Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

"Psst! Hey, Jordan, are you awake?"

"I am now." I lifted my head from my pillow and squinted at Jacob through the sunlight filling the room. "What?"

"Dave and Cody are going to get breakfast. They want to know if we're coming."

I stifled a yawn. "Tell them to give us twenty minutes." Tossing back my blankets, I got up and trudged to the bathroom for a shower.

I had somehow resisted temptation last night and not jumped Cody's bones. However, my resolve was crumbling. Dawn had been right. I needed to take that first step toward moving on and get the rebound relationship out of the way. And I'd promised Jacob I wouldn't do anything to hurt the friendships or my job, not that I wouldn't fool around with Cody specifically. If Cody and I could have a something without altering everything between us, Jacob would have no right to bitch.

Clean and revived by the hot water, I switched off the shower. I secured a towel around myself and went back into the other room for clothes. Jacob's eyes flicked over my towel-clad body. I bit my lip to prevent a smile.

I got dressed in the bathroom. Jacob was in his usual band tee and skintight jeans, his jet-black hair less fluffy than he styled it for shows. As I followed Jacob out of our room, I sent Dawn a text: "Breakfast?"

We found Cody and David in the lobby. "It's about time!" David exclaimed.

"Sorry," Jacob said. "Jordan had to take a shower."

"Well excuse me," I said. "I don't like feeling grimy and smelling like ass."

"Do I smell like ass?" David raised an arm, inviting me to sniff.

I rolled my eyes and shoved him in the general direction of the door. A second later, my cell buzzed with Dawn's response: "Sure. Where?"

"Where are we going?" I queried of the Lynam guys.

"Denny's," David said. "Where else?"

I gave Dawn the information and she agreed to meet us there. Jacob, Cody, David, and I walked to the Denny's one street over. We claimed a corner booth, needing the extra space for when we were joined by Dawn, Matt, and Jimmy.

I ended up between David and Jacob. I was almost positive this was on purpose. I wondered if Jacob had enlisted David's help to prevent me and Cody from doing anything.

Dawn, Jimmy, and Matt arrived fifteen minutes later.

"PANCAKES!" Jimmy yelled happily.

Matt shook his head. "He's been raving about pancakes ever since Dawn mentioned Denny's."

Jimmy beamed. "I love pancakes!"

Cody caught my eye and arched an eyebrow, a small smile quirking his lips. David was watching with an amused grin.

"So I'm excited to see you guys tonight," Dawn said, addressing Jacob. "Jordan has been going on and on about how great you are."

"All lies," David cut in.

Dawn seemed mildly startled. "What?"

"It's true," Jacob said. "We're terrible."

"Ignore them," I advised. "They always claim that they suck."

"If we set her expectations low, she'll be impressed even if we're only moderately talented," Jacob said. "Don't mess with a plan that has worked for years."

Matt and Jimmy chuckled. The waitress then appeared at our table to take our orders. "Oh, Dawn, I meant to ask you," I said once the waitress was gone. "Will you help me tonight? Two hot merch girls are better than one."

"Hear, hear!" David, Matt, and Jimmy exclaimed.

Dawn ignored them. "Of course I'll help."

"For free, right?" Jacob said jokingly. "We can't afford to pay both of you."

Dawn studied Jacob for a few seconds. "Damn...you're cute. Okay. I'll do it for free."

Matt shot me a sour look.

"Uh, Jordan? You're fired," Jacob said. "I want someone who works for free and compliments me."

"Even if that person has a very large, very mean boyfriend?" I questioned.

"This is when you should try to look threatening," Dawn stage-whispered to Matt.

Jimmy laughed. "Aww, Shadsy's not mean! He's just a big teddy bear."

Matt flipped Jimmy off.

"People are scared of Jacob because he looks crazy," David commented. "Something about his hair and the way he dresses convinces them he's a cracked out band guy that could snap at any minute."

"Gee, thanks, Dave," Jacob drawled sarcastically.

"I think his hair is sexy," I said.

Jacob smirked. "Dawn, you're fired. Jordan, you're re-hired."

The waitress returned at that moment and began distributing our plates.

"PANCAKES!" Jimmy crowed, picking up his fork and attacking the stack now in front of him.

Talking and laughing, we each dug in to our own food.

*****

I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, scowling. Checking my reflection, I decided to call it good. My hair was in a high ponytail, my makeup was flawless, and my outfit was fairly revealing: a low-cut Lynam tank and a tiny black miniskirt.

I slipped on my favorite pair of black knee-high boots, eyes scanning the room for my purse. I'd just spied it under one of Jacob's shirts when someone tapped on the door.

"Just a minute!" I called, grabbing my purse and dropping my cell into it. I retrieved my laminate for the show from the table between the two beds, clipping it to the waistband of my skirt.

I made sure I had my room key as I went to the door. I pulled it open and there stood Cody, clad in his show gear.

"Are you lost?" I teased. The band had left for the club an hour and a half ago in order to load in and set up with plenty of time to spare.

"No." Cody crossed the threhold, forcing me to take a few steps back. He shut the door behind himself. "We got done without any problems and now, I have to find some way to entertain myself until ten o'clock."

"Well, where are Jacob and Dave?"

"Dave is sitting outside the club, on the phone with Lauren, and Jacob is talking to some guy they know."

I sighed. "Come on. You can help me set up the merch table, then we'll shoot some pool or something." I started for the door, but Cody stopped me.

"I think our time would be better spent here," he said softly.

My breathing hitched and my heart gave a particularly painful thump. Reading my comprehension in my expression, Cody smirked. He used his hold on my arm to tug me closer, curving an arm around my waist.

He gently caressed my cheek with his other hand and my eyes shut briefly at the sensation. It had only been a little over four months since I'd been touched this way, yet it felt much longer. I stared up at Cody, mere inches between us, and knew that I was lost. I was going wherever he took this.

He leaned down to cover my mouth with his and I wrapped my arms around his neck, letting my hands wander up into all that silky black hair. My purse hit the floor with a thump. Kissing him back hungrily, I pressed the front of my body to his. He tightened his grip on me and met my force with his own, turning the kiss into something mildly painful.

He finally broke the kiss. I swallowed hard, more than a bit breathless. With his knee-weakening, arrogant half-smile in place, he backed towards the nearest bed, catching my hand and guiding me after him.

I let him. We were soon on the bed, Cody supporting himself in a kind of push-up while his mouth ravaged mine. His knees were to either side of my legs, effectively pinning my lower body. I again sent my hands into his hair, opening myself to the probing of his tongue.

We both looked up at the sound of knuckles rapping on wood. Cody swore under his breath and got to his feet. I jumped up, smoothing my hair and my skirt on the way to the door. Glancing back at Cody just before I opened the door, I saw him stride out onto the balcony.

Dawn, Matt, and Jimmy were waiting in the hallway. "You ready?" Dawn inquired, then her brow furrowed. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm--" I broke off as the three of them looked past me. Cody had just come in from the balcony.

He flashed a smile. "Hey, guys."

Dawn arched an eyebrow, fighting a smirk. Jimmy's eyes flicked to me.

"Let me get my purse and we can go," I muttered, blushing. I scooped my purse from where I'd dropped it earlier. "Um, do you need a ride?" I asked Cody.

Something glittered in his eyes for a moment, then he shook his head. "Nah."

"See you later." I walked briskly out of the room. Dawn, Matt, and Jimmy trailed along behind me.

It wasn't until we were pushing through the lobby doors that Jimmy spoke. "What did we just interrupt, young lady?"

"Nothing."

Dawn and Jimmy exchanged a significant look. "Right," they said together in the same disbelieving tone.

"It doesn't matter, okay?" I snapped.

"Aww, baby is grouchy when she doesn't get laid," Jimmy said, laughing. "Maybe she should go back and scratch that itch."

"James Owen Sullivan, I am warning you..." I said threateningly.

"Poor Cody." Dawn shook her head, also laughing. "The show is going to be awfully hard on him tonight."

Dawn and Jimmy continued in this manner for the entire ride to the club. Luckily, the venue was only about ten minutes away. I practically ran inside, wanting to get away from them.

Dawn appeared just as I began setting up the merch table. "We're sorry, Jordan," she said, though her eyes were still dancing with amusement. "We don't mean any harm. Personally, I think it's great. And I think after the show, you and Cody should kick Jacob out of the room and finish what you started."

I couldn't stop my smirk. "Maybe we will."

Jimmy, Matt, and David wandered over. The five of us chatted until it was time for Lynam to take the stage. I hadn't seen Cody arrive, but he filed onto the stage behind Jacob. He seemed calm and collected; however, when he met my eyes, there was something in his gaze that made me blush and a shiver of remembered lust slide down my spine.

Lynam opened with "Lindsay Says." I sang along, so intent on the show that I didn't notice who had approached the merch table for a few minutes. I saw Jacob's face go utterly blank, his focus shifting immediately to me. Curious about what had caused his reaction, I looked around.

Brian's dark eyes locked with mine and the entire world seemed to narrow down to just the two of us.