Adrian (4 page)

T
his morning
, the band rehearsed for our performance tonight. Everything went smoothly, and after catching up with my sister, Nessa and I left feeling confident tonight will go well. Gideon’s Pub is the kind of hole-in-the-wall place that is not popular for its decor. While it appears that very little effort has gone into decorating with the mismatched furniture and paint-chipped walls, the owner loves music, and the sound system is where he spent his money. We’re in the back room as we wait to be announced. Aaron is drumming his sticks on the edge of a chair as I pace.

Adrian talks in my head.
“You’re going to be fine. Just dazzle them with your fast fingers, babe.”

I glance over at Aleck, and he nods. I hope that means he’s ready. The plan is that he’ll be backstage right near me, and like a guide dog that can tell when an epileptic is about to have a seizure, he’ll be focused on sensing my mood and ready to move. I hope I’ll be able to get out of my own way so all he has to do is step in for me.

My sister Nessa is warming up her vocal cords as her broody mate, Andre, sits with Aleck so neither of them have to talk. Nessa and Andre met last fall when I convinced her to stand in for the singer that left us in the lurch. She resisted, but now, not only is she the mate of our bass player, she’s discovered singing is her thing. Nessa even changed her major, and I’ve never seen her happier.

I walk over to Adrian for physical support. He hugs me tight. “I know tonight will be fine. You haven’t accidentally shifted since before we left.”

“I haven’t had a reason to.” I gaze up at him and notice a twinkle in Adrian’s eye goes with the erection he’s pressing into my stomach. A wave of desire washes over me. Adrian’s breath hitches before he says, “We have another ten minutes...”

I nod and grab his hand to yank him out to the van we use to transport equipment. “We’ll be right back.”

Nessa shakes her head at me, but I know she understands. This is her first spring as a werebear, and she’s feeling the intense pull of mating fever too. She and Andre got into the van tonight with the distinct odor of coupling.

I’m breathless by the time we get to the van, and it’s from a mix of sexual desire and the fact that Adrian practically ran. The back doors slam with a metallic thud, and our mouths meet, and we begin to strip each other’s clothes off. I straddle Adrian’s lap as he reaches between my legs and groans. “So ready.”

I grab his cock and guide him into me. “It’s the reflexes.”

Adrian’s teeth shimmer in the streetlight as he grins. “I like.” He moans as I ride him and pants out, “A lot.”

My need for Adrian never seems sated, and my orgasm approaches like a tidal wave. The whole van is rocking with our movement, and I’m sure anyone walking by can hear our cries as we both explode with our release. I sink down over my mate with a smile, because if any of Adrian’s groupies were hanging around, they know he’s mine. Hell, anyone within a mile radius knows Ginny made him come.

I sigh against his damp chest as he combs through my hair with his fingers. “Feel better?” he asks.

“Much.” I lean up to gaze down at him. “Now let’s go make music.”

As I begin to climb off him to get dressed, he grabs me and pulls me back down. “Babe, we just did.” He kisses me with the kind of passion that’s more than sex. It’s infused with the fierce bond of our love, and I’m dizzy by the time he lets go. I’m in a giddy daze as we make our way back to the pub.

I have enough time for a quick bathroom trip to clean up before we’re called to the stage. Sex with Adrian was a good idea, because I set myself behind my keyboards in a relaxed state. When Aaron counts us down for our first song, I’m more than ready. We have two new songs to play tonight, but I’m completely comfortable I’ve got them down.

It’s a good thing I’m not a jealous person, because Adrian works the females in the crowd like a famous rocker. It’s not uncommon for him to yank a girl up to the stage to dance with him. It’s all part of the show and has never bothered me, until tonight. The bass of our music throbs in my veins almost painfully when a pretty blonde gets pulled up on the stage, and my stomach clenches as I watch her gyrate in front of my mate. I take a deep breath and tamp down my urge. While I think I can hold on, I speak to Adrian for help anyway.
“My bear doesn’t like her.”

Adrian dances her over to Andre. This is not Andre’s thing at all, but he makes the best of it as Nessa comes to his rescue by turning it into a three-way dance session. The girl is eating up the attention, and Adrian comes over near me as he sings. I smile at him as the spotlight illuminates us.
“I’m in control, thanks.”

A grin covers Adrian’s face as he bows down with a flourish of his arm to indicate I’m about to solo. I focus on my keys and let my fast fingers fly. I’m a showoff, and it doesn’t take much for me to get lost in my performance. The cheering of the crowd roars in my ears as I play, and when I slow it down to an end, I glance at Adrian. Hair is stuck to his face and neck with sweat, and it glistens in the light. His sculpted body is highlighted by his T-shirt that’s damp with moisture, and the adoration in his eyes is all I need for acknowledgment. All is right in the world, because my mate is helplessly in love with me.

When it’s time for Andre and Nessa to sing their duet they wrote together, Adrian falls back to let them have center stage. My part in the song is simple, and I spend time glancing around at my band. Aaron is in his head as his arms move with his steady beat, and my sister and her mate singing their hearts out to each other radiates the love they share. It’s the kind of song girls play over and over as they dream about a guy, and I think about how I’m a part of something that touches so many. My heart surges with the joy I feel at this realization. When my sister and her mate hold the final note of the song, it’s as if it reaches inside me and flips a switch.
Maybe music is what I’m destined for.
The crowd’s cheers break my moment, and I shake my head at myself for being so cocky.

Our final song is one of the new ones. It would usually be a risky move to do this since people like the familiar and you want to end on a high with your fans. But Aleck is a musical genius, and because the chorus is repetitive and simple, people are singing along quickly. The upbeat tempo makes them move, and Aleck’s magic touch has done it again. We end on such a high, girls are screaming as guys yell for an encore. Adrian plays the crowd and calls out, “I think you want more!”

The room vibrates with cheers.

Adrian walks around the stage in his rock star strut as if he has to check with us on what we’ll play. But we all know it’s the very first song of Aleck’s we ever played, and the one that continues to have the most YouTube hits. We launch into a tune I can play in my sleep and have fun with it. I turn back to search for Aleck, and when I find him smiling, I break from playing to yank him on stage with us. I say, “This is your moment too. Come play with me.”

I communicate with Adrian.
“Give Aleck a shout out.”

When the song ends, my mate jogs over to Aleck and me and gives him praise. Poor Aleck reddens from embarrassment when a girl yells, “Aleck, I love you!”

Adrian yells back, “He’s shy, girls. Go easy on him.”

I bump against Aleck. “Sorry, bud, but you’re hot. They can’t help themselves.”

Aleck offers me a tiny smile, and I grin, because even if he doesn’t crave it, he likes the recognition, and I’m glad I made it happen.

We played past last call, and the lights flip on moments after we finish. Tired and wet with sweat, we begin the process of breaking down to pack up the van. We’re all high from a successful performance, and as I head toward the back door, a girl calls out for Adrian. I’m shocked at my immediate reaction as jealousy burns in me. I turn to discover an attractive brunette grabbing his arm and leading him away. Damn my fast reflexes, because my bear snaps with jealousy and practically explodes out of my body as the sound of my clothing ripping is almost like a shot. Something slams into me and flattens me onto the pavement right outside the door. Sharp pain radiates through my spine.
Shit!
I shift back to human in an instant as a heavy weight lifts off me.

Aaron hovers over my body and shakes his head. “Dude.” He whips off his shirt, and the damp cotton lands on my chest. I crinkle my nose at his scent, but I don’t have much choice, so I sit up and pull it over my head quickly to scramble into the van.

Aaron leans in and drops the remains of my clothes next to me as he grins. “Way to avoid a breakdown, Ginny.”

“Did anyone see?”

“Naw, I tackled you, and you shifted before I could get off you. They just think I wanted a little one-on-one with the lead singer’s girl.”

I resist the urge to roll my eyes at my savior, and say, “Thanks.”

“No worries.” The metal door rings with his slap before he walks away. I climb over the seat to get to my bag of extra clothes. I’m pissed that I tore through my last pair of jeans and tug on yoga pants. They stick to my sweaty skin, and I prickle with the threat of another shift as I get angry with myself for losing control. I inhale deeply. I have no idea where my jealousy came from. I force myself to think about it later, because I really need to tamp down my bear right now. The urge to run through the woods is strong, and I promise myself I’ll let my bear out when we get home. I curl up on the backseat and hug my knees as I send Adrian a telepathic message.
“Where are you?”

“Talking to a talent scout. Big stuff. Almost done.”

Talent scout? Excitement takes the place of the adrenaline in my veins. Is someone important interested in Adrian? The passenger door across from me opens, and Nessa slides in. “Hey, I heard what happened.”

“Yeah. But Aaron says nobody saw.”

“I’m pretty sure they didn’t.” She quickly scans me with her eyes. “Wow. I’m so sorry, Ginny. This has to suck.”

I nod, but I don’t want to talk about it, so I say, “Tonight went well, though, don’t you think?”

She grins, and we relive highlights of the night as the guys finish loading the van. When it’s time to go, Adrian hops in the back, and Nessa moves over to let him sit between us. He notices my clothes and says, “Shit. You okay?”

“I’m fine.” He pulls me into a hug as Aaron turns from the driver’s seat to glare at him. “Where the fuck were you?”

“Talking to a talent scout.” He grins. “I need to make sure they’re legit, but we might be looking at a recording deal.”

Everyone lets out a cheer of some sort except Aleck. He’s up front with Aaron, and he says, “I thought I was the band leader.”

Adrian says, “You are. Believe me, you are.” The seat creaks as he lifts up his hips to take something out of his back pocket. He reaches forward with a business card for Aleck. “Noel Keating will be calling you.”

“Seriously?” I ask.

“For real.” Adrian puts an arm around my shoulders.

I lean into my mate as he relays the entire conversation he had with Noel, and I let everyone’s excitement drown out what I did tonight. Because no matter how great this news is, it means I have got to find a way to keep my bear in check.

A
leck researched
Noel and the company she represents to find they are indeed the real deal. It was decided he and Adrian would meet with Noel and her boss, Link Murphy, for more details. When they left this morning to see them in Boston, I went to the gym. I spent a little time with the De Rozier trainer for warriors, and he taught me some kickboxing drills to practice on a punching bag. At the time, I thought I’d never want to use them, but after the other night, I think I need to exercise all my options for releasing my physical urges.

I’m at the college gym since even though I no longer go to classes, I paid full tuition, and I might as well get something for it. I sigh as I stare at the long cylinder-shaped punching bag before me. A guy is working on one next to me while his friend in a red tank top holds it steady. The friend gives me the once-over, and I turn away from him to bounce on my toes in preparation. I throw an easy punch, and my fist barely smacks against the leather. The red-shirt guy ditches his friend and grabs my punching bag. “Want some help?”

I punch again with a bit more force. “I’m good, but thanks.”

I guess he didn’t really ask since he’s not moving. He says, “Nice form. Do you do this a lot?” I want to laugh at his obvious attempt at hitting on me, but the burn of my muscles as I move calls to me, and I ignore him as I speed up and hit harder.
That’s it, Ginny.
My bear is happy with the exercise, and I throw up a strong kick. The guy stumbles back a bit. “Whoa. Girl’s got moves.”

I scowl at him because he’s breaking my concentration. I say, “It might be time for you to leave me alone now.”

“Hey. Sorry. I’ll shut up.”

I glare at him. “Good.”

Any trouble I had with the concept of fighting is gone now, and I let my bear have her way with my human as we move with quick force. My combinations are simple but effective, and I notice red-shirt guy is straining to keep the bag steady for me. But he doesn’t let go, so I carry on. When I’m struggling to breathe, I stop. My chest heaves as I bend over to rest my hands on my thighs.

Red-shirt guy’s friend must have been watching, because he says, “Wow. Not bad for a--”

I glance up at him and give him credit for stopping before a sexist remark came out and say, “Nice catch, and thanks.”

The friend says, “I’m impressed too. I’d be happy to show you more moves if you want.”

He’s trying so hard, and I decide to let him go gently. “That’s nice of you to offer, but my boyfriend is already teaching me.” The guy nods and steps back. I add, “Thanks for your help today. I appreciate it.”

“Sure.” He turns and walks away with his friend. My sensitive bear ears hear them as one says, “There’s something hot about a chick that can fight.”

I chuckle to myself as I take a swig from my water bottle and let the cool liquid slide down my throat. I may not want to be a warrior, but the calm that has settled over me makes it clear there’s no denying my body needs the physical activity of beating the crap out of something. I walk over to the bulletin board to find out more about martial arts classes.

When I get home from the gym, Adrian and Aleck are pulling into the driveway. I let them take my car earlier since the brothers collectively own the van and it’s a gas hog. They grin as they climb out of my Volvo sedan. I say, “It must have gone well.”

Adrian lifts me off my feet and twirls me around. “We have a tentative recording deal.”

I grip his powerful shoulders as he sets me down. “That’s fantastic!”

Aaron has come out of the house, and he lets out a whoop before he says, “I’ll call Andre and Nessa.”

Adrian says, “Celebration time.” He has his arm around my shoulders as we walk toward the door, and he turns back to Aleck. “Pizza and beer?”

“Definitely. When Nessa and Andre get here, we can explain everything at once.”

Once we’re inside, Adrian gives us a quick overview of what happened. Apparently Noel followed us on YouTube, and when she played our music for Link, he sent her to see us in the flesh. She loved us, so Link flew into Boston to set things in motion. He wants to get us in the studio and see how well we can do recording.

I listen quietly and watch as the Lindquist brothers talk excitedly about what this could mean. I’m happy for the guys, because I know how important music has always been for them. But it’s not my dream. I’m good, but far from great. And with my inability to control my shifting, I know I can’t be a part of this. I excuse myself to go shower as they chatter on so I can be alone.

Hot water soothes my muscles as I stand under it, and my thoughts turn to how I’m going to get out of this. The band is a hobby for me, and even if we do well recording, I have no intention of going on the road to tour or spending months in recording studios. The reality is it’s hard to make good money at music, and my plan to be a doctor is more solid. Once I go back to school, I won’t have time to dedicate to a band that’s trying to get their lucky break.

The grin on Adrian’s face as he told us what happened is in the forefront of my mind. This is important to him, and I’m sure he’s counting on me. I wonder if Aleck could play keyboards, but I know better than to think that’s a possibility. Besides the fact that he doesn’t want to be in the limelight, he’s also not one that enjoys being mediocre. He’d hate feeling incompetent, and the level he’d want to be takes years to achieve. How am I going to get out of this?

I flip off the water well before I’d like to in an effort to conserve it for my housemates, and I sigh as the rough cotton of my towel rubs against my skin. I need to talk to Adrian and figure out what we can do. The last thing I want is to ruin their dream, but I can’t follow through, and it’s best they know that so there’s time to find my replacement.

When I get to our room, Adrian is on the bed in just a pair of jeans. My polar bear mate is always hot and would walk around naked if he could. At the moment, it’s handy for me, because just the sight of his defined abs makes my insides tremble with desire. The door snicks shut behind me as I bite my lower lip. My feet pad lightly over the floor as I clutch my towel at my chest. I climb up on the bed to stand and let the heavy fabric fall. “Busy?”

Adrian shakes his head as he scrambles to his knees to remove his jeans. They land on the floor with a whoosh, and his warmth seeps into my skin as he slides his hands up my legs. “How did it go at the gym? Release some of your tension?”

I nod. “I impressed some guys with my moves.”

“Yeah?”

Something flashes in Adrian’s eyes as his hands cup my butt cheeks, and I smile at his flicker of jealousy. “I told them I learned all I know from my boyfriend.” I sink down so that we’re both kneeling, and I thread my fingers through his hair to nip at his neck and whisper, “But I could use some new moves.”

Adrian grabs my hips and flips me onto my back as the bed groans in complaint. I inhale sharply as he growls and lifts my legs over his shoulders. “Here’s one for you.” My mate lowers his mouth to my slippery sex and tastes me. I close my eyes as I grip his hair and let Adrian’s talented tongue make me forget my name. Before I get too close, he comes up for air. “You know that when I’m dancing with girls on stage it’s just for show.”

“I do.” I lift my hips to indicate I want him to finish what he started.

“And nobody could ever come between us, ever, right?”

“Yes. That was my bear reacting the other night.” I whimper. “Adrian, please.”

He grins at me and says, “Just checking,” before he returns to lapping and sucking my tender folds to make me cry out with my release.

But I’m just warming up, and once I recover, I practice a move of my own to get Adrian on his back. Granted, he doesn’t put up much resistance, and the headboard slams against the wall as he chuckles. I say, “Let me show you what I just learned.” I take him in my mouth, and he hisses when I begin to suck hard. His shaft is smooth as it pulses on my tongue. At the point Adrian is ready to come, he stops me, and the flash of his bear in his eyes tells me what he wants before he orders, “On your knees.”

I’m happy to comply, and when he thrusts into me from behind, I push back for more as my skin prickles with the warning of a shift. But it’s different, because this is a low ache, as if my bear is reminding me she’s there, because I don’t feel the threat of anything more. Even as my orgasm crashes through me and restraint is gone, I stay human. As I lay on the mattress, tangled in the limbs of my mate, I wonder if I could figure out how to tap the control I have during sex for when other emotions take over. If I could...

The scent of our lovemaking surrounds us, and I breathe it in as I trace my finger along a defined muscle in Adrian’s arm. He flexes under my touch, and I think about the joy that radiates around my mate when he plays his guitar and sings. He and his brothers came here from a life of hardship with nothing more than a limp backpack with their few belongings. A music deal means so much more than realizing a dream for them. It means coming here was worth it.

I know I need to talk to Adrian about my plan to leave the band. But I think it can wait until tomorrow, because tonight I’m going to let the Lindquist brothers celebrate.