Page 37 of Loved Out Loud
“I can switch with you if you want.”
“No, I’m fine.” He buckles his seat belt. “I’d ride in a clown car before I sit and listen to Xander and Jade argue about the same bullshit over and over again.”
Stone groans in solidarity. “They just need to fuck and get it over with.”
My brows lift. “What are they fighting about?”
“The list of what they aren’t fighting about would be shorter.” He taps his fingers on his thigh restlessly and stares out the window.
I take that as an indication that the conversation is over. Tobias is rough around the edges, but one thing I have picked up on about him is his loyalty. He’s cold and aloof, but he would go to the floor for the people he cares about. As someone on the outside of that circle, I have to appreciate it.
To have such a tight knit group of friends is a gift. It’s something I’ve always wanted. I have my mom and grandma, and now I have Sierra, but most of my life has been spent focused on working and achieving.
I don’t need my therapist to point out that my focus on achievements over relationships is likely due to my lack of a relationship with my father. Discovering his affair and telling my mother was the final nail in the coffin for me. As a kid I always thought that maybe he’d come back, maybe he’d want me, if I got good enough grades, if I followed all the rules. But he never did.
Knowing I’ll be in the same city as him and my younger half siblings for the first time in years brings a mix of emotions. That same part of me that hoped being a high achiever would make me worthy of his attention, plants seeds of hope for the possibility of a reunion. Maybe just a conversation.
By the time we pull up to the venue, I’m ready to push all thoughts of my father to the back of my mind. Luckily for me, the shows that Blue Sunday put on are always spectacular. As soon as they start playing, I know I’ll be transported to a different dimension where the only thing that matters is the music. I’ll cease to exist on an individual level as I’m absorbed into the energy of the crowd.
Twelve
STONE
The crowd tonight is incredible.Sometimes the vibe hits just right, and you end up performing for an audience that isn’t just watching you perform but rather becomes captivated by the performance. They move together like some sort of deep-water sea creature as the music ebbs and flows around them.
Fuck, I wish I could look over and see Hazel watching. I don’t understand her hesitation. It’s driving me crazy trying to figure it out. I mean, the crowd is incredible, but I think she’s not telling me the whole truth.
I slip up and miss a note while I’m distracted by my thoughts of her. Xan catches it, giving me a sharp look that screams, what the fuck? In response I give him one of my practiced smirks and a small shrug of my shoulder, to which he scowls and looks away.
Even when I was in the depths of my addiction, I didn’t miss notes. What is wrong with me? The answer is clear. Hazel Archerhas managed to seep under my skin, and fuck if I don’t want to keep her locked right inside me.
But I do need to focus. I owe our fans the best show I can give them. Especially this crowd.
By the end of the show, I’m buzzed purely off of the energy from the audience. My blood hums in my veins, and my hands shake. After handing off my guitar, I jog back to my dressing room. I know for a fact I can’t be in the greenroom with the guys tonight. Too much temptation.
I’m in the middle of unbuttoning my jeans to take a cold shower when the door flies open. I’m used to Darren entering with no warning, so I’m not startled, but instead of our manager, it’s Hazel.
She looks like a rock goddess as she rushes toward me. Fishnet tights under a short, pleated black skirt show off her shapely thighs. Her long sleeve, deep purple shirt pulls tight over her perfect tits.
I’m instantly sporting a semi just from one look at her, but the thing that really fucks me is the huge smile on her face. The usual somber note in her eyes has been erased; they glitter with excitement and pure joy.
The door swings shut behind her just as her arms wrap around my neck. “You were incredible,” she says excitedly.
I’m enveloped by her scent, a mix of vanilla and citrus, and lose my mind. Spinning us, I press her back into the wall and slam my lips over hers. For a moment she stiffens with shock, but then she melts against me, her lips parting and fingers diving into my sweaty hair.
My tongue sweeps into her mouth, gliding over hers as we kiss each other hungrily. She meets me stroke for stroke, passion for passion. I reach down and lift one of her thighs, wrapping it around my hip, so I can press my aching dick against the heatof her pussy. She mewls against me, rocking her hips back and forth.
My other hand cups one of her tits over her shirt. Her nipple pebbles beneath my thumb as I tease it over the fabric until it’s hard enough to pinch. I nearly cum in my fucking pants at the sound of the gasp she makes.
I tear my mouth from hers and press kisses down her neck as I keep tormenting her nipple with teasing strokes and rough pinches. She gasps as I suck her neck just below her ear. I have every intention of leaving my mark on this woman. If I could hang a flashing light around her neck with my name, I would. She must be into it because she tilts her head to the side, giving me more access to continue my assault on the deliciously delicate skin.
I move the hand that’s holding her thigh higher. My fingers slide under her skirt and slide back to her amazing ass. My fingers splay over her cheek and squeeze. She moans, her lips seeking mine back out. The tip of my cock is free from the waistband of my boxer briefs, and every time she rocks against me, I feel like I could bust like a teenage boy.
The door swings open. “Great show toni—” Darren says.
Hazel immediately stiffens, dropping her leg and pulling her mouth from mine.
“Fuck.” I drop my forehead to hers. “Do you need something?” I ask him, not willing to budge from Hazel.
