Chapter 10
RIFF
Cruising around the dark streets of Dallas on my bike with Aubrey wrapped around me feels like freedom. I love my job. The money’s great and so are the chicks, but I never really feel at peace.
While I would love to spend another night locked away in my hotel room with her, I figure a little excitement is in order. I told Trip I’m going to see where this goes, so to show her that maybe I can be more than just sex to her, I’m taking her out.
We pass by a small bar with a neon light shining from the window. Perfect. We can grab a beer and chat and won’t have to worry about fans or that fucker Donovan starting shit. I want some one-on-one time to see where this girl’s head is.
I back my bike against the curb and throw down the kickstand. Aubrey hops off and yanks the helmet from her head while I readjust my backwards baseball cap.
I catch myself almost mesmerized by her as she runs her fingers through her hair. I don’t remember feeling this way after I bagged a girl before. Ever. Usually, after the initial humping, they lose their allure. Not Aubrey. All I can think about when I look at her are ways to keep her around longer.
She throws her hands on her hips. “What exactly are we doing here?”
I stand and store the helmet. “I figured we could get a beer and get to know each other a little better.”
The corners of her mouth turn up. “I thought that’s what we did last night.”
I shake my head and pull her against me. “Last night we fucked, and I still haven’t gotten you out of my system, so I’m left with one alternative.”
A blush washes over her cheeks. “What’s that?”
I shrug. “To see if this thing between us can ever go anywhere.”
“Riff…”
If she’s about to give me the reasons why this can never work between us, I don’t want to hear them. “Before you say anything, give me the weekend. We only have tonight and tomorrow, and if you end up hating my guts by the time you leave, then you never have to see me again.”
Kitten pulls her lips into a tight line. “Okay, then.”
“Yeah?” I hug her to me. “One more thing.”
“What’s that?”
“In public, around the band and the fans, I don’t mind you calling me Riff, but everywhere else I want you to call me Zach.” It’s a weird request. The name she calls me shouldn’t matter, but it does. If I’m going to step out of my comfort zone and see if this can go somewhere, than I want it to be as real as possible. I don’t want her to like me for Riff, my stage persona and all that it entails. I want her to like me for Zach—the fucked up guy with loads of problems.
She’ll probably be running for the hills this time tomorrow.
I lead her into the small bar. Her tiny hand fits perfectly in mine as I hold it causally at my side. The bar is dark, with only the light over the bar providing light around the room. A few older men sit with their shoulders slumped at the bar talking to the bartender. This is exactly the atmosphere I’m hoping for. Nice and secluded.
A fairly modern juke box plays an old-school country song as we make our way over to the bar.
The thirty-something bartender raises an eyebrow and shoves her brown hair over her shoulder. “IDs?”
It’s been a long time since I’d been carded to drink. It’s nice to know she’s completely oblivious as to who I am.
After she’s double-checked them, she asks, “What can I get you?”
I turn to Aubrey. “Ladies choice?”
She smiles. “Two Budweisers, please.”
The bartender nods and meanders off to get our drinks. I lean against the bar as I wait with Aubrey. She’s looking exceptionally beautiful tonight. Her long, red hair falls around her shoulders in loose waves and the green halter-top she’s wearing accentuates her fantastic rack.
She grins at me when she catches me staring at her tits. “You see something you like?”
I laugh. “I’m trying to determine if it’s your ass or your tits I like best. I’m usually a breast man, but your ass in those jeans…I literally want to bite it.”
She giggles. “I think you already did once or twice last night.”
I run my fingertips down the length of her arm. “And I can’t wait to do it again.”
Memories of last night flood me, and she’s right. I do remember giving her love bites on that tasty, little booty. My dick twitches at the thought of getting her naked again and I reposition my legs.
I’m about to say screw talking and let’s get back to fucking when the bartender hands us our beers. “That’ll be seven fifty.”
I pull out my wallet. “No tab in this place?”
The brunette shakes her head and glances down at my tattooed forearms. “Not to strangers.”
If only I can tell her I can buy this place with the swipe of my debit card, but that would make me seem like an arrogant jackass, not to mention blow my cover.
I lay down two fifty dollar bills. “This should cover us for a while.”
She picks them up and holds them up to the light as we turn and take a seat at the end of the bar. Kitten sits on one side of the corner and I on the opposite side so we can sort of face each other.
She takes a sip of her beer and stares at me expectantly. “So what do you want to know about me?”
I swallow hard. This is a totally new experience for me. The confidence I typically have falls away from me. “I, um, I don’t know. How about we start with why you decided to give me a chance.”
She picks at the label on her bottle. “I’m not really sure. It goes against everything I came down here to do.”
I lean back in my chair. Interesting. “Exactly what were your intentions when you hooked up with me?”
She hooks a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m almost embarrassed to say.”
“I’ve already seen you naked. There’s no shame between us anymore, Kitten. Spill.”
She takes another sip and my stomach clenches. Whatever she’s about to say is going to suck. I can tell by all the tension in her body.
After a couple long seconds, she sighs. “You’re sort of my last hurrah.”
I scrunch my brow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“My mother has been on my case to quit going after your type.”
I raise my pierced eyebrow. “My type?”
A blush creeps over her cheeks. “Yeah, you know. The bad boy. The assholes. Guys that are notorious for breaking hearts.”
I hate the idea that there were jerks before me that couldn’t see how amazing she is. Not saying that I’d be any better, but at least I recognize something special when it’s in front of me. It makes me want to show her even more that I am worth a shot.
“So what changed your mind?” I ask.
She bites her lip and stares at me through those innocent eyes of hers. I hold my breath as I wait on her reply.
AUBREY
Zach’s quest for answers takes me by surprise. I never imagined that he would ever be interested in more—seems like I’m definitely standing out to him.
He waits patiently for me to reply. I know I can make or break a relationship we might have with what I say.
I shrug. “I can’t explain it. I feel like there’s a connection between us…”
He frowns. “But? That sentence sounds like there’s a ‘but’ coming.”
“My family is a little…uptight.”
“What does your family have to do with us?”
My eyes drift from his pierced eyebrow to the bulging muscles in his tattooed forearms.
He stiffens. “Are you saying you’re afraid of what they would think of me because of the way I look?”
I bite my lip. “It’s not just your appearance. Your career…”
He tips his bottle up finishing his beer and then signals to the bartender for another. “I know you’re too good for me. Trust me. I know this, but I think if you give me a chance. I’m great at charming moms.”
I reach over and touch his hand. “I’m not saying this to be mean. I think you’re an amazing person, but I’ve been hurt by men before. I’ve never really had a good relationship. My mom, she’s been there after each heartbreak to help pick up the pieces. She’s been telling me for years to find a nice guy—one that will love me and be there for me—to settle down with. After the last man I dated crushed me, I’ve decided she’s right. If I want to be happy I think I need to change things.”
He traces patterns on the back of my hand with his finger. “So you want to hide the person you truly are? You think that will make you happy?”
I shrug. “It’s better than being miserable all the time.”
Neither of us says anything for a couple of moments. Being completely honest with someone is draining. I can’t tell what he’s thinking, but I can tell by the slight slump in his shoulders that he’s disappointed. If we lived in the same city and he wasn’t a famous rock star with temptations of other women in his face constantly, I might be more into the idea of having a relationship with him. But as it is, I can’t go through heartbreak again. I might not make it through another.
“You’re right,” he says. “I’m probably not that guy you’re looking for. I’m not the white picket fence kind of guy. Things between us would probably end eventually.”
Even though this is basically what I said to him, it doesn’t lessen the pain of rejection. I fight back my emotions and give him a casual smile. “Good. I’d still like to spend more time with you and end this thing as friends.”
He pulls his lips into a tight line before he picks up his beer and clinks it to mine. “Friends it is.”
Even though I’m getting exactly what I asked for, why do I have this pit of disappointment in my stomach?
“Well if this weekend is the end for us, I saw something a couple shops down I want to buy for you,” he says with a wicked grin as he grabs my hand.
The look on his face tells me it’s not a souvenir keychain. “What is it?”
He shrugs. “Something I want you to keep an open mind to.”
We leave the bar and head out into the cool Texas night air. Zach’s long, guitar playing fingers wrap around mine as we walk hand in hand down the street past all the little shops. A glowing white sign with red letters catches my eye. It simply says Naughty Land on it.
I instantly giggle as he holds open the door for me. “A sex shop? Really?”
He bites his lip toying with his lip ring. “You seem to be down with the kinky sex last night, so I figure we get the right equipment this round.”
Intrigued by him, I ask, “What do you have in mind?”
We step inside and my eyes widen. There’s everything from battery-operated boyfriends to full on bondage beds lining every inch of this place. “Wow.”
He steps behind me when I walk into a secluded aisle and places his hands on my bare shoulders. “Wow as in your down for some of this, or wow like you’re scared to death of it?”
I shake my head. “I’m not scared.”
“Then prove it,” he growls in my ear. “Find something you want to try out and we’ll buy it. Since this is my last time with you, I want to pull out all the stops and give you the fantasy fucking you’ve always dreamed of.”
I swallow hard. His sexual forwardness in combination with the sight of all this stuff is enough to cause me to get a little wet.
He allows his fingers to trail down my arm and then down my waist before finally finding their way onto my ass. He squeezes it with enough force to let me know he means business as he grinds himself into me backside. “I want back inside you. Feel this? This is what you do to me.”
The hard length of him presses into my back through his jeans. I lay my head back on his shoulder and let out a soft moan. The things this man does to me.
“That’s it. Now keep this feeling in mind and go find us something to play with.”
Before I can say anything else, he pulls away, leaving me panting. A cold rush of air fills the space against my back where his body used to be and reality sets in that I was so turned on for a moment I was just about ready to fuck him right here in this store.
I walk around the room and pass all the vibrators. I don’t have any problems having an orgasm with Zach, so I don’t feel like those will be exciting enough for us. The sex game boards don’t interest me either, so I drift over towards the fetish section.
A black riding crop catches my attention and I think about how much Zach enjoyed being blindfolded last night and how something like this could be fun.
“You ever used one of these?” he asks, startling me.
I shake my head. “No, but it looks interesting.”
“They can be fun if you know how to use them the right way.”
“H—how…what’s the right way?” Even I can hear the uncertainty in my voice.
He takes one off the rack. “I’ll show you.”
After he pays for the equipment and we ride back over to the hotel. We barely make it through the room door before we’re all over each other. He kisses my lips and neck while he strips away all my clothes and then his own.
He pulls the crop out of the bag and rips it from the package. “Use this on me.”
“I don’t think I can,” I whisper.
He places a finger under my chin. “You want to dominate. I saw it last night with the blindfold game.”
“I failed miserably at that. I was thinking, maybe…” Gah! This is harder to ask for than I thought. “You could use it on me.”
He bites his bottom lip and flicks the ring between his teeth. “You’re so fucking sexy it hurts. Do you know that?” He kisses my lips. “Go bend over and put your elbows on the bed.”
I make my way over to the bed and do what he asks. I feel a little self-conscious with my ass sticking in the air. “Like this?”
“Exactly like that.” He gets behind me and rubs the curve of my ass before giving it a little swat with this bare hand. “I love how secretly naughty you are.”
The contact stings a bit at first, but then an intense pleasure fills me. “Oooh.”
He grabs me around the waist and leans over my back to whisper in my ear. “I knew you were a bad girl. You need a good spanking, don’t you?”
I chew the inside of my lip, but don’t answer unsure of what to say.
“If you want me to keep going you need to tell me you want this,” he says roughly.
I don’t want him to stop so I say it. “Spank me.”
He growls as he kisses my shoulder and then pulls back to give me another little smack, only this time he uses the crop. It has more of a sting than his hand does. I whimper as he smacks me again.
“Do you like that?” he asks. “Do you want me to keep going?”
“Don’t stop,” is all I can manager to say as I bite my lip.
“Spread your legs more.”
A couple minutes later he bends down behind me and flicks my clit with his tongue. His fingers slip inside me as he begins to work me up into a frenzy. My breathing quickens and a moan escapes my lips as I teeter right on the edge. Right before I do he stops and stands at my side. He wraps one arm around my waist as his hard cock pokes me in the belly.
He takes the crop and smacks it against my folds. At first it’s gentle and then he quickens the pace and every nerve in my body starts vibrating.
“Yes! Oh, god, Zach!” I cry out as I have one of the most intense orgasms I’ve ever had.
While I’m still on my high, he flips me over onto the bed and pulls my hips towards him. He shoves his cock inside me and I grab handfuls of the comforter as he works his way deeper.
“You’re so fucking wet,” he rasps as he grabs my thighs and pounds into me.
My toes curl as his steady rhythm pushes me into a second orgasm. I grab his wrist and arch my back as I come hard a second time with him deep inside me.
He stares into my eyes. “That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Zach’s eyes watch me intently as he licks his lips and works towards his own release. A shine of sweat covers his bare chest and face. His tattooed forearms bulge as he grips my legs tighter.
He closes his eyes. “Fuck!”
All the muscles in his body tighten as he comes while he’s deep within me. This is one man that knows how to please a woman. I would love to keep him around longer because he has the power to make me feel so damn good, but I know too much of a good thing can also be bad.
****
We pull up to the parking lot where Big Bertha is waiting on his bike. The sun’s nearly set, so I know it’s getting late and almost time to say goodbye to Zach. The parking lot is a ghost town, a vast difference from when we were here last time after Black Falcon’s show.
After the bike is parked we head inside the bus. I set my overnight bag down and look around the empty place. At first, I thought we were alone because I didn’t see anyone around. I assume the twins are still out partying somewhere while Lanie and Noel are probably still at her mom’s place. I set my bag down on the floor and pause the instant I hear a moan come from the bedroom.
“Oh my god!” I whisper harshly. “Should we leave? I don’t want to interrupt if someone’s back there.”
Zach shakes his head. “The only person allowed to have chicks back there is Noel. We don’t cross the boundary of sex in each other’s beds. Sometimes it’s weeks before our sheets get washed.”
“Gross.”
He shrugs. “I know. We might as well make ourselves comfortable.”
He plops down in the love seat and tugs me down with him. Even though I know this isn’t going anywhere, it feels nice to snuggle with him. I lay my head on his chest as he wraps his arms around me.
I close my eyes. “I’m going to miss this.”
“Me too,” he whispers into my hair before kissing the top of my head.
As I start to drift off, I hear the bedroom door open and then close. Lanie tip-toes down the hallway in what I imagine is Noel’s shirt. A grin fills my face. I knew she was still in love with that man. I’m glad she’s finally let herself feel something for him.
Lanie tilts her head and raises her eyebrows as she stares at Zach and me. I open my mouth to call her out, but she heads right into the kitchen and does her best to ignore me.
“Come on,” Zach says as he stands and then pulls me up with him.
We take a few steps and sit back down on the bench seat at the table.
Lanie squats down and looks through the cabinets. The fabric from Noel’s shirt is big enough that it hangs down over her thighs, but it still shows a ton of skin. She fidgets with the material while searching the shelves.
Zach smirks as he stands and reaches into the overhead cabinet next to the sink. He lets the door bang shut and chuckles when Lanie jumps at the sound. He sits next to me again with a package full of Oreos. Lanie eyeballs the blue package of cookies when he sets them on the table. I can practically see her mouth water from here.
“Make yourself useful and grab us some milk from the fridge,” Zach says to Lanie. “I always keep it in there. The guys know better than to take my stuff.”
She grabs the a gallon of two percent white milk and sets it on the counter before she searches for a couple of glasses.
“There should be some plastic cups on the top shelf, above the sink,” Zach informs her while she pokes around in the cabinets.
There’s only one cup left in the bag when she holds it up. Her smile deflates as she pours the milk into it and walks over to the table. She sets the cup down, and slides into the seat across from us.
He pushes the package across the table to her after handing me a cookie. “You don’t want some milk, too?”
She shrugs and pulls out a cookie. “Only one cup.”
Zach smiles and puts his cup in the middle of the table so we can all use it. “We can share it—no double dipping. I heard where your mouth’s been.”
I smack his arm and give her an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Lanie, but you were kind of loud.”
Her face flushes, like it never occurred to her that she’s loud enough for anyone to hear her and Noel having sex.
Zach chuckles and dunks a cookie in the milk. “Nothing to be embarrassed about, it was fucking hot. Noel’s one lucky son of a bitch.”
I giggle and then he winks at Lanie, which only makes me laugh harder and nearly choke on my food.
She covers her face with her hand. “Oh, god.”
Zach bites into his cookie. “You say that a lot, don’t you?”
Lanie’s head snaps up. “Can we please stop talking about this? It’s not exactly the kind of conversation I should be having with you guys.”
He shrugs. “You know, about the ticket thing, I’m sorry. You did try to blow me off. I didn’t think you meant it. I thought it was your angle.”
“My angle?”
Zach nods. “Most chicks play games with me. You weren’t the first girl who tried to play the hard-to-get card with me. I figured you read one of my interviews where I said that turned me on.”
She dips a cookie in the milk, too. “An interviewer actually asked what your turn-ons were?”
“You wouldn’t believe some of the shit we get asked. Noel gets the worst of it, though, being the front man and all. People are constantly trying to dig things up on him, but he’s good at keeping his life secret.”
“It’s not like Noel has a lot of dirt to find,” Lanie answers a little defensively.
He raises his eyebrows. “How long has it been since you dated him?”
“A little over four years. Why?”
Zach looks away from her and takes out another cookie. “A lot can happen in four years, Lanie.”
There he goes with that damn secret. I wish he would tell her what he’s doing so she can deal with it before she gets in deep with him. Hopefully whatever he’s hiding isn’t a deal breaker.
She shrugs. “I’m sure Noel isn’t intentionally hiding things from me. We all have our pasts and secrets we don’t want people to know.”
My stomach tenses as the secret I’m keeping from her crosses my mind. I’m still having serious doubts if I’m doing the right thing by hiding it from her.
Zach’s eyes scan her face like things are clicking for him. “We most certainly do.”
He pops the last Oreo in his mouth. His gaze never leaves Lanie. He’s waiting for more questions, but she never asks and neither do I—even though it’s killing me to find out.
Zach looks at me before standing beside the table and sticking his hand out to Lanie. “Truce?”
She smiles as his large fingers wrap around her hand. “Truce. I would like that. We should be friends since you and Aubrey…you know.”
He glances over at me and wiggles his eyebrows. “Oh yeah, I know. Friends it is.”
When Zach leaves the room, I turn in Lanie’s direction. I smirk at her and she shakes her head. “Don’t you shake your head at me, missy. I told you all about mine, now it’s your turn to dish. It sounded like it was incredible!”
She pinches the bridge of her nose. “Aubrey…”
I hate when she does this to herself. I yank her hands away from her face. “Stop it. Don’t be embarrassed. You had a good time—nothing wrong with that, Lanie. So, tell me, does he get his Sex-god title back now?”
She rolls her eyes and smiles.
I smack the tables and grin. “I knew it. That guy is sex on a stick.”
I hang out with my best friend and my lover on the bus until it’s ready to head to the next stop on the tour. We eat Oreos and tell jokes until it starts getting late and the twins make their way back onto the bus. This weekend was one of the best I’ve had in a long time. I don’t want it to end, but I know I can’t stay. I have a life, and a job waiting for me back in New York.
I rub my forehead as I take a look at my friend. I debate on telling her about Diana Swagger’s plans and how Isaac is working on the charity.
“Something wrong?” Zach asks.
I glance over at him and smile. “No, everything is fine.”
He wraps his arm around my shoulders as his eyes search my face. In the small amount of time I’ve spent with him he’s shocked me. He’s nothing like I expected. He’s caring. It makes me wonder why he hasn’t settled down and what he’s hiding.
Tyke glances out the window. “Taxi’s here.”
He sighs and leans his forehead into my cheek. “I guess I should walk you out.”
I nod. “I’d like that.”
I stand and then lean down and wrap my best friend in a hug. “I’ll see you soon. Love you.”
She squeezes me tighter. “Love you, too.”
Zach grabs my bag and takes me by the hand as I tell the rest of the band goodbye. My feet are heavy as I make my way down the steps. I hate goodbyes. I hate them even more when I’m not sure if I’m ever going to see someone again.
The cab driver hops out of the car and takes my bag from Zach before popping open the truck.
Zach grabs both of my hands in his and we face each other. “So…this is it?”
I nod and fight back the sting in my eyes. “Yeah. I think so.”
He glances down at the pavement beneath our feet. “Can I still message you since we’re friends?”
A tear drips down my cheek as I smile. “I’d like that.” Without thinking I throw my arms around his neck and breathe in his scent one last time. “I’m going to miss you.”
He stiffens in my arms and hugs me tighter against him. “I’ll miss you more.”
Before I turn into a puddle right here on the ground, I shove myself away from him and hop in the cab. I never imagined saying goodbye to him would be so difficult. I press my hand onto the glass as I say goodbye.
My heart crushes as the driver pulls away, leaving Zach standing in the parking lot with his hands shoved in his pockets. There’s a pained expression on his face and I fight back the sob that’s threatening to expose how sad I am about leaving him. Our eyes lock, and we don’t break out stare until the cab turns the corner and he’s out of my sight forever.