"We're so glad you could be here with us on the final stop of our West Coast Tour." He paused to let the surge of applause die down a bit. "You're the reason we've been getting up here night after night, all up and down the coast, for the past six months." Another crescendo of applause.
"We love you people, but we need to take some time off from touring to get back to the studio for a while. We're going to miss you guys. And thanks for being here to make our final show so special!" I felt a surge of energy run through me that was more satisfying than any chemical high, as the crowd cut loose again.
"For our last song of the evening we'll be featuring the vocals of our wonderful and talented drummer. Why don't you all give it up for Miss Juliet Vargas!"
I raised my hands over my head, twirled my sticks in the air, and pounded the double bass again as the spotlight opened up on me. The roar of the crowd surged. I did a hair flip, and they went nuts.
But as much as I love a good audience, my theatrics for the evening were mainly directed at two very specific individuals. I couldn't see them with the bright lights shining on me, but I knew they were somewhere in the first two rows with the VIP tickets I had left for them.
I leaned forward into the mic. "This song was written by some good friends of ours back in the LBC, and tonight it goes out to a couple of very good friends of mine who are out here in the audience. Natasha and Charlotte, this one's for you. She Has a Girlfriend Now.
"One. -- Two. -- A one, two, three, four." I slammed my sticks down on the skins and the horn section joined in for a minute, just before I started in with the duet between the lead singer and me. As I sang, I thought about Charlotte. I wondered if she had fainted yet.
When I worked out all the details with Natasha over email, we both agreed to keep this part of the show a secret from her. It was electrifying being up here on stage -- I truly loved performing -- but the idea of singing directly to those two made me shiver a little. I figured I'd be lucky if I wasn't the one fainting when the curtain closed tonight.
I continued pounding the drums with enthusiasm while I thought about my two favorite girlfriends.
Were they my girlfriends?
They were married now, but the way Natasha had pitched it to me, I had a feeling that there was room for a third. So yeah, I guess I had two girlfriends. Much better than I had been doing in the dating scene otherwise.
Every word of the song that I sang was true. I didn't like boys anymore. But finding the right girlfriend was proving to be difficult for me. The bar had just been set too high by Natasha and Charlotte for anyone else to ever stand a chance of measuring up.
The band was really jamming now. The lead singer kept working the crowd into a frenzy with his antics, and the horn section was on fire tonight. And I kept belting it out right up to the very end. "Thank you, San Diego. We are The Mighty Mighty Big Fish and we love you! Thank you, goodnight!
I did one final hair flip before I reached up and shoved my dreads out of my face. I had really worked up a sweat and my hair was sticking to me. A quick run through the shower was definitely in order.
*
I emerged from the dressing room feeling clean and refreshed, and still a little bit damp. I scanned the VIP area for familiar faces when I saw Natasha beaming, and Charlotte bouncing up and down, clapping. I walked into a very enthusiastic and satisfying group hug. "Oh, I've missed you guys. How long's it been?"
"About three months since the last show we were at," Natasha said. Charlotte didn't say anything, she was too busy planting kisses over every inch of my face.
"I missed you too, Charlotte." I ran my fingers over the elegant choker necklace that she was wearing.
Could it be?
"Oh my god," she said, not paying any attention to my fingers. "You guys planned this whole thing with the song and you didn't tell me?"
"We thought it would be better as a surprise," Natasha said.
"Oooh, you are both so dead." Charlotte had balled her hands into fists and was busy dishing out equal punishment on both Natasha and me. She wasn't going full ninja warrior on us though, just playing. I wrapped her up in my arms and eventually she settled down to a simmer.
As I held the bouncing Charlotte to my chest, Natasha leaned in and laid a big open-mouth kiss on me -- complete with tongue. If we kept up this pace, it was going to be a very good night indeed.
"You guys want to go get a drink or something?" I asked. "I might get mobbed in the bar here, so if you want to go somewhere else ..."
"Here is fine," Natasha said. "We can share you with your adoring public for a while before we spirit you away and ravage your body." She ran her finger over my arm and stared, like she was sizing up a piece of meat, then winked and took my hand. I shuddered just a little before letting Charlotte take my other hand to lead me away.
The thing about being a minor celebrity was that every so often somebody wanted my autograph, and that night at the bar was no different than usual. And ever since we added She Has a Girlfriend Now to our set-list, I was getting more and more requests from the women in the audience.
I had signed photos, programs, sheet music, and more than a few body parts. I had signed my name on breasts, thighs, tummies, and even on one woman's bare ass, which she so graciously displayed by sliding her already low-rise jeans down until she was practically indecent.
I had also gotten my share of proposals and promises of a good time for the night, but I had never taken anyone up on their offer. I figured they just wanted to tell their friends they slept with somebody famous, no matter how minor a celebrity I might be.
I wasn't a prude or anything, I just didn't need the drama. I already had my two favorite groupies who would occasionally drop in for a show and a wild night -- and between times I had my memories and my own fingers -- I really didn't need any more than that. I finished signing a woman's arm and turned back to my mineral water and my two favorite fans.
"You've developed quite a following since the last time we saw you," Natasha said.
"Yes, My Queen." I watched as Charlotte smiled and Natasha raised an eyebrow. That was part of the deal Natasha and I had worked out over email. I told her if I were to consider spending the summer with them, it had to be like our time in Mexico. I had to be Natasha's submissive, and not Charlotte's girlfriend.
I'd certainly be happy as Charlotte's girlfriend, but I had no desire to put a strain on their marriage. I figured it'd be easier to set limits with Natasha in charge. Plus, I'd be lying if I said I didn't fantasize about her as Queen Cleopatra, with Charlotte and me as her devoted slave girls, almost every time I slid my fingers between my legs.
"Starting already, are we?" Natasha grinned. She had her hand on my thigh under the bar. I saw her nod at Charlotte and felt another hand on my opposite thigh. I exhaled and reached for my mineral water as I felt their hands working slowly up and down the legs of my jeans before coming to rest right on my crotch.
Wow.
"Let's relax a while before you throw yourself at me. You may address me as Miss Natasha during this time."
"Yes, Miss Natasha." I shuddered as I said it. I don't think I was the only one who was excited either. Charlotte had a little twinkle in her eye too.
I nodded, swallowed hard, and reached for my mineral water again. My hand was shaking as I picked up the glass. Charlotte was rubbing her fingers over the crotch of my jeans, and I'm pretty sure Natasha's hand was on top of hers, encouraging her movements.
"Hey, can I get your autograph?" Some young guy appeared over my shoulder thrusting a paper and pen in my direction. "You guys were so hot tonight."
"Uh -- um, sure," I said. "Who should I make it out to?"
He told me, and Natasha and Charlotte showed me no mercy while I scrawled the message on the paper. If anything, they had increased their efforts. I was almost afraid of what my jeans would look like when I finally stood up.
"Hey, thanks," the guy said. "Is it true you're really breaking up?"
"What? No," I said. "We're just taking a year off to work on our own projects. I don't know who started this rumor about us breaking up. We're not, I promise. Just getting some individual creative differences out of our systems."
"Oh good." He seemed relieved as I passed the paper and pen back to him. "I sure hope you guys stick together. I hate it when a band breaks up because somebody gets a big head and wants to go solo. Never works out."
"Then I expect we'll see you again next time we're on tour."
"You bet." He smiled. "Thanks, Miss Vargas."
I smiled back. Miss Vargas indeed. These fans were getting younger all the time. Add that to my list of reasons not to fool around on tour. Well, except with the two beautiful women who were trying to get in my pants right here at the bar.
