by Emma Tharp
“About twenty minutes. I can tell you’re really excited. Why don’t we head back for a minute? You can get a drink to take the edge off and give Kingston a good luck kiss. I always do it as part of my ritual. And don’t worry, nobody will take your spot. It’s all yours tonight.”
Standing side stage was the coolest spot to see them play and that was only the sound check. The show is going to be intense. “Sure, a drink sounds great.”
Penny and I follow Syd as she leads us back to the private room where the guys congregate before the show. She nods at the security guard standing there and opens the door with authority. “These ladies are with me.” He nods at her and we all go in. I guess he knows her well and trusts her.
Kingston is sitting on a couch next to Davies. When he sees me, he gives me a smile and walks over to me. “Did you meet Syd?”
“Yeah, she’s sweet,” I say and glance over to see Penny sitting on Davies’ lap. He’s playing with her ponytail, wrapping it around his finger and then pulling her in for a kiss. Cute.
“Let me introduce you to everyone.” Kingston grabs my hand and walks me toward Syd and her man. “Holt, this is my girl, Cam.”
He reaches for my hand and gives it a shake. It’s nice and firm, but not like he’s making a business transaction. I hate when people think they have to squeeze off your hand to prove how powerful they are. “Hey, nice to meet you. Syd said she got a chance to chat with you. I’m glad. There aren’t usually any women around.” He points his finger between himself and his wife. “We’re the only married couple.”
“It’s great to be here,” I say. If you had asked me two months ago what I’d be doing today, I would never had thought it would be something as insanely awesome as this.
A tall guy with shaggy blond hair and pointy nose comes up to us and says, “Is this the lady you’ve been talking my ear off about, Kingston?”
“Yeah, this is Cam. Cam, this is Carson. He plays the piano.”
“Nice to meet you,” Carson says as he gives me a little nod. “We better get out there.”
The crowd has gotten much louder since we’ve come backstage.
Kingston puts his arms around me and gives me a sweet kiss. “Wish me luck, sweet girl.”
“Something tells me that you don’t need it, but good luck.”
Over Kingston’s shoulder, Syd and Holt have their foreheads together, hands clasped together. “What are they doing?” I ask Kingston.
He looks behind himself and says, “They pray before shows. They pray quite a bit lately. They want a baby so bad.”
My heart breaks for this cute couple. They are both sweet and you can tell that they’d be wonderful parents. Before the Bone Marrow Center, I worked at an infertility clinic. It was wonderful seeing patients conceive after trying for a long time. But it was awful watching other couples suffer when they try everything and still don’t get pregnant.
“Okay, we’ve got to go out there. Enjoy the show and save some energy for later.” He gives me a playful wink as he and the guys head toward the door out to the stage.
“Let’s get a drink and go back out there,” Syd says.
“Do you mind if we just go back out there? I don’t want to miss any of it,” I say, barely able to contain my excitement.
“Yeah, I agree. Let’s go back out there,” Penny chimes in.
“Sure, guys. Let’s go.” Again, Syd leads us out of the room and we go back to our amazing spots side stage. She holds up a pair of protective headphones. “Want to wear a pair?”
Penny and I both shake our heads.
The guys in the band share a moment of fun banter before they play a single note, but the crowd isn’t having it. As soon as they start playing, the audience goes wild with cheers, clapping, and whistles. Kingston’s rich, husky voice begins and the fans take it down a notch to take in the sounds of my boyfriend’s talented voice.
They’ve captured my attention from the very first moment. I sing along with all the words. After I looked up Kingston on the first day I met him, I downloaded all of Lawless’s albums. I don’t know how I’d never heard of them before.
Penny, Syd, and I shake our hips and swing our arms above our heads to the beat of the music. I’m having so much fun. And everyone was right when they said how good the music sounds here at the Gorge. Like no other live music venue I’ve ever been to.
One of my favorite slow songs comes on and Kingston turns in my direction as he sings my favorite verse. A line about perfection and intentions. I can’t look away; I stare in rapt attention at this man. My insides heat up and it’s all I can do to stay in one spot and not run up to him. The song comes to an end and Kingston finally pulls his gaze away from mine after giving me the most gorgeous, heart-stopping smile and a wink. Looking into the crowd, it’s as if all eyes are on me. They must wonder who I am and why Kingston was just paying me so much attention.
“That was intense,” Penny says, grabbing my arm and my attention back to the here and now.
“Yeah, it’s a great song,” I say.
“Not just the song. The way he was singing it to you. Looks like the dude has it bad.” She raises her eyebrows at me.
“Was it that obvious?” For some reason, anxiety creeps up in my belly. Maybe it’s fear of the unknown. It won’t be long before more pictures of Kingston and I surface on the Internet. And he tells me that he hates being in the limelight. How will it be for me, just a “normal” girl from Virginia?
“Don’t worry, Cam. It’s going to be fine. Relax and enjoy the rest of the show,” Penny says.
It’s hard not to let everything else fall away when watching Kingston and the rest of the band play their hearts out for the crowd.
“This never gets old,” Syd says as the set comes to an end and the band exits the stage. We walk together to the backstage area where the noise levels come down and we can have a conversation.
“Really?” I ask.
Nodding, she says, “Well, watching them play doesn’t get old. Sometimes the tour schedule does. But we manage.”
“I can’t imagine how difficult it can be to have him gone for extended periods of time. How often do you make it to shows?” With my job, I know I won’t be able to see as many shows as I would like to.
We get to the room where all the guys are hanging out, patting each other on the back, and shaking hands. Congratulating each other on a job well done. Penny runs up to Davies and gives him a hug. I hang back to finish up my chat with Syd.
“With my job, I can work remotely from anywhere that has a Wi-Fi signal. And at this stage in Holt’s career, we’re financially set. If I didn’t want to work, I wouldn’t have to. And once we have a baby, I will stop working.” Her face clouds over with sadness and her eyes glaze over. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring it up, but Holt and I haven’t had any luck getting pregnant.”
“I’m so sorry,” I say and give her a comforting pat on the shoulder. “I used to work at an infertility center. I saw miracles happen every single day. Don’t give up hope.”
She gives me a watery smile. “Thank you for saying that. We refuse to give up hope. And I usually don’t open up to people on the first day of meeting them. Unfortunately, it’s always on my mind and you are really easy to talk to.”
This is exactly what Kingston told me. It makes me happy that people feel comfortable enough to talk to me. “I’m going to give you my number. Give me a call anytime you want to talk.” I really like Syd and I have a feeling we’re going to be seeing quite a bit of each other in the future.
“I’d like that,” Syd says as she pulls me in to a hug. “I’m really happy that Kingston found a nice girl.”
“Thanks for saying that. I’m really happy.”
When she pulls away from the hug, she smirks and says, “I can tell that you both are. In fact, he’s checking you out right now. You better go over there.”
Turning around, I see Kingston’s eyes shamelessly scanning my body. Heat rises up my n
eck. “Thanks for the chat,” I tell Syd over my shoulder before I walk over to my man.
Kingston looks gorgeous with his post-show afterglow. His hair is slicked back with sweat, his cheeks are tinged with pink, and his smile stretches out for days. He lifts me up off my feet and plants a huge smacker of a kiss on me. “Well, what’d you think?”
“That was by far the best concert I’ve ever been to.”
“Looked like you were enjoying yourself,” he says and then chugs a half of a water bottle. “You ready to get out of here? I can’t wait to get you out of those clothes.”
“Yes, let’s go.” I can hardly wait to show him how much I enjoyed the show. I spent the majority of it completely turned on.
We say our goodbyes and head out the back door where his car waiting. It’s a quick trip back to the resort since we never have to actually get into crowd traffic with a super-secret back way reserved for band and crew only.
In the lobby, there are fans waiting to see Kingston. He’s polite as he signs autographs and takes pictures with all of them. I hang back and watch. One woman, wearing a Lawless band t-shirt tied at the side with the fleshy part of her overhanging abdomen hanging out, comes over to me and says, “You hooking up with Kingston tonight? ‘Cause if you’re not, I’ll take him.”
I’m certain my mouth must’ve hit the floor. “Yes, he’s actually my boyfriend.”
“No way.” Now she’s the one that looks surprised.
“Yup,” I say.
“Is he good in the sack? I mean, he looks like he would be.”
This woman has to be messing with me. She can’t honestly be asking me such personal information. Before I get the chance to answer, Kingston slides his arm around me. “Ready to go, sweet girl?”
“I’m ready.” I wave at the woman who stares at us as we walk away from her.
“Do you ever get used to that?” I ask him once we’re back in the privacy of his room.
“It never feels natural to me, but I do my best to make the fans happy.” He’s stripping off his shirt and comes to stand in front of me. “Does that upset you?”
“No. It’s an odd feeling though, to have so much attention focused on you.”
He kisses me with his soft lips and I melt into him. “Come with me, I need a shower.” He grabs my hand and leads me into the bathroom. He turns the shower on and strips down until he’s naked. Staring at his beautiful physique, I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to seeing his sculpted body. “You’re going to join me in here, right?”
“Um, yes. Of course.”
“Strip off your clothes for me.”
It’s suddenly way too warm in here. Does he expect a strip tease? His smoldering eyes give me the confidence to turn around and slip my finger under the strap of my tank top and ease it down my shoulder, staring at him watching me. Reaching for the hem of my shirt, I take my time pulling it up and off. I didn’t wear a bra tonight since the tank had built-in support. Now naked from the waist up, I turn away from him again as I bend forward to ease my shorts and panties off, giving him the perfect view of my ass.
Coming up behind me, he grabs me around the waist and pulls me against him, his erection straining against my back. “We need to get in there now.”
Following his instructions, I step into the steamy, glass enclosed shower. Tipping my head back, I rinse my hair and find Kingston pouring shampoo into his hands, working it into a lather and massaging it into my hair. The sensation is heavenly.
“I wish you could stay.” Kingston says, his voice is pleading.
“Me too. But we are so short-staffed at work, I can’t do that to them.”
He lathers up a washcloth with soap and begins cleaning my body, starting at my shoulders and working his way down my arm. “I’d wash you every day. And then we can have sex all day until the show starts at night.”
Sighing at the special attention he’s paying to my breasts, I sigh out, “That sounds like heaven. But I’ve only got one more day. Let’s make the most of it.”
“Oh, trust me, we will.” His hand dips down between my legs and he teases me by making circles on my clit.
“That feels so good,” I cry out.
“I hope you aren’t tired,” he says. “Because I plan on making you feel good for the rest of the night into the early hours of the morning.”
13
Kingston
Having Cam surprise me on tour was perfect timing. I only had a week to go when she left. It was hard as hell to say goodbye to her. I didn’t want to let her go, but I admire her commitment to her job and her responsibilities.
I barely slept at all last night on the red eye back home. The anticipation of coming home and seeing my sister and Cam had me jumpy and excited for the entire flight.
Ditching my luggage at home and having a quick shower, I drive to Cam’s place as soon as I get the stale plane air scrubbed off my skin. It’s impossible for me to wait any longer to see her.
The drive to her place is worse than the flight. I’d like to jump on top of her the second I see her, but I have other plans. She knows I’m coming and she sounds as excited as I am for our reunion.
I’ve got a whole new appreciation for what Holt goes through when Syd can’t be on the road with us. Holt and I bonded over talking about the women in our lives. It’s a new element to our friendship and I’m glad I’ve got someone to talk to about the way I’ve been feeling about Cam. It’s a new feeling for me, to connect with someone so deeply that you never want to be away from them.
Outside her door, I ring the bell and wait, my toe tapping a mile a minute.
When she answers, I’m struck by how gorgeous she is. Her hair is down in waves around her shoulders, her skin is flawless. “You’re home. I’ve missed you.”
Wrapping my arms around her, I inhale her familiar rose perfume. “I missed you too, sweet girl.”
Cam’s mouth crashes into mine and her hands come to the back of my hair. I’m instantly hard. As difficult as this is, I pull away. “Let’s come back to this, okay?”
Her shoulders slump forward and a sad frown forms on her face. “What’s wrong?”
“No, nothing is wrong at all.” Taking her face in my hands, I draw her attention to me and the facts. I can’t stand to see her upset. “The reason I need an hour right now is because I have to go see my sister. She’s been so excited to meet you. I came to see if you’d come with me.”
Now her eyes blink rapidly. She gets it. “You want me to go and meet Dee now?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m asking. If you want to.”
Cam’s hand flies to her chest. “I would love to meet her. I have to change my clothes.”
“Wait.” I grab her by the shoulders before she wanders off. “You look amazing. You don’t need to change anything about yourself to meet her. She will love you just the way you are. Okay?”
Her chest heaves with a heavy sigh. “You really think she’ll like me?”
She’s so damn cute. It’s beyond me how Cam could think that Dee wouldn’t like her. “Trust me. My sister is sweet and kind, and she sees through people’s bullshit. You have zero bullshit. You two are going to love each other. I know it. Like one hundred percent.”
Her features relax and she says, “Okay. Then what are you waiting for? Let’s go see Dee.” She goes to the counter and swings her purse over her shoulder.
“Don’t worry, we won’t be able to stay long. We can pick up where we left off.”
“I’m taking you up on that,” Cam says.
On the ride to the hospital, I update Cam on how Dee’s been doing based on what Rick has been telling me. While I was on tour, he texted me every day to let me know how she was progressing. It was invaluable to me, knowing that she was in good hands while I was away. As we get closer, Cam’s nerves kick in; her knee is bobbing up and down, and she’s overall jumpy. Keeping my hand in hers is my way of comforting her. I don’t know if it’s helping or not.
At the hospit
al, we prep outside Dee’s room by washing our hands and putting on our masks. Cam’s eyes are wide and it’s clear she’s amped up.
“This is going to be great. I don’t know what she’s going to look like. The last time I saw her she looked weak and tired, which is normal. Try not to stare; I’m sure that would make her uncomfortable.”
“I promise, I won’t stare at her at all. I’m going to do my best to make her feel comfortable,” Cam says.
“Of course you are. I’m sorry. It’s just that I want her to get better and it’s hard not knowing what I’m going to see when I walk in there.” She’s a nurse and one of the most happy, easygoing people I know.
She takes her hands in mine. Her turn to relax me. “Let’s go in there and see your sister.”
“Great idea.”
We knock before entering and Rick comes to the door to answer. He looks good, like he’s been taking care of himself as well as my sister. He’s clean-shaven and he doesn’t look like he’s lost weight. I’m glad to see him this way. Some caregivers take on all of the responsibilities and end up wearing themselves out. “Hey, Rick. Good to see you. This is Cam.”
Cam comes up next to me and shakes Rick’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“The same. Kingston has told us all about you. It’s good to finally have a face to go with the name,” Rick says and walks back over to sit with Dee.
“Hey, don’t forget about me over here,” Dee says. She’s sitting in a chair in the corner of the room. She doesn’t look as thin as she did three weeks ago and her cheeks aren’t as pale either.
“What are you doing out of bed?” I ask her with a playful tone, going up to her to give her a hug.
Her arms come around my neck, and she gives me a little squeeze and whispers in my ear, “She’s hot.”
“Right? And amazing,” I tell her in a hushed tone.
“Okay, so introduce her to me now, the wait has been killing me,” Dee says.
Standing back up, I look in my girlfriend’s direction, “Cam, come over here and meet my sister.”
