by Andrea Hurtt
A little rumble escaped his throat; soft laughter.
At first, it made her heart sink, filling her with dread.
Had she misread what he’d said?
“Damn, woman. I’d love to keep you naked all day, but I’ve got to get going.”
His words made her heart skip again, but they took all doubts from her.
“I’ve got an important meeting this afternoon with the band, and I need to get Blaze’s ass moving. God knows that guy’s lost without guidance. But I’ll see you tonight. Charles left us tickets for the last show. And an invitation to the after-party.”
The knots in her belly changed, but didn’t dissipate. They went from fear of him not wanting her, to nervousness that he did.
Why would he want someone like me? I’m no supermodel. Not even close.
She slipped into the bathroom and turned on the hot water.
“Nick, focus!”
Nick met his bandmate’s gaze. The deep green of Scott’s eyes burned into him.
The oldest member of the group gave him a harsh look, like the big brother he was. “Where were you just now, kid? We really need you to pay attention.”
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. A dark-haired, curvy girl was invading his thoughts. He couldn’t figure out why.
She wasn’t his type, not by far. No matter, he was drawn to her.
It was unmistakable, the way they fit together, in so many ways.
Hope was everything Nick never knew he wanted. He just wanted to get back to her.
“So, we’ll start the tour in Chicago in six weeks. That doesn’t leave a lot of time for rehearsals,” their manager explained. “Next Step will be working on their choreography in New York. Eddie’s still working full time there on some movie.”
“Wait...what? Next Step?”
Nick had been lost in thought, but that lost?
“Seriously, dude, we’ve been talking about this joint tour for two years,” Blaze said.
“I know, but with Scott back after taking a few years off, I figured we’d put the joint tour on hold. I thought we were staying in L.A. and cutting a new album first.” Bile built in his throat. He loved touring. But not now. Not when he needed to be in L.A., where she was.
Damn! Why are you getting to me like this?
“Have you been paying attention at all today? That was the first thing we discussed. Nick, are you hungover?” Dwaine, another of his bandmates, asked.
“No,” he whispered.
He tried to focus the rest of the meeting. Nick couldn’t stop thinking about her lush curves, her soft chocolate hair, the smell of their sex.
She intrigued him. He’d never had a woman so wrapped in his head before.
It was driving him crazy.
He only had four weeks to figure her out.
Would it take that long?
They started in eight days, rehearsing for four weeks at a small studio in Burbank, just outside of L.A., before heading to Chicago.
There, they’d join with the five members of Next Step, another very famous pop group.
Next Step had been around about ten years before Razor’s Edge. They’d taken a break when bubblegum music had been pushed aside to bring in grunge.
When pop started rising the charts again, they’d come out of retirement. Their fifth tour since returning was a joint tour with Razor’s Edge.
The men from both groups had become good friends over the years, and everyone had been looking forward to the tour.
God only knows what can happen between now and then.
Nick’s heart slammed against his ribs when the vision of Hope came into sight. He and Blaze had gotten to the theater early this time; they both were anxious to see the show.
Yeah, right.
Neither one expressed their actual reason for wanting to make the evening go faster, but it wasn’t a shocker.
She floated toward them like a butterfly.
The sheer blue fabric that flowed around her legs made his cock come alive. He had to bite the inside of his cheek to bring himself back to earth.
The dark blue of her underdress was fitted around her ample bust, showing every beautiful curve on the way down, to end just above her knees.
Over the entire thing was a light blue, sheer, overdress. It was tied with little strings, just below her bust, and flowed to the ground. When she walked, it billowed out and caressed her legs when she stopped.
He wanted to see it on the floor, next to his bed.
Stop it. Now is not the time!
Nick offered her his arm without saying a word.
This time, Blaze didn’t put her in the middle of them.
He missed most of the show. At least the one on stage.
His eyes remained on Hope, watching the show through her eyes.
Her face was so expressive. Her eyes lit up when something funny happened. She cried when the characters cried. She contorted her face in confusion toward the end of the show.
The ending scene.
That was when Nick finally looked on stage. It took him a moment to realize why.
This performance was nothing like the night before. There was serious tension between his brother and Grace.
This was their issue, not their characters.
Good thing this is the last night.
Nick could tell his brother wasn’t in a good place at that moment, but he didn’t want to concentrate on Charles.
“Are you coming to the after-party?” Hope asked when the show was over.
They were her first words since they’d parted that morning.
He tried to listen for anything hidden in her tone, but it was simply a question. He smiled and watched her cheeks flush pink like he knew they would.
Nick had made her cheeks stay that color most of the night before. It didn’t take much. A smile, a soft touch. Simple. That meant a lot to him.
“I hope you don’t mind if I do.”
Her reply was a shake of her head, and a deepening color in her cheeks.
“May I escort you?”
Again, she nodded and Nick offered his arm.
Nick, Hope, and Blaze sat at a table in the hotel’s ballroom. The same place the masquerade had been two nights before.
It looks so different now. Gone were the strobe lights and decorations. The only thing the same was the dance floor and the tables and chairs.
They all had a drink in hand, but no one seemed to be drinking.
Except for his brother, who Nick had been watching closely as he hung out at the bar. He resented the attention he’d had to leave on his brother, but Charles didn’t seem to be going anywhere. Maybe deeper into his cups.
“So, where in L.A. do you live? I wonder if we’ve ever crossed paths somewhere, like the grocery store,” he said to Hope.
She looked down at her drink, swishing the melting ice around. “I don’t live in L.A. Actually, it’s my first time here.”
Surprise washed over him. He hadn’t pressed her to reveal where was from, His mind whirled at a thousand different places he’d love to show her. Nick started listing off places, watching her face to see if there was a spark to any of them. “There’s the Hollywood sign, but that’s a walk, or the Griffith Observatory, or maybe Sunset Boulevard, Rodeo Drive…”
“Um, yeah? That all sounds great. And I’d love to but, I need to spend as much time as I can with Grace. I never get to see her.”
“Let’s bring her along. And Blaze.” He glanced at his friend. “What do you think?”
Blaze didn’t reply.
“Dude, hello?” Nick waved his hand in front of his buddy’s face.
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Blaze said, but he was still looking at the entryway.
“You know what I mean about what? I asked you if you wanted to join Hope and me tomorrow to check out some sights in L.A.”
Grace stepped up to them.
Hope left her high bar chair to stand to hug her. She whispered something in Grace’
s ear, but Nick didn’t catch what. Whatever it was made Grace’s cheeks bright red. She didn’t answer, but joined them at their table.
Grace and Blaze quietly conversed, so he turned back to Hope and his pursuit of events for the next day.
“Did anything sound good?”
She sipped of her watered-down honey whiskey. “Actually, I’m up for pretty much anything. I’m not a big shopper, though. So we could probably skip anything like that.”
Before he could make another suggestion, Grace jumped up from her barstool and rushed away.
Blaze’s face was red and His brows were drawn tight.
His buddy was upset. No, he was pissed.
“What was that about?” Nick asked.
“I’m not entirely sure. But I’m determined to find out.” Blaze slid from his seat and headed the same direction Grace had.
“What was that about?” Hope asked.
“I’m not sure.” Nick glanced back at the bar, and his brother.
Charles wore a smug smile.
“I don’t think it was something good, whatever our friends are fighting over.” He watched his little brother down another drink.
“Nick?” Hope put her hand on his, bringing his attention back to her. “What’re you thinking?”
He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. What was he going to do if his brother lost his shit?
He tried to focus on Hope, letting her hazel eyes draw him in. “Ah, nothing. So, L.A. sights, we can do that.” He went back to planning their outing for the next day.
But when Charles left the bar in a rush, his eyes followed. He told himself to leave it at that, and stay with his curvy brunette.
Chapter 7
Nick’s little brother ripped Blaze and Grace apart, then slammed his fist into his buddy’s face.
“Oh, shit!” Nick jumped up to fix whatever was going on.
Hope grabbed her purse and followed.
Both men were bloody by the time they made it to the veranda.
Hope went straight to Grace.
Nick tried to grab Charles, but his younger brother was slippery.
The boy slid around him, and went for Blaze again.
“You can’t have her, she’s mine!” Charles cried as he swung another fist.
“She’s not something...you...can...own!” His bandmate yelled back and delivered a few of his own blows to Charles’ abdomen.
His brother straightened and swung at Blaze again, but Nick’s friend backed up just enough to miss the punch, and return a right cross.
With a sickening crack, Charles’s nose broke and blood spurted.
Nick grabbed his still-struggling brother and pulled him a few feet from his friend.
“Hold him, Nick!” Blaze shouted. He came closer, his hands still in fists, ready to dish out a few more hits.
“Damn it! Stop, you two! This isn’t high school!” Grace stepped in the way. She put one hand on both their chests, and took a deep breath, puffing it out. “Charles, how could you?”
He didn’t look at her; his eyes were locked on Blaze, absolute fury burning in his hazel orbs. “Why do you have to take everything of mine?” He shouted over Grace’s shoulder.
Nick shifted in front of her to block his brother, and looked down at the younger man, who was only a couple of inches shorter than him. “Dude, what’re you talking about?” He got right in his brother’s face.
“You and your stupid band; they took everything! Even the woman I love. It’s never enough. He had to go and...” Charles wiped some of the blood off of his face and looked at Grace, now wrapped in Blaze’s arms. “Why wasn’t I enough for you? Not famous enough, not rich enough, not tough enough?” Charles didn’t wait for an answer. He stormed off into the building.
The gathered crowd parted to make way for him.
Nick stayed right behind him.
Hope scowled at the crowd of gawkers. “Show’s over, get out of here!”
The crowd dispersed back into the ballroom.
Her friend was now wrapped in Blaze’s arms. They needed alone time, so she retreated to the interior.
She looked around the ballroom for Nick and Charles. Didn’t really expect to find them there, so she wandered out into the lobby and then outside.
Charles’ voice was coming from around the corner of the building.
He didn’t seem to be trying to be quiet. It was like he really didn’t care who heard them.
Hope moved closer to eavesdrop.
“Why? You don’t give a damn about me. You don’t care! You never have!” Charles shouted.
“How can you say that?” Nick asked, and there was hurt in the question.
“It’s true, and you know it! You were gone the whole time we were growing up. You care more about your precious Razor’s Edge than you do about your own family.”
“That’s not true,” Nick said, defensively.
“Really? Then why didn’t you come to Barbara’s funeral?” Charles accused.
“There’s more to that and you know it,” the elder brother said, and he sounded much calmer.
“You didn’t love her. You didn’t even come to say goodbye.”
Tears filled Hope’s eyes as she listened.
The brothers should be so close, yet there was so much tension.
Her heart broke for them.
“I loved her just as much as you. And you’re right, I should’ve made it. I just…I couldn’t deal with it, dude. How do you bury your little sister? It was my job to protect her, to protect all of you, and instead I was flying around the world. I fucked up, okay? Is that what you want to hear? I feel guilty, but I can’t change that. Barb knows how much I loved her. I dedicated the rest of my tour to her. What more do you want from me?”
“I want my big brother back.” Charles’s voice was barely above a whisper.
Hope peeked around the corner to see Nick pull Charles into a fierce hug. She smiled and snuck back into the hotel to wait.
She sat in the lobby for over an hour, Googling information about Nick on her phone. She confirmed Barbara was his sister, who’d tragically died recently. Rumors indicated it was an accidental overdose of prescription medications.
Her heart broke all over again.
She’d lost her father recently, so Hope could feel what he was going through.
She was lucky; she didn’t have the media judging her reaction. She’d read a book about grief a friend had given her, and everyone processed differently. Grief was private. No one else knew how much someone thought of their lost loved one or how they dealt with it.
If Nick wanted to tell her about it, Hope would listen, but she wouldn’t mention it.
Sometimes someone just need a break from grief, a reason to remember it was okay to be happy, and go on living.
Hope finally gave up on Nick coming back. She was disappointed, but he and Charles needed time to work things out.
Grace and Blaze were still on the balcony, so she headed back up to her room. She stopped at the front desk on her way back.
“Yes ma’am, how may I help you?” The young man behind the counter asked.
“I am staying in room 723. Could I have my friend pick up a key to my room? I’m not sure what time he’ll be back, and I’ve got to get out of these shoes,” Hope said.
The clerk smiled. “Of course, ma’am. What’s his name?”
“Nick Ford.” She waited for him to recognize the name, but he just made a note in the computer and smiled again.
“That’s not a problem, Ms. Thatcher. I’m on duty all night so I’ll make sure he gets it.”
Hope thanked him and headed to her room. She sat on the bed to kick off her heels, then rubbed her feet before digging her phone out of her purse.
Nick had programmed his number into her contacts earlier, and sent himself a text so he had her number, too.
HOPE: I hope everything’s all right. There’s a key to my room waiting for you at the front desk. If you need a break.
She tucked her phone into the top of her bra and pushed open the slider to the balcony.
The night air was cool and felt good.
Hope rolled her neck to loosen the tension and gazed out at the city lights. It was beautiful, but she still preferred being able to see the stars.
She stood outside for a while, then finally got ready for bed. She went into the bathroom to take off makeup. One look at the tub made Hope need a long soak. As soon as she pulled the pins from her hair, she could hear the beep of the keycard at the door.
He came back!
Nick stepped into the bathroom doorway and leaned against the jam.
Hope smiled and continued to take down her hair. “I’m glad you got my text,” she said simply.
He looked so drained, and her heart skipped.
“Thanks for leaving a key,” Nick whispered.
“Well,” Hope said, breathless. “That was just wishful thinking on my part.”
He half-smiled.
“I was going to have a bath. Would you care to join me?” she asked.
“Depends, are you gonna try to seduce me again?” he teased, the light returning to his blue eyes.
“Me? I thought you’d seduced me?” she smirked. Hope shook out her curls, leaving her hair a fluffy mess.
Nick stepped up behind her and unzipped her dress.
She held the material to her chest and faced him.
He leaned down, kissing her gently. His hands framed her face. Nick pulled back, his eyes searching her face. “That tub’s gonna overflow if we don’t get in soon.”
She dropped her dress, and it fell to the floor with a thump.
“What was that?” Nick asked.
She burst out laughing.
“My phone. I stuck it in the top of my dress.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “What am I gonna do with you?”
“I can think of lots of things you can do to her. I mean, with me.” Hope winked, torturing him. She stepped into the warm water and scooted to the back of the tub.
It was a little wider than an average tub, but it was extra-long. She could lay flat on her back with her feet on one end and head would barely reach the other end.