Giving Up the Ghost

by Stella Price

  He moved closer and wiped the sweat off his face. “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.” He winked and then closed his eyes as the darker tones of their closing song started up. “Talk after the set?” he said as he opened his eyes.

  “I think the first thing on your list should be a shower and change of clothes. I have never seen a man sweat like a farm animal at your weight.”

  He grinned. “So a shower in your room after the set. Right.” He threw the towel at her. “I’ll meet you up there.” He said as he walked back onstage with his microphone and started singing, the tone of his voice hitting buttons low in her body and making them clench. Goddamn how did he do that?

  “Not a shot in hell!” she called after him.

  “We’ll see,” he mouthed to her and then turned. “Broken in two… The whisper of your name on my lips…” he started, and she knew why the girls all went to jelly around him. Totally unattainable, yet his voice promised forever. No wonder Phaedra loved him. Lucky girl. Well lucky dead girl, but all the same. To be the recipient of all that passion…when she was alive she must have been overwhelmed.

  And he was looking over at her. Good lord. Boy didn’t give up did he? She narrowed her eyes at him, and then turned and walked away as his sexy as fuck voice degenerated down to that dark growl he did, and the thick, screaming part of the song began.

  “I bet he fucks like that…” she said to herself as she rounded the outer stage area and checked in with the tech’s to make sure they all had the load out schedule. He’s probably sneaky, talks shit to you as he preparing, then gets wilder, and then finally fucks you within an inch of your life… Yes… he’s the type she thought as she signed off on the crew leader’s clipboard.

  “Arch your back, show me you want this…” she heard in a guttural growl coming from the speakers. She felt the intent of those words right down to her core. Son of a bitch, she knew now why she stayed the hell away from music like this, it just effected her so… or maybe it was just Rhys. He seemed set to have her, and was pulling out the big guns.

  She stood there, close to trembling. Her breasts heavy and needy. She ached. Good lord, how the hell did he do that? She turned on her heel and headed towards the elevators and her room to escape his voice, the feeling, and get that cold shower.

  ***

  Rhys stepped out of the elevator, thankful he got out of the area before his adoring fans got a hold of him. He noticed right off that Saffron was nowhere to be found and smiled to himself. Apparently him laying it on thick, not his teasing but his singing, did indeed affect her. He just hoped it was in the right way. Woman was a wet dream and normally he wouldn’t try to hit on his tour manager, but he also knew Xxieda, and knew she wasn’t evil. She might have sent her to torture Rhys, but that didn’t mean that she was off limits. And he was going to prove it.

  She all but vibrated standing on the side of the stage, but she fought the attraction, and that’s why he was so interested. Women didn’t deny him, they begged, and while he didn’t think she would be the one to beg him for anything, he was certain he was going to get under that skirt, and hear her moan for him… if not tonight, then soon.

  He walked down the hall towards the room and slipped the card to her room he palmed as she was walking out of the room earlier in the night into his hand. He stopped in front of her door and then used the keycard, letting himself in.

  He closed the door behind him and heard the shower just turn off. He smirked, leaning against the wall right in her line of sight, when she came out of the bathroom.

  “I should have known. What was your day job before your band took off, B&E?”

  Rhys twirled the key in question in his fingers and looked her towel-clad body up and down. He didn’t answer her. “I see you took my suggestion, though it seems I’m here a bit later than was needed to wash your back.”

  Saffron rolled her eyes and let the towel fall, walking towards her open luggage. Rhys, not one to pass up an opportunity to ogle a hot woman, kept his eyes trailed on her breasts, which were high, tight and perfect, and then on her ass, and almost growled as she walked past. It was heart shaped, perfect, her thighs a creamy color, taught and tight. She had a tattoo going up her left side, a highly stylized spray of stars, starting over her shoulder, and down her side, to her hip. It was sexy, black, with small dots of color inside some of the stars. He tried not to hiss, and adjusted his hard on. Gods that was a sexy piece.

  “So turn about is fair play?” he asked as she bent and grabbed a skirt and thigh high socks out of the bag. The fact that she didn’t grab under things was not lost on him.

  “Hardly. More like you don’t register on my radar, therefore walking about starkers isn’t a problem.”

  Her nipples said differently, but he wasn’t going to mention it. Nope. The fact that the woman was hiding their attraction would be more fun to play with in the long run.

  Rhys knew women, he knew them better then signing, better than what kind of alcohol he liked. He made it his mission to know everything about women, women were awesome. This woman, she might be saying no with words, but her body was throwing off the ‘come hither and fuck me raw’ vibe. This was going to be fun. Seduction was always fun, but it had been a long ass time since he had something so specialized.

  Most women just fell into his arms, and his bed, and he rarely remembered their names. It hadn’t been since Phaedra that he had to work for it, and if he admitted it to himself, he kind of liked it, and missed it. It was why he devoted his career to her, because he would forever be working for it with her, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

  Phaedra was female perfection, and it didn’t matter that she was the sister of his best friend and bassist. Blonde, sexy, tall, curvy…she was an almost opposite of Saffron. Where Phaedra was a girly girl, all heels and the latest style in the stores, Saffron preferred short skirts, knee high boots and band t-shirts. She was, in a way, a female version of himself. He thought about that for a second, deciding not to delve too deep on that, less he get all Freudian and then after that, Maudlin.

  Nah, best to keep to the subject at hand, seducing his manager. He chuckled and shook his head. “Right. I think you just like showing off that stunning little body and want me to look. You got a great ass, and your tits are perfect size. Now how about lying back on the bed and opening those stunning legs? Give me the full show?”

  Saffron turned to him and cocked her head. “You going to check my teeth too? Like I’m some prize thoroughbred?

  He smirked and licked his bottom lip. “I noticed you didn’t say no.”

  “I didn’t say anything.”

  “Exactly.” He offered as he moved closer to her. “Green light!” he said and wrapped his arms around her naked waist and leaned in for a kiss. She let him, and he laughed in his head. Too easy.

  Until he was on the floor holding his crotch, looking up at the almost completely unclothed body of the woman before him. She set her knee down and smiled down to him. “Don’t touch unless your invited Rhys. Now, if you’ll crawl out of the room, I have to finish getting dressed and make it down to the after party, where I’m sure your admirers will be waiting for you.”

  He gasped. Shit. That woman had quite the power behind her leg, but still, he couldn’t be upset. He grinned up at her. His eyes trained on the naked, puffy lips of her sex, and the tattoo just above her cleft. He went to his knees and she backed up and he frowned.

  “Oh relax, I just wanted to see what the tattoo was.”

  She stopped moving and he saw a small lizard, a salamander it looked like. He grinned.

  “I think that’s the hottest thing I have ever seen.”

  “Sure it is, now if you please?”

  Rhys struggled to his full height. He might walk with a limp out of here, but he wasn’t going to crawl. “Suit yourself. Still, I could have you moaning and screaming on that bed, but I get it, we just met.” He winked. “I’ll see you downstairs.” And with that he walked out, or limp
ed, towards the door.

  When he made it to his own room he grinned. Oh this was going to be fun. It has been a long time since the juice was worth the squeeze, and he was going to have to send Xxieda a fruit basket or something. This tour just got a lot less tedious.

  Thoughts on how to get under her skin firmly in hand, he walked towards his own bathroom, to the shower calling his name.

  Chapter 5

  But good things come to those who wait cuz she laid me. – Blink 182

  Rhys made it down to the party fashionably late, though he was received like a king. Not that he really cared. Normally he was all over the girls and the attention, but he was on a mission and damn it if he wasn’t going to succeed.

  Not twenty four hours and he and Saffron were engaged in quite the game of chess. Or Battleship. Or Connect Four. Whatever. She had struck a blow with that little display in her room. Not just the knee to the groin, but the challenge. He wasn’t used to women not being affected by him, and he knew she was, but she was just damn good at hiding it. Now, though, it was his move, and it was going to be a good one.

  He walked to the VIP area, girls trailing behind him. One, Renatta, hanging off him, much to his dismay.

  “So? What’s up for tonight Rhys? You know me and the girls got a room. You wanna meet us up there?” she said in his ear and nipped the lobe.

  Normally he would be all over that, three girls, girls he was sure played the lesbian for rock stars game? Hell yeah. But tonight, they were all second string. Nope, he was not going to be swayed from his mission.

  He turned to Renatta and smiled. “We’ll see.” He said and kissed her on the cheek. He detangled himself from her and left her standing at the entrance of the VIP section with a pout. The fact that she and her cohorts could follow him was lost on them, and the area security that looked at their VIP passes with confusion. Whatever, he didn’t hangout with these girls for their powers of deduction.

  He found Winter further in, sitting with Chandler who had what looked like a stripper on his lap. Rhys looked about, scanning for Saffron, but got nothing.

  “She’s not here.”

  “Rhys turned to Winter and frowned. “Who?”

  “Dude, seriously? This one isn’t a damn secret. She was here, but got up after she saw you approaching and left. Went to the dance floor with Nyx. I believe they are cutting it up.”

  Rhys frowned again. “Am I that transparent?”

  Chandler nodded and then turned back to the chippie on his lap, and Winter shrugged. “It gets pretty obvious when you’re on the prowl so to speak. Much to the dismay of your fan club. What are you going to do about them?”

  Rhys shrugged. “Nothing I guess. Not like it’s not anything I haven’t seen or done before. But Saff…”

  “Rhys, X is going to kill you.”

  “Not so. I called her to raise hell, and not once did she tell me the sexy little piece was off limits. So, open season.” Okay not true, but they didn’t need to know that.

  Winter laughed and shook his head, lighting a cigarette. “Well then good fucking luck. I don’t know what her deal is but she’s not interested in you. She might very well be interested in Nyx.”

  The thought zinged through his brain and his cock got up. He shook his head as he discreetly adjusted, less he stand up and poke Winter in the eye. “The hell she is.” He murmured. “I know for a fact she’s all about this.”

  “Oh really fool? And how the hell do you figure?” Winter asked before he inhaled.

  “I already saw her naked.”

  Winter, who had been picking up a rocks glass of Jameson, dropped it. “Holy shit you work fast!” he frowned. “Well. Details?”

  Rhys shook his head. “Nope. Suffice to say she’s as close to earthly perfection as possible.”

  “Better then Phae?” he said measuring out another dram into another glass from the bottle.

  Rhys shrugged. “Actually yes. You know I love her, always have and always will, but her tits were far too big for my hands.”

  At that, Rhys, Winter and Chandler all shivered, as if a cold wind rolled through the club. Chandler and Winter both shook it off, but Rhys had a thought.

  “Sorry Phae…” he said softly, as if he knew it was her. “But it is the truth.”

  He didn’t feel anything else, and then thought better of his first assumption. She had never contacted him, never shown her presence around him, why would it start now?

  Winter motioned to the clear walk from the front of the VIP section. “Seems your fan club has figured out they can come in.” He said of the girls making their way to the table.

  Rhys shrugged. “You deal with them. Renatta likes you too, and she likes getting stuffed, so stuff her.” He winked. “I have a game of hide and seek to commence with.”

  Winter laughed and waved him away. “Good luck buddy.”

  Rhys turned and slipped through the bodies in the VIP section, and started scanning the dance floor under the VIP sections catwalk, for either Saffron or Nyx. It was minutes later, and he was at the end of the catwalk towards the stairs that he saw her.

  Saffron was down on the floor, dancing, but not with Nyx. Dear god was she hot. She was alone, spinning, her eyes closed as she undulated to the music, her tight little shirt not hiding the fact that she was without a bra. Her arms went up, she moved with such damn grace…

  “She’s hot.” He heard Nyx’s voice at his ear, just loud enough to carry.

  “Yes she is.”

  “You got your work cut out for you man.” She said and patted his shoulder. “And I’m not helping with this one. Tosh promised me a rodeo fuck so I’m sorry but I just can’t…”

  That was new. He wasn’t sure when it happened, but apparently Tosh and Nyx had started screwing. “Good. The sexual frustration between the two of you was palpable. Where is his royal dongness?” he said of his guitarist.

  Nyx grinned. “Back in our room. I’ll see you tomorrow…Royal dongness…” she laughed. “And take her easy… she’s not going to say yes tonight…” then she was gone.

  Rhys shook his head. Tosh off the market was going to slip their cool factor down among their female fans. If Rhys was considered a lothario, Tosh was the king of screwing. The guy had his own set of groupies, and they were going to be sore that Nyx was now hitting that on the regular. It wasn’t that Tosh was such a great guy, even though he was. It was because the guy was hung like a rhino. Now Rhys was no slouch in the department, but after being in a band with the guy for as long as they had been, he wasn’t sure if Tosh’s mammoth cock was a blessing or a curse. No thank you, he wouldn’t wish that distinction on anyone, and anyway, he did pretty damn good for himself. Ladies never said no, did they?

  He watched Saffron a bit more. Gods she was sexy. She looked lonely down there, dancing by herself, like she needed a specific partner. Well then…

  He descended the stairs quickly, made his way down the second platform and then traversed the dance floor to her. As he got closer he growled. Woman was in another barely there skirt, and added a garter belt to hold those sexy ass socks up. He was pretty sure she wasn’t wearing any knickers either, as she wasn’t wearing a bra. Her hair was up in pigtails and he shook his head as his thoughts went from bad to filthy.

  He walked up behind her and slipped his hands on her waist, moving with her. “You know what pigtails are right?”

  The music changed and she changed her movements to the beat it was pounding out, her hips snapping as she undulated under his hands. She leaned back, arching her back as she leaned in to speak to him.

  “What’s that?”

  “Handlebars.” He said and turned her pulling her close and he smirked. She still moved, but now her hips were rolling into his hard on and he groaned. She rubbed against him, and moved back as the song changed once again and he rolled his eyes to the heavens. He was sure they were trying to kill him.

  Depeche Mode’s Personal Jesus filled the air; the dark, overly sexual strains ro
cked her. She used him as a prop, dancing around him, rubbing against him, getting very cheeky. He didn’t dare touch her, not really, until the breakdown and she lifted her leg up to his hip and swiveled her hips.

  His cock jumped in the increasingly tight confines of his jeans, and she watched him, licked her lips and leaned back, her nipples, hard and pressing against the thin material of her t-shirt, taunting him. Holy shit she knew how to work that stunning little body. She was wrapped around him, and how his hand slipped between them, between her thighs he didn’t know. He was mesmerized. She smirked. He felt how wet she was, Dripping almost. He slid two fingers into her, pumped her, his thumb working her clit expertly, and she moaned, bit her lip as he felt her inner walls grasp him, felt the slight tremor in her legs. She came seconds later, drenching his fingers, panting. He waited till she quieted and pulled his fingers from her body, smirking as he put them to his lips and licked them.

  She leaned in then and whispered in his ear. “Ummm.. Thanks for the dance…” She said and detangled from him and stalked off to the other side of the dance floor and out the club doors.

  He laughed to himself. Girl played one hell of a hand, and dear god she tasted amazing. He realized he was standing in the middle of the dance floor and rolled his eyes as he went after her.

  Chapter 6

  My body aches to breathe your breath –Sarah McLachlan

  Holy shit. She couldn’t believe she did that, let alone let him do that. Son of a bitch was going to be insufferable now, and he wasn’t going to let up. Relentless. Not that she didn’t enjoy it. His clever fingers were just the stimulation she needed. She had got herself worked up as she danced, as it normally happened, but with him there, and then his handlebars comment… her mind right to a vision of him, his hands in her hair as she slipped him down her throat.

  Hoo lord, sleeping was going to be tight tonight. Damn guy was far too sexy for his own good. She stopped in front of the elevator and pressed the button for up. It’s just a crush Saff… it will go away. He’s your damn client for god’s sake.