by Lisa Lewis
Tom’s gaze drifted over her. Her face was professionally made up so as not to appear washed out on stage. But now, instead of looking garish under the suite’s softer lighting, the cosmetics served only to emphasize her eyes and cheekbones. And her lips were outlined with a plum-red shade to match her eye shadow.
Watching those lips curve around the rim of her wineglass, then seeing her throat work as she swallowed a sip of the alcohol—it made his blood boil.
He shifted his gaze upward as Beth continued to converse with her new friends.
Her long blonde tresses now had soft curls in them, and the sides were held back with rhinestone barrettes. Dangling rhinestone earrings drew attention to her delicate collarbones, exposed by the thin straps of her short black dress.
It should have been funny that Liz and Hannah wearing the exact same dress had no effect on him, but Tom knew the feelings he had for Bethany made all the difference.
Taking a sip of his draft beer, he continued to follow the lines of Beth’s slender body as she moved to speak with another group of people. Firm breasts supported by the dress’s fitted bodice, exposing just the right amount of cleavage to entice, but not appear tacky.
A trim waist, flat stomach, and nicely curved hips. Shapely legs that seemed even longer encased in black stockings and two-inch heels.
He couldn’t wait to feel those legs wrapped around his waist. But, unfortunately, it wouldn’t be tonight.
This little impromptu after-concert party for the band and crew would last a while longer, and since it was taking place in Roadhouse’s suite, there was no way Tom could abscond with Beth without appearing obvious.
Besides, the celebration was really in Bethany’s honor anyway.
Tonight’s show had gone off without a hitch, mostly due to her hard work over the past two days. As promised, the members of Roadhouse had spent most of that time rehearsing, trying to prepare Beth for tonight’s performance.
And she had done her part more than adequately. Rehearsing songs, practicing dance moves, going over the stage entrances and exits and other general performance procedures—it was a wonder if any one of them had gotten a sufficient amount of sleep.
But he was wide-awake now, and enough was enough. It was his turn to be with Beth.
They’d been so busy since arriving in Reading that they hadn’t had a single moment alone together. Not since that first morning, when Bethany had explained about her singing.
But he was sure that would change when they departed for Erie the next day. The panic of finding a replacement for Liz was over, and the final shows could go smoothly.
As long as Eric Sharpe continued to stay away, that is. And that was one more reason for him to stay close to Beth. To protect her from her ex.
As he took another drink of beer, Tom’s eyes moved slowly over Beth again.
Yeah, like he needed another excuse to be near her.
Like loving her wasn’t reason enough.
Bethany’s gaze suddenly met his, and she froze in place, stopping in mid-sentence with her hands in the air. But then she regained her composure and turned back to Mike and Dylan. She must have excused herself because she headed over toward him, a wide smile on her face.
He pushed off the bar he’d been lounging against and went to meet her halfway. They stopped, toe-to-toe, in the middle of the parlor.
“Hi,” she said softly.
“Hi,” he replied the same way.
She cast her gaze downward and took a quick sip of her wine.
She was nervous.
Hmm. All evening she’d been laughing and socializing like the belle of the ball that she was. But as soon as she had his undivided attention, she got nervous?
Thiscould be a good sign …
“Want to go out on the balcony for a while? You look like you could use some fresh air.”
Okay, that was definitely not true. She looked terrific. But if he could get her semi-alone with that line, then what the hell.
“Sure. That sounds great.” She turned to circumvent the buffet tables and head toward the French doors. Tom moved to follow her, but came to a halt as Cole stepped in front of them.
“Hey, Beth!Congrats on your first night as a singer!”
“Thanks, Cole.”
Tom tuned out the rest of their conversation. He was sure Beth had heard similar comments from the other partygoers, and the praise was well deserved. But his mind wasn’t on what had happened earlier on stage.
It was on what he wanted to happen when they went out on the balcony.
Tom idly looked over the buffet choices laid out on two adjoining tables. Fancy pastries and quiches sat next to mini corn dogs and pizzas. There was something for everyone.
Right in front of him, there was even a tray of fruit for those who didn’t want something too heavy at this late hour.
At first Tom had thought the item was a little odd to have at a post-concert shindig, but then he’d forgotten about it. He’d been focused on Bethany.
And now, as she wound down her exchange with Cole, Tom focused on her again.
He popped a couple of grapes into his mouth and sat his half-full glass of beer down on the large fruit tray. He wanted both hands empty when he went outside with Beth.
Tom placed a hand at the small of Bethany’s back, and she turned to him with another brilliant smile.
“Ready?” he asked.
She nodded, and they moved toward the open balcony doors once again.
He’d never noticed the pink card emblazoned with his name on it, now hidden beneath his glass.
•
Beth felt the heat of Tom’s large hand on her back as he guided her outside, and the adrenaline rush she’d felt while performing came back tenfold.
They’d all worked so hard the last two days that she longed to be alone with him, even if it was just to talk.
Because talking with Tom was more enjoyable, more exciting, than making love with Eric had ever been. And knowing that, she was dying to experience the latter with Tom.
She suspected she’d probably lose her mind from the sensory overload, but she couldn’t wait to go mad.
The late night air felt cool on her bare shoulders, pleasant after the crowded warmth of the suite. Beth moved to the balcony’s side railing, resting her elbows on its top. The sheer drapes on the French doors, along with artfully placed floral arrangements, guaranteed them almost complete privacy from people inside.
“So how did it feel to sing in front of a packed auditorium?” Tom leaned back against the railing next to her, arms bent behind him so his hands could clasp the upper rail.
The pose drew attention to his powerful arm and chest muscles, straining against his snug gray shirt. Black jeans and boots completed his outfit, emphasizing his lean, sexy build. From all angles, too.
With his attractive backside in her direct view for most of the concert, she’d had a heck of a time trying to stay focused. The man’s body was utterly touchable.
So what was stopping her?
Beth stepped in front of Tom and wrapped her arms around his narrow waist. He immediately widened his stance and locked his arms around her, pulling her tight against him.
Her heels put them eye-to-eye with one another, their bodies aligned perfectly from breast to groin.
“You all right?” he asked. “You cold?”
She shook her head. “I’m perfect.”
Beth leaned forward to press a gentle kiss against his lower jaw. It was baby smooth beneath her lips, unlike the other morning.
“I just wanted to say thank you. Singing tonight, in front of all those people—it’s something I’ll never forget.”
He smiled. “Now don’t be talking like it’s a one-time thing. We’ve still got plenty of shows left. You’re not going anywhere.”
Maybe not today, or next week. But she’d be leaving soon after that. She had to.
Beth lifted a hand to comb through his dark hair, loving the feel of it between h
er fingers. His eyes closed and a low groan escaped his lips. “Yes,” she said, “but the first time is the most memorable, don’t you think? It’s a completely new experience. You’re doing something you never did before, maybe to conquer old fears or…”
She trailed off as his eyes opened. Heat emanated from them. Desire. For her.
“The first time may seem the most daunting, and the most amazing, but every time after that has it’s own rewards. You can make every experience as new and exciting as you want. It’s all in what you bring to the moment. What you feel.”
Right then she had the feeling he wasn’t talking about performing anymore.
And that was fine with her.
She didn’t know who moved first, or if it was a mutual thing, but in the next instant their lips were crushed together, hungrily clinging and then opening to taste the very depths of each other.
She moved her arms so she could delve into his hair once again, then brushed her fingers over his ears, cheekbones, jaw. She couldn’t stop touching him.
His grip tightened even more, his hands sliding down to knead her bottom and pull her so close she could clearly feel his erection pressing against her abdomen. So close, yet so far from where she wanted— No. Needed it to be.
He tore his mouth away, then leaned his forehead against hers. “Ah, sweetheart, you don’t know what you do to me.”
“I think I could make a good guess,” she said in between deep breaths. “If I had one of those things, we’d be having a sword fight right now.”
He tilted his head back and laughed. “Oh, man. That’s what I love about you. You don’t mince words.”
Tom pressed tender kisses along her hairline while his strong hands rubbed up and down her back. His caresses felt wonderful, but Beth’s mind was in a whirl.
Love? Did he say love?
That’s what I love about you.
Wait, she shouldn’t get carried away. Those words could be thrown at a person for any number of reasons, usually in a platonic manner. It certainly didn’t mean he loved her.
He was just coining a phrase. Wasn’t he?
Beth leaned back to look into Tom’s face, at his twinkling brown eyes and broad grin. Had she really been hoping, deep down, that Tom would fall in love with her and they’d live happily ever after?
Geta grip, girl. Life on the road sucks and you know it. Even if he did love you, that’s not what you want for yourself.
The familiar refrain from Beth’s inner voice was right, and she knew it.
But another inner voice suddenly appeared, and it said what she wanted was moot. It was what she needed that mattered.
And she needed Tom.
Desperate to stop the turmoil in her head, wanting only to experience all the present had to offer, Beth gripped Tom’s head and ravaged his mouth with every bit of energy she could muster.
He returned the embrace full-force, wrapping her long hair around his fingers in order to hold her still.
But she wasn’t going anywhere. This was exactly where she wanted to be.
In his arms.Forever.
Oops. There was that annoying second voice again, sticking its nose into business that had been settled years ago.
Needing even more distraction, Beth forced Tom’s arm downward, leading his hand to her breast.
Another low groan came from his lips, and he instantly molded his fingers around her curved flesh, extremely sensitive beneath the dress she wore. The style of the clingy spandex hadn’t allowed for a bra, so her taut nipple was clearly outlined through the black material.
Tom pulled his head back to look down at what his ministrations had done to her. “Oh, darlin’, you are so beautiful.”
He came forward again to kiss her while his hand moved to slide the thin strap of her dress off her shoulder.
Wanting his skilled fingers on her bare skin, Beth didn’t utter a single sound of protest. She’d completely forgotten other people were less than six feet away.
“Hannah, we need to talk about this!”
But the memory of where they were came rushing back as Jack and Hannah erupted through the French doors and onto the balcony next to them.
Tom dropped his arms and stepped away, keeping Beth out of view just enough for her to subtly readjust her dress.
“Jack, I told you I’m fine—oh, hi, Tom.” Hannah’s eyes widened at the sight of Beth next to him. “And Beth?” Avid curiosity was so apparent on the woman’s face that Beth decided maybe she hadn’t been as subtle as she’d thought.
Jack shot Hannah a quelling look. Then he addressed Tom and Beth, his questioning gaze moving between them. “We’re not interrupting anything, are we?”
Tom quirked an eyebrow at his friend. “Maybe I should be asking you the same thing.”
Hannah sent Jack an indecipherable glance, but the two of them remained silent.
When a minute had elapsed with no one speaking, Beth decided to break the stalemate. “Tom, we should probably go back inside anyway.”
“Yeah, all right.” He once again laid a guiding hand on her lower back, and they moved past Hannah and Jack and into the light spilling out of the suite. “See you two later.”
“See ya.” Beth added her own goodbye to Tom’s.
“Hey, Tom,” Hannah said, “wait a minute.” She dug into the tiny purse hanging off her shoulder and came up with a tissue. She handed it to Tom. “Wipe your mouth.”
Beth looked closely at Tom’s face as Hannah continued on. “Plum Passion looks better on Beth than it does on you.”
Tom grinned as he wiped traces of Beth’s lipstick from his face, but Beth felt a flush rise over her own skin.
The man had driven her crazy with lust in public places too many times. And he might be enjoying himself, but she couldn’t take it anymore.
The next time they engaged in a make-out session, it would be in private. And she was determined their activities would follow through to their natural, mutually satisfying end.
Three weeks of foreplay was enough, for God’s sake.
As Tom and Beth re-entered the parlor, the slim figure on a nearby balcony turned and went back inside her own room, slamming the door shut behind her.
•
The trip to Erie, Pennsylvania, and the ensuing performance there were uneventful—a blessed change from the hubbub surrounding the previous shows.
Throughout the concert and the autograph session afterward, Beth had been riding high due both to the crowd’s energy and to Tom Crowley. His proximity to her on stage and at the signing table later on was a big tease: Look but don’t touch.
It made her want to scream.
So as they arrived back at their hotel, Beth was torn. On one hand, she wanted to grab Tom and shove him into the first empty room they came across. Broom closet, public rest room, it didn’t matter. She just wanted him alone and naked.
But on the other hand, the adrenaline rush that had kept her going before was severely depleted, leaving her fighting to keep her eyes open. She wanted nothing more than a leisurely soak in her room’s big tub, but she was afraid she’d end up drowning if she tried it.
“Poker in our suite. You girls up for it?” Leo apparently was still raring to go, even at this late hour.
As the group filed into the elevator, Hannah said, “Yeah, I’m game. How about you, Beth?”
She gave a weak smile in reply. “Sorry, guys. The way I feel right now, I wouldn’t be much of a challenge to beat.”
“Oh, come on. Compared to how Dylan plays, you’d be giving us a run for our money!” Jack’s comment started a bout of good-natured teasing among Hannah and the guys, with everybody voicing an opinion of the others’ poker skills.
They all had such fun together that Beth wished she had the stamina to join their card game. But she was totally wiped out.
Good thing they had time to recoup before their final concerts. Which meant the tour was almost over, and that thought made her head, and heart, ache.
; Yeah, a long soak was definitely what she needed in order to forget about things for a while.
The elevator doors opened and everyone stepped out. Hannah moved to the right, saying to the men, “Give me about twenty minutes. I’m gonna shower and change first.”
Tom grasped Beth’s wrist, pulling her aside as Hannah and the guys went their separate ways down the hall.
“Are you sure you’re not up to playing? Or even just hanging out with us?” His eyes searched her face. “Never mind. I can see how tired you are. Maybe we can do something tomorrow?”
She nodded and gave him a weary smile, then pulled his head down to kiss his cheek. “Thank you for understanding.”
So much for her drag-Tom-into-a-janitor’s-closet-and-jump-his-bones idea. With her luck, she would’ve fallen asleep in a mop bucket as soon as his clothes were off.
“I’ll walk you to your room,” he said, taking her hand and leading her down the hall.
Minutes later, Beth was sprawled out, face down and fully dressed, on her double bed.
She knew she wouldn’t have made it through a bath, but she couldn’t even muster the energy for a quick shower. Perhaps after a short nap she’d feel better…
“Hey, Beth.” Someone was shaking her leg. “Hey, sweetie, you should change.”
Beth turned her head to find Hannah sitting on the bed next to her, freshly showered and dressed in an olive tank and capris. A white sweater was draped over her shoulders to guard against the hotel’s overworked air conditioning.
“Man, you weren’t kidding when you said you were tired. I wasn’t in the bathroom more than ten minutes and you were dead to the world. But you wouldn’t be comfortable sleeping in that dress all night, so I figured I’d better wake you before I left.”
Hannah gave a friendly pat to Beth’s back and then stood. “It’s too bad you don’t feel well. When we play poker it usually turns into an all-night thing.” She smiled as Beth rolled to her back. “So there I’ll be, crashing in the guys’ suite, and you’ll be in this room all alone. Kind of sucks, doesn’t it?”
Beth rolled her eyes. That was the understatement of her life lately. “Gee, thanks for pointing that out.”
