Unlike Celia, who fell asleep as soon as she'd had her orgasm, Kerry wanted to have a few drinks and unwind. Vance was sitting at the bar, and Joe was serving drinks.
''Celia's a nice girl,'' Joe said as he handed Kerry a vodka ice.
''Too right,'' Kerry said. ''She's really quite special.''
''You're not going all soppy on us are you?'' Vance asked.
''No. But I know one thing, she's worth five hundred of the women I've been fucking recently. There's just something about her,'' Kerry said.
''Fuck me, Vance, he's finally fallen in love,'' Joe said.
''Whatever, but just keep your filthy hands off her Kerry. I know what you're like. She's respectable, and we don't want her father suing the band. We don't need any more bad publicity,'' Vance said.
*****
''Where are we going today?'' Celia asked Rufus when she came downstairs the following morning.
''We're doing a video for the new single, in a swimming pool of all places. I hate the heat in those places, it makes my ankles swell.''
''Why a swimming pool?''
''Someone had the brainwave of doing a video underwater, but then we learned that Kerry can't swim, so that fucked that idea up. We'd already booked the pool, so we're gonna use it anyway.''
''Okay. So I'll just do the same as yesterday, hang around and snap away?''
''Yes, get it all on camera.''
When they arrived at Sunshine Baths, it was like a circus. There were a lot of sexy women dressed in swimsuits, a couple of men dressed as court jesters and a few engineers making the finishing touches to a lift that was to propel Vance over the water.
Celia walked around and snapped anything that she found interesting. After an age, they were ready to do the first take. The sexy ladies turned out to be synchronized divers, and they bobbed up and down in the pool. Kerry was sitting on a raised platform with the two guitarists to his right and left. Vance was to be transported back and forth over the pool and the swimmers as he mimed the song. The overhead lights were dimmed, and the underwater lights the engineers had installed, turned green. The synchronized swimmers began their routine, and the musicians pretended to play the song.
It was the most bizarre scene Celia had ever witnessed. She had no idea what the court jesters were supposed to mean, in fact, the meaning of the whole video was lost on her. The director, a short man with a huge belly, wasn't satisfied until the seventh take, by which time Celia had taken hundreds of photos. She sat at the side of the pool and watched as proceedings came to an end.
''Thank fuck for that,'' Kerry shouted when the director told everyone he was satisfied. It appeared he and the director didn't get on. ''Next time I'll remember to bring my fucking bed with me.'' Kerry came and sat down next to Celia. ''Did you manage to get some good shots?'' he asked.
''Yes loads. I'll upload them this evening and show you.''
''Okay. It's so fucking hot in here I'd dive into the pool if only my ass-hole parents had taught me to swim. It's one of the responsibilities of parenting, to make sure your kids can swim. Useless fuckers.''
''What was your childhood like?'' Celia asked.
''Shit. We lived in a trailer in the middle of nowhere. My dad was a thief and my mom a part-time whore.''
''So how did you get involved in the band?''
''I don't know why, but I've always had rhythm. I used to drum with a couple of twigs on the milk churns the local farmer left out for collection. Then I found some old trash can lids and made a drum kit. Rufus discovered me playing in a school band. What about you? Where are you from?''
''New York. My dad's a stock broker and earns a fortune which he squanders on my mom, who in turn fucks other men. Do you want to go in the water?''
''I can only go in the kiddies end, as soon as I get above waist high, I shit myself,'' he said honestly.
''Tell you what. Let's wait until all this lot have gone. Then we can cool off,'' Celia suggested.
Kerry didn't much like the idea of showing himself up in front of a woman, but he wanted to spend time with her. ''Okay, but no crazy stuff okay?''
When everyone had gone, Celia and Kerry had the place to themselves. ''I suppose you want to see me in my shorts?'' he said
''I've seen more than that, so why not.''
''Okay, but you've got to strip off as well.
''Bra and panties no less,'' she said.
He watched mesmerized as she slipped her tiny skirt past her thighs and stepped out of it. She had the best legs he'd seen on any woman. When her blouse came off, he wanted to grab her and lose himself in the valley between her luscious mounds.
Go on fuck her, a voice inside his head said. You know you want her, just look how ripe she is. Ripe for your hard cock.
''Come on, let's go to the shallow end,'' she said. He followed her round the pool, all the time watching her buttocks sway inside her tight panties. By the time they reached the steps, his cock was pushing hard against the material of his shorts. He quickly climbed down the steps and put his hips under water.
''That was fast. I thought you were scared?'' Celia said.
Scared of showing you another boner, he thought. ''No, all okay.''
''Come here'' she said.
He walked to her and stood in front of her. She could see he was uncomfortable in the water, and she'd already noticed his erection.
''Lie back and let me support you,'' she said.
''Er... no. It's okay you go ahead and swim. I'm okay splashing around here.'' He was out of his comfort zone. He was used to being in control, and he wasn't enjoying being told what to do by a woman, even if she was a woman he liked more than any before.
''Here, I'm standing behind you. Lie back and let me support you.''
''Fuck off, no.''
''Jesus Kerry, I'm only trying to help. Don't be so scared.''
''I'm not fucking scared, I've got a rock hard cock, and I don't want you to see it again. Okay.''
Celia thought about it for a moment, swam away and disappeared under water. Kerry couldn't see her and decided to get out of the pool.
''What the fuck...'' he shouted as he felt a hand cup his balls. She'd swum up behind him under water and put a hand between his legs. When she surfaced, she rubbed her breasts against his back and kissed his neck.
''Celia, no.''
''What do you mean no. Come on, let's fuck. I want you,'' she said.
He looked at the curve of her breasts as they strained against the sodden material and the nape of her neck which seemed to be begging him to kiss it. Go on fuck her brains out, his demon voice said. He pulled her to him and was about to kiss her when he was overcome by a superhuman amount of self-discipline. He shoved her away.
''No Celia. I don't want to. You're getting into a world that you're far too good for. I'm a womanizer, and I like to party hard. You don't deserve all that.''
Celia stood in the shallow water and looked at him. ''Let me be the judge of that,''
''You're not the kind of girl I fuck,'' he said as she walked out of the pool.
*****
''That was a hell of a concert,'' Vance said when they were backstage. ''Is that the biggest crowd we've ever had?''
''Yes, sixty-three thousand,'' Rufus said about to pop open a bottle of champagne.
''What do you think of that then?'' Kerry said to the two blondes who were sitting on his knee. They both giggled and wiggled their boobs at him. ''Rufus a glass each for the ladies, please. It'll give them a bit of energy, they're gonna need it soon,'' he added.
Celia was sitting on a chair at the back of the room watching. She'd spent the evening taking photos at the first concert of the new tour.
''Hi, I'm Jimmy,'' a tall young man said. He had dreadlocks and a tattoo of a snake running up his arm.
''Celia,'' she replied.
''Do you mind if I sit next to you?''
''No, go ahead.''
''I'm a roadie. I do the lighting and lift the heavy equipment aroun
d.''
''Have you been doing it long?'' she asked noticing how blue his eyes were.
''Six months. When I finished at law school, I decided to take some time off to enjoy myself.''
''You don't look like a lawyer,'' she said. He noticed she was looking at his hair.
''No, that's the worst part, when I start work as a lawyer, I'll have to cut all this off.'
There was a lot of giggling from the girls around Kerry. ''Lucky guy,'' Jimmy said.
''He's screwed up,'' Celia replied.
''Do you know what? That's what I thought, but he's a really nice guy under all that pretense. When he heard my mom had passed away, do you know what he did?'' Celia shook her head. ''He paid to have my sister and all her friends flown to Rio de Janeiro to watch them in concert. Then he paid for a two-week vacation for them.''
''Listen, Jimmy, my work is done, do you fancy getting out of here?'' she asked.
''Sure, we've got another concert here tomorrow, so there's nothing for me to do.''
Kerry looked across the room and watched as Celia and Jimmy walked trough the double doors that led to the stage door.
''Fuck me,'' he said throwing his head back in frustration. ''Rufus, send Jimmy to see me tomorrow will you?'' Rufus put his thumbs up and continued his conversation with a man in a pair of pink pants. ''Will you two please get the fuck off me,'' Kerry suddenly told the two blonde women.
''But Kerry, we thought you'd like us to come to your room,'' one of the blonde women said.
''Fuck off before I drag you out by the hair,' Kerry said.
''Well, fuck you,'' the taller woman said as they tottered across the floor in ridiculously high heels.
“What's up Kerry? Lost your appetite?'' Joe said. He had his arm around a very leggy brunette.
Kerry ignored him, got up and left the stadium.
''Jesus, what's wrong with him?'' Vance said. ''No drinking, no screwing. Is he ill?''
''Fuck knows, but he didn't play all that well this evening either. Rufus maybe you can have a word with him, find out what's eating him,'' Joe said.
''I'm glad you drew attention to his playing. I thought it was me, but he was behind a couple time wasn't he,'' Vance said.
''Yes, he was,'' Silas agreed.
Kerry spent the evening curled up on his bed thinking about Celia. It was the first time he hadn't taken a woman back to his room after a concert. He lay on his bed until he heard the front door close and the sound of women's shoes clicking along the landing.
He jumped up and opened his bedroom door. ''Where have you been all this time?'' he asked.
''Out. What's it got to do with you?'' Celia said.
''Did you fuck him?'' he asked.
''Who?''
''Jimmy, did you fuck him?''
''What the hell do you take me for Kerry? You fuck whoever you want, and as soon as I come in late, you demand to know something that is none of your business. I'm not the kind of girl you fuck, remember?''
''Then you did fuck him.''
''Jesus. Grow up.'' Celia turned away from him and went into her own room.
*****
''Where's Celia?'' Kerry asked just before they were due to leave for the sound check.
''Ah, in all the commotion, I forgot to tell you. She's had to go home,'' Rufus said.
''What?'' Kerry exclaimed.
''I don't know, but she gave me some bullshit excuse early this morning and left,'' Rufus said.
''But she can't just fuck off like that,'' Kerry said.
''She doesn't work for us, so she can do what she wants. Did you fuck her or touch her up?'' Rufus asked.
''Fuck off, you fat git. It's not my fault.
The band traveled to the concert venue and prepared to do the sound check for the evening’s concert.
''Hey, Jimmy. Get your ugly ass over here,'' Kerry shouted just before they began. Jimmy unaware anything was wrong walked over to Kerry. Kerry took him by the throat and pushed him against the wall next to his drum kit. ''What did you do to her?''
''Who?''
''Don't fuck with me. Celia?''
Jimmy tried to break free, but he wasn't a match for Kerry, who easily held him in place.
''We had a drink.''
''Did you touch her?''
''A kiss on the cheek. To say goodnight.''
''Is that all?''
''Yes, Kerry you're hurting me. Let me go.''
Kerry shoved him away. ''If you lay a finger on her, I'll kick you so hard up the ass you won't know what day it is.'' Jimmy scowled and went back to what he was doing.
The sound check started, and the band played three songs. All of which Kerry failed to keep up with.
''Rufus, it's getting serious now. Kerry's not performing at all well. We can't afford mistakes. He made two at the last concert and the way he was playing today, he'll do it again tonight. Speak to him, will you?'' Vance said.
''Okay, I will.''
That evening just before the concert Rufus pulled Kerry to one side.
''Kerry, this is a bit difficult, but the boys have noticed you're making a few mistakes in your playing. What's wrong?''
''It's all your fucking fault. You brought her here.''
''What are you talking about?''
''Celia, the photographer.''
''What about her.''
''Jesus, I fucking hate feeling like this,'' Kerry said.
''Like what? Kerry unless you tell me, I haven't got a clue what you're talking about.''
''I fucking love her. If it hadn't been for you stopping me, I would have screwed her and tossed her on the heap where all the others are. But I wasn't allowed. And now I've fallen in love with her.''
Rufus put his hand to his mouth in a limp kind of way and began to laugh. ''Is the alpha male, hard drinking, hard fucking, drummer of Deadly Heroes, telling me that he's fallen for some middle-class girl from the East?''
''Stop laughing, you pompous prick. It's not funny.''
Rufus couldn't stop giggling. When he eventually managed to speak, he did so with as much seriousness as he could muster. ''Then what are you going to do about it?''
''I dunno, she's gone.''
''Try calling her. Tell her you love her.''
''Are you fucking completely mad? I can't do that.''
''Why?''
''Well,....'' Kerry couldn't think of a reason except he'd didn't do that kind of thing.
''Listen Kerry. The boys are worried about the quality of your playing. It's being affected by whatever is happening in that brain of yours. We are the best band in the world, we can't accept second best.''
''Okay. Understand. I'll be great tonight okay?'' Rufus patted him on the back and left Kerry to ponder what he'd just said.
*****
''Back to his absolute best,'' Vance exclaimed as a champagne cork flew through the air. ''I was worried about you for a minute,'' he added as he put his arm around Kerry.
''If you don't mind I'm gonna give the party a miss,'' Kerry said.
''He's in love, that's what's wrong with him,'' Joe said.
''Rufus, you big mouthed asshole,'' Kerry said.
''I didn't say anything,'' Rufus exclaimed.
''I worked it out for myself. You haven't been yourself ever since that photographer left. You're in love with her,'' Joe said.
''That explains the shit playing,'' Silas exclaimed.
''Imagine it, Kerry in love with a posh girl,'' Vance said. ''So, you aren't gonna stay here have a few glasses and fuck a few chicks as usual?''
''No. I don't feel like it.''
''Fuck a duck,'' he's really bad, Rufus said throwing his arms in the air.
Back at the house, Kerry lay on the sofa and listened to soft music. Get your fucking head together, he said to himself. They're starting to laugh at you. He then decided to go through all the options. What was the worst that could happen to him if he called her? She could tell him to fuck off, on the other hand, she might be pleased to hear fr
om him. But chasing women wasn't his way, they always came to him, what would happen to his reputation as a hell-raiser if he were seen to be chasing a posh chick?
''Rufus, get me onto a chat show. I don't care which one as long as it's prime time and seen by a hell of a lot of people,'' he shouted over the loud music that was coming down the phone.
''I can hardly hear you, bloody music, it's deafening,'' Rufus said.
''I said, get me onto a chat show, a well watched one, as soon as possible.''
''Okay. I'll let you know.''
Kerry hung up, closed his eyes and fell asleep on the sofa.
*****
''Celia, my God I'm sorry I haven't been to see you before now,'' Sandy said. She sat on the sofa in the conservatory and looked at Celia. ''So what happened? Why did you come home so early?''
''Because I wasn't happy.''
''Why. It was a hell of an opportunity. It seems like a pity to throw it away.''
''Okay, I'll tell you. It was emotionally difficult.''
''Why?''
''Because, I fell in love with the drummer, Kerry, and he didn't feel the same.''
''Oh. That's a bit awkward.''
''Yes, a bit. Do you know what he told me? He told me I wasn't the kind of woman he fucked.''
''What an asshole. What kind of man is he?''
''That's the problem. He is so hot and so sensitive, but he's got this self-fulfilling lifestyle.'' Sandy noticed how Celia seemed to be staring into space. ''He thinks he has to be a rocker and screw women and the more he believes it, the more he does it. It's a bit pathetic to see. But he's so lovely, in so many other ways. Shit, I'm going to cry in a minute.''
''There's plenty more fish in the sea, don't worry yourself.''
''Yes, your right, but he's very special,'' Celia sniffed. ''Do you want to stay the night? I'd quite like the company. Mom's gone to Carl's because Dad's gone to London.''
''Okay, so long as you've got wine and a good movie,'' she joked.
Celia went to fetch another bottle of wine and some chips, leaving Sandy to turn on the TV and put a DVD in the player.
''Shit, I'll be dammed. Celia,'' she shouted when she'd turned the TV on.
''What?'' Celia said after she's rushed back into the room. She followed Sandy's outstretched arm and the finger that pointed to the TV.
Romance: Teen Romance: Follow Your Dreams (A Nerd and a Bad Boy Romance) (New Adult High School Sports Romance) Page 7