Page 13 of Extended Bridge (Passionate Beats #2)

Chapter Seven

U C’s entrance backstage is announced by their fans’ screams bouncing off the walls. The band high fives each other. Río exclaims, “That was better than last night!”

“Friday nights always rock,” Bennett pronounces.

“They sure do,” Luke agrees. “You guys were amazing tonight.”

Coop says, “That’s because we got our opening night jitters out of the way. I, for one, am ready to party it out. Who’s with me?” All of them agree. “Alright, let’s get changed and meet back here in thirty. New York City isn’t going to know what hit it tonight!”

“Leave the leather pants in The Closet, Bennett,” Río admonishes. “We don’t want to cause another incident.”

“Hey,” Bennett fake scowls. “Not my fault.” The five of them erupt in laughter, including Bennett, holding his sides.

I’m wondering what that scenario was about when Bennett snaps his fingers in front of my face. “You’re joining us.” It’s a statement, not a question.

I don’t want to be in his orbit when the pheromones are flying this high. “I’m kinda tired.”

“Oh no, you don’t. You can’t make me do all those exercises at the ass crack of dawn and refuse to join us for some fun now.” He crosses his arms, causing the muscles of his tattooed biceps to bulge over his still naked chest. Which leads downward to the aforementioned leather pants.

My tongue swishes in my mouth. “Noon is not the ‘ass crack’ of dawn.”

“Whatever. Come out with us.”

If he doesn’t lower his flexing arms soon, I might be forced to climb him like a tree.

Professional . However, the opportunity to be around a group of people so high on life is appealing.

Especially considering the most exciting thing to happen in Aroostook over the past years has been the opening of a new Sephora.

“I suppose one night won’t kill me.”

He raises his arms in the air, causing his lean torso to dance. “Now it’s a party. Stay here, I’m going to change.”

Too curious for my own good, I blurt, “What happened with your leather pants and an ‘incident’ before?”

His hands settle on his waistband. “You need to earn the rights to the story.” With a laugh, he disappears toward The Closet.

Nese appears at my side. “Some patient you have there.”

“Yeah.” As soon as I realize my tone is wistful, I correct myself. “He’s a handful.”

“My guess is more like two.” She pauses a beat, then lets out a huge guffaw, drawing the attention of some of the band members still at the threshold.

“Nese,” I chide. “I’m his physical therapist.”

After the rest of the guys leave, she says, “Fine. Then you won’t mind if I’m his bed warmer for the night.” My brows pull together, earning another loud laugh from her. “Just kidding you, Jenna. I wouldn’t touch any of the band members with a ten-foot pole.”

“Why?” My thought leaps from my mind into the air. “I mean, they’re all talented and good-looking.”

“ Too handsome, if you get my meaning. Men like that are too high maintenance for me. ”

“Says their stylist.”

“Which gives me all the insight needed.”

“Well, these high maintenance guys are hitting a club in thirty minutes.” Nese could provide the buffer I need. I crook my elbow at her. “Want to join us?”

“Us?” Her pierced eyebrow lifts.

“Bennett invited me. Since we haven’t had time to discuss the show and how it affected his injury, I agreed. I don’t plan on staying longer than an hour.”

Her short brown hair bobs. “If I agree, will you let me style you?”

I glance down at my leggings. “Guess I’m not dressed for a club, huh?”

For the third time, she laughs. “C’mon. I’ll make us both so hot the band will be panting. Then we can turn them away in favor of some normal guys. These boys need to be brought down to earth.”

I giggle. “I like how you think.” We walk toward The Closet, her domain. In here, there’s a surprising amount of women’s clothing, considering the band’s all men.

At my question, Nese replies, “Back-up singers.”

“All three of them?”

She shrugs. “They have to look good too, you know.” After flipping through some hangars, she plucks a little black dress off the rack and holds it up to my body. “This should be good for you. I’ve got killer boots to match.”

I take the garment from her. It’s like an oversized scarf, much flashier than the one Court gave me. “I don’t know about this. It’s so...skimpy.”

“All the better to taunt Bennett with.” She holds up a deep purple fringe dress to her own body. “What do you think?”

“Looks like a cross between Donna Summer and a flapper.”

“Then my work here is done.” Another one of her hearty laughs ensues.

Now wearing her selected dress, I zip up the boots and stand. She exclaims, “Girl, you look fine. ”

Self-consciously, I skim my hands over my body. “This is,” I search for the right description. “A lot.”

Nese smirks. “Or not enough.”

My hands race to the zipper on my back. “I don’t think I can wear this.”

Her hands cover mine. “Of course you can. You have a beautiful body, so show it off. Make the band pant with want. Then dance with someone in the crowd.”

She makes it all sound so simple. I suppose it would be, but for Bennett. At the thought of him in those black leather pants, my mind seizes. “I guess I can wear this. I’m only going to be out for an hour anyway.”

“That’s the spirit.” She fluffs her pixie cut and passes me red lipstick. “Here. I think this shade will look perfect on you.”

Might as well go all out. In front of a mirror, I put it on, then blot. “How’s this?”

“Fantastic. Keep the lipstick. I’ve been looking for the right person for it. Looks like you’re the lucky winner.” With a final scan in front of the mirror, she says, “Let’s go turn some heads.”

Together, we return to the main room, which is about half-filled. Crew members, techies, and roadies mill around Río and Pierce. “Holy shit.” This exclamation comes from Río’s mouth. Of course.

We pretend not to have heard him and approach the crew, where I’m introduced but know I won’t remember a single name. “Don’t worry,” Nese says. “It took me a while too, but you’ll remember their names. Wearing that scarf, they’ll certainly remember you.”

“Hey. You said it was a trendy dress.”

Her palm cuts in front of her face. “My bad.”

I don’t have time to dissect her comment when the air in the room changes. My head flips from side to side until I land on the culprit. Bennett, now in a pair of ripped jeans, graphic T-shirt, and wet hair. My heart rate picks up.

Nese nudges me. “Yeah. Professional relationship. ”

“It is,” I correct her, all the while my insides rejoice because he’s walking directly to me.

Get it together, Jenna. Professional. Nothing more.

“Nese. Jenna. Nice to see that you ladies will be joining us.”

I can’t process much, as the bees inside my body have returned with a vengeance. Nese comes to my rescue. “Did our dresses tell on us?”

Without moving his eyes from mine, he answers, “Kinda the dead giveaway.”

From inside the room, Luke’s voice booms. “If you’re ready to take this party on the road, follow me. Three SUVs out front have our names on them.”

Bennett takes my arm and directs me out the door. In my ear, he whispers, “Not a hug. I just don’t want you to get lost in the shuffle.”

This is how I end up seated between Bennett and Río in the back of a black SUV, with Nese in the row behind us beside Coop and Pierce. Tristan and Luke round out our car, with a woman I haven’t met yet seated between them.

I can’t concentrate on the rest of the vehicle’s occupants, as my mind is entirely focused on the fact Bennett’s thigh is plastered against mine. Not like there’s much room in here anyway—Río’s is against my other one. He’s still not wearing a shirt, despite the cold.

To take my mind off the seating arrangement, I say, “So. The call and repeat that you did with the audience tonight.”

Bennett nods. “Was off the chain, right? They were screaming so loud back to me.”

From behind, Coop whacks Bennett’s shoulder. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard them so riled. Am I right, 007?”

“Yup.”

No one comments on Pierce’s lack of enthusiasm, as Río interjects. “It was fucking awesome!”

From the back row, Tristan adds, “I don’t know what it was like for you before, but I’ve never heard anything like it.”

With all five band members talking about the concert, I decide now is not the right time to discuss physical therapy alternatives.

I fold my hands in my lap, allowing the conversation to swirl around me.

Jibes, laughter, and accolades are bandied around.

Even Luke offers his own assessment—they’re only going to improve with each gig.

Río gets on his knees and faces the back of the SUV, leaving Bennett and me in sort of a bubble. The lead singer takes another swig from his water bottle. “Were you going to make a comment about the call and repeat, or were you opening up a topic for conversation?”

Damn perceptive man. “I was going to offer you a suggestion.”

He cups the ear closest to me. “I’m all ears.”

Glancing around, I confirm no one is paying any attention to us.

Río and Coop are engaged in a deep discussion about what seems to be a drumbeat, punctuated by laughs from Nese, with the two in the backseat offering their two cents.

I can’t see or hear Pierce. Maybe if he overhears us discussing Bennett’s physical therapy progress, he might believe I’m here for work. Nothing more.

I pluck at the bottom of my dress. Here goes nothing.

“I was thinking that instead of taxing your right thigh with the movement you were doing to encourage audience participation, you might do cross-body points with your hands. You’d get the same look, without the possible downside of reinjuring your thigh. ”

Bennett performs a modified version of my idea from the confines of his seat. “I think I can do that. The old way did hurt,” he admits.