Blu Dream - 1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Colston, Ohio was small city two hours away from Columbus that had a peculiar habit of attracting big things. This past week, I and an army of crew members under the Red entertainment and media payroll, we’d spent every waking hour preparing the Colston arena for a live concert. Weird luck and the mayor’s charm had managed to bring a genuine successful rock band to the sleepy town of Colston. Blu Dream, my favorite band, was coming to town. I still couldn’t believe it.

“Liron, they’ll be here in thirty minutes.” Carol Bradley was the woman who’d handed me this job a week ago. She’d given me a critical look and decided I was hired. I don’t know what she saw, but my bank account was grateful. Carol was managing the local crew.

“Hurry,” she said when I didn’t move from the bench in the sun.

Carol hurried off toward the production office and I jumped off the bench. I’d been working since six o’clock in the morning. It was now five and if the band showed up, I had no hope of seeing the sun again.

I say ‘if’ because yesterday, Carol had spent the day on a bender all day saying the band was arriving. Blu Dream got delayed in New York and we’d all gone home a bit let down by her tyranny. Stretching my hands above my head, I sighed and smelled my t-shirt. Ripe, sweaty, I wrinkled my nose at the stench. I needed to duck into the bathroom and wash up before I met the band.

Walking up to the front entrance, I smiled when I caught sight of the security team. Big burly guys dressed in black t-shirts and pants, their clothing did nothing to hide their sculpted bodies. I had a little orgasm every time I walked by them. I could imagine them frisking me; just the thought had me hard. The other day, Carol had sent me to the supermarket down the street. When I got back, my identification band had been in my pocket.

Lucas, the sexy Spanish one, had slipped his fingers into my tight jeans pockets and pulled it out.

“Liron,” Lucas said my name now with a wide smile when I reached them. “Is your wristband in the pocket again?”

“Do you want it to be?” I asked matching his smile. Five minutes in the bathroom and that’s all I’d need to get to know this stud.

Lucas chuckled and reached for my left hand. Blu Dream’s management had come up with black wrist bands with a barcode. One scan and my details showed up on Lucas’s pad.

“Maybe we can frisk you later, in the back.” Lucas promised his thumb caressing my inner wrist. A tingling thrill swept through me and I smiled. “My shift is almost over,” he said.

“Frisk all you want, Lucas.”

“Liron,” Carol called again and I sighed.

“She’s had it in for you all day,” Lucas noted. “You shouldn’t have told her off yesterday about making you stay longer.”

“I can deal,” I replied.

Winking at him, I ran into the bunker, past the production office where Carol was going through boxes of bulbs. The docking zone was busy with the stage crew carrying equipment up top to the stage. I navigated through their creative mess to the secluded quiet area where the dressing rooms were.

Five dressing rooms, two for the band’s crew, three for Blu Dream. The wardrobe crew had shown up an hour ago and taken over the two crew dressing rooms. Racks of clothing, and steel chests filled with supplies took up different corners of the rooms. My job description –dressing room assistant- meant I did what they wanted me to do from now on. Thankfully, the young woman in charge, Krista Jacobs, was friendly and she’d yet to demand the ridiculous.

But then again, this was only day one. We had four days with each other.

“Liron,” Krista said when I walked into the bigger messy crew dressing room. “You and I need to spend some time in Milo’s dressing room before he shows.”

I wondered if I’d ever get such a proposition from Milo himself. I’d probably cream my pants. Milo Kai, lead singer of Blu Dream, was a dark haired six foot tall gorgeous man. I’d had wet dreams starring Milo ever since I’d heard his first album at sixteen.

Krista pointed out two duffel bags on the floor. I picked both of them and followed her down the hall. We passed two doors and entered the largest dressing room of all. It had a comfortable relaxed feel. I was particularly proud of the sitting area. I’d helped carry in the two new couches, upholstered chairs and armchairs earlier. Blood red la-z-boy couches with spell binding cushions; I could imagine lounging on the three sitter watching movies all night.

Krista looked around the room with a critical eye. I’d reread the band’s dressing room rider so many times it was engraved in my mind. Milo’s dressing room was particular. He wanted a very quiet comfortable space, with no flowers in the room. Six post cards, five rolls of paper towels and bottles of water on a desk. Dressing space, one full length mirror, and a long table where the rest of the band could join him for meetings or dinner. He also had a private bathroom. I’d stocked brand new towels, soaps and a stack of tissue paper, the most expensive on the supermarket shelves.

Krista nodded in approval when she left the private bathroom. “Well stocked, but be ready in case he needs to add something. Milo gets ridiculous about his bathrooms.”

I was pretty ridiculous about my bathroom too. Krista’s comment just humanized Milo for me.

She opened the duffel bags I’d kept on the couches. “Put these magazines on the desk, some on the coffee table. These scribbling notepads go on the desk as well as these pens.”

I stared at the container full of pens and almost laughed. There were so many different types.

“Does he use them all?” I asked taking the clear container to the desk.

“Milo collects them. Each pen represents a city in the Kaleidoscope tour.”

“Oh wow,” I stared at the container. “Should I get him one for Colston city?”

“It has to be unique.” Krista pulled out a calendar which she came to hang over the desk. “I’ve watched many entertainment execs try to impress Milo with crazy looking pens. He always leaves them behind and somehow ends up with a pen for his collection.”

Interesting, Milo had a hobby. I suddenly wanted to be the one that gave him the Colston city pen. I helped Krista add personality to the room. It somehow ended up looking like a hangout joint, with a videogame center in the corner, the two-sitter couch set up before the console. A flat screen television on one wall was tuned to the fuse. Krista was a well of information. She talked about the tour so far, how they still had thirty more venues. Milo and his band mates were getting used to the rigorous schedule.

“You guys are lucky you’re not getting them on the first leg. Things are always extra confused when we first start a tour.”

I liked Krista. She reminded me of my older sister, Tara. Her attention to detail, her empathy, she obviously loved working with Blu Dream.

“Okay, now we head on to Rob’s dressing room and then Kardis’s. Are you going to be with me for the four days?”

“Yeah,” I said, hauling more duffel bags to Rob’s dressing room.

“Then your days will change to nights.” Krista flashed me a big smile.

Carol had warned me on my first day at work. I’d balked at the idea but the amount of money I was getting for the ludicrous hours more than made up for the inconvenience. I’d be able to pay the final installment on my college bill.

“I’m all yours, Krista, although, at some point, I’ll need to escape to clean up.”

She laughed and looked at my ravaged clothes. “And here I thought you always look like that.”

*~*~*

Milo Kai was definitely the most handsome man I’d ever seen. I’d seen good looking guys in my time. Being only twenty-two, that didn’t really amount to much, but still, I’d moved around. None of those men I’d thought handsome came close to the man I was looking at now.

The band posters and album covers lied. They probably did that on purpose to stop the already crazed fans from mauling Milo on sight. Just having him stand a few feet away was enough to explain why an arena capable of housing two hundred thousand people was sold out.

“Liron,” Krista jabbed a long finger into my ribs and I forced my attention away from Milo. “You’re drooling.”

I blushed, bright red, like a ripe tomato, my cheeks hot with embarrassment. I hadn’t blushed like this since third grade when Jane Finley had pulled my shorts down in gym class. All I could think about was how it would be like to be taken by Milo. Gosh, even the idea of kissing him had me hard. I wanted to kiss him and find out how soft his lips were.

Krista chuckled and handed me a black cap. I pulled it low over my face. Milo stood a few feet away chatting with Carol and the Blu Dream manager. Completely oblivious to my budding lust, I took the opportunity to study him unnoticed.

He would have made a perfect quarterback. His body trim and athletic, broad shoulders, slim hips and an ass that had me drooling. In fitted blue jeans, he was perfection. I wanted to touch and caress until I overdosed on the pleasure. He wore a black t-shirt that clung to his broad shoulders and a black cap on his head. I couldn’t see what color his hair was. The Blu Dream posters stuck on the walls around us showed him with black hair but there were rumors that he’d changed the color for the tour. I decided he’d look good in any color of hair.

Milo finished with Carol and Krista pushed off the wall. Carol and Blu Dream’s manager went off to deal with other matters and Milo turned to us.

“Milo,” Krista said her tone warm and kind, like she was greeting a close friend.

Milo smiled at her, the curve of his lips completely devastating me. I wasn’t sure I could talk if he turned to me. But why would he even be talking to me. I wasn’t part of his crew and-

“Liron,” Krista said, pulling me back from the vortex of my imagination.

I glanced up to find striking blue eyes staring at me. Milo’s arm was around Krista’s shoulder. She touched my elbow gently, her gaze knowing. I fought my blush this time, though I wasn’t sure what good it did me.

“Let’s go. Milo has sound check in ten minutes.”

I followed them down the hall listening to Krista tell Milo about the dressing rooms.

“Kardis has a hangover,” Milo said when she was done. He glanced at me speculatively. “Have the kid get him a cure.”

Kid, I scowled at the description. I’d outgrown that description at seventeen. I was no ‘kid’.

“I’ll handle it,” Krista intervened sending me a frown. She opened Milo’s dressing room. “What do you think?”

Milo walked straight to the couch and dropped on it. “Give me five minutes quiet, Krista. Don’t let anyone in here.”

Krista nodded, took my arm and led me out. She closed the door and smiled. “He likes it.”

“How do you know, he barely looked around,” I complained.

“Not saying a word is a good thing, Liron. Now tell me you know a fast hangover cure. Kardis must have spent the night partying.” She groaned dramatically. “I really hate his hangover drama.”

*~*~*~*

Hangover drama was an understatement. Kardis was a big baby. Complaining about everything from the type of towels we’d gotten especially for the band to the couches. I was pretty proud of the couches so his complaints just irritated me. It didn’t make sense that he complained, and then promptly stretched his six foot one body on the red couch. If he hated it so much, he should be asking we throw the darned couch out.

“Why the hell did you drink so much last night?” Krista complained, tight white lines appearing at the corner of her mouth. Even she was getting tired of Kardis’s griping. I’d thought she had the patience of Job when he insisted he wanted his shirts dry cleaned in thirty minutes. “You need to rest; all this complaining is not helping.”

“I don’t need mothering, Krista,” Kardis said closing his eyes.

I left the room quickly when I got the chance, almost running into Rob Kingsley, Blu Dream’s third member.

“Whoa, where are you running off to kid?”

The British accent was sexy, the nickname not so much. I looked up into green eyes and sighed. Rob was the pretty boy with perfect blond hair that fell just right and a wonderful smile. In another lifetime, he’d have made a perfect presidential candidate.

“I’m no kid,” I said stepping back.

Rob chuckled and raised his hands. “Did Kardis scare you out of his room?”

“No,” I lied. Looking up and down the deserted hallway, I decided I needed a break. “I’m going to get him a cure.”

Rob’s eyebrows shot up. “If it works, I’m taking you with us for the rest of this tour. We’ve tried everything from alka seltzer, coffee, honey, to bloody marys. Kardis is still grumpy as ever and Milo’s probably hiding out right now to get away.”

So that’s why the five minutes of peace, I thought glancing at Milo’s closed door. Biting my lip in thought, I smiled at Rob.

“I’ll bring back a cure,” I promised and ran down the corridor to the exit.

I ducked out and headed to the main arena parking lot. It was still light even though it was just after six o’clock. I took in deep breaths of fresh air happily. If it weren’t for this job, I’d be at the beach on Lakeside swimming with friends. Getting my phone out of my pocket, I dialed Tara, my big sis. She was a registered nurse who worked at Colston Lake Memorial hospital. She would know what to do with the hangover dude from hell.

“Liron, I’m glad you finally called. You’re ignoring my messages.”

I hadn’t had time to think about my phone in hours.

“I’m sorry; things are pretty busy around here.”

“I wanted to know if you’ll make it to dinner,” Tara said clearing her throat making me pause in the parking lot. “Dad wants to see you. I thought we should talk about that.”

I froze. The word Dad and specter tended to match in my head. The man was a judgmental prick who had forced me to pay my own way through college. You’d think it was because I’d told him I was gay. Nope, my father had been offended by the fact that I didn’t want to be a doctor. That was summer four years ago. I hadn’t set foot in his house since then.

“Tara,” I started.

“I know,” she said with a sigh. “You and Dad have a difficult relationship. How long are you going to ignore each other?”

“I don’t want to talk about this right now.” Family issues would have to wait for when I could actually think straight. “I’m sorry I can’t make it to dinner, Tara. I’m still at the arena.”

“Why’d you call?”

“I need a sure hangover cure.”

My green Toyota Supra was surrounded by expensive cars. Clearly, I needed a new ride, but I was a struggling graphic design student. Tuition, projects and school supplies sucked away most of my money. Add on living expenses and buying a new car felt like a dream for the distant future.

Opening the driver’s side door, I took pride in the fact that I probably maintained my engine better. My dad, the absolute bastard, had taught me the value of maintenance on a car engine. Too bad we couldn’t have a civilized conversation anymore.

“Did you get drunk again?’ Tara asked with a huff. “It’s only six thirty in the evening, Liron-

“It’s not for me, jeez,” I cut her off. The woman thought my life was a series of parties. My friends were hard partiers, but I knew when to control myself. Like now, with such a great paycheck about to come my way, I couldn’t have any screw ups.

Tara laughed, a happy contagious sound that had me smiling.

“Band members?” she asked. “Which one, is it Milo? He seems the type. I can’t believe you couldn’t get me a backstage pass.”

I sighed dramatically. The confidentiality contracts the crew had signed, not to mention the no-tolerance for unauthorized personnel demands were keeping us all in check. Management had put the fear of God in us in case we broke the rules. Any ideas of getting Tara or even my friends’ backstage had disappeared the moment I met Carol.

To make up for it, I had gotten Tara prime front row seats for the final concert.

“Tara,” I started to remind her. “You know I couldn’t get you in. Security is so strict.”

“Okay, spoil sport. You’re turning into a real tight ass. Keeping the juicy gossip,” Tara complained.

I started the car and drove out of the parking lot hoping no policemen were in sight. I’d hate to be pulled over for talking on my cell phone.

“Whoever this is needs to hydrate. Water, juice, no fizzy drinks,” Tara said. “Get fruits too, the juicy sweet kind like mangoes, apples, kiwi, and oranges.”

“I thought you were going to give me a miracle pill or something simple that will work like magic.” I complained driving to a Giant Eagle down the street.

“You wish,” Tara continued. “Are you really not going to tell me who it is?”

“If they need to eat, why not burgers or pizza,” I said diverting her question

“Fresh nutritious food, kiddo,” Tara ordered. “Call me later and tell me this person’s name.”

“Ah huh,” I hung up on her with a laugh. Tara was a gossip queen. She’d probably end up on national television disclosing Kardis’s hangover habits if I talked.

*~*~*~*

“Drink,” I said with my most stern tone handing Kardis another glass of passion/mango juice and watched him take it down.

For the last ten minutes, I’d forced him to drink three bottles of the expensive water we’d gotten for the band. He’d eaten a fruit salad from the caterer we’d gotten for the band, and now the juice I’d gotten at the supermarket.

Kardis had grumbled through it all, but he seemed better.

“Feel like you can stand on stage?” Krista asked. She was seated across him watching me move from the table laden with food to the coffee table.

“Yeah,” Kardis said looking at me. “You’re one persistent kid, what’s your name?”

I winced at the nickname and said grudgingly, “Liron.”

“Just Liron,” Kardis said with a raised brow.

“Liron Shaw,” I answered my arms crossed against my chest. I shifted slightly, my feet were killing me.

“Take a seat, you look like you’re about to fall over.” Kardis nodded to the arm chair across his couch. I glanced at Krista to make sure I wasn’t breaking a ‘don’t sit with the band members’ code.

She nodded and I sank into the chair gratefully.

“I have a cousin named Liron,” Kardis said studying me.

I returned the favor meeting Kardis’s brown eyes. He had dirty blond hair that fell around his face shaggily. There was nothing remarkable about his features but his personality more than made up for the average looks. Demanding and absolute, he had an unwavering confidence that made you pay attention to him.

Kardis was also a stunning bass player. He was married with two kids, the only one in the band. Rob had a long time girl friend. A Brazilian model that was camera-shy when it came to social outings. As for Milo, I wished for the millionth time that he was really gay. There were rumors but no actual proof. He’d been single for a while now and I couldn’t remember who he’d last dated.

“What are you day dreaming about?” Kardis asked bringing me back to the present. “Your eyes glazed over. Am I boring you? Do you think hanging out with me is a chore?”

“No!” I gasped shaking my head. If he were to even complain to Carol, she’d kick me out in a second. And I really did need this job. “I’m sorry it’s been a really long day.”

“Relax kid; I’m just pulling your leg.”

“Will you stop calling me kid!” I scowled at him. “I’m twenty-two for god’s sake.”

Kardis stared at me for a full minute. I stared at him in shock. Telling off members of the main act was not exactly a good thing right before they got on stage. Relief flooded me when Kardis started laughing.

“I like you, Liron. Krista, you should poach this one. He’s the first dressing room assistant that hasn’t sucked this tour. He has a mind of his own.”

I glowed. The simple comment made me so happy. I knew I was lost when I wondered if Kardis would repeat his comment around Milo.

The door opened and my heart stopped.

Milo walked in having changed into a navy blue button down shirt and black slacks. I could finally see his hair. Mink black, the rumor mills were wrong. Milo’s hair was cut short on the sides long on top. He hadn’t shaved and a dark five o’clock shadow graced his chiseled jaw. I wondered what it would feel like to run my fingers over his stubble. Press my lips against that jaw and take in Milo’s delicious scent.

I jerked my gaze away before I made a fool of myself. Not that I hadn’t already. My red face wasn’t something I could hide. Milo was crawling deep inside me with every minute.

“Kardis, how’s it going?” Milo asked and I gave up fighting the attraction.

His voice was so sexy, fantasies of listening to him purr seductively in my ear, with me writhing under him in bed caught in ecstasy, took shape in my head. My cock was ready to burst in my pants.

“Better,” Kardis answered quietly.

I glanced up to find Kardis watching me. I prayed to all the gods who would care out there that my face wasn’t red. This blushing business was seriously making my life hard. Thank God I hadn’t removed my cap. Pulling it lower over my face, I stood and started clearing the coffee table.

“Sound check was good, we missed you,” Milo continued. To my surprise and undying pleasure, he came up to the coffee table and took a piece of honey dew from the plastic container I was holding. His scent, clean and minty enveloped me and I breathed in deeply.

I tried not to imagine him wrapping his tongue around the juicy morsel. Turning away from Kardis and Milo, I decided to find Lucas. I was just horny and needed a distraction. What was wrong with me, lusting after Milo Kai like he was my next door neighbor? Nothing could happen between us, although a guy could dream.

*~*~*~*

Locked in a stall in the arena’s public bathrooms, my mouth wrapped around Lucas’s condom-sheathed cock, I worked to make him cum. Thanking him for the two times he’d made me cum five minutes ago. He gave a harsh cry and came hard with me stroking his cock until he finished. I stood up, wiping my mouth with my palm and he pulled me into a short hug, pressing a kiss on my jaw, his mouth traveling to my neck where he sucked on my skin hard. I closed my eyes hating how flat this felt. No passion, no emotion, it was just a mutual moment of relief.

Lucas let go of me and I stepped back. He pulled off his condom and dumped it in the trash.

“When do you get off work?” he asked. We’d been flirting for a week, now that I had him, I didn’t want him.

“Carol wants me to stay until the show ends tonight,” I said refusing to meet his gaze. I zipped up my jeans.

Lucas moaned in disappointment. “When do I get to have you again?”

Buttoning my jeans, I smiled when Lucas pulled me closer and cupped my ass possessively.

“I’ll let you know,” I said hedging.

In minutes, we both righted our clothes. I allowed him to pull me into a quick kiss before we left the stall. I walked to the sinks and splashed cold water on my face. My body tingled deliciously, but my mind was in confusion.

“Liron, don’t keep me waiting too long,” Lucas said as he left the bathroom.

I’d have to find a way to dump him. The sex was nothing special. No flaming heat boiling through my veins threatening to destroy me. Milo’s voice alone had driven me mad with need. I closed my eyes just thinking about what it would be like with Milo. One kiss would probably set me off.

I left the public bathrooms unsettled. Strange, since Lucas had given me exactly what I wanted. A free no-string attached orgasm. Why the hell wasn’t I wearing a wide smile?

I returned backstage, keenly aware that the field was starting to fill with people. The security team had tripled. I went through four checks just to get backstage.

Krista was talking to the caterer when I found her. We had an hour left. The show was starting at eight-thirty sharp and Krista wanted the band’s crew fed and bottles of water on the stage. I helped haul the cartons of water up to the stage. Sound engineers, camera men and the like were hard at work preparing for the show. The lighting was pretty cool; bright lights illuminating the stage, I paused for a moment just to take in the vast arena. In minutes, Milo, Kardis and Rob would be standing here playing to a roaring audience. I’d watch it all for free in the wings.

“What do you think?”

I turned quickly, surprised to see Milo standing a few feet away. My heart went into overdrive.

“Do you think we’ll impress Colston?”

“You’ve impressed us just by showing up,” I answered truthfully.

Milo chuckled and I bit my lip, amazed by that small rumble.

“Then it shouldn’t be too hard to make a lasting impression,” Milo said.

“Why did you choose Colston?”

Milo looked at me, his blue eyes bright with amusement. I was glad it was summer time; the evening light turned his eyes into bright blue orbs.

“Coz everybody else would have gone to Columbus,” Milo replied with a grin. “I like your cap.”

He reached out and removed it from my head. My hair wasn’t exactly stylish right now. Sweaty, icky, dirty definitely not a sight for the great Milo Kai.

“Blond and cute,” Milo murmured, he took a step closer.

I froze, his face so close I could smell the scent of lemon and honey on his breath. “They’re green like the sea, pretty.”

I blinked. My eyes, he was talking about my eyes. I blushed. Thank goodness for the fading light. He stared at me for a moment before he wore my cap with a grin.

“Kardis was right. Don’t disappear, Liron. We can talk later when the show ends.”

“What?”

“My dressing room, after the show ends, it’s a date.” Milo walked away and left me gaping like an idiot.

*~~*~*

An hour later, I stood at the sound board letting Milo’s voice wash over me. Soulful, thrilling, he looked like a dream on stage. Seated on a stool, the mic pulled close as he strummed an acoustic guitar, singing Kaleidoscope, I figured I’d died and gone to heaven. The crowd sang the chorus with him, clapping with the music. I moved my body to the beat, my soul flying with joy.

A soft touch on my shoulder startled me and I turned to find Carol smiling at me.

“I hear glowing reports from Krista. She’s really impressed with you. Good work, Liron.”

“Thanks.” I glanced at the stage when the song ended and Milo stood from his stool to start another song.

“I’m going to need you to come in around four in the afternoon tomorrow.”

“Are you letting me go home?” Looking at my watch, I gaped when I realized it was almost eleven. “Oh, wow, I didn’t realize it was that late.”

“The band will head over to their hotel as soon as they’re done. I have enough crew to handle anything they need. You should go home and get some rest.”

What was I thinking?

Milo wouldn’t have time for me after the concert. There were record label guests here to see them. I should know I’d helped Krista arrange the green room. Afterwards, Milo and the band would head out to whatever party their manager wanted them to attend. Milo had no time for me.

He must have been kidding about talking to me. Here I was taking it literally; I shook my head at my idiotic thoughts. Giving Milo one last glance, I let go of my crazy dreams and decided to head home.

*~~*~~*