Chapter 15
“We’re down to our last two stops and then you guys are free for two months.” Joshua sits at the head of the table looking tired. “You’ve been asked to do Saturday Night Live next month so that’s on the table if you want that.”
“Hell yes, we want that.” I take a sip of my coffee and wink across the table at Rachel. I’m so happy to see she’s joined us for the last part of the tour. I like looking at her. I blow her a kiss and she shakes her head.
“Stop flirting with my woman.” Max flips me the bird and I just laugh. “Get your own.”
“I don’t think he’s lacking in that department. There are a lot of really desperate women out there.” Katrina smiles at me from across the table.
It’s been almost a week since she discovered who I really am. We haven’t talked about it much but we aren’t fighting constantly. She talks to me like she does the other guys on the bus and I can tell she’s trying to put her feelings aside to make the last leg of this journey a good one.
“As I was saying,” Joshua clears his throat. “I’d like you guys to really take some time away from the media. Go on a vacation or stay home. I want to be able to have some time off so that means not having to clean up any bullshit. Think we can handle that?”
I salute him and he huffs. I know I give him so much shit but he loves me anyway. “You see the irony in this, right Seymour? You want us to stay away from the media but you have one of them on the bus with us. If I’m being perfectly honest, I’d like to be in the press if you know what I mean. She’s just not on board yet.”
“Oh my God. You did not just say that.” Katrina’s face is red but she laughs along with everyone else.
Joshua’s face is blank. I know I shouldn’t push him so much but he’s such an easy target. He doesn’t show much emotion. “You are a pain in my ass.”
“It’s not painful if you just relax. I’ve heard it can be quite enjoyable. Ladies, any thoughts on this?”
“I have no idea what I did in a past life to deserve this but I sincerely apologize for my sins.” Joshua laughs and starts packing up his paperwork. “Bus leaves in two hours. It’s only about an hour ride to San Francisco. We’ll drive back to LA tonight. Flight for Hawaii leaves tomorrow night. Do not miss it. And I’m trusting you’ll enjoy the few down days on the Island without stirring up a bunch of bullshit. Katrina, stay close to them. Get some good shots of them enjoying their time off together. Make them gods.”
“That won’t be hard. Look at us.” I fist bump D’Rey.
“And Chance, keep it in your pants for a few days. The fans are really enjoying seeing your human side and not your womanizing. Let’s see if we can keep that up until this tour is over. Then you can run around naked for all I care.”
I groan at the thought of a few more days of celibacy. I haven’t been with a woman since I made out with Katrina. For some reason, they’ve all lost their appeal. My dry spell hasn’t been on purpose. I’ve just enjoyed my nights hanging with the guys or getting to know Kat a little better. Mia and Laney have been at a few of the stops and I’ve gotten to hang out with them, too. It’s been a nice break and I haven’t missed the warm body in my bed. Of course, I’ve spent two of the nights, fully clothed, in Kat’s bed. That gives me more satisfaction than any meaningless conquest.
“You’ll survive it, Slick.” Katrina types out a text message and then puts her phone down on the table. “There are people out there not having orgasms every day and they live to tell about it.”
“Why would anyone not have an orgasm every day?” I’m being serious and she doesn’t know how to answer that. “When was the last time you got off?”
“When Enzo was here.” Her face reddens but she keeps eye contact. “What about you?”
I look at my watch and she giggles. “About an hour ago.”
“You were in my room about an hour ago.” She balls up her napkin and throws it at me.
“I woke up next to you. Your face and that hot body were the first things I saw. What did you expect me to do? It was a cold shower and a five knuckle shuffle or I wouldn’t have made it through the day.”
“Wow,” she just stares at me. “Your honesty is shocking sometimes.’
“I don’t know why it’s so taboo to talk about this stuff.” I lean forward and take both of her hands in mine. She doesn’t pull away. “You should be with someone who gets you off every day, Princess. Your body should be worshiped. You’re so beautiful, Kat.”
“I’m not sure how to respond to that,” her breathy voice surprises me.
I turn her hand over and run my fingers up her arm. She shivers. Goosebumps break out where I’ve touched. I’d never jeopardize a future friendship with her. A few minutes of pleasure would never be worth that. But the other part of me wants to crawl under this table and send her over the edge just to see her face when she explodes. She’ll always be an unattainable goal that I want to protect and devour, both at the same time.
“You don’t have to say anything. It’s the truth and you should be told that every day. I know you have Lorenzo and he’s a great guy. I’d never step on his toes and for as much as I joke, I’ll never cross that line with you. You’re important to me and I wouldn’t want to hurt you again.”
She shakes her head back and forth. “I’m not with Lorenzo. Not anymore. And remember what you told me. Never say never.”
She stands up and walks out of the room, leaving me staring and confused. Keeping her out of my bed is going to be hard enough for me. If she’s willing, I’m fucked.
I’m sweaty and exhausted when I climb back on the bus after our show. San Francisco was alive and my adrenaline is popping. This is when I need a woman. I need the touch and the anchor to reality. I need the release to come down from the high.
I crawl into a top bunk to get a little sleep. It will be almost sunrise when we hit LA and I want to spend a few hours at home enjoying being there and not just sleeping. I close my eyes and listen to the hum of the engine. Our last show is in Honolulu and it’s such a hardship to have to go there. I can feel myself smile. My life has changed so much.
I can hear the rest of the band getting on the bus. I’m shocked that we can be in such close quarters and not kill each other. These men are my brothers. I never had that growing up. Their wives and girlfriends are just as much a part of our little family as they are. We’ve been through so much but I wouldn’t trade a second of it.
“Can you scoot over at all?” Katrina’s voice startles me from my near sleep.
“Crawl over me. It’s small up here and I don’t want you to fall out of bed when you’re asleep.” My voice is a whisper.
As soon as she climbs onto the bunk, I know it’s a mistake. She crawls over me, her body rubbing against mine. I’m a live wire. I breathe a little deeper to control myself. She curls into my side, her honey scent filling my nose. Her hand rubs my chest like she has the other nights but tonight, it’s different. I’m desperate for human contact. I can feel my body tense.
“What’s wrong?” I open my eyes and she’s staring up at me. Her brown eyes are the color of milk chocolate and her lips are pink. She’s so beautiful.
“It’s nothing.” I puff a burst of air out of my lungs. “I’m just amped from the stage. It was a great show.”
“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”
I groan. “These are the nights I call upon my harem, as you like to call them.”
She’s quiet for a minute, her eyes searching mine. She scoots her body up so her face is closer to mine. “Use me. I’m right here.”
“Kat,” I push her hair behind her ears. “I can’t use you. I care about you. You should never be used.”
“Then kiss me because you care about me.” She leans forward, her mouth only about an inch from mine. I want to devour her. I want to own her. I want so much. It’s a war between my heart and my head.
“We shouldn’t,” she puts her hand over my mouth to stop me.
“Chance, I’m going to kiss you now.”
Her lips touch mine and my world as I know it crumbles. Everything I ever knew is a lie. No kiss has ever been this good. Her lips move against mine in a sensual dance. Our tongues caress, our breathing labors, our hands hold each other like there’s no tomorrow. Her scent surrounds me; her silky hair falls around us. I know when this is over, nothing in my life will ever be the same.
“Chance,” she softly moans against my lips. I know this can’t go any further, especially here on the bus with the rest of the band just outside the curtain. But what I wouldn’t give to bury myself in her and never come up for air.