All Night Long (12 page)

Ginny figured damp was an understatement, given how much water she and Ash had splashed over the side of the bath.

‘Won’t it be cold in the van?’ she asked, feeling guilty.

‘Freezing.’

Ash tossed him a bottle of whisky and Spook’s beanie hat. ‘It’s hardly midwinter. Tough guy like you, you’ll be fine. It’ll be just like sleeping on the tour bus, only quieter.’

The harrumph Rock Giant gave in return led her to believe otherwise, but he left without further comment.

‘That was nice of him,’ Ginny observed. ‘He could have taken the floor. We should have suggested it.’

‘Don’t you want some alone time?’

She cocked her head to one side to look at Ash. Of course she did. Not that they were alone, since Spook remained in the other bed. ‘Is he definitely asleep?’ she asked.

Ash threw a cushion at him. When it failed to rouse Spook from his repose he concluded the sleep was genuine. ‘Let’s watch this movie, eh?’

‘What do you want on?’ Ginny rested her head against Ash’s shoulder. They only just managed to sit side by side. There were three choices that weren’t X-rated on the hotel channels. Ash opted for the kids’ movie to begin with, something a bit sappy and sweet about fellowship and family values, then turned over to the action adventure a few minutes later.

Ginny watched without taking it in. The action on screen couldn’t compete with the drama raging inside her head. It felt right, lying pressed against Ash’s side, one leg hooked over his and her head resting in the hollow between his chest and his shoulder. It felt comfortable and secure and surprisingly exhilarating. There was something incredibly intimate about being together and not really speaking. It was the sort of thing long-term lovers did, not the actions of two people who were ostensibly only lovers for the night.

Mostly though, Ash just smelled right. How crazy was that?

‘Are you asleep?’ Ash asked after a while, when her eyelids had begun to droop and she was dreamily cocooned in his embrace.

‘Not quite.’

He stroked the side of her head down to her cheek, where his fingers curled against the contours of her face. ‘Say I was in town, how would I find you?’

‘I could give you my number.’

‘I guess, but I’ll warn you, I’m not good with phones. I always lose them.’

‘Or my email addy.’

He shook his head. ‘I don’t like the anonymity of the Internet. You never know who you’re really talking to, or if you’re only talking to yourself. I hate how little verification there is about things.’

She rubbed her tired eyes. She wasn’t sure if he was genuinely anti-Internet or concocting excuses for himself in advance, but then why bring up the topic of reaching her?

‘You know, for a rock star, you’re strangely out of touch with the modern era.’

‘Guess I’m more of a face-to-face guy. Maybe if you just gave me your address, I could pop by.’

While having Ash appear on her doorstep would definitely elevate her street cred, she had a feeling it might lead to the sort of attention she could live without too. The last thing she needed was bricks through her window courtesy of jealous fans. And Dani wouldn’t be able to cope either.

Shit! Dani!

The realisation hit her hard. ‘What time is it?’ She sat upright and flailed a hand about, looking for her phone on the bedside table. It took a moment to realise she’d left it on the far side of the room.

How could she have forgotten Dani? It was way late for her to be still out alone. ‘I should call her. Find out where she is, and why she isn’t here.’

Ash blinked at her in confusion. ‘You mean you are actually sharing with someone? I only thought you mentioned her in case you needed an excuse to get rid of us because you’d figured out we were a bunch of hellish weirdos.’

‘I knew that before I invited you over. No, Dani’s real. Where the hell’s she got to? And where’s my phone?’

‘I see it. Stay there. I’ll fetch it.’ Ash left the bed. He dashed across the room naked and returned before Ginny had even put a foot on the floor.

Back in bed beside her, he pulled her into his arms and tugged the duvet up to their armpits. ‘It’s cold not snuggled next to you.’

Ginny settled her back against his chest while she checked her messages. Dani hadn’t sent anything, nor were there any missed call alerts. ‘Nothing,’ she muttered. That wasn’t at all like Dani, who normally reported her every move. ‘Shit! Do you think she’s all right?’

‘Is that her?’ Ash enquired looking over her shoulder at the photograph on her home screen. ‘I think I saw her backstage earlier. And I’m sure she’s fine.’

‘You didn’t –’

‘I didn’t what?’ He rolled his eyes. ‘No, I didn’t shag her. I didn’t actually speak to her. I just said I might have seen her.’

‘And she was OK?’

He nodded. ‘Seemed to be.’

‘Was she with anyone?’

Ash raised a hand and scratched his chin. ‘Yeah,’ he said hesitantly. ‘There might have been someone. A guy with dark hair.’

‘Honestly?’ She got the impression he wasn’t entirely sure, but he nodded, so she let the idea sink in. Fancy that. A grin stretched across her face. Dani had actually hooked up with someone. She was tickled to bits. That girl deserved some love.

‘Did he look OK?’ she demanded of Ash. ‘He didn’t look like a maniac or anything?’

‘Um – he kinda looked like Xane.’

Ginny breathed an enormous sigh of relief. ‘Yeah, that makes sense. She’s a massive Xane fan. I’ve never known her to even look at another guy.’ Dani had placed Xane on such a high pedestal that ordinary guys couldn’t hope to compete. She’d probably be disappointed if she ever actually met the guy in person.

‘Call her if you’re worried.’

‘What if she’s busy? I wouldn’t want to interrupt.’ There was nothing worse than coitus interruptus.

Ash wrinkled his brow, clearly perplexed by her reasoning. ‘If she’s busy, she won’t answer. Simple as that. But at least if you’ve tried you’ll feel better.’

Good point. She hit speed dial but there was no reply, and after several rings a very proper lady informed her she could leave a voicemail message after the tone. Ginny hung up instead.

‘I guess she’s busy fucking,’ Ash said.

Ginny wasn’t quite so sure, but didn’t like to say so. Dani was the most strait-laced individual she’d ever known. Sex on a first date seemed unlikely. Maybe they were enjoying a long chat about religion over a pot of tea.

Ash turned off the TV. The resulting silence made her feel she ought to whisper. ‘I wish she’d thought to call.’

He cuddled her tight. ‘Gin, you’re sweet, worrying about her, but she’s a big girl, right? Capable of looking after herself?’

‘Yeah. True.’

‘Then trust me. I don’t think she’s in any danger, just having a good time. I bet you she turns up tomorrow full of smiles and sporting an enormous hickey. The thing you have to remember is that even the most saintly among us has to cut loose once in a while.’

‘You’re right,’ she agreed with a nod. ‘She’s probably just copying my bad example.’

‘Exactly.’

‘Hey,’ she prodded him in the ribs. ‘You’re not supposed to agree.’

Ash dodged a second prod and wrestled her down so that they lay parallel under the covers, facing one another with their heads on the pillow. ‘I hate to say it, but I think I may actually be knackered,’ he sighed.

‘Hm,’ she snorted in mock disdain, while yawning herself. ‘Your stamina is supposed to be legendary, Mr Gore. Sleep? You promised me a whole night of fun.’

He smooched a kiss against her lips, soft, gentle and so sweet it left her yearning for more. ‘Yeah, but that was before I learned you’re not like other girls.’

‘I assure you, I totally am.’ She knew what he meant, but made a point of running her hands over her assets as if to check they hadn’t magically disappeared. Suddenly, things felt serious. When had they moved from this being purely no-strings fun, to something with far more depth?

‘Quit teasing. No one else blows my mind like you do. I didn’t think it was possible to come that many times in one night.’

She grinned, pleased by the acknowledgement, but aware of the raw emotion in his voice. Normally she’d have been backpedalling like crazy if a guy had sprung a moment like this on her, but she actually liked that Ash sounded slightly intoxicated.

‘Tomorrow.’ He drew away a fraction, stifling another yawn. ‘I swear, if you do me again tonight, I might lose my frickin’ mind and do something really crazy.’

‘Such as?’

Ash shook his head and closed his eyes.

‘Ash?’

Oh, no fair. He couldn’t spout stuff like that and then leave it hanging there like an enigma puzzle.

‘What, have you suddenly lost your voice?’

He faked a snore.

‘You’d better talk, buster.’

‘I can’t. I’m biting my tongue.’

‘Why?’

The look he gave her said it all. That she knew perfectly well why he was staying silent and that she’d better accept that, because forcing him to speak would defeat the object of him keeping quiet in the first place. She let it go, not sure she was ready to hear what it was that was dancing about in his head. She didn’t say anything until she heard his breathing quieten and grow more even.

‘Ash?’ she said, after a few more minutes had passed. ‘Have you ever gone steady with anyone?’

‘Why?’

‘I’m just curious.’

‘Well, be curious about something else.’ He wriggled about, clearly uncomfortable but acting as though it was the fault of a lump in the mattress.

‘You don’t like answering questions, do you?’

He gave the pillow another thump, and then settled again. ‘I’ve no problems with you asking questions. Ask something else. Go on, I’ll answer it.’

Open question … It’d be a shame to waste it. ‘OK. Why’d you pick up so many girls each night, if you know from the start that they’re not going to satisfy you?’

‘Who says they don’t?’

‘You have, with your actions.’ And his friends had with their less than subtle remarks. ‘Wouldn’t jacking off be less frustrating than humping your way through a horde of groupies that leave you cold?’

Ash lifted one eyelid and peered at her along the length of the pillow. ‘Wanking isn’t very rock and roll. It’s what sad jerks do. I think I prefer being known for my prowess and for keeping the fans happy, rather than as rock’s foremost wanker. Besides, the repetitive strain injuries to my wrist would fuck with my playing.’

‘Does it actually keep the fans happy, you playing the field?’ she asked. ‘I mean the actual fans? The ones who pay for tickets and send your stuff into the stratosphere by downloading like crazy on release day? I’m sure they’d much rather you spent your time making more music than whoring yourself out.’

‘Christ!’ Still-damp strands of his black hair flicked water droplets over her as he shook his head in dismay. ‘Seriously? You’re criticising me about sleeping around? Have you forgotten where I picked you up?’

He sat up, clearly vexed, thus dislodging the covers from around her shoulders. While Ginny scrambled to cover herself and retain some heat, Ash hopped out of bed and paced back and forth. ‘Fuck, Ginny!’ he snarled. His head snapped around, and this time the droplets from his hair splattered on the bedspread. ‘I didn’t realise you were a therapist.’

Ginny rolled her eyes at his wilful misunderstanding of her point. ‘I’m not saying don’t fuck about if you want to. I’ve no problem with casual sex. I’m just trying to establish why the hell you’d routinely do something that doesn’t benefit you. Sex is supposed to leave you with a smile on your face, not feeling shitty.’

‘I’ve been smiling, haven’t I?’

‘Yeah, but I made you come. That’s not the norm, is it?’

Lips pursed tight, he closed his eyes. ‘Fuck you,’ he snarled defensively. ‘I do fucking get off. You’re not that special.’

‘Never said I was.’

‘Fuck!’ he said again, then stormed out of the room, stark bollock naked.

‘Ash!’ Ginny wavered between going straight after him and first grabbing some clothes. That hadn’t gone how she’d intended. Finally she grabbed a towel off the floor and dashed after him.

She found him in the stairwell at the end of the corridor. He stood with his forehead pressed against the curved glass of the window, unwittingly flashing whoever was down below in the car park. On tiptoes she crept forward, and gently curled her fingers around the firm muscle of his bicep.

‘Don’t,’ he said before she said a word. ‘I don’t want to hear it. It’s none of your fucking business why I do it.’

‘You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m just frustrated on your behalf.’

‘Frustrated?’ He turned, seeking answers in her expression.

Ginny allowed him to read whatever it was he was searching for. Anger made his features sharper and formed ridges around his eyes. ‘I want to smack them. Tell them to fucking wake up and not to be so selfish. It’s not right that they only take from you. I mean, don’t any of them ever genuinely try to make it good? Don’t they notice that you’re …’

She stopped herself, realising she was stumbling back into the same stream of thought that had irritated him in the first place. That, and did she really want to say ‘difficulties’? Implying that he was in any way sexually dysfunctional was only going to piss him off even more. ‘They’re not turning you on as much as they could. That’s what I’m trying to say.’

‘Maybe it’s as much my fault as theirs.’

‘Oh.’ There was that possibility, but why would he do that to himself?

Ginny folded her arms so that she could rub some warmth back into her skin. Why deliberately pick up girls you knew you weren’t particularly excited by? And why, if that were his modus operandi, had he picked up her? Unless he’d imagined she’d be just the same as all the rest. Hot enough to pique his interest and maybe eventually get him off, but no threat to his heart.

Bingo, Ginny. That was real simple. The guy’s relationship-phobic.

‘Got me sussed?’ he enquired.

Ginny hushed him. ‘There’s someone coming up the stairwell.’ Voices and footsteps echoed between the floors, making it difficult to judge how close the approaching couple were. ‘I suppose you realise that you’re naked?’