The Best Kind of Trouble
Page 70

She heard someone call her name but didn’t recognize anyone.
“Shine it on.” Ross waved down the hall. “Those are the dressing rooms. Paddy is in one of them. I don’t know which, so knock first or you might get to know one of Paddy’s brothers more than you want.”
Natalie laughed. “Good advice.”
Ross headed back the way they’d come.
“What do you think he meant, shine it on?” She listened and decided to knock on the nearest one.
“I think people know you’re Natalie, Paddy’s girlfriend, and they’re going to try to be your friend to use you to get back here.”
She looked back over her shoulder as Mary opened, her eyes narrowed until she recognized Natalie. “Hey, there.” She hugged Natalie and Tuesday.
Damien came over. “Coast must be clear.” He saw them and also gave them a hug. He wore no shirt and low-slung jeans with heavy boots. He had as much ink as Paddy did. And seriously great arms.
“Hey, you two. Paddy is next door.” He pounded on the wall.
Paddy stuck his head out. “What?” His gaze slid past Natalie and then snagged back. “Wow.” He grinned, circling his finger to get her to turn, so she did.
“I’m pretty sure I’m glad I didn’t know how gorgeous the two of you looked before you got here. Must have gotten quite a bit of attention.”
Speaking of attention, Paddy’s hair was artfully tousled, he wore a threadbare Sonic Youth T-shirt, leather pants, also low-slung enough to show all of his hip bones, and purple Puma sneakers.
“You look pretty gorgeous yourself.” She was going to have to get him to do the outfit when they were alone. Maybe a private game of rock star and groupie.
He hugged her, kissing the side of her neck. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but it looks like I’ll enjoy it later.”
“We don’t want to be in the way, so let us know what you need.”
“You want to see the stage from back here?”
“Yeah!”
Ezra came down the hall, brightening when he saw them, darkening in a distinctly sexual way when he focused on Tuesday.
“Nats, beautiful, nice to see you.” He hugged her, nervous tension in his muscles. She knew it was his first live show in years.
“I’m so excited to see you up there tonight. You look hot.” She winked at him and loved the way he blushed.
“Tuesday, it’s been a while.” He took her hand, and Natalie’s mouth nearly hit the dirt when he turned it to kiss the inside of Tuesday’s wrist.
Tuesday’s lids dropped just a little, her mouth curving up. “Hey, Ezra. Give me a tour?”
Natalie was torn between wanting to hug her friend for taking his mind off being nervous, and wanting to corner her and demand some facts because there was simply no way these two had only seen each other the two times Natalie had been there when they were in a small group, and the handful of other times when there was a large group. There was intimacy of some type between them.
“My pleasure.” He turned to Paddy. “Check with Stuckey. He was looking for you.” He drew Tuesday down the hall without another word.
“So you want to tell me what that’s all about?” Paddy demanded.
“Me? I was going to ask you. Clearly, there’s something going on, and she hasn’t mentioned it, even when I poke at her over it. Who’s Stuckey?”
“My guitar tech.”
He placed a hand at the small of her back, waving at people who called his name, but he kept moving. “By the way, I meant it when I said you looked gorgeous.” He leaned in close, ducking them into an alcove. “I want that shade of lipstick on my c**k later.”
Her heart pounded at his words, at the intensity of his body against hers. They were in public and yet, wow, it was hot even as it made her a little nervous.
He smiled, that sexy smile that promised all sorts of dirty fun later, and moved back. “Let’s find Stuckey. I’m playing my new guitar tonight, and I want to be sure there aren’t any problems.”
It was all sort of a blur from then on. It got more crowded as more and more people directed Paddy to do stuff, demanded his attention, especially the fans who saw him at the stage from their place up front. It was a fan club crowd so they were pumped up, but the intensity of it was a little nerve-racking.
He brought her to the side of the stage. “I’m going back with the rest of the dudes. We’ll be out shortly. Just wait here.”
She took his hands, kissing his fingertips. “All right. I don’t know if I should wish you luck or if that’s a no-no or if I have to wish for broken legs or whatever.”
Again, that sexy grin. “Gorgeous, your being here is good luck.” He kissed her. Not a quick peck but a full-on, openmouthed swoonworthy kiss that left her breathless and clutching his shirt to keep standing.
“Now, that’s even better than wishing me good luck.”
He was different. Not like a totally new person, but Paddy on fifty instead of fifteen. And he was already sort of overwhelming at fifteen.
He hustled back to the dressing rooms, and she watched him retreat, loving the way he moved.
“Dude.” Tuesday sidled up, both of them watching Paddy’s ass. “Spectacular.”
“Um, yeah.” She turned her attention back to Tuesday. “You totally have some explaining to do.”
Tuesday bit her bottom lip for a moment.