by Lyra Parish
"How long have you been here?"
I stood as he came closer. His skin was still hot from the water and I felt like I was on fire from the inside out. I stood and opened my mouth to say something else, but Ace's lips pressed against mine. My eyes instantly slammed shut and I gave him everything that I was. Emotions burst through me like bright colors in a kaleidoscope and I couldn't hold the way I felt back any longer. His hands grabbed my face and his kiss deepened while his tongue brushed against mine, teasing and tempting me to do things that I had dreamed about since I’d left. It wasn't a lie. What we experienced was real and nothing in the world could make me happier.
The door swung open and I heard laughing behind me. Ace tilted his head around mine and cleared his throat. "Do you mind?"
I turned around and looked at Rex and at first he looked me up and down, lingering on the curves I had covered for weeks.
"Holy hell!" He whistled. "Where have you been hiding that body?"
"Rex. Out!" Ace pointed his finger toward the door and Rex rolled his eyes but had a huge grin on his face.
Ace picked up his phone and sent texts, then dropped it on the couch.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. I ran my fingers up his stomach and his breathing stilted from my touch.
"I'm sorry for everything," I said, wanting him to know I meant each word.
Ragged breaths escaped him. To think that he performed in front of thousands of people, had women trampling over him, and my touch, mine, made him react in such a way.
"I'm sorry that you had to see that. Misty means nothing to me. She's jealous, even after all these years. I didn't realize her cousin Sarah was on the tour feeding her info. I've taken care of that problem, as well."
Finally, it all made sense. The way Sarah acted seemed like a setup and it probably was. I took a second to process all that had happened and it made me feel even worse.
"I'm so sorry. I promise to never be that stupid girl again," I said.
"Just promise you'll never leave me again."
I felt like I was gasping for air, for reality to pull me away. But this was reality. This was happening.
"I don't want to."
"When you left, I thought I would never see you again. I made a promise to myself that the next time I saw you I would never make that mistake of letting you leave again. I'm sorry for hurting you. You leaving without saying good-bye broke me into pieces. I want to believe that maybe love does still exist in world. And when I'm around you, I know it does."
"I don't want to be hurt. I don't want to be a side dish. I want to be yours without worry or care."
"Babe, if you give me a chance, I promise you'll be my appetizer, main course, and dessert."
I nodded with a little smile on my face while Ace beamed with happiness. Our hearts were bleeding together and I knew coming to him was the right thing to do. Being together like this felt right.
He interlocked his fingers with mine and kissed me like I was the last oxygen on earth and he needed every bit of me to breathe. It was slow, then it was fast—passionate and insatiable. His fingers streamed through my hair, then ran the length of my body.
"I want you so badly," he whispered in my ear. His lips brushed against the softness on my neck and I closed my eyes and held back a moan. I was clay in his hands, and at that moment, he could have molded me into anything he wanted.
I smiled against his lips as his hands remembered my body. "But I never got those questions answered."
He narrowed his eyes, then grinned. "I already told you once. A piece of clothing per question."
I looked down at the dress that barely covered my skin.
Five questions this time, if each shoe counted.
"Deal," I said, keeping the promise I made to myself. I'd play his game even if I knew I could never win such a wager.
Ace sat on the couch and placed his hands behind his head with a cute little side grin glued to his face.
"Okay, first question. Did you always want to be a musician?"
I sat next to him. His nose brushed against mine and his voice dipped low.
"Don’t waste your questions on things that are already known. Dig deep. Ask me things that you can't find on the Internet from my brothers' interviews."
My heart beat in my chest and I was almost certain that he could hear it. "How do you define love?"
He licked his lips and slightly nibbled on his bottom lip then gave me a little nod. Ah, I see. He wanted me to ask the question and remove the piece of clothing before he would answer.
"Fine," I said. I unzipped the dress and stepped out of it. Bright blue lace panties sat low on my hips and inched up my ass. Ace made a little twirl motion with his finger, and I spun around, giving him exactly what he wanted. When he admired my body and studied me, I felt like the most beautiful woman in the world—like I was his.
"Love is an emotion that runs deep. It can warm a person at night or freeze them to the core. Love can be kind or it can be destructive. I’ve seen it tear a person’s heart from the inside out and leave nothing more than a hollow shell. It can make a person happy or it can drive them mad. In my world, there is no true definition of love. No amount of songs or music can give it the justice it deserves, because love is forever changing, transforming into stronger emotions or slipping away completely. New love, on the other hand, is a beautiful experience. It's heart palpitations and fantasies and it can make a man feel like he has everything he's ever needed in the world when, in reality, he has nothing. Without love, a rich man is poor. With love, a poor man is rich. Love is a funny thing, isn’t it? Honestly Elizabeth, I can't tell you exactly what love is and there is no definition on this planet that can describe the way I feel about you properly."
I didn't expect an answer so deep—so meaningful, so powerful—that it stole my breath away. I knew I was falling into the abyss, falling for Ace, falling in love.
"That…" I swallowed, "that was beautiful."
"You…” he motioned to me, “you are beautiful. Next question."
I tilted my head at him, and thought hard about my next question.
"Where do you see yourself in ten years?"
He tilted his head, then smiled. I removed my shoe and smiled.
"That's easy. With you."
"Ace, that's not an answer." He stood and walked toward me and his hands gently brushed against my stomach then outlined the lace of my bra. Little chill bumps formed as his energy rushed through me.
"That's the truth and my final answer."
I couldn't take it anymore. I didn't care about the damn questions. My body, my heart, and my soul wanted him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me.
"Fuck those questions," I whispered.
He lifted me in his arms and I wrapped my legs around his waist. To date, the only man who had ever swept me off my feet was Ace. When he shut the door, he sat on the edge of the bed and dropped to his knees so he could stare into my eyes before his lips trailed across my body. There weren’t many times I’d been able to be sure of things, but one thing I knew for sure in this moment, I needed him.
39
Ace
I looked into her blue eyes and found all the permission I needed. Elizabeth Riley was everything that I wanted. She was a beautiful person inside and out. Though I was once a sinner, I'd turn saint for her. She inspired me in inexplicable ways. Because of her, I was becoming someone my parents could be proud of.
My lips met hers with fire and passion. She poured herself into me and I gave all I had. I studied her body in her lacy little bra and panties, taking mental pictures of her, hoping that I would never forget her as she was right at this moment. With heavy breaths, she watched me and I watched her breasts rise and fall each time my fingers touched her skin.
The next thing I knew, her hands and mouth were all over my body and the towel that hung low on my hips had slipped. I was hard, but thinking about her did that to me. The truth was, Elizabeth could ask me any
question that she wanted and I would give her the answer. I didn't care if it would be published if it would make her happy. Nothing else mattered to me.
I laid her down on the bed and she studied me with a sexy smile. I hooked my fingers in her panties and shimmied them from her body. Instead of going straight for her bra, I streamed my fingers up her body, caressing her soft skin.
"Ace… I'm so sorry," she said breathlessly.
"Babe." I pushed away from her. "All that matters is that you're here with me now."
"I am." Her voice sounded foreign and small.
"Misty only came back because she saw the pictures of us together. She doesn't want me, but she doesn't want anyone else to want or have me either. The thought of never seeing you again was slowly destroying me. I told you that I don't want to live without you and I meant it."
"I do want you, Ace. My God. You have no idea how much I want you."
Her words were like music to my ears. It was almost as if she knew exactly what I wanted to hear, but by the soft smile on her face and the sparkle in her eyes, I knew she was being genuine. I'd do whatever I needed to have her trust me. When I was with someone, I was a one-woman man and no one, not even Misty, the only other woman I had ever loved, could change that. Elizabeth was everything that I wanted, needed, and craved. I smiled at her and she stood and kissed me with a greedy mouth.
"I like this look," I whispered in her mouth.
"It was for you," she said as I led her to the bed.
"Now it's time for me to make love to my girlfriend, if you're okay with that."
Her mouth fell open and I tugged on her bottom lip.
It didn't take long until I was in her, right where I was supposed to be. My body gave in and my heart confirmed that Elizabeth was mine. She made me feel, which was something I’d been missing for years. Tonight, time stood still. She trailed kisses across my body as I took my time with her. Slowly, I made sure she reached that point of ecstasy. Being with her like this felt like home. Her orgasm was so intense that I couldn't hold mine back any longer. As she moaned in my ear I came. An overwhelming sense of happiness surrounded me as I moved from her body, hoping it wasn't a dream. The intensity of what just happened made my body sing. Her naked body pressed against mine. I wrapped my arm around her and her eyes fluttered closed. I placed kisses on her eyelids until her eyes opened. Tugging me closer, she snuggled her body against my chest. My arms fell over her and we lay there with each other, happy and content.
Night had passed and morning had come. Sun splashed across the floor of the bus.
"Morning, babe," I said, as I ran my fingers across her skin.
"Morning," she grumbled, then smiled.
"We unpack the buses today," I said, lowly.
"Shhh, I'm enjoying you right now."
I didn't rush her, but for a moment I thought she had fallen back asleep. I kissed her hair, her face, and then her lips. She sighed after our lips parted. I couldn't help but chuckle at how cute she was in the morning.
Nik's voice echoed through the bus and I knew by the noise level that all the brothers had loaded. Elizabeth sat straight up, naked, and turned and glared at me.
"You don't think they will…"
"Come in here? Probably."
She stood up and put on her clothes and I lay naked with the blanket covering my lower half. Once she was dressed, the door busted open and my brothers and Jenny stood in the doorway. Elizabeth smoothed her hair on her head and gave them all a smile. She looked at me, then back at them with messy hair and a face that said, we’d just had sex. I couldn't help but laugh.
"I told you she was still here," Nik said.
"Oh my God, I'm so happy," Jenny said.
Rex and Jex pulled twenty-dollar bills from their pockets and handed them to Nik who looked at us before placing the cash in his pocket.
"Thanks guys. Breakfast is on me." Nik shut the door, but not before giving Elizabeth and me a wink.
"I should probably get going. I've got a long drive back, and then PHASE.” She groaned.
I stood up, naked, and went to her and held her in my arms.
"I understand." I kissed her, massaging my tongue against hers.
"I hate to leave," she said.
"It's not good-bye. It's see you soon."
I kissed her again and she grabbed her things, turned around and gave me another kiss, then forced herself out the door.
My brothers and Jenny all spoke to her as she walked out and I watched her stroll across the parking lot. She looked over her shoulder and blew a kiss, as if she knew I was watching her, but the tinting was so dark there was no way she could.
That woman did unheard things to my heart. Maybe the next album would be full of love songs. My brothers may hate me.
40
Elizabeth
My body ached and begged for more of Ace, but there was too much business that had to be taken care of. I could no longer put it off because the anxiety would eat me alive. Monday arrived quickly, and I knew I couldn't prolong the inevitable. No. When problems arose they needed to be dealt with and today they would be. I called Jack and told him I would be at the office in an hour. He needed to be prepared for my wrath.
I grabbed my company-issued laptop and camera, put on a cute little dress, and pinned my hair out of my face. I drove to PHASE in silence replaying exactly what I would say to Jack when I saw him. I parked in the front and took the elevator to the top floor, the executive floor, where the all the conference rooms were. He wanted to intimidate me. It almost worked.
My heart pounded in anticipation and adrenaline coursed through my veins like a dirty drug. Adrenaline and nerves danced together, spinning into a tumble. I hated confrontation. I'd rather avoid it at all costs. I walked in and Jack sat at the end of a long table. He loved to play the intimidation game. As I looked at the table, I saw photographs of Ace and I together neatly placed down the length of the table. All of my courage had vanished, and I wanted to as well.
Jack stood and placed his hands behind his back with a smug look on his face.
"There are rules and procedures that must be followed when you're representing PHASE Magazine." He walked around the conference room, making sure to put on a show. I stood timidly watching him.
"This." He pointed at a picture. "And this." He pointed at another of us kissing. "Is not in your job description. But as much as I want to, I'm not here to fire you, Elizabeth. I want you to write a story about your intimate relationship with Ace Hathway. I want the inside scoop."
My mouth flew open and my words escaped me. I couldn't. I could never do anything of the sort, and I wouldn’t.
"You'll write the new story and we will place a few of these images in with random shots of the shows. PHASE will be put on the map with this story, copies will fly off the shelves, and women will get what they most desire—an inside look at Ace, the man who has stolen a million hearts."
Jack looked like the maniac I always imagined him to be, but it almost caught me off-guard. I wanted to be ahead of his game, but I already felt two steps behind.
He carefully picked up the photographs and stacked them on top of one another, making sure to take his time to study each shot.
"You had me followed? This isn't a tabloid, Jack. It's a music industry magazine."
"I don't plan on publishing lies. It's an insider's look and since you were on PHASE's clock while doing the band, it's the least you can do. I wasn't paying you to sleep with them. The article is due on Friday. I want to have it through edits and print by the end of next week, ready to be distributed in this month's edition."
Jack picked up the stack of pictures and dropped them in front of me. I watched them cascade across the table displaying private, somewhat intimate moments of our lives. I glanced down at the pictures and jumped when the conference room door slammed behind Jack. I tried to focus, tried to move but I felt like my life had been placed on pause. I didn't get a chance to tell him no. I couldn't move and I fel
t stuck in place. Then, as if Ace were right there, I remembered the way the pressure of Ace's lips felt on my neck, down my stomach, and between my thighs. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't find the correct words to place in an article that shared moments that were only meant for Ace and me. The emotions would never transfer to paper correctly and I couldn't hand that over on a silver platter for the world to read. It was our story, an intimate one that I would never be demanded to tell.
I went to my office and looked around the room. I plopped down in my chair and stared at the blank wall remembering all the wonderful times Jules and I had had in that room. Times were changing. I signed onto my computer and dumped my personal files onto a thumb drive, then cleaned my email. I opened an email and watched the cursor blink at me for minutes. Thoughts jumbled, my mouth went dry, and then I began to type into the body.
Jack,
Effective today, I am resigning from my position at PHASE Magazine. Instead of giving you the chance to fire me for insubordination, please accept this as my resignation. The subjects on the other side of the lens are people, too, and until you realize that and learn how to treat them with the utmost respect while staying true to the mission statement of PHASE and the industry, you won't grow as an individual and this company will not move to the next level. Jack, you won't be receiving the dirty details you've demanded. I don't appreciate being followed while I was on tour, your disrespectful attitude, side comments, and unspoken threats. If you seek retribution, my lawyer will be contacted.
Elizabeth Anne Riley
I didn't immediately press send. The email stayed open waiting for me. The cursor blinked, daring me to press send, but I wanted to let my words resonate for a moment. I grabbed an empty paper box and began stacking all the little items I had collected on my desk over the past few years. I packed pictures of Jules and me backstage at concerts and removed the zip drive from my computer and threw it in the box. Once my desk was cleared, I pressed send and grabbed the box. As I walked out, people stared at me. Most of them looked confused and I gave them small smiles as I headed toward the elevator. I stepped inside and before the door closed, I could hear Jack yelling and screaming from his office. We made eye contact one last time and I shot him the biggest smile I could muster.