I HUGGED LUCKY tight on the ride back to the bus. He got to peel off my clothes the way he had wanted. It was a win for me, too. I savored his warm tongue on my naked skin, his lush kisses on my breasts, his darker ones lower down. I came once while he was still fully clothed. He came once inside my mouth, my lips only around the crown of his cock because of his size. Even with my hands stacked together I couldn’t encompass his entire length. He told me he loved the taste of me, that I was like dark chocolate with a tang of berry. I told him he was richer and more complex, spicy, sexy, pure masculine perfection. I swallowed every last salty drop when he ejaculated, and he pulled my naked body onto his chest afterward, tracing my swollen lips with his thumb while staring at me with dark sated eyes.
"I..." He had been about to say something deep. I saw the flare of it in his eyes before I kissed him and stemmed it. I felt the same emotion I knew he had been about to express. I wanted him and the beauty of everything I think he had been about to offer more than I wanted my next breath, but I couldn’t have it until I was free.
We slept tangled together. Naked. On one narrow slice of the hotel bed as if we were back in his bunk. We didn’t speak early the next morning beyond small phrases as we went through the motions of getting ready to return to the bus. The weight of the rift between my dad and me had been spanned because of him. Lucky knew me as well as Marsha did, maybe better in some ways. I felt closer to him than I had ever felt to anyone else, but there was a tightness in his gaze as he left to check on Sky that I knew I had caused. I think he assumed that I didn’t want him to say the words to me, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. I knew now that he was the one. He was kind and caring, his soul as breathtaking as the stars in the valley on a serene summer night.
My phone rang as I was closing up the hotel room. Down the hall in my peripheral vision, I saw Lucky leaving Sky's room. He had his arm around her, but he riveted his attention on me. I could feel it. Was he worried that the call might be from another guy? It wasn’t. I swiveled to face him trying to convey that in my gaze.
"Hey." I knew who it was. The 2 Rows Back song “Landing in London” was Marsha’s current ring tone, though ironically it fit Lucky better.
"We're delayed here at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport by fog. I couldn’t wait to talk to you. How did it go with your dad?"
I began the lengthy recounting with the phone in the crook between my neck and shoulder while wheeling my rolling bag. Lucky came and took the handle from me in addition to his sister's.
"You ladies get on board," he insisted. "I'll stow these and join you."
Alec and Cody were already in the front lounge when Sky and I entered it together. They had their instrument cases in their hands. They mumbled a weary sounding good morning but didn’t linger. They were on their way to the back. I didn’t see Rocky but I heard muffled drumming and guessed he was already in the back lounge.
"All set." Lucky appeared. His hands free of luggage, he grabbed me and kissed me breathless. I thought I was dizzy only from his lushness, but it was also because the bus had started moving. The floor swayed beneath me as we bumped over potholes in the hotel parking lot.
"My mates and I are going to get some rehearsing done. If you need anything Sky knows where to find it." I knew the location of most of all the necessities pretty well by this point. There were only so many places to hide things on a tour bus. But I thanked him for this thoughtfulness anyway. He rewarded me a sexy half smile.
"I like the way you took care of me last night, Angel." I rolled my eyes at his entendre but quickly righted them so I could stare at his sexy ass as he swaggered away.
"Would you like me to do your hair and makeup?" Sky asked.
“Sure.” I glanced at her. "But only if I can do yours, too."
"I don’t usually wear makeup."
"Why not?" I had noticed but I didn’t know the reason.
"Rocky says I’m prettier without it." She blushed.
"Oh." I smiled. The Welshman again. Everything seemed to revolve around him for her. "Well maybe he’s right." I took a seat, and she scurried to the back to get her kit. When she returned, music drifted to the front lounge from the back. I closed my eyes as Sky ran a brush through my hair and let the sound of Lucky's smooth singing voice wash over and relax me.
Lovingly attended to by Sky, listening to the guys rehearse in the back, the miles flew by. We stopped for fuel but ate lunch on the bus. Sky and I made sandwiches for the bus driver and the guys and salads for ourselves. We were watching season two of America’s Next Top Model when I noticed that the music had stopped.
"No. It’s still bloody wrong," Lucky’s voice sounded frustrated. "Let’s try it one more time from the top. I’ll try a different chord progression on the chorus."
I glanced at Sky. Her head lay back. Her eyes were closed. She snored softly, not the soft purring that Marsha did, but it was still cute. I smiled. Apparently, the situation in the back wasn’t unusual to keep her from sleeping. I covered her with a blanket and drifted toward the band. Lucky wasn’t the only one frustrated. They all wore differing expressions of it. Alec's usually smooth coif bore the evidence of restless fingers. Rocky's amiable smile had flat lined. Cody’s blonde curls were pulled back into a stubby ponytail revealing a furrowed brow. They started 'She’s the One' again, no one acknowledging me as I gathered their empty lunch dishes. After the third run through of the chorus I had an idea of what I thought the song needed. I closed the kitchenette cabinet putting the last clean dish away and picked up Lucky's lion ring from beside him when I returned to the make do practice room. The ring wasn’t exactly a tambourine, but it mimicked the sound when the ring in the lion’s mouth was rattled just so. The lead singer's head swiveled my way as I joined in. He continued singing and strumming his acoustic guitar, but I could tell his attention was fixed on the pattern of my jingling. The edges of his lips curled eliminating his frown. By the bridge, the others caught on, too. At the end Rocky stood, threw down his sticks and practice drum pad and kissed the top of my head. "You’re brilliant, Raven. The piece only lacked layering in the percussion section." He cocked his head to the side. "The skits. The singing. You’ve been holding out on us, haven’t you dear?"
"She majored in music at her university," Lucky explained proudly, the latches clacking on his instrument case as he put away his guitar. "She composes, too." He turned piercing me with his gaze as he raked arrows of black out of his eyes. "She’s insanely talented, blindingly beautiful and all mine." He dropped down beside me on the couch. The back cabin had sofas along each wall that the guys had all occupied while rehearsing. "Everyone get their shit and get out." Lucky smiled broadly, but his eyes sparkled with familiar heated intent. He reached for the button on the wall after the last Dragon filed out. I knew it was the one that made the three couches lie flat to make one bed. "We've got some time before we arrive in Phoenix.” He stalked toward me. “I want to thank you properly."
Hours later blissed out on Lucky's thanks, I didn’t realize that the bus had stopped or that it had gone completely silent outside the stabbin’ cabin. I had been pierced very pleasurably and very thoroughly by Lucky's tongue and his cock, and everyone had already disembarked by the time we eventually exited the back lounge.
"I don’t want to leave,” I admitted. “I like your family. It feels right when I’m with you." My palms scraped against his stubble roughened cheeks as I threaded my fingers into his silky soft hair and drew him closer. His eyes were mesmerizing pools. I had immersed myself in their depths for the past few hours. I could see that my honest statement pleased him. Steam lifted from the glacial blue surface of his gaze that made me want to go right back inside the cabin shutting the door and the rest of the world out.
"I don’t want to let you go. I've only just had you but I want you again.” He placed his hands on my waist. The warmth of his skin and the coolness of his rings penetrated the cotton of my blouse. He drew me flush with him. I could feel his erection. My breath quickened. My body softened. Need coursed warm and insistent through me.
"I’ll see you directly after the skit.” His eyes searched mine, his lips lifting as he read the rekindled desire within them.
"Yes. Absolutely." I nodded, trying but failing to keep the specter of worry from creeping into my gaze.
"It’ll be ok, Angel.
I wasn’t quite as certain, but I pasted on a smile.
"I have a surprise planned later."
"Oh?" I took a step back from him and the hypnotic effect he had on me. “When did you have time to arrange a surprise?"
"I’m very motivated when it comes to you." I lifted onto the tips of my toes to receive the goodbye kiss he gave me. His lips lingered for a long moment. But I worried as I followed him down the steps and squinted into the setting sun. The skit with Alec and me loomed large in my mind and it seemed like a final hurdle of uncertainty I had to clear before I could return to the lead singer’s arms for good.
MARSHA’S FLIGHT WAS delayed. Too antsy to wait for her in our empty hotel room, I texted her my intentions and walked a half mile down the deserted downtown street to the Talking Sticks Arena. Night had fallen but street lights lit the way. Waves of summer heat still leeched off the pavement. I could feel it through my shoes. I was sweaty by the time I entered the arena and located Sky. She had already set up the merch booth in the concrete mezzanine, so I helped her with inventory.
"You’re out of XL men's concert tees," I informed her. "Medium in the women’s version of the same shirt."
"Got it. Thank you." She marked her reorder list. "It's taken us several stops to sell out of those. The standard ones are rather dull, don’t you think?" Her clipboard clattered as she dropped it on the folding table surface.
"Why don’t you change things up and order something new?"
"That’s what Lucky suggested, but what?"
"How about something more personal." I smirked as an idea came to me. "'Get Lucky' would be fun."
"Yeah." She smiled.
"You could put the Dragon logo or the tour schedule on the back."
"Splendid." She grinned. "I'll run it by him when he’s through with the meet and greets."
"You could do slogans for all the guys with their symbols.’ Get Hammered’ for Rocky. ‘Got Rhythm’ for Cody. ‘Get Amped’ for Alec."
"I don’t know." She ducked her head. I crossed to her and lifted her chin. "Makeup’s one thing, but my designs are quite simple, really.”
“Your designs are amazing,” I disagreed. “They’re very intricate. You're very talented."
"Not like you, Raven." She peered at me through her lashes. "I wish I were as brave as you. I'd dress up. Maybe then I’d get his attention..." She trailed off, her pale cheeks flushing.
"Don’t aspire to be like me. Be yourself. You are beautiful, insanely talented and unique. And if you're thinking about Rocky, I suggest you tell him how you feel. I know he cares for you."
"I have told him I want to sleep in the same bed with him. He said no." Her eyes filmed. "He told me he loves me like a sister. I don’t want him to love me that way.” She sniffed and glanced away. “I don’t think I’m smart enough for him,” she whispered.
I hated the Welshman in that moment for the pain he had caused her. But I also wondered if he had told her the truth or only said what he thought he needed to say to push her away.
“Maybe you should…” I trailed off and turned my head toward the sound of Marsha’s voice. We crossed to each other and hugged each other tight. I had relished my time on the tour bus, but I had missed her. After we separated, I noticed the crew behind her and acknowledged them.
"We came straight from the airport,” my bestie explained. “Ignacio wants to get some footage of you here and the Dragons at their sound check if we haven’t missed it."
I glanced at Sky.
"You haven’t," she informed us. "It’s right after the meet and greet."
"Excellent." Ignacio’s eyes shone brightly as he began to instruct the crew. Carla came closer and inspected my face before doing only minimal touch ups. Sky had done a brilliant job on my makeup as usual. That reminded me. I swiveled and caught the brunette's arm. "You should come with us later. I'd like your help getting ready for the after-party."
"That's an excellent idea" Marsha agreed. "It fits right in with the angle for the end of the series."
"Oh? And how’s that?"
"Well since you're working your incestuous way through the Dragon family…" She waggled her brows.
"I’m not." I glanced at Sky.
"I know you’re not, silly.” Sapphire eyes like her brothers were somber. “It’s pretend, but that part’s a secret,” she whispered after making sure no one would overhear her.
"Right. I only sleep with your brother." I didn’t want there to be any doubt in her mind. I turned back to Marsha.
"So what’s the spin, bestie? I’m with you all the way whatever it is. Sky and me." I took the brunette's hand and squeezed it.
"Sisterhood united. I love it." Marsha took Sky's other hand forming a circle. It was goofy, but I felt a ton lighter having their support. "Well as you know I’m a rock history enthusiast. I got to thinking after you did the Fleetwood Mac thing with Rocky. That band had three men and two women. Everyone was fighting and playing musical beds. The public devoured the titillating details. But I think most of them secretly wished Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham would get back together."
"Ah." My leaded heart lifted.
"Exactly. I’ll have everyone rooting for you and Lucky in the end." My bestie smiled.