September 18th, 1971
The drinking had ended
around three in the morning, and Colin had refused to let Autumn travel
back to her relatives’ house by taxi at that hour. She spent the night
in his room and thanks to the room’s spacious bed, it was no issue.
She’d knocked on our door early in the morning, around eight, quietly
asking me if I had a shirt she could borrow.
“Absolutely,” I told her, and led her into the room. I poked my head into the bathroom and warned Cameron not to walk out nude, then walked over to the only drawer we’d filled.
Autumn stood shyly near the foot of the bed, but happily accepted the shirt I handed to her. “Thank you so much. I would have brought clothes if I realized I was staying for the night,” she added.
“Don’t worry about it. Do you need underwear, though?” I felt shy myself asking, but figured I could do no harm.
“Oh, no, no thank you,” she sputtered.
“I have some I just bought,” I insisted. “They’re washed but I haven’t worn them. You can have them.” Her surprise was clear on her face, so I spoke again. “I may be crazy, but I’m not an animal.”
It was nearing noon when the eight of us gathered in the hotel lobby to make sure we’d all get on the bus together. Since Autumn had accepted Willie’s offer for lunch, he asked reception to call for a taxi once she and Colin had arrived in the lobby.
“Willie,” Colin called out to the guitarist as he made his way back from the reception desk. “I’m not in charge of Autumn, and I’m not trying to be,” he said with a quick glance towards her. “But you should be aware.”
Willie raised an eyebrow. “Of what?”
“If you so much as make her frown,” Colin began, “I will cut off every tip on your body.” His tone was firm, and very nearly intimidating.
I could see Willie fighting a smile as he replied. “Even that tip?”
Colin’s gaze was unflinching, as was his voice. “Especially that one.”
“Noted,” Willie said with a small nod. “Autumn, the taxi’s arrived.” The pair then left the hotel, likely unaware that we were all staring at them.
“I’m going to get shell shock from watching this,” Lee muttered as he turned towards me, confusion on his face. “Has she got one of your shirts on?”
At our arrival on the festival grounds, Cameron was pulled into a meeting with the sound crew in charge of recording the band’s performance—yesterday’s and today as well—directly from the mixing board. The record company had informed Geoff at the beginning of the year of their desire for a live album, and Amoeba’s largest performance seemed perfect for the job.
The band had chosen the album's name only a week ago, during the flight from New York to California. On prior tours, the stage had boasted minimal decoration; other than the necessary instruments and equipment the only accessories were the band's logo as a backdrop. On this tour, however, the band had opted to include an additional item—the Royal Banner of Scotland.
"What's the significance?" I had asked Cameron, once we'd settled into the hotel room.
"It's a pun, basically. You've seen the flag?" he asked.
I nodded. It wasn't used often but its appearance, a red lion on a yellow background, was striking enough to remember.
"It's called the Lion Rampant, for the way it's standing," Cameron explained. "On its hind legs, ready to strike. Claws out."
"Much like you," I quipped.
He chuckled, but agreed. "That's where the pun comes in. The lion itself is standing rampant, but Amoeba will run rampant across America."
If all would go according to plan, Lion Rampant In America would be released worldwide in December. By then, we would have finished the North American tour and would be gearing up for the stint in Europe. The hope was that Europeans would buy the album and want to see Amoeba in their hometowns.
Lee and I sat across from each other at the small table inside the trailer. I had arrived thirty minutes ago, wanting a break from the chaos near the stage, and found Lee laying on the couch deep in silent introspection. Now, as three o’clock slipped by, we talked.
“You’re not nervous about tonight, are you?”
“No,” Lee answered with a shake of his head. “We just have to do what we did yesterday.”
“I heard from Madman’s drummer earlier,” I informed him with a chuckle. “Told me how Downtown Rundown were pissed to have to follow your show.”
“I’m sure they were,” Lee retorted, a cheeky smile on his face. “There was barely a stage when we finished.”
“You’re not wrong,” I admitted with a laugh. “I’ll have put that in the letter for Liliane.”
“You’ll be sending a letter?” Lee asked curiously.
I nodded. “I haven’t written it yet, but I’ll probably be ready to send it in a few days,” I informed him.
Lee nodded in understanding. “How is she doing?”
“Good, I think,” I answered. “I haven’t spoken to her in a few weeks.”
“Give her a call tonight,” Lee suggested cheerfully. “A phone call is always nicer than a letter in the post,” he added.
“That’s not a bad idea, actually. I’ll call when we get to the hotel, so it won’t be too late for her.”
“What’s the time difference?”
I paused for a moment. “She’s three hours ahead. And we’ve got the little party afterwards,” I added.
“Autumn’s coming along for that as well, isn’t she?”
I nodded. “Her birthday is in four days, and she hasn’t seen Colin in ages. The least we can do is bring her to a party.”
“She’s a nice girl. I wonder how she’s getting along with Willie, though.”
“I wonder, too,” I admitted. “But from what I gather, she won’t be shy to kick his ass out if he’s anything but nice.”
Lee made a gruff noise of derision. “How will he manage?” he spat sarcastically.
We both turned to look as the trailer door opened slowly. Autumn stood at the threshold with a look on her face that I couldn’t quite decipher, but smiled politely when Lee stood.
“I’ll give you ladies some privacy,” he muttered as he walked past her and out the door.
It closed softly behind him, and Autumn walked towards the table and sat down. She kept silent for a moment, her eyes low.
“Trailer’s walls are thin,” she said with a small huff of amusement.
“Are they?” I replied.
“What’s he usually like?” she blurted. “I heard what Lee said, about Willie.”
I smiled in understanding. “You want to know why Lee thinks what he does?”
Autumn nodded.
“I can't speak as someone who's known Willie for decades. You'd have to talk to Cameron about that,” I conceded. “They've known each other since primary school, and I've only been spending time with Willie on the tours.”
“Still…” she mumbled.
“He's a closed-off man,” I told her. I understood her hesitation to speak, so I filled the silence with my voice. “Cameron told me once that guitars are therapeutic to Willie, and he's right. He's structured himself almost like a medieval castle.”
Autumn chuckled, and asked how I'd come to that conclusion.
“He's got high outer walls that he makes hard to climb over. If you get over that curtain wall, you're on his good side, but then there's the second wall. I don't know of many people who've gotten past that one,” I said softly. “In a castle, the innermost area is the keep. And I don't know how long it’s been since anyone has seen Willie's keep.”
“A poetic way to see it,” she noted.
I shrugged, not knowing what to say. Had their date gone badly?
As if she'd heard my unspoken question, Autumn spoke. “I had a good time. He was really sweet, and kind to the waiter. He's funny, too,” she added.
“I'm glad you enjoyed his company,” I told her earnestly.
She smiled happily, though very soon it became a sly look. “So, what about that party?”
Caught off guard with her question, I laughed. “You have superhuman hearing, too?”
“Maybe,” she replied with a wink.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I quipped. “But yes, we’ve got a little celebration planned. This festival is a big thing for the band so we’ll immortalize it with drinking. And you’re coming along, no matter what,” I added firmly.
“I wouldn’t refuse a strong drink and good company,” Autumn assured me. “Have you ever seen Colin when he’s tanked?”
As I stood, watching the five men pounding their hearts out on stage, I let my mind wander. I still felt much the same way now as I had the first time I’d seen Amoeba perform; only a little over a week after I’d first met Cameron. Nearly a year and a half had passed since then, and I’d grown to enjoy their performances even more than that first night.
Looking around at the others in the reserved area, I could see that most were enjoying themselves as much as I was. The guys from Flintlock, a three-piece Arizonan blues rock outfit, were mingling nearby with various women. Before Amoeba went on stage, the trio had been chatting with Cameron and Lee, who had then invited them to join our makeshift party later on.
The plan—though I had doubts that it would be followed—began by heading back towards the hotel once Amoeba’s performance had ended. A local bar, The Concussion, would be the starting point for our festivities. Three other alcohol-serving clubs were chosen as subsequent stops were along the same route, which was only two miles away from the hotel at its furthest point.
I hadn’t been too excited about the party, though I knew it would be a good time. From what I’d seen, the guys were mostly drinkers with occasional dabbling into pot and some hallucinogens, but I had been around enough drunk men to know it would go one of two ways. Besides, I had my own plan for celebration tonight…
During the last three songs of Amoeba’s set, Autumn and I stood beside each other and watched them. I jokingly asked if she was watching Colin or Willie, but the shy laugh she replied with was all the answer I needed.
She told me of their date once more, and I was honestly surprised at what she revealed. Wilie had asked her about herself, and been attentive as she replied to him. He’d told her about himself, too, little things about his love for music and past as a musician. He was impressed with her interest in guitars, and had been kind and thoughtful throughout their date.
Seeing Willie come off the stage, followed by the other members, I had to admit to myself that I’d never really thought he could be like that. I had to dispel the thought quickly, though, as Cameron strode up to me and spoke.
“Enjoy it?” he asked happily.
“Very much so,” I told him, though the moisture speckling his neck was distracting me from a more enthusiastic answer.
Cameron’s smile was sweet, and I kissed him. “What now?” he wondered aloud.
“Have you forgotten?” I retorted. “We’ve got a bar to plunder.”
We reached the hotel just after ten o’clock. Everyone had little things to do; I supposed Willie would shower and then blow dry his hair again, and Colin had nearly run to his room with the want to shower. Once we got to our room, Cameron took his shirt off and plopped down onto the bed, groaning about how nice it felt to relax.
I forced myself not to look at him; I knew if I did, I’d join him on the bed and we’d never reach the bar. I sat at the small desk and picked up the phone to dial my sister.
“Could you tell Lee I’m calling Lil?” I said to Cameron as it rang. “He wanted to say hi.”
“Sure thing,” came the reply from behind me. I heard Cameron stand, and he reached the door as my sister picked up the phone.
“Hello?” Her voice was groggy and laced with confusion.
“I know it’s late,” I blurted. “It’s me.”
“Oh, it’s you,” she mumbled. “Everything okay?”
“Yes, nothing’s wrong,” I assured her. “We just got to the hotel and I figured I’d give you a call.”
Liliane yawned before answering. “It’s nice to hear your voice again. How long has it been? Forty years?” she joked.
“You’re quite the comedian for almost two in the morning.”
“It’s two?” she asked, shocked. “What time is it for you?”
“Ten-thirty or so.” I turned at the sound of the door opening, and saw Cameron enter with Lee in tow. “Tonight was the second night of the festival,” I added.
“Oh, I almost forgot about that,” Liliane admitted with a small laugh. She was beginning to sound more awake as we kept talking. “How did it go?”
“Really well, Lil. You would have loved it. And I only had to slap one creep, so that’s a bonus,” I chuckled.
“Oh Lord, Emily,” she sighed. “Who did you slap this time?”
I delved into the story concerning the goblin from Goblin, which Liliane found hilarious. She laughed at my recounting of events, but told me I did the right thing.
“I would be rich if I had a dollar for every asshole I’ve wanted to slap.”
“Do it,” I urged her with a laugh. “Don’t hold back.”
“It’s okay. I live vicariously through you.”
“Speaking of living vicariously,” I replied. “I’ve got the resident daredevil over here.”
“I’m not a daredevil,” Lee interjected. “I can’t even climb onto a roof.”
I stood, letting him take over the chair. “What, did you want me to tell her you’re our resident wuss?” I heard Liliane exclaim something as I handed the phone to Lee, but I ignored her.
He put the handset to his ear and spoke softly. “Hello, Liliane. How have you been?”
I walked towards Cameron who stood at the foot of the bed with a smile. We didn’t speak, but he pulled me into his arms and we eavesdropped without shame.
“I’m glad to hear that,” Lee said. “Things are well enough here, too. Emily’s keeping an eye on me,” he added with a chuckle.
I looked up at Cameron and saw the delinquent look on his face. I suppressed a giggle and continued to listen to Lee.
“How has work been going?” He listened intently, then spoke again. “I’m glad. Don’t work too hard,” he joked. “We’re about to celebrate a bit. The festival went really well, and it’s Autumn’s birthday.”
I gasped, having forgotten to tell her about Autumn. “Lee, tell her about Willie!”
“I’ll let you speak to your sister,” Lee said into the handset. “I’ll write you a letter soon. Take care, Liliane.” With an outstretched hand, Lee stood and offered the seat to me.
I took the phone from him and sat down. “Lil, you would not believe it!” I said excitedly. “Willie has feelings.”
“For who? Autumn?”
“Yes,” I answered. “Do you remember I told you about Colin’s friend Joe?”
“Yes.”
“Jo is a nickname, her name is Autumn. And Willie likes her.”
I could hear the surprise in her voice when she next spoke. “How does Colin feel about it?”
“Cautious, I’d say. Honestly, I was a little concerned when I saw Willie being chivalrous yesterday.”
My sister laughed, but the sound was cut off with a yawn.
“I’ll let you go, though, so you can go back to sleep. I’ll send a letter soon, like Lee said,” I added.
“Tell Cameron I said hi,” Liliane told me. “Have a good night.”
“You too, sis.”
I hung up and stood, turning around to see both Cameron and Lee watching me inquisitively.
“You were concerned?” Cameron asked dubiously.
“You weren’t? I’ve barely seen the guy smile, let alone hold a door open for someone.”
Lee titled his head a little. “She’s got a point.”
It was nearing eleven when three of us arrived at The Concussion. Colin, Autumn, and Willie, along with Madman’s bassist Leon, had already established themselves at a large table and begun drinking. Rowdy cheers greeted us when we approached the table.
“I’ll get drinks for us,” Cameron informed me, and walked off towards the bar.
Lee and myself sat down, and were instantly pulled into the conversation. When Cameron returned, he sat beside me and put a glass down in front of me. I took a sip and found the fruity cocktail to be deceivingly enjoyable, and fleetingly wondered what the alcohol content was.
By the time the three Flintlockers, as we lovingly called them, with a moderately drunk Dale in tow, we’d just about drank the bar dry. Their raucous entrance was the final straw for the bar’s head of staff, who politely asked us to bring our party elsewhere.
We were a group of ten as we made our way onto the sidewalk and made our way to the next bar we’d chosen. I didn’t catch the name as we entered, but we were warned that the last call would be in less than two hours.
“You guys fucking killed it tonight!” Flintlock’s guitarist was heavily drunk at this point, but the compliment was appreciated.
“Kind words, Max,” Cameron said to him.
“I’m serious! That back and forth between the guitar and the keys, man! I’m not blowing smoke up your ass,” he added firmly.
“We enjoy the mock rivalry,” Willie told him. “Audience certainly enjoys it, too.”
I laughed, nearly snorting. “Mock rivalry my ass,” I sneered. I realized I was perhaps a little too drunk, but took another sip of this bar’s specialty cocktail.
Willie raised an eyebrow at me, but didn’t reply. Instead, he turned towards Autumn and struck up a conversation with her.
Cameron put his hand on my thigh, to get my attention. It worked well, and I looked at him with a curious expression.
“You’re cute like this,” he said with a smile.
“Like what?” I asked accusingly.
His sly grin made my chest tight. “Drunk,” he explained.
“I am not drunk,” I said, my tone as firm as I could manage.
Cameron hummed. “I would disagree,” he whispered.
I scowled at him, but he laughed. I turned towards the commotion on the other end of the table, and saw everyone laughing. Even Willie was chuckling, and he looked like he was enjoying himself. I’m sure Autumn’s presence beside him had something to do with it, but I wondered if they’d overheard my denial of drunkenness.
“Nice to see you smiling, Willie,” Dale teased. “Rare to see you without that signature pout of yours.”
Willie opened his mouth to speak, but Autumn chimed in, her voice revealing her inebriation. “Toss off, Dale! His pout is cute!” she gushed as she turned to look at Willie. He was gazing back at her, surprise clear on his face. Surprise turned to shock when Autumn took his face in her hands and kissed him firmly on the lips.
I gasped, but the holler from the Flintlockers drowned out the noise. Colin nearly choked on his badly-timed sip of beer, and I howled with laughter when I saw Willie’s blank stare. He had obviously not been expecting the kiss, and seemed a little embarrassed at having been caught off guard.
“I can’t quite argue with that, now can I?” Willie noted, somewhat gloatingly, as he looked at Dale.
Autumn was lifting a glass to her lips, but paused to speak. “You can try, but it won’t end well,” she quipped dryly.
Willie’s blank stare returned and I laughed again, though the sip I’d just taken of my drink tickled the back of my throat and made me cough.
“Don’t choke,” Lee warned. “We’ve already had to resuscitate Willie.”
Willie scowled, though with the newfound awareness of Autumn’s opinion of it, I wondered if it was a bid to get another kiss. Cameron chuckled, though he stood and announced we’d take our leave. He helped me to my feet and we said goodbye to everyone, wishing the Flintlockers well on the rest of their tour.
Once again, Cameron was able to wave down a taxi within seconds. We didn’t speak much during the short drive, which was fine by me. Cameron rested his head against my shoulder in an amusing role reversal, and I kissed his hair. He smelled of sweat and alcohol, but I didn’t care much.
While Cameron showered, I washed my face at the bathroom sink. The warm water felt refreshing, and for a moment I pondered joining him in the shower, but decided against it. I opted to undress, and promptly removed my blouse and skirt.
I chuckled, feeling accomplished as I looked at myself in the mirror. I’d bought it while the band were being interviewed on our arrival here, and promptly hid it from Cameron. It was mainly black, though the bra and underwear had red details. The garter belt had a small red flower embroidered on it, too, but the stockings really tied it all together. I had greatly enjoyed my day in this outfit with Cameron none the wiser.
I heard the water shut off, and my mind scrambled. ‘Fuck it,’ I said to myself, and ignored the thoughts. I took off the underwear—luckily I had put them on last for easy removal—and slipped under the bed sheets. I pulled the blanket to my neck and played with the garter hooks as I patiently waited for Cameron to exit the bathroom. Clearly, I was too drunk to think twice about anything.
He walked out after another minute, the towel wrapped loosely around his waist, and headed towards the dresser. I bunched my underwear into a ball and tossed them at him. They grazed his shoulder and fell to the floor.
“What’s this?” Cameron bent down and picked them up, immediately realizing what it was. He turned to me and raised an eyebrow.
“Hello,” I cooed.
“Hello,” he repeated. “Feeling good?”
“Very,” I assured him. “Why don’t you sit down?”
His puzzlement was obvious, but he pulled the chair out from beside the desk and sat, facing the bed. He still held my underwear in his hands, and briefly glanced at them. “These are new,” he mumbled.
“Keen eye,” I told him. “I’m a little warm, can you pull the blanket down?”
Cameron, at this point looking at me with suspicion, leaned forward and tugged on the blanket. My bra came into view as it lowered, followed by the garter belt. He froze when he saw the strip of fabric around my waist. “When did you put that on?” he asked in a whisper.
“This morning,” I said cheerily.
“You wore that all day?” he asked incredulously. “And let me walk around oblivious?”
“Yes.” I smiled widely. “It was a lot of fun.” I could see the surprise he felt, and urged him to keep pulling the blanket down.
Cameron didn’t speak, but slowly pulled the blanket off of me. I had my hand between my legs and was gently rubbing, and I could tell he was turned on. He sat, frozen, and watched me as I moved my fingers with more purpose. I kept my eyes locked on his face and couldn’t help but smile at his mix of shock and desire.
My fingers slipped, and I let out a surprised chirp. I could see Cameron’s throat move as he gulped and ran his hand through his hair. I could also see his want for me, even with the towel around his waist. Cameron tried to speak, but only a choked gasp escaped his lips.
“You can touch,” I said softly. I wasn’t sure he heard me, until he stood and took a step towards the bed. “No,” I said, and he stopped mid-step. “Not me. You.”
Without a sound, Cameron loosened the towel from his waist and let it drop to the floor. He sat down on the chair, and kept his eyes locked on me as he began to do as I’d said.
I thought I would melt, as I watched him. He played, his eyes watching my own movements unfailingly. It was only after I let out a soft moan that he spoke my name.
“Emily…”
“Yes?” I asked, though the question was closer to a whimper. The air between us was buzzing.
“I may lose consciousness,” he confessed with a low chuckle. “I, well, can I…”
I let out a short laugh and smiled. “It would be cruel to say no,” I whispered. “Come here.”
I stepped out of the bathroom and walked towards Cameron. He was laying on the bed, his hair messy and his eyes still soft. He pulled me onto the bed beside him and held me to him.
“You smell wonderful,” he murmured.
“And you smell like sex,” I chuckled.
“Hardly my fault, really,” he said quietly.
I kissed him, and sighed when his fingers traced the lines in my skin. I’d worn the garter and stockings for so long, it felt odd to have them off.
“The hooks left marks.” Cameron spoke to me in a soft voice, his gaze loving. “Though, you’ve certainly left a mark on me, as well,” he added.
“Did you like it?” I asked, suddenly a little worried. I didn’t feel drunk anymore, and my inhibitions were slowly returning. Had it been too much?
“Like it?” he repeated. “Don’t be silly. I’ve never wanted you so much, Emily.”
“Absolutely,” I told her, and led her into the room. I poked my head into the bathroom and warned Cameron not to walk out nude, then walked over to the only drawer we’d filled.
Autumn stood shyly near the foot of the bed, but happily accepted the shirt I handed to her. “Thank you so much. I would have brought clothes if I realized I was staying for the night,” she added.
“Don’t worry about it. Do you need underwear, though?” I felt shy myself asking, but figured I could do no harm.
“Oh, no, no thank you,” she sputtered.
“I have some I just bought,” I insisted. “They’re washed but I haven’t worn them. You can have them.” Her surprise was clear on her face, so I spoke again. “I may be crazy, but I’m not an animal.”
It was nearing noon when the eight of us gathered in the hotel lobby to make sure we’d all get on the bus together. Since Autumn had accepted Willie’s offer for lunch, he asked reception to call for a taxi once she and Colin had arrived in the lobby.
“Willie,” Colin called out to the guitarist as he made his way back from the reception desk. “I’m not in charge of Autumn, and I’m not trying to be,” he said with a quick glance towards her. “But you should be aware.”
Willie raised an eyebrow. “Of what?”
“If you so much as make her frown,” Colin began, “I will cut off every tip on your body.” His tone was firm, and very nearly intimidating.
I could see Willie fighting a smile as he replied. “Even that tip?”
Colin’s gaze was unflinching, as was his voice. “Especially that one.”
“Noted,” Willie said with a small nod. “Autumn, the taxi’s arrived.” The pair then left the hotel, likely unaware that we were all staring at them.
“I’m going to get shell shock from watching this,” Lee muttered as he turned towards me, confusion on his face. “Has she got one of your shirts on?”
At our arrival on the festival grounds, Cameron was pulled into a meeting with the sound crew in charge of recording the band’s performance—yesterday’s and today as well—directly from the mixing board. The record company had informed Geoff at the beginning of the year of their desire for a live album, and Amoeba’s largest performance seemed perfect for the job.
The band had chosen the album's name only a week ago, during the flight from New York to California. On prior tours, the stage had boasted minimal decoration; other than the necessary instruments and equipment the only accessories were the band's logo as a backdrop. On this tour, however, the band had opted to include an additional item—the Royal Banner of Scotland.
"What's the significance?" I had asked Cameron, once we'd settled into the hotel room.
"It's a pun, basically. You've seen the flag?" he asked.
I nodded. It wasn't used often but its appearance, a red lion on a yellow background, was striking enough to remember.
"It's called the Lion Rampant, for the way it's standing," Cameron explained. "On its hind legs, ready to strike. Claws out."
"Much like you," I quipped.
He chuckled, but agreed. "That's where the pun comes in. The lion itself is standing rampant, but Amoeba will run rampant across America."
If all would go according to plan, Lion Rampant In America would be released worldwide in December. By then, we would have finished the North American tour and would be gearing up for the stint in Europe. The hope was that Europeans would buy the album and want to see Amoeba in their hometowns.
Lee and I sat across from each other at the small table inside the trailer. I had arrived thirty minutes ago, wanting a break from the chaos near the stage, and found Lee laying on the couch deep in silent introspection. Now, as three o’clock slipped by, we talked.
“You’re not nervous about tonight, are you?”
“No,” Lee answered with a shake of his head. “We just have to do what we did yesterday.”
“I heard from Madman’s drummer earlier,” I informed him with a chuckle. “Told me how Downtown Rundown were pissed to have to follow your show.”
“I’m sure they were,” Lee retorted, a cheeky smile on his face. “There was barely a stage when we finished.”
“You’re not wrong,” I admitted with a laugh. “I’ll have put that in the letter for Liliane.”
“You’ll be sending a letter?” Lee asked curiously.
I nodded. “I haven’t written it yet, but I’ll probably be ready to send it in a few days,” I informed him.
Lee nodded in understanding. “How is she doing?”
“Good, I think,” I answered. “I haven’t spoken to her in a few weeks.”
“Give her a call tonight,” Lee suggested cheerfully. “A phone call is always nicer than a letter in the post,” he added.
“That’s not a bad idea, actually. I’ll call when we get to the hotel, so it won’t be too late for her.”
“What’s the time difference?”
I paused for a moment. “She’s three hours ahead. And we’ve got the little party afterwards,” I added.
“Autumn’s coming along for that as well, isn’t she?”
I nodded. “Her birthday is in four days, and she hasn’t seen Colin in ages. The least we can do is bring her to a party.”
“She’s a nice girl. I wonder how she’s getting along with Willie, though.”
“I wonder, too,” I admitted. “But from what I gather, she won’t be shy to kick his ass out if he’s anything but nice.”
Lee made a gruff noise of derision. “How will he manage?” he spat sarcastically.
We both turned to look as the trailer door opened slowly. Autumn stood at the threshold with a look on her face that I couldn’t quite decipher, but smiled politely when Lee stood.
“I’ll give you ladies some privacy,” he muttered as he walked past her and out the door.
It closed softly behind him, and Autumn walked towards the table and sat down. She kept silent for a moment, her eyes low.
“Trailer’s walls are thin,” she said with a small huff of amusement.
“Are they?” I replied.
“What’s he usually like?” she blurted. “I heard what Lee said, about Willie.”
I smiled in understanding. “You want to know why Lee thinks what he does?”
Autumn nodded.
“I can't speak as someone who's known Willie for decades. You'd have to talk to Cameron about that,” I conceded. “They've known each other since primary school, and I've only been spending time with Willie on the tours.”
“Still…” she mumbled.
“He's a closed-off man,” I told her. I understood her hesitation to speak, so I filled the silence with my voice. “Cameron told me once that guitars are therapeutic to Willie, and he's right. He's structured himself almost like a medieval castle.”
Autumn chuckled, and asked how I'd come to that conclusion.
“He's got high outer walls that he makes hard to climb over. If you get over that curtain wall, you're on his good side, but then there's the second wall. I don't know of many people who've gotten past that one,” I said softly. “In a castle, the innermost area is the keep. And I don't know how long it’s been since anyone has seen Willie's keep.”
“A poetic way to see it,” she noted.
I shrugged, not knowing what to say. Had their date gone badly?
As if she'd heard my unspoken question, Autumn spoke. “I had a good time. He was really sweet, and kind to the waiter. He's funny, too,” she added.
“I'm glad you enjoyed his company,” I told her earnestly.
She smiled happily, though very soon it became a sly look. “So, what about that party?”
Caught off guard with her question, I laughed. “You have superhuman hearing, too?”
“Maybe,” she replied with a wink.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I quipped. “But yes, we’ve got a little celebration planned. This festival is a big thing for the band so we’ll immortalize it with drinking. And you’re coming along, no matter what,” I added firmly.
“I wouldn’t refuse a strong drink and good company,” Autumn assured me. “Have you ever seen Colin when he’s tanked?”
As I stood, watching the five men pounding their hearts out on stage, I let my mind wander. I still felt much the same way now as I had the first time I’d seen Amoeba perform; only a little over a week after I’d first met Cameron. Nearly a year and a half had passed since then, and I’d grown to enjoy their performances even more than that first night.
Looking around at the others in the reserved area, I could see that most were enjoying themselves as much as I was. The guys from Flintlock, a three-piece Arizonan blues rock outfit, were mingling nearby with various women. Before Amoeba went on stage, the trio had been chatting with Cameron and Lee, who had then invited them to join our makeshift party later on.
The plan—though I had doubts that it would be followed—began by heading back towards the hotel once Amoeba’s performance had ended. A local bar, The Concussion, would be the starting point for our festivities. Three other alcohol-serving clubs were chosen as subsequent stops were along the same route, which was only two miles away from the hotel at its furthest point.
I hadn’t been too excited about the party, though I knew it would be a good time. From what I’d seen, the guys were mostly drinkers with occasional dabbling into pot and some hallucinogens, but I had been around enough drunk men to know it would go one of two ways. Besides, I had my own plan for celebration tonight…
During the last three songs of Amoeba’s set, Autumn and I stood beside each other and watched them. I jokingly asked if she was watching Colin or Willie, but the shy laugh she replied with was all the answer I needed.
She told me of their date once more, and I was honestly surprised at what she revealed. Wilie had asked her about herself, and been attentive as she replied to him. He’d told her about himself, too, little things about his love for music and past as a musician. He was impressed with her interest in guitars, and had been kind and thoughtful throughout their date.
Seeing Willie come off the stage, followed by the other members, I had to admit to myself that I’d never really thought he could be like that. I had to dispel the thought quickly, though, as Cameron strode up to me and spoke.
“Enjoy it?” he asked happily.
“Very much so,” I told him, though the moisture speckling his neck was distracting me from a more enthusiastic answer.
Cameron’s smile was sweet, and I kissed him. “What now?” he wondered aloud.
“Have you forgotten?” I retorted. “We’ve got a bar to plunder.”
We reached the hotel just after ten o’clock. Everyone had little things to do; I supposed Willie would shower and then blow dry his hair again, and Colin had nearly run to his room with the want to shower. Once we got to our room, Cameron took his shirt off and plopped down onto the bed, groaning about how nice it felt to relax.
I forced myself not to look at him; I knew if I did, I’d join him on the bed and we’d never reach the bar. I sat at the small desk and picked up the phone to dial my sister.
“Could you tell Lee I’m calling Lil?” I said to Cameron as it rang. “He wanted to say hi.”
“Sure thing,” came the reply from behind me. I heard Cameron stand, and he reached the door as my sister picked up the phone.
“Hello?” Her voice was groggy and laced with confusion.
“I know it’s late,” I blurted. “It’s me.”
“Oh, it’s you,” she mumbled. “Everything okay?”
“Yes, nothing’s wrong,” I assured her. “We just got to the hotel and I figured I’d give you a call.”
Liliane yawned before answering. “It’s nice to hear your voice again. How long has it been? Forty years?” she joked.
“You’re quite the comedian for almost two in the morning.”
“It’s two?” she asked, shocked. “What time is it for you?”
“Ten-thirty or so.” I turned at the sound of the door opening, and saw Cameron enter with Lee in tow. “Tonight was the second night of the festival,” I added.
“Oh, I almost forgot about that,” Liliane admitted with a small laugh. She was beginning to sound more awake as we kept talking. “How did it go?”
“Really well, Lil. You would have loved it. And I only had to slap one creep, so that’s a bonus,” I chuckled.
“Oh Lord, Emily,” she sighed. “Who did you slap this time?”
I delved into the story concerning the goblin from Goblin, which Liliane found hilarious. She laughed at my recounting of events, but told me I did the right thing.
“I would be rich if I had a dollar for every asshole I’ve wanted to slap.”
“Do it,” I urged her with a laugh. “Don’t hold back.”
“It’s okay. I live vicariously through you.”
“Speaking of living vicariously,” I replied. “I’ve got the resident daredevil over here.”
“I’m not a daredevil,” Lee interjected. “I can’t even climb onto a roof.”
I stood, letting him take over the chair. “What, did you want me to tell her you’re our resident wuss?” I heard Liliane exclaim something as I handed the phone to Lee, but I ignored her.
He put the handset to his ear and spoke softly. “Hello, Liliane. How have you been?”
I walked towards Cameron who stood at the foot of the bed with a smile. We didn’t speak, but he pulled me into his arms and we eavesdropped without shame.
“I’m glad to hear that,” Lee said. “Things are well enough here, too. Emily’s keeping an eye on me,” he added with a chuckle.
I looked up at Cameron and saw the delinquent look on his face. I suppressed a giggle and continued to listen to Lee.
“How has work been going?” He listened intently, then spoke again. “I’m glad. Don’t work too hard,” he joked. “We’re about to celebrate a bit. The festival went really well, and it’s Autumn’s birthday.”
I gasped, having forgotten to tell her about Autumn. “Lee, tell her about Willie!”
“I’ll let you speak to your sister,” Lee said into the handset. “I’ll write you a letter soon. Take care, Liliane.” With an outstretched hand, Lee stood and offered the seat to me.
I took the phone from him and sat down. “Lil, you would not believe it!” I said excitedly. “Willie has feelings.”
“For who? Autumn?”
“Yes,” I answered. “Do you remember I told you about Colin’s friend Joe?”
“Yes.”
“Jo is a nickname, her name is Autumn. And Willie likes her.”
I could hear the surprise in her voice when she next spoke. “How does Colin feel about it?”
“Cautious, I’d say. Honestly, I was a little concerned when I saw Willie being chivalrous yesterday.”
My sister laughed, but the sound was cut off with a yawn.
“I’ll let you go, though, so you can go back to sleep. I’ll send a letter soon, like Lee said,” I added.
“Tell Cameron I said hi,” Liliane told me. “Have a good night.”
“You too, sis.”
I hung up and stood, turning around to see both Cameron and Lee watching me inquisitively.
“You were concerned?” Cameron asked dubiously.
“You weren’t? I’ve barely seen the guy smile, let alone hold a door open for someone.”
Lee titled his head a little. “She’s got a point.”
It was nearing eleven when three of us arrived at The Concussion. Colin, Autumn, and Willie, along with Madman’s bassist Leon, had already established themselves at a large table and begun drinking. Rowdy cheers greeted us when we approached the table.
“I’ll get drinks for us,” Cameron informed me, and walked off towards the bar.
Lee and myself sat down, and were instantly pulled into the conversation. When Cameron returned, he sat beside me and put a glass down in front of me. I took a sip and found the fruity cocktail to be deceivingly enjoyable, and fleetingly wondered what the alcohol content was.
By the time the three Flintlockers, as we lovingly called them, with a moderately drunk Dale in tow, we’d just about drank the bar dry. Their raucous entrance was the final straw for the bar’s head of staff, who politely asked us to bring our party elsewhere.
We were a group of ten as we made our way onto the sidewalk and made our way to the next bar we’d chosen. I didn’t catch the name as we entered, but we were warned that the last call would be in less than two hours.
“You guys fucking killed it tonight!” Flintlock’s guitarist was heavily drunk at this point, but the compliment was appreciated.
“Kind words, Max,” Cameron said to him.
“I’m serious! That back and forth between the guitar and the keys, man! I’m not blowing smoke up your ass,” he added firmly.
“We enjoy the mock rivalry,” Willie told him. “Audience certainly enjoys it, too.”
I laughed, nearly snorting. “Mock rivalry my ass,” I sneered. I realized I was perhaps a little too drunk, but took another sip of this bar’s specialty cocktail.
Willie raised an eyebrow at me, but didn’t reply. Instead, he turned towards Autumn and struck up a conversation with her.
Cameron put his hand on my thigh, to get my attention. It worked well, and I looked at him with a curious expression.
“You’re cute like this,” he said with a smile.
“Like what?” I asked accusingly.
His sly grin made my chest tight. “Drunk,” he explained.
“I am not drunk,” I said, my tone as firm as I could manage.
Cameron hummed. “I would disagree,” he whispered.
I scowled at him, but he laughed. I turned towards the commotion on the other end of the table, and saw everyone laughing. Even Willie was chuckling, and he looked like he was enjoying himself. I’m sure Autumn’s presence beside him had something to do with it, but I wondered if they’d overheard my denial of drunkenness.
“Nice to see you smiling, Willie,” Dale teased. “Rare to see you without that signature pout of yours.”
Willie opened his mouth to speak, but Autumn chimed in, her voice revealing her inebriation. “Toss off, Dale! His pout is cute!” she gushed as she turned to look at Willie. He was gazing back at her, surprise clear on his face. Surprise turned to shock when Autumn took his face in her hands and kissed him firmly on the lips.
I gasped, but the holler from the Flintlockers drowned out the noise. Colin nearly choked on his badly-timed sip of beer, and I howled with laughter when I saw Willie’s blank stare. He had obviously not been expecting the kiss, and seemed a little embarrassed at having been caught off guard.
“I can’t quite argue with that, now can I?” Willie noted, somewhat gloatingly, as he looked at Dale.
Autumn was lifting a glass to her lips, but paused to speak. “You can try, but it won’t end well,” she quipped dryly.
Willie’s blank stare returned and I laughed again, though the sip I’d just taken of my drink tickled the back of my throat and made me cough.
“Don’t choke,” Lee warned. “We’ve already had to resuscitate Willie.”
Willie scowled, though with the newfound awareness of Autumn’s opinion of it, I wondered if it was a bid to get another kiss. Cameron chuckled, though he stood and announced we’d take our leave. He helped me to my feet and we said goodbye to everyone, wishing the Flintlockers well on the rest of their tour.
Once again, Cameron was able to wave down a taxi within seconds. We didn’t speak much during the short drive, which was fine by me. Cameron rested his head against my shoulder in an amusing role reversal, and I kissed his hair. He smelled of sweat and alcohol, but I didn’t care much.
While Cameron showered, I washed my face at the bathroom sink. The warm water felt refreshing, and for a moment I pondered joining him in the shower, but decided against it. I opted to undress, and promptly removed my blouse and skirt.
I chuckled, feeling accomplished as I looked at myself in the mirror. I’d bought it while the band were being interviewed on our arrival here, and promptly hid it from Cameron. It was mainly black, though the bra and underwear had red details. The garter belt had a small red flower embroidered on it, too, but the stockings really tied it all together. I had greatly enjoyed my day in this outfit with Cameron none the wiser.
I heard the water shut off, and my mind scrambled. ‘Fuck it,’ I said to myself, and ignored the thoughts. I took off the underwear—luckily I had put them on last for easy removal—and slipped under the bed sheets. I pulled the blanket to my neck and played with the garter hooks as I patiently waited for Cameron to exit the bathroom. Clearly, I was too drunk to think twice about anything.
He walked out after another minute, the towel wrapped loosely around his waist, and headed towards the dresser. I bunched my underwear into a ball and tossed them at him. They grazed his shoulder and fell to the floor.
“What’s this?” Cameron bent down and picked them up, immediately realizing what it was. He turned to me and raised an eyebrow.
“Hello,” I cooed.
“Hello,” he repeated. “Feeling good?”
“Very,” I assured him. “Why don’t you sit down?”
His puzzlement was obvious, but he pulled the chair out from beside the desk and sat, facing the bed. He still held my underwear in his hands, and briefly glanced at them. “These are new,” he mumbled.
“Keen eye,” I told him. “I’m a little warm, can you pull the blanket down?”
Cameron, at this point looking at me with suspicion, leaned forward and tugged on the blanket. My bra came into view as it lowered, followed by the garter belt. He froze when he saw the strip of fabric around my waist. “When did you put that on?” he asked in a whisper.
“This morning,” I said cheerily.
“You wore that all day?” he asked incredulously. “And let me walk around oblivious?”
“Yes.” I smiled widely. “It was a lot of fun.” I could see the surprise he felt, and urged him to keep pulling the blanket down.
Cameron didn’t speak, but slowly pulled the blanket off of me. I had my hand between my legs and was gently rubbing, and I could tell he was turned on. He sat, frozen, and watched me as I moved my fingers with more purpose. I kept my eyes locked on his face and couldn’t help but smile at his mix of shock and desire.
My fingers slipped, and I let out a surprised chirp. I could see Cameron’s throat move as he gulped and ran his hand through his hair. I could also see his want for me, even with the towel around his waist. Cameron tried to speak, but only a choked gasp escaped his lips.
“You can touch,” I said softly. I wasn’t sure he heard me, until he stood and took a step towards the bed. “No,” I said, and he stopped mid-step. “Not me. You.”
Without a sound, Cameron loosened the towel from his waist and let it drop to the floor. He sat down on the chair, and kept his eyes locked on me as he began to do as I’d said.
I thought I would melt, as I watched him. He played, his eyes watching my own movements unfailingly. It was only after I let out a soft moan that he spoke my name.
“Emily…”
“Yes?” I asked, though the question was closer to a whimper. The air between us was buzzing.
“I may lose consciousness,” he confessed with a low chuckle. “I, well, can I…”
I let out a short laugh and smiled. “It would be cruel to say no,” I whispered. “Come here.”
I stepped out of the bathroom and walked towards Cameron. He was laying on the bed, his hair messy and his eyes still soft. He pulled me onto the bed beside him and held me to him.
“You smell wonderful,” he murmured.
“And you smell like sex,” I chuckled.
“Hardly my fault, really,” he said quietly.
I kissed him, and sighed when his fingers traced the lines in my skin. I’d worn the garter and stockings for so long, it felt odd to have them off.
“The hooks left marks.” Cameron spoke to me in a soft voice, his gaze loving. “Though, you’ve certainly left a mark on me, as well,” he added.
“Did you like it?” I asked, suddenly a little worried. I didn’t feel drunk anymore, and my inhibitions were slowly returning. Had it been too much?
“Like it?” he repeated. “Don’t be silly. I’ve never wanted you so much, Emily.”
Willie has a crush, or more. Colin the protector. Emily the seductor. A wonderful blend of humor, sweetness, and heat.
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