The Devil's Tattoo (22 page)

"Hey," the sales guy said, wandering up to us, obviously
smelling a potential big sale. "She's a beauty.
Wanna
give her a try?"

"Go on," Will
said
, nudging me
forward. "I can see the lust in your eyes and I'm jealous already."

I nodded. Looks meant nothing if it sounded like shit. The sales
guy pulled out a small amp and took the guitar from the shelf and plugged it
in. I pulled the strap over my head, perching on a stool Will brought over.

I played a few chords and the sound, even though it was only
plugged into a small amp, was divine. Ignoring the look on the sales guy's
face, I went through the opening bars of
Walls
, wondering how it would
sound. It had a different tone without effects on it, but it sounded good. So
good, I would have killed to add it to my collection of two. I had my matte
black
Epiphone
Les Paul and an
Epiphone
electric acoustic. I was a bit of a fan girl.

"Wow," the guy said. "How long have you been
playing?"

"About three years, I guess," I said absently, trying
not to drool over the guitar.

"Only three years?" he exclaimed. "Did you teach
yourself, or did you get lessons?"

"Myself."

"She's a genius," Will said and I could hear the pride
in his voice. I looked up to see him smiling down at me.

The sales guy was still a little flabbergasted. I'm sure he didn't
think I could play that well when we walked in. "It's tagged at three
eight, but I can cut it to three five."

Three and a half thousand?
I'd never paid more than one and a half thousand for a guitar.
That would put a serious dent in my savings. I didn't like to ask for help in
case I got into a tough spot, so that money was my sense of security. I didn't
really need a new guitar, not right now, but it was so nice…

"No," I said reluctantly. "I can't right now."

The guy's face dropped a little and I knew he was bummed at losing
the sale. Will shrugged and squeezed my shoulder.

"Can I ask you about some leads, mate?" he asked, to
deflect another sales pitch.

"Sure. What are you after?"

Will wandered off with the sales guy and I unplugged the leads and
set the guitar back into its holder on the shelf. 
Three
and a half thousand.
The band had been doing really well, but I was
still tight with my money. My parents had brought me up to be careful with it,
making me save half my pocket money as a kid. When I was fifteen, I'd gone out
and gotten my first job at a fast food joint and I'd saved half my wages, just
like I had my pocket money. So, spending that much on something frivolous, even
though it was now my job in a way, kind of made me feel sick.

As
Will
talked with the sales guy, I
wandered through the other guitars, but nothing caught my eye, not like that
Fender did. Damn my tight pockets.

"Ready?" Will asked, coming up behind me, a bag in his
hand.

"Sure."

"I'd prefer you look at me like that, and not a guitar,"
Will murmured into my ear as we left the store.

"I already do," I retorted.

"I'm talking exclusively."

"Such a worry when you have to compete with an inanimate
object."

He burst out laughing, tugging me towards him. "Zoe Granger,
you're beautiful, but I don't think a guitar can get you off like I can."

I squirmed, suddenly conscious we were standing out on a busy
street. "You'll just have to remind me later."

"Oh," he said, his lips brushing against mine. "I
intend to."

CHAPTER
TWENTY-SEVEN

Will

Being able to walk hand in hand down the street with Zoe was the
best feeling in the world. And what we'd done last night and this morning… She
was my forever. I wanted to tell her so bad, but I was still afraid that I
might scare her away. I mean, it'd only been a week since she'd let me back in.
How I knew this so soon was beyond me. It was more than phenomenal sex. She was
the person who challenged me and set me on fire. I was never complete until I
met Zoe Granger.

And knowing the effect I had on her was better than any drug.

I wondered if she felt the same, but I remembered what she'd said
to me last night,
that was the best orgasm I've had in my entire life
and I knew she had all the right words.

This morning I'd almost fucked it up again. I wasn't ready to tell
her about my ex and all of that shit
just
as I knew
she wasn't ready to tell me about her past. I got it. We just needed to have
this time together. Those things would come soon enough.

When Zoe suddenly cried, "Stop!" and plastered
her hands on the window of a music shop
,
I
had to laugh
. She was fucking adorable.

"God, Zoe. We can go inside you know." I grabbed her
hand and led her into the store.

It was empty this time of day and the sales assistant jumped on us
the moment Zoe put her hands on the guitar she'd spotted through the window.
She pawed a blue starburst Fender with a metallic cobalt blue middle
fading into black around the edges. It had a matte black scratch pad. Custom.
She knew her stuff.

"Hey," the sales assistant said with a big grin. He
obviously saw dollars over us. "She's a beauty.
Wanna
give her a try?"

"Go on," I said, nudging her forward. "I can see
the lust in your eyes and I'm jealous already."

When she nodded, I brought over a stool and sat her down as the
sales assistant handled the guitar and plugged it into a portable amp. She
pulled the strap over her head like she was in the care of something precious
and her fingers slid over the strings. As she played the opening bars of
Walls
,
I didn't think I could fall for her anymore than I already had, but I found
myself wanting to get down on my knees there and then and tell her everything.

"Wow," the sales assistant said. "How long have you
been playing?"

"About three years, I guess," she said absently,
obviously captivated by the guitar.

"Only three years?" he exclaimed. "Did you teach
yourself, or did you get lessons?"

"Myself."

"She's a genius," I said proudly, smiling down at her.
She looked up at me and bit her lip and it took everything I had not to reach
down and run a thumb over it.

The sales assistant was still a little lost for words. I'm sure he
didn't think she could play that well. Maybe he was thinking it was for me.
"It's tagged at three eight, but I can cut it to three five."

Three and a half thousand?
Shit.

"No," she said reluctantly. "I can't right
now."

The sales assistant's face dropped a little and I knew he thought
he was losing the sale. I shrugged and squeezed her shoulder. Dee had told me a
secret the other day and it was the perfect opportunity to get her the one
thing she wanted. She didn't seem to ask for anything and if I could do this
for her, it would be worth it to see the smile on her face.

"Can I ask you about some leads, mate?" I asked
,
to deflect another sales pitch on Zoe, who was looking down
at the Fender with a disappointed frown.

"Sure. What are you after?"

I led the guy away towards the front counter and when we
were out of earshot, I said, "Is there any chance
of
putting that Fender on hold until tomorrow?"

He looked at me with a knowing smile. "Birthday coming
up?"

"Something like that," I grinned.

"I think I can work something out," he said giving me a
card with his name on.

"And you'll do the same price?"

"Sure thing."

"Okay. Leave it with me. I'll probably have to get a mate to
come get it if we can work it out."

"No problems at all. Just get them to bring the card
in," he took it back and wrote the price on top, "and the guys here
will know."

"Cheers, mate. I appreciate it." I looked back over to
Zoe, who was putting the guitar back on the wall. "Actually, I do need a
new lead and it'll help with the ruse."

The sales assistant laughed, "Sure, this way."

The only thing I had to do now was
try
and get everyone to pitch in. I was pretty good with my money, but
If
she knew I spent all of that on her, she'd refuse to take
it. It'd probably mean more if it was a gift from everyone. And the other
problem was trying to hide it from her for the next few days.

I don't know what she'd been through exactly with her ex, but from
the few things she'd told me, she'd had a rough time of it. All I wanted to do
was make her happy because she deserved it regardless of how I felt about her.
When she found out what I'd done, she was
gunna
flip.
I couldn't wait to see the smile on her face.

CHAPTER
TWENTY-EIGHT

ZOE

The next few days went by in a blur of giddy happiness. We played
another show in country Victoria, then another in South Australia and one in
the capital, Adelaide.

Today we had an
eight hour
drive back
home to Melbourne where we had two sold out shows to close the tour. Even
though it had all been such a roller coaster of highs and lows, I was sad to
see it end. I knew there would be others, but nothing could compare to touring
with The Stabs, not when it ended with Will Strickland in my bed and in my
heart.

With the promise of another long day on the bus, I stood in the
car park, enjoying the sun on my shoulders and the coffee in my hand. It didn't
escape me what today was, but I attempted to forget as per usual. The last few
had been miserable.

"Happy birthday, Hot Legs," Dee whispered into my ear.

"God," I complained, almost jumping out of my skin.
"Say it a little louder, why
don't
you."

"I get why you didn't want to celebrate before, but this
year? Damn,
Zo
. You've got a hot best friend, a hot
band and a hotter boyfriend. I'd be asking for presents. Big ones."

"Since when are you hot?" I joked.

"Since always and forever. I have a butt that doesn't
quit," he laughed, puffing out his chest and wiggling his ass.
"Seriously, have you told Will it's your…"

I slapped a hand over his mouth, before he could say the dreaded
word,
birthday
. "No. I don't do well being the
centre
of attention."

"Bloody hell, then what have you been doing the last few
months?"

"That's stage Zoe. She's a different beast." I
remembered what
Will
had told me, about being
different on stage than I was off. Somewhere between then and now, they'd
become the same person.

"Whichever way you put it, you're still a beast."

Laughing, I turned to climb onto the bus, but I suddenly
realised
we were alone. Simone and Dean were nowhere in
sight, by this time, they'd already be loading up the car. Even Bob was
mysteriously absent from his spot in front of the bus, where he was usually
smoking a cigarette and downing a coffee. Nine people were mysteriously not
where they should be.

"Dee?"

"Yes?" he said amused.

"You didn't?" I suddenly
realised
he'd been up to his usual meddling. He'd used our familiar arguing as a
distraction.

"I didn't what?" he shrugged, a lopsided grin on his
face.

"I hate you so much right now."

"If I didn't annoy you at least once a day, then my work
wouldn't be done."

I felt my face turn red and I slapped a palm against my flaming
cheeks as if it was going to cool me down.

"C'mon," Dee said, grabbing my hand.

As he pulled me up the stairs everyone cheered and let out wolf
whistles and started singing Happy Birthday, the dirty version, as I hid my
flaming face in my hands. My past few birthdays had been pretty lonely affairs,
passing without much of a blip on the radar, but this was too much. I suddenly
felt embarrassed that all these people, people who I'd come to call friends and
extended family, were all looking at me, wanting to make this day special. It
was totally surreal and unexpected.

"Happy Birthday,
Zo
Zo
," Frank pulled me into his trademark bear hug.

Chris and Pete both hugged me and planted kisses on my
cheek. Even Bob gave me a kiss on the cheek, before running out to have
his awful, stinky cigarette. Dean clapped me on the shoulder and Simone pulled
me into a long hug. Louie and Sticks got in on the action before my eyes
collided with Will's. He was holding a black guitar hard case towards the
back, a wicked grin on his face.

"No way," I gasped, making everyone laugh.

"Way," Frank said, pushing me forward down the aisle.

Will watched me approach with a satisfied smirk on his face.
Leaning the case along the seat, he flipped it open and there was that blue
sunburst Fender I'd slobbered all over days ago.

"Guys," I gasped. "This is too much."

"Shut up, Hot Legs," Dee
said, looking over my shoulder.
"If you don't want it, I'll have it."

I elbowed him in the gut. "Hands off."

Will watched me closely as I trailed my fingers along the strings.
"Yea?" he asked.

"
Yea
," I breathed, closing the case so I could
thank him in style. Everyone seemed pleased with my reaction and cheered one
more time before getting the hint and falling into their seats.

Will trailed a finger along my jaw, pushing my chin up.

"You weren't talking about leads, were you?" I whispered
against his lips.

"Nope." I saw the sparkle in his eyes and the curve in
his lips.

"
Will
."

"I sent Dean to back get it while I distracted you."

"You spent all that money on me?"

"Not all of it," he admitted. "Everyone pitched in
what they could. So, it's not just from me."

"Well, I love it all the same."

"Good," he said. "I like seeing you smile."

Despite myself, I was beginning to like this birthday business.

"You know how hard it's been trying to hide it from
you?" he said when my face split into a huge grin.

"I don't think it would have been that hard," I said,
sitting back into a seat.

"What makes you say that?"

"I've been otherwise engaged." I wigged my eyebrows at
him as he slid in the seat next to mine.

I leant my back against the window and he pulled my legs over his
lap, running his hand along my inner thigh, sending sparks into all the right
places.

"We won't always be on tour together," I said, letting
my legs fall open slightly, so he could move higher.

"No, but we knew that before this started."

"Yeah, but it doesn't mean I like it."

His fingers crept underneath the hem of my shorts. "Lets
just enjoy these last few days before we have to go back to reality."

"Fine with me," I
whispered
as
he pressed higher. "But, it's still a G rated bus."

Without warning, he slipped a finger inside me, and I had to
stifle a gasp. "Happy Birthday, Zoe."

When I was a kid, my parents would always take me on long drives
across the countryside, to the beach, to random little towns on all these
adventures. I loved to look out the window and see everything we passed. The
forests of gum trees and ferns, rolling hills and paddocks full of cattle and
that first glimpse of the ocean as we rolled over the hill. For most of our
trips on the bus between tour stops, I'd done the same. It gave me a sense of
where we were and where we were going. I didn't like the feeling of being lost
on the highway, so my eyes were always on the road.

But, today, my eyes were on
Will
as he
lounged on the seats across the aisle from mine, his back against the window,
eyes closed. He looked peaceful, even though the way he slept seemed awkward
and it gave me a chance to study him without him knowing it.

My back was against the window, hoodie over my head, sunglasses
on,
knees
up and against the back of the seat. If he
opened his eyes now, it would look as if I were sleeping, too. My thoughts
wandered to the most obvious place, every night we'd had consuming sex. It had
been impossible not to sleep together without it resulting in wandering hands
and just thinking about it made me wet. Feeling him inside me, his touch all
over me, the wicked things he said. He had such a dirty mouth on him, I was
surprised at how turned on it made me feel. The way he spoke about the things
he wanted to do to me awoke a beast I never thought I'd had inside me. And that
Zoe was insatiable.

I found myself thinking about Melbourne. When we got back I
couldn't wait to show him where I lived. I wanted to see his home as well. I
wanted to see what CDs he had in his collection, if he had any books. The
pictures he hung on the wall. I wanted to know everything.

Abruptly, he jerked awake, pulling me out of my daydream. He
looked disoriented for a moment and I
realised
his
phone must have vibrated in his pocket. Leaning my head against the back of the
seat, I watched him as he pulled it out and looked at the screen.

He looked surprised and then annoyed. I didn't know what I was
expecting, but it wasn't that and I instantly wondered who it was that had
texted him. Something I never thought I'd be was a snoopy girlfriend, jealous
of everything and everyone, but the emotion that spiked through me at that
moment felt eerily similar.

Will closed his eyes and sighed before typing in a reply. It was
impossible to read his expression. I had no idea what he was thinking and I
wanted to ask, but I also didn't want to be that girl. I had to learn to trust
again.

His phone seemed to vibrate again and he looked at the screen,
seemingly conflicted. Who was texting
him
?

When he looked over to me, I was glad I was wearing my
sunnies
and he couldn't tell if I was looking at him or
not. I didn't give myself away, watching his reaction. He frowned, hunching his
shoulders forward and looked back at his phone before typing in something.

I'd never been one to be so jealous before. Not like this. Except
for the other night when he'd brushed off that girl, I hadn't worried that
there might be someone else. An ex-girlfriend. Someone he might have been
seeing before the tour. I'd been so wrapped up in my own
issues,
the thought hadn't even crossed my mind.

What if he was getting texts from another woman?

Worry settled in my stomach, making me feel sick and the awkward
Zoe was back, just like that. Will had shown me time and time again that I had
nothing to worry about, but in reality things might be different.

An hour or so later, when we got out to stretch our legs at a
roadhouse, Will seemed distant. Distracted.
He'd been so open
with me until now
,
it was unnerving
.

"You okay?" I asked, standing by him.

Her ran a hand over his face, scratching the stubble on his chin.
"Yeah. It's just... these long bus trips get to me."

It sounded like an excuse - a cover up, but I let it slide. Today
was my birthday and for the first time in a long time, I intended to enjoy it,
bus or no bus.

With a frown, I slid an arm around his waist, but he shrugged and
began to walk away, my arm dropping back to my side. And just like that, I'd
been brushed aside. Frozen to the spot, I watched him walk back towards the
bus, his lack of affection leaving me empty. It was such a turn around from
that
morning,
it seemed to confirm the thoughts that
plagued me.

Being on tour was another world. We all had a
reality to go back to, and what if Will's was to another woman? He'd been
strung out the first few weeks. He'd suddenly become withdrawn after getting
those texts. What if it was his reality calling? If all that was true, then
what did that make me?

A sucker for falling for it for one, but it also
made me the other woman. The things I felt for Will were real, I had no doubt
about it, and that's what made the uncertainty hurt more than anything. Maybe I
was just hurting myself by jumping to conclusions? After all, he went to all
that trouble getting me that guitar.

But, the little voice at the back of my mind
wouldn't quit. What if it had all been a lie? What if I was the bit on the
side?

And this was why I didn't like birthdays.