One More Night (Backstage Pass Book 1)

by Ali Parker

  She moved back and I smiled like the happiest man in the world. "About time," I mumbled.

  "Exactly." She wrapped her arm around my waist and walked back to the table with her middle finger in the air. "I hate that fucker so much."

  I sat down, my heart racing from the drama far more than the kiss. "So you are in love with me?"

  "What?" She kept a flirty grin on her face, but her voice did not at all, in any way whatsoever, match her expression. It threw me off. Like drinking a Jones' soda that was turkey and dressing flavor. That shit messed me up so bad. Deza was doing it now too.

  "I'm lost." I threw my napkin on the table as her eyes filled with tears.

  "No. I'm not in love with you. I'm in love with him. I hate him so much right now."

  "Let's get outta here then. We can have breakfast at your place. You love cooking for me, remember?"

  She laughed as a few tears rolled down her pretty cheeks. "Shut up already."

  "The kiss was good, no?"

  "Yeah. Like kissing my mother on the mouth." She smirked.

  "What? No fucking way." I leaned in and wiped away one of her tears. "Did you really finger fuck him in the ass?"

  She laughed and let her head drop. "No, but I would have. I'd do anything for him."

  "Hot. So damn hot." I leaned back and cupped my hands over my stomach. That's the devotion I wanted from Riley. If I could have that... I'd do anything to get her beside me, living as the queen of my castle.

  Chapter 17

  Riley

  Done. I was finally done with school. No more tests or quizzes. No more getting up at the ass-crack of dawn to rehearse for a play that no one attended. Well, not unless it was the last one when Ethan showed up and packed the house. He still harped on the fact that it was packed because of me, but we all knew the truth. He was the biggest playboy in Hollywood. It was definitely him.

  "So? You glad to be done?" Charlotte looped her arm into mine as we walked down the mall.

  "Yes. I'm looking forward to watching Liam and Ethan squirm tonight at their mom's house too. Is that horrible?" I smiled.

  "Not at all." She pointed to a dress store. "Let's go look in there to see if anything good is on sale. I want something cute to wear tonight."

  "You trying to impress someone?" I walked with her to the store and pulled my arm out of her hold so I could check out a few of the dresses myself.

  "Liam is insanely hot." She fanned herself.

  "And a complete player, Charlotte. It would be sex for a night and that's it. Then you would be weirded out around him every time we all got together."

  "So he's for sure part of our future?" She frowned a little.

  "I hope so. I'm praying that this thing between me and Ethan actually turns into something." I picked up a black dress that felt good to the touch. Slinky. "What do you think of this?" I held it up to my chest and tugged at the material.

  "Love it. Go try it on and make sure it's not too fitted. You know that never looks good when you're first meeting your future in-laws." She wagged her eyebrows.

  "Don't make those comments tonight. Ethan and I are just friends. All right?"

  "I thought you guys were playing like you're engaged." She tilted her head to the side, giving me a knowing look.

  "Shit. You're right. Forget that I said anything. Bring up babies too, okay?" I chuckled as I walked to the dressing room. It might be more fun than I thought pretending to be Ethan's fiancé. I could ask him a million questions about what he wanted in the future under the guise of the part I'd been selected to play. He'd never guess in a million years that I actually wanted to know what he hoped for past stardom and being a bachelor. Surely he wasn't after just that for the rest of his life.

  I tried on the dress and opened the door. "Charlotte. Come tell me what you think."

  "Yeah, sure." She walked toward me with a royal blue dress in her hands. "Ohhh... I love it. You look so good. Like businessy, but totally smoking hot. Makes your boobs look big!"

  "They are big." I glanced down and bounced for good measure.

  "What do you think of this? Too much? Too casual or boring?"

  "Try it on. You just told me to try it on. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Jeez." I closed the door.

  "You talk like an old woman. You know that." She got into the dressing room next to mine.

  "I like those old sayings. My mom used to say them when I was little and family still meant something to me."

  "Speaking of family," she paused to grunt, "what’s the story with Ethan and Liam's family? They're not close?"

  "I don't think so, but why do you ask?"

  "Seems kind of weird that we're going as their girlfriends, or really you as Ethan's fiancé. His mom and dad don't know who he's dating? They haven't met the woman before Ethan proposed? That's just jacked up."

  "True." I finished getting dressed and dropped down to tie my tennis shoes.

  "Did you guys get it on in San Diego?"

  "Yeah. A few times."

  "I want deets."

  "All right. I'll tell you on the way home." I stood up and fixed my hair before reaching for the handle.

  "All missionary or did you guys try anal or oral or…?"

  I opened the door to find two older women standing there, mouths agape. "Um. Sorry?"

  "Sorry for what?" Charlotte called over the top of the dressing room.

  "Dude, get dressed and let’s go. There are tons of people out here." I couldn't remember the last time I felt so freaking embarrassed. I walked to the counter and paid for my dress before hauling ass out of the store to wait for Charlotte.

  She walked out a few minutes later, her face contorted in angst. "Some people are so damn rude."

  "What do you mean?" I let out a long sigh, still trying to discard the feeling I had when I opened the door to see the two women shocked by my candor.

  "There were several older women in there and they kept giving me the evil eye."

  "Right. I think they overheard our conversation on anal sex." I blushed again and nodded for her to walk with me down the mall.

  "Oh shit. Really?"

  "Yeah. Why?"

  "I thought maybe I'd dated one of their sons in the past. I might have made that comment."

  I laughed loud and clamped my hand over my mouth. "Oh my God. That's so good. Tell me what you said exactly."

  "I just asked the witch if she had a son who might be free for the night, and I might have mentioned that I was sure we'd met before because of him."

  "Oh man. You're going to hell."

  "Yep. I'll hold the door for you." She gave me a sweet smile and moved toward the candy store. "Let's get some sugar."

  "You can. I've gotta watch what I eat. This new part is supposed to be played by a 'very fit' woman."

  "Nice." She stopped at the opening to the candy store and I ran into the back of her.

  "What the hell."

  She turned, her eyes wide. "You know what, on second thought, I'm good. I don't need no stinkin' sugar. Come on. We can grab something at the gas station on the way home."

  "Charlotte. What's going on?" And then I heard it. Jace. I moved around my best friend to see Jace over in the corner with a sexy little brunette, both of them laughing and feeding gummy worms to each other.

  Although it wasn't at all fair, I felt cheated.

  He glanced toward us and the look on his face changed from happy to surprise. "Ri. Char. Hey... I haven't seen you girls in at least a week. Come over here and meet Gina."

  "Quick hello and we're out," Charlotte mumbled under her breath.

  "Why do I want to throw a box of chocolate at her and run from the store screaming?" I mumbled back and took several very stiff steps toward them.

  The look on the girl's face said she was less than thrilled to be talking with us as well. Good. Nice to know it was mutual.

  "So you're Riley." She extended her hand. "Jace talks about you all the time."

  "I do not."
He put his arm around Gina - the midget. The perfectly sexy, big-boobed midget.

  Charlotte reached around me and extended her hand. "Well, I'm just an innocent bystander, so... nice to meet you?"

  "Riley and I are just old friends, baby. We've been friends since high school." He smiled at me, but the sadness that crept into his gaze wasn't lost on me.

  "Yeah. How are you?" I ignored Charlotte and the girl and focused on Jace.

  "I'm doing all right." He moved to the side and I turned to face him. "How about you? You look good. Really good."

  The girl snorted behind us, but we both ignored her. I was in love with Ethan. Everything was great. Even if I wasn't sure if he could love me back. It was still good.

  "I'm great." I forced a facade on my face and smiled. "Couldn't be better."

  "Yeah. Awesome." He glanced around as my heart broke in my chest. He was such a part of my past. Why wasn't there something more between us? Why didn't I love him the way he loved me? Or used to.

  "Well, good to see you, Jace. Don't be a stranger." I turned to go and paused as he reached out and grabbed my wrist.

  "Ri."

  So much familiarity. So much protection and strength between us.

  "Yeah?" I glanced back as tears swam in my eyes.

  "I'm right here, baby. I'm..." He glanced down and took a shallow breath before closing his eyes and lifting his chin. He was beautiful in his own way too. "I'm right here."

  "I know, Jace. I'm sorry that I can't be right there with you." I squeezed his hand and turned, walking out of the shop before I lost my shit.

  "Well... that was fucking awkward. I thought the situation with the old ladies was bad."

  "That was way worse." I pressed my fingers to my eyes as tears dripped down my hands. "I'm ready to go."

  Charlotte wrapped her arm around me and kissed my shoulder. "No problem at all. It's going to be okay. Jace will move on, Riley. He's not going to stay upset and broken forever. You know him. He's resilient among other things, right?"

  How many times had Jace Dillon taken care of me? Picked me up out of the dirt, dusted me off and set me back on my feet? Too many to count.

  And how did I repay him?

  By kicking him in the balls with all my might and the minute he hit the dirt? Spitting on him and walking away because of lust.

  Lust, right? Or love?

  I wasn't so sure after seeing my high school sweetheart in pain.

  And it was all my fault.

  Chapter 18

  Ethan

  Something about taking Riley in front of my mother had me nervous as hell. I'd been through some major shit in my life, performed in front of millions of people since I could crack a smile, and yet I was slightly ill over trying to impress Riley with my mom on standby. Where they loved my money, they were jealous of the fame.

  I tried to open the door to Liam's place, but it was locked. I knocked and waited no more than a second before lifting to my toes and running my hand along the top of the door. The key dropped to the ground next to me.

  After picking it up, I pushed the door open and called out to my brother. "Let's go, dude. You know we're supposed to be at Mom’s by two."

  "In a minute." My brother sounded winded. Strained. Hurt?

  "What's up, Liam?" I walked down the hall toward the kitchen and stopped short. Some poor girl was on her hands and knees, her back arched hard as my brother knelt on the counter beside her and drilled her hard.

  "Just finishing up, man. Give me five minutes. I'm almost there." He glanced up and nodded. "I like that shirt."

  "Fuck, dude. Can't you warn someone?" I wanted to turn away, but damn if she wasn't taking it like a champ.

  "Sorry, man. Last minute deal." He turned back toward her and gripped her ass before driving into her again. She moaned in tandem with his thrusts and the cabinets shook.

  I turned and walked back to the living room as my body hardened, my blood raced. I needed Riley. Like now.

  "Hurry up." I sat down, pulled out my phone and pressed my forearms to my knees. She didn't know how to get to my parents’ make-shift house in the hills. I shot her the address and requested that she not wear panties. I got back an eye-rolling emoji and a laugh. Simple, but it caused me to smile.

  She was complex, layered, delicious.

  "Sorry about that." My brother glanced down at me as he walked the girl to the door. He was of course butt-naked.

  "Awww, man. Really?" I laid back and pressed my hands to my face.

  "Don't be jealous, man." He chuckled and walked the girl to the door.

  "Call me?" Her voice was insanely sexy. She had to be a hooker. People didn't talk like that. They practiced it in order to earn money off of it.

  I bet Riley can talk like that.

  My balls tightened at the very hope that she could.

  "Probably not sweetie. You're a little too whiney when you moan. Work on it." Liam closed the door and turned to face me, his cock still standing at full attention.

  "Ugh." I put my back to him and played on my phone as the fucker dropped down beside me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

  "You ready for this lovely event?"

  "Get outta here." I pulled from him and stood up. "Go take a quick shower and let's go."

  "No way. I love the smell of pussy and it always makes mom's nose crinkle while she tries to figure out what kind of cologne I wear." He laughed and headed down the hall.

  "You're a sick, sick man, Liam Lewis."

  "Thank you very much. I work hard at it."

  I snorted and dropped the phone on the couch beside me as I let my thoughts go wild. I wanted to fuck like that so bad it hurt, but there was no way I'd injure a woman in the process. Unless I knew one that could take it. Like my girl.

  I smiled and let the chuckle bubbling up in me out.

  I was in love. So much so that it scared me.

  ***

  "Boys!" My mother yelled loudly in an effort to get everyone in the damn house to pay attention to the fact that the celebrity had shown up. Her smile faded and her eyebrow lifted as she whispered. "You're late."

  "Sorry, Mom. It's Liam's fault." I popped him in the chest and moved past her without so much as touching her. Liam was the one that made us late, which meant his punishment was hugging the old bat. He'd tried to come up with a million reasons why that was a horrible idea on the way over, but I won out.

  It was his punishment, as sad as that was. To be raised by two people who really didn't give a shit about either of us was more depressing. We were adopted together when I was three, and simply a means to get more money from the government.

  Where I was once bitter about it, I had my parents to thank for selling me off to the movie industry when I was only a kid. It set me on a hard path that turned into something I was beyond grateful for. I still hated both of them more than I cared to discuss, but it was what it was. I was a man, not a scared little boy anymore.

  "Thank God for Deza." I walked into the elaborate kitchen and greeted a dozen people on my way to the drink table. The whole house came out of my paycheck, but I'd cut them off a few years back. Every penny I'd made before I was eighteen was theirs. Spent. Gone. Nothing for all the years I missed dances and football games, and making friends. I lived on the road most of my childhood, shifting from set to set. My adolescence for their grand adventure they called living it up.

  "I hate these fuckers." Liam moved up beside me and grabbed a beer as the stiff guy behind the table started to object.

  "Fuck off." I glanced up and barked at the poor guy.

  "Girls are here." Liam patted my back and walked back toward the front door.

  I followed him as my mother fumbled with trying to understand who the pretty women at the front door were.

  "I'm sorry, you're with Liam and Ethan?" She sounded as if she didn't believe them.

  "Yes, Ma'am," Riley said.

  I gripped my mother's shoulders from behind and moved her to the right a littl
e. "Mom, this is my fiancé, Riley and Liam's girlfriend, Charlotte."

  The slinky black dress she had on fit her like a glove, and yet it was elegant, dainty, sexy as fuck.

  "Oh, nice! So glad to meet you girls." She reached for Charlotte as I leaned around her and took Riley's wrist and pulled her toward me.

  "Hi." I smiled down at her before cupping her pretty face and leaning in for a long kiss.

  "Ethan! Jeez." My mom closed the door as I continued to kiss my girl.

  She pulled back as her cheeks colored pink. "Sorry."

  "No reason to be sorry." I couldn't take my eyes off of her. "I love this dress. You look incredible. Beautiful beyond words."

  Everyone walked toward the kitchen, leaving us alone.

  "Are you just saying that for your mom?" She smiled and my heart contracted.

  "No." I brushed my thumb by her pouty bottom lip. "Absolutely not. Touch me. My body betrays me all the time when you're around."

  "What?" She glanced down and let out the cutest yelp I'd ever heard before pressing herself to the front of me. "Ethan. Shit."

  "Right? I'm almost embarrassed. Almost." I leaned down and stole a few more kisses from her. "Come on. Let’s go find a room and hang out."

  "Hang out? Like you did with all the other girls when you were growing up?"

  "Shit. I wish. My life was on a bus riding from one stage to the other." I took her hand and walked toward the kitchen. "You want something to eat?"

  "Not really." The drop in her energy level had me on alert.

  "What's wrong?" I stopped by the entrance to the kitchen and glanced over to see my brother holding on to Charlotte like he owned her.

  "Just had a long day." She glanced away from me.

  "Like how?" I touched her chin and forced her to focus on me.

  "What the-" She leaned around me. "Your brother is kissing my friend."

  "We really should stop that if you like Charlotte a lot. Is she a new college friend or like an old friend that you would protect with your life."