Bound to Please(11)

Smiling slyly, Meg dropped the lipstick back into her purse. “You know. If the band does decide to record here, Mark will be in San Francisco for a few weeks. At least.”

Ruby stared at Meg. “I hadn’t exactly thought that far ahead. But it doesn’t matter. I’m going to the show, and possibly seeing him afterward. If anything happens—”

“Which it will.”

“I’ll have had a one-night stand with a rock star.”

“You lucky bitch.” But Meg was smiling, and her eyes sparkled. “Just promise me one thing.”

“The last time I promised you something I ended up with food poisoning.”

“I really thought that taco stand was cleaner than it looked. Anyway, promise me you’ll tell me all the details tomorrow? Even if he, you know… spanks you. Or something.”

“Meg! Why would you think that?” And why did the thought of Mark spanking her make her insides go all quivery?

Meg shrugged. “I’ve just heard rumors he’s into that kind of stuff.”

Obviously, he was. But it was good to know Mark didn’t keep it a secret; it made him more trustworthy somehow.

Meg clasped her bag shut and strode to the door. “Now come on, I have the perfect dress in mind. Let’s go get you sexified.” She grabbed Ruby’s hand and tugged her out the door.





Chapter

Four

Emmett was busy talking to Mark’s “people,” so Ruby and Meg went to the show by themselves. True to his word, Mark had left passes at the door, so when the girls arrived at the venue they were able to bypass the long line snaking around the block.

“Oh my God!” Ruby said, eyeing the procession. “These kids all look like they’re in high school!” Ruby’s doubts about the night had been escalating, and feeling like she was old enough to be most of these kids’ mother wasn’t helping.

But Meg grabbed her arm and yanked her inside. “You’re the one Mark St. Crow wants. Plus, you look fucking hot.” Meg looked over Ruby’s figure with the appreciative eye of a clothing connoisseur.

Ruby ran a damp palm over the silky fabric. “Are you sure? This is so different from my normal style.” Meg had talked her into a red seventies-era disco dress. It was low cut and very, very clingy. “Are you sure I don’t look too slutty?”

“Slutty can be highly underrated.” Meg gave her a Cheshire cat grin. “And those shoes? They have CFM all over them.”

Ruby glanced at the strappy gold sandals on her feet. She wasn’t used to heels quite this high, but she had to admit they were making her feel sexy. Not to mention, they also gave her five-foot-two frame some much-needed height.

Ruby grimaced. “They hurt like hell.”

“It’s a bitch being beautiful.” Giggling, Meg took her arm and muscled her way up to the crowded bar.

A tall bartender with multiple eyebrow piercings caught her eye. “You Ruby?”

She blinked. “Yeah. How’d you know?”

“Mark said you’d be with a goth girl wearing spiderwebs on her legs.”

Meg raised her hand. “That would be me. I’ll have a Lemon Drop, please. And my friend will have—”

“A chocolate martini,” he finished, turning to pull two bottles from the shelf behind him.

Ruby felt Meg’s gaze burning a hole into her face. “What?”

“Um, Mark St. Crow has your drink waiting for you at a show. That’s what.”

“Is that bad? Does that mean I’m a groupie?”

“It means he really wants you to have a chocolate martini. And that he’s into you.”

Ruby beamed. “Do you think so?”

“I do. Come on.” They took their drinks from the bartender and started toward the stage.

Ruby reached out and touched Meg’s shoulder. “Wait.” For some reason she felt her face go hot. “Mark kinda asked me to go over there. He was very specific about it.” She jerked her head toward the right of the stage.

“But I see some people we know on the other side.”

Ruby’s face was burning. But she didn’t want to disobey Mark’s instructions. “Please?”

Meg looked at her funny but then shrugged and followed her to a reserved table in the far right corner, separated from the crowd by a wooden rail. A little white card with the words Ruby Darling sat on the table, which somehow made her stomach do that fluttery thing again. They took their seats.

The venue wasn’t big, but it was packed, and the energy vibrating inside the building was nearly palpable. Canned between-set music played, further adding to the sense of anticipation buzzing within the crowd. Ruby picked up on the power of it all, and her excitement level kicked up a notch. She realized she wasn’t just excited to be with Mark after the show; she was eager to hear him play.