Rubbed Raw (36 page)

“Giovanni, please…” I begged him. “Oh God… not again… no more… please.” I was weakening with each powerful thrust.

“Almost, my love, I promise.” Just a few more strokes and he cried out, “Crystal… damn… oh!” Then he finally buried his cock deep inside me. “Fuck!” He shouted as he came, his cock pulsating and throbbing intensely.

Then he dropped onto me, obviously as spent as me. He didn’t pull away like he usually did. It didn’t seem like he could move.

“I love you,” he mumbled.

I stroked his hair. “I love you, too.”

It soon became apparent that he had fallen asleep. I played with his hair and caressed his back. It made me understand why he watched me sleep. He looked so handsome and peaceful.

“Crystal, what am I supposed to wear to this thing?” Giovanni called to me from the doorway of the extra bedroom.

“Wear your suit,” I replied with a smirk.

He glared at me. “I only wear that for dead people.”

I laughed, “Let me think about it, OK?”

It was the second Monday of December. We were getting ready for a party at Jon’s house to celebrate the release of our CD. When Giovanni left the room, I took out the clothes I had bought, with Chris’s help, from the closet. I couldn’t let him go to the party in jeans. I put my dress on the bed then walked to his room with the rest. He was holding a T-shirt.

“Uh-uh, you ain’t wearing that tonight,” I scolded him.

He looked up at me. “You should’ve told me that before today. I got nothing else to wear, and you know it.” Then he looked at me strangely. “What’s that?”

“You’ll see.”

I put the shoebox on his bed and opened it. He smiled a little, obviously not hating the black loafers. Then I took the dark plastic off two black dress shirts and slacks.

“You really got that for me?” His grin widened. “No girl ever bought me clothes, especially ones I’d wear.”

I put one shirt against his chest. “You’re gonna look amazing tonight, even more so than usual.”

He hugged me. Right then I was glad I took the time to pamper him.
I have to remember to thank Chris again for helping me
. I handed him the clothes and left him to change.

Giovanni came into the room as I was putting my shoes on and automatically zipped my dress. Then I lifted my hair, so he could tie the black, halter-style dress’ straps.

When I turned around, he whistled. “Damn, girl, that dress is incredible. You look so hot.” Then he ran a hand up the rear seam of my thigh-high stockings. “Mmm, nice touch; no wonder you don’t want me wearing jeans.”

I smiled; glad he reacted the way I expected. “I got it in your favorite color.”

“I see. Thanks.” He kissed my lips gently. “I can just imagine how beautiful you’d look in a wedding dress.”

I laughed. “Yeah, imagine me in one of those.” Although I had dreamed of a white gown and a lot of fanfare, I didn’t think I was ready for it yet.

“I guess we’re not taking the bike today, huh?”

I smiled, “Why not? I can hike the dress up.”

“In December?”

“I got stockings on, and we’re not going far, right?”

“No. Only you would ride on a motorcycle dressed to kill.” He shook his head. “Yet another reason why I love you.” Then he looked into my eyes, and a finger lifted my chin. “But it’s dangerous. You have to at least wear your boots for the ride, or you’ll get burned.”

Then I looked him over. The outfit fit him perfectly. I touched his collar and then the front of the shirt. “You look so handsome.” I ran my fingers through the hair in his ponytail. He had slicked his hair back nicely. “Don’t you let all the girls hit on you tonight. You’re mine.”

“I’ll always be yours. Forever,” he promised me. “No matter what happens.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, but I was afraid to ask.

Jon’s house was huge and set on the top of a hill overlooking the river. There were so many cars in his long driveway that I got nervous. Jon had invited a lot of people. Giovanni seemed to be nervous as well. We walked into the house, hand in hand. After handing off our jackets, we followed the noise to the living room.

Tommy came right to us and kissed my cheek. “Holy shit, that dress is so hot.”

“That’s what I said,” Giovanni told him.

Tommy looked me up and down again. “Can we do that thing again tonight? No one’ll be upstairs.”

“Tonight it’s just me and her. Sorry, man.”

“How the hell did she get you to dress up?” Chad commented as he appeared behind Tommy. “Damn, baby! You look hotter than ever.” He kissed my cheek also.

Chris came to us as well. “They all like it, don’t they?” He asked with a huge smile on his face.

“Hey guys, there’s a few people here I want you to meet,” Jon called to us from a few feet away. When we had followed him almost to the kitchen, he put his hand out. “You remember Wicked End, right?”

“Oh, yes.” My smile revealed how much I remembered from that night.

Jake, Brandon, Scott, Austin and Chico were standing close together. We had opened for a free show at a military training center that Gasoline had done with them. Before the show, Chad and I talked to most them while the other guys worked with Jon. Jake was the only one I had not met. After the concert, the party was crazy, but what happened later in the night was even better.

Chris’ eyes opened wide, “You guys are awesome.” They were his favorite band. The night we met them, he couldn’t say a word. It was the first time I saw him star struck.

“Thanks.” Brandon offered his hand. “You guys are, too.”

We all shook hands. Chico was my favorite member, but Brandon winked at me. The night Giovanni and I spent with him and his friend Mackenzie was unforgettable. If I had the chance that night, I would have invited Chico to join the fun, but he was busy. We were all surprised by how it turned out.

Wicked End was a talented bunch, musically as well. They were a heavy metal band who was big with the underground crowd before finally signing to a major label. They never faltered from their heavy guitars, deep bass and fast beat. They were a rare breed, not giving into the masses and softening their music.

“So, what do you let them do to you?” Jake came close to me and looked at the rest of my band. Then he lifted my chin. “I can give them a run for their money.”

Brandon grabbed Jake. “She’s not a piece of meat. She’s one of us.”

“She’s a chick.” Jake scowled at him.

Giovanni put his arm around my shoulders. “Yeah, and she’s my chick, dude.” He grinned at Brandon.

“So there
is
inbreeding.” Jake smirked. “Just what I thought with all those naked pictures you guys shot for the CD.”

Scott frowned. “You’re such a dick, man.”

“He’ll learn one day,” Austin added.

Chico laughed. “No, he won’t.”

“Wicked End’ll be on the tour, also,” Jon interrupted. “Their summer tour ended in October. They’re on the road a lot.”

“Yeah,” Austin whined. “When we gonna take a vacation?”

Scott rolled his eyes. “We were home for two months.”

“How about we go to Florida and see Tink again?” Jake made a growling sound, and his eyebrows went up and down. “I’d like to get my…”

Brandon shoved him. “Fuck off, man! No way!”

I backed away from them, worried it would turn into a fistfight.

“Come on. We got more people to meet,” Jon insisted, and we again let him lead the way. “I’m trying to get Silverblade on the tour too, but they’re still looking for a bassist.”

Silverblade had almost met a tragic end when their bassist, Troy died. They refused to make music again, until his wife encouraged them to move on to honor him. Shane, their lead singer, had turned down every bassist available so far. If I wasn’t already in a band, I’d audition.

After we had met a few more bands going on tour with us, Chad and I got our jackets then walked down the driveway. I almost picked up his hand, but stopped myself in time. When we were alone, he took my hands in his.

“Baby,” he sounded upset. “You look so beautiful tonight. What made you buy this amazing dress?”

I smiled. “This is a big deal. Our dreams are coming true, mine and yours. I had to dress for it.”

“You look like an angel, you know.” He had tears forming.

I wished I could read his mind. All I felt was pain emanating from him. It was stronger than ever. I reached up and touched his cheek. “I love you, Chad. I always will.”

“I know, but you’re not
in love
with me.” He lifted up my hand and kissed it. “I just miss you, my baby girl.”

I looked up at him. “But you see me all the time.”

“You know what I mean. I lost you and it hurts so bad.” He turned away from me. “I don’t know if I can take it.”

I moved so I could see him. His tears had started to fall. “Please believe me, if I could change how I felt about both of you, I would. I hate doing this to you.”

He hugged me. “I was really hoping you were pregnant, you know. Then we’d be connected by our kid too. When you told me you weren’t, I drank a whole bottle of Jack and tried to fuck a chick Chris wanted me to hang out with. But I couldn’t even get it up. You have my heart and my balls, baby.”

“I’m sorry.” I pulled him down and kissed his lips. Then I put my hands around his face. “Maybe on the tour, Giovanni will change his mind about letting you join us for a night. Would that make you feel better?”

“I don’t know.”

He held me as I thought about the ways he tried to get over me. He had started drinking more and got into a few video games. The worst though, was his obsession with a porn star that looked so much like me it was scary. He carried his laptop around and snuck off to masturbate to her whenever he walked in on Giovanni and I kissing. At least buying his house distracted him somewhat.

Suddenly, Giovanni called to us, “Hey, Jon wants us to meet someone else.” Then Chad wiped his tears away, and we went back to the party.

After a few hours, Jon gathered everyone together in the living room. He pulled the four of us very near to him, while glasses of champagne went around the room.

Jon got up on a chair. “Hey, I want everyone’s attention.” He waited for quiet then continued, “I invited you all here to meet my newest success, Triple Threat. Their CD,
Trapped in the Middle
hits stores tomorrow, and I have faith it’s going to be a huge success. The title track hit the top five on the first day and was the number one download within a week. The video is so popular; it might win an award next year. Besides that, “Leatherneck” is on the soundtrack of the next
Call of Duty
game. How’s that for a debut CD?”

He waited again as everyone clapped. Then he added, “I want to wish them all the luck in the world. But don’t drink yet.”

Suddenly, Giovanni got down on one knee, with a small box in his hand. “Crystal, for just about two years, I’ve been head over heels in love with you. I wanna be with you forever. Will you marry me?”

My hand flew over my mouth as I stared at the diamond ring, shocked. Everyone was watching me, but I wasn’t sure I was ready. Then I surprised even myself when I shouted, “Yes!”

He put the ring on my finger then stood up and kissed me. “I love you.”

“To Triple Threat’s success and Crystal and Giovanni’s future!” Jon shouted.

Everyone cheered and raised their glasses to us.

I started to cry, overwhelmed. “I love you, too.”

I looked at the ring. Giovanni had busted his ass for it. I had spent a lot of time with Chris while he did “emergency” jobs. It finally made sense why he was working more often.

Chad gave me a short hug when Giovanni let me go. “He asked me if it was all right first, so don’t worry. I’m happy you’re happy, my baby girl.”

The look of sadness in his eyes was unmistakable. I understood what our little talk was about. He knew about the proposal. I felt his pain in my heart again, as I always did, and longed to see the sparkle in his eyes one more time. He couldn’t even fake a smile.

I wanted to tell him he’d get over me. That he would find someone else one day. But, how could I do that when I couldn’t stand to see him with someone else? I still wanted to fix his broken heart. The only way I knew how was to be with him. I wished there was a way to be with them both.

While he walked away, he looked back at me and tears were falling. I almost let Giovanni go and ran to him, but forced myself not to. A few tears of my own fell as his pain overwhelmed me. He left, not saying a word to anyone.

As I watched Chad walk out the door, Giovanni pulled me down the hall to Jon’s back porch. It had gotten cooler out. He took me in his arms and tried to shield me from the breeze.

“You’re gonna be the most beautiful bride there ever was.” He leaned down and kissed me. “Jon told me the tour stops in Vegas in mid-February. Can we get married on Valentine’s Day?”

I looked up at him. When he asked me, I didn’t even think of saying no. So, why wait? “That sounds great.”

He took my hands in his and stepped back a bit. “I asked Jon about what happens when the tour is over. He said we’ll have almost a year to do whatever we want. The tour ends in September. Could we start trying for a baby then? I want it so bad I can’t get it outta my head. Is it too soon for you?”

“Uh…” How could I say it was?

He took me in his arms again. “Just think about it, my love.”

When I started to shiver, we joined the party again. As we walked, my thoughts drifted to Chad and his broken heart. I did make the right decision, right?

Just as we got to the foyer, I heard, “Fuck you!” Dean was shouting at Vince.

Giovanni looked at him. “Hey, man, what’s your problem?”

“I’ll take care of it,” Vince told him.

Dean pushed Vince. “Get the fuck outta my way.”

“You’re fucking high, Dean? Really?” Dominic glared at him. “Jon, get somebody to drive this fucking asshole home, please. I’m so over this shit.”

Soon enough, two large men dragged Dean outside.

Jon looked very upset. “I’m sorry about him. He’s a wreck again. How many times can we go through this crap? If Dean does something stupid again, the band’s gonna fall apart for good.”