Hacked For Love & The Dom's Songbird

by Michelle Love

  Where is that woman who was so on guard?

  Kip

  Long gone is the overly wary girl I met this morning and sang to earlier today. Peyton seems to be letting me in some and while I’m loving it, I’m also more than aware of the limited amount of time I have to be with her. A few more days of normal I’ve been given, like a gift that gets taken away all too often.

  Her smile is bright, and she gets a twinkle in her light brown eyes when she laughs, which is often. I’m not sure what has her treating me so nice. Maybe it’s because she didn’t think I’d really come see her. Whatever it is, I find I’m happier than I’ve ever been with any woman, and I barely know her.

  Now that she’s allowing me to touch her and run my arm around her, I can feel how perfectly we fit one another. With my other conquests I’ve always been quick to get to the finish line with them, but with her I find myself wanting to take my time. Though I have damn little of it.

  Most of the guests have left as she and I sit on the edge of the swimming pool, letting our legs dangle in the cool water. “Where are you guys headed next?” she asks.

  I tuck a stray curl behind her ear as I look into her eyes. “Dallas,” I say. “Dallas was to be tomorrow, but it was pushed back, so we have the next three days off. I hope you don’t have any plans because I’d like to spend them with you.”

  Small wrinkles form on her forehead as she frowns. “You don’t see that as a waste of your time?”

  I smile at her. “No, do you?”

  With a light laugh she looks away. “I’m not one to have a three day fling with a roaming rock star, no matter how sweet I think he is.”

  She thinks I’m sweet!

  Her eyes close as I touch her chin, bringing her face back so I can see her expression. “Why does it just have to last three days?”

  Her eyes flutter open as she says, “We both know why. Your life is full. Practically every minute is scheduled for you. This time off is a fluke, isn’t it?”

  I nod. “I find that interesting,” I say, stroking her cheek as I lean towards her. “The moment our eyes met something in me clicked. I’ve never experienced anything like it. I’m being completely honest with you, Peyton, so please don’t give me any of that rubbish about giving you lines. I’d like you to be honest with me about what you feel about me.”

  Searching my eyes as if seeking the truth in them, she says, “You have no idea how much I want to believe you, Kip. And if you really want me to be honest with you, well, when you touched me this morning then took my hand, I felt something spread throughout my body. That’s never happened before. And to be honest, I find it terrifying. I mean, I’m no fool, I know this won’t last. I know you have to go.”

  “You should believe me, it’s true,” lifting her chin to angle her face to mine I brush her cheek with my lips, settling them at the back of her ear. “Ask me, Peyton.”

  Her laughter peals through the night air. A splash of water hits me as she kicks it up. “Oh, you’re good, Mr. Pop Rock. Guess I’m the first girl you sang that song to who has told you no.” She stands up and offers me her hand. I take it but instead of standing up, I pull her to sit on my lap. “Kip!”

  I hold her tight to me, resting my forehead against hers. “As a matter of fact you’re right, but that’s not why I want to feel your lips on mine. I want to see what it feels like. Your presence has made me unsteady and excited like never before. To be honest, I was confused by your reaction to me. It’s something I’ve never experienced before. You’re so normal.”

  “Thanks,” she says with a smile. “That’s what every girl wants to hear.”

  “Normal is something I long for.” I run my hands through her curls. “I’ve never had a normal life, Peyton. I watch television and see normal families and wish I had one. My life has always been over the top. You wouldn’t believe the wacky shit I’ve went through.”

  “Tell me, Kip.” Her arms slip around my neck and she leans her head against my chest. “I want to hear about what has made you who you are.”

  Somehow, holding her like this seems so natural. It feels so right and comfortable. I find myself wanting to tell her things I’ve never told anyone.

  “What was the thing you did to get yourself in the most trouble with your parents, when you were a child?” I ask.

  “I left the barn door open, and at that time we had seven horses and one cow. They all got out, and I got a few licks from Daddy’s belt.” Her finger traces a pattern on my chest, leaving little electric currents as she does.

  “See, that’s normal,” I say. “I got knocked around the formal dining room one night as my parents threw a lavish party, alcohol and drugs flowing like water. One of my father’s friends, someone you have definitely heard of, but shall remain nameless, offered me a cracker with caviar on it. I was five and not about to put that in my mouth. I was a crying mess as my mother shoved that nasty crap into my mouth, after which I threw up all over the white carpet, and was promptly sent to bed.”

  Her arms go around me and she tightens them in a hug. “That’s horrible, Kip.”

  I kiss the top of her head. “My days are filled with traveling and my nights with a face full of make- up and women who throw themselves at me with no regard for themselves. I swear if you heard some of the things they say, you would shit yourself in shock.” My arms go around her and tighten as she looks up at me with tears in her eyes.

  “I’ve changed my mind,” she says, then licks her red lips. “If nothing else comes of this, I’ll be happy to know I was the one normal girl you’ve ever kissed. Kip, I’m asking you to kiss me.”

  Finally, she’s asking me to kiss her, and I find all I want to do is do this thing with her right. She is not a one night stand or even a three night stand. She’s good and seems pure and innocent.

  I smile at her and run my hands over her back. “You know what, Peyton? I’m going to do this right. Allow me to take you on a date tomorrow wherever you want to go. I don’t want our first kiss to be one out of pity for a poor, rich boy.”

  She smiles back. “A date? Anywhere I want?”

  I nod. “Anywhere.”

  “Do you ride?” she asks.

  I give her a wicked smile, she may as well know my true humor which can be a bit raunchy at times. “Ride what?”

  She gently hits my chest. “Horses, silly.”

  I laugh. “It’s been a while. But yeah, I can ride.”

  “Bring your band of monkeys if they’d like to come and we can spend a normal day of riding horses, fishing in our pond, and maybe, if you’re really lucky, swimming in the pool. Then I’ll make us a normal dinner of spaghetti and meatballs.”

  Now that does sound completely normal and completely wonderful!

  “It’s a date then, but I’m not bringing them. I want it to be me and you, alone.”

  She snuggles into my chest as a cool breeze blows past us. “My family will be here, Kip. We won’t be alone much. They can come if you want them to.”

  “I love my mates, don’t get me wrong, but they’re Hollywood to their core. It’s safe to say they’ve disappeared with random girls from your little party here and will sneak back to our hotel in Austin once the sun rises,” I say, then kiss the top of her head.

  She makes a deep sigh. “I suppose it’s very late and if we’re to have any fun at all tomorrow, we best be getting to bed.”

  “Is that an invitation,” I ask with a laugh.

  “No.” She giggles and pulls her head off my chest. “I should tell you something before you go wasting a lot of time on me. It might change your mind about spending your days off with me.”

  Her words make me feel bad and I want her to understand how I’m starting to really feel about her. “None of my time is wasted when it concerns you.”

  Darting back and forth, her eyes tell me she’s nervous about telling me what she has to say. “Promise me you won’t think I’m a freak.”

  I nod. “I know a ton of freaks and trust
me when I say there is nothing you can tell me to make me think that about you.”

  “I’m not going to be giving in to you, Kip. Not sexually, anyway,” she says and I find myself laughing.

  “Ever?”

  “Not in the next three days.” She looks away. “I’m a virgin.”

  “How old are you?” I ask in surprise.

  Her eyes meet mine. “Twenty-two.”

  Wow! This is so not right to do to her if I can’t do right by her!

  “Okay, so that’s good to know.” I stroke her hair and smile like it’s not a big deal.

  “So, I understand if you don’t want to spend the next few days with me. It won’t end the way that you might think it will. It’s not in me to give that part of myself to someone who isn’t going to be a real part of my life, and I know you can’t be.” Her eyes begin to glisten with what I believe may well be tears.

  I kiss her cheek, then move my lips to her neck and kiss her lightly, her body shivers and I hold her close to me.

  “Peyton, I have no idea where this is leading. I promise you that I’ll end it if I think you’ll be hurt by anything I do.”

  “Thank you, Kip. Thank you for understanding who I am.”

  I do understand and I have to ask myself if I have it in me to give her what she needs.

  Peyton

  I walk Kip to his car where I find a limousine waiting and promptly swat at his chest. “You didn’t tell me you had someone waiting on you. This is awful, the driver could’ve come in and ate and been comfortable instead of cooped up in this thing.”

  His arms run around me and he hugs me tight. “See, a normal response! I love it!” he says. “Now give me your phone.”

  I reach into the pocket of my skirt and hand it to him. He sends himself a message from my phone and hands it back. “There, now I have your number and you have mine. I’ll give you a call in the morning before I come over. Do you drink coffee?”

  “That early?” I ask. “Come on, it’s late. Don’t act like you’ll be back up in a few hours and raring to see me.”

  “Baby, if I could, I’d stay with you the whole time, or take you back with me to the hotel.” he says. “Tomorrow I’m renting a car, so you don’t have to feel sorrow for my driver.”

  “Don’t bring me any coffee, I like tea.”

  Pressing my body up against the back car door, he wraps me up in his arms and rocks with me, placing his forehead on mine. “Tea it is. Can I have a chaste kiss good night to give me sweet dreams?”

  I press my lips to his cheek and have to fight myself not to move them to his lips which are plump and juicy looking. Even with this most chaste of kisses, I feel him swelling as his body is flush with mine. My body has ached for his for some time now and this closeness is making it so much worse.

  My lips have lingered on his cheek for too long and he pulls back from me with a groan. His blue eyes are dark and full of desire as he moves his mouth towards me and I want it to crash down on mine, but they touch my cheek and I nearly fall apart.

  My hands flow over his back as he leaves his lips on my cheek, then I feel the wetness of the tip of his tongue touch my cheek and my knees go weak.

  Crap! If a damn kiss on the cheek does this to me, what will a real kiss do? I’ll be putty in the man’s hands!

  My breath comes in waves as his hands move up to tangle in my hair and he pulls my head back and looks at me for the longest time. Our eyes seem to communicate how much we both are feeling. “I should go,” he finally says. “It would be best if I go now.” Somehow it seems like we can’t stop looking at each other. “I don’t want to go, Peyton.”

  “I don’t want you to,” I say and find I’m licking my lips and his eyes finally leave mine as he looks at my lips and bites his bottom one.

  Slowly he moves his head forward, closer and closer as he looks at my lips and I’m quivering inside and am so afraid if he kisses me I’ll let him do anything he wants to me and to hell with me worrying about when he has to leave. His lips are so close to mine I can feel the heat of his breath on them. Then his forehead touches mine and he keeps his lips that close for a little while as we both breathe ragged breaths.

  “Tomorrow,” he says quietly. “Tomorrow, I will see you. Good night.”

  He pulls himself away from me and I feel cold immediately and cross my arms in front of me and run my hands over my arms. “Tomorrow then, good night.” I walk back up the sidewalk to my house. “See you tomorrow then.”

  “Tomorrow, baby!” he shouts.

  I stop and turn around. “Get in the damn car, you sound like Austin Powers,” I say as I giggle.

  He keeps looking at me as he holds the door open on the car until I go inside and close the door behind me. My body falls back on the door and I run my hands over my arms then touch the cheek he left the long kiss on.

  Floating down the hallway to my bedroom, it starts to sink in, now that he’s not all over me, this will only be for a short time and then it’ll be over and I’ll be heartbroken for sure. I pull my clothes off and throw on a little nightgown and climb into bed.

  Maybe, if nothing else, this little thing we have going on will help me to write better novels. It’s kind of hard to be a romance novelist if the extent of my romantic experience is making out with a couple of boys in high school, which my brothers ran off or the one guy in college which I later found out was really gay. A broken heart may be what I need to become a best-selling author.

  But a broken heart caused by Kip may hurt worse than a broken heart caused by a regular guy. Not one kiss on the lips have I had that was anywhere near the kiss on the cheek Kip gave me. I’ll have to just chill and enjoy the time we have and not worry about the future.

  No matter how much it will hurt me in the end.

  Kip

  Darkness surrounds me as I ride back to my hotel. My mind is spiraling as I have to be honest with myself about Peyton. Never has a woman had so much hold over me, and in the span of just a few hours at that.

  I know I should leave her alone. I’ll only hurt her, I’m sure. Or maybe she’ll hurt me. Things run through my mind as to how we could have something, a real relationship, not just three days. She would have to agree though and I doubt she would.

  But that crazy kiss she gave me on the cheek took my breath away. I cannot believe how it made me feel as her soft lips pressed against my cheek for so long.

  A new tour bus I could buy, for just us. The band could ride on the bus we have now. Sure, they’d say a bunch of shit about it, but what the hell do I care?

  I’m no idiot with my head in the clouds. Peyton is a virgin and not likely to agree in a matter of a couple of days to go on the road with me. Hell, she’s not likely to agree to have sex with me in this three day period, much less take off with me.

  The career she’s chosen as a writer would go great with mine. She can do that anywhere. I can see it all now. She can type away on her laptop as I play my concerts, then when I come back to the bus we can make love like the people she’s written about while I was busy performing.

  It’s a win, win for us both!

  I have her cell phone number now so I take my phone and send her a sweet little text to show her how special she is.

  ‘Had a wonderful night and hope you and I can have many, many more like it.’

  I lay my head back on the headrest and try hard not to think about how her eyes sparkle or her lips felt as they pressed on my cheek. My phone dings and I look down to see that she’s texted back. I want to slap myself as my tummy does a little flip at how happy it’s made me.

  ‘How nice that would be, but let’s not kid ourselves. We can enjoy these three days, let’s not lie to one another. I really, really like you, by the way. I think I forgot to tell you that.’

  She really, really likes me!

  I text back, ‘I really, really like you too and I’m thinking about ways we can make this last more than three days. Have sweet dreams, love and I’ll see you in the mor
ning. XXOO’

  My phone dings again, right away. ‘XXOO to you too, good night, you sweet man.’

  Never have I been called sweet. Hot, sexy, passionate, but not sweet. Perhaps I haven’t been sweet before. Perhaps that’s why I’ve never found anyone before. Maybe only Peyton can bring this out in me. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt, and I’ll be damned if I let something like my career get in the way of whatever this is.

  We pull into the hotel and I find myself full of resolve and with purpose like never before. The driver lets me out and I make my way up to my room. As I get out of the elevator, I hear a woman’s slurred voice and see Bobby on the outside of his door, making out with a woman.

  “Kip!” I hear and look across the hall from them and see the red haired woman from after the concert standing in front of my hotel room door. “You’re back, thank God! Dude, I need to crash in your room, your guitar player said it would be fine.”

  The fucking wanker!

  Peyton

  It’s hard to fall asleep after Kip texted me that he’s thinking of ways for us to stay together for more than this three days. Can it really happen? Can he and I really be a couple?

  I’m stupid, I know it, but when he touches me it’s like magic. But I bet it feels like that to all the girls he’s touched. He has touched a shit load of girls.

  That thought alone sends me back to reality and I feel sad, like right away. I look at the clock on the nightstand and see it’s been about an hour since he left and I have an overwhelming urge to be sure he made it back to his hotel safely.

  I text him, ‘Just want to be sure you made it to your hotel.’

  The phone I lay on my chest as I wait for his answer which I hope tells me he’s made it so I can go to sleep. Is this what a relationship is, caring if someone has made it to their destination intact?

  Minutes turn into a half hour and I find the butterflies have returned to my stomach and fear is pushing them around like a tornado. I toss and turn in my bed as I think about what might have happened.