Lick (Stage Dive 1)

Take your time, I’ll wait

Regretting every last thing I said

The song was simple, sweet, and perfect. And the noise when they finished was deafening. People shouted and stamped their feet. It sounded like the roof was coming down on us. Security helped David and the guys move through the crush of people. More had arrived as they performed, alerted to the show by texts and calls and each and every sort of social media. A tidal wave of fans swamped them as they pressed through. A hand wrapped around my arm. I looked up to find Sam beside me with a grin on his face. We got our asses out of there pronto.

Sam and the security men cleared a path for us to the door and the waiting limousine outside. They were well prepared. We all bundled into the back of the limo. Immediately, David pulled me onto his lap. “Sam’s going to make sure your friends are okay.”

“Thank you. I think Portland knows you’re here now.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right.”

“Davie, you are a f**king show pony,” Mal said, shaking his head. “I knew you were going to pull something like this. Guitarists are such a bunch of posers. If you had an ounce of sense, young lady, you’d have married a drummer.”

I laughed and wiped the tears from my face.

“Why the f**k is she crying, what did you say to her?” David pulled me in closer. Outside people banged on the windows as the car slowly started moving forward.

“Are you okay?”

“I told her the truth, that she should have married a drummer. Impromptu f**king performances!” said Mal.

“Shut up.”

“Like you’ve never gone all-out to impress a girl,” scoffed Ben.

“What happened in Tokyo?” asked Jimmy, reclining in the corner. “Remind me again about, ah … what was her name?”

“Oh shit, yeah. The chick from the restaurant,” said Ben. “How much did they charge you for the damages, again?”

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about. Davie said to shut up,” shouted Mal above the pair’s raucous laughter. “Have some respect for his touching moment with Evelyn, you ass**les.”

“Ignore them.” David cupped my face in the palm of his hand. “Why were you crying, hmm?”

“Because this is ten. If one was us being miserable and apart then ten is your song. It’s beautiful.”

“You really liked it? ’Cause I can take it if you didn’t, you don’t have—”

I grabbed his face and kissed him, ignoring the noise and heckling around us. And I didn’t stop kissing him until my lips were numb and swollen and so were his.

“Baby.” He smiled, wiping away the last of my tears. “You say the best f**king things.”