Between Love & Fire (Backstage #1) (4 page)

It’s almost lunchtime when Kierra walks into the editing studio to find me. I have been sitting with the video editors learning about the process of getting a music video from raw footage to the final product. “You hungry, doll?” I smile and nod. “Come on, let’s get something to eat. We can chat.”

We make our way downstairs and she is talking a mile a minute. I think she’s so excited to have someone to chat to that she doesn’t realize she’s doing it.

“So, when are the guys recording?”

“Callum is busy writing every day. He works on the melodies, using the piano, or his laptop. He hands it to Liam and Ryan to work through. They add in their parts, and then if Cal has the lyrics ready they sit down and record. It’s a long process, one song could take two weeks maybe more to get to a place where Callum is happy.”

“My brother is never happy.” A deep rumble behind me has me jumping. I turn and come face to face with Liam.

“Liam, please don’t start. Your brother is in a mood today.”

“He’s always in a mood.” He turns and smiles. “You’ll get used to it.” Heading to the coffee machine, he grabs a mug and fills it.

“Anyway. Do you eat meat?” She stares at me and I nod.

“Yes, I do.” Seeming happy, she turns and continues plating food and pops it into the microwave. “And you?”

“Yes, sometimes. I end up just eating meat at home. Since Callum doesn’t, I tend to forget about it. It's second nature now.” She smiles, handing me the plate of stir-fry. It smells incredible. “He made this yesterday. Sorry about the left overs, but I promise it’s good.” I am still aware of Liam watching us.

“Right girls, I need to go bang… some drums.” He flashes me a cheeky grin and winks as he makes his way out of the kitchen.

“He can be such an ass.” She laughs and shakes her head. The rumors must be true. Liam has been seen photographed with countless beautiful women on his arm. Then again, so has Callum.
Who am I kidding?
Cal is in a league of his own. I have seen the women he dates. They’re a far cry from me.

“Do either of them have a girlfriend?” Her laugh is loud and I suddenly feel self-conscious for asking.

“No, doll. They’re both single. Liam, will never settle down. At least that’s what I think. Callum, he’s different. He plays the bad boy, but he’s actually a sweetheart. The girl that steals his heart will be one lucky bitch.” She glances at me and her mouth curls in an easy grin. “He’s like my big brother. I want him happy. Both of them for that matter.”

“I always thought you and Callum were dating. Most of the fans do.”

“Oh, God no. I could never date him. That would be weird. There is no way I can handle Callum Hayes. He’s a nightmare at the best of times.” We both collapse in a fit of giggles. I like her, she’s honest, sweet, and I feel at ease with her.

We finish up our lunch in relaxed silence and she takes me into the studio. We find Ryan with his keyboard, he looks so happy. Almost as if he is smiling at himself. He glances up as we enter and offers me a face splitting grin. “Hello. I am Ryan.” We shake hands.

“Tayla. The newbie.”

“Welcome.”

“Ryan, can you show Tay the sound stuff?” She waves her hand around and he chuckles. “That’s my technical term for all this.” Kierra normally handles the paperwork. And her so-called technical term has me giggling again. The look that passes between them is distinct. The way she looks at Ryan is filled with more emotion than when she looks at the other guys.

“Sure. Leave us to it. She’ll be a pro in no time.” When he offers her a wink, her blush is unmistakable. There’s chemistry between them and I can’t help grinning. It’s adorable. Kierra leaves us.

“So, darling. What are we doing today? Have you worked on a sound desk?”

“Only at college. I used to help out where I could.”

“Cool, grab a seat let’s work on this track. I laid down keyboards on Liam’s drums. It’s a newer track so you won’t recognize it.” He presses a few buttons, and a sound-wave pops up on screen. The drums thump from the speakers mounted on the walls. It’s so intense. The keyboards come in a few beats later and the song comes to life. The only thing missing is the vocals.

“Wow. That’s incredible.” We glance at each other and he nods. We spend the next hour just mixing and changing the different dials on the desk around. My brain feels fuzzy by the time Callum walks into the studio. His heated blue gaze flits between Ryan and me. We’re sitting right next to each other and I can tell that he isn’t happy about it. I frown and narrow my eyes, taking in his reaction. As soon as it appears. It’s gone a second later.

“Ryan, can you give me and Tayla a sec? I want to chat to her before she leaves for the day.” He nods, gives me a smile and walks to the door.

“See you tomorrow, darling.” With a quick wink he’s gone. My skin prickles. I am too aware of Callum and I alone in the studio. The heat emanating from his body is primal. The fire in his eyes turns me to molten lava.

“You have a good day?” His whisper is low. The dirty smirk that curls his lips has my core tightening and butterflies fluttering around in my belly.
Get a grip Tay!

“Yes, it’s been good. I have learned a lot.” He pulls up a chair and sits next to me. Ice-blue scorching me. Searching my eyes for something. Although I wasn’t sure what.

“So who do you prefer?” His question is serious. The inflection in his voice is a deep rumble. Intensity burns in his gaze and it consumes me. Piercing a hole straight through me. The fans have always been split between the guys. There are the girls who are team Callum, team Liam or team Ryan. You can’t be on all three. You have to choose one. With a cheeky grin on my lips, I decide to test his patience.

“I prefer the drummer.” My gaze locks on his and the irritation in his eyes is palpable.

“Let me change your preference? Go to dinner with me?” My mouth drops open and I stare at him. Callum leans forward, his face is inches from mine. The warmth of his breath fans over my face and my brain short circuits. I need to stop this right here.
What? Dinner? A date with Callum Hayes?

“Callum, I can’t.” His fingers trail up my arm to my shoulder tracing the intricate tattoo of cherry blossoms and vines. The heat of his fingertips on my exposed skin sends shock-waves through me and my skin prickles with excitement. He leans in further, his intoxicating scent enveloping me and holding me hostage.

“Say yes.” It’s so soft that I think I imagined him talking.

“It’s not a good idea.” My voice is a whisper. Determination in his expression tells me he will not take no for an answer. Those blue pools darken with a fire that matches the one in my belly.

“Why? It’s only dinner. I will be a gentleman. Do you trust me?” There’s something in his gaze that makes me want to nod. To tell him I would love to go to dinner with him, but he will hurt me. He’s Callum fucking Hayes.

“I don’t know you well enough to trust you.” Our eyes lock in a standoff and I forget to breathe. “Yet.” The word is a mere whisper. Uncertainty flickers across his gaze. He’s so close. The spicy scent of him grips me, keeping me in a warm cocoon.
Can I be with a rock star?
Someone that’s constantly in the public eye.

“Then give me a chance to show you, you can trust me. You have nothing to lose. And so much to gain.” Clarity sinks in and I suppose he’s right. I am not promising my heart, or love. It’s just a dinner. Then we can go on with our lives. “Are you scared?” His questioning gaze challenges me.

A laugh so soft falls from my lips. “I am not scared. That’s for sure.” He really had a high opinion about himself. There is a challenge hanging in the air and I won’t back down.
Is it such a bad idea? Yes!
My stubbornness doesn't allow me to back down. “Fine. I will go. To prove I am different to other girls. I am not falling to my knees for you.” As soon as the words slip from my mouth, the fire in his eyes alight with desire. I realize how that sounded and I cringe inwardly.

“Tayla, I know you’re not like any other girl. That’s why I am asking. Once I break down those high walls you have built up around you, Petal, I look forward to seeing the treasure they keep hidden.” With a cheeky wink, he rises and I immediately miss the heat of him. “And as for you on your knees, let's just say I can't wait to see that.” I offer him a glare, but don't give in to the dig. I rise and follow him out of the office. The living room is quiet, everyone must have left. I grab my bag and make my way to the patio. Liam and Ryan are sitting back with a beer each. Kierra is on a call and she offers me a wave.

“Bye darling. See you tomorrow.” Ryan holds up his hand to fist pump mine. I laugh at his chilled out demeanor. A glance at Liam, I catch his hungry eyes staring at me like I am dinner.

“Tayla, tomorrow you’re all mine. I need to show you how to set up my drums.” I nod and offer a small grin.

“Come on, I will walk you out.” Callum’s hand drops to my lower back and goose bumps rise over my body. We wander up to the driveway and I notice the car waiting for me. I turn to him and smile.

“Thank you for this opportunity, the job. It means a lot.”

“Anytime beautiful. I look forward to dinner.” With a tender caress on my cheek, his fingertips leave a trail of fire on my skin. My heart flutters at the statement. It’s only dinner.
How bad can that be?

“Me too.” He opens door and I slip into the bench seat. He shuts me in and the driver pulls away. When I glance back, he's standing on the sidewalk until we’re far down the road. I am left speechless and confused. I am so fucked.

As soon as I step inside the house Liam rounds on me. He noticed my hand on her back. The air is thick with emotion between me and Tayla. Everyone noticed. Ki is not naïve, she scowls at me and I know why. I don’t blame her. I am so fucked. “What the hell was that?” His tone is sharp and my glare falls on him. I am not in the mood for this.

“What do you mean?”

“Jesus Cal, I am not fucking blind. You just about jumped her bones out there.” I groan. Turning around walking into the studio. I can feel my brother behind me. He will not let this go.

“It’s nothing, let it go?” Grabbing my guitar, I sit down. There is no way I am meeting his gaze. He will see right through me. “Please?”

“Jesus, you’re a sucker for punishment. Fine. Just be careful. You realize you can't be with this girl. She’s our intern. The fucking papers will have a field day.” There isn’t anything I can do. Doesn’t he understand that? She’s in my fucking head.

“Liam, I realize that. I am not a fucking idiot.” Without another word, he spins on his heel and saunters out. Leaving me to my thoughts of a girl that is in my every thought. My fingers strum the chords of a melody that’s been playing in my mind for the past few days. It’s slow, soft, different to my other songs. I asked her to dinner that’s not something I normally do. But something about her makes me want to know her.

“Cal, can we sort this contract out? You added a clause?”

“Yes.” I peer up at Kierra. There is something she wants to say. I know it.

“And the point of this is?”

“Kierra, forget this. What the fuck is wrong with everyone? I need to be on my own.” Before she can answer, I place my guitar down, stand up and walk past my assistant to the door.

“I know what you’re doing Cal. I suggest you stop whatever little plan you are formulating in your head.” My hand twists the door handle. Not turning to Kierra, I open it and walk out. Pulling out my phone, I call my mother. She’ll give me advice. I am out of my comfort zone here. Unfortunately, I get her voicemail. On the patio, I glance around. The staff have all left, and it’s quiet. My favorite time of the day. When I have a few minutes alone. “Liam Hayes!!” Kierra’s scream has me chuckling. My brother is always in trouble. Shaking my head, I walk up to the gate and slip out. Maybe a walk will do me good. With my phone in hand, I update my social media status and check the updates. Two hundred notifications I don’t want to think about. We’re announcing our new tour in two days and that’s when the madness starts.

When I reach the boulder at the top of the hill, I sit back and scroll through the contacts. Her number is there. I save all my crew’s numbers.
Will a message be too personal?
I know what she thinks, she’s seen the tabloids.
What can I say?
I can be a party animal. Even though I have done things I shouldn’t, in public, I wouldn’t do that with her. There is something different about Tayla. Something tells me this girl will be a challenge. My eyes flit up to the view in front of me. A city that made my dreams a reality. The city of Angels. That’s where I got the title for our hit single, Damaged Angel. This is the land of dreams, where they’re created and destroyed. I open the message app. She might not reply, but I might as well try.

C: What’s your favorite food?

I hit send and sit back, watching the sun disappear behind the horizon. The tranquil atmosphere calms me somewhat. A few minutes later, my phone buzzes. Sliding the unlock screen, I see her name pop up. Before I open the message, I take a deep breath. My heart is racing against my chest. It’s an unusual feeling, wanting and needing someone to talk to you. I am so used to people vying for my attention, that Tayla, confounds me. She’s not like the other girls. There isn’t an inkling in her actions to tell me she is impressed by my fame.

T: Callum? If you’re asking my favorite food to try and impress me tomorrow, then that I consider cheating. Remember, this is dinner not a date.

I can’t help chuckling at her response. She’s right. I am trying to impress her. Why? I have no fucking clue, but I want to.

C: Fine, I will just cook. Then you will be impressed.

Once I hit send, I immediately see the dots on my screen. She’s obviously in the mood for banter and to be honest, so am I.

T: I don’t trust your cooking. I would much rather go to a drive thru.

C: LOL! No doll face, it’s not healthy to eat that shit. I have never eaten at one, ever. So you will have to trust my choice in restaurant.

As soon as I hit send I realize I called her doll face.
Shit!
She will call me out on it, and I won’t be able to explain myself. At least, not unless I want a slap. I can’t help it if her face is perfect. She doesn’t need tons of make-up. She’s a natural beauty. The other thing I couldn’t help noticing was her perfect peach ass. Fuck, I definitely want a bite of that. I bet she tastes as sweet.

T: Doll face? Seriously? Do you call all your staff strange names? I think I trust your taste in food, since you’re vegetarian.

She’s obviously done her research. I have been vegetarian for years, so she will definitely have to trust me. I hit reply and chuckle.

C: Yes, I have nicknames for all my staff as a matter of fact, and yours happens to be, doll face. Yes, I am vegetarian, aren’t you an intelligent girl, been Googling me?

I don’t have to wait long for her reply.

T: Sure you do. I haven’t been Googling. To be honest, I am a fan. Since I was about fifteen. So is my sister.

Interesting. Okay, that will make this easier. She will be in my bed, sooner than I thought. I will make sure that her fandom status only grows, much like my cock at the image of having her pink plump lips wrapped around it. Her beautiful brown eyes looking up at me, sparkling while I fuck her pretty face. I need to stop this. I can’t walk back to the house with a raging fucking hard on.

C: Well, that makes this so much more interesting. See you tomorrow doll face, and behave yourself. If you don’t take pics, and send them to me ;)

With that, I make my way down the hill. It’s dark now, and I hope that Liam has called it a night. I want to relax and think about where I will take the lovely Tayla. This will be interesting for sure. As soon as I step into the house, there isn’t a soul in sight. The lights are off and I walk into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of chilled water from the fridge. My phone buzzes and I pull it from my pocket.

T: In your dreams, Hayes. :)

Yes, in my dreams. That’s precisely where you will be tonight. I grab a towel from my bedroom and walk into the adjoining bathroom. I love my space, it’s the only thing that keeps me mildly relaxed in the chaos that is our home office. Since we’ve been doing all our recording and filming here, it’s been chaos. I can’t wait to get on the road again. Stepping into the hot spray, I feel my muscles relax. Tayla Quinn is going to dinner with me.

I will prove to her I am not the asshole the tabloids make me out to be. There is only one problem.
Will she finally believe me?
I wonder if she would consider dating. If not, I can make sure she can’t get enough of me. I will have this girl. Once the water cools, I step out and towel dry myself. In the bedroom I find my phone vibrating on the nightstand. I slide my finger over the unlock screen and notice a message. It’s her.

T: You sleeping already?

C: No, did you miss me? I just got out of the shower. Want a pic?

T: Don’t be an ass, Callum Hayes. I actually need to sleep tonight, no nightmares.

This earns her a chuckle.
Is she flirting?
I think she’s flirting.
Fuck yes.
I knew she couldn’t resist my irresistible charm. And of course, all the girls know I am packing a monster, that’s why they want me. For recognition of fucking a rock star so they can climb the ladder. I am not complaining. As much as I want her in my bed, I have a feeling that this is different to my regular hook ups. This will not be one night. And that scares the shit out of me. But I want to see how far she’s willing to go.

C: Doll face, if you’ve seen what I am hiding, you wouldn’t want to sleep.

T: Goodnight, Hayes, I will see you tomorrow.

C: Sweet dreams, doll face. xo

I love how she’s let down her guard with me. She seems more relaxed. I wonder how long that will last. So far, step one is complete. Flopping onto my king-size bed, I can’t stop imagining her blonde hair splayed on my pillow. Against the soft black cotton sheets, her skin like ivory in contrast to the black. As I imagine her moan my name in that sweet sexy voice has me hard as rock. I want to be inside her tight little body. To feel her tighten around me. She will be under me, in my bed, very fucking soon.

“Callum fucking Hayes, that’s what you’ll be screaming darling.” My gaze falls on a beautiful brunette that just walked in. We had just finished the show and my brother disappeared with a girl, actually two, and I know he will not be coming back soon. He always does this. After every show, a few girls are always ready and waiting, and he takes full advantage. Me, I’m picky.

Don’t get me wrong, I take advantage of these women. The ache to get my cock squeezed by a tight pussy is always there. The adrenaline after finishing a show has my blood pumping. Now there’s a cute little brunette with a sexy body staring up at me with big doe eyes. All I can think of is burying myself in her for an hour or two.

I pull her into my room. When the door shuts, she’s on me like she’s climbing a fucking tree. Hungry little whimpers escape her plump lips. This isn’t how I do things darling. I am in charge. I push her until she’s kneeling before me. “This is how I want you… for now.” A wink and she’s giggling. She knows what’s coming.

With my jeans at my knees, I tug my boxer briefs down. Her gaze falls on my hard, thick cock. “Will you be able to take every inch in your pretty little mouth, kitten?”

“Yes.” Her eyes are round in… Shock? Awe? I don’t know, or care.

“Open your mouth, tongue out.” My voice is thick with lust. She complies sweetly. Fisting her long brown hair, I bring her to my dick. Sinking into her warm wet mouth is heaven and my head drops back. Not stopping, I thrust until I hit the back of her throat. The sound of her choking spurs me on, and with a wicked grin, I push just a little more. Fuck that feels good. Her tiny hands come up and grip my thighs.

I glance down and find her beautiful eyes shining with tears. When I slide out, she smiles. “You like that little one?” I watch her lick her lips. That’s all I needed. I fuck her mouth. Faster, and deeper. She takes me deep, but not all nine inches. No girl can take it all. Her jaw will be sore later. Her whimpering and moaning around my dick has my release shooting down my spine and my balls tighten. “You want rock star seed, slut?” She nods enthusiastically. And that’s when I give it to her. Every fucking drop.