by Lily Graison
"I'm sure you can,” he said. He gave a quick glance to Faith and smiled. “If you're looking for a little fun I can help you out. Would you ladies be up for a concert?"
Jessi smiled when she felt Faith jab a finger into her back. “When?"
"We're playing tomorrow night. I'm sure Christian would love to see you. I may even be able to find a special card just for you."
At the mention of “card", Jessi felt her face burn hot. The night she'd run into Christian and he presented her with the card from their pick-up game came back to her in a flash. She still couldn't believe she'd kissed him. Proof enough that lonely and alcohol didn't mix but she didn't regret it for an instant. She'd finally had her small taste of him and now, the band was here. Which meant Christian was here. In Vegas.
"What do you say?” Mick said, interrupting her thoughts.
"Um, I'll have to check with Joan and make sure she hasn't planned anything yet."
"She hasn't,” Faith said.
"Then I take that as a yes?” Mick said.
Jessi's stomach tightened. The thought of seeing Christian again caused her pulse to race suddenly. She'd replayed that night in Chicago in her mind a hundred times since then and wondered if Christian would ever call her. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't been waiting. She had and every day he didn't call left her feeling a tiny bit bereft. She looked up at Mick and smiled, trying to keep her voice neutral. There wasn't any reason to let him know he'd just made her entire week. “A definite maybe."
"I'll take it. I'll leave you lovely ladies a few passes at the main lobby downstairs. See you tomorrow."
He walked away as quickly as he came and Jessi took a deep breath, turning her head to Faith. Her friend was grinning widely. “What?"
"You know him?” Faith asked.
"Not personally. I took photo's of the band in New York a few months back and ran into them again in Chicago not long ago."
"And?"
"And what?"
"Come on, Jessi. Don't hold out on me! That was Mick Sheppard!"
Jessi laughed and motioned Faith forward to the man standing not far from them waiting. “Let's go to the room and I'll tell you everything."
* * * *
Christian was startled when the door suddenly slammed and he turned his head, watching Mick walk across the room. The smile on his band mates face screamed trouble.
"What did you do?” Devin asked.
"What makes you think I did something?"
"That shit eating grin, maybe?” he said.
Mick laughed and looked at Christian, raising one eyebrow. “I ran into an old acquaintance of yours,” he said, flopping down on the sofa.
"Who?"
"A hot little number by the name of Jessi McClure."
Christian felt his face burst into flame at the mention of her name. His pulse started to race and his throat dried in an instant. His last meeting with her played in fast-forward through his memories and he was breathless by the time Mick started talking again.
"She's in the hotel and will be for the rest of the week."
"Jessi?” Holly said. “Who is that?"
"The photographer from New York."
"Oh, the one who kissed Christian in the pick-up game,” Roxy said, grinning.
"How do you remember her?” Luke asked.
Roxy gave him a look and smiled. “I remember every girl you check out."
Luke feigned hurt, holding a hand to his heart. “I haven't checked out another woman since I laid eyes on you, sweetheart."
"You don't lie much either, do you?"
Luke grinned and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her down into his lap.
"Are you sure it's her?” Christian asked, getting Mick's attention.
"Oh yeah. I talked to her,” he said. “She's here for some wedding."
"Not her own, I hope,” Devin said, grinning.
"No. She's just taking the pictures."
"Are you going to give her a call, Christian?"
Christian looked over at Devin when he spoke and shrugged one shoulder before standing and walking to the window. He stared out at the city, watching the traffic but not really seeing it.
Since the night he'd ran into Jessi in the club months back, he hadn't been able to completely forget about her. He'd see her in his dreams, hear her phantom laughter and wonder if he'd ever get the chance to see her again. The temptation to call her was great but, if he was honest with himself, he knew he was too chicken shit to do it. What if she was just being nice when she said to call her? She'd kissed him but he could blame that on the card. He'd asked for it, after all.
Ever since that night, Mick had taken a personal interest in the way he approached women and, as much as he hated to admit it, his friend had helped. Whether that was a good thing or not was still to be seen but for the most part, talking to a girl didn't leave him choking on his own tongue now. Of course, those were girls who he hardly thought of once they left his sight. Jessi was a different story altogether. He hadn't seen her in months and just thinking about her made his palms sweat. And he still didn't have the balls enough to pick up a phone and call her.
"No need for him to call her,” Mick said, answering Devin's question. “I invited her to the concert tomorrow."
Christian turned his head and looked over his shoulder. “You invited her to the concert?"
"Yeah. Her and her hot little friend."
"Figures,” Devin said. “Let me guess. Five foot six, blonde, with a rack you could serve drinks off of?"
Mick laughed. “Oddly, no. More like five foot, if even that, with black hair.” He grinned and stretched out his legs, lacing his fingers together and laying them on his stomach. “And a rack you could serve drinks off of."
"What?” Devin laughed. “You can't be serious."
"Absolutely. She was a gorgeous little thing with a southern drawl that made my dic...” He paused and seemed to notice the girls in the room. “Uh, she was cute."
"What happened to ‘all women are evil and I must stay away from them? I thought you'd sworn off women after the ride Jennifer gave you.’”
"Evil they may be but even I like to tempt the devil every now and then."
Christian moved away from the window and lightly kicked Mick's foot until he had his attention. “Did Jessi say she would be there?"
"She said ‘maybe’ but by the look on her friend's face, they'll be there."
Jessi is going to be at the concert, Christian thought, the first stirrings of nerves clawing its way through his limbs before Mick raised an eyebrow at him. He turned to hide the smile wanting to surface and wondered what would happen when he did see her. If he did. She said maybe. Maybe didn't mean yes. It didn't mean no, either.
Her face materialized in his mind's eye and the smile he'd been holding back turned the corner of his mouth. He was going to see Jessi and this time, he wasn't going to let her get away.
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Chapter 3
Jessi knew five minutes after entering the arena she'd worn the wrong shoes. Why she felt the need to “dress up” was beyond her. It was a concert, not a date, yet, even as she thought it, she knew better. She knew the night would turn out to be beyond her wildest imagination. It was the entire reason she'd tried on every outfit she'd brought with her to Vegas and still ended up in the boutiques in the hotel plaza digging through racks of clothes.
She'd talked herself out of a dress and was glad for it after being pushed through a throng of people in the backstage area. Her ass would have been shown ten times over by now but the crowd didn't help the fact the high heel boots she'd worn were dangerous. She'd stumbled twice now and was half tempted to ditch them and go barefoot. If it weren't for having her toes stomped into the concrete, she would have.
They made it to the end of the hall, with the help of a very large man who met them in the parking lot. Mick, bless his heart, had not only left them back stage passes but a limo to carry them to the aren
a. Faith had been babbling non-stop since they picked up the passes and Jessi couldn't help but be happy for her friend. It wasn't everyday something as exciting as this fell into her lap. She was just happy she could give her a night to remember.
The man who escorted them into the building stopped at the last door in the hall and knocked. The noise in the hall was deafening and Jessi wondered if these people worked for the band or were just fans.
The door opened moments later and another man as large as their escort swung it wide and ushered them in. The noise from the hall was blocked as the door shut behind them.
Jessi scanned the room, letting her gaze fall on everyone inside and took a deep, calming breath when she didn't see the band. She didn't realize how nervous she was until that moment. Why she was so nervous was more disturbing than the fact she was.
A girl who looked vaguely familiar smiled over at her and stood from her chair, walking across the room toward them.
"Hey. Jessi, right?"
"Yes."
"It's nice to see you again,” she said. “I'm Holly Baker, Devin's girlfriend."
"We've met?"
"Yes, sort of. I was at the shoot you did for the guys in New York."
Jessi nodded her head and smiled. “I thought you looked familiar."
"And who is this?"
"Oh,” Jessi said. “I'm sorry. This is my friend, Faith. Mick invited us both. That's okay, isn't it?"
Holly laughed. “What the guys want, they get,” she said. “If Mick invited you no one here would object. Not that it would do them any good if they did. For a bunch of guys, they're prima donnas. Fussy and demanding. They get exactly what they want."
"Sounds like your typical rock star."
"You have no idea,” Holly said, laughing. “The guys are about to go on. Roxy is waiting for us by the stage. Follow me."
Jessi and Faith followed her out the door and were led past the group of people milling around in the hall. The light dimmed the further they walked and by the time they'd reached the stage wings, you could barely see the person standing next to you.
The stage was blazing with lights, the opening act already in place and pumping up the crowd. The chants and shouts of the people in the audience echoed through the building and the excitement level seemed to rise with every second that passed. They rounded a corner and were ushered behind the stage.
Jessi saw Christian immediately.
He was smiling, talking animatedly to a woman who was busy fussing with his hair. The dimple in his cheek was the only thing about him she recognized. His hair looked darker and she couldn't tell if it was the low lighting or if it was indeed a darker shade. It was tousled about his head and looked as if he'd just crawled out of bed. Gone were the collared shirts and white sneakers she remembered always seeing him in. Black jeans, a tight white t-shirt that showed a bulge of muscles she wasn't aware he had and heavy black boots encased his feet. He looked like a completely different person. Even the way he stood was different. He looked—confident. Sure of himself. Everything about him seemed so intense, she found her breath catch when he turned his head and looked her way.
The smile on his face grew the moment he spotted her and she smiled as he made his way through the small crowd that had gathered behind the stage and came toward her. When he stopped in front of her, she looked up and took a deep breath.
"I thought Mick was lying when he said he saw you in the hotel."
The opening band was doing a good job at energizing the crowd and try as she might, Jessi had a hard time hearing what he said. She leaned toward him and yelled, “What did you say?"
He laughed and stepped closer to her and lowered his head. “I said, I thought Mick lied about seeing you in the hotel."
"Oh!” she said. “No, he didn't lie. It was a shock seeing him, though."
"About as shocking as it was to learn you were in Vegas,” he grinned. “Not that I mind but if we don't stop running in to each other people are going to start talking."
This was definitely not the Christian Palmer she knew. Not once had he paused before speaking or diverted his gaze. He looked her dead in the eye and had angled his body so close to hers she could feel the heat from his skin. She wasn't sure what sort of rock star mojo had been worked on him but he'd been transformed from the shy frat boy she knew to a swaggering, cocky Jim Morrison look-alike. The new look and attitude suited him. The newfound confidence was an attractive asset as well, especially when the rest of the package looked so damned yummy.
Finally snapping out of her daze she smiled and said, “And what exactly would they say? These people that are going to talk?"
"Depends on what they see, I guess."
His gaze lingered on her face before traveling to her lips then lower. The shirt she'd paired with the brown leather pants was low cut. A new bra had pushed her breasts up and together, giving her ample cleavage. The effect wasn't wasted. Christian's gaze lowered and the corner of his mouth tilted just enough to let her know he appreciated the view.
"Are you sticking around for the whole show?” he asked.
"I had planned on it."
"Good.” He looked back up at her and smiled. “I'd like to talk to you when we don't have to scream at one another."
"Christian!"
Jessi turned her head at the same time Christian did when someone yelled his name. The girl pushing her way through security wasn't letting the multiple arms grabbing at her stop her pursuit. She reached them moments later and Jessi raised one eyebrow when the girl threw her arms around Christian's neck and rubbed herself against him.
"Those clowns you have for security almost didn't let me through. You should tell them to stop trying to hold me back."
The girl smiled brightly and turned her head, her gaze running a quick path over Jessi before she rolled her eyes and looked back at Christian. “I have a few friends who would love to come to the after party. Do you mind?"
Christian smiled. “No. Curt has the villa booked. It'll hold several hundred people."
"Great! I'm in the front row, on your side of the stage. See you in a few."
The fact this unknown girl interrupted their conversation and practically climbed inside Christian's clothes hadn't surprised Jessi as much as the kiss she gave him before leaving. It wasn't an innocent kiss. This was full contact with tongue. Jessi was too stunned to do much more than blink before Curt, the band's manager, tapped Christian on the shoulder and motioned him over to where the other guys stood.
"I'll see you after the show?” Christian asked.
A nod of her head was all Jessi managed before Christian smiled at her and walked away.
"You're not going to let that hoochie move in on your man, are you?"
Jessi turned her head to Faith when she spoke. She'd almost forgotten she was there. She smiled hesitantly and said, “He's not my man."
"He could be. I saw the way he was looking at you and you're a fool if you don't take advantage of it."
The guys moved to the side of the stage and she watched them get ready, her gaze lingering on Christian. She suddenly didn't want to be there. She wasn't prepared to fight anyone for a guys attention, especially a girl who acted as friendly with Christian as that blonde did. Were they dating? Was she the reason for Christian's transformation from shy, frat boy to badass rock star? Had she spent all evening getting ready for a “non-date” for nothing?
She glanced around the back stage and saw Holly and another woman walking straight for her. She forced a smile onto her face when they stopped beside her.
"Don't worry about her,” Holly said. “He likes you."
"What?"
"Christian,” she said. “He likes you. Delilah is what Roxy refers to affectionately as a ‘band ho.’ She follows the band from city to city and latches on to whichever one of them that will give her five minutes of his time. Tonight Christian did. It won't last though. Once the concert is over, he's all yours."
"And if he's not,” the brun
ette with Holly said, “I know exactly how to get rid of her. I'm Roxy, by the way."
"Nice to meet you."
"You're coming to the party aren't you?"
"Oh, I'm not sure,” Jessi said.
Roxy gave her a pointed look. “Do,” she said. “Christian has been waiting on this all day. Don't disappoint him."
The two girls walked away, stopping once they reached the guys. Christian had been waiting for this, Roxy had said. Waiting for what, exactly?
Jessi looked at Christian and felt her stomach flip over itself when he turned his head and looked back at her. A slow, lazy smile followed by a wink was the last thing she saw before the lights blazed and the guys took the stage.
At the first roar from the crowd, Jessi smiled.
* * * *
Two hours of standing on way too high heels and having the loudest music she'd ever heard blasted through her ear drums left Jessi exhausted by the time Holly and Roxy led them through the maze of people backstage to the double doors leading to the parking lot. A stretch Hummer limo was waiting and they were ushered inside amongst the screaming of fans and she'd taken a deep, cleansing breath moments before the guys crawled inside the car. Everyone shifted, the guys moving inside the vehicle to find a seat and once the doors were shut and the limo started to move, everyone took a collective breath.
"Frellin’ hell, you guys do this every night?"
Everyone looked at Faith when she spoke before laughing. “Pretty much,” Holly said. “Although its not every night."
Jessi grinned at Faith, not missing the fact her friend looked way too comfortable snuggled in between Mick and Devin. The girl looked like she was in heaven. Of course, Mick didn't seem to mind his current position either. He had one arm draped over Faith's shoulder and his gaze hadn't lifted from her breasts since he sat down.
Snuggling with a sweaty rock star wasn't Jessi's idea of heaven but she had to admit, the moment Christian slid into the seat beside her, she felt a small tingle of excitement. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and was surprised to see him staring at her. She blushed and leaned back, noticing then that his arm was slung across the back of her seat.
