There was more to Gael than just the smooth playboy he pretended to be. He clearly loved his sister, but there was tension there. I wondered what happened to cause that tension.
"We're here," he said abruptly, screeching into the back parking lot of the club. He turned to give me a grin and a wink. "It's show time."
Chapter 5
The venue was huge, capable of holding several thousand people. The stage itself was ten times the size of our small stage at Walt's. Backstage, dozens of people rushed around, getting ready for the show. Roadies, musicians, and event staff all seemed to be going in a million different directions. Sure, I'd been to concerts before, but only those at small clubs. This was a serious concert hall.
"You're playing here?" I asked, stunned. Maybe Gael was a rock star already.
"It's not just us," he said grudgingly, sticking his hands in his pockets. "There's a few bands going on before us, and one after us."
"You're not the headliners? I guess you're still just an asteroid," I teased.
"One minute you're stroking my ego and the next you're putting me down." He gave me a teasing grin. "You like to play hot and cold, don't you?"
"I'm not playing."
"Neither am I. I'm determined to fulfill every young boy's dream."
He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me in close, ignoring the organized chaos around us. The firm muscles of his chest pressed against my front. The rough fabric of his jeans scratched the bare skin of my stomach. His scent surrounded me, that woodsy smell, like oak and cedar.
I squirmed in his hold, but only succeeded in bringing my hips closer to his. I raised an eyebrow at him.
"What dream is that, becoming a famous rock star?"
"No." He smirked and ran his calloused fingers along the skin at the small of my back. An inferno ignited inside my very core. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from whimpering. "That dream of scoring with the hot babysitter."
I planted both hands on his chest and shoved him away. "You have better odds with the other one."
I walked a few steps away from him and nearly collided with a short girl wearing an earpiece and holding a clipboard. She gave me a harried look before rushing off.
"I thought the show didn't start until nine," I asked, trying to distract myself from the heat lingering between my legs. "Why's it so busy?"
"Doors open at eight," he explained. "Plus they've got to get things set up ahead of time."
"What's there to set up?"
"Everything. They've got to do soundcheck, put tape markers for each person's position on stage, print off the set lists for each band, make sure all the equipment is in working order."
"Wow. I just stick the microphone cord into the karaoke machine and let the guys have at it."
"A concert like this is a bit more complicated than karaoke night at a bar." He gave me a contemplative look. "You mind hanging around here by yourself for a bit?"
"You're leaving me already?"
I hadn't meant to sound so plaintive. There were a lot of people, and I didn't know anyone else. I felt a little overwhelmed, like I was in the way and didn't have any right to be backstage. At least Gael's presence gave me some sort of reason to be there.
I thought he would tease me again. Instead he gave me an oddly indulgent look and cupped my cheek, fingers sifting through the hair at my temples. My lungs squeezed in my chest. He leaned down, putting his lips near mine.
"Don't worry sweetness. I'll be back before you know it."
He released me and strode off, leaving me alone in the middle of the chaos. When I managed to make my lungs work again, I edged toward a less busy corner, hoping to stay out of the way until Gael came back. It was a good spot to people watch.
I recognized some members of different bands, mostly indie, but two of them were pretty big. I didn't know whether they were the headliners or if they were there to support their friends. The music scene in this city was supportive of each other. Almost incestuous, really. That was why I tended to stay away. Too much relationship drama. Besides, at this point I was immune to that sultry charisma most rock stars so naturally exuded.
I had a few friends who would have died to be in my spot. I didn't tell many people about the perks of my job. They thought I just worked in a dingy bar. If they knew the kind of celebrities I got to meet, the kinds of people I was acquainted with, they'd no doubt pester me until I invited them to hang out. The whole reason Walt kept the bar so secret was to avoid fangirls like that.
"Hope you didn't get too lonely without me."
Gael's voice took my attention away from watching one of the roadies set up a complicated looking system of wires and plug ins. I turned my head to make a snappy comeback.
I nearly choked.
Gael looked...
He wore black leather pants, tight and form-fitting, molded to every firm muscle in his thighs. A mesh chainmail shirt barely covered the bare skin of his abs and chest, visible through the chain links. His hair was all spiked up away from his forehead, making his vivid blue eyes stand out even more. Blue eyes that were now rimmed by a thin line of black eyeliner.
Gael looked...
"You better stick your tongue back in your mouth, or I'll find a better use for it." The quirk of his lips told me he was beyond amused.
"You look..."
He smirked. "Like a fucking rock star?"
"Yeah." Like a sexy as hell, goddamn tempting fucking rock star, all right.
His eyes flashed with wicked amusement, that dark kohl turning the blue even more vidid, even more sensual. If that were even possible.
"Are you fangirling over me, Jessie?"
"Just a bit," I nodded dumbly.
"I thought rock stars had no effect on you."
"So did I," I murmured.
As we spoke, he stalked closer, until we were pressed nearly nose to nose, my back up against a wall. I hadn't even noticed him boxing me in until it was too late. The heat of his chest had warmed the chainmail. The metal burned into the bare skin of my stomach.
"And exactly what kind of effect am I having on you?"
Gael trailed a finger along my collarbone. He locked his eyes onto mine as that finger went lower, down the swell of my breasts, to encircle a nipple, now peaked and taut with arousal. I bit my lip to suppress a whimper, unable to make myself break our staring contest.
He continued downward, stroking my belly, then my sides, then my hip. He played with the hem of my skirt, deftly slipping the tips of his fingers underneath the hem to stroke bare skin.
I began to shake as he splayed one hand wide, thumb brushing the soft skin of my inner thigh. Gael slipped a leather-clad knee between my legs, causing my tight skirt to ride up. My breath caught in my throat. He was so close to where I wanted him to be. Where I was aching for him.
"Are you wet for me?" he murmured in my ear.
I let out a sharp breath, my legs nearly falling out from under me. He kept me from falling with his knee between my legs and a tight grip on my hip, pressing me against the wall.
"Is that a yes?" The teasing in his voice sent another fresh flood of heat coursing through my veins. I was throbbing inside, aching for his touch.
Two fingers slid between my legs, slowly, inch by inch, giving me time to react. I stayed still, aside from my trembling. He brushed those fingers along the valley between my thighs, feeling the damp cotton of my panties. His cock hardened against my hip.
"Fuck," he cursed softly. "How I am supposed to go on stage knowing you're soaking wet and ready for me?"
I turned my face to the side. I had to push him away before this went any further. I was so close to giving in. "I'm sure you're used to dozens of women being wet for you. After all, you practically have a new one every night."
He brought a hand to my cheek, brushing his thumb against my bottom lip. He met my eyes, serious, almost solemn. My heart fluttered in my chest at the intensity of that gaze.
"The only woman I want right no
w is you."
He pressed his lips to mine. I gasped into his mouth, caught off guard. He'd felt me up a handful of times, but he'd never kissed me before.
It was soft at first, his lips barely a whisper against mine. I was so taken aback it didn't occur to me to push him away.
That soft kiss soon turned heated, his tongue prying my mouth open, demanding entrance. I parted my lips unconsciously, letting him slip inside. The first swipe of that tongue against my mine had me reeling, stars exploding over my vision.
I dug my fingers into his shoulders, grabbing at him, tugging him closer. With his hands on my hips, he pressed me back into the wall, the hard unyielding surface keeping me in place so he could ravage me at his own pace.
The kiss was wild, passionate, his lips practically bruising mine. Need rose up inside me, a need so strong I became almost dizzy with it. Our tongues tangled as I kissed him back with an equal passion, all reservations fleeing. Why had I resisted this for so long? Whatever reasons I'd had didn't matter anymore. Not as long as he continued to kiss me like this, as if he were devouring my very soul.
The taste of him, the smell of him, raw and masculine, was intoxicating. I couldn't get enough of it. I pressed myself closer, our bodies molding together, barely a hairsbreadths of space between us.
Gael pulled back, leaving me reeling and dizzy. I gasped for breath, oxygen finally working its way into my lungs again. My head cleared for a brief moment. I lifted my eyes to Gael's. His were still burning, blazing with unfettered lust.
"We shouldn't—" I began to say.
He cut me off with a growl, crashing his lips back onto mine. I opened to his probing tongue, unable to make myself part from him.
"Gael! Where the fuck are you?"
The speed at which Gael and I flew apart would have been comical if anyone had been around to see it. But Gael had maneuvered me into a shadowy corner. No one had witnessed him practically finger me in the middle of a concert hall.
No had witnessed me almost letting him.
I hurried to pull my skirt down, still aching inside. From several feet away, Gael's eyes zeroed in on my thighs.
"Your sister is looking for you." I was aiming for snarky but it came out weak.
"She can wait."
"Gael!" Cerise called, sounding frantic.
"Sounds like it can't."
With a frustrated growl Gael turned on his heel and stalked off. But not before getting in one final word. He turned back, eyes blazing with heat.
"As soon this concert is over, I'm going to bury my fingers in your wet cunt and make you come on my hand."
My soaked panties got even wetter. I didn't know whether it was the leather pants, or the eyeliner, or that fiery look he threw my way, but in that moment, there was nothing I wanted more in the world than for Gael to do just that — bury himself inside me, whether it was his fingers, his tongue, or his cock. It was like there was a void inside me, throbbing so painfully sweet, just waiting for him to fill it.
I had no idea how I was going to last through the whole concert.
Chapter 6
I'd pulled myself together just in time to see the first band go on. I planted myself to the side of the stage. I didn't want to get in the way of the crew, but I also didn't want to miss a single second of Gael's performance.
Even as distracted as I was by the throbbing between my legs, I paid enough attention to the first band to decide they were only okay. The second and third bands were great, enough to distract me from the echo of Gael's words in my ears. I found myself bouncing along to the music and had to suppress the cheers and screaming that so naturally came out during rock concerts.
The third band finished their set. The fourth band went on, members taking their places on the dark stage. I squinted to see who they were. Hadn't Gael said only a few bands were going on before them?
The lead singer let out a wail. I could tell from the voice that it was Cerise. A kaleidoscope of lights burst from the ceiling, illuminating the six member band of Cherry Lips.
I knew Gael's band had two guitarists, a keyboardist and a drummer, along with him and his sister, but they could have been invisible for all the attention I paid to them.
The only person on that stage who seemed real was Gael.
His fingers moved at a rapid pace, his bass guitar providing the steady backing to the rest of the song. It was solid and sturdy compared to the wild energy of his flying around stage. I was mesmerized by those hands, unable to stop thinking about what he'd said to me.
His fingers, buried deep inside me.
That ache flared up again. They were only into their second song. I was going to die of sexual frustration before they finished their set.
The other band members must have been just as adept with their instruments, because the song was amazing, but I barely paid attention to the rest of them. I was transfixed by Gael.
During one particularly intricate guitar solo, Gael took a moment to look over to the side, peering backstage. His eyes found mine. He looked pleasantly surprised before throwing me a carnal grin, hot enough to make my panties damp again.
I said I would never fall for a rock star, but Gael was something else. He strutted to the front of the stage, smirking down at the grabby fangirl hands. He played to the crowd, teasing them, tempting them. Girls screamed their lungs out, until their voices were hoarse.
Even with the stage separating him from the audience, Gael flirted and seduced. He reveled in their adoration, soaking it in and giving it back tenfold. By the end of the set, the girls seemed to be halfway in love with him, and he with them.
I wanted to be up there with him. I wanted all that passion directed toward me, not toward those girls. The way his eyes blazed with passion, I could almost imagine he was in the midst of making love, not playing bass.
No. It couldn't be called making love.
Gael was practically fucking his fangirls right there the stage with his eyes alone.
A throbbing ache hit me again, but not between my legs. This was in my chest.
I'd known from the start Gael was a player. He had gorgeous women throwing themselves at him. He had no qualms with having sex in public with groupies. He'd felt up a complete stranger at a party, invited me upstairs within minutes of our meeting.
I'd known exactly what Gael was like.
Cocky, playboy rock star.
I cursed at myself and turned away from the stage, looking for a quieter spot to clear my head. I knew I shouldn't have let myself get so carried away.
When the music died down, I knew Cherry Lips had finished their set. I wanted to leave before I ran into Gael again — or before he came trying to find me. But I also couldn't forget about my job. I was supposed to babysit him and make sure he kept out of trouble.
Who knew what kind of trouble he could get up to at an afterparty? I'd heard the stories. I'd even been to some myself.
I cursed myself again for getting into this situation. Why did I let Gael get to me like that? I should have said no when Cerise asked me to look after him. But I'd been drawn to him from the first moment I'd seen him.
From the moment I'd seen him surrounded by all those gorgeous girls.
I'd known from the start what he was like. And I'd still let myself fall for him.
Laughter sounded from across the vast backstage area. Gael and Cerise. Whatever issue she'd been having must have been resolved, because they didn't seem to be at odds with each other.
"Where's Jessie?" Cerise asked.
"I'm sure she's around." Gael sounded so cocksure, as if it were a given I'd still be here, waiting for him.
Well. He wasn't wrong.
"Go find her. I want to talk to your babysitter."
I went to them before he came looking for me. If Gael found me by off in the shadows by myself he'd no doubt start right where we'd left off. I wasn't going to let that happen.
"Hey Cerise, awesome show." I gave her a hug. "You guys were great."
&n
bsp; Cerise returned the hug, but pulled back and lifted an eyebrow. "Only great?"
"Sorry. I meant, you kicked everyone's ass on that stage tonight. No one can hold a candle to your god-like talents."
Cerise and I shared a grin. Most people said she was high strung with a raging ego, but I'd never found her to be all that bad. Maybe because she was tame compared to the other egos I'd had to deal with.
I was just glad Cerise wasn't my best friend, because I found the whole best friend's older brother thing kind of creepy. Not to mention clichéd.
"I bet we get a ton of great reviews," she said. The smug look on her face was at odds with the tremor in her voice.
"Don't worry," Gael said confidently, giving his sister a fond look. "We're totally going to make a splash with this one."
"I'll say. That was one of the best shows I've seen." I didn't tell her it was because her brother practically made me orgasm on the spot with his eyes alone.
"Our big break is coming soon. I just know it. After all, we're one of the best indie bands on the scene right now." From anyone else, the words might have sounded conceited. I'd seen enough egotistical rock stars to spot false bravado. Cerise might put on the bad ass rocker chick front, but inside she was terrified.
"You guys brought the house down. You hear the cheering? They love you."
Cerise went silent, cocking her head. The fifth band hadn't yet come on stage. The audience was still chanting for Cherry Lips, even after they'd done an encore. A brilliant grin spread across her face.
"Fuck yeah they love us." The confidence was back in her voice, the tremor banished. She turned her attention back to me. "Anyway, I wanted to say thanks for watching over my brother. I hope he hasn't put up too much of a fight." She punched Gael in the arm.
He barely moved an inch, but rubbed at the offended limb. "Don't worry, I've been following her around like a good little puppy."
Cerise ignored him. "How's he been, though? Really?"
"He's been..." How could I explain myself to Gael's sister? I was supposed to be keeping him out of trouble, not letting him get me into bed. Although did the one really exclude the other? "He's been fine."
Begging for Bad Boys Page 90
