Wonderful, page 43
And yet, I was certain she wouldn’t expect me.
Anna flashed me a quick glance, then told Kiera, “Oh, don’t you worry about the details. I’ve got everything under control.”
Chapter 26
FULFILLING A FANTASY
The girls took over the back half of the bus, and none of us guys were allowed to cross the curtain line until they were done getting ready. Jenny and Rachel were the last ones to disappear behind the curtain, lingering to visit with Evan and Matt for as long as possible. Before Jenny joined my wife in her makeshift dressing room, she pulled me aside.
“Hey, Kellan, I just…” Her pale eyes drifted to the floor as her words trailed off.
“I know what you want to talk about, and I’m sorry.” I’d already apologized a dozen times for snapping at her—for hanging up on her—but I’d say it a dozen more times if she needed to hear it. I didn’t want any issues between us.
She lifted her eyes to mine and shook her head. “No, that’s not…” She sighed, took a moment to collect herself, then started over. “I wanted to apologize. What I said was rude, and I shouldn’t have doubted you. I’ve seen you change over the past couple of years, and I know you’re not…who you used to be.”
She cringed after she said that, and a soft laugh escaped me. “You mean a douchebag who would sleep with anyone who wanted me? Whether they were in a relationship or not?” My smile faded. “And then lie about it, to all my closest friends.” I paused to sigh. “I don’t blame you for doubting my honesty, Jenny. I will never blame anyone for that. I haven’t lived a very honest life. But I’m trying to, I swear to God, I’m trying to.”
A tender smile graced her lips as she studied my eyes. “I know you are. That’s why I’m sorry. I need to respect you for the man you are today, not treat you like the man you were back then. So please…forgive me?”
Shaking my head, I wrapped my arms around her. “There’s nothing to forgive. You’re allowed to call me out when I’ve done something really fucking stupid. But if you need to hear it, then yes, I forgive you.”
We pulled apart, and she gave me a bright, friendly smile. “Language, Kellan,” she told me, a teasing light in her eyes, and that was when it struck me—I had three sisters: Hailey, Anna, and Jenny. The realization was enough to choke me up, even as I laughed at her remark.
Jenny patted my arm, then joined the girls behind the curtain. I twisted around to see Evan staring at me. He raised an eyebrow when he caught my attention. “You two work things out?” he asked.
I nodded as I sat down across from him. “Yeah, we’re cool.” We’re family. All of us.
Evan grinned as his gaze darted to the curtain. “Good, because I was starting to get sick of how often our conversations became about you.” His dark eyes returned to mine, and he gave me a smirk. “I love you, man, but sometimes I want to talk to my girlfriend about me.”
I laughed at the look on his face, then felt bad. Again. I hadn’t realized just how guilty Jenny had felt for what she’d said to me. It hadn’t even been that bad really. Jenny was just a genuinely good person. “Won’t happen again,” I told him. Hopefully.
He sighed, and there was heavy annoyance in the sound. “It’ll happen at least one more time. Are you still planning…what you’re planning?”
I grinned at him in answer, and he sighed again, but this time the sigh was a fake one; there was a hefty dose of humor beneath it. I had a feeling Evan was going to get a kick out of Jenny’s reaction to my performance for Kiera, and they’d spend a good chunk of time laughing about it later. Jenny wasn’t shy like Rachel, so I didn’t think me dancing provocatively would bother her. Honestly, I had a feeling she’d find it…kind of sweet. But if it became too much for her, then she could close her eyes. I fully expected that from Rachel, unless of course, Matt had actually convinced her to take pictures for the website. Damn it.
Just as I was considering telling Anna to steal Rachel’s phone, Griffin sat down next to me. “What are you planning?” he asked, having heard Evan’s question.
“Nothing much,” I said with a smile.
He frowned at me, but his next words had nothing to do with my surprise. “Are you serious about going to a bar? Or are you just saying that to throw off Kiera?”
I sighed at him. “I don’t lie to my wife, and yes, I was serious about a bar. And separate parties.” I raised an eyebrow at him, and his pout grew deeper.
Looking up the bus, he spotted his cousin and shouted, “Matt!”
Matt tore his gaze from the curtain, locked eyes with Griffin, and immediately said, “No.”
Evan and I started laughing while Griffin tossed his hands in the air. “I didn’t ask you anything yet.”
Matt gave him an annoyed look. “You’ve only asked me one question for the last six hours, and my answer hasn’t changed. I’m not going to a strip club with you, I’m going to the bar with Kellan.”
Griffin crossed his arms over his chest. “You all suck,” he muttered.
With a laugh, I patted his shoulder. “First round is on me,” I told him.
He smirked at me. “Every round’s on you, fucker.”
I sighed, then nodded. It was the least I could do for his…sacrifice.
What felt like several hours later, the girls were finally ready for their adventure. When they stepped out from behind the curtain, a part of me wanted to pull Anna aside and thank her for making an unknown fantasy come true. The rest of me wanted to toss Kiera over my shoulder and take her straight to our hotel room without letting anyone else lay eyes on her, because damn, she looked good.
She was wearing a skintight black dress that showed off all her curves and left most of her legs exposed. Her makeup was pure seduction—bright red lips, dark eyeshadow, mile-long eyelashes. But the kicker, the part I couldn’t stop staring at, was the neon pink wig she was wearing. The shorter bob style framed her face in such an appealing way, and the color was doing something to me. Fuck. I had a thing for pink, and that was something I hadn’t known before. But the longer I looked, the harder I got, so I couldn’t ignore it. I liked pink. Or I liked her in pink. Either way, fuck our plans. We could celebrate together in our hotel room, and I’d be perfectly happy with that.
The other girls were dressed similarly to Kiera, but I barely noticed them as I stood and stepped up to her. “I am not going to be able to concentrate on stage tonight with this image of you in my mind.” And wasn’t that the truth? Even now, I couldn’t think of a single fucking lyric. “You are unbelievably hot.”
She glanced down, and I fully expected her to deny or brush off my compliment. Instead, she told me, “Thank you.”
I grinned at her, happy she’d owned her attractiveness, then I leaned in close and whispered, “You’re keeping the wig, right?”
My fingers glided down a strand, and I sucked on my lip as I pictured all sorts of amazing things. Kiera studied my face for a moment, then put her lips against my ear. “It’s the only thing I’ll keep on when I get back.”
Fuck. Me.
I didn’t think I could let her leave now; there was way too much that I wanted and needed from her. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pulled her into me and told the bus, “Change of plans, we’re canceling the show tonight and staying in.”
All the guys agreed with my idea, even Matt, which was kind of shocking. Kiera gave me a soft smile. “Nice try, but you know you can’t do that.”
A wistful sigh left me as reality crashed around me. “I know, but it was a nice thought.”
Eventually it was time for the band to go inside the venue. We each said goodbye to the girls, and I told Kiera that the newly arrived limo was for them. I told her to have fun on her night, and she returned the sentiment. Then she grabbed my arm and said, “Hey, if you really want to go to a strip club, I would be okay with it. I trust you.”
I saw the discomfort on her face as she said it, but I also saw the conviction. She truly did trust me, even around a bunch of half-naked women. I smiled at her, warmed by her faith in me. But seeing other women wasn’t what I wanted tonight. Or ever. I just wanted her.
“I’m glad to hear that,” I told her. “I don’t need a club, though.” Not wanting her to feel like she was entirely influencing my decision, I confessed that clubs had never done much for me anyway. And that was true. I’d tried it a few times when I was younger, mainly out of curiosity, but it was more fun for me to flirt with girls at a bar. And honestly, that had a better payoff, although I didn’t think it was necessary to mention that to Kiera. And by the smirk she gave me, I knew she was well aware that finding women to take their clothes off for me—for free—hadn’t been terribly difficult.
Kiera was on my mind every second after that, and I was antsy for the show to be over…for my second show to begin.
When we were finally done with our set, I rushed down the stage stairs so I could get to my other performance. Matt rushed down with me. Putting a hand on my arm, he said, “You know when to be back, right?”
I nodded as I tossed stuff at the crew. “Yeah, don’t worry.”
He ran a hand through his spikey hair. “Don’t worry? There are a million things that could hold you up. Are you sure you want to do this?”
I nodded for a second time, then patted his shoulder. “It’ll be fine. I won’t be late.”
He sighed, already looking stressed, and I knew he’d be a mess of nerves until I returned. I’d repay him later, at the bar.
Matt opened his mouth, looking like he wanted to object, but I clapped his shoulder and took off before he could. If I wanted to make it back in time, then I didn’t have time to spare. The car Matt had helped me arrange was waiting out back, and I dashed inside it. I told the driver the name of the club, then pondered how I was going to convince someone who worked there to let me go onstage.
When we got to the club, the driver pulled right up to the front of it. I smiled when I saw Kiera’s limo waiting in the lot. Looking up at the front entrance, at the feminine neon legs that were alternately blinking so they looked like they were kicking, I wondered how to get inside without being noticed. If it was a typical night, the front door probably wouldn’t be a problem, but it was ladies’ night, and the place was packed with women who just might recognize me.
Leaning forward, I asked the driver, “Can you see if there’s a back entrance?”
He nodded, not looking at all fazed by my question. He drove around the building, and sure enough, there was a door in the back by the Dumpsters. It didn’t look like a discreet entrance, though, it just looked like a quick way to get to the alley. Sighing, I decided to give it a shot. Maybe someone nearby would hear me knocking.
I told the driver to wait there for me, then I sped over to the door. There was a camera above it, but I couldn’t tell if it worked or not. I banged on the door, but nothing happened. I tried again, then again, then again. Sighing, I debated wrapping my jacket around my face and risking a walk through the front door. That was when the back door popped open. A guy stuck his head out, his face a mask of confusion and curiosity.
“Hey,” I said when he spotted me. “This is gonna sound weird, but I was—”
The guy opened the door wider. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and his abs were as chiseled as mine, so I figured he was a performer. “Oh my God, you’re Kellan Kyle!” he blurted, interrupting me.
The grin on my face was sheepish. I’d never considered the dancers recognizing me. This could really backfire. “Yeah…hi. I was wondering—”
The guy stepped aside and urged me indoors. “Tell me inside, wouldn’t want people to see you back here and start swarming.”
I breathed a sigh of relief that the guy cared about discretion. I was again about to tell him what I wanted, but he again spoke before I could. “Uh, if you’re here to use the club, it’s ladies’ night.” He showcased his body with his hand. “There aren’t any girls working tonight, just guys.” Tilting his head, he added, “But if that’s why you’re here, I could find a discreet place for you to watch backstage?”
It was genuinely touching that he was so considerate, but that wasn’t why I was here. Smiling, I shook my head. “No, actually, I have a request. My girl is in the crowd, celebrating with some friends, and I wanted to surprise her. On the stage.” I lifted my eyebrows as I waited to see if my plan was possible.
The guy’s eyes widened. “Sienna is here?”
It was really hard not to close my eyes and groan. “No, I’m not…I’m not with Sienna.”
His face twisted in confusion, but then he shrugged like it didn’t really matter to him. “That’s cool that you want to do that for her, and I wish I could make it happen, but we…well, we’ve got a standard when it comes to body types and—”
Knowing exactly what he meant, and being impressed by the fact that he hadn’t seen me naked yet, I lifted my shirt and showed him my abs.
He stopped talking. Pursing his lips, he said, “Yeah, that’ll work. You can take my spot.”
Grinning, I smacked his shoulder. “Thanks! And maybe we could keep this just between us?”
He grinned. “Give me the tips you make, and yeah, I won’t say a damn word.”
“Done,” I told him. And I already knew I’d throw in whatever cash was in my wallet. This guy deserved the largest tip I could get him.
He led me to a nearby dressing room where a bunch of guys were either changing into outfits, rubbing some sort of oil on themselves, or…making themselves look bigger. Everyone was busy doing their own thing, and nobody paid me any attention. My amiable helper led me to a private corner of the room, then said, “You know what you wanna wear?”
Smiling at him, I nodded. “I need to hide my face, and my wife has a thing for cowboys.”
An inquisitive look crossed his face when I said “wife,” but he didn’t question me. He just smiled and said, “Stay here. I’ve got the perfect thing.”
He came back a couple of minutes later with a black cowboy hat, a bandanna for my face, a leather vest, spandex briefs, black boots, and…fuck…chaps. I laughed as I held up the pants, and my friendly savior grinned at me.
“They’re tearaway,” he said with a wink.
“Thanks, man, this is perfect.” He showed me where I could put my stuff, and then he handed me a bottle of oil.
“Goop up with this once you’ve got the shorts on.”
I cringed as I took it. “Do I have to?”
With a smirk, he nodded. “You’re supposed to be me up there, and I never go on without it.” He shrugged. “It makes your muscles pop under the lights, and it makes it harder for women to latch on. Their hands slide right off,” he said with a laugh.
“Does it wipe off easy?” I asked.
His grin grew. “Nope.” He patted my shoulder, then moved away to give me privacy. I stopped him before he got too far. “Hey, what’s your name?”
“Derrick,” he said.
“Thanks for the help, Derrick. If you ever want to come to a D-Bags show, message me through our website. I’ll get you in.” I was pretty sure Matt monitored that stuff, and I made a mental note to ask him to keep an eye out for anything from Derrick.
Derrick’s grin widened. “Thanks! I’ll definitely do that. You guys are amazing.” With a laugh, he indicated the club. “Now let’s see if you’re any good on this stage.”
“Right,” I said, frowning, and for a split second, I wondered what the hell I was doing. But then I remembered that Kiera was out there, and excitement flooded me again. Even if I sucked at this, she’d still lose her mind. This was a win-win for me. And for her. And for Derrick.
When it was time, Derrick stealthily led me to the stage; he didn’t want to be spotted by anyone in management. He made a shushing motion to some of the overly curious performers, but thanks to my outfit, none of the dancers knew who was replacing him for a song. Derrick gave me some last-minute instructions while I scanned the crowd. Finding Kiera and the others wasn’t hard—their outfits stood out like a spotlight was on them. They were right in front, hollering and laughing, having a great time. I grinned as I watched them, then Derrick said, “All right, that’s your cue. Good luck.”
I gave him a nod, then stepped out onto the stage. I made sure to keep my head down as I got into position; I didn’t want Kiera recognizing me too quickly. I couldn’t see her as I stood with a hand resting on the tip of my hat, my gaze on the floor, but I could feel her watching me. I could feel everyone’s eyes on me; the energy of their stares was crawling up my spine, making my heart race in anticipation.
The music started, and I lifted my head, looking out over the crowd. I really wasn’t sure if Kiera would recognize me just by my eyes, but before I even looked her way, I clearly heard her screech, “Oh my fucking God!” Yep, she definitely knows it’s me.
I instantly laughed, but thanks to the bandanna, nobody could tell. Still chuckling, I began seductively moving in time to the music. The crowd was already going nuts, and I was grinning when I finally met Kiera’s eyes. She was bright red, and she looked like she wanted to strangle me. Sitting beside Kiera, Anna was holding her stomach; she was laughing so hard. The other girls were staring at Kiera, wondering why she’d just sworn so loudly. I knew Jenny and Rachel would figure it out the second I removed my vest; they’d both seen my tattoo before. Kate and Cheyenne would probably figure it out then too since Kiera’s name was kind of a dead giveaway.
Wanting to get Derrick as many tips as possible, I seduced the entire crowd. To my surprise, it felt exactly like singing—I absorbed the crowd’s energy, then fed it right back to them through my movements. When it seemed like it was time to ramp things up a little, I made my way over to Kiera’s table. I slid the vest off my shoulders, running a hand down my chest. Grabbing the fabric, I tossed it at Kiera. I didn’t think she’d give it back, so I made a mental note to pay Derrick for it afterward.
