Rock Star

by Kathi Goldwyn

  Marko ended up playing every song. We’d just done an acoustic recording of each one so we could play them at breakfast. “Damn, wait till we get in the studio! I’m gonna produce the hell out of these songs.” Hunter was all smiles, looking relaxed and happy.

  In my mind, I was dreaming of time alone with him. I told myself I couldn’t touch him, but I wanted to. Boy, did I want to.

  Chapter 18

  Callie

  We had been having a great time on the road, and now that Hunter was with us, I thought things were nearly perfect. He didn’t travel with us in our van, though. He took planes or rented cars from one stop to the next. We were almost halfway through our tour, and we’d been filling every location with happy concertgoers. I sold out of our CDs and Hunter had Bella send more to be delivered at our next stop. I had meet and greets with our fans after every single show. They took pics with me and posted them on social media sites. We had a ton of fun. Ted and Marko started hanging out at the CD table, and we talked about music with everyone. There were a couple of fans that were travelling with us, going show to show, just like I dreamed it would be. “Just like the Grateful Dead,” I whispered to myself. The boys always found some flirty girls to sweep off their feet, too.

  My family was coming to see a show in a few days! I couldn’t believe we had gotten so far in the tour, and I got to see Gaby and my parents soon. I had been talking to him over video chat, and he just kept getting cuter with each passing day. Mama said she wanted to keep him home while she and Daddy flew out to see us. But I begged, “Please Mama, please bring him! I need to see my brother,” until she finally caved.

  “Okay, honey, okay. I get it,” Mama conceded.

  Anyway, they’d be here in just a couple of days, and I was over-the-moon excited.

  Hunter and I flirted, but I still hadn’t gotten up the nerve to attack him. I knew it was just a matter of time, but I really wanted to kiss his luscious lips. I whispered in his ear, “I want some time alone with you,” last time I saw him.

  He said, “Okay, Callie, okay. We’ll figure it out.” So now we had a plan to get together. I was going to kiss him no matter what he said. I had been dreaming of him all these weeks, and I was determined. Absolute resolve gripped my insides. I wanted to rip his clothes off and run my tongue over every muscle and dip of his body. I’d drag my tongue down his happy trail and follow it to his cock. Maybe it could all happen tonight!

  Mama and Daddy were flying here for the weekend, so I had to make my move before they got here. I could tell Hunter wanted me. He always leaned in towards me and lingered in my arms when we hugged. He smelled so good, like the ocean, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold back much longer. It was an intoxicating scent that dragged me under his spell.

  Everything was coming up roses! I mean the shows were amazing, and we started to play some of our new stuff. The crowds had been going wild over them, and ‘Love Lost’ actually received a standing ovation last night. I knew that song had legs, and Hunter was all smiles at the end of the night.

  I heard a knock at my door. I had already showered and dressed. I wore my lowrider jeans and a small crop top, boots on my feet and gloss on my lips. I was ready, that was for damn sure. I looked through the peep hole and saw Hunter looking around nervously. I wondered what the hell that was all about, as I pulled the door open. “Come in,” I said as I motioned to him.

  “We need to talk, Callie,” he said as he walked briskly into my room. I closed the door and turned towards him. He looked all business.

  “What’s wrong?” My heart started pounding. Sweat broke out on my upper lip. Oh my god, what could have happened?

  “Nothing, nothing is wrong exactly. Look Callie...I ..err...I’m worried, is all.” Hunter looked like he was stressing out big time. He chewed on the inside of his mouth and there was sweat forming on his top lip.

  “What? What are you worried about? Just spit it out.” I tried my best to pry it out of him.

  Hunter pushed me away with both arms stretched out. What was going on with him? I still couldn’t figure it out. Before I had another thought, I grabbed him in my arms and my mouth fused to his voluptuous lips. Oh lord, I knew kissing him would be amazing, but this right here was melting my very soul. We rolled our tongues together, and Hunter sucked on my mouth. He molded into me. We were all over each other. We desperately grasped at one another as we kissed with so much passion. It felt like steam was pouring out of the top of my head; he made my body sing with desire.

  We kissed for a very long time. Hunter pushed me down on the bed and laid over me. Just the feel of his body on mine made me swoon. I lost myself in the moment. For the first time ever, I was uncontrollably turned on. My mind did this little explosive thing, and boom, I was in heaven. I never wanted to leave.

  Suddenly, Hunter pulled off of me. I felt his weight lift off my body, and he stood up and said, “Oh god. This is what I've been afraid would happen. We can’t Callie, we just can’t.” And he ran out the door, leaving me panting alone on the bed.

  What the hell just happened?

  Why the fuck did he run away like a little bitch?

  I groaned. That was all I had, a groan.

  Chapter 19

  MKS[SO19]

  It’s dark in the room. I looked out the window, pushing the curtains aside just enough to see. I watched her skipping to her room. She was so goddamned beautiful. I couldn’t get enough.

  I paced.

  Up and back.

  Up and back.

  Up and back.

  All night long.

  Up and back.

  I sat at the desk. Click.

  Chapter 20

  Hunter

  What the hell!? I was so angry with myself. Callie kissed me, and before I realized what was happening, I was all over her, goddamnit! I knew we were super attracted to each other, but before I felt those satiny lips on mine, I just didn’t have a clue how much. Our animal attraction was off the charts, and I could barely hold back from grabbing her and taking her right here, right now, with an urgency that was hard to deny.

  Now, what did I do? I desired my client. In fact, let’s be honest, I might be falling head over heels for my client. This was a big no-no, and I tried so hard not to fall under her spell. But fuck. Now that I tasted her tempting lips, how did I stop from wanting more? All those promises I had made to myself had gone up in smoke.

  I decided to go for a run. Some of my best thinking-it-throughs had happened out there pounding the dirt, pushing myself to go as far as I could. I pulled on my running shorts and a t-shirt, threw on my running shoes, and slipped out the door.

  I started slow, jogging down the street. I usually ran five miles at a time, but at five miles I hadn’t figured this shit out. I pushed to go further and almost collapsed on the street. I had gone too far, damnit, and needed a break before I attempted to head back where I would collapse in a pile on the hotel bed.

  I was panting hard and desperately needed to catch my breath. I stopped in front of an old-school coffee shop. Elaine’s had one of those Formica counters with stools lined along it like metal soldiers all in a row. Tables were sprinkled around in this fifties throw-back, and I noticed a small coffee clache of older men sipping from mugs in the corner. They were murmuring softly to each other, whispering about days gone by when they were young and spry.

  I went inside and grabbed a cup of coffee. Then I found a seat outside at a park bench, sitting to the side where there was a large space of grass and a small children's playground. I took a sip of the hot brew, watching the kids on the swings and sliding down the cute-as-hell slide. It landed them in a sand box, every one of these cuties went back up the ladder to take another slide.

  That’s how I felt. I was in over my head, going up and down a ‘slide’ of emotions about Callie. She and I had grown so close ever since she gave me that hug goodbye on their way out of town. Since then, we had shared a helluva lot of stuff about ourselves, our lives, and, of course, mu
sic. We shared music like air shared to lungs.

  “What’s your favorite band?” Callie asked just this morning.

  “That’s a hard one...hmmm.. Ra__” Before I could get it out fully, Callie finished in tandem with me,

  “Rage against the Machine!” we both said at the same time. We laughed our asses off, feeling our connection grow.

  “But what about singer? Who’s your fav?” Callie looked me in the eye.

  “Kurt Cobain. Of course.” Callie nodded and gave me a knowing smile. We were friends now. We had gotten so close that sometimes we finished each other's sentences. Every single time I saw her, my heart seized up inside my chest and my pulse ticked up.

  Callie and the Turtledoves had started making a name for themselves. The local papers sent out reporters to take pictures of the band and wrote reviews in the Sunday papers. They wrote glowing articles about their performances.

  It warmed my old heart to watch the Doves garner headlines like,

  Concert Huge Success

  Talented New Band Fills The Trobador

  The article talked about Callie and her incredible voice. The entertainment reporters loved their originals, verifying what I already knew; I had a hit band on my hands. Their fame grew with every single performance. Fan mail started flooding in. I knew Callie was going to freak out over that shit.

  But the main thing was, we had to keep reminding ourselves every single day that we had to stop touching each other. I kept mumbling, to keep my hands to myself.

  It seemed impossible. I knew it, and she knew it.

  When we finally kissed, my dick got instantly stiff as her tongue slid over mine. This girl turned me on like no other woman. In fact, I couldn’t think of one girl who had me twisting in the wind like I was right now. But it was more than that. It was more than physical. I wanted her to be mine. We connected on a deeper soul level, sharing in our passion for music every fucking day. Holy hell, what was I going to do? I couldn’t turn her away. I needed her as much as I knew she needed me. I just couldn’t leave her alone, no matter what my convictions were telling me.

  This thing between us broke a code I had lived by for close to ten years now. Never touch a client. My mind went sideways, and my heart crunched in on itself. I couldn’t imagine never touching her again. I would die! I really would. One kiss was all it took to shake up my entire belief system, one that had gone to shit, just like that. I prayed I could be a good man and stick to my ever-loving guns.

  Aww, shit.

  I was so glad her parents would be here soon. We needed something to stand between us while we cooled down. I couldn’t wait to meet them. I thought it would be good for Callie to have this distraction; me too. Maybe it would ground me in some sort of way. I could feel myself losing my beliefs, and it hurt deep down.

  For now, I had to keep far away from her and, only see her when the rest of the band was with us. I wouldn’t be caught with my pants down. I kind of chuckled at that. Next time I was alone with her, I wasn’t sure I could stop at a kiss. I wanted to peel her clothes right off her sexy-ass body and drag my tongue over her beautiful, naked skin.

  I ordered myself to stop having alone time with Callie, done deal. Then I pulled out my cock and started sliding my hand, pumping up and down the stiff rod until I was coming all over my belly. I got up and cleaned off as I reminded myself of my promise to resist her. I had to quit before we became an ‘us.’

  I had to stop myself before I committed career suicide.

  I was so grateful we were going to be busy all weekend long. I would deal with this attraction after her parents went home.

  I had a pile of fan mail in my hands to take to Callie. Just as I was getting ready to leave my room, the phone rang.

  “Hunter? Hunter, why the hell are you ignoring me?” Callie demanded. I took a deep breath in and tried to control myself. This girl didn’t mince words. Damn, I felt caught in her trap.

  “Callie, I stepped over the line last time I saw you. I’m trying to save both of our careers. Please, try to understand. We should keep our contact from growing, just see each other when Ted and Marko are with us. This is the right thing to do.” I spit out all the words on one stream of air, and by the end I was gasping for breath. I was so stressed out over everything that had happened and really hoped Callie understood what I was saying. I didn’t know how strong my convictions could be when I had to see her daily.

  “We have an attraction I can’t seem to ignore. Help me,” I begged. Even though I thought she would disregard my plea, I had to try. “Please.”

  “I don’t understand. You’re hurting my feelings. How can you ignore me like you don’t fucking care?” She sounded bitterly angry. I never wanted to hurt her, and now I felt myself waiver. I was such a dick. This was the girl of my dreams, and I was heartbroken that I caused her pain. Why couldn’t she see this was for the best? The best for our careers, anyway. Doubt started descending upon me, I stumbled. I was beginning to think maybe our careers weren’t as important as our hearts.

  “Honey, I just don’t want anything to distract us from the ultimate goal. You and the Doves are going to be huge. Come on now, you see that, don’t you? I don’t want anything to happen between us because I want you to win, Callie girl. I want you to succeed.” I hoped she took my words to heart, and that they comforted her.

  “No! No, no, no. Hunter, you can’t just ignore me and hope for the best!” Holy hell, now what? She was pissed, I mean, she was royally angry. Furious, and I felt it down to my bones. I grappled with my decision and how to defend it.

  “Okay, babe, meet me. We can talk about it. I have some mail to give you. Meet me at the coffee shop?” I tried my best to persuade Callie; I still hoped we could work this shit out.

  “Okay, but you’d better get ready for the fight of your life,” Callie warned.

  I grabbed a hold of the mail and slung my jacket over my shoulder as I walked briskly out the door. I saw Callie coming out of her room with a fierce look on her face. I waited for her to catch up with me, and together we walked to the restaurant. I just hoped I could reason with her. In another time and another life, we would be together, we would. But the music industry was a fickle friend. One minute people loved you, and the next they condemned you for the choices you made along the way. I didn’t want anyone judging her. The press could be so wicked, tearing someone apart, attacking them with evil words, like dogs sinking their snarling, sharp teeth into soft skin, the blood pouring out of deep gashes.

  We sat across from each other in the first empty booth. Callie wore long shorts and a baseball jersey. She looked adorable with her platinum blonde hair tied up in braids. I felt my heart stutter. If only I could see myself breaking my ‘law’, laid down all those years ago. I wouldn’t be struggling right now. I held my hand out and grasped her small one tightly. Our sweaty hands were sticky, and all I wanted to do was sit next to her instead and take her in my arms. I had to stay strong.

  “Listen, I’m sorry I kissed you. I mean, I’m not sorry, but I am.” I knew I wasn’t making a whole lot of sense. Callie looked at me as though I was nuts, and maybe I was.

  “I don’t care what you say, if we want to be together, then we should be together,” she demanded, her voice full of emotion. I felt myself slide into defense.

  “But...” What the fuck could I say? Fuck, I wanted to scream. “It’s been a rule of mine since I started this gig. Look, Callie, I want you. That’s plain to see. But we need to stay focused on the tour, not let our emotions fuck up what we have going on.” I gave her hand a soft squeeze. “You and I can never be, don’t you see that? I’m trying to protect you. I see your path to stardom as clearly as I can see you sitting there, looking beautiful this morning.” I took a big breath in and blew out all the air. “I’ve never messed with a client, and I’m not about to start now.” I looked into her eyes and saw anger spilling out. I didn’t know how to stick to my principles when she looked at me with such fierce pride.

&nbs
p; Callie got up to leave. She was about to storm out of here, but I pulled her back down by our still-clasped hands. “Just listen, honey. Just listen to me.” She dropped back down in her seat, looking over at me like her eyes were stabby, blue knives. She was on fire; I could see that. All I wanted to do was take her in my arms and kiss away the hurt that struck across her gorgeous face. Hurting her was the last thing I wanted to do.

  “I don’t understand! I just don’t. If we want each other, then fuck your no-touch policy. I’m a consenting adult now; you’re not stealing from the cradle.” Her look softened, and her hands reached for mine. We held onto each other looking deep into each other's eyes and fuck it. What could I really say to convince this beautiful, strong woman it was for the best? That this ‘rule’ was to ensure she was protected? All we needed were accusations that made both of us look bad. But my desire for Callie had grown with each passing hour. We spent every day together, and I fucking wanted her as much as she wanted me. My need for her was going to wreck us, I knew this down to my bone marrow. Sure, I wanted her. What man in his right mind wouldn’t want some of that?

  What could go wrong?

  Everything.

  We could both lose everything.

  Chapter 21

  Callie

  Hunter walked me back to my room, still holding my hand. I opened the door and dragged him inside. I got on my tippy toes and started kissing him. I knew I was being selfish, but I wanted him, and I wanted him now. I slid my hand up under his T-shirt, feeling his smooth, warm skin. My fingertips glided over his back, just the one swipe of my hand got me heady. I swooned in his arms. I couldn’t get enough of this gorgeous man. My hands held onto his strong back, and I pushed my hips into his. I whispered, “Don’t you want me?” and “I’m not going to stop.”