24 #2
A sudden thought hit her and she straightened up against the wall.
Sara glanced at her. “What?”
“He has to try to spend at least some time talking to everyone, right?”
“That’s the plan,” Sara said.
“All righty, then. I just remembered I’m an everyone.” Rhett put her empty bottle on the floor next to the wall.
Sara laughed. “You’re going to go out into the coliseum with the lions, aren’t you?”
“Damn tootin’.” Rhett scanned the room and saw Drew was alone in the middle of the room for the moment as he checked something on his watch. She headed straight for him.
He looked up as she approached and broke into a smile. “Hey, Hellcat. Tired of staying out of trouble?”
“Tired of holding up that damn wall,” she replied as she returned his smile.
Drew had amazing eyes, a curious mix of blue, green, and gray, with flecks of black around the outer iris. Hard to miss them since they were at that moment staring straight into hers with an intensity she couldn’t miss.
“How much have you had to drink?” she asked.
His smile changed and acquired a private vibe. “Not as much as you think.” He laughed under his breath and leaned forward to speak directly into her ear. “I’m just trying to see how riled up I can make him.”
“Oh, God, Drew. Don’t make him mad.”
“Not mad, just riled up.” Drew grinned and smoothed her hair over her shoulder. “From the looks he keeps tossing over here it’s working.”
“I swear, if he lights into me—”
“He’s not going to light into you,” he interrupted. “Besides, he knows exactly what I’m doing.”
“I’m glad he does, but I’m in the dark here,” Rhett said. “What exactly are you doing?”
“Just hurrying him along, that’s all.” Drew glanced over her shoulder and snickered. “It’s working, too. Heads up, Hellcat.”
Don’t let him be mad, don’t let him be mad, don’t let him be mad. Rhett glanced up at Rhys as he joined them, but he was looking at Drew. Relief flooded her when she saw the smile he directed at the rhythm guitarist was a mixture of exasperation and amusement, not anger.
“There you are,” Drew said to him with a devilish grin. “This is Rhett. She flew all the way in from Texas to see our show.”
Rhys dismissed Drew with an almost imperceptible shake of his head and directed his attention to Rhett.
“Did you now,” he said. “I hope we were worth it.”
“More than worth it,” she replied.
Drew snickered. “I’ll just leave you two to get acquainted.” He lowered his voice. “You should know that David lit out of here with a brunette about fifteen minutes ago.”
“Of course he did,” Rhys said as Drew strolled off. “Where in Texas?”
“Dallas.” She couldn’t help but grin as he continued Drew’s ruse.
“I love Dallas.” He took a step closer to her. “In fact, Dallas seems to have everything I want. Would you like to see the rest of the backstage area?”
Rhett widened her eyes. “I can do that?”
“You can if you’re with me.” He grinned and held out his hand.
She took his hand. “I’d love that,” she almost purred.
As he led her toward the door she caught Sara’s eye. Putting on her best fangirl expression she pointed at Rhys with her free hand and mouthed “Rhys James!” Sara burst into laughter that almost bent her double and Rhett grinned at her as they left the room.
Once in the hallway Rhys released her hand and put his arm around her shoulders. “Well done,” he murmured as he pulled her close.
“I’m sorry I broke the rules.” Well, she was a little sorry, but not a whole lot. At least they weren’t in that stupid hospitality room anymore.
“What rules?” Confusion colored his voice.
“To stay against the wall and leave you alone.”
Rhys laughed under his breath. “That’s not a rule, love. As long as you didn’t try to stay stuck to me every minute you were free to go wherever you wanted. Sara just prefers to stand aside until Ross is ready to leave.”
“Well, shoot.” She huffed out a breath. “Wish I’d known that before.”
They reached the backstage door that led outside and were joined by Terry Baker who came up from behind them.
“You done for the night?” he asked Rhys as they stepped outside.
“More than done,” Rhys replied.
Once they’d descended to the parking lot Terry veered off toward the third bus. “See you in New York then.”
“Right,” Rhys said and led Rhett to the bus where Sara had taken her earlier to change her shirt and escorted her on board.
Under Rhett's feet a gentle vibration from a generator or motor, she wasn't sure which, powered the lights and the blessed heat that caressed her. It had grown cold enough that the walk to the bus chilled her through.
"Hang on a second," Rhys said once they were on board.
"I'm going to see if David beat us back here.
" He slipped through an open doorway in the middle of the bus behind which four curtained-off compartments lined the narrow walkway.
After a moment he returned, his expression both frustrated and resigned.
“What is it?” she asked.
“There’s a bed in the back lounge and I was quite looking forward to showing it to you. David’s already claimed it so that’s out.” He gave her a rueful smile. “Guess we’ll make do with the couch. Are these yours?” He indicated her bag and jacket.
“Yeah, Sara told me to just leave them here. Rhys, if you don’t get to sleep in the bed do you always have to make do with the couch?”
Finished transferring her belongings to one of the swivel chairs, Rhys took her hand. “If I don’t get the bed or the couch I make do with one of the bunks.” He led her into the narrow hallway and motioned to the compartments she noticed earlier.
“Bunks?” She stared at them aghast. “Those aren’t bunks, those are coffins.”
“Apt description,” Rhys laughed.
Rhett gave one of them a closer inspection. “There’s not room in there to turn over. Can you even stretch out in there?”
“No. I have to curl up like a bloody shrimp.” He led her back to the couch and pulled her down on it. “We do have a schedule for the bed and mostly stick to it. Mind you, I said mostly. Those of us not scheduled for that night end up fighting over the couch.”
“Doesn’t seem like a good way to travel,” she observed.
“It’s fucking awful.” Rhys opened a storage compartment under the couch and pulled out a blanket. “I don’t know whose idea it was to hire buses for this tour, but they should be sacked. We’re Illicit, not some opening act. We’ll have a jet next time no matter whose balls I have to twist.”
After a bit of maneuvering, they found a comfortable position to lie in, and Rhett sighed as she rested her head on his chest.
"I'm glad you're here." His lips brushed through her hair. "I've missed the hell out of you. I couldn't wait until April to hold you again like this." His hands caressed her back. “So, tell me. What do think of all this?”
“I loved the show,” she said. “Especially you. I couldn’t take my eyes off you. Got me all hot and bothered, too.” She smiled as his soundless laugh shook his chest. “The rest of it was...well, boring. And frustrating,” she added softly.
Rhys sighed. “I know it was frustrating.” Gentle fingers on her chin brought her eyes back to his.
"Rhett, I wanted you to see what really goes on because I'd hate for you to run across a picture or some story online and get the wrong idea.
Now that you know how it is, you'll know the truth behind any photos you might see, and you'll know the stories are just rumors or outright lies.”
Rhett shook her head. “I don’t ever look for pictures of you on the internet.”
His brows rose in surprise. “You don’t?”
“Mm-mm.” She laid a hand on his cheek. “You in real life is so much better than any photo. And if I did see pictures of you, it would make me miss you even worse. So, I don’t go looking for them.”
Rhys smiled and leaned his face into her hand. “Looks like I needn’t have worried about that. Or anything else for that matter.”
“What else were you worried about?” She propped herself on his chest so she could see him better. If there were any more surprises, she wanted to meet them head on.
“I wanted to see if you could handle me the way I am when I’ve been on the road a bit.” He shrugged one shoulder. “I’ve been told I can be a bit much.”
A frown tugged at her brows. “I didn’t notice you being a bit much.”
He laughed under his breath, but it held no humor. “It’s been described to me as cocky, arrogant, son of a bitch Rhys James.”
Rhett shook her head. “I didn’t get that at all, Rhys. Except when you were onstage and you were cocky then. But you’re supposed to be, right?”