by Skye Turner
What does that mean?
I can’t breathe.
Growling out loud, my hands ball and smack the mattress. “What the hell!? I’m dating a woman and I’m faithful. I don’t even think about anyone else. Only, I’m still trying to hold myself back because I don’t want to be a pussy like Rafe… and I’m talking to my fucking self because I can’t sleep because Summer isn’t beside me!” Closing my eyes, I groan. “Fucking son of a mother fucking bitch… I’m a pussy… like Rafe.”
Something hits the outside of my blackout curtain and then the curtain is jerked back a bit. Xavior snaps, “What the fuck is wrong with you? Stop moving around so much. I can’t fucking sleep, asshole. And who the fuck are you talking to?!”
My arm covers my eyes, even though it’s pitch black in here and I moan. “Sorry, man. I can’t sleep. I didn’t mean to wake you up.” Grasping the phone from the small charging shelf, I swipe it to see the time. 6:17AM. I groan again.
I can hear Xavior yawn loudly even though I can’t see him. He talks through the yawn. “What…’s… wr…ong… with… you?”
Sighing again, I roll to my side. I’ll never be able to get back to sleep anyway. “Just can’t sleep.”
His voice is sleepy as he mutters, “Yeah, and now neither can I…”
Realizing he’s right, I sit up and pull my curtain back before sliding my legs out. “You’re right. Sorry. I’m going to head into the lounge if Gavyn isn’t using it. There’s no fucking way I’ll sleep so I’ll just leave so I don’t bother you. Besides, Russ is a bear if he’s woken up.”
A snarl from across the way reaches us in the dark. “Shut the fuck up! It’s the middle of the goddamned night, fucker!”
I laugh and Xavior chuckles. “Too late. You woke the troll.”
Something hits the side of the bunks and Russ yells, “SHUT THE FUCK UP!”
Reaching down, I feel around for whatever he just threw at us. My hands feel leather and then I feel the laces. My eyes widen as I realize he just threw his shoe at us. “Yo, did you just chuck your combat boot at me, asshole? If that had hit me, you’d have busted my face open!”
Russ moans, “For the love of God, will you shut up and get the hell out of here?!”
Deciding to be an asshole, I stand and reach for the main light. I flip the switch and light floods the cabin. Russ screams, “You fucking asshole…”
Xavior groans, “Bright light… Bright light… Man, that was cold…”
Laughing, I toss the boot through the crack in the curtain of Russ’s bunk and cross to the door as he growls like a bear in a cave. “Someone should turn that off…” Before they can respond, I’m sliding the door open and slipping out.
It’s just after 6AM, what the hell am I going to do now?
My stomach growls and my decision is made. Crossing to the kitchenette, I search through the fridge. After grabbing one of the smoothies Rafe keeps in there and a burrito that I pop in the microwave, I slump into the booth and stare out the window as it heats up.
Just as it’s beeping, Xavior walks into the room and heads straight to the microwave. He takes my burrito out and smirks at me. “Thanks for making me breakfast. It’s the least you can do since you woke me up at the ass crack of dawn.”
I don’t even argue with him and instead, get up and grab another one to heat. He turns on the Keurig and makes a cup of cocoa as my burrito heats. His cocoa is ready before my burrito and he takes the seat I was just in and stares out the window as he tries to take a bite from his food. It burns him and he drops it to the table and cusses. “Owwww. Fuck! Dammit, that’s hot… Shit!”
I laugh. “Serves you right. Stole my damn breakfast and then took my fucking seat.”
Without turning, he flips me off.
I laugh again and open the microwave as it dings. “You’re really staying up right now? You know it’s like 6:30AM, right?”
He groans. “Don’t remind me. No sane person is up this early… Good thing I’m not sane… but fuck, I’m going to be tired later!”
I nod and slide in across from him as we both look out the window. “Yeah, me, too.”
He chuckles and asks, “So, why can’t you sleep?!”
I find myself telling him as we eat our breakfast and watch the hills of Hollywood come ever closer through the window.
When I’m done talking, we’re both quiet for a while. Then he laughs humorlessly and sighs. “Yeah, women have a way of getting under your skin, don’t they!?”
Chapter Seventeen
Summer
The Ellen segment was great. It’s always awesome going on her show. She’s so easy going and fun. She just has a way of making everyone feel comfortable and like they’re just hanging out with friends. Of course it helps that we really are friends and are both from Louisiana, though the guys had never been on the show before.
We sang Firefly Heartbeat after a short interview segment. All in all, we were only on for about eight minutes, but we were there for four hours. And now, we’re in the hotel suite with our stylists, makeup artists, and the rest of the huge team working on us. The four of us girls are literally surrounded by an army of people whose sole job is to make us look amazing. It’s loud and I’m wishing for just five minutes peace and quiet.
I wince as another bobby pin is shoved into my hair and the stylist mutters, “Sorry, but you’re moving around. I need you to be still, Summer. I’m almost done.”
Rolling my eyes, I mutter, “Yeah, well, you’ve been almost done for half an hour… I’m not a statue…”
A chuckle has me turning my head and I wince as I get poked again. “Ouch… Dammit!”
Daisy is standing there, looking breathtakingly beautiful with her hair in a sleek chignon on top of her head. She laughs again. “Sorry. I heard you grumbling as they finished with me.” She tells the woman working on my hair, “She’s a little testy. She must be having withdrawals from her blue haired rocker or something.”
The woman laughs and says in a singsong voice, “Don’t blame her one bit…”
My face flames but I can’t help but agree with her. Sean is easy to have withdrawals from.
Finally, she pushes another bobby pin in and sprays my head with a whole can of hairspray. She leans over my shoulder and nods at my reflection. “Gorgeous!
I blink as I look at myself. It never fails to amaze me at the magic these people can work on us. I look like a really glamorous version of myself. My hair is pulled back on one side and perfect curls are floating over my shoulder on the other. My eyes are smoky with my lashes looking a mile long and my lips are light, but glistening. I sigh. “Oh, yeah, you did a good job.”
She laughs and taps my shoulder. “Don’t I always?!”
Reluctantly, I nod again. “Yeah, but my head feels like a damn pin cushion.”
Batting her eyes at me, she smirks. “Yes, but just think of how beautiful you’ll look on your sexy rocker’s arm.”
My stomach clenches. She’s right…
This is the first major event I’m attending with Sean… like we’re attending together.
I’m attending this huge star studded event with Sean. He’s attending with me. Daisy and Rafe are covering the carpet and the paparazzi together, too.
This is big… This makes it REAL!
I feel like I’m going to throw up.
Stop it… it’s ok. So what if every camera here is going to be pointed at us…
Oh my God, every camera here is going to be pointed at us.
Daisy can read my face. Her arm comes around me and she leads me to the window of the suite. We stop and look out over the lights of Los Angeles. She mutters, “It’s beautiful, huh?”
I stare and try to calm my racing pulse. Finally, I nod. “It is. Hard to believe that from up here it looks like a City of Angels… but once you get down there… you can really see that it’s nothing more than a mirage.”
Something in my voice concerns her. Her hands tighten on mine. “What’s wrong, Summ
er?”
My head turns away from the window and I stare at my big sister. “Nothing… everything… I just realized that this is the first time Sean and I are a couple at something like this… Everyone is going to be there, Daisy…” My wide eyes are looking into her matching ones. “Everyone who is anyone in Hollywood and the music industry are on the fundraiser guest list… Women that Sean has been with… Models… Actresses…”
Women who are far more beautiful and glamorous than I am…
Daisy frowns at me and then she squeezes my hand. I wince at how hard she’s squeezing. “Shut up. Stop it, right now, Summer! Yes… Sean has probably been with half of the people that are going to be in that room tonight. Hell, so has Rafe. But, you don’t see me freaking out and neither should you. So what if they slept with them?! They’re in relationships with us.” Her fingers tighten on mine as she stares at me. “Sean is dating you, Summer. He’s dating you and y’all are doing awesome. He’s committed. He’s putting in the effort. He cares about you. He never cared about any of them… there’s a big difference.”
She’s right.
Of course she’s right. Sean is dating me. I’m dating him. So, we’ll see people who have slept with him in the past.
It doesn’t matter. I’m the one he’s sleeping with now.
Sean is dating me…
Reaching out, I wrap my arms around Daisy and hug her. She squeals and hugs me back. “Good now?!”
I nod and she smirks. “Good, now don’t wrinkle me. This was four hours’ worth of work.”
We laugh together and turn as Fannie and McKenzie call our names.
Fannie nods at us both. “Beautiful! Rafe and Sean won’t be able to keep their hands off y’all. But can you try to make them?! There will be cameras everywhere.” She grins.
McKenzie nods in agreement and then looks at Fannie, “You’re looking lovely yourself, Fannie. I bet a certain dark haired drummer will notice.”
Fannie blushes. “Yeah, well, since you’ll be with Sands, I’ll have Xavior and Russ. I get two dates.”
McKenzie smiles though it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Yes, I’ll be with Sands…” She mutters to where we can barely hear her. “At least I think I will be…”
My eyes raise and I cross over to her. “What do you mean, McKenzie? Why wouldn’t Sands accompany you? He is your boyfriend and he’s filming that movie here, right?!”
She nods. “He is and he is. I just haven’t heard from him since we got here… he’s been so busy filming though…”
Her face says that she knows we don’t believe that… and neither does she…
Sean
We’re taking two vehicles over to the fundraiser. Rafe and Daisy along with Summer and me are in one limo with Fannie, McKenzie, Russ, Xavior, and that country douche, Sands Murry, whose headlines outnumber ours, that McKenzie dates, are supposed to be in the other one.
We’ve just walked down to the suite that the girls are in and Rafe knocks on the door. I adjust my tie. I feel like a fish out of water here. I never dress to the nines like this and I feel so out of my element.
The tux I’m wearing at least says “rocker’. It’s a shiny material with leather lapels and the tie they’ve put me in is the same color as my hair and eyes. I have to admit, I look fierce. Rafe’s tux is very similar to mine, but he’s not wearing a tie, that bastard. Xavior and Russ are also in similar tuxes, though they aren’t as “formal” as Rafe and I.
We’re all supposed to be at the same table along with McKenzie’s date. After the second course, we’re supposed to play a three song set. Tickets for this shindig were roughly ten thousand dollars each and each table is raking in about one hundred thousand dollars. There’s also a silent auction and we donated some items along with the girls.
Cypress Records is one of the sponsors for the fundraiser and it’s benefitting music and art programs in the inner city schools in Los Angeles. We were told we’d be attending, therefore, we will attend.
I’m once again pulling at my tie when the door opens. My breath stalls in my chest as I see Summer. Her hair is pulled to one side and the mahogany curls are cascading over her shoulder, which is bare. She’s wearing a deep emerald green sleeveless gown that hugs her curves in all the right places. Her makeup is also more intense than I’ve ever seen it. It’s darker… sexier… she looks like a goddess. Her eyes widen as she looks me over, but she doesn’t say anything either.
I have so much I want to say, but none of the words can come out and even if they did, I’m not certain they’d be appropriate in present company.
She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
Fuck going to this fundraiser. I want to throw her over my shoulder and take her straight to my room so I can peel that dress from her body. Whatever she’s wearing underneath it, I want to pull to the side and slide into her until she comes so hard around my cock that we leave a puddle on the floor.
Xavior’s amused voice snaps me out of my sexual haze. “Yo, if that look on your face is any indication… you just fucked Summer out here in the open… I’m ok with that… I think it’s hot, but I don’t think you want to do that…” He chuckles. “Besides… you’re blocking the door.”
Turning on him, I snarl. “Shut the fuck up.”
His eyes widen and his hands come up as if to ward off a blow. “Whoa… Calm down, man…”
I glare at him and then notice that Rafe and Russ are both staring at me with their mouths hanging open. Rafe nods at my sides. Looking down, I notice my fists are clenched.
Rafe says calmly, “How about we not beat on each other before this fancy event tonight?!”
Frowning, I flick my glance at Xavior again. He frowns. “Sean, what the hell, dude? You look like you’re about to attack me. I was joking. I didn’t mean anything by that, you know that…”
I do know that. Xavior is one of my best friends. And I was legit about to beat the shit out of him.
What the hell is wrong with me?
He said that he wanted to watch me fuck Summer because he thinks it would be hot.
Not that he hasn’t watched me fuck people before…
But, hell no. Not Summer… no way.
I will fuck him up.
I’ll fuck anyone up.
No one is going to see Summer like that… no one but me…
What the hell does that mean though?!
I think I know what it means. And that’s why I turn away from him and look back at Summer. Her face is white and she’s looking between me and Xavior with her brow wrinkled.
Shaking my head, I step into the room and cup her shoulders. Her stance relaxes some. Leaning down, I whisper. “You look beautiful, Summer. Sorry… I think I just got jealous…”
She blinks and then she smiles. The smile covers her face and she nods. “You did and it shocked the shit out of me.” Her cheeks flush and her eyes twinkle. “But, it was kind of hot. Can you kiss me without screwing up my lipstick though?”
Leaning down, I press my mouth to hers but keep it light though everything in my wants to yank her to me and bury my hands in her hair. I know that she’d be pissed if I messed her up though.
That’ll come later tonight…
After I get to walk around with her on my arm and make everyone else in the room jealous.
She leans back and sighs. “That was a good start.”
Chuckles from the door have both of us looking over. Rafe, Daisy, Xavior, Russ, Fannie, and McKenzie are all watching us.
Xavior winks at me. “Y’all are so fucking cute. It’s like a chick flick happening right in front of us.”
Russ groans, “Right… I’m so embarrassed that you and Rafe have both lost your balls.”
Everyone stares at him. He never says stuff like that. Then Rafe laughs and points at him. “Aw, sorry you’re playing with your own balls these days, Russ. Sean and I have amazing women to help us out. I’d be jealous of us, too.”
Russ sputters and everyone laughs.
Roger pops his head into the room. “Everyone ready to roll? It’s going to take at least an hour and a half to get to the carpet. We need to load up and head out.”
Chapter Eighteen
Summer
Good lord. If I hear, “Who are you wearing?” one more time, I’m going to scream.
I’m not kidding. I’m going to freaking scream if one more of these bleached blonde, plastic, Barbie looking chicks asks me that just one more time.
I feel like a Tyler Perry Madea meme right now… “Ask me that one more time…”
We’ve made it halfway down the black carpet walkway that is strewn with reporters and photographers. I mutter, “Jesus, ask something else… anything else.”
Sean looks down at me and smirks. “What? They are very interested in that dress, sweetheart.”
I quickly roll my eyes, before once again planting the stupid “camera smile” on my face. He chuckles and nods at Daisy and Rafe, who are just in front of us. “Daisy has the same look on her face.”
Talking out of the side of my mouth, I mutter, “Yeah, it’s a family thing and these people are idiots. Who gives a shit what we’re wearing?! They’re all going to post the same shit. Hello, have some originality.”
He laughs again just as a paparazzi calls out to us, “Sean. Summer. This way. Look this way.”
We do and they snap several photos.
Here we go… the first couple photos in the supermarket checkout lines. Everyone will be looking at these photos as their frozen food defrosts in their carts.
McKenzie and Sands are behind us. He met us in the lobby of the hotel just as we were leaving. His excuse… he was filming.
Sure you were, asshole. Unless there’s a camera on the tip of your dick and you’re filming inside another women’s vagina… that’s a damn lie.
God, I hope that McKenzie stands up for herself soon.
Stop… not my issue… she’s a big girl.
But, she’s my friend. I worry.
Rafe and Daisy finish with the TV host in front of us and move on up the carpet. Sean and I make our way to her. She smiles at us and leans in to air kiss my cheek. I smile back. She’s a friend and I enjoy her show when I can watch it. She asks, “Hey you. Sick of the ‘what are you wearing’ blah blah blah yet?”