Backstage Pass: V.I.P. (2 page)

I scooted off the couch and stood, wobbling only once as I grabbed my crutches. “I need to be there. We’ll head to the airport now. Tell Maxine I’ll text her with my arrival info.”

Three heads watched me intently. Jesse stepped closer and I melted into his arms. “My dad—my
real
dad—is in the hospital. I need to fly out to see my mom.”

Kerri put her arms around both of us. “I’ll get us packed, Axel can call about flights.”

“How far is it?”

I hugged him tight and mumbled into his shirt. “Four hours. About an hour flight.”

Axel held up the other quarter of our hug-fest. “But we can’t all go if you fly. If we hop in the car right now we could be there before the next plane lands, I bet.”

Kerri rested her cheek against my shoulder. “I’d only miss one test, and I know Mrs. Finley would let me take it when we get back if I tell her the situation.”

“Today was my last gig for a week.”

No way could I let them all jeopardize their grades for this. I pulled away. “I’m fine. Really. Mom said—” My voice trembled, but I swallowed. “Mom said he’s stable.”

Kerri squeezed my waist. “But what about your mom, and you? You’ll both need a support system.”

“Besides,” Jesse tugged a lock of my hair, “getting that cast through security will be a bitch.”

The corner of my mouth lifted. “True.” I hadn’t thought of that part. “This is crazy. You guys don’t have to do this.”

“I do.” Jesse pulled me tight against him and buried his face in my hair. “I feel awful about today. Four hours in a car gives you lots of time to tell me what other dark secrets you’re keeping from me.”

I stiffened.

His lips pressed against the soft skin below my ear. “I’m kidding.”

I sighed. “You guys are the best.”

They squeezed in tight until my ribs groaned.

Axel towered over us and rested his chin on my head. “Let’s get packed.”

As our group hug fell apart, I clung to Jesse. I couldn’t imagine anything worse than losing my dad. He’d been my fortress for so many years, and he was my mom’s everything. Without him there, I didn’t think I’d have been able to leave her and go to college this far away.

Kerri walked Axel to the door, heads bent in quite conversation. With his hand on the knob, Axel looked up. “We’re supposed to get a big spring storm tonight, and it might be crappy going north. I’ll go grab my brother’s SUV. That will give us some leg room.” He smiled. “And maybe a little cast room too.”

Jesse gave him a thumbs-up and escorted me toward my room so I could pack. “Thanks, man. Let’s all meet back here in thirty.”

Kerri kissed Axel and raced down the hallway, ducking under Jesse’s arm and supporting me. “I got her. You go pack.”

He hesitated, still reeling from the shock of the afternoon. I didn’t blame him. Usually people only got to find out one part of my history, not the entire download plus a road trip to meet the parents.

“Are you sure about this?” I wanted to make sure he had an out if he needed it.

He twined his fingers through my hair and batted Kerri away. Kerri shifted around us and padded to my room. From somewhere far beyond my consciousness, my closet and dresser opened and closed, the whisper of fabric slid across the nylon duffel, and she packed my clothes.

As his other hand slid around my waist, I wobbled on my toes and leaned on his strength. “Wouldn’t miss it.” His lips covered mine in a promise and a vow.

No matter what our future held, no matter how many nights we were destined to share, I’d been a fool to dismiss him. I kissed him back with the same promise, that I’d give this—whatever it was that we were doing—my all, my everything.

After a short stop for gas and goodies and a call to my mom to let her know the change of plans, we were on the road. Axel and Kerri sat in front, though I thought Kerri would have preferred the bench seating in the back instead of the gaping hole between their captain’s chairs. She’d drawn Axel’s arm across the space and her fingers curled rather possessively around his bicep and beneath the hem of his polo. I’d have to ask her about that later—either she was getting a little more wrapped up in Axel than she’d initially intended or he revved her engine more than she’d anticipated. Either way, she was totally into him. I didn’t care which, just needed to be prepared for the right fallout. By the look on Axel’s face, he wasn’t far behind her and for the first time since I’d known him, my presence in the room barely registered.

Jesse tugged on the back of my knee and drew our hips tighter together, situating my cast across both his thighs. The seatbelt jammed into the pad of my butt, forcing me to wedge it deeper into the crack of the seat. I was super grateful Axel’s brother willingly gave up his car; making this drive in mine would have sucked. At least in this we had a little bit of space. And temperatures had already dropped at least a dozen degrees from when we’d left the house. If we hit weather of any kind, my car was nearly useless.

A semi sped by, spitting wash up from the road and I noticed the wet roads as Jesse draped his arm across my shoulders. Axel slowed until the semi passed and I focused on my own space, content that we’d get there safe. Jesse tugged me closer and I wiggled until our bodies fit seamlessly together.

I twisted the lid on my soda, readied to close it again as the carbonation escaped and bubbles rushed to the top. “Kerri, toss me the gummy worms.”

She handed back the bag of goodies and I fished inside for our treats. Jesse took the king-sized Snickers bar and popped his Rockstar open. If nothing else, we’d be so wired on caffeine and sugar there’d certainly be no falling asleep on this trip. I ripped open my bag and inhaled the assault of tart flavors, then held the open bag toward Jesse. “Want one?”

He made a face and shuddered. “How can you eat those things?”

I popped a half blue, half red on in my mouth. “Love them. They’re totally my road trip weakness. Especially this stretch home.”

He held up his candy bar. “I’m good.”

Axel cranked the radio and we sang along, though Jesse carried the heavy load. When he hit the big notes, we all fell silent, reveling in his talent. Even shadowed by the day’s events with both my I called Dad, the crystal purity of his voice uplifted our spirits and I inhaled the peace of the moment. Tucked away safely in this car, though we hurtled toward a possibility of chaos and pain at the other end, all was right in the world. We’d left behind the past and while the future opened her arms to us, for right now, the present was perfect.

A love song came on and we settled against each other. I hummed the notes softly and Jesse sang the words quietly into my heart. The hours were quickly blurring together and yet stretching apart at the same time. I felt like a part of me had known him forever—and I suppose a part of me had—he was the goodness that comes from loving an artist from birth, from being an integral part in the creation of beauty, from listening to a song start as a melody and grow into a hit. For all that my father was a terrible dad, there was no denying either his commitment to his art or his talent.

A shadow rose up in my chest and I tried to ignore it, but no matter how good Jesse had been to me, the shadow was still there. Would he be lured away by the Muses too? He was gifted enough that the labels would come calling. It was just a matter of time.

The song ended and as we all settled into a quiet companionship.
Kerri shifted her seatbelt behind her and balled up her jacket in the space between their chairs, then lowered her head to Axel’s thigh. He toyed with her hair as he kept his gaze out the windshield in front.

Jesse sang the next song, an upbeat Katy Perry single rising up the charts. I shifted and looked out the window, nibbling on my lip. Darkness tinged the horizon and the shadows outside lengthened like the ones inside me. I could speed his trajectory to stardom. You don’t get raised by a rock legend and not have contacts, but did I want to?

Ouch. Not the right questions to be raising this early in the play. Today was not the day to examine either my options or my hesitation. Everything was too raw, too close to the surface. I turned and nuzzled my face into Jesse’s neck. He smelled like chocolate and peanuts. His fingers drew circles across the sensitive skin of my arm and he crumbled his wrapper and tucked it in the door cubbies. After a quick swipe across his thigh, he cradled my jaw and pressed our cheeks together.

The night melted away and ceased to exist beyond the feel of his skin. With some effort, I managed to let go of the day, both the bright spots of the morning and the bumps along the way. I shifted and the seatbelt locked low on my hips, trapping me. Jesse nibbled my ear and pulled me tighter against his chest. I wanted to crawl inside him, but if I couldn’t hide there, I at least wanted to curl up in his lap and let him take me away. My fingers fumbled in the seat and I finally found the latch and released my seatbelt. Our bodies collided and the nylon strap whirred back into the holder. He crushed me to him, trailing kisses down my neck and lifting goosebumps along my skin.

If we weren’t in this car right now, I’d have stripped us both naked and covered every inch of my skin with his. I needed the feel of him and these clothes were too much of a barrier. I needed his heart beating against mine, his fingers racing over me, in me. His lips brushed mine and he crooned lyrics gently against my skin. The chaos of the day wouldn’t be ignored and it pursued me, pressing, begging for attention.

I bit at Jesse’s lips and he stopped singing, finally claiming my mouth in a deep kiss that stole my breath and finally laid the day to rest. Angling my cast against the door, I straddled him and twined my hands through his hair. He tasted like a strange candy buffet of caramel and chocolate and that strangely sweet tang of Rockstar in a perfect melody of what I always thought he should taste like. Our tongues danced and swirled in time with the song and I fought the urge to chuckle. He did everything with such a blatant musicality that made me want to stand up and applaud, but right now I wanted one thing.

More.

His fingers slid down my back and gripped my ass. I moaned and pressed closer. His hips lifted upward and his hard erection pressed into the seam of my jeans, sending a jolt of need racing along every nerve in my body. I swiveled my hips and ground against him, begging for a release. This was the naughtiest thing I’d ever done, and while Kerri and I had a tendency to be pretty open about what was going on in our social lives, I was a complete prude compared to her. Complete. And I didn’t care even the tiniest bit that her head was less than a foot from my ass. They were in their own little world and I was pretty sure things would have been naked up there if Axel wasn’t driving.

Jesse’s fingers slid beneath the hem of my shirt and the hard calluses against my sensitive skin felt so right. He trailed along the waistband of my jeans, then upward along my sides. My skin jumped and my insides clenched. Spirals of desire radiated outward, threatening to tear me apart. When his hands cupped my breasts through my bra, I dropped my head forward and rested our foreheads together. He slipped his thumb beneath the lace edge and rolled my nipples between his fingers until they puckered. I let go of his hair and unbuttoned my shirt. His breath caressed my skin and I twirled closer to the abyss, sure I’d never return if I lost myself completely.

He leaned forward and licked the curve of my breast, then dipped his face into the hollow between, kissing a path from one to the other. His hands slid around my back and unhooked my bra.

With three deft movements, I pulled it off and through my sleeve. His eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise, but then he returned his attention to my bare breasts. He cradled the left one and gently drew the nipple between his teeth, sucking and nibbling. I bit my lips and opened my thighs wider, driving our hips together. He lifted into me and his fingers dug into my hip, pulling and holding me tight. I was so close, but then he withdrew and the pressure relaxed just enough to nearly drive me crazy. He switched to my other nipple and repeated the grind and release against me. I inhaled sharply and ground my clit in a small circle.

So close. So close.

He relaxed again and I wanted to scream. He pulled my nipple deep into his mouth, trapping it against the roof of his mouth while he suckled me. My entire center contracted and begged to be touched. His fingers played at the button of my jeans, and I whimpered.

He sat up straighter and slipped the top button free. I wiggled and loosened the pressure on the fabric. His thumb slid the zipper down and he pulled my face down to his, tugging my lower lip between his teeth as his fingers found their way inside my panties. I was wet and slippery. His finger slid in and I contracted around him.

“Oh.” I moaned and pushed him deeper. I needed more. So much more, but the spiral began to build again.

Another finger joined the first and his thumb rocked gently back and forth against me. Perfect musicality again, only this time he moved to my beat.

My head fell back and I gripped the headrest behind him, rocking and swiveling my hips as the pressure escalated. He pushed deeper inside me, and I opened my thighs wide, taking him all the way to my sweet core, toward that spiral of heat where I needed, craved, wanted.

The orgasm shook my entire body and I convulsed against him, my insides contracting and jerking.

Jesse crooned and sang words I couldn’t piece together, but my soul recognized the song. I kissed him gently as he withdrew. I still wanted more, but I’d gotten the initial wave of release out, so I didn’t feel like I was going to explode anymore. He settled his forehead against my collarbone and swayed our bodies to the music. I settled my cheek against the top of his head and twined my fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. Now that the frenzy of my lust had subsided, I needed—wanted—to return the favor. I sat up and drew his lower lip between my teeth, then let go and slid off his lap and to the side.

I scanned the back cargo area for one of the blankets Axel had tossed in before we left and pulled a blue plaid one off the stack. Ice covered the lower few inches of the windows as the temperature continued to drop outside our warm and sultry sex den. In front, someone moaned in the darkness. Night had fallen completely and our headlights speared the road.

I drew the blanket across our laps and drew it halfway up Jesse’s chest. His eyes widened and he unbuckled his seatbelt. Confidence surged in my chest and I pushed him gently toward the door, angling his upper body away from me. He wadded up his jacket and pillowed it behind him, then scooted his hips closer. I wet my lips. My heart was pounding, but his fingers caressed my hair, gently tucking it up and over behind my ear.

***

Sirens pierced the puffy silence of the snow and red and blue lights ricocheted across the darkness. Jesse jerked upright and fumbled for his seatbelt. “Put yours on.”

I did. My fingers trembled and malfunctioned, adrenalin robbing me of basic hand movements. I tried to calm my breath, but it came in huge gulps and my heart pounded in my ears.

Axel slowed the car further. “Sorry guys. That freaked me out. It’s getting pretty icy though, will you guys all strap up?”

“Done.” Jesse leaned forward and put his hand on Kerri’s headrest as the police car sped past. Snow whipped across the road in its wake. “Wonder where he’s headed.”

Another cop car and an ambulance quickly followed.

Up ahead, brake lights came into view and Axel stopped us at the end of a short line of cars. I gripped Jesse’s thigh and wiped at the fogged window. Kerri turned down the music and as we crept forward, a deep sense of foreboding settled in the pit of my stomach, fiery and burning like the flares alongside the road. Unnatural debris littered both sides of the road, but we couldn’t see much past the emergency vehicles on the other side. The road bent slightly to the left, further obstructing my view. I didn’t want to be morbid, but something about the way the red and blue lights illuminated the wooded section lent a surreal feel to the scene.

Jesse sat back and pulled me with him. I angled my body so I could still see between the front seats.

Kerri gripped the dash. “What happened?”