But before I’m out the door, Grim has a handful of my shirt and is yanking me back. “Keep your fucking head on straight, Gunner. Remember who your fucking audience is.”
I yank myself out of his grasp and turn for the stage, my Lucky buzz totally dead.
Chapter 14
Shiloh
Tro doesn’t look at me on his way back to the stage, and their next set is full of their loudest, angriest stuff.
Lilah finally wears out near the end of the set. She’s a big ball of sweat when she comes over and sits in my lap. “This is crazy!”
I can’t help the smile. “Having fun?”
“Oh my God! This is the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me.”
I glance to where Bran’s watching show. “The most amazing thing?”
She follows my gaze and smiles. “Okay, the second most amazing thing.”
“Are you in love?” I ask, clasping my hands around her waist.
She drops her head back onto my shoulder. “I am so in love I don’t even think there’s a word to describe it.” She brings her gaze back to mine. “Give it a few weeks and you’ll know what I mean.”
I scrunch my face at her. “I’d need to find a guy first.”
She nods toward Tro, onstage. “You already have a guy, Lo. He’s so fucking into you it may as well be tattooed across his forehead.”
I pfft her and shake my head. “You have no clue what you’re talking about. That’s Tro Gunnison. He’s into anything with a vagina.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’ve always been so blind to what other people think about you.”
The stage lights flash through the colors in quick succession and the crowd roars as Jamie starts the drum intro to “Insane.”
“Which is why I’m still sane,” I say, shoving her up.
She looks at me a second longer before going over to dance with Bran.
We stay through the encore, and I see why everyone says Roadkill is a tour band. I have to admit their live show is incredible. All three of the guys are total showboats, playing to their audience and leaving it all out there.
Tro heads straight for me when the stage lights dim, toweling off his face and neck. “Surprised you’re still here.”
I flick a wrist at Lilah. “Only because Lilah wanted the full Roadkill experience.”
Tro turns to her with raised eyebrows. “The songwriter friend?”
“Lilah, this is Tro Gunnison. You might want to shield your eyes or get one of those mirror scopes they use to watch solar eclipses, because his ego might blind you if you look directly at him.”
She’s bouncing on her toes a little, unable to contain herself. “Oh my God. It’s amazing to meet you. You guys put on a crazy good show!”
His smile is as cocky as ever. “Thanks.”
“You wrote that song?” she asks. “The one you did with Lo?”
“Lo?” he says, glancing at me. “That’s what you call her?”
Lilah nods. “We used to call ourselves LoLah when we played in San Francisco. Get it?” she asks, then stabs a finger into my arm. “Lo and Lah,” she finishes, thumbing her own chest.
“Well,” he says, “all I know is Lucky needs someone with talent writing for her, and she says that’s you.”
“Her stuff is kickass,” I interject before Lilah can put herself down. She knows she’s good, but she might not be willing to admit that to a bona fide rock star.
But when she smiles and nods, I know I didn’t need to worry. “Kickass,” she repeats.
Jamie comes by and chest bumps Tro. “Heading back to the hotel. You coming?”
Tro turns to me. “What are you guys doing now?”
I look at Lilah and shrug. “We might just go back to the bus and hang out.”
“When is your bus heading south?” he asks.
“Not till morning.”
He looks up at Lilah. “You guys mind if I hang out with you?” He nudges his chin at Jamie and Grim, and Grim cuts Tro a glare as they disappear out the back door. “Otherwise I’ve got to go back to the hotel with those dicks.”
“Yeah,” she says with a questioning look at me. “That would be cool.”
“Awesome,” Tro says, flashing her his killer smile. “Maybe I can hear some of your stuff.”
I can tell she wants to be more excited, but she’s holding it back while she tries to read me. I guess I don’t blame her. Partying with Tro Gunnison has to feel like a pretty big deal to her.
When I look at Tro, he’s waiting for my answer. “As long as you promise not to fuck with my girl,” I say, nodding at Lilah. “Her boyfriend is an ex-Marine and he’ll filet your ass if you touch her.”
He cuts Bran a grin. “Wouldn’t want to disrespect a national hero.”
I stand and we walk toward the hallway to the dressing room.
“I’ll find you guys after I get cleaned up?” he says, plucking his sweaty T-shirt off his chest, and that’s all it takes for my eyes to glue to his pecs.
Damn.
“You know where the bus is?” I ask, pulling myself together.
He nods. “See you in a few.”
“Kay.”
He heads up the hall and I turn to find Lilah grinning at me.
“What?”