Better Than Me

Riley and Corinne had to leave the club in Clanton the instant the show was over. Both were given copies of all six of Lynam's CDs, plus the tee-shirt of their choice. In a brief moment of privacy, Jacob pressed a copy of Mars Electric's Beautiful Something into Riley's hands and said "Number six." Riley nodded and hugged him tightly, murmuring her thanks.

The girls had booked an early flight for Sunday morning. They had originally planned to drive up to Louisville, Kentucky, but since they'd stayed an extra day in Alabama, they didn't want to waste time. Flying would be much faster and they would get to see Andy and Christian much sooner.

By the time they got back to Riley's parents' house, it was nearing dawn. The girls managed to sleep for a few hours. They rolled out of bed at the indecent hour of eight-thirty a.m. Mrs. Winters made them eat a small breakfast, then the girls said their goodbyes and headed to the airport in Birmingham.

Their plane was barely off the ground before Corinne had passed out again. Riley, however, had never been able to sleep on planes, so despite the fact that her eyes were itching with tiredness, she remained awake and alert.

She used her cell to log in to Facebook. A quick search for the three members of Lynam yielded results and she sent each of them a friend request and "liked" the band page. David had posted a video from the show in Clanton, taken from behind his kit by Joseph during their version of Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar (On Me)." Riley smiled at the sight of herself and Corinne in the very front, singing loudly and dancing together.

Sighing, she decided to peruse iTunes for the Mars Electric song Jacob had mentioned last night. She didn't have a portable CD player at the moment, rendering the disc pointless for now.

She was surprised and delighted when she found the song. She purchased it without any hesitation. Luckily, she had a pair of earphones in her carry-on, having known that she would undoubtedly be listening to music on the plane.

The song, "Feels Like June," began and it didn't immediately rouse a response the way "Another Day (On Top of the World)" and "Far Away" had. Riley let her head fall back against the cushioned headrest and closed her eyes.

Jacob's voice, more soothing than she'd ever heard it, hit her eardrums and she felt tension draining from her muscles.

"Watch the shadows on the wall 'til they all disappear/Look for something, finding nothing matters any more, at all/Every day brings something to remind me of/I can't explain all the things I'm dreaming of/Did we change somewhere along the way?/I can't stay, there's nothing left worth fighting for."

Riley yawned. There was a weight pressing down on her, forcing her towards the depths of sleep.

"Listen to the sound of rain as it falls/Listen to the silence of the world is spinning all around/Every day brings something to remind me of/I can't explain all the things I'm dreaming of/Did we change somewhere along the way?/I can't stay, there's nothing left worth fighting for."

Riley was dimly aware of someone passing her seat. Somewhere behind her, a small child was fussing.

"Someone tell me it will be okay/No one understands the reasons why..."

The guitar solo was more simple than most of the things she'd witnessed Jacob do over the weekend, but it fit the song.

"Someone tell me it will be okay/No one understands the reasons why/Every day brings something to remind me of/I can't explain all the things I'm dreaming of/Did we change somewhere along the way?/I can't stay, there's nothing left worth fighting for/Nothing left worth fighting for/Nothing left worth fighting for."

Riley's eyes opened as the song was silenced. She glanced at her cell to find a notification from Facebook. Jacob had accepted her friend request.

Riley bit her lip, hesitating. She wanted to know why Jacob had been sure to suggest that particular song to her. She glanced at Corinne, who was still sleeping peacefully.

It's just a simple question, Riley reasoned. Big deal. She went to Jacob's profile and sent him a brief message: "Why 'Feels Like June'?"

She thought about texting Andy, but it wouldn't do any good. He probably wasn't awake and wouldn't be until they had to set out for the airport to meet her and Corinne.

Another Facebook notifcation popped up. Jacob had replied. "It's one of my favorite songs I've written. 'Heartbreak or Loaded Gun' from Tragic City Symphony is another."

Riley's next impulse was to ask Jacob if "Feels Like June" was based on a personal experience. She suppressed that urge. She didn't need to have any in-depth conversations with Jacob. Building a deeper relationship with him was very likely a bad idea.

She frowned. She had a life and friends and Andy in Los Angeles, California. Was she really going to let a weekend with people she hadn't seen in ten years get to her? She had abandoned Birmingham, Alabama, long ago and was happier for it. The only people there she missed were her family and Corinne's.

I never would have been satisfied in Birmingham, she told herself. There was nothing there for me. Enjoying a weekend with Jacob, David, and Cody doesn't change that.

She brought up a photo on her cell that had been taken this past Christmas. She was in a Santa hat, Ghoul cradled in her arms. Andy was beside her, holding Joker out to her so that he could lick her cheek. She and Andy were both laughing.

A soft emotion filled Riley as she studied the photo and she smiled. She couldn't wait to get to Louisville. She wanted nothing more than to be back in Andy's arms.

**********

Andy almost tossed aside the CD booklet he was autographing for a fan when he glanced up and saw Riley coming toward him. A brilliant smile lit her features as their eyes met.

Andy handed the booklet and Sharpie back to the young girl who had so nervously approached him. "Thank you so much," she said breathlessly.

Andy hugged her. "You're welcome."

Flushed, the girl hurried back to her parents and brother.

"You're such a good little rock star," Riley teased upon reaching the place where he stood.

"Where is CC?" Corinne, right behind Riley, queried.

"He's in the car," Andy said, taking Riley's suitcase. "C'mon." He wasn't going to give Riley the nonverbal greeting he wanted to give her in front of so many people. They both preferred to keep their personal lives, well, personal.

Andy led the way to the car that Ashley had rented yesterday. Andy didn't know to what use Ashley had put the vehicle, and he didn't want to know, but it had definitely come in handy today.

Christian sprang out of the car and swept Corinne into his arms. Andy chuckled. Christian was always very over-the-top. This trait had resulted in many, many interesting stories.

Andy quickly put Riley's luggage in the trunk, then faced her. Finally, he slipped his arms around her slender waist and kissed her. She smiled. "Hi," she murmured against his lips.

"Hello."

Tilting her face slightly, she fitted their mouths together more accurately. She tangled her fingers in his hair and his scalp tingled with sensory memories of her pulling his hair in more passionate moments.

"God, I missed you," Riley said, pausing to catch her breath.

"I missed you, too." Andy looked into her blue-green eyes and something seemed to ease inside him. She was so familiar to him. Small and warm and soft. Her hair smelled of coconut and the tang of a citrus fragrance tickled his senses.

Andy shoved his lips to hers again. He could spend his entire day simply holding her and kissing her and it would be enough.

"Andy!" Christian barked. "Get your tongue out of her throat and let's go!"

Andy flipped Christian off, refusing to break the kiss until he was ready. He parted from Riley at the sound of the engine starting.

"Well-played, Christian," he muttered. "Well-played."

Riley giggled. The two of them slid into the backseat, since the front was already occupied by Christian and Corinne.

The group of four stopped for lunch on their way to the hotel. The girls recounted events from their time in Alabama, resulting in Christian's demand to hear Lynam.

"I'd like to check them out myself," Andy added casually. "The band that can lure my girl to stay in Alabama an extra day must have something worthwhile."

A slight frown crossed Riley's lips. It was quickly replaced with a smile. "They do. Jacob, especially, is great."

"He is," Corinne agreed. "And David and Cody have a certain charm."

"We'll listen to them on the bus tonight after the show," Christian decided.

They finished lunch and went on to the hotel. Riley was surprised when Andy took her to a room and he didn't have a roommate.

"I booked a room for us," he said, shutting the door. He set down Riley's suitcase and pulled her into his arms. "I had to get you alone, at least for a few hours."

"What time do y'all have to be there for sound check?"

"Six." Andy nuzzled her neck. "So we have plenty of time."

"To watch a movie?"

"Strike one."

"To end world hunger?"

"Strike two."

Riley pursed her lips and scrunched up her face as if she was thinking really hard about something. "To...sleep?"

Andy chuckled. "You're going to need some sleep once I'm through with you."

He sought her mouth with his own, his hands cupping her ass. She kissed him with unrestrained fervor and soon, they were stumbling to the bed, both refusing to sever the connection of their lips.

Andy lowered Riley onto the bed. Here, he paused long enough to shed his shirt. She was busy unbuttoning his jeans, so he lifted her top and trailed kisses up her stomach.

"Jesus, Andy," she murmured, and he felt her tremble.

Andy helped her out of her top and her bra. As he ducked his head to her breasts, she somehow managed to push his jeans and boxer-briefs down with her feet, far enough to bare his rapidly hardening cock.

She wrapped her fingers around him. Andy groaned, distracted utterly from his task. Her small, slender hand ran the length of him and a need so strong it was pain pulsed through his groin.

Riley used her free hand to bring his face to hers. Kissing him deeply, she stroked his cock almost as if it was an afterthought. The taunting was driving him crazy. Her hand felt wonderful; however, he needed to sink into her moist warmth. Nothing else would satisfy his carnal desire.

Roughly, he stripped off her panties. He attacked her mouth with a bruising kiss, adjusting the position of her lower body. His hands gripped the backs of her thighs and he speared into her forcefully.

Riley yelped, but it was definitely a pleased sound. Her nails dug into his shoulders and she clamped her legs around his waist. Andy drove himself into her again.

"Fuck," he mumbled.

Riley looked up at him, her lips swollen from the kisses and her eyes glazed with lust and pleasure. Her chest rose and fell with her uneven breathing.

"I love you, Riley," Andy said, wondering if she'd ever been more beautiful than she was at that precise moment.

She smiled and smoothed his hair away from his face. "I love you, too, Andy."

He kissed her gently and eased into her. Their kisses were slow and passionate, their eyes open and gazes locked together from mere inches away. The intensity consumed them both. Andy was certain it had never been like this.

Time passed without seeming to as they moved together. Every touch, every breath, every motion brought almost unbearable pleasure. And when the goal was reached, they claimed it together.

Afterward, they snuggled under the sheet. Riley's cheek rested on Andy's bare chest and he toyed with her hair absentmindedly. Peace settled over them. It wasn't long before they both dozed off.