Page 51 of Dead Rockstar

“I could use a glass of wine. You?”

“Sure.” I felt drowsy and contented, and was halfway to falling asleep, but I would have agreed to anything. I lay in the crook of his warm, muscular arm, half dozing, my body pleasantly singing with the last dying embers of pleasure.

“Can I take your truck? I'll run to the liquor store, buy us a bottle. There's one on the corner.”

“Are you sure you want to risk it?” I asked lazily, tracing a pattern on his chest with my finger. “What if someone recognizes you?”

“I'll wear the hat and that hoodie,” he said. “I'll keep my head down. Hell, they might even have a drive through.”

“Sure you don't want me to go?”

“No,” he said, planting a kiss on the tip of my nose. “You lie here and relax. I'll just be a minute.” He pulled the shirt over his head. “You just be ready for when I get back.”

“Are you telling me that the third time's the charm?” I asked with a lazy laugh. “Because the second time was pretty much perfect.”

“You have no idea what you're in for, pretty lady.” He winked at me and turned to leave.

I was dozing off before he even got out the door, dreaming about what he had in store for me.

I woke up a short while later to a gentle knock on the door, and groggily pulled myself out of bed. Phillip must’ve forgotten to take his motel key. I was still naked, and it was cold, so I threw a t-shirt on as I walked to the door. “Phillip, is that you?”

There was no response, just a sing-songy little “tap-tap” again. He probably couldn’t hear me through the thick walls.

I opened the door, still half asleep, with a dreamy smile on my face. Suddenly I was wide awake. It was not Phillip standing there, but Lee Courtenay.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I demanded, putting my arms over my bra-less chest, wishing for once I’d used some common sense and hadn’t just opened the door like a foolhardy moron. “Jesus, Lee, again?”

“I saw him leave,” Lee said with an easy smile, as though he were an old friend just coming to say what's up. I didn't like the bulge in his pocket though. It looked like it could be a gun. And I didn't trust that smile. “I'm not here to hurt you, Stormy.”

“You say that every time I see you,” I said. “Which is far too damn often. If I wasn't 100% sure I could defend myself against you, I'd be concerned. You know – thou protest too much and all that.”

He laughed. “I just don't want you to be ill at ease.”

“You said that you’d leave me alone,” I seethed.

“I know, and I’m sorry. But I don’t think you understand-”

“You always show up when Phillip isn't around,” I said. “You're scared of him.”

He shook his head. “No.”

“What do you want? I was asleep. I don't appreciate being woken up or having to look over my shoulder every time Phillip goes to the bathroom.”

“What I warned you about – you didn’t listen,” he said accusingly.

I leaned against the door frame. “I passed the message along, Lee, but I'm afraid that Phillip didn't give a rat's ass. So why don't you take your ugly hat and your beat-up car and go bother somebody who gives a damn.”

He winced. “Damn, you're mean.”

“Yeah? Well, I don't like being followed, or having weird guys prowling around my house, or threatening me and my boyfriend-”

“So you guys are 'on', then,” he said.

“That's none of your business.” I started to shut the door. “Now fuck off.”

“I had to try one more time. To tell you. You don’t seem to understand the gravity of this situation.”

“I understand just fine, Lee.” I moved again to shut the door, and he stopped it with his foot.

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