Rock Hard (6 page)

Kate’s
fingers clenched tighter on the sheets and with a grunt, Gage suddenly slammed
in to the hilt with a drilling force. Kate cried out in ecstasy…

* * *

Shooting from
the pillows with a gasp, Kate came awake. Her whole body was shivering and there
was a strange ache in her deepest womb. Blinking, she placed her hand against
her belly as she went over that long, heated dream – one of many she’d
been having lately.

Fantasies of
being taken by Gage had filled her every sleeping moment ever since that night
weeks ago. He’d rung the chauffeur whom Kate found waiting at the front of the
hotel to take her home. Riding in the back of the limo, she’d closed her eyes
and seen the image of Gage’s face; his slightly mocking smile as he’d said
goodnight.

“We could
have made such beautiful music together,” he’d said. “Too bad we were much too
good at saying goodbye…”

Suddenly, she
remembered that those were the lyrics to one of his hit songs. A song about
heartbreak, despair and destruction. His music had always been so poignant yet
strangely comforting. Because somehow, knowing that someone out there
understood your pain and sang about it, made it seem like you were not alone.

Kate felt the
loneliest she’d ever been though, as the driver took her farther away from
Gage. It was three a.m. when she finally let herself into her apartment. She
peeled out of her clothes and padded into the bathroom, knowing a warm shower
would help her sleep after such an eventful night. The concert, the backstage
meet and greet, and finally the after party at the hotel bar and then up in
Gage’s room. She thought of Gage’s stirring words of desire…
I want you to
stay. I want your heat, your passion
…

Kate
shuddered beneath the warm spray, hugging her arms about her frame as she felt
tears sting and mingle with the cascade falling down her face.

* * *

Now, weeks
later, Kate was faced with even more of a dilemma. She arrived at work to be
told by her boss that there was “good news”.

The article
had been a success; that much Kate knew. It had felt anti-climatic when the
issue had come out a week ago to rave reviews about her Gage Stevens feature.
Her employers for one had been thrilled by the outcome.

“You wrote
with such heart,” said Ursula, the editor-in-chief. “I could feel you two’s
connection in every line. I’m glad now we took the decision to give you the
interview. You showed more spunk and vibrancy in this one article than in all
your other writing for this magazine combined. Which is the basis of why you’re
getting this next assignment.”

“What
assignment?” Kate asked, already dreading what was coming. Turned out her every
misgiving was correct.

Now they
wanted to force her into yet another awkward situation. She was to travel on
tour with Gage, documenting the experience.

Kate’s first,
spurring instinct was to refuse the task – an option she knew she dared
not attempt. For one thing, Ursula was taking the Gage Stevens matter very
seriously – so seriously, that she was asking Kate to drop every other
project and focus on getting ready for the tour commencing in a week’s time.

“I’ve talked
to Gage Stevens’ people and they’re totally down with the whole thing. They
loved the article you did on their client and fully intend to give you –
and in essence, our magazine, plenty of exclusive scoops. You can’t mess this
up, Kate.”

“The thing
is…well, for personal reasons, I…”

Ursula held
her gaze shrewdly. “I think I know where you’re going Kate. I must ask you
though how much you value your career.”

Ursula sighed
deeply. “For months now, we haven’t really been impressed with your
productivity. This might be your big chance to finally prove yourself. Don’t
blow it. Or else I’m afraid there might no longer be a place for you at
Stardom. Just think of it as an exciting adventure that will be over before you
even know it. This is a very competitive and unforgiving industry, Kate. You
really don’t want to be messing up this far into your career. You understand
that you have to do whatever it takes to make this Gage Stevens project a
success?”

“Yes, I
understand,” Kate said, and it was like tumbling into a fish net. Whatever it
takes…she understood that phrase quite well but had never had to actually be
subjected to obeying it. Looked like she was about to face even more
work-related as well as emotional challenges.

Most
tormenting of all was the thought of having to face Gage again considering how
much he occupied her every free thought. In her dreams, he made love to her and
brought her to a passionate surrender. His supple, beautiful guitarist’s hands
played her fleshly strings with delicate ferocity.

All her past
memories of lying in his arms had intensified to sense-numbing clarity now that
the years had turned full circle. How would she be able to stand being close to
him in the next several weeks? Show after show, groupie galore, the drinking,
the partying, and the wild sex? Kate knew all about such goings on, had
glimpsed a fraction of such that one night when she’d met Gage again. And now
she was going to have to go over it one more time….

* * *

If this is a
dream, don’t freaking wake me up.

Gage knew he
was staring but for the life of him he couldn’t look away.

Kate, in a
skirt.
Her long, stocking-clad legs elegantly stepping out of the limo that
had picked her up and brought her to meet them where the tour bus was waiting.

In broad
daylight, her creamy complexion and dazzling red hair made her look stunning.

Like a perfect
cover model. Gage had dated them all: movie stars, Victoria Secret Angels, and
international beauty queens. But Kate stood out for her lushness; her obvious
cluelessness of what a package she brought to the table.

He was
surprised to see she made it. He’d been so sure she’d refuse to do the
assignment. Why would she want to be holed up with him and his entourage for
the next one month of touring six cities? She wasn’t that much of a rock fan he
knew – and she was certainly no fan of his, he thought wryly.

Obviously,
her employers were very persuasive to make her want to spend any more time
around him.

Gage however
knew that though she could act like it was just his imagination, there was
still that spark between them. It wasn’t something that could be wished away no
matter how hard he tried. And God help him, how he’d tried. He didn’t want to
want this woman. She infuriated him with the way she seemed to look down her
nose at him even now, when he was worth more money than he knew how to spend.

She had a
tentative smile on her face as she walked up to him, and he drew in a calming
breath. He was done feeling mad over Kate Preston.

Sure, she’d
dumped him in cold blood and never looked back. He could still remember how bad
it used to be. Back in those days when he and his former band had tried to make
demo EPs that would hopefully catch a label’s attention. When they’d spent
nights opening for other bands, sleeping on the floor of tour buses of the main
acts and just doing anything to get themselves out there. Gage could never
forget having to cook food off a gas grill while in an empty warehouse and not
being bothered because well, he was too much of a lifer. He couldn’t let
anything bring him down – even though each night had him groaning
silently in pain at the thought that he’d lost Kate and that she’d never even
cared.

After Kate
had left him it had been really ghastly for a few weeks. He’d felt the pain
like shrapnel permanently lodged in his heart. But that agony had soon spurred
his creative juices and one night, half-drunk and unable to sleep, he’d started
writing. And didn’t stop till forty-eight hours of no sleep and food had
passed.

A week later,
a couple of those written songs were performed at one of the house gigs his
band usually played at.

Somehow, a
video of it got put on YouTube. Next thing Gage knew, he was getting a call
from Theo Banks, who co-owned Bankable Records. He told Gage someone had
referred him to the video of their performance and he’d like to meet Gage.
Just
Gage
, not the band.

It all seemed
like part of a fairytale now. Gage could never forget how it had felt, finally
finding out that Banks wanted to sign him on,
only him
, as a solo act.
When Theo discovered that Gage had written all the songs, he was sincerely
impressed. He promised to set Gage up with a carefully selected band set of his
own. But he had to break off from his group, make a fresh start.

Gage had had
to fight down the guilt for having to let go of his old band. After all, they
were his best friends, his brothers. But even the group had known that
artistically, they’d reached their collective dead-end. They finally agreed to split
up and find their own way, and from what Gage later heard of them, a few had
gone on to form other bands and one or two had thriving solo careers in the
indie circles.

In the end,
Gage’s decision to go solo paid off. He recorded the album and in less than a
year it was certified gold; had topped every list and spawned a few imitators
that still hadn’t managed to reach even his waist level of success and quality
after five years in the business.

Music critics
had called that first album a game changer that could be considered a
soundtrack not just for the indie rock set but for the other music genres
linked to punk, metal or classic rock.

Nothing could
compare to being respected for his art, which Gage took very seriously. He’d
been able to prove to himself that his dream had been worthwhile after all.
He’d also shown his parents and all those who’d doubted him – including
Kate – how far one could go if you just kept faith.

Meeting
Kate’s guarded expression, Gage now wondered what it was about her that still
drew him, after so long.

That night of
his last show had been eye opening. Asking her to stay, to give him her body
and take them back in time to when it had all felt like magic…Gage knew he must
have been crazy. And yet he’d wanted her so bad it had made him almost forget
what she’d done to him. Almost.

Deciding to
pick on her cue, he strapped on a charming grin that made her blink in the sunlight
that burst behind him.

“Kate. Ready
to road trip?”

“Yeah, I
guess. Live hard, rock on and all that,” she muttered, that fixed smile still
on her face.

As she strode
past him to speak to a few of the roadies who were loading up the bus, Gage got
a whiff of her perfume.

It almost had
him staggering on his feet and he felt like he needed to sit down for a moment.
Fuck, fuck, and fuck
! How could she still do that to him? How could just
her scent make his dick so hard it could rip a hole in his pants?

He shoved a
hand through his hair and gritted his teeth. There was nothing for it. This
demon inside him had to be exorcised. It was obvious that he and Kate Preston
had a lot of unfinished business, and there was only one way to get her finally
out of his system.

Come hell or
high water, Gage decided; he was going to get his becoming ex into his bed and
it wouldn’t be too soon. And hopefully then, he’d be free of this fixation he
had with the one woman who’d ever made him bleed…

* * *

Kate was far
more comfortable with her conservative side – the one she let out for the
public. She knew that people generally thought her uptight, but she wasn’t
really. However, even she knew that for this assignment, she’d need a total
wardrobe upheaval. Even if it was for just a few weeks touring with Gage in six
major cities, she certainly wanted to look the part and not stick out like a
sore thumb.

Being a
magazine journalist meant she was used to working behind the scenes, so to
speak. She’d only just started reporting in the music and entertainment
section, and after that night of Gage’s last gig, she was being thrust into the
limelight in the most unexpected way. Now she was getting a bird’s eye view of
fame and what it took to live the rock star life on the road and then, getting
to witness the glory on the stage.

Every show
brought a different story. She watched Gage perform and each night she was
treated to the brooding masterpiece that was his music. She caught glimpses of
him she didn’t expect.

When he
wanted to, he could play the demanding rock star with his perplexing requests
required for each venue they arrived at during his tour. He had to have this
and that, to be done this or that way. His “rider” or contract included requests
that, Kate had to admit, didn’t seem
too
bizarre compared to other
rockers out there in the same industry. True, Gage liked to have particular wines
and liquor available, from bottles of Californian Merlot or an Italian Borolo
in terms of red wine, and Chardonnay or European Pinot Blanc for white. For his
liquor, his rider stated that it had to be Chivas Regal, Stolichnaya vodka or
Martell Cordon Bleu cognac.

He also had
to have his fine cheeses, high quality chocolate, expensive champagne such as
Cristal and Moet. And then there were the aromatherapy candles, fresh papaya
juice – and of course, a rock star couldn’t well do without his liters of
still, glacier water from Australia, right?

Kate knew
that the rock venues understood the essentiality of catering to a rock star’s
intricate needs. After all, keeping a mega-successful musician happy before,
during and after the gig ensured quality performance.

Kate already
found out that each venue at which they appeared was investing millions of
dollars per Gage’s appearance. The sheer amounts she got to hear about always
made her stagger as she realized exactly what it took to be Gage Stevens.