Rock Stars Do It Forever (17 page)

8

Chase ran through the last part of the show on autopilot. He felt a distant sense of amazement that he was able to function at all. He was numb. He was terrified. He was shocked. He was thrilled and excited.
 

He was happy.

He didn’t know what he was, too overwhelmed by too many emotions to sort them all.
 

It all translated into a raging performance of their signature hit, ironically the number he’d written for Anna and performed in Vegas. He’d performed it so many times by this point that all emotional meaning had been leached out of the lyrics. Thank god for that.

The last notes hung in the air, settled over the wild audience like a blanket. The band bowed as Chase introduced them all, and then they began to file offstage. As he passed out of view of the crowd, Chase felt a bolt of inspiration hit him. He knew what he wanted to do. It was crazy, but it was inevitable once the idea hit him.

He grabbed his guitar and a little black box he’d been carrying around for almost two weeks. The house lights had started to come up, but then the tech saw Chase onstage with a guitar and lowered them, hit him with a spotlight. The crowd froze, returning their seats. Offstage, confused whispers echoed.
 

He turned, beckoned a stage tech over, and whispered a few requests. The tech scurried away and returned with a guitar amp cord, a mic stand, and two stools.
 

Chase adjusted the stand, plugged in the guitar, and then turned to the crowd. “This is unplanned, me being out here alone. I hope you’ll bear with me for a few minutes.” He lifted the guitar in a gesture. “A little-known fact about me is that I play the guitar. I don’t play on stage because, shit, you’ve all heard Kyle. The guy can shred better than anyone I know, so why would I bother? But…this is a special occasion.”

The crowd howled and clapped, then fell silent when Chase lifted his hand. “As you may be aware, this was our first show playing as the headlining band, which, of course, is fucking huge. Right? And we’re all from the D, so it’s extra special. You guys are awesome. I know I speak for the rest of the band when I say there’s nothing like playing at home. And to be here? In the Palace? It’s a dream come true. So yeah, special occasion.” The crowd went nuts again, and Chase had to quiet them. “But that’s not why I’m out here alone with my guitar. You guys are about to hear a song no one has ever heard before. Not even the other guys in the band. Will you let me play you my song?”

They screamed, and several yells of “yes!” rose above the din.
 

“Awesome,” Chase said, readjusting the mic, fidgeting with the tightening knob, then strumming a chord. “This song is for Jamie. In fact, I think you guys need to meet Jamie. She’s the love of my life, and she should be sitting here with me when I sing this. Jamie, come on out.”
 

Gage appeared, pushing a stunned, terrified Jamie. She sat on the stool next to Chase, her green eyes wide.
 

Chase took her hand, whispered in her ear. “Just sit there and be beautiful, okay? You don’t have to do anything but look at me and listen, okay? Just listen. This is what I was playing earlier.”

Jamie nodded, sucking in deep, shuddering breaths.

Chase turned on the stool and moved the mic so he was half facing the crowd and half facing Jamie. Into the mic he said, “I’ve been working on this song for a while now, and waiting for the right opportunity to sing it to Jamie. Initially the plan was for it to be at a picnic or some shit, somewhere romantic where it was just us. But…” He glanced at Jamie and offered her a bright smile, “…but Jamie gave me some…news just a little bit ago, and that changes everything. Everything. So here it is.

“It’s called ‘A Six-word Spell.’”

Chase cleared his throat, then picked a simple but haunting melody on the guitar. He met Jamie’s eyes and began singing in a high, clear voice, at the upper end of his register.

“A skein of kisses

Trails from my heart to yours,

Tangling our souls one with the other

In an endless web of heat and desire.

I hold you tight and whisper as we kiss,

You clutch me close with desperate fingers
 

As we drowse in the afterglow,

Drowning delightfully in satiety.”

He paused in his singing and repeated the opening notes as an instrumental chorus, eyes locked on Jamie, his gaze unwavering and fierce. He saw the emotion in her eyes, the wonder and hope and stunned confusion. She glanced out at the crowd, then back at him. He smiled at her, then returned his lips to the mic and resumed singing.

“The days and moments and weeks that went before this night

Are but a dream, lost and burnt by the fire between us.

And now all that remains is love,

Our fingers twined as we sleep,

Our hearts beating as one.

Apart from you, I bleed.

Without you I mourn.

How can I bind you to me?

How can I seal closed the spaces between us?

With a six-word spell, a vow spoken:

‘With this ring, I thee wed.’

Marry me, my love.

Be my forever.”

Chase repeated the chorus notes again, playing through his own emotion, fighting a thickness in his throat, stinging in his eyes. Jamie’s face was streaked by a flood of tears. Chase let the guitar go silent, set it down on the stage, and slipped off his stool, grabbing the mic from the stand. He had the little black box in his hand, and he sank to his knees in front of Jamie. She put her hands over her mouth, shoulders shaking.

“Jamie, I know this is totally crazy. This is probably not a really typical way to do this, but…it’s the only way I know. And…I love you. Too much to let another day go by. That song was my proposal.” He opened the box to reveal a one-carat, princess-cut diamond ring, simple but beautiful. “Will you marry me?”

The crowd lost it, and Jamie’s whispered “yes” was lost in the screams and applause. Chase heard it, though, read it on her lips and on her face. He stood up and scooped her against his chest, holding the mic away so it didn’t
thump
noisily. He kissed her, to the delight of the audience. He heard a question shouted by someone near the stage and lifted the mic to his lips.

“Oh, I didn’t tell you what the news is, did I?” He glanced at Jamie, lifting his eyebrow in a silent question. She shrugged and nodded, laughing. “Well, the news is, Jamie is pregnant. We’re going to be parents together. Now, just so there aren’t any questions from you guys
or
from her, I was writing this song with the intention of proposing well before Jamie told me she was pregnant.”

Jamie laughed, almost hysterically.
 
She took Chase’s hand, gazing at the ring on her finger, then glanced out at the crowd, which hadn’t stopped screaming since the moment Chase asked the question. She leaned close to his ear and whispered, “Get me off this stage, Chase. I need you alone.”

He grinned at her and looked back out at the crowd. He took her hand in his, turned them to face the crowd, and raised their joined hands. “I love you, Detroit. Thanks for putting up with my sappy proposal song. I hope you liked it.” They screamed their approval. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have some celebrating to do.”

The screaming went on and on, well after Chase and Jamie had left the stage and the house lights had risen.
 

The moment they were offstage, Jamie shoved Chase with all her strength against the wall, slamming him into it so hard his breath left him in a huff. He was stunned by her sudden fierceness, looked into her eyes. The intensity he saw in her jade-green orbs left him breathless.

She kissed him hard, kissed the hell out him. Kissed him so fiercely he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t do anything but kiss her back.

“Did you mean it?” Her voice was a harsh, ragged whispered plea.

“Did I—?
Yes
, Jamie. I love you. I love
us
. I want to marry you.”

“But not just because I’m pregnant with your child?”

“God, no. No. That just made me want to marry you even sooner. Now. Tomorrow. Next week. I don’t know when. But…you’re mine. And I want you to be mine forever.”

“I am yours forever. I just…I was so scared.” She ducked her head. “I’m
still
scared.”

Chase laughed, a nervous chuckle. “Me, too. You’re pregnant. We’re having a baby. I don’t know shit about fatherhood. This is…so unexpected.”

“I know, I know it’s bad timing, and I’m sorry but—”

“Don’t apologize. Never apologize. This is perfect. Just like you.” He pinned her with an intense stare. “You weren’t afraid I would…that I’d run, or something, were you? That I’d leave you to raise our child alone?”

Jamie shook her head. “No, I know you better than that. But it was still scared of it. I couldn’t help it.” She laughed and cried at the same time. “This is just the worst possible timing. Your band is bigger than ever and still growing, especially with how this show went, and I’m about to be promoted to GM at work, and…I’m not ready. I don’t…I don’t know how to be a wife, or a mother. I never thought I’d get married. Really
really
never thought I’d be a mother. I don’t know
how
. I’m not even sure I want to, but I’m going to be, like it or not.”
 

“Unexpected, yes. Unwanted? No. I’m not ready, either. But we can do this together. Okay?” He took her cheeks in his palms, drew her close to him, and kissed her, gently and carefully. “I’m happy you’re pregnant. Scared shitless, but ready to take this on with you.”

Jamie thunked her head against his chest and went limp. “Thank god. I didn’t know what you’d say. I didn’t know—god. I’ve been so scared for so long.”

Chase led her into a walk, took her to the bus and into his room. They needed privacy. Chase felt his own emotions spiraling out of control, needed time alone with her to process. To hold her.

To make love to her.

He pulled her down onto the bed with him and held her close. She nestled in his arms, then turned her bright gaze on him, her eyes burning.
 

“I need you,” she whispered. “Take me.”

*
 
*
 
*

Jamie’s heart was pounding a million miles an hour. As if they hadn’t made love a hundred, hundred times by now, as if she didn’t know every inch of his body. As if she hadn’t felt him settle above her just like this a thousand delicious times. She watched him peel off his clothes, lifted up to let him strip her, watched, rapt, as he stood, raking her body with his gaze. She couldn’t take her eyes off his erection, pink skin ridged and purple-veined, broad head dark with rushing blood. He simply stood, breathing, each breath causing his cock to bob, beckoning her touch.
 

She resisted the call, waiting for him. She wanted his touch, wanted to follow his lead. Before Chase she’d always been the one setting the pace, initiating and leading, hoping the flavor of the night could keep up with her. They never could; they could only try to last long enough to make it worth her time.

Chase? Oh, god. He led her—he set the pace and took away the need for her to make decisions in the bedroom. She could trust him, wait for him, follow him. She could lie on her back and just breathe, knowing without a doubt Chase would take her to heaven and back.

She held her breath as he knelt on the bed and crawled over her. She forced her anticipation-tense body to relax as he prowled on all fours between her thighs, his eyes dark and predatory, his thick, heavy muscles rippling. She lifted her chin, arched her back up into his touch, sucking in a breath as his palms skated across her belly.
 

The look on his face told her what he was thinking. She stilled his hand on her womb, her palm on his, breathing deep and watching his eyes shine. The gleam of love turned to the glint of lust, and Jamie led his hand down her belly, over her pubis, guided his fingers into an inward curl, her eyes going hooded as he took the cue, took her away from now and into ecstasy. He captured both of her hands in his and raised them over her head, lifting her breasts to his lowering mouth. His hand left her wrists, and she forced herself to remain as he’d placed her. His hand traced a line down her cheek; his mouth sucked her nipple into an elongated ribbon of shooting heat, and his fingers curled against her core and sent lightning thrilling through her womb. He pinched her nipple in his fingers, and now he set a complicated rhythm of suckling, curling, and pinching, a fiery trinity of sensation blazing like a comet through her body.
 

She fell willingly over the edge, bucking against his touch, biting her lip to remain silent. Chase didn’t take mercy on her, kept her writhing with his mouth on her taut nipple, and as she crested the wave of her climax, he sliced into her, sent her juddering over the edge once again. He pulsed into her, deep and slow, lips worrying her nipple, fingers rolling the other, his hips pistoning with gentle force.
 

He knew what she needed, and he gave it to her. He raised his head and settled his torso against hers, cradled her head beneath his strong arms, held her in a hot embrace and moved with her, breathing her name in her ear, a prayer to their mutual pleasure. He met her eyes, locked gazes with her as they slid and slipped and tangled together, her arms scraping over his broad shoulders and lean waist, her feet catching at the tensing and releasing muscles of his ass, her lips stuttering on his neck and his stubble-rough jaw, her breath coming in hard gasps as he took her to new heights of need.
 

There were no words, no cries or screams or moans, only synchronous breaths in the silent room, only the sweat-slick sliding of trembling limbs and eyes locked in an unwavering meeting of souls.
 

They came in unison, each gasping the other’s name, the only spoken words.
 

There was no talk after that, either. Only fingers tangled and resting on her belly, their eyes staring at her womb. Jamie’s thoughts were running in circles, incredulity at the life growing inside her, fear of screwing up, fear of not being enough, joy at Chase’s crazy, romantic proposal, at his unflinching devotion to her. His bone-deep knowledge of exactly what she needed and his ability to make her feel loved and cherished and protected in a way uniquely Chase’s.