Page 49 of Rock Giant
“Later, then.”He gave her bottom another pat, then pulled on his jeans.
CHAPTER 15
Paul “Rock Giant” Reed
“Showtime, lover boy,” Ginny announced, sitting on Paul’s lap while Dani dealt with the handcuffs.As if her weight were any sort of real impediment to him making an escape.If he wanted to, he could lift her up and walk off the bus still carrying her.Hell, he could have Dani hanging off his back too, and it still wouldn’t slow him down much.
Allegra had already headed over to the stage area with Spook, and honestly, she was the only one of the ladies who might have stood a chance of pinning him down if he decided to make a freedom bid.He reckoned the girls were aware of that.But what would be the point?He had a stage to be on, and he’d had time to think during his imposed rest break.The most likely place he’d find Jodi was in the vicinity of that there stage, given that the Ghost Boys were performing right before Black Halo.That was assuming she and her fiancé were still all loved up and hadn’t had a dreadful falling out.
And no, he didn’t wish that.It was true that he didn’t have a lot of respect for the guy.What sort of idiot stood up the woman he was supposed to be exchanging vows with?One who wasn’t nearly as committed as he claimed, that’s who.He had no time for that sort of insincerity.None.Ergo, Curtis Nash was a human waste of space.
On the other hand, he wasn’t going to sabotage Jodi’s relationship with the fool, because he believed in personal freedom.He could wish she’d choose otherwise, but wishes rarely impacted reality.If they did, he’d have a pet dragon by now, Steve Matlock would be playing house with Elspeth in Happy Happy Land, and his parents… Scratch that, his folks were fine, and anyway, the whole point of bucket lists was that you never reached the end of them.They were about adventures, and who the fuck wanted a life devoid of those?Not him, and not his folks either.They dreamed big.And so did he.So, he hoped, did Jodi, which is why, even though it was fucking torment accepting that she was likely out there choosing a life with some waste of space rather than him, his promises to her—to love, honour, cherish her, and be the friend she needed from now until forever, stood.And would stand, for as long as he stood on this earth, and beyond.
“I’m not sure I like the look on your face,” Ginny remarked from kissing distance.“What are you plotting, Paul Reed?It’d better not be ways to sabotage a relationship.You can’t have her.She’s committed to someone else.”
“Your arse is really bony,” he said.
If Jodi’s relationship with that tosser who’d stood her up ended, it wouldn’t be down to him.Well, nothing deliberate, anyway.If she happened to wake up and realise he was an obvious knob, that was a different matter.
Ginny wriggled on his lap, making him wince.“My arse is perfect.How dare you slight it?”
“Sure,” he agreed.“It’s a wee sliver of loveliness.Now get off me.I’m not hitting the stage in this getup.”He was still wearing a baby doll tee and wilted daisies.
Ginny gave him the sort of penetrating stare that might have put a blush on a lesser man’s cheeks.He just cocked a brow, and eventually she relinquished and slid off his lap.After Dani finished with the cuffs, he stood and massaged the red marks around his wrists.
“That’s not going to impact your ability to play, is it?”She worried her lower lip with her front teeth.
“Bit stiff, but nothing that won’t wear off in a minute or two.”
“We did it for your own good, you know.”
He realised that they believed that which is why he was being so amenable.They were trying to save the band a heap of aggro, and him potential heartache.Too bad the heartache was guaranteed at this point.He and Jodi were forever.The universe had witnessed it.Nothing would change that.He was hers, regardless of whatever distance or restraints were placed on him.
Ginny turned him towards the stairs and gave him a prod.She and Dani followed him up to the bunk room.
“Are you planning on watching me change?”
Dani turned around.Ginny’s gaze didn’t dart away for even a second.“It’s not like we haven’t seen it before.”She flashed him a lewd grin.
He gave her a two-fingered salute in return, then pulled what he needed out of various cupboards.It was far too cramped in the aisle between the bunks to get kitted up in his stage gear, especially with the two girls leering at him from the doorway.Dani had given up trying not to look, so he bundled everything he needed into a knapsack.There’d be some form of green room set up for them backstage.He’d get dressed there.“Let’s go.”
The girls clamped onto either of his arms the moment he set foot on the grass, as if he were about to leg it.“Really?”He rolled his eyes.“Ladies, I’ve an audience to entertain.I’m not about take-off.”And them clinging to his hands wouldn’t anchor him in place for more than a millisecond if he had a mind to break free.
“You’re not?”
“You promise?”
He crossed his heart and offered them both his pinkie fingers.After they’d shaken on it, both women breathed sighs of relief.Paul grabbed each of them by the hands, lacing his fingers with theirs, Dani on the left, Ginny on the right, and refused to loosen his grip.Sweet revenge.They were walking at his pace, too, no dawdling, and yes, that meant they were taking three steps to his every one.
“So, we’ll meet up after the show for that threesome later,” he said to them, à propos of nothing, right as they caught up with their respective other halves.Ash’s jaw immediately clenched, and his gaze shot to Paul’s hold on his wife’s hand.Xane’s pierced brow rose behind his dark glasses, and his lips pursed.
Payback, wankers.
“If you so much as touc—”
Ginny shushed her hubby.“He’s just trying to provoke you.I thought we could have a threesome with that Balin bloke instead.He’s quite hot.”
Ash’s jaw dropped.Ginny smacked him in the abs, as she lapsed into giggles.“Honestly, you know you’re the only man for me.It’s why I said yes, remember?”She wiggled her fingers before him, flashing off her wedding band, before clasping his hand, where he wore a similar gold band.“Come on, DM.Let’s get your eyeliner fixed.”
