Stone Heart by Susan K. Hamilton

Author:Susan K. Hamilton [Hamilton, Susan K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781737353690
Publisher: Writing Bloc CO OP

Reluctant, Danny moved away as Lauren opened the notebook and started to nibble on the end of her pen. He leaned his head back and shut his eyes—they were tired and burning. Letting himself wander through his memories, he thought about watching Lauren perform when they were young. When she was seventeen, she played with a local band at some of the area bars. They weren’t supposed to let her in because she was underage, but people liked the band and the bars liked the money, so they’d look the other way. Back then, he’d always been torn. He loved watching Lauren perform but the crowds made him wary.

A frustrated sigh interrupted his thoughts. He opened one eye to find Lauren frowning at the pages.

“Remember playing at O’Malley’s Pub back in the day?” He hoped his question would distract her from whatever was aggravating her.

“Oh, God. I haven’t thought of that dive in a long time.”

“I’ve never understood how you can feel so comfortable up on stage. All those people watching you.”

“That never bothered me.” She got a faraway look. “But, man, it’s a real rush. People screaming at you, for you. Singing your songs back to you. I’m not sure I can really describe it—it’s something you have to experience.”

“And all of them wanting to be you… or be with you.” Danny couldn’t help but think of the more hard-core fans. His mouth went a little dry.

“Part of the life,” she said. “That’s why I learned self-defense and why we have security with us on tour. Most of the fans are cool, but there are some idiots out there. I’d be lying if I said there weren’t.”

Danny made an indistinct noise of disgust. Even back in the O’Malley’s days, Lauren had a little cadre of groupies who would follow her around. Most were harmless teenage boys hoping maybe—just maybe—she’d notice them. But there were older ones, too. More than once, Danny had to explain to some over-enthusiastic fan boy that Lauren wasn’t a chew toy.

Lauren stood and stretched, cat-like. She leaned close to him and said, “I don’t make a habit of sleeping with groupies, but in your case, I might make an exception.” Her tone implied there would be no sleeping, at least not immediately. She didn’t have to ask him a second time.

Later, as Lauren lay dozing in his arms, Danny found himself thinking about O’Malley’s again. Back then, there might have been a hundred people at the bar on any given night. But what would a Kingmakers show be like now? With thousands of men there—grown-ass men, not little boys. Each one singing along with Lauren. Each one watching her and imagining all the different things they’d do if they got her alone.

A bolt of insecurity coursed through Danny, and he tightened his arm around her without even thinking. She murmured in her sleep. He told himself that he was being an idiot, but the last thing he thought about before he fell asleep was a stadium full of screaming fans.

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