You Love Somebody

12 (Anna)

The Chicago shows coincided with a June heatwave. The temperatures were constantly running up around 90°F, and it was a struggle for the stage crew, who were doing a lot of manual labour in the heat. Anna was busy keeping up with the members of the crew, who showed symptoms of heat stroke, and she worked with the caterers to make sure that people stayed hydrated and cooled down with ice pops and breaks in areas with air conditioning. 

Backstage the temperature was tolerable, but everyone wore less and lighter clothes to deal with the heat. Anna wore a thin, white summer dress, which didn't leave much to the imagination. She was getting a bottle of cold water from the catering area, when Eddie suddenly stood next to her.

"You look beautiful," he said while fixing himself a plate of fruit. She looked up at him. He was wearing a pair of shorts, but no shirt. His muscular, tattooed torso glistening with sweat. She smiled and held eye contact, challenging him to be the one to break it.

He smirked at her, making her blush. She ended the staring contest and took a deep breath. There was a warm, bubbly feeling in her chest, and she knew it was the anticipation of the promise he made her.

"How are you holding up in the heat?" She asked, offering him a bottle of water.

"Yeah not too bad," he grinned and looked down his bare chest. "Lots of cold showers," he winked at her and chuckled. "How about you?"

She fanned herself with her hand and laughed. "I think I need a cold shower, myself."

He very openly looked down her body, pausing in certain places taking in the view. Her dress was open in the back, and tied on the back of her neck. She wasn't wearing a bra, which she thought was safe enough in that dress, but the way he looked at her made her question if her breasts were visible through the thin fabric. He bit his bottom lip and caught her gaze, as he exhaled and then inhaled deeply. She felt her pulse quicken and had to take a sip of water to cool down.

"Don't spill on your dress," Eddie whispered. "Thin fabric like that becomes see-through."

She nearly choked on a sip of water and coughed. He patted her back to help her, but the touch of his hand on her back was like an ignition. She let out a shaky breath as he held his hand on her back.

"Are you alright?" He asked teasingly.

She shook her head.

He made a confused expression on his face. "Why not?" He asked.

She decided he needed a taste of his own medicine, so she turned slightly and looked up at him, as she put her hands on her sides and stretched the fabric of her dress, so the outline of her breasts became clearer. "Because it's hot enough in here already, and then you have to come around and make it even hotter," she said before she smirked at him, turned on her heels and walked away.

***

The local medical team was ready to assist the fans, who were piling into the stadium, packing it closely. In the heat it was essential that everyone had water and that they didn't squash each other. Anna wore a medic vest on top of a pair of shorts and a top. She wanted to assist with the audience. She spoke to Andy about it, and he thought it was fine if she was sure she could handle it. She was packing her medical bag when she heard Eddie discussing with Andy.

"But it's not safe, Andy. I would appreciate it if she stayed backstage."

"Listen Eddie, she's a professional and a doctor, she wants to help..."

"And I want her to be safe. Can you please convince her to stay backstage?"

Anna stepped out from her office in the middle of the discussion. "How about I only help the ones in the front pit then?"