By Kimbo
(Rated
PG-13 for adult themes)
PART I
Boston, August
1972......
It was a typical Friday night at
1325 Commonwealth Avenue for the guys of Aerosmith. Back in his room, Steven Tyler was busily working on some lyrics,
scatting along like a wild man as he strummed away on an old warped
guitar. In the living room, a
television set blared back in response. The room was dimly lit and the
atmosphere was mellow. A small group of people were scattered about the room,
some in pairs. Some were watching TV while others were making out; all were
blissfully stoned. Pot was the main
drug of choice but there was also a bottle of wine being passed around the
room. Brad Whitford, the newest member
of the group, was half asleep on the couch with his girlfriend by his
side. Tom Hamilton lay in the floor
near the couch amid a trio of girls. One was a beautiful brunette named Terry,
that he had recently developed a keen interest in. He was absently watching the television, but mainly listening to
the beginnings of an argument between drummer Joey Kramer and Mark Lehman,
their ill tempered roadie who lived in the back room. Suddenly the low-key atmosphere was shattered by the sound of an
irritated Joe Perry entering the apartment.
“Joe, what the fuck happened to
you?” Tom stared in disbelief at Joe’s face. Even in the dim light of the room,
it wasn’t hard not to notice the fresh bloody scratch running down his right cheekbone.
“It’s nothing...” he growled. But
from the way he slammed the door, it was obvious that he was pissed. He headed
off for his room without saying another word. Tom got up and ran after him,
catching his arm in the hallway outside his door.
“Hey, c’mon man! What’s wrong? Who
did that to you? Geez, it looks bad! “
“I don’t wanna talk about it!” Joe
ducked his head slightly, turning the wound side away. It stung like crazy but
nothing compared to the way his pride ached.
Tom nodded his head, suddenly
understanding. “She did it, didn’t she? Elissa did that to you!” he said,
shaking his head in amazement.
It wasn’t the first time Joe had
come in looking like that. Twice before, Tom had seen him with bruises,
scratches and even bites.....all from his girlfriend Elissa’s wild temper. She
would just get angry at him and go off like an M-80. It wasn’t a pretty sight.
Tom wondered just how much Joe would take before he either hit her back or
simply left. The relationship was only a couple of months old and it was
already in trouble.
“I don’t wanna make a big deal out
of it, okay?” Joe said quietly, his eyes pleading with Tom. “The last thing I need is---” He was quickly cut short.
“WHOA! Guess you lost that fight! Joe, what the fuck happened to you?”
Steven interrupted as he swung out of his bedroom and was met by the sight of
Joe’s face.
“Not now, Steven...I’m not in the
mood.” Joe scowled, wincing in pain. Any movement of his face was excruciating.
Steven stared at him, ignoring Tom’s
warning look. Suddenly he rolled his eyes, trying to suppress a laugh. “Oh
please don’t tell me that darling precious clawed you again! Please tell me
that you fought with a wild animal or at least a drug dealer somewhere!”
“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Joe shouted, clenching his fists. The
scratch on his face began to bleed a little.
Tom backed up slowly, edging his way
back to the living room. Ever since the
two of them had met, the relationship between Joe and Steven had been a strange
and complex one. Joe’s deep smoldering passion for his music and Steven’s wild
desire to see the band make it big had bound the two of them together as best
friends and worst enemies. There was a dynamic tension between them that in
fact, was the driving force behind the music. Though they often faced off like
snarling dogs, deep inside the two of them were more like brothers. Still,
lately they had done more snarling at each other than ever and everyone could
see that it was because of Elissa. Everyone but Joe, it seemed.
“JOE! C’mon, you’re telling me
you’re so pussy whipped that you’ll let her do this shit to you? Did you at
least hit her back?” Steven’s tone was mocking.
“I wasn’t raised like that! I’d
never hit a woman!” Joe slung back at him, yanking open the door to his room.
“No, of course you wouldn’t! Go
ahead and say it...you think I would so therefore you’re a notch above me,
right? Well I’ve never had to hit any of my girlfriends because they don’t attack
like rabid dogs! Or maybe I just keep ‘em satisfied!” he smiled noticing the
dark look on Perry’s face.
This was Steven’s way of needling
him....throwing back in his face the rumor that he had nailed Elissa long
before Joe. It was common knowledge among their circle of friends that Joe had
a crush on her long before she finally went out with him. Elissa was a
beautiful girl. She had come from money, growing up virtually a spoiled
princess, always getting what she wanted. She preferred to date older, more
successful musicians and had passed Joe over several times. However, with the
record deal that Aerosmith had recently signed with Columbia, Joe had suddenly
become more appealing. The crux of the plot had come about when it became
obvious that Steven had the hots for her too. There were rumors that Elissa had
given herself to him only weeks before she hooked up with Joe. When he asked her about it later, she denied
it. Steven remained silently enigmatic, fueling Joe’s insecurities. It wasn’t
that he hated Joe, god no! He hated the idea of Joe being with Elissa because
of how she was and what she was making him become.
“I swear to God, if you don’t back
off....” Joe trailed off, gritting his teeth.
“You’ll do what? You’ll hit me?”
Steven replied, sneering acidly. Joe shook his head.
“No, I told you I’d never hit a
woman!” With that, Joe disappeared into his room, slamming the door. Steven
slammed into the wall with his fist, chipping the plaster.
“FUCK YOU, JOE PERRY!!!”
And so things ended as usual with
Steven in a rage and Joe sulking arrogantly in private. In the living room, the
TV blared on while more joints were being rolled. A bottle of tequila was now
being passed around and everyone tried hard not to focus on what was really
gnawing at the back of their minds. Could the band survive the clash of these
two titans or would they eventually be torn apart? Just another Friday night at 1325 Commonwealth Avenue!
Meanwhile, in his room, Joe flipped
on his tiny TV set. With the volume on mute, he cranked up some Deep Purple on
the stereo and flopped down on his bed. He liked to watch TV that way, staring
mindlessly at the picture while he listened to music. Sometimes he would sit
with his guitar and run through chords, random and quick, lost in his own
thoughts. Lately his thoughts were on his growing feeling of emptiness. A
depression had settled over him, but no one had seemed to notice. He just kept
going through the motions, day after day. Even the record deal had lost some of
its meaning. Up until tonight, he had wondered why. Now it hit him like a ton
of bricks. It was Elissa.
The hardest thing for Joe to do was
to admit that he was unhappy with this girl he had sought after for so long.
Certainly she was beautiful and charming. She had many contacts in the music
industry due to her parents prestige. For two years, he had desired her and now
that he had her, his joy was bittersweet. For though she was like a pretty
flower on the outside, Elissa could be dark and ugly on the inside. Despite her
charm, she had a bad temper and was infamous for her tantrums. But Joe had seen
those and learned quietly to accept that part of her. No, it was the other
layers that he was slowly uncovering that made him cringe.
Her jealous, controlling nature was
slowly suffocating him. Selfish and spiteful, she could also lie extremely
well. He knew somewhere in his heart of hearts that the rumor about she and
Steven could be true. Elissa acted now as if she hated Steven but Joe had come
to realize that this was only because Steven was a wild card; she couldn’t
control him. Now that he found himself being controlled by her, it made Joe
stop and think about what that meant. Maybe Steven was right. Maybe he was
pussy whipped.
It pissed him off to no end to think
of what that implied. That Steven was more of a man than he? No way! Just
because he chose to be the kind of guy who bonded deeply with the woman in his
life didn’t in any way mean he was less of a man. He had been taught to show
respect for women. Wasn’t it okay to show tenderness and devotion to the woman
you love? Agitated even more, he grabbed up his guitar, quickly running through
the opening bars of a song he was working on. Elissa hated it, she had said so
numerous times already. But he didn’t care. Something inside told him that this
song was gonna be important soon enough.
Then suddenly it hit him. His life
had become a great weight resting heavily upon his shoulders. He was a young
man, only twenty-two and yet sometimes he felt old. It wasn’t like that before
Elissa came into his life. Where was the joy that he had expected to find with
her? Weren’t they supposed to be in love? But it wasn’t only his life she was
making miserable. The tension was rubbing off on the band as well. None of them
liked her, that much was obvious. Sure, Steven had lusted after her. But truth
be known, he truly hated the fact that Elissa had diverted Joe’s attention away
from the band...meaning ultimately from himself. That and the fact that Joe
shared his pot--or whatever the drug--with her now instead of Steven. Thoughts
of the whole situation left him feeling numb yet full of despair. Just then, a
single knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
“Hey Joe?” Tom knocked, sticking his
head cautiously inside. “You all right?”
“Yeah I guess.....” he said, careful
to keep his eyes averted.
“You wanna come down to Keegan’s
with me and Brad? The party’s kinda breaking up here and we’re in the mood for
strong beer?” Tom continued, hoping Joe would take him up his offer. Joey had
already split, heading home with his girlfriend. He hated the idea of leaving
Joe alone in the apartment with Steven.
“I don’t know.” he replied. “I
wouldn’t be the best company tonight.”
“You don’t have to be, its a bar not
a social club! Hey, give it a chance. They have a great dark brew!” Tom was
persistent.
“Sure, why not?” Joe said, smiling a
little despite his mood. Tossing the guitar onto the bed, he followed Tom out
the door.
***
Keegan’s was a pub down on Beacon Street where Brad
and Tom loved to hang out and drink. It
was dark, the atmosphere was friendly and the drinks were fantastic. Brad had
developed a fondness for the dark ale which was the house specialty. It was a
family run business and the barkeep was none other than the family patriarch,
Keegan MacGregor. He was a tall, burly-chested Scotsman with flaming red hair,
slightly graying at his temples. Boisterous, yet good hearted, MacGregor
enjoyed a hearty laugh and good company. He had been born and reared in his
native homeland even after living for years in Boston, he still retained a
thick Scottish brogue. Two things were important to Keegan MacGregor: his
family and his business, which in his case were mostly the same. He would fight
fiercely at all cost to protect either.
It was an ordinary Friday night for
him, though because it was after ten, the crowd had thinned down somewhat. He
was busy wiping down the bar when the bells on the front door clanged noisily. Looking
up, he saw three young men enter...two faces he recognized and one he did not.
The tall blond he recognized as Tom and the shorter more reserved fellow he had
come to know as Brad. The third young man followed behind the two of them,
obviously in their party. Height-wise, he fell somewhere in between the other
two, but with long black hair that hung down low over his eyes. He had Italian
features; dark scowling good looks along with an arrogant walk. Keegan saw several women turn and eyeball
him immediately. Coolly, he walked by them, appearing not to notice. Turning
his attention, Keegan smiled broadly at Tom and Brad as they all approached the
bar.
“Welcome back, boys! What will ya be
drinkin’ this evenin’?” Keegan asked, putting away the bar towel. He eyed Joe’s
wound rather suspiciously, a look that didn’t go unnoticed.
“We’ll have three of your infamous
house poisons!” Tom answered cheerfully. He gestured toward Joe. “This is Joe
Perry. He plays lead guitar in the band.”
“Joe! Nice to meet ya!” Keegan acknowledged him with a handshake. He
seemed to be a friendly sort. Certainly if he was friends with Brad and Tom, he
couldn’t be that bad.
“I’ve heard good things about this
place from these two clowns here.” Joe said. He stared at Keegan, noting that
he physically resembled a grizzly bear. Now he understood how the bar had
gotten its reputation as a peaceful place of drinking. No one in his right mind
would dare take this man on!
“Drink up, lads! There’s more where
these grew!” Keegan nodded pleasantly at Joe as he slapped three mugs of dark
amber brew down on the bar. He walked down to the other end of the bar,
continuing his cleaning and chattering to other customers.
Tom led the way to a small table
near the back corner of the place. Joe sipped the beer, enjoying its
strong character. While his friends
talked quietly, Joe absorbed the atmosphere of the pub. It was rather dark, the
inside resembling an old barn of sorts. The rafters were hung with tin
lanterns, some rusted. The floor was wooden plank board and in the center of
the wall opposite the bar was a fireplace with a great stone hearth. Because it
was summer, the fireplace stood empty like a great gaping mouth. The dark brew
was good and it echoed the warmth of the establishment. As his eyes scanned the
room further, that’s when he first caught sight of her.......
In that moment it seemed that the
sounds of the bar faded and all he could hear was the sound of his own
heartbeat in his ears. Everything
around him became a blur, except for the young woman he saw waiting tables at
the other end of the room. She was young with a face that was more beautiful
than any he had ever seen before. Long auburn gold hair was swept back into a
loose French braid. Softly curling tendrils of stray hair fell around her face,
drawing his attention to her smooth creamy skin. God, she’s beautiful....he
thought to himself.
“Joe? Hey JOE?” Brad punched him
lightly in the shoulder. Joe’s reverie was broken and once again, the sounds of
the bar came back to him. He could see Tom grinning at him like a Cheshire cat.
“What?” Joe asked blankly.
“That’s Keegan’s daughter you’re
staring at!” Brad said, tilting his head in a slight warning.
“Yeah and if I were you, I’d steer
clear! She’s pretty but if you think you got problems with Elissa, imagine
taking on MacGregor!” Tom added in a low voice. “Besides Joe, she’s really
young! I don’t even think she’s twenty yet...technically she’s a teenager!”
“Technically? What the fuck is that
all about, Tom? She’s working in a bar! As long as she’s not a minor, I’m not
worried!” Joe retorted. Then Brad stepped in again.
“I’m not sure how old she is, Joe
but I’m willing to bet that Tom is right. I know that she fills in here
sometimes. With a dad like Keegan MacGregor, I guess she can’t be in any real
moral danger working here!” Brad offered. He couldn’t help but notice the
distant dreamy look on Perry’s face.
“That is, until Joe came along!” Tom
snorted. Being the voice of reason, he tried explaining to Joe why he should
ignore the pretty little barmaid.
But Joe didn’t hear anything he was
saying. She was walking behind the bar with a dishpan full of dirty mugs,
disappearing through the swinging doors which led to the kitchen. It seemed like
forever before she reappeared again. To both his horror and delight, Joe
watched as she turned and walked toward their table. When she finally stood in
front of him, his heart nearly stopped. Still cool however, the expression on
his face remained untouched. He hid behind his tough exterior, soaking her in
deep under his skin.
She wasn’t merely beautiful, she was
breathtaking. Emerald eyes mesmerized him, holding his own as willing
prisoners. There was something familiar in them, something that made him feel
like something he lost had suddenly been found. Her skin glowed with a radiance that set her apart from any other
woman in the room. Truly she was young, he could see it in her face which was,
at the same time, both child-like and sensual. He loved how her hair, though
bound in its braid, seemed to be fighting its way free, curling softly
everywhere it hung loose. There was an unknown wildness lurking beyond the
undisturbed surface of her innocence. That combination drove him over the edge,
drawing him closer like a moth to a flame.
“Would you boys like a refill?” she
asked, smiling. Her voice had a soft, almost breathless sound to it that was
incredibly sexy. The accent was not as pronounced as her father’s, only present
on certain syllables. Her body was a masterpiece of ample feminine curves
accented by a loose white shirt tied above her navel and a pair of tight hip
hugging jeans. Joe could smell her perfume, a soft hint of ginger with white
flowers.
“Sure would!” Brad ventured, kicking
Joe from under the table. “Bring us another round, if you don’t mind!”
“Not at all...”she smiled as she
turned away, casting one long noticeable glance back in Joe’s direction. Joe
stared back, hypnotically. Tom seemed alarmed and looked at Brad who simply
shrugged his shoulders. There was nothing they could do.
When she returned with the beers,
she set them down and lingered for a moment. There was a question on her lips,
but she hesitated. Joe just looked up at her and smiled. It took both Brad and
Tom by surprise. Lately, Joe very rarely smiled spontaneously.
“I don’t wanna sound stupid...” she
began. “but aren’t you guys, Aerosmith?”
“Yeah, that’s our band.” Joe
answered. “This is Brad, Tom and I’m Joe...” He went around the table pointing.
She nodded sweetly.
“Hi, I’m Katherine, but you can call
me Kat. It’s so nice to meet you
all! I saw you play over at the
University and it was....FABULOUS!” she said, talking to all of them, yet
somehow her eyes never left Joe’s.
“Thanks! You know we just signed a
record deal--” Tom began but she wasn’t listening. She continued talking but
this time, to only one of them. Her were shining.
“Joe, I saw you onstage....and I
just loved every second of it! You play with such passion, I felt so caught up
in the music, it just swept me away.....” she went on dreamily.
If she was aware of Joe checking her
out, she didn’t seem to mind. As she talked about the music and how it made her
feel, he was taking in the whole of her essence, hanging on her every word.
Though he tried desperately not to show it, she had cast a spell making him
feel something he had not known in a very long time. He knew he was in trouble.
“.......oh well, I’m just taking up
your time! Sorry to go on so, but I love your music. Maybe I’ll see you around
sometime.” she said, turning to go. Then it came. Joe Perry dared to step out
over the edge.
“Sooo...maybe you’d like to come by
and watch us rehearse?” Joe said, glancing over at both Tom and Brad, who both
nodded uncertainly.
She stared open mouthed at him for a
moment and then smiled. “When?”
“Anytime really. Starting tomorrow
morning, we’re rehearsing everyday for a solid week. Look for us in the basement
of the Fenway Theatre.” Joe replied, his scowling, serious stare holding onto
hers.
“I’d love to! But I’ll have to make
it one day next week. I’m working double shifts this weekend and I’m on four
nights next week. My father is a slave
driver, you know.” she laughed. “But I’m off again on Friday....its my
birthday.”
“It’s your birthday?” Tom asked
incredulously, glancing at Joe. Mr.
Cool...that lucky sonofabitch, thought to himself.
“Yeah I’ll finally be twenty!” she
laughed.
“Perfect! Then Friday we’ll see you
there?” Joe’s voice was low and intense. It wasn’t merely a request. His eyes
said he wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“I wouldn’t miss it!” Then she was
gone, leaving Joe struggling to breathe normally. He looked happy, which seemed
odd. Brad cast him a sour glance,
interjecting reality into the fantasy.
“Hey, Earth to Joe! What are you
gonna do about Elissa? She’ll be there too!”
Suddenly the happiness vanished from
his face. “Oh, fuck...” Joe said softly, almost under his breath. The spell
over, that familiar tortured look once more appeared in his eyes. How could he
have forgotten about her?
“Joe, you know Elissa will FREAK! “
Tom said. Joe nodded slowly. He was silent for a long moment, lost somewhere
deep in thought. When he glanced up at him again, both Tom and Brad saw
something new....
“She’s drowning me and I want
out.....dammit, I wanna be free of all that bullshit! I have to get out of that
relationship before it kills me.” he said, letting out an audible sigh of
relief. Finally, his true feelings had surfaced.
Brad and Tom stared at him, their
mouths gaping wide in shock. Joe shrugged his shoulders, his expression
suddenly becoming very resolved.
“Don’t look so surprised!” he said,
smiling a little. He already felt like a weight was lifting off his shoulders.
Tom was the first one to recover.
“Joe, I mean, that’s great...I’m
down with that! I don’t think she’s right for you...or any other human male for
that matter!” he said jokingly. “But don’t go off half cocked just because a
pretty little peach may have fallen into your lap. Be careful what you do.”
Brad nodded in rapt agreement but
Joe shook his head, undaunted. He thought for a moment before he began to
speak.
“Listen, tonight Elissa and I got
into it, as you can see...” he pointed to his face, grimacing solemnly. “It
suddenly hit me how fucked up my life is becoming! You know, I wanted her so
bad...she let me run behind her for almost two years! Then I get her...suddenly
I’m the unhappiest motherfucker alive!
She wears me like a coat or a Gucci bag! I just think to myself, if this
record bombs, she’s gonna drop me like a hot rock anyway.”
“But Joe, there’s something else!
That gig we have coming up at the Gardens? Well it wasn’t Frank that scored it.
Elissa got her parents to pull some strings and well....it was tossed into
Frank’s lap.” Tom said, looking troubled.
“What the hell? Why wasn’t I told?”
Joe was stunned almost speechless. “And how do you guys know this?”
“Steven told us, man! Look, he’s
wanted to play there for a long time and I guess he thought you’d turn it down
if you knew. So now if you break up with her and piss her off....I mean, I
don’t know what she could do, but if we lose that gig then Steven ‘s gonna be
in a rage!” Tom replied, sensing Joe’s building frustration.
“SO WHAT? Steven’s blown off a lot
of club dates that Frank booked since we signed the contract! We’re gonna start
working on the record in October! At this point, what does it matter if we keep
this one gig or lose it?” Joe seemed exasperated.
Brad finally spoke up, his face
lined with worry. “Well as long as you’re willing to tell Steven and take the
heat, I’ve got no problem with it. But my question remains...what about Friday?
Unless you’re gonna break up with Elissa real soon, she’s gonna want to know
who this girl is and why she’s there.”
Joe knew that Brad was right. To
make matters worse, Elissa would be out of town for a week. Nothing could be
settled between them right away. He sighed deeply, burying his head in his
hands in bitter frustration. Just moments ago, it had all seemed so clear. Now
again, he had come up against a brick wall. Keeping both Steven and Elissa
happy left him feeling trapped and angry. Watching from between calloused
fingers, his eyes followed Kat as she cleared away more tables. There was
something so sweet and pure about her. It made him feel brand new. He knew
beyond a shadow of a doubt that this feeling was more than just physical.
Something told him that if he let her get away, he would regret it for the rest
of his life.
“Tom, do you think Terry would help
me out? You know, come by and hang out with Kat at rehearsal? Just in case I
don’t get a chance to settle things.” he said, daring to hope for a resolution.
Tom thought for a moment.
“That’s a good back up plan.
Besides, I don’t think Terry would miss a chance to piss Elissa off, if you
know what I mean! But can’t you talk to her before Friday?”
Joe shook his head. “She took off
tonight...heading up to the lake to see her parents. She won’t be back
until...Friday!” He scowled. The irony
was almost too much.
“Okay consider it done! I’m sure
Terry will enjoy pulling one over on Queen Elissa.” Tom said. Brad grinned almost slyly.
“A week without Elissa?
Hmm....whatever will you do?”
“Its a good thing I like this beer
so much!” Joe smiled, his eyes following the shape of the beautiful girl
clearing tables. He didn’t notice the eyes of Keegan MacGregor watching him.
By now the pub was almost empty.
Leaving their money on the bar, Joe stole one last look at Kat as she cleared
their table. She looked up and caught his glance, returning it with a dazzling
smile. He swallowed hard as he exited onto the darkened street.......
***
The next day, rehearsal went off
without a hitch. Neither Steven nor Joe mentioned the argument from the night
before. But this was a typical pattern between them. In fact, around mid-morning
the ice had broken and they were all laughing and joking around like the
brothers they had come to be. Joe couldn’t help but think that the lighthearted
mood of the day was partly due to Elissa’s absence. This strengthened his
resolve even further. Breaking up with her was the right thing to do. Back at
the apartment later on, Joe showered and then quietly slipped out the door. Tom
was the only one who caught a glimpse of him leaving. He knew without a doubt
where he was headed.
Joe entered Keegan’s pub alone. Though he appeared calm, his heart
was racing. At first he didn’t see her and he felt a twinge of disappointment.
Then in a split second, she came out of the kitchen hauling a heavy box of
clean beer mugs to the bar. He was about to offer to help her but then her
father stepped forward. He had noticed Joe immediately.
“Mind yourself there, Joe! She
thinks she can do anythin’ and won’t hear otherwise!” MacGregor rumbled good
naturedly, wiping his hands on his apron. The pub was packed with customers and
he seemed to be in a very good mood.
“I’ll keep that in mind...”Joe said,
smiling. He sat down right at the bar. “I’ll have one of your special brews if
you don’t mind.”
“Coming right up, lad.... Kat! Take
care o’ this one for me!” MacGregor roared, winking at Joe as he set down the
glass in front of him. Kat appeared at his elbow. Joe could see that she was
tired but looked happy to see him. Was he hoping for too much?
“Okay, Papa...” she said, glancing
at Joe with a smile.
“This boy looks a bit hungry!” he
said in a low voice. Then he looked to Joe and said, “Tis’ on the house
tonight. Enjoy yourself!” With that he walked away to attend to the other
patrons at the bar. Kat turned her attention to Joe.
“We cook up something fabulous in
the kitchen most every night! But we
only serve family and special guests. We never charge for the meal....” she
trailed off as she became aware of the intensity of his gaze. She was lost in
those dark brown eyes, the thick black hair and his handsome face. She could
smell the leather of his black jacket. “Papa was right...you do look hungry...”
“I’m starving....” he said. Without
warning, he laid one hand gently on top of hers. He could feel her trembling as
he kept his eyes locked into hers.
“Wait here.” she replied with a warm
smile, disappearing into the kitchen.
Joe could feel his heart beating
strong and fast. He felt more alive than he had in months. The sparks between
them were unmistakable. He had seen it all in her eyes, felt it in the way her
hand trembled. Glancing around, he saw a couple of other girls there, working
tables and bringing drinks. One of them had auburn hair similar to Kat’s but
she looked much older. Joe figured that must be her sister. He noticed that
both of the girls had given him sideways glances, talking in low whispers
between themselves. When Kat came back out of the kitchen, she sat a tray of
food in front of him along with a pitcher of dark brew.
“Is that your sister?” he asked.
“Mary? Yeah, she’s one of them! I
think she likes you.” Kat said.
“That’s too bad...I’ve already
picked you.”
“Me?” Kat acted almost surprised,
but Joe knew that she really wasn’t.
“Does that scare you?”
“No, but it would scare my father, I
think...” she said coyly, giving him a meaningful glance as she disappeared
with a tray of drinks.
The food was wonderful! There was a
thick beef stew chock full of tender vegetables and hearty cuts of beef along
with delicious warm slices of home baked bread. Joe ate slowly, even having
second helpings and apple pie for dessert. He talked to her on and off
throughout the evening between her other duties. He had never actually sipped
beer before but was quickly learning how. Finally around nine o’clock he saw
her take off her apron and give her father a kiss on the cheek. Joe wasted no
time. While she was counting out her tip money, said his goodbyes and deep thanks to MacGregor who bade him to
come back soon. Joe tried to act natural, knowing that if the burly Scotsman
could read his mind, he’d probably kill him.
When Kat was ready to go, she looked
around for Joe but didn’t see him. Beside his empty plate he had left a tip but
nothing else. What was she hoping for? The question reverberated through her
mind. She could still faintly smell the masculine scent of his leather
lingering in the air. Slowly, a feeling
of utter disappointment settled deep into her bones. He could’ve said
goodbye....she thought. But maybe she had misinterpreted his signals. Maybe he
wasn’t interested after all. These thoughts filled her head as she sullenly
walked out the door and onto the street.
Suddenly she saw him. In a fraction
of a second, her heart skipped a beat and the world seemed to stand still.
There he was, leaning casually against the outside of the pub. The ring of
light from the nearby streetlamp cast a shadow across his face but she knew
without a doubt it was him. She studied the shadowy form, noting the lean but
perfectly sculpted body. He was waiting for her! A cry of sheer joy nearly
exploded from her body but somehow she remained outwardly calm. As she
approached, he sauntered forward.
“Can I walk you home?” he asked,
extending his hand to her.
Kat took his outstretched hand,
feeling it completely surround hers. There was a gentle strength to those hands
that sent a tingle down her spine. In that instant, her life changed
forever.
“You disappeared so fast I thought
you were already gone.” she said softly, glancing at his face before looking
quickly away. Eyes always revealed too
much.
“Because I felt like your father
could see right through me....that he knew exactly what I was thinking about
his very beautiful daughter,” Joe replied.
Suddenly, he stopped walking and turned toward her, gently tilting her
chin upward. She could no longer hide.
“What were you thinking, Joe?” she
asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“I think you know.” he replied, his
body trembling with a mad desire to kiss her full, soft lips. “You’ve been thinking the same thing.”
“Show me what you mean.” Kat moved
closer, coming to stand just beneath his chin. She was so close that she could
have touched his lips with her own without much effort. The tension between
them was nearly unbearable. It made her dizzy, igniting her desire and
consuming her within the flames.
Joe touched her cheek ever so
delicately. He had never felt anything so purely delicious in his entire life.
It would have been so easy to take her in his arms and let himself plunder her
willing sweetness. But something about this girl was different. He knew that he
would have to tell her about Elissa first. But when? How? Did he dare risk
spoiling this all too perfect moment? Wavering for a second, he decided to
wait. The night was too beautiful to ruin. Besides, if he told her tomorrow and
she refused to have anymore to do with him, he would always have the memory of
one night full of wonderful. Ever so lightly brushed her lips with his own and
then kissed her cheek, moving sensuously to her neck before he pulled her into
a gentle, yet firm embrace. The exchange was quick, wordless and then he
stepped back, still holding onto her hands. Tingling with excitement, he
struggled to maintain control.
Kat looked up at him in sheer
amazement. Boys were always trying to get into her pants, including the ones
her father considered respectable! Few
ever succeeded and fewer still, even knew enough to do any real damage to her
virtue! Yet here was finally someone who was old enough, virile enough and confident
enough to get the job done. A leather clad rocker that her father would most
certainly not approve of and yet he was a total gentleman! There was something irresistible about this guy that
made her want to get close to him. In fact, she wanted to be next to him in the
worst possible way. Her body ached for his touch, her lips longed for his kiss.
Everything about Joe Perry exuded pure, wicked seduction.
“So you gonna walk me home or not?”
she said, smiling.
Joe willingly complied, suddenly aware
that his destiny had been sealed.
***
The days passed quickly. Every day,
Joe would rehearse with the band, each session getting tighter and tighter. The
tension between himself and Steven was limited to creative differences and
though it seemed strange, that spark seemed to become the energy of the music.
Every night, he would disappear off to the pub for a few beers, hang out and
then walk Kat home. A couple of nights he was accompanied again by Brad and
Tom. This was done not only out of camaraderie, but necessity as well. Showing
up every night alone would surely reveal his explosive feelings to the watchful
Keegan MacGregor. Joe vowed that when he was free of Elissa, he would face him
man to man. What bothered him was the fact that he had not found the courage to
tell Kat. Just the mere thought of Elissa seemed to tighten an invisible noose
around his neck, choking him with a myriad of memories. But though he was
nervous, tonight he no longer had a choice. It couldn’t wait any longer.
He showed up at the pub Thursday
night just as her shift was ending. Peeking in the door, he caught sight of her
just as she was taking off her apron. A young man was lingering at her elbow,
talking to her though she appeared to be ignoring him. Suddenly her father
appeared and escorted the young man away, barking something fierce at him. Joe
caught her eyes and saw that dazzling smile suddenly break across her face.
When at last she appeared outside, he hugged her close, lingering in the
embrace. Closing his eyes, he inhaled the sweet fragrance of her hair which
tumbled loosely down her back. She was wearing tight black tank tee and faded
blue jeans. With each embrace, he found it increasingly difficult to pull away.
“Let’s go...” he whispered, teasing
her ear lightly with the very tip of his tongue. Kat felt the sudden urge to
devour him; to kiss those lips insatiably. But she held herself in check as
they walked away, arm in arm.
He always asked about her night,
reveling in the sound of her voice. Even on the nights when work was hard, she
always found some lighthearted way to look back on it and laugh. Joe found her
to be unbelievably focused and intelligent. She was nothing like the usual
string of girls that always seemed to flock near the band. Plus she indulged
him his greatest passion by talking about music. She would ask him about the
rehearsals and listen with sincere interest to every word he spoke. Best of
all, she was interested in the music he was writing and gave him strong words
of encouragement. It was never this way with Elissa, even in the very
beginning. The only thing Elissa cared about was being in the limelight. She
saw herself as the ultra “hip” girlfriend of an up and coming rock guitarist.
Joe always felt that if he didn’t make it, the whole relationship was doomed.
Now, he didn’t care.
They made it to her house and
sneaked around to the backyard, climbing into the old tree house MacGregor had
made for her as a child. She had taken Joe here the second night he walked her
home when neither of them was willing to say goodnight first. Since then, it
had become their destination. Being out of reach of the lights from the house,
it was the perfect place to be together. It was an upper middleclass
neighborhood, far removed from the place where he currently resided. It
reminded him of his own family’s home....comfortable and homey. He could hear
the sounds of pleasant laughter drifting softly over from distant yards.
Families lived here. Joe could imagine himself with a family someday. He could
see it very clearly every time he looked into Kat’s eyes.
“Joe, I wanna know something.” she
said as they sat down on the wooden plank flooring. He leaned up against the
tree trunk which came straight through the middle of the tiny little tree house.
She surprised him by coming to sit in his lap directly astride his thighs. This
made his mind swirl with the thoughts and images he’d tried so hard to resist.
“What?” he replied, his voice nearly
cracking as she leaned forward. Her lips were dangerously close to his. The
time had come. He knew what would happen next. It was long overdue. Every night
he had been a perfect gentleman, almost to the point of annoyance. He felt as
if he were going to explode.
“Why haven’t you kissed me? I
mean....really kissed me?” she asked, casting her lovely eyes downward in stern
pretense.
“I’ve kissed you every night...well
, sort of.....” he stumbled, frantically grasping for the right words. How
could he say it? What were the perfect words?
“I know about your girlfriend,
okay?” Kat said bluntly. “I’ve known all along.”
Joe stared back at her in shock,
uncertain of what to say. She must think I’m a bastard. Desperately he struggled to find his own
voice.
“Every night, I tell myself that I’m
gonna talk to you about that. But then I see your face and....I forget
everything else.” he began.
He paused, searching her eyes for
traces of anger. But there were none to be found. Instead, she took his hands in
hers and listened patiently as he told her about his relationship with Elissa.
Starting from the beginning, he left out nothing and ended with the more recent
problems such as the fights and the growing tension within the band. He told
her about their last fight and Elissa leaving town for a few days. Ultimately
he told her in great detail about his decision to end the relationship and go
on with his life.
“I wasn’t trying to keep it from
you. But I didn’t want to scare you off.” he said, brushing the hair back from
her face. “More than anything else, I
want you. I knew that the first night we met.”
“I know. I can see it in your eyes.”
she whispered, delicate fingers tracing his strong, chiseled jawline. Even in
the dark, she could see his eyes, piercing and hungry with desire.
There were no more words. Joe paused
for only a second then leaned forward, lightly kissing her mouth.....then again
more slowly, almost cautiously. The electricity building between them was white
hot, the air charged with untapped passion. They stood on the edge of
uncontrollable passion, eager to leap into the fire. Gradually, their lips
melted together in the summer heat. Still, Joe had scarcely begun his
exploration of her delicious mouth before they were interrupted.
“Kat! Papa just came home!” An
urgent female voice called out from somewhere in the yard below. It was her
sister, Maura. They froze, each seeing the open disappointment on the face of
the other.
“You gotta go quick....and so do I!”
Joe pushed her gently off his lap and crouched, ready to descend the ladder. “
She comes back to town tomorrow. I’m gonna try to talk to her before the
rehearsal starts. Can you still come?”
“What if you don’t get a chance to
talk to her first?” Kat asked nervously.
“Come anyway. I have a back up
plan!” he nodded reassuringly. “Please don’t worry, okay? Let’s just get
through tomorrow. After that, there’s nothing standing in our way.”
“I trust you, Joe.” she said. “I’ll
be there.”
The emotion in her eyes spoke volumes.
There was love in those eyes; a love like he had never known before. Giving her
one last look, he disappeared quickly down the ladder and through the shadows
of the yard. Kat waited a moment, then
hurried down the ladder and headed toward the back porch. She sat down on the
steps, looking up at the night sky. It was beautiful, absolutely studded with
stars. Her heart was so full of happiness she thought it would burst. From the open kitchen window she could hear
the sounds of her father’s singing as he put on a kettle for tea. Even though
her mother was gone, he kept the tradition of their nightly rituals alive.
Through his undying love, her memory lived on.
“Katherine? Are ya out there?” he
called out the open window.
“Yes, Papa.....I’m right here on the
porch.” she replied softly.
“Wanna come in and have some tea
with yer old papa?”
“I’ll be right there.” She
smiled, gave the sky one last look and
then went inside.
***
The next day dawned stormy and dark.
Kat awoke to the sounds of rumbling thunder as lightning lit up the sky over
Boston. Dressing quickly, she quietly tiptoed downstairs, hoping to make it out
of the house before her family awoke. But that wasn’t about to happen. She
could hear her father in the kitchen and smiled, listening to the familiar
clatter of pans followed by soft swearing. Realizing that she couldn’t leave
without first checking on him, she stuck her head into the kitchen. There he
was breaking eggs into a dish, trying to pick out small pieces of the shell as
he went. Looking up, he smiled sheepishly and shook his head.
“Your mother could crack eggs one
handed while whisking with the other!” he said softly, a faint smile passing
over his face.
“Let me help you...” Kat took the bowl
from him, picking out the remaining pieces of eggshell. “You know, I think of
her a lot, too. Especially now it seems. I wonder what she was like at my
age...or what she’d think of me now.”
“She would be so proud of you, girl.
Happy Birthday, my youngun’! I was a goin’ to make breakfast for you girls this
mornin’ but it seems I require some help.”
“It’s no trouble, Papa....and no one
has to know I helped at all.” Kat winked slyly at the graying bear of a man as
he began to make toast.
“Where are ya off to so early?”
MacGregor was hard to sidetrack, even at this hour.
“I’m going down to the Fenway
Theatre to listen to a band rehearsal.” she said casually. “It may be late when
I get home this evening.”
MacGregor nodded, keeping silent for
a moment. He knew he couldn’t stop her but that didn’t stop his worrying. “This
band...this wouldn’t be why that fella, Joe Perry has been hanging around my
pub so much lately, would it? Is it his band?”
“You liked Joe, remember?” Kat said.
“And don’t forget Brad and Tom.”
“Yes, I did like Joe. I liked them
all...they’re fine young men. But I’m a bit wary of my daughter being sweet on
one of ‘em, what with them being musicians and all. I don’t think you should be
alone with him. It wouldn’t be proper just yet.”
“Papa, I’m meeting Jen and she’s
coming with me.” It was the first lie she had ever told her father and it
immediately racked her with guilt down inside. “Relax, don’t worry.”
MacGregor nodded silently as she
slid the eggs onto a plate. She was after all, a grown woman. What could he do?
As they sat down at the table together, Kat heard the sounds of water running
upstairs. Her sisters were awake which would make her exit easier.
“Kat, just promise year old Papa,
you’ll make him act with honor. If he wants to call on you, I’d like to talk to
him first....man to man.”
“I promise.”
A few minutes later, her sisters
Mary, Aileen and Maura came clamoring downstairs. In the middle of the new breakfast
whirl that ensued, Kat quietly got up and excused herself. Though she could
hear his booming chatter with her sisters, she could feel his eyes upon her as
she quietly closed the door. He was overprotective out of love but Kat knew
that once he got to know Joe, his doubts would be put to rest.
On her way out the door, she caught
a glimpse of herself in the foyer mirror. A loose fitting black shirt covered
up a rather clingy white rib knit tee shirt with a plunging neckline that
showed off her ample cleavage. It barely met the waistband of her black low
rise jeans. If not for the coverup, she never would have made it past her
father! Her hair tumbled about her shoulders, wild and free. Joe loved it that
way. Not only was today her birthday...it was the day she and Joe would
officially become a couple. It was the best day of her life.
In no time at all, she stood in
front of the Fenway Theatre. Its large brick face stared back at her, almost
mockingly. Taking a deep breath, she tried to remain calm as she reached for
the handle of the front doors. To her dismay, they were locked. Thoughts raced
through her mind..... Was this the right place? Today is Friday.....oh no, what
if Elissa is here? Suppose Joe changed his mind? He wouldn’t do that, right? I
know he wanted me here...
“Hey, Kat? Is that you?”
A female voice startled her reverie.
Kat glanced to her right and saw a beautiful brunette peeking her head around
the corner of the building. At first she wasn’t sure how to respond but
remembered Joe mentioning Elissa being a blonde. That couldn’t be her...
“C’mon around here to the side
door.” the girl said, smiling reassuringly. Kat followed her, eyes wide with
uncertainty. Along the side of the building was an alleyway. Halfway down, a
steel door opened easily and they went inside. The girl introduced herself as
Terry. She was Tom Hamilton’s girlfriend and evidently Elissa’s worst enemy.
Terry explained that the guys were downstairs setting up. Joe had filled her in
on all the details about his plan to break up with Elissa.
“The problem is, she just got
here....walked in the door as usual like she owns the place and starts bitching
about everything! Joe hasn’t had a moment to pull her aside and he’s far too
kind to blast her out in front of everyone.” Terry said. Kat took an immediate liking to her.
“Terry, should I just leave? I don’t
wanna create any problems---”
“Oh hell no! Relax, just remember
that you’re with me, you’re my friend and I invited you to hang out! After the
rehearsal, Joe’s gonna dump her ass and I hope and pray that I’m right there to
see it!” Terry laughed, making Kat feel much more at ease.
Once inside the door, they walked
down a narrow, dimly lit hallway. Around a corner was another door which they
swung through and descended down a short flight of wooden steps. As they walked
down, Kat could hear the sounds of a guitar being tuned. The basement was huge.
One side was stacked high with boxes, furniture and stage props from shows put
on at the theatre. The other side had been cleared away and now held
Aerosmith’s equipment. Their manager had arranged for them to work here, giving
them privacy as well as a safe storage place for the amps and other equipment
they needed to work with. The air was heavy with the smell of pot. Kat could
see Brad and Tom both sitting on some wooden crates, laughing and smoking a
joint, passing it back and forth. A shorter guy with long curly hair stood
nearby, holding a pair of drumsticks. She remembered from the concert at Boston
University that his name was Joey Kramer. But where was Joe?
As her eyes adjusted to the dim
lighting, she followed the sounds of the guitar until she found him. He was off
to one side by himself, tuning a beautiful black Les Paul. Wearing a simple
black t-shirt and jeans, he was still the most striking figure in the room. It
was a combination of both his good looks and the passion burning in his eyes
that set him apart from any man she had ever seen. Terry cleared her throat as
a subtle announcement of their arrival.
“Hey guys! This is my friend, Kat.
Do you mind if she hangs out with us?” Terry asked brilliantly. Knowing the
real story, it was mildly awkward for Brad and Tom but they covered well. There
were friendly greetings from around the room. Joe, however, remained silent.
Kat instantly felt her enthusiasm shatter.
“Hey, the more the merrier!” Joey
spoke up. “I’m Joey Kramer, this is Brad Whitford and Tom Hamilton. The
nonsocial one over there is Joe---” Before he could finish, the sound of a
shrill voice cut him off. Everyone rolled their eyes and grew silent. Joey
shook his head wearily. “....and that
is the annoying sound of Joe’s pet girlfriend, Elissa! Watch out for her, she’s
a real pill!”
Everyone looked over at Joe but he
remained silent. In a matter of moments, he was flanked by a small blonde
creature with wide glaring eyes. She was clearly agitated with him, speaking in
a grinding undecipherable tone that made him physically flinch. Kat looked on
in shock. This was Elissa? Her face, though beautiful, was shadowed and twisted
sharply with negativity. Her voice was a combination of a high pitched whine
and the snarling bark of an angry Pomeranian. She raged on at Joe, who turned
up the volume of his amplifiers in a half hearted effort to drown her out.
Angrily, she turned her attention to the others.
“What the fuck are you all staring
at?” she snapped. “And who the hell is she?”
“This is Kat!” Terry snapped back. “She’s
my friend. I invited her to hang out with us all today. Right Tom?” Tom nodded
in agreement, shifting his feet uncomfortably.
“Well neither Joe nor I were asked
about it! I don’t like outsiders barging in here and getting a free listen!
Right Joe?” she barked, glaring directly at Kat.
“I don’t mind.” Joe stated coolly.
Elissa turned and looked at him incredulously,
as if she had been slapped. Terry took hold of Kat’s arm, repressing a
chuckle.
“WHAT did you say?” Elissa asked,
cocking her head to one side. Joe put the guitar down and turned to face her.
“I said....I DON’T MIND! As a matter
of fact, I want her to stay.” With
that, he turned back to his guitar, giving Kat a secret but meaningful l00k.
Elissa was about to respond but someone else had come into the room.
“Well hey there, baby! Who are you?”
It was Steven Tyler was exactly as
she remembered him from the concert at Boston University. Long, black
hair...wild gypsy clothes and a big bluesy voice. He came over to her immediately
and gave her a long, almost intimate hug. He smelled nice, like patchouli with
a hint of sweet vanilla. His body was warm and firm against hers and his hands
took the liberty of sliding down her back. Involuntarily, she tried to step
away but it only pressed her pelvis closer to his. He was grinning from ear to
ear, aware of her surprise. Terry pulled her away from Steven’s grip, giving
him a stern glance.
“This is my friend, Kat. She’s here
to hang out with us. You don’t mind, do you Steven?” Terry asked coyly,
glancing over at Elissa who smiled sarcastically.
“Not at all....”Steven was absorbing
everything about her. The auburn hair, the green catlike eyes and her ample
curves. There was nothing he didn’t like.
“....not at all! In fact, Kat, you
can hang with me! I’m sure Terry
doesn’t care.”
“Don’t scare her away, Steven.” Joe
spoke up suddenly. Kat saw he was staring directly at her. So did Elissa....
Though he tried to hide his eyes
under his hair, she could see they were full of unspoken words. She could read
his mind instantly. He was caught in an uncomfortable situation between what he
wanted and what was right. Even though Elissa obviously didn’t love or
appreciate him the way he deserved, he didn’t want to embarrass her in front of
his friends. Her heart went out to him
and she longed to go over and put her arms around him, whisper in his ear that
everything was gonna be all right. More than anything in the world, she wanted
to be in his arms. As she stared at him, she remembered how sensuously thick
his hair felt in her hands. For a moment, she was transported back to the night
before, lost in an all too brief kiss...feeling that perfect moment as his
tongue timidly searched for hers. It
was all so overwhelming that for a moment, she forgot about Elissa or anyone
else in the room.
“I don’t think she’s scared, Joe.”
Steven said quietly, noting the look that Joe tried to disguise. Realizing
there was more going on here than he knew, he grew ever determined to find
out exactly what it was. “But don’t
worry, I’ll keep her safe!”
There was an uncomfortable moment of
silence that followed their exchange. Elissa looked on with confusion.
Something was up but she just didn’t get it. Comfortably stoned, Tom and Brad
seemed to be the only ones enjoying themselves. Brad lit up another joint and
began passing it around. By the time it got around to Steven, the tension had
decreased considerably and everyone was once more engrossed in prepping their
instruments. Steven took a big hit and looked over at Kat.
“How old are you?” he asked. That
was a question he had learned to always ask.
“Twenty! Today’s my birthday.” she
answered.
“How sweet!” Elissa said sarcastically,
appearing at Steven’s elbow to take the joint from him. She took a hit,
inhaling deeply, then offered it to Kat, almost as a dare.
“No thanks.” That was all she said,
but to Elissa it was an insult.
“Well, fuck you, Princess Purity! You
think you’re better than us?”
“No, I just don’t want any.” Kat
replied calmly. She knew Joe was watching. It wasn’t that she was a prude. Pot
just wasn’t her thing and she wasn’t about to let Elissa push her into
something she wasn’t comfortable with.
“Elissa, get the stick out of your
ass, already! She doesn’t have to get stoned if she doesn’t want to.” Terry
interrupted, rolling her eyes at Elissa’s dramatics.
Terry and Kat strolled over to the
sidelines where they sat on large wooden crates to watch the guys play. Elissa
fumed a moment longer and then stalked back over behind Joe’s amps, where she
normally stood. The band was almost ready to start.
When Steven brought out his scarf
draped microphone stand, the band took their places. Joe turned his back to
Elissa and looked over at Kat, winking at her slyly. She tried to suppress a
smile, knowing fully well that Elissa was staring in her direction. Steven gave
Joey the signal, counting aloud as he did so. Joey followed his count and laid down
the intro of the first song. The guitars followed seconds later along with
Steven’s vocals which were full bodied and bluesy. Write me a letter, I’m
leaving, I’m going away... the lyrics were random and he scatted most of them.
Terry explained that Steven hadn’t
finished some of the lyrics and that he used scat to help him come up with
ideas. Cool, she thought. But her main focus was on Joe and watching him
without trying to look as if she were. He was immersed in the music, totally
lost under its spell. The pleasure on his face was raw, almost sexual. The
guitar was an extension of his body that he stroked lovingly. As the band ran
through the set, Kat was a captive audience. The energy was like sheer
combustion, combined with a raunchy groove that set them apart from any other
band on the Boston music scene. By the time they finished more than four hours
later, she felt as if she had become Joe’s guitar and that he had made love to
her, over and over again..
“Not fuckin’ bad!” Steven beamed as
he spun his mic stand around. “But Joe, you gotta turn it down some!”
“No way!” Joe answered, setting the
guitar down. He was breathing hard, his face covered with a light sheen of
sweat. He took his shirt off quickly, using it to wipe his face and neck. “These
amps don’t sound good unless they’re turned up high!”
“JOE! You’ve got the shit nailed but
man, my ears are BLEEDING!”
Back and forth they argued as a full
bottle of Jack Daniels was now being passed around. Kat had tasted it before
and didn’t mind joining in now. The liquid was warm, burning her throat
slightly as it slipped down. She smiled, feeling a mellowness settling over
her, relaxing her nerves. Watching Joe take off his shirt had sent a thrilling
sensation over her entire body. Because of her father’s overprotective nature,
Kat’s experience with boyfriends was somewhat limited. The ones that managed to
get remotely close to her had been fumbly and inexperienced as well. Looking at
Joe, letting her eyes roam over the lean musculature of his torso set her
imagination whirling. His jeans were tight and slung low over his pelvis,
outlining a clearly visible bulge that made her stomach flutter. He was no
teenage boy; he was a man. She passed the bottle to Terry, feeling her face
flush with excitement.
Terry took the bottle, visibly
impressed with Kat’s ability to handle the liquor. It felt good to have someone else around besides Elissa. Most of
the time, no one liked to hang with them because of her. Neither Brad nor
Joey’s girlfriends would tolerate her asinine behavior. Terry stayed because of
Tom. She cared about him deeply and Elissa loved nothing more than to insult
him by attacking his confidence in his musical ability. She seemed bent on
driving a wedge between Tom and Joe, who had basically grown up together. Terry
didn’t understand this, except that maybe she wanted to isolate poor Joe even
more. She was glad to know that Joe had finally seen the light. Oh how she
wished she could be a fly on the wall to hear the breakup conversation!
The argument slowly lost its meaning
with the passing of the liquor. Both Steven and Joe came over to partake in the
shared bottle. They all stood around together in a crude circle, passing the bottle
around, rehashing the highlights of the rehearsal. Kat had felt her skin
prickle when Joe had first walked up. Elissa had just taken off to use the
bathroom and was nowhere in sight. Joe edged close to her, letting his arm
brush against hers as he took a drink then passed her the bottle. She held her
breath, bringing the bottle up to her lips. It was almost like kissing him,
only this time in full view of everyone. Then Steven abruptly pushed his way in
between them and stole the bottle.
“You don’t mind if I get some of
this, do ya?” It seemed that Steven was trying to hypnotize her with his eyes.
Kat smiled warmly. She now had a pleasant buzz going.
“No, I guess not.” she replied. Joe
didn’t look very happy all of a sudden but she didn’t know what to do. She
hoped that he knew how much she wanted to be with him. Steven was just an
innocent bystander. He didn’t even know about the conspiracy that had allowed
her to be there in the first place. As charming as Tyler was, she would never
feel for him the fire she felt inside for Joe.
“Hey Kat, why don’t you come by the
apartment tonight? Relax, hang out with us awhile.” Steven asked. Joe
immediately shot him a blistering scowl. It seemed that Tyler wanted to get
into her pants!
“Cut it out, Steven! She’s a nice
girl and not your next conquest!” Joe growled unexpectedly. Again, tension
saturated the air. Steven mockingly pretended that his feelings were hurt,
baiting Joe on.
“Now you’ve ruined the surprise,
Joe! I thought that since it was her birthday it would be nice to have a party.
She is our new friend, right?” he smiled, feigning innocence, but slowly, very
slowly, realizing the truth.
Every time he made a move on this
girl, Joe was all over his ass! Without a doubt, Tyler knew his axe man had the
hots for her and in a way he was glad. Elissa had gotten increasingly
irritating, fucking with the positive vibe of his band. On the other hand, Kat
seemed like a genuinely sweet girl. The only problem he could see was perhaps
Joe himself. He wasn’t often very assertive with his feelings if it meant
hurting someone else. Steven wasn’t
certain what Joe planned to do, but he made a quick decision on his own. The
only way to make sure Queen Elissa met her demise was to push Joe over the
edge; pissing him off the way he did best. Joe this is for your own good, he
thought to himself, wrapping one arm around Kat.
“C’mon, what do ya say? We’ll all be
there....right Terry?” Steven turned his attention to the brunette who was
watching Joe’s face for visible cues.
“Well, um....sure, Steven. I’ll be
there.” Terry answered, squeezing Tom’s hand. All at once, everyone looked at
Joe. The room was thick with tense undercurrents. Everyone now realized that
something was going on, yet no one said a word! Even Joey, who normally blurted
out anything, kept his mouth tightly shut.
“That’s cool.” Joe quickly let the
subject drop leaving Steven looking a little disappointed. Suddenly he realized
there was no one nipping at his elbows.
“Hey, where’s Elissa?”
“She ran off toward the bathroom
again! ” Terry rolled her eyes at the mere mention of her name. “I’ll go
check....make sure the rats didn’t drag her away!” She disappeared up the
stairs, passing by a tall gray haired gentleman wearing a dark suit. It was
Frank Connelly, their manager.
“Steven, m’ boy! Let me have a word
with ya!” Frank called out. Steven ran over and they began talking. After a
minute, they too disappeared up the stairs. Joe looked beseechingly at Brad and
Tom who quickly grabbed Joey’s arm and pulled him away. They began packing away
their stuff, stashing most of it into hiding places within the basement. Joe
now found himself alone with Kat. It felt wonderful to be in her presence
without any distractions.
“You’re not mad at me, are you?
About Elissa, I mean?” Joe asked, his serious gaze burning into her like
embers. She shook her head, casting her eyes downward. A thick fringe of dark
lashes brushed her velvety cheeks. It was suddenly more seductive than anything
else he had ever seen.
“No, Terry explained it all.” she
replied, tossing her hair back. Joe watched her every movement, hanging by a
thread. His pants suddenly seemed much tighter.
“I’m sorry.” he breathed softly.
“She didn’t show up until after we got here.”
“You haven’t changed your mind, have
you?” Her eyes stared back at him now, gently demanding an answer. His
expression was almost scowling but his eyes said much more.
“Nothing could ever change the way I
feel about you.” Joe said, his voice clear and unwavering. He stepped even
closer, feeling the tension mounting between them like an unavoidable vortex.
Suddenly Joe was overcome by an
impulsive desire that left him blind to all else.
“C’mon!” he said, looking quickly
around before pulling her back behind the stacks of crates, boxes and junk that
filled the far side of the room. As they disappeared, he looked back to make
certain no one had seen them. Already, Brad and Joey were heading out and Tom
was right behind them. No one had even noticed their disappearance.
As he leaned back against one of the
giant crates, Joe realized that Kat was resting against his body, her face only
inches from his own. The big fans in the room couldn’t reach them and it was
incredibly hot. But he knew that wasn’t the only reason for the heat that
radiated between them. Silently staring into her eyes, he touched her face
gently with both hands, pushing her hair back. Sliding his fingers lightly
along her jawbone, he leaned forward, bringing his lips down toward hers in an
achingly slow motion.
She relaxed completely, melting into
his body. She felt the gentle brush of his lips against her own, urging them
apart little by little with tantalizing persuasion. His eyes continued to burn
into hers, never breaking away until at last he took full possession of her
mouth with a searing kiss. Taking her in his arms, he lifted her completely off
the floor, holding her tightly. His tongue found hers and he kissed her like a
man dying of thirst. Feeling the soft warmth of her body against his drove him
to the edge. Joe wanted this woman more than he had ever wanted anyone before,
even Elissa. He could hear the sounds of his own heart beating wildly in his
chest. Moving from her lips, he kissed his way down to the hollow of her neck,
taking full delight in the taste of her skin. His hands caressed the small of
her back and moved lower still, roaming over the curves of her lower body. He
could feel her arms around his neck, her fingers playing with his hair then
moving slowly down his bare chest.
“JOE? WHERE ARE YOU?”
It was Elissa! Both froze in place, neither daring to move
or breathe. They could hear the sounds of her wooden soled clogs as she stamped
down the stairs, moving around the other side of the room. Joe looked at the
woman in his arms and smiled. He felt neither guilt or pain about his decision.
Everything was clear. But he knew that this wasn’t the place to hash it all out
with the temperamental Elissa. He had to protect Kat from being the target of
her anger. Holding her close, he buried his face in her silky hair. After a
moment there were more footsteps on the stairs.
“Elissa! Are you coming? Tom and I
aren’t waiting around forever!” Terry yelled.
“He left me here, just like that?
Are you fuckin’ sure?” Elissa asked impatiently.
“YESSSS! Now hurry up unless you
wanna walk back!”
“ALL RIGHT! I’M COMING!!”
There was the sound of wooden clogs
climbing the stairs, becoming fainter and fainter until they died away. The
lights went out, the noise of the fans died away. Next they heard a door slam shut and then, utter silence fell
over the building. Still they waited, one minute, then two....until at last
they both sighed heavily. The air was still and hot but neither of them
appeared to care. Reclaiming her lips, Joe covered her mouth, hungrily wanting
more of her sweet kisses. She returned his attentions with reckless abandon,
her hands roaming over his powerful shoulders and down his back. Soon both of
them were covered in perspiration as the spark of desire became the flames of
passion. Her eyes were intoxicating and he found it hard to breathe. The
luscious fruits of her love were ripe for the picking.
“We need to get outta here.” he
said, tearing his lips from hers. She stared back at him questi0ningly, her
eyes suddenly sad.
“So what are we gonna do?” she
asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“I’m gonna walk you home,” he
replied, tenderly stroking her face. “Just give me a few hours to straighten everything
out. Can you come over around five or six?”
She nodded, suddenly unable to speak
as she drowned in his eyes.
They still clung to each other as
they climbed the stairs to the world above...
***
Later, Joe walked back into 1325
with a renewed sense of purpose. Already there were a few scattered guests
arriving and he could smell Italian food being prepared in the kitchen. All the
girlfriends were there. Brad and Lori were blowing up balloons while Joey and
Nina hung some other crudely made decorations. There was a sign on the wall
that read: “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Kat!” in big red letters. It was an amazing
transformation of the place. Steven knew how to whip a party together at a
moments notice but the real credit went to Terry. Ever since he had told her
about his impending breakup, she had gone into full scale commando support
mode. In fact, he had never seen her happier! Speaking of Elissa, he glanced
around but she was nowhere to be seen. It took a half second for him to realize
that she was probably waiting in his room. No doubt she was pissed, thinking
that he had taken off and left her after rehearsal.
“Joe! Hey where you been?” Steven
asked, eyeing his suspiciously. “Hey watch out, Elissa’s in rare form and she’s
waiting in your room!”
“She can wait a little longer. You
and I need to have a talk first.” Joe replied, smiling as he mysteriously
pulled Steven into the bathroom and shut the door. Smiling? That was something that Tyler had not seen
in quite awhile.
“So what’s all this about?” he
asked.
“Steven, I’m breaking up with
Elissa...right now, as a matter of fact. ”
“Whoa! Am I hearing you right?”
Steven said, blinking in amazement. Joe didn’t seem to be listening and
continued on defensively.
“I know about the whole deal with
the show coming up! I know she had a hand in it and who knows, we might lose
the gig, I don’t know! But I’m not backing down so don’t even try to talk me
out of it!”
“Who said I was gonna try to talk
you out of it? Can I watch?” he said grinning broadly. Joe stared back with a
look of sheer amazement on his face.
“You feelin’ okay, Steven?”
“Joe, listen to me....I know we
argue a lot but you know, you’re like my brother and I just want you to be
happy.” he said, eyes shining. Steven Tyler had a heart of gold hiding beneath
his could-care-less exterior. Joe felt a knot of emotion rise to his throat.
“It means a lot to hear you say
that. I’m sorry about all the shit I’ve said lately.”
“Me too. Especially about you being pussy
whipped.” Steven said. Then his voice dropped a bit lower. “And Joe, I want you
to know that nothing ever happened between me and Elissa. I’m sorry I yanked
you around with that.”
Joe nodded, pulling Steven into a
quick, heartfelt hug. “I think there’s better days ahead for all of us. I’ve
already met someone new.”
“No shit, huh? I knew there was
something up with you this afternoon!”
“You knew?” Joe asked, a little
shocked. Steven laughed hysterically.
“Hell yeah! I saw the way you looked
at her....and at me when I got too close! You know I was just trying too piss
you off, right?”
“There are some things I can always
count on!”
They joked around a little more. It
felt good to laugh again. It had been awhile since they had enjoyed a light
moment. Ever since Elissa had first entered the picture, the tension between
them had done nothing but spring out of control. It affected the way they wrote
music together, the way the band played together....everything! Maybe this was
a sign of a fresh beginning for the whole band. Let bygones be bygones and put
the past behind them. Steven wanted this more than anything and he knew that
Joe did too. He didn’t have to say anything else.
Joe left the room feeling more
confident than ever in his decision. He paused briefly outside his room door,
hand poised to take hold of the doorknob. He had everything to gain and nothing
to lose. Taking a deep breath, he moved forward.
“WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN?”
Elissa let him have it with both barrels. She was sitting on the edge of his
bed, her eyes glaring furiously. “ANSWER ME, YOU SONOFABITCH? YOU LEFT ME AT
THE FUCKIN’ THEATRE? I HAD TO GET A RIDE BACK WITH TERRY AND TOM, OF ALL
PEOPLE! I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU WOULD DO THAT TO ME! I HATE YOU!”
Well at least it was exactly what he
expected. “Elissa, calm down, okay? We have to talk.” Joe said firmly, pulling
up an old chair, sitting down in front of her.
“The only thing I wanna hear from
YOU is that you’re fuckin' sorry and you’ll never pull that shit on me
again....EVER!” Her voice was growing increasingly more shrill and he had to
steel himself to keep cool.
“You’re right, I’m sorry and I’m
never gonna do that again.” he said, taking her hands in his. “I’m ending this
thing between us---for both our sakes. Do you understand what I’m trying to
say?”
She stared at him incredulously.
“You’re breaking up with ME?”
“Yeah.” he answered simply. She
snatched her hands away from his, shoving him hard against the back of the
chair.
“No you don’t fuckin’ get to end
anything! I’ll say when I’m done with
you, Joe Perry and not one minute until I’m ready! How dare you even think---”
“Elissa! I’ve thought about this for
awhile now!” he said, ignoring her over the top dramatics. “I’m not happy and
its ruining the band!”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m supposed
to believe that you don’t love me? You don’t want this?” She gestured to her
body, spreading her thighs with her hands invitingly. “You expect me to believe
you don’t wanna make love to me, right here...right now?”
“I thought I loved you once....you
know I did!” he said. “Maybe I was wrong....or maybe its just gone, but I can’t
feel it now. I don’t think either of us are happy. Please try to understand,
okay? All this fighting, the jealousy, the anger between us...baby, I can’t
take it anymore!”
“BASTARD!” Elissa spat, striking him
fully on the face with the flat of her palm. The slap rang out in the silence
of the room. She raised her hand again but he caught it firmly, his eyes becoming
dark and somber.
“Its over, Elissa.....its over! “ he
said, his voice unshaken, his eyes unmoved. Angrily, she stood on her feet and
stalked toward the door, picking up an empty wine bottle that sat nearby on the
floor. Turning around, she hurled it at him with all her strength. Joe ducked
and the bottle harmlessly hit the wall behind his head, shattering into bits.
“You’ll be back, Joe! You’ll be back
whining like the sorry dog you are! Someday you’ll beg me to love you again!”
With that, she was gone. He heard
the front door slam and it brought a smile to his face. He was free and it felt
great! For the first time in months, Joe Perry walked out of his room to join
the party.....
Kat showed up exactly on time at
five o’clock that afternoon. Getting out of the house again had not been easy.
When her father caught sight of her escort home, he wasn’t very happy. Nothing
against Joe personally, he had said. Keegan MacGregor just wanted stability and
respectability for his daughter. But after
some serious sweet talk, she managed to cajole her father. While it was true
that she was old enough to come and go as she pleased, Kat respected her father
enough to abide by his rules while living in his household. Still, she didn’t
exactly tell him the entire truth about where she was going. He would never
approve of something as forward as going to a man’s apartment...alone.
She found the place quite easily.
Just as Joe had said, there was music blasting from the place and there were
people spilling in and out of the door. Steven was the first person she
recognized. He was dressed as she had always seen him in typical glam fashion
wearing a sheer leopard print shirt and tight black pants. Several girls were
hanging on him, but when he saw her, he brushed them aside easily.
“Hey you made it!” he grinned,
whisking her near the kitchen where a small table sat heavily laden with an
assortment of liquor and wine. Beside it was a huge tub of ice and beer. “Help
yourself to anything you’d like! There’s food on the way out shortly courtesy
of Terry, and I think there’s even a birthday cake!”
“Wow Steven, you guys went all out!
You’re sooo sweet!” she said, kissing his cheek.
“My pleasure, baby..” Steven said,
making a purring noise deep in his throat. Earlier at the rehearsal, he had
talked Frank out of a substantial wad of cash and there was nothing he liked
better than spending it on the people around him. Not only was it Kat’s
birthday but technically it was Elissa’s goodbye party....her sendoff celebration!
Tyler was giddy with happiness.
“Where’s Joe?” she asked, glancing
around. Kat was direct and Steven liked that.
“In the kitchen arguing over the
sauce!” he chuckled. “C’mon, I’ll show you.”
Passing through a narrow set of swinging
doors, Steven ushered her into the tiny kitchen where sure enough Joe, Tom and
Terry were engaged in a heated debate over the seasoning of the sauce. Joe is sooo gorgeous, she thought. Barefoot
and sexy, he was dressed in a white tee shirt and blue jeans. When he saw her,
his entire face lit up and he forgot all about the marinara.
As he hugged her tightly, she could
smell the delicious scent of his hair, still slightly damp as it fell around
his shoulders. She buried her face into his shoulder, losing herself in the
unmistakable masculinity of his presence. She could sense that he was happy and
that meant everything.
All throughout the evening, he
remained at her side. He introduced her to friends, steered her clear of
trouble and enjoyed himself. Unlike Elissa, this girl was sweet and charming.
She didn’t embarass or offend anyone. It was so nice to see people having fun
and for once, not avoiding his girlfriend. Instead, everyone loved her. Best of all, there was no tension between
himself and Steven. Usually by the end of the night, alcohol and other
substances would end up blowing this tension into a full scale war. But not on
this night. It was like a fresh start...one almost too good to be true.
She drank wine, but not too much.
She didn’t partake in any of the drugs that were offered to her but that was
fine with Joe. If anything, it only intrigued him more. She wasn’t afraid to
think for herself, choosing her own destiny. Somehow, she didn’t worry about
appearing cool and ended up impressing everyone anyway.
“Hey, lemme show you my room...” he
whispered, nuzzling her playfully as he stood behind her, arms wrapped tightly
around her waist. They were watching a card game that was becoming more and
more like a drinking contest. Naturally, Steven was winning.
“Terry and Nina are heading to the
kitchen to clean up. It would be rude not to help.” she whispered back, patting
his hand gently.
“C’mon...they won’t mind!”
“I’ll meet you in a few
minutes......I promise.”
He pretended to sulk for a minute,
all the while watching her as she walked away. Grabbing the last unopened
bottle of wine, he slipped quietly back to his room and closed the door. He
rummaged through his things locating a couple of joints. Lighting up, he tossed
himself on the bed, picking up his acoustic. He began quickly running off
notes, all the while building, changing and rearranging. With Elissa gone his
mind felt clear, unburdened. He let himself relax and the music simply began to
flow....
***
When she entered his bedroom a half
hour later, he was sitting back on the bed propped up on pillows, cradling a
guitar. Silently he stared back at her, dark brooding eyes peering out from
beneath the thick tangle of tousled hair. She glanced around at the small but
comfortable retreat. There was a single bed, a dresser, a couple of chairs and
a big wooden spool coffee table covered in candles. The ceiling was draped in a
beige muslin Indian cloth that made the lighting cozy and warm. The faint smell
of pot lingered in the air.
He watched as she kicked off her
shoes; his eyes traveled up her shapely bare legs, past the short black skirt
that hugged her hips, past the delicate cotton blouse, higher to her full soft
lips, the large inquisitive eyes and the swirl of golden chestnut curls.
Glancing down at his watch, he scowled, assuming a deeply annoyed look. Ignoring this, she came over and gently
removed the guitar from his hands and curled up beside him. Safe and warm,
surrounded by his arms, the rest of the world slipped away.
“What took you so long?” he asked in
a surly tone, tilting her chin upward.
“I called home and got permission to
spend the night.” she said, smiling.
Joe was floored. “What? You called
your father? And said what to him?”
“I’m just kidding! But I don’t have
to be home anytime too soon. By the way, how did it go with Elissa? If I was in
her shoes, I’d....just....die....” she said.
“That’ll never happen with us.” he
said, kissing her abruptly to silence any lingering doubts.
Alone at last, there was nothing
standing in the way of the passion that quickly ignited between them. He wanted
her oh so badly and one look in her eyes told him she wanted the same thing.
Without another word, he got up and lit the candles. Quickly he came out of his
shirt, tossing it aside. He could feel her watching him the entire time.
Switching off the overhead light, he pulled her up to a sitting position near
the edge of the bed. Dropping to his knees down in front of her, he gazed into
her eyes for a long moment, revealing all that he could not yet put into words.
His hands trembled slightly as he ever so slowly began unbuttoning her blouse.
His face was close to hers, his lips only inches away and yet he withheld his
kisses. It was a wicked tease and the tension built to an almost delicious
frenzy. As he freed the last button, he let the fabric slide back and off her
shoulders.
Her bare skin was beautiful like the
velvety softness of a ripe peach. He let his fingers slide over her shoulders, her
back and her stomach before coming to reside just beneath the roundness of her
breasts. He marveled at the perfect pinkness of the nipples; the way they
pebbled in response to his touch. Gently cupping them in his hands, he let his
thumbs trace circles around them before bringing them to rapt attention with
his tongue. Her hands became lost in his hair as she wrapped her arms around
her neck, sighing deeply in pleasure. He fanned the flames of desire expertly
with his fingertips caressing up and down her back, his mouth kissing its way
upward to her neck and earlobe. Finding her lips, he kissed her now with wild
abandon, laying her back on the bed. Her hair tumbled out all around her and
her arms spread outward in loving submission. She was giving herself over to
him completely and it aroused him to no end.
Laying back on the bed she pulled
Joe down, feeling his weight partially settle over her. His perfect body was
lean but strong and muscled like that of a prowling tiger. There was no hair to
hide the supple smoothness of his olive tanned skin. Her hands devoured him as
her tongue met his with an unequaled passion. Her pulse quickened as he moved
to lay beside her, propping himself up on one elbow. His mouth was moving down
her body, across her stomach, making the muscles of her abdomen quiver.
Slipping his hand over the ample curve of her hip he found the button and
zipper to her skirt. He surprised her by loosening both of them deftly with one
hand, smiling coolly as he shook his hair back out of his face.
Rising to his knees, he quickly slid
the skirt down and away, tossing it to the floor. Ignoring the newly uncovered
treasures, he moved down further, shocking and delighting her at every turn.
She had small delicate feet and he touched them sensuously with his fingertips.
He could see her eyes widen as he grasped first one ankle then the other. He
kissed them gently, trailing his tongue up each shapely calf in turn. Her
breathing had become shallow and erratic by the time he reached her thighs.
Settling his body down between her
knees, he parted them slowly. His mouth was still creating magic along her
thighs but he could feel that she had tensed up a bit. Slowing the pace even
more, he waited until he felt her relax beneath his touch. When he had worked
himself back up to her pelvic bones, he knew he couldn’t resist any longer.
Hooking his thumbs into the elastic of her silky underwear, he pulled them down
over her hips slowly, watching her face. She was frozen, her body trembling
ever so slightly.
“Do you want me to stop?” he asked.
He knew what her body was screaming for but he had to be certain. He had to
hear her say it.
“No....”she said, feeling his warm
breath upon her silky belly.
When he touched her again, she found
herself lost in an ocean of pleasure. His fingers touched the flower of her
love, discovering for the first time the dewy softness of the orchid. His mouth
delighted in the sweetness of its petals, moving her to heights of passion like
she had never known before. She craved his touch, shuddering in delight as each
new delicious sensation washed over her body in waves.
When she was breathless, he was
beside her again, kissing her eager mouth. Not even his imagination had
prepared him for her exquisite beauty. She was pressing up against him, moving
her hands to the waistband of his jeans. The feeling of her softness beneath
him drove him absolutely crazy. As his tongue danced over hers, he felt her
fingers teasing the rock hardness that strained against the confines of the
denim. She unfastened them slowly and he didn’t argue when she pushed him flat
on his back. He helped her strip them down, watching her shocked face. He had
on no underwear so all of his male prowess was fully revealed. Proudly it
stood, larger than any she had ever imagined.
She began at his shoulders moving
down, letting her fingertips tantalize every square inch of his gorgeous chest.
The candlelight bathed both of them in a surreal, almost magical glow. Small
nipples tightened beneath her touch, quivered as she circled them with her
tongue, tugging at them gently with her teeth. He pressed her head down as a
moan escaped his lips. Elsewhere, her hands were roaming free, sliding slowly
down to his navel and beneath to where a trail of hair began to grow. Then as
she watched his face, she touched him....there, encircling his thick muscle and
marveling at the sheer size of it. No longer shy, she leaned down, kissing the
hollow at the base of his throat. Moving
downward from there, her tongue traced a trail of passion and desire down the
length of his body.
Joe gripped the mattress, lost in
the sensations rippling over his entire body. The pleasure of simply being near
her, naked and vulnerable was all to be enjoyed, savored like a fine steak. Each
time he thought they could climb no higher, she would shift her body or touch
him anew, causing his head to spin out of control. Joe was quickly discovering
that with everything he thought he knew about women, there was so much more!
She surprised him, taking him to the edge and pulling him back without mercy.
He met her with a passion equally as fiery and unbridled; every touch....every
kiss....everything. Finally, he could
take no more.
Driven by mad desire, he took
control, pulling her beneath him. His mouth caught hers in a dizzying kiss as
he settled down over her, moving her into position. A growing sensation in her
lower body was driving her forward as he moved his pelvis down between her
thighs. It felt even harder pressed down against her, even larger than before.
Reaching over to the bedside table, he opened a drawer, producing a condom.
Opening the packet with his teeth, he quickly rolled it on. The moment had
arrived. He stared down into her large, luminous eyes, his mouth barely an inch
from hers.
“I love you..” he said, his voice
soft and mingled with breathless passion.
There it was, without pretense or
fear. The raw honesty of his words almost made her cry. But before she could reply, he had kissed her
again. Only this time, he moved with purpose, slowly pushing his pelvis down
and up into hers until their bodies had joined together as one. He felt her breath catch, her body stiffen.
Then he felt her body relax and took her completely, filling her velvety
softness over and over again.
Beneath him, she wrapped her arms
wrapped around his body tightly. At first his sheer physical size had taken her
breath away. It was as if this were her first time all over again. But after
relaxing, there was only pleasure. He took her gently but firmly and she let
him take control on the path to ecstasy. He whispered his love to her over and
over, kissing her mouth until she was delirious with desire. She was a boat on
the ocean and he was rocking her slowly home.
Joe navigated her storm tossed
waters like a seasoned pro. He could feel the currents of the tide swelling,
pulling them in toward a beacon onshore. It would have been so easy to rush,
but he held firm, reining in his desire, watching her face. He couldn’t explain
the strange feeling that was taking control of his senses. It was as if he had
been here before in this beautiful place with this very girl, lost in the
depths of love. Her eyes were incredible, reflecting a light that shone from
within. Then at last he felt her body tighten and the light exploded into a
million brilliant stars. As they reached the shore, Joe felt himself losing
control. That’s when she whispered something hotly into his ear, her tongue
making him crazy. He let himself become lost in a pleasure that shook his body
like thunder, releasing all his pent up passion.
Bodies still entangled, each lay
silent as their breathing slowed. There was no need for words. Joe lay
perfectly still, listening to the sound of her heartbeat. He couldn’t help but
think that he had been here before, in some other lifetime. Why else would he
feel so much, so quickly? He had always been the reserved one; the deep
thinker. He had never been one to rush into anything let alone take a blind
leap of faith. Yet this girl had stepped into his life, shaking things up. It
was like watching his emotions, so carefully organized in neat boxes, being
wildly reshuffled into something wonderful right before his eyes. Now here he
was, lying naked and vulnerable, his heart exposed. He had fallen hard for her
and suddenly he was almost scared. Then as if she had read his mind, he felt
her hand touch his face, turning it toward hers.
“I love you too....” she whispered
softly, brushing the hair out of his eyes. Her voice was thick with emotion,
her eyes were intense. “I believe somehow that I’ve always loved you. I know
that probably sounds crazy. ”
“Its not crazy. I feel it too. I
can’t explain it but I.......feel it.”
Pulling her into his arms, he held
her tightly, aware of nothing else beyond the bed they shared. The love inside
his heart was growing stronger, almost as if awakening from a deep sleep.
Though the sense of deja’ vous was strange, it was also comforting. All his
life, he had felt as if a piece of himself was missing......lost somewhere in
the sands of time. In her eyes, he had found that part of himself; in her arms,
he had finally come home......
***
It was after midnight when Joe took
her home. Steven sat at his bedroom window, watching them pull away in his red
Beetle. He’d insisted that Joe take the car. Too much shit could happen out on
the street late at night....especially with Elissa being so pissed off. He
imagined that she was somewhere right now, making little voodoo dolls of all of
them. She’d be poking pins and knives into them before morning! But he knew
that it would all be worth it in the end. Elissa was bad karma waiting to
happen.
“Steven...”
“Holy Shit!” Steven exclaimed,
whirling around like a man possessed. “Elissa?”
There she was, standing in the
doorway of his bedroom. For a moment, he was scared half out of his mind. Where
the fuck did she come from? Thoughts of voodoo dolls and knives didn’t help.
Blinking wildly, he realized that she wasn’t an illusion and instantly calmed
himself. Now he wondered just who the fuck let her in! He could tell by her
eyes that she’d been crying.
“Where’s Joe?” she asked. It was
weird hearing her voice sounding so lost.
“I can’t tell you that.” Steven
replied.
“I need to talk to him....” she
said.
“Elissa, leave him alone! He said it
was over, right? Its time to move on.”
“He’s with someone else, isn’t he?”
It was more a statement of fact than question.
“Joe has a chance to be happy now!
Don’t you understand that? You were tearing him apart....tearing this band
apart! Its too late to be sorry now!” Steven was trying not to raise his voice.
She seemed fragile....something he had never seen before. It made him nervous.
Without a word she stepped forward,
closing the door behind her. The lock clicked softly. The room was dark except
for the streetlight coming in through the open window. Now steeped in shadow,
it was hard to make out the expression on her face but Steven was vaguely aware
that her acute sadness seemed to be replaced by something else....
“He’s with that new chick, right?
The one at rehearsal. Terry’s so-called friend!” she said as she flung herself
into a tattered armchair.
Steven swallowed hard. Watching her
now, he couldn’t help but remember when they first met. Something about her
intrigued him, pulling him in helplessly. There was something wild and untamed
about Elissa. He could never love her because he hated everything about her
personality. Still, there was just the slightest bit of chemistry....something
on a raw, sexual level that threatened to destroy his better judgment. Being
high didn’t help much.
“Maybe he is....what does it
matter?” he answered, knowing fully well he was walking on dangerous ground.
Elissa assumed the expression of a contented cat.
“I thought so...”she trailed off,
almost nonchalantly. The sudden shift in mood was unsettling. “Hey, enough
about Joe! I have something you might like. Wanna share?”
Even in the darkness, Steven could
see the tiny glass vial she held up. His mouth went dry as he contemplated his
answer. He knew very well what was in that vial. Two weeks earlier at an
aftershow party he had encountered the pure white powder for the first time.
The experience was amazing; a floating, godlike trip that sent his creativity
soaring. Since that party he had not had anymore but he had thought about
it...a lot. Now here was his chance, right in front of him. He wanted it
badly.....but badly enough to risk Elissa’s game?
Fumbling in a nearby drawer, he
pulled out a mirror and a couple of razor blades and set them on the bedside
table. He could see Elissa smiling but he chose to ignore it. This is my room,
I’m in control here....he repeated to himself. It helped me write some cool
shit last time, right? So I’m doing this for the band.....
Steven tried to ignore the tiny
voice inside of him that screamed out in warning. Yes, the coke had been a cool
experience but the let down afterward was frightening. He found himself
thinking more and more about the drug, actually fantasizing about getting some.
He had asked around, eventually scoring it only to “misplace” it before he
could snort it. Without a doubt, he knew that fucker Mark Lehman had nabbed it!
But here...here was more and probably very, very pure. Elissa had dated a lot
of professional musicians and without a doubt her drug contacts were much
better than his. But should he do it? And with Elissa?
“Show me what you got! ” he said,
watching her Cheshire grin. Suddenly there was no turning back..............
***
Steven awoke the next morning to the
sounds of someone pounding on his bedroom door. Blinking away the blur before
his eyes, he raised his head trying to see the clock but quickly succumbed to the
pain that throbbed in his temples. The pounding didn’t help.
“WHAT THE FUCK DO YA WANT?” he
managed, cringing at the vibrations from his own voice. His head was about to
explode.
“Get up and unlock the door, shit
head!” Joe’s voice answered. There was an unmistakable mischief in his tone and
he pounded even louder. “ Yo, Steven! You up?”
“Joe I’m fucked up! Go away!” he
said, covering face with the blanket. Whatever he had done the night before, he
was paying for it now!
“Steven, its NOON! Get your lazy ass
up!”
“Fuck you, Joe! There’s no fuckin'
rehearsal today so just let me die in peace.”
“I wanna talk to you! Its about
Elissa..”
At the mention of her name, Steven’s
eyes flew open wide. Memories of last night came flooding back, making the
blood rush to his head. Sitting straight up in bed, he rubbed his eyes trying
to brush away the cobwebs. Looking around the room, he was relieved to find
himself alone. There was much about last night he couldn’t recall...like when
Elissa had left and exactly what happened after the second bottle of booze. All
he remembered was snorting the coke and everything after that was only clear to
him in bits and pieces. He remembered drinking with her and being amazed at how
clever and witty she suddenly had become. And how beautiful. Swinging his legs
to the floor, he wasn’t surprised to find that he was naked. He always slept
naked. However, the black lace bra draped across the chair was a shock!
“I’m gonna break this door down!”
Joe said, laughing rather wickedly. For a second, Steven thought he was in a
bad movie. Elissa? What the fuck happened last night? Noooo...surely he hadn’t.
Or maybe he did! Was Joe outside planning to kill him? Then he remembered Kat
and he relaxed a bit. Okay so no, Joe doesn’t wanna kill me....he’s got a new
girl now and Elissa.... nah! I’ve never
been that high....
“Joe, hang on I’m coming. Lemme find
some pants. Unless you wanna peek!”
“No thanks! Hurry...NOW! I’ve got
somewhere to go!”
Stuffing the bra under the cushion
of the chair, Steven grabbed his pants off the floor and pulled them on
quickly. He was zipping them up when he caught a tiny glimpse of black in the
floor. Nooooo.....not panties, too! He
picked them up, shaking his head in disbelief. Tiny black lace panties! Oh,
shit! Now panic set in. Something had obviously happened but to what extent he
could not clearly remember. All he knew was that Elissa had come over with the
best coke he’d ever had, they shared a few laughs...some booze and now, voila’! Mystery bra and panties! His head throbbed
even worse than before. Quickly stuffing the panties under the cushion with the
bra, he stumbled to the door. Joe didn’t look amused.
“My grandmother can put on her
girdle and stockings faster than that!” Joe scowled.
“Lay off, I had a---I had a hard
night. What’s up?” Steven muttered, finding it hard to look Joe in the eyes. It
wasn’t that he thought Joe still loved Elissa. It was just the principle behind
it all. Joe was like his brother, his infinite partner in crime, so to speak.
There were just some things that you didn’t do and that included sleeping with
your best friend’s girlfriends, even the ex-es. Especially after you’ve just
apologized for lying about it many times before!
“Elissa---” Joe began but stopped as
Steven slumped into the chair, holding his head.
“She must’ve told you, right? Well,
that’s her style!” he said, not daring to look up.
“Told me what?” he asked with much confusion.
“Steven, shut up and just listen. I don’t know what you’re babbling about but I
wanted to tell you that she must have already told her Mom and Dad about our
breakup. Frank called here first thing this morning and told Tom that the gig
at the Gardens is off!”
“Oh yeah?” Steven answered softly,
raising his head. “Is that all?”
“Yeah, I just wanted you to hear it
from me and tell you that...I’m sorry. I know that meant a lot to you and I
know that its all my fault.” The apology was genuine, so true to the quiet
dignity that Joe exemplified. Steven felt a hot rush of shame creep over his
face and for a moment he didn’t know what to say.
“Forget it, Joe. You’re happy with
Kat, I can see that. That’s all that matters.” he said, struggling to choke
down the guilt that rose up in his throat. The question still racked his
brain....did he? Did he cross the line with Elissa? He needed to remember!
“Well I’m off, see ya later.” Joe
said, turning toward the door. Then he stopped. “Hey what the fuck did you do
last night after I left? You look awful!”
“I don’t remember...” Steven trailed
off sheepishly. Joe shook his head.
“That figures! Whoever she was, she
must be feeling the burn today!”
“You heard me...I mean, well us?
Were we loud? What the fuck was I doing?” Steven’s heart lurched. Did he hear
anything? Did he recognize her voice? Was Joe just waiting for him to
confess....come clean right now.
“Ahh, now that’s fucked up! Well
from what I heard, I bet she’ll remember you!”
“Shit...” Steven mumbled as Joe
stepped out into the hallway. “Wait, Joe! Where are ya going?”
“I have to go and see Kat’s father.”
Joe smiled and then he was gone.
Steven threw himself back down on
the bed and closed his eyes, desperately searching the corners of his memory.
Maybe Joe was wrong. Maybe he just heard what he thought was....was...fucking.
But an unbidden feeling of dark bitterness was settling down into his heart. He
couldn’t help but believe that Elissa had purposely come to him, taunting and
teasing. She appealed to the worst side of his personality and baited him on
with something she knew he couldn’t refuse. It was the coke, plain and simple.
No, Steven, it was you....he
thought. You’re a sucker and you fell for it! You’re not worthy of being Joe’s
best friend...you’re not worthy of spit shining his boots! You’re a complete
fuck up! Over and over he tried to shut
out the voice in his head but it kept chipping away maddeningly until he felt
hot tears on his face. Just as surely as he knew Elissa, this wasn’t over by a
long shot. She would use it to her advantage. The only question was when and to
what end? Undoubtedly he knew he had sold his soul to the devil........
***
Beyond the dark wall of Steven’s troubles,
Joe was walking in the sunshine and feeling no pain. The night before had been
incredible from beginning to end. He got very little sleep after dropping Kat
off but nonetheless had awoken at dawn anyway. That was something he had not
done since he was a child when his mother would wake him for church. He was
high but not on pot or any other buzz inducing substance usually found in the
apartment. He was high on love....and being completely in love for the first
time in his life! He wanted to sing it, shout it, or crank it from his guitar
until his ears bled!
As he had promised himself, now that
he was free and clear of Elissa, he was going to talk to Keegan MacGregor face
to face. He wanted to tell him how he felt about Kat and ask his permission to
see her. It was an old fashioned gesture that he knew the Scotsman would
respect. Of course Joe knew that should he object, it would make no difference.
Nothing would stop him from being with Kat; nothing would ever destroy that
love. Nothing would ever keep them apart.
He had chosen to walk the distance
to her house so as to clear his head and think about what he was going to say.
Now suddenly the walk was over and he was standing on the sidewalk in front of
the house, exactly where he had last kissed her the night before. Taking a deep
breath he started up the walkway, still rehearsing his speech. To his surprise
the front door opened and out walked MacGregor. He looked much more like a bear
than Joe remembered. Pausing, he watched as the towering Scotsman strode across
the porch and sat down on the front steps. Without saying a word, he motioned
for Joe to join him.
“I’ve been expecting ya, lad.”
Keegan said, his face dead serious.
“Keegan....er, Mr. MacGregor,
I...uh---” Joe stumbled. He didn’t notice MacGregor struggling to hide a slight
smile.
“Do ya love her?” the big man said
simply.
“Yesss I do!” Joe spoke firmly this
time, his voice full of unbridled conviction.
“You’re sounding a might serious
about my daughter there, young man!”
“That’s because I am, sir. I’ve
never meant something more in my life.”
“Then you’ll treat her with respect
or I’ll break yer legs!”
“Absolutely!” Joe was beginning to
relax. Burly MacGregor glanced over at him.
“She means everythin’ to me. My
daughters are all I have left in this world! I would die for them, I would kill
for them....do ya understand that kind of love, boy?”
“Yes sir, I do.” Joe answered. “I
love her with all my heart.”
“When I first laid eyes on her mother.....ahhh
she owned my heart! Her memory, it
lives for me in Katherine’s eyes....those beautiful happy eyes! If
indeed you’re as serious as ya say ya are, then swear to me that you will never
betray that happiness she gives ya so freely. Can you swear that to me,
boy?” MacGregor had tears in his eyes
as he spoke. “Cause if you can, then I will gladly stand outta yer way. My
Katherine is too precious to be wasted on flights of fancy and whim. Do ya
understand me?”
Without pausing or even blinking once,
Joe answered. “I swear it....”
“Spoken with honor, lad....spoken
with honor...” MacGregor extended his hand to Joe. They shook heartily, both
smiling.
From the window behind them, Kat
breathed a sigh of relief as she watched. Now everything was perfect!