Page 54 of Rock Giant

Jez gave Nash a friendly push towards her, whereupon he wrapped both arms around her waist and attempted to lift her but failed, and hence just kissed her instead.

“Ah, look at theboo-ti-fullove birds,” Balin crowed.Both her and Nash flicked him an array of fingers.For a moment, everything seemed to slip back to how it had been.The two of them loved up and surrounded by a tight-knit group of friends, marriage on the horizon along with the promise of years of togetherness and happiness.Then she saw Jez’s gaze sheer away from them, and Nash stiffened in response to the sound of Rock Giant telling the festival audience a story about a fair maid he’d once happened upon, before launching into a short section of a traditional folk song.

It was a love story cemented by mushrooms.

Nash stiffened, his arms still around her.

Rock Giant sang a whole verse and chorus in his low rumbly voice, accompanied by their keyboardist, before their frontman interrupted and steered them into their next official song.A song she just happened to know the lyrics to and hence sang along to without thinking.

“Didn’t think you knew who Black Halo were prior to yesterday,” Balin said.

The scowl was back on Nash’s face, even though she was sure she’d heard him playing this song before too.She shrugged.“Everyone knows who they are.”And luckily for her, this was one of their biggest hits.It was hardly a surprise she’d be familiar with it.People without any interest in metal knew this one.More explaining might have been necessary, if it’d been something off an obscure EP.

“You’re headed back to the bus, yeah?”Lee said to her and Nash.

“That’s right.”Nash grabbed hold of her hand.

“Where are the rest of you going?”

Cue numerous sidelong glances.Okay, dumb question.Female festival attendees beware.The Ghost Boys were going on the prowl.

“Your knobs’ll drop off, you filthy beasts,” Nash called after them, then added, “Except I hope they don’t, cause it’ll bollocks up the band,” under his breath.“You realise they’re going to end up back on the bus with whoever they pick up?”

She’d figured as much, which meant they wouldn’t find any privacy there.Then again, she didn’t really want to head to the bus.The place reeked of beer and air freshener, and even falling into the bigger bed in the bunk room involved a certain amount of ick.She’d bet actual money she couldn’t afford to lose that no one had changed the sheets since she’d witnessed Balin banging that girl there earlier.“We could go to my tent.”

There hadn’t been time to move her stuff earlier, so it was still pitched and cosy.

Nash made a noncommittal grunt.“We shouldn’t have to sleep in a pokey tent.”

“It’s fine.”

“It isn’t.I’ve worked for this as much as they have.I’m entitled to enjoy it just as much.I shouldn’t have to worry about having my fiancée disturbed by my band mates and whatever pea-brained fuck toys they bring back.”

“They’re just enjoying the moment, Nash.The novelty will wear off soon enough.”

“Yeah, sure,” he scoffed.“They’re all going to wake up in a week or three and decide they’re done with screwing whoever they please when they please.I think maybe you’re still tripping if you believe that, babe.What fool turns down the offer to have his cock sucked as often as he fucking likes?”

“You sound jealous, Nash.”

He sniffed.“I’m not.Obviously, I’m not.”Irritably, Nash swished his tongue over his front teeth.“Fine, maybe a little.I’m not going to bail on my relationship in exchange for mindless fucking like Quilly’s done though.That is what they’re doing, Jo.It’s emotionless… Soulless…” It sounded like he was trying to convince himself.“It’s not a patch on what we’ve got.”He lifted their paired palms and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand, before grinning, and adding, “Besides, it’s not like you won’t blow me if I ask.”

“Hmm...”

He made pretty eyes at her from under his feathery eyelashes.“If I ask nicely, right?”

“Well...maybe.”

He dragged her into the shadowy alleyway formed by two parked vans and pushed her up against the side of the nearest one.

She hadn’t meant now.

“Lovely, darling, Jo-Jo.My beloved fiancée.Beautiful, bountiful goddess of my heart.”He crowded her against the cold metal.“Will you get on your knees and worship my cock?”

“Can we not do this right now, Nash?”They were out in the open, where anyone could wander past at any moment.She didn’t need to give the world reasons to make her feel ashamed of herself, and they would, if they were caught.Not so Nash.It’d make him a fucking folk hero.

“No one is going to come around here.”

“You don’t know that.”