Rock Star Redemption

by Jenna Galicki

  “I would never ask you to. I would never put you in that position.” His eyes were filled with genuine honesty. He leaned forward and took her hand. “Thank you for believing in me.”

  Her heart softened, and she gave him a small smile. Maybe she was a fool, but there was something inside her that told her he was trustworthy, and she needed to listen to that little voice, because it never steered her wrong.

  Chapter Sixteen

  It was an amazing two weeks in Canada, even though it had its ups and downs. Audra’s status as Immortal Angel’s tour manager was firmly cemented. She made her mark with the success of the South American and North American tours, even if they were short and didn’t encompass venues on the west coast this time around. The bus was on its way to the Bell Centre for the last show in Montreal, then they were going back home, where they would recoup until the Australian tour.

  Audra leaned back on the leather couch next to Jimmy and the rest of the band and listened to them go over Jump Start. Tommy had his guitar on his lap, Damien had his bass on his knee, and two small amps sat on the floor between them. Jimmy slapped beats onto an electronic drum pad, and Angel hummed the lyrics in an effort to preserve his voice. They thought Jump Start could be tighter and were going over sections of the song. She admired their dedication to the music. None of them would settle for anything less than perfection. No one slacked off. They all gave 100%.

  The instruments were loud in the enclosed bus, even though their amps were turned down, and Alyssa covered her ears.

  Jessi laughed at her friend. “Let’s go in the back.”

  Alyssa started to rise, but Damien grabbed her arm. “Where are you goin’?”

  “I’m going in the next room to preserve my hearing. How do you listen to that loud music all the time?”

  Damien shrugged. “I like it like that. Get some earplugs.” He tugged on her ear. “I don’t want my girl goin’ deaf on my account.”

  She playfully slapped his hand away. “You mean you want me to be able to hear you ask for a sandwich.”

  “A sandwich?” Angel asked. “Are you still eating that processed food?”

  Tommy leaned into Angel’s shoulder. “Not everyone has a gourmet chef for a lover, A.”

  “Are you three making cracks about my cooking?” Alyssa asked, with her back rigid.

  Damien emitted a short laugh. “What cooking?”

  Alyssa socked him in the arm and then threw a pillow at Angel and Tommy.

  Audra and Jessi followed her into the kitchen area, and the three of them slid into one of the booths.

  “Honestly,” Alyssa said, “those two love to torment me, and now they’ve corrupted Tommy.”

  “That’s just because you’re so much fun to tease.” Jessi draped her arm over her friend’s shoulder and pulled her in for a quick hug.

  The closeness they shared, accompanied by the less-than-welcome reception from the fans, made Audra feel slightly out of place. She slipped her phone from the pocket of her jeans and texted Kira.

  Miss you. What are you up to?

  Seconds later, her phone dinged a reply:

  Hi! Going over the final cut for an album.

  It's sick! You?

  Bored.

  Bored? Aren't you on a tour bus with Immortal Angel? How could you be bored?

  It's not the same without you.

  :-( Now I'm bummed!

  Don't be. I'm just getting used to everything. It's different now that Jimmy and I are together. Fans hate me. Girls constantly come on to him.

  Don’t let it bother you.

  Jimmy loves you. That’s all that matters.

  Kira was right. It didn’t matter that the fans disliked her or that they threw themselves at Jimmy. Her father’s disapproval didn’t alter things. The only thing that mattered was that she and Jimmy loved each other. Everything else was secondary.

  Thanks. I'll FaceTime you later.

  Miss you, sis.

  Miss you too! Later!

  When Audra looked up, Jessi and Alyssa were staring at her. “Did I miss something?”

  Jessi extended her arm toward the guys. “Don’t you hear that? Tommy’s teaching Jimmy how to play the guitar!”

  “He is?” Audra rose to her feet and listened. Laughter and a choppy guitar rhythm echoed from down the corridor.

  Alyssa brushed past her. “I gotta see this.”

  Audra quickly followed, with Jessi behind her.

  Jimmy sat on the edge of his seat with Tommy’s Fender on his knee. Tommy sat next to him and stared down at his guitar, while Angel and Damien were seated in the two captain’s chairs that faced them, watching with fascinated amusement.

  Tommy readjusted Jimmy’s fingers on the fret board. “That’s an E5.”

  Jimmy concentrated and plucked one note and then waited for further instructions.

  “You don’t remember the next chord?” Tommy asked. “We’ve done this three times.”

  Angel threw his head back and laughed. “I’m sorry. I’ve never seen you struggle to play music before.”

  “I’d like to see you try it, man. This is hard.” Jimmy flashed his killer smile at Tommy. “Maybe if you’d let me play your Les Paul, it’d be easier.”

  “Not a chance. Nobody touches my Les Paul.” Tommy motioned to the Fender with his chin. “The next chord is A5, remember?”

  Jimmy mumbled something and returned his attention to the neck of the guitar. He positioned his fingers and played a hesitant note, then several more in succession.

  “That’s awesome!” Audra exclaimed. “Now you can play the guitar, too?”

  Jimmy laughed and pulled her down onto the couch next to him. “I hardly call that playing the guitar.”

  He was being modest, but she saw the talent in the few notes he played. “You just played something that sounded a lot like Enter Sandman.”

  He looked down at the guitar with stunned realization. “I did?”

  “Yep. You did,” Tommy confirmed.

  “It sounded like shit to me,” Damien said with a smile.

  Audra couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her. Damien loved to give Jimmy a hard time, and she enjoyed the closeness they shared. Jimmy strummed the notes on the guitar again, and this time they were more discernible. She was amazed at his talent. “Is Tommy going to give you guitar lessons now?”

  “I could,” Tommy offered. “When we have down time, like now, on the bus. That’s what I did before I joined Immortal Angel. I taught guitar. I really miss it. Let me teach you. It’d be a fun way to kill a few hours.”

  Jimmy stared off to the side as he contemplated the offer. He raised his brows, and then leaned over to give Audra a kiss. “I can think of a better way to kill a few hours on the bus than hanging out with you, man.”

  Audra felt her cheeks blush. Damn it. When the hell was she going to stop doing that? Sex wasn’t something to be shy about when you spent weeks on the road trapped on a bus. No one else seemed concerned about it. The rest of them had sex freely, without inhibition, in the privacy of their bunk or the back bedroom. Everyone heard. No one cared.

  Jimmy handed Tommy his guitar. “I’ll take you up on those guitar lessons, but another time. My lady awaits.” He took Audra’s hand and headed to the back of the bus.

  They passed through the sliding door and Jimmy hit the button that closed it and locked them inside the bedroom. “Alone at last.” He wrapped his hands around her waist and put his lips to her neck.

  Whenever he circled his tongue just below her ear, she let out a little sigh. All tension left her body, and she relaxed in his arms. Sometimes it was hard to comprehend how far they had come. He had been a wild ladies’ man, drumming his heart out, trying to get noticed in the music scene with three of his friends. She had been a party girl, enamored with the band and mesmerized by the lead singer. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Their lives really hadn’t changed that much. Although Jimmy calmed down, his main goal remained the same – creating chart t
opping music. She had a much more serious approach to life now, and her passing crush on Angel was really only about the music. Music. It was at the heartbeat of their lives.

  Audra leaned her head to the side to offer Jimmy more territory to nibble on. “I love the way you bathe my neck with your magnificent tongue.”

  “I want to lick you like an animal,” he whispered next to her skin.

  A surge of wetness flooded her panties. She wanted his mouth all over her body. He continued to place succulent kisses down her neck and across her collarbone. She pulled her shirt over her head and threw it to the floor. He reached for her bra, but she discarded it before he had a chance to work the clasp. She kicked her shoes off and wiggled out of her jeans and panties. She stood before him, completely naked, and waited for him to initiate the next move.

  He watched her for several seconds. His eyes traveled over her with a hungry gaze. He pushed her hair off her shoulder, and his hand gently glided down her arm, which caused tiny goosebumps to rise on her flesh. He dropped to his knees and dipped his tongue between her legs. The skilled technique of his tongue sent a beautiful flood of sensations through her body. She needed to give him better access and spread her knees. She held onto the back of his T-shirt for support, but the aggressive swipes of his tongue nearly knocked her off balance.

  Jimmy rose to his feet and quickly removed his clothing while Audra watched his erection spring to attention. She grabbed his cock and led him over to the bed. He followed, helpless, while she tickled the tip of his dick with her thumb. She loved the way he shuddered whenever she played with his slit.

  She jumped onto the bed and spread her legs wide open.

  He started to follow, and then returned to his jeans. He retrieved his wallet and held up a condom. “As soon as we’re back home, we’re getting rid of these things.”

  She loved the idea, not only because she’d never had unprotected sex before, but because it was another commitment from him. When he climbed onto the bed, she noticed that he had his drumsticks under one arm. “What are you doing with those?”

  He wiped them off with some tissues that were on the night stand. “Clean as a whistle. You never know when these babies may come in handy.”

  “You may be overcome with inspiration while you make love to me,” she teased.

  He nudged her legs open with his knees and put his lips to her waist. There was a slight tickle that made her muscles clench, then she relaxed and let his tiny kisses lull her into submission. She succumbed to his touch and reveled in the tenderness in which his hands and lips traveled across her torso. Her breasts rose and fell with deep breaths. The softness of his mouth and fingertips were replaced by something smooth and hard. She opened her eyes and lifted her head. It was a drumstick.

  He lightly outlined the curve of her breast, first the bottom, then the top. The stick was an extension of his fingers, gliding over her flesh with intimacy. He touched her nipple with the tip of the drumstick and put gentle pressure on it. She felt the resistance from the barbell. It stimulated the sensitive nerve endings and she shuddered. The other drumstick prodded her left nipple, so there was an even spray of sensations spreading across her chest. He tapped the silver ball on the end of one of the barbells lightly, testing her reaction. The piercing was still sensitive, and a shot rang through her breast. At first there was a tiny jolt of pain, but it quickly turned into an erotic reverberation. She gasped at the intense pleasure.

  The other drumstick tickled her other nipple. She knew it was coming and bit her lip in anticipation. The stick tapped the end of the barbell, and her nipple imploded with tingles that made her shiver. He alternately tapped the barbells on each breast in succession, checking her expression for any signs of discomfort every time the drumstick made contact. Tap, tap, tap, left, right. Her nipples were aching with an arousing burn. She inhaled a deep, quivering breath and moaned as she exhaled. The vibration traveled downward and settled between her legs. She was wet and yearned to be touched. She tilted her hips upward, silently begging for Jimmy to touch her clit – lick it, suck it, anything, as long as her poor little bud wasn’t just hanging out there waiting for the slightest bit of friction to bring her over the edge.

  Jimmy was preoccupied with the soft beat he was pummeling into her nipples and forgot about her poor neglected clit. She wrapped her ankles around his waist and pulled him toward her. She tried to rub herself on any part of his body that she could reach. Her inner thigh skimmed his torso and for a brief second she thought she was going to climax against his ribs, but their bodies lost contact, and she whimpered.

  “You’re burning up, aren’t you?” he whispered. “You’re ready to come and I haven’t even touched you down there yet.”

  It was the barbells in her nipples that made her overly aroused. There was some kind of connection, some undisclosed nerve, which must connect her nipples to her clit, because every time Jimmy touched the barbells with his drumsticks, she felt it right between her legs. She was crazy with desire but lay helpless on the bed. “Yes,” she finally answered. “Make me come, Jimmy. Please make me come.”

  His eyes hazed over with a lustful hue, and he brought his lips to her stomach just below her navel. She let out a pleading moan. He was so close. He just needed to move his mouth a little lower. She lifted her knees and spread her legs, inviting him to touch her. He leaned in close, but still didn’t make contact. She chewed on her bottom lip and squirmed.

  Jimmy watched her intently. He slid one hand slowly up her inner thigh and spread the folds of her skin so he could peer inside her. He twirled the drumstick in his free hand and gave her an extra sexy smile. The bulbous tip of the drumstick probed the opening of her pussy. It teetered on the edge and traced a circle around the entrance, stirring her juices. She moaned from the exquisite pleasure of being touched after her body had begged for it for so long, but she wanted more. She arched her back, and created the perfect angle, but he withdrew the stick from inside her. A dismal cry left her lips and she looked at Jimmy with a mournful frown. He twirled the drumstick again and brought it to an abrupt stop with the tip pointing at her. It still glistened with her juices. He slowly lowered the drumstick and gave her clit a tiny tap. Her shoulders jolted off the bed, and she gasped loudly at the sudden burst of endorphins that exploded inside her. He tapped the drumstick against her clit again, again and again. It was the little rat-a-tat-tat that comprised his signature knock, and it knocked her into the most intense orgasm of her life. Each small strike on her clit was like a flame thrower shooting fire through her body. Jimmy pulled her flesh wider, so her clit was fully exposed from its hood. Every soft rap of the drumstick hit the most sensitive part of her clit. It throbbed and she convulsed. She was gasping so hard, she couldn’t catch her breath. The sensations filled her with an overload of stimulation. It began to hurt, but the pain held pleasure. It was a contradiction, but she didn’t want him to stop. She wanted him to beat her clit the same way he beat his bass drum.

  His lips sucked her clit into his mouth, and he nursed the engorged nub. Her body quivered, and her breath came out in a jagged moan. His finger slipped inside her. No. It was the drumstick. Then two. Both drumsticks were churning against the pulsating muscles inside her, while Jimmy sucked on her swollen clit. The drumstick hit her G-spot with a relentless beat. Blinding euphoria flashed through her. Every pore, every nerve ending, all of her senses succumbed to sensory overload, and she convulsed on top of the bed. She finally collapsed, no longer able to move.

  Jimmy’s succulent lips disconnected from her clit, and the drumsticks vacated her body. She was barely able to raise her arm to reach for Jimmy’s cock, but he was rolling on a condom. Oh God. She didn’t think she could take any more stimulation. Before she could protest, his cock was inside her. She was exhausted, but her body reacted, and she rocked her hips in tune to his rhythm. He picked up speed and slammed into her over and over. Seconds later, Jimmy erupted with a long, loud moan. He fell on top of her, equally exh
austed.

  It was probably about five minutes before either one of them could move, but Jimmy finally rolled off of her, and they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

  Audra woke disoriented. Her nipples were sore and there was a burn between her legs. It only took a second for her to remember the intense sexual encounter that rendered her battered body into a state of sexual bliss. She turned to Jimmy, face down on the bed. “Are you alive? Because, for a minute, I thought I died.”

  His smile covered his face before he opened his eyes, and he pulled her down into his arms. “That was fucking incredible, baby.”

  Incredible was only one of the adjectives she was thinking. Unbelievable. Titillating. Extraordinary. She could go on and on. She checked the time display on the DVD player that was built into the wall. They had been holed up in the bedroom for over two hours. They both stunk of sex and sweat and needed a shower, but more than anything, she needed something to drink.

  She was slightly self-conscious on the walk of shame from the back of the bus to the front, but she assumed no one would care. After all, she had heard the rest of them in the bedroom or behind the curtain of their bunk too many times to count. They never had any inhibitions, so why should she?

  As soon as she and Jimmy entered the living area, everyone immediately stopped talking. All eyes were on them.

  Oh God.

  “It’s about damn time,” Damien said.

  Tommy wore a broad smile, and there was a mischievous glint in his bright blue eyes. He stood up and slowly clapped his hands while shifting his gaze between Jimmy and Audra. “Bravo.”

  Audra felt her cheeks flush red hot. She lowered her head and tucked her chin into her chest to hide her embarrassed smile.

  “Hey,” Alyssa called from the dining booth. “When someone makes you moan and cry out like that, you hold your head high.”