The band has slipped onto the stage in the complete darkness and the music begins. Everyone has shown up except Kyla, so at least I’m not alone at this table. The lights dim, and I find myself searching for the lead singer. I stop myself and shake my head to clear it.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Kyla touches my arm as she takes the chair next to mine, and says, “Who you lookin’ for, Peyton? Your boyfriend?”
I stick my tongue out at her. “Stop being a pest, Kyla. I’m just wanting to get the first few songs over so I can leave.”
She smiles at me, and watches me for my reaction as a spotlight flashes and the tall, muscled man with jet black hair, gelled into random spikes swaggers to the middle of the stage. I have to admit he’s a sight to behold, but I have to remember who and what he really is, a player, bad boy, rocker who cares for no one except himself.
He’d make me a notch on his bedpost, but that’s all he’d make me.
His voice seems pushed to the limit immediately as he belts out the first words of the song, and Kyla watches me closely. She leans in close to my ear and says, “Your eyes are twinkling, Peyton. He’s good, isn’t he?”
“His leather pants fit like a glove,” I say. “They must be very uncomfortable.”
Kyla shakes her head and smiles. “Yeah, that’s what you’re really thinking about when you look at his jeans.”
Yeah, well, so what if I was thinking something else. I’ll never admit it out loud that I’m beginning to wonder if that bulge is real or not. I know the muscles in his legs have to be real and that six pack under his tight, white, T-shirt has to be real too. His crazy hot biceps are real, that’s for sure!
By the third song I have a new respect for the band as I can see just how talented the members really are, something which doesn’t come across on the radio versions of their songs. The idea that I might be wrong about him creeps into my head. Not that it matters.
I know that I’m close enough for Kip to look down and see me, but he never bothers. It’s just as I thought, I was forgotten most likely before I even walked away. I think about something my father told me. Always trust your first instinct, it’s practically never wrong.
So what if my first thought about Kip was that he was hot? My second one was that he’s a player, and that one has to be what matters the most.
Someone tugs at my arm and I turn to find a short man with red hair. “Hi, Peyton,” he says, surprising me. “Could you come with me?”
This must be something about the charity, so I allow him to lead me back stage. “What’s this about?” I ask.
“Kip chose you,” he says.
My eyebrows lift and my heart stops. “Excuse me?”
“For the song he’s singing to a special young lady,” he says. “Surely you saw or heard about the song he’s going to sing to a girl for the charity. We decided it would help ticket sales, so added it to the set. Great idea, huh?”
I nod as a pack of butterflies on steroids fill my stomach.
“Do I have to do it?” I ask.
The man smiles at me and says, “Aren’t you one of the people who put this whole thing together?”
“Yeah, but I don’t have to be a part of the entertainment. I’m not doing it for the publicity,” I say. “Just to get money to help the kids get their wishes.”
I never thought this would happen!
“Don’t know what to say, Kip said he’d only sing to you,” he says. “You wouldn’t want to disappoint our guests would you?”
Would I? I mean, who cares if I disappoint the audience or not? Then I remember that I’m a bigger person than that and about the only female Kip can’t rattle. I wonder how he’ll act with a girl who isn’t all screamy and fainty as he sings to her. It might be kinda fun to watch him and see if he squirms a bit.
I shake my head and look back as Kip struts around the stage. Heat fills my body, and I fear that I might faint. I bite my lip, nervously as I wait for the song to end and my embarrassment to begin. A deep breath I take in to steady myself. It’s not Kip who’s making me so nervous, it’s the fact so many people are watching. Quietly I say to myself, “It’s for the kids, Peyton. Do it for them.”
At least I look good. The bastard would pick me to do this, arrogant shit-head!
After the song is over, the band plays softly as someone brings a chair on stage and Kip places a foot on it as he looks out at the audience. His leg is long and I can see his muscled inner thigh from here.
He must work out a lot.
“I haven’t done this in at least a year, but only for you, Texas State University,” he shouts then has to wait as the students scream for almost a full thirty seconds.
I wonder if he did this just to get me back to him. This wasn’t planned before. Maybe I’m the one getting a big head. I’m sure it was planned, I’m not that special!
He looks away from the crowd and towards me, seemingly searching for me as I hide behind the curtain. “As she is a big part of why we’re here this evening, I’m going to sing this next song to your very own, Peyton Reed.” The crowd goes wild as the red haired man pushes at me to go out to Kip who holds his arm out to me.
As I’m pushed from behind the curtain, our eyes meet, and I know that I’m blushing as I walk out to him. I turn and wave at the audience then Kip envelopes me in his arms from behind. I look over my shoulder to find his face next to mine.
“Hi,” he says in the microphone. “Remember me?”
“Hello, and yes I do,” I say so quietly no one can hear me, apparently.
“I need you to be a bit louder than that, gorgeous,” his words hit the microphone but fall warm on me ear, sending chills through my entire body.
“Hello!” I shout, making the sound system squeal.
Kip smiles and gives me a squeeze. “I didn’t mean to make you scream, baby.” The audience laughs and I turn a deeper shade of red. I’m sure my cheeks match my dress by now.
The music begins to get louder, yet still flows gently. Kip lets me out of his arms and takes my hand, leading me to the chair. I sit down and he looks down at me and winks. The spotlight dims to that of a candle’s light and only the two of us can be seen by the audience I bet.
His face, so full of make-up, comes close to mine, then he sings the first stance, “You know you want to.”
No, I don’t!
He looks into my eyes and I see flecks of brown in the deep blue of them. Another line he sings softly, “Girl, it’s just me and you.”
It’s so dark around us it seems as if we’re alone in the huge auditorium. “Close your eyes and I’ll make your dreams come true. Ask me to kiss you.”
Oh, this song! Great, no girl has ever not asked him to kiss her by the end. The last one I saw on television was crying the whole damn time and even she asked him. Poor guy, she was all types of gooey I bet.
A smile curls his shiny, black lips as he nods at me. I shake my head at him and smile. He moves to the other side of me as he trails his hand over my shoulders, leaving electric currents along them.
Damn this guy is good, I have to admit. It’s no wonder he thinks he’s God’s gift to women everywhere.
I turn to look at him as he leans in close, and sings, “My arms ache to hold you. Your eyes hold mine like glue. Come on girl, you know you want to.” He leans in closer to me, his lips nearly touching mine. “Ask me to kiss you.”
Wow! His breath smells so good, like cinnamon. Crap! I hope mine doesn’t stink!
Bringing my hand up between our too close faces, I place my finger on his lips, and shake my head again. He sighs and stands up then moves in front of me, as he drags his knuckles across my cheek, making my insides quiver, but I keep my emotions in check.
My eyes follow him as he sings, “So what do you want to do? To yourself be true. I see the want in you. So just do it.” He leans in close again. “Come on, do it. Ask me to kiss you.”
I think I’ll fuck with him a little bit, that sounds lik
e fun!
With a tilt of my head, I smile at him making him move in closer as he thinks I’m about to ask him, but I place my hands on his shoulders and shake my head again.
He pulls back from me and walks away in what seems to be frustration, and sings, “Oh, baby, you don’t understand. All I want is to be your man. The rest of our lives by you I’ll stand.” He walks quickly back to me and falls on his knees in front of me. His free hand takes mine as he looks into my eyes. “Please, ask me to kiss you. I’m begging you, baby, ask me to kiss you before it’s too late. I can’t wait.”
Just to mess with his head as I’m sure he’s messed with many a poor girl’s, I lean towards him and he smiles, sure he has what he’s asked for. “Ask me to kiss you,” he sings the last words of the song as he looks into my eyes.
I wink at him and say too quietly for anyone else to hear, “No.”
He drops his head on my lap as the spot light goes out.
The crowd cheers and the applause sounds like thunder as Kip takes me by the hand and leads me off the stage in complete darkness. Instead of leading me to the door I came in, he leads me to his dressing room. Pulling me in, he turns and closes the door behind us, pushing his body up against mine as I walk backwards until the wall stops my retreat.
His breath is hot on my face as he says, “Peyton, please let me kiss you.”
Damn! I want to kiss him so bad, but I know what he wants, and that’s all he wants. I can’t do that to myself. But he seems so genuine, so real.
My eyes search his for his real feelings, and I swallow hard.
“Kip, I’m not like that,” I say in a whisper. “I’m no groupie.”
He takes my hand and places it on his chest. His heart pounds beneath my hand.
“You’ve made me feel more than I have ever felt.”
Peyton, don’t fall for this! It’s how he gets all the women. He’s had so many women, girl! Don’t fall for this!
I smile and pat his muscled chest. “I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but I don’t fall for lines,” I say. “Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll find some girl this evening to trade bodily fluids with.”
His forehead touches mine as he says, “I don’t want anyone else, Peyton.”
Sure he doesn’t, until tomorrow, then he’ll want someone else and I’ll be left in some hotel, crying my eyes out.
I stroke his cheek. “Your words won’t work on me, Mr. Pop Rock.”
“I’m more than this,” he says as he plays with one of my curls. “Let me show you who I really am.”
“Why?” I ask, genuinely confused.
There’s not a damn thing special about me. I’m not tall like a model or adorably short, just an average five foot five. I’m not perfectly built as I have a rounded ass and some big hips and don’t get me started on my boobs that are a little too big and make my waist look too small.
My hair isn’t thick and luxurious, it’s kind of short and I’ve never dyed it, so it’s a light shade of dirty blonde. My face is average, light brown eyes and they’re a little too small as well. My nose is turned up and I hate it. My lips are too plump to suit me.
“There’s something about you, Peyton.” His hand cups the back of my neck. “One kiss, just one, please.”
If I give this player one kiss, I know he’ll make me want him. I kind of already do, but I have a lot more integrity than he realizes. I’ve hung onto my V-card longer than most, and it hasn’t always been easy.
Rock star Romeo won’t be my first that’s for damn sure.
His perfectly almond shaped eyes glisten as he looks into mine, trying to read my mind I bet. His firm body holds mine to the wall and now I’m reasonably sure the bulge in his pants is quite real after all as it presses up against my hot and steadily getting wetter by the second personal pleasure area.
If I allow this to go on any longer, I’ll have a lot harder time telling him no. He leans forward and his lips brush my neck and my knees go weak.
“One kiss,” he whispers in my ear and I want to give in so damn bad. My insides are begging me to give in and I suddenly have a new awareness of why all the women gave into him, he’s too damn hot!
It takes everything I have in me, but I push him away, gently but firmly. “No, not one kiss. I’m sure you’re used to getting your way with women. I’ll not be one of those girls who make out with a pop star that she’ll never hear from again.” I pull away from him and walk to the door, grabbing the knob, then turn back and say, “I tell you what, Mr. Dixon, if you really want to get to know me, for God only knows why, you can come to my graduation party later on tonight. I’ll give your manager my address. Feel free to bring your entourage, Pop Rock.”
“I’ll be there,” he says then kisses his finger tips and waves at me. “Perhaps before the sun rises tomorrow, you will decide to let me kiss you.”
A light laugh escapes my lips. “You are tenacious, aren’t you? I cannot promise you a kiss. If that’s what you seek, stay in town, you’re sure to get plenty, and most likely you will choose to do just that. It was a pleasure to meet you, Kip.” Then I close the door behind me, leaving him alone.
Am I really walking away from a night with a billionaire rock star?
Kip
The show’s over and we think we’ve waited long enough that most of the groupies will be gone so we can get to our bus. Silas comes in and waves at us to follow him out. Bobby smiles as he sees a familiar red head who seems to have been at every Texas concert we’ve played. “There she is, Kipper,” he shouts and this time when she tries to talk to us, he stops and looks at her.
“Hi!” she shouts. “Oh my God, are you really going to talk to me?”
Bobby plays it all cool. “I’ve seen you at a few of our shows. What’s up, doll?”
She hands him a credit-card looking thing. “That’s the key to my hotel room. I have friends, enough for all of you, but I’m really interested in Kip. Come to the address on the back and we’ll make it worth your while.”
I shake my head and Bobby gives her a nod. “We’ll see, thanks for the invite.”
Walking to the bus, I have no intention of going to her hotel room. It’s not that she’s unattractive, she’s damn hot, but the idea of her following us from town to town and getting another three women to join her in her escapade to get me in bed with her is kind of disgusting.
On the bus, Bobby drops on the sofa across from the one I’ve dropped myself on. “So, what do you think?” he asks.
“No,” I answer. “I have no want to hang with her.”
“I don’t think she wants to merely hang out, Kip. She’s hot, what’s your problem?” Bobby lays out on the sofa. “I bet her friends are hot too.”
“Then you go. Take the other two with you.” The bus starts and takes us to the hotel Silas set us up in.
“And leave you all alone, never," Bobby says. He sits up. “Especially since that cold bitch shut you down on stage, crap you must hate her.”
“Don’t call her that,” I say, feeling ire build up in me for some damn reason. “I don’t hate her. She has some set of morals on her though, doesn’t she?”
“I’ll say. I mean, come on, it was just a kiss,” he says.
I wonder if just one kiss would satisfy me though. I bet not!
“She invited me to her graduation party,” I say. Which reminds me. I stand up and find Silas sitting up front near the driver. “Hey, Silas, did that girl I sang to leave you her address?”
He rummages around in his jacket pocket and pulls out a piece of paper. “Yeah, I have it here. Want me to toss it, she kind of made a fool of you?”
“No, give it to me,” I say as I make my way to him. “And for the record, she didn’t make a fool of me. She just didn’t kiss me is all. It shows I’m human and not everyone falls for my obvious charm and good looks.”
Troy laughs. “She sure didn’t. Man, I’ve never seen you try so hard.”
I kick his leg as I pass by him. “Well, I’ve seen
you try plenty hard and still get rejected so shut up!”
The ever quiet drummer, James, seems to be giggling to himself as well. “You took her off stage. I’ll bet she kissed you then.”
I shake my head.
“No, not even then, and I tried so fucking hard you don’t even know. That girl! Uh! There’s something about her.” I fall back onto the little sofa and close my eyes. All I see is her perfect face and those shiny blonde curls.
Bobby slaps my leg. “Forget about her. Let’s go see the hottie and her friends and get wasted!”
I sit up and look at him. “Maybe that is what I should do. This is so stupid. She’s right not to want a one night stand with me. That’s all I can give her right now, and that’s not fair to such a good girl, is it?”
Bobby, Troy, and James all shake their heads at me, and I know that it would be the wrong thing to do to go to her graduation party. The pinnacle celebration of her school years. Her family and friends all around her, and if I show up, it will spoil it for her.
The bus turns into the hotel and we all grab our bags and get off and go into the hotel. Silas has us all in rooms next to each other. Bobby looks at me before he goes into his. “So are we getting ready to go to the red head’s?”
“Just get ready to go somewhere,” I say. “If you want to go with me, I’m not one hundred percent certain where I’m going. Maybe just out to a club on Sixth Street. Leave the make-up off and wash the crap out of your hair. Or feel free to go see the red head without me. I may show up later or I may not. I’m feeling a bit torn about things.”
The first thing I do when I get into my hotel room is take a shower and wash all this stuff off me. When I look in the hot water, fogged mirror I see me again and I’m damned glad to see the guy.
Wrapping a towel around my waist, I go and lie on the bed and grab my cell phone from the night stand where I left it. I find my new friend, Max’s, number and give him a call.
Hacked For Love & The Dom's Songbird Page 20