Page 8 of SnowFyer (Roosters #8)

“The adrenaline is leaving,” Seth murmured next to her ear.

“Just drink the water.” He jerked his head at Garrick.

“Get her some juice from the fridge.” Immediately, there was movement, and Seth reached for the bottle of juice the bassist handed him.

“Drink this, too,” he commanded. “Slowly, but all of it.”

She tried. Scarlett got down maybe half of it before she sagged against Seth. This wasn’t how she’d pictured wrapping up her first concert.

“We’re almost there,” Seth said, stroking her arm with a finger as he looked out the window. “Just a few more minutes and we’ll be on the plane.”

“Plane?” she asked, trying to rouse herself.

Pushing herself into a better sitting position, Scarlett looked out the tinted window of the limo.

Streetlights sped by as they flew down that busy Los Angeles freeway.

“That wasn’t the plan,” she protested. When Seth tried to pull her more securely into his lap, she shoved at him.

“Stop it, Seth! We were supposed to get on the tour bus to go to Las Vegas. Everything we need is on that bus!”

“Relax, little hell hound.” Had he deliberately used the name he’d called her while they masturbated together to get her to back off? “Thanks to your little performance with us, there was no getting to the bus unscathed. Besides, the plane will be more comfortable. And faster.”

“Let me go,” she bit out, finally catching her breath and getting her legs back under her, so to speak.

She continued to shove away from him until he had no choice but to let her go.

She wiggled into a seat across from Seth between Garrick and Titan.

It was a snug fit with three of the men on one bench seat and three on the other.

Thankfully, Garrick was leanly built, and she managed to squeeze into her seat without too much difficulty.

“This isn’t my fault,” she said, glaring at Seth. “Why would you imply it’s my fault?”

“Are you kidding?” Ferris said with a raised eyebrow. “Sweetheart, you rocked that place. Not us. You . We were just along for the ride.”

“But, the bus. Our clothes and gear.”

“You know we’ve got plenty on the jet. We’ll be fine.” Ferris handed her back her bottle of juice, apparently deciding she was with it enough to finish now. “Besides, I’d much rather take the jet to Vegas than that fucking bus.”

“When did you even get the jet here? It’s supposed to be parked in a hangar in Nevada.” She looked around at them. “You all agreed to this so we could play a few impromptu shows along the way. Remember?”

“And we’ll still do that,” Arsen hurried to say. “I know how much those shows mean to you. We’ll just do them in reverse. Let the hubbub die down a bit.”

“But the attention will bring more people!”

“It still will. But you’re not ready yet, sweetheart.

” Arsen leaned in and took both her hands in his big ones.

“You worked harder than any of us tonight,” he said.

“Not only did you have to do your part, but you had to guide the band through your style, battle the kind of nerves that can only come when you’re playing in front of tens of thousands of people, plus it was your first show as part of something like SnowFyer…

and you did it in stilettos.” There was a pause before Garrick barked out a laugh covered almost immediately by a cough.

Then Ra chuckled, trying to cover his smile with his hand.

Then they all shared the merriment, slapping each other on the back, congratulating each other on a job well done.

Once they were at the airport, the limo rolled up to the streamlined jet.

The band didn’t use it often, but when they did, it was only for the band.

The crew either rode on one of the buses or flew in a separate aircraft, generally one they’d chartered for crew and equipment. This was a time for the band alone.

Scarlett stepped out of the limo behind Titan, pulling the robe a little tighter around her.

She hated hiding her outfit but, outside of performing, no way she was wearing this getup where anyone could see.

Unfortunately, before they could get to the safety of the jet, a line of photographers and reporters -- from both reputable entertainment magazines and paparazzi -- filed out of their cars, hustling toward the band, all of them yelling at once to get the band’s attention.

Not wanting to be photographed in a robe, Scarlett shrugged out of it and put her shoulders back.

The material fell to the ground at her feet as she continued on with the rest of the band toward the waiting plane.

“Seth! Seth!” One woman, a blonde in a short skirt made to accent her long legs and a blouse showing plenty of cleavage waved frantically to him.

Scarlett had seen the woman with Seth on more than one occasion but had had no idea she was a reporter.

“Why did you add a new member to the band right before the tour finale? And why a woman?”

“Are the two of you in a relationship?” another reporter asked, this one with a well-known tabloid.

“Does this mean you’re off the market?” Yet another woman.

Scarlett was about to tell them all to go to hell when Seth slid them all his famous cocky grin. “When has Seth Snow ever been off the market? And Scarlett’s just filling in for Arsen while he heals from a wrist injury.” Just like that, Seth had reduced her to temporary in all respects.

Before she could think better of it, she giggled. She let her hand cover her mouth like it had been an accident the sound had escaped. All eyes were suddenly on her, just like she’d hoped. So she laughed outright, leaning against Seth as if she needed his support to stand she was so amused.

“I’m sorry,” she said in a tone that said she was about to confess a little secret to them all but only because they’d caught her.

“It’s just that your question is kind of funny.

” She grinned merrily at the female reporter she’d recognized, who was currently trying to stick a microphone in Seth’s face. Along with her tits.

Immediately the microphone and several cameras shifted to Scarlett. “Really. How so?” The woman looked like a predator. One intent on capturing Seth. “He’s the leader of the band, is he not?”

“Seth?” She waved a negligent hand. “Not in that he runs the band or makes decisions on his own with regard to the band. As you should know, Seth and Arsen founded the band together, but everyone here has an equal stake.”

“I don’t recall you being with them before,” the woman said with a snide grin. “Surely you don’t think you can lump yourself in with the other members of the band.”

Again, Scarlett let out a little giggle, as if it were all a big joke.

In reality, she was more than a little miffed.

She made sure to stand straight, allowing the high heels to give her the height she needed to look down her nose at the woman.

She could only imagine what her chest looked like so fully exposed in that top with nothing in front of her to hide behind.

“You should really do your homework before interviewing a band like SnowFyer. If you check the song credits on the last album, you’ll find more than half of them, including ‘Devil’s Heart,’ were written by Scarlett Fyer.

” Scarlett cocked one hip, resting her hand on it.

“ I’m Scarlett Fyer. Arsen Fyer’s sister.

I’ve been working with the band in one capacity or another -- including songwriting -- since I was sixteen.

Also, if you try to book the band or request a press packet, you’ll find you have to go through me.

I’m officially the manager and promotions manager.

” Her gaze bored into the other woman’s, the censure clear.

“Seth’s correct that I only agreed to working this one show, and only because they were in a bind and I was the only one who could help them out on such short notice.

I did it because my brother asked me to, and I’d do anything for my brother. ”

She threaded her arm through Arsen’s, stretching up to kiss his cheek.

Arsen grinned at her, obviously amused. Seth had a look that said he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“As to Seth being off the market…” She grinned up at him.

“Honey, he was never on the market to begin with. Do you honestly see Seth Snow settling down with one woman? Hell, not him. He’s a fuck ‘em and leave ‘em kinda guy, aren’t you, sweetie.” Before he could stop her, Scarlett kissed him full on the lips, darting her tongue inside his mouth and sucking his bottom lip before letting him go and turning her back on the whole lot of them to walk to the plane.

She didn’t even try to contain the natural sway of her ass in those skin-tight leather pants as she strode away.