The Roadie: Radical Rock Stars Book 7

by Jenna Galicki

  She heard the condom wrapper rip open, and he entered her from behind. She gasped loudly as he filled her. While he pumped his hips with a hard rhythm, she rocked into him. His fingers found her nub and rubbed it until she let out a guttural, animalistic moan. Her body burned from overstimulation, and she was unable to suppress her cries when one finger circled her back end, causing another wave of sexual impulses to overtake her. He inserted the tip of his finger, just enough to feel the pressure, and an explosion went off in her head like an atom bomb. Flashes of white light blinded her, and she squeezed her eyes shut, sealing in the soaring orgasm that robbed her vision. She could barely catch her breath as her heart hammered with a hastened beat before she slowly floated down from ecstasy.

  A few seconds later, Brett grunted loudly, and she felt him pulse inside of her. Then he fell on top of her, his breath heavy and hot on the back of her neck. Exhausted, her knees gave out and she panted into the pillow. He rolled onto the bed, took her into his arms, and kissed her deeply, with more passion than she expected from him.

  They languished in bed, not speaking, content to hold one another, until the phone in the room rang which meant the Town Car was waiting downstairs.

  They were quiet in the car. Sitting closely, they hung onto one another for whatever moments they had left. Anxiety made Kira’s stomach tighten as they approached the terminal to O’Hare, and they exchanged a bittersweet smile.

  Minutes later, she stood on the curb staring into the eyes of a man she’d met 48 hours ago. Never had someone had such a profound effect on her before or changed her life in such a short time. She found the fun and carefree girl she used to be, without knowing she’d lost her. She had let her career consume her time and become her main priority, but not anymore. Brett showed her how to enjoy life again, and she was going to take advantage of it. “Thank you for the most remarkable few days I’ve ever had. You’re an amazing man.”

  “You’re an amazing woman.” He wrinkled his brow and frowned. “Why does this sound like goodbye?”

  “It is goodbye, Brett. We live on opposite sides of the country. You’re off touring with bands. I’m in New York buried up to my eyeballs in work.”

  “I thought we’d keep in touch.”

  “I want to,” she said, weakly. “But . . .” She didn’t need to tell him what would happen. They’d exchange a few phone calls. Time between calls would lengthen until they were just a memory. Maybe they’d get to see each other once or twice before time and distance pulled them apart. She refused to be just a quick roll in the sheets whenever they happened to be in the same city at the same time. She wanted a relationship. Companionship. The long-distance thing never worked, and she wasn’t going to put her heart through the wringer. It was better to have a clean break now.

  She stared into his expressive brown eyes, and her heart hurt. He looked so sad. His hard and confident gaze turned soft and pleading, and she couldn’t hurt him with the truth. She cupped his face in her hands, purposely running the tips of her fingers through the grain of his beard. She rubbed her cheek against it so she wouldn’t forget what it felt like. It was a soft, bristly feeling that she would reminisce about for a long time to come.

  “Call me when you get to New York,” he whispered in her ear.

  She nodded. “I will.”

  With his hands pressed against the small of her back, he brushed his lips against hers in a soft kiss filled with passion. His probing tongue pushed deeper and bathed her mouth with a last kiss. She savored it, memorized every swirl of his tongue, the way his arms felt around her, and the way his chest pressed against hers. She moaned at the way his facial hair tickled her cheek as he rotated his mouth in a slow circle.

  She swore she wouldn’t cry, but she had no control over the tears that swelled on her lower lids. It was crazy that he had this effect on her after only two days. “I’m gonna miss you.”

  “This isn’t goodbye.” His voice was shaky with emotion and barely audible as he repeated, “This isn’t goodbye.”

  It was, but she didn’t want to say it out loud. “Thank you,” she whispered. “For reminding me life was passing me by.”

  He kissed the tips of her fingers on each hand, hurriedly, as if he wanted to taste every bit of her before she left.

  “Is the tour coming to the East Coast at all?” she asked, against her better judgment.

  “No. We’re headed back west.”

  “Oh.” She dropped her gaze, and he lifted her chin with his knuckle.

  “This isn’t goodbye.”

  She nodded, although she knew it wasn’t true. With one last soft meeting of their lips, and a hug that conveyed everything in her heart, she left this wonderful man standing on the curb in front of O’Hare Airport, and she knew she’d never see him again.

  Once back in New York, Kira fell into her old routine of burying herself in her work. She couldn’t help it. But it was no longer all consuming, and she made time to socialize. Tonight was girls’ night out, and she vowed to make it part of her new regime to add fun into her life.

  She sat at a private table at a rooftop bar with her sister and two closest friends, Jessi Blade and Alyssa Diamond, and took a sip of wine as she marveled at the city skyline. She didn’t know how often the four of them would be able to get together with their busy schedules, but since Immortal Angel just finished their current tour, and everyone was home at the same time, she was going to take advantage of the opportunity.

  Jessi was texting Tommy and Angel to check on the kids and smiling at the phone, obviously reading a reply from one of her husbands.

  Alyssa clucked her tongue at her friend. “It’s girls’ night. You’re not supposed to be worrying about the kids.”

  “I know.” Jessi put her phone face down on the table. “I just wanted to make sure they didn’t stay up past their bedtime. You know how easily they manipulate Tommy and Angel.”

  “Well, are they?” Alyssa asked.

  Jessi let out a small laugh. “They’re all in the great room watching School of Rock.”

  As the only single member of the bunch, Kira wondered if she’d ever settle down, and her thoughts lingered on Brett. She tried not to think about him, but he kept creeping back into her head. She wondered what city he was in and if he was thinking about her. She had checked Bulletproof’s tour schedule online one night, and almost texted him, but decided it wasn’t a good idea. They had said their goodbyes in Chicago.

  Audra nudged Kira’s shoulder, and she realized that her sister had been talking to her while she had been thinking about Brett. “Sorry. What did you say?”

  “I asked if you signed that band you saw in Chicago.”

  “Oh. Yeah. They signed the contract a few days ago.” She put her elbow on the table, rested her chin in her hand and reminisced about her time in Chicago.

  “Are you thinking about that hot roadie you hooked up with while you were there?” Jessi asked.

  Kira’s head snapped in her sister’s direction. “You told her about Brett?”

  “Of course. I told Alyssa too.”

  “Audra!”

  “What? That’s what we do on the tour bus when the guys are all doing their thing. We dish.”

  “Do you miss him?” Jessi asked.

  “I do,” Kira answered, without hesitation. “I’m so grateful I met him. He made me see that I forgot how to have fun. I work all the time. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job, but I miss the old days.” She turned toward Audra and let out a small laugh. “Remember how we were always at the front of the stage cheering on Immortal Angel at every show? Remember how we used to crush on Angel?”

  Jessi let out a small laugh. “I remember. I swore the two of you were hell bent on turning him straight. Or at least bisexual.”

  “We would have if we could have.” Kira nudged Jessi with her elbow. “But you’re the only one who could do that. Obviously.”

  Jessi flashed a wide smile and waggled her eyebrows. “Persistence pays off. And
boy was it worth it. It also helps if your husband seduces him first.”

  Alyssa flipped her long black hair over her shoulder. “You’re still in your twenties, Kira. You’re not an old fucking bag. Get out there and live life. Take some time off. Go on a vacation.” Her black-rimmed eyes widened. “Come on the next tour with us. We’ll have a great fucking time. It’ll be girls’ night every night! Well, not every night. The guys’ll be around some nights.”

  “Please come,” Audra begged. “I’d love to have my sister with me again. We can re-create some of those old memories.”

  Kira searched for one good reason not to go. She could work remotely and fly back if needed. She could scout new bands in the cities they visited. It could be a working vacation. “OK. I’ll do it,” she said, before she had a chance to change her mind.

  While the girls all exchanged excited chatter and discussed the details of Immortal Angel’s next tour, Kira was only half listening. Her mind was drifting to Brett again. She knew she shouldn’t be thinking about it, but what if they crossed paths? Maybe the tour would bring her to a city where Bulletproof was performing and she’d see him again. Maybe it was a sign.

  She excused herself to use the restroom and stopped in an out-of-the-way corner to send Brett a quick text message.

  KIRA: I’m going on tour with Immortal Angel next month. We’re visiting 15 cities. Maybe one will enable us to cross paths?

  His reply was almost immediate.

  BRETT: I’m so glad you finally texted! Bulletproof’s tour is over in a few weeks. I’ll be in California, but maybe I can fly somewhere, and we can hook up.

  Hook up? It was the second time tonight she heard that phrase, and the joy drained from her body as she stared at the words on the screen. A hook up is exactly what she didn’t want. She knew that the words weren’t meant in a derogatory manner and that it was just an expression, but it reminded her that casual sex is all she could have with Brett when there was three thousand miles between them. She sighed and tapped on her phone screen.

  KIRA: If it’s meant to be, it’ll work itself out.

  She silenced her phone and stuffed it into her pocket with a weighted sigh. Goodbye, Brett.

  Kira’s excitement steadily mounted as she stared at Immortal Angel’s tour bus. It was a behemoth. Two stories high, with private bedrooms and bathrooms. It was a home on wheels. For the next twenty-nine days it would take nine adults and three kids across the country. She glanced at the row of people she’d be sharing all of her time with over the coming weeks. Angel, Tommy and Jessi, their kids Lucas and Tessa and the kids’ nanny, Damien and Alyssa, Jimmy and Audra, Jimmy’s son Mason, and Mason’s Aunt Mary.

  Audra wrapped an arm around Kira and gave her a squeeze. “This is gonna be great.”

  “I can’t believe I’m going on tour with Immortal Angel.” Kira blinked a few times. As a teenager, she had fantasized about the future success of Immortal Angel and their international fame, but she never imagined she’d be riding on a tour bus with them across the country. “I wish we could go back in time and tell ourselves how awesome our lives are going to turn out.”

  Audra shook her head to convey her disbelief. “I never would have believed that I was going to end up marrying Jimmy Wilder, Immortal Angel’s notorious playboy drummer. Yet, here he is. The love of my life. Devoted husband and father.”

  Kira raised her hand high above her head. “And here I am, the single one.” It was meant as a lighthearted joke, but it made Audra frown.

  “Let’s see if we can do something about that.” Audra looped her arm through Kira’s. “Let’s check out the road crew.”

  Kira sighed, not appreciating the reminder. “Stop trying to fix me up with roadies. I’m trying to forget about one, remember?”

  Audra shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’ll be right back. I need to make sure Mason packed his electronic drum kit, or we’ll be heading back home before we even leave the state.”

  Kira folded her arms across her chest and watched her sister walk away.

  “Hey, babe.”

  The raspy voice behind Kira made her suck in a deep breath. It couldn’t be him, but she knew it was. She turned to face Brett, her heart hammering in her chest. He threw his arms around her, lifted her off the ground and squeezed her so tightly it forced the breath from her lungs. She returned the embrace, happy laughter floating from her mouth and harmonizing with his. As soon as her feet hit the floor, he kissed her. Their smiling lips met with a heated exchange, his scruffy beard leaving a familiar burn on her cheek and upper lip. “What are you doing here?” she asked, hanging onto his shoulders and gazing into eyes that made her legs wobbly.

  “I got a call about a job.”

  “In New York?” Her heart sank. “I’m leaving to go on tour with Immortal Angel. Right now. I’ll be gone for a month.”

  “Me too.”

  She stared at him with confusion for a few seconds while she comprehended what he was implying. “Are you kidding? You’re joining Immortal Angel’s tour?”

  “Yep.” He pointed to one of the three tour buses that would take the equipment, the road crew and the production unit across the country. “I’ll be following you every step of the way.”

  She hugged him and let out a barrage of excited laughter. “I can’t believe it! But . . . how?”

  “I got a call from Immortal Angel’s tour manager asking if I was available.”

  Kira spun around to find her sister, who was standing near Immortal Angel’s tour bus with Jimmy and Mason.

  “You’re welcome!” Audra called to her.

  “Is it OK?” Brett asked. “I wanted to clear it with you first, but Audra assured me it would be, and she wanted it to be a surprise.” He bit his bottom lip. “I didn’t know if you’d want to see me again. You haven’t answered my calls or texts.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry. I just thought that there was no way for us to form any kind of relationship. I don’t know if this is a good idea or not, or what’s going to happen when the tour is over. The only thing I know for sure is that I’m ecstatic you’re here. Like I said, if it’s meant to be, it’ll work itself out.” Maybe she was blinded by infatuation or it was just wishful thinking or some sort of crazy fantasy, but something gave her hope that their relationship could work. Time is the only thing that would tell if they had any kind of future together. But they had right now, and that was enough.

  Brett looked over her shoulder at the larger-than-life tour bus. It was massive. He’d seen it in photos and on TV, but nothing prepared him for the life-size beast that Immortal Angel traveled in. “I’ve heard about this thing, but I thought everyone was exaggerating.”

  “Wait until you see the inside.” Kira’s beautiful face lost some of its enthusiasm as she glanced back at the buses that carried the equipment and road crew. “I don’t want you to travel in a separate bus. We spend half our time on the road. You’re riding with me.”

  The idea made Brett’s spirits soar. She wanted him with her. He wasn’t really sure up until this moment that he was welcome in her life, considering the way they left things off in Chicago. The call from Audra had surprised him, and he was hesitant about accepting the job, but she assured him that Kira still cared about him and would love to have him join the tour. Now, judging by her reaction, he had no question about how she felt. “I’d love to ride with you, Kira, but I think I need to clear it with the road manager first.”

  Another laugh floated from Kira’s lips. “OK. Let me know if he gives you a problem. I can straighten it out.”

  Of course, he knew the name Abelman outranked anyone on his team, but he didn’t want to leave his co-workers in the dust. He was the new guy on tour, and he didn’t want special privileges. “I don’t want to piss off the other roadies. That’s all.”

  She wrapped her arms around him, and the scent of vanilla and cherry blossoms filled his nostrils with beauty. He inhaled deeply, remembering the scent of this woman and how it drove him crazy by
tickling his senses. It ignited the memory of her skin and flesh and the way she tasted and felt under his touch.

  She took his hand and led him toward Immortal Angel’s colossal tour bus. “Let me give you the grand tour.”

  It was the most amazing thing he’d ever seen. The first floor was spacious, even with the two slide-outs tucked inside the walls of the bus. He glanced down at the floor as he stepped across its surface. It was hardwood. The modern rounded couches and captain’s chairs smelled of rich leather. There were built-in tables and storage cabinets made of fine cherrywood. Electronics, giant TV screens and video game consoles were everywhere. The kitchen area was huge. It had a giant refrigerator with stainless steel appliances. The main bathroom was ridiculous. There were two bedrooms on the first level, one with its own private bath.

  Tucked in a corner was a small office with a couch. “This is where we’ll be staying,” Kira explained. “It’s not very fancy. Really just an extra space. But the couch converts to a full-size bed.”

  “It’s perfect.” He pulled her closer. “We can snuggle.”

  She smiled and stole a kiss before she led him to a winding staircase that brought them to the second floor, which was unheard of on a tour bus. A playroom sat at the top of the stairway, filled with enough toys so it looked like Christmas morning. “What’s all this?”

  “We travel with my nephew and the Blade-Garcia kids, Lucas and Tessa. Didn’t you know that?”

  He was going to be on a tour bus with families and small children. Not exactly what he had envisioned about spending nights on the road with Kira.

  She scolded him with her finger. “I know what you’re thinking. We’ll have plenty of nightly stays at hotels while on the road.”

  He put his hand to his chest and feigned innocence, but he knew his hungry eyes betrayed him. “I’m not thinking anything.”