Elise laughs, moving her leg but scooting a little closer. “Holy shit. Did you just make a joke? I didn’t think you knew how.”
I smile, leaning a little closer to stage whisper in her ear. “It’s been known to happen . . . on rare occasions. So consider yourself lucky to witness one.”
I turn my head, and Elise locks eyes with me, the magnetic pull between us shimmering in the air. “Oh, I definitely feel lucky.”
There’s another one of the increasingly frequent moments where I’m this close to grabbing her by the neck and kissing her, but the car stops with a slight jerk, bringing my attention to the front seat, where the bodyguard is already moving to our door.
Without thinking about it, I grab Elise’s hand, her soft warmth immediately sinking into my skin and forming some sort of bond between us. She looks down, then up, where I catch her gaze with my own.
“I’ll get out first. Follow behind me and we both follow the guard,” I explain quickly. “Things shouldn’t be bad, not many people out here right now, but don’t stop and don’t look scared. Smile and look friendly.”
Elise nods her head, but her eyes give away the panic she feels.
A tiny part of me thinks evilly, ‘Not so great on the other side of the paparazzi lens, is it?’ But another, maybe more nobler side of me wants to protect her from the fear and the pain. Mostly, though, I just want to get us in the backdoor of the bar as quickly and safely as possible.
We step out of the car, and the flashes immediately go off. I basically drag a stiff Elise to the door, a smile frozen on her face as I smile and wave, and I only stop once to sign one autograph for a little girl holding a sign that says Keith, I’m too young to see the show tonight so will you sign my poster?
I know I really shouldn’t, but the kid’s cute, and just a little younger than Carsen. The beaming smile she gives me as I ruffle her hair is worth the delay, even if my bodyguard is a little abrupt, shoving us inside and slamming the door behind us. We’re thrust from the light to being alone in the dark. We’re not really, because I can hear people onstage setting up, and there are no doubt radio people already out in the bar, but backstage in this little alcove hallway, it’s just the two of us.
I can feel Elise’s body pressed tightly against me, her hand still grasped in mine. She’s so close I can feel her heart hammering in her chest, and her breasts heave as she catches her breath.
“Wow, that was insane,” she whispers, our eyes adjusting enough that I can just start to see her face. “How can you do that all the time?”
I shake my head, wanting to brush a lock of hair out of her face but not wanting to let go of her hand. “That was nothing. When I’m on tour, it takes four guys to get me in the building because there are hundreds of people yelling your name, grabbing at you, and shoving Sharpies and more in your face.”
She’s hisses, obviously imagining what that’d be like. “Shit, no way could I do that.”
In the sub-twilight dimness, I cup her face, tracing her cheekbone with my thumb, marveling at the texture. “You okay, Elise?”
I feel her nod, but I can sense the tension in her body, and even though I damn well know I shouldn’t, I dip down, catching her mouth with mine, needing to make sure she’s okay. It’s soft, tender as our lips press together for the first time for real and move against each other.
I feel her free hand move up, and she lays a flat palm against my chest, but she’s not pressing me away. She’s using it as leverage to get closer to me, wanting more.
My hand moves from her cheek to grip the back of her neck, encouraging her and taking that touch of control I need. She responds to it with a moan of enjoyment and desire, opening to let me take the kiss deeper.
Our tongues tangle, and it’s like getting hit by white-hot lightning. Her body galvanizes and she lunges into me, the softness disappearing into almost a thrashing battle for dominance. It’s just for show though. We both know I’m going to win this. She wants me to—she just wants me to work for it.
And I do, overpowering her even as she grabs my belt loops, pulling me in tighter, and when she feels the hard ridge of my cock against her belly, she moans. I grind against her, letting her feel what she does to me.
Vaguely, from seemingly far away, I hear my name being called, and it’s like a bucket of cold water. I pull back, wiping at my mouth. “Fuck. I’m sorry, Elise. That can’t . . .” I curse, not believing that just happened.