Bad For Me (My Forbidden Rockstar) (24 page)

“Hmm?”

“Just come with me.’’ Her eyes are sparkling mischievously
and I really am not in the mood for whatever she has planned.

“Liz,” I protest, but I follow her anyway as she drags me
back towards the stage.

I see the band coming off the stage, and I glower at Liz
because I really don’t want to run into Dom. I just want to pack up my things,
and get back on the bus. I suddenly hear Dom’s voice booming out over the crowd
and I wonder if this is something special that he does on the last show once
the rest of the band has already left the stage.

“There’s someone very special to me on this tour, and you
might have noticed her tonight. She was the knockout backup singer who sang
with me on
You Can’t Have It All.”

Oh. My. God.

The crowd goes wild.

I try to bolt, but Liz holds me firmly in place.

“Her name is Annie, and I love her. But I screwed up and
I’ve tried again and again to win her back.”

“What the hell is he doing?” I hiss, balling my fists.

“She went through a really rough time on this tour, and I
left her when she needed me most.  It was shitty, and I know that now. I’m
begging for her to forgive me because I can’t imagine my life without her.”

Liz starts dragging me out on stage.

“I am not going out there!”

“Yes, you are,” Liz argues. “He’s in love with you Annie. Go
give the man a chance.”

Before I can argue further, I’m far enough out on the stage
where the crowd can see me. They go wild, cheering for me and chanting my name.
It’s surreal.

Dom’s face lights up when he sees me, and I let myself
really see him for the first time in weeks. His face is just as gorgeously
chiseled as I remember, framed by his thick, dark hair. He looks more tired
than I’ve seen him, and I notice the dark purple circles under his eyes. How
long had they been there? How had I not noticed how ragged he looked?

His brilliant green eyes are overflowing with love, and I’m
frozen in place as I look at him. He moves slowly towards me, as if he’s afraid
I might bolt at any second, which I’m still debating.

Dom gently takes my hands and pulls me out to the center of
the stage.

“Annie Winter,” he says, and the crowd roars their approval.
“I love you so much that it fucking hurts. I’m so, so sorry, baby. I promise
you that I will spend every single day of my miserable existence trying to make
it up to you, if you just give me one more chance.”

He goes on to say more, but he stops because the screaming
crowd drowns him out. I look out at the audience, and I can see them smiling and
laughing, calling out for me to forgive Dom.

And I do want to forgive Dom. Because my life has been empty
without him. It’s worse than the hole Sid left on my heart. Life without Dom is
like having no heart at all. I don’t feel anything. I’m not whole.

And even though I swore I wouldn’t do it, swore I would
never give him another chance, I find myself nodding.

I need him back in my life, I need to feel love again.

“Yes, Dom. Let’s try again,” I whisper, my voice thick with
emotion.

Dom lets out an enormous whoop, jumping high into the air,
looking more joyful than I’ve ever seen him.

“You hear that San Francisco!” he yells, “She’s giving me
another chance!”

And then I’m in his arms, our bodies press together, and our
lips are moving in a frantic tangle. It’s been so long, too long, and we both
need each other so desperately.

The crowd cheers, whistles and catcalls, but I don’t care
because right now it’s only me and Dom, and I don’t think I’m ever going to let
him go.

Dom finally pulls himself away, chuckling.

“Slow down, baby,” he whispers, “I don’t want to give the
crowd
that
type of show.”

I laugh, embarrassed.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I love you so much, Annie. I’m sorry.”

“I know, Dom. I love you, too.”

And with that, Dom grasps my hand and turns back to the
crowd.

“Thank you San Francisco!” he roars. “Now I’m going to take
this beautiful lady out of here and show her
just
how much I love her!”

The crowd goes wild, and we both start laughing as we walk hand
and hand offstage.

This is the first glimmer of happiness that I have allowed
myself to feel in months.

Just before we reach the mayhem waiting for us in the wings,
Dom turns and whispers to me.

“What are you doing for the next three weeks?”

I give him a quizzical look.

“Nothing,” I admit. Until a few moments ago, the rest of my
life was laying bleakly before me, wide open.

Dom winks. “You have plans now. You better pack yourself a
suitcase full of tiny bikinis because we have a flight tomorrow afternoon.”

“What?” I squeal.

Dom shrugs. “I planned it months ago. I didn’t cancel
because I kept hoping you’d find it in your heart to forgive me.”

I stop and cup Dom’s face in my hands, and lean up on my
tiptoes.

“Dominic Dresden, I love you. I never stopped loving you.”

I realize that now. I never stopped loving Dom. It just took
me a while to get my heart back in the right place. I have to mourn the loss of
my father but I have to live the rest of my life eventually.

Dom squeezes my hand tighter, and we succumb to the hugs and
cheers from our friends on tour.

Epilogue

Dom

I bury my toes in the powder white sand, and shade my eyes
with my hand as I look towards the gently lapping blue waters.

“What are you doing?” Annie calls, laughing at me from the surf.
“Get your butt in here!” She splashes in my direction.

“I’m enjoying the view!” I yell back, and she smirks before
diving head first into the water. I look out at the lush mountains of a nearby
island and then Annie resurfaces a few yards away.

How did I get so damn lucky?

She’s gorgeous as she emerges from the water, her long brown
hair is slicked back with wetness and hangs down her back. She’s wearing a pink
and teal bikini that leaves little to the imagination, and my mind wanders as I
think of all the ways I’m going to get that suit off her later.

“Come on, pervert!” she teases, catching me watching her.
“Come on in here instead of leering at me from the beach like a creeper!”

I laugh and jump up as I make my way towards the shore. I
splash into the water, and Annie shrieks as I dive in towards her. The water is
cool and refreshing, and I realize this trip is one of the best damn ideas I’ve
ever had.

Annie tries to swim away from me, but I’m faster, and soon
I’m pulling her wet body towards mine. She doesn’t resist, and she tastes like
a mixture of salt and sand as I kiss her.

I can’t remember a time in my life when I have ever been
happier. Annie has turned me into a total lovesick sap, a dude who is head over
heels for his girl. I would do anything for this woman.

And as the sun beats down on our tanned bodies, I realize
that I don’t give a shit. I don’t care what kind of sap I’ve turned into,
because I’m a better person because of Annie, and I don’t want to spend another
day of my life without her.

I vow to myself right then and there, that I will never lose
Annie again. I will never spend another day without her. I’ve got all the time
in the world, and I plan on spending my days showing Annie just how much I
fucking love her.

The next question is, what kind of girl is she, circle-cut
halo or solitaire?

THE END