before I know it, I’m standing and gathering my belongings.

  Esmerelda claps loudly. “Look momma, she’s not lost anymore!”

  I wave goodbye and wink at her before walking toward the door. I’ll miss my new little friend. It never ceases to amaze me how the smallest interactions with strangers can impact your life.

  The bus driver waits patiently, but I feel terrible for making him stop again, so I apologize as I make my way down the stairs. Placing my backpack over my shoulder, I pull my small suitcase behind me and walk behind the bus. The motor revs and it pulls away. A slow smile spreads across my face as I take in the beautiful old architecture. I feel it in my bones. This is a good place.