As we’re cheered off stage, I bolt off to the side before I can be stopped, slipping past the door that leads to the main viewing area and bar. Usually, I would help the band with some tear down. Tonight, there’s no one up after us so they can wait a damn minute. I can’t even tell why I’m rushing. I’m drawn to her like she’s the sun and I need to be in her orbit.
I consciously slow down as I enter the main area, trying to look casual. It’s not often a girl will catch my eye like this. I’m not new to picking up girls at shows, and I’ve had my fair share of sweaty, drunken hookups. This is different. I make my way through groups of people milling around, listening to the killerplaylist that Beck has put on. He’s definitely skilled in creating a vibe.
I smile and give brief hellos to a few people who stop me to say how much they liked the set and take pictures with one woman who is way more drunk than she should be and keeps insisting we’re going to ‘blow up.’
I’m annoyed, especially since I’m not typically approached this much. My surly demeanor is usually enough to keep people a polite distance away as they greet the other band members. I’m trying to disentangle myself from her surprisingly strong grip when Nick, our bassist, comes to save me. He wraps a scrawny, tattooed arm around her, successfully detaching her from me.
“Hey there, honey, save some of that love for me!” he says to her brightly, immediately stealing her attention, which isn’t hard to do with the bright blue hair he’s been rocking lately. I shoot him a look of gratitude and he gives me a shit-eating grin.
“Go find her,” he throws over his shoulder at me.
“No idea who you’re talking about,” I reply stoically, already hot-stepping away.
“Uh-huh, sure. See you tomorrow at practice!” I don’t bother to acknowledge his goodbye as I survey the area for a flash of blonde curls.
As I’m searching, I spot one biteable, leather-clad ass standing at the bar, leaning against it, surveying the area. When her gaze finally lands on me her face lights up as she bites her lip. She tilts her head to the side, and I take it as an invitation to come over.
There you are, sunshine.
I put some swagger into my step as I approach her, pouring every ounce of easy confidence I can into it. I have the strangest urge to impress her.
“Hey there, gorgeous,” I say smoothly as I lean in towards her. Her soft blue eyes widen as she takes me in, and they captivate me.
An ocean I’d happily drown in.
She has to look up to meet my eye, and I can’t say I mind it one bit. She must be nearly a foot shorter than me, not that that’s a rarity.
Fuck, she’s pretty.Her slender frame straightens at my scrutiny, shortening the distance between us, bringing her closer to me.
“Hey there, stud.” Her mouth tugs up at the corner as she gives me a more than appreciative glance. “Is this where you ask me what a girl like me is doing in a place like this?”
“Nah, this place is pretty cool so I figured you must be too.” I wave down the bartender, Mel, who remembers my usual order, and she confirms with a nod. She gestures towards blondie, who is turned completely towards me and hasn’t noticed. “You want a drink?”
“I’m good,” she says, holding up the drink she’s still working on. “I really enjoyed your set! You seem very good at what you do.”
“Yeah? Is that why you’ve been staring at me all night?” Her neck and cheeks turn pink. She’s a nervous little thing, twirling the straw in her drink. She puts on a confident front, even though I can see her skittishness from a mile away.
I can work with that.
“No! I mean, I wasn’t staring. I mean, I was, but my friend is always talking about this drummer she knows and how cool it is to watch him. I get it now, that’s all. I knew a drummer in high school, Callum, and it wasn’t, I mean he wasn’t—" She stops talking, blushing, and sips her pink drink. I jump in to save her.
“Ah, so it’s an appreciation for the arts that puts that look in your eye.” She rolls her eyes at me. She’s cute when she’s embarrassed. I think I like seeing her so innocently flustered. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’ve had some time to get good at it.” I try not to flinch at the reference to my age, hoping it’s not a dealbreaker for her. Being closer now, I can tell she’s at least a few years younger, which would normally be a deterrent for me, but not this time. Not with her.
“Are you saying practice makes perfect?”
“I think that practising can be fun, and we all need a little fun, don’t we?” Mel slides my beer expertly down the bar and I swipe it from behind blondie, startling a giggle out of her. I raise my brows as I take a sip, letting the bitterness coat my tongue. It’s always nice when an old move can still impress.
“Those are some smooth moves, stud. You practice those a lot too?” She leans into me, her golden curls sweeping over her shoulder. I brush them back gently, trailing my fingers down her shoulder, reveling in the way it makes her shiver.
“Hmm, if those moves impress you, I should show you what else I’ve been practicing,” I tease. She blushes hard and I grin.
“You like repetition? You seem more like a ‘hit it and quit it’ kind of guy.”
“You see me up there, sunshine? I like to learn my instrument, and learn how to hit the right way, over and over again.”
“Ahh, a man dedicated to his craft.”
“Very dedicated.” I take a slow, deliberate swallow, her eyes tracking every movement hungrily. “Did you come here with friends?”
