“For what?”

“For a while.”

“Sit down. We have tequila. Good stuff. Not that rotgut you carry around in your flask.”

“I’ve got other things to do,” Eric insisted. He glanced over his shoulder and caught sight of Rebekah waiting near the door. She was twisting her hands in the hem of her T-shirt and looking entirely adorable as usual.

“Such as?” Jon pressed.

Eric forced his attention to the man he had once considered his best friend. “Important stuff. Look, can I borrow your car? If not, I’ll call a cab or something.”

Jon fiddled in his pocket and produced a set of keys. He held them in Eric’s direction suspended on one finger. When Eric reached for them, Jon closed his hand. “You can borrow it, but you owe me one.”

Eric stifled an angry retort. It was always like this with Jon.

The guy could never do someone a favor out of the goodness of his heart. He always kept a running tab. And there was one thing he’d been holding over Eric’s head for almost three years. If Eric hadn’t wanted to take Rebekah someplace nice, he would have told Jon to forget it. He really did not want to owe the guy another debt, but taking Rebekah to a hotel where he could treat her right was totally worth it.

“Fine. I owe you one. Give me the keys.”

“You’re going to party with that hot little roadie, aren’t you?

Re-bek-kah.” Jon chuckled. “She’s going to take everything she can from you and leave you high and dry like the others.”

Eric scowled. “She’s not like the others.”

“That’s what you always say.”

“Just give me the keys.” He yanked them out of Jon’s hand and stalked away.

“You’re welcome,” Jon called after him.

Eric flipped him off.

Rebekah wasn’t just using him for her own gain. Eric refused to let what Jon said get to him. Just because all his other relationships had been sham and he’d been a sucker didn’t mean this one was a repeat performance. He trusted Rebekah. Just like he automatically trusted any member of the female persuasion. Damn it.

He paused in front of Rebekah and she looked up at him, all beautiful, and sweet, and delicate. No way could she have some ulterior motive. Right?

“Before I do something all stupid like fall in love with you, tell me exactly why you’re with me tonight,” he blurted.

Her eyes widened as if she’d been caught doing something wrong, and Eric’s heart plummeted into his belly. Great. Just fucking wonderful. She did have some scheme planned. Did she want his money? Someone in the band wrapped around her finger as job security? A way to get closer to Trey? What?

“You’re going to make me say it?” she asked uneasily.

“Yeah. I’ve been nothing but honest with you. I think you should be just as honest with me.”

She flushed and struggled to maintain eye contact. “Okay.

You… you make me feel special.”

“And?” he pressed. “What else?”

“That’s it.”

“That’s it?”

“Well, that, and I like to be with you.” She placed a hand on his abdomen and leaned closer. “I like you, period.”

He couldn’t help but grin. “Yeah?”

She smiled crookedly and nodded. “Yeah.”

He wrapped her in both arms and kissed the top of her head. “I like you, exclamation point.”

She laughed and squeezed him. “Why are you acting suspicious all of a sudden?” she said against his chest.

“Stupid Jon. Putting doubts in my head. Sorry to be such a dick.”

“You’re not being a dick. I’ve just never been in a brutally honest relationship before. It’s a little intimidating,” she said.

He did throw it all out there most of the time. “I’ll try to tone it down.”

“Don’t,” she said and slid her hand to the center of his chest to push him back far enough that she could look at him. “I like it. No head games. Better to be a little intimidated than royally confused. I spent my last relationship confused. I’m still pretty confused about it, actually.”

“I’d pry, but the last thing I want to talk about is one of your ex-boyfriends. Let’s go make love now. I need to be buried inside your sweet pussy.”

Her eyes widened, and he bit his lip.

“Sorry.” He was bound and determined to fuck this up with his big mouth.

“Don’t apologize. I need you buried inside my sweet…” She swallowed. “…pussy.” That last word came out in an excited whisper.

He grinned. “Yeah, you do.”

They headed out of the stadium and hurried toward the buses, equipment trucks, and Jon’s Jeep. Jon was not allowed on the tour bus, so he had to meet them at the venues in his own vehicle.

Eric loved how Rebekah held his hand as if they were an actual couple while they crossed the parking lot.

“Are you free of STDs?” she asked.

Eric tripped over both feet. “What? Why would you ask me something like that?”

“Just tell me the truth.”

“Yes, I’m clean. I always wear a condom. Sometimes two to decrease my sensitivity.”

“Always?”

“Yes, always.”

“Would you be against not wearing one tonight? I want you to feel everything inside me. Intimately.” She ducked her head. “I swear to you that I’m clean too.”

“You want me inside you without a condom?”

“Well, it’s not like I can get pregnant.” She sounded so sad when she said it that Eric’s heart shattered.

He released her hand so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders and draw her closer.

“Does it bother you? Knowing that?” she whispered.

“Of course not. Just the thought of being inside you without a condom has me hard as stone.”

Her hand slid over his fly and she discovered he wasn’t lying about that either.

“Are you sure you can get it up more than once in a night?”

she asked.

He chuckled. That would be absolutely no problem whatsoever.

Especially not with Rebekah. He’d had a perpetual stiffy since he’d gotten his first glimpse of her. “I’m sure.”

She grinned. “I’m counting on that, you know.”

She was? He wondered what she meant. When they reached Jon’s Jeep, Eric opened the door for Rebekah and helped her into the passenger side. When he climbed into the driver’s side, he pushed the seat all the way back to accommodate his long legs. Rebekah’s hand landed in his lap. At first, he thought she had her hand on his cock by mistake, but then she unfastened his fly.

“What are you—”

“Shh,” she said. “Turn on the overhead light.”

“What? Why?”

“It’s dark in here. Don’t you want to watch?”

“Watch?”

Her hand slid into his underwear and against his cock. He almost jumped out of the seat. He fumbled with the controls until the light came on. He looked at his lap and watched her slide his cock into her mouth. Watching his flesh disappear into her mouth coupled with the exquisite pleasure had his breath hitching immediately. He tenderly stroked her soft hair from her face and discovered more than the pleasure she gave as he watched. Emotions welled up in his tight chest. He’d never felt anything like this. Well, yeah, he’d had innumerable fantastic blow jobs in his life, but the other side of this was entirely new. The feeling that he’d do anything to make this woman happy, anything to be with her. That was unique and a bit scary. Not scary enough for him to back off though. His dreams of a perfect woman didn’t even come close to how wonderful Rebekah was.

He knew he’d never done anything to deserve her, but that would not stop him from claiming her as his. Whatever it took.

He lost the thread of his thoughts as her suction intensified. He gasped, and his eyelids fluttered. The steering wheel was in her way, so she couldn’t pull back very far. She made up for it by writhing the back of her tongue against the head of his cock.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered as he watched her. “I’ve never wanted a woman as much as I want you.”

She sucked harder.