By Kimbo
(Rated R for sexual sitations & language)
By Kimbo
(Rated R for sexual sitations & language)
Then the door of the dressing room opened and Joe Perry stepped inside, locking it quickly behind him. Immediately, his eyes centered in Beth’s direction, sweeping her up in a dark piercing gaze. Having taken off his shirt during the encore, he was still bare chested. She could see a vague sheen of sweat covering his fabulous skin, and his long, tousled hair was slightly damp. Her eyes couldn’t help but wander appreciatively down his muscular torso. He wore his favorite black leather pants.....the ones with that laced up the front. The red shirt tied around his waist almost hid the fact that he had untied them. But she did not miss this...in fact, she could see a bit of his skin peeking through. Everything about Joe Perry made her tingle all over and day by day it was growing harder to keep it a secret.
“Joe, that was ab-so-lutely fantastic!” she beamed.
“You liked it, huh?” He flashed a broad grin in her direction. Just knowing that she was there waiting made him feel happy. Seeing her smile suddenly meant everything.
“How could I not? I think that’s been the best show so far this tour! It was like you were channeling Hendrix....” Her voice bubbled like sparkling water and he drank it up eagerly, making him want more. In fact, much, much more.
Joe reached for a nearby towel and wiped the perspiration from his upper body. He loved listening to her talk like that. It wasn’t vanity, although the unabashed praise didn’t hurt his ego in the slightest. No, it was the way that her voice became like music whenever she talked about his performance. The glow on her face...the look in her eyes, captivated his total attention. There was something in her voice that touched him deep within his carefully protected heart; something that had kept him awake many many nights recently. He might have continued his silent deliberation had it not been for one carelessly impulsive moment that had changed everything.
It happened last night just before he walked onstage. It was an innocent moment they had shared countless times before; a hug, a kiss on the cheek. But last night, something finally clicked when he wrapped his arms around her. In the darkness offstage, what was meant to be a brief hug had turned into a lingering embrace. The smell of her perfume, the softness of her hair against his face suddenly sent him into a tailspin. In that second, he knew the answer to the questions his mind had been asking. As they slowly parted, they both stared at each other in surprise. It was the awakening of some sweet emotion he had not felt in so long. Without thinking, he kissed her quite deliberately on the lips before slowly backing away. In the next instant, he was onstage and everything became a blur. After the show, his only thought was finding her. But there were a lot of people backstage and somehow he lost her in the rush. Later at the hotel, there was a huge party. There he finally found her but they literally spent the rest of the evening playing tag. Whenever she was at his elbow, he was being dragged away by someone else and vice versa. Now at long last, they were finally alone.
“I tried to find you all day. I hope you weren’t avoiding me. “ Joe began.
She shook her head with a smile. “No, I had a meeting with a rep from Voltage. Then I did some shopping.”
“Voltage? I thought Ron was handling all of that.” He pulled up a nearby chair and sat across from her, trying not to drown in her peridot eyes.
“I thought he was. But I read a copy of the contract they forwarded you yesterday and I didn’t like it at all. It robs you blind! So since we were in town anyway, I called up their rep and we had lunch...” she said, shifting uncomfortably. “...and I killed the deal, Joe. And I know that I overstepped my bounds! I’m sorry! But I couldn’t believe that Ron would even let that get by his desk.”
“To be honest with you, I haven’t even had a chance to read over it yet. But I know you must have had a good reason. What changed our minds?” Joe smiled at her zeal.
“Okay yeah they wanna give you some equipment in exchange for an endorsement. But they stuck a clause deep in the fine print that says that by using the music or lyrics to the song, Blind Voltage in any of their ads, they exclusively retain the publishing rights to it.”
“Fuck that!” Joe exclaimed in disbelief. “They’ll never get me to sign anything like that! Its not like I need free equipment! I can fuckin’ buy whatever I want! ”
“That’s basically what I told them.” Beth nodded, elaborating no further. In her mind, she pondered the fact that the band’s manager had reviewed the same contract a week ago and yet had not made mention of this detail. Something in Joe’s eyes told her that he was wondering the same thing.
“Ya know, back in the days of my haze....” he smiled rather sadly. “I probably would have signed that contract without a second thought. It’s kinda hard to read the fine print when you’re stoned.”
“Joe, you have so much to be proud of! Don’t let the past get in the way of that. Besides, you have good people looking out for your interests now.”
“Yeah, I know. I have you...” he said.
Those words were spoken with an abrupt honesty that made her shiver. She had to look away, fearing that her eyes would betray her deepest feelings.
“This is just one example in the many ways you take care of me. I need you to know how much you mean to me. ” he said, his voice was soft and reflective, fading very nearly to a whisper.
She was too terrified to speak. This was dangerous ground. She wasn’t absolutely sure if he was about to profess his love or let her down easy. After all, what had happened between them could have been easily misinterpreted or blamed on a rush of adrenaline. Joe continued on, taking both her hands in his.
“You stuck by me from the beginning, even when I acted like an idiot! You picked me up out of the floor and put all my pieces back together. I wouldn’t be here tonight if it wasn’t for you.”
His eyes were intense. There was more behind what he was saying. Or was there? Again she found herself hiding. She knew he was somehow trying to talk about last night.
“I’m an overglorified assistant with too much power. Taking care of you is what I do.” Her words were abrupt, like a protective wall thrust between them. Still he pursued.
“No, its more than that....”he said softly. “You’ve become my everything. You’re my shrink, my masseuse....my best friend! I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
A long awkward silence crept between them. Joe stared at the floor, praying that she would say something. The last thing he wanted to do was wreck their friendship. Beth please say something! You must know what’s on my mind! There’s no way you can’t feel this thing between us! Please just meet me halfway! His thoughts echoed loudly in his head. Did he dare just take a chance and kiss her again? This time he had to be sure.
From her side of the fence, Beth also stood poised on the pinnacle of indecision. To leap forward would be abandoning the boundaries of her job. If things went badly between them it would destroy not only their professional relationship, but their friendship as well. Joe, if I could only be sure of what you’re trying to tell me! If only you could meet me halfway...
Suddenly a knock on the door shattered the silent stand off. Beth glanced up and once again found herself locked into Joe’s eyes. What she saw nearly sent her into a spasm. Joe Perry was definitely not looking at her as merely his assistant; he was seeing her as a woman. She parted her lips, daring to say something but then the knock came again, this time even louder. Joe reluctantly got up to answer it, refusing to tear his eyes from hers until he swung the door open.
Taking a deep breath, Beth struggled to steady her shaking hands. Her pulse was pounding and the room had gone a bit fuzzy. While it made her feel better to realize she had not been wrong about last night, one crucial question still remained. What if I want more than he does? She did not want to be merely a diversion for this man. Deep in her heart she knew she could never let him go. There was no room for error; she had to be certain.
After all, only a few months had passed since Joe signed divorce papers, dissolving his marriage to model Melinda Billington. However, the struggle dated back an entire year, beginning with their separation and ending with her rather publicized affair with another man. Joe tried to reconcile with his wife, but was an uphill battle in a hopeless situation. Always cool and aloof, Melinda made it painfully clear that her priorities no longer included him. But Joe stubbornly fought her. It was his second divorce; the one he never in a million years saw coming. He refused to give up easily and for months he refused to sign the papers. In the end he only managed to infuriate Melinda much more, adding fuel to an already monstrous legal case. This was the bloody battle that brought Beth into the picture.
When Joe had become moody and reclusive as a result of his personal problems, the Suits at the record label became concerned. Not about Joe personally, but about the bottom line. The band was in the midst of writing and recording a new album and nothing else mattered to them. Their solution? A personal assistant. Someone to not only keep an eye on him, but to effectively kick his ass whenever necessary. Of course when the idea was brought to the band, Joe blew up. This came as no surprise to the record company Suits who put even more pressure on the band’s manager.
Finally after much resistance, the ball was put into motion. Management put out the necessary feelers and almost everyone asked had one suggestion: Elizabeth Ryan. Young, sharp and experienced, she was native to Boston and familiar with the band and their music. Having just come off tour with the Stones, she was used to dealing with some rather strong personalities. The more her name came up, the more certain everyone was that she would make a good countermatch for Joe’s temperament. After some quick contract negotiations, Beth came on board. Unfortunately, no one had bothered to tell her that Joe didn’t want an assistant!
In fact, he resented the idea so much that her first month working for him was absolute hell! Joe had been dragged kicking and screaming into the situation and he did everything in his power to wreck it. He purposely avoided her and kept her in the dark about his plans. Half the time, Beth didn’t even know where he was. The other half of the time, she spent listening to him snap off at the other guys in the band, smashing up expensive equipment and yelling at her for no apparent reason.
To make matters worse, the more Joe acted out, the more pressure everyone put on her. No one dared to voice it, but everyone suddenly feared for his sobriety. It was public knowledge that Joe was a former drug addict. The entire band was infamous for their music and their excessive substance abuse. But they had been clean and sober now for four years and had reclaimed their careers yet again. No one wanted to have Joe stumble because of a situation he couldn’t control. Thankfully, Beth put an end to that worry. Her stubborn persistence and boundless patience eventually wore the lion down. One day he unexpectedly surrendered. That was the day she came to know the real Joe Perry.
It happened one snowy January day. The entire south shore of Boston had been buried under nearly four feet of snow just days earlier. Everything was in a virtual lock down. The band had been forced to take some time off recording due to the roads. And so Joe, who lived further downshore than the others, had isolated himself within his house, avoiding all calls. Given his state of mind, it was the worst possible scenario she could imagine. Concerned and weary of the games, Beth finally just showed up unannounced at his house. The trip downshore on the icy highway was almost impossible, even with a four wheel drive truck. Though the snowplows had made it passable, the road was icy and treacherous. What normally took only a half an hour became a two hour nightmare. But then again everything about Joe Perry had been difficult!
At first she had a hard time convincing the housekeeper to open up the gates. When she finally did get into the house, she found him down in his basement studio cranking away on one of his guitars. He was completely unaware of her presence as he hammered out the most brilliant piece of new music she had heard to date. Suddenly a string snapped and in a fit of anger, he slammed the telecaster to the floor twice, shattering the body from its neck. Then in the silence that followed, Joe sank to his knees, his head in his hands. Emotions that he had choked back for so long erupted as tears streamed down his face. Without thinking, she was suddenly kneeling by his side. He didn’t even seem startled by her presence. It was almost as if he were relieved to see her face. For the first time since they’d met, Beth looked in his eyes and her heart melted immediately. He wasn’t the arrogant rocker everyone thought him to be. He was simply a man with a broken heart.
Quietly, she put her arms around him and held him close as the pain overwhelmed him. After some time, he was able to talk and for the first time in months, he opened up to someone. Days later, he finally signed the divorce papers, letting go of Melinda and the marriage. Since that time, Beth had been with him almost every waking moment. In the six months that had followed, she had witnessed the transformation of the man from despair to acceptance then finally to contentment. It was evident in his walk and in his music. But with their deepening friendship, she had allowed herself to make a serious professional mistake. Despite her best efforts, Beth had fallen in love....
The sound of a familiar voice forced her attention back to the present.
“Dammit Joe, all I’m asking you to do is make an appearance! It’s an impromptu get together at the hotel, totally casual! Would it kill ya to make me happy?”
“NO, Ron.....” Joe insisted. “Not tonight! ”
It was the voice of the band’s manager, Ron Sellers. Beth never had much to do with him after their initial meeting. There was something about him she didn’t trust. But he had been with the band for years and with Joe even before that, managing his brief solo career. To his credit, Sellers had even been somewhat instrumental in getting the band cleaned up and sober. Still, there was something about him that was oddly disturbing. It seemed that the closer she became with Joe, the more it seemed to aggravate Sellers. At first Beth had been puzzled. Finally she realized that it was because Joe had become immune to his manager’s manipulations. In the past, the unhappy Perry had been easily guilted into situations he felt uncomfortable with. The new and improved Perry was happier and more secure than he’d ever been his whole life. She watched as Sellers shook his head in frustration, rolling his eyes as he caught sight of her.
“Joe, I’ve got people from Voltage coming. I just need you to schmooze with them a little, that’s all!” Ron continued, catching a glimpse of Beth as he peered inside.
“Voltage? Did you say Voltage, Ron.....cause I have a little bone to pick with you about that whole bullshit. Did you even read the contract?” Joe was clearly annoyed.
“Well, yeah....its what we negotiated on the phone.” Ron sounded uncomfortable.
“No its not! They want publishing rights to a song that I wrote! Exclusive publishing rights, Ron! Were you aware of that?”
“Well, yes and no....” Ron stammered. “.....I knew they wanted the right to use the lyrics in their ads, but---I mean, look Joe.....its not even a song, really. Its a demo!”
“Its a song I intend to bring to the table for the next album! It was written by me for Aerosmith and I won’t sell it for a load of equipment that I don’t even need.”
Joe’s annoyance had now turned to anger. This attitude coming from the band’s trusted manager both puzzled and pissed him off. There was something about it he couldn’t put into clear thoughts, but the little voice inside his head was waving a gigantic red warning flag. Incredibly, Ron Sellers seemed to be angry as well.
“Tell me, Joe...does she have anything to do with this attitude of yours?” he asked, his voice dark and edgy.
“We’ll discuss this later. Now is not a good time! ” Joe stated flatly and closed the door, pushing Sellers back out into the hallway. Turning back to Beth, he managed a smile. There was a troubled look on her face.
“When he figures out it was me, he’s gonna hate me!” she mused uncertainly.
“Don’t worry about that. He should have been the one to axe the deal. But just forget about all that for now. There’s other things I’d rather spend my night doing.”
“Like what?” Her eyes held him in delicious suspense, pushing him over the edge of his own uncertainty. He had resisted long enough and tonight he would finally dare to test the water.
“You’re riding back to the hotel with me, right?” It was more than a question.
“If you don’t mind.” she said, struggling to keep a casual tone.
“You wanna hang out awhile? Watch a movie or something?” he said calmly, putting on his shirt. Inside, his heart was thumping wildly. Beth, do you know how much I want you?
“That would be nice.” Inside, her thoughts were racing. Can you possibly know how much I want you, Joe Perry?
Though the hotel wasn’t that far from the venue, the limo ride seemed to take forever. They had played two nights there, and were now taking three days off before their next show back at home in Boston. It was a typical non-stop touring schedule, crossing the country like a pack of rock n roll gypsies. Its how it had always been and how it would always be for the five rockhounds from Boston. So far the Pump tour had been incredible, with energetic crowds and sold out venues. And of course, there was Beth. Joe couldn’t help but feel that some power above was finally smiling down on him.
Beth spent the entire ride trying to contain herself. Anymore, it took all of her strength not to jump his bones whenever she and Joe ended up alone. In her very short career, she had already ridden in thousands of limos with rocknrollers whose egos had required more work than they were truly worth. But Joe was different. Though not everyone realized it, he was actually rather shy. At times his shyness had been translated into arrogance by the press. But Beth knew that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Even in the days when his moodiness made him unpredictable, she had been drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
Though they had spent many limo rides in silence, they had never once been uncomfortable. Of course, whenever Steven was along for the ride, the conversation was lively and colorful. Steven was a bundle of energy; a wild man in dreamy scarves and see- through clothes, who smelled like amber and patchouli. His presence swept up anybody and everybody in its path. All at once, he could become like your second skin. Amused and sometimes annoyed, Joe would simply blend into the background and watch quietly. But his silence spoke volumes to Beth and she secretly hung on every word.
In the elevator, Joe kept his eyes hidden behind a pair of dark glasses. But as usual, he found that they wandered over to Beth. Being anywhere near her always made his pants a little tighter. Tonight it was almost unbearable. He kept his hands folded in front of him in an effort to hide his obvious excitement. Still, one look at her made his eyes swim. Beautiful from head to toe, she wore a cream colored stretch lace blouse with a plunging neckline that accentuated her perfectly translucent skin. The blouse was a wicked tease, tightly hugging her body, ending about an inch above the waistband of her faded blue jeans. Joe found himself mentally sliding his hands over her curves, getting lost in the tantalizing mystery beneath her clothes. Her delicate face was framed by a halo of strawberry blonde curls that tumbled just to her shoulders; her perfume was an intoxicating blend of oriental flowers that whispered sweet nothings in his ear. He imagined himself stopping the elevator and making his move, sweeping her up into a breathtaking kiss. He wanted to touch, taste and consume every inch of her body. When he closed his eyes he could visualize her lying in his arms, feeling her naked skin against his own. As the elevator climbed higher, so did the hot tangible tension between them.
“Your suite or mine?” she asked, breaking the shroud of silence.
“Mine.” he answered quickly. “I can grab a quick shower while you find us a movie.” Or not so quick if you want to join me...his thoughts wandered wickedly.
Outside his room door, Joe fumbled for a second with the key card. Just to have her that close made him feel awkward and clumsy, like a love-stricken teenager. Once inside, he quickly locked the door behind them. One thing he had learned over the years was that Steven rarely knocked. Keeping up his casual facade, he took off his jacket and tossed it over a nearby chair.
“Okay I’m gonna go hit the shower so I’ll feel more human.” He took off his shirt slowly, pretending not to notice that she was eyeing him. “Hey can you call room service and get us something to eat?”
“What are you hungry for?” It came out of her mouth before she could stop it. The words were almost intimate, a breathless whisper to a lover. From the look on his face, Joe understood that clearly. For a brief second they simply stared at one another. He gave her a naughty grin, however his eyes were nothing but serious.
“You know exactly what I want.” Then he turned and disappeared into the bedroom.
After a couple of minutes, Beth heard the shower running. Kicking off her shoes, she picked up his jacket, inhaling the masculine scent of the leather. Oh god, he knew everything! Not only did he actually want her but he had totally seen through her every defense. Not that it mattered much anymore. She wanted him so badly that her desire had become a physical ache. All it would take was one spark between them tonight and she knew all her sensibility would vanish. Forcing herself to keep moving, she picked up the phone and called downstairs. By the time the food had arrived, Joe was out of the shower and looking simply wonderful.
“So what did you get us? Please tell me there’s a steak up there!” he asked eagerly. He was barefoot, dressed in a pair of jeans and an unbuttoned white shirt. She barely held her emotions in check as her eyes met his. He was totally fucking gorgeous!
“Steak and eggs for you.....fruit and toast for me,” she managed, though what she really wanted to do had almost nothing to do with food!
Joe smiled broadly, pretending to be excited about the steak. He knew exactly what was on her mind. He had even spent extra time in the shower hoping against hope that she would show up. But instead he found himself playing along with her pretense. It was clear to him that she was only running away because she wanted to be caught. That was fine by him because he was enjoying the chase. Before the end of the night, he would have her cornered.
“So why don’t we go sit over there where its nice and comfy?” He motioned to the couch over in the sitting area.
At first glance they might have appeared to be two platonic friends enjoying a meal. But a closer inspection revealed it was so much more! Caught up in the fast moving current of their attraction, Beth relaxed and flirted with him in a way that set him on fire. She was a delicious combination of both innocence and naughtiness that captivated his senses. Every touch, no matter how subtle, sent electric currents through his body.
“Too bad you don’t have cream for those strawberries.” he observed with a sly grin.
“They’re sweet enough.” she smiled, unable to do more than glance his way.
“You sure?” Playfully he reached over, stealing one of the berries in question and placing it in his mouth. “Hmm, I think they need some sugar. ”
Though she tried to resist, Beth found herself swept up into Joe Perry’s seductive gaze. Staring into his eyes, she thought back to their brief kiss, imagining what it would be like to experience it more properly. In fact she was so caught up in his smoldering stare that she didn’t realize he had leaned in closer until the heat of his proximity nearly set her body on fire.
“Try this one...” she said, possessed by a spell of his casting. To Joe’s delight, she slowly fed him with her bare fingers.
“Mmmm...yeah..” he said, closing his eyes as its juicy sweetness invaded his mouth. “That’s much sweeter. Can I have another?”
She obliged his request, knowing fully well there was nothing innocent about this game. Unable to stop herself, she played along. One strawberry, two...then another, slowly drowning herself in the perfection of the ultimate fantasy come true.
Joe was in absolute rapture. It took all of his willpower not to lick those pretty fingers clean. Instead, he dared her to go one step further by turning the tables. There was one more strawberry left on her plate. Taking it, he slowly offered it to her, letting his fingers brush her velvety soft skin. She accepted, closing her eyes and letting it roll over her tongue. She could feel his fingers lingering softly on her lips. Never before had dinner been so exciting. Never before was it over so soon.
When they finished, Joe quickly gathered up the plates, putting them back on the room service cart and pushing it out into the hallway. Trying to appear as natural as possible, he purposely switched off some of the lights in the main room before coming back inside. Beth was sitting lost in thought, one hand playing absently with her lovely hair. He sat next to her, aware that the silent tension had again returned. Secretly checking his watch, he saw it was nearly one a.m. Time to act before he lost his nerve!
For a long while they did not speak. Both sat staring at the movie but neither of them was really paying attention. Joe gradually repositioned himself so that their bodies were actually touching. His hand rested ever so slightly against hers. In turn, her thigh pressed up against his. It was a delicate dance and the tension was unbelievable. He thought he could almost hear her heart pounding but soon enough realized that it was his own. Finally just as he thought he might explode, Beth leaned against him, resting her head upon his shoulder. Taking that as his cue, he casually put his arm around her, allowing her to nestle against his chest. Joe felt his mouth go dry and wondered if she could feel him shaking. After a moment, he gingerly took her hand in his, slowly caressing her fingers gently with his thumb as he enclosed it within his palm. He could feel her tremble but she did not pull away. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. It was now or never...
Turning in her direction, Joe brought his hand up to tenderly touch her cheek. As he slowly tilted her chin upward, their eyes locked and he found himself drowning in their depths. There were no words to express the happiness he felt as he finally held her in his arms. Touching her face gently, his fingers slid lightly along her jawbone as he leaned forward, bringing his lips down toward hers in an achingly slow motion.
Completely seduced, Beth forgot everything else and melted into his body. She felt the first gentle brush of his lips against her own, urging them apart little by little with tantalizing persuasion. His eyes were heavy with desire and she could not resist him any longer. At last he took possession of her mouth with a searing kiss, his tongue hotly seeking hers. But it was far more than just a kiss. It was as if their bodies had merged, each now breathing for the other. And like the soldering heat that joins metals, it left them both burning and hungry for more.
When they finally came up for air, his tongue traced the full softness of her lips, and moved down along her jawline toward her neck where he kissed the pulsing hollow at the base of her throat. A shockwave coursed through her body, leaving her with an aching desire for another kiss. She drew his face to hers in a renewed embrace, returning his passion with reckless abandon. Her fingers became tangled in his wonderfully thick black hair as she pulled him down even closer. Beth felt herself being swept away in the seductive magic of Joe Perry’s spell. She realized that she was lost hopelessly in his beautiful brown eyes, in his delicious kiss...in the warmth of his touch. So why were there suddenly tears in her eyes, a lump in her throat? Why was she so utterly frightened that it was suddenly difficult to breathe?
“No...” she whispered, breaking away from his kiss. “...we have to stop!”
“What’s wrong?” he asked softly, pushing her hair back out of her eyes. Her tears alarmed him and the look on his face was one of troubled confusion.
“We can’t do this. ” she breathed brokenly. “I care about you too much and I don’t wanna screw things up between us.”
“So what’s your interpretation of us screwing things up?” he asked gently.
“Wrecking our friendship.” she replied without hesitation. “Its become the most important thing in my life. I couldn’t bear to lose you, Joe!”
“What makes you think that you can lose me? Look at my face and then tell me you don’t know how I feel about you? For weeks we’ve been moving in this direction. I know you feel the same way.” Joe’s eyes darkened, piercing through the walls she kept trying to put between them. “I could see it in your eyes last night.”
“But what if something goes wrong? What if we end up like---”
“Stop and listen to me! ” Joe laid two fingers across her beautiful lips, silencing her protests. “We can’t live our lives based on what-ifs! What if we’d never met? What if you had walked away from the job that first day? Its not like I didn’t give you plenty of reasons to tell me go fuck myself! ”
“You were in a lot of pain. ” she pulled away his fingers, breaking into his rant. He smiled at her lovingly, melting her heart all over again.
“When you came along I had become someone I didn’t recognize anymore. But you just walked in and saw through all that. Where do you think I found the strength to become that man you saw in me? I owe it all to you! ” His voice was full of emotion, cutting through the deep stillness of the room. “I know what I feel for you. Why are you so afraid of that?”
Beth stared at him in amazement. He had been her idol long before she had ever met him. The very idea of having the opportunity to work with her rock n’ roll hero had been pleasure enough. Becoming his friend and confidante had been a dream come true. Standing there before him, listening to him utter words of adoration and love was the equivalent of finding immortality. It was the kind of dream that once lost, could never be replaced.
“I look at you and I forget how to breathe.” she paused, brushing his hair back out of his eyes, marveling at the surreal perfection of his skin. “If I make love with you tonight I could never let go of you tomorrow! You’re not someone I could get over, Joe Perry.”
Joe was visibly stunned by the depth of feeling in her voice. All of his life he had hungered for that kind of love. Up until now, he had searched the world in vain; a knight weary in his search of the Holy Grail. Now it was as if the sky had opened up and scattered the darkness aside with the sunshine from her eyes. Only in his wildest dreams, had he ever imagined being loved that much.
“Baby, what I feel for you isn’t that fragile.” he whispered in her ear as he took her hand, placing it over his heart. “Do you feel that? That’s my heart pounding outta my chest! I can hear it like thunder in my head whenever you’re with me! Its stronger than you realize.”
“Aren’t you afraid?” she bit her lip pensively.
“Maybe. But I’m willing to put everything on the line for this.” His eyes were misty, his voice soft and full of passionate conviction.
“I’ve never been more frightened in my entire life.” she whispered.
“Take a chance and trust me.” he implored, his voice dropping away to a sexy, impassioned whisper. “Beth......I love you!”
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and made a leap of faith.
“And I love you too...” Her words floated upon the air like a whisper of spun silk.
Opening her eyes, she saw his face and felt her fears melting away. He was practically beaming, his eyes softly aglow with an incredible mixture of love and desire. Beth felt her fears melting away. Suddenly nothing else mattered and except belonging to him.
In one fluid motion he claimed her lips with a smoldering fervor. His hands explored the hollow of her back and the curve of her hips, making her body tremble. Driven by his rising excitement, she moved her hands lightly over his chest and down to caress his tight stomach. Holding the waistband of his jeans, she pulled his body tightly against hers as she moved her mouth to his neck and then up toward his ear.
“I want you sooo bad! ” she whispered hotly, sliding one hand down toward the front of his jeans, touching the hardness that strained against the worn denim. She could feel his uneven breathing on her cheek as he groaned softly.
No additional urging was needed. Taking her by surprise, he stood and lifted her up into the cradle of his arms, carrying her to the bedroom. As he eased her gently onto the bed, he gazed down at her face and realized that he had long last found his soulmate; the missing piece of his heart. For a moment he stood frozen, unable to move. But her sweet kiss brought him back to life as she pulled him onto the bed, allowing his body to imprison hers in a growing web of sweet passion. Her hands urgently sought to remove his shirt, pushing it back and over his shoulders, all the while kissing him madly. He moved the both of them to a sitting position, kneeling beside her on the bed. Her fingers traced upward along the muscles of his back, down over his chest to his stomach where she struggled with the button on his jeans. Aroused further by her wanton eagerness, he tried to help but her nimble fingers were more than successful. Smiling, he stood up and finished the rest for her, keeping his eyes focused on her beautiful face.
Beth tried not to visibly gasp as she stared at his naked body. Every inch of his perfect skin practically glowed. He was a work of art; a combination of muscle and fluid lines that made him seem almost unreal. But he was real. She allowed her gaze to focus down past his navel and found that she could no longer create sound from her mouth. In fact, she could barely breathe.
Joe brandished a devilish grin as he grasped her belt loops and pulled her to the edge of the bed. A mere seconds later, he was tossing her blouse aside, capturing her sweet mouth with his own in one hungry motion. She was a captivating beauty and he was a pirate, eager to plunder her treasure. Kissing his way slowly down to the hollow of her neck, he dropped to his knees as he went. Her breathing grew steadily uneven as he trailed his tongue lightly back up, biting gently on her earlobe. Skilled fingers had already unfastened her jeans and without much effort he liberated them from her body. Joe undressed her slowly, each deliberate movement an exercise in sheer restraint. Her lingerie was just as delicate as he had always imagined it to be. But it wasn’t nearly as beautiful as the silky skin beneath.
Beth found herself amazed at the speed and finesse at which he unhooked her bra. But after all, he was Joe Fuckin’ Perry and his fingers were capable of working absolute magic. Caressing the bare skin of her back and shoulders, his hands moved down to explore the soft lines of her waist and hips. He found the elastic of her sheer panty and with an achingly slow motion, he twisted it around his thumbs and pulled them down over her hips, thus positioning her pelvis even closer to his. The heat between their bodies was overwhelming and again, he reclaimed her mouth in search of her nectar.
Beth met his kiss with an equal passion. Her only desire was to burn in the flames he had ignited within her body. Her hands moved over his perfectly smooth skin as her tongue entwined with his, driving the heat between them to the level of sheer combustion. Instinctively, her body arched toward his. She could feel the hardness of his lower body pressing into her thigh and she ached to touch him, posses him....devour him completely. But Joe was doing things to her that made it increasingly difficult to think complete thoughts. His fingers gently traced the swell of her breasts, coaxing the already taut rosebuds to the masterful teasing of his wicked tongue. Just when she thought he would drive her over the edge, he moved down across her belly, his hands sliding slowly down her thighs. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as if it were merely a dream. However, the next wicked pleasure sent her into unimagined ecstasy.
Joe laid her back on the bed as he kissed his way down her belly. He had to smile at the subtle shyness she suddenly demonstrated. However with gentle persuasion, she finally relaxed beneath the touch of his eager tongue. The flower of her love opened up for him and he tasted the its ripe sweetness, devouring her petal soft skin, her supple and curving body. He wanted to take her where no other man had ever taken her before. Hearing her soft sighs of pleasure aroused him even more. By the time he began moving back up her body, he was almost blinded by one single desire. Though he tried to slow himself down she was having none of that anymore. When his mouth was within reach of hers, Beth kissed him with a maddening fervor and arched her pelvis up against his body. There was a powerful sexual energy hidden away inside of Joe Perry and she was determined to set it free.
She knew it was there because she had seen it. Every night onstage he played the guitar as if he were making love to it. First he would cast his spell over it, his fingers working it into sweet submission. The guitar would eventually give in, becoming one with the rhythmic thrusts of his pelvis. Then in the frenzy that followed, he would roll around in a sweet menage a’ trois with the floor, the amps until the entire arena was charged with a primal sexual energy. The audience would be entranced; Joe would become lost in the magic of his own spell. Finally the love-struck guitar would scream in the ecstasy of sweet release and the audience would go wild. Every single night she watched with breathless envy. And every single night she would pray that she could someday be that guitar....
“Joe, please don’t make me wait anymore...”she whispered in his ear, nuzzling his neck as her fingers found his male hardness. “I’ve wanted you for soooo long...”
Caught up in the sensation of her touch, Joe could no longer resist. In one smooth motion, their bodies became as one. She fit him tightly, like a velvet glove, causing them both to gasp. But it was like coming home again. He couldn’t help but wonder if in some other place and time, they had loved each other before. It was something he couldn’t explain exactly but he felt it each time he looked into her eyes. Beneath him, she came alive, touching him, kissing him....whispering things that made him crazy. Soon the rhythm grew faster as she met his every thrust, driving him to a place he had never been before.
Without breaking rhythm, he rolled over on his back, pulling her with him. With her now on top, he settled back and let her take control for awhile. So caught up in their mutual pleasure, Joe became increasingly unaware of the room around him. It was as if they were simply suspended in an ocean of bliss, drowning in each other. Finally he saw the approach of her climax, feeling her body as it began to contract around him. Joe knew he wasn’t that far behind and tried desperately to resist. He wanted the moment to last, to fly her like a kite caught high up in the wind. But she seemed to sense his hesitation and refused to let him retreat, beginning a wild uncontrollable rhythm he could not escape. Her name fell from his lips over and over as they both slipped over the edge together...
Despite his arousal, Ron Sellers grimaced as he watched the video monitor. The last thing he needed was having Joe emotionally involved with a girl like Beth. She asked far too many questions. Still, he might have overlooked the dalliance had it not been for the loss of the Voltage contract. He had confirmed his suspicions with a simple phone call. It had been Beth whom had met with Bob Thompson earlier that day. The contract was dead. Thompson had been told in no uncertain terms that Joe Perry would never agree to the terms laid out on paper. The very thought made Sellers’ blood boil with rage.
The sweet little clause that had been hidden so carefully in the fine print would have eventually brought in millions for his bank account. Unknown to anyone, Ron Sellers owned controlling interest in Voltage! The song Joe had written was a classic, a future masterpiece that would be recorded by the band soon enough. And he would have owned it too, had it not been for Beth Ryan. Before she came along, Joe had never even read most of the stuff he signed. That’s how it had always been, especially in the old days. But not even sobriety had changed things that much. And not even Melinda had been so annoying. As a model, she had been too focused on her own career. Besides, she couldn’t balance her own checkbook let alone keep track of small accounting or contractual details. But this one.....this one had come along and proved herself to be a nuisance in just a short period of time.
Switching off the surveillance monitor, he sat back in his chair and tried to think. While he knew that some would be appalled by his secret spying, he felt no shame or guilt for keeping tabs on the band. In the end, it was the only way he could be sure of what was going on behind his back. At every hotel they checked into, each of their rooms was secretly wired for both picture and sound before the band even stepped foot in the parking lot. He had a team of individuals who worked quickly and enjoyed being paid well for their discretion. He had learned much from his secret surveillance cameras and even been entertained on occasion, especially by Tyler. But while Steven was his primary entertainment, Joe was most definitely his obsession.
Joe had after all been the main reason he had first developed the idea in the first place. Having managed his short solo career, Ron had known Joe for quite some time. His solo band, Random Blues, might have been a commercial failure but hardcore guitar fans knew that artistically, the band was a gem in the crown of rock and roll. Because of Joe’s excessive drug use, Ron had grown used to keeping track of him this way, essentially managing both his personal life as well as his career. Trouble was, when Joe became sober and turned his life around, Ron really didn’t know how to exist outside the role he had always played. Luckily enough, when Joe reconciled his friendship with Steven and rejoined Aerosmith, he had somehow managed to secure his position as their new manager.
But simply having a dysfunctional need for absolute control didn’t begin to explain everything. The truth was, during the time that Joe was with Random Blues, Ron had turned down many offers that probably would have propelled the band to a greater commercial success. He purposely kept Joe on a smaller record label simply because he knew the president of that label, David Jackson. Ron had obtained information on him that would have destroyed both his personal and professional life. This information wasn’t obtained by mere accident either. Nothing that involved the making of money was accidental in his world. In fact, the extent of Sellers’ scheming had allowed him to work out a deal that skimmed thousands of dollars off the top of the books. And of course Joe had been far too stoned at the time to realize that he was being robbed blind. Even worse, the blood sucking manager was pocketing most of the royalty money even now. Without mercy, Ron was still blackmailing David Jackson, putting a severe drain on most of what was still owed to Joe without anyone ever being the wiser.
But Sellers’ greed had not yet been satiated. What he wanted was a piece of the Aero pie. The problem was that Aerosmith was a huge success and there were too many execs and lawyers involved for him to even think of trying to dip his hand in their cookie jar. The scheme with Voltage Amps would have been his big money ticket though. He had never been so close before and to have it ripped away was quite maddening. Wickedly maddening. In fact, the brutal way in which the hotel room around him had been destroyed was evidence of that seething anger.
Flipping the monitor back on, he watched as the couple resumed their lovemaking. He imagined putting his hands around her pretty little neck and squeezing until he felt her windpipe crushing beneath his thumbs. The very thought of it had him so completely aroused that he loosened his pants and sat back in his chair. He would eventually have to get rid of her, that much was certain. He would make a plan and when the time was right, he would set it into motion. Ah....yessss.......yesss! But for now......for now she was oh so lovely to watch...
Only mere moments had passed since their descent from the stratosphere. Within the solitude that followed, a deep sense of peace had fallen over the room...over the world. They lay in the middle of the bed amid a hopeless tangle of sheets holding onto each other. A light sheen of sweat still clung to their bodies from their explosive lovemaking. Joe ran his fingers softly through her damp curls, a sleepy smile on his lips.
“I love you so much, baby...” he whispered.
“I love you more.” she whispered back.
“You feel it too, don’t you?” he said, tracing her lips with his finger. “That this is where we belong. With you I’m finally home.”
“The first time we touched, I looked in your eyes and recognized your soul. I must have loved you in some other time.” She drew her mouth close to his, feeling the heat as it instantly intensified between them. The chemistry they shared was explosive and it was about to ignite again...
Without another word, she climbed on top of him. Her hands moved up his body slowly, tantalizing and teasing him deliciously. Leaning forward, she kissed him, her tongue chasing his. He lay beneath, willingly at her mercy. The feeling was almost overwhelming; knowing that he was eager for her touch, hungry for her kiss was almost surreal. Touching his face lovingly, she moved her lips down to his ear, tracing his earlobe before settling down into the curve of his neck. She could feel him stirring to life again as she pressed her lower body against his. Down, down she moved further still...finding all the places that made his breathing grow more and more erratic. her hands moved over his shoulders, down across the well cut muscles of his arms. His body was a work of art, all muscle and perfectly smooth skin. She explored it using everything--sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. As her tongue teased his small, firm nipples she could feel his hands sliding up her thighs toward her ultimate pleasure zone. Wickedly, she grabbed those hands and moved them up to his sides, restraining him mockingly as she kissed him hard.
“No, this is all for you...” she whispered into his ear, inhaling the clean masculine scent of his body.
“Oh so you’re gonna whip out the handcuffs on me now?” he smiled, carefully keeping his hands exactly where she had put them.
She paused for a moment before getting up out of bed. Even in the semi-darkness of the room, he had clearly seen the mischief in her eyes.
“I’ll be right back.” She disappeared quickly to the other room.
“Hey I was just kidding!” he said, feigning fear. “Beth?”
In an instant, she was back with something in her hands. She jumped back on top of him, revealing to him a pair of long and silky scarves. He blinked in surprise. They were Steven’s! They would still be in Detroit if Beth hadn’t found them. Immediately he grinned like a small boy on Christmas morning.
“Holy shit! You still have those?” he gasped, happily intrigued.
“They’ve been in my purse now for two days. I keep forgetting about them and apparently Steven has too.” she purred. “Lucky you...”
“This is so....so Steven-ish!” Joe could hardly contain himself. “Ya know, if he knew what you were doing with his two favorite scarves he’d be banging on our door right now!”
“Only because he’d want to join in!” she replied in a low throaty voice as she toyed with the silky fabric, trailing them over his bare skin as she dropped one to either side of him.
“So what are you going to do with them?” he asked softly, arching his brows.
“I’m going to tie up those naughty hands!” she said, as she tied first one, then the other, softly around his wrists. Thank god the bed has posts, she thought as she tied the other ends of the scarves to them. From now on, there would be bedposts at every hotel...
When she was done, his hands were gently restrained to either corner of the bed. The look on his face was nothing less than raw, untamed lust. He was rock hard and she could feel it pressing into her thigh. She began again, kissing his face, his mouth...using her tongue, her teeth, her lips to give pleasure wherever she could. Moving down his body, she did more of the same. Her fingers caressed his beautiful skin as her tongue blazed across his stomach, pausing at his navel for a moment. He was moving, tugging slightly at his restraints. She knew she was driving him insane. Finally she inched down further still to the heart of his raging desire and sent him spinning over the edge.
It was pure worship, slow and deliberate. Again, there was nothing about Joe that wasn’t perfect and she delighted in the velvety feel of him....the taste of him. After a few minutes, she gradually stepped up the intensity. He was calling out her name, writhing in ecstasy; begging her to free his hands. But she didn’t. Instead she continued pushing him toward his release, oblivious to everything else. She didn’t even hear the soft ripping sound as one of the scarves gave way...
The fingers of his newly freed hand now became entangled in her silky hair, urging her gently onward. Even if he had wanted to stop himself, at this point, Joe couldn’t. She had driven him past all reasoning. Now he was standing in the foyer of unbridled lust, blind to everything but the opening of those golden doors, bathing in the pure light of utter ecstasy. Then at last the room was filled with a myriad of colors as the light came down and swept him up. He could hear his voice, strange and guttural as a primal sound came rushing up from within and filled the room. In the remaining throes of his climax, the other scarf surrendered, falling away in shreds.
When she raised her head up, Beth found herself being pulled upward by strong hands that propelled her beneath his body as he gently pinned her to the mattress. Fastening his lips to her neck, his hand slipped easily down....down....much farther below. Again, the delicate lotus yielded to his touch. His fingers played, stroked and strummed her like one of his guitars. He worked her like a master, refusing to stop even after she first breathlessly called out his name. He was too caught up in the sweet emotion of the spell she had cast upon him. Joe played those notes over and over until she was totally spent. Then happily he collapsed in her arms, closing his eyes. Moments later, they were both sound asleep...
Early morning found David Jackson sitting in his office, staring at the gold records on his wall. A lot of years, a lot of artists had passed through this office. He had lived his share of success and failure and still managed somehow to keep everything afloat. His company might never earn the corporate status of a company like Sony but he felt satisfied that he had done well. He felt good about his work. Well, mostly.
There were some dark corners that Jackson didn’t like to look at. Some in particular had never seen the light of day. The thought of how many lives could be destroyed had held him hostage for years now. Sure he was concerned about his family. That was first and foremost. But more and more, David Jackson realized that he had been afraid for his own ass as well. His professional career would have long been over; his life’s work made into some kind of joke. Closing his eyes, he imagined the faces of his colleagues and clients. Worst of all, he could imagine the look of anger and betrayal on his wife’s beautiful face. It was doubtful that his children would ever speak to him ever again if his secret shame ever surfaced.
As much as he tried to block out the memories, they found him anyway, flooding his mind with worry and insecurity. It had been one night; one drunken night of regret that had come to haunt him forever. Looking back, he still wasn’t sure if it had been the alcohol or his experimentation with acid. But something had taken over his mind and body, causing him to wake up in a Vegas hotel with a pounding head and a dry mouth. To his horror, he saw sleeping beside him, a young man---just as naked as he was! Reeling in shock, he managed to get up and clear the room within a few moments. The young man simply rolled over and continued sleeping. At first he thought he had gotten away cleanly. The guilt itself was bad enough, he surely didn’t want to be caught. But as it turned out, David Jackson couldn’t outrun his mistake. The following week, he got the phone call that he feared the most.
Dragging him back to the present world was the sound of the telephone on his desk. He glanced at his watch and grimaced. Eight-thirty...he thought. Deb wouldn’t be in for another half an hour! He tried to ignore it but it rang relentlessly. Deep down, he knew who it was even before he finally, he picked up the receiver. Just go the fuck away and leave me in peace, he thought desperately.
“This is Jackson.” he answered limply.
“David! Where the FUCK have you been? I’ve been calling you for days!”
“Sellers, my office doesn’t open until nine.” Jackson growled.
“Listen, David....I don’t know what you’re trying to pull but you’re late with this month’s payment! I don’t have time to track you down whenever you feel like playing games! You drop off the radar like that again and I promise you, it won’t be pretty!”
“You’ll get your money, you son-of-a-bitch!” he said, breathing deeply. “But this is the last time! I’m done with this whole rotten mess! Do you hear me?”
“Don’t get stupid!” Sellers warned.
“Well get this, I don’t care anymore what you do to me! I’m sick and I don’t just mean of you! I’m really fuckin’ sick! Its cancer! Doc says I might have six months left to live!”
“Wow...what a bummer.” Sellers said dryly. “And this has...what to do with your sudden attitude problem?”
“I’ve had to take a good look at myself and I guess I don’t like what I’ve become. You’ve bled me dry for years and its time to put an end to this shit!” Jackson spat back.
“Uh...David? You finding God in the last chapter, doesn’t change the end of the book!” Ron snorted. “Do you think your wife will ever forgive your sorry ass when she sees pictures of you riding that hot young stud like you were some goddamn cowboy? How do you think your sons will look at you? You’ll die with your whole life reading like some perverted joke!”
“At least I might regain some shred of my dignity!”
“That’s bullshit and you know it! This isn’t open for debate! You don’t get to decide what happens here!”
“Fuck you! You’ve made my life a living hell!” he hurled the words out at his tormentor. “I’m gonna come clean with everybody--my wife, my kids, my colleagues.....and yes, even Joe Perry! I’m gonna enjoy telling him what kind of pathetic scum you are!”
“Do you honestly think he’s even gonna believe you? Joe and I go way back. He trusts me completely...always has. Besides you’ve got no physical evidence. I’ve made sure of that.”
“Are you sure?” Jackson said quietly. There was a moment of silence.
“You cross me and I’ll kill you!”
“Well that doesn’t matter to me anymore! This disease is murdering me slowly, day by day! My kids are so sad.....but they have no idea that their father is a coward and a thief! I can’t redeem myself completely, there’s no time! But the least I can do is make things right for Joe...and maybe somehow show my kids I’m not a complete jerk!“
“Don’t fool yourself, David! You’re gonna burn in hell just like me!” Ron spat back viciously. “The only difference? I’m gonna be a lot richer! You’re a dying loser, gambling for some cheap redemption that ain’t gonna happen! So you listen to me and you’d better pay close attention! I may be out on the road with the band right now but don’t think I can’t reach out and hurt you! I’ll be back in Boston this afternoon....are you listening, David?”
“Yeah...” David gritted his teeth, wishing he could rip the bastard’s head off.
“You have until tomorrow to get yourself together! I’ll be dropping by to personally pick up my money and I want to see a different attitude! You think you’re suffering now? You have no clue how I can change that opinion! By the way, how’s that little blonde wife of yours?”
The pure evil in Ron Sellers’ voice sent chills up and down David’s spine.
“You stay away from my family! Don’t even think about using them to get to me!”
“Then don’t give me a fucking reason!” Sellers hissed back. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”
David slammed his clenched fists down on the desk as the phone went dead. No, this time he wasn’t backing down. This time, he would put an end to this once and for all. This time, he had no other choice.
Steven drummed his fingers restlessly on the table. He was half listening to Tom, who sat next to him spouting off a bevy of brilliant jokes. As usual, Joey was in stitches--laughing his ass off! The obnoxious sound of his laughter was enough to keep Brad nearly choked on his breakfast. This was their normal routine. Every morning following a show, they would meet in Steven’s suite to talk and go over notes and ideas for the next show. It was almost a religious experience for Steven. Nothing could irritate him more than someone showing up late. Canceling out would be sacrilege!
“WHERE THE FUCK IS JOE?” Steven suddenly shouted. Being used to his emotional outbursts, his three companions scarcely looked up.
“Well, I dunno Steven but I’m sure he’s coming.” Tom shrugged. “Maybe he’s.... shaving or something...”
“I think the idea of ’something’ more or less applies here...” Brad coughed.
“I’m gonna give him five more minutes before I call again!” Steven rolled his eyes impatiently. Then suddenly he had an idea and grabbed his cell phone. “Hey, I’ll just call Beth!”
“She’s usually on time, right? So maybe there’s some traffic problem!” Joey offered.
“Well, maybe something along the lines of a physical collision of sorts....” Brad muttered on softly to himself though no one seemed to notice.
“JOEY! We’re all checked into the SAME friggin’ hotel! Unless the fuckin’ elevators are jammed with some kind of morning rush, there is NO traffic problem!” Steven roared back, trying to remain calm. Genetically deficient on patience, he did not deal well with anything his mind perceived as slacking off. Ah, the curse of being a perfectionist!
Wild eyed, Joey countered back. “Well soooorrrrryyyyy! Geezus, Steven.....calm down! It’s really just breakfast, ya know? The show last night was great! There weren’t any problems! Lighten the FUCK up!” He tossed his napkin at the wild haired singer. Secretly, he loved going head to head with Steven at the drop of a hat. It kept things interesting.
“....sure its just breakfast but I’m sure that neither one of them are really interested in breakfast...” Brad continued. Tom stared at him, grinning. The quiet one knew something.
“Well this is really weird! Neither of ‘em are answering their phones! Should I call downstairs? They’re not answering their cell phones either!” Steven yammered on, mostly for his own benefit. It was primarily a vocal exercise in profanity. “Should I call out special freakin’ forces for a goddamned search and fucking rescue? We’re checking outta here this morning! Joe fuckin’ knows this shit makes me crazy!”
On the other hand, Tom was listening to Brad.
“....cell phones, schmell phones! Optional equipment when you’ve been awake all night making the kind of noises they were making....” Brad trailed off, smiling. Tom had noticed. Good, now he didn’t have to be the only one with the Secret Knowledge.
“Steven! Slow down and relax! Brad knows something.” Tom spoke up. All eyes turned to Brad who shrugged mysteriously.
“All right, Brad.....you have info? Let’s hear it!” Steven demanded. His curiosity was definitely piqued.
Brad cleared his throat and shifted in his chair. “Well, um....I happen to think that they’re together right now.”
“Well, no shit Sherlock! They’re both missing from the meeting---” Steven stopped and furrowed his brow. “Wait a minute...what are you saying? No way! Are you serious? ”
“Yeah.” Brad said mischeviously. “ I had the suite right next to Joe’s and well, let’s just say that the walls between our rooms literally shook last night.” Brad couldn’t help but grin. They were all leaning in close, listening intently.
“What? I don’t get it!” Joey interjected. Steven shushed him immediately.
“And you’re sure it was......it was her ? Maybe its somebody he picked up at the show. Come to think of it, he was really being mysterious about his plans last night.”
But Brad shook his head. “No, I know what I heard. It was clearly Beth.”
“He’s right.” Tom agreed. “Haven’t you noticed the way he looks at her? And she totally adores---”
Before he could finish, there was a short knock at the door. In strolled Joe, looking cool and surprisingly well rested; Beth was directly behind him. There was an unmistakable kinetic energy that flowed between them, bonding them almost visibly.
“So what have we missed?” Joe asked casually. He was surprised by the look of humor on Steven’s face. One glance at everyone else and he realized that the cat was out of the bag.
“Well Joe...” Steven cleared his throat. “Brad was just suggesting that we specify hotels with soundproof walls on our production rider. You got any thoughts on that?”
Grinning like the Cheshire Cat, Joe gallantly assisted Beth to her chair before seating himself. The look on her face was one of uncertainty. She had already expressed her fears that the band would have issues with their relationship. He had soothed her, telling her it would work out. This was the moment of truth. Glancing around the table, he took a deep breath as he took Beth’s hand reassuringly.
“You guys are my family. You’re my brothers! So I guess this is as good a place as any to make it official. Last night I told Beth that I love her. And lucky for me, she loves me back!” he paused, studying the smiles on their faces. “But you guys already knew that, huh?”
“I figured it out last night while dodging pieces of plaster!” Brad chuckled.
Beth bowed her head, embarrassed but finding that she couldn’t help but smile. On the other hand, Joe appeared to be enjoying himself.
“Sorry, Brad.” he offered, noting the laughter that began from Joey’s end of the table.
“You’ve never done a quiet thing in your life! Why start now?” Brad responded good naturedly.
“Okay then its settled...” Steven said. “Forget the soundproof walls, next hotel I get the suite next to Joe!”
He smiled at Joe and Beth, nodding his approval. “And on that note, let’s talk about the setlist from last night. I’d like to change a few things for the next show...”
Logan Airport was a welcome sight. As much as Steven enjoyed touring, there always came the moments when he was ready to put his feet on home ground. Once the plane landed, the guys pretty much scattered, each anxious to make the most of the two day breather. Joe and Beth had of course disappeared first. Brad, Tom and Joey had each been met by their wives in a flurry of hugs and kisses. Steven had been met by his driver.
The current state of his marriage was a mystery, further complicated by the usual toll of being on the road. Estranged from his wife, Shari, he could once more look forward to going home alone. She had always hated his being away from home and yet she had no interest in joining him. Before the tour started this time, she asked him not to go. But for Steven this wasn’t an option. Rock and roll was his mistress; she had infected his blood and possessed his soul. There was no leaving her.....not even for his wife. Consequently she had taken the kids out to visit her parents in Oklahoma. That was six months ago. As far as he knew, she was still there. He talked to his kids regularly on the phone but Shari still refused to speak with him.
As the driver secured the luggage, his thoughts began to roam. God he hated being alone! Impulsively his hand toyed with the cell phone in his pocket. Maggie! Memories of black pvc and sexy auburn curls suddenly flooded his mind. Her face had been like that of an angel; her eyes clear and happy to see him. She had been a welcome oasis in the middle of his lonely desert. Yes, he had finally given in.....finally allowing himself to eat again from the table of love. Now he realized he was starving. Fuck it, he thought as he jerked it out of his pocket. I can’t be alone...... He had only dialed the first two digits before the car door opened.
“Good, you’re alone. You won’t mind giving me ride, right?”
Steven stared open mouthed at Ron Sellers as he pushed his way into the car and plopped his briefcase down in the seat between them.
“And if I did fuckin’ mind, would you get out of the car?” Steven asked incredulously.
“No. “ Ron answered bluntly. “I have some things to discuss with you in private.”
“What?” Steven closed his eyes behind his dark glasses, hoping the surly faced manager would disappear. Instead the car began to move and he realized he was trapped.
“As I tried to tell you before, I think we might have a situation concerning Joe. You need to listen to me before things get outta hand.”
“What the fuck are you babbling about?” Steven growled. “Is this more of that psycho drama you started on the plane? Ron, I don’t wanna hear it! This tour is going great, the band is sounding tight and we’re all in a good healthy place for a change. Don’t create trouble where there is none!”
“You can choose to ignore me if you want but I’m right and you fuckin’ know it.”
“What I know is that Joe is happy and I think you need to get a life!”
“It blows my mind that you can’t fathom what I’m telling you, Steven! This little tryst with Beth Ryan is a recipe for disaster! Its a breach of her professional boundaries and now I seriously question her ethics.” Ron persisted, feigning a deep concern but Steven seemed unmoved.
“And I seriously think you need to get laid once in awhile.” Steven yawned. “Hey isn’t that your house?”
Ron frowned. “Of course not, its the airport terminal!”
“Close enough.” Steven signaled to the driver to pull over. “This conversation is definitely over. Please leave...you’re fuckin’ with my sense of inner peace.”
There was no mistaking the white hot anger on Ron Sellers’ face as he got out of the vehicle and slammed the door. His plan had originally been to plant seeds of doubt in Tyler’s mind. The idea being that if Beth proved to be trouble, he would find a way to awaken those seeds and bring them to fruition. But the wild haired singer was and always had been, infuriating to say the least; a wild card that was hard to predict. Deep down he despised Steven but knew that it would be impossible to get rid of him.
In his own sick and twisted way, Ron Sellers probably believed that he was protecting the band’s interest as well as his own. And perhaps even more twisted was the idea that he was somehow inevitably protecting Beth. It wasn’t good for her to be so very close to Joe. Even if this whole Voltage thing blew over, she was too smart and too well acquainted with the business end of things not to eventually stumble upon something else she shouldn’t. And that would be a true misfortune.
As Tyler’s car sped away, he angrily stalked inside the terminal to make arrangements for his own transportation...
It started in the foyer. A leather jacket lay in the floor exactly where it had been dropped; keys meant to be tossed on a table had fallen haplessly alongside it. Further still toward the entry way, a pair of shoes lay carelessly kicked askew in the middle of the floor. Messy housekeeping? Someone in a rush? Apparently the latter. Upon closer inspection the trail continued on through the cavernous living room. Clothes lay tossed in every which direction along a crudely marked trail that led toward the staircase.
The staircase was a glorious architectural creation of polished wood and marble, with balustrades made of the necks of real Les Paul guitars. Like the rest of the house, it was gorgeous with a truly masculine feel that was both warm and comfortable. Beth had often hung out with Joe, sometimes sitting there on those very stairs talking for hours. But she had never before lain there naked in his arms listening to the sound of his breathing as it slowly became more even. It was indeed her first.....but surely not to be her last.
“You wanna go upstairs now?” she murmured softly in his ear.
“I’m more than fine right here.” he whispered back contentedly.
“I’m quite sure I’m killing your back.” she kissed him tenderly, sliding off him to sit on the staircase. He sat up beside her, smiling as he watched her reach for his shirt and put it on. Before she could think of buttoning it, he pulled her into his lap and kissed her passionately.
“Don’t worry about my back! I’ll gladly take the abuse!” he chuckled. She pushed his hair back out of his eyes and caressed his sculpted jawline.
“Maybe we should just move your bedroom downstairs.”
“Consider it done.” he agreed. “By the way, its hereby known as our bedroom from this moment on....”
“Well I didn’t wanna be too forward.” she purred. Her hands were unable to stop touching him, her lips unable to resist his persistent kisses.
“And seducing me on the stairs in broad daylight isn’t rather forward?” he joked.
“Not when you started it in the foyer!” she countered.
“Well, you started it in the car....waaaay back at the airport!”
“I was trying to find my sunglasses! Its not my fault you were holding my bag between your knees! ” she feigned indignance at his accusation, enjoying the sparkle in his eyes.
Joe nodded and cleared his throat, putting on his best authoritative tone. “So then one more time for the record, Ms. Ryan, are you saying that it was mere coincidence you then proceeded to unfasten my pants with your teeth?”
“I stand firm on that statement, officer.” she replied rather wickedly, trailing her fingers down toward his navel.
“Then may I also say......if you keep touching me like that, you’re gonna be sitting pretty firmly on something else again...”
“Please?” Beth whispered, gripping his earlobe with her teeth ever so lightly.
Joe was about to read her rights to her when sound of his cell phone shattered their little scenario. At first he ignored it, letting the voice mail pick up the call. But it rang again immediately. Reluctantly he got up and searched through the scattering of clothes until he found it. He didn’t recognize the number on the caller id.
“Steven this had better be GOOD!” he answered.
“Joe? This is David Jackson.”
“David? Hey! What’s going on?” Joe couldn’t mask his surprise.
“Well....not much and then again, everything. How about yourself?” David asked.
“I’m doing fantastic, man! Life’s been good to me lately.” Joe managed to grab a pair of boxers out of their luggage as Beth took him by the hand and led him naked into the kitchen. He managed to pull them on despite her silent protests.
“So I hear! You guys have a kick ass album out there! Tour going well?”
“Oh yeah! The tour has been unbelievable so far. Hey, I’m glad you like the album. That means a lot coming from someone who was once my mentor, even in bleaker times.” Joe offered, sensing something sad and wistful in David Jackson’s voice.
“You’ve always been a great musician, Joe, even when the sales didn’t seem to reflect it. I don’t think I ever told you that enough and I’m sorry. ”
“David is there something wrong?”
“Yeah Joe.....something’s wrong but I’d rather talk to you about it in person. I saw you were on the guest list for the charity ball at the art museum tomorrow night. I’m co-chairing the committee so maybe we can hook up there.”
“That sounds like a plan. I’ll see ya there.” Joe said.
As he clicked off the phone, Joe couldn’t help but pause and reflect on the strange conversation. Then Beth brought him back, spoon feeding him from a bowl of sinfully rich chocolate ice cream.
“David Jackson from Interscope?” she asked.
“Yeah, my old label...you know, from my lame solo attempt! He wants to get together and talk. Sounded really weird, like something’s wrong.”
“You know, this tour is going so well, I’m sure that the sales of your back catalog have picked up. He probably just owes you more money.”
“Nah! Can’t be! Those sales, if any, probably only make pocket change. The inital deal wasn’t even that solid. My band never made any substantial money. We were more of a liability.” Joe searched the fridge until he found a tub of whipped cream.
“That doesn’t make much sense considering how successful you were.” she said.
“Well, honey that’s cause we really weren’t.” Joe smiled at her as he dispensed the whipped cream liberally onto his share of the ice cream. “We had fun, raised a lot of hell and even managed to sell out most of our gigs. But the album sales sucked!”
“Who told you that?” Beth looked confused. He couldn’t be serious....or was he?
“Its’s true! We barely made David enough money to keep our manager paid and pay for all the hotel rooms we destroyed.”
Beth listened to him carefully, absorbing what he said and trying to balance it with what she actually knew. Something was wrong with that story and it was apparent that Joe didn’t realize it. Her mind buzzed with thoughts she didn’t even have words for yet.
“Joe, I toured with BrownStone a couple of years ago as their production manager. They were with Interscope and I got to know some of the heads that work there.” she said, proceeding slowly. “David’s old partner, Hal Leiberman, used to yell at those guys whenever they’d fuck up a gig. I remember he used to come down and just scream at them! He’d tell them that if it weren’t for all the money that Joe Perry had made for him, he’d be bankrupt because of idiots like them.”
“Leiberman said that?” Joe’s memories of those days were hazy and disjointed. He couldn’t remember much chronologically. “I thought we barely made the charts...”
“Here maybe, but overseas your albums were a hot commodity. Plus you guys toured constantly for the whole three years you were together, selling out almost every show! And think about it, Joe....you had almost no overhead costs. You guys were your own road crew, you stayed mostly in dive hotels and you toured in a freakin’ van! ”
Joe nodded, absorbing what she said. “You’re right. But was I really that out of it? Wouldn’t somebody have told me if we were really making any substantial money? At least Ron should have....”
And there is the missing link, she instinctively thought. Suddenly her head began to ache. The closer she became to Joe, the more she kept stumbling over the trip lines that led back to a complicated web spun by Ron Sellers. She now realized that there was more, much more going on than she previously thought. Judging from the look on Joe’s face, he was beginning to think the same thing.
“You totally put him in charge of everything, didn’t you?” she asked gently. Joe’s face clouded over as bits and pieces of his past flashed before his eyes.
“Yeah, I guess I did....” he said softly, shaking his head. “During those few short years I almost killed myself every other day. I still can’t tell you how I managed to survive all the alcohol and the drugs. I just took the money that I was given and...I left the business end of things completely up to Ron. He took care of everything and I listened to what he said and I signed what he told me to sign. I know that sounds stupid now but I was literally a walking zombie. I mean, I remember playing gigs and somewhere in the middle of the set, I’d stop and wonder what city we were in. Then I’d take another drink....or worse...”
“Joe...I’m not trying to make you feel bad. All that stuff is in the past and you’ve moved on to a better place now.” she said, taking his hands in hers. “I love you so much, baby. I just don’t want anybody taking advantage of your trust. Not even old friends. ”
“You think that Ron is doing that, don’t you?” he asked hesitantly.
“Don’t you think its worth looking into?”
He paused for a long moment and then nodded. “Yeah....I agree. This whole Voltage thing has got me questioning a lot of things right now.”
“You’ll see David tomorrow night, right?” she said.
“Most definitely.” he said, casually dipping one finger into the whipped cream in his half of the bowl. “By the way, you’re still my date, right?”
“As long as I get to undress you at the end of the night.”
“That’s my girl! ” He intentionally smudged whipped cream onto the hollow of her throat. “Ooops....you have something delicious on you.”
“Don’t get me started with that game.” she warned playfully.
“Mmmm, why not?” he said, licking off the remains of the cream and kissing his way back up her neck. It was hard to tell which tasted sweeter, the cream or her creamy skin.
“Because I give as good as I get!” she countered, reaching for a bottle of chocolate syrup on the counter. Pushing him back against the kitchen island, she popped the top and poured some onto the bare skin of his chest, watching it as it slowly ran down toward his navel. Lowering her head toward the base of the chocolate trail, she licked it up completely, working her way back toward his nipples and then up his neck to his lips. Eagerly, he kissed her willing mouth. She tasted of chocolate, wicked and decadent. He’d always loved chocolate. Now he loved it so much more.
Sinking to the floor, he pulled her down with him, tossing aside the shirt. Once more they were skin to skin, clinging to each other. She was ready for him, craving his body like a sweet addiction...
I love you so much....where have you been all my life?
Someday, Joe figured, they’d probably even make it to the bedroom...
From the window of his uptown office, David Jackson had a perfect view of the city. Boston had always been his home. He adored her classy sense of style and casual grace. She was a charming village by the sea with a distinctively urban heart. He had grown up in her lap and could think of no better place in which to lay his head and die. Now in the stillness of late afternoon, he paused to reflect on what he was about to do.
On his desk lay two thick manila envelopes, one addressed to his wife and the other to Joe Perry. Both contained similar letters of apology and an identical videotaped confession. It was his every intention to carry out these acts in person but after his conversation with Ron Sellers he realized that he needed extra insurance. In fact, he had been followed since yesterday. Something obviously had Sellers spooked and he believed that it was more than just his threat to expose him.
“Mr. Jackson?” The sound of the intercom interrupted his reverie.
“Yes, Deb?” he said, quickly tucking the envelopes away in his desk drawer.
“Ron Sellers is here to see you.” she answered. From her tone, he could tell she was irritated but attempting to disguise it. Sellers was obviously being his normal charming self.
“Send the bastard in, Deb..” he growled. Seconds later, the devil incarnate stood before him.
“David, you look like shit!” Ron Sellers remarked with a smirk. “Sand runnin’ low in the old hourglass, eh?”
“Here’s your money.” Jackson said, tossing a check out on the desk. Sellers suddenly looked as if he had had stepped in something unpleasant.
“What the fuck is this? A check? A goddamn check? Have you lost your mind?”
“Take it or leave it.” Jackson responded coolly. He knew the sonofabitch would never go for that! The check would buy him more time than if he had given him the usual cash.
“Our agreement was for CASH only!”
“Take it or leave it, Sellers. It’s your decision.” he shrugged nonchalantly.
Ron Sellers looked as if he were about to blow a gasket. He slammed his fist down on the desk, clenching it so hard that his knuckles were white. “I am so sick and tired of people like you trying to fuck me over!”
“An interesting twist, eh?”
“I have stipulated two things from you and two things only......to be paid on time and in CASH!” Sellers shouted venomously. “In return, your dirty little secret has been kept safe! Your business has been spared and your marriage is in tact! After all I’ve done for you, David---”
“After all you’ve done FOR me?” Jackson wanted to vomit. “Like blackmail and extortion?”
“We’ve both profited from this arrangement! And nobody was ever hurt! Its not like poor Joe Perry is some starving musician! He’s a millionaire rock star! He doesn’t even miss the fuckin’ money!”
“He doesn’t miss the money because he made the mistake of trusting the people around him....namely you and me. I’m guilty too. The only difference is that I’m not proud of it!”
“Ease your conscience on your own time, okay? But this fuckin’ check is unacceptable!” Sellers snapped back. “Its traceable! What do you take me for, a moron?”
“Well then you’ll have to give me forty eight hours to come up with the cash.”
The words hit the floor with a thud. There was nothing Sellers could do about it.
“Why are you really doing this, David?” Sellers cracked a wry smile as he fought back a violent rage. He wanted to kill him but knew he’d have to wait now. “You gonna try to blow this deal for me?”
“As much as I’d like to nail you, Ron....you’ve given me no choice but to play along with you, right?” Jackson lied, praying his eyes wouldn’t betray him.
“Yeah that’s right.” Sellers agreed. “Take it easy, David. You won’t be sorry. Besides, as long as you cooperate I have no problems with you. ”
“You’re right, okay? I admit it. But don’t expect me to take any joy in this. I’m trying to get to heaven, for cryin’ out loud!” Jackson said, playing up his reluctant submission.
“Well what if I told you I had something in mind that could benefit us both?”
“How so?” He took the bait willingly.
“Ever hear of a company called, Voltage? They wanted Joe to do some advertising for their new line of amps.”
“How did you weasel yourself into that equation?”
“Simple math and a lot of fine print.” he chuckled. “See, Joe wrote this killer song called Blind Voltage. They wanted to use the lyrics as part of the ad campaign. Here’s the kicker: I had a small clause put in the contract that signed over the publishing rights to the company.”
Jackson’s jaw dropped and he stared at him open mouthed. “You did what? I don’t get it! Explain how that makes sense! ”
“I own seventy percent of Voltage!” he said, his eyes gleaming, watching David’s reaction as he dropped the unexpected bomb.
“You never cease to amaze me!” Jackson felt a bitter bile rising in his throat. “How’d you manage that one? No wait...I can guess. You invested your ill gotten fortune?”
“Some of it. The beauty is that nobody knows who I am. My partner is very discreet.”
“Joe would never sign anything like that.” Jackson shook his head.
“He would have! Only the final draft of the contract made any mention of it!” he growled. “I had it put in fine print, safely hidden away in all the legal mumbo jumbo! He’s always trusted me before and just signed.”
“So that’s why you’re so edgy. Joe’s starting to catch onto you.”
“No, not Joe.....at least not yet. It’s his, quote unquote, assistant...who is now his girlfriend. And she seems to think she can step in and do my job. Do you have any idea what a nightmare that is for me? For both of us, David! She’s no amateur and she knows the music business inside and out.”
“Who is she? Do I know her?”
“I think you do. Beth Ryan. She used to---”
“Oh yeah!” Jackson interrupted, struggling to disguise a smile. “BrownStone! She was their production manager a couple of years ago. Just came off tour with the Stones, I believe. She’s one smart cookie.”
“Well how unfortunate for her! That could spell big trouble. Now you understand why I’m not in the mood to tolerate any of your whining! I have to keep both eyes on her.”
“I don’t see how any of this Voltage crap benefits me.”
“It could if you talk to Joe. Find a way to bring it up and talk about it. You get him to reconsider the offer and I’ll ease up on you. Maybe I’ll let you keep more of your money.”
“He’s not gonna sign that shit, Ron!”
“Okay so be his friend and tell him you’ll help him negotiate a new deal. I’ll reword it, pretty it all up again. You get him to sign it. He’ll never really have to know.”
“You think he won’t read it? Think again! Besides I think Beth Ryan will, don’t you?”
“Maybe...not. Not if she’s not around anymore. You get my drift?”
Looking into Ron Sellers’ eyes, he felt a familiar chill run down his back. This guy was truly out of control and had to be stopped. But he needed more information.
“Yeah, Ron. I get your drift. Tell me more....”
So ends Part I!