“Um, good morning,” I murmured, taking a step away. “Sorry. I’m in a rush. Ben said I only had ten minutes to get ready.”
Cal laughed. “There’s no rush. Ben and the crew are too busy chatting about today’s show.”
I nodded, releasing a breath of relief. “Oh… okay.”
“So I take it I’m riding with you and Ben?” he asked, turning around.
“I guess so.” I took a few steps down the hallway and he followed me out the door.
He was right about not being in a rush. Ben was talking with a group of people near the FireNine tour bus. I took in the bus and noticed how different it looked from the last. It was still black, but instead of just the logo, it had each band member on the front, posing with their instrument. Gage was in the middle, behind the FireNine logo, with a mic in hand, his hazel eyes narrowed and his hair hanging over his forehead. It was an old picture because Gage had cut his hair a while back so it didn’t even touch his forehead. It barely touched his ears.
And then it dawned on me. I hadn’t even noticed that the boys’ luggage wasn’t on the bus. Their bunks were clear and made up. The band was finally going back to their own bus. I wanted to shout with joy when I figured it out, but I kept my cool, especially when Gage and Montana started coming our way.
“Eliza, is there ever a time you don’t look good?” Montana asked.
I laughed.
“Seriously,” he said, looking me over. “You always look hot.” Gage play-punched his arm, chuckling, and I giggled.
“Thanks, Montana.”
“Just stating facts.” He winked.
“So where are we eating?” Cal asked.
“Cracker Barrel,” Gage said, folding his arms.
“Oh, that’s great.” Cal’s gaze shot over quickly to Montana. “Montana, do you think I could get some questions with you—I mean, since we’re waiting on Ben and the crew, I thought it’d be the perfect time and all.”
Montana ran a hand over his mohawk that was slicked back and then nodded. “Sure.”
“Great.” Cal stepped from my side to get to Montana and they walked off. Cal had pulled out his phone and every time he asked a question, he would put the phone a little too close to Montana’s mouth for his response. Montana would back away, aiming to conceal a frown, and I would laugh because he was doing a horrible job at hiding his discomfort.
“Don’t tell me you find that Calvin guy interesting,” Gage said, snapping me out of my stare.
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re practically drooling, Ellie.” He smirked.
“No, I’m not.”
“You are.” Gage chuckled. “So you find guys with blond hair more interesting than me. Maybe I should bleach my hair. Will it get you to be nicer to me?”
“Gage.” I laughed, shaking my head. “I’m not mean to you. And besides, blond would be really ugly on you.”
He laughed smoothly. “Would it? Penelope told me I’d look good in anything.”
“Well, I’m sorry to tell you, but for one, Penelope lied to you and two… it’s Penelope. I’m not entirely sure what she knows outside of following your every command.”
His eyes narrowed, but in only a second he smirked. “Is that jealousy I’m sensing? Did you lie to me last night?”
“Not at all. Sorry.” My sarcasm with Gage was growing by the second. It was hard keeping up with this careless attitude.
Gage moved in closer, limiting the space between us. He was about to reach up and touch my cheek, but then he stopped abruptly, in midair, and shook his head, jerking down his hand. “Whatever you say, Ellie.” He turned quickly, meeting up with Roy and Deed who were standing by the truck. Ben clapped his hands and yelled for everyone to get ready and I sighed, turning for our Navigator. I hopped in the backseat and Cal jumped in a minute after.
“Montana is hilarious,” he said, tucking his phone into his pocket.
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Montana’s pretty chill.”
“My boss is gonna love what I’ve gotten so far. I should be able to take up four whole pages for FireNine by the time the tour is over. That could make them a highlight of the magazine… maybe even get them on the front cover.”
“Wow. That would be good for them.”
“Yeah. These boys are underestimated. I’d love for my article to be one of the very first up-close-and-personal articles with FireNine. Not only will it take me to greater places, but it just might get them attention outside of the United States. They might not just be traveling by bus anymore.” He winked.
I smiled and Ben opened the front door of the truck to get in. He glanced over his shoulder, lowering his sunglasses to wink at me. “Sorry about the wait,” he said. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”
“What’s going on today?” I asked as Ben faced forward and Marco put the car in drive.
“The boys have a show tonight and Monday night.” He sighed as the tires of the truck hit the main road. “Besides tomorrow, Sunday, and Tuesday, their weekend in Orlando is booked.”
“Oh.” I nodded.
“Yeah. There’s supposed to be a huge turnout tonight. I had to make sure I told the drivers to get the boys there on time and make sure Deed P. is there on time as well. I still haven’t figured out what the hell held him up during the last show. It almost cost us a good penny.”
I stared at Ben’s back before looking out my window. I had to remain quiet about Deed. I didn’t know what happened to him either, but it had to be something serious if he was left with a black eye.
Marco pulled up to Cracker Barrel and I hopped out quickly. Turning back, I saw the band hopping out of their truck as well, but they had to be escorted to the door by a few security guards when a cluster of squealing girls rushed for them. It had to suck for the boys. They couldn’t even go out and eat comfortably without fans hounding them.
As soon as we were inside, the woman behind the counter gave us a table immediately. Of course, she got the boys to autograph a few things for her in return, but they thought nothing of it. Ben asked for an entire section alone so people wouldn’t purposely walk by our table just to get close to FireNine. Being with the band made me realize how people would do anything for an autograph. Even the employees stepped out of their way to get a few things signed.
Unfortunately, I had to sit between Ben and Gage. It kind of bothered me that Gage was sitting so close, and even when I slid his chair away from me with my foot, he always managed to get close again.
Cal sat across from Ben, engrossed in a topic about the magazine and how he was going to write the article about the band. He was really excited about his job. I couldn’t wait to be like him one day—excited to work. Most people are miserable when they think of work. I didn’t want to be like that. I wanted to be eager for my next day on the job.
Our food arrived and I drenched my French toast with syrup. Gage chuckled from my side and I looked up to meet his eyes. “You’re like me,” he noted, pointing at his plate with his fork. “You love syrup.”
“I do love syrup.” I cut my toast into pieces and began to eat, but it was kind of nerve-wracking to have Gage so damn close to me. His heavy arm always brushed against mine when he would cut his pancake or when he took a sip of his orange juice. He was so close I could smell his body wash hidden beneath the sheen of spicy cologne. It wasn’t too strong for me so I dealt with it, but I had to get his chair to move again.
Placing the tip of my sandal against the leg, I pushed his chair forward slowly but kept my gaze on my French toast. I grabbed my drink and Gage laughed silently, his shoulders shaking as he placed his elbows on the table. “Don’t you like being close to me, Ellie?” he asked, almost in a whisper.
My stomach rolled. I couldn’t understand how it was possible to feel so pleasured by someone’s voice. Gage’s voice was so damn sexy that I couldn’t deny it, no matter how much I despised the way he was.
“You’re just really close,” I murmured.
/>
“You don’t like when I’m close to you?”
“No.”
He chuckled silently again before looking around at each person busy chatting over their breakfast. He then slid his chair in closer and my heart paused on the next beat as he placed his hand on my thigh beneath the table. He and I both knew if I were to jolt I would bang my knee against the table and draw attention, so I kept perfectly still.
His fingers moved up until they were completely between my legs. It was a gesture he’d pulled once before, but I couldn’t remember much of it from last time. This time, it was as clear as day.
His fingers were warm, the palm of his hand soft as it caressed my skin. My breath kept hitching and I was glad everyone was talking because otherwise, I would’ve been making a fool of myself.
“It’s funny how you seem to hate me so much, yet your body is reacting so positively to my touch,” Gage whispered in my ear. “Maybe you do like when I’m close to you.” My legs clenched around his hand and he chuckled softly so only I could hear. “There are so many things I could do to you, Ellie, if only you’d let me.”
His hand recoiled and I was partially relieved, partially upset. Relieved because that was too close to me reaching a damn orgasm and upset because I kind of liked his hands on me, his fingers moving up and down my leg. Unlike the club where he had his hands on me briefly, this moment seemed longer. It was weird how no one noticed how close he was to me, and if I wasn’t mistaken, he would have definitely finger-fucked me if he would’ve kept his hand down there a little longer.
“Liza?” Ben called.
“Hmm?” I answered quickly.
He looked down at me, his eyes narrowing as I placed my hands on my thighs. I could feel my cheeks burning with blood and heat, but I kept my eyes on him. “Cal said he’s looking for an artist to draw something for him for his article. It sounds like something you’d be interested in,” he said, gesturing to Cal.
“Oh.” I gulped, looking from Ben to Cal. “What would it be?”
“Oh, just some minor drawings. When writing an article for It’s Real magazine, we get to decorate our pages ourselves, but it has to match the topic. Since my article will be based on the band and music, I’d gather a ton of drawings of guitars, microphones, creative music notes… maybe even cartoon characters that are singing. I’d make it spiffy, fun.” He smiled.
I nodded. “I can help with that.”
Cal winked. “That’d be great, Eliza.” He and Ben started talking about a bunch of junk I didn’t really care about again, and I sighed heavily, reaching for my glass of apple juice to kill the fire that still seemed to be burning inside of me… because of Gage Grendel.
I dared a look at him and his fingers were folded on top of the table. He was leaning his back against his seat, a smirk on his lips, staring ahead. I wasn’t sure what at, but as I looked up, I figured it out.
A girl with blond hair, a tight miniskirt, and a purple belly shirt stood at the entrance, staring directly at Gage. She batted her eyelashes at him a few times and then winked as she stepped around the corner to get to the restrooms. Was that her gesture to get him to come after her?
What surprised me most was that it worked because, clearing his throat, Gage pushed from the table and slid in his chair. No one else seemed to notice he was walking toward the restrooms but me, and that’s only because the stunt he pulled was really ignorant and disgusting.
I couldn’t stand it. I couldn’t stand how he could make me catch on fire one second, but then right after he’d find someone else to give his attention. It confused me and I was pissed I felt anything toward him. I didn’t want to feel anything because feelings hurt. I had to shut off my damn emotions and continue acting like I didn’t care. I knew he was only going to continue.
Gage disappeared around the corner and didn’t return for a whole fifteen minutes. No one at the table happened to notice he hadn’t come back yet… no one but me, anyway. I knew what he was doing in the restrooms, most likely in a stall with the blond whore he knew nothing about. How could he just do that to himself? What if she carried a disease? I knew he was low, but I didn’t think he would go as low as having sex with a completely random girl.
Everyone finished up their meals and as soon as we all stood and pushed in our chairs, out came Gage fixing his red T-shirt and jeans. His hair was mussed, way messier than just a few minutes ago, and he looked worn, as if he’d just worked out. Gage saw us getting ready to leave so he headed for the exit. As I stepped past the restrooms, the random blond whore was stepping out, applying lip-gloss to her lips curved into a satisfied smile. Un-fucking-believable.
“Oh shit!” Montana yelled from the knick-knack area. I turned to see him holding up a large Tootsie Roll pop. He pretended to lick it and I laughed as I stepped in, forgetting all about Gage and his gross bathroom scandal.
“Can I get a picture of you with that?” I asked.
“Anything for you, Miss Eliza.” He winked. I lifted my camera off of my chest and he posed, holding the Tootsie pop against him, as if he were a kid. I giggled as I snapped two and then pulled the camera from my eye.
“So, Eliza…” Montana sighed, putting down the lollipop. “Do you have a boyfriend?”
I shook my head quickly. “No.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “I’m really picky, I guess. He has to be worth dating.”
Montana snorted a laugh before picking up a hand-sized water gun. “So, in other words, you’re waiting on a guy you know you’ll want to marry. You’re that kind of chick? Old-fashioned?”
I blinked quickly because he was right on… sort of. “Kind of.” I lied. The truth was yes, but it was way too early for me to be thinking about marriage, which was why I was taking my time on dating. There was no rush. I had plenty of time.
“Sounds like you wouldn’t give anyone on this tour a chance, then,” he said, stepping toward me and licking his lips.
“That’s a definite no.” I laughed as I took a step away.
“But what if one of us is willing to take the dive for you? I mean, it may not be right now exactly, but in the future.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “What are you getting at, Montana?”
“I’m not saying me,” he said, raising his hands innocently. “I’m just saying… maybe I know someone who would be a good match for you.”
I laughed as I scanned the shop. Everyone was looking at different things. Roy and Deed sorted through old-fashioned guitar picks and Gage messed with candy bars and candles. Ben was still talking to Cal about God knows what, and the other miscellaneous people of the crew were waiting by the door, checking their watches and phones, ready to go.
“I highly doubt anyone here is a match for me,” I finally said, looking at Montana again.
“What about Gage?” he asked, lifting his eyebrows and pointing his thumb toward him. “ We’ve talked about this before and I see the way he looks at you, the way you look at him. I wish you two would just fuck and get it over with already. The wait is killing me and I’m not even getting any ass.”
“Hmm… no thanks. I’ve literally just gotten to know him and he’s most likely unsanitary, inside and out.”
Montana laughed obnoxiously. “Eliza, I’m pretty sure any guy that’s a part of a band is naturally unsanitary. We like to get dirty. Being clean is for the birds.” He waved his hand, slightly rolling his eyes.
“Well, dirty isn’t my thing. I like clean men,” I said matter-of-factly, picking up a strawberry-flavored lollipop.
“So you like douchebags like Cal over there?” he grumbled.
“Cal’s sweet,” I said, glancing over my shoulder to find him. He was talking to another crewmember.
Montana sighed, as if he were bored with me. “Being sweet is the new bitter.”
“Oh, really?” I placed a hand on my hip. “So what’s being rude, then? What’s being a jerk? An asshole? I hope you aren’t going to make it a re
ference to being sweet or cool because it isn’t.”
“Hey, no one said anything about being rude. I’m a pretty nice guy. I just like to have fun and the girls I come across don’t realize that. I’m still young. I still have a life to live. I’m pretty sure my band brothers feel the exact same way. We aren’t settlers. We just take whatever life hands us and run with it.”
“Even when life hands you a random broad to fuck in the bathroom?” I countered.
He chuckled, running a hand over his slick mohawk. “You caught that, too, huh? Gage thinks he’s the sneakiest bastard alive. I swear he does.”
“It’s gross. He didn’t even know her.”
“Which is the best part. When he doesn’t know her, he doesn’t have to worry about seeing her again, and if he does, he can pretend they’ve never met. We’re constantly on the move, Eliza. We see so many faces that it all becomes a blur. That’s one thing you have to understand. We don’t have time to care for feelings outside our own. It’s hard to really give a fuck about anyone but ourselves,” he said, his tone nonchalant.
I sighed, turning around to get to the exit. “Well, I guess what people say about rockers is true.”
“And what might that be?” Montana asked, catching up to me.
“Rockers are selfish and filthy fuckers—at least, that’s what I always hear. I used to think it was a stereotype, but the more I’m around you boys, the more I think maybe it’s the truth.” Montana chuckled and I couldn’t help but laugh with him. At least he wasn’t denying his ways. I could respect that.
“You don’t need to worry, Eliza. You’re off limits to all of us anyway. You’re around us too much and we see you every day, so if any one of us even takes the dare to try and have sex with you, we wouldn’t be getting off so easily. Unlike the other girls where we can kick them out or even leave them without an excuse, you get to stay and we’ll have to make one up for you and… well… that’s just too much damn work. None of us wants to be nagged, so you’re safe around us—plus, you’re our manager’s daughter. Couldn’t do you like that.”
Who He Is Page 10