Free First Chance by A. L. Wood Page A

do you?” She asks, already knowing the answer.
    “ I’ll text you the tour stops and pop your trunk please.” I say while unlocking the door and getting out. 
    “Nat, please don’t leave like this. Give me a hug and promise me you’re not mad at me.” She pleads.
    I walk around to the trunk, grab my luggage , and then walk to the driver’s side window.  Reaching my arm in through the open window to pull her into a half hug. “I love ya, I'm not mad and I will get call you as soon as I can.” With that I walk away to my summer of torture.
    Hightailing it away from Layla's car, ready to get this meet and greet over, wonderin g which bus is the roadies. As I walk around the side of the bus, there he is in all his cocky glory leaning against the bus, one foot behind him propped on the bus cigarette in hand looking deep in thought. He notices me, flicks his cigarette, and walks in my direction a grin playing upon his face.
    “Why don’t you let me take your bag?” He asks, a little too late to start kissing my ass don’t you think, I say to myself.
    “No thanks. I'm quite a lright carrying it by myself.” I politely decline, even though polite is the last thing I want to be to him. As if he didn't hear me he tries grabbing my luggage away from me. “What part didn't you hear, the no thanks or, the part where I said I am alright?” I ask, on my last nerves why he is still trying to pull the bag out of my hand, I pull it back like we are playing tug-o-war with my belongings.
    He chimes in “Let me just help you.”  On top of everything with Layla, he add in and my day just keeps getting better.
    “ Your chivalry is unneeded.” As soon as I push the last word out, with as much grace as I can manage, the zipper breaks. At the same time he finally lets go. Ending with me falling flat on my ass with everything I packed littering the sidewalk surrounding me. I look up at him mortified. His grin is still in place but with a hint of mischievousness, almost as he planned for this to happen. And then I notice we’re not alone. What is it about this guy that brings out the worst in me? The entire band is now outside, along with what I surmise to be the roadies. Just staring. At me.
    That's when I feel the almost uncontrollable tears threaten to break from the dam and fall. My eyes are glazing over in a clouded mist. Don’t let him do this to you. Just breathe and you'll be fine. You can either let him know he affected you or act as nothing happened. I opt for the latter, using everything inside of me to keep the tears at bay.
    R aising myself to my knees, all the while still ignoring Steele who has made no move to help me, I start collecting my clothes and placing them back into my now broken suitcase.
    As I start picking up the last remnants of my personal effects, a pair of muscular thighs join me, meeting his eyes he pulls out his hand and introduces himself.
    “Liam" he says.
    And that was enough. E nough for me to allow this stranger to help me. When we are done he grabs my bag carefully holding the door of it shut to his side with one hand and yanks me up by my forearm with the other.
    “You’re rooming in our bus .” He informs me.
    Outraged . “Like hell I am, I'm not going anywhere near that asshole!” I yell.
    “Calm down Princess. Y ou'll be fine. Trust me. You will be much safer rooming with us.” He says in a soft soothing tone.
    “Safer? Safer how? Obviously this man has it out for me. That's why I am here in the first place.” I argue. I wonder how he conned Professor Roberts into forcing me to go along with the horrible idea.
    “He doesn’t have it out for you , and he didn’t plan for you to be our intern, hell he didn’t plan for us to have any intern. But if you want to fight it fine, I’ll let you have the say. You can room with five self-controlled men, your own bed, some semblance of privacy and you can even have a say in the grocery lists or, you can room on a bus filled with