Between Love & Fire (Backstage #1) (3 page)

I have been sitting here for hours. Kierra left two hours ago, and I am still nowhere near finding the lyrics that evade me. How am I meant to get songs done for an album when my mind can’t relax? This tour will take a lot out of me. There is pressure on us with the amount of work that goes into a worldwide tour. It’s astonishing. Tomorrow is Tayla’s first day, I gave Kierra a list of things I want Tay to learn. She needs to be up to scratch for the upcoming tour.

Since Ki will handle her first day, I can stay away. Which is what I need to do. If I went down there I would give her too much to handle. There is something I want her to handle. The images that run through my mind, thoughts of her soft hand on my cock has me straining against my zipper. Me being famous didn’t faze her. She’s just jaded by the LA lifestyle, maybe I can wine and dine her. If that will get me into her little panties, then I am all for it. I always give one hundred percent.

I can be as romantic as she wants. Glancing at the sheet in front of me—the empty fucking sheet—I wince. This will be a painful process. The label will lose their shit when they know that we only have one song, and it’s not even finished. In fact, it’s far from finished. I unlock my phone and scroll through my contacts. I need a distraction. It’s late and I know a perfect little brunette that will take my mind off this shit.

“Hello?” Her voice is soft and sweet, as she whispers into the phone.

“Hey kitten, can I come play?” Her giggle is answer enough. She didn’t realize it’s me since I never give my number to anyone. I don’t need fucking stalkers hounding me.

“Callum.” She breaths my name seductively. “Yes, come over.” As soon as I hang up, I pull on my black boots and make my way out to the garage. It’s only hit midnight, I can be home before the sun rises. She doesn’t live too far away. One of my many contacts. Girls ready to take the edge off, but never wanting more.

When I reach her apartment, it’s quiet and no lights are on. Once step up to her door, before I even have a chance to knock, she’s swinging the door open and jumping into my arms.

“I missed you.” She stares at me. Her words are too tender. There’s feeling in them and I need to stop that immediately.

“I want a fuck kitten. Nothing more.” Yes, I am a dick, but she knew what she was signing up for when she agreed. I walk us back into the apartment. My mouth on hers, she opens easily. So eager. I lick into her. Tasting her. The little whimpers from her mouth are soft as my tongue dances with hers. She sucks on it like a porn star, and who knows, she could be. I don’t get to know them.

Our hands are everywhere, yanking and tugging at clothes until we’re both naked. Her tight body is sexy, no scars, no ink, just soft smooth skin. So beautiful. For tonight. To be honest, I love girls with ink. But Kitten here, she’s pure. Unmarked.

Lifting her up by her ass, I throw her back onto the bed and she giggles. Her long brown hair fans around her on the pillow. “Open your legs, touch your little pussy.” She loves putting on a show and it makes me fucking hard. Her smooth bare cunt spread for me. She’s already glistening, and I can’t wait to sink into her. I reach for my jeans that's strewn on the floor and pull out a condom. Tearing the wrapper, I sheath myself. Her gaze is locked on my movements and she moans at the sight.

“You’re so big, Cal.”
I know that kitten, that’s why you will scream when I fuck your tight little body.
Kneeling between her legs, I slowly tease her with the tip of my cock.

“Ready for me kitten?” She nods. The hungry gaze she locks on me has me raging. Without warning, I thrust into her, balls deep in her tight pussy. Fuck, it feels so good. Her head falls back and her eyes flutter closed as I pound her into the bed. She wraps her legs around my waist, pulling me in deeper. My mouth finds her pebbled nipple, and suck on it. I bite down just enough to give her a jolt of pleasured pain, and she cries out. Her tight heat is pulsing, and she’s close. I pull out almost all the way to the tip, and slam into her, bottoming out as she screams my name. Her orgasm taking hold of her. I drive in again, and again, on the third thrust I fill the rubber. Once she’s come down from her high, I slip out of her and get dressed. By the time I reach the door, she’s followed me into the living room, wrapped in a sheet.

“You’re not staying?” She’s getting needy, I don’t like it.

“I never do, you know that.” The sorrow in her green stare only makes me want to run faster. Once I am in the safety of my Jeep, I sigh. Pulling out my phone, I scroll to her number and delete it. There is no way I am getting into this again. As I start the car, there is no satisfaction in what I did. My body is on edge. There is only one girl that can sate me. One with blonde hair and brown eyes.

The sound of my alarm pulls me from the anxiety, but something was unusual this time. Nightmares have haunted me for three years. Or rather, he has plagued me. Today I can’t let that get to me. There is something to look forward to. My future. It was my first day of work with Hunters in Oblivion. I was bummed that I couldn’t talk to my sister last night, but she did text me and let me know she’ll be online tonight. Well… Her morning. She had a deadline and needed to complete her assignment.

Rolling over in bed, I stare up at the ceiling. I will be on tour with one of my favorite bands on their upcoming Lust & Temptation tour. The album of the same name was only released six months ago. And I had it on repeat every day. Actually, I had one song on replay. Damaged Angel. Something about the crack in Callum’s voice as he reaches the chorus made my heart race. I was the damaged angel. At least that’s how I felt. When he sang it, it was as if he was speaking directly to me. Remembering his intense blue stare had my skin tingling and goose bumps rising over my body. It would be a lie to deny he did things to me. My thighs squeezed together instinctively.
Doesn’t every girl do that when they think of him?
He was taller than me by a few inches. His beautifully sculpted jaw was dusted with stubble. He had a toned torso that I would love to run my tongue along. The man was beautiful. Plain and simple.

The prospect of spending time around him had the butterflies fluttering in my stomach.
How can I deny that I wanted him?
I couldn’t. That was my problem. But if working with them meant I got to travel and gain experience I was all for it.

My crew access will be VIP. Backstage passes to see the craziness that ensued before shows, and after. It would be a twenty-four-hour responsibility. Kierra said that it was going to be intense hard work, but that didn’t intimidate me. That excited me. An experience of a lifetime. One I was looking forward to. The only problem will be staying as far away from Callum as possible. I shouldn’t let my attraction to him mess up my chance at a career in this industry. Did I have to land a job with the hottest rock stars in the world?

Since I will be spending most of my time with the crew, I wouldn’t really need to talk to him at all. So this will be easier than I expected.
So, why did it still make me so nervous?

At least Kierra seemed nice, she’s been photographed with Cal since I had been a fan of the band. From the photographs taken of her, she always came across as serious. Since the guys were always so goofy most reporters enjoyed talking to them. They loved having a laugh, watching them in interviews online, was hilarious.

There were constantly rumors that Kierra and Cal were dating, but never any proof. I mean, working alongside one of the hottest rock stars in the world, there must be an attraction? Some of the comments I read in the chat room used to make me blush. I wonder if he ever saw what they said about him? He probably enjoys the attention.

Rolling out of bed, I pad to the kitchen and turn on my beloved kettle. Today caffeine will be my best friend. Turning on the sound system in the living room, I am startled by Callum’s voice singing about Filthy Lust. The video of this song was one for late night viewing. He always went all out, I remember my sister practically melting on our sofa when it was released. Callum wearing next to nothing in the video. There is a scene of him stepping out of the shower which I must admit had me drooling. I wonder if his abs were really that defined?

What are you thinking?
Shaking my head, I make my way to the bathroom. I can’t be thinking of Callum. Not right now.

Stepping out of the shower, I groan in frustration when I take in my appearance. The black circles under my eyes from not sleeping properly are noticeable. As soon as I open my closet, another groan escapes my lips. What the bloody hell do I wear? Something professional but sexy. I wanted to make a good impression on the band. The thought of meeting the rest of the guys has butterflies waking up in my belly. As much as I wanted to deny it, I know seeing those cerulean eyes would be my undoing.

I needed to focus on work. This is my area of expertise. I know how to do this. Inhaling a deep breath, I calm myself and grab a pair of skinny jeans. They’re dark blue, so they look dressy. I opt for a white slouchy tee, which has a massive cherry blossom flower on the front. It’s comfortable, but pretty. It falls off the one shoulder and isn’t too low cut. If I will be running around and working with instruments, I don’t want to dress up. The upcoming tour will be incredible. With this being their fourth album, it was already selling millions of copies. Now all I needed was to get up to speed on how they like their instruments set up and I will be fine. Let’s just hope the month before the tour would pass by quickly. Once we step on the plane, I can relax. I will most likely spend all my time with the crew, so my distraction with Callum can take a backseat.

My phone beeped showing a new message. Unlocking the screen, Callum’s face stared back at me. I opened the text and smiled. It was my sister. She had news, it could only mean she met someone. That’s normally why she freaked out and got excited. We were two sides of a coin. Her hair was brown and hung in long waves. Her elegant dress sense was opposite to my more boyish one. She had green eyes whereas mine are brown.

E: Hiya babe, I miss your boring ass! Can we Skype later? I have fucking incredible news!! xo

We definitely needed to chat, I had to tell her about my new job. I hit the reply button.

T: Yes! I have something exciting to tell you too xo

My legs take me up the hill to the house. I have my coffee in hand, ready to start the day. When I reach the driveway there’s a black Suzuki motorcycle parked outside. It’s gorgeous and shiny, I recognize it immediately. Its Liam’s. He rode this bike in one of their music videos. I am still staring at the incredible machine when the gate flies open and I come face to face with caramel eyes. Wow! The other Hayes brother is taller, by a few inches. He has broad shoulders and his tanned skin looks soft and smooth. “Well, hello there little one. Are you lost?” Immediately recognizing that low gravelly voice from interviews.

“No, I… My name is Tayla, I am the new intern.” I offer my hand. For a moment I think he will only stare at me. Then he takes it and his rough callused fingers feel so different to Callum’s. A drummer’s hands. We shake slowly, and the muscles in his forearm flex and I am mesmerized. Both brothers are put together in flawless perfection. Their parents did a good job producing them.

“My brother has good taste in staff.” The wicked gleam in his eyes tells me there’s way too much underlying that comment. A blush spreads over my cheeks. His hungry caramel gaze rakes over me, taking in every inch of my appearance before landing on my face.

“Thank you. I guess I better get inside.” He nods. Releasing my hand, he walks past me.

“I will see more of you later, sweet cheeks.” He pulls on his helmet and swings his leg over the bike. He’s rough, sexy, and the complete opposite of his brother.

I walk down to the house, still reeling from my meeting with the eldest Hayes. With a quick glance I find a few staff sitting on the patio. They offer me a small smile as I step inside. Kierra comes flying out of an office. “Yay! You’re here.” She tugs me by the hand, and pulls me into the kitchen. “Do you want coffee?” I take in the massive kitchen.

“I have one.” Lifting my cup. “This is incredible.” My eyes dart toward her, and gesture around the room that looks more like it belongs on a movie set. She giggles at my expression.

“Wait till you see the rest of the house. You ready to get started?” I nod and smile. We take a quick tour of the offices, the studio and she shows me where the rest room is. The house is bigger than I thought. From outside, it looks small. There are so many hidden rooms and closets.

We head back to the office to go over my contract. It’s a six-month internship, afterward I have an option either to extend it and become a permanent member of staff, or I can leave.

“I need you to read through everything. There are a number of clauses. You cannot talk about anything that takes place here. Whether it’s with friends and family, or press. Everything you will hear and see are confidential. We need to trust our staff. If anything is leaked, we will investigate. If you’re found guilty, it’s an immediate termination.” I nod. This is expected. She leaves me then and I sit back, reading through the thick document.

My skin prickles and I feel him before he speaks. The intensity of his aura surrounds him like a cloud and my body responds. My glance flits up, and I am met with cerulean eyes. “Good morning, Callum.” I smile and make to get up.

“Tayla.” The way my name rolls off his tongue is erotic. Already I am squirming. This is ridiculous. His hand extends and when I slip mine in his, a spark shoots from my fingertips right down to my toes. This man exudes sex. He’s dressed in a pair of blue jeans, they’re ripped at the knees and he’s wearing slippers. The black T-shirt that molds to every contour of his lean muscular chest has me involuntarily licking my lips.

“How are you?” My voice comes out thick with emotion. Desire. Yearning. Need.

“Better now. Are you happy with the contract?” His gaze falls on the desk. My hand is still in his, but he makes no move to release it.

“Yes, thank you. Six months will make a huge difference, giving me the experience I need. I hope to extend it.” A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth and he takes a step towards me. He leans in and my breathing stops.
Is he going to kiss me?
His mouth is at my ear and his hot breath fans over my neck sending a shiver of lust down my spine and tingles straight to my clit.

“If you can handle six months with me, then you’re unquestionably getting an extension.” When he steps back, he drops my hand and turns to walk out of the office. Before he disappears, he pauses, facing me again. “And Tayla, you look beautiful.” His hungry eyes rake over me, from my head to my trainers. The heat that follows his gaze over my skin has me squirming. With that, he’s gone.