Page 8 of Craved By You
“Uh yeah,” I stuttered out. “Feel free, I guess.”
“I wasn’t asking you permission, I was telling you.” He placed his hand beneath my chin, his touch both gentle and commanding. My face was an open book, mirroring the sensations flooding through me, particularly the unfamiliar heat blooming between my thighs.
Why does he have such an effect on me?
“Well, sunshine, I’ve got to get ready.” He smiled at me. “See you later, Hailstorm.” He nodded at Haileigh and then disappeared back into the crowd. The stranger next to us bumped into me; snapping me back to reality.
“What did he mean, by that?” I asked Haileigh as if she would have an answer.
She shrugged. “Who knows, but they are letting people in. Let’s get in line.”
???
Backstage was a whirlwind of crew members bustling around getting ready for the show. I glanced around, hoping to get a glimpse of where the other VIPs were hanging out. One of the workers came up to us offering glasses of wine, so I took my opportunity. “Where are the others?” I inquired.
They sounded unsure. “What others?”
I asked again. “Where are the other VIPs?” Feeling slightly embarrassed that I had asked a stupid question.
“Oh, Reaper doesn’t just pass out backstage passes like candy. You’re fine here.” The worker appeared to get a message in their headset and quickly rushed off before Haileigh or I could ask any follow-up questions.
“Reaper?” I looked at my best friend with confusion before we both shrugged it off. “He must have given Colt the tickets.” I tried to convince myself, hoping that he wouldn’t mind that Colt wasn’t the one present.
Just then,Don’t Fear the Reaperstarted to play and that was the cue for Reaper, the lead singer, to make his grand entrance. Reaper was tall and muscular. Tonight he was wearing a ripped hooded t-shirt that exposed his body covered with tattoos and his mask of choice was a skull that covered the lower half of his face. Haileigh and I both swooned as he walked right past us. Call me hopeful, but I could have sworn he was looking right at me when he winked. It almost washed Colt out of my mind. Almost.
“But you should fear me.” His words echoed across the bar as he spoke into the mic, a deep voice that sent shivers down my spine.
“Colt.” I wasn’t sure if it was a question or a statement, but when I glanced over to Haileigh I could tell that she had noticed too.
“Thathasto be him!” She smiled excitedly. “We’ve spent too much time with that voice over the past couple of days, there’s no chance that it isn’t him.”
My heart sank, there was no way I had caught the eye of the lead singer of a band. Or had I?
If it was Colt, that would answer about a half-dozen questions that had been brewing in my mind, while there was still one question that remained unanswered.
Why me?
Haileigh and I, though distracted, enjoyed the first half of the concert, the music flowing through our veins with every beat. I was only slightly frustrated that Colt hadn’t disclosed sooner that he was Reaper, but why would he? I also still had zero proof that it was him.
The music stopped and the sound system squealed. “Alright everyone, you’ve been amazing so far! We are going to take a fifteen-minute intermission and then we’ll get back to rocking with you some more!” Reaper announced and then began his exit from the main stage.????“I see you wore the skull fishnets,” he commented, solidifying our suspicions as he brushed past me.
He smelled of sandalwood and bourbon cologne and it drove me crazy. I quickly glanced over at Haileigh. She mouthed the word ‘go’ and then shooed me off to follow him.
I wondered where he went when suddenly the backstage exit closed. It led to the alley behind the bar. Taking a deep breath, I proceeded to follow, hoping that I wasn’t actually trailing some random person.
Once outside, I noticed him standing at the corner and I confidently walked up to him.????“That stuff could kill you,” I semi-lectured as I found Colt standing outside the backdoor of the club, near the alley.
He smiled as the vapor escaped from his mouth. “Would you miss me if I was gone, sunshine?”
I hesitated. “I don’t even know you.”
“But you want to know me.” He paused, taking another hit from his vape. “Don’t you?”
Obviously.
His words penetrated my core and I bit my lip as I debated how to respond. Of course, I wanted to know him. So did every groupie who came within two feet of him. Besides, he could have anyone he wanted, why would he choose me?
“I-”
