This One Moment (Pushing Limits, #1)(24)
“I love your music,” Blonde #2 gushed, but the way her eyes stripped him naked suggested it was more than his music that she loved. “And I love your tattoo.” Her gaze dropped to the tiger tattoo on his arm. At least she got the message and didn’t try to touch him, although I didn’t doubt she’d be all for touching him and exploring his body, given the chance.
Heck, who was I kidding? I’d be all for that too.
Heat rushed to my lower belly at the memory of his fingers brushing against my tank-top-covered nipple. Not inclined to miss out on the fun, my nipples tingled at the memory. It was all I could do to restrain the moan hovering at the back of my throat.
I was so busy mentally dousing the heat with cold water, I almost missed Blonde #1 scribble on a piece of paper and shove it in the pocket of Nolan’s gym shorts.
“Call me,” she said as Blonde #2 did the same, although I could’ve sworn Blonde #2’s fingers stayed in his pockets for a few seconds longer.
I wanted to rip the offending fingers out and tell her where to go, but the need to not make a scene overruled that desire by a narrow margin. A very narrow margin.
Besides, wasn’t this part of Nolan’s job? Socializing with his fans went a long way toward selling albums, especially if the band wanted to do even better next time. The fans were the ones to put them there. And Nolan deserved that…even if it meant I had to watch these girls practically drool on him.
Just as I was about to leave him to his fans, a pair of masculine hands covered my eyes. My heart rate spiked until I remembered whom the hands belonged to, and then it settled back to its normal pace.
“Hey, Chris.” I didn’t have to look to know it was him. He did it every time he saw me.
He dropped his hands from my eyes, and I turned around to talk to the personal trainer, a former NFL player whose career had ended due to a knee injury. He was the guy Blonde #1 and Blonde #2 usually fawned over. Yes, rock stars and former football players were their men of choice.
“Didn’t expect to see you back so soon.” His gaze traveled over my body, but not in the same way the two girls had checked Nolan out. Chris was checking me over for broken bones and other visible injuries.
“You know me,” I said. “I can never get enough of this place.”
His eyes darkened and a muscle twitched in his jaw. “Shit, if I hadn’t canceled on you at the last moment, you would have been with me and not in Westgate. Do the cops know who did it?”
I shook my head. “And it doesn’t help that I can’t remember what happened. I don’t even remember you canceling.” Heck, I didn’t even remember we had planned to meet up.
“The moment you feel up to it, you’re taking a self-defense class.” He fisted his hands on his hips, going all alpha on me and daring me to defy him. The same way Dad had been when he called this morning to make sure I was okay and told me the exact same thing about the class.
“You mean a refresher course. I took a self-defense class two years ago.” It had been after there was a rash of campus rapes. I had no idea if it had helped me or not during the attack. I had no idea if I even remembered anything I’d learned during the class.
A high-pitched giggle rose up from Nolan’s little group. Chris glanced at the groupies and Nolan. “Wow, that guy looks a lot like Tyler Erickson.”
“That’s because it is Tyler Erickson.”
“No way. Wonder why he’s here.” Before I could reply, Chris walked to the group and introduced himself.
“I’m visiting a friend who lives in Northbridge.” Nolan could’ve been describing either me or Brandon. More than likely he didn’t want to admit to knowing more than one person here. That would only lead to more questions about his connection to the town.
A growing unease jabbed at me like a pin you couldn’t see in your clothing, but it was there all the same. I was a private person, for the most part. Being linked to Nolan would be like open season on me. The last thing I wanted was for Blondes #1 and #2 to think I was Nolan’s personal assistant and that hooking him up with fans was in my job description. They had already tried that stunt when it came to Chris. No way was I going there again with Nolan.
Chapter 13
Nolan
The first time I had performed onstage was a few weeks after I fled Minnesota for L.A. It was shortly after I joined three other guys, all with the goal of making it big.
Our first gig had been in a dive, as was usually the case when you’re new to the scene with no experience and no fans. It’d been a chance to prove ourselves to a rowdy crowd who didn’t give two f*cks about us and our aspirations. It had been both exhilarating and scary.
That experience was nothing compared to how I felt now.
I paced the hallway outside Hailey’s room, waiting for her to get ready so we could go to Trysting.
Her bedroom door finally opened. At the sight of her, my dick pressed hard against my zipper. This was a side of Hailey I’d never seen before. I was used to athletic Hailey, the one who never dressed sexy. She didn’t have to. She was sexy no matter what she wore.
At least, that was what I used to think.
But seeing her like this changed my mind. Her fitted black dress revealed more than it covered, but on Hailey it looked classy. The short hem showed off her long, toned legs, which looked never-ending. The black stilettos added to the effect. And though it was a side of Hailey I was unfamiliar with, it was a side I wouldn’t have minded getting acquainted with.