by L. V. Lewis
“Okay,” I say as I unhook my dress strap from around my neck.
It doesn’t take long for the shower to run and steam to billow from under the door. Brody was so quiet on the way home, and I wonder if he’s upset at me. Maybe I shouldn’t have invited his old band.
Instead of waiting and wondering, I go to meet Brody in his shower.
“Mind if I join you?” I ask him after I have the door cracked open.
He looks back at me with a smile. “You can always join me, Sky. No permission necessary.”
I slip into the large shower with him. I sigh out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I plant kisses on his back. My lips graze his warm skin, and I realize how much I miss being this close to him whenever I want. Since the tour started, it feels like we have less time together. I want to tell him this, but I’m afraid of how needy I sound.
“You’re not angry at me?” I ask.
He turns and takes me in his arms. “My gorgeous, Sky. How could I ever be angry with you?”
“Because of earlier when I invited your band mates to the concert. I should have asked you first.”
His grin makes it seem like it’s only for me, and a deep longing fills the center of me. No one else has ever made me feel like I’m cared for and loved with just one look.
“I’m not going to lie. It was a little jarring at first, but I’m over it. Hell, may be a good thing if they see me perform with you.”
“Why would it be?”
“They want me to come back to The Savages.”
“Oh.” I can’t think of anything else to say to that. I have always thought Brody should perform again, ever since he sang in my home studio to put my mom in her place for doubting his intentions with me. It breaks my heart to think that he’s keeping that gift from those who need to hear it. I suddenly regret inviting them to the concert, especially if they have plans of taking Brody, but this is bigger than what I want.
The Savages is a part of who he is, but I’ve gotten comfortable with having him on stage with me. It’s a collaborative chemistry like I’ve never known before. Maybe that’s why I feel a pang of jealousy at the possibility of him rejoining them.
As if reading my mind, he says,” I’m not going to do it.”
My eyes widen with that revelation. “Why not? You can’t just not go back, Brody.”
“Watch me.” His arms circle around my shoulders as his bare chest brushes against my breasts. “If they see me sing with you, they may finally get it.”
“What’s that?”
“They’re my past, but you’re my future, Sky.”
I’m grateful for the steam and water masking my tears. This man in front of me has opened me up in more ways than I ever thought possible. It scares me sometimes how much I need him. He makes me feel like I’m perfect when I know I’m not. He allows me to believe in things I never would have thought possible to share with another.
My body, heart, and soul crave him on some incomprehensible level.
Brody finally kisses me and turns all of those parts of me into a big ball of need that only he can release from me. His lips start out soft and increase in pressure with each exploration. My nipples harden from the friction between us, and it feels like we’re still not close enough to relieve the ache building up inside me.
His fingers weave through my wet hair and pull back hard enough for me to sense both pleasure and resistance in the action. He licks and nibbles on my exposed neck, and it’s not enough. I need the roughness of his touch and attentions to make my body hum.
He senses my needs and grazes his teeth along the sensitive flesh and ends it in a bite just underneath my ear. Not leaving the other size neglected, he traces the same hard pressure to the other side. I am left panting and moaning in his arms, and he’s only on my neck.
When he moves back, I whine in protest.
He chuckles, and I realize he only leaves me to reach for the liquid soap and sponge.
“I love it when you’re wanting more,” he says. “I’m far from done with you, Sky. I’m going to take my time washing every inch of you.”
As good as it sounds, I need him to put out the fire that travels from my belly and straight to my core. It’s torture as he takes his time using the sponge on my shoulders in small circles and moves out to my chest without touching my breasts.
“Brody,” I whisper as he slides it between my breasts and down to my stomach. “Please.”
“Please, what?” he asks.
I’m so frustrated that it’s hard for me to process the question. “I need you.”
“What do you need me to do, Sky?”
“Touch me.” I’m begging now, not caring how it sounds.
“I am touching you,” he says. His smile turns mischievous.
“Not where I want you.” I grip his shoulders tight as he continues his slow journey over my body without going anywhere.
“Then tell me where you want me. In fact, show me.”
I take his hand and guide it to my breast. The gleam in his eyes says he’s far from done playing with me. He circles my breasts at a turtle’s pace, brushing against my nipple lightly. I’m about to scream at him that I need more, when he surprises me and pinches the other nipple with his free hand.
The shock of it forces the first orgasm from my body, and I hold on tight to his shoulders so I don’t fall. I don’t need to worry, because his muscular arms circle around me to keep me supported against him.
“I’m so not done with you yet, beautiful,” Brody growls in my ear.
My body still trembles from the unexpected orgasm. My eyes are closed as I savor the bits of release. I don’t know his hand is on the move again until he brushes it against my opening, and my eyes open at the sensitive touch.
“I thought you were washing me from head to toe,” I say, chiding him.
“Apparently, plans change.” His fingers brush against my clit, and I push against him to get even closer.
Brody bends downs takes one of my perky nipples into his mouth, and I melt into him. His gentle sucks turn into a tight pull on it. His teeth lightly graze the tip, sending new prickles over my skin. Moans escape my lips as his fingers slip between my wet lower lips. In and out, he glides through me until I’m panting.
He pulls back from my breast with a soft pop. His lips brushes against my ear. “Come for me again, Sky. I love when you come for me.”
Brody’s command is all it takes for me to shatter into tiny little pieces. If his hands weren’t supporting me and keeping me close, I would fall into a soaking wet heap on the shower floor.
He holds me up as he turns the water off. The he carries me out and dries me off with the gentlest care. My man knows when to be rough at the right times as much as he knows when to take his time with me.
He lifts me back up to take me into the bedroom. He pinches an exposed nipple and I arch up off the bed. I’m still so sensitive and full of desire.
“Don’t worry, my beautiful Sky,” Brody says as he crawls over me. “I’m nowhere near done with you. Seems like we’re both still unsatisfied.”
This time he takes my mouth firmly and probes his tongue into me. He’s taking over, and I can’t help but submit.
“I have to taste you,” he says. He slips down my body, tracing small kisses on his way down me.
I feel his breath on my heat as his fingers dig into my thighs. He’s taking his time, and my body squirms with expectation.
“Tell me what you need, Sky,” he demands.
“Your mouth on me,” I cry out.
He shakes his head. “I got to hear the right words.”
He knows I’m not use to saying it, but I know he wants me to. The more I’m with Brody, the more I want to give him any and everything he asks of me.
“I want your mouth on my pussy. Please!” I don’t care about words anymore as long as his mouth works me properly, and I know he’ll do it only when he’s good and ready.
“That’s my girl,” he say
s right before he takes a long, lazy lick of me. His mouth is on me, licking and sucking all of me. His tongue dances between my folds before he even flicks at my clit. It’s a back and forth game that has my body on edge.
My fingers dig into the bed to hold on as Brody pulls me closer. I feel like a sexy feast made only for him. He knows the right combination of pressure to constantly switch between pleasure and pain until I don’t even know the difference anymore.
His deep suck on my clit is what pushes me into oblivion. Spots burst behind my closed eyes and I feel him lapping up all evidence of my arousal.
He lays back next to me as his hardness stands up, begging for attention. As always I’m anxious to show him how much he’s taught me on how to please him in return.
“My turn,” I say.
The tip glistens and I lick at it before swirling my tongue around the thick head.
“Fuck, Sky,” Brody says, his voice deep and throaty.
I smile before I take more of him in my mouth and twist my hand at the base. Each groan pushes me farther and makes me pick up my pace. He tastes like man and everything Brody, a flavor I’ve become more addicted to.
I’m enjoying myself tremendously when he pulls me up. “Keep doing that and I won’t get to be inside you at all.”
He tears the condom foil, but I take it from him. I like doing it myself whenever I can. I’m slow and methodical as I slide it over his length.
Brody smirks down at me. “If you don’t hurry, this will be over too soon. Straddle me, love.”
I smile as I comply. I enjoy this position so much. Brody’s knows how to take from me and let me take from him.
I guide his tip to my entrance and press down. Brody doesn’t take his eyes off me, although I can see he’s tempted to throw his head back from the connection.
I’m stunned for a minute when he slaps my bare ass. That’s what you get when you torture me and test my limits. He slaps my other cheek before I rise up and fall all the way back down on him gripping him tight inside me.
“You devious little minx,” he says. “That’s not playing fair.”
“I only learn from the best,” I say, tightening my walls around him again before I move. My little game doesn’t last as long as I want, because I need him as much as he needs me.
I circle my hips and play with the movements as I go up and down on him. When his fingers dig into my hips, I know he’s close. The slight pain from his grip adds to the pleasure.
Only a few more strokes, and I’m crashing right before Brody explodes inside of me.
I fall on top of him, unable to move.
Brody slides me to the side as he discards the condom and throws the comforter over us.
I nuzzle his neck, smelling his skin and feeling sleep envelop me. “I love you, Brody.”
“I love you, too, Sky,” he says. “Get some sleep. Long day tomorrow.”
I don’t need any more prodding to close my eyes.
Seven
Chicago, Illinois and Foxborough, Massachusetts
BRODY
Sometimes I need Sky to remind me how much of an ass I’m being. Whenever I’m close to her, I remember all the things that are important to me now. Things that weren’t important to me back then.
I couldn’t tell the guys yes or no when they asked me to come back. Part of me didn’t want to say no because of the guilt I felt for tearing them apart. I couldn’t continue singing with them after Kim’s death, and I knew it wasn’t going to be the same without her. What was the use of singing music I loved when the woman I loved was gone? But that’s the madness of it all. I loved Kim, but Sky reminds me that I am still capable of it. With her, I’m not completely broken.
But it wasn’t the band’s fault I couldn’t keep my shit together. They got the cruelest part of the deal when I left, and I felt like I have owed them the past few years.
I’ll always be Savage Saban, but The Savages was in my past. My future rests with Sky and whoever I may be with her, whether it’s Savage Saban or Brody. I’m not sure which. I’ll figure it out as we go.
I have to tell them the truth. I can never go back. If I do, I’m not sure I would be able to pull myself back out again.
The Chicago audience is the wildest one yet, with people screaming and hollering before we even get on stage. They know Sky’s songs by heart. I even spot some crying tears of utter joy as she reaches out to touch their extended hands.
I don’t look for the guys in the audience. The last thing I need is to see them staring up at me with anything other than the excitement flooding through my veins before each performance.
I focus all my energy on one person: Sky. She’s the reason why I’m back on stage to begin with, so I use her as my anchor as we go through two songs.
We end on a slow melody and watch as people sway and hold up their phones, which has replaced the sea of lighters I’m used to. The screams and applause explode around us. There’s no possible way it can get any louder, until I pull Sky in for a kiss. The noise becomes a thrumming that goes beyond sound and flows through us.
I told Malik prior to the show to allow Dylan, Finn, George, and Stephen back stage after we’re done. I don’t expect them to be right there when I exit the stage.
“Pretty good, man,” Dylan says. “You two make great music together.”
I pat him on the shoulder. “Thanks for that.”
“You wouldn’t happen to know where Alyssa is, would you?”
“Not happening,” I tell him.
“Come on. She’s hot.”
“She’s also my girlfriend’s best friend, and I’m not letting you hurt the poor girl.”
Dylan rubs the back of his neck. “I’m not like that anymore. I’d never intentionally hurt a woman. Besides, Alyssa looks like she can handle herself.”
I ignore his interest. The last thing I need is Sky angry at me for letting him get involved with someone she cares about. She already has a very short list of people she trusts, and I can’t say I blame her. In this business, everyone is always looking out for themselves first.
“Hate to admit it,” George says, “but that performance was pretty good.”
“Yeah,” says Finn. “You actually created something you can call your own. Can’t be mad at that. It’s just good to see you back on stage where you belong.”
“What the hell is this?” Stephen asks. “Some boy scout campfire bonding time? Are you all cowards or something?”
“Calm down, Stephen,” Dylan says. “We knew there were no guarantees he’d say yes to getting the band back together. Isn’t it enough to see our friend happy?” He tries to put a hand on Stephen’s shoulder, but he shakes it off.
“Happy? He didn’t seem to care about our happiness when he walked away from our band.”
I don’t like his tone one bit. The thrill from the concert is slowly being replaced by annoyance.
“I’m sorry,” I say with some bitterness. “I apologize that my shitty addiction and rehabilitation put off your music career.”
“Not just us, you asshole. We had dedicated fans who rushed out to buy our albums, no matter how much they cost. People who would stand out in cold rains just to hear us play. You owe them even more than us.”
He’s right. The fans probably saw me leaving as bad as giving them two middle fingers. That was never my intention.
“I bet your girlfriend’s fans would turn on you the first chance they got. Make it up to our true rock fans by coming back,” Stephen says. “Show them you still care and ditch this candy pop nonsense.”
“Really? You’re going to use our fans to guilt trip me into coming back?” I ask.
“Apparently, that’s the only way to get you to care about something important.”
“Sorry, Stephen, but I’m not coming back to The Savages. Not now. Not ever.”
“I guess your girlfriend better be careful. Who knows when you’re going to leave her like you left us?”
Before I realize what
my body is doing, I’m punching him and he punches back. It happens so fast that I really don’t have time to process it. All I feel are Dylan and George pulling us off of one another, while Finn acts as a referee. It’s not long before Malik and a few other bodyguards interfere to break us up.
Malik stares at me. “Go to your dressing room. Now!” Just in case I don’t follow his command, another bodyguard walks me back, while others take the other guys away.
At least when I get back to my dressing room, there are no new creepy messages waiting for me. In an odd way, I’d actually prefer it over arguing with my ex band mates.
It’s not long before Malik and Sky are with me.
“Are you okay?” Sky asks me. “You’re not hurt are you?”
“I’m a little sore, but I’m not hurt bad.”
“Good. What the hell were you thinking, Brody?” She punches my arm. “Malik said you drew a good size audience who watched your little fight fest. Was it worth it?”
“I was defending you, so, yeah. It was more than worth it.”
Her anger at my antics subsides a little. “I don’t need you to defend me, Brody. I’m a big girl.”
I want to tell her it has nothing to do about age and more about standing up for the woman I love. Then my phone beeps on the counter. I grab it and glance at it.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“What the fuck is wrong now?” Malik asks.
I sigh out a breath to calm me before I respond. “I set my phone to notify me if new publicity comes out for Sky or me to help us do damage control.
“What does it say?” Sky asks.
“It’s probably better if I show you. I hit play on the video that was just loaded up online.
We all watch as my argument with Stephen escalates and then fight replays on my screen. The video headline reads, “Savage Saban Refuses Reunion and Fights Former Band Member after Skylar Samuelson Concert.”
“Shit,” Sky says. Her look is a cut to my heart, because in those eyes I know she’s disappointed in me.
Yeah. That sums it up perfectly, and it’s all thanks to me.
***
The next few hours focuses on public relations and damage control before we head off to Massachusetts. The video goes viral immediately. Everyone wants to weigh in, from local news stations and international rock magazines to music bloggers and commenter trolls are all quick to toss out their views on me and my reasons for hitting Stephen.
