Page 74 of Rock Giant

It wasn’t really a question, but it was a more efficient way of shutting him up than kicking him in the arse.Jodi shot Ginny a grateful look, her heart now thumping over what had been about to come out of Ronnie’s mouth, and how fast it would have soured the mood.The last thing she needed when things were finally chill was Nash getting a reminder about how she’d tied the knot with someone else.

Rock Giant was sitting between Lee and Balin and didn’t appear to be paying attention to the conversation.She was grateful for that, too.So far, things hadn’t been too testy, but if provoked, she didn’t doubt he’d say something inflammatory.

It was a while later when someone suggested a game.All the campfire games she knew involved the sort of truth or dare scenarios that would guarantee a falling out or ensure they all had raging hangovers tomorrow.Neither sounded terribly appealing.She slipped her hand onto Nash’s thigh, ready to suggest they take off and enjoy some forest fun together.The embarrassing catcalls would be worth it, if it meant it saved her from the greater evil.

But Xane put down his drink and leaned forward so that his long hair shrouded his face, and said, “Ah, guys, it’s much too early in the relationship for that sort of kiss and tell.You’re all still lil’ baby rockstars.Let’s revisit that idea a few months down the line when there’ll be actual squirmworthy stuff we can hammer you with.”

“You vetoing games all together?”Lee asked.

“Nah,” Black Halo’s prince of darkness replied.“I’m thinking maybe something physical rather than psychological tonight.”

“No orgies,” his girlfriend remarked.Xane leaned over Ash who was sitting between them and kissed her cheek.“With the current numbers, it’d wind up being a bit too gay even for my tastes.”He sat back.“Hide and seek.”

“Kids’ games,” Jez drawled.He’d downed at least six beers, even though she’d been trying to distract him from dissolving into the gloom he was carrying inside him.

“Kids play them for a reason.It’s ’cause they’re fun.”Xane stood.“Seekers?”

“Me and Ash,” Ginny volunteered.“And whoever evades us the longest gets the back bedroom for the night, to share or not as they wish.”

Ash squinted up at his gorgeous wife.“What do we get, Gin?”

“No bugger protests when we opt to take the Danger Car out for a spin for the journey up to Trondheim next week, and you all clear it with Samson.”

“Why do we have to clear it with Samson?”both Luthor and Rock Giant asked.

“Because he already turned them down,” Spook remarked, demonstrating insight into the situation, or else a proficient guess.“Sam would rather he knew where they were.Meaning on the bus, rather than risk them being AWOL in the wild.”It seemed the Black Halo guys were subject to the same level of micro-manging as the Ghost Boys.

“Honestly, just ’cause we turned up a tiny bit late one time on the last tour,” Ginny grumbled while raking a hand through her long hair.

“Fine,” Xane agreed on behalf of them all.“We’ll let you make your escape and endure the absolute chewing out that’ll result.Start counting.Everybody else, scram.”

Jodi hadn’t expected the Black Halo lot to leap into action so dramatically.They were all halfway to the treeline before her lot had even found their feet.“Shit.Shit.Come on,” Nash dragged her along a few paces, her hand in his, but it’d always been difficult to run hand in hand despite what movies would have the world believe.She shook him off, only for Balin to scoop her off her feet, twirl her around and set her down facing the wrong way.“I need that bed more than you and Curtis.”

“Balin, you git!”She tore after him, only for her foot to find a tussock, and then she was down.Splat!Face first.

“Oopsie!”Rock Giant helped her to her feet and dusted her down.“You okay?”

“Yeah, I think.Maybe.”Her hands were scraped, her heart galloping, but nothing was bleeding, and her knees were sore.“Just humiliated.”

“Falling over is just part and parcel of life.We’d better scarper.”

She tried a step and pain sliced through her ankle and up her leg.“Fuck!”She tried again with the same stellar result.“You go.Looks like I’m sitting this one out.”

Ash and Ginny had made it to the sixties.They were standing with hands over one another’s eyes by the fire’s embers.There was no sign of anyone else beyond the empty bottles and cans they’d left behind.

“Nah, I’ve a better idea.”He scooped her up into his arms, making her squeal, but instead of running for the treeline as she’d expected, he about turned and carried her onto the Black Halo bus.She guessed no one had specifically said they couldn’t hide there.That’s if hiding was what they were doing.It was what they were doing, right?

“Paul.”He carried her through the kitchen and upstairs.This bus was massive compared to the one she was staying on, and it was no pipsqueak.She wasn’t sure she’d appreciated that during her prior visit.There were multiple rooms, not just two and the facilities.

“Where are you taking me?”Not his bed, she hoped.“Not the roof?”is what she said.

“Tempting but no, not on this bus, even if it is a nice night for stargazing.”

He led her into the bunk room.One of two, he explained.This one is just for the band.Dammit, while everything was just as cramped, it felt different to the Ghost Boys bus, more like a home on wheels rather than a shagging shack.It smelled like it maybe got aired more regularly, too.

“Which one’s yours?”

“Top, left-hand side.”