Groupie Love (A Rock Star Romance) (Love in Shades) (11 page)

Chapter 25

Mackenzie

I’m in the front row off to the side of the stage. I’m shoulder-to-shoulder with throngs of sweaty, screaming fans. Everson works the crowd, working his way through the band’s latest album. Everyone is jiving and having a good time. I’m trying to enjoy myself and not get jealous at the way that other women throw themselves at him.

I have to remind myself,
I’m the one who woke up in his bed this morning and I’m the one he’ll be wrapped around tonight
.

I’m doing my best to keep it together until, Everson drops to his knees near the edge of the stage. A pair of green, polka dot panties go flying through the air before smacking him squarely in the face.

And he smiles.

The bastard smiles like he enjoyed it.

The women in the front thrust their hands in his direction, reaching and grabbing for him. He interlaces fingers with an overzealous, big-boobed blond. He looks directly into her eyes as he sings to her.

She looks like she’s about to swoon.

I feel like I’m going to throw up.

Why the fuck did he ask me to come along with him if he’s going to flirt with these desperate hussies right in my face?
I’m getting upset
.

I need to get out of here. I need some air.

Just as I turn in the thick crowd, trying to make my way to the exit, Razor starts playing a familiar guitar lick.

Pretty, Wild Thing.

I stall when I hear Everson’s trademark growl. “Hey dark-haired girl,” he calls out. I spin around and face the stage to see just who he’s flirting with now. And, I may be going crazy but it seems that he’s looking right at me. “Yeh, you.” He smirks at me. I try to resist the urge to smile, but I fail. “Where do you think you’re going?” he says playfully and the crowd roars as my face pops up on the large screens suspended above the stage. My cheeks go crimson as Everson reaches his hand out to me. Dozens of fanatical women try to grab onto his arm, but security holds them back. “Come ‘ere, Babes,” he says in a teasing voice. “Come let me sing to you.”

I feel my body moving towards the stage, propelled forward by the eager fans anxious to see just what Everson has in store for them tonight.

I somehow find myself on the stage, standing right in front of him. If I had known that I’d end up in the spotlight in front of 20 000 of Everson’s screaming fans, I would have taken the time to blow-dry my hair. And I would have opted for a cute outfit instead of the loose-fitting jersey and black leggings that I’m wearing with my ballerina flats.

Everson’s arms curl around my waist and he pulls me close, whispering softly into my ear. “Dance for me, Babes. Dance.”

“What?” My eyes are big, round orbs bulging out of my head.

“Dance the way you did the other night when we were in my living room, just me and you, and I was strumming away on my guitar.”

This is crazy. It’s impossible.

I’m dreaming. I’m dreaming. I’m dreaming. Fuck – I’m not dreaming.

Everson holds my hand and he twirls me around as the drums kick in. By the time the piano joins the melody, I’ve found my rhythm. I’m weightless and free as I move across the stage. Everson’s eyes are riveted to me as he sings.

There’s something so intimate about the moment, even though we’re in front of thousands of people, it feels like he and I are the only ones in the room.

I love this moment.

I love
him
for giving me this moment.

Never, in all my wildest dreams of dancing in the spotlight, have I ever imagined myself performing on stage at a rock concert. But it feels amazing.

As the song comes to an end, I bourrée my way into Everson’s open arms. He braces his hands on my hips and tilts my body back, literally sweeping me off my feet. Then, he kisses me and the audience explodes into raucous cheers.

Chapter 26

Everson

My head is propped up on the palm of my hand. I’m watching her sleep.

Yeah – I know.

I’ve become one of those guys that watches his girl sleep.

But all I can think of is how good it feels to have her around and how much I want her to stay for the rest of the tour.

It’s easy to feel alone in my world, even with the dozens of staff and hangers-on who are always bumbling around me. Even with the millions of fans.

But when I’m with Mackenzie, I could just sit there for hours watching her sleep and feel more connected than I ever have. I’m a selfish asshole but dammit – I just want her to stay.

“Everson…” she mumbles.

“Yes?”

“Stop staring. You’re creeping me the fuck out.”

I drop onto my back, laughing. “If you had any idea how beautiful you are when you’re sleeping, you wouldn’t ask me to stop.”

She grins. “Ah – you’re making me blush.” She pulls a pillow over her face, blocking out the sunlight peeking into through the gigantic window.

I roll out of bed. “Let’s go out for breakfast. I read that there’s a place around here that serves peanut butter and jelly watermelon bacon grilled cheese,” I say with a huge grin as I pad towards the bathroom.

“Ew!” she says as she throws the pillows off and sits up, squinting her eyes to adjust to the light. The sheet has fallen away and her
ah
-
mazing
tits are on full display. I feel my cock twitch at the sight of it. “Um – I don’t mean to keep you away from your pb&j watermelon fiasco, but I think I’ll order room service,” she says with a laugh. “I’ve gotta start packing. My bus back to L.A. leaves at 1:30.”

I stand frozen and look at her. I know it might be too much to ask her, but I’ve got to. “Stay?”

She looks at me, an eyebrow cocked. “Huh?”

“Stay with me, Babes. Don’t go back to L.A.” I say it like it’s the most logical idea in the world. Maybe if I convince myself, I might be able to convince her.

She shoots me a look that lets me know she thinks I’m crazy. “Stop joking around.” She climbs out of bed and yanks my t-shirt off of the chair next to the bed. I can’t take my eyes off of her sexy body as she brings it over her head and shimmies into it.

“Not joking,” I say in a serious tone of voice as I lean against the doorjamb. “Stay with me, Mackenzie.”

“I can’t stay with you,” she shoots me a sidelong glance as she picks a pair of jeans off of the floor and shoves them into her overnight bag. “I shouldn’t even be here to begin with. I should be in California, regrouping and getting my head together. Focusing on my dancing.”

“You can dance while you’re on tour with me,” I say trying to make it sound simple.

She doesn’t answer. She just shakes her head as she shuffles past me, into the bathroom, her empty cosmetics pouch in hand.

“Did you see the way the crowd reacted when I pulled you on stage last night? They loved you. They loved your dancing. Stay with me. And you can dance every night in every city in front of thousands of people. Next stop’s Santa Fe. Then we do Austin. Dallas. St. Louis. C’mon. Say ‘yes’.”

“You’re being crazy,” she says as she drops an array of pencils and makeup wands and brushes into her makeup pouch.

“It’s not crazy,” I say shoving my hands through my hair. “Your dream is to dance and I’m offering you the opportunity to dance. I’ll talk to Claudie, get you on the payroll.”

“I can’t upend my whole life to follow you around the country. I have to graduate and get my degree so I can have the career I’ve always dreamed of,” she protests and I can see the anger in her eyes. “Hell – I have to
get accepted into
school
. That’s my priority.”

“Mackenzie, I’m offering to fast track your career. You’ll be dancing for one of the biggest bands in the world and you’ll be earning handsomely. How can you refuse that?” I don’t understand what her objection is.

“I’m not some groupie or some escort you can just pay to keep you company and warm your sheets at night!” she yells. “You can’t just
buy
me to wait on you hand and foot and take care of your every need. I have a life of my own.”

I go over to her. Her eyes have started to glisten. “That’s not what I meant, Babes. I know you’re not my groupie, Mackenzie.” I stare earnestly into her eyes. I need this girl to understand just what she means to me. I run the pad of my thumb down the side of her face. “Maybe
I’m
the groupie for
you
.”

She watches me for a beat before she slinks away from my touch. She stalks to the other side of the room, drops her cosmetics pouch into her overnight bag and yanks it shut. “Come to think of it – there’s a bus leaving at 10:45. I think I’ll jump on that one instead. I need to get out of here.”

“I didn’t mean to upset you, Babes. Look, we’ve got a few radio interviews lined up this morning. I’ll be done by lunchtime. Can you promise you’ll be here when I get back? That’s all I ask.”

She pauses for a beat and studies my face. She exhales and nods slightly but there’s a pull in my chest, the fear that she’ll dart out of this city as soon as I step foot out of this room.

Chapter 27

Mackenzie

I roll over onto my stomach and stare out at the sky. The hotel room’s floor-to-ceiling windows offer a breathtaking view of downtown Phoenix, Arizona.

“Do you think I should stay, Willie?” It’s insanely difficult to have such a serious conversation with her when her CheekyChat avatar for the day is a sexy blond pig with a ruby red pout, but I’m doing my best.

My friend sighs. “My love life is pretty much non-existent right now – actually, it’s been non-existent since grade school. So, I’m really in no position to tell you what to do. You’ve got to go with your gut, I guess.” Her expression goes sympathetic. “What can I tell ya, Mac?”

“I just feel so…so…” I don’t even know how to finish my thought. “I mean –
can
I trust what I’m feeling? I just met him…and he’s a rock star for crying out loud!”

“What is it that you feel?” Willow asks quietly.

I turn onto my back and stare at the ceiling. “I don’t know. It’s intense. All-consuming.
Devastating.
Crazy. Scary, Willow. I’m fucking scared. ‘Cause I’m ready to throw everything to the wind and just be with him.”

The confession rattles me. It’s a thought that I’ve been bouncing around in my head ever since I mounted that tour bus, but now that I’ve actually said it out loud, I feel more vulnerable than ever.

“Is that such a bad thing?” Willow asks innocently. “Consider just for a moment that what he’s asking you to do is totally logical and okay. I mean, I wasn’t there but I saw videos of your performance last night and people on social media think that it was beautiful. Wait – let me send you some screen-shots.” I watch as Willow taps a few keys on her keyboard before screen-shots appear on my screen. They’re all positive. “Nobody’s questioning whether you’re a professional or what school you went to or if you have a degree. And you
know
that social media can be a tough crowd. Maybe touring the country with Everson, dancing at his concerts, isn’t such a bad idea.”

“It’s just that, I like him…a lot. So much that I think that I may be falling in love with him. And he’s a musician – musicians don’t have a reputation for being the most reliable people. I’m scared to mix business with pleasure. It’s my career that we’re talking about here. My future,” My voice grows quiet and shaky “…And what if he leaves me.”

Willow’s avatar smiles at me. “What does your gut tell you to do, honey?”

I close my eyes for a beat and listen to the voice deep inside of me.