Breaking All the Rules (27 page)

              “Well I
have
been to a lot of venues, and I can tell you this is one of the best ones I’ve been in… and I’m not just saying that to get laid,” Mia nudged Benson and winked at him.

              “I’m offended that it’s only one of the best ones,” Benson put a hand over his heart, but it quickly moved to her shoulder. He made no attempt to lower his voice or mask his words under the conversation being held by some of the band members. “And precious, you know I don’t have any problems throwing you over my shoulder and marching back into that office. Or better yet, I could just bend you over right here in front of everyone. Take you with everyone watching.”

              Out of the corner of her eye, Mia saw Lora blush and raise a hand to her mouth. That only made Mia’s goofy grin even bigger, “You know I’d like that too much, Benson.”

              “You two are into some seriously fucked up shit,” Colin pointed at them, a longneck in his hand.

              “You have no idea,” The sexy smirk on Benson’s face was enough to send more liquid between Mia’s thighs.

              She realized Benson hadn’t been introduced to anyone in Burnside, except for Tyler. The stand in drummer was there as well, sitting quietly on a barstool. Mia introduced Benson to the group and got to meet the drummer for the first time. They had a half hour until the guests would be filing in, and over an hour until Burnside was set to play.

              They all talked and laughed like old friends. Even in a nicely sized room, the large group was crowded and talked over one another. Mia knew Burnside was being anti-social, but she also knew Charlotte’s Drive. The men weren’t divas, but they didn’t really like to hang out with other bands. They got wrapped up in their own celebrity status years ago and traveled with an entourage the size of a suburban book club. She didn’t mind. The farther away from Grant she could be, the better.

              The closer it got to show time, the more nervous Tyler got. He was always stiff before a show, but the man was panicking. Mia stood and whispered in Benson’s ear.

              “I’m going to talk to Tyler. He looks like he’s going to throw up.”

              Benson’s jaw clenched, but he nodded. His eyes followed her across the room to Tyler where she motioned towards the door. They left, standing just outside the open door. Mia glanced through and made eye contact with Benson before turning back to Tyler. She had picked that spot so Benson was still visible. She knew he wasn’t entirely comfortable letting her out of his sights, especially with Tyler.

              “Are you going to be okay?” She asked him gingerly. “I’ve never seen you so worked up before a show.”

              “I’ve just been dealing with a lot of shit,” Tyler rubbed his neck. “Listen, about the other day.”

              She shook her head quickly, “Don’t you ever bring it up. I didn’t tell Benson, and I don’t plan on it. You’re a pain in my ass, but you’re my friend, so I’d rather you stay alive. It was a mistake and it won’t happen again. Understood?”

              “Yes Miss Barnes,” Tyler jokingly used a childlike voice and Mia laughed. He was loosening up.

              “Is that why you’ve been so angry today?”

              “Sort of,” He shrugged. “But I’m also really worried about the gig and the interviews. Everyone keeps asking about Max. I don’t know what to say. Actually, I do. I want to tell them all to fuck off.”

              “You have to direct them back Burnside and the music. I know it’s hard, but you can’t let them get to you or else it’ll be over before it starts. It’s not like it’s Nancy Grace hounding you- they’re just music journalists.”

              “Yeah, I know that,” He scowled.

              “It seems like new guy is getting along better today,” Mia noted.

              Tyler’s head bobbed, “He’s no Max, but we decided to take it day by day. You were right; we have to try or else we’ll be back in Indiana working at the same factories our dads work at.”

              “What was that?” Mia grinned and poked his chest. When he looked at the ground and shook his head she laughed, her voice taking on a sing-song tune, “Say it! Say it! Come on Tyler, you know you wanna. I was right. Again.”

              A rough voice she knew all too well voiced, “Everything going alright over here?”

              “Yes, Warden,” Mia put a finger on her lips and her eyes lit up. “Ward-en. Warden. Ha! Benson, you have got yourself a new nickname.”

              “That’s original,” Tyler scoffed. He glanced at Benson then back at Mia. “I’ve got to go gather the guys. I’ll see you after the show.”

              “I would tell you good luck, but you don’t need any,” Mia offered, hoping it would give him some confidence back.

              A faint smile found its way onto his face and he disappeared back into the dressing room. She went to follow, but Benson grabbed her arm.

              “What was all that about?” He asked sternly.

              “He is upset the journalists are asking about Max instead of the music.”

              “No, not that. The flirting.”

              Mia’s eye roll was unintentional, “I was not flirting with him, Benson. You should know by now I only have eyes for you.”

              “You were flirting with a child who is hopelessly in love with you.”

              “At least someone is in love with me,” She muttered under her breath, looking away to cover the expression on her face.

              “What was that?” Benson asked, eyebrows quirked and jaw hard. He had heard her loud and clear. His chest tightened. He loved her, but he didn’t know how to say it. He thought he could convey it through their sensual, passionate love making, but it didn’t seem to be enough.

              She looked back at him, “I said- he is not in love with me.”

              “Keep telling yourself that, precious.”

              “You’re acting ridiculous, Benson. Listen, I have some stuff to finalize before the show starts. Am I allowed to leave your side, Warden?” Her voice was flat and unamused, and when Benson put up no objection, she nodded, “Right. That’s what I thought.”

              Benson leaned against the door and watched her walk away. He crossed his arms and let out an irritated sigh. She had argued in the past that he always let her walk away, and the one time he was dead set on following her, she wanted him gone. She was a firecracker. Her words popped and sizzled in his skin. The smoky look in her eyes that turned the emerald shade nearly black ignited him. She was stubborn and pushed all his buttons, but he still wanted more.

              Watching her work was utterly arousing to him. He had never been with a woman more sure in her career; someone with fierce independence and drive. Not that Benson dated. He hadn’t actually had a girlfriend since his sophomore year of college, and even then the women weren’t serious. A pretty piece on his side at events that would warm his sheets after. Nothing more. Mia was more than that. Sure, he couldn’t wait to show her off at swanky parties and charity events, and he sure as hell couldn’t wait to have her in his bed again. But he swelled with pride watching her slip into business mode, powerfully striding from person to person signing papers and barking orders.

              He wondered if she thought he didn’t love her. She seemed determined to not be happy with him, though her guard was slowly lowering with each day. When she first told him she didn’t mix business and pleasure, he saw the spark in her eye that defied him to challenge her. Even when she painfully reminded him that he didn’t
do
romance, it was obvious she was building a shelter around her heart. But how, after all they had gone through in two and a half weeks, after all they shared between the sheets and the heartfelt promises, could she think he didn’t love her?

              His fists tightened as she stalked over to Grant. Benson knew what he had to do.

              Mia could feel his eyes on her. Benson was watching her. His poker face was strong, not giving her any indication of how he felt. She shook him away and slipped into work mode, saving her trip to Grant for last. Taking a deep breath, she strode over with a pseudo air of confidence, handing him a clipboard with an attached pen. He glanced at the paper and signed it, handing it back to her with a smile.

              “Trouble in paradise already, Meez? And after such a romp in the James Bond room? You know, he has those in all his venues so he can bag groupies in them.”

              Mia looked over to find Benson, a fleeting plea for help, but he wasn’t there. Her jaw tightened and she shook her head.

              “I can’t believe you’re so jealous of him that you would say something like that to me.”

              “I’m not lying, Mia,” Grant’s face was serious. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

              She gawked at him, “You’re not serious, are you? Are you forgetting that we were in a serious long term relationship and I found you having sex with two other women- doing coke off their bodies, none the less?”

              “It was a lapse in judgment.”

              “Were the other women lapses in judgment, too?”

              His lips pressed and then he shrugged, “Believe what you want, Mia. You know he’s a stuck up billionaire playboy and you’re a small town punk in the music industry. Do the math.”

              “Screw you, Grant,” She hissed.

              “When he breaks your heart, you can gladly come back to me,” He smiled. “Hey! Looks like your boys are getting ready to fire it up. They’re not too bad. Maybe they’ll tour with Charlotte’s Drive someday and I’ll get to take you skinny dipping in a hot spring again.”

              Mia ignored him and walked away, dropping the clipboard off with the club manager before heading over to Zach and Lora. Lora shook her head as Mia approached and handed her a well needed beer.

              “I’m sorry you have to talk to him tonight,” Zach said with a frown. “Lora told me about how shitty of a person he is.”

              “He’s trying to break me and Benson up,” Mia rolled her eyes and took a long swig, wincing at the brutal taste of the alcohol. “After the dirt he just threw at me about Benson, I’d hate to hear what Grant would tell him if the two were alone. Actually, he might have gotten to him. Have either of you seen Benson around?”

              “Not since you and Tyler left,” Lora said. “What did he tell you about Benson?”

              “Yeah, what did he tell you about me, precious?”

              She turned just enough to see Benson approach and slid his arms around her waist. He looked down at her, as if waiting for a response.

              “The normal. You’re a sleaze playboy who doesn’t want a small town punk like me. Oh, and that when you break up with me I can go back to him. He also said you have ‘James Bond’ rooms in all your establishments so you can take women there. Did he peg you with any of my dirty secrets?”

              Her voice was just sharp enough to irritate Benson. His fingers tightened at her waist.

              “He knows better than to come around me.”

              “But you’re not denying anything else?”

              “Dammit, Mia,” Benson snapped. “Those
offices
are for business, and you know pissed I get when you claim you’re not good enough for me, so just stop.”

              She went to argue with him but bit her tongue and sagged her shoulders, “I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was going to be so tense around him tonight. I’m just a little on edge.”

              His eyes glimmered with seduction, “I can take care of that for you.”

              His low baritone rattled her core. Mia clenched her legs together and rose to her tip toes, purring in Benson’s ear, “I can’t wait.”

              Roughly, he grabbed her face and gave her a kiss that definitely wasn’t appropriate for the public eye. His hands cupped her bottom, pressing her into him with hard possession. When he pulled away, Mia struggled to find air. 

              Lora and Zach had silently left shortly after Benson’s arrival, securing a place by the curtain where they could see the performance from backstage. Mia was thankful they weren’t subjected to the fight, or the subsequent seduction. Lora was far from being a prude, but she wasn’t always comfortable with Mia’s in-your-face sexuality. She and Zach still hadn’t done the deed, Lora had confided the night before, and it was making her antsy. Mia and Benson’s attitudes probably weren’t helping the poor girl. 

              Swollen lipped, Benson and Mia rejoined the new couple by the curtain and idly chatted about the venue and bands until the show began. Mia high fived the guys as they rushed on stage, and when Tyler slid up next to them, she gave him a brief nod. Benson wrapped his strong arms around Mia and swayed with her to the music. He didn’t care that it was not the type of music you slow danced to. He wanted to have her pressed against him. He wanted her to feel the erection that was near permanently sprung when she was around.

              The crowd loved Burnside. Even without Max’s energy, they soared. As they wrapped up their last song, the group of four moved to the side to allow the stream of bodies to pass. A roar of activity sprung around them as the curtains closed and sets were changed. Charlotte’s Drive sold out stadiums. Their shows were packed full of excitement. A skilled team of roadies had everything switched out within ten minutes, and when the curtains rose and the male model of a lead singer took stage, the shrill of female yells was enough to shatter glass.