An ache resonates throughout my body as his mouth claims mine once more and the song fades to an end.
Chapter 11
Everson
I wake up in my own bed.
Alone.
That’s both a relief and a disappointment. At least I’m not wrapped around some nameless groupie again. But on the downside, I was half-hoping that when I opened my eyes this morning, my hot neighbor would be curled up next to me.
Mackenzie…
I chuckle to myself when I think of the way her eyes went wide and her breathing hitched when I pulled her on-stage and kissed her last night. Fuck – her lips felt so good against mine. Her tongue was so soft. And that kiss probably crossed the very thin line between harmlessly entertaining my fans and taking advantage of the situation that presented itself. I probably went too far.
I hope I didn’t scare her away.
Still groggy, I sit up and rake my fingers through my hair. Then, I snatch my phone off of the nightstand and check the time. 11:13 a.m. I should go over there and check on her. Make sure she’s okay, apologize if I have to.
Yes – I’m willing to apologize although there’s not a moment of that kiss that I regret. Actually, if I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t have let her go at all.
But I actually want this girl to give me a chance and in order to make that happen, I have to make sure she doesn’t think that I’m a callous asshole.
She and her friends disappeared immediately after she staggered off stage last night. I looked for them when the show was over, but they were long gone.
It’s not the first time that I’ve kissed a girl during a concert. It’s actually a part of my ‘act’. It’s a moment that each girl in the audience looks forward to, hoping that she will be the lucky one to share a lip-lock on-stage with me.
But last night is the first time that I meant it. It’s the first time that a kiss left me with more than just a hard-on that I could easily relieve against some random, willing body at the end of the show.
Kissing Mackenzie left me reeling, with an ache that gripped my insides and cramped them tight.
That’s why we have to finish what we started.
Just as I’m about to hop into the shower, I hear my doorbell ring. And the first thought that crosses my mind is, Fuck – it might be her.
I quickly grab some jogging pants from a drawer and stumble into them while getting down the stairs. I shove my fingers through my hair, trying to push it into place. And just before I swing the door open, I puff a breath into my palm to do a breath test.
Ack! – I fail miserably.
My breath smells like a feral creature crawled into my open mouth while I was sleeping and died…and rotted.
I hope Mackenzie isn’t looking forward to more face-sucking right now. Gotta catch up on my hygiene first.
I swing the door open and take a step back.
But it’s not my gorgeous next-door neighbor standing on the other side of the door. It’s actually the person that I least want to see right now. Or ever.
“Tasha…” I grimace. Her name tastes bitter in my mouth. “What are you doing here?”
She scowls at me as she slips her enormous designer sunglasses off of her face and shoves them into her oversized, overpriced purse. “I heard about the little stunt you pulled at the concert last night, Everson.” She pushes past me, slapping a copy of one of the local newspaper against my chest. “And I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all.” She spins on her heel in the foyer and glares at me.
“What are you talking about?” She hasn’t even been here a whole minute yet and I’m already annoyed by her. What was it about her that I thought I was so in love with?
She purses her lips and nods her chin towards the newspaper in my hand. “Your make-out session with one of the whores at your concert.” Her fists settle on her hips. “Did you even stop to think of how that would make me feel, Everson?”
What the fuck?
She actually has the nerve to look hurt. “No, I didn’t, Tasha,” I say matching her tone. “Because you are my ex-girlfriend. Who. Cheated. On. Me.” I stress the words, hoping that she’ll finally catch up with reality.
She huffs into the kitchen and I’m hot on her red-bottom heels. I don’t trust that woman alone in any part of my house. The crazy bitch would probably drop a handful of laxative pills into my milk carton just to spite me.
She yanks open the refrigerator door and grabs an energy drink. “I’m having a really hard time dealing with this, Everson,” she announces with a pout. “I need you to fuck me. Like, now.” I half-expect her to break out laughing. But she doesn’t. Because she’s Tasha.
I grip her firmly by the shoulder, steering her in the direction of the door. “I think you just need to go home. Clear your head. Have a nap. Take a jog…” …off a cliff.
She gazes up at my from under her tear-soaked lashes. “So, you aren’t gonna make love to me?”
All this melodrama from the woman who I found in bed with the newest signee to Angel City Records eight months ago just as I started considering asking her to move in with me.
#SMH
I push a heavy sigh. It’s way too early for this. “No Tasha – I’m not going to make love to you.”
She looks at me and snarls. “I made you famous. The least you can do is fuck me when I want it, you ungrateful little twerp.” I stare at the gaudy, oversized necklace clasped around her neck and I wish that it would just tighten up and choke her to death.
I shove my hands into the pockets of my sweats to resist the urge to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. “I don’t owe you a thing, Tasha. My music has made your record label millions of dollars this summer alone.”
She grits her teeth. “Y’know. I was starting to think that I was being too tough on you before with the whole record-a-brand-new-album-from-scratch-in-eight-weeks thing. But I was playing softball.” Her bloodshot eyes narrow. “I’m gonna need a new album – thirteen tracks – in six weeks, asshole. Or else, I’ll destroy you. And I’ll enjoy every minute of it.” She waggles the can of energy drink menacingly in my direction.
I laugh mirthlessly. “That’s sexual harassment.”
She steps close to me, inches up on her toes and runs her slimy tongue up the side of my face. “So sue me,” she dares in a caustic tone.
Way too early for this.
“What you’re asking us to do is impossible, Tasha. You can’t genuinely expect us to have a quality album ready in six weeks when you know that we’ll be on tour for four.”
“You’ve been made aware of the label’s parameters,” she says turning up her nose. “If it’s too difficult for you to respect them, then we’ll have no choice but to reallocate our very considerable resources to another artist. A more willing artist. Don’t let the hoards of pantyless screaming girls get to your head, Coal. What is it that they say? These ho’s ain’t loyal.” She throws her head back and laughs a vitriolic laugh. “You’re just another pretty face. Here today, gone tomorrow.”
I scrub my palm against my forehead. I feel a dull pain humming behind my eyes. “Just leave, Tasha. Please.”
She spits out a vitriolic laugh as she smooths down the fabric of her forest green tailored pantsuit and steps out onto the front porch. “Six weeks, Everson. I need that new album in six weeks. Or else your career is over!” Just before turning to leave, she throws one final jab. “Your breath is awful, by the way.”
I slam the door in her face before leaning against it and repeatedly banging my head into the wood. Why, oh why did I ever become involved with that evil woman?
I hear a long, shrill scream coming from my front yard. I peer out the side window to see Tasha standing next to her apple red convertible Ferrari on the gravel driveway. The open energy drink sprays all over her hair and blouse, a horrified look on her surgically-enhanced face.
Well, at least karma’s on my side.
Chapter 12
Mack
enzie
“You girls in the mood for some s’mores?” I lift my aviator shades away from my face and peer out at the man standing on the beach, flailing his arms in our direction.
I’m still recuperating from last night. I feel hung over. But I barely had anything to drink so I know that it’s the darn, infuriating rock star next door who’s got me strung out.
Willow and Julia wanted to go into town today to do some sightseeing and pick up a few souvenirs since it’s their last day here but I really wasn’t up to it, so we just lounged around the house all day while I secretly prayed that Everson wouldn’t pop up on his patio. I’m not ready to face him yet.
So far, my prayers have been answered.
I have to admit that I’m already becoming tired of trying to resist him because it is in absolute contradiction to everything my body is screaming at me to do…One little kiss can’t throw me off my game, can it?
Yes – it absolutely can. Focus, remember? Discipline. No distractions.
“Hey, Kid!” Julia grins at the drummer, sliding off of her chair with a slight limp and padding over to the ledge.
His wide smile reflects hers and each wears an identical shine in their eyes…Those two totally fucked last night.
“We’re having a bonfire. A few people are coming by. You girls should join us.” Kid gestures to Razor and Joaquin on the beach behind him building a fire.
I check the time on my phone. 7:47 p.m. I missed dance class again today. (I also missed two calls from my mother, but that’s a whole different story.)
My routine is still completely out of whack but at least Julia coached me while I rehearsed a bit before the weather got too hot this morning. Then, we lazed around in the sun in the afternoon, soaking in the rays and working on our tans.
Then, I watched as Willow fiddled around on my computer installing CheekyChat, the app developed by the startup she’s interning for. She asked Julia and me to beta-test the anonymous videoconferencing/online match-making app thingamajig over the coming weeks and we agreed, so she took some time to give us a demonstration.
All that to say that my routine has been totally upheaved. But I’ll get back on track as soon as my friends leave tomorrow.
“Sounds like fun,” Julia says, twirling a lock of her blond hair around her finger as Kid approaches the patio.
I groan and roll my eyes. Willow glimpses at me and snickers.
“We’re on our way down,” Julia announces without even glancing at Willow and me. “Let me just go get a sweater. It’s a little chilly.”
Kid dismisses her concern with a wave of his hand. “No need for a sweater. Me and the fire will keep you warm.” His tone is laden with sexual undertones. He waggles his eyebrows for good measure and I swear that Julia’s face is about to split from wearing that smile so tight.
Julia is a shameless flirt. Always has been. Whatever she has going on with Kid is purely physical, driven by the animalistic side of her brain. She’ll play with him as long as she’s here in L.A. but the minute she boards her flight to Paris, he’ll be long forgotten. And he doesn’t seem like the type of guy who’ll mind.
Julia turns to Willow and me, urgency in her movements. “C’mon, c’mon, girls.” She grabs us each by the arm and pulls us to our feet, suddenly supercharged by the promise of potential dick. “Let’s go.”
“I think I’ll just stay here,” I say leaning back in my chair and slipping my sunglasses back over my eyes.
Julia scolds me with a sharp stare. “You are not going to ruin this for me, sourpuss,” she threatens in a low tone. “A beach house full of British accents with dicks awaits us. So, pull up your big girl knickers and let’s go.”
Willow giggles as she smooths down her wild, curly hair. “C’mon, Mac. It’ll be fun.”
I let out a groan and before I know it, I’m trudging reluctantly across the sand behind my friends on the way to the bonfire. The breeze rolling in from the Pacific is warm and a million stars light up the sky.
There are close to twenty people hanging around the fire. Most of them I’ve never seen before, but the others are members of the band. Razor strums away on his guitar, playfully serenading the freckle-faced blond perched next to him. Her friends giggle at his cheesy improvised lyrics and his indiscreet flirtations. My friends and I settle in on the sand while Kid hands us a few beers and long sticks for roasting marshmallows.
I glance around, discreetly looking for Everson. As much as a part of me would like to avoid him, the other part of me wishes he were here, whispering improprieties in my ear and trying to touch me in places that get us both into trouble. “Where’s Everson?” I ask, trying to sound casual.
Kid grins, looking in my direction. “He’s holed up in the studio working on our next album. Tight deadline.”
Julia is snuggled up under his arm. “Is he doing all right after his performance last night?” she teases. “I nearly got hot flashes from the way he manhandled my Mac-Mac on stage. Totally hot.”
“Julia – stop it,” I scold, my cheeks firing up.
Razor turns to us. “Seriously – over the years, I’ve seen Everson smooch fans while performing on stage. It’s his thing. It’s part of his act. But last night? That was more than an act. That was something else. It was different.”
Kid snaps the cap off of a beer bottle and takes a long swallow. “Yeah – I’ve known Coal for a long time, and that kiss – he meant that. He meant every second of it.”
Chapter 13
Everson
Raucous laughter erupts down on the beach just outside of the studio window.
I like to party just as much as the next guy, but we have a six-week deadline on the horizon to have this album completed and we have a country-wide tour to rehearse for. My band mates know this. Still they’re living it up by the bonfire without a care in the world. If I have to share my royalty checks with those skives, then they’re going to have to share the hard work as well.
I throw open the screen door and make my way across the sand. Kid is the center of attention as usual. His arms are around the waist of a slim blond and they’re swaying playfully while Razor provides a tune with his guitar. The blond seems to be showing Kid some dance move or other. She whirls around laughing and that’s when I realize that it’s Julia.
My heart picks up its pace and my eyes immediately dart around the crowd looking for Mackenzie. After a few moments of scanning the group, I spot her sitting on the sand, huddled next to Willow, a dark bottle of beer in her hand. Her hair blows in the wind and she brushes it back in one elegant movement.
So pretty…
All thoughts of Tasha’s threats and our album deadline float away and all I can think about is being near Mackenzie again, smelling her skin, hearing her laugh. My cock starts to harden at the idea.
“Everson!” Claudie calls out to me as I approach the group, my hands buried deep into the front pockets of my low-hanging jeans.
“Well if it isn’t Romeo himself,” Razor jokes. “Thought you said you couldn’t hang out tonight,” he says, his gaze darting over to gauge Mackenzie’s reaction.
Her eyes are wide as she stares at me. She fidgets with the bottle in her hands. “I’m just dropping in to say ‘hi’,” I mutter unable to take my eyes off of that dark-haired girl.
“Hey,” she mutters so quietly that it’s barely audible as I sink to the sand beside her.
All eyes are on us. I can feel it. Everyone’s watching to see how we’ll respond to each other. But I don’t care what anyone else is thinking. I just need to be next to her. She’s fucking intoxicating.
“How ya doing, Babes?” I smile at her and brush a lock of hair out of her face.
When my skin makes contact with hers, she tremors and drops her bottle, beer spilling into the sand at her bare feet. Her face is flushed, her breathing short. “Water.”
“What?” I give her a perplexed look.
“Water,” she croaks out. “I need water.”
Befor
e I can respond, she’s already on her feet, halfway back to the house. Willow throws open the cooler sitting on the sand beside her. “Mac – we’ve got water out here,” she calls out brandishing a bottle of h2o in the air.
Julia chuckles. “I have no idea who that girl is. The Mackenzie I know is a sassy, little firecracker. I’ve never seen her like this – tongue-tied and flustered. You really have an effect on my friend, Coal.” She throws a wink my way.
“Haha – the feeling is obviously mutual,” Razor says, dipping his stick into the fire to roast a marshmallow. “Because I’ve never seen Everson, the lady-killer, so messed up over a girl. Not even Tasha.”
Groupie Love (A Rock Star Romance) (Love in Shades) Page 5