Page 38 of Naughty Dreams
“Yeah.” Roy rose, offering him a hand up. “You handled yourself well. But next time let us pull your fans off the gunman.”
DJ, recovering some of his brass, tugged on the collar of Roy’s shirt he was now happily wearing, even with rips and a blood stain. “They might have eaten you alive if I didn’t help.”
“Tell me about it. I’ve seen a less aggressive cattle stampede.” Roy’s eyes darkened. “It shouldn’t have happened. We’ll evaluate what went wrong there, too. In the future, we’ll also have more people on a barricade like that.”
“I think securing the shooter and making sure no one went to jail for tearing him to pieces took higher priority. The ones who jumped on me to protect me? It was pretty humbling. I’m glad I offered them tickets to the next show.”
“Yeah, the ones who were really trying to help, rather than handle your junk and grab your ass.”
“Well, you noted earlier that it was a really cute ass.”
“I said I was talking about Adam Levine.”
“Want to grab a handful for comparison?” DJ presented it, hip cocked. Roy responded with a grim smile, but he touched DJ’s face in a curiously tender way, contrasting with the blade-sharp look in his eye.
“No one should ever touch you without your consent, Dory. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“What aboutwithmy consent?” He moved into the touch, his thigh brushing Roy’s. “Because you have an open invitation. Just letting you know.”
Roy laid a hand on his chest and pushed him back. It put him against the wall, which was promising, but to DJ’s disappointment, Roy held him at arm’s length. Though the stern schoolmaster look was a nice consolation prize.
“Hot for Teacher” ran through his mind, along with an idea for a show opener in Dallas. For once, he shoved it away, eager to stay in the moment.
“If you don’t behave,” Roy said, “the next crazy boyfriend will get to wing you. You won’t die, but it will hurt.”
“I always behave, Roy.”Just the way a Master like you would want me to behave.
DJ was pushing boundaries because of where he was in his head, and Roy was allowing it to go further than he might normally. But the flash of desire across his strong face told DJ that Roy wasn’t standing outside the game they were playing.
He was also aware of what wasn’t a game, so when Roy stepped back, DJ dropped the flirting and extended a hand.
“Thank you, Roy. Seriously. I’m glad you’re here to protect me. I better get out there and make sure the guys aren’t losing their shit. Are you going to…”
“Yeah, I’ll follow up on the call with my team and let you know if we find anything.”
Roy clasped DJ’s hand and they did a very adult hand shake. DJ didn’t give in to the desire to pull him close, though he did fantasize about Roy kissing him senseless against the wall.
At Roy’s raised brow and knowing look, DJ shrugged. “Behaving is overrated.”
He moved for the door, Roy in lockstep with him. “Not saying he doesn’t need to be in jail and get lots of therapy, but I feel for the kid. I wrote a hell of a song after my first breakup. She chose a guy old enough to drive. And he had a nice car.”
“‘Nice Car, IceHole,’” Roy noted.
“Yep. Not my best work, but it strikes a chord with teens going through it. We all deal with our teen angst in our own very special and unique way.” DJ nudged Roy. “Tell me. Favorite breakup song you played in your car after you had your heart broken.”
“No one’s ever broken up with me. You’re not the only one who’s irresistible, Mr. James.”
DJ turned to look at him before Roy opened the door. They locked gazes. The feeling that grabbed DJ lifted more of theweight and worry off his heart. “Don’t look for me to disagree, Mr. Bloodwell.”
CHAPTER SIX
The Dallas arena was a dark field strewn with thousands of cell phone lights. The sound of the eager crowd was rising and falling like ocean waves, punctuated by sudden sharp calls, random whistles, and enthusiastic outbursts.
A guitar lick, short but edgy and promising, filled the darkness. The crowd roared, and then stilled, like God’s hand passing over the water. DJ’s voice filled the stadium.
“The first concert I went to was Van Halen.”
A thunderous sound of approval, followed by another silence, his audience waiting to hear where he was going with it. “The darkened lights, the first lick from the guitar vibrating inside my chest…”
