Brandon

Who spent the day after Thanksgiving at a casino just barely on the Nevada side of the border it shared with Utah, playing video poker?

Far more people than I imagined.

If they were in the casino auditorium with me, they may be smiling more too. Especially once tonight’s show hit the stage.

When Danny and Reese heard they’d been booked in Wendover, they were thrilled. Some big-name bands played in the concert hall here, and their band, Plaid Peanut Butter, would scream for an audience of a thousand.

I thought they should be playing to stadiums with fifty times that many, but what I thought should happen and what their band manager made happen were two very different things. Which was why I was sitting in a room that could maybe hold 200, wasn’t anywhere near at capacity, and a lot of the people who were here had stumbled in looking for a place to sit for a minute.

The lights dimmed and my anticipation grew. It didn’t matter where Plaid Peanut Butter played, I always loved their shows. I was the ultimate fanboy-slash-roadie. Hell, I was fucking a member of the band.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Wendover.” Reese’s voice came over the sound system. “Are you ready to rock with Plaid Peanut Butter?”

I whooped and whistled and clapped, and most of the other people in the room joined in, as the opening riffs to Welcome to the Jungle filled the room, and Danny walked on stage as he played. So sexy. He was a few inches taller than my 5’11”, and on stage that height let him tower over everyone. His short, dirty blond hair was carelessly mussed, and combined with the guitar and faded T-shirt, gave him that perfect bad-boy rocker look.

He wasn’t much of a bad-boy, but I loved the look anyway.

The screaming that bled into the chords was Reese. So were the drums, but those were part of a pre-recorded track. She strode into the spotlight to join Danny, and as he slid into the song, she belted out the lyrics in a voice Axel Rose only wished he had. The outfit she wore on stage was made to draw attention. A long lavender wig, purple glasses and boots, and a leather jacket that hugged her body and showed off generous cleavage.

They always opened with a cover, to draw people into the familiar before mixing their own original music. Reese could cover anyone from Halestorm to Evanescence to Guns n Roses in the same set, but the songs she wrote with Danny blew everything else out of the water—Reese with the music and Danny with lyrics that lit the soul on fire.

In fact, I’d met him years ago when he was singing at an open mic night. The words were beauty personified, mostly spoken to a few strummed chords on an acoustic guitar. I’d been smitten from the moment I heard him, and had to introduce myself.

Was I one hundred percent biased when it came to Danny’s genius? Yes. But I was also right.

The house lights came on full force, and I winced at the abrupt brightness, amid a series of groans. To their credit, Reese and Danny kept playing, but the sound had been cut too. Still, their voices carried through the room. Even without mics, in a brightly lit room, they emitted sparks.

The side doors to the room slammed open, and three police officers strode in with a man in the casino’s branded vest. “We need everyone to stay seated for a moment, please,” one of the officers said.

Two more officers stepped in through each of the other doors, blocking the exits.

That couldn’t be good.

The small group looked around the room, and I couldn’t help but do the same. At least five people were slouched and looking painfully conspicuous in their attempts to vanish into their seats.

The casino employee pointed, and the officers with him nodded. “Gary Rice?” One of them asked. “We need you to come with us.”

Every head swiveled as an officer strode toward a young man by himself. “What’s up?” Gary’s voice shook with the question.

“ID please.”

Gary pulled a blue Velcro wallet from his back pocket, looking paler with each passing second. “Did I do something wrong?”

“That’s most likely between you and your mother.” The officer handed his ID back. “She filed a missing persons report when you didn’t come back on the bus with the rest of your Flight Club.”

Gary laughed nervously, and left with the officers.

I heard several sighs of relief when the doors closed and no one else was taken out. Danny and Reese really needed to start playing better venues. Not necessarily because of the fans, but this entire gig screamed lack of care. Like most of their shows.

“Come on, let’s rock,” I shouted as much for the benefit of whoever was controlling the lights as for PPB.

The lights stayed on.

Several people stood and wandered toward the exits.

“Hey, guys.” Reese’s voice wasn’t as loud as I expected. The sound hadn’t been turned back on yet either.

Danny whistled sharply, and the sound carried through the room.

“We’re gonna take a short break, but we’ll be back.” Reese’s yell was much easier to hear.

A few people paused, but most shook their heads and left.

The hard set of Reese’s jaw was obvious from here, and I didn’t blame her. I made my way to the stage. If this were a proper show, if they were getting the attention they deserved, there would be security to step in my path, but no one stopped me from reaching the band.

Danny let his guitar hang around his neck, and stepped closer to me. I brushed my lips over his. “You sound good tonight.”

“We sounded good tonight.” Reese grabbed her phone from the back pocket of her jeans. “I’m calling Todd.”

Todd was their band manager.

“I’ll go find someone to turn the lights off and the sound back on.” I squeezed Danny’s hand, and walked away.

More than a decade ago, before I had any idea who Plaid Peanut Butter was, Danny and Reese had been playing to packed clubs, and online video was the perfect Wild West for them to get their sound out to the world.

Todd got to them first. He convinced Reese she was the star of the show. That she’d do much better without Danny. She could have a full back-up band, record contracts… Todd sold her on the full package.

Each employee I found, I asked if they could point me toward the person who could get the lights and sound fixed in the lounge. All of them shook their heads.

I was careful to never say so in front of Danny or Reese, but her breaking up the band was the best thing that ever happened to me, and the biggest mistake she ever made. The fallout almost destroyed Danny, and I hated that, but I wouldn’t have met him otherwise. I was his salvation and he was my universe.

On the other hand, Reese had gotten herself stuck in a shitty contract she couldn’t get out of. One that prohibited any performances or recordings of performances, or basically anything with her singing voice attached to it, from being played unless Todd made the arrangements.

I finally found the guy who had been with the police. I was close enough to see his name tag. “Gordon, hey, how’s it going tonight?”

He looked startled to be addressed in such a direct and friendly manner. “Good? Can I help you?”

“Yeah. We need you to turn the lights off and the sound back on in the lounge, so the show can continue.”

“I can’t do that.”

Not what I expected. “Do you need manager approval? Who can I talk to?”

“No and no one. I mean I’m not capable of doing that,” he said. “I have to wait until our tech guy calls me back.”

“But you turned them off.”

He shrugged. “There’s an emergency switch. But no one here knows how to start them back up again. We had a new smart system installed a few months ago, and only our tech guy knows how to use it.”

I could yell at him, but it wasn’t his fault. “How much to let me take a look?” I wasn’t the most tech savvy person among our group of friends, but I’d been working with programmers for two decades, and had picked a few things up.

“I can’t do that.”

My wallet was already in my hand. “You sure? Hundred bucks? Two?”

He shook his head. “Not worth my job. You know this place has cameras everywhere. It’ll happen when it happens.”

“Not good enough.” I hated not having control of a situation, and if this guy wasn’t the person to give it to me, he’d tell me who was. “Give me your manager’s name.”

“There’s not one working tonight.”

That was either bullshit or stupid. I didn’t care which. I grabbed my phone. “Give me the number of the person you call in an emergency, then.” I was already swiping in the name of the casino, looking for high level contacts. “Or I’ll call Tony Beck directly.”

“No one on call,” Gordon said.

I clenched my jaw, and pulled the number I’d found up in my phone.

“Is there a problem, sir?” A new voice interrupted and I turned to see a man about as tall as me, but a bit broader in the chest. SECURITY was stamped across the front of his shirt.

Classy. Subtle. Not.

“There is a problem. I was enjoying the concert, and now they can’t keep playing. I was about to call the owner, and talk to him about it.”

Security scowled. “I need to ask you to leave.”

“Why?” I hit dial on my phone, and put it to my ear.

“Sir. Please.” Security didn’t make it sound like a request.

The call went straight to voicemail with a generic greeting, and I snarled. I could leave a ranty message, but that didn’t hold the same satisfaction or chance of getting things done. Especially not immediately.

I hung up. “I’m not breaking any rules. I’m looking to resolve an issue.”

“Sir.”

I stared at him, my irritation shifting closer to anger with each breath. This was ridiculous and infuriating. Rebellion whispered inside—the same itch I’d had for weeks that was extra potent tonight—what would happen if I punched him?

Reality screamed into my brain. I didn’t know how to fight, and I suspected he’d hit harder. It was unlikely the police had all left the building.

I clenched my jaw. Threatening to leave a bad review of this shitty place hardly seemed effective, and it definitely wouldn’t be satisfying.

Security took a step forward.

“Fine. I’m leaving.” I hated the way the resignation tasted. As I walked toward the nearest exit, I texted Danny to let him know I’d be outside. Security followed me the entire way.

Danny’s reply came through as I stepped through the door. We’re by the SUV.

They must not have had any more luck than I did.

Reese’s contract only applied to her, but when she and Danny made things right about seven years ago, he started singing with her again. Neither of them performed the same without the other, and he wasn’t in it for the fame or money. He just wanted to write and play.

Despite everything, there were times when I envied Reese. She made up her mind as she went along. She chose things because they called to her. Other people’s expectations seemed to be the last thing she considered when she made a decision. She probably would’ve decked Security. Regretted it after, but still…

And I doubted she ever sat down at the piano and asked herself if she was too old to learn to be spontaneous. I doubted she plucked out a few chords and then stopped because it sounded the same as every other piece I’d composed for the video games I wrote music for.

My composer’s block had grown to infuriating levels over the past few months, and some days I felt like calling it quits as far as work was concerned. This burnout needed me to break free and do something new.

Unlike Reese, I’d spent most of my life picking up the pieces for a family who chased whims and discarded the rest. I was the responsible one.

Maybe when we were done for the night, I’d do something wild and drop a grand at the tables. It wasn’t that I was wealthy, but a stable job, savings, and Christmas bonus meant I could afford things like that sometimes. The carelessness might scratch the impulsive itch.

Except that Reese was hurting for money. She was too proud to accept any help, but dropping that kind of money in front of her, on something so frivolous, would be beyond rude.

And there was my sense of obligation again. Damn it.

I’d find a way to let loose while we were here. Somehow. Somewhere.

I found Danny and Reese waiting next to my Explorer. They didn’t have any of their gear on them, so it was either loaded up, or they had to leave it behind. If the casino had Danny’s Les Paul, I was definitely picking a fight to get it back.

“We’re ready to go.” Danny nodded at the back of the truck, meaning their stuff was packed away.

Good. But also a teensy bit disappointing that the performance was over. “No luck with Todd?”

“What do you think?” Reese asked flatly.

Ugh, I needed to blow off some steam, but didn’t know where. “Dinner?”

“I need to change first.” Reese gestured at her costume.

“That’s a given,” Danny agreed.

 Fortunately, we had reservations somewhere else. Their playing didn’t include rooms for the night, and if I was paying, I was staying somewhere I didn’t expect roaches as guests. Reese was crashing in our room. She’d given up arguing a while ago that I picked up the tab while they were on the road.

We drove a whole two blocks to where we were staying, and headed to our room.

As we stepped inside, Reese was already stripping off the lavender wig she performed in. She moved into the bathroom to brush out her hair.

“Think if I offered Todd the blowjob of a lifetime, and delivered, he’d put in at least a little effort for our next booking?” The acoustics of tile and Formica distorted her voice and put a warped spin on her sarcasm.

I couldn’t sit. Too much unease bounced inside me. “Somehow I don’t think a lack of being blown is his problem. I’m not saying he is or isn’t getting enough, just that the two probably aren’t related.”

I pulled Danny close, inhaling the scents of sweat and cologne with anticipation. Maybe we could stay in and fuck. Reese was welcome to watch; she had before.

“Maybe it’s worth a shot,” Reese said. “I do have magical lips.”

I wouldn’t argue that her mouth made beautiful sounds, but that wasn’t what she was saying. “But are they get off your ass and do your fucking job lips?” I asked.

Danny shook his head, a smile on his face, and kissed me playfully before moving out of reach. At least he was enjoying some of this. The banter or the physical touch? I wasn’t sure.

Reese emerged from the bathroom, the leather jacket from her stage outfit dangling from one finger. Which left her in a tank top that showed off generous cleavage, and those sexy as fuck jeans. She looked at Danny. “Magical lips. Yes or no?”

He held up his hands in surrender. “Yes. But also, I’m not saying anything.”

“Excuse me?” I feigned disbelief. This conversation was ridiculous, but I liked the underlying challenge with Reese. And that disquieted part of me insisted this had the potential to escalate. “I have amazing lips too.”

“Also true,” Danny said. “But I’m still staying out of this conversation.”

Reese smirked and focused on me. “You would not out-blow me.”

I’d probably given as many blow jobs as she had, especially considering the kinds of things my colleagues and I got up to at the first software company I worked for, but me insisting she was wrong didn’t prove anything. It only prolonged the argument. I itched for action. “Put your money where your mouth is.”

“I’m not blowing you.” Reese scoffed.

The night was still young. “A kiss. Simple as that. To prove which one of us has more magical lips.”

She should shut me down right about now, but she was more competitive than I was. I’d been stupid to suggest anything, but the proposal was out there and now I was thinking about it the results. What did Reese kiss like?

She twisted her mouth and furrowed her brow. “Intriguing. I kiss you, you kiss me, and… ?”

It wasn’t my best thought out plan—unusual for me—but I couldn’t let the idea go. This was a bet and we needed stakes. “If you can convince me you’re such a great kisser, I’ll go Christmas shopping at the mall with the two of you.” She started pushing the idea a month ago. To wear me down, I assume.

“Fine.” Reese flipped her brown hair over one shoulder, watching me the entire time. “If you prove you’re Mister Master Mouth, I’ll play your game.”

She meant the MMO I’d written the music for. The one that was currently in beta, that she’d been avoiding for months.

“I’m doing some math here, don’t hate me,” Danny said, “And that means technically you could both win.”

“Technically, yes.” I wasn’t so completely reckless that I’d fuck things up with him, though. “You okay with this?”

He snorted. “Seriously?” Danny was an unabashed voyeur.

“Yes, seriously.” For that moment, all of the playfulness vanished from Reese’s voice.

“Fucking hot,” Danny said. “Yes. I’m great with it. Make out until your hearts are content.”

This was such a bad idea.

Let’s hear it for impulsiveness. I looked at Reese again and gave a deep bow. “Ladies first.” I straightened again to find her standing right there.

She looked up at me through heavy lashes, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. Her cheeks glistened with the sheen of body glitter, and she almost looked magical. She danced her nails up my stomach with such a light touch, I wasn’t sure she made contact, and rested her palm on my chest.

When she tilted her head up, my pulse spiked in anticipation, and when she brushed her lips lightly over mine, all the blood rushed to my cock. She smirked, and bit my bottom lip hard enough to make me grunt in surprise.

Fuck that felt good. She pressed in harder, deepening the kiss. The blend of soft and demanding had me rock hard. How did this feel so incredible?

If we let this go too long, I was going to yank down her top, see how far down the body glitter went, and hope it was edible. I needed to stop this now.

“My turn,” I said.

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