by Layla Frost
“‘Be a drummer,’ everyone said. ‘You’ll get all the girls,’ everyone said. Everyone was wrong. Shoulda taken a fuckin’ shop class,” Jet sighed dramatically.
“You did, you just didn’t go. Pretty sure you spent a big chunk of your time in the nurse’s office.”
“Hey, Nurse Maggie and I had a real connection!”
“She was fifty!”
“That doesn’t mean she didn’t deserve love. Fuck, I still got a thing for nurses. Can’t even go to the damn doctor without gettin’ wood.”
I couldn’t hold back my laughter. Rock stars were supposed to be all ego and arrogance, but I’d always heard the X-ers were down to earth and humble.
“You must be the gorgeous Piper,” Jet said to me.
“That’s me,” I wheezed.
I just got called gorgeous by the drummer for the X-ers.
Be cool, Piper. No one likes a screaming groupie.
“Breathe, groupie,” Jake whispered in my ear, his voice amused as he proved he could read my thoughts.
I can be cool. I got this.
Right?
Maybe.
Jet lead the way into his house. “Let’s go get you two some drinks, huh? The night is young, but the party is already kickin’.”
The living room was full of people hanging out and dancing, the loud music traveling throughout the house. There was a drinking game going on in a dining room, everyone laughing and cheering.
I’d never been to a farewell party for famous rockers going on tour before, but this wasn’t what I’d expected. The rock ‘n’ roll vibe was definitely there, but it was relaxed and chill. Instead of a pretentious Hollywood-esque party, it felt more like a kegger.
Freakin’ awesome.
When we got to the back of the house, my inner groupie was dangerously close to jumping out and screeching.
The X-ers and some of the guys were casually sitting around a large table in the homey kitchen with open bottles of beer in front of them. Their loud conversation and laughter filled the room.
Sweet baby Elvis, I’ve died and gone to groupie heaven.
That feeling went into overdrive when Gage, the lead singer, looked up from the table at us. “Aww, you brought me a going away present. Jake, man, you know me so well.”
Jet shook his head. “I’ve already struck out. No way you’ve got a chance.”
“Maybe that just means she’s got good taste.” Gage threw me his signature bad boy smirk.
I knew from seeing an X-ers show shortly after my eighteenth birthday that he was tall. With lean sinewy muscles, black hair, and dark blue eyes, he always looked dangerous. From what I’d heard, it wasn’t a persona he put on to sell tickets and albums. He’d lived a rough life and still had demons that haunted him.
“Hey,” Kase said, coming over with a beer in each hand. He handed one to Jake. “Beer, Pipe?”
“Water?”
“Su—” Kase started before Jet interrupted.
“We got a full bar, Piper, and this is our last chance to get a hottie drunk. By the time we get around them on tour, they’re already shitty or close to it. Takes the fun out of things when all we see is sloppy, ya know? We miss the fun in between part. Get her something strong.”
I shrugged and gave Kase a smile. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to drink. I just didn’t want to get stupid.
I was having enough trouble with my inner groupie while I was sober.
When Kase went to grab my drink, Jet turned back to the table and threw his arm around my shoulders. “Piper, this is Gage, Ryder, Rocco, and Zeke.”
As if I needed introductions. As if I didn’t know.
Ryder was the guitarist, Rocco, the bassist, and Zeke, rhythm guitar and backup vocals. Zeke was also the baby of the group and the only one from outside of Massachusetts. He was a southern boy, with down-home charm and manners in a rocker package.
Unsurprisingly, he was also first to hop out of his chair and offer it to me.
Jet steered me over, once again not really giving me a choice. And, once again, I didn’t really care. Especially when Jake moved to stand close behind me.
When Kase gave me my drink, I took a tiny sip with the plan of making it last.
Reading my mind again, Jake leaned close to my ear. “I’m driving tonight and nursing this beer. Drink up, let loose, yeah?”
I nodded up at him before Gage grabbed my attention.
“So, why no cookies? You brought cookies for Rhys.”
“He placed an order for them. Let me know what you want, I’ll totally bake some.”
“No chocolate chip. I’m thinking oatmeal raisin.”
“Dude, no. Fuck no. That’s not a cookie, that’s breakfast. And a nasty one,” Rocco said, his expression making his disgust clear.
“I like them. And the fact that none of you fuckers do means I might actually get some of them.”
“I dunno,” Kase put in as he set a fresh drink in front of me, making me realize I’d finished the first one. “I’m willing to bet she can make even raisins taste good.”
“It’s true,” I confirmed. “I hate raisins, but even I like my oatmeal raisin cookies.”
I forgot about my plan to drink slowly when everyone began debating the best dessert, a surprisingly heated topic. From there the conversation, and the drinks, flowed.
It wasn’t long before the nervous tension left my body. Although I was sure the alcohol helped, the band acted like a group of regular guys and that’s how most everyone treated them.
I finished my drink and a new one appeared like magic in front of me. Unfortunately, the others I’d had were making themselves known.
When I stood up, Jake’s hand went to my waist.
“You good?” he rumbled close to my ear.
“Yeah,” I breathed. His hand often had that effect on me, but standing also made me realize I really had to pee.
Jake slid his hand down my side before letting me go and stepping back.
“Hey Piper, that your only piercing?” Rocco asked, dipping his head to my bellybutton ring. All the guys were tattooed, but Rocco was pierced multiple times.
“Uh, no, I have a few more.” Turning towards the doorway, I stopped when he spoke again.
“Where?”
Looking over my shoulder, I smiled. “Telling would take the fun out of it.”
I weaved in and out of couples going at it and pointedly ignored some less than friendly glares I was getting. Not that there were a lot of them here, but still my “Maximum Skank Occupancy Limit” had been exceeded. They were the only ones treating the band differently, and they didn’t look too happy about how that was playing out.
When I reached the surprisingly tidy bathroom, I silently thanked the party gods that there was no line. After I was done, I walked carefully, concentrating on my steps so I didn’t fall.
Why does walking always mean feeling drunker?
Or is it more drunk?
More drunkerer?
Wrapped up in grammatically measuring my level of intoxication, I got back to the kitchen to see Jake sitting where I’d been. I moved to sit up on the counter with Kase when Jake’s large hand engulfed mine. He tugged slightly and I fell back, landing on his lap with a yelp and a giggle.
With my crossed legs hanging over the side of his, I wrapped my arm around his shoulders and settled in happily. That happy became freakin’ ecstatic when his hand came to rest on my thigh, his thumb stroking.
“Piper, who did your ink?” Gage asked, watching us closely.
“My friend Ray owns a place called Exxxtreme. She’s done all my tats.”
“I’ve gotten inked by her,” Jet said, lifting his sleeve to show a Celtic knot covering his upper arm. “We’ve played shows at her man’s place.”
Ray, along with being one of the most talented tattoo artists around, was also one of the sweetest women. Her ever-changing hair was past shoulder length on one side and shaved on the other. Her ears were pierced multiple t
imes, she had two lip rings, an eyebrow piercing, plus hidden ones. Both of her tattooed arms were covered in a whirl of designs and colors that showed her inner whimsical and romantic side.
While she wasn’t conventionally beautiful, she knew who she was and she rocked it.
Edge was a crazy hottie, emphasis on the crazy. Especially when it came to Ray. He was determined, unrelenting, and totally badass. He fell hard and fast for her.
It would be hard not to.
Ray, however, took her time. Her normally daring attitude flew out the window and skepticism took over when it came to getting involved with Edge. Thankfully he wore her down and her gentle temperament was the perfect match for his hard.
Edge owned Voodoo, a club in the area. Where Rye was known for being laid-back, Voodoo was a venue for high-energy live music.
“What do you have?” Gage asked.
I ran through my list, this time with no growl of annoyance from Jake. I did, however, get a whole different kind of growl when I moved on his lap to show my shoulder and back tattoos.
“Are the notes from a song?” Jet asked about my rib tattoo.
I used my fingers to tap the beat. “It’s the opening of Van Morrison’s ‘The Piper at the Gates of Dawn’.”
Gage nodded his head. Putting his elbows on the table, he leaned forward. “As a bona fide rocker hottie, settle a bet… Boring drummer or world-renowned lover and massively hung lead singer?”
“Seriously?” Jake snapped, though his lips were quirked up.
Gage raised his hands and shrugged. “What? It’s a valid question. For research purposes, of course.”
“So you have the facts to make an informed decision, though, I’m bigger and not boring,” Jet said. “Inventive. Imaginative. It’s heart-stopping, really.”
“Yeah, ‘cause they die of boredom,” Rocco said, before dodging the empty cup Jet threw at him.
I’m at Jet’s house pervin’ on rock star hotties! How is this my life?
Shh.
Don’t question it.
Go with it.
“Well,” I started through my laughter, “as much as I love a sexy voice, and I do, I have a thing for men that work with their hands. So, sorry Gage, this round would go to Jet.”
Jet stood up to do a thrusting victory dance. “Ha! Told you. In your face, fucker! I get the best chicks, woo hoo!”
“Damn, that doesn’t count then. She’s obviously biased. She’s here with the master of workin’ his hand.” Gage used his fist to make an obscene motion.
Jake made his own obscene, one-fingered gesture at Gage.
“Damn me and my voice of a fuckin’ angel,” Gage sighed. “I even told Jake when he was opening Hyde’s that he’d get so much tail.”
I couldn’t stop myself from momentarily freezing, my body going tight, at Gage’s words. Not about how much sex Jake had; that he got laid was not a bombshell. He was hot, smart, funny, and, it was worth repeating, hot.
What was surprising was that Jake owned Hyde. The only person I’d seen or read about was Z, which was why I’d thought he owned it. I’d assumed Jake was the manager, just handling the day-to-day stuff of running the place.
I kept a smile on my face and forced myself to relax, hoping it wasn’t obvious that I was surprised.
Not one to miss anything, Jake’s hands tightened on my waist as he lifted me off of him. “Let’s go dance.”
I nodded, standing up and trying to think of an excuse. I didn’t want to admit I was a dingus, but my brain was drawing a blank.
With a hand at the small of my back, Jake led me to the living room. Looking around, I was able to see how the sound carried so thoroughly throughout the house. Along with the small speakers that were mounted around the room for surround sound, large speakers were set up near the stereo.
All of the furniture was pushed to the side, allowing people a place to sit while also opening up the majority of the space.
I was once again surprised to see how nicely the room was decorated. I wasn’t sure if it was more shocking that there were coasters on the coffee and end tables, or that people were actually using said coasters.
Between the music and the crush of people, the noise level was high. There was no way Jake and I could carry on a conversation.
My relief was cut short when the song ended and a quiet one began. I silently cursed the music gods because even with the volume up, we were able to talk.
Jake slid his arms around my waist as we moved. His head dipped down to the side of mine. “Sorry, babe. Gage doesn’t think.”
“Uh, it’s okay,” I murmured, confused about why he was apologizing.
“That shit about gettin’ tail. I’m obviously not a—”
I pulled back to look at him. “Totally fine. And totally not my business.”
His eyes searched my face, as if trying to determine whether I was lying. Seeming to accept my answer, he asked, “So what was it?”
“What was what?” I asked, playing clueless.
Just once I’d like to get away with it.
“One minute you’re smilin’ and laughin’… Christ, even not being able to see your whole face, you’re so fuckin’ gorgeous I can’t look away. Which is how I know that your smile changed.”
At his sweet words, my brain went to mush. Thankfully he hadn’t asked me anything too personal or embarrassing, because I’d have told him every last secret.
“I didn’t know you owned Hyde. I knew you ran it, but not that you owned it. I was just surprised.”
“You didn’t know I owned Hyde?”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
“Fuck me. Seriously?”
“No. Z’s always the one doing the publicity—”
“I just hate doing that shit. Z only works part-time in the shop. Interviews, advertising, and all that are the other half of his job. So you really didn’t know?”
I shook my head again. “Does it matter?”
Some people took it personally when others weren’t aware of their accomplishments, as if it was an insult to their giant egos.
Jake seemed to have the opposite reaction.
His eyes warmed as he leaned down and brushed his lips against mine. When the music grew loud again, he moved his mouth back to my ear. “Yeah, baby, it does.”
Before I could ask more, Jet approached us with drinks in hand. “It’s been a while since you’ve had a drink.”
“What is it?” I sniffed the shot glass. There were fruity undertones, but it smelled boozy enough to make my nose tingle.
“Dunno. Kase just said don’t get near any open flames with it.”
I shrugged and tossed the shot back, instantly grimacing at the taste. “Blech. Tastes like burning.”
“That face just screams you want another.”
“It actually isn’t bad after a minute. It tastes like fruit. If said fruit was soaked in lighter fluid, but still.”
“Since I’m pretty sure that beer was evaporating quicker than you were drinking it,” Jet said, handing the larger cup to Jake, “water.”
“Thanks.” Jake gulped some back.
Even the way he drinks is sexy.
I’ve officially lost my mind.
Jet grabbed the empty shot glass from me and handed it to a guy walking by, to their startled surprise. “Here, my gift to you.”
“Uh, thanks?” the guy said, before recognition dawned. A smile split across his face as he held the glass close like it actually was a treasure.
“Pretty sure you just lost that.” I watched the guy move away slowly, trying to look nonchalant as he slipped the shot glass into his pocket. “Yup, gone.”
“Meh, that’s okay. I stocked up at Target. I’d have signed it for him if he was gonna steal my shit, though. Anyway, now that you’re hands are free but Jake’s aren’t, looks like it’s time for me to steal you for a dance.”
Jet pulled me to him, moving us closer to the crowd and further from Jake.
I knew it wasn�
�t about trying to get a better spot to dance. It also wasn’t about trying to hit on me without Jake hearing.
Which was why I wasn’t surprised when he said, “You really didn’t know he owned Hyde.”
It wasn’t a question. Still, I answered him. “Nope, no clue.”
Much like with Rhys, Jet held my eyes with his searching ones. And again I fought the urge to look away. I had nothing to hide, and as a smile spread across his face, I was glad he reached the same conclusion.
I held my breath as his smile faded and he opened his mouth to speak. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, a roaring loud song started up, making any conversation impossible.
The party had grown, a steady stream of people coming and going. The air, already thick and sticky from the humidity, grew increasingly warm as more people started dancing.
For tonight, please let me be one of those women that looks sexy and dewy when I sweat. We can return to my regular, splotchy faced sweating tomorrow.
Before the song finished, Jake snagged me around the waist and pulled my back against his chest. Reaching over my shoulder, he handed me his ice water before sliding his hands down to hold my hips.
Amped up and unable to stay still, I swayed and bounced as I drank.
Work and school may have temporarily taken over, but I’d still had some seriously awesome nights in my life. I grew up sheltered, but that didn’t mean I didn’t venture outside of that bubble.
Tonight was right up there as one of the best of my life.
Considering how awesome Rye had been, and ignoring Jake’s previous asshole attitude and dinner at my mother’s, the whole weekend was kickass.
It wasn’t about hanging out with a band. It wasn’t about the hot guy parade. Hell, it wasn’t even about Jake.
Okay, it wasn’t just about all that.
It was about being with fun people. My kind of people. No one was eyeing tattoos or piercings with distaste. No one was avoiding eye contact and moving away from anyone, their fear and judgment easily readable.
Hanging out with a rock band that I loved was cool.
The fact they were so chill and friendly was what made it awesome.
That said, being with Jake took the night from awesome to seriously freakin’ awesome. Especially since he wasn’t being a dick about what I was wearing or who I was talking to. Instead, he was casually affectionate with me in a way that cleared up any of the mixed signals he’d previously been sending my way.
