Chapter 25
After her unorthodox morning, the rest of Gen’s day took on a glaze of boring regularity. It was the same monotonous schedule they followed almost every day. Off to a couple of radio stations to promote tonight's show and give away some tickets. In larger cities, like St Louis they were doing a noontime TV spot as well. Then it was on to the record store signings. Today there were two. They got a quick bite to eat, then headed to the sound check.
While they were setting up, she took the opportunity to jot down some ideas for this interview she was to do in a couple of days. She considered how boring this rock star life was. It wasn’t as magical as one would imagine. Other than the couple of hours during the show, it wasn’t glamorous at all! It made her wonder how it must feel to be up there on stage having all those people screaming for you. It must be beyond compare, because she couldn’t think of anything in her life that was even remotely similar. She decided to make that one of her questions. She grabbed a pen and note pad and started writing.
It wasn’t much, but it was a start. She decided to run them by Johnny this evening to see what he thought. By the sound of things, they were done on stage. She closed up the notebook she’d been writing in and waited for them to return to the ready area. Mike came out first. He sat down on the bench beside her.
“So, I hear there was some excitement this morning when I went out for my run,” he teased her.
She blushed, “Not much, really. Not as much as you probably think.”
“Aw, that’s cool. Look, I know Dave can be an ass, but he’s not a bad guy. If he says anything to you, just blow it off, Ok?”
“He hasn’t said anything yet. But don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”
“Good, because I think you guys are good for each other. I know Robby thinks so too. Johnny’s not been this cool in a long time,” he chuckled. “He rarely even lets his inner asshole out anymore.” They shared a laugh. “Seriously, I’m glad you hooked up. We like you.”
“Oh, gee thanks,” Gen smiled.
Robby walked up, “So, I hear you’re comin’ to see us play at home. Lookin’ forward to it. You’ll have fun. The last show is always a riot!”
“I’m looking forward to it too.” Her eyes went wide with excitement. “I’ve never been to Buffalo. I really want to see the falls.”
“We’ll have to set that up. Ya gotta go at night. It’s somethin’ to see,”
Just then Johnny came over and put his arm around her shoulder, “Hey, I’ve gotta run back to the hotel then I was gonna get something to eat. Wanna come?”
She shrugged, “Sure.”
Back at the hotel they walked down the hall towards John’s room. He needed to grab the clothes he planned to wear this evening; it seems he’d changed his mind at the last minute. He took a firm hold of her hand as he opened the door. Quickly pulling her closer, he let the door shut behind them. Taking her other hand, he pinned her against the wall and held her hands above her head. He pressed himself hard against her body and stared into her eyes making her pulse quicken. Her lips parted as he outlined them with his tongue with agonizing slowness, sucking her lower lip when he’d completed his course. Her breathing grew heavy as they stood eye to eye. She could feel his heart pounding in his chest while she gazed into his smoldering eyes. She casually slipped off her shoe and ran her toe along the back of his leg. He let go of one hand and ran his fingers along her leg, sliding it under the hem of her dress. His fingertips traveled higher until they found a final resting spot on her behind just under the elastic of her panties.
“Tonight…In my room…” he whispered in her ear. He kissed her slowly and deliberately, then backed away and picked up what he’d allegedly come for.
She stood in stunned silence, biting her lip. That was quite possibly the most passionately tantalizing thirty seconds of her life. If this was any indication of what tonight would be like, she hoped she would survive it. It wasn’t looking too good at the moment, she already felt flushed and dizzy and her pounding heart felt as though it would explode right through her cotton dress. When he returned to where she stood she sighed, he smiled. He put his arm around her and they left.
Once again outside, he tossed his garment bag in the trunk and opened her door for her. “Whadda ya wanna eat?”
She looked at him like a guilty kid, “Y’know what I want? I would LOVE some frozen custard, y’know, ice cream. I don’t really care what we eat otherwise. Take me to Ted Drewes!” It was her favorite snack when she was here and he’d gotten her in the mood to be indulgent.
He made a confused face and shrugged. “Ok.”
She ordered a strawberry chocolate chip concrete and savored every decadent spoonful. She was convinced that she had died and gone to heaven this morning; her day certainly couldn’t get any better, though she had his promise that tonight it would.
On the way back to the venue, John convinced her to sit in the audience rather than backstage for this show. “I want to see you out there. It’ll be…stimulating,” he asserted with a seductive grin.
Gen affixed her coquettish smile, and batted her lashes, “I do believe you’re flirting with me!”
“I believe you’re right,”
She licked her lips slowly, raising an eyebrow. “I would love to be your muse for the evening.”
“Darlin’, you already are.”
When they got to the venue Jack was looking for her and everyone was looking for John. He grabbed his bag and took off in the direction of backstage. Jack approached Gen, his eyes wide with amazement. “You were with him again?”
Gennie rolled her eyes, shaking her head; glad she still had the empty custard cup to prove her innocence. “We went to eat,” she groaned. She held up the cup before she discarded it. “Sorry I didn’t get your permission first. You can talk to Mike and Robby when I’m not around, you know. I’m not the only one here.”
When she didn’t find John to wish him luck, she decided to claim her seat in front before it got too crazy. The opening band was just finishing up. When they blasted on to the stage, she realized why John had a last minute fashion emergency.
Until tonight, he’d been going on stage in shorts, khaki pants or jeans, something suitable to the humid summer evenings. But tonight, he strode on stage in those tight leather pants she loved and a snug t-shirt. She knew instantly that he’d done it to drive her wild. He knew just where she was sitting and immediately shot an enticing glance in her direction; the seduction had begun.
The songs he sang, she felt he sung for only her. It was as if the other 14,999 people in the amphitheatre had disappeared. Evidently, the woman sitting beside her noticed. Halfway through the show, the woman, who looked to be about the same age, leaned over to her. “Why do you think he keeps looking at you?”
Gennie was caught off guard. She came back to reality and realized that she was, in fact, part of a large crowd. She looked at the woman and blushed, “I don’t know, I think he’s flirting.”
“No Way! Some girls have all the luck, I guess.” She patted Gen on the shoulder and laughed, “I’d go for it if I were you, sweetheart! You’d be crazy not to.” She leaned closer, but turned her eyes back to Johnny, “I hear he has a girlfriend, though, so don’t get your hopes up.”
They finished a song and John started chatting. “Hey, Robby, you havin’ a good time in St Louis?”
Robby nodded, “Sure. Nice city. Day off yesterday. Can’t complain.”
He turned back to Mike, “How about you? You havin’ fun?”
Mike nodded and said something inaudible.
“Yeah, I was off yesterday and, um, a friend of mine showed me around. I saw it all, y’know. I had toasted ravioli, drank some Bud,” the crowd cheered for their local favorites, “Y’know. It was nice.” He took a drink from his water bottle. “Hung out in Forest Park. Beautiful place.” He laughed, “And you know what I had for dinner tonight?” The crowd started yelling out suggestions, they were enjoying this.
“What did you have Johnny?” someone screamed from the audience.
“Ted Drewes. You guys know the place?” The cheers were deafening in response to his question. He laughed at this. “So you do. Ok, cool. I had a concrete for dinner.” He paused as some girl hollered something to him, “What, were you there? Yeah? I didn’t see you,” he teased. “So, y’know, I’m havin’ fun here.” He looked in Gennie’s direction. “But tonight’ll be even better. It’s gonna get wild tonight!”
Gen blushed at the thought. She bit her lip and gazed up at him and almost imperceptibly raised an eyebrow in an inviting gesture. She couldn’t wait; her heart beat faster just thinking about it. She was enjoying his teasing looks and little comments that only she would get. The way he peered into her eyes, however briefly, while he was singing turned her knees to Jello. She hoped his agenda wasn’t too obvious to the woman sitting next to her; she didn’t want the whole world to know what she was doing later. It was a secret she guarded like smuggled jewels clutched tight in her fist. She feared letting go- afraid that if anyone found out it would all be taken away.
“Shit, it’s fuckin’ hot out here! I’m burnin’ up!” John exclaimed; he was soaked with sweat. Girls everywhere started screaming. “Must be the company,” he chuckled.
“You’re certainly dressed for a hot night!” Robby teased.
John laughed, “Oh yeah,” he muttered slyly with a bob of his head. “I heard somewhere that chicks dig a guy in leather.” The crowd went wild. He spread his arms wide. “This is for you!” He’d addressed the comment to the audience in general, but they both knew who it was meant for.
When it was over, she quickly made her way around back. She saw Mike and Robby already talking to fans at the gate. John was nowhere to be found. She decided to wait on the bus; he’d show up sooner or later. She grabbed a ginger ale out of the fridge and had only taken a few sips when he ran in the door and pulled her close and kissed her. He was still all sweaty but at the moment she found it provocative instead of unpleasant. He whispered in her ear, “I’ve still got the keys to the car…ya wanna make a fast getaway?”
She couldn’t wait to have him all to herself. “Do you think we can do it? There’re people everywhere.”
“There’s a gate and an access road back here. I asked security to let us through. No one’ll see us.” He nibbled on her earlobe.
She kissed him softly on his lips, then took his hand and ran out the door. “C’mon,” she giggled. This was going to be a lot of fun! They dodged vehicles and crew people as they ran to the other side of the area where the car was parked. A security guard had already unlocked the gate. All they had to do was drive out. No one had any clue that they’d even left.