Chapter 45

He glanced around the ready room as he hit the doorway, the towel in his hand already more damp than dry as he patted the sweat from his face. Either his sweat glands were over active or the older he got the more the heat of the stage got too him. A slight grin hit his lips as he finally found Carly, his brow flexing upwards as he heard what the women were talking about. It was a new side to her, one he'd never seen, but had read in words. As she described action on the old upright piano in the corner he nearly crowed. God if he could just get her past that shyness she had.

Leaning in his lips brushed over her hair. "Man I wish you had been my piano teacher."

Carly practically jumped out of her skin as his breath whispered over the nape of her neck. “David!!!” She squeaked out, “you..you...you should not sneak up on people like that!”

He chuckled against her ear, "But it's fun."

"Fun?" She grumbled, "there is nothing fun about giving people heart attacks!"

"I know CPR."

"I know CPR" she mimicked him wrinkling her nose... "well Mr Smart Ass. I'm ACLS certified! If you don't watch your self, I'll zapp you with 360 joules!"

His head twisted as he nipped at her ear. "Always knew you could be electrifying” His hands settled onto her shoulders, even the light squeeze he gave her making him wince. "How's about we get out of here? Get a bite to eat and maybe something cool to drink?"."

She giggled and turned to face him her breath catching in her throat. Her giggles faded away as she lost herself in the raw beauty of a sweaty grade A prime male. Her hands reached for his chest on their volition, trying to push the wet black cotton out of the way. The need to just feel his skin had her forgetting her reticence for the moment.

He grinned, his arms circling around her as he drew Carly even closer to his body

He chuckled again as she yelped, his lips pressing on her nose when it wrinkled slightly.

"Problem Ketsl?"

"Uhhmm, no" she whispered, as her hands continued their upward trek to gently sift through his curls.

He growled slightly as her fingers delved into his hair, all ideas of showers escaping him. "So as I was saying, wanna escape this place?"

She nodded silently as she breathed him in, her gaze moving to his face as his twinkling blue eyes pulled her in. She’d do anything, nearly, just to see those eyes twinkle.

He laced his fingers with hers gently, and started tugging her towards the door, hoping she didn’t catch the flicker of pain he knew would be on his face. Hell, ever since that damned accident in the late 90's every so often after a long spell of not playing his hand would ache after a long show.

It didn't happen often, but when it did....

"So Ketsl, will this be a wine type of night or you up for something harder?

"Yes, I could go for some wine, right about now."

His head shook as she missed the reference to his need. fuck if that one flew right over her head. He pushed a smile to his lips as they slid into the limo. "Wine it is for the pretty lady."

She smiled and sighed contently as she settled in the plush back seat of the Lincoln. "Are we going to a bar?"

He nodded to the limo driver, then leaned back with a sigh. "Only bar I want to see right now is in my hotel room if that’s ok with you?" He prayed quietly that she wasn’t the type to have to be on the go non stop, after a concert all he wanted to do was fall into bed or at least turn into a vegetable on whatever couch or chair he found.

"Just the two of us?'"

He closed his eyes as he flexed his aching hand a moment, "Not afraid of me are you?"

"No...David.” She watched quietly as he kept flexing his hand, her nursing skills racing to the fore. “Are you OK? You keep flexing that hand..."

He stilled the movement quickly, his eyes opening to encounter the worried gleam in her pretty eyes that were turning a darker shade of blue with concern. "Eh, I'm fine Ketsl. Not as young as I used to be you know." He leaned in and pressed a light kiss to her nose as the car stopped. "I'll shower and I'll be fine, don't you worry."

"Hh hmm." She gently took hold of his hand and ran her fingers over 'barely there' scar caused by the circular saw accident so many years before. "Is this what’s bothering you"

His eyes closed as the barley there brushes along his hand continued. "My fault really, I should have warmed up more knowing the tour was starting. Never bothers me, unless I forget."

"What do you usually do for this pain? Do you take something?"

"Fuck that shit," he muttered before looking over at her and smiling reassuringly. "It's nothing Ketsl, ain’t gonna dull the brain for a few aches and pains that exercise fixes."

"have you ever tried some complementary medicine? You know, like massage, reflexology, essential oils?"

"Not on my hand, Now if you're offering for elsewhere......" his brows waggled at the vision that came to his mind, her pretty little self naked and slippery with oil. "I Might even think to have a go with it."

Carly snorted at the 'naughty boy' look that came over his face "I bet you would! But seriously speaking, let me try something...it can’t hurt, I promise!"

He laughed as the car stopped and he opened the door. Sliding out he turned to help her out and nodded. "You can do anything to me that you want, and if I like it fuck you can do it twice or more."

Carly took his hand and followed him inside, unable to hold back the laugh at his comments.

He moved through the hotel and into the elevator, his free hand punching his floor as he leaned back against the lift's wall. As the doors dinged open he tugged her along the hall and into his room, walking her to the couch. "I'll be back in a flash. Let me shower off the sweat."

He stopped as he hit the door to the bedroom, turning to watch her a moment, "Call down for some wine and maybe something to snack on Ketsl?"

"Sure, what do you like, white or red? Carbs or protein?"

His shoulder lifted into a shrug as he turned and pulled the sweaty tee from his body. "Don't mind, don't care, as long as it’s wet and not too spicy."

Her breathing nearly stopped as she caught a glimpse of the Joker that turned into one long hungry look at the Taz. She reached for the phone, hand shaking as she hit the buttons for room service.

He stalked through the bedroom and into the shower and with quick economical moves he allowed the heat of the shower seep into his bones as he scrubbed himself clean. Throwing a towel over his head and one around his waist he walked into the bedroom, debating what to wear that might help him achieve his goal. The need for his little nurse had been born the first moment he really saw her, and with each moment spent in her presence it simply grew deeper. A roguish grin slipped onto his lips as he dropped the absorbent material from his head, his hands tightening the one at his waist before stepping back into the sitting area. "So what did you order us pretty lady?"