by Lyra Parish
I pulled away, then pulled her lip between my teeth and lightly tugged. She let out a sigh and smiled against my smile. My nose gently brushed against hers and I watched as her eyes fluttered open. Kissing like that should be illegal. It had been way too long since I’d felt that, years even. My cardinal rule had been broken and I wanted to do it again and again and again. Kissing was for the hopeless romantics; even the tabloids had it right when they said I dodged it like the plague. Kissing was too intimate. It allowed my heart to be open and raw, easy to hurt and destroy. I exhaled and swallowed it all down, trying to take it for what it was—two people, who were attracted to each other, taking it one step at a time.
"You," I said amazed, tasting her on my lips.
She shot me a cute little smirk and I slowly shook my head at her.
"Where has she been hiding?"
"Ask the moonshine," she said and giggled.
I shook my head. I needed her to break out of her shell without needing something to help lessen her inhibitions, but I’d work on that. Slowly but surely that fierce woman would come out and play, and eventually she would stay.
"I love this song," she said, closing her eyes and placing her hand over her heart. It took me less than three seconds to realize what it was. “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton. I tucked loose strands of hair behind her ear and held my hand out to her.
She looked at it and nervously laughed. "I don't dance."
"You do now," I said grabbing her hand and resting my hand on the small of her back.
"Just move your feet with mine, unless your ankle hurts too much," I said, looking into her eyes.
"I can't feel it. I think I drank the pain away… or you kissed it away," she said.
After a few passing seconds her hips swayed to the music and her body moved closer to mine. We turned slightly and danced in the large hallway, allowing the warm glow to light our faces. I grabbed one of her hands to twirl her around, and her body followed my guidance. She ended up in front of me where I grabbed her other hand, and lifted her arms above her head and did another small little turn. Enjoying myself, I circled her, grabbed her hips, and dipped her back in my arms, making sure to not move her around too much because of her ankle. Her mouth was open and she was breathing heavily. Our movements were slow; mine were calculated and she trusted me to lead the way.
The song was ending, but I didn't want the night to end as well. Elizabeth's arms were around my neck and her fingers were interlocked. There was no way she was letting me go now.
"Let me take you back," I whispered in her ear as her body pressed against mine. When the song finished, the piano guys made a few jokes and the crowd began screaming other songs out.
"Okay." She leaned her body against the wall and shyly smiled at me.
We walked through the hallway back into the room full of people singing along to “Piano Man.” I saw Jenny across the way and waved at her and couldn't help but laugh. Elizabeth thought we were dating. Hilarious.
When we made our way across the crowd, Jex walked up stopping us.
"Hey lovebirds, where have you been hiding?"
I lifted my eyebrow at him.
"Elizabeth, you have my permission to kick his ass if he turns into an asshole," Jex laughed and sipped his drink.
Elizabeth laughed too.
"Actually if he treats you poorly, let me know and I'll kick his ass for you. Got it?"
"Deal," she said, sticking out her hand and shaking his. She looked over at me and shot me a wink. I liked this flirty side of Elizabeth.
"Anyway, I'll let you kids get back to it."
I gave him a head nod and placed my hand on the small of Elizabeth's back as we stepped outside. My ears were ringing from the noisy room. We took our time strolling down the sidewalk. My pinky glided against the outside of hers and she played back. Something steadily grew inside me, something I didn't want to deny, but also equally scared the shit out of me. I didn't know how to do relationships after Misty destroyed my heart, but at least I'd try. She’d left me broken and raw, believing that love no longer existed in my world. A part of me believed that it couldn't exist. But Elizabeth was slowly erasing those thoughts from my mind. I felt like I had been given a fresh start.
I wrapped my arm around her and she held on to my waist as we walked in silence, exchanging heated glances and smiles. There were a few times when she stumbled and I caught her. She couldn't stop laughing at herself and I thought it was cute. Tonight, I'd make sure she made it back okay. Tonight, I would protect her cute drunkenness. I liked that we didn't need words to tumble across the moment; instead we enjoyed the companionable silence.
23
Elizabeth
The buzz was beginning to wear off, but my head still felt woozy. We stopped outside of bus number six and I wasn't sure what else to say. Ace took my hand and we walked around the back side of the bus.
"What are we doing?" I asked and hiccupped. His lips brushed against mine and the heat of his body pressing against mine coated me.
"I don't know," he whispered, giving me a sweet smile. He was being so transparent and I liked this side of him. My heart did backflips and cartwheels, but my words had fled the scene.
"Come to my bus," he said.
"Ooh, being drunk around a hot guy could be verrrry dangerous," I said, giggling.
"So you think I'm hot?" He teased me as he brushed a piece of loose hair from my face.
"You're a tease," I said.
"How so?"
"I think it's the way you move your hips on stage. Drives the ladies crazy." I hiccupped again.
"Does it drive you crazy?" he asked in my ear as he moved closer.
I caught my breath as his lips traced the shell of my ear. I bit my bottom lip and nodded. He didn't realize the effect he was having on me—or maybe he did. Too much moonshine.
"See, drunk girl. Mmmhmmm. Hot guy. I might lose control."
"Sounds kinky," he said.
"So does Ace Hathway."
Ace burst out into laughter and took my hand in his.
"Come with me." He smiled and made a little cross over his heart. "I promise to be a good hot boy."
I looked into his eyes and knew there was no way I was saying no.
"Well, since you crossed your heart," I said.
Ace took my hand and led me behind all of the buses so we wouldn't be seen. He peeked around the corner, quickly typed in the code to the door, then waved me on. We boarded laughing. Nik was sprawled across the couch, half of his legs hung off the side because he was so tall, but he tried to look comfortable. The TV was blaring.
"Hey, lovebirds."
Ace shot him a look of death and I lifted my eyebrows at him.
"I was kidding. Shit," Nik said, mindlessly flipping through the channels.
Ace grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and handed me one too.
His phone rang and he looked down at it. "It's Mom. I'm going to take this call, if that's okay." Ace looked at me.
I nodded and Nik sat up on the couch where I could sit next to him.
"I'll only be a second. Promise."
I had the hiccups and I sat next to Nik. He glanced at me with a half-smile. He looked so much like Ace with a face that looked as perfect as a headshot.
"I'm glad you're here," he said, turning down the volume on the television.
I laughed nervously. "Why?"
"Because my brother deserves someone who is genuine and not a major douche. It's been too long for him. Oh my God. I love “The Golden Girls.” Don't you ever tell anyone I said that," he laughed.
"I pinky swear." I held out my pinky and he looked at me like I was crazy. "It's a girl thing. You wrap your pinky with mine and then we kiss our hand and seal it shut.” Hiccup. “I blame the moonshine. Ignore me."
Nik entertained the idea and looped his pinky with mine and shook it.
"You're hilarious," he said during a commercial.
"Why has it been too long for Ace?"
My curiosity was piqued. Would Nik tell me?
As soon as Nik opened his mouth Ace stepped out and leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. There was a slight smile on his face.
"What are you two talking about?"
Nik changed the channel from “The Golden Girls” to some random action movie. I burst out into laughter.
"Nothing…swear!” I said and stood as he motioned for me with a curled finger to follow him. He grabbed my hand and we walked through the hallway, past the bathroom, to the room in the back of the bus. He opened the door and I walked in and looked around.
"So this is where the magic happens?" I lifted my eyebrows, teasing him.
He laughed and patted the bed. I placed my hands on my hips and lifted my eyebrows at him with puckered lips. It was magical being around him, because at that moment, I couldn't think of anything else but him. Ace encapsulated all of my thoughts and replaced them with himself. Being this close to him, having the smell of his skin around me, and that sexy look on his face did things to me, things that I didn't want to admit.
I let out a small breath and walked forward. All of this was unexpected and I couldn't explain why I was there other than that's where my heart led me. Ace fell back on the bed with his hands above his head. His t-shirt inched up on his stomach and I could see hipbone, tattoos, and abs. If I had my camera, I would have taken a picture of him like that. It was admittedly sexy and I halfway wanted to run my fingertips up his skin and across his muscles. He leaned up on his elbows and shot me a half-smile.
"What?"
I shook my head. "Nothing. You're just…" I positioned my fingers like I was positioning my shot in the lens.
"Picture perfect," he said.
There were times when I wanted to do nothing more than get lost in his eyes, and other times when it was so intense looking at him that I had to turn my head. He was too beautiful, which made being here with him even more intimidating.
I took a few steps forward and Ace grabbed my arm and pulled me next to him. He lifted himself up on one elbow and turned his body toward me. His finger trailed across the softness of my hip. My immediate reaction was to pull my shirt down, but I didn't. Fireworks. Sparks. Electricity. I used to make fun of people who said they felt those things; but now I had. I think I actually shuddered.
Ace leaned forward—his face so close to mine. I watched as he glanced down at my lips and I was flooded with butterflies. I closed my eyes, and he kissed me with passion—soft and mesmerizing. When our lips moved apart, Ace lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. I flipped on my stomach and held my chin up with two hands. He looked at me with hooded eyes and I tilted my head.
The smile that crept across my lips gave my happiness away. I was swooning for Ace Hathway more than I ever had before. His admissions opened a part of my heart that had been closed for way too long. This was the Ace Hathway I wanted to remember for the rest of my life—the sweet, honest, sexy Ace that wrapped me in his arms and pulled me close to him. My body pressed against his chest and I could smell his skin all around me. Sweet and manly smells that didn't seem to mix but did. I laid my head on his chest and I could hear his heart beating. Carefully he rubbed his hand across my back and held me. I reached over and pinched myself.
"Ouch," I said.
"What did you do that for?" His voice was raspy.
"I wanted to make sure I wasn't dreaming."
He pinched me with a laugh.
"Ouch. Okay, definitely not," I said.
I lifted my head and studied his face. His eyelashes were long and curled at the tips. After a few more seconds his eyes popped open and I could see the swirls of blue and green and brown. We were lost in each other, no rock star or journalist titles to hold us at a distance. Unspoken words were written all over his face and I didn't want the moment to fade.
His hands made their way to my hips and he pulled me closer to him. Our lips crashed into each other with such force my breath was stolen on impact. Somehow I had ended up on top of him, straddling his body, but our lips never stopped touching. We were connected so deep, as if we had rooted ourselves into one another's hearts.
I broke apart from him and sat up straight, feeling the hardness of him through his pants. I lifted an eyebrow at him and he tilted his head.
"You do that to me."
"I don't want to rush this," I said, truthfully.
"Babe, I don't want to either."
I rolled my hips on him and he grabbed my thighs and stopped me.
"Two can play that game," he said, flipping me over on my back. His hands were like a compass guiding their way down my body. His lips traced the edges of mine then dragged across my cheek. Warm breath touched my neck as his eyelashes batted across my skin. Without warning, I closed my eyes, lost in a sea of emotions. He was the riptide, pulling me farther out to sea and into unknown territories as he explored my body. My heart raced and my mind spun. My eyes fluttered open and I watched him hover above me, his dark hair falling in his eyes, and plump lips that I wanted to kiss. I leaned up, hoping our mouths would connect, but he eased back and smiled. Internal butterflies fluttered then exploded when he dipped down and kissed me. My tummy swirled with excitement while my body begged for more of him. His fingers traced small circles on my stomach and slowly made their way down further. My body responded to his touch almost instantaneously. With a bated breath, I waited to see how far he would go. When he pulled away, I exhaled roughly—half-wishing he’d gone there, but my better judgment said not yet.
"See," he said across my lips, not pressing, not allowing them to connect though I wanted them to. "I invented the word tease."
As his tongue massaged I wanted to drown in his touch and his lips. I couldn't help what my heart wanted, and it wanted Ace Hathway. He brushed his nose against mine and kissed me before rolling away and lying on his back.
He laughed and we lay there with our hands behind our heads staring at the same white ceiling, undoubtedly imagining all the naughty things we could be doing at the moment. Ace turned his head toward me.
"I need to tell you about my past, Elizabeth. I think it's important."
I rolled over and propped my head up on my elbow. I nodded and waited.
He opened his mouth and closed it several times. Then he began to tell me everything. "I was engaged five years ago to a woman who I thought I loved. I haven't dated anyone since I called it off with her, so I'm a little rusty."
I searched his face, trying to sober up as he poured his heart out to me.
"She didn't want me to pursue my dreams. She didn't want me to tour or play professionally. She gave me an ultimatum to choose her or music."
"…and you didn't choose her?"
He shook his head. His face had become serious and his eyes seemed sad.
"Music is my life. It's a part of who I am and I chose it instead of love. I never in my wildest dreams imagined I would meet someone who could make my heart beat like that again. Someone who understands music. For years I have been a broken man, searching for something to fill that void, but when I'm with you, I don't feel that emptiness."
With every one of his words my heart swelled. I was almost tempted to pinch myself again.
"Ace," I whispered, "you make me feel the same way." There was so much adoration in my tone. My heart raced as he ran his fingers through my hair. He moved closer and my eyes fluttered closed as he kissed my forehead and placed his forehead against mine. I was lost in his touch and I never wanted to be found.
"Thank you," he said. "Thank you for making me feel alive."
Before he placed a soft kiss on my lips, his thumb traced the outside of my bottom lip. There was so much emotion behind that single kiss that I never wanted to pull away. Together we were on the same page, reading the same paragraph, word for word. Was this real life? Ace Hathway had made me feel things that I had long ago buried.
He pulled me into his arms and I closed my eyes. I was afraid of becoming addicted to Ace Hathway. I was
already free falling without a parachute. Once I jumped, I knew there was no going back. I hope the risk was worth it.
I woke up to his soft laughter.
"Huh?"
"We fell asleep," he said.
"Ugh. I've got to go."
He stood and stretched and held out his hand. I grabbed it and he pulled me into him. The taste of his lips would be something that I dreamed about tonight.
"I meant every word I said," he whispered in my ear.
"I did too."
I walked through the bus and Nik was still on the couch, but asleep and snoring. Ace held his finger over his lips with a smile and I waved bye. He gave me a cute little wink and I stepped down.
"Bye, Elizabeth," Nik said before I closed the door.
When I walked off the bus, Jenny rounded the corner. She had been drinking and was talking way too loud. The moonshine had worn off and now my head hurt. Now that I knew she was the Band of Brothers' little sister, I could see the resemblance. The tallness, though her face was much softer, she did have a strong jaw and nose that pointed up at the end. How did I not recognize it before?
"There you are," she said, pointing at me.
"There you are," I said, my cheeks pink thinking about what happened.
I lowered my voice. "I cannot believe you're their sister!"
"I'm sorry for not telling you. Please don't be mad," she said.
"I can't be mad at you. I thought you two were …"
Jenny burst out into a high-pitched laughter until she was practically choking.
"You're a comedian." She stopped and was bending over coughing and laughing. She slowed her pace to keep up with my turtle-like speed.
"I told you he wasn't my type. I'm not into dating my family. Are you dating yet?" she asked.