Desire Too Hot To Handle: The Bad Baker Boys: John's Story

by Tonya Brooks

  "I don't want to do any damage," she denied emphatically.

  "Then you just need to hit him hard enough to stun him," John assured her as he took her much smaller hand in his again. "Now make a fist." She did and he noticed that her long hot pink fingernails were digging into her palm. Chicks and their nails. The chances of getting her to cut them were probably slim to none so he didn't even bother suggesting it.

  Instead, John repositioned her fingers so that they lay flat against the ball of her hand and the knuckles of her fist and fingers were straight. "Hold it like this so you don't break your nails," he instructed and saw her lips twitch. "Keep your thumb wrapped tight against your index finger so it's out of the way."

  Cyn was fighting to hold back a smile. John was being so sweet, trying to show her how to get loose from an attacker. When he took her manicure into consideration, her heart melted into a puddle. Lord, he was more dangerous to her than any stalker ever could be and he didn't even know it. She held her fist up and looked it over carefully. "I can do that," she agreed.

  "Uh huh," he nodded confidently and moved behind her to place her into position. "Step back with your left foot to balance yourself. Reach up with the left hand to grab hold of his shirt. Bring your right fist up nipple high..."

  Cyn started giggling. God help her, she wasn't even surprised this time. The man did have that kind of effect on her. "Is nipple high a martial arts term?" She asked tongue in cheek.

  "Nah, it's a get the chick to relax so you can teach her some serious shit term," he grinned at her in the mirror in front of them. "Fist nipple high, and punch up for the throat."

  He had her run through the moves a few times before he stepped in front of her. "Okay, practice on me." When her smile faded, he held his open hand in front of his throat and said, "Hit my hand."

  "What if I miss?" She asked and bit her lip nervously.

  "Darlin', I've sparred with my brothers since I was old enough to walk. You're not going to hurt me if you miss," he assured her.

  Cyn wasn't happy about it, but she knew he wouldn't give up until she hit him. She stepped back, grabbed his shirt, raised her fist and punched his hand. "How was that?" She asked anxiously.

  "Form was great. Punch needs work," he admitted. "Put some weight behind it this time. You're trying to stun a man, not swat a fly." Cyn kept at it, punching harder and harder each time until she actually managed to move his hand with the force of the blow. "That's more like it."

  "It's a whole lot hotter watching you do this," she complained thirty minutes later and wiped the sweat off of her brow with the back of her hand. Geez, and she'd thought learning to pole dance was hard.

  "Uh, uh. Watching your breasts bounce every time you throw a punch is pretty damn hot," he said with that bad boy grin and snagged her hips to pull her against him. "I need a shower to cool down."

  "Or mind blowing sex," she countered as she stood on tiptoe and draped her hands over his shoulders.

  "Darlin', you always this insatiable?" John asked hopefully.

  "Only with you," she admitted.

  That was what he wanted to hear.

  ~~~~~

  When the Bad Boys took the stage that night, they rocked the house with an intensity that energized the audience and it was more than obvious that they loved it. The band was exhilarated and the night had just gotten started. John was so full of energy he was practically vibrating. The fire was burning brighter than it ever had before and he electrified the crowd with My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark.

  All of his family were there in VIP along with Cyn since it was her night off, and he was pleased to see that she and Danni were sitting together. It was more than obvious that the two women were having a hell of a good time as they danced all over the place together. Several men tried cutting in or dancing with them, but the women just laughed and ignored the attention.

  Once the band took a break and were back at their table, Danni said, "John, I know you don't do requests, but I'd do anything to hear you play Sweet Child O' Mine tonight."

  He arched a brow in challenge and asked, "Wanna sit in for a set?"

  Her smile was downright devilish when she replied, "Thought you'd never ask."

  John lifted Cyn out of her seat next to him and draped her over his lap. He kissed a spot beneath her ear and asked, "You mind if Danni plays with the band, darlin'?" The women were getting along great, but he didn't want to do anything to piss Cyn off or make her jealous.

  "I'd be pissed if she didn't," she laughingly assured him. "You guys are incredible together."

  When the band took the stage again, John grabbed the microphone and announced, "Folk's the hottest woman to ever play an axe is with us tonight. Anybody ever heard of Thorne In My Side?" Cheers and shouts filled the crowded club since they were one of the hottest bands on the planet. "Give it up for Danni Walker!"

  The roar of the crowd was instantaneous as Danni stepped up on the stage and grabbed a guitar. She shot John a wink and said, "Alright, Johnny B. Bad, let's rock this place."

  They did. They lit the place up with Sweet Child O' Mine and left the crowd screaming for more. That shit was awesome and John was so pumped he almost floated off the stage. Without missing a beat he went right into Burn It To The Ground and the place went wild again. When Cyn started dancing with the stripper pole between the stage and the VIP area, he knew exactly how to send the crowd into a frenzy.

  He put on the headset, told Alex which song to play and walked across the stage to Cyn. She was standing behind the pole, both hands gripping it chest high as she watched him warily. Yeah, she knew he was up to something. This shit was gonna be wild. John had never tried anything like this before and he hoped like hell he didn't lose his cool.

  He lifted the strap over his head and swung the guitar down in front of Cyn so her body was trapped between him and the instrument. As long as she kept her hands out of his way, this should work. Bending down so he was next to her ear, he began to sing softly. "You let me violate you, you let me desecrate you, you let me penetrate you, you let me complicate you."

  Cyn began to move that gorgeous body, carefully, slowly. Her hips shifting with the beat, pressing her hot little ass into the tire iron in his jeans. She lifted one arm over her head, her hand reaching back to tangle in the hair at his nape. The other hand slid down his hip to grip his ass and hold on. John looked down at the perfect view of her breasts inside the tank top. Best idea ever.

  There was no doubting the passion in his voice when he sang, "I wanna fuck you like an animal. I wanna feel you from the inside." Holy shit, he wanted to claim her right there with everyone watching. He used the guitar to bring her even closer and she grabbed the pole with one hand as she ground back against him. They moved together in perfect sync as if they had practiced this routine a thousand times.

  The song finally ended and the sex kitten twisted her nubile body around so that she was facing him. She slid one hand behind his neck and the other around his chest, bringing them even closer. Her eyes practically ate him alive as she slowly and deliberately licked his lips. Holy shit, he almost lost it. If it hadn't been for the roar of the crowd he might have.

  Instead, John flashed her that daring bad boy grin, faced the audience and said proudly, "Give it up for my woman, Cyn."

  ~~~~~

  Cyn was sitting in his lap when Danni walked up with a man in tow. That both of them were smiling like complete idiots should have been a clue, but John was too buzzed on sheer euphoria to pay it much attention.

  "John, I want you to meet a friend of mine," Danni said in what sounded like triumph. "This is Johnny Ringo."

  John was on his feet so fast that Cyn almost hit the floor before he steadied her. "Holy shit," he breathed in something akin to reverence as he stared at the other man. The head of Rebel Records was here. In the flesh. Was this shit for real?

  "So you're the Johnny B. Bad I've been hearing so much about," he said in satisfaction as he shook the younger mans v
ery talented hands. "Man, I gotta tell ya that was the best four A.M. phone call I ever had."

  When John just looked at him in a combination of confusion and shock, Danni explained. "I sent the videos from last night to Thorne. He sent them on to Shard Dalton and Shard got Johnny out of bed to call me."

  John's head was spinning at hearing all those famous names in one sentence before he finally grasped the situation. "You came here to see us?" He asked in shock.

  "Best trip I ever made," the record mogul confirmed. "Man, we have got to talk about your future."

  Ten minutes later, the awestruck and very excited Bad Boys sat in John's office and listened to Johnny Ringo's spiel. Johnny had been seriously impressed. The videos had shown that these guys, and John in particular, had amazing talent, but the live performance had been out of this world. He had sat alone at a table all night where he could watch the band perform and judge the crowd's reaction. It had been phenomenal.

  "The kind of energy you guys have would blow the top off of a packed arena," he assured them confidently, the excitement evident in his voice. Johnny looked over at John and added, "And I gotta tell ya, man. The onstage foreplay between you and your woman was hotter than hell. Is that a regular part of your performances?"

  "Nope, but I could get used to it," the bad boy grinned.

  Johnny and the other men laughed at that. "Listen, the normal routine is we take a new band and set up several different venues to judge crowd response, performance abilities and such," he explained seriously. "With you guys I think that would be a waste of time. I've seen the crowd go wild. Hell, I went wild with them! The Bad Boys are awesome and I really want you to sign with Rebel."

  There was a moment of stunned silence as all eyes turned to John. He looked around at the excited faces of the guys that he was closest to in the world and knew that he would never forget this moment. The moment that all their dreams were finally coming true.

  They had been together for sixteen years through the good times and the bad. They had followed him across the country seeking fame and fortune and a recording deal. They had picked his broken ass back up, brought him home and given him a reason to go on. They would follow him to hell and he knew it. But John had already been to hell once and he had no intention of ever going back. He'd never let his band down again.

  He met the recording executives hopeful expression and smiled. "Johnny, you've got yourself a band."

  The excited shouts practically shook the walls as the band whooped with glee. Profuse hugging, fist bumps, high fives and back slapping ensued all around. Before they calmed down, Johnny said, "There is one little thing I'd like you guys to do. If it isn't too much to ask."

  "Dude, whatever you want, it's yours," John readily agreed. Which is how he found himself back onstage making an announcement that he'd waited his entire life to make. Sort of. They'd had to agree to let Johnny join them onstage for a song. It should be a hell of a lot of fun and worth a few laughs if nothing else.

  "Folks, you are not gonna believe this shit," he said happily into the mic. "The head of Rebel Records is here tonight. Give it up for Johnny Ringo!" The cheers and applause was deafening as the man walked up on the stage.

  Johnny grabbed a microphone and asked, "You guys think the Bad Boys should sign with Rebel?" When the place went wild, he grinned and said, "I'm gonna make 'em rock stars!"

  That was John's cue and he began to singing while the crowd shouted their encouragement.

  "I'm through with standing in line at clubs I'll never get in, It's like the bottom of the ninth and I'm never gonna win, this life hasn't turned out quite the way I want it to be."

  "Tell me what you want," Johnny chimed in with the spoken part. He'd always wanted to be a rock star himself, but lacked the talent. However, he did have the talent to make these boys dream come true and have some fun in the process. It was a win-win situation all around.

  ~~~~~

  Everyone in the VIP section was on their feet shouting and hugging each other in their excitement. Cyn was too stunned to move. She just sat there staring at nothing, the announcement playing over and over again in her mind. John was going to be a rock star. That meant that he was leaving her. Just like everyone else in her life. Pain exploded in her chest and radiated out till every part of her ached with the loss.

  She reminded herself that she had no right to hurt. That they were just lovers, nothing more. But it felt like more. So much more than she wanted to admit. Yeah, her heart was breaking, but it was her own damn fault. She'd screwed up and let him in. She had trusted him and now he was going to leave her, too. To be a rock star.

  Her eyes focused on John as he sang Turn The Page. He was in his element, doing what he'd been born to do and he'd never looked happier. Yeah, he'd be a rock star alright. There was no way he could fail. In spite of the pain, Cyn was happy that he was going to follow his dream. He deserved it. God help her, she was going to have to let him go.

  It was the last song of the night and John wanted to give something back to the loyal fans who came out week after week to hear the band play. "We never would have made it to this point without you guys," he told the crowd as Steve swapped the guitar for a banjo. "You're the best and this song is for you."

  The band played People Back Home and Cyn had to excuse herself to go to the ladies room. She stood in the lounge and just stared at her shell shocked reflection in the mirror, trying to regain some composure. Pretty soon she would be one of the people back home. John would be gone and she would go on to the next chapter of her life. Alone. Always alone. That thought firmly in mind, she hardened her heart and headed back to the VIP area.

  John broke free of his friends and family and grabbed Cyn up in a hug. Laughing like a crazy man he swung her around until they were both dizzy before he kissed her senseless. "Can you believe it, darlin'?"

  "Yes. You deserve it," she admitted even though it hurt like hell and tightened her hold on him a little more. Cyn knew that she needed to make a clean break as soon as possible, but right now she just wanted to hold him close for a little while longer.

  John put her down but kept his arms firmly around her waist. "Johnny loved our dance. Called it onstage foreplay," he said with a wicked laugh. "Wants us to make it part of the show. Not sure I'm gonna like all those guys watching you shake that ass for me."

  "What?" She asked in confusion.

  "Want you to go on tour with me, darlin'." John informed her happily.

  "No," she refused and stepped out of his embrace before she gave in to the insane impulse to agree. Her foolish heart would follow him anywhere, but her head knew better.

  "Why not?" He asked with a frown.

  "John, I've worked too hard to get my degree," she pointed out the first logical excuse that came to mind. "Do you really think I would give up my career to become a groupie?"

  "You wouldn't be a groupie," he denied with a frown.

  "Alright then, a backup dancer," she clarified and shook her head. "Not happening."

  He hauled her back into his arms again and growled, "I want you with me, Cyn."

  "I am with you," she conceded and held on to her resolve by the skin of her teeth. "Right here, right now. Anything more than this is out of the question and you know it."

  Not what he wanted to hear. "What I know is I'm not leavin' you behind, darlin'."

  "People always leave, John." Cyn said sadly. "I learned a long time ago that you can’t depend on them to stick around, and you’re no different."

  This time when she pulled away, he let her go.

  ~~~~~

  "Why are you so afraid of having a relationship?" He queried that night after everyone had left and they were alone at the club.

  "Do you really want to go there?" She asked and hoped he didn't, because she sure as hell didn't.

  "Yeah, I do."

  "You want to hear all the pitiful details of my life?" Cyn asked in annoyance and sank onto one of the sectionals.

  "I think I d
eserve to know why you won't let me in," was his quiet response as he sat beside her, pain evident in those too blue eyes.

  The fact that she was hurting him calmed her ire. The last thing she ever wanted to do was cause him pain. If she had to rip her own heart out to make him understand, then that was what she would do. "I was twelve when my dad was killed in an accident at work," Cyn began in a tone laden with grief. "The explosion destroyed everything. They didn't find enough of him to bury."

  John's arm went around her shoulders and pulled her to his side. She laid her head against his chest, seeking the comfort that he was offering. "The company had a memorial service for all the men, but since I hadn't seen a body, it wasn't real to me. I went into denial and refused to believe that daddy was gone. I sat on the front porch for days waiting for him to come home. But he never did."

  "Jonah lived next door to us and he was my best friend. I don't remember a time when he wasn't in my life. We were a lot like Jed and Kylie and did everything together," she said with a sad smile of reminiscence. "He sat on the porch with me day and night and held me while I cried. When I finally accepted that daddy was gone, Jonah decided that we needed to have a funeral."

  A bittersweet smile touched her lips at the memory. "He talked his mom out of her cedar jewelry box and we placed pictures and mementoes of my dad in it. Then we buried it in the back yard." Cyn paused to wipe a tear away. "On some level Jonah knew that I needed closure, even though neither of us even knew what that was at the time, and he gave it to me."

  "Sounds like a good friend," John said quietly.

  "The best," she agreed. "A year later my best friend became my boyfriend. From that day forward, my life was perfect. We got engaged the same day that he joined the Marines. Two days before I graduated high school, we received word that he had been killed in action. Seeing Jonah in that casket was the worst moment of my life because there was no denying the truth. He was gone. Just like my dad."

  John's heart broke for the pain he heard in her voice. "Cyn, you don't have to..."