I pushed against him. “You’re disgusting!”
“And I’m all yours,” he said as he used his other hand to grab a handful of hair. “Let’s go onstage and ring in the New Year right, eh, Mrs. Nix?”
He pulled me out of the tent and toward the stage. I stumbled behind him as I tried to keep up, trying like hell not to draw attention to us as we joined the band, Andy and Jace up on stage for the countdown to 2012.
I was shivering from anger, and a little bit of fear, as I stood there in the unforgiving circle of Eddie’s arms. He glanced down with an expression as sweet as sugar. “Cold, baby?” he asked as he drew me closer. “I’ll warm you up.”
My eyes met Jace’s. I could tell from his clenched jaw he was having a hard time not intervening. I gave a very slight shake of my head. As horrible as Eddie was, his releasing those tapes and splashing Jace and I over every sleazy tabloid and Internet site would be way worse. This just affected me, I wasn’t about to risk Jace’s career too. I could handle Eddie. I had for the last few months.
We counted down as the ball began to drop, and when the first notes of Auld Lang Syne began to play, Eddie’s mouth crushed down on mine. His whiskey-soaked tongue forced through my tightly clenched lips as he pulled me even closer.
I resisted the urge to wipe my mouth when he finally ended the kiss, as well as glaring at him for forcing such a despicable public display of physical “affection” onto me against my will.
I couldn’t wait for January 13.
CHAPTER TWO
Seattle, Washington
January 13, 2012
The first stop for the Fierce/Dreaming in Blue tour was Seattle. Randy Hewitt, the rocker from our competition, took the place of bassist Iain Wallis in the band, as Iain returned home to England. His touring days took a backseat to his growing family, so Vanni had long pegged Randy to fill the hole in the band. Since Randy was an accomplished musician who could play lead, rhythm or bass guitar, it was a natural fit.
It was also a boost for Randy, who had placed eighth in the competition. He had participated on the show for exposure, but in his mind he was a musician, not a star. He really wanted to jam more than take center stage. Because of this, he got along well with classically trained Yael Satterlee, Dreaming in Blue’s lead guitarist, who was more about the music than the fame. Randy slipped quietly in the background, leaving the spotlight for those of us who had always wanted it.
Since the top three finalists of the show all got star billing with the Dreaming in Blue tour, it had been the gig all of us were eyeballing as we battled to win Fierce. Dreaming in Blue was still a mega-selling band that could pack arenas, so that meant maximum exposure for any artist lucky enough to get a spot in the show. Fortunately for the tour, the top two finalists were those Vanni would have picked regardless. Jace, who had crafted his brand to be the sexy rock star despite his soft rock beginnings, was a no-brainer. Since Vanni had practically adopted me like a baby sister, I was sure to land a spot regardless of where I finished in the show. The only real surprise was Shelby Goddard. She was more a pop star than a rock star, but honestly I couldn’t have been happier that she got to go along with us. Shelby, Jace and I had formed a rather unique camaraderie as we performed together week after week. She was, in fact, one of the dearest friends I’d made throughout the process.
The only complication I could see it was the fact she was blindly in love with Jace. They had shared one kiss months ago, when Eddie had forced me into the engagement from hell, but Jace had never encouraged her romantic feelings beyond that. That didn’t stop her from harboring a crush that had not dimmed over time, which was painfully obvious when we all met for rehearsals on January 9th. She practically jumped into his arms, overjoyed to see him again.
I tried to get him to see that she was crazy about him, but Jace shrugged it off. He figured since he hadn’t encouraged her, there was really no need to worry about it.
But Shelby did see herself as one of the “three musketeers,” so it was next to impossible to wedge any real time alone with Jace while she was on tour with us. This was especially true because she believed my marriage to Eddie was a real one, and envied that I had found my “happily ever after” with a boy all the girls at home had wanted.
Worse, I knew that she and Eddie had formed a friendship over the last many months, so anything I did with Jace would be reported right back to Eddie. It was yet another complication I didn’t need, especially after the fiasco on New Year’s Eve.
Eddie had been content to leave it at the New Year’s kiss on stage, letting me return to my hotel room while he tried to worm his way into the pants of that TV host. I guess he succeeded, because he hadn’t returned by the time I checked out the next day. I flew back to Los Angeles to prepare for the tour, and I hadn’t seen him much since. He went home to Iowa to visit his folks, which meant I could hang out with my friends if I had any downtime, which I really hadn’t.
Even more frustrating, neither did Jace. We were constantly being pulled in different directions. I was definitely looking forward to some quality time now that our jobs had forced us together instead of apart. I just had to find a way to get around Shelby.
I felt like a shit even thinking that way. She’d been nothing but kind to me, and being around her reminded me of hanging around my childhood best friend, Bree. Since I grew up an only child, the “sisterhood” that we had created between us was something that I treasured.
But Jace was my heart. I could no more deny him than give up breathing. I was aching every single day of rehearsals, needing to be with him again. He decided that he wanted to wait until the night of our performance. It was Friday the 13th, and it was his way of thumbing his nose at fate. Plus, it would be the only real downtime we’d have as we prepared for our first show.
“I want to savor you,” he said against my ear as we hung back stage watching Shelby practice her song. His body was hard against me, rubbing against my full hips. It was making me crazy, but we both already knew that sexual tension would make our performances sizzle. We got to do our romantic duet, and I was the one who introduced Jace’s entrance. I sang a Bonnie Tyler hit, belting out powerfully about how much I needed a hero. Nothing could have been truer. It was a bombastic tune that was made even more thrilling by the pyrotechnics and Jace’s entrance on his motorcycle. His engine would rev with the thundering of the drums until he exploded through a ring of fire, coming to a halt downstage where I waited.
He once again impressed me with his fearlessness. Despite being an amputee, he was ready to test his physical limits whenever there was an opportunity. I knew it would cement his branding as a rock star. It was so alpha male it made me a little giddy, too.
When the groupies in the audience realized he was going to soon make an appearance, their excitement nearly tore the roof down. By the time he burst through those flames and skid down front, we went from being the feature act to star billing. He did his set of songs and then introduced Dreaming in Blue the same way he had in New York. He sang, “Baby, Say My Name,” and the audience went wild. They knew that their idol, Giovanni Carnevale, was not far behind.
When Vanni ran through the middle of the aisles of the arena, shirtless and dressed in his trademark leather pants, I thought girls were actually going to pass out. Jace then joined us backstage and we watched the master put the screaming crowd under his control. Even though I knew he was hopelessly committed to his wife, he made each and every girl feel special in the crowd. I knew Jace would have to learn how to pull that off, but I wasn’t looking forward to it. I’d definitely need to corner Andy one day and see how she did it, sharing her man with the world without fear.
I joined Vanni for “Only Forever Will Do,” and we all joined Dreaming in Blue for the encore song, “Make it Happen.” Even though we sang these songs a lot, Vanni always threw something in there that made them feel fresh and brand new.
This tour was like a college course on how to be a super star, with a real liv
e idol at the helm.
The after-party consisted mostly of industry professionals. Fans won backstage passes through local radio promotions, and I watched as Jace followed Vanni’s lead of being accommodating without being inappropriate. I could only imagine how things used to be when Vanni was a free man, able to romance groupies by the dozen. None of the guys in DIB seemed to care about scoring with eager groupies, even Randy – who was new to the whole process. He followed Yael and gravitated mostly to other musicians.
It was really interesting to me to see how people so uncomfortable with the spotlight could seek out a living right in the middle of one. I, too, had a love-hate relationship with the attention. Most of it was overwhelmingly positive, but it was impossible to ignore the negative. I forced through my own lingering self-esteem issues to tackle that stage, wearing clothes that didn’t fit me the same way Shelby’s outfits fit her.
She was gorgeous. It was impossible not to compare ourselves as we stood next to each other in front of the mirror, applying our makeup and doing our hair.
I’d probably never be able to share the stage with her at all if it weren’t for Jace, who would give me a wink from across the stage or pat my butt as I walked by. He’d text me sexy little messages, telling me how much he wanted me, sometimes getting so naughty I’d blush as I read them.
Shelby would just give me a giggly little nudge and say, “A message from your hubby, I presume?”
I’d think about Jace’s ring on my finger and I’d just answer with a big smile, “You know it.”
He was mine. In all the ways that counted.
And tonight, I’d be able to show him.
The after party lingered into the wee morning hours. Since it was our first night together in a long time, Shelby was reluctant to let it end. She was still flying high from her performance, which introduced her own single. It was a pop tune, but the audience had eaten it up, dancing in the aisles. I knew it’d be the next ear worm that would take over the country. Alan White, our stage manager from the show, even gave her a dance to go with it. It was sure to be a sensation.
Finally Jace extricated himself from the festivities, yawning wide and reminding everyone that we all still had one more date in Seattle before we could get any downtime traveling to our next stop. I agreed heartily, but Shelby grabbed my arm. “Oh, please don’t both of you leave! I haven’t seen you guys in forever!”
I sighed as I hung behind. I sent him a helpless look that basically said, “I’ll be there as fast as I can,” and let Shelby lead me back to the buffet table. She plowed into the French pastries full of sweet cream and colorful, flavorful fruit. “Oh my God, this is so good!” she exclaimed through her chipmunk cheeks. She thrust one my way. “Here, have one!”
I shook my head and held up my hand. “No, really. I’m full.”
“You hardly ate anything,” Shelby pouted. “Come on. One won’t kill you.” I hesitated because I hated to undo my progress, so she added, “Honestly, Jordi. If you lose any more weight you’re going to disappear. Come on.”
I glanced back at the pastry with a sigh. It did look good. And we still had one more show; I convinced myself that I could work off one pastry. I relented and took it from her hand. The bite was both sinful and heavenly. She was enormously pleased as she led us over to some seats, her arm hooked in mine.
“So tell me everything. How’s married life? How’s Eddie?”
I shrugged. “I don’t see much of him, honestly. You know how it’s been after the show, always on the go doing interviews, meeting with Graham, doing public appearances.”
Her face fell just a tad. “I’m not as busy as you, I guess. I’m working on my album in Nashville, but I’m not doing any real promotion yet.”
“It’s just because you’re not in L.A., I bet,” I consoled. “We’re there so we get put on the list for everything. I think I’ve seen more movies in the last six weeks than I have in my entire life.”
She shrugged. “I guess.” She took another bite of her pastry. When her eyes met mine, there was a sadness there. “I’ve missed you guys.”
“Aww,” I said as I reached for a hug. “We’ve missed you, too.”
Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I can’t stop thinking about Jace,” she confessed. “I can’t help it, Jordi. I’m in love with him. Like, for real love. Do you think I have a chance?”
I stared into her big, hopeful blue eyes. I didn’t know what to say, so I couched my answer by saying, “Love finds us when we least expect it. You just can’t give up hope that it’ll happen the way it’s supposed to happen.”
She shook her head with a smile. “I’ll never give up,” she promised. “I want my happy ending just like you.”
The pastry in my stomach threatened to rebel. “Anything is possible,” I said with a cheerful smile I totally didn’t feel.
I indulged her for about twenty more minutes before I finally excused myself.
“I have a totally beyond brilliant idea!” She exclaimed. “We should bunk together! Like a slumber party every night!”
Oh great, I thought. How was I going to get out of this? Finally I said, “Thing is, it’s my only real ‘alone’ time. I call Eddie, it gets… intimate…”
She blushed as she giggled. “Oh, okay.” She heaved another wistful sigh. “You’re so lucky, Jordi.”
I gave her another hug. “You will be, too,” I assured her. “You’re beautiful. You’re talented. You’re successful. You’ve got it all.”
“Not yet,” she replied. “But I will. Night, Jordi.”
I still felt like a shit when I got to my hotel room. She was confiding in me her deepest wishes and I was a big lying liar who lied about everything. I was depressed as I slid the key card through the slot and let myself into the darkened hotel room.
The second the door shut, I was swept up into powerful arms and pushed back against the wall. When his mouth landed on mine, I knew who it was. And I threw my arms around him and kissed him back, my sour mood immediately evaporated. How could I be depressed when he loved me? How could I feel bad when he wanted me?
My Jace was worth everything.
His tongue danced along my lips. “You taste sweet,” he said in a deep, soft voice, and I felt my insides tighten with anticipation.
“It’s strawberry cream,” I whispered back.
“No,” he said as he lifted me up easily and wrapped my legs around his waist. “It’s you.”
I coiled my body around him like a snake as I returned eagerly to his kiss, and he carried me effortlessly through the room toward the luxurious king-sized bed. The corner room featured two walls with large windows facing the Space Needle. We didn’t even bother with the lights as we toppled onto the bed. My fingers slipped through the buttons of his shirt easily, pushing the material from his strong shoulders.
He didn’t break the kiss as his hand slipped under my shirt, sliding up my bare flesh to cup my breast through the bra. I arched my back towards his strong hand as his thumb brushed slowly over the hardened peak. “Jace,” I gasped into his mouth. I wanted to tell him how I’ve wanted him every day… dreamed about him every night… but I was lost to bliss of being in his arms. His hands were on my body, making all my senses sing.
He positioned himself between my thighs, both of us still fully clothed. I could feel him grow, even harder than I remembered. I whimpered. I never needed anyone so badly. But he was determined to take his time.
We had waited too long.
He tore my blouse from my body, tossing it somewhere out of sight as his mouth landed hot and hungry against my bared flesh. He trailed kisses along my shoulder and across my chest as his hand gently massaged my breast, making me crazier for him. He easily unclasped the bra from its hook in the front. The material fell to either side, releasing my full, heavy breasts for him. “God, Jordi,” he moaned. “You’re even more perfect than I remember.”
With that he clasped his hot mouth around my hardened nipple, his teeth holding me
into place as his tongue dashed across me like quicksilver. I shuddered against him, my fingers gripping his dark hair he’d begun to grow out a little longer and spikier to fit his new rock image.
He was a rock god. And he was all mine.
I hooked my leg around his hip to draw him even closer to me, gyrating against him. He strained against his jeans as he mimicked my motion, grinding into me, making me ache for him. “Jace,” said again, a more plaintive whimper.
He released my breast to rise up for another kiss. “No, baby,” he muttered against my lips. “I want to savor you.”
I felt his finger hook into my jeans and deftly release the fastener. His eyes locked with mine as he eased the zipper down. I lifted my hips so he could peel my clothes from my body, leaving me naked and trembling under him. He parted my thighs with his large, strong hand as he positioned himself between my legs. Cool air rushed over me briefly before his tongue darted between the slippery folds to taste me.
I let out a contented groan as I parted my legs further, tilting my hips up to his hungry mouth. His fingers spread me apart as his tongue found its target, flicking over me in firm little strokes that made me tingle all the way to my toes. The tip of his finger gentle rimmed me before dipping inside teasingly in short stokes that got closer and closer to that magic little spot inside of me only he could find. Just when he did, his lips clamped around my engorged clit, making me cry out as he sucked me into his mouth. He wasn’t playing around. He wanted to make me come hard and repeatedly.
I felt the spark start deep within me as warm pleasure rushed over me in a wave. I couldn’t even speak as he lingered between my thighs, tempting one powerful orgasm after another. I thrashed under him until finally I exploded, “Jace, please!”
His incredible green eyes locked with mine as he crawled up my body. “Please, what?” he asked in a powerfully sexy low voice.
My eyes were wide as I stared into his. “Make love to me.”
Unstoppable (Fierce) Page 2
