Oh, my fucking God, I think to myself. Did I just embarrass myself in front of Rocky Kohler, drummer for Razor’s Edge and the starring role of my nightly fantasies? If Kayla were here right now, I know exactly what she’d be saying. Nice first impression you just made, nitwit. He’ll never fuck you now. I quickly push that thought aside because I’m not going to go there right now. Right now, I want to finish my plate of food, then I can worry about damage control.

I ignore Rocky and Rusty as much as possible while I eat, letting the two of them get to know each other. It’s not an easy task, though, to ignore the hottest man on the planet. I know that Kayla hopes the two of them will hit it off, and for my brother's sake, I hope they do, too. Though we both have different reasons. Kayla, I think, is a little insecure about having Rocky’s sister, Ellie, around, and Rusty is the answer to her insecurity. Me, I worry about Rusty. He has been in a slump ever since Summer, his fiance committed suicide a few years back by accidentally overdosing. I wasn’t sure if Rusty would ever get over her, because he blamed himself for not seeing the signs. He’s been working as a bouncer at the Sweet Spot since then, and I hate that he feels that’s all he deserves to do. Right after Summer’s death, he got obsessed over trying to understand how he missed the red flags. He joined countless survivor groups and attended so many addict anonymous sessions just looking for answers. I thought he would possibly go back to school and become a therapist, but he didn’t. It’s like he lost all ambition when they burried Summer. That’s why this job opportunity is perfect for him. I hate that he works at that strip joint; he is so much more than just a bouncer. He’s a protector by nature. His aptitude to protect those around him has always been strong. When Grandma and Grandpa were alive, they always joked that he should join the military and become a Ranger, but Rusty doesn’t follow orders well, and he loves his sleep. I can’t ever see him getting out of bed before ten a.m., let alone allowing someone to boss him around.

When I can’t possibly eat another bite, I toss my fork on my plate and turn my chair to face the both of them. “Are you two going to ignore me all night?” As if I hadn’t been ignoring them to this point.

Rocky turns toward me before he speaks. “Little one, there is no ignoring you. You’ve had my attention from the moment I walked outside and saw you standing there with that plate of yours. I’ve just been waiting for you to notice me.”

As if anyone wouldn’t notice Rocky Kohler. I can tell by the tone of his voice that he’s looking for attention, and I’m just the girl to give it to him. Without hesitation, I stand from my chair and climb into Rocky’s lap, wrapping my arms around his neck, whispering in his ear. “Oh, I’ve noticed you, too, Kohler,” I say in my sexiest voice, “but a girl’s got her priorities, and mine is my tummy.” I lean back and rub my stomach for emphasis, moaning a little as I do it. I feel his dick twitch under my ass, and it makes me smile because now I know I’ve got him hook, line, and sinker. I wasn’t going to eat the eclair on my plate because honestly, I’m full, but this is an opportunity to flirt with the infamous Rocky Kohler, so what’s a girl to do? Reaching out, I grab hold of the éclair and take a bite. I moan as I swallow it. “I just love cream-filled things.” I lick my lips before taking another bite. “The filling tastes so sweet when I swallow.”

A low growl comes from Rocky, and I feel his hand squeeze my hip. “I’ve got something cream filled I’m sure you’d like.” He says it so low that only I can hear him.

My panties were already damp from just sitting next to him, but the sexy sound of his voice and the heat from his body underneath me has me soaking my panties. “Is that so?” I smile back, licking my lips. “So, what do you do for the band?” I feign ignorance. “I assume you’re with the band, because Kayla said a few of you would be coming by tonight. Are you one of the guys who move all the equipment around? Uhm, a road something or other?”

Rocky looks at me like I have two heads. “You really don’t know who I am?”

Before I can answer him, Rusty pipes up, blowing my cover. “Come on, Kathy, stop fucking with the guy. You know damn well who he is.”

“Damn it, Rusty. You have no sense of humor at all.” My eyes meet Rocky’s. “Yes, I know who you are. You’re only the greatest drummer out there.” I let my fangirl side slip just a little before I compose myself. “Well, Kayla says you’re the best out there.”

Rocky’s fingers wiggle into my rib cage, tickling my side and causing me to squirm in his lap. “You’re quite the little prankster, aren’t you?” His voice carries loudly enough for anyone close by to hear, but it’s the whisper in my ear that has my heart fluttering. “You’ll pay for that. I can tease you in so many ways that you’ll be begging me to let you come before the night is out.”

My eyebrows rise in surprise, causing my eyes to go wide. Rocky laughs a full-hearted laugh, drawing the attention from those all around us. I’m positive that Rusty is going to say something, but he hasn’t said a word about my flirting at all. Though I’m sure I’ll hear about it on the way home tonight. I don’t give a shit, though; he’s my brother, not my keeper, and the pull between Rocky and me is off the charts.

Cayson pulls up a chair next to all of us and begins speaking with Rocky. “Remember how you came to me and said you were looking for personal security, someone to replace Ellie, but you couldn’t find anyone who didn’t have a stick up their ass?”

Rocky acknowledges Cayson. “You mean the day I caught you reading Kayla’s book, but you were too afraid to admit that you had feelings for her?”

That makes me laugh because if that’s true, then both Kayla and Cayson had been so dead set on not giving in to their pride that they lost precious time together.

Rocky continues his story. “Dude, you didn’t even know how to work your Nook, and don’t go denying it. Jeanette told me all about it.

Cayson quickly cuts Rocky off mid-story. “As I was going to say, Rusty here is in the personal security business and has the extra skills you mentioned you were looking for. I bet if the offer were right, he wouldn’t mind being your personal security when we head back out on the road.”

For the first time for as long as I can remember, Rusty is speechless. I’m not used to my brother not coming back with a joke of some sort. He’s always been quite the prankster. We both get it from our dad, so I’m surprised when he responds so seriously. “Are you serious? Because if you are, shit, I’d love the opportunity.”

Cayson stands, telling Rocky and Rusty to work out the details and that he’ll have Sean, their manager, finalize all the arrangements. As happy as I am for my brother, I’m totally excited for me. This is my opportunity to start hanging out with the band, and more particularly, Rocky. It never once occurrs to me that my brother would possibly have issues with my fantasy.

* * *

The car ride home is just as I expected it would be. We aren’t half a block from Cayson’s before Rusty lays into me. “What were you thinking back there? I wasn’t going to embarrass you, but you’re playing with fire. You know that guy has issues, ones I don’t want you involved in. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

I stare out the window as Rusty lays out all the reason why being friends, let alone getting involved, with Rocky is a bad idea. When I can’t take it anymore, I speak up. “Just shut up, okay? I get it. You have concerns.”

I’m immediately cut off by my brother. “Concerns are what you have when you are trying to choose which doctor you want to visit. This isn't a concern; this is me telling you to stay away. I can only imagine what little scenario you have played out in your mind, and it has disaster written all over it for both of us. I know you; you’ll want to fix him because you’re a fixer. Sometimes, things can’t be fixed, little sister; they just can’t.”

We’re stopped at a red light, so I’m forced to look at my brother when I speak. “I don’t fix everything. I’m not trying to fix him; I just want to have some fun. And since when are you my father, telling me what I can and can’t do?”

There have been very few times in my life when I’ve seen my brother’s face turn bright red. In fact, I can honestly say it has only been when he has been ready to beat someone’s ass, so I know he is trying really hard not to beat mine.

“You’re right, smart ass, I’m not your dad. I’m your brother, and right now, you are fucking with my livelihood. I have a chance at something good here. A chance to get away from the strip club and earn more money than even Gauge Ellington was willing to pay me, and I won’t have you fuck it up because you can’t keep your hormones in check.”

The light turns green, causing Rusty to focus on the road and not on me any longer. As much as I want to tell my brother to go fuck himself, I know he’s right. This is everything I’ve wanted for him, so I won’t screw it up for him. Just then, I feel my phone vibrate in my bra—because where else does a girl keep her phone when she doesn’t have a purse?—but I’m afraid to look at it. There’s a good chance it will be Rocky texting. The remainder of the drive home is silent, both Rusty and I brooding about the argument we just had. We don’t fight; that’s not to say we don’t disagree, but we never yell at each other, which is exactly what we just did. Rusty doesn’t bother to even park the truck; he just pulls up to the curb and stops. I know I should say something to smooth things out between us, but I don’t. I just open the door, climb out, and walk to my front door as he drives off.

My keys are in the lock when my phone vibrates again. I don’t pull it out until I’m inside and the door is locked behind me. There are two texts, both from Rocky.

Drummer Boy: Are you home yet?

Drummer Boy: Are you ignoring me?