Backstage Pass Read online

  "Relax, honey, I'm just going to get you ready so it won't hurt. The pressure helps, doesn't it?” He ground the heel of his palm harder on her clit. Her hips rose to meet it. The sensation was indescribable.

  "It's driving me crazy, Alan. I need more; I need—"

  "I know what you need."

  His fingers were strong, tapered and talented. They moved against her folds, plucking and caressing, sending Nora into a spasm of desire. She didn't speak, didn't need to, her body arched against him like an over-strung bow.

  Forking three fingers, Alan raked over her with a rhythm that was unbearable. The water lapped musically from the movement of his strong arm. Her sex unfurled beneath his touch, grasping as his finger curved inward. Her hips thrust in anticipation.

  Slowly he circled, just the barest hint of fingertip pushing between her folds. With the slight penetration, he tested her walls, her slickness, blinding her with an unfamiliar need. Nora spread her legs wider, but he eased them back together with his knees.

  "Close your thighs around my hand when I tell you,” Alan said, and resumed his tender exploration. When his finger pushed deeper, Nora moaned and Alan did, too. He pressed his erection so hard against her, it felt like her thigh was scorched with a branding iron. His free hand took her nipples by force, as if that were all he could allow himself at this frenzied moment.

  "Alan, now, please, please."

  Stiffening against her, he worked his finger in as far as it would go. While a million stars reeled in her head, Alan panted in her ear, “Tighten your legs, honey, do it.” Nora clasped her thighs shut, trapping his hand between them. She felt a swelling in her, rising uncontrollably, raging from her core.

  With his finger deeply imbedded, he pushed down with his thumb, trapping her tiny bud beneath a landslide of pleasure. Nora's orgasm cut like a thousand shards of frozen glass. She gasped in feverish pleasure as her body seized, convulsed, and clutched at him frantically. Her head rolled back, pitching side to side on the cold enamel of the tub.

  Alan murmured endearments she couldn't comprehend as her mind unraveled and she rested back, limp and sated. The water was lukewarm and the bubbles were gone when she finally opened her eyes. It was especially unnerving to see that Alan was watching her, and likely had been through the entire ordeal.

  "Why are you staring at me like that?” she asked in annoyance. “Might I have a little privacy, please?"

  "Nora, you have to be the only girl in the world that would say that to a man who has his finger in their cunt!"

  "You are the crudest man alive, Alan Price."

  "Thank you, I work hard at it.” He smiled with pride, giving his finger a quick twist before sliding it out. “Come on, let's dry off, and proceed to lesson number two—or three—whichever comes next."

  "Sorry, we'll have to make it another time. Wanderlust has a busy day tomorrow. There's rehearsal in the afternoon, and we're playing a midnight gig—as in twelve o'clock midnight.” Nora added, “Anyway, by my tally, we're now even on orgasms."

  "Gosh, Nora, I don't remember having mine. Could we do it over—just this once?"

  "Go home, Alan. Just be up for tomorrow,” she said with a smile.

  Chapter 5

  "Where should I plug this?” Nora dangled a cord and the entire crew—right down to the fledglings—recoiled in horror.

  "Don't touch anything!” they cried in unison.

  "You guys can't still blame me for Detroit? Come on, the wiring of the club must have been faulty—it would have happened to anyone who plugged in!"

  "Maybe,” Alan laughed, as he put a supportive arm around Nora. “But you were the one it happened to. By the time we got all the amps replaced and paid for the repairs to the building's electrical system, Wanderlust was in the hole for a month."

  "Two months,” Rob corrected.

  "Two months,” Alan repeated. “So we all decided—based on that, and other examples of your..."

  "Klutziness,” Rob interjected.

  "Er, yes, klutziness ... that you should stay away from electrical things. Take a break, Nora, bring in a few cases from the van, that sort of thing."

  "I hate you, Alan. You know that, don't you?"

  "Yes, dear.” He smiled as Nora dropped the cord and moved resignedly toward the door.

  "I'll just be outside hauling in some heavy, back-breaking equipment then,” she said as she made for the door. “Hey, you boys,” she snapped at the three fledglings, “come with me, I need your help.” The young musicians jumped to her aid, and Nora rolled her eyes as she led them outside.

  "Hold up,” Rob called after them. “I'll give you a hand."

  Nora loaded down the boys’ arms until she saw their knees wobble before sending them inside. Last in line was Rob, who stood with his arms out, waiting for his share.

  "Okay, Rob, why are you out here? You want to know what's up with Alan and me, don't you? Did he put you up to this?"

  "Jeez, Nora! I only came out here to help carry stuff. You're really paranoid."

  "Is that right?” She eyed him suspiciously.

  Rob cleared his throat. “Well, as long as you mentioned it first—what is going on between you two? Alan about snapped my head off when I asked him about this deal of yours."

  "Don't you worry about Alan; he's getting what he wants out of this arrangement, the same as I am."

  "That's where you've got it wrong, Nora. Alan and I have been friends for years. I know the man. This is not just another fling to him."

  "What is it with you guys, anyway? I know we're all friends. We work together; we care for each other, but I can handle my emotions, Rob. I'm a big girl; I don't need the illusion of romance to sleep with Alan."

  "But you're not a very smart girl if you can't see that he's in love with you."

  "Are you out of your mind? This is Alan Price we're talking about! How many women would you guess he's bedded—several hundred? A thousand? That alone tells me everything I need to know about his feelings—or lack thereof."

  "Alan has feelings, he just doesn't show them.” Nora dismissed Rob with a toss of her head. Rob started away, but turned back on an afterthought.

  "Let me tell you something, Nora. Alan comes from a wealthy family, big money—and he's the only child. When his grandfather died, Alan inherited everything, his parents got nothing."

  "He's told me some of that, but he never talks about his mother or father. I assume they disowned him for some reason—probably because of his wanton lifestyle,” Nora said.

  "That's not exactly true,” Rob said. “They disowned him when he inherited the family fortune. His mother and father were all he had ... that's why the betrayal was so enormous. Alan never knew that kind of greed existed."

  "What kind of greed?” Nora asked.

  "First, they tried to sue him. When that didn't work, they severed all contact,” Rob said. “And if you ever tell Alan that I told you, he'd never speak to me again. He doesn't like to talk about his pain."

  "His parents deserted him because of money? Do you believe it, Rob?"

  "All I do know is that Alan has always been wary about personal involvement; that's why he prefers anonymous, one-night-stands."

  "I don't believe you—Is this some joke you two cooked up to make me feel sorry for Alan? To try and give him a reason for his behavior?"

  "I'm only telling you what I know. Don't judge him too harshly—and don't ever let him know that I told you. Seriously, Nora."

  "Fine, I won't.” By the time she said that, the three fledglings and Alan were heading toward them. Nora watched as he approached; a full head taller than his young band mates. He looked happy, relaxed. Rob had to be wrong. Surely Nora would know if something that devastating had happened in her best friend's life.

  "Figures you two would be standing around gabbing instead of working,” Alan joked, as he suddenly strode up. Rob looked decidedly guilty as he mumbled a few words in their defense.

  "I'm just kidding. You two can ta
lk all you want—as long as you're saying wonderful things about me.” Alan loaded the boys up with equipment. “Don't forget to remind Nora how generous and sensitive I am while you're at it.” Rob still looked nervous.

  Alan grabbed a guitar and shook his head. “How about we get back to work so we can start on time tonight?"

  "Good idea,” Rob said, quickly. “I was just telling Nora that we have the Triumph Record deal in the bag. Wasn't I?” Rob looked at her for validation.

  "I think we have every reason to feel encouraged,” Nora ventured.

  "That's a diplomatic way of saying that we still have to work our asses off,” Alan said, wryly.

  Rob went on ahead, but Alan stopped and laced his fingers through Nora's as they started to walk inside. “So explain to me one more time what you're doing as far as Triumph is concerned. Nothing that will get us disqualified, I hope?"

  She gave him a baleful look. “The competition in St. Louis is the second one the record company is sponsoring; it's their Midwestern Battle of the Bands. Two days before that, there's one in Texas. It occurred to me if I could find out the sort of band they sign there, it might help us fine-tune our play list. We could go heavy on the sound they want."

  "That's a great idea. We'll stick with the songs that got us their attention in the first place, and add a few others in the style of whatever band won out there."

  "Makes sense to me, anyway,” Nora said. “All I have to do is get the information fast enough to do us some good. They aren't going to pick the winner until that night, so I can't check them out in advance. Of course, if I was seen, it might look like we're cheating ... It might be hard even if we sent someone else; these contests are so well-publicized, they've been sold out for months."

  "There's only a week left anyway ... I guess we'll just have to depend on talent."

  "You don't seem to have any shortage of that,” Nora remarked.

  A grin lazed across Alan's face. “Wait till tonight and you'll see how well I really play.” He looked her up and down admiringly. Nora had dressed subtly seductive in a black bandeau top with low-riding peasant skirt. Inches of taut flesh showed between. She was a bit short to pull off that look, but the strappy heels helped, making her legs appear long and coltish.

  "I love when you dress this way. Do I have to wait to find out what's under the skirt?"

  Nora pursed her lips in thought before hiking it to her waist. In a quick motion, she slid her panties off her hips and let her skirt fall back to its modest, calf-length.

  With one foot, she corralled and flipped her thong in the air. Alan snagged it. He twirled it on his finger a couple times before stuffing it in his shirt pocket, the lace crotch hanging out like a seductive hanky.

  "Put that away!"

  "Nothing doing. I may even take it out while I play.” He grinned. “For inspiration.” An interruption in the form of one of the fledglings came dashing across the parking lot.

  "Hey, boss, the bar manager asked if we could start ten minutes early. I guess the crowd's getting restless or something.” He nodded to make sure his message had been received before sprinting back inside. Alan looked at Nora plaintively.

  "Duty calls!” Nora laughed, cheerful enough to elicit a deep groan from Alan.

  "That crowd can't be any more eager than I am right now.” He opened the door and Nora stepped into the smoky darkness. The crowd was shoulder to shoulder. They jostled their way through, bumping staggering drunks out of their path. Nora found a chair in a far corner.

  "So are you nervous about St. Louis, Alan?"

  "Not really. I've faced worse things.” Alan gave her hand a squeeze before heading toward the stage.

  Nora wondered about what Rob had told her. Everything Alan said now seemed imbued with double meanings and secret pain. She felt a dull ache in her own heart. She tried to recall anything Alan had ever said about his parents. There was nothing. That alone should have sparked her curiosity, but the fact that it hadn't told her something unpleasant about herself.

  Maybe she was as wrapped up in her own world as she always accused Alan of being in his. Certainly most of her attention had gone to her studies—even to the exclusion of other important things. Her mind was locked in the smooth, analytical world of research. Emotions did not come easily or naturally for Nora. Maybe she was more of a lost cause than Alan.

  The girls were really flocking the stage this evening. From her corner perch, all Nora could see were wall-to-wall breasts bouncing beneath skintight mini-T's. What kind of man could stay faithful with that constant temptation?

  Even if she let Alan school her in love, he'd be a bad one to bet on for a relationship. Eventually, he'd go back to his old ways, even if he could stay loyal for a time. And Nora missed seeing Derek, she really did. She missed what she imagined they could be together. He told her he just needed to find the right woman who would fit his lifestyle and fulfill his needs.

  Derek never said what those needs were, but Nora assumed them to be sexual. When she was done with Alan, she'd have enough erotic power to hold Derek in her spell. The thought of newfound sexuality lit her face. Alan smiled at her as he finished setting his guitar.

  With a studied movement, Nora leaned back in her chair and let her knees fall open. Given the length of her skirt, it was a perfectly modest pose, as long as the viewer wasn't aware of the fact that she had no panties on, which Alan was. His chin dropped.

  Lost for a moment in his fantasies, Alan stood immobile until one of the fledglings asked him a question, twice. Alan shook himself free and helped the bass player with a chord. Alan really was a generous and gracious guy. He always had time to help the young musicians, and was always encouraging in his praise of their talent.

  But his thoughts were apparently still centered on Nora's spread thighs. As soon as he resumed his front and center spot with the band, his eyes strayed back to her knees. Then the lights cut to total darkness before the blue and red stage lights flipped on, one by one. It was a dramatic touch that Nora hadn't seen before. This club must be a cut above the rest, at least in presentation.

  The crowd was quiet enough to hear a pin drop before Alan rocked out with a long whining chord. Very nice—the girls in front held their breath. At the end of the chord, Rob came in with a hard drumbeat, and Alan started to play. The girls let out a collective gasp and started shrieking and bouncing. Most of the guys in the bar just stood along the perimeter or leaned against the bar and watched the girls. They were the ones who would benefit from Alan's charisma—later.

  Nora idly wondered how many of the women would imagine it was Alan between their legs tonight while their boyfriends pumped away. An even more unsettling thought was how many had actually had Alan at one time or another. Did he look out at an audience and recall the touch and shimmy of each girl, or did they all blend together in his mind?

  Would she blend with the rest when they were done with her lessons? And why should she care if she did? The important thing was to shed her virginity before Derek found out what a novice she was.

  And tonight would be the night.

  Chapter 6

  He was happy just to hold her. That was the first of Alan's worries.

  It was close to three in the morning when they'd arrived at Nora's house. She said she'd feel more comfortable in her own bed, and Alan agreed. The drive home had been a pleasant blur, punctuated by scorching sexual innuendoes, but now that he'd finally gotten Nora into bed, naked and churning with newfound passion, Alan wanted nothing so much as to put his arms around her. He wanted to kiss her, stroke her, love her. He trembled at the thought. Everything was on track, but nothing was going the right way.

  A small light—one he had to beg Nora to leave on—illuminated a room that spun him into an immediate sense of longing. Everything he could see was uniquely Nora, from the tawny colored walls, to the antique gold bedspread that set her hair ablaze. All Alan could think of was how much he wanted to become a part of her; how he could earn a place in
her life for always.

  Nora clung tight. So tight, he might forget that all she wanted was to learn from him so she could please another man. The thought infuriated him, and anger pounded through him like a gritty, hard lust. Indeed, to his body, the emotions were indistinguishable; his cock was stiff as a poker just from his fury. Yet, he really had no one to blame but himself.

  He could have told her no.

  A hand reached across his chest and stroked one of his nipples lightly. “Does that feel the same to you as it does to me? Because to me, it's incredible."

  Her curiosity was boundless. Everything Nora devoted herself to, she did obsessively, with an indomitable spirit and ironclad determination. Sex was no different.

  They'd made it this far, and Alan was just now settling in and getting used to the idea of Nora in his arms. The feel of her, the way they felt lying together. The height difference made for a superb fit. While Alan stretched out on his back, Nora wound around his torso like a belt.

  She was still caressing his chest with a butterfly's touch; Alan melted and hardened at the same time. His stomach was in knots, but he had to make this right for her. Fifty years from now, it would be him and this night she would remember—not that bastard Derek.

  "Tell me what I can do for you, Alan."

  "Your instincts are perfect, Nora. There's really nothing that would make me feel any better than I do right now."

  The answer seemed to both please and arouse her. Leaning her forearm on his chest, she let her long hair tickle his shoulders and neck. She kissed him, sliding a leg over his waist. Her lips were a perfect fit to his, her thigh a perfect cradle for his erection. So perfect, all Alan would have to do was push and he'd fall inside her.

  Nora might be innocent, he thought, but her body was betraying her. Just as his would, if given a chance. And this was the chance.

  For all his self-control, Alan couldn't resist pressing his throbbing prick against her mound. It warmed like hot velvet. He angled lower. Her lips parted around him, and his cock flinched. He wanted to be inside her more than he needed his next breath, but he held fast.