Rock the Viper (29 page)

Work drags on and my mood does lighten, especially when I listen to a group of girls who are all sitting around a computer looking at a website dedicated to Viper. When they leave, I sit and take a look at the website and drool over the photos of Juan and my heart sinks at not being able to touch him right now. I hear the door go and Noah walks in. I close the computer down along with the others. His phone goes as I go behind the counter to make sure everything is locked and shut down.

When I walk back to the front I see the smile on his face and I hear him say, “About twenty minutes.” And he hangs up. I'm ready to go and I walk over to him. He opens his arms and I'm gathered into them. He kisses the top of my head and says, “I have a surprise for you.”

I look up at him, “What is it?” 

He touches the tip of my nose with his finger, “The sooner you get in the car and we get home, you will find out.”

I smile up at him, take his hand and drag him out the café to his car. I badger him all the way home to tell me what my surprise is, but he keeps his mouth shut.

As we pull up at Noah's house I see a figure standing at the door and I know who it is instantly because of the heat that runs through my body. I'm out the car even before Noah stops and I run into the arms of Juan and bury my face into his neck. I hear him laugh, “Anyone would think you were pleased to see me.”

I look up into his face, “I thought you were leaving right away.”

Noah comes and stands behind me and says, “You didn't think he would leave without saying goodbye.”

I lower my head so they can't see the tears. Juan’s hand brings my face back up to look at him. “Don't cry, it's only two months and you will come visit and we can talk on face time. I love you both and I'm going to miss you so much. I couldn't go without feeling your lips one more time.”

His lips find mine and my knees buckle at the passion Juan puts into our last kiss. Noah moves around so we can all hug each and he pulls Juan nearer to him and places a soft kiss to his lips and says, “I will miss you.”

Juan pulls us both tighter into him and his voice breaks when he says, “You two are killing me, look after each other for me. I love you both such much.” 

We all turn when we hear a beep and watch a van with Saul and Cruz pulling up. Juan steps back from us both, “I have to go. I will phone you later tonight.” He kisses us both again and walks over to the van.

I watch as he opens the door and I shout his name. I run over to him and with tears rolling down my face I tell him, “Please come back to me.”

He leans his forehead on mine and says, “You can count on it.”

I feel Noah come up behind me and put his arm around me. Juan softly kisses my lips and mouths I love you into them, then he gets into the van and it pulls away with us all waving at each other. I try and stay strong for Noah but as he sleeps, I cry silently to myself.

Saturday is spent with Monica. We visit Lara and bump into Noah and his parents. I find out that Lara will be allowed home on Monday and is going to stay with her parents for a few weeks. She lets me know she can't wait to get back to work.

I let Noah know that I'm off shopping and he whispers in my ear in front of everyone, “Buy something sexy, so I can take it off with my teeth later.” I blush as his parents are standing there and then I blush more when he kisses me in front of them.

We say our goodbyes and Monica and I spend all afternoon trying on clothes and having fun. I don't want the fun to end as I don't want to be left with my thoughts, so I suggest a pub. We end up staying a few hours and I end up texting Noah to come and pick us up, as we ended up having one to many. Noah comes to our rescue and takes Monica home and I fall asleep. He wakes me when we get home and tells me to head for a shower to sober up.

When I finish I lie on the bed in a towel and that’s when Noah comes in talking on his phone. He climbs onto the bed and turns the phone so I can see Juan's face and I smile up at him. They both joke about me being drunk and Noah says he is going to take advantage of me and Juan says he wishes he was there to join in. With being slightly drunk, I keep telling Juan that I love him and I kiss the screen. When Noah ends the call, he takes full advantage of me twice before I pass out.

Come Monday, Noah phones to tell me the papers are there to sign. So, after work I go over to Devil Records and read the papers to say that the flat is now in Lara's name, and another form saying I'm now a tenant at Noah's house and will pay half the bills, and then I sign on the dotted line.

We celebrate with Chinese and a bottle of wine. Noah tells me about the flat being cleaned and cleared. He tells me he had everything that was worth saving boxed up and the boxes will be delivered tomorrow. I kissed him my thanks and hoped that Lara didn't let Eric anywhere near my room when they stayed there, as I thought of the jewelry that had been handed down to me.

When the boxes were delivered, I went through them. I found some jewelry was missing which upset me and I decided the best thing to do was to start fresh and put the burglary behind me. I kept bits and pieces that meant a lot to me but I chucked everything else.

As the week went on, work kept me busy and Noah kept me busy in his bed. Juan kept to his promise and phoned each night. We found some interesting ways to have phone sex and found that Juan liked to watch. Juan would make me laugh by telling me how much Cruz was enjoying the attention and had a new girl each night.

On Thursday, when Noah picked me up he told me he had to travel to Scotland, as there was a problem with the venue that was booked for Viper to play. He asked if I wanted to go, but I decided not to as he would be working and Juan slept in the day and took to the stage at night, so I would be alone and I could do that at home.

Noah comes over to the Café at lunch time Friday and swept me off my feet and into his arms with a mouth-watering kiss. I swear he loves to embarrass me in front of others and we said our goodbyes. He left for Scotland and promised to ring me as soon as he arrived.

Monica comes over Friday night and we have a few drinks and watch a girly film and swoon over Johnny Depp. Juan and Noah phone and we face time, but as Monica is there it's short and sweet and Noah has to go and sort out the manager as he put it.

Saturday was hard, I was on my own and it hit me how much I missed Juan and Noah. I was beginning to wish I had gone. Juan phoned me and said he hadn't seen much of Noah. He was getting ready to go on stage and he promised to phone me later to let me know how things went.

Juan was very careful not to tell me if anyone had made a pass at him but that night he tells me a woman managed to make it on the on the stage and sat on his lap and kissed him. I wasn't sure if I wanted to know, but then I was glad he told me instead of hiding it. It did put a dampen on our chat as my insecurities started to surface, but Juan kept telling me that he loved me, that I was the only woman for him and he hated being away from him. He also made me promise that I would visit him next weekend as he really needed me in his arms and to be inside me.

After I said my goodbyes to Juan, I text Noah to say goodnight and he texted back saying he was sorry, it had been a nightmare and he would phone me tomorrow and explain everything when he was on the road to come home. That night I didn't sleep well, as I had nightmares of Juan being surrounded by beautiful women with their hands all over his body.

Noah phoned me about 4pm Sunday afternoon, “I'm so sorry Peppa, it has been nothing but one thing after another. I thought I would phone the other venues up here to make sure everything was still set for when Viper played there. And would you believe it, a couple of venues had over booked. It would be easier if I were able to understand the Scottish accent, as it took me three hours to sort it all out.”

I giggle, “Its ok. I'm glad you are on your way and I get to sleep next to you tonight. I've missed you so much.”

He sighs, “You have no idea how much I have missed you. You are coming with me next time I don't like being away from you, it doesn't feel right.”

“I know I feel the same, and I promised Juan we would get together next weekend, if you don't mind taking me of course.”

“Sounds good and how can I say no to the three of us being together again.”

I walk to the kitchen and open the fridge to get a bottle of water and sit at the counter and say, “Tell me about last night did Viper go down well?”

He laughs, “They sure did. A few women stormed the stage but the lads were very professional and carried on playing.”

Suddenly Noah starts swearing, “Peppa can I phone you back I made a wrong turn and need to get back on the right road.” I say ok and wait for him to phone back.

Twenty minutes later my phone goes and I say, “Everything ok, are you are the right road now?”

He laughs, “Yes, I had to stop and ask a few people but I'm on the right road now. So, another two hours and I will be dragging you off to my bed.”

“Sounds good to me, will you phone me when you are thirty minutes away and I will order some takeaway.”

“Sure can, speak to you later sweetheart.” He hangs up.

I take a bath to pass time and put on some sexy underwear and a silk dressing gown I bought on the last shopping trip I had with Monica.

Finally Noah phones, “Hi you, you can go ahead...” But he doesn't finish his sentence as I hear him say, “What the fuck.” And then the biggest bang I have ever heard in my life comes through the phone and then silence.

My heart stops beating in my chest. I scream out for Noah but there's no answer. I fall to the floor, I keep saying into the phone, “Noah, Noah please talk to me.” I clutch my chest as the pain rips through my body, my brain registers that I need to phone someone but I don't want to hang up in case he hears me.

I crawl to the house phone and sit rocking as I try and phone Juan. After three attempts, I get the number right. I try and speak when he answers and it's only when he shouts my name a few times that I get out, “Noah, car accident, not speaking.” Then the darkness descends.

I wake up and find myself in Juan’s arms and the word, “Noah?” leaves my mouth.

I see sadness on Juan face and my heart breaks all over again, “He’s in the hospital, he's in a bad way Peppa.” I manage to get the word, “Sick,” out and Juan moves quickly to the bathroom, where I make it in time and throw up.

Juan cleans me up and asks, “Do you want to go to the hospital?”

I nod a yes as that's all I can do as my body shuts down and all I feel is numbness. Juan dresses me and I’m vaguely aware of traveling in a car and Juan speaking to me. He walks me to a room and I hear my name being said as Lara clings to me crying. His parents talk to me but I don't hear them and the tears come next as I collapse and Juan catches me before I hit the floor. He picks me up and takes me over to a chair to sit and holds my hand. 

A doctor comes in and speaks and I hear someone crying. Juan leans into me and speaks into my ear and tells me, “They are keeping Noah in a coma to see if the swelling goes down on his brain.”

I nod and close my eyes. I pretend to sleep as I don't want to talk to anyone. Juan leans in again and whispers to me that he has to go, but I stare at him blankly.

He bends down in front of me and makes me look him in the eyes, “I will stay at Noah's and come back as soon as I wake.” He kisses me but I don't feel it. 

Lara comes over and sits with me. She talks but I don't hear. I'm told to leave, to go home and get some sleep but I refuse. I’m not going anywhere till I see Noah and I fall asleep on the chairs. I'm shaken awake by Noah's mother and told I can go and see Noah now.

My tears come again when I see the tubes and the bandages that cover him. He doesn't look like my Noah anymore. I take his hand in mine and that’s where I stay for the next two days. I hear everyone around me but ignore them. Juan comes and sits with me. I hear Noah's mother ask who Juan is and she tells him she thinks he is being over friendly with me and their conversation becomes heated, I ignore it. I notice the looks that they give me as I talk to Noah and will him awake.

It's Juan who finally gets me to leave using guilt, as I start to smell and know I need to shower and get some sleep so I'm fresh for Noah in case he wakes.

We get back to Noah's and I smell his unique smell and see him everywhere. Juan leads me to the shower and washes me and I break down once again. We both sit on the shower floor and hold on to one another. He gets me out when the water runs cold and dries me and wraps me in a towel. He lifts me into his arms and walks me to the bed and lies down with me.

He brushes the hair away from my face and kisses my lips, “I need to head back tonight, we have a gig, if you don't want me to go I can stay.” 

I look at him, “You have to go. Noah would want you to continue and when he wakes you can tell him how well the tour is going.”

He looks at me sadly but nods, “I will go when you fall asleep.” And he pulls me into him and tells me he loves me.

I wake the next morning alone, I quickly get dressed and make myself presentable. I call a taxi and have a quick cup of tea, which is all I can manage as the thought of food makes me feel sick. The taxi pulls up at the hospital and I get out.

I make my way to Noah's room, I open the door and the bed is empty. I panic, rush in and search the bathroom in case he is in there. I turn to see a nurse walk in and she looks at me surprised and I ask, “Where's Noah?” And the answer I get back is, “He's gone.”

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, my thanks go to Monica Campos and Amy Weidman Pro. Without their encouragement, support and honesty this book might have never seen the light of day.

Special thanks again go to Amy Weidman Pro who edited the book for me. You rock Amy and did an awesome job. Thanks for your patience and answering all my silly questions. I won’t hesitate to use you again for future books.

A big big thanks goes to Tammy Payne, who goes above and beyond her beta reader duties. I’m glad to have you on board and you truly are one in a million with all you do for me.