Page 56 of Riding Danger

I raised my arms in the air and smiled at her, as I sang and walked her way. The chorus started and I stood in front of her. I cupped the sides of her face with both hands. Our noses were less than an inch apart as I sang the chorus about us being close up. I took The Poets cap off and handed it to Maggie, the rightful owner.

As planned, my drummer went into a solo just as the chorus ended. I pulled her lips to mine, and there, in front of fifty thousand people, I staked my claim. Her hands came up, her fingers dug into my shoulders and pulled me close. Yeah, she was staking her claim too. Our tongues danced as the world disappeared around us.

The kiss wasn’t long but it was by no means chaste. I stepped away from her and winked, reveling in the stunned look on her face. Shiloh Bauman was mine. And I was hers, and every tabloid in the country was bound to report on it.

I smiled at her and took the cap out of my pocket. I placed it on her head and just took a moment to look at her. Something feral surged through me at the sight of her wearing my merch. I turned my mic off for a moment. “Have another drink. Enjoy yourself. Ethan is fine with the sitter backstage.”

“Thank you.” She nodded at me, as Tiffany handed her some pink drink.

After that I had a short intermission. A quick bathroom break, before I drank another bottle of water. I changed from my black shirt to a white one and faded blue jeans were changed for black ones.

Another ballad followed before I introduced the rest of The Poets on the stage. Like me they wore black jeans and white tops. Though, not all button downs. We did two old numbers, the song that catapulted us to household names. And then our biggest selling single. We followed that with the reunion song before I did another ballad on my own. I took a deep breath and swallowed. Ethan was nervous, and I was nervous for him, as well. “For those of you who have already downloaded the album, you would’ve noticed that my son made his debut on it. Everyone, please welcome Ethan Hawkins to the stage.”

The name change filled me with pride and was something I had discussed with both of them. Shi was perfectly fine that I introduced him with my last name. As it was, that was the name he used on the album.

As if he was born to do it, Ethan walked onto stage singing the first lines of Bob Dylan’sMake me feel your love.

My heart swelled with pride as I listened to him. I looked over at Shiloh. Unlike me, she wasn’t holding back her tears. But I had at least another half hour on stage, so I needed to hold myself together. Ethan smiled up at me during my lines and together we sang the chorus. As the song came to an end the audience was louder than I heard them the entire evening.

My son looked over at his mother and walked to the middle of the stage. “Mom, this one's for you.” Then he turned to the band and nodded.

I couldn’t help but smile as the first lines of the Jackson Five song started. Yeah, my kid was a true performer. When he sangthe part about finding someone knew, he pointed his thumb at me. Once again, I joined him as he sang to his mother about being there when she needed him. He ended with a flourish and took his bow during the loudest roar from the crowd. I watched as he walked off stage and as one the security guards escorted him away.

The rest of the show went by in a blur and ended with a ten-minute ovation from the audience. By the time I left the stage, it was to find Ethan asleep on the couch in my dressing room and the sitter looked like she was about to nod off as well. I paid her and got security to ensure she got home safely.

By the time Shiloh came backstage with Maggie and Tiffany, I was dressed once more in sweats and a hoodie. Their giggling and chatting was louder than normal and their voices woke Ethan.

I tapped him on his shoulder. “Can you walk, or do you want me to carry you?”

“I can walk.” The crabby answer was as expected as the glare he lobbed my way. Like me, the kid was crabby when tired. But it didn’t take us long to be on our way to the hotel.

By the timewe made it back to the hotel, everyone wanted to find their beds and get some rest. Both women and Tiffany’s sister were quick to say good night and make it up to their rooms. As much as he tried, Ethan did not last until the hotel before he fell asleep again.

He had been with me since the night before so I knew where all his things were. I turned to Shiloh. “Why don’t you go get comfortable while I tuck him in.”

She nodded and yawned as she headed for the master bedroom.

I placed my son into his bed, leaving him in the sweats he had changed into after he’d come off stage. I pulled off his shoes and tucked him into bed. Before I left his bedroom, I kissed his forehead. Gratitude could never cover what I felt to have him in my life. He made me see I could be a better man. I wanted to be a better man. And mostly, I wanted to teach him to be the best man he could.

I closed the door. Yeah, I loved him. But I wanted to show his mother how much I loved her. And that may get a bit loud.

That was my plan, at least. His mother, however, was not having any of it. When I walked into the room, she had stripped completely. Obviously, she had plans that were close to mine. Unfortunately, she was also fast asleep.

I smiled, stripping out of my clothes. Since I had showered at the venue, I was able to slip into bed alongside Shiloh as naked as what she was.

Her eyes opened as the mattress moved. “You were great out there. It was like you were born to be on stage.”

“For the longest time I believed it was the only thing I was born to do.” I let out a long breath. “Like maybe my talent was the only thing I had to offer.”

Tension rolled off Shiloh. She turned to me with a frown. “What? What makes you think that?”

I loved how outraged she was on my behalf. It told me she felt the same way about me as I felt about her.

“You know my mother didn’t have the best maternal instincts, right?’

“What did she say to you?”

“It wasn’t what she said.” I leaned on my elbow and faced her. “I mean she always made sure I knew that my looks and my talent was where my value was. But it was more than that.”

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