All too soon we were there. The funny non-opulent outsides, the lines of people, the doormen taking ID's, and the very downplayed lighting--loud music from inside. We drove around the block and actually got out to go in an external employee entrance or something. There was a line there as well, but these folks all had special passes, as did Rafe.

"You have to have a pass to get in here?"

"Yeah." He escorted me along, passing by people who were greeting him, high fiving, shaking hands, fist bumping, calling his name and otherwise taking phone pics of him--- he smiled and laughed and moved on past-- making sure not one person manhandled me in any way. He was really good at that.

He didn't elaborate about why he needed a pass, but we were let in instantly, and he continued to escort me through hallways, into the dark interior, up on a balcony with tables overlooking a stage like he'd described and a filled dance floor. Light banners hung from the high ceiling, from the balcony to the floor. The heat was synergistic, instantly erotic and ethereal. It hit me with a flaming burst of Rafe's energy like a wave-- a tidal wave. One lower wall was a bar. Neon lights plastered different places in peculiar gyrations. It was at once beautiful and to me--- the epitome of Babylon. I couldn't help it. I wished fervently he hadn't said anything about the false Gods and the golden calf.

He had the small of my back firmly. He walked close, beside me, leading without seeming to lead. It seemed like I was preceding him, but I wasn't as I had no idea where he wanted to go. He found us a table really quickly, in a spot especially set apart obviously--- we needed the pass to get in there too.

Almost immediately he was hugging people.

Tall guys, guys with funky long hippie hair, or hair tied back in clever ponytails, and women in slinky sexy dresses with their big fake boobs hanging out, models. All of them. I felt sick again.

You had to really speak loudly--- almost yell to be heard.

And then Rafe pulled me close to a tall guy with longish brown hair, wearing a tuxedo, with a short glass of something alcoholic in his hand, he stared at me curiously, and I knew this had to be one of the band members.

"Aubrey, this is my best friend Ben, I've known him since I was eight. He was a stupid little kid, but we made a band in Junior High and we've been at it ever since. Ben this is my--- my Aubrey."

The way he said it Ben had been waiting to hear if he would introduce me as a girlfriend, or a--- whatever--- but he seemed satisfied. His eyes were also so full of light and dark purpose--- you felt it right off. His hand shake was electric, and he pulled me in, pulling me off balance, and Rafe laughed and laughed.

"Where'd you come from, Aubrey?" Ben was intense, like Rafe. I could see instantly why they'd be friends.

"Originally Montana."

He cocked his head, and eyed first me and then Rafe appreciatively. "You're the Montana girl? The neighbor? No way!" He reached out and hugged me again, and I smelled his breath-- that cloying alcohol odor. I had smelled it many times in my work.

"She's a doctor." Rafe said, and for the first time I detected this sincere pride in me. I blinked at him slowly and he squeezed my waist.

"You work on saving little babies, right? Rafe told me. Very impressive." he looked over his shoulder and craned his neck, finally spotting his wife--- or girlfriend, or significant other--- she turned out to be his girlfriend, Addie, a tall, willowy thin beauty, with tons of makeup and a sparkly gold dress cut to barely cover her butt, or her neck. He motioned for her to come over.

Even in her heels she walked gracefully. Her blonde hair was up in a lovely swirl, and left to fall in a huge straight cascade over her shoulder. Her lips were a dark red pout, and her eyes were not as bright as some--- maybe due to drink--- she carried one for sure.

"Addie, it's Rafe girlfriend! She's a doctor." Ben said and ran his hand down her bare back to her hip and then unerringly over to her butt. I looked away.

"Nice to meet you. What'd you say your name was?" Her voice was low, and sultry and slurred as well.

"Aubrey Mann." I said politely. I glanced quickly around the balcony area at the upwards of twenty people, spotted Lance and reached for Addie's extended hand, tipped with her super long, super red nails. Her hand was clammy, and I instantly wondered if she was doing other drugs as well, and then dismissed that thought. Of course they were all doing other drugs. This was where they did the other drugs, these were the people that I saw later in the ER. Lance was watching me.

"You told me that, Rafe!" Ben exclaimed too loud and too giddily, as Lance made his way over to us. "She's a Mann girl!"

Meaning that I was one in eight sisters belonging to the famous Richard and Tracy Mann. How did I tell them I wasn't that type of Mann girl? My older sisters, Megan and Melia mostly had gotten this reputation for clubbing during some of their harder trials in life, and everyone expected that all the sisters were the same. Melia had a crazy undeserved rep all by herself, but Megan had fostered her own issues in the club scene once.

"I'm not a Mann girl." I told him, leaning closer to make sure he understood the distinction. He leaned on my arm, far too heavily.

Ben looked me up and down speculatively. "Yeah, you're a Mann girl." He smoothed the tell tale hair, and I recalled the last time someone had done that in Rafe's presence, and tried to back away, but suddenly Rafe and Lance were between me, Ben and Addie, and Lance was leading me away while Rafe had words with his best friends.

"I shouldn't be here." I whispered, but Lance caught it as he led me to the far side of the balcony, where it narrowed overlooking the dance floor.

"Yeah, you should." Lance said. "I get that you're getting so close to Rafe, and I'm liking it immensely. He's a better man when he's around you. But you need to see this side of him, his friends, his loves... this is a part of his life."

I looked over the edge, at the uninhibited way the people moved below us, the happy, but self absorbed pleasure seeking going on.

"I'm not this kind of girl."

"You look drop dead gorgeous."

"No, I mean, I'd rather be home, running on the beach, or playing with the cat, or reading a book even." My voice was getting higher and higher. I looked around for Rafe, I wanted to tell him I couldn't handle it, to take me home, now. And no tour as well.

I saw him put his arm around Ben, and then I saw him poke him in the chest, and Ben frowned and then laughed riotously. I heard Lance's concerned imprecations, and started back over to Rafe, when another person caught my arm. I ripped my arm away, knowing it wasn't Lance, and saw a pair of glittering blue eyes, long, long dark hair, and a sparkling earring. The facial scruff and casual way this guy wore his formal clothes pin pointed him.

"Jeff, this is Rafe's new chick, Aubrey."

"Yeah." He said. "Rafe told me about you. He said you're coming on the tour."

I was shaking my head, when Lance leaned in. "Yes, she is."

"No, I'm not."

Jeff looked amused. "He told me you're Mormon."

I stood there, staring him down. I wanted desperately not to appear too different, too weird, but no kidding--- this was absolutely not my place.

Jeff shrugged. He wasn't holding a drink and didn't smell like alcohol. He was casual, but not aggressive. "I'm Mormon too."

I blew out my breath sharply. Rafe was making his way over to us. I looked back at Jeff. "Great." I shouldn't have said that, and shouldn't have said it with that sarcastic twang. But I really wanted to go.

Rafe took my hand. "You've met Ben and Jeff." He said in his satisfied voice.

I simply turned his chin to my mouth and said very low. "Take me home."

His eyes were round and startled. "Baby..."

I didn't want to fight him. I could get a cab. I turned and started down the steps we'd come up, but this time I had to get by Jeff and he stood in my way.

"Where are you going?" He looked around slowly. "This might not be your thing, but you're not in danger. You barely got here, and you need to stay and get to know us. Make an effort, Aubrey. Rafe needs you to do this."

I took another deep breath, my anxiety must have shown on my face. Jeff indicated a booth with a table, and he preceded me to it, pausing to let me in and then sliding in on one side as Rafe slid in on the other. I should have mentioned I was claustrophobic. I don't consider myself really weird--- phobias don't rule my life, but I can say that I avoid heights, avoid crowds and avoid tight places. I just don't like being caught in between things, but I won't freak out, unless I'm pinned down, and thanks to taekwondo, I don't ever get pinned down.

I was beginning to understand why my dad made body guards follow Melia and Megan around.

They didn't get caught places they didn't want to be.

I tried to appear gracious, I smiled, I laughed, and I closed my eyes and told myself to breathe.

"So, you comin' on tour?" Ben slid in beside us followed by another guy with shorter, heavier blonde hair, still covering his ears, he was way bigger built than the others. His eyes glittered in the flashing light like jewels.

"No." I said.

"Yes." Rafe answered. "Aubrey, this is Mutt. Mutt, my girlfriend, Aubrey." The blonde reached across the table to shake my hand, at least they had that going, quite professional.

"Hi, Mutt." I managed. "No, I'm not going to be able to go on tour, sorry. I'm a doctor, I have to work. But you guys will go have fun."

The next guy came and scooted in next to Rafe. His hair was short like Rafe's, his eyes were dark, his eye brows a sharp line across his forehead. He reached to shake my hand. "You're bringing the play book right?" He shouted. "We got the amazing Conger's for one of our opening acts, we gotta plan this out."

The guys all leaned in to hear what I had to say, but frankly, I had no idea what he just said.

"Who else we got opening, Rafe?" Mutt asked, swigging his beer or whatever he was drinking.

"Gunn." Rafe answered, putting an arm around me. "And King Horn Ruff."

My perplexed expression didn't waver. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm Dylan, drums for Axis. We're traveling together the next three months, baby, and you're in charge of pranks."

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. Pranks--- concert tour pranks--- yes, I had heard about them. And my mom's pranks, although ages ago were actually --- legendary. I'd seen a few on YouTube. Once she and her band dressed up like their opening act and mimicked them during one of their final songs, on their last night of touring.

"I say we string up that really big fake dick Jordan got from that shop down on Wilshire and lower it over Jackson's head during one of his songs." Mutt said, swigging again.

Dylan's eyes were powerfully magnetic. And he kept them trained on me. "You're a dick." He said to Mutt.

"No dickin' around." Rafe added for good measure. "If we prank, we do it good."

"Aubrey, you know the best stuff right? Not any stupid silly string and dumping water." Dylan again.

I rested my arms on the table. "Look guys. I'm the last person you should be asking about pr---"

"She's never been on tour." Rafe said.

"Never been on tour?"

"You said her mom's the legend. You said she's a Mann Girl."

"She's a doctor. She saves little babies."

"Well, how's she gonna do all the pranks?"

"She's got it in her genes."

"She's got you in her jeans!" They all laughed, because yeah--- I assume he's been in a lot of girls' jeans.

"I'll have to ask my mom." I finally said. "Give you some amazing ideas. But, I'm not going on tour."

"She's going on tour." Mutt said firmly. "She's your best looking chick yet, Rafe."

"And he's dated all the Elite Forum models, so that's saying a lot." Ben added throwing back his head to laugh and take another swig.

"I'm married to a model." Jeff announced. Somebody came up behind him and snapped a couple of pictures, the guys took it in stride. I felt my heart beat racing and my insides plummeting. Put that one on the internet and my Dad'll be down here in less time than it will take you to slide out of this bench seat....

"She do you good, bro." Dylan threw out there, and I thought about trying to follow this banter and then realized once again I was out of my league. Dylan was sticking his tongue out and wiggling it in a weird way, like saying lalala very fast a hundred times, two of the others did it too. They all laughed.

Rafe took Ben's glass and signaled for a waitress to come and take it. "Bring us something virgin, all of us."

"There ain't no virgins here!" Mutt joked.

Rafe pulled me to him comfortingly, and truly, his body felt stalwart and familiar now, after having slept in his arms a few times and been carried around by him. My hand strayed to his upper thigh and I allowed him to bring me in closer. "Aubrey, you are going to Mexico with us."

I shook my head slowly, so slowly if you didn't know I was doing it, you wouldn't catch it.

He pulled me around to look into my eyes. It was like he was trying to do some kind of telepathy with me as the conversation got raunchier and our drinks came and more provocative banter went on around us. He finally decided it was time for a PDA. I could have slapped him.

He grinned. "Let's go." He took a sip of his drink as the guys all took theirs and broke out in sudden disgusted cussing, and we climbed out over the top of the bench seat. Me in heels, this wasn't going to work, but the others might have been too intoxicated to get out and let us out. Rafe pulled me up somehow and we were out, he guided me in gentlemanly fashion down those few steps.

Suddenly we were in the lights, in the sudden bursts of air from above and below, and when I looked down, the floor seemed to glow blue and then green, and I realized it was clear, and there were lights and people below us. I thought we'd walk back the way we'd come, but Rafe was having none of that, and I couldn't go back by myself, because frankly except for the balcony now I was totally lost.

The DJ started a song, it really was the kind of song that made you want to dance, and Rafe pulled me into the throng easily. He'd doffed his jacket, and loosened his tie, and now his hands were all over me, and then just at my waist, and then... he was right---- I felt the music and the people all around me, and doing what they were doing made a lot more sense than standing there.

I hadn't danced in a really long time. I looked around, noting the girls kept their arms basically low and in front of them, in fists, and close in. I stood there looking around. There were girls dancing with their friends, they grooved with their hips, something I kind of recognized from watching Dirty Dancing as a kid--- and maybe that other salsa dance movie with Jennifer Lopez???

Rafe lowered his knees, moved toward me, and behind me and started rocking his hips into mine. It was impossible not to follow him, even though he leaned in and said he would match my rhythm. His hands on my arms lowered me.

Oh. Man. His eyes were intense, his moves were so sexy.

He moved me, and I danced, and moved him, and we danced.

It was just one of those things.

Like forgetting your wallet and not caring because you're with someone else who can pay. I just started swaying, my arms went up--- I swung my hair around, brought my arms in again, grooved my hips and felt his against me, like we spooned in bed, now we spooned on the dance floor.

Okay. I agreed. This was electric, and very fun, and very sexy. He pulled my arms around, twirled me, then started a basic salsa, another hip rock, and some hand twirling, then he dipped me back. He was laughing with me.

"See? You can dance!"

Then he moved us around to the front to back thing. The music picked up, more rocking, more swaying, more sexy bouncing....

And we spent the remainder of the night we met his band--- on the dance floor.

*******