girls next to me squeal and shriek and the crowd roars, everyone eager for a close-up view of one of the hottest bands in America.
They are smoldering—raw, sex-charged and intense. I lose myself in Tyler’s performance as the cords of his neck tense and he leans into the microphone. Gavin’s up front as usual, his hips swiveling and his posture loose as he coaxes reactions from the crowd.
Jayce is nearest Gavin and his eyes flick back to where we’re sitting, prompting more squeals from the girls near me. They must be with him. Dave and Tyler bring up the rear, controlling each song with careful syncopation, a driving rhythm I feel through my whole body.
I follow Tyler through each transition, in awe of the power of his body and the way he moves. His instrument is a part of him, and as I watch, I imagine his fingers on me. He could be holding my neck the way he holds the neck of his bass, grasping my hair, pulling my face back for a kiss.
***
I spring from my chair as soon as the performance ends, my body aching with need. Beryl senses my urge to escape and I follow her through the dim backstage corridor to a green room where the roar of the crowd finally recedes. I scan the room for drinks but all I see is an ice bucket with bottles of water and beer.
No hard liquor. Damn.
Beryl twists the top off a water bottle and offers it to me, but I grab a beer, slamming it on the side of a dressing table with my fist to pop the top. I tip it up and glug it down, feeling cold liquid rush down my throat.
It’s not enough to get my buzz back, but it’s a start.
“Wasn’t that amazing?” Beryl gushes, kicking off her flats (Flats! Where are the sexy shoes I helped her buy?) and tucking her feet beneath her on the couch.
I leave my platform Mary Jane heels on and park my butt on the other end of the couch, offering a noncommittal nod. I’m afraid I’ll betray how deeply Tyler rocked me. “Uh, yeah, it was good.”
“Seriously? That’s all you thought of it? They did an acoustic set and you’ve got the best seat in the house, and all you can say is good?” Beryl narrows her eyes at me. “Something’s up. Spill it, sister.”
I so don’t want to have this conversation right now. The specter of being out on my ass tomorrow frightens me. “I’m just distracted. You know, other stuff.”
“I don’t know. You won’t tell me, but I know something happened. I heard Tyler had to pull you out of a crowd.”
My face burns hot at the memory of his strong arms hoisting me out of the chaos. I remember how he sandwiched my body between himself and the stage to protect me.
And I remember the way his arms encircled me later that night, pulling me close for the kiss on the bridge.
“Who told you? Tyler or Gavin?”
“Gav. But there’s more, right? Gav says Tyler’s been weird about it, too. What’s got you all sideways?”
Beryl’s sweet face is open and gentle, and I cringe at the memory of what I did to her. And yet here she is, worried about me . I don’t deserve this. The least I can give her is the truth, but I sidestep what’s really bothering me.
“Tomorrow I have to move out of the room I’ve been staying in. Neil’s roommate is coming back from her trip and I haven’t found a new place yet.” I’m lucky my interim apartment lasted as long as it did.
“Oh, Stella. I’m sorry.”
I shrug, trying to force down my building panic because a crappy hotel will probably be my new address and I can’t afford to live that way for long. “I didn’t look that hard for a roommate at first because I thought July would shake new housing options loose with the end of the school year. I was wrong.”
The band bursts into the green room, sweaty and laughing, high from applause at their first concert in more than two months. The girls trail them, tittering and fawning over Jayce.
“We’ve got our mojo back!” Gavin shouts triumphantly and he pulls Beryl from the couch for a deep, lingering
They are smoldering—raw, sex-charged and intense. I lose myself in Tyler’s performance as the cords of his neck tense and he leans into the microphone. Gavin’s up front as usual, his hips swiveling and his posture loose as he coaxes reactions from the crowd.
Jayce is nearest Gavin and his eyes flick back to where we’re sitting, prompting more squeals from the girls near me. They must be with him. Dave and Tyler bring up the rear, controlling each song with careful syncopation, a driving rhythm I feel through my whole body.
I follow Tyler through each transition, in awe of the power of his body and the way he moves. His instrument is a part of him, and as I watch, I imagine his fingers on me. He could be holding my neck the way he holds the neck of his bass, grasping my hair, pulling my face back for a kiss.
***
I spring from my chair as soon as the performance ends, my body aching with need. Beryl senses my urge to escape and I follow her through the dim backstage corridor to a green room where the roar of the crowd finally recedes. I scan the room for drinks but all I see is an ice bucket with bottles of water and beer.
No hard liquor. Damn.
Beryl twists the top off a water bottle and offers it to me, but I grab a beer, slamming it on the side of a dressing table with my fist to pop the top. I tip it up and glug it down, feeling cold liquid rush down my throat.
It’s not enough to get my buzz back, but it’s a start.
“Wasn’t that amazing?” Beryl gushes, kicking off her flats (Flats! Where are the sexy shoes I helped her buy?) and tucking her feet beneath her on the couch.
I leave my platform Mary Jane heels on and park my butt on the other end of the couch, offering a noncommittal nod. I’m afraid I’ll betray how deeply Tyler rocked me. “Uh, yeah, it was good.”
“Seriously? That’s all you thought of it? They did an acoustic set and you’ve got the best seat in the house, and all you can say is good?” Beryl narrows her eyes at me. “Something’s up. Spill it, sister.”
I so don’t want to have this conversation right now. The specter of being out on my ass tomorrow frightens me. “I’m just distracted. You know, other stuff.”
“I don’t know. You won’t tell me, but I know something happened. I heard Tyler had to pull you out of a crowd.”
My face burns hot at the memory of his strong arms hoisting me out of the chaos. I remember how he sandwiched my body between himself and the stage to protect me.
And I remember the way his arms encircled me later that night, pulling me close for the kiss on the bridge.
“Who told you? Tyler or Gavin?”
“Gav. But there’s more, right? Gav says Tyler’s been weird about it, too. What’s got you all sideways?”
Beryl’s sweet face is open and gentle, and I cringe at the memory of what I did to her. And yet here she is, worried about me . I don’t deserve this. The least I can give her is the truth, but I sidestep what’s really bothering me.
“Tomorrow I have to move out of the room I’ve been staying in. Neil’s roommate is coming back from her trip and I haven’t found a new place yet.” I’m lucky my interim apartment lasted as long as it did.
“Oh, Stella. I’m sorry.”
I shrug, trying to force down my building panic because a crappy hotel will probably be my new address and I can’t afford to live that way for long. “I didn’t look that hard for a roommate at first because I thought July would shake new housing options loose with the end of the school year. I was wrong.”
The band bursts into the green room, sweaty and laughing, high from applause at their first concert in more than two months. The girls trail them, tittering and fawning over Jayce.
“We’ve got our mojo back!” Gavin shouts triumphantly and he pulls Beryl from the couch for a deep, lingering
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