The pictures I got from Las Vegas Boulevard today would make one hell of an impression in my portfolio. The fountains at the Bellagio had just started when we walked up. There were a few clouds in the sky that I used as a background. It didn't take long for me to have a good four or five shots to use for my visual proof that I knew what the hell I was doing. Tonight I was going to ask Ash or Gabe if I could use their balcony to take shots of the strip while it was dark.
I'd stopped a man in the valet of Caesar's Palace and asked if I could take a few pictures of his Ferrari (for my calendars and magazine clients) and he happily obliged. Apparently he was some big wig movie producer (Liana knew that, not me) and had known the owner of the Phoenix Suns. He'd seen my work and told me to use what I needed. We exchanged business cards and I walked away with a possible job on his next upcoming movie doing promotional shots of the actors. I couldn't be happier.
David continued to hover, and he never complained. I kept telling him that if he wasn't with us all those people wouldn't be staring, trying to figure out who we were. Of course my argument was short lived when a random chick came up and said to Liana "Ohmuygod!! Your Gabe Miller's sister. Can I have your autograph? Can you please, please, please get me backstage passes? Your brother is so yummy!"
I burst out laughing uncontrollably when Liana said, "Why sure honey, you can have my autograph, but Gabe has no more passes to give out. You see, he has women lined up from the time they arrive at the venue until it's time to go on stage. Then he has a new set of sluts waiting to ride his boney ass all the way till he passes out. So, unless you want to share the same love stick as all those other women, I'd think its best your stay outside the gates. Plus," she looked the girl up and down. "You're really not his type."
We left the poor girl standing there, flabbergasted.
David looked a little smug. So, I gave up on the idea of being alone this weekend and accepted my new bodyguard.
A text came through right after lunch from Ash.
Meet at the venue at 5pm...don't be late...dinner will be here when you arrive. XXX Ash
We arrived with no time to spare. The stadium was in full concert mode. Roadies were running a few last minute cables and lugging around huge black rolling cases that held the bands instruments. Looking up at the stage and back at the empty seats, I felt a little sad. Tears welled and I had to bit the inside of my cheek to keep from crying. This could've been me.
I'd give just about anything to stand up there for one night and give it my all. I wonder if these guys know how extremely lucky they all were. Things could change so quickly. In a blink of an eye dreams shattered and everything gone from your grasp, never to return.
A hand on my arm halted my thoughts. Liana understood more than anyone else what I'd lost. This was my secret and because Liana was my only family, it was hers too. She'd been there on the nights I couldn't take it and crumble. The nights when I would break down and cry for hours; the little control I had on my emotions would be lost. Then after I'd cry until my tears dried up, I'd feel guilty for being like that. I should be happy with what I did have.
Not that I didn't love my new life, I did, but sometimes I missed the stage. I longed for the excitement of entertaining a crowd, being able to make them cry or shout to the tops of their lungs.
"Hey," she started. "Are you going to be okay with this?" I knew what she meant. Was I okay going behind the scenes? Well, was I? I guess I'd have to be. It was too late to turn back now. We were here to get the full treatment. I didn't want to look weak in front of the band.
"Yeah," I whispered.
Liana nodded and started pulling me forward. "Now, before you find out the hard way. I don't want you to be surprised if some of the guys...um, well..."
"Well," I asked with a raised brow. "Spit it out." I used her favorite words back at her.
"Their adrenaline is pretty high after a show and they like to take some lady friends to knock off some steam. If you know what I mean?" She shrugged slightly and gave me a knowing look.
Did that mean that I was to be the lady Ash blew off steam with? Or was she letting me know this so that if he ran off with some bimbo I'd be okay with it? He wanted me, this I knew. Wanting him on my part was a no brainer. He was a dream come true, and now that I'd spent some time with him that desire was driven to extreme.
Better give it up to fate, even though fate was a nasty bitch sometimes.
I smiled and pulled her forward. The badges around our necks allowed us to go anywhere in the building. We skirted the side of the stage and slid through and opening in the barricade. A few roadies said hello to Liana as we made our way to the backstage doors. Once inside the hallway arched around in a half moon shape, running the length of the stage.
Rooms were labeled for each band. The first one we came to was for the opening band, The Surge. Not a bad band for their opening act. I liked their stuff. They hadn't been around long and I think I'd only heard their one hit song, "To the Night".
About five doors down the hall we found our place. The smell of food drifted out of the door. I was almost too nervous to eat.
Ash looked up as we entered and his eyes and nostrils flared for a moment before he smiled wide at the two of us. He raked my body with those emerald eyes. I shivered slightly. My choice of outfit seemed to be a hit, because not only Ash, but Gabe and Kane too looked me over with appreciation.
I wore my skinny leather pants and a sleeveless top similar to the red one I wore the night before, but this one was white and sparkled. My black high heels cost a fortune, but even I knew they looked killer on my feet.
Ash rose from his seat on the leather couch and made his way around the coffee table. The room was standard white with a couch, loveseat, coffee and end tables, some extra folding chairs and four mirrored tables for doing makeup and hair. Glory Days was not alone, the other band had arrived too and they were drooling over Liana and I. Ash didn't look happy.
Everyone in the room noticed his possessive prowl toward me. I froze in place, like a defenseless deer. He was wearing almost matching leather pants to mine and another vintage t-shirt, this time it he was showing his love for Black Sabbath. The sleeves were cut out and the sides were split down to his waist, only the hem left intact to keep it wearable. I could see a tattoo on his side of a crouching black panther. His black shit kickers were unlaced and clomped loudly on the concrete floor beneath his feet.
He reached me and placed a hand on my waist, pulling me close. My hand automatically fell upon his chest, and I could feel his heart beating beneath my fingers. He smelled amazing and his hair was gelled enough to give it some volume. I liked it.
"You are entirely too tempting to be dressed like this," he whispered, and then placed a kiss on the spot below my earlobe. The action sent tiny prickles down my arms. My sex clenched and I felt moisture pool between my legs. My nipples pebbled hard against my bra.
"Thank you," I said breathless. On a moment of bravery, I leaned in and kissed him sweetly on the corner of his mouth. That was the wrong thing to do, because he used his other hand to fist in the back of my hair and pull my mouth back to his.
Ash's tongue licked my lower lip, urging me to open. When I did, he assaulted my mouth with his, our tongues dueling. When we both pulled back, our breathing was rapid and heavy. The spark in his erotic green eyes speared me and I couldn't move. We must have stood there for a while staring at each other, our hands still in place, before someone walked by and broke our concentration. A blush painted my cheeks a rosy red and I smiled up at him.
"Come on, let's eat," he said as he grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the table I hadn't noticed on the side of the room. Looks like someone catered in fried chicken and all the fixin's. He grabbed two plates and began filling one. "What would you like? Just let me know and I'll get it for you." He resumed piling his own plate full of potatoes, slaw, and rolls.
"Actually," I said. "I'm not all that hungry." He stopped and looked at me like he didn't approve. Then he looked worried.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine." He stopped and set his plate down. He touched my arm and moved his hand up to my neck, like he was checking me for fever.
"Are you sure? Why don't you want to eat, angel?" Ash looked worried. He called me angel again. I liked it.
"Just my nerves," I admitted. Liana was sitting on the arm of the couch next to Reed, but her eyes were on me. The smile she gave me lit up the room and I wanted to punch her. She was trying to be my matchmaker.
"Why are you nervous," he asked, still running his hands over me, but this time with a calmer touch. I really wanted to fall into his arms and hide there forever. He was so concerned, and domineering. If this was what it would be like to give him control over me then sign me up. I'd take it.
"It's really nothing and I'd rather not talk about it," I admitted. "You have a show to prepare for." Pushing him back was like letting go of a lifeline, but I did it. He scowled at me and turned for his plate. When he reached the chair he motioned me over and patted his knee.
I sat cradled in his arms with his plate of food in my lap. He would feed me a bite before he took one for himself. I didn't realize how hungry I truly was until that first bite hit my tongue. It was really good and I found myself enjoying his control a little bit more than I wanted too.
Who feeds another person with only their hand anymore? I thought that happened only in historical romances. I was beginning to think this guy was too good to be true. Ash Martin was an amazing man.
I finally raised my hand to halt his, "I'm so done. Please, no more," I laughed. He frowned a little and took the last bite for himself. He set the plate down and stood us both up.
"Going for a walk," he murmured to Gabe, who nodded at Ash and gave me a sweet brotherly smile. Gabe was a good guy, just like his sister.
We walked out of the room and turned right, heading back toward the door to the stage. "Where are we going?" I asked, unsure as to what he had in mind.
"Just going to check out what's going on out front. There's about an hour before they open the doors and I thought I'd help with sound check." He opened the door for me and placed his hand on the small of my back, ushering me toward the stage.
Standing frozen at the bottom of the steps, Ash turned to look at me and I know I looked like a deer caught in the headlights. I couldn't do this. Going up on stage was a no-can-do. My fragile self-esteem would surely break.
"What's wrong, Mary?" he asked, but somehow I think he knew.
"I..I can't go up there with you." My head was shaking involuntary and I started backing away. Ash's hand clamped down on my bicep and I tried to pull away.
"Freeze," he commanded. And I froze. "Mary, breathe!" He looked totally in control. Something I was not, not even by a long shot.
"Ash," I whispered. "This isn't a good idea. You don't understand."
"Actually," he said. "I understand, angel. I'm not asking you to come up with me. I'm telling you to come up on this stage."
He was in control. Always in control, he told me that when we met. Ash would take care of it. Oh, God, I must look like a damn fool! Ash's stage. This was his stage.
I took a huge breath and walked forward. Ash's triumphant smile beside me gave me strength to move on. Roadies rushed around taping wires to the floor. Guitars lined up on their stands toward the back of the stage. A girl with a short butch hair cut was suspended above us locking lights into place.
A roadie walked by and said hello to Ash, and gave me a once over, but not before Ash stepped in front of me, blocking his view. He was very possessive; something that I seemed to like more than I should.
With a curt nod, Ash moved us toward the front of the stage where the main microphone stand sat all alone and empty without the actual microphone there to complete it. Slowly, I raised my eyes to look out at the empty arena. There were no chairs on the floor since that would be for general admission ticket holders.
I could picture the crowd with arms raised singing along to their favorite bands songs. A mosh pit would likely happen halfway through Glory Days set, just like every show I'd been too. Their music was powerful enough to get a crowd raised enough to slam their bodies into complete strangers. That power came from the voice of the man standing next to me.
Ash's voice was superb. Every note sang to perfection. A little bit scratchy when he slowed down and he had one hell of a high voice. The man could hold a high note for a long time. It was a miracle I didn't stare at him in awe, or hate him for having what I couldn't.
"Stand here," he said quietly while he pulled me in front of the stand. He wrapped his hands around my waist, his front to my back. I felt sheltered and content. He nuzzled my hair at the back of my neck. "I want to give you this, but I don't know how."
Facing forward I said, "My time has gone, Ash. And how do you know so much about me?" I didn't want to hear the answer.
"A little from Liana," he admitted. "Please don't be mad, Gabe gets so excited to hear of the things you two get into that he shares a lot of information and pictures. God, the pictures. I felt like I knew you before I ever laid eyes on you for real."
"Did you look me up on the internet?" I asked softly.
"Yes, my angel. I know everything. How you were on your way to stardom, but it was shot down by that mother fucker of a stepfather. I heard you sing, there are some old videos on YouTube." He kissed the top of my bare shoulder.
"And," I pushed. I wanted to know what he saw.
"I saw the news reports, the audition tapes, and the performances. You were, are amazing. I'd love to hear you sing." He rubbed his calloused hands over my shoulders to help contain my shivers. The tears I'd held at bay threatened again.
"I'll never sing again. At least not where I can be heard," I laughed unsteadily. "It's not very good. Only the shower walls hear me nowadays." I turned in his arms, so that I could look into his eyes. I ended up closer than I intended. He kept me plastered to him. I could feel every muscle in his rock hard abs against my breast and I stifled a moan. My hands rested on his forearms. His muscles there jumped at my touch. His skin was smooth on the inside of his arm where my thumbs were. I rubbed there absently.
"Let me take care of you," he whispered into my ear.
"I'm starting to like that idea," I admitted in a small voice I knew only he could hear. The idea still disturbed me, but for some reason, I trusted him, even though I didn't know him.
"I want you to see my doctor," he suggested, but I was already shaking my head before he was finished with the question.
"Ash, there is nothing that can be done," I choked, tears springing into my eyes. "I've seen a number of specialists, and they all say the same thing." He moved a hand from the small of my back to trace a line in my jaw; I leaned into his hand.
"When was the last time you went?" he asked.
"About five years ago," I admitted. "I'd had some problems swallowing and he said there was nothing wrong. I gave up all hope after that."
Ash dropped his hand in defeat, but smiled, "Turn around, angel. Look out and tell me you wish there was a way. If I could make you sing again, would you do it?" I did at he asked and I wanted it. Like breathing fresh air, I damn sure wanted it. My heart leapt and for a second, just one tiny second, I could see myself on stage.
A prick of pain ticked in my throat and the dream was lost. I was still Mary Montclair, photographer. "With my whole being, Ash Martin, I would give up everything to be back up here. Reality bites baby, and I have no business up here. My life now is to capture moments, not create them."
We stood there in silence for a while looking out into the empty arena. Our breathing steady, our minds closed off, Ash would sway with me occasionally and I would squeeze his hand telling him I understood.
"Hey Ash," someone called, breaking our moment. Ash let go of me, but kept one hand in his as we turned toward the roadie.
"Yeah, Nick, what's up?" he asked.
"Time to get gone, man," he laughed. "Unless you're ready to get mobbed. Doors open in ten." We laughed and Ash said his thanks.
We rushed off the stage and back to the rooms. There were not many people there. Liana had said that only a few back stage passes were distributed to the local stations for giveaways. The opening band, The Surge were at the meet and greet before their appearance, and during their show, it'd be time for Glory Days to meet their fans.
When we walked into the room, Gabe had Liana in the corner in a heated discussion and I knew exactly what it was about.
Reed was in the process of approaching the brother and sister, fury plain on his face. Ash reached out and grabbed his arm. "Dude, not now." Reed's pained expression told us he didn't want Liana upset and he was helpless to do anything.
Suddenly, Liana broke away from her brother after saying something that made him pause. Whatever it was had to of been good, because she walked by me smug as the day is long. She'd spoken her mind and Gabe had backed off.
"Wonder when he's going to give up on those two," Ash laughed. "Reed is totally head over heels in love with that girl." He grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the love seat.
.
"It's crazy," I agreed, as I watched Liana walk outside of the room. She needed to be alone and I wanted to go get her. Reed beat me to it and followed before the door could close on its own.
"Hey," I turned to him, suddenly remembering something. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, angel," he replied as he drew lazy circles on my thighs. It sure is damn hard to concentrate when he does that.
"Can I use your balcony in the suite tonight to take some photos of the strip?" I almost begged. He had the perfect view and it was high enough to get almost everything.
"Did you bring your camera here tonight?" he asked.
"No, Ash," I smiled. "I wasn't asked to bring it, so it is tucked away safely up in the room. All I have is my iPhone." I held it up as proof.
Taking the phone out of my hands, Ash tugged me against his chest and started snapping pictures of the two of us. "A little something for your personal file," he chuckled and it was cute. Then he posed and took some crazy self-portraits of himself. I snuck his phone from his back pocket (trying not to faint because I swear my hand grazed his luscious ass) and started taking my own self-portraits that I hoped he would look at after this weekend was over.
After he was done making a fool of himself, he clicked on the little orange music button on my phone and immediately went looking for his own songs. When he looked up at me (I was dying of humiliation) and smiled so wide I could see nothing but white teeth, I knew exactly why.
"You have every song we have ever recorded!" he yelled. Everyone turned around and smiled down at me. Geez, it was like being in a scary movie with clowns bearing down on you. They were the clowns, and I was the poor stupid little murder victim.
"Well, um...yes," I blushed even harder.
"Dude, I think I love her," I heard Kane say from across the room. He blew me a kiss and offered to autograph a part of my body, any part. He suggested I could get it tattooed on and for a split second I thought about it. Until Ash glared at him and he held up his hands in defeat. "I still love you, Mary!" He laughed and grabbed a beer from the cooler.
A knock sounded on the door and the woman who was just up in the air doing lights poked her head in, "Yo, Meet and Greet now!" And she slammed the door.
"Who was that?" I asked, curious.
"Coraline," he pointed at the door with a beer in hand, his feet were still propped up on the coffee table; the other hand still perched possessively on my thigh. "That little shit is like a roadie extraordinaire, she knows how to do everything. Keeps us on our toes, and she's Kane's baby cousin. She's like nineteen or twenty; been telling us since she was fourteen that she was going to run away and be our help. Had no clue she wasn't kidding." He shook his head and set the beer down.
We went out to an open area set up with tables and four chairs. Fans were cordoned off by a red velvet rope. Eric and his team of security ushered the guys into their chairs, where they were greeted by the local rock station.
Liana stepped up next to me and sighed, "I'm sorry for running off." She looked a little winded, her lips red and slightly swollen.
"I get it, honey," I assured her. "Gabe will come around, once he stops looking at you as his little sister. Reed is crazy about you, everyone can see it."
She bumped my shoulder and smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I hope you know what you're doing with Ash, Mar. I'm all about you two getting together, but this isn't the life I'd want for you. You never see them and they're always gone. If you can make it work, then more power to ya." She shuffled her feet and frowned at the floor. Her long black hair shifted to make a curtain around her face.
"I have no idea what's going on with him," I look up at Ash and he's signing autographs and posing for pictures with the fans. A little girl, no more than ten looked at him with the biggest brown eyes I've ever seen. Ash picked her up and kissed her cheek, she instantly started crying. He looked at me and smiled. I turn toward Liana, "but I really like him and enjoy his company. He's a great guy."
She nods but frowns when I cough a little. "You okay," she ask, concerned.
I nod and immediately cough harder. Liana panic stricken face concerns me. She pulls me around the corner and pulls a tissue from her purse, "You have blood on your lip."
A bottle of water is thrust in my face by a guy walking by with a cooler full. He dips inside the room next to us. I turn it up and drain half of it before my throat closes up. "Thanks," I mumble.
The music starts as the opening band starts the show. Liana still looks worried and continues to grill me, "How's your breathing? You did fine drinking the water. What can I do?"
Because the water worked so well, I said a silent thank you to the embarrassment gods that I didn't roll out into a full on attack, "I'm good. And I haven't been that winded today, the water helped."
"The blood..." she started, but I raised a hand to stop her.
"Happens every so often," I assured her. Liana didn't look like she believed me.
It's true though. I have days where I can't even talk because of the damage to my voice. Talking gets tiring and my voice gets almost unrecognizable. Getting winded while talking is frustrating and I hate it. I also try everything to avoid it. I don't speak much, unless I have something good to say. I choose my words wisely.
Drinking fluids also will cause a problem. I've had pneumonia at least twice a year since the attack because I get fluid into my lungs, and my voice box is so messed up it can't close enough to push the liquid down the right pipe. I've gotten better avoiding things like that, but all the precautions I try to keep with don't always work.
David came flying around the corner and almost plowed into us. He froze before touching us. "Damn, why did you run off?" he growled. "Ash was about to come hunt you down." He looked down at my hand and saw the blood stained tissue.
"We're fine, Mary just got a little choked," Liana said. I groaned because obviously she didn't see David taking in the tissue in my hand. David nodded and turned back for the booth. I tossed the evidence of my problem in the trash and followed him around the corner.
Ash looked agitated until he made eye contact with me. He started to get up, but with a slight shake of my head, he sat back down. I smiled hoping to assure him everything was okay.
The final fan was done and Eric and Mark blocked the band, allowing them to return back to their rooms. It was almost show time.
Ash immediately came up and pulled me close, "Everything okay?"
"Just got a little choked up," I used Liana's excuse.
He kissed my cheek and motioned for David to come over, "Take the girls out and have Mark stick close. I'm going to need you before we get started, but give us a second." David moved away and stood on the other side of the hall.
"There's a spot cleared for you and Liana stage right, by the barricades so you can watch the show. Stick close to security for me, okay?" he asked.
"Sure thing," I rasped, then cleared my throat. It's been a long day, my voice was betraying me by taking this time to act up.
"Are you sure you're okay, angel?" He cupped his calloused hands around my cheeks and I smiled my best "I'm great" smile and nodded.
"Yeah," I whispered. "Been talking too much today. Don't be offended if I don't cheer you on tonight. I'll be jumping up and down, screaming your name inside." I stopped to catch my breath.
Ash leaned in and placed a swift kiss on the corner of my mouth. I wanted to devour him, but he had to go. "Knock 'em dead out there."
"See you," he said before heading toward his band mates.
David took us out to our spot by the stage. Where we were at, we'd be able to see the guys walk up the steps to the stage. Mark was there blocking a spot for us to stand. Liana and I pressed our bodies against the silver barricades. The lights went down and I could barely see three pair of legs making their way to the stage. A black curtain had been hung up covering their entrance.
With a loud bang, the curtain dropped and Ash Martin was flung up from a trapped door in the floor. People screamed and I almost fainted.
Ash Martin, the rock star, started singing a song from long ago.
Everybody shake,
Everybody groove,
Everybody shake,
Mmm mmm ohh ohh!
Mary, Mary your on my mind,
The folks are gone and the place'll be mine,
Oh, Mary, Mary wanna be with you,
And this is what I'm gonna do,
I gonna put a call to you,
Coz' I feel good tonight,
And everything's gonna be right, right, yeah
I didn't know how this song would be perceived by Mary Montclair, but when I rang out the first Mary, Mary, she froze her eyes wide. It was an old INXS song and I thought I'd really fucked up, but half a beat later, she threw her hands in the air at started shaking her perfect little ass and that just pushed me on.
Thankfully the guys let me break from the playlist and add this song to our lineup. Of course, I was called all kinds of names. Kane told me I was pussy whipped. Gabe reminded me of all those pictures he'd showed me over the past few years and said he knew I'd hit that. Reed just laughed and said, "About damn time." Not sure what he meant by that.
After Mary's song, we rolled right into our first hit off of this album, "Why Do You Care?. The crowd went crazy and I ate it up. The craziness that was my life never ceased to amaze me. Fans were screaming so loud that I was surprised they could hear us.
Gabe made his way over and leaned his back against mine and played his badass riff to finish off the fourth song. The lights went down and Reed and I slipped off stage, so that Gabe and Kane could do their solos. They'd both have five minutes and then they'd duel. This gave me a few minutes to change, but tonight I felt like baring it a little for the crowd, and Mary. I pulled off my shirt while standing at the bottom of the stairs and whistled loud enough to get her attention.
Mary looked over, her eyes going instantly dark with lust, and I gave her a wink then tossed the shirt. She caught it one handed and pressed it too her face. Fuck, now my cock did a salute of its own. I adjusted myself and looked up toward the stage. The duel was almost over.
"You're on," Coraline said as she held a flashlight on the steps.
"HELLO LAS VEGAS!" I screamed into the microphone, as I made my way back to center stage. The crowd went wild. "What did you think of these talented mother fuckers right here?"
Gabe strummed his guitar twice, while Kane beat a little on his drum. People were screaming all kinds of things. Photos were being snapped and I had to look up into the stands to keep from being blinded.
"Ok," I paused to down half a bottle of water, pouring the last of it over my head. "Here's another one of your favorites."
I looked to Reed who strummed the first few cords on his bass. Gabe came in a few beats later then it was time for the show to get fast. We always worked them up and left them screaming for more. Some lady flashed her breast and the cameraman got them full on the huge screen behind me. Kane said, "Hell yes, baby!" into the microphone.
A mosh pit was in full force on my left. It looked like the older crowd were rocking it on my right. People yelled and swayed to the music. Women were shouting their love for us and I ate it up. This was my life.
Finally, we finished with our main set and stepped offstage for the three minute wait before we rushed back on stage to preform our current number one hit, "Keep It To Yourself".
The rush and the craziness of the show had me quaking. I needed to run, or fuck. One look at Mary standing to my right had my dick stirring in my leathers. I just needed to finish this song then we could go party in the room and I could spend some time alone with my angel.
With the last note sang, I ran offstage and stood at the door to that led out to the arena. Seconds passed before Mark, Liana and Mary stepped through. She lunged at me and I caught her in midair wrapping her legs around my waist. She squealed when I laid my sweaty head between her exposed breasts in that low cut top of hers.
"Ash!" she laughed.
"What?" I asked innocently. She didn't seem to mind, because she pulled me closed and kissed me directly on the lips.
"You guys did so freaking good!" She giggled some more as I took her back to the dressing rooms to get my stuff and I only put her down because she forced me too.
Her tight ass wiggled in my hands. I squeezed them a little before I gave up and let her down. Even her ass fit to my palms. My cock rose to full attention, and I didn't care. This woman was my muse. I could write a million number one hits about her.
"Did you like your song?" I asked while picking up my duffle bag.
"Of course I did," she rasped. Her voice was off. I didn't like it. "Thank you."
"Welcome," I replied. "Come on, I need a shower."
Eric was waiting for us at the elevator we used to get to the penthouse. Mary walked beside me. I saw that she had my shirt tucked into the side of her pants. It looked so good there, like it belonged.
On the ride up, I noticed how she'd rub her throat when she swallowed and I figured she'd done too much talking for the night, which was fine with me, because talking was sometimes overrated. I could think of many things we could do without talking. All involved Mary. Naked.