Page 6 of The Roadie
“Because I like you. And Bulletproof isn’t leaving until tomorrow evening. I’m free until then.” He smiled while his eyes grazed over her body. “I thought it would be pretty cool to spend some time with this hot-ass chick I met.”
Her smile returned, even though he looked at her as if he wanted to eat her alive. Surprisingly, she wanted to spend more time with him as well. She was drawn to him, and not just because of the sexual energy that passed between them. She genuinely wanted to know more about him, especially since now she knew his line of work. Although on totally different scales, they were both in the music industry. “I really don’t think there’s time. I’m going to be here late tonight going over the recording.”
He cocked his head with intrigue. “Are you the music producer? Is that what you do for a living?”
“No. I’m an A&R executive for Falcon Records.”
“That’s awesome. I’m thoroughly impressed. I’d love to hear more about what you do.” He displayed an irresistible smile. “Over dinner.”
She really wanted to say yes, and he was making it so hard to decline, but it was a bad idea to get involved with someone who lived on the opposite side of the country. She’d tried long-distance relationships before, and they didn’t work. She always ended up getting her heart broken. They’d had their one-night stand. That’s all there could ever be between them. “I don’t think so.”
“Why not? You’re going to eat when you’re done here, right?”
“I’m very busy. After we finish with the recording, I need to make a decision about offering a record contract to a band.” It wasn’t a lie. She came to Chicago to see local artists on the rise, and her trip got sidetracked when she realized she’d be in the same city at the same time as her sister and Immortal Angel. And then Bulletproof showed up for a recording session and derailed her brain from deciding on signing the band she saw two nights ago.
“You have a really important job. It sounds awesome.” Brett shrugged sheepishly. “I’m just a roadie.”
Add humble to the list of admirable qualities this man possessed. “That doesn’t make your job any less important. A show takes the effort of everyone – the audio crew, the production crew, and the road crew.”
“Thank you for respecting my job. I wasn’t trying to sell myself short,” he said, with pride. “It’s a laborer’s position, but I’m in charge of millions of dollars’ worth of equipment.”
“I know exactly how integral roadies are. I know what goes into a show and a tour from start to finish.”
He gave her the onceover, and his eyes sparkled with allure. “Brains and beauty. Smart. Sexy—”
“Shh.” She smiled as she glanced around the room to make sure no one was listening, except her sister, who was still standing right next to her, absorbing the conversation as if she were invisible. “I have to get back to work. We can talk about it later.”
“Sure, babe.”
He gave her a quick peck on the cheek, which embarrassed her, until the touch of his lips sent a rush of blood pumping through her veins and left her hot and tingly all over.
As soon as he rolled the dolly away, Audra gushed, “Oh my God. He’s gorgeous. I saw the way he was looking at you. He wants you. Badly.”
“Stop it.” Kira nudged her sister.
“You’re going to see him tonight, right?”
“I’m busy.”
“Really?” Audra asked, skeptically. “Too busy for a good time? Look at him. You’re going to pass that up?”
Her sister was the devil. Although both were raised with respect and high morals, Audra had always been the instigator in breaking curfew and sneaking alcohol from their father’s liquor cabinet. Kira sighed with indecision as she watched Brett set up the equipment. He offered her a no-strings-attached outlet for the pent-up passion that was exploding inside of her, dying to be set free. It was tempting and hard to pass up, but casual sex wasn’t her thing.
With his work done for the moment, Brett gave Kira a sly wink and a sexy smile as he passed. She smiled back with giddiness that she hadn’t felt in a long time. Her eyes followed him, while her heart beat faster. Memories of their rendezvous filled her mind and made her cheeks and her panties burn.
For the next 15 minutes, she listened to Immortal Angel perform with Brandon Bullet on guest vocals and Derek MacAlister as guest guitarist. The bands had totally different aesthetics, Immortal Angel being old school punk rock and Bulletproof being hardcore heavy metal, but they blended. They made it work by meshing genres in a way only seasoned professionals knew how to do. The song took on new depth and a grain of acidity.
Immortal Angel was all business when it came to recording, but the guys from Bulletproof liked to fool around. They had been at the top of the charts in the heavy metal genre since before they were twenty years old. Everyone knew the name Bulletproof, even those who didn’t listen to music. They seemed to make headlines on a daily basis with their wild out-of-control parties, trashing hotel rooms and insane spending sprees.
Alan Delgado and Jeremy Kagan were the worst – or the best. Since they were only observing and not performing, they were entertaining themselves, and everyone else, with their antics. Alan, who had proclaimed himself as master of the double bass earlier, was trying to teach Jeremy how to twirl a drumstick. That’s when Kira remembered that the two of them were a couple – a very famous same-sex rock star couple. Apparently, Tommy Blade and Angel Garcia had a rivalry on their hands with those two.
Jeremy couldn’t quite grasp the dynamics of flipping the drumstick through his fingers, but he kept trying, until the drumstick flew out of his hand and sailed right past Brandon’s face.
Brandon glared at them, but in a brotherly way. “Dude! Take it outside. We’re trying to work here.”
“He started it,” Jeremy pointed at Alan, who retaliated by putting his boyfriend in a headlock.
“See what I mean,” Jeremy said, breaking free.
