The Songwriter by A. P. Jensen

she was dressed in a skin tight sparkly dress that stopped on her petite frame at mid-thigh. With each step she took, the dress shimmered and Trey’s throat locked. He rubbed the back of his neck and watched “Gwen” walk up to him. The desire that had been on low simmer since he heard her sing went into full boil. He’d always seen Gwen as cute, but what he was seeing now was a woman bent on seducing and he was ready and willing.
    “ Uh, hi,” he said.
    Gwen eyed him coolly. “Hi.”
    Gone was the uncertain girl he met every morning to rehearse. This was a woman that knew what and how she wanted it. He wasn’t sure how a haircut and new dress could give Gwen the stage persona she needed but he didn’t care. All that mattered was she was here, ready to do the tour and she was smoking hot. 
    “ So… what’s up?”
    She put a hand on her hip and his hands tingled with the urge to shape her hips and bring her up against him.
    “I said I wanted to change some things.”
    He blinked. “I thought you were talking about your dress.”
    “ I was and then I realized I wanted to change some other things too.”
    “ Like your hair?”
    She swung her hair and it fell seductively around her face. “You like it?”
    “ Uh huh. Is this the only dress you’re going to wear during the show?” She was killing him.
    “ No. This is my finale dress. I have another dress for The Better Man and Touch Me . Sorry I’m late. Let’s do this.” Gwen grabbed her mic and went to the front of the stage. She tapped red hot stilettos and sang the opening lines of Breaking Out strong and clear.
     
    Once upon a time
    I questioned if I was good enough,
    pretty enough, smart enough
    Those days are gone!
    I’ve spent so much time
    trying to deny what you are to me
    I finally realize
    you will never see me for who I am
    I’m breaking out!
    I’m moving on,
    living my life the way I want without you
    I don’t need you and I’m not looking back
    I’m breaking out of this cage,
    I’m breaking out!
     
    Barbie and Cassie squealed and fist pumped as Gwen marched across the stage like she owned it. This was Natasha’s latest hit and while Trey had a small part in the song, it was a chance to let Gwen take center stage. Up until now, he hadn’t been sure whether he was going to use the song because Natasha’s fans would crucify Gwen if she couldn’t bring the attitude. He smiled as he watched Gwen now. He knew she had it in her somewhere to be this way- fierce, proud and confident. Even Angie was smiling as she watched Gwen and he couldn’t remember the last time he saw that. What the hell did Natasha say that ticked Gwen off to the point where she was now dead set on giving the performance of her life? He shrugged. It didn’t really matter. He just hoped she was like this during the show. If she brought the Gwen he was seeing now, the one that looked capable of kicking Natasha’s ass, she would be immortalized.
     
     
    “ I get my own bus?” Gwen screamed.
    Everybody laughed when she jumped up and hugged Trey. She’d been on enough tours to know life on the road wasn’t glamorous. She’d been on eighteen month tours where she lived on a bus with five people and the only place you could go for privacy was a bunk bed with a curtain. Having her own bus made all of this a whole lot easier on her and Trey knew that.
    Gwen released Trey and rushed onto her bus which was done in ivory and lavender with hardwood floors and gleaming walls. Gwen went to the master bedroom and sighed in ecstasy when she saw the huge bed and private connecting master bathroom. She fell onto the bed and sank into the plush mattress. Trey lay beside her as she moaned in ecstasy and rubbed the bed sheets.
    “ You like it?” he asked.
    “ I love it.”
    “ It’s the least I could do. I know you like your space. I’d share my bus but I don’t think you’d be satisfied with that.”
    She patted his scruffy cheek. “I knew you were smart.”
    He