EFFA
I knew the rock formations behind the amphitheater were huge, it’s called Stage Rock, and I knew it would be the perfect place to carry out my plan, I just had to get Mercs on board. But I had no idea he’d be such a pussy about it.
I giggle to myself looking at his horrified expression as he gazes up at the formation trying to figure out how to climb it. “Oh c’mon… it can’t be that hard, can it?”
Mercs looks at me and raises his brow. “Effa, you’re pretty important. I don’t want you hurt by falling—”
“Then I’ll go first, and you can catch me if I slip,” I clarify while sliding past him, hoisting my dress up my hips. A little rock climbing doesn’t scare me. Plus, I have ballet flats on, so I should be able to climb the rocks easily.
“Effa,” he warns in that gruff voice of his, but I reach up grabbing the first rock I can see so I can use it to lever myself, then shove my foot into a gap. “Shit!” Mercs murmurs under his breath.
“You’re so tense, Mercs. Live a little,” I tease looking down at him, as I hoist myself up and onto the rock completely, holding on tight to the red rock face. It feels cold and gravelly against my skin, but I know I can do this. Mercs’ hands come up around me as I start the climb.
Moving my foot into another gap, I climb easily. It’s a workout, but it’s relatively easy for my tiny frame to maneuver the rock face. I’m close to the top, and I look down to see Mercs watching me with his hands up ready to catch me if I fall. “See, not so hard. Right?” I climb the last part and hoist myself over the ledge with an “oomph.”
He chuckles while shaking his head. “Would it be bad to say that kinda turned me on?” he calls out.
I burst out laughing. “No. You were just staring at my ass, so that’s a compliment. Now get your butt up here, chicken boy.”
He cracks his neck to the side. From what I’ve seen, Mercs is generally a tough guy in most situations but seeing him wary of climbing a rock is kind of cute.
“I’m coming,” he calls out, reaching up and grabbing hold of the rock face. I watch his hand placements as I lean down over the edge so I can help if I need to. He lifts himself up, his muscles flex, his biceps bulge, and I smirk while watching his arms and how amazing they look right now. He’s so strong, and I hadn’t realized how fit he is until right now.
He continues climbing, and I smile at how well he’s doing. His eyes focused on the job at hand. His feet finding the right divots and his hands gripping on the right rock juts. For someone who’s never climbed before, he’s fast doing a great job.
“You’re doing well. Watching your arms flex like that is a massive turn on, Mercs,” I cheer to encourage him, but all it does is distract him, and his foot slips on the rock making him drop a little. I gasp, but he quickly regains his footing. My heart races in my chest as he places his foot back in a stable position and keeps a level head.
“It’s all good,” he affirms looking up at me with a smile.
I take a deep breath as he climbs the rest of the way up the rock and slides over the edge with ease. I wrap myself in him, smothering him in an embrace as he lays on his back, and I rest my head on his chest.
He chuckles and holds me to him as we both lay in silence holding each other. Mercs smooths my hair back and brings my face up to plant a soft kiss on my lips. “That was a little crazy,” he murmurs against my lips.
“Yeah. Thinking about it now, maybe it was.”
He looks past me up to the sky and exhales. “But this view is worth it,” he marvels.
I turn around, looking up at the clear night sky to see a galaxy of glistening stars and smile. “Yes. This is why I wanted to come up here… for the view. I knew it would be amazing. I wanted to feel close to the heavens… with you,” I admit sitting up next to him.
He slowly sits up, wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me to him gazing up at the stars. “It’s beautiful, Effa. Worth the headache of getting up here. Being this close to you is a paradise all of its own.”
“Why Mercs, that was pretty sweet. Have I turned you all soft?”
He snorts. “No. Beer, boobs, football, grunts, belches and shit,” he mocks making me burst out laughing.
“You’re all class with a sexy ass,” I chuckle, and this time he laughs.
He looks back up to the stars. “I think that star right there, that really bright one next to the moon...” He points to it, and I nod looking at the giant light in the sky. “I think that should be our star. It shines as brightly as you, and so no matter where either of us are in the world, whatever we’re doing, we can look at it and think of this night and know we’re both connected. Even if we are a world apart.”
My smile falls, and I look at him and sigh. My heart jumps into my throat, knowing precisely what he’s talking about. Even if we become a thing while we’re on tour, when it ends, what then? We might only have this time together, so I better enjoy it while I can. Whatever this is. I wrap my arm around his knee and hold onto him, we’re locked together as we both stare up at the stars not saying a word.
His lips gently caress my temple, and I lean into his kiss. This is a nice moment, and I want to live in this time we have a little longer before reality kicks my ass and we have to go back to the real world and fall from this heaven on earth.
We’re all in the stretch pink Hummer on our way back into Denver. Mercs is riding with us, along with Tank and some of the other crew—there’s about twenty of us altogether. The back is packed, but it sure is making for a fun ride. As I smoke on my usual after show joint, Mercs is watching me with drawn eyebrows, as he sits next to me in a shroud of smoke.
He leans into my side as I puff on the last of my joint. “Do you do that after every show?”
I blow the delicious smoke away from him and turn back with a nod. “It helps me relax and unwind. Plus, I kind of grew up on the stuff.”
He nods and leans away from me with a slightly agitated appearance, a stark contradiction from the looks he was giving me on top of the giant rock. Furrowing my brows, I stub the joint out in the ashtray and take a sip of my Mike’s Hard Strawberry Lemonade alcopop, the tangy lemon mixed with the sweet berry hitting my tongue giving a refreshing burst to my pallet.
I feel like maybe the weed use is a bit much for Mercs, and if he doesn’t like it then perhaps I could tone it down. I don’t need it, I’m just used to doing it. It’s more habitual than an addiction for me.
I turn to him and smile. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, it’s been a long day.”
I rest my free hand on his knee and give it a little squeeze. “Stay in my room tonight?” I whisper to him under the noise of everyone else chatting in the Hummer.
He rests his hand on mine with a polite nod. I loop my fingers with his.
The car pulls up into the underground hotel parking garage, and I sigh knowing I’ll be able to talk to Mercs when we get to my suite.
Raoul pulls open the back door, and everyone starts to file out one by one, and I let go of Mercs as he slides out of the car. I follow, and we walk through the back entrance and into the lobby.
My stomach is fluttering with butterflies. I’m not quite sure if it’s from a bad set of herbs, or if my energy with Mercs is just vibing wrongly, but something feels off as we all file toward the elevators in a rowdy ruckus of noise and laughter. Mercs and I are the only two quiet ones of the bunch. I press the elevator call button and patiently wait while Mercs stands beside me holding my hand.
“Fuck! You two look serious, you guys have a barney or something?” Casey asks as she hangs off one of our groupies.
Mercs furrows his brows. “Barney? Like the dinosaur?” he asks with a smirk.
“No, it’s Aussie slang for argument. And no, we’re good… right?” I ask.
“Yeah, Effa and I are good. No problems or purple dinosaurs to worry about here,” he jests making everyone laugh.
Luke and Andi both eye us with concerned looks.
“Good, let’s keep it that way. If Effa’s screwing shit up let me know and I’ll straighten her out,” Luke chides.
I bring my hands to my hips in response. “Hey, you’re supposed to be on my side, Luke.”
“I’m on the side of the band, Effa. And you screwing around with the best lighting technician we’ve ever had… is concerning me,” Luke cuts out honestly.
Mercs clears his throat. “Luke, what Effa and I choose to do is our private business.”
Luke’s brows furrow, like he’s not sure what to answer with.
So I decide to break the tension. “You have nothing to worry about, Luke,” I defend.
The elevator doors open and I step in pulling Mercs’ hand and dragging him with me. No one follows, they’re all too busy talking and having fun, so we head off on our own. The doors close, and I look at him.
“That wasn’t awkward at fucking all,” Mercs mumbles under his breath.
“Yeah I agree, Luke was out of line. I’m sorry about him, but you have to realize he’s only trying to do what’s right for the band and us girls.”
“I get that. Let’s go to your room, I want to talk to you about something.”
We walk down the hall to my suite. My shoulders tight with tension, so tight they ache and are in need of a good massage especially after tonight’s performance. My stomach is churning wondering what Mercs wants to talk to me about.
The crew must have caught the next elevator and their noise is echoing down the hall as they step out and approach, but I don’t want to be held up by them, so I quickly pull the room card out and swipe to open the door.
Walking in, the suite is lovely. We’re on the top level of the hotel again, booking out the entire floor for everyone. I have a great view from up here, as I look out at the glistening stars which are dazzling through the floor to ceiling windows. But right now all I care about is that Mercs as there’s obviously something on his mind.
We make it into the living area, and I turn and sit on the edge of the coffee table chewing on my lip as I look at him. He stands watching me as if he’s assessing me, looking me over for signs of something. I’m just not sure what. “What are you looking for?”
He walks over to me gazing right into my eyes. “Signs of you being high.”
My muscles tense even further and I clench my jaw. “That’s what this is about?”
“Yeah. I want you to know, there’s two things I don’t do… drugs and cheating.”
He studies my eyes further, probably trying to ascertain if they’re bloodshot. But they won’t be, I didn’t smoke enough weed for it to really kick into my system.
“Effa, I know you grew up with drugs. But I’ve been around bands long enough to know that this shit… man… it fucks with your brain. It fucking kills people. It leads to harder stuff, and…” he drags his fingers through his hair, “… I don’t want that for you.”
Mercs reaches out for my hands and takes them in his in a softer, gentler way.
Relaxing slightly, I take a deep breath and nod. “I know, and I only smoke herbs. I don’t do anything harder. Only Casey, and occasionally Andi, do that. I would never. It’s just a habit for me now, one that I find helps unlock my creativity and winds me down after a concert.”
He rubs his thumbs over my skin in a caring way. “Have you tried to be creative without it?”
I tilt my head trying to ponder his question. I normally always write Luminous songs high, that’s a given, but the song I wrote with Danger from Recoil—the one that shot us to fame—we wrote together with only endless hours of snacks and energy drinks.
Shaking my head slowly, I let out a small laugh. “Not normally. No. But I did do it once, and that was the song that shot us to fame.”
“Maybe it’s time to try again without so much of the herbal interference? I’m anti anything that’s harmful to you and your health.”
“So you would prefer I didn’t smoke at all?”
His body tenses but not from anger, from something far more carnal. The atmosphere changes, it alights with desire, with the heat of passion. His tongue darts out licking his bottom lip as his gaze drops to my collarbone.
My breathing hitches, as the pressure in the room sparks and crackles with tension, more of lust and excitement than from his disapproval. He looks back up at me and runs his hands up my arms, a tingle shooting all the way through my body. The intense stare from his deep blue eyes has my knees buckling as they penetrate my gaze.
“If you were mine, I would demand it. I would clench my fingers into your hair and hold you tight until you surrendered to me and promised you wouldn’t smoke again. Then, I would run my tongue down your neck, making your body quiver, as I made you promise that you belong to me… always.” He blinks a few times and continues, “If you were mine, Effa. I’d make you quiver and scream my name until your eyes fog from a different kind of haze than the drugs you’re used to. Just succumb to me, Effa, lose yourself in me, and we could be amazing together.”
My breaths are short and sharp as I clench my thighs together to dull the ache between them. My clit is throbbing at his domineering words, the only trouble is, I loved every one of them. My stomach flips at the thought of being with Mercs, to stop fighting the words of warning from Luke, and to just give in to temptation. We both want each other, the chemistry is there, we know that, we just need to take that leap.
“We can’t risk losing you, Mercs. The band needs you, and if we do this, there is that chance?” I murmur as we inch closer together, chests heaving for frantic breaths.
His hand slides up from my arm, across my neck and into the back of my hair, gripping tight. My scalp prickles with the force, sending a tingling sensation through my body, making me feel lightheaded, but in a good way—a very good way.
“That’s Luke talking… not me.”
I inch closer again as he looks down at my lips with a slight smirk.
“I want you, Effa. Watching you tonight, teasing me with your sultry looks. Then seeing your bravery on the rocks… you amaze me, and I want to be part of your life. I know the risks, but if we’re adults about this and be sensible, then if there’s some sort of issue we can behave like adults and get on with it. I won’t leave the tour. You have my word. Now is that enough talking to let me fuck you?”
I giggle and move my body against his, the bulge in his pants now pronounced as I run my hands up his chest and around his neck. “You think you have all the power?”
Mercs raises his brow seemingly confused, as I spin him around pushing him back, so he falls onto the bed, his body bouncing a few times as he looks at me with a smirk. I saunter toward him as I pull the daisy chain headband off my head and throw it to the floor. He raises his brow watching me while he lifts up, resting on his elbows. My hands smooth down my sides as I gather my dress and start to hoist it up slowly. His eyes widen as he takes in what I’m doing, as I lift my dress up my legs and over my head, leaving me in a white lace G-string and no bra.
A slow smile creeps up on his face as his eyes instantly move down to my ample sized breasts. I move in, kicking off my flats, bringing my knees either side of his legs on the bed and working my way over the top of him as he lays back down. My pussy presses against his now fully formed hard cock which presses firmly against his jeans, as his hands slide up my legs and grip onto my ass pulling me down onto him to gain more friction.
My hair falls down around my face as I edge up toward his mouth, both of us panting as the energy sizzles in the air around us. I look into his eyes as they meet mine, and his dark blues are staring back at me with such intense lust that it makes me tingle all over. You can practically taste the lust in the air. It’s seeping into my pores making me feel lightheaded.
The energy, the buzz, the natural high from being with Mercs, it’s like a shot of adrenaline straight into my veins, leaking into my system quickly and making every nerve ending come alive, every sensation more attuned.
He is a drug I could become addicted to, far more alluring than herbs, than cocaine, than any drug I could ever try. This, here with Mercs is what I crave, and the energy of this moment, the thrill of knowing what’s to come, is only making this all the more exciting.
Leaning down, I press my lips to his with all the passion built up inside of me. My lips fire off with excitement, and that usual popping candy effect explodes along my lips as I kiss him. My pussy naturally grinds down on him as our mouths open and our tongues frolic together, kissing frantically, and his hands move up my back and one straight into my hair in his usual way.
His hand tightens on my back as a deep throaty groan drones from his chest, and suddenly, I’m being spun around, as he picks me up and drops me onto the bed, on my back, under him. I gasp as our lips break apart and he leans up, buttons popping as he yanks his shirt off and throws it to the floor. I have just enough time to notice his right arm is covered in a complete inked sleeve, and I noticed when I first saw him without his shirt that he has Kiera tattooed over his collarbone. I smile as I glance down to see an amazing set of washboard abs before he settles down between my legs and moves back in to kiss me.
Mercs’ chest presses against mine, and fuck if it doesn’t feel good to feel his bare skin against me. His lips dodge my mouth, and I pout, as he moves in taking my neck as his next victim. Closing my eyes as he devours my neck, nipping, licking and sucking, his hard cock pushing against my pussy, as I chew on my bottom lip. My clit is throbbing so hard with each heartbeat. So much so that if he doesn’t touch me soon, I’m going to start on myself.
“Kaden,” I murmur.
He sucks on my neck, then trails kisses up to my ear biting hard on my lobe, sending a tingle straight down my body. I writhe against him as he works me up, and my hands run up the hard muscles of his back. He’s so strong, I love that he takes the power.
He leans in, kissing me and I kiss him hard, our bodies rocking together causing sweet friction, working to get us to the place we both want to be. But I want him to know where he stands with me before this goes any further. Mercs kisses me rougher, more demanding, his hand moves to my breast and squeezes almost hard, but enough to be pleasurable as I moan breaking the kiss.
“I want you to know, if we do this, it doesn’t mean you’re like them,” I murmur.
His movements stop, completely, as he looks at me furrowing his brows. “Like who?”
Hesitating, I suddenly think maybe opening my mouth was a bad idea. “Like the rest of the crew.”
“Why? What are you talking about?” he asks.
Shit! This is so not what was meant to happen.
Those words were meant to be reassuring, and not intended for him to second guess.
So, I figure I better deflect the situation and lean in to kiss him, but he pulls back tutting like he’s annoyed I’d even try that right now.
Fuck!