Head-Tripped: A Sexy Rock Star Romance (Ad Agency Series Book 2)
Page 19
After everyone did a line line, they swigged from a flask, then lit up a joint.
“Know what’s better than this song?” one of them bleated. “This song for four hours!”
“Does anyone want this weed? I’ve got too much,” said another.
A guy with a t-shirt wrapped around his head yelled out, “I feel like dancing! I want to dance!”
The dumbass was already dancing.
As she listened to their asinine conversations, hot shame swelled inside. She probably used to sound like that, like a complete moron.
“I’m a hundred percent about to vomit right now,” Tina said. “But after that, I’m down for Urban.”
Her friend blasted out a laugh. “You mean you’re going down on Urban.”
“How am I going to smuggle a shit-load of beer under this tutu?” asked her friend in a tutu.
No one answered. No one listened. They just babbled and spoke over each other and made noise—loud, fucked-up, noisy nonsense.
“Look, it’s her.”
Tina swirled around and stared right at her.
Effie bit back the urge to roll her eyes and waved.
Tina turned up her nose. “Let’s go find Elias.”
Then the clique swam through the mob and disappeared.
Someone kissed the back of her neck. She spun around and found Elias.
“Señorita.” He brushed his mouth against her ear. “Are you by yourself?”
She clasped his hands and wrapped them around her. “Not anymore.”
He swayed to the music behind her.
“Isn’t that guy an amazing guitarist?” she said.
He stilled and said nothing.
“Can you play Flamenco like that?” she asked.
He moved to her side and glowered at the stage. “Never tried.”
“He’s so good.” She circled her hips to the rhythm and raised her arms to the sky. “This song is so sexy.”
He dragged her in for a greedy kiss. “Voy a devorarte,” he murmured against her mouth. “I’m gonna eat you up.”
“Aren’t you worried someone will see us?”
“No.” His tone was gruff and definitive.
“What about the band? Or Gail?”
He loosened his grip and stepped back. “We should go. We’re on in a half-hour.”
She hung her head and sighed. Tina could molest him in public, but his own girlfriend couldn’t? What kind of madness was that?
“You okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine,” she lied.
40
Fortissimo
“‘We must burn the house down!’ said the Rabbit.”
Soundtrack “Ready to Start,” Arcade Fire
Bubbles floated in the breeze, beach balls bounced overhead, and the crowd belted out Urban’s songs by heart.
Effie spread her arms and yelled out to the crowd in Spanish, “Dance your boobs off!”
Oh, no, thought Elias. Earlier, she’d asked him how to say ‘boots’ in Spanish. He’d jokingly told her the word for ‘boobs’ instead.
Silly woman.
Urban played the next song and women started ripping off their bras and flinging them on stage—dancing their boobs off. Elias ducked a leopard print one and kept playing.
Fireworks shot out of the stage and rained brilliant sparks over the fans. Effie dove into the crowd and sailed over everyone’s heads, and kept sailing and sailing and sailing, all the way to the back. In the distance, she struggled to get down, but fans kept tossing her.
Where the fuck was Hal? Elias glanced down in the pit. Hal cowered on the ground, his arms over his head.
Elias motioned to Cato to play a filler riff. Then he jumped off the stage and pushed through the crowd.
He grabbed the guy holding her and yanked him back. Effie dropped into his arms, looking frantic.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
They ran back to the stage. When they played “Chaos,” things spun out of control.
Fans burst past the other security guards and rushed the stage. Instead of underwear, people hurled bottles and beach balls at them.
Elias sliced a finger across his throat and the band bolted backstage.
Blood seeped from a gash on Griffin’s forehead. “Fuck, man. That was insane.”
“Where the hell is Hal?” Missy screeched.
Good question. Where the hell was their bodyguard? Elias sprinted out to the tour bus.
Hal was curled in a ball in back, shivering.
“What happened?”
Hal flinched and turned, his eyes brimming with tears. “Is it over?”
“Yeah, man, show’s over. What’s going on?”
He rubbed his arm. “Fucking fireworks. Thought I was back in Iraq.”
“Flashback?”
The bodyguard violently wiped the tears from his face. “Think you can talk to Gail and make sure that doesn’t happen again.
Elias scrubbed his hand down his face. “Yeah. No problem.”
Hal stared down at his hands. “I let you down.”
“No, our country let you down. I know the VA’s not doing dick. When we get back, we’ll find you some real help.” He clapped his shoulder. “In the meantime, I’ll send Annie back. I’m sure she has some sort of Chinese voodoo for PTSD.”
“Yeah, okay,” Hal said.
Elias made his way up front.
“Hey, El?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t tell anyone, okay?”
“We’re family, man.” Elias said. “Just be real. Nobody’s gonna dis you for losing your shit.”
Hal nodded. “Thanks.”
One problem solved, and another to go. He bolted off the bus and searched for Effie. He found her deep in conversation with the gil from earlier—the “amazing guitarist” she couldn’t stop staring at.
She giggled and twisted her hair and the guitarist bent down and whispered something in her ear.
He stalked up to them, threw an arm around her, and shot the Gil a touch-her-again-and-you-die glare. “What’s so funny?”
“El Love.” The guy tried to shake his hand and failed. “Que pasa, che? Julio Esperanza. Nice to meet you. My band played before yours. Mustang?”
He shrugged. “Never heard of them.”
Effie punched his shoulder. “He’s in the band we watched earlier. Don’t you remember?”
“I was too focused on kissing you.” And without removing his glare off the gil he kissed her with lots of tongue.
“Ah, you are lovers?” Julio gave him a you-sly-dog look then stepped back a foot. “I am jealous. It’s hard to find a beautiful talented woman who can handle the road.”
“She handles my road just fine.” He cupped her cheek and kissed it. She tried to break free, but he held on tight.
“I’m having a party tonight at mi casa,” Julio said. “And you’re welcome to stay with me, too. I have a guesthouse and a pool. Habrá música y baile y tapas —”
“Thanks,” Elias said. “But we have a place already.”
Julio saluted him then headed in the other direction. “Change your mind, I gave your girlfriend my number.”
“I can’t breathe,” she cried.
He relaxed his grip. “That gil gave you his number?”
“His name is Julio, not”—she flicked her wrist—“whatever you said.” She shot him a sideways glance. “Griffin’s looking at us.”
He dropped his arm and stepped back.
She ground her fists in her eye sockets.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Out of nowhere, Tina appeared and slithered her arms around his waist. “Hey, baby,” she cooed.
Effie’s mouth opened then fell into a frown. Then she ran full speed toward the bus.
He pried Tina’s limbs off. “Get the fuck away from me.”
“Someone’s in a bad mood.” She ran her tongue around her lips. “I know something that’ll cheer you up.”
“Fuck off, Tina. Come near me again,” he said, walking away, “and I’ll slap a restraining order on you.”
“When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean. Neither more nor less.”
Soundtrack “Without Walls,” Chill De Lucia
When he boarded the bus, Effie refused to look at him. Instead, she rubbed Hal’s shoulders, offering quiet support.
He slammed his guitar in the overhead bin and plopped down in a seat.
Annie fed directions to LeStrange, and the bus pulled out and wound through the crooked streets of Madrid.
The ten-minute drive dragged on for hours, as he sat helplessly bound to his seat, unable to make amends with Effie.
LeStrange circled a residential area three times then finally stopped in front of a gate. The driver rubbed his chin. “Ce n’est pas ici?”
“What’s going on? Where’s the pad?” Cato asked
LeStrange bounded off the bus and returned a moment later. He wiggled his fingers. “Fire.”
“Speak English, man,” Cato said.
LeStrange growled at him and pointed outside. “Go see.”
Everyone tumbled off the bus and surveyed the property. Or what was left of it. Nothing but a pile of ashes remained.
“Is that our rental?” Missy asked.
Annie held up a picture of a house with the same gate.
“Was our rental,” Cato answered.
Elias gritted his teeth and spun toward his mother. “You! Yo cago en la leche de tu puta madre!”
She raised her hands. “I didn’t know!”
“Did you call first?”
She winced and shrugged.
“Fuck,” Griffin said to the sky. “I’m so tired and hungry I can’t see straight.”
“I can’t sleep on this damn bus again,” Cato whined.
“Moi non plus,” Le Strange said.
“Now what?” Missy asked.
“We can stay at my friend, Julio’s, house,” Effie suggested cheerfully.
Elias clenched his fists. “We are not staying at Julio’s house.”
“Who’s Julio?” Cato asked.
“I met him at the show,” Effie told him. “He’s super nice. He has a guesthouse and a pool. And he’s having a party.”
“Sign me up,” Cato said and headed back to the bus.
“Count me in, too,” Missy said.
Everyone else voiced their approval, and soon they were on their way to the gil’s house.
“‘The time has come,’ the Walrus said.”
Soundtrack “Sultanas De MerKaillo,” Ojos de Brujo
The gil greeted them at the gate of his mansion, dressed in white linen pants with no shirt. He was the perfect host, charming, warm, welcoming—and a complete gil.
“Make yourselves comfortable,” Julio said. “Then join us out by the pool.”
“Your crib is awesome,” Cato said. “Gracias, man.”
“My pleasure,” Julio said. “The women here love you.”
Cato’s smile wavered, but of course the gil didn’t notice.
Everyone showered and changed and headed out to the party. Fifty or so people gathered around Julio’s pool. A DJ spun beats while a chef prepared tapas in the outdoor kitchen.
The gil kissed Effie’s hand. “Ready for your lessons?”
Elias ground his jaw. “What lessons?”
“She wants me to teach her Flamenco.” Julio told him that in Spanish like were best friends.
They were not best friends.
Julio motioned to a makeshift stage on his patio. “Join us. You might learn something.”
That fucker could suck his dick. And he told him that with a smile. “Chupámela, gil.”
Julio laughed.
“What did you say to him?” Effie asked.
“Nada.”
The gil gave her a guitar then strung his over his shoulder. “The trick is the rhythm.” He slapped a beat on the side and motioned for her to do the same.
After ten minutes, she played as well as the gil “Thanks Julio.” Effie handed back his guitar. “Think I got it now.”
The gil squared his jaw and stopped smiling. The guy was obviously butt-hurt because a woman was better than him.
Elias rolled his eyes and took her arm. “Let’s get out of here.”
They strolled over to a hidden spot behind the trees. While the gil’s music played in the background, Elias danced her around the lawn.
“I don’t even have to put my feet down,” she said. “How did you learn to dance like this?”
He dipped her over his arm. “My mother and father were tango dancers.”
She let out a giddy yelp and bounced back up.
He kissed her long and hard.
She moaned in his mouth.
All at once, he had to have her. He threw her over his shoulder and dashed to the guesthouse.
“Where are we going?”
“To bed.”
In the guesthouse, he dropped her on the bed and kicked the door shut.
She bit her knuckle and smiled.
“God, you’re beautiful.” He tore open her dress and latched onto a nipple. “Tenés los ojos más lindos del mundo.”
She whimpered and wrapped her legs around him.
“Qué linda,” he murmured. “Sos divina.”
“I love it when you talk dirty.
“I didn’t say anything dirty.” He smirked. “Yet.”
“What are you waiting for?” She ground her pelvis against him. “Get crackin’!”
“He dipped his finger into her slick heat. “Tu concha está mojada.”
“That’s more like it.”
Pre-cum oozed from his cock. Dios, he wanted to slide into home so fucking bad. He couldn’t wait to feel her pussy quiver around his cock. He doubled the effort. Mouth, tongue, both hands, he used them all and made her pussy a wet juicy mess.
She squirmed and moaned and clamped down on his fingers.
He nibbled her clit. “Feel good?”
“Don’t talk. Don’t talk. I’m almost there. Oh, God.” She arched her back, scrunched her face, and held her breath.
“That’s it, come for me, baby.”
She grabbed his head and slammed her against him. “I’m coming. Sooooo hard.”
He unzipped his jeans and pressed his cock against her entrance, dying to feel her come on his dick.
“Wait.” She panted. “Condom.”
“Fuck!” he shouted. “Where are the ones you bought in Amsterdam?”
“They’re on the bus!”
“Fuck!” He rolled off her and tried not to scream. Until his dick deflated, he didn’t notice her silence.
He propped himself up on an elbow and studied her. The post orgasm glow wasn’t there. He caressed her cheek. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you.”
She rolled her lips between her teeth and nodded. “Can I ask you something? Why do want to sleep with me?”
“Is this a trick question? Because I want to make love to you.”
“But do you?” she asked.
“Do I what?”
“Love me?”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. Dios, he wanted to say yes, he really did, but she was holding a gun to his head. It cheapened the moment. “I don’t know,” he said.
“You don’t?”
His heart slammed against his chest. “Why are you asking me now?”
She sat up and tucked her knees against her chest. “I’m tired of sneaking around.”
“You want me to tell the band I’m breaking my own rules?”
“Yes.”
He closed his eyes and tried to imagine the outcome. Missy would throw a hissy fit. Griffin would beat his ass for not letting Melody come on tour. And the press would have a field day at their expense.
But it seemed like she had one foot
out the door. And he didn’t want to lose her.
He scratched his scruff then let out a long sigh. “Okay. I’ll tell them tomorrow.”
Music and laughter grew louder outside their window.
Effie bit the inside of her cheek. “Don’t you want to know if I love you?”
“Do you?”
She cupped his face. “With every ounce of my soul.”
Right then, his heart split in two, and he handed half to her.
He pushed her down and rolled between her thighs. “Te amo, Effie. I love you, too.”
She shoved him off. “Let’s get some sleep.”
“I really do love you. I didn’t just say it to have sex with you.”
She rubbed her lips for a moment then nodded. “Tell the others tomorrow, and we’ll pick up where we left off.”
He kept trying. “I’m serious. I love you.”
“The thing is,” she said softly, “you really don’t know me.”
Exhaustion hit him all at once, and his eyelids grew as heavy as the conversation. “I love you. You love me. What else do I need to know?”
She shut off the light and snuggled up against him. A minute later, she whispered, “Everything.”
“Sometimes I believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
Effie curled against him and purred in her sleep. He smiled at the wetness on his bicep. She’d drooled on him, and he was fucking happy about it. He was definitely whipped.
He examined the curve of her ear lobe, the violin rash under her chin, the freckles on her nose, and with a clear, unwavering calmness, he knew he loved her for sure. And after last night, he couldn’t just tell her that, he had to prove it.
He eased his arm out from under her then quickly dressed and rushed downstairs. Everyone was already at the kitchen table with plates of fresh bread, fruit, and big cups of latte in front of them.
“Any more coffee?” he asked.
Hal threw a pointed look to a carafe on the counter. “In the pot.”
Elias poured himself a mug and sat down in an empty seat.
Cato was in the midst of telling the band about the hot Spaniard he made out with at the party.
“Too short for you,” Annie said.