The bottle was already at her lips when she realized that she was supposed to be reprimanding him. She took a swig before she put it down on the counter. “You’re causing the bus driver a lot of stress, Jimmy, and he has to drive all night. That’s not exactly ideal. He could have an accident. From now on, please make sure you’re on the bus 30 minutes before our scheduled departure time.”
He laughed and beer almost sputtered from his mouth. “You sound like a flight attendant. Why so serious? Where’s that fun-loving girl who used to shout ‘One more!’ with her fist in the air?” He took a step closer and looked deep into her eyes. His smile grew wider. “I think I see her in there. I think she wants some beer.” He brought his beer bottle to her lips and offered it to her.
She laughed and swatted it away. He was drunk, and he was being silly.
“You know you want some.” He taunted her with the bottle by moving it back and forth under her nose.
The scent of barley filled her senses, and it was suddenly appealing. She wanted it.
He tipped the bottle toward her lips. “Don’t fight it. Let it hit your lips and moisten your tongue.”
Her eyes flipped wide open, and she stared at him. There was only a small amount of light filtering in through the side window, so they were basically standing in the dark. He looked incredibly handsome in the silhouette of the night, and his smile was exceptionally flirtatious. She couldn’t resist smiling back. “I don’t want any beer.”
“Your mouth says no, but your body says yes.”
He was standing so close that she felt the heat of his skin next to hers. The small hairs on her arm stood up from the prickly goosebumps that rose on her flesh. There was a sexual energy that emanated from him. It was an erotic pull that rendered her helpless. She couldn’t move – nor did she want to. She wanted to stay in this little bubble where only she and Jimmy and the light of the moon existed.
He touched the tip of the beer bottle to her bottom lip, and a plume of smoke floated from her mouth as her warm breath met the cold, frosty beverage.
“That’s my girl.” He tilted the bottle against her puckered lips, and the refreshing brew cooled her palate. He pulled the bottle away from her mouth, and a tiny drop of beer dripped down her chin. He wiped it away with his hand, and then sucked the droplet of liquid off his finger.
Her heart was racing, and her breaths were labored. She was hypnotized by the glimmer in his eyes, and she couldn’t look away.
Jimmy let out a deep sigh, and his eyes slowly grazed over her body. The heat of his stare made her internal temperature rise to a boiling point. His lips touched her cheek, and she sucked in a deep breath while she anticipated his next move. His mouth was at her ear and offered her a warm gust of breath on her neck, which made her nipples harden.
“Goodnight, beautiful.” He stepped back and his eyes washed over her again. “Next time you meet me in the middle of the night, put some clothes on; otherwise, I won’t be able to control myself.” His fingers skimmed her cheek before he turned away and headed down the corridor. He stopped to take one last look at her over his shoulder, before he disappeared into the darkness.
Audra let out a deep breath and her shoulders fell. She ran her fingers through her hair with one hand and clutched her chest with the other. Jimmy never had this effect on her before, but she’d never been this close to him, either. He had flirted with her in the past, but he’d never turned on his sexual charm. It was inebriating. She was high on his potent, raw sexuality, and drawn to him with a powerful, uncontrollable force. She wanted him, but she knew it was taboo. He was a company client. Her head was spinning, and her nerve endings were tingling. His remark about her lack of attire caused her to glance down at her body. She was wearing short shorts and a loose-fitting tank top which exposed an ample amount of cleavage. Her nipples were rock hard and pointed under the thin cotton. She yearned for him, but knew his playboy status wasn’t something she wanted any part of.
She wrapped her arms around her waist and hurried back to her bunk. The light was on behind the curtain across from her, and Jimmy stuck his head out. “If you’re lonely, I got room in here.” Her eyes washed over his bare chest and colorful tattoos. He opened the curtain a little wider. She could see the waist band of his black Diesel briefs and the slight pouch that was caused by his erection. She was too flabbergasted to speak – or she was afraid of what she might say.
She gulped and suppressed a smile as she took control of her senses. “Goodnight, Jimmy.” She escaped into her bunk and hid behind the closed curtain. Her heart was beating so loud it reverberated in her ears. She clutched the material of her tank top and tried to mentally tame the fire that was coursing through her body. A few seconds later, heavy breathing overshadowed her pounding heartbeat. She didn’t dare look outside her curtain for fear she would rush into Jimmy’s bunk, but she knew it was him. She recognized his husky breaths. She tried to block out the sound of him pleasuring himself, but the image was clear behind her squeezed-shut eyes. She couldn’t control her desire any longer, and her hand traveled down her torso and settled between her legs. She was soft and wet. She pushed her shorts and thong aside and rubbed her clit with the lubrication of her own juices. She bit her lip to remain quiet, but it was impossible. Jimmy’s deep breaths sent her body spiraling with heat. She imagined it was his mouth licking her and swirling his tongue between the folds of her skin. She pretended it was his fingers that squeezed and pinched her nipple. His breathing grew louder, and she rubbed herself faster. She was hot and tingling – and waiting. As soon as she heard Jimmy’s long moan, she let go. Her clit throbbed as she came to the erotic sound of Jimmy’s climax. She shuddered and let out a long, gratifying sigh.
The bus was quiet, but her heart was still pounding in her ears. A second later, Jimmy’s voice broke through the silence. “Sweet dreams, baby.”
Chapter Four
It took about five seconds before Audra remembered last night’s self-gratification. She threw the covers over her head and turned to face the wall. A laugh rose from her throat without warning, and she buried her face in the pillow to hide it.
She had no idea how she was going to greet Jimmy with a straight face. She didn’t hear much noise coming from outside her bunk. Maybe everyone was still asleep and she could slip off the bus before they woke. She tiptoed down the corridor and peeked through the blinds. The bus was already parked behind the venue, right on schedule. She grabbed a quick change of clothes and snuck into the bathroom. She showered as quickly as possible, dressed, and slowly opened the door.
All was quiet. It looked like she was going to make it out of the bus unnoticed. It wasn’t until she hit the living area that she saw Jimmy waiting for her at the door.
“Where are you going so early?”
She read right through his smile. He was thinking about last night. They both were. “I have to check in with the venue. Why are you awake? It’s not noon yet. After the way you stumbled in here last night, I thought I was going to have to douse you with a fire hose in order to get you to the show on time.”
“I got up to take a piss and you were in the bathroom. I was listening at the door . . . in case you needed any help.”
She pressed her lips together to suppress a smile. “You were listening to me shower?”
“Yeah. I like to listen to you. You got a really sexy voice, especially when you’re out of breath.”
The memory of Jimmy’s heavy breathing from his bunk last night filled her ears. Her mind conjured up images of him stroking himself, and her body grew several degrees warmer.
“What’s wrong? You look a little overheated. Maybe you should have something to drink to cool off. There’s a diner right down the road.” He pointed toward the window. “We can walk. Join me for breakfast.”
She knew that breakfast with Jimmy was the wrong thing to do, but she had to stop herself from accepting the invitation. He had some kind of magnetic pull that drew her to him. He was persuasive an
d alluring, almost as if he cast some sort of spell on her. Her better judgment kicked in. She wasn’t falling for his ruse. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She headed for the door, but he stepped in front of her and blocked her path. Her nose was an inch away from the center of his chest. And he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Why the hell wasn’t he wearing a shirt? She could smell his scent. It was an intoxicating brew of musk mixed with a hint of sweat. She slowly looked up and met his eyes. They were twinkling with naughty mischief, and it was impossible not to smile back. “I gotta go.”
He stepped aside to allow her to pass, but her feet still weren’t moving.
“I thought you had to go.” He teased her with his smile.
She exhaled a deep breath to clear her head and forced herself to walk off the bus.
Audra ended up at the diner – alone. She told herself she needed coffee and food, but part of her wondered if she was hoping Jimmy would show up. She was glad he didn’t. She had a busy day. She was still getting used to dealing with the million and a half details that comprised the production of a single 90-minute show. Promoters, venue managers, ticket agents, and confirming show times were a cakewalk compared to getting everyone where they needed to be on time. Locating Angel and Tommy was easiest, because they were always together. Damien was often off on his own with Alyssa, but at least he answered his phone. Jimmy was never on the bus on time. He never answered the door when he stayed at the hotel. When they were in South America last month, he had been virtually unreachable and barely sober. She was always stuck waiting for him to stagger in whenever he decided to show up – like last night. It was a good thing he was easy on the eyes and a smooth talker, or she’d be pretty pissed off at him.
Her main priority right now was to make sure the lighting technician at the venue followed Angel’s cue. At the last show in Atlanta, Angel had to wait almost five seconds before the tech turned on his spotlight. Immortal Angel’s flamboyant lead singer was the center of attention, and he had started the show in the shadows. She had been furious.
She finished her coffee and walked down the block to the American Airlines Arena. When she got there, a flurry of workers and roadies already occupied the stage. They were in the middle of setting up the equipment, so there was barely any room to walk without tripping over something – or someone. No one had any regard for the people around them. It was chaos, and Audra hated chaos.
“Excuse me,” she called to a worker with a roll of wire cable in his hand. He flew past her without acknowledging her presence. She opened her mouth to address another worker, but he never slowed his pace long enough for her to get one word out. How rude.
“Get out of the way, lady.”
Two men wheeling large amps almost ran her over. Frustration caused her to clench her teeth together and exhale loudly. She approached several electricians installing overhead lights, determined to find out who was in charge.
A burly man blocked her path. “You need to get off the stage, girly.”
“Girly?” She felt her cheeks flush red hot. “Who the hell do you think you’re talking to? I’m Immortal Angel’s tour manager.”
He glanced at the all-access pass that hung from the lanyard around her neck. “Sure you are. Now get backstage with the rest of the groupies. I’m the stage manager, and my men have work to do.”
A surge of anger flooded her chest. “I’m not a groupie. I’m Audra Abelman. I’m on the Board of Directors at Falcon Records.” She dug in her handbag, pulled out her building pass for Falcon Headquarters and shoved it in his face.
At first, he thought she was bluffing and rolled his eyes with annoyance, but as he read her identification, his face flushed with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, Miss Abelman. You look like a kid.”
“Well, I’m not, and I’m insulted. I’m running this tour, and I want to make sure every aspect of tonight’s show is on point. There’s no room for error. Let’s start with your lighting tech.”
“I’ll get him right away.”
People on stage stopped working and stared at her, but she wasn’t intimidated by them. She placed her hand on her hip, cocked her jaw to the side, and challenged them with hard eyes. She wasn’t going to back down just because she was young and she was a woman in a male-dominated field. And she had no intention of hiding behind her father’s name. She dropped her name on the stage manager, and she was going to throw it around at every opportunity until people gave her the respect she deserved.
At the end of the night, after the show was over and everyone was back on the tour bus, Audra assessed her appearance in the bathroom mirror. The fringed boots, Immortal Angel tank top and furry vest didn’t exactly scream corporate executive, but she wasn’t in a business meeting. It was no excuse for the stage manager to assume she was a groupie. The incident from earlier in the day still irked her.
She changed into her sleeping clothes, scrubbed her face clean and settled in her bunk. She was tired of people assuming she was a pushover, and she needed to show the men in this business that she wouldn’t take their shit.
The next morning Audra stood before the full-length mirror in the back bedroom of the tour bus, still unhappy with the message her appearance projected. She turned toward Jessi and Alyssa who were both sitting on the bed – Jessi with a fashion magazine, Alyssa on her iPad. “I’ve decided I need a makeover.”
“Why do you need a makeover?” Jessi asked. “I think your look is adorable.”
Adorable was not the adjective to describe a high-powered business woman, and that’s how she wanted to be perceived in the male-dominated world of music executives. She needed to carve out a name for herself without relying on her father’s reputation. “I don’t want people to see me and think I’m fluff. I represent my father’s record label, and I want them to know I don’t back down so easily.”
Alyssa’s mouth quirked into a half-smile. “I could teach you how to tell people to fuck off.” She jumped off the bed and stood behind Audra in the mirror. “And you could rock some harder makeup to give you an edge.”
Jessi stood on the other side of Audra. “What you need is a power suit. Something that says you’re all business.”
Audra knew her ripped jeans and Immortal Angel tank tops made her look like a groupie, but she didn’t want to wear stuffy business suits like Marissa. That wasn’t her style. She pursed her lips to the side and shook her head. “I’m not into suits. That’s not me, but I need to wear something that will make me look like an executive. I don’t want to resort to getting bitchy in order for people to take me seriously.”
“I could make you a series of jackets that have a rock star edge.” Jessi’s eyes brightened through the mirror’s reflection, and they darted back and forth while she fabricated creations in her head. “I could add leather or metal embellishments, but keep it subtle. You could pair them with jeans. Nice jeans, not ripped jeans. If you want, I could make some understated jackets, too, and flashy tanks to wear underneath. I’ll keep it classy.” Jessi pulled out a small carrying case from the closet and produced a measuring tape. She quickly wrapped it around various parts of Audra’s body and jotted down the measurements. “I’m ahead of schedule with inventory at my store, so I can whip up a few designs for you right away. I could hit a fabric store this afternoon and should have something for you in a few days.”
Now that Audra had plans for an edgy wardrobe and makeup, there was something else she’d been wanting for a while, something personal that would give her an internal boost of confidence. “I want to get my nipples pierced.”
Jessi’s mouth fell open, but Alyssa broke out into a gleeful smile. “That’s perfect. It’ll give you that bad girl vibe without anyone knowing what’s hidden underneath your clothes. My case is in the front closet. Stay here. I’ll go grab it.”
“I didn’t mean—” Audra didn’t intend on getting pierced this moment, but Alyssa was already out of the room.
“You just made her day,” Jessi said. “That girl lives
to push a needle through someone’s flesh.”
Audra’s nerves ran rampant, unsure of what to expect from the sensitive area she chose to pierce, and concerned about Alyssa’s enjoyment in providing the service. “Do you have any piercings? Besides your ears?”
“Just one.” Jessi pushed her tongue out of her mouth, exposing a bright silver ball in the center. “Alyssa gave me this when the boys went to Asia.”
The tongue stud was cool, but Audra knew she would never be able to speak to clients with that thing in her mouth, and it would hinder the air of maturity she wanted to project. And her father would have a fucking fit if she got her tongue pierced. She silently laughed as she pictured his reaction. A tongue piercing was definitely out of the question.
Alyssa sailed through the bedroom door with a small black case in her hand. She locked the door and abruptly froze before she placed it on the bed. “Is this thing clean?”
“What thing?” Jessi asked.
“The comforter. Is it cheesed on? Is it gonna light up like a Christmas tree if someone throws a black light on it?”
“Are you asking if we have sex on top of the comforter?”
“I’m asking if you guys came all over it.” Alyssa cringed. “I guess I should have asked that before I sat on it.”
Jessi let out a hearty laugh. “Probably.”
“Ugh! Gross! Get me a clean sheet.”
While Jessi spread a fresh sheet on the bed, Audra watched the good-humored interaction between the two close friends. Her heart suddenly longed for her sister. She missed Kira. They had been inseparable until they took executive positions at Falcon and were forced to spend time apart, either working long hours or traveling to different destinations. She fished her phone from her pocket and hit Kira’s number.
“How’s Atlanta?” Her sister’s cheerful voice made her happy and sad at the same time.
“Atlanta was really cool, but I didn’t get to see much before we had to head out. That was three days ago. We just got to Orlando this morning. They’re playing the Hard Rock tonight, and then we have two days of promos before we’re on the way to Raleigh.” Explaining her whereabouts to Kira reminded Audra of the distance between her and her sister. She was homesick. “I wish you were here.”
Rock Star Redemption Page 2
