He looked into her eyes for a tender moment, but the producer was still waving and the crowd was cheering. He smiled at her one last time before heading down the aisle.
Kaylee hugged each of the guys as they passed her. Noah was the last one. He pulled her tight and lifted her in the air. "I saw that," he whispered in her ear, then ran to join the rest of the guys.
She sank back into her chair, a little embarrassed by the kiss, but she couldn't think it through right now - there was an award to be accepted! She was so ecstatic and proud of her boys.
The guys all gathered around the microphone. "Wow, this is great! We didn't prepare a speech, because honestly, we NEVER thought we'd be up here," Noah told everyone. He looked at the little moon man statuette, holding it tight in his hands.
"First, we need to thank our fans. You're the ones who put us here, and you're the ones who keep us going day to day. Next, we need to thank all our friends and family, everyone who has supported us since day one," Noah went on. He looked to the other guys for help, as he got caught up in the moment.
"All the production crew, Jayden, Cody, the guys at the recording studio, our record company..." Jayden added.
"And most importantly, a special thanks to my sister Kaylee. Thank you so much for always keeping us in line, and for being there whenever we need you," Noah announced.
"We love you Kaylee!" Jayden and Colton yelled together.
Ashton took the mic then. "Thanks for being my sparring partner, as well as my teddy bear." He looked out to the crowd and spotted Kaylee.
That did it. The tears started, the kind of good tears that she would never try to hide. She blew a kiss at all of them. The music came on to usher them off stage, but before they moved, they saw their biggest fan give them a standing ovation. Kaylee stood, with tears pouring from her eyes, clapping like there was no tomorrow. Her heart swelled, knowing how deserving the band was. She had been there through all the shows - the crappy ones and the great ones - all the long hours on the road, the interviews and the press and the occasional problems. She had seen it all, and she knew that ninety percent of stardom is serious work. That hard work had finally paid off, and she couldn't be happier for them.
Kaylee sat back down and watched the rest of the show. During commercial breaks, people would stop by to pat her on the shoulder and congratulate her and "her boys." She knew those boys were backstage in front of a bevy of cameras.
The guys made it back to their seats just as the show was ending. Ashton immediately took her hand as she sat down. They were all so euphoric that it was as though their bodies were filled with electricity; nobody wanted to sit. There was a lot of fidgeting until the show was over. After the cameras stopped rolling, they were finally able to get out of their seats and head to the front lobby.
Once there, Kaylee hugged all the guys again, telling them all how proud she was of them.
She went and talked to Colton and Jayden's dates as the three of them faded into the background. The women watched as different singers and actors came over and congratulated the band, giving them their moment of glory. Of course, Brittany stood right by Noah, making sure she was both seen and heard by everyone who stopped by.
Neither of the other two girls seemed to like Brittany much. They got along well with Kaylee though. They kept themselves entertained as the guys basked in the joy of the night. Ashton kept motioning for Kaylee to stand next to him, but each time, she smiled and shook her head.
The guys were able to meet some of their idols, the bands that they patterned their music after. It gave them an unbelievable high, something that no drug could ever match.
Ashton had enough of Kaylee holding up the wall, and went over to her. In one swift movement, he wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up and spun her around. Kaylee tossed her head back and laughed, feeling so carefree and happy.
An hour later they were back in the limo, heading to the post-party that their record company was throwing for the newly-minted winners. Ashton had his hand back in Kaylee's as they talked about all the famous people they had met that night.
At the party, the champagne was endless as the eight of them celebrated the success of the band. No one's glass was ever empty, and they were all plastered at the end of the night. It seemed a fitting, carefree way to end a night that had gone impossibly well - both professionally and personally.
Chapter 10
The next day, Kaylee woke to a relentless pounding in her head. She rolled over in bed, moving very carefully, hoping that if she moved her head to a different spot on the pillow, it wouldn't hurt so much.
She lay there for a long moment with her head hurting too much to think. But slowly awareness arrived, and with it came memories. Her mind started to picture everything that happened the night before, Ashton kissing her, touching her, making her feel like no man ever had before.
Kaylee groaned aloud. "No..."
She wasn't going to think of any of those things. Nothing really happened, and she didn't want anything to happen. Did she? Kaylee didn't like Ashton, there was no way. No way! He tormented her constantly, picking at her last nerve until she nearly blew up.
But why had they kissed so much the night before, and had so much fun the whole evening? Why did she enjoy the feel of his skin against her skin, his lips on her lips? Why was he invading her thoughts more and more each day?
In the unvarnished light of a serious hangover, Kaylee realized that she was starting to have serious feelings for Ashton. Feelings that were best put aside. After all, a man like that couldn't really change, could he? He was too set in his partying ways.
But still...
"Impossible," she murmured.
There was no way that she was ever going to have any feelings for Ashton besides pure and utter dislike. She was never going to feel all warm and cuddly for him; it just wasn't possible. They weren't even friends, how could they ever be anything more? Just because he had made last night feel like a fairy tale didn't mean anything. Surely he made every woman feel that way. She had seen the way women looked at him when his attention was focused their way - that starry look in their eyes said it all.
She was justlonely, plain and simple. She missed the closeness of a man. She missed the intimate moments, the stolen glances, the soft touches. Companionship, that was all she needed, and Ashton wasn't going to be the one to fill that need.
But why was she trying so hard to convince herself that it was nothing more than that?
Kaylee sat up in bed and groaned in pain, then laid right back down. She contemplated things for a little while longer, praying that the pounding in her head would go away. When she felt as though she could walk without her head exploding, she got out of bed slowly and pulled on a pair of faded jeans and a worn out sweatshirt. There was someone she needed to see, and something she needed to do.
But before she did that, she needed aspirin. Lots of it. She found a bottle of ibuprofen in her bag. "It'll do," she said as she swallowed two, considered, and then swallowed two more. She grabbed her key card and left her room, taking the stairs to the floor below hers.
Kaylee rapped on the door, fast and loud, even though it made her head pound harder. She waited for a second, got no answer, and she rapped on it again. A muted "I'm coming, I'm coming," was heard from inside.
The door opened to show a cute young man wearing boxers and sporting a rather wild case of bed-head. "Kaylee? What are you doing here?" he asked, and quickly grabbed his keycard and slipped into the hall, shutting the door behind him.
Kaylee didn't say anything, but instead grabbed his face softly in her hands and attached her lips to his. At first Brandon was surprised, but as the kiss deepened, he began to relax and really get into it. He definitely got into it - the evidence of that was clear through his thin boxers.
When Kaylee backed away, they were both panting hard, trying to catch their breath. "What was that for?" he asked, more than a little confused.
"Are you complaining?
" she asked, batting her eyelashes at him.
"What? No! I just thought that you...that we...Does this mean what I think it means?" He was at a loss for words.
Kaylee nodded her head. "I'd like to give it another try. That is, as long as you still want to?"
Brandon kissed her softly. "I'd like that more than anything. Can I take you to dinner tonight?"
"Yeah, I'd like that." Kaylee told him. "Pick me up at 7:00?" When Brandon nodded, Kaylee replied softly, "See you later, then."
Brandon watched her walk away and disappear into the stairwell. He felt some hope that they were going to finally overcome the past. He strolled back into his room, feeling like he was walking on air.
When he reached the bed, he shook the shoulder of the woman lying there. "Get up, and get out please," he said in an assertive voice.
The well-used woman looked up at him. "But you said we could spend the day together in bed!" The woman blinked up at him, getting her bearings. "I was hoping you'd be ready for some more..." Her hand snaked up into his boxers.
Brandon snapped, "No, I'm done. Get your clothes and go." Then, as an afterthought he added, "Please," a command more than a request.
The woman got up out of bed, pulling the sheet with her. She muttered under her breath while she was getting dressed. Brandon watched her as she did it, no longer interested in anything she had to offer.
"I didn't want any more of your little dick anyway. I barely knew you were inside me." She tossed the words at him out of spite as she left his room, slamming the door.
All Brandon could do was flip off the door that she had just walked through, even though the woman wouldn't know he had done it. He didn't care. He was getting Kaylee back! He lay in bed for a few minutes, planning out their night. With any luck, by the end of the night, she'd be head over heels for him again.
The day seemed to crawl by. Brandon tried to stay busy, but the entire band was taking a day off, and nobody wanted to talk to him. In fact, most of them were busy until dinnertime nursing their hangovers. Kaylee hung out in her room, sleeping on and off, then dozing in one of her rare bubble baths. When Brandon showed up at her door right on time, she was more than ready for their date.
After a romantic night of dinner and a moonlit stroll, Brandon brought Kaylee back to her room. He knew that he couldn't push her too far yet, so he had to keep everything fairly innocent. He leaned down to give her a goodnight kiss, a simple PG kiss, but Kaylee had other ideas. As she ran her fingers through his hair, she deepened the kiss, tangling her tongue with his.
Brandon moaned as her kiss spread excitement throughout his body. He wanted her - now. He wanted her right here, right now, without any regard to who might see. It was a moment of pure bliss that was suddenly shattered by a passing intruder.
"Mmm, she sure is a good kisser, huh?" Ashton asked, when he stumbled upon the couple making out as he left his room. "Don't you just love that thing she does with her tongue? Hell, that even gets me weak in the knees. You'd never know she was still a virgin with the expertise she shows."
"Ashton!" Kaylee yelled, stunned.
Brandon looked to Kaylee for answers, and found her bowing her head, and shaking it softly. Her face was glowing red. She couldn't meet Ashton's eyes - she wanted to melt into the floor and disappear. She was both embarrassed and angry.
"How the hell would you know, Ashton?" Brandon growled.
Kaylee's head shot up to look at Ashton. It wasn't necessarily a secret that they had kissed, especially since it was on national television during the awards show. But she didn't think he needed to rub it in Brandon's face.
"Oh, I know . Trust me, I know," Ashton said, and winked at Kaylee as he passed by them.
"What was that all about?" Brandon asked after Ashton had disappeared.
"Who knows?" Kaylee lied. "Well, thanks for tonight. Goodnight," she said and fumbled her way into her room, shutting Brandon out in the hall with a quick click of the lock.
As much as Kaylee hated Ashton at that moment, she was also glad he had come along when he did. She was getting in over her head with Brandon, and she didn't know how to end it without completely brushing him off. As hard as she tried to like Brandon, she just didn't feel that spark with him. Tonight was an attempt at finding that spark, but it just wasn't there. She was starting to realize that she couldn't light a fire if there was nothing there to light it with in the first place.
Sure, he was a nice guy, and he wasn't lacking in the looks department, but some things just didn't add up with him. She couldn't put her finger on it, but sometimes about Brandon made her uneasy. It wasn't so much his inaction when she was almost raped that bothered her anymore - she had come to terms with that. Now it was something completely different, and she thought that maybe they just weren't compatible. Kaylee was giving it her best shot, but there was something...
She shook her head. This had to work. She was tired of being alone, and it was starting to affect her judgment, like it had last night with Ashton. Finding new resolve, she promised herself that she was going to make it work this time, even if her feelings for Brandon were less than stellar. Feelings would grow over time - that's how it worked, right?
She went into the bathroom and drew herself a bath, adding lavender vanilla bubble bath to the water. It was the perfect scent to help her relax, and hopefully it would lead to a good night's sleep. It was getting late, but she didn't feel the least bit sleepy. She wasn't sure if it was because she'd woken up so late that day, or if it was because her mind was racing with thoughts.
After the long, luxurious bath, Kaylee got out of the tub and dressed in a satin nightgown. She crawled into her toasty warm bed, finally feeling exhaustion set in.
What seemed like only minutes later, Kaylee was jolted out of her slumber by a slamming door. Ashton was back, and from what she could hear, he wasn't alone. He was with what sounded like a two-dollar whore. The woman kept screeching at the top of her lungs every time Ashton touched her in all the right spots.
When he started moaning, Kaylee had enough. Why he needed to be so loud when he knew that she was in the room right next to him, Kaylee would never know. All she knew was that she'd never get back to sleep with the action going on in the next room.
She threw the covers back and swung her legs out of bed. She went over to the door, grabbing her key card before leaving. Before she knew what she was doing, she found herself pounding on Ashton's door. Her heart was pounding and her breath was short. She was furious and frustrated, and something else - something she didn't want to analyze. Right now she just needed to unleash on someone, and Ashton had put himself in her line of fire.
It took him a minute, but he finally opened the door. "You here to join the fun?" he asked, sporting his patented smirk.
That wasn't all he was sporting, Kaylee noticed. He stood there wearing nothing, so he could not hide his rock-hard erection. Her eyes flickered down of their own accord, then she looked right back up into his face. Her face was blazing with embarrassment and fury and a whole host of other emotions that she couldn't begin to sort out.
"You know, some of us are trying to sleep. You should learn some respect."
"Oh baby! You still want me to respect you in the morning?" he asked, sticking his bottom lip out as he mocked her.
"Fuck you Ashton. When are you going to grow up?" Kaylee was getting even more pissed, especially since she couldn't keep her eyes from roaming his body. It was like his simple presence there in the doorway was taunting her, daring her to look. She'd never been with a man before, but she had seen men naked. She wasn't completely innocent. Of all the men she'd seen, she knew immediately that Ashton was above average downstairs.
"Like what you see?" Ashton asked. "I can get rid of her, if you want." He winked at her. He watched the anger rise in her eyes and he realized what was wrong with her this time.
"Oh, I get it, you don't want me, but you don't want anyone else to have me either?"
Kaylee's heart po
unded even harder. She fought off the urge to slap him hard. "Don't flatter yourself. All I want is to get some sleep," she growled. "You know what, make all the noise you want. I'll be in Brandon's room."
Kaylee turned to storm away. Unfortunately, she turned the wrong way to go downstairs, so she turned again and walked to the stairwell.
"I'm sure he'll love you in that hot little nightie!" Ashton yelled after her. Kaylee flipped him off without even looking back.
Brandon gladly let Kaylee into his room. He really thought she had fallen for him again, and excitement boiled within him. He didn't question why she would come there in the middle of the night, her face flushed and her eyes bright. He was just glad she was there, and he didn't put too much thought into the reasons why.
Kaylee went straight to the bed and got under the covers. Brandon crawled in behind her, cuddling up to her back. He tucked her close to his body.
Kaylee had no idea what was happening in that room on the floor above them, and that bothered her. Was Ashton still with that girl? Did they have sex? Was she spending the night? As hard as she tried to clear her mind of Ashton, the thoughts invaded and refused to leave. At least if she was upstairs, she would know exactly what was happening, and it wouldn't leave her imagination to run wild.
She suddenly wanted to cry. She fought the urge, not wanting Brandon to ask too many questions. She tossed and turned, trying to sleep, but there were nightmares every time she managed to close her eyes.
In the morning, Kaylee realized that she had barely slept. She crept out of Brandon's room before he woke up and went back to her own. There was no sound from Ashton's room as she whisked past it.
She showered quickly and packed her suitcase to take down to the bus, hoping to avoid any random women coming out of the room next to hers. She decided that she was better off not knowing, even though it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Kaylee and Ashton weren't together, and they never would be. He was free to do whatever, with whomever, whenever, simple as that.
Miles of Pleasure Page 8