Indulgence (61 page)

Just as quickly Gray pulls back and runs his thumb across my
bottom lip. “Never let anyone trample your petals, Wildflower. No one. Don’t
let him get away with brushin’ you off.”

“I deserved it,” I say defensively. “I don’t act like this,
Gray. I’m supposed to be here for Landon. I was being stupid before. Now Tad is
angry with him and it’s all because of me,” I choke out.

Gray gets right up in my face shaking his head. “No one,
Daisy,” he repeats. Once I manage to nod he hands me a shirt. “Wear this to the
show. Stand on stage left where I can see you. Some fuckin’ body needs to be worried
about you.” Then he’s gone.

I pace the length of the room, over and over, trying to
figure out what to do. Landon told me not to come to the show tonight. I have a
feeling if I do we will just fight again. I don’t know what has come over him
in the past few days. He is usually so sweet and relaxed. Now? Now he is wound
so tight I think he may snap! I need to give him his space. Let him go do his
job without getting in the way. Then I think about Gray and the fact that I
really do want to watch the show tonight. I want to hear him sing.

Continuing to pace, I worry the shirt in my hands as I
continue debating with myself. Then my mind goes where I don’t want it to…the
kiss. Flashbacks of Gray marching in here, taking something he wanted just like
he said he would. My body trembles at the memories of his hands on my skin…his
mouth on mine.

I am pretty sure I’m losing my mind completely. I should
pack my things and leave before something horrible happens. Never in my life
have I ever felt so torn over what to do. I can’t think straight enough to fix
a sandwich let alone talk this shit out in my head. Having only met Gray
yesterday, I hardly know him. I have been with Landon for over a year. I should
go right now while I still can. Distance is the only thing that would clear my
muddled brain.

Instead, I straighten my hair and dig a black mini-skirt out
of my bag. Once I am dressed, I give myself a once over in the mirror, and
attempt a half-assed pep-talk. My pink converses match the words on the black
halter top and I have to still be half-lit to even contemplate going out in
public wearing this stupid thing. I can’t help laughing at the phrase ‘Shaft
Approved’ plastered across my chest as I hear a tap on the door.

“Time to take you over, Daisy.”

Turning, I face the giant security guard. “I’m ready,
Henry,” I say as he drapes a security tag around my neck.

“This way no one questions you if we get separated,” he
says, but I can only nod. “You good to go then? Need anything? Show starts in
half an hour.”

Not waiting for my answer, he leads me up the aisle, out the
door. The minute my feet hit the pavement, Henry wraps a protective arm around
me, blocking me from view. We shuffle through hundreds of people all waiting to
get a look at the bands before the show. I don’t get to look around too long
before Henry swipes a card key, getting us inside and away from the growing
crowd.

Henry leads me down a hallway into a staging room. My eyes
go wide as truck tires and my jaw probably hits the floor; Hunter is on a couch
with a topless red head on his lap, his face buried in her tits. She moans
loudly as she wiggles her ass into his crotch. Does this bitch have no shame?
“Maybe after the show. Company’s here,” he says spotting me. Hunter shoves her
off his lap, making her stumble in her heels as she fixes her top.

“Boys…” I mumble, walking over to sit on the couch across
from Hunter while the redhead is dismissed from the room.

“Love the shirt,” Aiden says with a wink as he unwraps his
burger.

“She’s off limits,” Gray growls, walking through the door,
flopping down beside me. “She’s gonna be Daisy Cole so she’s a no-go,” he
stresses, his glare drifts between them both. “That especially means you,
Cunter.”

My eyes meet Gray’s but I can only nod. He is sending me
mixed messages. He says he wants to be friends, then kisses me, then says I’m
off limits. I don’t get it. Maybe I read more into that kiss when all I should
be doing is finding Landon to apologize. It seems the more my buzz fades the
more confused I become. One thing is clear, now that the alcohol has nearly
left my system. I need to talk to Landon.

“Have you seen Landon?” I blurt making Gray’s smile fade.

“Yep,” Aiden says through a mouthful of burger. “Down the
hall with Tad.”

I stand to my feet and head for the door. “Thanks,” I
whisper then head down the hallway in search of my fiancé.

Heading further down the hallway, I stop outside of a closed
door. Before I can knock the harsh voice makes me freeze. “I told you, Landon.
You get her on board with this. I’ve given you enough chances,” Tad snaps.

Oh no they are fighting about me again.

“It’s not that simple with Daisy,” I hear Landon’s hushed
tone.

“Either she’s with us on this or she’s fucking gone. End of
story. Remember your place, Landon; I hold all the cards here.”

I watch in horror as the door knob starts to move. Oh my
God! They are going to see me. They will know that I have been listening. Move
Daisy! I’m frozen in my spot. I couldn’t make my feet move if the building was
on fire.

A hand covers my mouth, muffling my gasp as my feet leave
the ground. “Sshhh Wildflower,” Gray whispers against my ear as we duck around
the corner.

We watch Tad and Landon step out into the hall. Tad glances
around before turning to Landon, pinning him with a glare. “You want her to stay
then get the shit done,” he bites out before they go in separate directions,
leaving Gray and I standing out of view.

“What the hell was that about?” Gray asks sagging back
against the wall.

“I’m a problem,” I whisper, as a tear rolls down my cheek. “I
need to go before I get Landon fired.”

“The fuck if you are,” he roars, turning me in his arms to
meet his eyes. He opens his mouth to say something else then shakes his head.
“Show is starting. We’re openin’ for No Approval Needed. When we’re done I’m goin’
to feed you. Then we will talk to Landon and figure this shit out.” Gently,
Grayson pushes the hair off my shoulder before walking away.

By the time I take a minute in the bathroom and head back up
to the staging room, Henry is standing there waiting for me. “Ready?” He takes
my arm, leading me through the stage doors. Picking me up, he plops me on a
stool and pats my shoulder. “Better than front row, Daisy girl.” I can’t help
but smile when he grins at me. Then, without a word, he walks over and leans
against the wall. Crossing his arms over his chest, he fixes his eyes on the
stage, going into his badass mode.

The stage lights dim as I watch Hunter and Aiden come into
view. Aiden takes his place at the drums, immediately beginning to pound out
the beat. He is one with his kit, his sticks just extensions of his fingers as
the intensity pours off of him in waves. I watch the tattoos ripple across his
chest as he slams his foot down on the bass pedal, keeping time. His sticks
moving almost effortlessly as he sinks his teeth into his bottom lip in deep
concentration.

Hunter’s bass kicks in with his brother’s beats seamlessly.
It’s amazing being this close. I can see everything as it changes, every
movement, every facial expression… They communicate without words. The music
does all the talking for them as Gray’s guitar cries out. The crowd goes wild
as he walks out joining the guys. I scream out too making Henry chuckle behind
me.

Gray’s eyes roam across the stage until his gaze lands on
me. His eyes heat, making me drop my gaze to his guitar. Big mistake, Daisy. I
watch his hand glide up the and down the neck, paying special attention to each
note just as he would every inch of my body. The thought makes me squirm and I
inwardly scold myself. Where the hell are these thoughts coming from? I can’t
be thinking thoughts like this about Gray! The pull I felt, nearly instantly,
for him is so strong I don’t understand it. He says that he feels it too, but
it doesn’t make it right. It just means that I have to fight it that much
harder.

Hunter’s voice breaks through the haze as he plays up the
ladies. “Look at all of the sexy kittens, boys. Are you all here for me?” he
asks, rolling his hips earning him a few screams. Two blondes flash him making
him smile wickedly. “Uh oh…” The cocky bastard scolds clicking his tongue, “You
naughty kitties need a tongue lashing.” Looking over to Henry, he points to
them. “These two, Shaft Approved… See to it, Henry.” Henry nods in agreement.
My eyes immediately go to my shirt. Shit! “Now hold on to somethin’, Shaft’s
comin’!”

I watch from my stool as Shaft completely commands the
stage. Song after song they own every person in the audience, me included. My
thoughts drift to Landon, but I make no move to find him. I assume he is behind
the scenes working. I remind myself it is probably best that I leave him to it.
Not a great idea to give Tad anymore reason to hate me.

After a few songs Aiden and Hunter exit the stage, leaving
Gray alone. Walking up to the mic, he scans the crowd. “You’ve been great
tonight, Springfield. How ‘bout one from just me?” The ladies scream, making
him smile. “Oh alright, if you insist.” Turning to me he winks and starts to
play.

Time stands still as Gray’s voice flows around me. The words
of ‘Better Than Me’ by Hinder, rolling over every inch of me. I soak it up as
he sings. Gray’s voice isn’t raspy like Hunter’s but it is raw and edgy just
the same. Every ounce of emotion pours from his lips, only drawing me in
further. I am mesmerized by him as he sings about being unworthy of the only
one he really wants. Emotion claws at my throat and I nearly forget about the
five thousand fans all watching him. For the few minutes Gray sings, his eyes
never leaving mine, I forget all about Landon and hate myself for it.

My mind wanders away from this day, and the fights with
Landon, to a place I shouldn’t let it go. I’m back at the bar on that old couch
again but it isn’t with Landon, it is Gray’s hands on me. His mouth on mine,
our bodies pressed close together. I must be crazy because I am fucking loving
it. Then I really go for it. I let myself imagine running my tongue along every
inch of his naked tattooed body as those steel eyes roam over every inch of me.
My entire body burns under his gaze. I can feel the rough tips of his fingers
caressing my body as I ride his cock. Our panting breaths, I’m gasping and
moaning as he thrusts up into me making me…

“Thank you,” Gray murmurs faintly almost like he is far
away… Oh my God, am I really hearing Gray say this? There is no way that
Aiden’s joke from earlier, about Landon thanking me for orgasms, is ruining
this fantasy for me right now!

“No thank you needed,” I mutter in my lusty haze.

“Daisy... You ready?”

“Again?” I ask excitedly. Oh yes, my fantasy Gray has a
quick rebound. He already wants another go?

“Daisy, are you OK?” Gray chuckles. “You’re panting and
really flushed.” The words snapping me from my erotic daydream meeting Gray’s
very pleased expression. I know my thoughts are all over my face, all while he
is reading me like a book. I am so going to hell for my little fantasies about
Grayson Cole. I can feel the blush spread across my cheeks as I meet Gray’s
amused smirk. “Hungry?” he asks me, arching a brow; I can barely nod a
response.

Overinflated Rock God

Henry loads Gray, Hunter, Aiden, the two Shaft Approved
blondes, along with me into an SUV and we pull out onto the street. I haven’t
seen Landon or Tad in hours. I am curious as to where the hell they are.
“Where’s Tad and Landon?” I ask Henry.

His lifts his shades up a bit and sighs, “Tad has to deal
with No Approval’s manager, guessin’ Landon’s with him,” he answers with a
shrug.

I sink back into the seat crossing my arms over my chest.
“Cold?” Gray asks, handing me his leather jacket.

“Thanks” I say, shrugging it on. Even if I was sweating like
a hooker on the front row pew I would never walk into a restaurant deeming
myself ‘Shaft Approved’. Shit, why didn’t I just go back to the bus and change?

I watch the reflections on the street lights run along the
window of the SUV as Henry barrels down the highway. Letting my thoughts take
over once again; I need to talk to Landon but I don’t know what to say. I don’t
even know what I’m doing that is so wrong in the first place, so how can I fix
anything? He wouldn’t talk to me, he yelled then left me. I am supposed to get
on board, but with what? This is uncharted territory, Landon and I never had
issues like this before. We disagreed but not over anything major. Hell, until
today, I don’t think I remember him raising his voice. Now he is so angry and
tense that if I didn’t know any better I would think he was a totally different
person.

“We’re going to get bacon, Daisy, there’s no sulking in the
presence of bacon. It’s gotta be a law some-fuckin’-where. You need to eat.
Then you can go back to the bus and fuck Landon into a coma,” Hunter shouts. I
feel Gray tense as we climb out making a run for the diner.

Gray has an arm wrapped around my shoulders as the hostess
leads us back to a long corner booth. I sink into the seat and he slides in
beside me. “You alright?” he asks, draping his arm around the cushion behind
me, his fingers twirling a strand of my hair.

“I’m fine, Gray, just wish I talked to Landon before we
left. I don’t like leaving things unresolved,” I mutter as the waitress comes
to take drink orders.

Hunter grabs her hand sweetly. “Kitten, all I want is a
plate of cheese fries and some bacon. Lots of bacon! Plates of it! I mean, if
there’s bacon in the world, then world peace is in our reach.”

“Hunter, you’ll die at forty of a coronary!” I huff out with
a laugh.