Till There Was You: Rock Star Enemies To Lovers Romance

by Elizabeth Grey

  She watched the door, flicking her gaze to her watch. It was 7:35. They were five minutes late opening the doors. They knew they would have to hold the opening of the show, right?

  “This isn’t your show,” he said through his teeth. “This is fun. Remember fun? It’s what we do when we take nights off.” He stepped closer. “Take a break.”

  “I’m not working.” Caught, Amy pushed her fist back into her pocket.

  Ronan came up off the wall and wrapped his arms around her middle. “Of course you’re not,” he whispered, kissing her neck.

  The venue’s door finally bounced open. The bouncer started scanning IDs and tickets. Within a few minutes, they walked into the belly of the venue. The space was wide and flat, all painted black. The set was as bare bones as it came, just a few feet off the ground.

  It was perfect.

  Amy turned back to Ronan to catch him looking at her.

  “You like it?” His eyes blazed under the dim lights.

  She came up and kissed him. For once, she wanted to forget everyone’s expectations. It wasn’t about rebellion or responsibility, it was just the two of them and what felt right.

  Soon, the press of college kids wanting to find a good spot to stand broke through. Amy smiled as she pulled away, looping her fingers through Ronan’s. She thought back to the first night in that small town, how jealous she had been of the teenagers in love. She got to be them tonight.

  The lights dropped and just like in a packed venue, the crowd screamed. But here, the sound pushed against her breastbone and reverberated through her limbs. The lead singer was close enough that Amy could make out the details of his tattoo sleeve.

  “How are you doing tonight, Boston?”

  And just like that, they were off.

  Amy raved as the music blared through the speakers. Her muscles felt loose. How long had it been since she had gone to a concert as a normal person? Everyone around her bounced along to the beat, throwing their hands up. A small mosh pit started to form in the first few rows. Amy breathed a sigh of relief. Tonight, that wasn’t her problem.

  Amy turned to watch Ronan. Away from the prying eyes of fans, he was just as into this as she was. His hair was matted and sweaty from dancing. He had wrapped his sweatshirt around his waist, leaving his plain white T-shirt to stick itself suggestively to his pecs and abs.

  A few women glanced over, dragging their eyes against his body. Amy felt herself smirk. She got to touch him. She got to see him without a shirt on. She got to see the real Ronan, not just the rockstar Ronan. They would never be able to.

  Maybe it was the music. Or maybe it was the thrumming knowledge that Amy knew she was going to give this up – give him up – once they got back to Los Angeles. Whatever it was, Ronan had awoken something carnal inside her. She could feel every drumbeat between her legs. She needed to be closer to him. Now.

  The guitarist played the last note of the song; the scream of the crowd soon followed. After all that stimulation, the sudden silence filled Amy with longing. Her skin screamed for more sensation. Her brain ached for more music.

  “Come with me.” She grabbed Ronan’s hand.

  Being a security guard had its perks; she knew where the bathrooms in a venue were most likely to be located. She pulled him along the cramped hallway. Posters of previous bands watched over them. Some had curled and yellowed at the corners, while others stayed pristine behind proper glass and frame. A few people leaned against the wall, sipping beer out of plastic cups. Flashes of skin through ripped jeans and loose tank tops popped against the lights.

  “You wanna tell me where we’re going?” He glanced around as they wandered up the hall.

  “Not yet.” She led them past the box office, beyond the bar, to – finally!—a small storage room. When she tried the handle, she smiled, biting her lip as it turned.

  All of the noise got swallowed once they were inside the storage closet. Amy waved her hands towards the wall, feeling for a light switch. Instead, she felt the hard, warm torso of a rock star.

  He pulled her closer. “Nice thinking, Sinclair.”

  She smirked, shaking her head. Even now that they were sleeping together he called her Sinclair. Her name on his lips, which used to sound like a petty insult, now rang out like an adorable pet name. Suddenly, she didn’t want to talk. She was afraid that if she opened her mouth, everything would spill out: her plans for the Hollywood Bowl, her plans for them once they stepped back into the real world. She pulled him to her and poured all her tension and worry into a kiss.

  Ronan met her, his hands sliding down to cup her ass. They shuffled for a moment as he moved them back against the door. He pressed her against him. When she felt his cock hardening between them, she gasped into his mouth. She tugged his shirt away from his body, hungry for the feel of his skin against hers

  It was just like the previous night in the van. All of her senses were heightened. His cologne mixed with his sweat to overwhelm her with spicy, inviting warmth. His skin nearly scorched when it brushed against her chest.

  “Off,” she whispered into his mouth, tugging his shirt off. “Get this off.”

  The whoosh of fabric hitting the concrete floor followed a moment later.

  “You’re fucking wild tonight,” he muttered into her neck, nipping at her shoulder. “Don’t stop.”

  He cupped her breasts, pinching her nipples. It was like a mainline to her clit. She wanted more. Harder.

  She reached between them and unbuckled his belt. The sound of clanging metal bounced between them. She made quick work of his jeans, unzipping them. When she wrapped her hand around his cock, he hissed. Already, he was slick with pre-come.

  “I want you,” she whispered. In the dark, she could say anything. She didn’t have to worry about how he would look at her.

  “You’ve got me.” He thrust into her hand. When she gave him a few experimental pumps, he groaned.

  The more she touched him, the more she wanted him inside her. Her body was screaming out for more. “Wait, hold on.” She turned. With a few quick motions, she had undone her jeans and slipped her underwear down her legs. She was too far gone to do anything more. “I want you like this.” She reached back towards Ronan, feeling his length press against her ass.

  “I want to see you.”

  “Like this.” Amy shook her head. “Please.”

  He buried his face in her beck and moved his hand between her legs. She was already slick with want. He swirled his fingers around her clit and dragged them down to her opening.

  “Hard and fast,” she groaned.

  “Yes. Yes.” Ronan slipped between her legs. With one thrust, he was fully inside her. He lit her up, loosening a moan that had been locked in her chest. Ronan took up a punishing rhythm. She bit her bicep to keep her from crying out.

  “Be loud.” He stroked some spot deep inside her that amplified everything. “No one will hear you.”

  She pressed back into him, meeting each thrust.

  “Like that.” She groaned when he started rubbing her clit, causing a rising wave of pleasure to start from her core. “Oh, fuck.”

  Her orgasm ripped through her. It crashed over her suddenly, leaving her legs shaky.

  Ronan slowed as she started to come down. But he didn’t pull out of her. He kept fucking her, stoking that fire.

  “It’s so sexy to hear you come around my cock.” His lips brushed the back of her neck. “Do it again for me.”

  She moaned, still wound tight with tension, her stomach taut. Already, she could feel the pressure building, the wetness going down her thighs. Amy couldn’t fight it. Her scream echoed in the small room when she came for the second time.

  “Your turn,” she teased.

  After a moment, she felt Ronan press his fingers harder into her hips, speeding up his thrusts. He groaned into her neck and exhaled sharply when he came. He wrapped his arms around her middle, holding him to her. His heartbeat vibrated against her, thumping just as hard as he
rs was.

  “God, Sinclair. You are a fucking wonder.” He nuzzled her neck.

  For just one minute, Amy allowed herself to imagine what it could be like with Ronan. She could have this all the time with him. Hot, frantic sex or lazy lovemaking. When they spent the night together in his hotel room, they held each other like two people in love. It wasn’t all just about sex–was it?

  No. She thought. It has to be.

  Unless he was willing to curtail his career. And she didn’t know any musician who was willing to do that.

  He slipped out of her. She heard the sounds of him rearranging his clothing, the swoosh of him putting his shirt back on. She fixed her clothing and took a deep breath.

  They had a week. That would be enough time. It had to be.

  “Come on. We’ve got just enough time for the encore.”

  Chapter 13

  He watched Amy cut through the crowd, dodging a tall college kid stumbling through with a half-empty cup of beer. She stopped short before Ronan even realized two people were trying to nudge their way to the front of the room. She was poised and determined.

  Could anyone else see the hickey blooming on her neck or the way her hair looked mussed and tangled from his hands? In that small utility closet, she had completely come apart under him. He already ached to run his fingers along her skin, to trace invisible song lyrics along her back.

  He came up next to her just as the lead singer was bringing the mood down. “Let’s get out of here.” He slipped his hand along her hip.

  She shot him a look.

  “We haven’t even seen the encore.” A smirk crept up the side of her mouth.

  “Come on.” He rolled his eyes and pulled her closer by the belt loops.

  As they waited for a car to come pick them up, Ronan lazily intertwined his fingers with hers. Amy had done it nearly instinctively, reaching for him as she typed their address into her phone.

  Ronan gave a small smile. She had a tough exterior. But the more time he spent with her, the more he realized that underneath she was soft. It was in the smile she gave him inside when she realized the wonder of Brighton Music Hall. When she turned to him, Ronan felt it in the center of his chest.

  He could love this woman. He might already.

  Ronan had gone cliff diving once, years before he and Di had met. It was a bright hot day and he and a few friends had parked a camper van near the California coastline. That moment when his feet left the ground had scared him senseless. As he traveled through the air, he wondered what nonsense had convinced him to give cliff jumping a try. He had yelled out because the thought of holding in that much feeling seemed impossible.

  Falling in love with Di hadn’t been like that. It had felt like a soothing bath, slipping in slowly, luxuriating in it. When she had told him she loved him, he basked in it. It had felt easy. It had been easy. Which made everything that came after all the more painful.

  But falling in love with Amy? That felt like cliff jumping. He had no idea how long he would be in freefall, eagerly anticipating the return back to Earth.

  The sleek black SUV pulled up. Amy pulled away to climb into the passenger seat. “Keep me company.” Ronan held onto her hand.

  “Alright, fine.” That small, secret smile returned to Amy’s face. Ronan wanted to make a list of all the ways he could make her smile like that. When they clambered into the backseat, he threw his arm around her shoulders, playing with the ends of her hair. Even outside of downtown, the city felt alive, the Prudential Center lighting up the skyline.

  All too soon, the car pulled up to the tour bus. Ronan didn’t want to step back into reality just yet. He liked this version where it was just him and Amy. They had a few days on the road as they headed back to Los Angeles. Once they were back, maybe they could give this a real shot.

  There was just one little problem: if he stopped performing, wouldn’t he be failing Di? The record label had slated him for another leg of a tour in just a few months. That’s what they did with stars who they thought would make it big, according to his agent. But he was starting to wonder if making it big was all he wanted anymore.

  Di helped you get here. A quiet whisper in his ear goaded him. She made this life possible for you. Are you really going to let her down?

  He thought back to that first night of tour, playing in the same bar where they had met. The big shows were a total adrenaline high, but those smaller shows had felt like Di herself: warm, inviting, and life-changing.

  There had to be a way for his agent to get more of those shows on the schedule. Ronan looked down at Amy. All that could wait until the morning.

  She entered the bus first, tiptoeing like a kid on Christmas Eve. She paused at the top of the steps, poised and listening. All the lights of the bus were off with the blackout shades drawn. She gave him a wave a moment later to signal that he should follow.

  Following her onto the bus had its advantages, including the ability to cup her ass. She gave a small yelp in surprise before arching up into him. He shushed her before kissing her neck.

  They stumble kissed towards the back of the bus, moving as swiftly as they could past the bunks. Once the door to his bedroom slid shut,Amy gave an audible sigh of relief. He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her towards him. Even though it had been less than an hour since he had been inside her, he was already hungry for her again.

  She threaded her fingers through his hair. It slammed him into a different memory: this was of the night that Di told him that her cancer had metastasized. She had soothed him as he sobbed into her stomach for what it would mean for their future.

  Ronan looked up. How strange to think that Di and Amy would’ve been friends in a different life. He stretched back on the bed and padded the space next to him. She narrowed her eyes at him and pulled off her shoes before joining him.

  Lying on the bed, Ronan curled himself around Amy. She hooked her leg around his hip. The move brought their bodies closer together. It didn’t just feel like lust. It felt like something Ronan wanted to do for more than just the next few days.

  Before he realized it, he fell asleep.

  Ronan wasn’t sure what woke him up first: the warmth of the sunlight streaming across his face or the sleepy sounds of Amy next to him.

  He found her in the same position as last night – but at some point, she must have slipped out of her jeans and bra. Her legs were gloriously bare, her smooth skin waking him up even more.

  “Hey there.” He brushed her nose with his. “Time to wake up.”

  “I don’t have to.” She groaned and buried her face deeper in her neck. “It’s travel day.”

  He slipped his hands under her shirt, tracing her skin just like had wanted to do for the past few nights.

  A day without fans. Without interruptions. He looked down at Amy, catching her peeking up through her lashes. They could have a full few days together before they got back to LA. Ronan thought of the cliff jumping again. Only this time, the thought exhilarated him.

  “I know you’re a monster before coffee.” He smiled. “I have a machine in here.”

  “As long as you’re aware that I won’t leave until I’m fully caffeinated.” She said it like a warning.

  “Only if you promise,” he responded.

  She gave him a swift kiss and went off to prepare it.

  The coffee machine gurgled and hissed as it finished brewing. She grabbed her coffee cup and gingerly sat on the bed.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. She punctuated the thought with a kiss. “We’re going to stop for lunch soon. Food. Sunlight,” she tempted him.

  They had stopped at a bar and grill just off the highway to stretch their legs, get some fresh air, and food that didn’t come in microwavable packaging. Amy sat down in one of the booths, only to have Ronan pointedly join her.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Challenging your idea that anyone other than us cares about what we do.”

  The shock of his challe
nge left her speechless. But after a few minutes of feeling strange and ostentatious, Amy relaxed.

  Ronan’s fingers brushed over her shoulder as he turned to talk to Sarah. Amy felt the vibration of her phone. Another email. It was from the Hollywood Bowl.

  Amy,

  Would you be available for a brief phone call? I may need to move up our timeline as our current security team is dealing with a personal emergency. We’ll need as many hands on deck as possible.

  Here’s my cell: 782-353-5657

  Please call me at your earliest convenience.

  Sincerely,

  Lana

  “You okay?” Ronan’s voice cut through.

  “Hm? Yeah. I just need to make a quick call.” She squeezed his leg in reassurance,her finger already on the phone icon. She stepped out into the street as it rang.

  “Lana Dyson.”

  “Lana? This is Amy. Sinclair. I just got your email.”

  “Amy, thank you so much for calling quickly. Yes, we have a bit of a situation. It means that we’re going to have to do a quick interview over the phone. Instead of a traditional interview process, I would like to have a probationary period to see if it’s a good fit. Is now a good time to talk?”

  Amy’s mind flickered back to the restaurant inside. Ronan was there waiting for her. What would happen if she hung up the phone and walked back inside?

  “Sure, now works great.” If she took the job, her future stretched out like a highway. It made her want to run towards it but also in the opposite direction.

  “You’re familiar with our layout. Crowd management is our biggest concern.”

  “What’s your average for capacity?” Amy’s brain clicked into gear. She thought back to her spreadsheets.

  “We’re usually at least half full. ”A few taps came across the line. “Bigger events have us sell out. We need someone who is familiar with the latest in tech as well as the on-the-ground tactics.”

  Amy had some tech experience, but most of the dive bars had only rudimentary security: a few cameras at the front and back and basic metal detectors. The Hollywood Bowl was way above her experience level. “My specialty is on the ground. One of my team members is well-versed in tech.”