He looks straight at me, daring me to say no as the audience responds en-masse with a resounding ‘yeah’.
Keith nods, adjusting his hat a little to pull it down, making him look like an old-time gunfighter or something. “I love playing shows just like this one . . . small venue, tight-knit crowd, with everyone singing along. It’s closer, intimate when I can hear you singing and see your smiling faces. So I just wanted to say . . . Hello.”
Without even pausing, he rolls right into one of his older and lesser-known songs, but somehow one of my favorites. Hellooo, girl; C’mon over here and let me get to know you; Hellooo, girl; gimme five and you won’t believe what I can show you . . .
As Keith hits the chorus, Ethan leans over, whisper-yelling in my ear again. “Was the transition from music to speaking to music okay for you? I think it sounded a bit tinny on the right.”
I nod at him, smiling and mouthing ‘it’s good’ and returning my attention to an obviously scowling Keith. Shit, what’s wrong with him?
After a few more songs, which feel forced and not quite as casually comfortable as the vibe had been earlier, Keith wraps up and takes a bow. I rise with everyone else, clapping like a maniac and sticking my fingers in my mouth to let out a piercing wolf-whistle instead of the yee-haw I threatened.
Keith smiles at the crowd but doesn’t even glance at me as he struts off stage. Piped-in music begins playing as people get up and take to the dance floor, building on Keith’s energy to get their groove on.
Ethan nods and gives a little wave as he heads off to talk to a guy behind the soundboard at the back of the floor. Honestly, I don’t know what to do. Should I go backstage the same way I came out? Wait here for clipboard kid?
I drain the last of my beer, now hot from being ignored while I focused on the show, and I decide to find my way back. After all, I’m supposed to have all-access to Keith, so surely, they’ll let me backstage?
When I get to the edge of the floor, I see Keith’s bodyguard and make my way over. “Hey, I’m Elise . . . from earlier. Can I go meet up with Keith now?”
He doesn’t even answer. Hell, I’m not sure if he looks at me since his eyes are covered in sunglasses, but he bumps his head to the left so I take that as a yes and quickly scoot on through to the curtained backstage area.
I’m a little fuzzy on how to get to the green room, but I’m shuffling along in the dark when two hands reach around from behind me, one grabbing loosely at my neck and tilting my jaw up and the other firmly around my belly, pulling me back against a hard body.
I’m frozen in fear for an instant before I hear Keith’s voice growling quietly in my ear, “What the fuck was that, Elise? What kind of games are you playing?”
Before I can speak, he moves his hand over my mouth, muffling my questions . . . my explanation of whatever has set him off. Keith grinds against me, and I can feel his cock, thick and hard, even more so than during our stolen kiss before the show, and I’m instantly on fire for him. All the flirting and eyeballing we’ve been doing is coming to a fever pitch between my legs, my pussy thrumming like a guitar string.
I arch my back, circling my hips, wanting to feel him, wanting to make him lose control the way I am. I whimper, trying to beg if that’s what it takes, but before I can, he continues.
“Leaving me with your taste still on my lips, and you’re already sitting with some asshole for my show? Think you can cock tease me and make me jealous? Guess what? It worked.”
I try to shake my head, wanting to tell him that it was just a sound guy, but he doesn’t give me a chance, and I can barely form a coherent thought anyway because he’s licking and nibbling my neck.
“You’ve been wanting me since the first second we saw each other,” he whispers as he works his way up to my ear. “You’ve been dreaming about it, haven’t you? And I’ll let you in on one of those juicy secrets you always want—I’ve been wanting to fuck you since that first night too.”
The words explode in my brain, and I moan against his hand as Keith’s lips move lower, to the curve between my neck and shoulder. His hand on my waist fumbles with my button, but he gets it undone.
“Shove your jeans down,” he growls. “You were naughty, so take your punishment like a good girl, Elise.”