I Need You Tonight

by Stina Lindenblatt

  Less than thirty seconds later, I had achieved exactly that, but I did have Mason to thank for it. It would seem that I wasn’t the only one eager for our last night together.

  I slipped my dress over my head. Before I could stretch my arms back to unhook my bra, his arms encircled me. A moment later my bra was dangling from his talented fingers.

  “I’m impressed,” I said as he dropped the bra onto the floor. “You’re like the Houdini of bras.”

  He chuckled deeply. “Never been called that before.”

  “No one might have said it, but they were certainly thinking it.”

  He gave my breasts a light squeeze and skimmed his thumbs against my now perky nipples.

  A moan slipped from between my lips. I couldn’t help it. It was just as well we weren’t going to have sex while on tour. When it came to Mason, there was no way the guys wouldn’t know what we were up to. I was that noisy—not that he was much better.

  And just to prove it, when he finally plunged into me several minutes later, the room echoed with our panting breaths, our moans, our not-so-whispered “Oh God” and “Christ, I want to fuck you hard, Nicole.” Thank God I wasn’t a screamer, or else the entire L.A. police department would’ve been banging at the door.

  Once we were finished, with me sated and limp, Mason disposed of the condom, then rejoined me in bed. He cuddled me as we lay there, my head on his chest, listening to the steady thump thump thump of his heart.

  The only reason I knew he wasn’t asleep was because his fingers were gently stroking my arm. I closed my eyes, drowsiness lapping over me.

  “Have you ever been in love?” Mason asked after a few minutes, startling me. Of all the questions he could’ve asked, that was one I certainly had not been expecting.

  I peered up at him, trying to figure out where this had come from. “I had a boyfriend in college. At the time I thought I was in love with him. He graduated a year before me and had a job offer in San Francisco that was too great to turn down. We tried doing the long-distance thing, but it didn’t last long.”

  “What happened?”

  “I guess in the end what I’d believed was love wasn’t. I cared about him, but I didn’t experience an ache in my heart from being away from him like I thought I would. Yes, we talked on the phone and we Skyped, but when he forgot to contact me because he was busy, it didn’t bother me. And I’d also forget to contact him. In the end, we realized we were really nothing more than friends and broke up. What about you? Have you ever been in love?”

  “Yes, and she broke my heart.” For a second his face was a study in pain, but then both sides of his mouth twitched up.

  “So what was her name?” I asked, figuring he wasn’t as heartbroken as he claimed.

  “Meggie Smith. She was nine, I was eight.”

  I spluttered a laugh. “Ooh, so you prefer older women! So, no other broken hearts after that?”

  “Nope. None at all. I’d learned my lesson and wasn’t going to risk my heart again.”

  Despite the humor in his tone, I pushed myself up on my elbows to get a better look at him. Along with humor, there had been something else in his voice.

  But whatever it was wasn’t on his face. I shifted over him and skimmed my mouth over his.

  Which progressed to heavy kissing.

  Which resulted in another round of sex.

  Chapter 17

  Nicole

  A godawful noise blared near my head and intruded on my dream. I groaned, but not in the same way I had in my dream. That sound had been purely erotic.

  I pried my eyelids open in time to see Mason lift his hand and slam it down on what I presumed to be his alarm clock. A second later I was rewarded with a glorious silence.

  Mason shifted around to face me, and a sly smile broke out on his face. His white teeth gleamed in the dim light of the loft. I couldn’t get enough of his smile, especially first thing in the morning when we woke up next to each other. Too bad that was ending as of today.

  “Morning.” He traced his fingers down my neck to my breasts. I didn’t have to look under the sheet to know he was hard and ready for an encore of last night.

  Too bad it was an encore we wouldn’t get.

  I scooted away from his hand. “It’s my first day on the job, which means I’m officially off-limits.” My girlie parts might have groaned, but they would get over the disappointment soon enough. Or so I hoped.

  Before he had a chance to respond, I scrambled out of bed.

  “Your first day on the job sucks,” Mason grumbled, voice sexy with sleep.

  I laughed—because I had to agree with him there—and walked down the steps, the metal cool against the soles of my bare feet.

  Downstairs, I opened my suitcase and removed my jeans, white tank top, cowboy belt, and long wraparound cardigan. I might not have looked like a social media specialist for a bunch of rock stars, but at least I would look good and be comfy for our first day on the road.

  Using the clothes as something of a shield against Mason’s lust-filled gaze, I hurried to the bathroom to shower and get ready. When I emerged a short time later, the delicious smell of breakfast wafted in the air. I was going to miss Mason cooking for me. Something told me there wouldn’t be much opportunity for it on the road.

  I reached up and kissed him on the cheek, but at the last second he turned his head and my lips grazed his. Mason pulled me against him, his lips opening and welcoming me in…and the food was temporarily forgotten.

  It wasn’t until his hands skimmed down my back to my ass that awareness slipped in and I snapped out of the spell he’d had me under. Yes, I would definitely have to remember for the next time that a handshake was a better way to demonstrate my gratitude to him.

  I grabbed a plate and shoved a forkful of omelet in my mouth. “Mmm. This is delicious.” Which wasn’t a big surprise. Mason really was a good cook.

  We finished eating breakfast, and while I cleaned up, Mason showered. So that he didn’t have to abandon his car at the mall parking lot for the next five months, we took a cab. Hailey and Nolan were climbing out of their vehicle when we arrived, and my heart instantly went out to her. The next time she would see her boyfriend was at Christmas, when the bands had a four-day break. Unlike yesterday, today she looked like she was barely holding things together. They walked over to us, holding hands.

  “Hi.” She gave us a small smile and then laughed at my expression. “Don’t worry, I’ll survive. It usually takes me a day or two to get over him leaving.”

  Nolan wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head—and I came within an inch of sighing dreamily out loud.

  “It’s not like Nolan’s much better,” Mason said, impish fire sparking in his eyes. “He usually sobs like a baby for several days.”

  Hailey giggled. Nolan backhanded Mason’s chest.

  The rest of the band arrived shortly after, just as the tour bus pulled up. Aaron, Kirk, and Mason helped load everyone’s suitcases and bags onto the bus, then the four of us climbed on board, giving the two couples a chance to say their tearful goodbyes. Logan wasn’t with Callie and Jared, having been dropped off at his grandparents’ on the way over.

  I didn’t know how any of them did it, especially Jared. Not only was he leaving his wife, he was leaving his son.

  But it wasn’t like the guys were going off to war. They’d be returning home soon, in one piece.

  While we waited for Nolan and Jared to join us, Mason showed me around the bus. It was larger than I had expected, and was divided into three zones: the sleeping quarters, with curtains around each bunk bed to provide some privacy; the living space, complete with couches and a small kitchenette; and the work area, which contained a built-in desk and computer. My room was small, but the bed was bigger and comfier than the guys’ bunk beds.

  Next he showed me the band’s social media sites. Kirk gave me the list of passwords for each one. “Just make sure you don’t let Mason on any of the accoun
ts.”

  “And why’s that?” I knew Mason had a reputation for pranking the guys, so I was almost scared to find out what he’d do if let loose on their media sites.

  Mason rolled his eyes. “I tweeted something inappropriate once and I’m banned for life.”

  “Once?” Aaron said.

  “Okay, twice.”

  Aaron snorted. “Try six times.” To me he added, “We had to change the password after that.” He tilted his chin at the list in my hand. “So guard it with your life.”

  “Will do.” I’d stuff it down my bra if I had to.

  By the time Nolan and Jared were on the bus, the rest of the guys had given me an idea of what their day-to-day life was like, and showed me their jam-packed schedule for the next month. It was no wonder Mason had needed a few days off to chill before they resumed touring again.

  I checked my emails, to see if Heidi had contacted me. She had, and we spent the next few minutes chatting on the phone about the renovations to the store. It would still be two more weeks before the construction company could get started. And before they could do that, Heidi needed to discuss with them what she and I wanted done. But first we had to wait for the insurance company to tell us exactly how much money we would get from the fire claim.

  I signed on to the store’s social media sites, gave everyone an update, and responded to the comments on the Facebook page. Then I signed on to the band’s accounts and sent out updates as to where they were now and where their next show was located. Next I answered the fans’ comments, trying not to blush too much at what some of them said.

  But those comments were nothing compared to the video one fan sent Nolan. Of her dancing. Naked.

  And then there were the fan emails. A few were suggestive beyond reason. I quickly deleted them and scrolled through page after page of messages…all unread. God, when was the last time the guys had checked their email?

  An hour later, just when I figured I’d be scarred for life, Mason pulled up the spare chair and sat next to me. “How’s it going?”

  “Did you know some of your fans send you porn?”

  I expected Mason to get excited—because what guy wouldn’t?—but he just shrugged. “I don’t bother with the email. That was all Aaron and Jared. Sorry. Hope there wasn’t anything too bad.”

  I was vaguely aware of him speaking, but he had leaned closer to me and his amazing man scent—a combination of spice, testosterone, and pheromones—had turned my brain fuzzy.

  He rested his hand on the back of my chair and his fingers lightly brushed against my shoulder blade. At his touch, the neurons in my brain went berserk, and I had to do everything in my power not to lean in and kiss him.

  “Nicole?”

  I blinked. “Huh?” Real smooth, Nicole. I mentally collected myself and logged out of the account.

  “So how does everything look?” He gave the standard chin nod, directed at the computer, which I took to mean the social media sites and not the porn.

  “You’ve got some very interesting fans.” But none of them seemed too crazy, from what I could tell. I remembered hearing last year that one country music singer had had to get a restraining order against a fan. It didn’t stop her from showing up in his hotel room one night…where he found her on his bed, naked. The last I heard, she was spending quality time in a psychiatric unit.

  “I came to see if you want to join us,” he said. “We can discuss this afternoon’s interview and your role with that.”

  “My role?”

  “Our handler is sick, so we need you to keep the radio personalities in line.”

  “Not sure what you mean by that.” I’d always figured a handler was someone big and intimidating, and I was neither of those.

  “You tell them what topics they’re allowed to ask about and which are off-limits. If they venture into the off-limits zone, you give them a warning or end the interview.”

  “And how exactly do I do that? Charge into the room and make a scene?” Now that would be amusing.

  Apparently Mason thought so too, because he laughed. “No, you just do this.” He demonstrated a cutting motion of his hand across his throat.

  “That seems easy enough.”

  The guys were lounging on the couches in the middle of the bus when Mason and I joined them. Aaron, Nolan, and Jared were sitting on one couch. Kirk was sitting on the one opposite them.

  “What time’s the interview?” I asked as Mason and I sat down in the only spot available—next to each other, our hips practically touching. Which meant Mason’s scent was still invading my space. I did my best not to inhale it too obviously. I also did my best not to lean into him.

  My best was clearly not enough, and I quickly shifted away from him, trying to look casual about it.

  “Four-thirty. It’s scheduled for half an hour. Then we’ll head to the arena for sound check, and the show’s pretty much after that.”

  “What topics are allowed?” I asked, my gaze scanning the guys—anything to keep me from noticing Mason’s scent and how close we were still sitting.

  “Anything to do with our music, our recent releases, and our upcoming one.”

  “What about the topic of dating?” I asked. From what I’d heard on the country music stations, it was a popular topic when it came to hot musicians. No one seemed interested when the musicians weren’t so good-looking or had been married for a while…unless there were rumors of infidelity or a breakup. But those questions weren’t usually brought up during an interview. Not unless you had the urge to piss off the celebrity involved.

  “That’s fine,” Jared said, “but other than confirming that I’m recently married and Nolan is in a committed relationship, the two of us would rather not go there. But these guys”—he gestured at Kirk, Mason, and Aaron—“are fair game.”

  “Are you two dating anyone?” I asked Kirk and Aaron.

  “Maybe,” the mysterious Kirk said. The guys all looked at him, waiting for him to elaborate.

  “Are you talking about Beckie?” Jared asked. From what I’d been able to tell yesterday, she was Callie’s friend. I’d seen her and Kirk talking a few times, but I hadn’t been able to tell if something was going on between them.

  “Maybe.”

  “Hey, puck boy, does she at least know you’re dating her?” Mason asked, laughing.

  Kirk smirked. “Maybe.”

  “So that leaves Mason and Aaron who are currently single, right?” I asked, looking at Aaron and doing my best not to glance at the guy I’d had sex with at least a dozen times during the past week.

  “That’s right.” Aaron’s gaze slid to Mason.

  Mason shifted next to me on the couch, accidentally bumping me with his hip. “Yup.”

  I asked them more questions about what was acceptable and unacceptable when it came to the interview. Then we spent the rest of the drive chatting about this and that, giving me a chance to get to know them better. I knew some things from Mason, especially when it came to Nolan and what had happened to his family. From what Mason had told me, I was glad Nolan had Hailey. It didn’t take much to see they were deeply in love. Like Jared and Callie were.

  “So when are you planning to finally propose to Hailey?” Mason asked as casually as could be, apart from the amusement creasing the corners of his eyes. “If you don’t get on that soon, she might get bored waiting for you and dump you.”

  I elbowed him in the chest. Hard.

  “Owww,” he said, rubbing the spot where I’d hit him. “What did you do that for?” The guys cracked up with a we-like-this-girl-already laugh, clearly no longer quite so annoyed at how Mason had hired me without telling them first.

  “That’s not going to happen,” I pointed out. “It’s obvious Hailey loves him. So unless he royally screws up”—I didn’t think I needed to elaborate on what I meant by that—“she’ll wait for him to decide when the time is right.” I just hoped he didn’t wait too long if she wanted to marry him sooner rather than later.

/>   Nolan rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, actually, I plan to propose to her at Christmas. I’m just trying to figure out the best way to do it.”

  “How hard can it be?” Mason asked, barely holding back a laugh. “You ask her to marry you and hope she says yes.”

  Nolan and Jared exchanged looks, which made me curious about what I was missing.

  “Do you have a ring?” I wasn’t an expert on the topic of proposals, but this part seemed like a given. If he didn’t already have one, it would be a little more challenging to get one while they were touring.

  He nodded.

  “Here?”

  Again he nodded. “It’s in the safe.”

  “Can I see it?” Yes, I was a tad bit curious about what kind of engagement ring a rock star would buy his future fiancée.

  He pushed himself off the couch and headed to the back of the bus, then returned a short time later with a black velvet box, which he handed to me. Inside was a platinum ring with a large diamond in the center. On either side of it, the shiny metal split and crossed, forming two small gaps on either side, with a small diamond nestled in each one. It was breathtaking.

  My eyes got moist at how lucky Hailey was. She had found the love of her life and survived hell for him, and this was the symbol of how much she meant to him. On top of that, he wasn’t a professional and he had tattoos.

  Go figure.

  I blinked away the happy tears before the guys could see them, then closed the lid and scooted forward on the couch to hand the box back to him. “She’ll love it.”

  He smiled at it as if the ring was Hailey herself…and those damn tears started up in my eyes again.

  “A wise man once told me to make the gesture big when you propose.” Jared winked at Nolan.

  Nolan laughed. “And that man was right. Glad you listened to him.”

  “So Hailey’s not going home for Christmas?” Aaron asked, his fingers tapping away on the leather couch he was sitting on, like he was playing a piano.

  “No, her family’s flying out to join us. They understand why I don’t want to go back there, even if my old house has been sold and the ghosts have moved on.”