by Claire Adams
He wasn’t telling her anything I had done, was he? I wracked my brain trying to remember if I had done anything dumb or stupid on the last tour, but that had been over five years ago. I mean, of course there had probably been a few incidents, and perhaps more than just a few groupies, but that had been a different time.
Besides, I'm sure anything I’d done hadn't been anything over-the-top crazy. I frowned, but persevered on, rereading the same email I had been reading a minute ago and looking over marketing material for one of our new bands.
“Ewww, that’s disgusting!” Nalia squealed, and the guys broke out into laughter. I stopped and looked in their direction, but I couldn’t see them behind the curtain, aside from Nalia’s legs next to Talon’s. Talon was making weird sounds, no doubt imitating something of a sexual nature.
I sighed. No, forget them, just focus on this work, I told myself. I had too much I had to get done to get distracted. I got through a few more emails when I heard Nalia giggle again right along with Talon.
“Don’t! I’m ticklish!” Nalia squealed in uncontrollable giggles, and when I glanced back, I saw her legs flailing with Talon’s looking like he was leaned over her. The little shit was flirting with her; I just knew it. I clenched my jaw, staring at my laptop screen as their giggling continued. Finally, I slammed it shut, stomping toward the back of the bus.
When I pulled the curtain back, just as I thought, Talon was leaned over Nalia tickling her sides, a big stupid grin on his face. Everyone froze and looked up at me as I glared at him.
“Do you think you could take it down a notch or two? Some of us actually have shit to do, and I can’t concentrate with you being loud back here like that,” I said, not masking my annoyance with him. He sat up, frowning at me. Nalia adjusted herself, sitting up straight.
“Dude, take a chill pill, Owe. Come on, we were just having a little fun. And, I thought you were going on tour to get out of the office, not bring all of that boring-ass shit with you. Come on, man, don't you wanna have a good time, like the old days?”
“I still have to run a record company whether I'm on tour or not, and considering that record company is funding this tour, you shouldn’t give me shit about it.”
“Yeah, well, maybe I wouldn’t if you’d get that stick out of your ass.” He flashed me a shit-eating grin that made me want to throttle him as the other guys snickered at his comment.
“You know, maybe if I didn’t have to deal with all of your shit on top of everything else, I wouldn’t have a 'stick up my ass,' as you so eloquently put it. Shit, man, it’s always just fun and games with you since you’ve got your big brother to clean up all your damn messes and bail you out every time things go pear-shaped—which they always fucking do with you.”
His smile faded in an instant. I knew I shouldn’t have said that but I was pissed off, even though I knew I didn’t really have a legit reason to be. Maybe I didn’t like the fact that while I was busy working and keeping everything on track, he was back here goofing off and, above all else, hitting on Nalia.
“Owen, not cool, dude,” Jeremiah shook his head at me. I sighed and turned to go back to the front. “Seriously.”
“Whatever, just keep it the fuck down. I have to work.” I flung the curtain back and headed back toward the booth I’d been sitting in. Footsteps followed behind me, and I fully expected Talon to be on my ass. Instead, when I spun around to tell him I was sorry, I bumped into Nalia. The bus turned, and she fell against my chest before righting herself.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Look, I just have a lot of stuff to do while they’re all having their fun, and to be honest, it's really frustrating.”
She offered me a sympathetic smile. “Let me help you with it. Maybe we can get it done quicker together.”
I didn’t want to make her work right now; I wanted her to get to relax some. But truth be told, I wanted her there with me, and I really could use some help, too, even if I didn’t want to admit it.
“Maybe. I guess I do have some phone calls that need to be made. You could help me with that while I get through these emails and marketing proofs.”
“Sure thing, boss.” She winked and scooted into the other side of the booth. At that moment, I wanted more than anything to kiss her. Not just for being helpful, but for how sexy and cute she was. But we weren’t alone, and I really did have a ton of work to do.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Nalia
I came out of the bathroom dressed much more comfortably in a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt. It was getting late as the drive wore on, and everyone was starting to crash. Being on a bus so long really did take it out of you, even on a huge, luxury touring bus. A couple of the guys had already crawled into their bunks a little after midnight, but Talon and Jay were in the back playing video games and lounging. I didn't know how, but Talon just seemed to have energy for days. Nothing seemed to make that guy tired. I grabbed some snacks from the kitchen area and headed to the back of the bus to bring them to them.
Talon looked up when I pushed the curtain aside, and I tossed a bag of chips to each of them, and then took a seat next to Talon. They were playing Grand Theft Auto, and random explosions and sirens blasted out loudly from the flat screen TV. He paused the game and thanked me, tearing open his bag of chips.
“How are you doing back here?” I asked, still a little worried after his and Owen’s little fight earlier.
“I’m good,” he said, watching as Jay drove a tank around, crushing cars and gaining more stars in the game. “Owen just needs to chill. He’s always so serious. I mean, he kinda always was the more serious one, and I guess that's why we ended up doing so well—because of his focus and discipline—but he used to at least know how to have a little fun. Now, it seems like he's just permanently pissed off and stressed.”
“Well, he does have a lot on his plate with the record company,” I said in his defense. “But I think maybe as the tour progresses and he gets back on stage, he’ll loosen up a little more and enjoy himself.”
Talon gave me a curious look, and I wiped the smile off my face, but it was too late.
“Owen likes you, doesn’t he?” he asked. “That’s the real reason he was so pissy earlier. It was because you and I were laughing and carrying on.”
“I don’t know,” I dismissed his assumptions, even if it was impossible to hide anything when you were all stuck in a big, but still confining, bus together. “I think he was just stressed and worried with the tour just starting out and his business being left on its own without him at the helm, ya know? I mean, you guys all know just how important that record company is to him, and up to this point, he's never physically been away from it. There's a lot for him to worry about. Probably any laughter at that moment would have set him off.”
“Yeah, maybe you’re right,” he agreed, though I wasn’t sure he was buying it one hundred percent.
“So, are you excited about tomorrow night, or, rather tonight to be technical, since it’s well after midnight?” I asked, changing the subject from Owen and me. Even if there were anything going on, the two of us weren’t and wouldn’t be an item. Not for the duration of this tour, at least. Still, maybe Talon would flirt a little less if the thought was there.
“Yeah, I can’t wait for the show. It’s going to be great.” He smiled a broad, genuine smile that told me he really was a true performer; he lived for it. Well, that and the ladies, from what I’d heard. “It's been far too long since I've been on stage with these guys. Bleeding Heart really is the greatest thing that ever happened to me. I don't know what I'd do without this band.”
“Well, perhaps you should get some rest soon so you’re ready for a long day of prepping, don’t ya think?” I raised an eyebrow at him.
His smile turned mischievous. “Hmm, you and Owen make good tour moms. Trying to keep us acting responsibly, huh? Just wait till after the show tomorrow night. If you think playing video games is crazy, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”
“I know, I know. You told me those stories earlier.” I shook my head. “I’m about as prepared as I can be. Just, please, try and get some rest,” I encouraged him then got up and went over to Jay.
“How are you doing?” I asked. I wanted to make it a point to make sure each of the guys was in the right mindset and doing okay while on the tour and Jay, in particular, wasn’t much of a talker aside from when he was hanging out with Talon. Owen had told me they were best friends and that Jay was the one that had come to him when Talon wasn’t doing so well and suggested getting the band back together to help his brother get clean again.
Jay flashed me a shy smile, only glancing away from the game. “I’m doing all right. Excited about tonight, but not enough to sleep yet,” he winked, having overheard my little lecture to Talon. “Tell Owen not to worry, though; we’ll probably crash soon,” he said.
I smiled and patted his shoulder before getting up. “Stay out of trouble, you two. And use the rocket launcher to get rid of that chopper, if you have one.” Both of them looked back at me, then grinned. Yeah, I might have played GTA with my brother enough times to know a thing or two. I winked at them as I closed the curtain behind me.
Owen was lounging on a sofa when I arrived at the front of the bus. He was staring out the window, his forehead wrinkled in deep thought. Quietly, I slid down next to him, holding out a bag of chips. He waved off the chips, putting them aside, but then he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. I smiled, relaxing against him, not caring if the other two caught us cuddled together at the moment or not. I was too tired to keep the charade up. And, regardless, it seemed that those two were so absorbed in Grand Theft Auto that they wouldn't be leaving the sofa any time soon. I didn't think I had much to worry about at this particular moment.
“What’s on your mind?” I asked, gently prying. After all, just like with the others, it was part of my job to make sure he was doing okay, too.
“I just feel bad about earlier. You know, for snapping at Talon like I did. Shit, I really had no reason to do it, but I just... I just blew up and acted like an asshole, didn't I?”
“He’s still up, you know. You could just go apologize to him,” I suggested.
Owen shook his head. “I rather talk to him alone, not while he’s with Jay. He wouldn’t appreciate that. I’ll catch him tomorrow and have a little heart to heart with him before we meet with the sound and light crew.”
“Good,” I nodded. He pulled me a little tighter against him, still staring off. There was a lot more going on behind those blue eyes, I was positive of that.
“I was really hard on him. It’s not completely his fault with what happened before with the drugs. The band and I are really all he has. Without the band, and with me always being busy with the record company and not there for him, all he had was the drugs. So in a way, with me not making time for him, I kind of caused it. I was so focused on my own damn shit that I couldn't even see my little brother's life spiraling out of control.”
“You can’t say that,” I said as I tried to comfort him, but he shook his head.
“He’s always looked up to me, ever since we were kids. It drove my parents nuts. I always wanted to be a musician, but they were completely against it. Even more so when Talon decided to follow in my footsteps, and I got him a drum set. Because of that, we grew apart from our parents. I moved out, and Talon followed right after me that night,” he sighed, and for a moment I could swear his eyes grew a little misty.
“They were killed in a car wreck by a drunk driver the next day. So, like I said, I’m a big reason that Talon only has me. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in work, I forget that. The thing with our parents, the struggles with almost losing Talon to drugs, that’s a lot of where our songs come from. It’s the only way I know to get it all out, you know?”
He finally looked at me, and I could see the emotion brimming just beneath the surface. I nodded, knowing exactly where he was coming from. Mine and Jackson’s childhood had been no better, but I didn’t need to get into that with Owen. Not at that moment, anyway.
I gave him a gentle kiss on his cheek, feeling some comfort as a sweet smile spread across his face. At that moment, all I wanted was to give him comfort and make him feel better, do what I could to ease some of his pain.
He squeezed me to him and kissed the top of my head. “I really like you, Nalia. You can’t know how much I mean that. I wish I had something to offer you, but I really don’t. I’ve got so many issues to deal with right now and with us being on tour, I know any sort of relationship is a bad idea. The groupies at each stop are going to be unruly. For that reason alone, I know dating is a bad idea.”
As much as the idea of girls throwing themselves at Owen did cause a little jealousy to stir up in me, I did understand. He didn’t want to start something with me during all of this. I got it. It was the rock star life, and one of the hazards of the job was relationships. It didn’t take a genius to see that. If anything, I appreciated him being honest and trying to put some distance between us.
As much as I enjoyed the sex between us, and even the cuddling and kisses at the moment, I knew he wasn’t promising me anything. If something happened on the road, I couldn’t be mad because he’d never given me any sort of indication we could be anything more than people who simply had a bit of no-strings-attached fun. Just like I’d never given him that idea, either.
“I get it,” I said. “I’m not holding you to anything. That has never been my intention, and it certainly isn't why I signed on for this job. I don’t have that to offer you, either, you know. Besides, from what Talon was telling me, things are going to get crazy on the road, and I’m not going to try and convince myself of anything otherwise. I’m here to do my job, first and foremost, regardless of what we are or aren’t.”
I leaned into him, kissing his neck, and he let out a soft breath, combing his fingers through my hair. Still, if we could offer each other some comfort, I didn’t mind that, either. I understood how he could be lonely, even with groupies surrounding him and throwing themselves at him, and how it was hard to find someone else who truly understood that. Owen and I did understand loneliness; I knew that much. If nothing else, that was all we could offer each other right now, and I was okay with that.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Owen
Light flickering through the window woke me the next morning, and I could see we were just getting into Seattle. I rubbed my eyes and looked down at the comforting weight lying against me and smiled. Nalia and I had fallen asleep talking and cuddling.
I never thought falling asleep on the bus could feel so refreshing, but I felt like I’d had a full night’s sleep lying there with her in my arms. Usually, I didn't sleep well on buses, even luxury tour buses like this one, but with her there, I'd somehow managed to get a great night's sleep in. I think I may have even had a few good dreams.
Gently, trying not to wake her, I brushed her hair back out of her face, studying her features as she slept. She was as stunning asleep as she was awake, her soft, even breaths reassuring and peaceful. And for a few quiet, sacred moments, I simply lay there next to her, admiring her, feeling at peace in her presence and basking in the warmth that flowed between us.
I found myself wondering how things would be if the situation were different and realized that I definitely wouldn’t mind waking up to this every day. Hell, I probably wouldn’t even get out of bed if I woke up with her in my arms every day.
For now, though, I settled for letting her sleep in my arms. I watched the sights of Seattle rolling by as the city awoke, silently enjoying the peaceful moment and feeling quietly content with Nalia in my arms until we finally pulled up in front of our hotel.
“Nalia, wake up,” I coaxed gently, stroking her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open, and she put a hand on my chest, sitting herself up. She looked around, her eyes slightly worried, as if she was expecting the others to catch us. I smiled, not particularly caring about that myself.
I was pretty sure that by now they had a good idea something was going on, anyway.
“We’re at the hotel,” I told her. “So I guess that means it's time to rise and shine, then go wake up and rally the troops. I sure hope the rest of them got as good a night's rest as I did. How about you, did you sleep well?”
“Like a baby,” she said. “I didn't think I'd be able to sleep this well on a bus, but it was as good as any hotel bed.” She smiled and smoothed her hair and clothing as she pulled herself to stand. I got up as well, helping her wake up the others. I woke up Jay and then Talon, and he gave me a sour look after he yawned and stretched. I jumped straight into an apology, though, not wanting any bitterness or resentment to simmer.
“Sorry about snapping last night, Tal. I’m just a bit stressed. I really didn’t mean to throw your shit out there like that. It was a dick move, and it was totally uncalled for.”
“Yeah. It was, dude. But whatever, I'm over it,” he said, shrugging it off as he wiped the sleep from his eyes. “We at the hotel?”
“Yeah. And, we'll have a few hours to chill if you want to rest up more before we start our long-ass day,” I told him, patting his shoulder.
He nodded, looking exhausted. “Might take you up on that offer.”
“What time did you two get to sleep, anyway?”
“Late enough to see you and Nalia curled up together,” he replied as he flashed me a sleepy grin. “That’s the real reason why you were pissy with me last night, wasn’t it? Come on, dude. I know you better than that. Don't try pull the wool over my eyes with this 'I'm feeling so stressed out' crap. Just admit it, man!”
This time it was me who had to shrug. What could I say? He had caught me red-handed with my hand in the figurative cookie jar.
“You two have had sex already, too, haven't you? And don't lie about it, man! You get this look in your eyes and this little twitch on the left side of your face when you lie—I've known that since we were little! So, tell me, what happened to the whole ‘nobody bangs the assistant’ pact, hmm?” He laughed, his signature shit-eating grin glowing on his face now, despite his exhaustion.