One of the girls, a pale blonde, stood on tiptoe with her hands on his shoulders and breathed, “Can I get your autograph?” into his ear.
“Sure,” he said nonchalantly, giving her one of the slow grins that was his specialty.
She then gave a fake gasp and covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh! I left my autograph book in the car.”
He knew what that was all about. He’d seen this strategy a million times. The other girls barely suppressed their giggles. He winked at her, playing along. “Don’t worry about it. I know how to leave a mark.”
He borrowed a pen from the bartender and when he turned back around the girl already had her shirt lifted so he could sign her red satin bra. He was actually relieved when he saw it. Ah, the number of body parts that had been revealed to his eyes for signature in the last few years. At least this girl had the decency to have a bra on.
He stuck to his role, nestling his hand on her ribcage just beneath her left breast and then leaned in to sign the right one. The other girls crowded in to get a good look. His pen had just made contact with the material when he got a glimpse of shapely legs and long dark hair through a break in the bodies surrounding him.
He signed as quickly as possible and straightened up. With his six-foot-five frame it was easy to see over the girls’ heads and across the room, where Arsenal’s manager and the rest of the band stood talking to two women. One was of medium height, with brown hair and a red dress. The other had her back to him but she was taller, in a black leather dress, with thick glossy hair. The fishnets she wore had that sexy seam on the back that ran up the middle of the leg. From the predatory expressions on the band’s faces, he could tell she was no ordinary groupie. Which meant her front side had to be as hot as her backside.
He blew off the girls, who were now offering him other body parts for signature. Mumbling something about needing to speak to his manager, he headed over to have a look for himself.
****
The hairs on the back of Eve’s neck stood up and that’s when she knew his eyes were on her. She’d already spotted him. He’d steered a whole gaggle of girls to the bar, his arm around one of them, and it had made her stomach churn. Keeping up her conversation with the band suddenly became difficult. It was hard to concentrate on talking when her mind was absorbed with the awareness of him. As soon as she saw him put his hand on the blonde girl and lean down to sign the satin bra, disgust had welled up. She’d shifted her spot in the group as soon as possible so her back was to it all.
She had tried to join in on Kate’s discussion with band manager Clayton Drake, but it was hard to hear them in this crush. Anyway, the band members were trying to get her attention. The lead guitarist, Tommy Adler, seemed pretty nice actually. He had laugh lines around his eyes that she found charming.
“How did you like the concert?” he asked.
“It was amazing,” Eve said. “I’m so glad to see Arsenal performing again.”
He grinned. “Me too. Thanks to our new vocalist, we have a lot more in store. Tonight was just a sort of…appetizer.” The other guys agreed.
“Smile, Eve,” Kate called. She had her phone out and was aiming it at her so Eve slid her right arm around Tommy and the other guys crowded in. The flash went off, blinding them all. “Great, but, hold it. We need to get one more in,” Kate said and flapped her hand at someone off to the side, waving them into the photo.
Eve held her pose and felt an arm curve around her waist from the left side. The flash went off one more time, causing spots to appear in her vision.
“Awesome! Thanks, everyone,” Kate said. She turned back to the manager. “This is going to be great for our social media feeds. Pictures with the new lead singer…”
Eve closed her eyes for a moment, reaching a hand up to rub her temple, waiting for her vision to return. Since when did iPhones have such a strong flash? It was probably just because it was late and she was tired. Tommy had let go but the other arm on the left side was still supporting her.
“Oh, man. Either I’m seeing spots from that flash, or you all need to get to a doctor immediately,” Tommy said.
“That’s what happens when you do so many drugs, Tommy,” Drew Haley teased.
“Drugs?” chimed in Shane Nelson. “You had drugs and you didn’t share with me? That’s just not right.”
They all laughed. Eve dropped her hand from her temple and opened her eyes. The spots were gone and she could see clearly again. But she wished she couldn’t. Standing right next to her, one arm wrapped around her waist, was Devon.
“Hey, Devon … meet Eve,” Tommy said cheerfully.
Devon let go of her waist and held out his hand. His expression was inscrutable.
She hesitated, and held hers out as well. If she’d had any question whether he knew who she was, the handshake answered it. His fingers wrapped firmly around hers, holding her hand for longer than was necessary, his eyes searching deeply into hers.
What they searched for she couldn’t fathom, or why. He’d abandoned her long ago, taking her heart with him, like some sad little groupie. Well, he wasn’t about to get even a smidgen more. She pulled her hand back.
“Nice to meet you,” he said softly.
Oh, so they were going to play that game? She could play it too. “Likewise,” she returned coolly. Turning back to Tommy, she put on her best flirtatious smile. “Weren’t you going to show me the band dressing room?”
Tommy’s brown eyes lit up, but before he could say a word Devon’s hand clamped around her waist again. “I’ll show her,” he said in a cool voice. His eyes were drilling into Tommy’s, and some unspoken agreement seemed to pass between them, because Tommy nodded his head casually and turned back to the others.
Anger flared up inside her. How dare he! But she wasn’t about to make a scene in front of everyone. It was fine. If he wanted to be alone with her then she would give him the piece of her mind that he deserved. She’d been storing it for five years and if he wanted to unlock it, then so be it.
****
Devon was surprised when Eve jerked from his grasp, but he knew he shouldn’t be. Especially after what had happened between them. Her back had stiffened when his hand touched her waist and now she took a swift, smooth step away so she could turn and face him. One of her beautiful winged brows lifted in a slight arch and a pleasant, or what seemed to be pleasant, smile lifted her full, red lips.
He was stunned. He hadn’t connected the girl in the crowd with the lithe figure he’d seen from behind, talking to the band. It wasn’t until after the picture had snapped and he’d turned to face her that it had hit him. It was really Eve. His Eve…but all grown up now, with yards of glossy dark hair and long shapely legs.
“Well?” she said.
He gestured with his hand in the direction of the rooms, feeling tactless that he’d been staring. “Ladies first.”
She sifted effortlessly through the crowd, and he followed close behind. Her slim form easily found openings between bodies. When she got to the hallway entrance she stopped and looked back at him. “Which one is it?”
“Second door on the left.” He breathed a silent prayer that the room would still be empty. He moved quickly to open the door for her and as she passed by him into the room he caught the light scent of her perfume.
The room was empty, thank god. Shutting the door, he gathered his thoughts and turned to face her. Before he could get a word out, his breath left his lungs in a whoosh as her fist made contact with his gut. Lifting his arms, he turned to shield himself as several more blows peppered him on the side and shoulder.
“You asshole! You creep! I can’t believe I ever had feelings for you!” she shouted.
She stopped hitting as she spoke and he took the opportunity to move away from the door and put the couch between them, just in case.
“Eve! Hold on! Hold it!” he said, putting his hands out in front of him in shock. Never had he expected such a reaction from the sweet college girl he had kn
own. But she was glorious in her anger. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes shot green fire at him. Never, for as long as he lived, would he forget how she looked right at this moment.
“What? What could you possibly have to say to me?” she stormed. Her hair flipped and swirled as she gestured at him.
“Come on, Eve, we were just kids,” he protested.
Wrong move.
Her eyes widened and she stood even straighter. Gathering breath for her next onslaught, he assumed. She looked like a queen about to do battle. He was lucky there was nothing within her arms’ reach, or he was sure she would have thrown it at him.
“Now wait a minute,” Devon said hastily, “Let me speak. I wanted to talk to you. I’ve been wanting to talk to you…for a long time now.”
She stopped, deflating just a fraction, and sealed her lips together. Then she crossed her arms over her chest, which actually accented her cleavage nicely, and glared at him.
She didn’t say anything, but he knew a ticking time bomb when he saw one, and decided he’d better say something while he had the chance. “This has been on my mind for a long time,” he began. “Like I said, back then, we were just kids. Both of us were just getting started with our lives... I mean if you think about it, it would never have worked out anyway.”
She was absolutely still, her eyes unwavering. God, he still wanted her.
The slim college freshman he had known had filled out into a sophisticated bombshell. She was no breathy, obliging groupie but a strong, confident woman that he found utterly attractive.
He continued. “You come from a good family. You went to college. Someone like you… Well, I don’t know if you’re married, but if you’re not you will be soon, settling down and having children. And me…?” He stopped and ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll be on the road, like I have been for the last five years, trying to make it in this business. What kind of life might have that been for you? It wouldn’t have been fair to you.”
He stopped and waited. She had to understand his concern for her. It was a fraction of what he wanted to say but he thought that summarized it nicely. There was a lot more. He hadn’t really been prepared for this conversation, come to think of it, but he wasn’t about to allow the opportunity to pass.
When he’d first gone on the road he had tried calling her a few times. But back then neither of them could afford cell phones and she and her roommate hadn’t owned an answering machine. She’d never been in and he hadn’t wanted to leave a message with her roommate. What message could he have really left? I miss you like crazy, Eve. It’s frustrating out here, Eve. I don’t know if I’m going to make it. He imagined her either in the library studying or partying with her new college friends and each call had made him feel even more like crap.
There hadn’t been any way for her to call him back, anyway. Something he hadn’t thought about before leaving. Life on the road had been hectic. It had consisted of long drives, playing gigs, partying and crashing in strange, cheap motels. The manager they’d had then had been a disorganized sleaze bag. They’d finally figured out that the guy was stealing all their money.
At least now Eve would have closure. Isn’t that what women wanted? Letting go of her was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do. At least now she would know that he truly had cared for her. And that he had had nothing but her best interests at heart.
“Anything else?” she asked softly.
He slowly shook his head, confused. “That’s mainly what I wanted to say.”
Her arms dropped to her sides and she walked around the couch to him, her hips swaying gracefully side to side as she approached. Her eyes never left his.
She came to a stop in front of him, inches away. “Now, let me just make sure I’ve got it all straight.” Her tone was calm, reasonable.
He relaxed. Good. So they could have the sensible conversation he’d envisioned after all.
She continued in a reasonable tone. “After dumping me five years ago, with absolutely no communication at all, you get me back here to be alone with you so that you can…dump me again? Have I got that straight?” She had leaned in a little closer as she spit out the last sentence, looking him straight in the eye. She was a healthy five-foot-ten, but the four-inch heels on her shoes brought her eyes almost level with his.
“What? No! That’s not what I…”
“You don’t need to explain,” she cut him off with her icy tone.
He stood transfixed by the power in her voice.
“Message received.” She poked his chest with one of her perfectly manicured fingers. “But I also have something to say, you self-centered, assuming jerk. No one, and I mean no one, is allowed to make decisions for me.” Her voice was low now and could have deep-frozen his testicles. “The decisions you made then were for you and you alone. How dare you try to make this about me.”
Her eyes could have easily drilled a hole through his skull. He’d never seen them glow so hotly before.
She turned abruptly to leave. Her hand was on the doorknob.
He couldn’t leave it like this. “Eve…”
“Don’t.” She stopped him with a word, turning back to pin him with her eyes. “We don’t ever need to speak again. Do you understand me?”
He nodded his chin just a fraction, but he didn’t want to.
She opened the door and slipped out as the groupies waiting in the hall flooded in.
Chapter Two
Somewhere a cat meowed mournfully, and with a twinge of annoyance. Eve clenched the pillows even tighter to her head in an effort to block out the sound, wishing there was some way to train a cat. Chloe was a stickler for routine. When she didn’t get her breakfast on time she became demanding. Cracking an eye open, she noted that it was twenty minutes after seven. She’d barely made it home an hour ago. Her entire body was exhausted and yet she still couldn’t sleep.
Disrespectful entities like the sun, which now shone through every available crevice, and her cat Chloe, were doing their best to wake her up at the usual hour. She sighed and eased her hold on the pillow. There was nothing to do at this point but get up and have a lazy, groggy Saturday. What other kind of day could a person have with no sleep?
After the backstage party last night they had all headed to a warehouse where the after-hours party had gone off. Los Angeles had a strict policy with regards to the closing time for bars. After-hours parties were illegal, but they were the trend these days, and they happened in all kinds of places. You just had to be in the loop to get invited.
She slowly eased her calves from the bed and sat on the edge for a moment to assess the damage. Chloe ran over in excitement meowing even louder, pacing back and forth in front of her. The cat’s long, fluffy orange tail brushed her legs with each pass. This could not continue, her hangover wouldn’t allow it. As quickly as she could, which was not very quick, she went to the kitchen and dropped some food into Chloe’s bowl to stop the meowing. Then she moved to the coffee pot. Some caffeine would be a blessing right now.
She plopped down on one of the wooden dining table chairs, which she had restored herself, and waited for the coffee to brew. Last night was a blur. After speaking with Devon she’d made her way back to Kate, who’d still been hanging out with the band, and had a fuzzy memory of drinking shots. Normally she never did shots, but she distinctly remembered doing two in quick succession. After that, not much else was clear. There were some other snippets of memories, of her dancing to techno music at the after-hours party, but that was all. Huh. Well, hopefully Kate would be able to fill in the gaps.
Oh, no. Fill in the gaps! Her eyes shot open and she was instantly wide-awake. Kate had been taking pictures and posting them all night. She grabbed the cell phone charging on the kitchen counter and scanned several media feeds, groaning at what she saw. There were posts not only on her personal and business feeds but also on the Arsenal Facebook and Web site pages. There she was, and it wasn’t pretty.
Apparently it had been a very
wild night. When had they gone to look at the band tour bus? Well, at least it looked like a bus of some kind from the little she could gather. There were pictures of her sitting in different band members’ laps and even one with the manager and agent kissing her cheeks. Later there had been a dog pile of bodies on a bed. Her laughing face and a couple of her limbs were clearly identifiable. Thankfully there were none with Devon in them. In each picture she held a different drink in her hand. She could tell by the colors and glasses. She groaned and let the phone slip back to the counter. No wonder she felt like crap. Ugh.
She was going to have to kill Kate later. But she had to admit it: the pictures were attention-getting, and ideal for social media. And the captions Kate had posted were hilarious. One read, ‘Super groupie works her magic in the tour bus’ and another, ‘Musical laps…Lap ratings, coming soon’.
If Devon hadn’t been there for those, she had no doubt he would be seeing them soon. She wished she could remember. She had been so proud of herself for being strong when they’d spoken, but then to go and get sloppy drunk right after that? It just wasn’t her style.
She didn’t know why it bothered her. He meant nothing to her anymore. Lifting her hands, she pressed them to her face. Her breath wafted out through her fingers. It would be okay. There wasn’t anything truly bad on there.
Besides, it was just business. It was what she and Kate did. They’d launched their own social media consulting business right out of college. Actually, it would do wonders for them to have pictures of them interacting with high-profile celebrities like Arsenal. They were only one year into it and the business was going pretty well but they had yet to land a big customer. Maybe Kate had been thinking about the pictures generating business. With that, she decided not to kill her friend. But a mild strangling might be in order.
Having finished her breakfast, Chloe sauntered off to her usual spot in front of the sliding glass door to groom herself. Just like clockwork. That was where the sun would shine into the house first. The coffee maker beeped signaling it was ready and she got up to make herself a cup. She stirred in her favorite hazelnut creamer and some sugar and took a sip. Ahhh… she might live now. Taking her cup with her to the living room, she settled into her favorite leather recliner, pulled the blue throw blanket over herself and clicked on the TV. With the way her head felt, she was sure she wouldn’t be moving much from this spot all day.
Rock Star Ex Page 2