Page 45 of Bulletproof
There was a significant pause. “Um, Derek?”
“Something wrong?”
“No. I just want to warn you that Ashley’s gonna be there. I invited her before . . . you know, before me and you. She loves these things and she’s here for another day. I couldn’t take back the invite.”
Heat rose from Derek’s collar and his stomach twisted like a pretzel. He took a deep breath and fanned himself with his long hair to cool his neck. “It’s fine. That doesn’t meanyou’re gonna blow me off, does it?”
“No! I’ve been busy since she got here. I haven’t seen her at all except for that first night. I spoke to her today, though. She called to ask if she was still invited. I couldn’t tell her not to come. Although she’s having a great time doing her own thing, I can’t blow her off either.”
“I wouldn’t want you to.” Of course he did. Hewanted Travis to tell Ashley that he was with him now, and that she should fuck off.
“I gotta run. I’ll see you in a bit. Text me when you get there. And thanks for the fashion tips.”
Derek let out a short laugh, happy to rid himself of jealous thoughts. “Anytime.”
Derekknew he’d be competing with Travis’ girlfriend tonight, so he grabbed both of his suitcases and put them on the bed. He pressed his lips together and smacked himself in the forehead with the palm of his hand. She wasnotTravis’ girlfriend! His ex-girlfriend? His girl on the side? Derek didn’t know what the hell to call her, just like he didn’t know what the hell to call himself in relation toTravis. Ashley wasn’t Travis’ girlfriend and Derek wasn’t Travis’ boyfriend. The irony of it made his head spin.
After a quick shower, Derek took extra time to dry his long, thick hair so it was pin straight. He snuck into Cam’s bathroom and stole some product – some kind of pomade. He had no idea what the hell it was, but it made Cam’s hair really shiny, so he rubbed some betweenhis palms and ran it through the length of his hair. His hair turned a deep midnight black, lush and velvety. “Wow,” he said to his reflection, turning his head left and right to catch the light. It was fucking beautiful. He heard voices nearing, so he scuttled out of Brandon and Cam’s bathroom and ran back to his room.
He ran his hand over his two-day-old razor stubble and debatedon whether or not he made the right decision by not shaving. Travis liked it, so he decided to keep it. He stared into his open suitcases on the bed, at the crumpled T-shirts and balled up jeans, and worried that his favorite piece of attire, the one sure thing he needed tonight, would be a wrinkled mess. He found what he was looking for at the bottom of the first suitcase. The zippered garmentbag concealed the one thing that made men – and women – lose their fucking minds. And he had no doubt that it would invoke the same reaction in Travis. He carefully unfolded the black and gray kilt, handmade from virgin wool when he was in Edinburgh two years ago. He dropped the towel from his hips and wrapped the woolen garment around his waist. He paired it with a too-tight T-shirt that accentuatedthe muscles in his chest and shoulders. He added a sterling bracelet that resembled a motorcycle chain to his wrist, and wore his lucky guitar pick necklace that landed at his throat. The guitar pick didn’t necessarily bring him luck as much as it did inspiration. It had belonged to the late Chris Cornell, a legend taken from this earth far too soon, and given to him when they had met at an eventthe year before the singer/songwriter died. He fingered the piece and felt the legendary musician’s spirit. He let out a melancholy sigh, brought the tips of his fingers to his lips and blew a kiss to the heavens. “Hope you’re in a better place, man.”
Turning back to his attire, Derek pulled on a pair of black socks and combat boots. A skull ring on each hand completed his outfit.He rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of dressing to impress. Nevertheless, he looked damn fucking good. He admired his reflection and wondered why the hell more people didn’t wear kilts. He ran his hand over the rich wool. If this thing didn’t get Travis’ attention, the man was unflappable.
Derek flung open the bedroom door, strode into the living room rubbing the palms of hishands together. “I’m ready to rock!”
Jeremy and Alan were at the bar station, sharing a shot for the road. Brandon was in full rock star mode – heavy black eyeliner, untamed hair, and a long silver chain with a cross around his neck. Above his jeans, he wore a black leather sports jacket with studded lapels and no shirt, which exposed a full 8-inch strip of his massive pecs and abs.“Nice jacket, Bran.”
“Thanks. But you didn’t see the best part.” He turned. On the bottom part of the back of the jacket, hammered studs spelled out the word Bulletproof.
“That’s fucking awesome!”
“Isn’t it?” Cam ran his hand over the lettering. “This is a custom-made Jessi Blade original. It’s one of the pieces she made when we met her at the Get Rockedfestival last year.”
Jessi Blade, a rock star wife and fashion designer to the rock and roll world, made fucking rad designs. Derek had a few in his collection from the same meeting.
“She made this suit, too.” Cam looked like a million bucks in a dark gray suit with a faint pinstripe and pale blue shirt. Diamond cufflinks caught the light as he straightened his tie.
Derek had to admit they were a really good-looking couple.
“Oh, God.” Alan groaned as he approached. “He’s wearing his fuck-me kilt.”
“My what?” Derek asked with a laugh.
“Your fuck-me kilt. You only wear that thing when you’re looking to get laid.”
Derek brandished a broad smile. “I’m always looking to get laid.” He flapped the hemof his kilt. “And I don’t need to wear this in order to get some ass.”
Jeremy circled Derek and let out a whistle. “You’re pulling out all the stops tonight. You want to make sure you have Travis’ attention, huh?”
Derek closed his eyes and let out a defeated breath. He never could keep anything from these guys. “Alright. I admit it. I put this on for Travis’ benefit.You have no idea what I gotta compete with. He’s got all these hot chicks hanging around him. Guys, too. He’s got his pick of either sex. Anyone in the room is a possibility for him. Now this chick from his past is here. It’s me against all that. I want him to pick me.” He tugged on his kilt. “And this baby never lets me down. It works every fucking time.”
Alan placed his arm aroundDerek’s neck. “You got nothing to worry about. That guy is hung up on you. Everyone can see it.”
“He’s right,” Cam agreed. “I see it too. When Travis looks at you, his eyes come alive and his smile widens. A spark lights up his face.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course,” Cam said. “I watch. I see what’s going on. You guys are all hopped up with adrenaline,in your own little world most of the time. You’re engulfed in speaking to promotors, talking to fans, to radio hosts, talking to each other, drinking, getting high. I sit back and take it all in. You wouldn’t believe some of the things I see.”
