Under the Lights (A Brothers of Rock - GONE BY AUTUMN - Novel) (9 page)

Jules was dying for Tanner to kiss
her again.

“
Tanner!
Yo!
”
a voice boomed.

Tanner stepped back and Asher was standing
in the hallway.

“
What?
”
Tanner yelled.

“
Food.
Booze. Rockstar life. Come on, man.
”

“
On
my way,
”
Tanner said as he
stared down Jules.

She was left frozen, turned on to
the point her toes were curled in her shoes.

“
I
’
ll see you later,
”
Tanner said.
“
Make sure you get a ride this
time. Don't want you to have to leave your car at The Jack overnight.
”

Tanner winked and walked away.

Overnight?

Jules mouth was bone dry.

Overnight
…

What did Tanner have planned?

“
Music,
”
Jules whispered.
“
Just music. Nothing more.
”

Nothing more.

Nothing. More.

(9)

Jules finished her second drink and
smacked her lips together. She put the empty glass down and slid it across the
bar. Her fingers tapped on the bar as she waited for the bartender to come
back.

“
Drinking
a little fast?
”
Tara asked.

“
Don
’
t judge. You always want me to
do this.
”

“
Oh,
I know. But what caused it?
”

“
Nothing.
”

Tara put her fingers in her mouth
and whistled. The bartender looked at her. She pointed to the empty glasses and
gave a thumbs up. The bartender nodded.

“
That
’
s bullshit,
”
Tara said.
“
You don
’
t just start slamming drinks back like this for no
reason.
”

“
I
have reason.
”

“
Then
spill it.
”

Jules looked at Tara and smiled.
“
No.
”

“
Is
it a guy?
”

“
No.
”

Liar.

“
Then
it
’
s a work thing.
Something happen with the band?
”

“
No.
”

Liar.

“
Then
what?
”
Tara asked.
“
Come on.
”

“
Just
a hectic day,
”
Jules said.
“
That
’
s all. So much singing and planning. Talking to
those guys like they
’
re
…
I don
’
t know, real people
…”

“
Jules,
they are real people.
”

“
No,
Tara. They
’
re rockstars.
There
’
s a difference. When
you spend time with them, and look into their eyes, you see the passion, and you
can feel it
…”

“
Holy
shit, which one is it?
”

“
What?
”

“
Here
’
s two more,
”
the bartender said as he put
the glasses down.
“
These are
on that gentleman down there.
”
He pointed to the end of the bar.

For a second, Jules expected to see
Tanner. Instead it was a clean cut, good looking guy in a suit and tie. He
smiled and gave a nod.

Tara lifted her glass and blew a
kiss.

The guy pointed at Jules and
smiled.

“
Oh,
damn,
”
Tara said.
“
He
’
s
for you.
”

“
Really?
”
Jules asked.

“
Wave
to him.
”

Jules lifted her glass and waved. His
smile stretched wider.

“
Oh
yeah. He just popped wood.
”

“
Ew,
”
Jules said.
“
Stop.
”

“
What?
Are you involved with someone? Got something you
’
d
like to share? Have a rockstar wrapped around your finger?
”

“
Uh,
no,
”
Jules said. She sipped
the drink. Then gulped it.

“
Then
go down there and talk to Mr. Hot Suit.
”

“
Why?
Make him come to me.
”

“
Hard
to get,
”
Tara said.
“
Be careful with that. Hard to
get, easy to win.
”

“
What
the hell does that mean?
”

“
I
don
’
t know. Sounds good,
right?
”

“
I
wouldn
’
t put that in a
song.
”

“
Two
drinks and she
’
s full of
honesty,
”
Tara said. She
turned and signaled for the guy at the end of the bar to come their way.
“
There. No more hard to get. Let
Mr. Hot Suit enjoy you.
”

“
You
’
re an ass,
”
Jules said.

She wasn
’
t in the mood
…
well, maybe she was. There was nothing wrong with having a few drinks and
flirting with a cute guy. Jules was out and wanted to enjoy the night. Tara
’
s maybe guitarist had already
played her acoustic set and Tara was doing all she could to convince the woman
to talk to her about joining a band. There wasn
’
t
a single commitment Jules needed to make until Tara was ready to go home, at
which point Jules could just thank Mr. Hot Suit for the drinks and tell him to
go away.

Jules faced the bar and finished
her third drink.

“
I
need to talk to Becky,
”
Tara said.
“
Did you like
the set?
”

“
Loved
it,
”
Jules said.
“
She
’
d be a great guitarist for you.
”

“
You
’
re just saying that.
”

“
You
keep asking me and I keep giving you the same answer. Take it for what it
’
s worth.
”

“
Hey,
this is a big deal for me.
”

Jules looked at Tara.
“
I wouldn
’
t lie to you. She
’
s
good. I hope you get something going. I swear.
”

“
Good.
I won
’
t lie to you either.
I
’
m hoping you disappear
for the night and come home tomorrow with a wild story. And it better begin
with you peeling off Mr. Hot Suit
’
s
suit.
”

Tara slipped away and here came Mr.
Hot Suit. He moved right into Tara
’
s
spot.

“
Thanks
for the drink.
”
Tara
smiled.

“
Just
wanted to make sure the right person got a drink,
”
he said as he winked.
“
Need
another one?
”

“
Did
you just insult my friend?
”

“
She
got a free drink out of it.
”

“
You
’
re an asshole.
”

“
Okay.
Maybe I am. But you
’
re
glass is empty and that
’
s a
big concern for me.
”

“
Then
order me a drink.
”

“
Tell
me your name.
”

“
Order
me a drink.
”

Jules loved this. She loved feeling
cocky and flirty.

The bartender surprised her when he
walked over with a fresh drink. He put it down and smiled.

“
What
the hell
…”

Mr. Hot Suit leaned in close and
said,
“
I told him to make
sure your glass never stays empty.
”

He pulled a hundred dollar bill out
of his jacket and put it on the bar.

Jules wasn
’
t sure if it was exactly sexy or not. But it was
kind of cool. At least to get the attention.

“
Jules,
”
she said. She sipped the start
of her fourth drink.
“
My
name is Jules. And thanks for the drinks.
”

“
Well,
Jules, I had a feeling your name would be something unique.
”

“
It
’
s not that unique,
”
Jules said.
“
At least it
’
s not boring. What
’
s your name? Jim?
”

“
Close.
It
’
s Rob.
”

“
Rob.
Okay. Can I call you Robert?
”

“
You
can call me anything you want,
”
Rob said.
“
Just keep
drinking and looking right at me.
”

“
You
’
re a little aggressive. I
’
m here with my friend.
”

“
Your
friend? The woman that hurried away when I walked over here? The woman who invited
me to come over? The woman I wasted a drink on to make sure you got your drink?
”

“
Yeah.
That
’
s my friend.
”

“
Well,
then I guess I
’
m sorry,
”
Rob said. He backed away from
the bar a few inches.
“
I
guess I
’
ll prey on someone
else.
”

Prey on someone else
…

Jules reached forward, almost
feeling bad. She touched Rob
’
s
wrist and smiled.

“
I
’
m messing around,
”
she said.
“
We can have some fun.
”

“
Fun?
I like fun.
”
Rob turned his
hand so he was holding Jules
’
wrist. He pulled at her.
“
Come
out here and have fun with me.
”

Jules stood for the first time
since sitting with her first drink. That
’
s
when it all settled into her. The entire room spun once, twice,
three times
…
she fell forward into Rob
’
s arms and he caught her.

“
Whoa,
are you okay?
”

“
Great,
”
she said.
“
I think I
’
m drunk.
”

“
Then
my work is done already. Why don
’
t
we get out of here?
”

Jules giggled. She ran a hand down
Rob
’
s chest and stomach.
She didn
’
t realize what she
was doing until her mind told her that Rob
’
s
stomach was nothing like touching Tanner
’
s
muscle laden stomach.

She then looked around, remembering
Tanner saying he was going to stalk her tonight. Not surprisingly, there was no
sign of Tanner. He had no good reason to be hanging around The Jack. He had
Gone by Autumn. He had plenty of women to fool around with. Ones much prettier
than Jules.

“
What
’
s wrong?
”
Rob asked.

“
Nothing,
”
Jules said.

“
Hey,
do you have a boyfriend or something? You look guilty.
”

“
Nope,
”
Jules said.
“
Single as they come. Now are we
going to dance and have fun or what?
”

“
Can
you walk?
”

Jules pushed at Rob.
“
Watch me.
”

She strutted away, purposely rocking
her hips left to right, looking back at Rob, smiling and biting her bottom lip.
It was kind of fun to do this. Have a few drinks, gain a guy's attention, flirt
a little. With no worries, care, or commitment.

Rob rushed after her and they were
quickly dancing together in the middle of the floor. His hands trailed up and
down her body. Just his fingertips and never going too far. He was playful.
From her shoulder down her arms to her wrists. Her wrists around to the small
of her back. Each time he tried to touch her ass Jules would just give a quick
wiggle and that would stop it.

After a little while of dancing,
Rob guided Jules to one of the tall tables along the wall. He leaned against
the table and Jules sat to rest and fan herself a little. Her glass was empty.

“
I
’
ll get you another,
”
Rob said.

“
No,
I
’
m okay.
”

“
That
’
s a shame. You can
’
t just stop. Not in the middle
of a good night. We didn
’
t
even get to blast out of here.
”

“
Oh
yeah? Where would we go?
”

“
My
hotel room. I
’
m actually in
town on business.
”

“
Business?
”

“
I
’
m a lawyer,
”
Rob said.
“
Go figure, right? Nice suit, cocky
attitude. I was born for it. I'm here helping a friend out with some real
estate stuff. He
’
s in the
music business and wants to settle down here I guess. I
’
m in a high rise hotel. Looking to enjoy the rest
of my week there.
”
Rob
crept his fingers across the table and touched Jules
’
hand.
“
That
’
s where you come into play.
”