I think the entire room was silent in their surprise. I could hear my heart in my ears. I insulted Lenora Ashley to her face. Fuck me sideways. My shock was mirrored by my band but I was able to shake off the star-struck part of me. She was just like anyone else. I'd been mingling with famous people since I was five. My aunt and uncles were a part of one of the largest bands in the world for many decades and we always had famous people visiting our house when Mamma would have some of the people she collaborated with over for dinner. I looked to my band members and raised my eyebrow. I could see them slip off their shock and go right back into performance mode. We had a job to do and we weren't going to let the surprise addition of Lenora Ashley throw us off. No matter how attractive and sexy she might be.
(Trouble by JJ Wilde)
You know there's a certain word for people like me
It don't make it right or wrong but, yeah, they like to dig in deep
If you get too close I'll get you, if you let me in, I'll stay
But the hardest part is finding out I'm the first to walk away
With your heart, with your heart
I could barely keep my eyes off of her. She was sensual and captivating in every sense of the word. She was sex on a stick and hotter than hell. I thought she was attractive before but she had somehow become even more so. She was a blinding comet on that stage and when the song kicked up and she got to belt out with that smoky voice, I was lost.
Baby, I'm trouble, the kind that makes you wait
And baby, I'm trouble, you know I'll be your favourite mistake
And I will swallow you whole, and spit you out because I love the taste of trouble
Yeah, yeah-ah-ah-ah
We played together in sync with myself kicking in with the harmonies when needed. When the bridge came, however, all her attention was on me as I sang with her. I couldn't even see the rest of the bar. All that was there were her golden eyes and sinful lips as each word promised a forbidden world of pure pleasure.
Doing bad, feels so good
Told you from the start, your gonna get hooked
Doing bad, feels so good
Told you from the start, your gonna get hooked
Doing bad, feels so good
Told you from the start, your gonna get hooked
Doing bad, feels so good
Told you from the start, your gonna get hooked
She was living up to her promise. I was absolutely hooked on her presence. Pure sexual energy filled the room and was cackling between us. I wanted her more than I had ever wanted anyone in my life. I was so tuned into her presence that I hadn't realized that the bar was absolutely packed with screaming fans. I looked over at the bar where Owen and some of my other coworkers were trying to get people their drinks as quickly as possible. We were packed and I was sure that security was holding back a mob from outside.
None of that mattered when Lenora put her arm over my shoulder and pulled me in closer. My hand went around her waist and pulled her in close. She looked at me with so much heat in her eyes. I prayed that it was because she felt the same sexual tension I did. I grabbed the microphone without thinking and lifted it to my lips. "Alright, we're going to take a five-minute break. Go to the bar, grab a drink and we'll be back for more."
I put the microphone back on its stand and removed myself from Lenora's embrace. I put my guitar back and whirled around to Lenora with my arms crossed. "You are such a fucking cheater."
She laughed at that. "Really? Not going to fall at my feet and ask for my autograph?"
"Fuck no. Not my style." I could see the intrigue in her eyes. I was sure she wasn't used to normal people not getting star-struck around her. "However, I think since you obviously cheated and knew that revealing that you are... well you, would make the crowd vote for you, I think that counts as a victory for me. Cause I am still the superior songwriter."
"Alright enough with the pissing contest. You're both fucking amazing." Tori said as she came around her drum kit. "The question is, are you going to keep performing with us tonight Lenora?"
Lenora looked at me as if asking my permission. I rolled my eyes and nodded. I wasn't going to let on that I wanted her more than anything. At least not yet. "Sure. What are we playing?"
After that, we started off with an impromptu show with a star. Charcoal Dreams and Lenora Ashley, a one-night special. I'm sure it was one of the best nights that the bar had seen in a long time. I was more focused on the fun I was having with Lenora. While I stand by my opinion that her music did tend to be uninspired, tonight she came alive. She was bold and daring on stage. Nothing was held back as we sang together. She also let me take the lead on more songs than I thought she would. I thought she would pull a diva moment and take over our show. I had much more fun than I thought I would.
We went right to last call. Lenora stayed to sign autographs and take pictures as I helped clean up the bar with Owen and my coworkers. Once the last person left the door and we finally locked up, Lenora came right over to us as we cleaned. "What can I do to help?"
Owen and I shared a look of surprise. An international rock star wanted to help us clean up after her show? Did not compute. "You want to help?"
"Yeah, might as well. It's probably my fault that you're all here so long."
Owen put her to work while I helped close down the bar itself. The rest of the band were tearing down our equipment and getting it loaded into their cars out back. It was after three in the morning by the time we called it a night. We all said our goodbyes in the parking lot while Owen locked up. Lenora stood behind us, silently looking at her phone. With a promise to meet Will at home, I walked over to her.
"What are you up to?"
She looked up at me with her eyes widening. In this light, her eyes were almost brown. Not as deep as my own but their changing colour was intriguing, just like all of her. "I was just trying to order an Uber."
"Yeah, you're probably not going to get one any time soon. Come on, I'll drop you off."
"But you don't even know where I'm staying."
I just shrugged, "I'm offering you a free ride. Stop asking questions."
"That didn't sound like something a serial killer would say at all." She rolled her eyes but still followed me to my car. I grinned as I watched her sit in my little shitty car. The hottest woman I'd ever seen was in my car. Everything was coming up Melody today.
I slid in the car and asked for the address of where she was staying. Once I had that, I was off driving. I could see Lenora was mulling over something so I decided to shut up. She'd talk when she was ready. "So... you seem really cool with me being... well being me... being famous."
"I've been around people more famous than you since I was five. Famous people don't really faze me anymore."
"Really? Who do you know who is more famous than me?"
I laughed, "Someone's full of themselves."
I was treated to a smack on the arm from her. "Hey! I'm one of the biggest names in music right now. Most people who meet me get all starstruck. I'm not used to people treating me like a person."
"My aunt and uncles make up Disaster's Calling."
"Are you kidding me?"
"Nope," I smirked as I glanced over at her. "My mom is also Olive Wilson the music producer and songwriter. She has a lot of her clients over for dinner too. I've been completely desensitized to the world of celebrity."
"Holy shit. You're Olive Wilson's daughter? I've been working with your mom for a couple of months."
That was a new revelation. Mamma was always careful not to tell us the names of who she was working with but I could usually figure it out. I found myself wondering which client she could be. As soon as I thought about it only one client came to mind. "Oh, you're the uninspired girl, aren't you? Your label's putting pressure on you to release new music even though you're stuck in a total rut creatively."
"What? How did you know that?"
"Well like I said, your music is boring and uninspired, especially after your first album. You haven't had that spark in a long time and it shows. My mom never tells me any names but given the timeline of her frustrations it is easy to figure out who she's talking about." The car was silent and I was a bit worried I'd offended her. Actually, it was likely that I did. Fuck. Why do I do this? Get a hot girl in the car and say that the music I'm sure she spent so long on was boring and uninspired. Fuck I hate myself and my lack of a fucking filter sometimes. "Lenny I'm-"
"Completely fucking right? Cause you are. I'm a fucking sell out and it fucking sucks." She sighed loudly and slid down in her seat. "My label controls my music. Controls almost everything I am. My music is uninspired and I am stuck in a rut and I do not know how to get out of it."
I pulled up in front of the house she was staying in and put my car in park. I sat back and looked over at Lenora. I saw something in her that I saw in the mirror every day. I saw someone lost. Someone as lost as I was. Neither of us knew what directions our lives were going. She was stuck under the thumb of a label, and I was stuck under the weight of uncertainty. "Give me your phone."
"What?"
"I said give me your phone. I'm giving you my number. You are also going to call me because I happen to have a lot of connections in the industry who can possibly help you with your label issues."
"You want to help me?"
"Yeah, it's kinda my thing. Saving damsels in distress that is. It's how I got my job at the bar actually. Punched out a guy who tried to spike a girl's drink. One of my finest moments if I do say so myself."
She laughed but still gave me her phone. "Why are you working in a bar anyway? You have connections in the industry and you're one of the most talented performers I've ever seen. You could be as famous as me and the rest of your family."
I paused at that. I knew I was good on stage and I loved it, but doing it as a career? I wasn't sure I wanted that. Did I want that? I had no fucking clue. I kinda did but that was a whole can of worms I would need several sessions with a shrink to work out. "Cause I have no fucking clue what I want to do with my life. It's not like that's the kind of job you try out to see if you like it."
She nodded her head as I finished putting in my details. She looked up at the house and back to me with one hand on the door handle. "I really liked performing with you today Melody. I can't remember the last time I had that much fun performing. You're something special, and it would be a damn shame if you kept your talents hidden away."
"Call me Dee."
A slight blush bloomed across her cheeks as she turned away to open the door. She was out of my car when she turned to lean back in. "I'll see you around Dee."
"Looking forward to it Lenny." I winked as she looked down at me. Her blush deepened as stood back up. I watched her as she made her way to the house. I didn't miss how she looked back at me. The smile on her lips when she saw me waiting. I gave her a little wave as she disappeared. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face as I pulled out of her driveway. I think Lenora Ashley was just what I needed to get myself out of my rut, and maybe I could get her out of hers.
*****
Author's note:
Alright what do you think of Lenora so far? Also it's my mom's birthday today so I may miss a few comments but thank you all for your support!
EJ Cornish