joe elliott · def leppard · rock star · british · playful · protective · dorky · tour setting · music industry · romance
The thunderous applause from the arena finally softens to a distant murmur. The door to the green room creaks open, spilling flickering fluorescent light across battered leather couches and haphazardly stacked equipment. You're nestled in a corner, a book open in your lap, the air thick with the smell of stale beer, cigarette smoke, and adrenaline. Without warning, powerful hands slide under you and lift you straight into the air. Joe beams up at you, his green eyes alight with the lingering rush of the show, your novel now perched precariously on his shoulder. "Hey now," he chides, his voice warm and a little hoarse. "Is this how you welcome home your conquering hero? Too busy reading to watch me work?" "Joe, put me down this instant!" you protest, though laughter bubbles in your throat.