o~O~o

Chapter Two

o~O~o

Beca moaned and rolled over when she heard the annoying sound of a train whistle coming from her phone, the sound alerting her that she had a new text message from Sawyer. She looked at her alarm clock… 5:47am. What the actual fuck?! Blinking several times in an effort to wake up, Beca picked up her phone and opened the text silently cursing the early start.

"Meeting my office, one hour. Bring Starbucks. Thanks, SB"

Sawyer Barrett was Beca's boss. The man possessed enough talented for ten people but he didn't exactly sleep when the rest of the world did. He suffered with horrible insomnia and because he did, he usually called meetings at the most unGodly hours. Sawyer was in his late thirties and accepted no excuses for being late or submitting shoddy work. He made sure all potential employees knew this in their interviews and he pushed harder when he saw real talent and promise. He liked Beca from the get go and had circumnavigated around his own boss to make sure Beca received her intern position which later involved working directly for him.

Silently cursing Sawyer, Beca reluctantly got out of bed and made her way to the ensuite bathroom to shower quickly. After dressing in a pair of dark washed skinny jeans, a white sweater and a pair of dark brown knee high riding boots; she applied her make-up and curled her hair to absolute perfection before completing her outfit with the perfect accessories.

She was going to be late and quite frankly, she didn't care. The fact that she looked as good as she did when she'd only been out of bed for a grand total of 53 minutes, was a miracle in and of itself. Giving herself a quick glance before leaving the house, she cussed at the early start once more before heading out to her brand new Audi TTS Coupe.

Twenty minutes after leaving home, Beca was walking in the office, scowl on her face and Starbucks in her hand. She dropped her purse on her desk and made her way down the hall with the piping hot drinks in hand. Sawyer's door was open and she could hear him chicken pecking the keyboard. The man really needed to learn how to type. But she also knew she needed to give him a break.

"You're late!" Sawyer said when he heard her walk in.

"Fuck you!"

"I would but you won't let me!" Sawyer said chuckling.

"Someone had better be dying or bleeding!" Beca announced as she walked into his office and placed the cardboard cup on his desk, narrowly missing a stack of important paperwork. As she sat down, she produced her breakfast and took a sniff as Sawyer looked up with interest.

"Well, if it isn't my sarcastic little ray of sunshine… and with my favorite coffee." Sawyer said with a huge grin.

"Dude, you fuckin' texted me at 5:47 this morning." Beca complained as she took a sip of her green tea. "You know damn good and well that I don't get up before 7:45."

"I know, I know." He said stealing a piece of Beca's lemon pound cake.

Beca smacked his hand. "First you wake me at an unGodly hour and then you steal my breakfast. You're cruisin' for a bruisin' buster!"

"Promise?" he said with a wink.

Beca smirked. "You have no idea how much I want to punch you in the face right now."

"But I've got good news!"

"This better be good." Beca mumbled. "By the way, you owe me sixteen bucks for coffee and breakfast."

Sawyer pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and handed Beca a twenty, then went on to tell her that he was sending her to the Annual Battle of the Bands the following week. Beca knew that Sawyer would either send her or Zaine and secretly she loved that he had chosen to send her but the news could have waited until nine o'clock when she was scheduled to be in the office.

Later that day, and armed with all the information she gathered from researching the top ten bands, Beca was on the phone with Luke asking him to go with her to the Annual Battle of the Bands at the House of Blues. She was hoping that he would drop everything to go. When she sensed him wavering, she even offered to get a ticket for his current girlfriend Allie, thinking she was the reason why he sounded so distracted. Unfortunately, Luke said he had a prior engagement with work and couldn't make it, not to mention that Allie hated that he and Beca were so close and often went to work related events together.

Beca was disappointed that Luke said he was busy. Her year long relationship with Ryan had recently ended and while she was perfectly capable of attending Battle of the Bands on her own, it was always more fun with a crowd. In the past, at events similar to this one, she actually used some of her friends reactions as confirmation whether a band was worth a shot as they were the buying public after all.

Ryan had loved going to events with Beca and was always more than happy to have her on his arm. He was 6' 4" and towered over her very petite 5' 2" frame. He was lean but very tone with dark wavy hair and the greenest eyes she'd ever seen. He made it known how proud of her he was and knew her work was important but most importantly, he loved how respected she was in the music industry. Seeing her in her element was always so rewarding and he'd gotten to meet some of the artists he admired.

Beca had loved Ryan and she knew he loved her; he sent her random text messages throughout the day and she'd often come home from work to find a single white rose laced through her gates. The gesture, while simple, was enough for Beca to know his feelings for her. He waited patiently while her work took her all over the world; her job often meant that their time and plans had to be cancelled or postponed at the drop of a hat if she was needed in London, Paris or New York at a moments notice. She always invited him to go with her and he would often accompany her if his schedule allowed him to. However, Ryan was one of the two lead engineers working on the new Disneyland expansion and as the project really began to take off, he was finding it less and less easy to just drop everything to jet set around the world with her.

Eventually they ended their relationship after they hadn't managed to see each other a single time for close to a month. They parted on good terms and with promises to remain friends, both knowing that was not going to happen, having known each other in the biblical sense, it was never easy to go back to the friendzone.

Beca also extended an invitation for the evening to Amy but she was going on a date with some guy she met in the produce aisle at Whole Foods. He'd handed her a banana and told her to answer it, then he picked up another one and had a full blown conversation with her about how ripe the melons she was holding were.

Amy had been seeing him for a few weeks and really seemed to like him, though Beca couldn't understand why. He looked like whack-a-mole and was named after some random car part that Beca couldn't remember. It was something like Hood or Tailpipe… no that wasn't it. Maybe it was Wiper or Headlight? No… it was Bumper! That was it. The dude's name was Bumper and Beca was pretty sure it was because his face had met a bumper or two in recent years. She really needed to make an effort to remember his name, of course, it would be a lot easier if she actually knew his real name. Amy was one of her best friends and by the sounds of it, Bumper wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

So, two days before the Battle of the Bands event, Beca called Aubrey and asked her to go. Aubrey was initially miffed that Beca waited until 'the last minute' to call but eventually agreed to go but only if Beca would go shopping with her for a new outfit and she had to get her boyfriend, Ben Applebaum a ticket to go as well. Beca was more than happy to do both. She liked Ben so she had no problem getting him a VIP ticket from Sawyer and if she was being honest, she needed something new and edgy to wear to the event anyway so going shopping wasn't the worse thing Aubrey could ask her do.

o~O~o

Battle of the Bands was a contest in which local talent, usually rock or metal bands, but often musical acts from a range of different styles, competing for the title of "Best Band". To enter, artists had to complete a short informational profile and then upload a band logo, official band photo and at least one demo. All the information was distributed to local and national recording companies in an effort to, not only promote the event, but in the hopes of getting cool prizes as well.

The final three bands would each be allowed to perform a one hour set and the chance to win over the judges for the big prize. The winner would be determined by a panel of judges and/or the general response of the audience and receive prizes in addition to bragging rights. Prizes usually included cash, free recording time in a local recording studio, the ability to perform at a local event, a piece of new equipment and/or gift certificates to music supply stores.

Beca always looked forward to this event. It usually attracted amazing talent as well as really good crowds, which was always entertaining to watch in itself. She inwardly smirked to herself when she saw barely dressed woman throwing themselves at the male lead singers and overweight guys trying to strut their stuff and impress the female groups. Luckily the painful ear splitting groups were weeded out early and told 'thanks but no thanks' weeks before the actual event which always made the event so much more enjoyable.

Beca was really excited about the outfit she purchased and had been itching to wear it but swore to Aubrey that she wouldn't wear it before Battle of the Bands. She bought a sheer long sleeved leopard print top, black leather pants and a black studded belt. Since the top was sheer, she also made a stop at Victoria's Secret for a new very sexy, lacy push up bra and matching panties. Aubrey tried to convince her to buy a new pair of boots as well, but Beca already had the perfect pair of black leather Steve Madden booties at home to complete the outfit.

On the day of the event, Beca left work early; Sawyer still owed her from her very unwelcome 5:47am wake up call the week before. She stopped at her favorite salon for a mani/pedi then went straight home to fix dinner before jumping in the shower and changing. She applied heavy mascara with winged eyeliner and a grey smoky eye to finish the look. Pulling the towel from her head, she decided to comb her hair with her fingers before applying volumizing gel as she scrunched it into loose waves to complete the rocker chick look she was trying to pull off. Giving herself a final glance in the mirror and her hair an extra scrunch or two, she slipped her feet into her boots to complete her outfit.

Satisfied, she went downstairs and headed towards the kitchen. Pulling the chilled bottle of her favorite wine from the fridge, she turned on the TV and settled in to her favorite spot on the couch with a glass of wine to wait for Aubrey and Ben. When they arrived fifteen minutes later; Aubrey used her key, thinking Beca wouldn't be ready, they couldn't believe their eyes, Beca was definitely looking the part of a trendy, hot record producer.

"You look amazing Bec!" Aubrey squealed, dropping her purse onto the nearest chair. "But umm… don't you think you should button your top? Or perhaps put a pretty cami on?"

"Uhh… no, I've achieved the desired look." Beca smirked as she tried to get out of the vice Aubrey was currently putting her in. "You look great too." she finally said to Aubrey, once she was released.

"If you want to run around half naked, then suit yourself." Aubrey said taking a sip of wine from Beca's glass without asking. "Mmm, this is good stuff Bec!"

"Well, I'm not gonna buy shitty wine Aub." She snarked as she took her glass back. "The bottle is on the counter in the kitchen; help yourself to a glass. There's also kabobs and grilled veggies in the pan on the stove."

"Oh yum!" Aubrey said as she headed toward the kitchen. She loved Beca's cooking and had always told her that if she didn't make in the music industry, she could have gone to culinary school.

"Hey Ben!" Beca said giving her cousin's boyfriend of three years a friendly hug. "How have you been?"

"I'm great, thanks… you?" Ben asked immediately regretting the fact that he asked. Beca and Ryan had broken up four months earlier and he knew from what Aubrey had told him that Beca was still hurting. Apparently, she really liked the guy but things just hadn't worked out.

"I'm good." She told him, looking directly at her feet. She didn't really expect him to believe what she was saying since she really didn't fully believe it herself.

"Well, you look great." Ben said as he spun Beca around.

"Thanks. You're not so bad yourself."

"Oh my God Beca… these kabobs are to die for! You have to give me the recipe." Aubrey said, munching heartily on the food on her plate.

Beca laughed. "Newsflash Aub, it's seasoned meat, veggies and fruit on a stick then grilled. It's not that hard." She and Ben laughed as they walked into the kitchen to find Aubrey completely pigging out on kabobs and veggies. "Geez… hungry much?"

"I'm always hungry for your cooking. I swear you should have become a chef instead of a music producer! Why do you always cook so much?"

"Because, it gives me leftovers to either freeze or eat later… unless you come over that is." Beca told her as the doorbell rang. "I'll be right back. Ben, don't let her eat all of what's left, elbow your way in there and get yourself something to eat too."

A few minutes later, Beca re-entered the kitchen. "Our ride is here so whenever you're finished pigging out on my leftovers we can go."

"Just one more." Aubrey said holding one finger up in Beca's direction.

Beca rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Put the lid back on that pan and put in the fridge when you're done. I'll be right back."

She went upstairs to her bedroom to collect her purse and give herself another once over before leaving. She reapplied her lip gloss then adjusted her boobs in her push-up bra, making sure they were nice and perky, because you could never be too sure when you would meet the man of your dreams… or so her mother always told her. Then there was 'always be sure to wear clean panties in case you get in a car wreck' because that's the first thing you worry about, right? Of course, her mother definitely wouldn't approve of her current attire… or lack there of, which was precisely why she chose it. When she was satisfied that she couldn't look any better than she already did, she took a quick selfie and sent it to Luke with the caption, "Eat your heart out!"

He immediately texted back, "Damn girl, put those things away! Have fun!"

Beca laughed as she walked back down the stairs. "Ok you two… Bernie's been waiting outside, let's go!"

"Who's Bernie?" Ben asked.

"The limo driver."

"Oh cool… we're going in style tonight."

Beca poured another glass of wine and guzzled it quickly before walking toward the door, turning out lights as she went, only leaving the small lamp near the front door on. When the door was locked, Beca used the app on her phone to set the alarm and made her way to the car.

As an apology for not being able to attend, Luke sent a limo for Beca, Aubrey and Ben so that they could have a good time without worrying about drinking and driving. As always, Luke was always looking out for Beca's best interests and well-being. He went all out too… he had sent the Bentley for them.

o~O~o

When they arrived at the House of Blues, everyone stopped and stared, waiting to see who was going to get out of the limo. The crowd was buzzing and Beca had a good feeling that something good was going to happen that evening. Once they checked in, they were ushered towards the VIP entrance of the venue where all of the recording studio execs were already schmoozing and drinking. Beca, Aubrey and Ben stood around catching up while drinking cocktails and eating hor d'oeuvres that were being passed around by waiters in tight t-shirts and jeans while they waited to be seated at their table near the stage.

"Beca this is great!" Ben told her as he looked around at the plethora of glitter balls and tall vases filled with long stemmed lilies. "Thanks for the invite."

"Oh sure! Let me know if there's ever a concert you want tickets for." She told him genuinely.

"Oh cool… really?!"

"Absolutely! You have my number… use it!"

One of the employees from House of Blues walked up to Beca and discretely tapped her on the shoulder. "Ms. Mitchell, my name is Jason, I'll be your waiter for the night."

"Hi Jason. This is my cousin Aubrey and her boyfriend Ben." Beca told him.

"Nice to meet you." Ben said extending his hand.

"Same here." Jason said as he turned back to Beca. "Ms. Mitchell, can I show you and your guests to your table?" Jason asked.

"Yes, please… and Jason, it's Beca, no need to be formal." she said as she, Aubrey and Ben followed him.

"Yes ma'am." Jason replied.

Beca rolled her eyes. Ma'am? Was she really that old? She didn't feel like it. Oh well… whatever.

She was really excited to see that the table where Jason was seating them was front and center. Sawyer must have paid a pretty penny for it. 'And rightly so!' she mused.

"May I get you guys something from the bar?" Jason asked as they sat down. He straightened Aubrey's coat after she'd hung it on the back of her chair.

"I'll have a Cranberry Kamikaze and 3 Strawberry Jalapeño Shots ." Beca told him, before looking around at the others. "Do y'all want anything?"

"Dos Equis with lime for me." Ben said turning to Aubrey. "What do you want babe?"

"I'll have a lemon drop martini." Aubrey responded.

Beca leaned toward Aubrey, "We all know what else drops when you drink those, so you had better be careful missy." she said with a wink. Ben laughed and was met with an elbow to the gut.

Jason blushed. "Awesome choices all around. I'll be back shortly." He said before making his way to the bar.

A few minutes after Jason brought their drinks, the first band started and Beca went into producer mode. She took her iPad out of her purse so she could take a couple of photos and notes in an excel spreadsheet she prepared. She also had her own scoring system based on things she observed about each group. She had a very skilled method to what appeared to be total madness on the screen.

She wasn't immediately impressed by the first few bands she heard and wondered what the judges were thinking when they put these through to the next round. If this was the best of the worst, then the night didn't look very promising.

During the short intermission; something that Beca welcomed for the first time in forever, she received a text from Amy. "Hey hussie! I see you."

Beca looked around but didn't see Amy. "Hey bitch! Where are you?"

Unfortunately, Amy still hadn't learned that she shouldn't try to do more than one thing at once… ever. She was stumbling drunk and trying to text Beca all the while balancing a full glass of vodka and cranberry on her boobs when she tripped over her own feet and ran into the back of Aubrey's chair. Aubrey shrieked as the ice cold contents of Amy's glass went all over her head, making her perfectly coiffed hair a wet, sticky mess.

"Oh for fucks sake Amy!" Aubrey barked as she tried to dry her hair and face with the sleeve from Ben's coat. "Your name should have been Grace!"

"I'm really sorry Aubrey." Amy said, at least having the decency to look embarrassed.

Beca laughed as she stood to greet Amy. "Calm down Aub. She didn't mean it."

Ben, who had been helping Aubrey dry off, nipped her earlobe with his teeth and whispered, "I'll have fun licking this off of you later."

Aubrey smiled and pecked his cheek. "But my new dress is ruined."

"As great as it looks on you..." Ben whispered into her ear as he stroked her neck with his nimble fingers, "... it's going to look even better on the bedroom floor."

"You two need to get a room." Beca told them as Amy sat between her and Aubrey.

"You're just pissy because you wish you had someone to get a room with." Aubrey snarked.

"Whoa missy! That was below the belt." Amy jumped in. "You just added unnecessary fuel to my hate fire." Aubrey knew that Beca still wasn't completely over Ryan and the comment she made was bitchy and way out of line.

"Nothing below the belt, just stating the facts." Aubrey said as she motioned for Jason to come over. "The only action Beca is getting tonight is from her vibrator."

"Fuck you Aubrey!" Beca yelled.

Amy stood up and her chair scraped across the floor. She put her finger in Aubrey's face and said, "Buckle up buttercup! You just flipped my bitch switch!" She said as she reached for a glass of water and promptly threw it in Aubrey's face.

"That was wicked rude!" Aubrey said as she wiped her face for what felt like the hundredth time that night.

"Don't cross me bitch!" Amy said as she gave Aubrey the stank eye. "I will crush you."

Beca grabbed Amy's arm. "Amy sit… that bouncer saw what happened and he's on the way over here. So, cool it."

"But Beca, Aubrey's nastiness needs dealing with."

"Save it for another day...or we'll be outta here quicker than a dozen Krispy Kreme's at a fat kid camp."

Amy looked up and saw the bouncer headed their way. "Roger that boss. Over and out."

The bouncer had indeed made his way over to Beca's table. After giving everyone a stern warning about behaving themselves or risk being thrown out and banned if there was any more trouble, he walked away. At Beca's urging, Amy and Aubrey kissed and made up and everyone was back to having a good time.

Moments later, Battle of the Bands was back in full swing and while the first few bands had sucked ass, the bands did get better as time went on… or maybe it was the alcohol that was making them sound better. Beca couldn't really tell because she lost track of how much she had to drink. She had Jason bringing drinks and shots almost constantly.

The second half of the show was only about half way through when Beca threw back another shot and noticed that Aubrey was looking a little green in the gills and had started to drink water a few rounds before. "Aub, you ok?" Beca yelled over the music.

She shook her head no very carefully; feeling the room spin with every movement. "No, I think we need to head out."

"I can have Bernie bring you home and then come back for me later." Beca offered.

"Thanks, but I've already called Uber for a car." Ben said. "Probably best that I take her straight home. I just hope she doesn't call Chuck or Ralph during the ride home. You know how she's prone to puking."

"Shut up Benjamin!" Aubrey yelled.

"Text me when you get home." Beca said to Ben as she stood up and hugged him fiercely before offering a tentative hug towards Aubrey, keeping her distance slightly in case of a puke fest and Aubrey. "Feel better Aub. Remember a full glass of water and two Advil before you go to bed so you don't get a hangover."

"Thanks, I remember." she said with a small smile.

Ben pulled out his wallet, "I"m not sure what we owe for drinks but…"

"Put your money away." Beca told him. "Drinks are on me."

"No, I can't do that." Ben pleaded. "We drank a lot."

"Tell you what… you can catch it next time." Beca told him. "Tonight, your job is to make sure my cousin gets home safe and sound."

"I can do that. Thanks again Becs." Ben said, leaning down as he kissed her on the cheek.

"No problem. Don't forget to text me."

"Sure thing."

Turning back to Amy, Beca asked "Soo… where's lover-boy?"

"Who?"

"Bumper? Your date!" Beca said rolling her eyes. "He is your date tonight… right?"

"Yeah! Shit! I forgot about him." Amy said looking around. "I told him I was going to the ladies room. Probably thinks I fell in."

"Well… you better get back to him before you get left."

"Yeah, he'll send out a search party." Amy said as she stood up. "You gonna be ok alone Short Stack?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Beca said hugging her friend.

"Call me tomorrow and let me know who you signed."

"Will do. Now go find that boy toy of yours."

"Don't work that vibrator too hard tonight."

"Bye Amy!" Beca kissed her cheek. "I love you!"

"Love you too Becs. Amy said as she walked off to find Bumper. "Chat soon!"

o~O~o

Once everyone was gone, it was time for Beca to sober up a little and get back to work. She needed to scout at least three bands and bring their information back to work on Monday and she had to make at least one offer. She had her work cut out for her; these bands sucked ass.

The next band was introduced as "The Riff". They had a unique look and the lead singer looked a lot like Adam Lambert complete with black eyeliner. His hair was short on the sides but long on the top and it was spiked with electric blue tips. He had a light dusting of facial hair, which did things to Beca that she didn't like to admit to. He was wearing very tight black leather pants and combat boots, no shirt and a long black leather duster that gave way just enough to allow several tattoos to peak through. To top everything off… he had the voice of an angel which, after everything else Beca had heard that night, was music to her ears. This was the one she had been waiting for. She had to get this guy.

Beca, reluctantly, took her eyes off the man candy on stage to check her phone when she saw that a text come through. "We made it home in one piece but the front yard among other things didn't fare so well."

"Firehose Fanny barf in the begonias again?"

"And then some!"

"Gross! Give her some Advil and put her ass to bed!"

"She's showering the puke off first. Thanks again for the invite. We had a great time!"

"Aubrey might 'dispuke' that! Thanks for coming. Dinner soon?"

"Haha! Absolutely! Good luck tonight!"

Beca got back to work making notes on The Riff. They were definitely going to be a money maker. She could feel it; they had the ability to sell out arenas of all sizes, their merchandise would sell like hot cakes and women of all ages would flock to them like a moth to flame. Yes… she could definitely do something with this.

An hour later, the top three bands were announced, they were: Raven's Revenge, The Riff and The Moronic Trolls… what the fuck kinda name was that?! She thought Karma Train and Skeleton Key were better than The Moronic Trolls but whatever, there really was no accounting for the judges taste in music. Beca had her eye on one in particular and one way or another she was going to sign them… or at least she hoped she would. While the other bands that performed might not have placed in the top three, record companies still had the opportunity to sign them if they chose to.

Each of the top three bands now had the opportunity to really impress the judges with their one hour sets which could make or break them. Earlier, each group had seven minutes to sing one original song and one cover chosen by the judges but now the gloves were off, they could still sing original songs but they could also mix things up by throwing in some cover music as well.

Beca wasn't ashamed to say that she didn't care for or listen to The Moronic Trolls when they played. They sucked as much as their name did. As they played, she looked over her notes on the bands. She wanted to be sure that Raven's Revenge and The Riff hit all the key points on her grading system.

She listened carefully when Raven's Revenge played their way through their catalog of songs. She made a few extra notes when they were finished, tallied the points that she gave them then waited patiently for The Riff. This was the band she wanted to hear; they were, by far, her favorite act of the night.

When The Riff took the stage, Beca felt butterflies in her stomach like never before. For a minute there she thought it was the alcohol that was going to make a reappearance but then she remembered that she had stopped drinking an hour before, so it couldn't be that. No, it had to be something else.

o~O~o

Beca's Inner Thoughts

o~O~o

I don't know why I'm so drawn to this weirdo on the stage right now. He and his band have been performing covers of everything from AC/DC to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hinder and the Gin Blossoms as well. Somehow, they did manage to mix in a few originals here and there and from what I can tell they all have amazing talent. But that front man... wow, he's good... better than good actually. He's smooth, suave... and has a very distinct sound. Ok, I'll admit he sounds a little like GLEE meets boy band meets 80's hair band but with those looks and that ass...

Oh God! I looked at his ass! Shit! I did it again! What the fuck is wrong with me?! But, in my defense, how could I not look at his ass? Those leather pants are hugging all the right places... Oh My God! And now he's kneeling right in front of me! He dresses left... what the actual fuck Beca?! Now you're looking at his crotch! Eyes up girl… eyes UP! Mmm… Look at those sinfully delicious chiseled abs. I'd like to…

'Lock it up Rebeca! Lock. It. Up. Woosa, woosa!' I chant over and over as I close my eyes, rub my pounding temples and take a deep cleansing breath. Now, where was I? Oh yeah, right... he could be selling records and t-shirts hand over fist to swooning fan girls in no time. Is there anything this dude can't sing?

Sweet Jesus... is it hot in here? Someone needs to turn the air conditioner down a few notches. This guy is hotter than a fucking Greek God.

Where's Jason? I need a drink! I need a few of them actually!

Fuuucccckkkk! Now he's singing Def Leppard?! Oh God, he can pour so much more than just a little sugar on me any damn day of the week and as many times as he wants to on Sunday. I want his boots under my bed and him in it.

Oh for fucks sake Beca, get your shit together! This dude is every girl's fantasy and is probably in a committed relationship with his high school sweetheart. How fucking cliché is that?! What are you thinking girl? You have never been like this before! This is absolutely fucking insane. What in the actual hell has come over me?

o~O~o

When The Riff was finished playing the panel of judges took twenty minutes to consult with each other before finally arriving at a decision. The MC took the stage, congratulated all of the bands on their performances then announced the winner.

"And the winner of this year's Battle of the Bands is, drum roll please... The Riff!" The crowd broke out in hearty applause and Beca downed the last two shots she had left on the table and made a beeline for the dressing rooms. She wanted to be the first one to the back to make an offer that they just couldn't refuse. When she got to their dressing room, she was disappointed to find representatives from two competing recording studios had already beat her to the punch.

"Fuck!" She thought to herself. "Sawyer is going to have my ass on a platter if I haven't made an offer to at least one band tonight."

She tapped out a quick text to Bernie, "BOTB is over but I'm going in to make an offer. Not sure how long it'll take. I'll text again when I'm ready. Sit tight."

"Sure thing Miss. Beca. I'll be here when you're ready. Good luck!" Bernie texted back seconds later.

Beca grinned. She was going to need more than luck. She had met these other two producers before. They were ruthless when it came to getting what they wanted. In a way, letting them go first, might be better for her because she might be able to find out what their offers were and sweeten the pot to something that The Riff couldn't possibly turn down. She was going to beat them at their own game and she was going to do it her way. She checked her cleavage and hoisted her boobs to make them as perky as possible and applied fresh lip gloss.

When it was finally her turn to go into the dressing room, she found that the only member of the band in the room was the lead singer. She wondered where everyone else was and when they would be back.

"Hi. I'm Jesse Swanson." The lead singer said sticking his hand out in her direction to shake her hand. Beca immediately noticed that he put a t-shirt on and she wished like hell he didn't.

"Hi Mr. Swanson, I'm Rebeca Mitchell, with Warner Records. Congratulations on the big win." She said as she sat on the couch across from him, watching him intently as he perched on the arm of the sofa.

"Well hello… Ms. Mitchell. It's nice to meet you."

"Beca… you can call me Beca."

"Fair enough Beca… please, call me Jesse."

"Ok Jesse…" she said with a smirk. "Did you want to start talking about my offer or do you want to wait for the rest of the guys to get back?"

"We can start negotiations. They're packing up our equipment so they could be awhile. I make the decisions anyway." Jesse said, letting his eyes linger on her chest for a moment longer than necessary.

"Cool. So, let's get started."

"Let's do this!" He said excitedly shifting in his seat.

Beca smiled at his enthusiasm. "I'm prepared to offer you and your band a recording contract that will require the group to sign to Warner exclusively. This means that you can't record for or collaborate with another artist for another label without permission, nor can you leave the contract if you're unhappy. If things don't feel right, then let me know and I'll do what I can to make it right."

"Sounds good so far." Jesse said as he leaned back into the couch, spread his arms across the back of it and placed his right ankle on his left knee.

"Advances are provided as part of an inclusive recording fund. A certain amount will be allocated to the recording budget and any surplus is divided evenly and distributed to you and the band members. The full amount is recoupable, so avoid the temptation to go and blow it all on a lost weekend with Lindsay Lohan, as you will not only be left with nothing to live on, you'll have no record to release either." Beca wasn't entirely sure that this guy was listening to her and she was wondering why she even bothered. "Do you have a manager?'

Jesse smirked. "No, not yet."

"Ok. Well, you'll need to secure one and make sure you only allow your him or her commission on the non-recording portion of the fund. Specifically, what's left over after the recording budget has been agreed upon. This is your personal advance, on which your manager will take his or her twenty percent. Although the thought of large advances may get you excited, they come at a price."

"Oh? What kind of price?"

"Often, if the advance is large there'll be more pressure on an artist to succeed immediately. Then if the first record is a flop the label may cut its losses and simply drop you. If you're after a little more stability and you truly believe in yourself, you should probably opt for a smaller advance and instead aim to secure a higher royalty rate."

"Gotcha. Makes total sense." he said agreeing with her. "But, I do have a question?"

"Sure. Whatcha got?" She asked as she placed the folder with the formal offer on the table in front of her.

"What's in it for me?"

"I'm not sure I follow." She said looking puzzled. This was not going according to plan. "Did you not understand something I was explaining?"

"Oh, I understood everything just fine."

"Then I really don't understand what the problem is."

Jesse got up and crossed the room. He pushed the folder to the side and sat on the coffee table directly in front of Beca. She suddenly became very uncomfortable and was regretting the fact that her boobs were hanging out of her shirt.

"Ms. Mitchell…"

"Beca." she said interrupting him.

"Beca…" he said as he stared right at her, rubbing his hands up her thighs. "What's in it for me?"

"I'm gonna go." She said, flushing bright red as she stood up and walked across the room. "It was nice meeting you Mr. Swanson. Good luck to you and your band mates."

Just as she was about to open the door, Jesse made it across the room in about three steps. "Beca, don't go." he pleaded. Beca's hand froze on the door knob when she felt his hands on her hips. "I've watched you all night and I wondered if you'd come back to make an offer."

Beca pushed Jesse's hands off of her. "I think we're done here."

Jesse began kissing her neck, moving her shirt to allow him access to her shoulder. Her head fell back on his shoulder and a moan escaped. She was enjoying this but it was extremely unprofessional and while it had been a long time since anyone had made her feel anything, she knew this was wrong.

She quickly turned around, pulling her shirt back onto her shoulder and looked him in the eye. "It was really nice meeting you. Good luck with your future endeavors." she said turning and reaching for the door knob.

Jesse reached out and put his hand on hers. "Don't go."

"Clearly there's nothing left to talk about Mr. Swanson." She said with her typical surly attitude.

"Who said anything about talking?" he said as he lowered his lips to hers and pushed her back against the door. He slid her purse off her shoulder and placed it on the table next to the door. He then took her hands, interlaced their fingers and pressed them into the door over her head.

She was trapped. The kiss was hard and searing. She was suddenly glad that Aubrey and Ben decided to leave early because this would have been hard to explain to them. This was so wrong on so many levels. If Sawyer found out she could lose her job but damn it, it felt so good. It felt so fucking good. If things continued on this path she wouldn't be able to offer him a deal even if she wanted to. She would have to give the deal to someone else. She had a decision to make. Did she want the deal and the money that came along with it or did she want him?

When he broke the kiss she inhaled deeply, the air burned as it hit her lungs like a much needed drug. He kissed her jawline to the sensitive spot behind her ear, sucking on it and causing her to moan. He then kissed his way down her neck to her collarbone and sucked it. She knew for a fact he'd left a mark. He had sucked too damn hard not to leave one. It would be nice having to explain that at work. She needed to get out of her head and make a decision.

"Jesse…" she moaned. When he didn't respond, she said his name again. "Jesse…" Fuck! She thought to herself. Why do I have to sound so breathy and desperate?

"Shhh…" he said as he pulled the lacy cup of her bra down and lowered his mouth to her already pebbled nipple. "Mmm…" he moaned as he took it in his mouth.

She could feel her knees getting weak and her body beginning to betray her. "Jesse… if you… if you want a… ahhh… a record deal… mmm," she was fighting for her words. His mouth was doing such magical things. Things she couldn't ignore. If he kept this up he was going to make her come right there. "...ahhhhh… we… we can't… ahhhh…. mmmm… can't do... this."

Jesse removed his mouth from her nipple with a loud pop and blew on it. Sending shivers up her spine as the goosies broke out all over her body. "Then don't make me a recording deal." He said pressing his forehead to hers and looking her straight in the eyes. "I'd rather have you, then a deal."

Without a second thought, Beca tucked her boob back in her bra, grabbed her purse, Jesse's hand and walked out the door. As they walked down the hall, she took her cell from her purse and sent Bernie a message. "I'm ready." She then made a mental note to call Cynthia Rose in the morning and let her know that she had a demo that she wanted her to listen to.

"Where are we going?" he asked curiously.

Beca smiled as she dropped her phone back into her purse. "Just texted my driver."

"Your driver?"

"Yes, I have a limo for the night." She told him. "I knew I'd be drinking and it's about a thirty minute drive back to Malibu."

Jesse gave her an evil grin. "Nice." he said as he stopped and pinned her against the wall to lay another searing kiss on her. "You are so fucking hot."

"Jesse…" Beca moaned. "We can't do this here." She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him sweetly a few times. "Let's get to the car."

Bernie met them a few minutes later in front of the House of Blues. As soon as they were safely inside the car, Beca straddled Jesse's lap and they became a jumble of lips, limbs and lust. Beca's body jerked with excitement and anticipation. Jesse reached up and immediately freed Beca's breasts from her bra and lowered his mouth around one while he twisted and pinched the nipple of the other.

She arched her chest into his mouth and began grinding her hips into his, feeling his erection against her already aroused and sensitized center. Beca cursed silently about the long drive. She should've just taken him to a hotel near the Hard Rock but it was too late now.

Jesse continued going back and forth between her breasts, not wanting to give one more attention than the other. Beca's head fell back as he kissed the valley between her breasts, to her collarbone, up the column of her neck and back to her mouth. She was enjoying his tongue and didn't even know all the things it could do but she was dying to find out.

Jesse kissed his way back down and began feasting on her breasts once again. She was fairly certain that they had never felt so blissfully sore before. While she was relishing the feel of his mouth, she couldn't resist the urge to pull his mouth from breasts and press it firmly to hers.

They were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't notice that the car stopped. It wasn't until they heard Bernie's car door open and shut that they realized they were sitting in the circle drive in front of Beca's house.

Beca quickly got off Jesse's lap and adjusted her clothes before exiting the car when Bernie opened her door.

"Well Miss Beca, this is your stop." Bernie told her.

Beca smiled. Bernie was one of the sweetest little old men she knew. "Thanks Bernie." She said digging in her purse for some cash to hand him. "This is for you."

"Oh no. Mr. Luke took care of that already." He said shaking his head and waving his hands.

"Bernie, this is for you.' She said putting the money in his hand and curling his fingers around it. "Go take that lovely wife of yours out to a very nice dinner on me."

Bernie looked at her with very humble eyes. "Thank you."

"Thank you for getting me home safe." Beca said kissing the older gentleman on the cheek. "Now, you be safe getting home."

"I will." He said with a wave. "See you soon."

Beca watched as Bernie got back in the car and tipped his hat before he drove away. Beca took Jesse's hand and guided him up the steps to her front door. As soon as she stepped in front of Jesse, she disabled the alarm from her phone. She was trying to put the key in the lock when she felt his hands starting to roam her body again and suddenly she couldn't function. When his hands found their way to her breasts, her head dropped back on his shoulder. He squeezed them and she gasped. The pain was gloriously delicious. How could someone she hardly knew do these things to her?

When she finally got the door unlocked, they stumbled in, knocking the table in the foyer and sending a rather expensive crystal vase to it's untimely death, as shards of glass shot across the freshly waxed cherry wood floor. Careful to step over the glass, they shed clothes from the front door, leaving a trail across the family room and up the stairs to Beca's master bedroom. Before she could open the bedroom door, Jesse picked her up, wrapped her legs around his waist and took her hard and fast against the door.

Beca was surprised and happy to find out that he had a condom; he must have slipped it on as they went up the stairs. She seriously feared STD's and they hadn't really had the time to discuss birth control and she didn't get the chance to tell him that it had been a while and that he needed to take it slow either.

He was rough and while it did hurt, it didn't hurt in a bad way. When she felt him enter her, she could have sworn she was in Heaven. He filled her so perfectly and their bodies moved as one and somehow, even though she was pinned against the door, she met each of his thrusts with one of her own.

They spent the night sending each other over the edge so many times that they lost count. That Friday night would be a night neither one would soon forget.