Under the Lights (A Brothers of Rock - GONE BY AUTUMN - Novel) (21 page)

(19)

They walked back through The Jack
and went out the side door. The black car waited for them. But as soon as they
stepped toward the car, a woman screamed. By the time Jules turned her head
there was a woman running toward them.

“
Tanner,
”
she whispered.

“
It
’
s okay,
”
Tanner said.

Tanner gently pushed Jules behind
him, protecting her in case the woman was going to do something dumb or
dangerous. He waited for the woman to approach.

“
I
’
m so sorry,
”
she said.
“
I don
’
t mean to bother you.
”

“
It
’
s okay,
”
Tanner said.

“
I
’
m a huge fan.
”

“
Thank
you.
”

“
Oh,
”
the woman said.
“
Yeah, I like Gone by Autumn a
lot. But I meant Jules.
”

“
Me?
”
Jules asked, peeking out from
behind Tanner's arm.

Tanner let out a laugh.

“
Yes,
”
the woman said.
“
I
’
ve
seen you with Gone by Autumn twice now. Oh, and I think I saw you once before
singing with another band. I
’
m
not sure. But whatever. You have a really beautiful voice.
”

“
I
do?
”
Jules asked.

“
Oh,
yes,
”
the woman said.

“
Well,
thank you for saying that,
”
Tanner said.

“
I
can
’
t believe it,
”
Jules said.
“
Thank you so much.
”

“
I
saw you two together and didn
’
t
think it could be real,
”
the woman said.
“
Is the
rest of the band here?
”

“
No,
”
Jules said.
“
Just us.
”

“
Out
on a date,
”
Tanner said.

“
A
date? Wow. That's going to make all the headlines
…”

“
We
have to get going,
”
Tanner
said.

“
Of
course,
”
the woman said.
“
I hate to do this, but can I have
your autograph?
”

Jules looked at Tanner and then
back to the woman before she realized that the woman wanted Jules' autograph.

“
Oh
my gosh. Yes, of course,
”
Jules said.
“
I
’
ll sign anything you want.
”

The woman squealed and dug in her
purse. She grabbed a pen and an empty envelope. Jules fiddled with the pen for
a few seconds, wondering just how to autograph this. Was it just like a regular
signature? Like writing a check? Or should she make something up?

Jules scribbled her name and gave
it back to the woman.

“
Can
you sign it too?
”
she asked
Tanner.

“
Oh,
now you like Gone by Autumn,
”
Tanner teased.

“
I
love Gone by Autumn!
”
the
woman cried out.
“
I swear!
I have all your songs. I see all your shows when I can.
”

“
I
’
m joking,
”
Tanner said. He took the paper and signed it.
“
There you go. All set. You have
the first autograph of Jules and Tanner.
”

“
Wow,
”
the woman said.

She turned and trotted away excitedly.

Tanner opened the door for Jules
and then he followed her inside. He shut the door and the car drove away.

“
I
can
’
t believe that just happened,
”
Jules said.

“
Welcome
to the life,
”
Tanner said.
“
I told you. People know you.
They love your voice. You're not going to be singing backup for much longer.
You are going to be doing big things of your own."

Tanner held Jules
’
hand the entire ride to his
place. Even in the silence, Jules was comfortable with Tanner. It was just nice
to be with someone and not have to care so much. It also didn
’
t hurt that when Jules looked at
Tanner, her entire body was on fire. She couldn
’
t
wait for Tanner to take her into his bed.
Finally.

When they arrived at the apartment,
Tanner opened the door, smiled, and ushered Jules right inside. He slammed the
door, locked it, and let out a breath.

“
It
’
s just us, darling,
”
he said.
“
No hiding. No holding back.
”

“
I
like that,
”
Jules said.
“
But are you sure there are no
women hiding in here?
”

“
Stop
saying that,
”
Tanner said.
“
That was a fuck up. My fuck up.
That will never happen again.
”

“
I
know. I'm just teasing,
”
Jules said.

Tanner stepped forward and bent his
knees a little. He lifted Jules up and started to carry her. She smiled and put
her hands to Tanner
’
s hard
shoulders. She was able to look down at him now as he carried her. She loved
the way her hair fell in front of her face. She loved the way Tanner looked at
her.

Tanner took Jules right to the bed
and dropped her down on it. He stood and hurried to reach for her pants.

“
I
’
m going to strip you,
”
he said.
“
I want to see and touch all of
you.
”

Jules put her hands up over her
head, succumbing to Tanner.

He opened her pants and slid them
down her body. He crouched down and took off her shoes and socks, and then his
fingers tickled up her legs, making Jules jump and giggle. That quickly stopped
when his thumbs pressed between her legs, against her panties.

Jules groaned and caught herself
thrusting. She reached down and dug her fingers into Tanner
’
s hair.

“
Oh,
that
’
s not going to work
for me,
”
Tanner whispered.
He stood up and took Jules by both hands. He pulled and forced her to sit up.
“
Come here, darling. I have
something to do.
”

“
What?
”
Jules asked.

Tanner ran his hands down Jules
’
shirt. His hands clasped around
the bottom of the shirt and lifted. It went up and off and to the floor. Tanner
leaned forward and unclasped her bra, easing it along her arms, exposing her
tender breasts. Jules put her hands to the bed and sat there, desperate to look
seductive enough that the rockstar would never want anyone else for the rest of
his life.

“
You
’
re so beautiful it kills me,
”
Tanner whispered.

He touched Jules
’
left breast, his thumb flicking
across her hard nipple.

Jules sighed with pleasure.

Tanner then took that same thumb
and trailed it along her bottom lip. His subtle moves were the ones that drove
her wild. He gently placed his hands to Jules
’
shoulders and guided her to the bed.

“
I
need you in the right position,
”
he said as his hands moved to her back.

Jules arched her back, loving his
touch.
“
What position?
”

“
Put
your head on the pillow,
”
Tanner said.

Jules kicked herself back, her
breasts bouncing as she did so. She rested on Tanner
’
s pillow, wondering what was going to happen next.

Tanner stood at the edge of the bed
and reached for his belt. He opened it and then quickly pulled it from his
jeans.

What
’
s he going to do
…
?

Tanner leaned down and put his
mouth to Jules
’
. He kissed
her deeply for a few seconds and then whispered,
“
I
’
m a man of my word, darling.
”

“
What
promise is that?
”
Jules
asked.

“
You
’
re not leaving tonight. Or
tomorrow. I
’
m going to tie
you up.
”

Jules gasped. Was he serious?

Tanner started to wrap his belt
around her wrist. Jules looked back and watched him wrap the other end of the
belt around one of the bedposts. He pulled it and then hooked it together.

That was one wrist.

Jules was still in shock as Tanner
dropped to his knees and fished another belt from under his bed. He held it up,
smiling.

“
It
doesn
’
t hurt, right?
”
he asked.

“
No,
”
Jules whispered.
“
But I
’
ve
…
I've never
…”

“
It
’
s okay,
”
Tanner said.
“
You
’
ll listen this time, darling. I
don
’
t want you to leave.
You
’
re breaking my rule
because I
’
m telling you to.
”

Tanner climbed the bed and took
Jules
’
other wrist. His
touch was gentle, but his intentions were definitely not. In reality, Jules
knew she could pull away and stop this. But she liked it. She wanted it.

He repeated the same move, wrapping
the belt around her wrist a couple times and then around the bedpost.

When he moved from the bed again,
he smiled.

“
Wow
I wish you could see yourself right now,
”
he said.

She had nothing on except a pair of
panties. Jules pulled at her wrists. They were tied. She was completely
vulnerable to anything Tanner wanted to do to her.

“
Tell
me something you want,
”
Tanner
said.
“
One chance.
”

“
Take
your shirt off,
”
Jules
blurted out.
“
I want to see
your body
…”

Tanner lifted his shirt and threw
it across the room.

The sight of his muscles had her digging
her heels into the bed and gently rocking her hips. Being so turned on started
to become uncomfortable with her panties clinging to her.

Tanner ran his hands up and cupped
them over her breasts. Her nipples were hard, and rubbing against Tanner
’
s warm palms made her toes curl.
Jules let out a whimper as Tanner climbed on the bed and came down to her
stomach with his mouth. His fingers gently kneaded her breasts as he kissed
down and down
and down
. With each kiss, Tanner pulled up and made a wet
kissing sound, only adding to the pleasure running through Jules
’
aching body.

Tanner kissed over her panties,
teasing Jules with the pressure of his tongue. But she wanted more. She wanted
to feel his tongue against her skin. Her body.
Her sex.

Tanner grabbed the sides of her
panties and eased them down her body, inch by inch, until they were off. He
then touched the insides of her thighs and slowly came forward with his mouth. Thorough
flicks from his eager tongue made Jules scream. She pulled at her wrists,
wanting so badly to reach down and take handfuls of his hair.

But she couldn
’
t. She was tied to the damn bed.
She was at the mercy of Tanner and his mouth, hands, fingers, and body.

Tanner sat back on his knees in
front of her. His hands massaged her legs, his thumbs flirting with her silky
center. Jules couldn
’
t
control her body. She lifted herself at him and rocked her hips, desperate for
a release of her pleasure.

“
Tanner,
”
Jules whispered, her breath
shaking.
“
Please keep
going. I
’
m close.
”

“
I
know, darling,
”
Tanner
said.
“
I can feel it.
”

Tanner slid two fingers inside her.
Jules bit her lip and groaned, arching her back again. He gently pleasured
Jules with his fingers. Once again, he brought her to the edge of climax but
quickly pulled away. Jules let out a long breath and looked at Tanner. She knew
her face was flushed, her body quivering.

“
Tanner
…”

“
It
’
s okay,
”
Tanner said.

He reached for the side of the bed
and took protection from the nightstand. This time he was the one who teased
Jules with it. He dropped the wrapper to her belly and then opened his jeans.
He pushed his pants and boxers down enough to expose himself as he popped free.