Rock Radio (16 page)

“Wild, isn’t it?” Cody said, motioning behind him to the club.

“Which part?”

“The whole thing...it seems like we were just college guys a few years ago and now...I don’t know what we are.”

College guys a few years ago?  Okay not that young.
  “You’re rock stars.”

“No.  The Stones, they’re rock stars.  The Who, rock stars.  Sting, rock star.”

“They were all just regular guys like you once too.”

“That’s hard to imagine,” Cody said.

“A lot of them still are,” Dana said.  “I’ve met a lot of famous people and you know what?  Most of them are average people with extraordinary luck.”

“And talent,” Cody added.

“Some yes, but a lot I’d say...luck.”  She looked out at the ocean.  “I’ve seen some bands come through with so much talent you think they’re gonna be huge.  Then they crash and burn.  Others have so little talent, but become superstars.  I don’t know, no matter who they are they all started as regular people.  You have to remember that,” she smiled at him, “Most rock stars weren’t born into it.”

“I never thought of it that way.”

“It’s my jaded view I guess,” she said.

“No, it makes the untouchables seem real.  I think it makes you more grounded, not to be putting them on a pedestal I mean.”

The wind blew through Dana’s hair.  “That’s a nice compliment.”

“It’s true.”  Cody noticed how beautiful Dana’s face was with her hair flying behind her.

“I know it’s a wild life.  I’ve seen it,” Dana pushed a wisp of hair behind her ear.  “Before all the money hits it’s a lot of work.”

“Yeah,” Cody said wistfully.

“And it’s hard on the people around you.”  She looked up at him, imagining his strong arms around her.

“Are you reading a page from my book?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s like you know my life.”

“It’s my life,” Dana said, choosing her next words carefully.  “I’m not a rock star, but I have a crazy life.  Weird work hours, remotes on the weekend, attention from strangers...” her voice trailed.  “It’s what ended my last relationship.”  Now Cody knew she was single.

He got the message.  “Same thing happened to me.  My girlfriend couldn’t handle the lifestyle.  Not that I blame her, it’s hard to be involved with someone when you never see them.”  Cody omitted his indiscretion.

“It makes for a lonely life.”  Dana dug her toes into the sand and shivered, not sure if it was the night air or him.

“True,” Cody said longing to touch her.  “It’s nice to talk to someone who gets it.  I’ve met so many people since this all started to happen.  They all want something from me.  No one really seems to care who I am.”

“...just what you can do for them,” Dana finished.

“Exactly.”  Cody turned toward her, his voice husky.  “I miss having a real connection with someone.”

She looked up into his eyes.  “Me too.”

The heat between them was palpable. 
They were only inches apart.  Dana’s breath quickened.  He was so close now.  She could smell his faint spice cologne mixed with the salty sea air.  Intoxicating.

Time stood still.

Dana felt her heart racing in the silence.

Cody leaned in to kiss her.  His lips were first soft, his tongue slowly exploring hers.  He lifted his hands and gently moved them down the side of her neck, his fingertips stopping just above the collar of her low cut dress
, slowly grazing across her neckline.

Dana felt the kiss down her entire body.  She traced her hand
s up his arms, resting them on his broad shoulders, then ran them down his back.  She could feel his hard muscles, his incredible body.  She drew closer to him, pressing herself up against his powerful frame.  Cody felt her every curve on his skin.  His warm mouth became more insistent as if he needed to be one with her.  He moved his hands back up her neck and into her hair, pulling her closer with desire.  Dana heard herself moan with pleasure as she responded to his intensity.

In that moment, they were the only two people in the world.  No
one else existed, nothing else mattered.

Cody kissed her mouth softly again, then nuzzled he
r neck and held her in his arms trying to control himself.  She wasn’t a one-night stand.  She could be so much more.  He didn’t want to ruin it.

Dana was speechless.  She’d never been kissed like that before.  She didn’t want this moment to end.

Breathless, Cody pulled away.  They locked eyes, no words were necessary.  There was an electric connection between them, something deeper than either of them had ever felt before.  It scared Dana how close she felt to this man she just met.

Cody gazed at Dana, so taken with this woman who seemed to know a part of him no one else understood.  She was so beautiful, but when he looked into her eyes, he
could see her soul.

“Dana, Dana, Dana...” he breathed her name like lyrics to a song
and wrapped his arms around her.  “Where have you been...?”

She was wondering the same thing about him.

“Are you free tomorrow?” he whispered in her ear.

“
Yes...” she murmured.

“Good,” he said, kissing her again slowly.  “We don’t leave till Monday morning.  Promise you’ll see me?”

“Promise,” she said, trembling.

He held her close in the night.  They sat in comfortable silence listening to the
rhythmic waves rush the shore and the quiet rustling of palm fronds.

The symphony of the night was interrupted by a blaring car horn. 
Suddenly they could hear voices of other people walking on the beach and the faint strains of dance techno music emanating from the club.  Their moment was over.

Silently they stood up, brushing the sand off of themselves.  Words seemed inadequate after what they just shared.  Cody took her hand as they walked slowly back to reality.  The noise of Miami nightlife filled the air.

Dana took some deep breaths trying to regain her composure and her senses.  Cody was essentially a stranger, yet their connection felt deeper than attraction.  She knew she needed a clear head to sort this out, but she was intoxicated from his kiss.  For the first time in her life she had no idea what to say.

It was Cody who spoke first.

“Do you have a pen?” he asked.

Dana was thankful for a simple question.  She rummaged through her purse.  “No pen, but I have eyeliner.”

“It’ll have to do,” he said.  “What’s your number?”

He wrote her answer in the palm of his hand.  Dana smiled, “Why don’t we meet over there at Java Café?”  She pointed to the coffee shop a few doors down from Luna. 
Good neutral ground, she thought, allowing her mind to overrule her heart, her heart that would have agreed to meet him anywhere.

“Perfect.  W
alking distance from our hotel.”  A beat.  “How are you getting home?  Did your friends leave you?” he asked handing her back her eyeliner.

“Yeah, Jonny’s wife was tired.  I was going to take a cab.”

“I guess you could stay with me at the hotel,” he said trying to be polite, hoping it didn’t come across the wrong way.  “I’d sleep on the couch,” he added quickly, knowing full well if she came back with him he’d find it impossible to resist her.

“I probably should go home,” she said, wanting ter
ribly to stay, but knowing she wouldn’t be able to adhere to his good intentions.  Yes, going home was the right thing to do.

“Right, makes sense.  I should probably get back anyway.  Eric’ll kill me if I don’t meet the fans.  He says it helps us sell more CDs.  The curse of fame.”  He grinned sheepishly.  “Let me get you safely in a cab so I can see you tomorrow.”

Cody moved to the curb and flagged down a taxi passing by.  “Listen,” he said as it pulled up, “we’re staying at the Seaside Motel.  I’m under the name John McKinley.”

“As in the former president?” she laughed.

He laughed with her.  “Yes...it’s a long story.  The guys in the band...we all have this obscure president game we play when we check into hotels.  I’ll tell you all the details some other time.”  He opened the cab door.  “So tomorrow...say one o’clock?”

“Yeah, tomorrow.”  She smiled.

Cody bent down and kissed Dana again soft on her lips.

“See you then.”

The cab drove away quickly turning South Beach into a blur of neon.  Dana stared out the window watching the colors streak across the darkness.  She could not believe this night. 
That kiss!
  She’d never experienced anything like it before.

Except, it wasn’t only the kiss.

When they talked, she felt like she knew him and even more amazing, it felt like he knew her.  But she didn’t trust her judgment right now.  Her emotions were still so raw from the break up with Sam, maybe loneliness was driving her feelings.  Her need to be touched.  Her need to be loved.

T
his is insane,
she thought, stopping herself from feeling what she wanted to feel. 
He’s in a band for goodness sake!  His schedule is crazier than yours!  Sam left you because he didn’t see you and you lived in the same town, slept every night in the same bed.  This couldn’t be anything more than a fling.  How do you have a relationship with a rock star?

Dana sunk back in the seat of the cab, talking herself out of what might be the best thing in her life.

The phone woke Dana from her sleep.  She anxiously picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Just wanted to make sure you got home okay.”  It was Jonny.

“You just wanted to make sure I came home.”

“Well, maybe.  But your welfare was right up there.”

Thanks.”  Dana looked at the clock - it was nine a.m.  “What are you doing up so early on a Sunday?”

“Thinking of you.”

“Really?  I’m flattered.”

“I don’t know...I couldn’t sleep.”

“A lot on your mind?” Dana asked.

“You could say that.”

“Do you need to talk?”

“No...I’m okay.”  His tone belied his words.

“If you change your mind...”

“I know, you’re there for me,” Jonny said, glad for his friendship, but knowing full well how disappointed Dana would be in him if she knew the truth.

“I am.”

He switched gears.  “Dana, you’re avoiding the topic.”

“What topic?”

“What happened with the rock star?”

“You mean Cody?”

“No, I mean Gavin Rossdale.  Of course I mean Cody.  Spill it.”

“We’re supposed to see each other later.”

“Wow...look at you, robbing the cradle.”

“Jonny, he’s been out of school for years now.”

“High school?”

“He’s not that young.  Drop it.”

“Okay...okay, you’ve convinced me.”  He laughed.  “So you wooed him?”

Dana smiled with joy.  “He’s amazing...last night was amazing...not in the way you think, so please get your mind out of the gutter.”

“It’s not, I promise, just the sidewalk.”

Dana groaned.  “Very funny...but, in all seriousness, part of me is scared, Jonny.  I don’t know if it’s smart to get involved.  His life is so crazy.”

“You sound like Sam.”

Jonny was right.  “Sometimes you say exactly the right thing.”

“Could you tell Jill that?”

“So you don’t think it’s ridiculous?”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but no.  Even if it is ju
st a fling, you deserve it.  I haven’t heard you this upbeat in a long time.”  He paused, “Besides, you realize if you don’t see him you’ll spend the rest of your life living with regret.  You’ll build him up to be the one and only love of your life that you let slip by….no other man will ever compare to him.  You’ll end up alone, eating bon bons on a tacky leather couch, watching Sally Jessy Raphael, hating yourself for missing your one chance at true love.”

“Ha ha...you sound like you speak from experience.”

“No, I saw it on Oprah one day.”

“Jonny you’re a real pal,” Dana said laughing.  “And just for the record, I’d never own a tacky leather couch.”

“Go...have fun with your rock star.”

“Good-bye Jonny.”

“Bye, Dana.”

Dana got up and took a long hot shower.  Her head felt clear for the first time in weeks.  She felt something she hadn’t felt in a long while...happy.

She slipped out of the shower into a fluffy white robe and wrapped a towel around her wet head.  A cup of coffee to take the edge off and she’d be ready.

The phone rang snapping her out of her reverie.  Cody, she thought picking up the receiver.

“Hello,” she answered cheerily.

“Dana.”  It was a man’s voice, but not Cody’s.

“Sam?” she said, her voice cracking.  She steeled herself.  She was caught off guard.