Then as they swung into the ending of the song, he risked another glance into the audience again.
At first the lingering hurt from the incident at the grocery store swept over him, shreds of anger still clinging to him and he was tempted to just blow her off. Then he brushed it aside as his mind ran in all directions, remnants of his conversation with Rick flashing in his brain. Why had she come here tonight? Had she finally remembered him or did she just want a hot fuck like Saturday night?
No. He was pretty sure that wasn’t her style. So why was she here?
Get with the music, buddy, or you’ll make an ass of yourself. Worry about her later.
But it took every ounce of his self-control to do so. The band swung into its final song. At last the set ended, and Marc decided to see what the hell she was doing here after a week had passed. Surely she hadn’t shown up just to blow him off again. He didn’t know her well but his conscience told him otherwise. He settled his guitar in the stand behind him and hopped down from the stage. Music Lady was at the front of the crowd, wetting her lips and twisting her hands in an obviously nervous gesture, uncertainty plain on her face.
Okay, this was a good sign, right? If she was worried about his reaction?
He tried to push his way through the crowd to her but then that piece-of-work Lacey was all over him the minute he cleared the stage.
“Hey, Marc,” she crooned, tossing her long, red hair. “Were you playing for me tonight?”
He eased his arm away from her grip. “For everyone, Lacey. Always everyone.”
She grabbed his arm again. “If you played just for me I could be really grateful.”
This time he deliberately lifted her fingers from his skin. “We’ve been through this before. Chill. Find someone else. It’s not happening between us.”
His eyes kept straying to ML who was watching him carefully. To someone new to this scene, he had an idea how this would look and he shook his head, hoping to signal her it meant nothing. More people came up to him, yakking about the music, talking about the band. At least they surged between him and Lacey, saving him from more contact. But he had to get to ML. By the time he got loose, he’d lost sight of her and was afraid she’d decided to leave.
No! He calmed when he spotted her against the wall by the back door. He pushed his way over, nodded and smiled at her friend, then took her by the arm.
“Sorry, it took me a minute to get to you.”
She shrugged. “I could see you were held up. By one of your fans.”
He almost smiled at the way she spit the word out. “Hey. That’s just Lacey, Queen of the Groupies. I think she’s trying to work her way through the band. I’m nobody special to her.”
ML looked over his shoulder and bit her lip. “She seems to think differently.”
He turned and followed her gaze. Lacey stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at them through the crowd. “Her problem. Like I said, no one for you to worry about. Believe me.”
“I-it’s okay. Really.”
He studied her face. “You came back. Why? What’s the deal with you, anyway?”
“C-can we talk someplace for a minute?”
Okay, tonight she knows who I am. What’s changed?
“Definitely.” He glanced at her friend, wondering if the woman had something to do with ML being there. What and how?
Well, at least she cared enough to show up and make the effort no matter what got her here. A promising sign.
“Don’t worry about me,” Annie said. “I’m good.”
“Come on, then.” He tugged Music Lady along with him out the back door into the small area behind the club. A few people were wandering around taking a quick smoke. Marc pulled Music Lady to a quiet area and stopped, drinking in the sight of her. When he started to say something, she held up her hand.
“Me first. If I don’t get it out now, I’ll lose my courage.”
“Okay. Go.” He really wanted to haul her into his arms and kiss her to death but he forced himself not to move until she got out whatever she’d come to say. If he offended her, or hurt her in some way and that was why she acted the way she did in the grocery store, then he needed to know. In only one night, this woman had stirred him emotionally as no other woman ever had and he wanted somehow to make this right without scaring her off again.
She twisted her hands together, drew in a breath. “I’m sorry.”
Surprised but pleased by the apology, he waited to see if she’d say anything else.
“I’m stupid. That’s my only excuse.” She lowered her gaze. “I…um…I mean. Oh, crap.” She sighed. “I’m so stupid I never expected to see you dressed the way you were, and you caught me off guard and…and….”
Marc paused. “Is there some reason you don’t think of musicians as normal people?” he asked in a flat voice.”
“Yes. No.” Her words were so soft he had to lean forward to hear her. “I apologize for my stupidity.” She twisted her hands again. “I’ve…never been to a rock club before. Or any place like it. I…I….”
A whole new perspective opened for him, giving him a better understanding of her. There was no mistaking the sincerity in her words. Threading his fingers through her hair, he tipped her face and kissed her with all the pent-up heat he’d been dealing with since she’d run from his house early Sunday morning. She hesitated just briefly before opening her mouth and accepting the hard thrust of his tongue. When she wound her arms around his
