by Lexy Timms
Remorse hit Ashley as she realized she was to blame, too. She had to apologize to Logan, but first she had to work hard on getting done what they needed to do. She looked down at the lyrics, scrawled in his typical messy handwriting. “How about we change this verse here? Like… We could have it lead into the chorus at this line and just forget this one.”
“Why?”
“Well, there are too many words that start with S in that line, and I don’t wanna be spitting all over the mic or the audience.”
He nodded. “Makes sense. I put it in because it sounds good on paper, but I guess I shoulda considered the S factor.”
Her smile was genuine as she ran a hand down his arm. She took in his smile, but she noticed that he very quickly turned away and that made her heart ache. She wondered if he had forgiven her. Even more than that, she wondered if she had really, truly forgiven him.
It wasn’t the time to worry about their relationship, though. They had to focus on what they were going to do onstage. Losing was unacceptable. They couldn’t possibly be booted out in the first round; the band was too fragile and shaken already, and they all knew that kind of a blow might rattle them apart for good. They had to make it to the second round, and as far as most of them were concerned they had to make it to the top of this battle. Even Ashley wasn’t willing to settle for second place. None of them were, and it showed as they spent the next hour working their asses off to get the songs done and down.
When the call came for them to go onstage, they handed their instruments over to the techs to set up, and they all gathered together in a huddle.
“Hands in, guys,” Logan said. “We’re going to do this.”
They didn’t have much of a choice, but they all nodded in agreement and followed one another to the stage. As they headed along the backstage area, they heard people screaming and cheering. “Whisky! Whisky! Whisky!” the audience chanted, and that was an encouraging sign.
Ashley’s heart rose into her throat and lodged there. Her hands shook, and the nerves came back, flooding her body with adrenaline. It wasn’t really anything like their last gig at The Cave. For that, they’d planned a sexy little jump-in, but they couldn’t pull that kind of stunt here. At Royale, everyone expected her to be onstage with the boys, and they already knew she was with Logan. They had to perform their butts off, had to be better than anyone else, and Ashley only hoped she could live up to those expectations.
The stage was just slightly higher than the waists of the people gathered near the small, curved section where the security guards stood. The faces were a blur, and the whole room seemed to tilt and whirl like some crazy carnival ride.
Ashley nearly swooned, even though she wasn’t sure what swooning was. Uh-oh, she thought, knowing it was not the time for a panic attack or a blackout. She somehow managed to shake it off and held up one hand, driving the crowd wild with just that little wave.
Logan took his place next to her. Their rearranged set list was taped to the floor over the set list of the group that had just gone. The PA system buzzed and crackled, then settled.
Ashley’s hands grasped the mic, but she feared she might drop it because her palms were so slick with sweat. Beneath her t-shirt and skinny jeans, she was soaking wet and shaking. Her eyes scanned the crowd. Her heart thundered so loudly that she was sure the beat of it would sound out through her mic at any minute.
The first notes sang out, a slow, ringing sound. The crowd hushed. Glow sticks illuminated the place in myriad purples and greens. Notes were held and drawn out, then crashed into power chords and a thudding bass beat.
Ashley looked over at Logan. The words came into her head, but she didn’t sing them. She waited till the melody was just right, till it perfectly fit the phrasing, then sang out, “I’m sorrier than I can say, but what’s in a word anyway? You weren’t right, and I wasn’t wrong, but just hold on tight. Don’t string me along…”
The crowd went wild.
Logan moved closer, till their bodies collided.
The rest of the band, obviously confused but managing to stay in time and key, hit the next surging chords and harmonies.
Logan’s face was within inches of hers, and the crowd sucked in a collective breath.
Ashley stared at him dreamily, gulping in a breath of her own. She couldn’t help but wonder—just as the crowd was—if he was going to kiss her or not.
Rather than doing that, Logan just opened his mouth and began to sing. The tension deepened and lengthened as they crowded together around the mic. His face was so close to hers that she could see the beads of sweat on his forehead.
The sexual longing and the regret seemed to swarm up out of her body and through her words as their bodies collided again. Logan backed away, then neared her again, repeating that move over and over again, and the audience ate it up.
When they immediately launched into another song, the hyped-up audience screamed even louder.
The stage vibrated beneath Ashley’s feet, and all her pent-up feelings gushed out of her, as deep and intense as her voice and as obvious as the sweat that gave the sheen to her face and body. Her figure moved and swayed to the music, and her hands kept time, tapping on the mic and her upper thighs.
Logan hit the notes perfectly as they ran through the final chorus and right into the next song, not stopping for any band-to-audience banter. They just continued singing, giving occasional high-fives to their wide-eyed, clapping, adoring fans. Charlie even blew a kiss at a young woman.
They held it for a second near the top of the third song, just long enough for the audience to yell for them to keep it up, to lift the roof of the place. Then they launched into the song Ashley had so eloquently performed during her first night with the band.
They finished on a high note, all of them gyrating and jumping up and down. The audience was just as busy. The flimsy plywood around the stage, meant to serve as a barricade, continued to shake, rattle, and practically roll as writhing, dancing bodies hit it. The security guards held their hands up to keep the flood of people back, so they wouldn’t crash through the thin barrier and tear the stage apart.
After Whisky Lullaby finished and ran offstage, Ashley felt a buzzing under her skin, so intense that she could hardly breathe. Logan grabbed her, spun her around, and gave her a hard, long kiss. When his tongue found hers, the sensation of it nearly seared her senses.
His hands ran along her back, pulling her ever closer. Their bodies met, and her pelvis rubbed against his for a delicious moment. Her whimpers were lost in the sound of the applause and cheers and the techs cranking up the gear for the next band.
She took a deep breath as the kiss broke.
Logan looked her in the eyes. “We good?”
Her smile was radiant. “Beyond good.”
He nestled her close, so close that their hips banged together as they headed toward the small dressing room. “I’m sorry about Kaylee.”
She shook her head. “Don’t be. It wasn’t your fault. All the blame for that has to be on Kaylee. I know she’ll be okay once she gets her head straightened out. Her folks are putting her in rehab right now. I just can’t believe how fast she went downhill. School hasn’t even been in session that long, and she already screwed it all up.”
Logan leaned his head against hers. “I’m still sorry. It’s a shitty way to end your freshman year.”
Her eyes went to Charlie, who was standing by the dressing room door. The other guys had already vanished. “Are we good on your brother, too?” Ashley asked.
“I was just…being a jealous asshole. That was pretty screwed up of me, especially knowing what you went through with your ex. You shouldn’t have to take that pushy shit from me. I just wish you’d told me about the money sooner, about all of it.”
“Me, too.”
His arm dropped to her waist, and his breath was warm on her cheek as he asked, “Can we just start from here and go forward, without taking all this with us?”
The weight
of his arm against her felt so good, so right. Ashley leaned into him and traced his jawline with her finger. “Yes,” she said.
“Good. That’s even better than winning Royale,” he said with a wide grin on his face.
“Well, as for Royale, I think we just made the cut, but we’ve got to do something to make sure we make the next one, too.”
His eyes glowed. “You’re a fighter, Ash. I’ve always liked that about you.”
Laughter came from her mouth in a whooping gust. “Ditto. Now, let’s get in there and get this together. By the way, I’m sorry about my part in not keeping the band on track.”
He shook his head. “No, that was all me.”
“The hell it was! It was all of us, but we’re cemented and solid now, right? I mean, we all want this thing, so let’s make it happen.”
“What I want is you.”
Her heart nearly exploded with happiness. “You’ve already got me, Logan. You’ve got me for as long as you want me.”
“Hmm. I like the sound of that. So what are your plans for, uh…forever?”
Her laughter was cut off by his intense kisses.
CHAPTER TWENTY
The first round of the competition was over, and all they could do now was stand onstage and wait. Next to them was the woman with two-toned hair. When she looked over at them and gave them a broad grin and a thumbs-up, Charlie sucked in air.
Ashley grinned back at her. “She looks like the type who’d shove that guitar up your ass if you do anything she doesn’t like.”
“Maybe I’d like that,” Charlie said with a shrug.
Logan snorted, Zip shook his head, and Mike chuckled.
“Hmm. Well, that explains a lot,” Ashley said.
Charlie gave her a lopsided grin. “I’m sure it does. Maybe now you know why I let you kick my ass. I like it. I’m secretly all submissive and stuff.”
Zip muttered, “TMI, dude. Totally TMI. Next, you’ll be telling us you like to wear a dog collar and get spankings or something.”
Logan sputtered, but his laughter quickly morphed into a hard cough.
Ashley wiped her damp palms on her jeans.
Charlie, though, continued to stare at the girl. “I really think I just fell head-over-heels in love, yo. I mean, how could I not?”
Mike muttered, “With your luck, her boyfriend will be the one shoving stuff up your butt…like his foot. Hell, maybe she’s married, or she could be a total lesbian.”
“I have nothing against dating a lesbian, dude,” Charlie retorted, “nothing at all. In fact, isn’t that every guy’s dream?”
“A lesbian who wants to butt diddle you with a guitar? Great. Now I’m not gonna sleep for an entire week.”
Logan hushed them, but they were all grateful for the distraction.
The emcee was deliberately holding off on the announcement, delaying it for dramatic effect. He took it a little too far, but it was what everyone expected. When the audience began to audibly complain and yell, he realized it was time to stop screwing around. He leaned over the mic, looking at the envelope in his hand.
In an instant, everyone fell silent. The crowd waited breathlessly. Ashley closed her eyes while Logan’s hand found hers. Her heart beat even more loudly, but for some odd reason the decision didn’t seem as important as it felt before.
They had smoothed things out, and she knew Logan loved her. Kaylee was gone, and while she missed her already she was grateful that she was okay and that she was safe, in a place where she would get the help she desperately needed. She’d even had the chance to speak her piece to her aunt and uncle, and that was a huge relief too.
Not only that, but despite everything Charlie had done, she was glad he and Logan had finally made peace, too. They were brothers, and they needed each other. Logan would never like Charlie’s father, but he had finally begun to see that Charlie was not the same as his father, and that had helped Charlie see that he didn’t have to be like the man.
The emcee tore the envelope, and he pulled out the verdict. His face screwed up, and he held off for just a moment longer, teasing the crowd. Finally, he announced, “And your winner of Rock Star Royale Round One is…Whisky Lullaby!”
The crowd went nuts.
Logan swept Ashley up, his hands going to her bottom as he lifted her high in the air. Her legs wrapped around his waist. The cheers and shouts died away in that moment, and it was as if they were the only two people there, just the two of them, locking eyes, and saying everything they had to say with nothing more than the rhythm of their heartbeats and pulses.
He lowered her, and her legs slid between his. She felt his hardness poke into her belly and was sure she was going to die. She wanted him again, needed him so much, and she would have taken him right then and there if he would have let her.
Whisky Lullaby left the stage in a blur of clapping people, smiling faces, and ear-splitting applause.
In the back, Charlie headed for the young guitarist, eager to introduce himself.
“Back it up, buddy,” she said, holding up a hand. “You look like just the kinda trouble I don’t need.”
Charlie gave her a hangdog expression. “I was about to say the same thing about you.”
Logan shook his head and drew Ashley away, heading toward the dressing room again.
Her eyes moved up to his profile. “What are you thinking?”
“How much I want to get you into the nearest bed.”
“That’s funny. I was just thinking the same thing.”
He gave her a grin that melted her heart. “Then why are we standing here?”
“Beats me,” she said with a shrug. “Maybe it has to do with something about winning this kick-ass first round!”
He took her hand. “How does it feel?”
“Like heaven.” The words came out before she could stop them. “How does it feel for you?”
His hand gripped hers. “Like…coming home.”
They headed out of the venue, their desire and elation from the win second only to their love.
“You think Charlie has a shot with that chick?” Ashley asked.
Logan chuckled. “Beats me, but if anyone deserves a shot I guess it’s him.”
“True.”
Logan’s hands on her body as they paused in the parking lot to kiss and hug each other made her forget everything else. In her head, a long melody played out, one so sweet and perfect that she wanted to capture it and put it to paper, then play it back forever and ever.
“I love you, Logan.”
“I love you, too. You’re the music that moves me. I know that sounds stupid and corny, but it’s true. You really are the music that moves me, Ashley.”
She put her hand on his heart, and he placed his on hers. At the same time, they both felt it, that music within them. The sweet melody that would always be there for them and flow through them.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
One Week Later
Logan’s nerves were on edge again. He had been called into the offices of a small but prestigious label, along with Ashley. This could be it. The big one.
They sat there together, giving each other scared looks but not saying a word. She carefully moved her hand over to take hold of his, and he gave her a reassuring smile.
The offices were cool, and it wasn’t just because the air-conditioning was cranked up to freezing. The décor was all white, with occasional pops of color that were too few and far between to warm up the place. The walls seemed too tall, and the receptionist sat behind a desk that seemed much too low.
The stunning blonde with a cool smile on her otherwise-expressionless face finally tapped a button on her phone, picked it up, murmured something, and said, “Yes, immediately.” She stood, tugging on the hem of her tight pencil skirt. “You may go in now. Follow me, please.”
The two of them walked behind her on shaky legs, still holding hands.
In the office, the man behind the desk exuded power. His suit was tailor-made, and
his head was crowned with a well-cut thatch of silver and black. His eyes, piercing blue, swept over them, then dropped to his desk. “Please have a seat,” he said, gesturing to the two chairs in front of his desk.
They sat dutifully, and Logan was the first to speak. “Mr. Collins, we appreciate you inviting us,” he blurted. “I’m not sure why we couldn’t bring the whole band, but I’d like you to know up front that any decisions will have to be run by all the other members.”
“I’m not interested in your band.”
The words dropped into the air, an even cooler pocket than the cold draft blowing straight down on them from the ceiling vent.
Logan blinked. “Then why are we here?”
Mr. Collins tapped a pen on his desk. “Why do you think you are? I want to make stars out of you.”
“You just said you aren’t interested in the band.”
The pen tapped against the desk again. “I’m not.”
Logan looked at Ashley, and he noticed that she harbored confusion and wariness in her eyes, as if she was staring at a snake and wondering whether or not it was venomous. He looked back at Bert Collins. “Come again?”
“I couldn’t care less about your band. They’re…mediocre at best. I want to package you as something else.”
Mediocre at best? Logan silently raged. Mister, you say that shit about Whisky again, and I’ll kick you right in your own damn package!
Ashley stiffened. “I beg your pardon?”
Bert Collins’ eyes went to Ashley and assessed her carefully. “You have what it takes, the two of you. I can sell your story and careers. Right now, you’re cute, lovers and musicians, perfect fodder for all those tweens twittering the hell out of everything. I give your band two albums, and the audience will be utterly sick of you. I propose we put you out as a duo. I really don’t care what your band does. They can stick together, knowing you two are a duo with them playing backup, but they can’t do interviews, and they won’t be playing on the albums.”
