She held up her neck badge thing with a smile.

“Mary said to be on the lookout.” Matt opened the rope thing and she went through.

“Thanks for the ride, Paul.”

“No problem. Have a great show.”

Matt jerked his head. “Head down that set of stairs right there to your left. The dressing rooms and green room are below. You’ll probably hear them before you see them.”

She thanked him and made her way down. Again stopping when she got to the main hallway.

More chaos but at least these were people she recognized. Paddy and Vaughan stood in one large room, the green room she remembered, taking shots. Paddy was shaggier than he’d been the last time she’d seen him. A little rough around the edges.

Mary sat tucked up on a couch, reading a book as Damien drummed on stuff relentlessly.

“Can I help you find something? Or someone?”

Natalie turned to see someone walking her way.

“Uh.” She pointed into the room where Paddy was. “Found him. Thanks.”

Paddy looked up from where he’d been sucking on a lime and his face lit at the sight of her.

“You’re here!” He bounded over and swept her into a hug, swinging her off her feet before he put her down, kissing her soundly.

Man, she’d missed him enough to ignore the salt of tequila and the tang of lime.

She kissed him back, heard nothing else but the beating of her heart and the rush of blood in her ears as he took her from nervous to hot for him in seconds.

He broke, setting her back, looking her up and down. “You look fantastic.”

She handed him a tissue. “You have lipstick.”

He dabbed it off as Damien and Vaughan rushed forward to give her a hug. Mary was slower to get up as she was at the seven-month mark. “Glad you made it in all right.”

“Thanks for handling everything. The food and juice were exactly what I needed after the flight.”

“You knew she was coming and you didn’t mention it?” Paddy slid an arm around Natalie’s waist, hauling her close. “Best surprise ever.”

He was tipsy. But it was okay. She realized this was different for him, part of how he was on the road. It wasn’t like it had been before, either. He wasn’t slurring and out of control.

“Show’s gonna start in a few. Let’s be sure we have you a headset and stuff.”

Mary patted his arm. “Handled already.”

“You’re awesome. Thank you, honey. Now if you’ll excuse us for a minute or two.”

He took her out into the hallway and into a room two doors down and closed the door.

“Now. I need to kiss the hell out of you. Months without touching you. FaceTime is fine, especially when you let me talk you into dirty stuff. But this is a million times better.”

He pulled her close, grabbing two handfuls of her butt as he did, grinding himself against her. “You’ve made me hard already.”

Then he kissed her.

The kiss in the green room had been a nice one. But this one? This was a hot, dirty mouthfuck of a kiss and it sent shivers racing all over her skin as he slid his tongue between her gums and lip, against the inside of her mouth. He nipped her lips, sucked on her tongue, breathed her in like he had to simply to exist.

Her ni**les hardened as the notch between her legs got slick and swollen. Her breath came shorter and it was filled with him. He kissed and kissed and kissed her until he broke away, chest heaving as he tried to breathe.

Her fists held on to the front of his shirt as she tried to keep her shaky legs. “Wow.”

“I’ve missed you. So much. That kiss is a down payment on what’s going to happen when we get back to the hotel after the show. I’m going to lick you until you beg me to stop. And then I’ll lick you some more. And that’s before I f**k you. How long do I have you for?”

She swallowed hard and cleared her throat to find her voice again. “Day after tomorrow. I’m here for tonight’s show and tomorrow night’s. I leave after.”

“I’ll take what I can get. Damn. Baby, I’m so happy to see you.” He tipped his forehead to hers. “You look so hot right now, it’s taking all my self-control not to bend you over something.”

A series of bells sounded, and he groaned. “We’re up. Come on. You can leave your stuff here. By the way, love that jacket.”

She grinned and told him the story as they walked, hand in hand, down the corridor and then up some steps to the stage. He paused, waiting for his brothers. The opening band, Subzero Supernova, had gathered to watch them play, and Paddy introduced her quickly.

She barely managed to keep herself from fan-girling all over them. She’d loved them for years, and it had continued to frustrate her that they didn’t get the attention they so clearly deserved.

Paddy grinned at Shelly Avenida, their lead singer. “Did I ever tell you that Natalie was the one who suggested you guys as openers? She loves your stuff. Not more than my stuff. I mean, come on.” He winked.

Shelly turned to Natalie. “Really?”

“I saw you guys at Evergreen. Like ten years ago. I bought a CD out of the trunk of someone’s car that night.”

“Wow. That’s awesome. Thank you.”

“Nah, thank you. Soul Food Suicide and Atone got me through grad school. Well, that and violent video games.”

Paddy held her close, and she let herself be comforted by the way it felt. She’d tell him about her father later. Let herself simply enjoy this while she had it.