The first day in the studio came and went without much work actually getting done. I jammed on the guitar for hours. Running through any and every Filthy Line song I was asked to play. When it came to playing the new song with the band, I made sure to keep my distance from Dex’s spot in the studio.
He sat on the amp with his arm in a cast, looking mad at the world.
I played the song and when it stopped, Nash looked at Dex.
“Sounds like fucking garbage to me,” he said and walked away.
“Don’t take it personally,” Jay said.
“I never would,” I said. “I’ll be right back.”
I took the guitar off and walked after Dex.
I caught him in the hallway and grabbed his shoulder and turned him around.
“Hit me,” I said.
“What?”
“Hit me. Hit me with your cast. Get it out of your system.”
“What the fuck are you doing?” Dex asked.
“I don’t want to play in your spot,” I said. “I don’t want to be here. I know you’re fucking pissed about me being here. Trust me, Dex, I’m not looking to steal the show from you. You’re Filthy Line. I’m not. Don’t fucking sit there and tell me my playing is garbage. You and I both know that was a good take.”
Dex moved his eyes.
I looked back and saw the rest of the band standing behind me, watching, waiting to see if Dex and I were going to end up fighting.
“You missed a note in the solo,” Dex said. “And the bend on the twenty-fourth fret is one and a half. Not just full. Try harder next time.”
Dex patted my shoulder and walked by me.
“He played it right,” Jay said.
“Fuck off, Jay,” Dex said.
“Let’s solo out his guitar and listen to it,” Nash said. “Then we have him replay the track and get the sound we want.”
“Are we really going to piss over a note?” Reed asked. “That’s not who we are.”
“I’m with Reed,” Sab said.
The band loved to argue.
I hung out in the hallway and lit a cigarette.
The elevator doors at the end of the hallway opened and out stepped Lita.
With a bag over her shoulder, head down, hurrying down the hallway.
My cigarette smoke caught her attention and she looked at me and stopped.
“Hey, beauty,” I said.
She waved her hands. “Go outside and do that.”
“Have one with me,” I said. “It’ll give you that sexy, raspy voice.”
“I don’t get paid for a sexy, raspy voice.”
She breezed around me, still waving her hands.
I looked back and whistled.
Lita stopped and turned her head. “Did you just whistle at me?”
“Nice ass,” I said. “So I whistled at it. Is that a crime?”
Lita shook her head and went into the studio.
That was the thing about women I didn’t understand.
Why couldn’t they take a compliment?
I breezed out of the studio and went right to get a drink.
It had been a long day that turned into almost a long night.
Of course, when living on rock star time, work started around three in the afternoon. So getting out of the studio at ten really wasn’t that bad of a gig.
I enjoyed a couple shots at the bar, just to loosen up.
I bought a round of shots for a few pretty women at the end of the bar.
One wink and all three were giddy, bumping shoulders.
But I wasn’t going to bother them just yet.
I knew how to let that simmer.
I ordered a bottle of beer and walked from the bar to the side of the stage at the opposite end of the nightclub.
“Hey, Macky,” I called out.
Macky jumped up from behind the soundboard and hugged me.
“Son of a bitch,” he said. “Shane. What are you doing here?”
“Needed a drink,” I said.
“Heard you’re in the studio with Filthy Line.”
“Yeah. It’s a riot.”
“Getting on stage tonight?” Macky asked.
“Is there an opening?”
“Right now,” Macky said. “I’ve got nothing until midnight.”
“Who’s playing?”
“Some shitty punk band,” Macky said. “Just out of high school kids that think they’re the greatest thing on earth because they were voted best in their high school. Fuck that. Go live the life for a minute and come talk to me.”
I laughed. “How’s the club here? Busy enough?”
“Great stuff,” Macky said. “Chuck cut me in on the profits, finally.”
“Good for you,” I said.
“Makes up for some of the shit nights here,” Macky said. “But, hey, let me get you announced. Need an ax?”
“I’m empty handed,” I said.
“No worries,” Macky said. “I’ll give you Charlotte.”
Macky slid a guitar case out from underneath the sound board. He opened it and picked up a beautiful rose gold Les Paul with a rose on the headstock and glistening diamonds on the inlays along the neck.
“Fuck me,” I said.
“Be good to her,” Macky said. “I’ll sound you up in a few.”
I stood at the side of the stage and waited for Macky to announce me.
I strummed the beautiful guitar and smiled.
The show was for the three beauties at the bar.
They could fight over me… or all three could come home with me. I was good with anything.
I stepped out onto the stage to a small spattering of applause.
I grinned, looked down…
And saw Lita staring up at me.
She walked away halfway through my first song.
My eyes never left her.
I only played five songs.
It was a for the hell of it kind of show.
I wasn’t getting paid. I wasn’t promoting myself.
I just liked music.
And after a long day in the studio with Filthy Line I needed to play my own music my own way.
When I finished, I had the entire place clapping for me.
I carried Charlotte back to Macky.
“You really popped her cherry,” Macky said.
I laughed. “Fuck, man, don’t say that to me. I might have to take her home then.”
“Oh, no, she’s all mine,” he said as he gently put the guitar back into the case.
“Thanks for the set,” I said.
“Anytime you want. It’s always here. Okay?”
I nodded.
We hugged.
I wandered my way back to the bar.
Right on cue, Lita turned and looked at me.
“Are you stalking me, beauty?” I asked.
“I just wanted to get a drink,” I said.
“I was here first.”
“So, this is your place?” she asked.
“You saw the show,” I said. “They all love me.”
“I don’t know, Shane. Everyone is back to looking at their phones. You’re irrelevant again.”
“Better than hiding in a vocal booth,” I said. “Flirting with Reed’s girlfriend.”
“Oh, you wish,” she said.
I ordered another beer. I pointed to Lita’s glass. “Can I buy you a drink?”
“No,” she said. “I don’t need you throwing it in my face later.”
“I would never waste alcohol,” I said.
“Ha. Ha. You know what I meant.”
“Hey, I’m just trying to be a nice guy here, that’s all.”
“Because you’re drinking,” she said. “And you want to get laid.”
“Why else would I come to a bar?” I asked.
“Well, then you better quit wasting your time with me,” Lita said. “I’ll tell you, that was a good set. You’re good at guitar and singing.”
“Aw, it’s sweet when you say nice things to m
e,” I said. “Now… what’s it going to take for you to whisper something disgusting in my ear?”
“There’s not enough booze in this bar.”
“Then we’ll close this place down and I’ll take you to another one,” I said.
I finally got Lita to laugh.
“You know, I’ll give you some credit, Shane. You know how to smooth someone over.”
“So this is working on you?” I asked.
“On me? No. But I can see half the women here falling for it. Good luck.”
She started to back up and I put my hand to her back and pointed across the bar.
“See those three watching us?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
“They want to fuck me.”
“I feel bad for them,” Lita said.
“Jealous of them?”
“Nope,” she said.
“Too bad,” I said. “See you around, beauty.”
I grabbed my beer and made it three steps before Lita grabbed my arm.
She hooked her arm into mine.
She damn near hugged me.
“Change your mind?” I asked.
“No,” she said. Her face looked pissed and scared. “I have to ask the biggest favor ever.”
“Favor? You’re asking me for a favor?”
“Shane, please.”
“You know I’ll expect a favor in return.”
“We can talk about that later. Just go along with me.”
“With what?” I asked.
“Be my boyfriend,” she said. “Right now.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Lita looked forward.
I did too.
All I saw were people.
She tugged at my arm. “Shane…”
“What?” I asked. “Want me to tongue fuck you right now?”
“Maybe,” she said. “There’s a guy standing with a woman who has a massive chest.”
I looked again.
I spotted the massive chested woman.
They were all plastic, but, hey, tits were tits.
“What about her?”
“Not her,” Lita said. “Him.”
“Okay,” I said. “What about him?”
“That’s my ex,” Lita said. “Fuck. I can’t believe that piece of shit is here.”
“You want me to pretend to be your boyfriend because your ex is here with some big tittied woman?”
“Yes,” Lita said.
Her ex looked right at us.
He grinned and started to point at Lita.
“Okay,” I said.
I turned and put my right hand to Lita’s cheek.
And then I kissed her.
4
LITA
His tongue swirled around in my mouth and it was worse than when the dentist put that little sucky thing in…
At least a first.
I put my hands to Shane’s shirt and started to push.
He quickly grabbed my hands.
He kissed me even harder, turning his head, now finding his rhythm with his tongue.
Good. Fucking. God.
The man knew how to kiss.
Heat poured through my body.
The tips of my little, baby toes tingled and all those piggies wanted was to go home… with Shane…
No. No. No.
Shane slowly pulled away from the kiss and winked with his left eye.
My lips throbbed and felt swollen.
Is that the STDs from all the cheap whores he’d fucked? How screwed am I over that one kiss?
Shane put his lips to my ear. “Company is coming, beauty.”
“Shit,” I whispered.
“I’ve got your back,” he whispered.
He turned and put his arm around me.
There was Blaze.
With his big boobed girlfriend. Or fuck buddy. Or whatever she was to him.
“Lita,” he said. “Hey, girl.”
“Hey,” I said.
I felt my blood boiling.
I wanted to attack him.
“Who’s your friend?” I asked.
“This is Stella,” Blaze said. “Isn’t she gorgeous?”
“Not as gorgeous as my girl here,” Shane said. He pulled me closer and kissed the top of my head. “Who are you, man? Do you know Lita?”
Blaze looked at Shane like Shane should have known who he was.
“Fuck, wait,” Blaze said. “I know your face. I’ve seen you around before.”
“I’m semi-famous.”
“Fuck, you’re the guy that got the Filthy Line gig,” Blaze said.
“Did you try out for that?” I asked.
“No,” Blaze snapped. “I’m not some cop out. Not wasting my time in the studio like that.” He looked at Shane. “No offense, man.”
“Oh, I take plenty offense to it,” Shane said. “How much are you paying your girl for the night?”
“What did you just say?” Blaze asked. He pushed Stella back. “Say that again.”
“I’m not going to fight you, man,” Shane said. “I have to keep my hands clean. I’m in the studio tomorrow.”
“You won’t keep your hands clean with her,” Blaze said about me.
“Fuck you, Blaze!” I yelled.
Shit. I was losing it now.
“You fucking scumbag!”
Blaze laughed.
“Same old, Lita,” he said. “Can’t keep yourself in check.”
“What the fuck are you doing here anyway?” I asked.
“I can do whatever I want,” Blaze said. “Don’t you get that yet? You lost out, girl. All because you couldn’t see beyond your little heart.”
“Hey, man, I think we’re good here,” Shane said. “You nuzzle your plastic soda bottles there and have a good night.”
I snorted and pointed at Stella’s chest. “How much recycled plastic do you have hanging off your chest?”
“At least she has a chest,” Blaze said. “Why do you think I shopped around, Lita? No guy honestly likes mosquito bites.”
“Fuck you!” I yelled, raging again.
I jumped toward Blaze.
Shane wrapped his arms around my body as I kicked and punched at him.
Blaze laughed.
“It was really good to see you, Lita,” Blaze said. “Just a quick reminder of how much I don’t need you in my life.”
“I fucking hate you!” I screamed.
“Calm down, beauty,” Shane said into my ear.
He spun and moved me away.
Then he faced off with Blaze.
“Trust me, man, you don’t want to throw fists over her,” Blaze said.
“Try me,” Shane said.
Blaze was a pussy. He grabbed Stella’s hand and walked away.
Shane turned to look at me.
“Don’t say a fucking word,” I said to him.
Then I went to get the first of many drinks.
I opened my eyes and it was morning.
I sat up and looked around.
I wasn’t in my bed. Or my apartment.
“Oh, no,” I said.
The bed was at least empty.
My head roared with the reminder of last night.
I had more than a few drinks that went down way too quick to try and shut up my heart.
Did it work?
I wasn’t sure.
It worked enough to have me end up in this bed.
“No,” I said.
I kicked the covers off and stood up from the bed.
The room spun for a second.
I waited for it to stop.
When it did, I walked again.
I was fully dressed, which was good.
I moved to the bedroom door and opened it.
Someone stood there with two cups of coffee.
“Oh, fuck,” I said.
“Morning, beauty.”
“Shane?”
“The one and only,” he said.
“No.”
“Yes.” He
gave me a cup of coffee. “Have this to drink.”
“Wait… what…”
“Move back, Lita,” he said. “Sit down and take a breath.”
Shane worked his way by me and sat down on his bed. He nodded to the spot where I had been sleeping.
I slowly walked back to the bed and sat down.
We sat next to each other.
My heart raced and my head hurt.
This was awkward yet comfortable.
“I have to ask it,” I said.
“Do it.”
“You know what I’m going to ask.”
“Yup.”
“You can’t just answer it?”
“Nope.”
“You’re such a dick,” I said. I looked at Shane. “Did we have sex last night?”
“No, Lita,” he said. “We did not have sex last night.”
“Did you help yourself to a feel? A look? How much did we kiss? Did you touch me? Did I…”
My cheeks warmed up.
Shane’s eyes went wide. “How many times have you had this conversation?”
“Fuck you.”
“I’m just saying… that seemed like a well-rehearsed series of questions. Do you get drunk and blow guys?”
I shut my eyes. “I hate you.”
“You’re the one in my bed, beauty. I saved your ass last night.”
“Oh, please.”
“Stop trying to be tough,” he said. “You got hammered after seeing that guy. The least you could do is tell me the story.”
“No,” I said.
“Fair enough,” Shane said. He swung his legs off the bed. “The place is yours. I’m leaving to head in to the studio. If you need to be there, get moving. If you need a change of clothes, help yourself to anything I have. There’s a collection of women’s clothes in the closet. Not mine, of course. Just stuff left behind.”
“Gross,” I said.
“Hey. At least I know whose pussy I’ve eaten. I don’t wake up and ask someone if I went down on them.”
“Thanks for that,” I said. “Just what I need.”
“You did this,” he said. “Not me. I just got you out of that club and here. Wasn’t sure what else to do. You kept asking about Maggie. That your roommate?”
“Yeah,” I said.
“Just so you know… you talked instead of having sex with me. Very weird for me.”
“What?” I put my coffee cup down on the nightstand and stood up.
“You wanted to fuck me last night, Lita,” Shane said.
A FILTHY Christmas (Filthy Line Book 6) Page 3