by Emma Lea
“Thanks for having me tonight,” Nate said and Stevie was surprised to hear the nerves in his voice. “I’m lucky enough to have half of the group Court’n Jacks up here on the stage to help me out tonight. Stevie Jacks and Vanessa Court.”
Another half-hearted applause. Stevie looked to Nate and waited for him to count them in. From the first chord her nerves vanished and the song poured out of her. She was aware of Nate’s few skipped notes before he found the sweet spot and then the three of them were in the zone. The song was killer and the cut down version didn’t lose anything in the translation.
There was brief pause after the song ended before the audience clapped, and not just a polite golf-clap either. They launched into the next song and she knew they’d won the audience over. It felt good to be up there in front of them and singing. Performing with Nate at her side felt like coming home, not that she would ever tell him that, but it was true. They knew each other in a way that could only be achieved after years of performing together. It may have been five years between drinks, but it all came rushing back. It didn’t matter that they had spent the last few weeks playing together almost exclusively, there was something different about being on stage together, a chemistry that couldn’t be manufactured in the studio or rehearsal room.
A chemistry that was even more potent than it had been five years ago.
She couldn’t think about that. She couldn’t let her mind put that pressure on their sex life. Yes, they had chemistry, on stage and in bed, but the two weren’t mutually exclusive. They could still have chemistry on stage without the sex and they could still have chemistry in the bedroom without performing on stage. But there was no denying the chemistry. It was electric and she didn’t care that she knew she was going to get burnt. That was the thing with chemistry, you were hopeless to resist it.
Nate kicked the door closed behind him, barely looking up from Stevie. They were fused together at the lips and their arms were wound around each other as if they couldn’t get close enough. The familiar adrenalin high from performing coursed through both of them and they’d extracted themselves from the rest of the crew as quickly as they could, desperate to get each other naked and work out the overload of adrenalin. They didn’t even care if the band put two and two together, they were way past caring about anything except getting their body parts aligned.
By the time they made it to the bedroom they were naked, stripping their clothes off along the way and leaving a trail that even a blind man could follow. They may have even knocked over a plant or two in their haste to get there. But neither of them even noticed the mess they were making.
They bumped into the bed and Stevie fell back onto the comforter. Nate kneeled on the floor between her legs and ran his hands up her thighs, parting them so that he could feast his eyes on the sweet pink lips that beckoned him. He leant forward and drew his tongue along her slit slowly, savoring that first taste of her.
Stevie’s hands went to his hair, threading through the long strands and tugging him closer. He loved that she wasn’t afraid of demanding what she wanted in bed. It was a change from the timid women he had been with in the past who spent more time trying to make him feel good then letting him make them feel good. But with Stevie, it was different and better. It turned him on to know that what he was doing to her was taking her higher. Giving her an orgasm made his that much sweeter.
He feasted on her, delighting in her taste as it flooded his tongue. Her legs wrapped around his head and he fucked her with his tongue as she rocked into his face. His cock pulsed in time with her and her moans pushed his control to the limit. If he wasn’t careful he would come just from going down on her, not that that was a bad thing, but he was hoping to draw it out a bit longer.
He sucked gently on her clit as he inserted two of his fingers into her tight channel and she arched her back, bearing down on him. He slid his fingers out and then back in, coaxing her orgasm from her. His other hand found her nipple and he tweaked it, none too gentle, just how she liked it, and she exploded, crying out as her orgasm slammed into her.
He didn’t give her time to come down. Moving quickly, he extracted himself from the vice grip her legs had around his head and then flipped her onto her stomach. He pulled her hips up so she was resting on her knees, and reached for a condom. Once he was covered, he slid into her from behind, her core clamping down on him and making the fit tight. He slid one arm around her waist and up between her breasts, is hand coming to rest at the base of her throat. He lifted her torso from the bed, resting her weight on his arm, his hand applying a small amount of pressure to her throat; not enough to choke her, but enough to know he was in charge.
He began to move inside her, pumping his hips, his balls slapping her ass as he went deep. He bit down on her shoulder as his other hand gripped her hip, keeping her still as he pounded into her.
It wasn’t a gentle joining of souls but a hard, violent fuck and it was what they both needed. The high from performing, the adrenalin from the applause and cheers of the crowd and the knowledge that maybe he hadn’t caused irreparable damage to his career drove his body on.
He heard Stevie cry out, a long keening cry, and then she clamped down around him as she came spectacularly. He felt her pulse under his fingertips at her throat and the slamming of her heart against her ribs. A shout was torn from her throat and then his as he came. He kept pumping in to her and felt the aftershocks of her orgasm spasm around him, milking him dry.
They collapsed onto the bed, breathing hard and barely conscious. His body felt weak, his energy spent leaving him nothing but an empty husk. He managed to summon enough strength to roll off her and he stared up at the ceiling, not seeing anything and in a complete daze.
She whimpered beside him and he drew her into his arms, needing the reassurance of her body next to his. He knew he should say something, ask if she was okay, apologize for being so rough, but he couldn’t form words, he could barely maintain brain function.
She nuzzled his neck, her lips skimming over his sweaty skin and something in him calmed. He floated back down from the rafters, finally being coherent enough to check on her.
“God Stevie, I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”
She looked up at him, her big blue eyes glassy and wet. “No,” she said, “you didn’t hurt me.”
He pulled her close and kissed her head. “Shit. I’m sorry. I was way too rough with you. I just can’t seem to control myself around you.”
“Hey,” she said, rolling him onto his back and leaning over him. "I know how to say no and if I thought you were too rough, I would’ve said something. That…” she shook her head and smiled, “that was fucking awesome and exactly what I needed…what we both needed.”
She leant down and kissed him and he got lost in the taste and feel of her. God, what had he ever done to deserve her? Nothing. The truth was she was far too good for him, but it didn’t stop him from wanting her anyway.
Chapter Nineteen
Stevie sat in a quiet corner of the bar while she waited for the rest of Court’n Jacks to arrive. It was their fifth live show in a long line of lead up shows to build their fan base before they hit the road with Lily Ames’ tour.
She sipped her drink and allowed herself a moment just to enjoy the ride they were on. Their single, although not number one, was in the top twenty and was garnering a lot of air time and their shows were becoming popular as well. The thrill of performing was one that she had missed, even if she hadn’t realized she’d missed it until now. There was an energy that you just couldn’t get in a studio and it fed her soul. She was brimming with new ideas for songs constantly and there was a pleasant feeling of contentment that permeated her. Stevie was happy.
Although, that feeling of contentment could be due to the fact that she was getting regular, stunning and ultimately satisfying orgasms.
The other band members had picked up on her and Nate’s affair but had been kind enough not to mention it and she and Nate didn’t rub
their faces in it either. When they were working, they keep a professional distance, not that they were working together much anymore.
‘No Good for Me’ was finished and the release was imminent, so there wasn’t much for them to do together until then. After the song was released they were slated to do a few performances together, a couple of which would be while they were on tour. Lily hadn’t minded a bit of cross-promotion and was doing a song with Nate herself. With Nate deciding to sign with Derek’s new label and Court’n Jacks and Lily Ames already signed to him, it was all about keeping it in the family. The fact that his album would be released by Rocksteady was inconsequential. Everybody involved knew that he was only still with them because they had demanded one more album and that he no longer had any loyalty towards them.
The only dull spot in her otherwise shiny life was that she missed Darla. Tom, Darla, and the babies had gone home to finalize things before the big move to Nashville and she missed seeing her bestie every day. Nate had done his best to keep her occupied, but sometimes a girl just needed her girlfriend to talk about stuff - about boys. She still had Nadine and Vanessa, but it wasn’t quite the same. Darla had known her forever and there were just things that they knew about each other that it was too hard to explain to someone who hadn’t known her as long. And she was worried about Darla’s post-partum depression. Darla had agreed to see her doctor back home but it didn’t stop Stevie from worrying about her.
“Stevie?”
She looked up and into the intense blue eyes of Carson. Senator Giles. She smiled and stood from the table, hugging him.
“Carson, what are you doing here?”
“We were in town and someone suggested we come and see this hot new band,” he said, his eyes crinkling in the corners as he smiled. “How could I turn down the opportunity to see you again?”
“How’s the new job?” she asked as they sat down and he ordered a drink from the waitress that approached them.
“Good,” he said. “Tiring.”
“The people love you,” she said, bumping her knee into his. “Especially all those society wives.”
He blushed and looked down at his hands. It was no secret that the majority of his supporter base were women. His dark hair, chiseled good looks and those amazing eyes had all the women swooning. He was a far cry from the usual overweight, grey haired and grumpy looking politicians that had come before him.
“About that,” he said and then stopped as the waitress delivered his drink. He waited until she walked away before speaking again. “Are you seeing anyone?”
It was the first time she’d been asked the question since she and Nate had begun hooking up and she wasn’t really sure how to respond. She and Nate had agreed on exclusivity but they’d also agreed to keep this quiet.
“It’s complicated,” she replied with a shrug and then sipped her drink.
He sighed and pierced her with his intense blue gaze. “I made a mistake,” he eventually said, his voice quiet so that she had to lean forward to hear him. “I should never had demanded that you give up your career for me. I miss you Stevie, I miss what we had together.”
Stevie sat back in her chair, stunned. Their relationship had been fun and comfortable and she loved Carson, but could they really be a couple? He was a senator now and with that came certain expectations. She would need to be available to attend dinners and events with him, what would that mean for her career? For going on tour?
And what about Nate? They had only agreed to a short fling while they were working together, there had never been talk of anything serious. Technically, their fling should be over as they were no longer working together, but neither of them had made any move to call the whole thing off. If anything, things seemed to be progressing past the fling stage and into something that could actually be called a relationship.
“Carson, I—”
“It’s okay,” he said with a self-deprecating smile. “I know I shouldn’t be dumping this on you right now, it’s just that seeing you again…” He shook his head, his eyes on his fingers as he held his glass. “It made me remember what it was like between us.” He looked up at her. “Do you think there could ever be anything between us again?”
“Carson—”
“Carson Giles,” Nate said walking up to him and slapping him on the back. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Carson stood to shake Nate’s hand and Stevie saw the glint of steel in Nate’s eye. He wasn’t happy to have found them together, which pissed Stevie off. What right did he have to come over all possessive? He was being a dick.
“Nate Nash,” Carson said with his politician smile, “I’ve been hearing good things about your new album.”
“Thanks, man,” Nate said, taking a seat on the other side of Stevie and lifting his hand to signal a waitress. “Are you here to see Stevie?”
“My team and I were in town and we had a free night,” Carson shrugged nonchalantly. “I heard Stevie and her band were playing so I thought I’d check them out.”
“Court’n Jacks are incredible,” Nate said, slinging an arm casually over the back of Stevie’s chair. “I’ve been working close with them over the last few weeks.”
“That so?” Carson looked between her and Nate and Stevie felt her cheeks redden. “Are you two singing together again?”
“Just one song,” Stevie said, pushing her chair back from the table, knocking Nate’s arm free before standing. “I should go and check on the others.”
She walked away feeling both pairs of eyes burning into her back. Nate was so out of line and she was so pissed at him that if she didn’t get out of his space she would have said something she’d regret. Instead she headed for the back door and gulped down the cool night air, despite the eau de dumpster.
What really pissed her off, and the one thing she couldn’t deny, especially to herself, was that having Nate claim her like he did made her feel good. She wanted him to proclaim that she was his, she’d wanted that for so long that she almost felt giddy with it. What wasn’t so impressive was that he’d only done it because he felt threatened by Carson. The two of them had had a rivalry that dated back to an unfortunate incident involving a cheerleader in high school. It just wasn’t the same when she knew that it was more about that than about her.
“So you and Stevie, huh?” Carson sipped his drink, his eyes never leaving Nate’s.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” Nate replied.
“She was my fiancée,” he said with a casual shrug.
“Still doesn’t give you the right to know her private life now.”
Nate hated that Carson had been with Stevie. He hated anyone that came before him.
“I always thought the two of you had something going back in high school and I could never understand why she put up with you screwing around on her. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the two of you had only ever been friends. Finally crawl your way out of the friend-zone Nash?”
Nate clenched his fists under the table. He knew the guy was fucking with him and that he was just trying to push Nate’s buttons to get a rise out of him, but the green haze of jealousy that had descended over his eyes when he’d seen the two of them together was stealing his rational brain functions.
They had been friends once, before that cheerleader had pitted them against each other in a quest to win her affections. It had ignited a competition between them that had spanned the rest of their school years and then some. But that’s not what this was, was it? Nate hadn’t just gotten all possessive over Stevie because it was Carson, had he?
“Senator?” one of Carson’s aides approached the table and interrupted their staring contest.
Carson stood. “Good to see you again Nash,” he said, throwing some bills on the table. “Maybe we’ll be seeing more of each other after tonight.”
It was cheap shot and Nate knew it, but it didn’t stop him from feeling like punching the smug bastard. Nate felt suddenly insecure in his re
lationship with Stevie and he didn’t like it, not at all. They hadn’t made promises to each other, but they had managed to slip into each other’s lives seamlessly, even now that they weren’t working together. Admittedly they didn’t do anything much outside the bedroom. It wasn’t like they went on dates or publicly declared their relationship…and maybe that was the problem.
Nate sighed as he downed his beer. Did he want to have a real, public relationship with Stevie? The last real relationship he’d had was with Natasha and that hadn’t turned out so well for him. But Stevie wasn’t Natasha and it had been her idea to keep it a secret anyway.
And what the hell did that mean? Weren’t the women the ones that wanted to stake their claim on the man? Weren’t they the ones that usually wanted things out in the open and to go on dates and shit? Was he just Stevie’s dirty little secret, a fuck-buddy to scratch an itch?
He was driving himself crazy with his own self-talk. Everything had been fine between them until Carson had turned up and stirred the pot. Now he was second guessing everything that had been happening between the two of them. The real question was, what did he want?
“Hey Nate,” Vanessa said, slipping into a chair beside him, “why the frown?”
“Nothin’,” he said with a sigh. “Just thinking.”
“Was that Senator Giles you were talking to earlier?” she asked looking over her shoulder to where Carson was now sitting with his cronies.
“Yeah,” he said.
“That man is so good-looking,” she said dreamily and Nate scowled. “You know he and Stevie were engaged once.”
“Yeah, I know,” Nate said. “We all went to school together.”
“Oh wow,” she said, still looking over at his table.
“Who’re y’all looking at?” Nadine asked as she sat down.
“That senator that Stevie was engaged to,” Vanessa replied.
“That man is fine,” Nadine said, craning her neck to catch a glimpse of him. “I don’t know why Stevie let him go.”
