by Pamela Prim
“Hi, Mister Lacer.” Kelley pushed herself through the crowd towards him and stood before the rocker. She felt his hand slide over the small of her back and he pulled her closer, crushing her against his body. He grinned at her, his breath a mixture of whisky and strawberries.
“Well, so here you are… to make me bare my soul all over the pages of your publication.” His voice was just as mesmerizing as it was on stage.
“I must say I was hoping for the interview to be a little more exclusive.” She didn’t struggle against him, strangely feeling at ease by the proximity to him and his touch. “Could we go somewhere private… or less noisy?”
“I know just the place…” The handsome man laughed and nodded at his manager. “If you don’t mind taking a little ride with me.”
“Where are we going?” She asked, staring into those dreamy blue eyes.
“Not too far, and you shouldn’t be worried… after all it’s your city.” Lacer’s grin made strange ripples go fluttering through her belly.
“Uh, sure.” She nodded. “My shooter, Deidre will come…”
“Let her have a good time here.” Lacer said, jerking his head toward the rest of the party. “She’s seems to be really letting her hair down.”
A sudden chill ran down her back. She turned quickly to see Deidre laughing and dancing with a couple of the band members, her arms around their necks and their hands all over her.
“Oh crap!” She couldn’t help being alarmed. “I’ve got to get her out of here.”
“Why? How old is she?”
“Nineteen… almost.”
“She’s her own woman then, Miss Rails.” Lacer shrugged. “And we may be a rowdy looking bunch on stage, but we’re not ruffians or rapists. My band mates will do nothing to her that she doesn’t already want.”
“Oh, that’s what I’m afraid of.” Kelley couldn’t hide the concern in her voice. “She won’t know where to draw the line… she won’t even know…”
“Are you her guardian?” The rocker sounded a bit testy.
“What?” She looked into his eyes. “No, but… I mean…”
“She’ll be safer in here than by herself anywhere else.” Lacer gave her a reassuring smile. “So, are you coming?”
“Huh?” She looked one more time at her carefree roommate. “Oh, sure… okay… let’s go.”
Deidre was a grown woman; she could take care of her own self. Kelley convinced herself as she stepped outside with the rock star through a private exit and to a very exclusive parking area. A row of Harleys were parked near the bands tour bus and trucks, and Lacer straddled one and kicked the engine to life. He jerked his head, signaling her to climb onboard behind him. She took a deep breath and climbed on, feeling the cool smooth leather of the pillion seat on her sensitive skin. She hadn’t even dreamt that she would be experiencing the rocker lifestyle this much when she took on the feature assignment on Lucid Razor. But this was great, this way she was going to get the story from the inside out.
The rocker cruised his awesome machine down the wide streets of the city, the cool breeze blowing at their faces. Kelley held on to him tightly as they sped along. She could help feeling the dense hardness of his lean body as she clung to him. It was a pleasant feeling, something she had not at all expected and she hoped that she could keep her focus on the task at hand.
“Here we are…” Lacer drawled as he eased the Harley into the parking lot of the coffee shop before them. “Whenever I’m in Grasonville, I like to spend some quiet time in this place.”
“You come here often?”
“This is the ninth time we’re touring Grasonville. I love it here, and we have a lot of our fans here, most from way back when we started the band; and quite a few new ones too.”
‘And now I am one of them.’ She thought. She could never have believed, not even that morning, that she would ever be tolerating hard rock music let alone becoming a fan of Lucid Razor, one of the hardest rocking bands in the game. Life was so full of surprises, and that, she supposed, was what made it so worth the living.
They found a cozy little corner in the homely coffee shop and the owner, who apparently knew Lacer quite well, served them their beverages and tidbits herself. Kelley took a sip of the delicious concoction and made a mental note of the place. She would have to make this pleasant outlet one of her ‘to go’ places, it was definitely worth it.
“And so, let’s get to work.” Ferris Lacer gave her a wide grin.
“Uh, yeah, sure…” She fumbled around in her little handbag. “That’s why I’m here.”
“You looking for a pen and paper?”
“No, my hand-held recorder.” She grinned and fished out the device. “Okay, let’s begin.”
“What would you like to know first, Miss Rails?”
“What got you into this business… how did it all begin, the journey… and how you got to where you are now and what’s in store for the future.”
“Wow! All that for the first question…” He laughed. “What have we left for the second?”
“Oh! No… I mean, we’ll cover all of that and more as we go along.” She blushed furiously at coming across as over eager.
Lacer laughed. It was a full and natural laugh and she felt more and more at ease with the man. And as he regaled her with adventures of his colorful life, she began to see the man behind the Rock God. The real Ferris Lacer. He spoke of his early years with emotion, just as any person would, and he told her of his hopes and dreams with as much fervor as she had for her own. Kelley felt a deep sense of camaraderie with the man, his drive and ambition inspired her, and a connection started to form between her and the rocker. And the fact that he was so devilishly handsome despite being almost eighteen years older than she was made the rest of it all the more interesting for her.
Kelley lost track of time as she sat mesmerized, listening to his voice and staring at his emotive expressions. And only when he glanced at his watch and mentioned the time, did she realize how late it had become.
‘Fifty minutes past midnight?’ She screamed inside her head as she suddenly remembered that her roommate was still there at the hotel, probably going crazy.
But then when she looked at her phone, there wasn’t a call or text message, not a tweet even. A cold chill ran down her back and she looked anxiously at Lacer casually sipping his umpteenth cup of coffee. This must be still too early for him, she could tell, as the rocker seemed to be unaffected by the lateness of the hour. She remembered being that way in her teens, but that was just to rebel against her parents more than anything. Now that she was living life on her terms, she could see how being disciplined actually paid off better in the long run.
“You got all that on tape, my dear?” Lacer’s smooth voice drifted into her thoughts.
“Uh, yeah… sure.” She said with nervous laugh. “It’s all on digital media, and backed up in the cloud.”
“Ah, yeah… the new age tech of today.” The rocker laughed. “Made the world so much better, and also so much smaller and impersonal.”
“Yeah, it sure has.” She looked around the café apprehensively; it was mostly empty by then, just a few late nighters still lounging around.
“It must be way past bedtime,” Lacer laughed again. “For you and that pretty birdie you flew in with.”
“Uhhm, yes, it kind of is…” She hoped he would decide they should leave now. “And I’m worried about Deidre… that she would end up doing something regrettable.”
“Don’t worry about her, Miss Rails.” The rocker stood up. “She’s never been safer… but let’s put your mind at ease nevertheless.”
“Thank you!” She rocketed to her feet. “For everything, Mister Lacer.”
“I’d love to do this again sometime.” He said as he held the door for her. “Will you be down at our next gig in Westside Arena tomorrow?”
“Yes, I will…” She nodded and stepped outside. “I mean, I have to… it’s my assignment.”
�
��Way cool.” Lacer nodded and kicked his Harley’s engine to life.
The ride back to the hotel was a quiet one. She had nothing more to talk about, getting back home with Deidre was all she could think of, even though images of Ferris Lacer kept on intruding into her thoughts. As they stepped out of the elevator and into the terrace garden, the sound of muted laughter and toned down music reached her ears. Deidre was the only thought in her mind as she rushed into the gathering.
The crowds had gone and most of the crew as well. Only the band members and a handful of their friends were sitting around, drinking and smoking. And there, fast asleep with a wide smile on her pretty face was Deidre, her arms wrapped around a huge, furry stuffed teddy bear.
“What happened to her?” Kelley almost demanded. “Did anyone…”
“She had one too many to drink.” The chunky frame of Hank Colby walked up. “Been asleep for four hours now.”
“And nothing else happened?” She looked around at the other men and women, and then back at Lacer.
“Told you so.” Ferris Lacer said with a smirk. “Now come on, let’s get her into your car and bid you goodnight.
The two burly bodyguards left after her roommate was tenderly tucked into the back seat of Kelley’s little Volvo. Lacer stood by the door, smiling at her.
“I… well, thank you again, Mister Lacer.” She said, staring into his blue eyes. “We really had a great time.”
“So did I… it was wonderful spending time with you, Miss Rails.” He grinned and leaned in closer to her. “And I hope to see you again tomorrow… there’s still a few more pages I can add to your story.”
“Uhhm, yes… I’d love to be there… tomorrow.” She said and leaned back against the car as his face came to touching distance with hers. “For the rest of the story…”
She could feel his warm breath on her lips; his eyes seemed to burn into hers. She opened her mouth; a strange and intense need welled up inside her. Then she felt it, the torturous brush of his lips against hers, the moist heat from it covering her own. She closed her eyes, sighing deeply, longing desperately for more, almost praying for his tongue to slide into her mouth.
“Till tomorrow then.” She heard him say and opened her eyes wide.
He was backing away, smiling and waving at her as she stood motionless for a few seconds. She shook her head and felt slightly embarrassed. Was that all it was, a little goodbye peck. Did she read too much into it? Was she so enamored with the man, that even a simple social gesture was being misconstrued inside her head? Damn it, girl. She reprimanded herself. This is just a job and he’s the mark. Waving quickly back, Kelley got into her car, shut the door and pulled out of the parking.
* * * * *
Sleep, if she had gotten any that night, Kelley couldn’t really tell. Ferris Lacer had taken up a permanent residence in her thoughts and her dreams. No matter what she tried, she couldn’t bring herself to settle into a calm state of mind. Frustrated more than she ever was in her life, she got out of bed and walked into the bathroom. She passed Deidre’s room and a pang of envy coursed through her at the sight of the blonde blissfully asleep on her bed.
Kelley ripped off her slip and stepped naked under the warm relaxing shower. The droplets of water cascading down her feverish body felt really, really good. She relished the sensation, and then had to suppress a curse as thoughts of how Lacer’s kisses would feel all over her body sent shivers through her. She couldn’t help herself, all thoughts of the man led to only one thing – sexual gratification. She had never felt this way with anyone before, not even her favorite celebrities of the music she was a fan of. In fact, now all of her past favorites paled in comparison to the charismatic Rock God persona of Ferris Lacer.
“Damn, get a grip, girl!” She screamed at her reflection in the mirror.
‘Don’t mind if I do.’ Her conscience told her, sounding so much like the smooth, velvet, whiskey soaked voice of Ferris Lacer.
“No!” She whispered. “No!”
‘Yes! Yes!’ Her conscience insisted.
She stared at her naked body, wet and glistening, looking oh so irresistible. What would Ferris Lacer do if he saw her like this? Would he caress her body, would he tenderly take her in his arms and love her, or would he grab a hold of her and roughly assert his machismo all over her. Oh, how she longed for the latter… how she wanted to be taken by him, in the most debauched ways possible.
A wonderful sensation coursed through her and then intensified, making her knees tremble as she leaned back and slid down the wall. That sensation was all too familiar, and much more powerful than she could remember. She realized she was having an orgasm, a very strong one. In her lust clouded mind she had absently let her hands bring her to a climax that rocked her entire body. Oh, how she wished it was Ferris Lacer who was doing the rocking, instead of her hands.
When she finally got out of the shower and managed to stumble back to her room, it was an hour past noon. She had a lot of work to do. Calibrating all the information she had collected the night before and processing them into coherent and interesting material, and also sorting through all the pictures Deidre had taken. Damn, how could she have done this to herself?
“I am a professional.” She gritted her teeth and held her head in her hands. “Not some scatterbrained fangirl, for chrisakes!”
She would be meeting Ferris again later that evening, and the thought both thrilled and terrified her at the same time. What if she couldn’t control herself? Would he take advantage of her? Would he even give a fuck if he knew how she felt? He had a bevy of skimpily clad groupies at his beck and call. A demure professional journalist like her would probably be the last thing on his bed list. With that thought she managed to bring her mind at peace and focus on her work. A full time position and a raise with a reward, all that depended in it.
It was almost eight when she walked into the West Side Arena stadium from the private press entrance. She was alone; Deidre being still zoned out from her experience of the night before. And Kelley felt better that she was by herself, and not distracted by her concern for another person, especially younger, with her. She looked absolutely gorgeous in her crisp white blouse, tight black skirt and her hair done up in a very businesslike style. She didn’t want to feel as awkward as she had the day before, though the time she spent with Ferris Lacer at the coffee shop was definitely something to remember forever. He wanted to see her again, he had said, and she wanted the same. But her work came first.
The show was well into its halfway stage by the time she walked down the passageway leading to the press box. The crowds were howling mad just like the night before but there seemed to be a lull in the music as she made her way in. Maybe the band was between sets, she figured. As she turned toward the press box, she spotted Lacer. He was talking to some of the other reporters even as a warm up act was taking the stage. He looked her way and a wide smile creased his handsome face. He shook the other reporters’ hands and hurriedly walked over to where she stood. She smiled at him, her heartbeat picking up with every step he took toward her.
“I was afraid you weren’t coming.” He said and held out his hand to her.
“Oh, no… it’s Deidre, she wasn’t so well.” Kelley lied. It was her own jitters that kept her indecisive till the last minute. By then she was already an hour late for the show. “I had to take care of her before leaving.”
“How is the dear girl?” He seemed to have genuine concern in his dreamy voice.
“Oh, she’s fine. Nothing to worry…” She began but he grabbed her hand and led her away back down the way she had come.
“Good, good!” He said, ushering her quickly down the darkened backstage area. “Now come, this local act has a half hour set… we can get the rest of the interview done in one of the dressing rooms.”
“Oh, I thought we’d do it after the show…”
“Not tonight.” He said and pushed open a door to a small room. “The show’s on till after midnight.”
“Oh, fine then… so, what are we going to talk about?” She stepped into the room after him. It was a small room, and a bit dimly lit. There wasn’t a dressing table there at all. Instead the only furnishing in there was a large leather couch. A sudden sense of excitement mingled with fear coursed through her at the realization of why he had brought her into that private little room.
“We’re going to talk about us, Miss Rails.” He said in his sexy crooner voice. “We’re also going to do a little more than just talking, but that is only if you want to.”
She stared at him dumbly, her mind and body at odds and ends. Was she reading him right this time? Did she really misread him last night at all? It didn’t seem like so now. His intention was clear in his deep blue eyes and she wanted nothing other than what he was suggesting.
