Chapter 23

The crowd was restless and chanting, "Sinners. Sinners. Sinners," at full volume. As Murphy's Law would have it, Brian needn't have rushed so much. There was a problem in one of the video panels behind the drum kit. Their effects technician was working to get it back online as quickly as possible and the crowd grew louder and more restless with each passing moment. Brian pulled Jace aside to talk to him while they waited for the signal to go on stage.

"Can I borrow your restraints tonight?" Brian asked.

If Brian's request surprised Jace, he didn't show it. "Do you know how to work them? You don't want them too tight or too loose."

"If I can't figure them out, I'll call you."

"The suspension chain should be in the case with them. Make sure her knees can touch the bed or you'll hurt her shoulders."

"I was just going to tie her down, flat on her back."

Jace shrugged. "I guess that's okay, but then you only have one side of her body to work with."

Brian glanced over his shoulder to make sure Myrna hadn't arrived backstage yet. Trey was rocking up and down on the balls of his feet, his energy level sky high. Eric was twirling his sticks and pointing them at people as if he were a gunslinger. Sed looked bored and slightly annoyed by the chick who was hovering around him. No sign of Myrna.

"So I should restrain her arms above her head? I wondered why you put that hook in the ceiling over the bed."

"You'll both get more out of the experience that way. Don't forget to blindfold her."

"Blindfold her? Why?"

"So she really feels what you're doing to her. You've never blindfolded her?"

Brian shook his head.

Jace massaged the silver earring in his left lobe and then the one in his right. "You haven't been working all of her senses then, have you?"

"What? You mean like sight and touch."

"Yeah. Taste, smell, hearing, pain, hot, cold, vibration, pressure, smooth texture, rough. All the senses."

Brian felt a little strange asking a guy five years his junior for sexual advice, but he wanted tonight to be something Myrna would never forget. "Tell me more."

"I suggest you blindfold her to heighten the senses she doesn't use much. Let her watch you jerk off and come on her, but otherwise keep her eyes covered. And since she creams over your guitar playing, I'd get her some earphones and make her listen to our music the entire time. Then she won't hear what's coming at her either."

Brian decided Jace knew what he was talking about. "What else?"

"Ice and candle wax. Keep her guessing on hot and cold."

Brian felt like he should be taking notes.

"And put the shirt you wore on stage over her nose. Chicks like the scent of their man. I know it sounds weird, but trust me, she'll get off on it. You probably want to bring stuff to put in her mouth. Different flavors. I've got some samples in the case with my restraints, paddles, and stuff, but you'll probably want some extras that are specific to her."

"Do you sit around all day and think up this shit?"

Jace grinned deviously. "Why do you think I'm so quiet all the time?"

The clicking sound of approaching high-heeled shoes drew Brian's attention to Myrna. Ice. Candle wax. Paddles. Blindfolds. He must have looked suspicious, because she looked at him quizzically when she drew to a stop beside him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked. "And why aren't you on stage yet? I thought I was late."

"Technical difficulties."

"Okay, guys. We've got it fixed," one of the roadies called.

The stadium lights went down. The crowd roared.

"I'll see you soon," he murmured close to Myrna's ear. He adjusted his ear bud so he could hear himself and the band play without going deaf in front of the amplifier. He rushed up the stage stairs and trotted across the set to his normal spot: stage left.

His heart thudded as it always did when his feet first touched the stage. Eric started the first song with several taps on his cymbal followed by a drum progression. By the time Jace entered the song with his base groove and Trey strummed the rhythm riff, Brian's apprehension had vanished. A purple light bathed his body from above and he entered the song with a solo—his guitar a familiar friend. When his solo segued into the lead riff, Sed's voice growled in his ear and the stage lit up all at once. He could hear the crowd roar over the music.

He looked out at the fans, but could only see the first few rows due to the stage lighting. A great crowd. Fists in the air, heads banging, mouths voicing the lyrics. When the crowd was pumped up, the band was pumped up and they always gave a better show. Too bad Brian kept getting distracted by Myrna in his peripheral vision. He probably should have let her interview the groupies tonight. As horny as he was, he would have had a hard time concentrating even if she hadn't been standing there. Trey bumped up against him to gain his attention and nodded toward the end of the stage, opposite where Brian normally played.

Brian nodded in agreement. Over there, he couldn't see Myrna, but she'd still be able to see him. He headed across the stage.

When it was time for Brian's solo, Sed turned toward Trey, shook his head in confusion, and located Brian to his right side. He made a gesture as if to say "what the fuck are you doing over there," but shrugged and moved to the back of the stage to stand next to Jace. Trey switched Brian's amp for him with a pedal on the floor and entered the second half of the solo where they dueled. They met in the middle of the stage as they did every show, strumming each other's guitars, which took extreme concentration. Tonight, Brian found himself facing Myrna directly. When she raised her fist in the air and cheered for them excitedly, he missed a long series of notes. Trey laughed at him and shook his head. Shit! Some fan with a video cell phone was sure to post that flub on the internet.

Brian just had to pretend she wasn't there and he should be able to get through the next nine songs. His plan worked fairly well until the rest of the band left the stage so he could play his recently composed solos. The solos he'd written while making love to Myrna. He usually tried to get the crowd pumped up at this point, but tonight, he decided to just play. They'd either respond on their own or they wouldn't. Selfish of him? Maybe.

He stepped up to Sed's mic in the center of the stage. "I've been writing a lot of new music lately," he said. "I'm going to play a little for you now. You'll be hearing variations of it on the new album." He paused. "Which should be out early next year."

The crowd roared their enthusiasm. Brian closed his eyes and let his fingers find their own way. He allowed his mind to drift back in time to the moment he originally composed this solo. The memory was so distinct, he could feel Myrna's warmth, smell her skin, and hear her uneven breathing in his ear. It wasn't until he reached the end, and Trey appeared at his side, that he heard the crowd.

"Are you trying to steal the show, Master Sinclair?" Trey asked.

Brian put his hand over the microphone. "Actually, I wish it was already over."

Trey grinned at him and pushed his hand aside so he could talk into the mic. "I think Master Sinclair is more worked up than normal, don't you? I mean, where the fuck did that come from? Amazing." Trey paused, his eyes scanning the crowd. "The ladies are looking especially sexy tonight, don't you think so, Sinclair?"

"Lady Sinners are always sexy."

"You know what I think he needs?" Trey said. "A couple dozen bras to work him up even more. What do you say, Lady Sinners? Do you want to help him out?"

"I'm good, thanks." Brian glanced over his shoulder at Myrna. She was laughing as the bras began to fly onto the stage. Within a minute, every size, style and color of bra imaginable littered the stage at his feet.

Several young women, perched on the shoulders of their boyfriends, lifted their shirts to show off their bare breasts. He hoped Myrna continued to be okay with this. He had to play along now. Brian retrieved a red lace bra from the stage and hung it on the end of his guitar.

Trey picked up a leopard print bra. "Who does this sexy thing belong to?" he asked, dangling it from one finger.

A girl situated several people behind the barrier started to scream excitedly and jump up and down. They couldn't hear her on the stage, but her wild gesticulations made it obvious that the bra was hers.

"Can I borrow this, sweetheart?" Trey asked. He draped it on the end of his guitar. "You can pick it up after the show in person. I'll help you put it back on."

The young woman unexpectedly dipped out of sight. People in the crowd lifted her, now unconscious, and passed her to the front of the crowd over the barrier.

"Damn, Trey, you made her faint."

"Sorry about that. They just can't handle my sex appeal." He smoothed one eyebrow with the side of his finger.

Brian snorted with laughter. "Apparently, they've never seen you passed out with your head in a toilet."

The guys in the audience hollered their approval.

Sed appeared between them and looped an arm around each of their shoulders. "Are you fuckers going to talk all night or are you going to play some music?"

"I guess we can play our new dueling solo," Brian said. "Do you want to hear it?" he asked the crowd. "It's up to you. We can collect bras all night as far as I'm concerned."

He glanced over his shoulder at Myrna again. She was still smiling at his antics. God, he loved her. Perfect. She was absolutely perfect.

A few more bras landed on the stage. The girls flashing their breasts had the guys in the crowd worked into a frenzy.

Brian leaned closer to Trey to speak to him without the microphone picking up their conversation. "I hope you're ready to play the new dueling solo live."

He shrugged. "I wouldn't want you to be the only one to fuck up in front of ten thousand people tonight."

Brian grinned at him. "Try to keep up."

Sed hung several bras on his mic stand. "I'm saving these for later," he said, and then moved to the side of the stage and stood next to Myrna. Brian saw him wrap an arm around her shoulders and plant a kiss on her temple. He also saw her deliver a well-placed elbow to Sed's ribs. Knowing Myrna could hold her own against Sedric Lionheart's libido, Brian forced his attention back to the task at hand.

He started the solo and paused while Trey echoed him. He repeated the string of notes an octave higher and up-tempo. Trey followed him with no problem. Down an octave and faster. Trey still kept up without missing a note. In reverse and faster still. Every time Trey made it through a segment, the crowd's noise level intensified. Faster and faster they dueled until Trey's echoes were blending with Brian's lead. Trey leaned against his back and instead of dueling, they played in harmony. When the last note rang from the speakers, the crowd erupted into cheers.

"I guess we'll call that a draw," Brian said. First time ever.

"I think you need some practice, Master Sinclair. You usually smoke me in three rounds."

"Maybe we'll have to start calling you Master Mills."

Trey grinned. "I'll beat you one of these days."

Half the crowd was chanting, "Mills. Mills. Mills. Mills." The other half chanted, "Master Sinclair. Master Sinclair."

Eric's pounding bass drum reminded them to get on with the rest of the show. When Jace returned to the stage, he snitched several bras from the floor to decorate the neck of his bass.

Trey had taken Brian's mind off Myrna, but seeing Jace reminded him what he'd be doing in less than thirty minutes. In the future, he'd make sure to make love to her before a stage performance, not after. His entire body ached.

Through the next six songs, Brian was glad his fingers knew the music, because his head just wasn't in it. He scarcely moved from a three-by-three foot area of the stage. He crossed the stage occasionally to switch out his amps with the foot pedals on the floor in front of his regular location, but his usual showmanship was nonexistent. Strangely, Jace took up his slack. No hiding out by the drum kit for him tonight. He even talked into the mic at one point. The crowd loved it. Trey and Sed teased him for stepping out of his shell and he flushed, but Brian just played what he was supposed to.

When the final note of the last song rang out, Brian tossed his pick into the crowd and headed for backstage. He handed his guitar to a random roadie, plucked the ear buds from his ears, and grabbed Myrna. She gasped in surprise when he slammed her against the side of a speaker and covered her mouth with his. He filled one hand with her soft, full breast. The other slid under her skirt to find the bare skin of her thigh above her lace-topped stocking. He pressed his cock, hard as stone, against her mound.

"Horny much, Brian?" Trey called as he passed them. "Jesus Christ, dude."

Brian removed his hand from Myrna's thigh long enough to flip off Trey.

Trey pressed up against Brian's back. "Don't offer if you don't plan to put out," he said in his ear and gave its lobe a playful nip.

Brian elbowed Trey in the gut and he backed off. Brian tore his mouth from Myrna's and looked down at her flushed skin. Her glazed eyes. Swollen lips. She looked as turned on as he felt. They needed to get to the bus. Stat.

"Great show, Jace," Eric said as the two of them passed.

Brian glanced over his shoulder. Jace was grinning ear-to-ear. "Thanks."

"Someone else seemed to have their head up their ass tonight." Eric swiveled his head to glare at Brian. "Yeah, I mean you."

"I think his head was up something else," Trey said. "Myrna, you need to escort Master Sinclair to the nearest bedroom before he humiliates himself and comes down his leg in front of his friends."

Myrna grasped the hand Brian had squeezing her thigh and squirmed from between his body and the speaker. "Follow me."

Jace caught his arm. "Should I stop by in about ten minutes?"

Brian nodded slightly and pulled free of Jace's grip to follow Myrna to the tour bus. She ran most of the way. He scarcely got the bedroom door closed before she was against him, kissing him feverishly.

His plans to make love to her evaporated. He could only think of one thing. He had to thrust into her body. Bury his cock in her slick, warm flesh. He couldn't wait. She must have been of the same mind. Her hands were already releasing the fly of his jeans. When his cock sprang free of his pants, she gripped it in one hand and shuddered violently.

"Oh God, Brian. Do me hard. Please."

She didn't need to beg, but he liked it. He backed her into the bed and she tumbled backward. They both struggled to get her skirt up. He scarcely comprehended that she had opted against panties, and only found himself grateful that it made it easier for him to find her. She spread her legs wide, resting on her elbows to arch her back.

He guided his cock into her body, filling her with one violent, deep thrust. Her entire body spasmed as she came. Hard.

"Oh God. Oh God!" she screamed. She continued to shudder as he began to withdraw and thrust into her as hard as he could. He would follow her to bliss soon. The urgency to spill his seed inside her was already building.

His breath hitched unexpectedly. He was closer than he thought. He didn't have time to delight in his build-up toward release. His body stiffened and he erupted inside her. He rocked against her with a startled cry as he came, and then collapsed on top of her. He trembled uncontrollably for several moments as he attempted to catch his breath.

"Jesus, I'm sorry, Myrna. Was that even thirty seconds?"

She touched his cheek tenderly and kissed him. "You never last long after a show."

"Yeah, but that had to be some kind of world record."

She shook her head. "You lasted longer than I did. I came as soon as you put it in."

He chuckled. "You always make me feel better. Even when I'm terrible."

She knocked his hat off his head and buried her fingers in his hair. "I wouldn't say you were terrible. Just too excited before you started, but you can make it up to me. We'll try it again from the beginning."

Before she could kiss him, there was a timid knock at the door. Jace. Brian smiled.

"I plan to make it up to you all night," he said. "I hope you're ready."

"For what?"

"A special surprise."

He pulled out of her body, tucked his cock in his pants and fastened his jeans. He admired her exposed thighs for a moment before tugging her skirt down to cover her.

Jace knocked again and Brian went to answer the door. Jace carried a huge suitcase into the room, set it on the floor and opened it. He pulled out a chain.

"I'll set this up for you," Jace said. "It's important to get the length right."

Brian glanced at Myrna. Her eyes were wide as she stretched her neck to peer into the suitcase.

"Don't worry, honey. I don't think he'll use half that stuff," Jace said to her.

Her frightened gaze moved to Brian. "What are you going to do?"

"Ask you to trust me."

"I do trust you."

Jace climbed up on the bed. "Kneel right here, Myrna."

She looked at the chain in Jace's hand. "What are you going to do?"

"Nothing."

She turned her attention back to Brian. "What are you going to do, then?"

"It's a surprise," Brian said. "But I promise you'll like it. Jace is just helping me set it up, that's all."

She hesitated, and then went to kneel beside Jace in the center of the bed.

"Lift your hands above your head."

She obeyed.

"A little higher."

Jace fastened the chain to a hook in the ceiling and then whispered something to her that Brian couldn't hear. She looked slightly less pale when she lowered her arms to her sides. Jace hopped off the bed and returned to Brian's side.

From his suitcase, Jace pulled a pair of leather cuffs that were lined with fleece. "Make sure you leave enough room for blood flow, and take her arms down from the hook occasionally or she'll lose circulation to her hands." Brian was surprised by how much experience Jace had with this stuff. Jace retrieved a gag—a leather strap with a rubber ball—from his case of wicked delights. "When she starts crying and begging, you'll probably want to gag her so you don't give in to her pleas."

Brian wasn't going to gag her. "Crying and begging?"

"She'll break eventually and be submissive to you forever."

He glanced at Myrna, who was staring up at the chain and chewing a fingernail. "I like her not submissive."

"Your loss." Jace pulled a candle out of the case and lit it. He set it on the dresser and pulled a second candle from the case. "Make sure you blow it out and let the melted wax cool a little before you pour it on her. You don't want to burn her skin. You should probably avoid the flails. If you don't know what you're doing, you'll draw blood, but there are some paddles in here somewhere." He rummaged around in the case. There were all kinds of things in there that Brian didn't recognize.

"I'm starting to think there's more to this than I realized."

"Don't be afraid to experiment, but be careful not to damage her trust. If she starts freaking out, you should stop what you're doing and do something you know she likes for a while. Push her, but not too hard. You guys haven't been together very long."

Brian took a deep breath and nodded.

"Once you get her bound, blindfolded, and unable to hear anything but the music in her ears…" He pulled an MP3 player out of his pocket and pressed it into Brian's free hand. "…call for me and I'll show you some techniques. She'll never know I'm there."

"I'll call you if I need you."

Jace winked at him and called to Myrna, "Have fun."

Brian showed Jace to the door, closing it behind him, and then headed for the bed, hoping Myrna was as open-minded as he thought she was.