Front Man (3 page)

“What the fuck
man? Get out of here!”

Erica just stared at
them vacantly, as if her eyes couldn't quite focus. “Sara..?”
She slurred.

“Michael, what
the hell? This chick's off her head, what are you doing?”

Sara went to her
friend, supporting her as she slumped against her shoulder. Michael
rounded on Jack, buttoning up his pants in the process.

“Dude, what's
your problem? She's fine. Stay out of what doesn't concern you.”

Sara helped Erica
stand, easing her dress down over her thighs. But as her feet touched
the floor, Erica's legs buckled. Jack had to help her carry Erica to
the sofa. Her friend could barely keep her eyes open.

“This is your
idea of fine, is it?” Jack spat.

“So she's had a
few drinks. She's just another drunk little whore.”

Sara felt rage rise
within her, mingled with guilt. She shouldn't have left her friend
alone with this bastard.

“Just get out
of my sight Michael, before I do something stupid.”

“It's my
fucking dressing room -”

“Get the fuck
out!” Jack growled. Michael gave a shrug, and left the room,
not even casting a last look at Erica. Jack shook his head.

“Asshole.”

“Sara,”
Erica whimpered, “I don't feel so good.”

“Oh shit, I
better get her to the ladies room,” Sara said, and Jack scooped
Erica up like she weighed nothing and carried her to the washrooms.
As soon as they reached the door, Erica seemed to come to and bolted
for the cubicle. Sara sat beside her friend, holding her hair back,
rubbing her back and telling her everything was going to be okay. At
least, thanks to Jack it was.

Finally, Erica sat
back on her heels and leaned against the wall of the bathroom stall.
She let out a small groan.

“Feeling any
better?” Sara asked, smoothing her friend's hair out of her
face.

“Mmmhm. I'm so
sorry Sara, I don't even know what happened. I didn't think I drank
that much.”

“Could he have,
you know, slipped you something?”

“No...maybe, I
dunno. I don't remember anything.”

“Okay hun, well
sit tight here for a second, I'll go fetch you some water. Will you
be okay?”

Erica smiled weakly
and gave a small nod. Giving her friend a pat on the shoulder, Sara
hurried out of the ladies room. She was taken aback to see Jack
hovering in the corridor.

“Hey,” he
said gently, “how's your friend doing?”

“Nothing she
can't sleep off. I, uh, didn't realise you were waiting.”

Jack smiled. “I
had to make sure you guys were alright. We can take her to the
hospital if you like, get her checked out?”

“She's awake
and talking, I think she just needs to rest. Thanks though.”

“Of course.
Look, how are you getting home?”

Sara frowned. She
hadn't even thought that far ahead.

“Erica was
meant to be driving us. Looks like that won't be happening. Shit, I
don't even know if I can take her home in this condition, her Dad
will go crazy.”

Jack gave her a
worried look.

“Um, how old
are you girls?”

Despite the
situation, Sara couldn't help but laugh at his fearful expression.

“Don't worry,
we're not
jail-bait.
We're twenty-one, but
we just graduated college, so we haven't got a place sorted yet.
Still living with the folks for now..”

“Sorry...I
figured, I just...”

“I know, don't
worry,” Sara said with a smile.

“Look,”
Jack said tentatively, “don't take this the wrong way. But I've
got a big suite back at the hotel, it's only two blocks from here.
You're more than welcome to stay....you'd have your own bedroom and
everything. Might be easier than trying to get her home in this
condition. “

Sara wavered for a
moment. The thought of a plush hotel room for the night was tempting,
especially when the alternative was an expensive cab ride with a
puking Erica. If only she had learned to drive a stick, she could
have taken Erica's car. Damn. If she was honest, the thought of
spending more time with Jack was certainly appealing...surely this
was every girl's dream come true? But she didn't want to be another
stupid groupie

“Honestly Sara,
it's just a bed for the night. No strings attached, I promise. I'd
just feel a lot better if I knew you were safe.”

The sincerity of
Jack's tone clinched it. She might as well take a chance for once.

“That would be
great. Thanks.”

He smiled, and Sara
felt her stomach flip over. Don't be silly, she told herself, he's
just being nice. Why would a famous musician like Jack Carter be
interested in someone like me?

Together, they
escorted a very wobbly Erica to the waiting taxi.

“Ambassador
Down-town
,” Jack directed the driver,
“ service entrance please.”

The car pulled in to
a dingy alley, and Sara felt a little stab of anxiety. This is what
happens when you get in cars with strange men, she thought to
herself.

“Not a very
glamorous spot, “ Jack grinned, “ but saves having to
deal with the press. I don't need pictures of me escorting two young
women into me hotel room all over the front page tomorrow morning.”

Looping an arm round
Erica's shoulders, he led the girls through a shabby little door,
past the kitchens, until they reached a service elevator. Jack hit
the button for the top floor. Through one more door, and they emerged
into another world. Sara had never set foot in a hotel this
luxurious. Her feet seemed to sink into the hall carpet, and the
doors were set ridiculously far apart, suggesting a decent amount of
square footage inside the rooms. Jack guided them right to the end of
the corridor, and inserted his card into the lock of a door that did
not even have a number.

“We're going to
be slumming it in Europe I think,” he said with a grin, “
so the record company splashed out for tonight.”

***

Having tucked Erica
into the enormous bed, with a glass of water and some Advil in easy
reach, Sara had time to truly take in her surroundings. The suite was
huge, twice the size of her and Erica's college apartment, and
boasted three separate bedrooms, two bathrooms and two reception
areas. The crowning glory was the floor to ceiling window in the
lounge, from which she could see the sparkling lights of the city
stretching into the distance. As she stood soaking up the view, Jack
emerged from his bedroom. He had shed his stage clothes, and was
wearing black sweat pants and a dark grey t-shirt. Dressed down, he
looked like the boy next door, albeit a very handsome one.

“I don't know
about you,” he said, “but I could do with a nightcap.
Anything from the
mini-bar
catch your eye?”

“Whatever
you're having,” Sara replied. The stress of looking after Erica
had sobered her up completely, and she felt like a drink might take
the edge off her nerves. Being alone with Jack Carter was something
she'd been dreaming about since she was a teenager. She still
couldn't believe it was actually happening. Despite all the
conversations she'd imagined having with her idol, at that moment she
couldn't think of a single intelligent thing to say.

“Scotch on the
rocks, with a twist,” Jack declared, handing her a drink. Even
the glass felt expensive, Sara thought ruefully. Jack stood beside
her, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. It was so quiet, she
could hear the ice cubes clink.

“I don't know
how to thank you for tonight,” she said at last. “If you
hadn't helped me, god know what could have happened.”

“Honestly, it
was nothing. I'm just sorry that Michael acted the way he did.
He's...man, he's not a bad guy. At least he never used to be. The
whole fame thing just went to his head. We used to be friends, now I
feel like I don't even know him
any more.
”

“Seems like a
creep to me,” Sara said, taking a sip from her glass. She
wouldn't forget the look on Michael's face when they opened the door,
the way it twisted with spite. No shame at all.

“After tonight,
it's hard to disagree with you. But I don't think he would have hurt
her.”

“He was taking
advantage, that's bad enough.”

“Sorry. You're
completely right. I just...it's hard to think that someone can change
that much. Can act like that. But the way he's been lately, I don't
even know why I'm surprised.”

He looked genuinely
upset at the thought, and Sara stifled the urge to throw her arms
around him.

Instead she touched
him gently on the arm.

“Hey, no harm
done. Erica will have a headache and a good story to tell.”

“And now I'm
here with you. That counts as a happy ending in my book.”

Sara looked up at
him, her eyes wide with surprise.

“Sorry,”
Jack said, “I shouldn't have said that. I meant what I said
earlier, I just wanted to help you out.”

“I know you
did,” Sara said softly. “You really are full of surprises
Jack Carter. I came here tonight just hoping to see you up close.
Maybe get an autograph. And now here I am, in this crazy hotel room,
sipping scotch with a rock star.”

“The rock
star's the guy you see on stage. Right now, I'm just plain old me. A
little tired, a little stressed and a little nervous about talking to
a beautiful woman.”

It was a cheesy line,
but Sara couldn't help but blush. She wanted to pinch herself.

“Is it really
all it's cracked up to be, this life? Fame and fortune?”

Jack considered for a
moment.
“I can't complain,, Sara. I've got all the money I
need, I get to travel. I get to make music, which is all I ever
wanted. The fame part gets boring after a while, I'll tell you that.
Never having a moment to yourself, never being in one place for any
length of time. It's fun, sure, but it does get lonely. It can be
hard to get close to people.”

“That must be
difficult.”

“Sometimes. But
still, I know I'm lucky.”

“I'm sure
you're sick of hearing this question, but...Back Track. What is it
about that song, Jack? When you were playing it tonight, it seemed
really difficult for you. Or was I imagining it?”

Jack exhaled and took
another long swig of his scotch.

“You weren't
imagining it. That song...it's very personal to me. I wrote it about
someone I loved. Someone who isn't in my life
any
more.
” Jack trailed off, unsure how to continue.

“You don't have
to tell me about it if you don't want to. I just wondered...you
seemed so sad.”

Jack looked into
Sara's eyes, brimming with compassion. For whatever reason, he felt
he could trust her, and he had an urge to tell her everything. About
Laura, about the song, about the bridge. Somehow he felt like she
might understand. Might care. But he couldn't. He didn't even know
her.

“It's not that
I don't want to...I just don't know how to. I'm sorry.”

With uncharacteristic
boldness, Sara reached up and stroked his hair.

“Don't be
sorry,” she whispered, “there's nothing to be sorry for.”

Jack took in her
beautiful face, felt the softness of her touch, and despite himself
he couldn't hold back any longer. He leaned forward and kissed her on
the mouth, softly at first, growing more intense as he felt her
respond. He pulled her closer, the curves of her body pressing
against him as they relaxed into each other. His hands roamed over
her body, stroking their way down her back to cup her tight backside.
Reluctantly, Jack pulled back from their kiss and looked her in the
eye.

“Are you sure?”
He said, not wanting her to feel pressured.

“Yes. Oh yes.”

“Thank God.”

Sara let out an
involuntary moan as Jack's tongue invaded her mouth, his hands
continuing their exploration. She had idolised the swaggering rock
star for so many years, but it was the real, vulnerable man who now
fascinated her. She slid her hands under his shirt, her fingers
tracing his solid abs, stroking the coarse hair that formed a trail
down his belly. The thought of what lay at the end of that trail
filled her with lust, and she returned his kisses with even greater
fervour. Jack kissed his way down the soft skin of her neck and along
her delicate collarbone, while his hands found her full breasts. Sara
moaned as he massaged them, teasing her erect nipples through her
clothing. He reached around to unhook her bra, and deftly removed her
shirt, so she stood in only her leather pants in front of the
enormous window. Instinctively her arms moved to cover herself.

“Relax,”
Jack said softly, “ nobody can see us up here.” He took
her hands and gently moved them away from her breasts, replacing them
with his mouth. He kissed the soft skin, toying with her nipples with
his tongue until she gasped. Sara was overflowing with desire,
desperate to be taken by this beautiful, complicated man.

Without moving his
mouth from her breasts, Jack's fingers found the zip of her pants,
and he slid them off her slim hips to fall in a heap on the carpet.
Now she stood before him, clad only in a white lace thong which grew
more transparent by the minute as her juices flowed. Jack groaned,
part of him wanting to push her up against the glass and fuck her
there and then. But she was so stunning, and he wanted to make it
last. Trailing kisses down her flat stomach, he pushed his face
between her legs, tracing his tongue over the flimsy fabric of her
underwear. God, she smelled incredible. He grasped her panties with
his teeth, meaning to pull them aside, but as he tugged the fabric
tore clean in two. Beyond caring, Jack thrust his tongue between her
legs, finding her swollen clitoris and circling it until she cried
out with pleasure. He slipped two fingers into her wet opening,
slowly pumping them in and out while he continued to lick her in
increasingly frantic strokes. Sara had her hands on his head, urging
him on, lost in the incredible sensations coursing through her body.
She could feel the pressure building inside her as he licked and
sucked, his fingers threatening to send her over the edge. But he
wasn't finished with her yet. Suddenly Jack stood and swept her up in
his arms, planting a kiss on her lips as she did so . The musky scent
of herself on his mouth only heightened her arousal. He carried her
into the bedroom, and threw her down on the emperor sized bed.