I laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "Be nice to Joe."
"Never," he said and reached around me to punch Joe lightly on the arm. "You made a mistake bringing this one on the bus, Joe. I'm going to steal her away from you."
"Try it, buddy," Joe replied lightly, but with a core of steel below it.
And just like that, warmed by Dex's jokes and Joe's caring, I relaxed and remembered this was supposed to be fun. A vacation from my real life and a chance to see where this unexpected but amazing opportunity might lead.
My attention was drawn to the rest of the people boarding the bus and I struggled to match names, faces and jobs. I recognized the other members of the band, but they were easy. Matthew played rhythm guitar. He was skinny with longish hair and quiet. Rick was the drummer and famous for his temper. He scowled at me and pushed open the door to the back without saying a word to anyone.
I also remembered Ryan, their manager. Two women stood next to him, both carrying on conversations with each other and their cell phones, and they still managed to say hello to me. Impressive. Two other guys were carrying bags off the bus and from the sound, stowing them in the storage area below.
All together that made ten of us and I wondered where everyone would sit. I murmured the question to Joe and he told me that only Ryan and his assistant would be riding with us. The others would be in an SUV that we'd passed on the way out to the bus.
I sighed with relief, already feeling a bit overwhelmed.
Ryan eyed me and cocked his head to the side. "Beth, why don't you show Joe's friend the rest of the bus while I go over a couple things."
One of the women smiled and said, "Sure. Come on." She was dressed casually, in tight jeans and a pale green shirt that set off her dark hair and eyes well.
I untangled myself from Joe and Dex and stood up, smoothing down my t-shirt nervously. She led me a few steps to the kitchenette and gestured at the microwave. "This is the chef." She pointed at the table. "Formal dining room."
We laughed together as she headed through the pocket door. "This is the bunk area." There were berths like on a train on both sides of the narrow hall and each had a curtain pulled across it. Beth kept walking and pointed at a closed door behind the bunks. "Bathroom. But don't use that one. Since you're with Joe you get the real bedroom and trust me, the one back there smells a lot better.
With that she slid open the final door and we entered the "real bedroom." It had a bed that looked close to a double, but not as long, a small vanity with a sink, a tiny closet and a door to the bathroom.
"Home sweet home," Beth told me. "That's the whole palace. Try not to get lost."
"It's nice."
She shrugged. "They'll be upgrading soon. The label is making a shitload of money and will want to keep the guys happy. It's small but most of the nights we'll be in hotels."
"Okay."
"Why don't you get settled in? I'll have someone bring your bags and send Joe back when he and Ryan are done."
"Sounds good. Thanks, Beth."
She smiled warmly. "My pleasure. Maybe having a woman on board who isn't on the payroll will civilize them a little bit."
Our eyes met. "Nah," she said and laughed. "Give a yell if you need anything."
She left me alone and I circled the small room, relishing a moment of quiet. I'd been so scared to do this and I was proud of myself for actually getting on the damn bus. The fact that everyone had been nice to me so far helped a lot.
I sank down onto the bed and stretched out, still tired from a long, pleasurable night. I closed my eyes, remembering Joe's hands on my body, still able to feel the press of his lips against mine. I nodded off with a smile on my face and a now familiar heat building inside me.
Minutes later I was jolted awake by Joe flinging himself on top of me.
"Oof," was all I managed.
"Sorry babe. Ryan bored me to death. Kiss me back to life."
I laughed and wrapped my arms around him, planting a loud, wet smack on his lips. "How's that?"
"Pathetic. Barely a blip on the monitor. Try again."
This time I pressed my lips lightly against his and brushed my tongue across the seam. "Well?"
"Signs of life. Keep going."
I sucked his lower into my mouth, grabbed his butt and ground against him. "How about that one?"
Joe rolled his hips against me and smiled as he grew hard. "Now we're getting somewhere. One more."
This time he didn't wait for me. His mouth captured mine and our tongues entwined. I moaned softly, loving the taste of him and the feel of his body against mine. We kissed deeper and longer, grasping each other tightly.
Finally he pulled back and looked down at me with fire in his eyes. "I am fully alive now."
"I noticed," I replied huskily.
"Wanna christen your new home away from home?"
"What? No!" I sat up, shoving him off me playfully. "We are not having sex on this bus with all those people out there."
Joe pouted, sticking his lower lip out. "What if I ask really nicely?"
"You'd have to ask with a million dollars and eight sets of earplugs."
"Hmm, good to know. I'll consider that a rain check."
I shook my head, smiling. "You're impossible."
He leaned over and kissed my neck. "I think you mean irresistible."
"That too." I put my hand on his chest to push him away but ended up just feeling the ripple of his muscles. "I'm glad I'm here."
Joe placed his hand over mine and stared into my eyes. "So am I, Liss. I can't even tell you how much."
We sat there for a while, just looking at each other. I could feel Joe's heart beating under my hand and for that moment I had no doubts or worries. I was exactly where I belonged.
By the time we actually got on the road I was feeling a lot more comfortable on the bus. Once everyone's luggage and gear was safely stowed under the bus and in the trailer behind us we'd all had a couple of beers and were watching some action movie based on a video game I'd never heard of.
The driver pulled into the thick evening rush hour traffic and we headed south, further and further away from home and towards who knew what.
Dex was regaling me with obviously fake stories about Joe's clumsiness. Which amused me because he was so smooth and agile where I spent a lot of my time tripping over things.
"I don't believe you," I said.
"Would I lie to a lovely lady such as yourself?"
I snorted. "I'm pretty sure you lie to all the ladies, Dex."
He chuckled and poked me in the side with a finger. I flinched, uncomfortable. I'd barely gotten used to accepting Joe liking my body; I certainly couldn't deal with someone else encountering my abundance flesh.
"Sorry, love."
"No, it's not your fault. I'm just…ticklish."
"Good to know." Dex waggled his eyebrows suggestively and I giggled.
"Do you mind?" Once again, Rick was glaring at me. "Some of us are trying to watch the movie."
Joe gave him the finger and kissed me loudly on the lips. "Don't be jealous, man. I'm sure there's a deaf and blind girl out there who'd wanna spend time with you. Just keep looking."
I stifled another giggled and turned my face to the television.
Rick stood up. "Yeah, like what you got is such a prize." He sneered at the shock on my face.
Joe jumped up. "What the fuck did you just say?"
I grabbed his arm and pulled him back down next to me. "Stop. Please." I could feel my face going red and I prayed I wasn't tearing up. "Just forget it."
With a derisive snort Rick stomped back to the kitchenette, grabbed a bottle of something and retreated to his bunk.
The muscles in Joe's arm flexed under my hand but I held him tightly. "Joe, please. Relax."
He glanced over at me, his jaw set.
"Joe," I pleaded.
He shook his head and took a deep breath. "You're right. I'm sorry." He kissed me softly and settled in close. "That guy is a piece of shit sometimes."
"No arguments here," I said, calming down as he did. Nestled between the man who set my heart and body on fire and his friend who'd kept me laughing, Rick's words seemed meaningless. I was happy and having a great time.
The movie ended as the sun finally sank below the horizon and Ryan started flipping channels on the television. My head lolled on Joe's shoulder and I could barely keep my eyes open. It was part lack of sleep and a whole lot the beers I'd had. Even at my size I was no match for these guys in the drinking department. I was about to ask Joe what time we could go to bed when Beth cleared her throat to get everyone's attention.
I'd almost forgotten she was there. She'd spent the entire evening on a laptop at the table and speaking softly into her phone.
"Good news, gang. The others just got to the hotel and they're going to check us all in."
Joe ran his fingers up my arm and smiled. "Hear that? I'll have you all to myself soon."
"I don’t care. I could sleep right here."
"Sleeping is not what I have in mind for you."
I grunted and rolled my eyes. "We'll see."
He laughed. "You're cute when you're drunk and sleepy."
"Thought I was always cute."
"Fair point. Should have said 'even cuter' instead."
"Much better," I muttered and let my eyes droop. Next to me Dex was snoring softly, his hand still wrapped tightly around a beer bottle.
~*~
When we got to the hotel the crew from the other car was waiting. Joe grabbed our bags, a keycard and my hand.
"Goodnight. Anyone who knocks on our door or calls me loses a limb."
I laughed and waved as he dragged me through the doors and the lobby to the elevator. "That wasn't very nice, Joe."
"I don't give a shit. I've got my girl. To hell with the rest of them."
I couldn't argue with that logic, so I didn't.
We got up to our room and collapsed onto the bed together.
"What time is it?"
Joe shrugged. "I dunno. My phone's off. Look over at the clock."
"Can't. Too tired."
"Too tired to move at all?"
"Yup."
"Interesting." He slid a hand over my shoulder and across my breasts. "Let's test that." Joe rolled onto his side and pushed my shirt up, revealing my bra. He traced the line where it met my skin with a finger, delving deep into my cleavage.
I sighed, but didn't move or speak.
He moved his hand down over the swell of my stomach and to the waist of my pants. His face descended to my breasts, his hair tickling my neck.
As he tongued my nipple through my bra a shiver of pleasure went through me.
"Ah, progress."
He slid his hand down over the crotch of my pants and pressed it there, between my thighs.
I moaned and arched into his touch.
"A-ha. We have movement."
"Doesn’t count," I whispered.
"Fine." He stood up next to the bed and pulled my pants down, hooking my panties along with them.
In just a bra, goosebumps rose on my skin from the cold air in the room.
Joe positioned himself between my legs and slid a finger over my cleft. "If this won't wake you up nothing will."
He lowered his mouth and licked me gently.
My legs sagged apart and I chewed on my lower lip.
With mouth and tongue and teeth and fingers Joe teased me and brought me to the brink of climax more times than I could count. Finally, when I couldn't stand it any longer I relented.
"Joe, please," I cried out, grabbing his head in my hands and slanting my hips to get him closer to my slick arousal.
"I win," he said and then went back to driving me wild. I came with a shout, nails digging into my palms as my toes flexed over and over.
When I could breathe again Joe had pulled a sheet over both of us and removed his clothes. He snuggled in next to me, flinging a leg over mine.
I closed my eyes. "Your turn in the morning."
"Everyone can have a turn after we get some sleep."
I chuckled and kissed his shoulder, feeling the slightly raised skin there. "You have to tell me about this tattoo."
"You want to hear about that right now?"
"Yeah. Good bedtime story I bet."
"Not really." He tangled his hand in my hair and breathed deeply. "But I'll tell you."
I smiled and listened to his voice, loving the low, smooth cadence of his words. Speaking or singing, I could listen to his beautiful voice forever.
"When I was a kid I used to love birds. I'd watch them from my window and get in trouble for feeding them on our porch. Hell, I even used to get in trouble at school for doing more bird watching than paying attention to the teacher. But I couldn't help it. Even a stupid pigeon was a marvel to me. I don't think it was as simple as wanting to fly away, but that was a part of it. I just always thought they were majestic and free. Soaring overhead or flapping down to a tree.
"When I joined my first band we called ourselves Phoenix. Seriously trite, I know. But I became a new person then. Music let me fly like the birds I'd admired. So I took the name Joe Hawk from the first bird I remember admiring in a zoo. And when this band got together it clicked. We just worked. So we all went and got new ink together. Mine was the hawk on my shoulder.
"Nothing had ever felt so right before. That is, until I met you. Now I'm soaring in a new way, Liss. And you're right there with me."
I made a soft humming sound and hugged him close to me. "That was a nice story."
"Ha. I figured you'd fallen asleep in the middle."
"Never. But I bet I'll dream about that. You and me flying away together."
"Sounds perfect, babe."
It did. And it was, for a time.
~*~
The next morning we went down to breakfast together. Ryan was there, on his phone as usual, but he hung up as soon as we appeared.
"Morning lovebirds. Have a seat."
I smiled, remembering Joe's story from last night. Lovebirds. I liked it. And in a secret place deep inside me I knew we were on the way to falling in love. And much faster than I had thought possible.
A waiter brought coffee and I refused a menu. I wasn't hungry at all.