Under the Lights (A Brothers of Rock - GONE BY AUTUMN - Novel) (15 page)

“
Works
for me,
”
Gabe said.

“
Thought
you were taking care of
Tragedy
?
”
Tanner asked Ryan.

Ryan winked.
“
I got something going. Don
’
t worry.
”

“
Can
we have a quick meeting?
”
Sam asked.
“
I have some
news.
”

“
News?
”
Tanner asked.

“
Yeah.
You sold out the show. Two nights from now. Five thousand seats filled up
almost immediately."

“
That
’
s awesome,
”
Blake said as he wiped sweat
from his forehead.

“
Do
we have more shows coming up?
”
Gabe asked.

“
Plenty,
”
Sam said.
“
But that wasn
’
t the best of the news.
”

“
What
is then?
”
Ryan asked.

“
Your
new song
…
which we snuck
out last night
…”

“
You
what?
”
Blake asked.

“
Easy,
”
Sam said.
“
Don't get pissed. It was a strategic
move. We put the song out and it
’
s
number one.
”

“
Number
one?
”

“
That
’
s right. Another massive hit in
the works.
”

“
In
the works?
”
Tanner asked.
“
It
’
s
number one.
”

Sam laughed.
“
Good point. But that
’
s kind of the bad news.
”

“
What?
”
Ryan asked.

“
Well,
the new song knocked the other song out of number one.
”

“
Wait
a second,
”
Asher said.
“
We have songs at one and two?
”

“
Correct,
”
Sam said.
“
Congrats, guys. You
’
re really killing it!
”

“
You
’
re killing it,
”
Tanner said.
“
Christ, Sam, how do you do that?
”

“
It
’
s not me,
”
Sam said.
“
You
guys do the work. I just find ways to make you guys money. I
’
m telling you this so you can
work on your set list for the shows. Make sure it
’
s
good.
”

“
It
’
s all good,
”
Asher said.

“
We
’
re all set here,
”
Ryan said, nodding to the
backup singers.

Dani was the first one out the
door. Jules hesitantly looked back as she closed the door behind her. As
Marilyn walked by Asher, she reached for his hand. She touched it and giggled.

“
Whoa,
”
Ryan whispered.

Sam
’
s
eyes lit up with fury.

As soon as the women were gone, Sam
grabbed Asher by the shirt.

“
What
the hell did you do?
”
Sam
growled.

“
Tanner
slept with Jules!
”
Asher
said.

“
What?
”
Ryan cried out.

Now all eyes were on Tanner.

“
What
the hell did you do?
”
Sam
said, looking at Tanner.

“
Stick
with Asher,
”
Tanner said.
“
Leave me out of this.
”

“
I
had one damn rule,
”
Sam
said.
“
Son of a bitch. Both
of you.
”

Tanner was already moving toward
the door.

“
Where
are you going?
”
Ryan asked.

“
I
have to take care of something,
”
Tanner said.

“
See?
”
Asher said.
“
I just slept with Marilyn. Tanner
’
s falling in love over there.
”

“
Careful
with that shit,
”
Tanner
said.
“
I
’
m not
…
just
…”
He shook his head.

“
Damn,
he
’
s flustered,
”
Gabe called out.
“
Tripping over his own tongue.
”

“
You
guys suck,
”
Sam said. He
let Asher go.
“
You wanted
to do this backup singer thing. Now you
’
re
sleeping with them all.
”

“
Not
all,
”
Asher said.

“
Not
yet,
”
Blake said with a
grin.

“
Hey,
I
’
m a happy man,
”
Ryan said.
“
I don
’
t need anything extra.
”

Tanner gritted his teeth.

The golden boy is h
appy.

For a split second, Tanner saw
himself sharing a stage with Jules. The two of them singing together, Tanner
with an acoustic guitar. Could anything be more perfect?

*

Jules walked next to the other
singers, but her mind was elsewhere. Her headache was gone, thankfully. But she
was tired as anything. And trying to drum up the memories of last night was
making her warm and tingly. It didn
’
t
seem real. But it was.

“
You
slept with Asher?
”
Dani
asked Marilyn.

“
Yeah,
”
Marilyn said.
“
I can't believe it. One second
we were talking, and the next second we were back at his place."

“
Maybe
I can get in on that,
”
Dani
teased.
“
How about it,
Jules?
”

“
Oh
definitely,
”
Jules said and
forced a smile.

“
Ryan
is taken,
”
Marilyn said.
“
He would have been my first
choice.
”

“
I
’
d go for Asher,
”
Dani said.
“
Or Tanner. Did you hear his
voice? He
’
s so sexy with
that guitar.
”

“
You
had a front row seat,
”
Marilyn said to Jules.
“
I
’
m jealous.
”

Jules smiled. She was blushing but
she could feel the jealousy creeping in.

He
’
s mine.

“
We
were just singing,
”
Jules
said.

“
Yeah,
right,
”
Marilyn said.
“
He had you naked and in his bed.
”

“
Who
’
s naked and in bed?
”

Jules turned and saw Tanner
approaching them. Dani and Marilyn giggled.

“
Hey
Tanner,
”
Dani said.
“
Did we forget something?
”

“
No,
”
Tanner said.
“
I need to talk to Jules. Alone.
”
When he realized how it
sounded, he added, "About the song."

“
Right,
”
Marilyn said, winking.
“
See you later, Jules.
”

Jules looked at Tanner, unsure what
the next move was. She wasn
’
t
an expert in one night stands, not by a long shot.

“
Hey,
”
Jules said.
“
Everything okay?
”

“
I
don
’
t know,
”
Tanner said.
“
I woke up this morning alone.
”

“
That
’
s what you wanted, right?
”

“
Come
here, darling,
”
Tanner
said. He touched her wrists and pulled her into him. He took a deep breath.
“
Fuck, I love the way you smell.
”

“
That
’
s impossible. I haven
’
t had a chance to shower since
…”

“
Exactly,
”
Tanner said.
“
It's a reminder of last night.
Of us.
”

Jules felt her knees starting to weaken.

Why the hell is he so confusing?

“
I
didn
’
t want to be in your
way,
”
Jules admitted.
“
I mean, you had your hands full
…
well, bed full
…”

Tanner let out a groan.
“
Don
’
t talk about that. I never knew her name, Jules. I
still don
’
t.
”

“
Was
she there long?
”

“
She
tried to make coffee and then left.
”

Jules smiled.
“
I know how to make great coffee.
”

“
That
’
s why you should have stayed,
”
Tanner said.
“
I didn
’
t give you permission to leave.
”

“
Permission?
I
’
m on a permission basis?
”

Tanner nodded.
“
When it comes to your body and
needs, darling, I
’
m in
control.
”
Tanner pressed against
Jules. She backed up and hit a wall, literally.
It felt so good.
“
Do you agree?
”

“
I
…
don
’
t
…
know
…”

“
What
don
’
t you know?
”

“
You
’
re a rockstar, Tanner. You
’
re going on the road. There are going
to be shows every night and women everywhere."

“
You
’
re going to be on tour with us,
”
Tanner said.
“
When I make a decision, I stick
to it.
”

“
Like
breaking your rules for me?
”

“
You
say it like it
’
s a bad
thing.
”

“
Tanner,
I
’
m a woman who left home
against everyone's wishes. I
’
m
crammed in a small apartment with a roommate who sleeps on the couch because
there
’
s only one bedroom. I
’
m chasing a dream I don
’
t know actually exists. This is
the closet I
’
ve come to
that dream. And now you
…”

“
What
are you afraid of then?
”
Tanner asked.

“
What
if I give too much?
”

“
I
’
ve seen enough already,
”
Tanner said.
“
What else is there?
”

“
More
than sex.
”

“
You
want me to tell everyone in front of you?
”
Tanner asked.
“
I
’
ll announce it.
”

Tanner backed up and started to
bring his hands to mouth.

Jules lunged forward and jumped at
him. He caught her.

“
No,
no,
”
Jules said as she
smiled.
“
Don
’
t. I don
’
t want to be
that girl
.
”

“
What
girl?
”

“
The
one who sleeps with the rockstar, and then is labeled as the one who got the
job because of it."

“
Did
you not hear your voice today?
”
Tanner asked. He was still holding Jules.
“
You
were amazing. You left everyone speechless. You can do this on your own if you
want.
”

“
That
’
s sweet,
”
Jules whispered.

“
No,
darling, this
…
this is
sweet.
”

Tanner kissed Jules. Jules moaned
into his mouth. She had been wondering if it was ever going to happen again. Chalking
it up to an unbelievable one night stand seemed to cheapen the experience. But
with his lips on hers again, all was right in Jules' world again.

“
Holy
hell,
”
Tanner said.
“
There
’
s nothing like it.
”