This story is pure fiction.
"I will be right back Sati." Liz said to the large golden retriever as she hooked the leash around a pole outside the convenient store. The dog sat and looked up at Liz with big brown eyes of understanding. Liz smiled and scratched the furry head before heading into the store. Fifteen minutes later Liz emerged with a couple of bags and Sati being baby talked to by a man with long, dark curly hair.
"Sati, are you flirting again?" Liz smiled as the man stood to greet her. She recognized him immediately as Mike Inez from Alice in Chains, her gaze taking in the large bus parked further away.
"She's a pretty girl." Mike grinned, leaning to pet Sati again. Sati leaned against his leg, pushing him back a step.
"You do realize once she leans you are stuck with her until someone else comes along." Liz smiled, watching him melt under Sati's spell.
"I'm Mike." He grinned shaking her hand.
'I'm Liz and this is Sati, she is sort of a flirt." Liz replied. Mike's head fell back with a laugh as Sean Kinney walked up to them.
"Mike, did you find the only dog around again?" Sean leaned over to pet Sati, who immediately scooted over and leaned into his leg.
"I told you she's a flirt." Liz said
"I see that." Mike chuckled as Sean stood and introduced himself.
"What about the owner? Is she a flirt too?" Sean asked, his voice laced with humor.
"God I hope not since she is married to my best friend." Liz stated, smirking at their confused looks. "I'm the dog sitter, but I love her like she was my own, right Sati." The dog looked at Liz and moved, her tail wagging expectantly.
Sati pulled at the leash, ready to move on. Liz unhooked Sati from the pole and excused herself from Mike and Sean. She was going to ask for autographs but they seemed so nice she didn't want to break the vibe or annoy them.
As the guys went into the store, she and Sati found a picnic table in the shade and Liz un-wrapped a loaded foot long hot dog from the bag and a jar of spicy pickle slices. She was talking to Sati, asking the dog if she maybe should have got an autograph or at least a picture. The dog watched her closely, not because of what she was saying, but because she was clearing off part of the hot dog for Sati.
Mike and Sean stopped as they came out of the store, watching as Liz put a travel bowl down and filled it with bottled water for Sati, talking to her during the process. They both wondered about her sanity and grinned, deciding to join her.
"Would you like some more company?" Mike asked as he and Sean sat at the picnic table across from her and Sati. Liz smiled and nodded, moving her stuff out of the way.
Sean questioned her ability to eat the foot long even after she started pulling chunks off for a patiently waiting Sati. Jerry Cantrell and Will Duvall ambled out to the picnic table as Liz was opening the jar of spicy pickles.
"What's going on over here?" Will asked, casually grabbing the other end of Liz's bench, leaving the spot next to her for Jerry.
"Mike and the dog were flirting so Liz and I thought we better chaperone." Sean quipped making Liz laugh as she fought the jar of pickles. Jerry politely took the jar from her and gave it a quick twist, handing it back after hearing the seal pop. Mike introduced her as she added spicy pickle slices to her already heaping hot dog.
"I have to stick around long enough to see you attempt to eat that." Sean snickered as they all watched her neaten the pile. Before putting the lid on the pickles she held the jar out.
"Anyone want a spicy pickle?" Liz asked setting the jar on the table. She watched their reactions as they snickered at her question.
"I told you they never get past twelve." Liz leaned over and told Sati, who was still sitting beside her. That comment made them laugh as a few of them reached for the jar. Mike and Will decided the hot dog looked good and went to get their own, leaving Sean and Jerry to watch her attempt the first bite.
Liz answered a few questions and soon Mike and Will were back with foot longs for the rest of them. Jerry grabbed the pickle jar and heaped his dog with the spicy slices, making Liz grin in his direction.
"You hit his soft spot with the pickles; he will probably follow you home now." Sean teased when Jerry put the jar back on table.
"Maybe, you got a pool?" Jerry chuckled.
Liz looked at Jerry and thought that wouldn't be all bad for a night. His eyes looked a bit tired and aged, but otherwise he was still handsome and gave off a sexy aura. Feeling herself stare she shook her head and took another bite.
"I can't believe you ate all that, you must have a hollow leg." Sean said as they had all finished eating.
"It's the left one, later I will pop it off and empty it, bulimia of the leg." Liz said seriously, her lips twitching as she tried not to laugh.
"If nothing else you are creative. What do you do for a living besides watch over dogs?" Sean asked chuckling.
Liz told them she was a photographer, specialized in underwater but also did other forms. She was house/dog sitting for friends for a couple weeks, then off to Florida to photograph a shipwreck.
"No husband or boyfriend?" Mike asked.
"No." Liz said casually, looking up to find them watching her curiously.
"My husband was killed in a car accident six years ago." Liz stated, catching them by surprise. "I've tried a few boyfriends but honestly with my schedule it's hard to pin me down for too long."
"It's ok" Liz smiled when the guys started apologizing. "We had a great marriage and I feel lucky. It's not like I turned into a nun, I get out now and then and when I want to get laid I do it, no worries." Liz laughed at their surprised expressions.
"Come on, if anybody would understand I figured it would be a rock band. Don't tell me you guys have never screwed anyone just because you wanted to with no strings attached." She pointed out. They all shrugged knowing she had a point.
Baldy, the band's long time traveling companion, showed up at that point and the guys introduced Liz to him before he said they needed to get a move on. Liz finally got the courage to ask them for a picture so she could show it off to her friends. They laughingly agreed as she pulled a Nikon camera out of her shoulder bag. After making a few adjustments, she gave Baldy a quick lesson with the camera and posed with the band for a few shots.
The guys were having fun posing in silly positions. During one pose Jerry had his arms around her and his hand lightly rubbed her breast.
"Get a good feel?" Liz whispered to Jerry while he pulled his arms away. He grinned and nodded, dipping her back after Baldy said he should give her a "Hollywood kiss." Liz kicked her leg out with a giggle until Jerry pressed his lips to hers. Sparks shot through her as his tongue tasted her lips and she gave a barely audible moan.
It was over before she knew it and felt him lifting her back to her feet. Quickly composing herself she felt the guys all huddle around her, Jerry and Sean on each side, Mike and Will on the outside. She called Sati over and had her sit in front of them.
Liz thanked them for the photos and company, each of them giving her a hug and patting Sati on the head. Jerry hugged her saying he would be right back. While he jogged to the bus she found paper and pen and wrote her cell phone number down. What the hell, he was hot and she was suddenly horny. Jerry came back with a couple of passes, one said Media and the other said VIP/All Access/Pkg.
"Come to our next show and take pictures, I might know some interested people if they are good." Liz nodded and thanked him, handing him the slip of paper with her number.
"In case you are interested or just want to talk." Jerry looked at the paper, smiled and nodded, and then he was gone.
Two days later Liz was in her Miata humming along the freeway to the concert. It was a six hour drive and she had the neighbors take Sati so she didn't have to drive back after the show.
The music blared from her stereo, the top was down and wind whipped through her hair. She had a Canon camera, the passes, and a small overnight bag. Her 5'4" frame had on slim blue jeans and a stretchy, white v-neck shirt, and her feet were clad in white tennis shoes.
She smiled thinking she didn't look too bad for just turning 40. She was starting to get some laugh lines around her mouth, but her dark blonde hair with natural highlights and wide green eyes kept her looking younger. Her body was slim and toned from exercise and yoga.
The miles passed quickly as she daydreamed about Jerry's lips and how they felt against hers. She wondered what it would feel like to be naked next to him, their bodies rubbing and generating heat. She shifted slightly, realizing she was making herself wet thinking about it. She willed herself to think about her next job and which lenses to use and how to get the perfect lighting. This kept her mind busy until she pulled into the hotel.
Liz arrived at the concert an hour before show time and was amused at how her VIP pass put her in special parking leading to backstage. She still had to walk, but it wasn't the mass of cars she had seen out front. Slipping backstage she wandered around, eventually bumping into Baldy.
