Chapter 7
LEWIS
The electric festival energy hummed through my veins. Flashing lights flooded the concertgoers in a kaleidoscope of colors. The sweet aroma of weed drifted on the gentle breeze. Booze flowed. Thousands of people were in party mode. DJ music thrummed through the speakers as stagehands made equipment changes for the next band to play...for Duke and his boys. In twenty minutes, they’d close out the last night of the festival circuit.
I sat on an old equipment trunk behind the control panel, sucking on a cold beer, absorbing the festival vibe, and ogling Tia’s sexy ass. She stood beside Chloe, Duke’s wife, performing final light and sound checks. With her headset on, Tia rocked a pair of leather shorts and a vest that tied at the center of her chest. Her mid-calf biker boots, long legs, black makeup, and dark brown hair in a messy ponytail gave me a solid boner.
Tia never ceased to amaze me. The change in me since meeting her was beyond astounding. After struggling with my initial attraction since I’d only ever been with men, I now only had eyes for her. She had changed the course of my future. I was still attracted to men, but I didn’t want to be with anyone else but her.
She was my soulmate. My life partner .
We wanted a family.
It drilled a hole in my chest she hadn’t become pregnant yet. We’d had a ton of sex. But none of my squiggly fuckers had gotten through. They were probably fighting with each other for front-row position. That’s my boys...and girls. But none of them had made it to the finish line. Damn it...stupid fuckers. I couldn’t wait to be a dad. But with each month that failed, a dark sadness ate away at the light in Tia’s gorgeous green eyes.
I didn’t want her to worry . . . but we both did.
We’d agreed once we got back to LA tomorrow, we’d start monitoring her ovulation cycle and bang it out wherever and whenever we needed to, so we upped our chances of conceiving. But for now, I wanted us to both chill and enjoy the last night of the festival.
Just have fun.
The past four weeks, we’d sweltered in the sunshine, laid low, and avoided too much public attention which we often encountered in LA. Tia loved working alongside Chloe. I’d spent half my time flirting with Tia during Duke’s shows, the other half stepping in as an instrument tech and stagehand for the band.
It had been a welcomed change of pace after touring the world, attending award season functions, and showing up to meetings with my band’s management team to plan for the future. But if Slip didn’t come home by the end of the year, The Flintlocks schedule was thin. I wanted to spend the rest of my days playing with those guys. For that not to continue scared me. It had played havoc on my mind. Money was no longer an issue, which was one less thing to worry about, but not playing together again wasn’t an option. I wanted The Flintlocks to be my forever band and to have a baby with Tia. But both were in limbo...for now.
I had faith things would work out. I held onto hope. And prayed like a goddamn motherfucker.
Slip’s absence had put a pause...and a big question mark...over when we’d reform. He’d said he’d come back, and I believed him. I just missed him like crazy. He’d become my best friend on the West Coast. I couldn’t lie. I wanted him to come home.
The Flintlocks and Tia were all I needed.
At nine o’clock, Duke and his boys were minutes away from hitting the festival stage. I threw a sexy smile at Tia. She usually flirted profusely before a show, throwing me winks and kisses, and making dirty, suggestive gestures with her mouth and sways of her hips. But not today. She just turned back to the soundboard and played with some switches. What the...? She’d been quiet. Off.
The last day of being on the road was always a mix of emotions. There was the high of performing the last show, the excitement of the after-party, and the thrill of heading home—then there was the sadness that it was ending, that you’d be saying goodbye to newfound friends and would miss playing in front of fans. Guessed tonight had gotten her down. I’d make damn sure I’d put a smile on her face by the end of the night.
Five minutes from showtime, the crowd chanted, ‘ Crimson Dukes. Crimson Dukes. Crimson Dukes’.
But a commotion at the security barrier caught my eye. Joi, Duke’s stagehand, rushed up to the control panel, spoke to Tia, saw me, then dashed over.
“Lewis,” he panted, his face contorting as he raked in jagged breaths. Fuck! How fast did he run? “Evan is puking his guts up. He reckons the fish tacos he had for lunch were off. It’s going both ends. Are you able to fill in?”
“Shit. Are you serious?” My heartbeat tripled and skipped. Fuck yes, but oh shit! I’d only played with Duke and the boys a couple of times when Tia and I had gone to his and Chloe’s place for dinner. I knew a few of their songs, but not their entire set list. Jumping on stage in front of several thousand people without ever having played their tracks was ludicrous, right?
“We’ve got no backup bassist.” Joi keeled over, clutching his knees. Dude was unfit as fuck. We weren’t that far from the stage. “Mila, our usual guy, can’t get here in time. Please? Duke is begging.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. I was a damn good bassist, but could I do this?
Tia tossed her headset on the panel, ambled over, and slid in beside me. “What’s up?”
“Evan is sick and can’t play.” I tugged on the bottom of her vest, just so I could brush my fingers against her bare stomach. “They want me to fill in.”
“You can do that.” She patted and rubbed my thigh. “You’ll be great.”
After playing with The Flintlocks and touring the world, I no longer suffered from stage fright, but churning out songs I didn’t know injected nausea into my gut.
But I could do this. Hold the rhythm. Easy.
“I can. But Tee, are you okay?” I caught her hand, pleading for her to tell me what was wrong. I wished she’d smile. Stop stressing about babies, and the gig, and running the lights. She’d worked on enough shows to do this with her eyes closed.
“Yeah.” She swiped her troubled brow. “I’m just not feeling the best. I’ll be fine after the show.”
“Did you eat the fish tacos at lunch?” Concern swung in my voice. “That’s what’s hit Evan.”
“No.” She shook her head.
I drew her closer to my side. “You want me to stay with you?”
“No.” She swept her hand down my cheek, then gave it a gentle pat. “Go. Have fun. ”
Fun? Hell yeah. “Alright. I’m happy to help.” I slid off the trunk and dusted my hands on my jeans. “But Tee, please don’t flash any lights in my eyes.” Humor rippled through my tone. She often did when I played. It was our thing—for her to let me know she was watching. I secretly fucking loved it.
“No guarantees.” A playful glint flickered through her gaze as she pressed her lips against mine. “You love it when I do.”
I caught her around the middle and drew her close. “I love you watching me.”
“Always do. Love you.” She kissed me again, smacked my ass, and shooed me away. “Go. I’ll make you shine, babe.”
“Okay. But be backstage when we finish.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
After one more kiss, I followed Joi around the outer rim of the crowd into the backstage area. I flashed my VIP access pass and headed up the metal steps and joined the band waiting on the side of the stage behind the gigantic screens. Duke was running through warmup drills. Wolf, their drummer, and Ezra, their lead guitarist, stood at a table, putting on their transmitters and ear monitors.
“Lew. So sorry, man.” Duke dashed over and slapped me on the shoulder. “Are you able to help us?”
“Sure.” I wasn’t usually cocky, but smugness slipped into my tone. “Not sure if you’ve heard, but I’m okay on the bass. I can hold a rhythm and keep up with the beat.”
“Smartass.” Grinning, he shoved me on the shoulder. “But that’s what we need. Attitude. Fire. Let’s rock this joint.”
“Fuck yeah.” I clapped. Joi handed me Evan’s bass and ear-monitors. I put them on, adjusted the neck strap, and strummed the strings, getting a feel for his guitar. It wasn’t as heavy as mine, but it would do.
We hit the stage. The crowd roared, cheered, and danced. I played in time with Wolf’s heavy drumbeat, concentrating on each change in the song, adding in depth, rhythm, and melody on the bass. But my thoughts drifted to Tia. The whole baby thing had stressed us out. Conceiving hadn’t happened. We needed a vacation. We’d had no downtime since the tour had finished. I needed to take her somewhere nice—Hawaii or Cabo or the Caribbean—and visit Slip and Maddy, so we could relax and do nothing but try for a baby.
Done.
That would be good.
As I glanced across the mass of people toward the control panel, a light flashed in my eyes. A huge grin inched across my face. Tia. It was awesome to be on stage, performing in front of a huge audience. I’d never miss this side of being a musician. But I was a Flintlock. My life, heart, and soul belonged to Cole, Flint, Slip...and Tia.
They were my family. My future.
At the end of the show, I raced off the stage in a pool of sweat. Tia rushed to meet with her arms open wide. I drew her into my embrace and hugged her tight. Her beautiful smile snagged my breath. So did her glassy eyes, full of tears.
“Hey?” I cupped her face between my hands and pressed my forehead against hers. “Tee? What’s going on?”
“I’m okay.” Her voice was barely audible over all the cheering and hollering from the band and crew celebrating the end of the festival. “I’m just glad the last show is over.”
“Me too.” I smoothed my hand over the back of her hair. “That was awesome. But different. It’s not the same high as playing with my guys, but still...” I wriggled my eyebrows. “It’s made me horny as fuck.”
Tia closed her eyes, then swayed on her feet. She sobbed and shook her head.
“Tee?” My gut hit the floor. “Shit. I’m sorry.” Me? Thinking with my dick. Idiot .
“No. Don’t be.” She placed her hand on my chest and met my gaze. “I love you. I’m just happy.”
“Well...that’s good.” Worry still spiked through my veins. “So why the tears?”
“I can’t hide it anymore.” Her chin trembled. Her face paled. She clutched onto my arms as if steading herself. “All day, it’s been killing me. I found out this morning. I wanted to wait until after the show to tell you. To surprise you...Lewis...I’m pregnant.”
“What?” My heart leaped toward the stage lights, boomed in my chest, and spun through my head. Warmth flooded my soul. “You are? You mean it? We’re gonna have a baby?”
Tears glistened and shimmered on her cheeks as she nodded.
“Arrrrgh!” I picked her up and spun her around. “Oh my God. This is brilliant.” I put her on her feet and kissed her, kissed her with everything I had, every ounce of love I held for her. Best. News. Ever!
But we were interrupted.
“Hey, Lewis?” Duke slapped me on the back. “Thanks for tonight. You were awesome.”
“Dude, you can play with us anytime.” Wolf fist-pumped me. “Totally nailed it, man.”
“Incredible.” Ezra half-hugged me. “I don’t know how the fuck you pulled that off, but you did. It was great to share the stage with you.”
“Well, put your party shoes on, boys. We have reason to celebrate.” I clapped and rubbed my hands together.
“Last night of the festival. Woohoo!” Duke pumped his fists into the air.
I raised my brows at Tia and whispered, “Can we tell them? Is it too soon?”
She’d just found out she was pregnant. Was it too early to share the news?
“It is. But I don’t care.” Tia turned to the guys. “We have another reason to pop the champagne. I’m pregnant. We’re going to have a baby.”
“Argh!” they all screamed, jumped around, and hugged us.
“That is fucking awesome.” Duke laughed but shook his head. “Oh, man, I can’t wait to see you two slow down and become parents. It will be a shock to the system.”
“Nah.” I hooked my arm around Tia’s waist and kissed the side of her head. “This is what we’ve wanted for months. We can’t wait.”
“Congratulations.” Duke bowed, then pointed toward the after-party tent. “Let’s go fucking party.”
“You up for it, Tee?” Concern crept through my tone. Tia’s face hadn’t regained any color.
“For a while.” She rubbed my stomach. “But this is why I haven’t been well for the past two days. I’ve had morning sickness. I peed on a stick after breakfast. I didn’t believe the result, so I did two more tests to make sure. It’s killed me not telling you.”
“Tee? Don’t apologize.” I drew her against my chest and wrapped my arms around her. The scent of her jasmine perfume swam through my head. “You’ve made all my dreams come true. Any happier, I’ll burst.”
“Don’t do that.” She rested her cheek against my shoulder. “I kinda want you to stick around.”
A big grin pinned onto my face. “Good, because I’m not going anywhere...unless it involves taking you somewhere private so we can celebrate, somewhere here or back to our hotel. My balls are aching to do so.” That was no lie.
“Can we do both?”
“I like your thinking.” After a quick drink with Duke, Chloe, and the guys, I took Tia’s hand and led her out of the tent, past the portable toilets, and down the row of dressing room trailers set up for each band. The last one was Duke’s he’d barely used.
I drew Tia inside. We had each other’s clothes off within seconds and veered into the shower. After a quick freshen up, we made our way into the bedroom with a freshly made bed and shut the door.
As I kissed Tia, I laid her on the mattress, then hovered over her.
“My God, you are beautiful.” I kissed her lips, her neck, her boobs, then made my way down to her belly. I trailed a line of soft kisses across her abdomen. “We did it, Tee. You take good care of our little one.”
“I will.” She combed her fingernails through my bobbed hair and swept it back off my face. “No booze or party drugs from now on.”
“That sucks, but I’ll stop too. I’m in this with you, Tee.” I kissed her tummy again. “Every step of the way. I want this just as much as you do.”
Fresh tears welled in her eyes as she nodded. “Then you’d better show that baby some loving.”
“Oh, I plan to.” I dipped my tongue into her belly button, then swirled around it in a slow circle. “Forever, Tee.”
She cupped my cheek. “Lew . . . we’re gonna have a baby.”
The crack in her voice snared my heart. A baby. After so many months of trying.
I made my way back to her lips. With a stroke of my thumb, I wiped away the tears dampening her temple. “You don’t know how happy that makes me.”
“I do. Because I feel the same way. I love you, Lew. So much.”
“I love you, Tee.”
I covered her body in licks, nips, and tiny soft kisses. I dragged and swept my fingertips across her smooth skin. As I delved between her legs, a soft moan tumbled from her lips. She writhed beneath my touch. Her warm arousal on my fingers made me salivate. I wanted her. All of her. To taste her. Fuck her. Make her come.
“Fuck, Tee. I love that you’re always wet. It makes me so fucking hard.”
“That’s great. But...” She let out a soft belch. “I need to move.” She wriggled underneath me, pushed against my shoulders, and sat upright. “Lying flat isn’t good. It’s making me more nauseous and spins my head.”
“You want to stop? . . . Or be on top?”
“No.” She blinked slowly, then threw me a devilish smile. “Maybe from behind?”
“Mmmm.” I leaned forward and kissed her sweet lips. “You know I love that.”
“And touch me.” Her hot breath teased my mouth. “I love it when you touch me.”
“Always willing to do that.”
As Tia rolled over and positioned herself on all fours, I moved in behind her. I licked my lips, hungry to taste her juices, play with her ass, and fuck her hot, wet pussy. My dick twitched in agony, wanting to be inside her.
I slid my hand down her back and over her round ass as she widened her knees. I edged closer and slid my hard cock between her legs, teasing her folds, her opening, her clit.
She pushed back against me. “Lewis? Don’t play. Just fuck me.”
Shit. She’ll be the death of me. “Tee, I’m so hard. I don’t want to hurt you, or our baby, or upset its little home inside you.”
“I’ll hurt you if you don’t fuck me now.” She growled through clenched teeth.
I gave her a spank on her cheek, then smoothed my hand over the mark. “Are you going to be this bossy for the next nine months? ”
“Yes, if you don’t give me your cock when I need it.”
I gave her another tap—a touch harder this time. “What was that?”
“Argh. Yes,” she moaned, laughed, and wriggled against me. “I will always boss you around. But spank me later. You can tie me up. Cuff me. Plug me. Do anything you want. But please, just fuck me now.”
“Tee?” Hissing through my teeth, I rubbed the head of my dick against her hot opening. My God, she felt like heaven. We loved to play. Loved our toys and tricks. We drove each other wild. But my balls cinched and screamed in anticipation. I needed to be inside her. With a gentle thrust, I entered her—all the way in. “You can have this anytime you want.”
“Oh... fuck yes.” Her head fell forward, her long hair curtaining her face. “Finally.”
“This what you need, Tee?” I pulled back a fraction, then drove into her again. Harder.
“ Ohhhh. Yes.” Her pleasured moan jolted through my cock as I thrust into her deeper... oh yeah . “More. Like that.”
I slapped her butt cheek again. “Did you forget something?”
“Please. More like that. Please.” She clawed at the bedding and rocked back against me, taking all of my hardness inside her.
I loved making love to her. Loved it when she wanted... me .
I drove into her again. Hard. Slow. Steady. In and out. Waves of heat coiled through my veins, spread across my chest, and spiraled up my spine. Fucking Tia altered my heart every damn time.
With each drive, she embedded herself deeper into my soul.
With each plunge, I belonged to her more and more.
With each beat of my heart, I lived for her...and our new growing baby.
I kissed my way up her back, jumping from freckle to freckle. “Tee?” I grabbed onto her hips. “Is faster okay?”
She nodded. “Please. Don’t hold back.”
I splayed my fingers over her hips and tightened my hold on her hips. I eased back a fraction, then slammed into her sleek hotness. Shit, I wasn’t going to last long.
“Argh” Tia cried out, flicking her hair back. God ! What a gorgeous sight! “Yes. That. Don’t stop.”
Shit... I set the movement on repeat. Eased out. Slammed in. Eased out. Slammed in.
But I needed more. Faster. Harder. Faster. Harder.
The trailer rocked and squeaked. The bed hit the wall. Fuck. Anyone passing by would know what was going on. I didn’t care. This woman was my everything.
My breath quickened, rasping through my teeth. My heart thundered against my ribs. I pounded into Tia time and time again. My groin slapped against her butt.
“Lew, touch me,” she panted. Glancing over her shoulder, she reached for my hand.
She guided my fingertips across her fiery flesh and around between her legs. I slid my fingers into her wet slit and rubbed her swollen clit. That only made me fucking harder.
She rolled her hips. My balls ached for release.
“Lew. There.” She clenched around me.
Fuck yeah. “I’m with you, baby.” I’d held on for as long as I could. “I’m gonna come.”
I drove into her, hard and deep. Every muscle in my body burned. With a quick jerk, my release came as her body convulsed.
Pulsing and throbbing and shuddering, I spilled into her. My body quaked and quivered in sync with hers. Riding out the wave of bliss, I savored being inside her, feeling her warmth around me, imprinting this moment, this day she’d given me the best news ever into my memory bank.
I withdrew and crawled across the bed to lie beside her. I pulled her into my arms and swept her hair back over her shoulders.
“I needed that.” She nuzzled against my neck and kissed beneath my ear.
“So did I.” Grinning, I cupped her face, lifted her chin, and kissed her. “I love you, Tee. I can’t believe it’s finally happening. We’re gonna have a baby.”
“Nine months will fly by.” She swept my hair back off my forehead. “Are you ready for our life to change?”
“The moment I auditioned for The Flintlocks, and they picked me, my life changed. The moment I met you, my life changed. The moment I kissed you and fell in love with you, my life changed. Now, having a baby with you is a change I can’t wait for. I want to be a dad. I want a family. I want to spend my life with you. That okay?”
“Yeah. I love you.” Tears loomed in her eyes as she smiled. “I can’t wait to get back to LA tomorrow and tell everyone.”
“Me either. They’ll be stoked.” I brushed my thumb across her cheek. Charlotte was going to have a cousin. Our Flintlocks family was growing. And I was a part of it. I’d never felt so loved before. I’d found where I was meant to be. For the first time in my life, I truly felt like I had a home, and it was in LA, with Tia.
There was a loud slap on the side of the trailer. “You guys finished fucking?” Duke’s voice hollered from outside.
“Yeah,” I called back. “Give us five minutes to get dressed.”
Duke laughed. “I’ll give you two.”
Unable to stop smiling, I smoothed my hand over Tia’s hair. “Do you want to stay here at the party or go back to the hotel?” I was down for either option.
“I’m feeling better, so we can stay awhile. Let’s party like rock stars, only with no drugs and booze or groupies.”
I chuckled and kissed her again. “Yeah... like fucking rock stars.”