Absolutely Unforgivable (13 page)

I looked back at Billy as I followed Kita out of the room, then put my head down and left him alone, in his room, a place I know I should have never gone without an invitation.

I was horribly embarrassed by it all. I blushed and felt foolishly tongue-tied. I just wanted to get the whole ordeal out of my mind, so I decided to go change into a bikini and lie out by the pool.
Maybe getting a nice tan will block it all out.

I fell asleep in the warmth of the sun and began to dream about Billy. In my dream all I was able to think about his how warm his skin felt against mine when he held me in his arms. I leaned in to kiss him. His mouth was soft, his kiss fervent. I put my hand under his shirt, feeling his muscles tense as I touched him.

His breathing grew heavy. He pressed his forehead to mine and let out a long, slow breath. He pulled back, licked his lips, while his gaze brushed over my entire body like he was going to eat me alive.

Sexual tension hung heavy in the air as he closed the distance between our bodies. We stood still for just a moment, trading ragged breaths. He reached up and brushed a piece of hair that had fallen in my face.

Then I felt my body started to shake and a heavy hand on my arm. Someone was shaking me and softly saying my name. It was Billy. He had come out to wake me up before I got burned by the intense rays of the sun beating down on me from above.

“Hey. You better turn over before you get burned.”

I glanced down and realized where I was and that all that just happened was but a dream. I looked at my half-naked body and jumped up to grab a towel and cover myself but stopped when I saw Billy’s face. It was different. Billy had cleaned up but not shaved. He still rocking his sexy five o’clock shadow. I looked up and noticed that today he actually styled his hair upwards. That was what had changed. I hadn’t seen it like that before. I liked it.

“Heading out for the night?” I asked while checking out his new look.

“Yeah. We are playing a gig at a bar downtown.”

Jeromy called while you were ...
napping,”
he said as looked over at me and a grin came over his face, “and said he would be late tonight. You gonna be okay here by yourself for a while?”

“Yeah, no. I’m fine. I’ll just ...” I looked around trying to quickly think of something I could do “I’ll just watch a movie or something.”

“The girls are all going to be at the club if you want to come hang with me tonight.”

I looked down at my body, covered in baby oil. “No, I couldn’t. It would take me too long to get ready and you have to go.”

“They can’t exactly start without me, you know.”

I shook my head and started to say no thank you but Billy stood up and threw me over his shoulder. I screamed demanding he put me down. But he didn’t listen. Instead he just walked us over to the pool casually and jumped in. He submerged us both and then we I popped my head up front under the water, slapping him on the shoulder. “How could you?”

He just grinned and said, “Eh. Now we both need to get ready.”

I went upstairs to wash the mix of chlorine, baby oil and sweat off of my immensely dirty body. While I was in the shower my mind flashed to Billy and then to Jeromy. Billy really was a great friend to Jeromy. He not only took us into his home when Jeromy got his new job but here he was willing to be late for his gig so that he could take care of me. A wave of guilt washed over me. Here I was lusting after this incredibly sweet guy who was only trying to be a good friend to Jeromy.
What is wrong with me?

One of the great features of my new bathroom besides the much-appreciated heated tile floors was the built in docking station for my iPhone. I plugged it in and the sound echoed loudly throughout the whole room.

Thinking I was completely alone, I turned it up and sang along with the music as I put on my makeup. I really liked a variety of music and would listen to anything from classic rock to grunge to top 40 pop. The only thing I didn’t really like was rap or maybe jazz.

This time I was playing
Call me Maybe
. It had a fast beat and I began dancing around the bathroom dancing and singing the song. Luckily I had gotten dressed before because standing in my door watching me dance around like a fool was Billy. I stumbled trying to quickly turn down the music.

“Don’t stop on my account,” he said with a devilish grin on his face. My entire body turned red.

He crossed his arms as he eyed me up and down carefully. “You know you really do have a great voice, Stacy.” As he sat on my bathroom counter a new song started playing. I stood in front of him and started singing along. At the chorus I broke off in a laugh.

“You are so silly, Stacy. You ready to head out?” I glanced over at the clock on the wall and saw it was nearly 4:00. I didn’t realize how long it had taken me to get ready.

I grabbed my lip gloss and threw it in my bag as we walked out the door. Jeromy had texted me while I was in the shower to let me know there was some money in the top dresser drawer and he wanted to make sure I was going to take some with me. I hated taking money like that from Jeromy but I hated being all the way downtown without any money even more, so I as Billy made his way downstairs, I quickly opened it up, grabbed a few of the twenties and made my way downstairs just behind him.

This was the first time I had taken a ride in Billy’s black Dodge Charger. It was a really hot car and matched him well. It was sleek and sexy like him. He put his guitar in the trunk and then opened the door for me to get in the passenger side.

The ride downtown was long and hectic. Houston had so much traffic and it was something I still wasn’t used to. As we raced down the highway my stomach turned in knots just watching all the cars. Luckily we were heading downtown while most people were headed the other way. Those headed north at that time of the day were stuck in miles and miles of traffic. It was horrible, nauseating even.

Billy could tell I was anxious being in so much congested traffic and he put his hand on top of mine and gently stroked it to try and calm me down. It helped some but still by the time we finally made it to the bar I was fit to be tied.

Mindy and Bran had arrived about the same time we did and as they approached the car Mindy bounced over to me, and jumped into my arms for a hug. “I’m so glad you are here tonight with us. We are going to have so much fun.”

We walked into the bar together and made our way over to where Darla and Starla were sitting with Travis who was already several shots in, which was evident by all of the empty shot glasses that lay before him. When I sat down at the band’s table, I noticed a man in an expensive suit come over to greet Billy and Bran at the door. The exchanged seemed friendly but Billy had a sour look on his face after.

I turned to Mindy to see if she knew what the problem might be but she shrugged like she had had no idea. Starla, however, did know. She leaned across the table, giving those behind her, including Travis, a nice look up her tight leather skirt as she told us that he was the manager and just wanted to make sure that the boys stuck to their agreement.

Their agreement?
I flashed a glance over to Mindy but she looked just as clueless as I. Starla continued, “You know, to sing at least one cover song for every original.”

“Ohhh,” Mindy said while glancing over to Bran and Billy who were now headed towards us.

I didn’t understand what they were talking about but as Starla sat back down next to Travis, Mindy explained. Billy and the boys like to do their own original songs but some venues, like this one, require them to do a mix of both original and cover songs. It’s silly really, why hire a band that played bad original music? But it’s just what some places do to ensure the crowd gets a good mix of music they are used to and that is popular.

Billy didn’t look happy about it. I had seen them cover songs before at Rowdy’s but to be forced into having to do so many in a set seemed to be what was bothering Billy about it tonight.

We all downed a few shots and then the boys headed to the stage. The set started off with Nickelback’s
Rockstar,
which then led into Linkin Park’s
Numb
. By now the crowd had started to get a little worked up. They loved the band but then again, it was hard not to.

They played a few more songs before taking their first break of the night. Just before their last song. Mindy and I made our way over to the bar and grabbed the boys a bucket of beer so it would be ready for them when they got back to the table. When he finished Billy took the seat next to me. He cocked his head to the side, looking at me and then back at the beer. “Did you ....?”

“Yeah, I thought you might be thirsty when you got off the stage so Mindy and I went to get it for you.” He looked over to Mindy and she lifted her hands and shrugged her shoulders. He turned back to me, smiled, and took a beer.

Unlike before Billy didn’t ask me what I thought of their first set. So I leaned in and told him how much I loved it. He just shook his head. Without thinking about it, I put my hand on his leg and gently scratched the top of his thigh through his jeans. He seemed to really like it and perked up.

I couldn’t help but start laughing to myself, thinking about how Billy jumped in the pool with me over his shoulder.
That boy does know how to get his way.
He arched an eyebrow and gave me a look, no doubt wondering what I thought was so funny but I didn’t respond. I just shook my head.

After drinking his beer, I ordered the table a round of shots. Everyone enjoyed them except Billy. He said he had to be careful about what he drank tonight since he had to get me home safely. It was really sweet and for some reason knowing he was there to take care of me allowed me to relax and enjoy myself more. So I drank not only my own shot but also his.

He leaned in and whispered in my ear, “I think you’ll like this next set.” He didn’t explain what he meant but he had a grin on his face as he walked onto the stage. This time Patrick, who I had barely even noticed was there that night, had put a bar stool on the stage for Billy to lean against.

Billy didn’t seem to pay it any mind at first. He just leaned into the microphone and began singing as he normally did. His eyes were hauntingly sad as he sang, “Nothing lasts forever. I can’t bring you back to me. Life must go on.”

It was one of their original songs. It could easily be mistaken for a love song but I suspected it was about the death of his parents. He looked out in the crowd as he sang the song but he didn’t lock eyes with them like he normally did. Instead it was just like he was seeing through them. Watching him on stage sing that song, in the way that he did make chills go up my spine and I felt tears start to form in my eyes.

But just as quickly as the song had begun it was over and he perked right back up as if none of that had ever happened. I was so deep in thought about what had just taken place I didn’t hear the beat of the next song they began playing. Billy took the microphone off of the stand, something he rarely did, and started walking offstage, while singing the first words of
Jessie’s Girl
.

He’s coming my way isn’t he? Oh God no, please don’t let this be happening.
I looked around me, desperately wanting to find something or someone that he might be singing to that wasn't me. Mindy started squealing in excitement and pushed me out of my chair as Billy made his way over to me.

He grabbed my hand and dragged me on stage with him before we got to the chorus. I turned toward Patrick and he threw the tambourine my way while Billy put the microphone back on the stand.

I slowly shook my hips and swayed side to side as he sang away, facing the crowd but still tilting his head towards me and as he got to the chorus. Just like before, I leaned in and sang it with him.

I never turned to face the crowd because if I had, I am sure I would have frozen in fear. Even with the several drinks I already had in me, I was still far too shy to be able to handle that many people looking up at me. This bar was much bigger than Rowdy’s, easily double in size and it was packed to the brim.

As the song ended Billy grabbed my free hand and lifted it above my head. “Everyone meet Stacy Keller. She is our little superstar.” He leaned over and kissed me on the forehead and the crowd let out a collective “Awww”.

Next Billy pulled the bar stool over to him and leaned against it. He lowered the microphone stand so that it was now even with his face and he put his arm around my waist and pulled me into him. This time the song was much slower. It wasn’t one I had heard before but by the cheers of the crowd I could tell they had.

“I need you right here by my side. I need you in my life. I feel like I am dreaming. You are the one. You haunt my dreams. It kills me to see you with him. I need you right here by my side.” It was a rock song, no doubt, but still it was passionate and heartfelt.

After Billy finished the song, he leaned in as if he was going to kiss me right there on stage in front of everywhere. My heart began to race wildly, and my hands started to shake. I panicked and turned my head to face the crowd and he reached up and kissed my forehead instead.

He finally released me and I made my way back to an anxiously waiting Mindy. “Did you know he was going to do that?” I demanded to know. She just giggled and shook her head ”no”.