by S. A. Price
“The night’s deep,
the room is dark
and all I can feel is the thrumming of your heart
and the slick heat of intention…”
It was the song Winter wrote for her, called ‘Anonymous Anywhere’ and they rarely played it. No coincidence that they were now, or that Winter was smirking at her from his spot on stage.
“Son of a bitch.”
“This one is my favorite, well except the song he mostly recently wrote.”
Lola turned to Saffron. “Rhys didn’t write this one. Winter did.”
Saffron blinked. “No shit. Fuck this one has depth.”
Lola smiled. “I know.”
They listened thought the chorus, and made it to the breakdown where the entire crowd sang along.
“Anywhere, I’ll follow you anywhere you need.
Anywhere, you are all the addiction I will ever need.
Stay the night; prove me right, the morning comes too soon.
Stay the night prove me right,
with everything I do to you to make you swoon.”
And just like that, she was turned from being cross with him back to wanting him. Hearing the words, even in Rhys’ sultry growl, had her body responding. Not because of who sang it, but because of the truth behind the words. It was about their first meeting, the night she threw caution to the wind to have the one guy at school she couldn’t stop thinking about.
Winter looked over to her and winked as the band got into it, and the crowd went wild.
“You know Lo, your glowing, its kinda gross.” Saffron teased in her ear.
She grinned and then hugged her as the last strains of the song were played.
The lights went down and the group ran off stage, a small respite before the encore. Lola watched a very sweaty Rhys wink as he passed her and then wrap himself around Saffron, who kissed him hard.
Winter walked up to her and smiled. “Like?”
“A little rusty but yeah.” She teased him and he moved closer, his beloved Betty, a Rickenbacker bass, was handed off to his bass tech. She cocked her head and bit her bottom lip.
“Where you guys staying tonight?” he asked quietly.
She pouted. “In jersey. Some Hilton in Camden.”
“My ass. Don’t go anywhere.” He accepted Betty back and then turned as they replugged his wireless into his belt pack and walked back out. The beginning riff of ‘Morning After’ started and Rhys sauntered up to Lola and grinned.
“He’s not going to blow it this time Cher. You don’t have to worry.”
Before she could turn to comment he was walking back towards the stage, whispering the words of the song into the Mic.
They played their encore, but the entire performance was a blur. Winter played with constant glances her way, as if he didn’t think she would be there when he was finished. Right. She had already decided she was going to see where this could go, leaving wouldn’t work towards that end.
When the lights finally went down the crowd roared and she blinked. Work was over, and he was on his way towards her. She smiled at him, and gladly went into his arms when he pulled her to him. Sure, he was sweaty, but it was a secret fetish of hers to enjoy him like this.
Sweaty Winter still smelled pretty damn good, and with his adrenaline high he was always just that little bit more aggressive, and she relished it. It has been the cause of some of their more impulsive acts in the past, and always ended with her satisfied and snuggled into his side.
“Killed it.” She said as he stopped in front of her.
“Obviously. Ready?”
“For?” She asked and frowned.
Winter grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, giving her a kiss that she felt right down to her toes. She pulled away when the cat calls from their friends got loud, and scowled at them, which earned them both a laugh.
“It’s time to go. You are coming with me tonight.”
“I would think that the band…”
“Won’t care. You aren’t some fucking groupie trying to get on the bus, you are family, and you are staying with me tonight.”
“I meant my band.” She said quietly, though she wasn’t going to deny to herself that hearing that from him felt pretty damn good. After things went south with them not once but twice she was still worried that the rest of his band had issue with her. She knew Rhys and Saff and even Nyx were cool with her but since their breakup Chandler and Tosh had rarely talked to her so she was always wary.
Winter looked up and saw Toro standing close enough to then and yelled at him. “Toro, I’m stealing Lola tonight.”
Toro frowned at him. “Why the fuck are you telling me? I’m not her father. Just don’t knock her up, we have an album to record in a few months and I don’t need morning sickness interfering.”
Both Winter and Lola gave him a horrified expression. “Jesus Man!”
Toro smirked. “Aren’t you glad you told me? Now off with you kiddies, T-daddy has plans himself.”
Winter tugged Lola towards the backstage area. “Well that settles it. I’m sure Stanton and Crais, Liam and Torch will be fine with no estrogen on the Angels bus tonight.”
“Winter, I need my stuff.” She said with a laugh.
“All taken care of.” Saffron said and lifted up Lola’s back pack. “I got you.” She winked as she handed the bag to Lola.
“And clothes?”
Saffron laughed. “We wear the same thing, Hell I think half my clothes are in your closet anyway. Let’s go.”
“No excuses…” Winter breathed into her ear and nipped her lobe.
“I wasn’t looking for any. But I’m hardly the girl that throws caution to the wind and boards a bus fulla people without my toothbrush.” She gave him a wry smile.
They walked hand and hand towards the back entrance with Saffron and Rhys next to them. It was dark, around them, the back stage lights cutting bright swaths in sections, deepening the darkness under the tents. The din of the dissipating crowd was getting further away with every step, only to be replaced by the growing sounds of the fans that were waiting in the parking lot area ahead of them.
“Oh this is going to be fun.”
Winter looked at Lola. “The bus?”
She nodded. “But more so before. You guys just hit superstar status tonight. Your first ever headline of an arena. Your reward is waiting for you.” She gave a half laugh. “If you guys though you were fuckable before, you got all their panties wet now.”
Saffron laughed and shook her head. “They really don’t need the ego stroke, Lo.”
They emerged from the gangway tents to see a large horde of fans, mostly female, waiting at the edge of the barrier. As soon as they were spotted the crowd called for them, shaking t-shirts and snapping pictures. Lola laughed.
“Welcome to superstar status.” She motioned to the crowd beyond. “Go get um tiger.”
There were screams of Lola’s name as well and Winter grinned. “Seems like you are in demand as well.”
“Always. Shall I show you how it’s done?”
He winked. “Oh I think I can manage.”
She, Winter and Rhys walked over to the group of screaming fans, while Saffron walked back to the bus, with Lola’s bag slung over her shoulder. The barricade was before them, along with several event security people that were enforcing the line, ensuring they wouldn’t be set upon by a mob of screaming women.
“Hey everyone!” Lola said and was greeted to catcalls to her and girls telling her they loved her outfit and hair. She blushed, smiled, thanked the girls that talked to her quickly and then turned to Rhys and Winter. “Now I know you are not here to see lil old me… Aren’t you as in love with Shades as I am?”
The girls screamed their names and Winter grinned. Rhys got right up in the thick of the fans, signing autographs, taking pictures, and talking and flirting, and Winter, normally not one to be outdone, was a bit more reserved, taking his pictures and smiling and talking without riling the
m up.
“Hey Lola, what are you doing with the Shades guys?” One of the girls asked to her right.
“We go way back… all the way to high school.” She said and winked at Winter.
Winter laughed and nodded then took a picture with two girls that had asked.
“Hey Winter!” he heard from his right and turned and grinned as the girls there took several pictures. He went to them as well talked quickly and moved on. Rhys was getting quite a crowd and he watched and shook his head, seeing several chicks pawing at him, and a few he knew were girls Rhys had hooked up with in the past.
“Hey Winter take a picture with Lola yeah?” He heard from the left and went to Lola and lifted her up, slinging his arm under her knees. They both posed and grinned and the girls started screaming “me next, me next!” Winter grinned and faked a bad back, putting Lola down. She turned and gave him a playful whack on the shoulder and everyone watching laughed. Well almost everyone.
“Hey Wint…” he heard, and looked at the girl that said it. She was standing in front of them, having pushed her way to the front of the crowd. “Long time no see.”
“Hey Cara!” he said with a wide smile. Cara Langford was one of their oldest long time fans, and the third girl he had ever hooked up with on tour. After her, they all kinda ran together, but he remembered her because above and beyond the hook up, he had genuinely liked her, and considered her a friend. That she was there without telling them confused him. He approached her and gave her a hug, and a kiss on the cheek. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming tonight?”
The girl, a rather plain thing compared to Lola shook her head. “Grapevine says you’re taken this tour. True?”
Winter looked over to where the girl was gazing, straight at Lola and then back at her. “Maybe. But we are friends and…”
Cara shook her head. “Wouldn’t be the same. Some of us need our fix. Hope she appreciates ya.” She said and winked. “Call me if it doesn’t work out.”
He opened his mouth to say something, what he wasn’t sure but he didn’t get the chance. Cara was gone seconds later and the bus roared to life.
“Ok guys, we gotta get going! Thanks so much for coming out!” Lola said and started waving. Rhys was reluctantly let go by his fans and several girls grabbed at Winter so he gave several parting handshakes and hugs and seconds later he was bounding up the bus steps with Lola just in front of him.
“Well Lo? Did we do it right?” Rhys asked as he sunk down next to Saffron on the couch.
Lola laughed. “Oh you’re a goddamn natural Bellamy.”
Winter laughed and wrapped himself around her from behind and then pulled her with him and he plopped into the easy chair just as Dane, their new bus driver, lurched them into motion. “And me?” he asked her softly as he nipped her earlobe.
She turned her head and grinned. “A little stiff. I hope that wasn’t my fault.”
He arched a brow. “Funny.”
Nyx and Chandler both made it out from the back lounge area and the bathroom, respectively. Saffron frowned and looked past them. “Are we missing Tosh?”
Nyx shook her head. “He’s with Torch and Crais and some chicks with a van. Told me he would be at the venue before sound check.”
It was Saffron’s turn to arch a brow. “And you’re not…”
Nyx cut her off. “Hardly. That ship has sailed.” She said with a wistful air. “Bigger and better.”
Lola choked. “Better maybe but if you’re going for bigger you might have to start dating sperm whales.”
Nyx rolled her eyes. “Ha ha. So who is drinking? That was one hell of a show.”
Chandler handed out cider’s and a bottle of water for Lola. They talked and joked as the miles rolled by, and soon it was only Lola and Winter left in the main area of the bus as everyone else retired to their bunks to get a nap in before they got to the hotel.
They had moved to the mini couch, stretching out as they watched a DVD of a cartoon series Saffron loved.
“So what season is this?” Lola asked Winter and pulled his arm more fully around her.
“Three I think. You know we don’t get to watch a lot of TV but Saffron owned all the seasons so once we saw a few episodes of season one, we were all hooked.”
“It’s… bizarre. The candy colors suggest kids show but the subject matter is clearly adult.”
“Oh it’s totally not for kids. But it’s awesome, and it’s good to just veg you know?”
She nodded. “Crais is really into some show about secret service agents that save the world from artifacts or something. I haven’t been able to get into it, but when it’s on we all just zone out.”
They were quiet a while, and soon Winter felt Lola relax into sleep. She turned and cuddled into him, and he wrapped his arms around her tighter and sighed, feeling like all was right with the world with her in his arms. He looked over at the clock on the DVD player. They still had an hour till they got to Philly. Lola nuzzled him, her warm breath soft on his throat. She curled her fingers around his shirt and murmured. “Turn the tv off baby…”
He liked that she called him baby. He reached over for the remote and flicked the Tv off and settled into the couch further, letting the soft bumps in the road, the quiet sounds of the miles ticking by and her now all but inaudible snoring lull him into his own rest. They had time till they got to their hotel, and he wanted to be fresh as a daisy when they got there.
THIRTEEN
Lola opened her eyes to a dim gloomy space and sat up slowly, well aware that the sexy man next to her would reflexively hold her tighter if she disturbed him. He was like a Venus Fly Trap that way--- any struggle and he held on for dear life. It was one of the things she liked most about it. And god damn did she like to wake up in his arms.
Her eyes adjusted to the misty darkness and details came into stark relief. The table against the far wall, the couch between the bed and the television, the door ajar that lead to the large bathroom, the clothes that were thrown all over. They had been there less than six hours and it looked like Winter’s bedroom back at his parents place. Well, he was always messy. Phaedra was the neat freak.
Still, it was comforting, and she sighed. As she started to ease herself off the bed Winter held tight and she touched his arm gently. “Babe, just hitting the potty.”
He grumbled and let her go, then slid deeper into sleep. She looked down at him, smiled and then made her way towards the bathroom. Minutes later she was walking back to the bed, and Winter was awake, lounging back on some propped up pillows with a sleepy smile on his face.
“It was nice to wake without that murderous little bastard eating my hair.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure.”
He patted his chest. “Come on. We got hours still till we gotta be anywhere. Unless you have to work?”
She shook her head as she slipped into bed and cuddled up to him, placing her head on his chest, her ear just over his heart. She was always comforted by the sound. He told her once that it beat only for her, and in her girlish need for the perfect guy, she swooned over his words. Now she realized the absurdity of it.
“We have the entire day. I take it you have designs on staying in this bed the entire time?”
“Normally I would say yes but we are in Philly.”
She looked up to him. “So?”
“Rodin Museum.”
Of course. Winter wasn’t a huge fan of art in general, but he liked the sculptor. It would make sense that he wanted to go to the small building on the parkway and check it out, though she knew he had been there before. “This little excursion planned for two?” she asked and kissed the skin above his nipple.
“Yep, though only if Nat comes with me.”
“I think that can be arranged.” She murmured and snuggled closer. “When does the museum open?”
“A couple hours yet.” He said and yawned. “Another hour or so of sleep is in the cards, yeah?”
She nodded as much as she
could with her head placement and closed her eyes, letting herself drift off to the sound of his body humming, and the beat of his heart like a metronome.
She woke some time later to Winter’s hand caressing her side. They had moved positions in their sleep, though she was still facing him, her head was just under his chin now.
“Umm. I feel like I have been sleeping a few minutes.”
She felt him chuckle. “Try almost three hours. I swear the one thing I hate about tour is the sleep deprivation.”
She nipped his collarbone. “It sucks.” She agreed.
“You feel like breakfast? Then we can go exploring?”
“Why not?” She pulled away from him and stretched, her cami riding up on her torso.
Winter, now propped up on his arm, watched her move, hunger growing in his eyes. She smirked at him and arched, just to see his eyes bug outta his head. She loved that he was so into her, lustful when it came to her body. She shivered as he reached out his resting hand and traced the peacock feather tattoos on the lower part of her belly. The calloused pads of his fingers always sent sensation zinging to the deeper recesses of her body.
She had marveled at how good he was being. They had stumbled into the room a little before four in the morning, bleary and focused on a soft bed and oblivion. But even in their half sleepy state he was seducing her, peeling her out of her clothes, kissing her softly as he told her she was so beautiful. And then he let her go to the bathroom, to get ready for bed. She had emerged not ten minutes later in her boxers and cami top, to see him just rifling through his bag to grab his own toiletries. He had kissed her chastely and then was gone into the bathroom. She had spied the bed, seen that he pulled back the covers for her, propped the pillows up. Gods, the man knew exactly how to melt her heart.
He had joined her in the bed soon after, fresh from the shower, boxers riding low on his hips. He had pulled her close, whispered to her that he was never sleeping without her again and kissed her, but that was the extent of his seduction. She had expected to be woken by his attentions, kisses and touches and possibly some naughtiness, but he had surprised her.
