His Distraction (Assured Distraction Book 2) (14 page)

The two lounged comfortably on the couch, facing each other, and he had Peri rolling with laughter at some of the situations the guys got themselves into.

“That is so hard to believe KeeMac would do that,” Peri laughingly replied.

Ryan turned and propped his feet on the coffee table. “You think we can find another funny movie?”

She expected him to leave but apparently he wasn’t ready to end their time together. “Sure there’s lots of funny movies on Netflix. How about
Hutch
. It’s hilarious, too.

Settling in to watch the movie, Ryan lay down on the couch and turned toward the television. Peri was sitting at the other end when he noticed a shiver run through her, her arms shaking a little and goosebumps covered her pale skin.

“Are you freezing over there?” Peri nodded her head. “Come down here and lay down in front of me. There’s no reason I can’t keep you warm.” He could tell Peri was hesitant. “Come on, I don’t bite, you know.” He opened his mouth and chomped his teeth together laughing loudly then patted the couch cushion in front of his body.

She slid down the couch and settled down in front to him, spooning against his front. Ryan wrapped her in his arms to warm her up with his body heat. “Now that’s better. We can both be comfortable this way.”

Peri wasn’t sure how comfortable she was going to be with him pressed against her from head-to-toe, but she loved the warmth and contact. She was secretly kind of a cuddle junkie but had gotten used to missing it since Sawyer had never been very affectionate.

Ryan reveled in the feeling of holding this gorgeous woman this close, despite having to fight the salacious thoughts simmering in his mind, but he would do it for her.

Peri woke wrapped in his arms when the sun peeked through the curtains of the suite, the intense morning sunshine falling directly across her face. Ryan was snoring lightly in her ear. At some point during the night, she had rolled over and buried her face in his shoulder. Now, she leaned back and studied his face as he slept, taking her time to get her fill of his gorgeous features. His face was simply beautiful with perfect male characteristics. And paired with his charming, sensitive personality and flawless body, this guy was sure to be the total package for some lucky woman.

She finally got the nerve to trace the tattoo sticking out from his t-shirt sleeve. Even though she had more than enough of her own, tracing his painted skin felt so right to her. He stirred and peeked down at her.

“See something you like?”

“I was just admiring all the work you’ve had done. At least, what I can see of it.”

“You can see more of it if you want,” he joked, all while knowing he would be willing to remove a few clothes from them both right now.

“Hey, don’t push your luck, buster. I let you sleep with me last night.” She laughed as she pushed herself up to a seated position.

“Hmm. Somehow I don’t think this actually counted as sleeping together.” Sitting up, he put his feet on the plush carpet.

“Sure it does. We slept all night, didn’t we?”

“You’re damn right we did. That’s exactly what we did. Probably the best night’s sleep I’ve had since we left home.” He stared straight ahead as if something had suddenly occurred to him. Glancing back at her, he asked, “Does this mean you’re gonna send me out there to do the fucking walk-of-shame back to my room?” Peri jumped up, laughing out loud at his comment.

“No way. You don’t have last night’s makeup smeared all over your face, or a tight ass party dress all askew or six–inch, fuck-me heels and the blisters to match.” Peri got up and pranced across the room to the door mimicking a drunken walk on those heels.

She swung the door open to continue her charade and came face-to-face with Chandler and KeeMac standing there ready to knock. They both stared passed her into the room and then back at Peri with surprised but knowing looks crossing their faces. Ryan got to the door quickly. “This is not how it looks. We fell asleep watching a damn movie.”

“Hey, hey, who are we to judge?” Chandler replied.

“Yeah, but really, nothing happened.” Peri tried to make it sound as innocent as possible.

“It’s all good, Peri. We were stopping to see if you wanted to go to find some fucking breakfast, but
we can see you’re otherwise occupied
,” KeeMac said, with a suggestive smirk on his face.

“We are not ‘otherwise occupied!” Peri air quoted them. “Let me get some other clothes on and we can go. At least, I want to go. I can’t speak for Ryan, of course.”

“Who am I to turn down KeeMac buying me a great fucking breakfast?” Ryan clapped his lead singer on the shoulder and led him out the door, presumably down to Ryan’s room so he could freshen up.

When the door closed behind the two men, Chandler turned to look at Peri. “Is there something going on here we need to know about Peri?”

“No, take my word for it. Not a damn thing.” Peri whirled around and dug in her suitcase for clothes.

The concert hall they played that night in Paris was huge, just as big as the others had been. When Steel drew a crowd, it was a sold out. They only played Europe every few years, so the audiences were thrilled to get to be a part of the crowd.

Peri gathered AD in the guys’ dressing room before show time. “As you know, we get one more night at the hotel, but tonight after Steel’s show there will be an after-party at a club rented out especially for this event with Steel. The press is all over this concert and the bands, and they’ll be on the streets, too. You will need to be on your best behavior for the cameras at all times. The last thing you’ll want put out on social media is anything negative. We are getting great reviews of the tour, and nothing negative has made the news. Let’s try to keep it that way.”

“Blah, blah, blah, Peri. We hear the same thing each time. When do we get to be
bad
?” Carter laughed at his own question.

Gunner chimed in, “The things we do can’t compare to some of the stuff that’s already been online about Steel is a short list.”

“While that’s true, most of that is completely made-up, taken out of context, or happened two decades ago. You all know those guys and how they conduct themselves after a show.” Steel had been playing shows for so long and knew the exact types of pictures that would get them publicity and played perfectly to the paparazzi simply for the exposure.

“Let your performance speak for you, and not your dumbass shenanigans on the street, please.” Peri ended the meeting.

They all moved out to the wings ready to take the stage. Chandler and KeeMac could cause a scene all by themselves with their hot, mind-bending kisses they stole away from the group to enjoy in out of the way spots. They usually managed to keep it simple before the shows, like a good luck kiss to get them started. When they came off stage with such an adrenaline rush that only sex would quell, it was a different story. The others liked to give them hell over it, too.

Walking up behind Peri, Ryan put his hand on her shoulder and turned her toward him. He slid his hand behind her neck, under her hair then pulled her in and kissed her thoroughly. The rest of the group witnessed the spontaneous affection between their manager and lead guitarist as his tongue slide over her luscious red lips until she opened and invited him in. She tasted like spearmint, and he loved the strong flavor on her tongue. Peri finally relented to his hungry mouth and leaned into his hard chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. When he finally broke the kiss, she was breathless. Ryan pulled her head into him resting his chin on the top of her head while they both tried to catch their breath and come down from the rush he caused in them both.

The rest of the group stood staring at the pair. “What the holy fuck, Ryan?” Carter finally managed to stammer out as the others still openly, and silently, gawked at them.

Looking perfectly innocent in it all, Ryan turned back toward the stage. “Let’s go boys. I believe it’s time to make our magic.” He left an inflamed Peri and the rest of the band standing there trying to make sense of what just occurred until they eventually snapped out of their shock and made their entrance on stage, as well.

Peri was in shock by his brash maneuver. “
What was that all about?”
She couldn’t make up her mind if he was just trying to get a rise out of the rest of the band or out of her. Rise or not, all she could think about was how hot it was to have him hold her so close in such a demanding way, his hand on her neck so she couldn’t escape. With him boldly taking control that way and touching every sensitive and sensual point in her mouth, she was still trying to come to her senses when Steel’s manager, Ace, stepped up beside her.

“Peri? Peri?” When he didn’t get an answer from her, he stepped around her, blocking her view of the band. “What’s going on Peri? Are you alright? Did something happen?” Ace was looking her in the eyes.

“Uh, no. No. It’s all okay. I was… thinking.” The red started creeping up her neck and worked its way over her face. She was thinking about how the kiss scorched her lips and the sense of loss when it ended, but it wasn’t something she was about to discuss with him.

“Yeah, well, you’re usually so busy while they are performing that you rarely stick around to watch them.” She was glad Ace didn’t know what had happened but the way he was looking at her, she knew he could tell something had certainly left her flustered.

“Oh, right. I need to go. I have a million things to do right now and no time to waste enjoying their set.” She whirled around and down the stairs out of sight, leaving Ace to shake his head in her wake.

“Never know what’s rattling around in that brain of hers,” he told one of the techs. He chuckled to himself and walked off.

AD played a great set, rousing the crowd to a level of excitement that made Steel take notice. It was Ryan’s best show so far. The riffs he led with at the opening of the songs he started were spot on and drove the crowd mad. In the middle of the set, Ryan and KeeMac standing face-to-face and let their guitars speak and answer each other, like dueling guitarists, the notes flying from their fingers with accelerating pace. It quickly became obvious to the rest of the band that the two were in a conjoined headspace. The bass, keyboard, and drums dropped back only to fill in as the spectacular duet unfolded, unrehearsed, in the presence of thousands of fans that could not turn away as their playing reached a fevered-pitch driving the crowd insane. These were the times everyone knew they would be the next band to make it to the top.

At the end of their set, they bolted offstage, their feet barely touching the ground. Ace stayed and watched their show, always impressed by AD’s well-polished performance. Ryder joined him mid-set to watch Chandler and was in awe. He had seen them play before, but tonight the music was at an entirely new level. The energy from the crowd was growing with every song. Ryder and Ace didn’t speak but the looks they exchanged spoke volumes about what they thought of AD’s skill.

Ryder couldn’t be prouder as he caught Chandler coming off stage. He swung her around praising them, and she was thrilled that he was there to witness it. Her relationship with her once-long-lost-birthfather was growing closer with each day they spent together on tour, as they spent time talking, traveling, and sometimes sightseeing together. He understood her innate drive to perform live music. The overwhelming need to play for the crowds was in her blood, something her adoptive parents could not have fully appreciated, but, at least, they recognized her passion, and supported her and steered her toward her talents.

Shaking KeeMac’s hand, he said, “I’m not sure Steel is going to want to follow that performance tonight. That was the fucking best AD has put out there. Keep that bad-ass shit up and AD will be headlining a tour for sure.”

“Thanks, Ryder. You don’t know how much that means to me coming from you.” Chandler still couldn’t bring herself to call him Dad, but Ryder didn’t care. He was simply happy to be spending time with her and getting to be part of her life now.

Ryan stopped Ace on his way offstage. “Where did Peri go? I thought she was standing here with you earlier.”

“Yeah, she said she had a million things to do before y’all left, but she seemed distracted. She was a little off, for Peri. Don’t know if anything happened before I got here though and she didn’t say.”

Ryan gave Ace a smirk and took off in search of her. He was far from finished with her. All he could think about were those beautiful lips, and that spearmint flavor the entire time he was playing. She stuck in his mind. He needed another taste if she was willing to pick-up where he’d left off.

He opened the door to their dressing room, finding Carter and Gunner talking to the groupies, like always. It never failed to surprise Ryan how they found so many beautiful women while on stage. He was always concentrating on the music, even when some pretty lingerie landed at his feet. He rarely noticed where it came from, but apparently those two were able to match the panties to their owners and lure the women backstage, too.

“Guys, have y’all seen Peri?” They both shook their heads.

Walking over to him with a beer in one hand and a blonde in the other, Carter asked him, “Yeah, dude, what was up with that hot as hell kiss you laid on her before we went on? Gunner and me thought she was off-limits or something since she’s management now?” Ryan could tell Carter was having a hard time getting the words out since the blonde was running her tongue up the side of his neck.

“Yeah, Ryan, what the fuck, man? Peri is one smoking hot piece I’d love to tap, but always thought she’s hung up on that prick boyfriend, and untouchable while on tour.” Gunner questioned him.

“She and the dickwad parted company when he decided to move back to LA a while before the tour. She wanted to stay in Austin and he didn’t. They split up. End of story.” Ryan didn’t want to get into Peri’s private life with them but he also didn’t want them to think Peri would cheat on her former boyfriend.

“How come we didn’t know this info? I’d have been sliding into home by now if I’d known that.” Carter made a move with his hands like he was at home plate playing baseball.

“Have you actually taken the time to speak to her since we left?” When neither of them spoke up, he added, “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Y’all have been too busy chasing the next piece of ass to think about anything other than your own dicks.” He laughed at his good-natured chiding.

“Hell yeah, that!” Gunner high-fived Carter. “That’s how we roll.”

Scanning the room that was filling with people, it was obvious Peri wasn’t there. He opened up a bottle of water and downed it, feeling dehydrated from the lights and excitement on stage. Before he could finish another, Chandler, KeeMac, and Peri walked through the door laughing with another man he didn’t recognize. His thoughts were all over the place, wondering if she had picked up some toy of her own for the night. He prayed that wasn’t the case.

Ryan bumped fists a few fans as they filed through the door on his way over to the people he wanted to talk to. When the boy toy turned to Ryan, he saw it was one of the tech guys coming to join the party. His relief was obvious when his eyes rested on Peri’s as the man walked away.

“Peri, where you been? I was hoping you were going to stay to watch the show.”

“I saw the first part,” she replied, meeting his eyes with a surprised expression he didn’t understand.

Peri thought to herself, “
If he only knew his hot kiss left her lips stinging and her stunned, rooted to the spot, unable to make her legs work to walk away from the beginning of the show.”

“O-kay...” He didn’t take his eyes off of her wondering what was going on behind the expression she wore.