by Lyra Parish
I don't kiss random women on the mouth; it’s one of my cardinal rules. It was too intimate—too passionate—and it was supposed to mean something. I had not kissed someone so passionately in at least five years and here I was kissing Elizabeth so naturally. Five fucking years is a long ass time to not be intimate with someone, but I wanted it to mean something when I did. Damn, did it mean something, all right! When we kissed, our lips crashed into one another—greedy, heavy—in a way that made my mind spin. I was in a euphoric state stuck in relationship limbo.
The more I thought about Elizabeth, the more I wanted to be with her. I would stop everything for that chance. There was a weird aura between us that simply couldn’t be explained with words; I couldn’t decipher it, but she understood me. She understood me on a level not many did or could.
I put on a button-down shirt and a black tie and rolled my sleeves to my elbow, then brushed my messy hair to the side. I tucked the shirt into a pair of black slacks and even used a belt. When I walked out of the bathroom, Rex and Nik stopped talking.
"Whoa," Rex said. "Did you dress yourself?"
"Don't be an asshole," I said with a smile.
"Looking good, buddy," Nik said. "Getting laid tonight?"
I adjusted the tie. "Did my car arrive yet?"
I looked out the window and outside sat a black Mercedes, parked beside the bus.
"You're so getting laid," Rex said.
The door to the bus opened and Jex stepped on. "Who the fuck rented a Mercedes?"
Rex and Nik both pointed at me.
"Guilty." I looked down at my watch and I became slightly nervous because it was almost time, but it didn’t make sense. I could sing in front of 50,000 people, but going on this date made me nervous.
"Have fun," Nik said, patting me on my back.
"Wear protection," Jex said. Rex gave me two big thumbs up.
When I stepped outside, I watched Elizabeth cross the parking lot in heels and a dress. Her hair was down and swept to one side. When she saw me, she instantly smiled and picked up her pace.
Once she got closer, I pushed her against the car and she tucked her bottom lip into her mouth and looked up at me like I was her savior. We were so close that I could feel the heat of her body. I leaned in and kissed her, stealing her breath away. She melted beneath me and I felt like I was melting into her, becoming one.
"You make me want to do very bad things," I whispered into her ear, then lightly trailed kisses up her neck, before pulling away. Her light moans did crazy things to me. I met her eyes and saw she was breathing hard and I gave her a smirk.
I glanced at the bus and knew my brothers were watching me through the window. I flipped them off, waved, then jogged in front of the car and got in.
This was it.
It had been months since I had driven myself anywhere, but I was a sucker for the soft leather.
"This is wonderful," Elizabeth said, leaning her head against the seat, watching me take control of the road.
"Just wait," I said.
The day was starting to fade to night and the sky had transformed from a blue to a dark purple. We drove away from the city and when I glanced over at her, I could tell she was anxious, but not nearly as anxious as I was.
"Where are we going?" she asked after we had traveled a distance away from the city.
"You'll see. Be patient."
She puckered her lips and playfully shook her head. "Patience and me don't mix."
I placed my hand on her leg and rubbed my thumb across her skin.
We drove past the city and left the warm glow of the tall buildings in the distance. The GPS directed me to turn right and I did. The confusion on her face when she saw the metal building made me chuckle.
I walked around the front of the car and opened her door. After I shut it, I grabbed her hand and led her around the building. The flickering of candles lined the sidewalk leading up to the helicopter.
Her hands flew over her mouth and she stood there completely shocked.
"Are you serious right now?"
"I'm totally serious."
"No way!"
I grabbed her hands, kissed her knuckles, then led her down the sidewalk and opened the door for her. She took a step up, then leaned down and rested her hands on my shoulders. I grabbed her by her waist, twirled her around, and she dipped her face down and kissed me. We hadn't even seen the city by night yet and I was already seeing lights.
When we entered the helicopter and buckled in, the pilot handed us headsets, then turned on the engines. The leather inside of the helicopter was as luxurious and comfortable as the Mercedes.
"Hi. I'm Gabriel Jackle. I'll be flying you across the city tonight." He turned and smiled at both of us. Elizabeth's eyes sparkled when she looked at me; I was thrilled to know how happy I’d made her.
"I'm Ace Hathway and this is my beautiful date, Elizabeth. Pleasure is ours."
"I hope you kids aren't nervous," Gabriel said with a huge smile on his face.
"I'm so ready for this!" Excitement filled her voice.
We lifted from the ground, and from high above the city, lights flickered in the distance. The smile never faded from Elizabeth's face while she looked out the window in awe. I grabbed her hand and interlocked my fingers with hers.
We flew over the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge. White balls of lights levitated above the bridges as if they were the main source holding them erect. The buildings shimmered and shined, and glowed gold as we flew over them. We passed the Empire State Buildings, Radio City Hall, and Central Park. Seeing the city like this had me falling in love with its vast beauty all over again.
"Oh my God, this is breathtaking."
I smiled at her. "You're breathtaking."
Having Elizabeth experiencing it with me made it that much sweeter. I got lost in the buildings and lights and every so often, I'd hear the pilot point out things so we didn't miss them. We circled the city one last time and ended by flying over the Statue of Liberty. Glimmers of light and reflections twinkled across the water.
Elizabeth took out her phone and instead of taking a picture of the sites, she leaned in close to me and took a picture of us together. It was cute.
"I don’t ever want to forget this," she said, looking at me with hooded eyes.
"I don't either." My face actually hurt from smiling so much.
The helicopter steadied, then hovered until it softly hit ground. The engines halted to a stop and the pilot opened Elizabeth's door. She stepped out first, and I followed. I grabbed her hand as we crossed the pad then walked down the sidewalk. Her face was flustered and her cheeks were pink. The smile that met her lips when we climbed into the helicopter was still very much there. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her tight. I thought I heard her sigh.
The night wasn't over yet, but I already knew I never wanted it to end.
29
Elizabeth
I had never seen New York in such an intimate way or ever imagined I would. The buildings, the lights, the view—it was absolutely breathtaking. Never in a million years had I expected him to plan something so sentimental. Tonight Ace Hathway had given me a special gift—an experience I would never forget for as long as I lived.
He draped his arm over my shoulders and I snaked mine around his waist. We walked down the sidewalk and made our way through Battery Park.
"You make me feel special," I said.
"You are." He leaned in and kissed my forehead.
We stood at the edge and looked out at the glowing night lights of the Statue of Liberty. I could have stood there all night admiring her. The wind blew across my face and the sound of moving water surrounded us. There was no denying it—the night was already perfect.
"It's the first time I've ever seen her," I said.
"Do you want to get closer?"
I tilted my head at him as he smiled.
Closer to him or…
I glanced back over at the Statue of Liberty,
questioning the ambiguity of his words. The water crashed against the side of the land and made a splashing noise. After a few more steps, Ace stopped and turned to me.
There we were, surrounded by boats with glowing lights, standing under a streetlamp. A man in a white suit wearing a nametag that read Captain Roberts, shook our hands as we boarded his boat. We walked around the yacht and climbed a set of stairs that led to the top deck. Above was a table for two with a stark white tablecloth, silver platters, and candles placed in the middle. I couldn't believe any of this.
When I took a few steps forward, I could hear a pianist downstairs playing classic love songs.
Ace pulled out my chair and I sat and scooted forward. He removed the silver covers from our plates and handed them to a man dressed in a suit. Ace sat in front of me, grabbed his napkin and placed it in his lap, then smiled at me.
"Is everything okay?" he asked with a smile.
"It's more than okay," I said, lifting my fork and knife and cutting into a medium rare steak.
"How did you know this is how I eat my steak?" I asked.
"It was a lucky guess. It's how I eat mine too." He plopped a piece into his mouth and began to chew. I followed his lead.
The steak practically melted in my mouth. The potatoes were creamy and the broccoli was cooked to perfection—neither too hard nor too soft. Candlelight cast shadows and lit his face in warmth. I couldn't stop looking at him, and we exchanged glances throughout the meal. We were like two shy kids going on a date for the first time. I think I was in such awe, and words had left me.
When we were finished eating, our plates were cleared and so was the table and chairs. Ace walked to the railing and wrapped his arm around me. The boat lurched forward and I fell into him. His hands grabbed my arms and steadied me. I looked up into his eyes and he tucked the plumpness of his lip into his mouth. My eyes instinctively closed and within seconds our lips were dancing a slow dance. I was falling, quick then unhurried, and with each exchange, I didn't know which way was up or down. Could a person fall up?
"Ace," I whispered.
He pulled away from me and I watched a little side grin slide across his face.
"I don't want this night to end." The words fell out of my mouth, but they were the truth. Ace turned me around. My mouth dropped open, and he wrapped his arms around my body and stood behind me. The yellow lights lit the Statue of Liberty and she almost looked like a giant bronze statue. I loved this city so much.
"Wow," I whispered. "Isn't she beautiful?"
"Not as beautiful as you," he said in my ear.
Warm fuzzies traveled over my arms and I wasn't sure how much more of this my heart could take. I’d never been so happy.
The piano resonated in the distance and the yacht slowed to a crawl. Ace took my waist in his hands and I rested my arms around his neck and he slowly moved his body. He picked me up and twirled me around while we danced in candlelight as the yacht circled the Statue of Liberty.
"Elizabeth," he whispered.
I swallowed.
"You make me genuinely happy," Ace said.
I breathed out a ragged breath before his lips traced the outside of mine.
"You take my breath away," I said.
"You're beautiful… Talented… Kindhearted… I don't think you understand how alive you make me feel. For years my family has thought my heart was cold and dead and could never love again. When I'm around you, I feel every beat of my heart pounding, racing, and skipping beats. And every time you look at me like I could save the world, a piece of me believes you." He never took his eyes from me and I couldn't help but swoon. This tall, handsome, talented lead singer of Band of Brothers stood in front of me with all of his inhibitions down. I couldn't help but smile as I wrapped my arms around him and fell into his touch.
"Ace, you can change the world. You've already changed mine. "
He laced his fingers through my hair and pulled me into an even closer embrace. The warmth of our breath mixed and I felt as light as feathers floating from the sky. As our lips touched, I looped my fingers in his pants pockets to balance myself as I drank in the feeling of his soft, warm lips against mine. I moved my hands up his chest and arms around his neck as we waged a silent kissing war with one another—a war neither of us would ever win. He sucked my bottom lip, then I nibbled on his, then our tongues danced to the rhythm of the same tune. I opened my eyes and smiled against Ace's lips. He smiled too. That was the moment that I knew I had fallen for a rock star. My heart forged a path to his and claimed him as mine. Or maybe it was the other way around? I didn't want to remove my arms from his neck so we stood for minutes holding one another tight.
"Do you feel it?" I asked as he rubbed his hand against my back, causing little shots of excitement to burst through me.
"Hmmm?"
"My heart beating?" I looked up at him and smiled.
"Do you feel mine?"
I rested my ear against his chest and heard the increased pace of his heart pounding.
"You give my heart a reason to beat," I said.
"Oh, babe." He dipped down and kissed me again and again and again until we were giggling like teenagers in love.
Ace grabbed my hand and led me over to a bucket of ice with a champagne bottle haphazardly placed inside. He took it out, popped the cork, then poured two tall glasses. I took one and he held his up in the air as the yacht took the long way back to the harbor.
"What are we toasting to?" I asked as Ace held up his glass.
"To love. I can't help but believe it still exists in the world," he said.
"To love?"
"Because I cannot help falling in love…" His was voice softer now.
"With you," I whispered, searching his face, feeling overwhelmed with happiness and adoration as his face softened.
I was wrong earlier. That was the moment that had done it.
I bit my bottom lip and he watched me to do it.
"I might be jealous of that lip at the moment." His voice was all husk and sex appeal, and oh God, I wanted him—all of him—so badly. My body craved his smell, his touch, and his skin. My heart swelled as I sipped from the glass and I didn't want the night to end. I wanted to stay with Ace like this forever. If I could stop time, I'd stop it at this very moment. I was the happiest I had been in years.
"I don't want the night to end," I said.
"Let's dance the night away," he said, placing his hands on my hips and slowly rocking his. The intensity of the night grew as the date came to an end, but I didn't want it to over. After another glass of champagne, the boat docked and we took our time going down the stairs. The car we took to the helicopter pad waited outside and a driver opened our doors and handed him the keys. We sat inside and I turned my head and looked at Ace, hoping he would get my not-so-subtle hint as I tucked my bottom lip into my mouth.
"What do you want to do now?" he whispered.
The message was heard loud and clear.
Tonight would be unforgettable.
Tonight would be ours. Hell, it already was.
30
Ace
I intertwined my fingers with hers as we rode back to the buses. As much as I would have loved to take Elizabeth back to a hotel and worship her body from head to toe, I couldn't. Imagining the things I would do to her made me hard. Every silent conversation, lip bite, and sexy look, caused me to want to turn the car around and forget about the press we had scheduled in the morning. It wasn’t always easy being me.
She squeezed my hand and I turned and smiled at her. Sometimes words weren't necessary. Sometimes it was perfectly normal to allow the moment to happen. Each time we stopped at a red light, she looked into my eyes and I couldn't help but lean over and allow my lips to gently press against hers. Everything about the moment was perfect.
"You're beautiful," I said, kissing her forehead. Now I was trying to stop at every light so I could taste her lips against mine. She sighed with a smile while guiding her hand across my stom
ach. It was like she had stolen my voice with the slightest touch. She commanded my entire body as if she had put me under her haunting spell. At that moment, I'd do whatever she asked. I'd give her the world, and I wanted to.
In the distance, I could see the buses lined up. I pulled over on the side of the road for a few last minutes together before we returned. I unbuckled and turned my body toward her, then grabbed both hands and rubbed my thumb against her smooth skin. I thought I saw her shiver from my touch.
"Elizabeth."
"Yes?"
"Will you be my date to the party on Saturday?"
A heat spread across my body and I wondered if my cheeks had turned pink. What the fuck? I wasn't one to get nervous, but there I was on edge, thinking about her answer. She looked out at the buses then looked over at me.
She unbuckled, fast, and her lips met mine with greed. Instantly I grabbed her and before I knew it her legs crossed mine and she was straddling me. Her arms wrapped around the back of my neck and we were kissing—kissing as our souls sang in perfect harmony, like we were made to be together. When we broke away, her nose brushed against mine and I bit her bottom lip. She was gasping for air and so was I.
I loved extreme. I was extreme, but this was more than I’d ever imagined.
"I guess that's a ‘yes’?"
She laughed. "Yes, yes, of course."
Unexpectedly, drops of rain pelted against the roof of the car as if the angels were rejoicing. She pushed herself into my lingering hard-on and smiled.
"Mmmm," she said kissing the shell of my ear. Her ass sat in the palms of my hands and I squeezed. She perked up and met my eyes and her hair fell around my face as she gobbled up every kiss. I thought my heart would explode from the emotions streaming through me. Elizabeth had to be mine. Elizabeth would be mine. I wanted her so bad, it almost hurt.
The rain fell harder and harder and little dings pelted against the roof. It sounded like hail.
"Hell has frozen over," I laughed.
"I think it's our cue to go," Elizabeth said. She moved beside me and I started the car. We crawled to the parking lot, barely able to see and I parked by my bus.