Page 74 of Sangre
He stiffened. “Was that your ex?”
Isla smiled. “Yes.” She pulled away and grabbed her clothes and began to dress. “Do you want to come with me?” She didn’t want their time together to end.
“I have some stuff to do, but I’ll pick you up afterwards, and we can grab some food.”
The rush of adrenaline burst through her. “I’d love that. I think you can call off the bodyguard for tonight.” She held her breath.
“That’s what I was planning to do. I’ll have someone spot me while you’re rehearsing, but the rest of the night, I’m all yours.” He gave her a lopsided grin.
Yessss!She stood up and tucked in her T-shirt, her gaze on Sangre as he dressed.He’s just perfect.In the midst of her elation, a doubt niggled at the back of her mind.But he’s commitment-phobic. By his own admission, he can’t stay in a relationship for more than a few months. Don’t go overboard with your feelings. “I already have,” she said under her breath.He’s going to break my heart.
“Ready?” he asked, reaching for her hand.
Nodding, she followed him then climbed on the Harley and wrapped her arms around his waist. As they rode back to Alina, she rested her face against his back, the scent of sex still lingering on him. Refusing to think ofwhat ifsand determined to live in the moment for the rest of her time in Alina, she kissed the back of his neck, loving the way he looked behind him and winked.
The sun began to wane, and silhouettes of birds flew home across a sky that was now magenta. Isla wished they could keep riding, only stopping to make love. She pressed closer to him, closed her eyes, and let the feel of the wind and the scent of him dispel her fears, at least for the moment.
***
When Isla enteredThe Rear End, she saw Benz on stage with the other band members. Waving at Jim, she walked toward the band and stopped when Benz turned toward her. Her hand flew to her neck when she saw his bruised and battered face. “What the hell happened to you?”
He glared at her. “Why the fuck are you so late?”
“I told you I was in the mountains. What happened to your face?”
“Do you really fucking care?”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t. Did you get in a fight?”
“No. I was drunk and had a bad fall.”
She came closer to the stage and peered at his face: cheeks swollen, black eye, fat lip. “That was quite some fall. Are you sure you didn’t get into a fight?”
“I told you I didn’t. Quit nagging me.”
“Did you go see a doctor?”
Benz shook his head, and Arsen coughed. “We better get started. Jim said we have to be outta here in two hours.” Arsen picked up his guitar.
“Yeah. We’re supposed to have four hours, butshedecided to go to the mountains.” Benz went over to the drums.
“I’m really sorry, guys, about being late. I totally forgot we were rehearsing today.” Isla jumped up on the stage.
“No worries. Shit happens. In two hours we should get through our set,” Gage said. Isla nodded, picked up the microphone, and waited for the first song to begin.
Almost two hours later, she placed the microphone back in the stand, sweat glistening on her face. “That was a damn good rehearsal, guys.”
“Fuck, yeah,” Arsen said. Jac mumbled in agreement, and Gage high fived her.
She jumped down and went over to the bar and picked up a stack of napkins, wiping them over her face. Jim set a bottle of beer in front of her, smiling. “You sounded damn good up there.”
“Thanks.” She picked up the bottle, tilted it toward him, and then took a long drink.” Anxious to see Sangre again, she pulled out her phone and began to tap his number.
“We need to talk,” Benz said from behind her.
“There isn’t much to talk about. You’re the type of guy who just can’t be faithful. I knew that when I caught you with those two fans back in LA. We’re better at being friends than we are at being in a relationship. The truth is, we shouldn’t have gotten back together after we broke up the first time. I need so much more than what you can offer me, and you need so much more than what I can offer you. It’s okay.”
He jammed his hands into his pockets, and she saw a muscle jump in his jaw. “This is bullshit and you know it. You’re not even going ballistic like you did the last time. You been fucking that asshole biker, haven’t you?”
