Private Concert

“Fifty States in fifty days! Are you fucking insane?” Nick shouted into the phone in disbelief. Great publicity or not, he did not like the idea of that many tour dates stacked back to back.

“Think about it, Nick,” Jerome, Nick’s agent, pleaded. “Tears of My Soul, is a great album, but to get on Billboard, we need to market it. The dates are lined up and the venues are secured. Hell, the radio stations are guaranteeing packed houses and the promoter is shelling out cash in advance to get you there. I am telling you, Nick, it doesn’t get any better than this.”

Jerome paused, then he continued in a tone that was free from the desperation that marked his words just a second earlier. “Nick, wasn’t it you that said you liked being on the road, getting out of the studio and playing for the world?”

Nick sighed halfheartedly into the receiver while a sheepish smile made its way to his face. “I knew that drunken tirade would come back to haunt me.”

Jerome persisted. “So I tell the promoter…”

“Tell him Distortion of the Truth will do it.”

****

Nick Sparing sat alone back stage. It was thirty days into the tour, and all he could think about was the old Dire Strait’s song lyrics, Money for Nothing and Chicks for Free. He pushed the hair out his eyes, tied it into a short ponytail and stared into the mirror. He hardly recognized the man staring back. The whites of his blue eyes were streaked red from fatigue and the sudden weight loss was evident in his recessed cheeks. He cracked his knuckles. His fingers were still stiff from last night’s concert. “Dire Straits was full of crap,” he thought. This was fucking work.

Nick picked up his guitar from the floor. His fingertips caressed the strings. He played a few quick scales in hopes that his stiff joints would loosen up before he went on. Nick smiled as the music filled the tiny room. Sure his body hurt now, but in less than a half an hour he would be on stage and everything would just melt away.

A knock on the door pulled Nick from his pre-concert ritual.

Nick’s drummer, Jessie Stalworth opened the door and popped his head in. “Hey Nick, you ready?”

“Yeah, Spider. I’m ready.” Nick smiled and pictured the first time he’d seen Jessie play. Jessie was 6-foot, 6-inches in height, tall for a drummer, and rail thin with abnormally long arms and bulbous eyes. When he played, his arms and legs flailed about and the gawky percussionist looked more like a spider wrapping up a fly than one of the nation’s premier drummers.

“Cool!” Jessie looked down the hall in either direction before stepping under the doorframe and into the dressing room. “Dude, I was just checking out the crowd. Fuckin’-A Man, there are smoking babes out there. All of them are drunk and half are topless. Nick, it’s all good.”

Nick smiled and nodded. Jessie ducked back under the doorway and left, closing the door behind him. Nick returned to his guitar and played a few more chords while pondering what Jessie had said. Yeah, it was all good, but sometimes it was all too lonely.

Twenty-five minutes later, Nick hit the stage. Spider had been right, the crowd was wild and from the moment the lights went up he could feel the electricity. This was what he played for. This was the only reason he had agreed to the tour in the first place.

After forty–five minutes of high-tempo rock, the concert lights dimmed. David Saul, the band’s bassist, had picked up an electric violin during Spider’s drum solo and played the introduction to Tears of My Soul. As the high-pitched sounds of the violin filled the small venue, the crowd erupted in anticipation of the title track from the debut album.

While Dave played, Nick slipped off-stage. He grabbed an acoustical guitar from a Roadie and ten seconds later, re-emerged, dowsed in a sea of crimson from the lone spotlight. The first soft chords from the guitar sent a wave of excitement through the crowd. The violin and guitar then played in unison and Nick began to sing.

The lyrics were a personal account of the early days of Nick’s life and told of a young man’s secret desire to run off with the rich, but abused, girl next door. The melody was a bluegrass ballad. Nick had written the song when he was seventeen and now at twenty-three, it seemed to be more a part of him than his own two hands.

As the words continued to fall from his lips Nick scanned the crowd. For the most part the faces were basically the same as the ones he had seen over the past thirty nights. Then through the turned-down lights, Nick’s his eyes fell upon her. Her look was straight from the beaches of California; blonde-haired, green-eyed with a tan, slender body tucked into a pair of low hip hugging jeans. She wore a tight white tank top that accented her modest curves. Her breasts beneath the shirt were unrestrained and her aroused nipples could be seen through the thin material of the top.

Nick took a step toward the edge of the stage. He motioned for the girl to come closer. As she made her way through the crowd, Nick watched her soft full lips sing out the words to his song. Though he could not distinguish her voice from the crowd, in his mind the sound of it was angelic.

When she reached the edge of the stage, their eyes locked and Nick’s imagination began to run wild. While words continued pour instinctually from his mouth, his mind drifted away and found himself, lying in a bed with Miss California straddling his waist. Her hands were pressed flat against his chest and her naked body swayed over him in rhythm to the music.

Nick’s daydream faded with the last notes of the violin. While the crowd erupting in a chorus of cheers and whistles, Nick mouthed the words ‘Thank you’. The Cali-girl smiled and blew a kiss in his direction. Nick could feel the heat rushing across his face and he quickly turned around and strutted away. When he reached center stage, fireworks lit up the arena. On cue, Spider pounded his drums; the blinding lights returned and the girl disappeared into the sea of silhouettes.

The concert ended forty-five minutes later. Nick acknowledged the crowd and exited the stage. He tossed his guitar to a stagehand and sprinted for his dressing room to change. He hoped that the blonde blue-eyed beauty would hang around, but when he returned to the arena, she was gone. Disappointed, Nick turned and headed for the band’s charter bus. Another day another town.

Much to Shay’s dismay, her friends had hustled out of the club the instant the encore ended. She was certain Nick would come back out. There had been a connection. It was in his eyes, the way he sung to her and the tender way he mouthed ‘Thank you’ afterward. Irritated, she sat in the car, with the rain beating down against the roof and her friends rehashing the show. All the while, Shay’s dream of a meeting with Nick Sparring was slipping away.

“C’mon Jackie, admit it. You saw the way he looked at me as he sang Tears of My Soul. He wanted me and you know it. ” Sarah turned toward Shay. “Tell her, Shay. You saw him.”

“Yeah right. He wanted you,” barked Shay. “Jesus, are we ready to go now?”

“I guess.” Sarah voice was taken back.

Shay knew that she didn’t need to snap at Sarah, but Nick had set fire to the intimate parts of her body. They longed for attention, and sitting in a car full of girls, there was little chance of relieving her pent up sexual frustration. She pressed her legs together in hopes that she could suppress the urges that threatened to soak her panties.

“You sound tired, Shay.” Jackie spoke up. Jackie could always tell when Shay was in no mood for company. “Why don’t you just drop us off at Mahoney’s? My car’s in the parking lot and I can take Sarah home.”

Five minutes later, Shay said goodbye to her friends and accelerated out of Mahoney’s parking lot and onto the highway. She was thankful that Jackie had given her a way out. She just couldn’t do the club scene tonight. Up ahead the lights of the Waffle House shone through the falling rain. From there, it was two miles to her house and fifty feet from the garage to her bedroom. A wave of excitement raced up from between Shay’s legs and the flutter of anticipation danced in her stomach. A warm bath, a glass of wine and a couple drops of sensual oil placed on the tip of the pink sex toy that she hid in her underwear drawer would finish what Nick had started.

Suddenly, the sickening sound of metal on metal emanated from beneath the hood of Shay’s car.

“Shit!” Shay swore out loud.

The grinding engine was a clear indication that her erotic fantasy with Nick was not going to happen any time soon.

******

Nick sat alone in the booth staring out at yellow and black Waffle House sign. The band along with a few well-built groupies had eaten with him then left to go party. He stayed, his mind immersed in thought. Like the low ringing in his ears from the amplifiers, the image of Miss California remained with him long after the concert had ended. She was perfect and he wanted her, but tonight it wasn’t going to happen

“More coffee, Nick?” Ebee, the forty-something waitress of the Waffle House, asked as she approached the booth.

Nick swilled down the last of his lukewarm coffee and sat the cup back on the tabletop. “Sure. Thanks,” he said and he watched Ebee fill the cup third-quarters full.

Ten years ago, Ebee would have been a real hottie. Even still, Ebee was a well-curved woman with dark hair, long legs, and penetrating bedroom eyes.

When she finished, she flashed Nick her best ‘Take me to bed’ look, then turned on her heels and with a flirtatious swish of her hips walked back behind the breakfast counter. Nick smiled politely and toasted Ebee with his coffee cup. Ebee still had all the right moves, but tonight he wasn’t in the mood for the company of a brunette.

When Ebee returned to the breakfast counter, she was greeted by an angry scowl from Fred, the greasy cook inside the kitchen.

Nick chuckled into his cup as he pretended to take a sip of the fresh coffee. It’s amazing what you can learn after thirty nights of hanging out in All-night Diners, Nick thought to himself as he watched the drama unfold in front of him.

He could tell Fred wanted to say something crass to Ebee, but Nick knew the old fry cook would hold his tongue. Fred may be ‘The Man’ in the restaurant, but in the bedroom, Ebee ruled and if Fred ever thought he was going to get laid again, he wouldn’t say anything remotely confrontational to his full-time help and part-time girlfriend.

Bored, Nick turned toward the window and wiped the condensation from the glass. Outside the window and past the reflection of the diner, a heavy summer rain was falling. It had started when the charter bus had pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. Now the storm was so intense that he could barely see the bus and it was parked a mere twenty yards away

Nick signed heavily and tuned back to stare at the dark coffee in his cup. He couldn’t wait for this tour to be over. Even with the great crowds and nationwide exposure, the grind was getting to him. He took another sip of coffee and allowed the image of Miss California to filter in. This time she was topless.

The ugly scream of a dying engine pulled Nick from his fantasy. He looked out the window and watched as a mid-sized sedan limped into the parking lot of the diner. The car stopped with a sudden jerk and seemed to give one last gasp before quitting. The occupant inside turned the key in an attempt to coax the car back to life, but the motor didn’t respond. The driver slammed their hands against the steering wheel, swung open the car door and made a mad dash toward the restaurant.

A second later, the hollow clank of the tin cowbell that hung on door handle announced the driver’s entrance. Back in the kitchen, Fred gave a leering stare as a blonde wearing blue jeans and rain drenched tank top stepped to the counter.

“Got a pay phone?” She asked Ebee, who had seen the wide-eyed look on Fred’s face and was now was pretending to look busy behind the counter.

“In the back by the head.” Ebee snapped her thumb toward the sign marked ‘Restrooms’, but didn’t lookup.

The girl at the counter turned and took several steps down the aisle. Nick’s heart skipped a beat. The woman coming toward him was his California Dream Girl.

***

Shay’s eyes widen and her pulse soared when Nick Sparring rose up from the booth in the back of the diner. He was the last person she expected to see in a Waffle House. When she drew close, Nick threw a fifty on the table and offered his hand. His face showed a mixture of emotions. A warm smile told he was happy just to see her but his eyes spoke of a loneliness and a longing to be with someone he could love.

Shay took another step closer. She had been right, the connection was there and within an instant her soaring heart overpowered her wary brain. She reached for him and as he laced his fingers with hers, Shay’s body seemed to go numb. Nick gave a gentle tug and without hesitating, she headed back out into the pouring rain. At that moment, it felt so right.

There were no words spoken as they sprinted from the restaurant across the street to the motel. At the door, Nick pulled her to him and pressed his mouth against her. She welcomed his probing tongue as it searched for hers. He tasted so good. Shay pulled him closer. She wanted to feel his body tight against hers. She needed to be sure that what she was experiencing was real and not the dream she had concocted in her mind as she drove home from the concert. The scent of his cologne, his breath on her face and the movement of his lips in time with hers told her that it was real.

As they kissed, Nick slowly cupped her breasts. Shay moaned softly. She loved it when men played with her tits. Swollen and eager, her over sensitive mounds responded to Nick’s caresses. Each breath came quickly and a moan of passion escaped. Between her legs, her drenched pussy begged for his touch. Shay ignored its call. Instead she lay back against the doorframe and jutted her chest outward.

Nick lifted her rained-soaked T-shirt over her head. It fell to the ground in sopping heap and again Nick’s lips went to her. He suckled each nipple while teasing the other with his fingers.

“Oh God!” Shay heard her voice echo down the empty hallway. She pulled Nick’s head into her chest. Her passion had reached its pinnacle and with little warning she dropped off the edge.

Shay recovered to the sound of the lock yielding to the key. Nick’s mouth had never left her, but his hand had made its way behind her back to the doorknob. The door opened up and Shay felt herself falling. Nick caught her and Shay found herself moving across the threshold and into Nick’s room.

The room was dark, the only light filtering through the narrow break between the curtains. Outside the rain continued to fall. It pounded hard on the roof above. In her chest, Shay’s heart was pounding just as hard. Her body was on fire and it wanted more, but in the back of her mind, fear emerged. Out in the hall was one thing, going into a dark room was quite another. Was she really doing this? Should she be? A rush of adrenaline washed over her and she felt the urge to run.

“I need you,” Nick whispered into her ear.

“Shay,” she replied.

“I need you, Shay,” he returned softly and he kissed her deeply.

The sound of his voice calling her by name and the softness of his touch washed away all of Shay’s convictions and she slipped further into the room. When her legs pressed against the edge of mattress, Nick lowered her onto the bed. Her feet remained on the floor.

In the dim light, Shay watched as Nick’s pulled open the buttons of her jeans. She felt the rough denim slide across her hips and down her legs. Then she felt the warm carpet against her bare feet. Her boots where gone. Not that it really mattered. She always thought it was stupid that the girls in the ‘Dirty Movies’ did it with their shoes on. Her lacy red thong came off next. The thin elastic band skipped over her ass and disappeared into the darkness below her waist.

As Shay lay the bed, naked and vulnerable, time stopped and sped up all at once. She could feel Nick’s kisses flow over her body. He lingered on her breasts, teasing them for an instant before continuing down to her stomach. He ran his tongue around the hoop ring of her belly button, then moving further south. Shay spread her legs wide, inviting him to taste of her.

The day old growth of Nick’s beard brushed against her freshly shaved pussy and sent a sweet tingle up her body. Then Nick’s tongue flicked at the swollen flesh of her clit. A wave of pure ecstasy raced through head and she moaned again. The lick was followed by an open mouth kiss that sucked her hot pink button deep into his mouth. Nick’s lips pressed down, and held her in place while his tongue stroked the tip. Shivers of pleasure flew along her spine and Shay arched her back, driving his tongue further into her.

The movement of her hips seemed to be an open invitation to Nick and as skillfully as he had with her breasts, Nick immersed himself in an exploration of her pussy. With hands, fingers, lips, tongue, Nick teased the swollen ribbons of sex. Shay could only moan and pant. Her mind was drowning in a sea of passion. She could feel him all over her. One hand tugged, stroked and teased her clit; the other danced over the soft hole of her ass. Nick’s mouth lapped at the spaces in between and for the second time that evening, Shay’s pussy exploded.

When consciousness returned, Shay found Nick standing over her. He had stripped off his clothes and in the dim light; she could see the outline of his stiff cock. She had wanted it since the concert and now it was here, ready for her. She quickly sat up, taking Nick’s rod into her trembling hands. Her heart raced as she stroked it gently. She felt its size, its strength. God, it was beautiful.

He leaned closer. Shay knew what Nick wanted and ran her tongue around his testicles, then sucked them into her mouth. Nick moaned. He tilted back. She could feel his ass and balls tighten. Shay ran her lips up his the shaft while her fingers stroked the sides of his thick fuck. She couldn’t remember if a stiff cock ever felt this good in her hands.

But it wasn’t enough; she needed more and needed it now. Gripping Nick like a microphone, she guided his tip between her lips. As it passed into her mouth, Nick’s stomach trembled and he gave a low guttural moan. Again his ass contracted and his dick swelled in her mouth. He was close to cumming. She knew it and she wanted it and she began to furiously work his cock with her hands and mouth. Within a matter of seconds, Nick exploded. Shay tasted the first drop then coated her chest with the rest of his spunk.

When Nick’s mind and body returned, he lay down beside her. He pulled her close and kissed her again. Shay could feel his fingers searching out her pussy. She was swollen and wet again. Watching Nick cum had made her so.

Shay’s hand reached for Nick’s cock. It was semi-rigid and growing harder. Shay continued to massage the last drops of cum into soft skin of his head and a matter of seconds Nick was fully erect.

“You ready?” Nick asked.

“God, yes!” Shay replied as if he really wanted an answer.

And before she could say anything else, Nick spread Shay’s legs apart and with dick in hand he began to tease her swollen pussy.

“Oh please, fuck me. Fuck me now.” Shay begged. She was on fire and her ripe slit wouldn’t take much more.

Nick instantly obeyed and he slid his thick cock into her slick pussy. Shay gasped. She was so tight, and Nick’s meat was filling her to the top. Nick paused then slowly he pressed on. Deeper and deeper he went. Shay felt him stretching her out. It felt so good. Nick retreated and drove into again. This next stroke came easier and soon Shay was matching Nick’s pounding with her own thrusts.