The Rockstar's Intern

Chapter Thirty - Eight - Collins Ave

"Holy fuck Barbie! You're rich!" Snake hung his head out the window of the tour bus, his long red dreadlocks blowing wildly despite being tied back into a low ponytail at the nape of his neck. I said nothing as Asher stood to join him at the window. We had pulled onto Collins Avenue, the street that our estate sat on and my mother had aptly named after our family.

"Damn Barbie, he's not lying." Theo whistled between his teeth as we drove by a few of our blonde palomino horses up the long drive, and toward the sprawling white brick plantation style mansion with the dark blue shutters and red door. The place I had grown in. The place that now felt suffocating.

My eyes shifted to Asher who stood a little too still, unnervingly unmoving, taking it all in. And it was a lot. Especially for someone who had once been badly beaten at the hands of his own father, and homeless for a time in his youth. A horse whinnied out the open window, and it only added to my unease bringing him here. Bringing them all here. Into the mouth of hell, a mouth that breathed fire hidden beneath undertones of 'southern hospitality'.

As soon as the bus came to a halt in front of the circular driveway, Snake and Theo bounded off and straight to the fence line to pet or pester the horses, I couldn't be sure of which, while Asher hung back with me.

"You ready?" I stood and brushed my hands against the pristine white dress I had purchased from Sarah's store this morning. I had also purchased dress shirts and pants and shoes for the band. The clothing made them look like rock royalty, but I could tell the starchy shirt collar was already rubbing Asher's neck raw by the way he pulled at it.

"I'm more nervous than I thought I'd be." He admitted shoving his hands into his pockets. "What if they take one look at me and hate me?" I put a hand to his cheek, stepping onto the tip toes of my four inch heels to brush my lips against his once.

"Impossible." I lied. "Have you ever known anyone to not like you? People practically flock to you on a nightly basis." I smiled reassuringly, despite the way my heart was hammering against my ribs. In all reality, it was entirely possible my parents wouldn't be as accepting. Particularly my mother who didn't like anyone, including me most of the time. The only exception was her blatant admiration of Kent. She had always had her nose too high in the air to be a good judge of character.

I pulled Asher by the arm down the steps and interlaced our fingers as we walked slowly across the paved driveway to the grassy area. He squeezed my fingers three times and I squeezed his back, whispering I love you in my mind with each squeeze.

"I've never ridden a horse before." He confided as Victory moseyed over to the fence. Victory was a statuesque black mare my parents bought for me when I was thirteen to ride in equestrian jumping competitions. She whinnied and nuzzled her nose against his outstretched hand and I laughed.

"See, no girl is immune to your charms Adams." Asher blushed. "Victory here is mine, we used to compete together, but now that she's in her twenties she's living the good life. Just like me." I smiled up at him as he slung his free arm around my petite shoulders. "Maybe you can come back after the tour is over and ride her..." I murmured, keeping my eyes trained on Victory.

It was the first time we had discussed any future plans, and I felt tortured by nerves as the words passed my lips. Maybe this was just a summer fling to him. A girlfriend of convenience over the summer but as the tour came to a close so would we. The idea made my stomach twist into knots, but after last night and the way he made my body burn for him, I knew I was at his mercy for whatever he had in mind. Powerless to the pull of Asher Adams.