Heated Harmonies

by Alexandra Warren

  That seemed like a good place to start, though I still kept my distance when I told her, “You were great out there tonight.”

  “Thank you. Thanks for coming,” she replied as she pulled a stray hair behind her ear, peeking up at me with a smile that instantly gave me butterflies.

  I missed that, I missed her. Even now that we were in the same room, I still missed having her close, wanted nothing more than to have her in my arms. But since I didn’t want to press my luck, I continued, “Would’ve been a little rude to turn down the hottest ticket in town, right?”

  She gnawed at her lip, giving the hem of her t-shirt a little tug as she shifted all of her weight to one leg and fired back, “Dealing with your mean ass? Can’t say that I would’ve been surprised.”

  For whatever reason, her snip made me chuckle, earning myself a smirk that I couldn’t help but match while making my way towards her. My steps were slow and steady, but I could tell each one made her concentrate a little harder on her breathing as I told her, “You know, for anybody else, I’d probably agree. But for you? I didn’t even think twice.”

  By the time I made it in front of her, she had crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive stance, her head tilted back just slightly so that she could meet my eyes. And while I wanted to enjoy just looking at her, seeing her beauty live and in color after over a week of missing out, I knew I had no more time to waste. So as I wrapped a gentle arm around her waist, I told her, “I miss you, Rose. I miss my best friend. I miss my girl, my lover. I miss your energy, being around you, working with you, teasing you. I’m just… I’m sorry about the other night. I let the situation, let him, get the best of me but I shouldn’t have. And I don’t know what I gotta do to make it up to you, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

  My heart was throbbing through my ears by the time I finished, and I instantly became worried when she didn’t respond right away, her face blank as she took a moment to just stare at me the way I had wanted to stare at her. But eventually a hint of a smile returned to her face as she released her arms, allowing me to pull her in closer as she replied, “Well… showing up here is a good start.”

  “Yeah?” I asked, wrapping her even tighter and taking a greedy whiff of her fresh, flowery scent.

  She nodded as she put her arms around my neck and answered, “When I first saw you out in the audience, I almost tripped over my feet. I mean, my heart was already pumping with extra adrenaline from the crowd. But knowing you had shown up, having you out there watching me… that had me on another level.”

  I brushed her off, landing a quick kiss to her forehead as I insisted, “Nah, that was all you, Rose. I was just being a fan.”

  She rolled her eyes, letting out a quiet giggle. “You’ve never been my fan, Gabe. You hated me, remember?”

  While it was amazing how much my impression of her had changed from the beginning, I had no problem admitting, “Well I’m your biggest fan now. I’m talking number one, president of the fan club type shit. I’m talking, “I’ll be your groupie baby, cause you are my superstar...” type shit.”

  This time, her laugh was much louder as she smacked a hand across my chest and screeched, “Oh, whatever!”

  I couldn’t help but laugh along with her. But once we both simmered down, I was sure to make myself clear when I looked her in the eyes and told her, “I’m serious though, Zalayah. I… I love you. I’m in love with you. And I don’t know how I let this shit happen, but I’m not running away from it anymore. I’m not gonna fuck this up, not for anybody.”

  Between the shit with Nigel, the shit with the label in general, interviewers and bloggers who had their nose in everything, and even Shy who didn’t seem as if she wanted to fully disappear anytime soon, I knew there would always be something or someone trying to get in our way. But I was willing to take it all on and more if that meant having her back in my life; the complete package that was Zalayah Rose whose smile alone made my chest tight when she whispered, “I love you too, Gabe.”

  I pulled her in even tighter, surely squeezing the life out of her petite frame as I landed another kiss on her forehead before she tilted her head back so that I could reach her lips. But since I knew we both had people waiting on us, I pulled my lips away so that I wouldn’t get too caught up, though while I still had her close, I was sure to ask, “So we’re good?”

  “No. But you said you’d do whatever it takes, right?” she asked, her eyes already twinkling with mischief as she waited for me to answer.

  “Absolutely, baby. Whatever you want,” I replied, knowing I wasn’t in the position to turn her down about anything quite yet.

  Though I still wasn’t sure where she was going with it when she continued, “And that was Constella I saw you sitting by, right?”

  I shrugged. “Yeah, she’s waiting outside of the door right now.”

  “Oh my God! You’ve got to introduce me!” she squealed, though it came out as more of a demand as she grabbed two handfuls of my shirt.

  And while it was entertaining as hell to see her so hyped up about meeting my mother, I couldn’t help but tease, “Damn. I wish you got that excited to see me.”

  Her expression quickly turned seductive as she licked her lips, leaning into me to gush, “Oh, you have no idea how excited I am to see you, babe. And I have just enough energy left to show you how much later on.”

  “You serious?” I asked, my eyebrow piqued as she pulled her lip between her teeth the same way I noticed she did whenever she was performing one of her freakier songs. In fact, there were a few times during the show that I had to take my eyes off her to regain my composure since there was nothing appropriate about having a hard dick around my mom.

  But even now, that seemed to be the least of Zalayah’s worries when she ran a hand across my zipper and replied, “So serious. But you have to introduce me to Constella first.”

  “My pleasure,” I told her, sneaking another kiss and then wrapping my arm around her shoulder to lead her out of the dressing room. And once we found my mother resting against the wall by herself while Grayson was nearby spitting game to one of the dancers, I cleared my throat to get her attention before I announced, “Mama, I got somebody I want you to meet.”

  My mother’s eyes were already glowing with excitement when I continued, “This is international superstar, Billboard chart-topping, reigning Hottest Entertainer, and my incredibly talented girlfriend, Zalayah. Zalayah, this is my mother, Constella.”

  While Zalayah was under my arm blushing hard as hell from my intentionally extra introduction, my mother snapped her head back to ask, “Wait a minute… where are my titles?!” Making us all laugh as she quickly added, “I’m just playin’.” Then she turned her attention to Zalayah to say, “Girl, you did your thang out there tonight. Had me ready to get back in the studio just so I can throw something together to perform to. Do that little dance you and the girls were doing.”

  I just knew my mother was going to break her back trying to mimic Zalayah’s choreography. And of course, Zalayah couldn’t help but laugh when she replied, “Well when you’re ready, I have the perfect producer to recommend you. He can be a little stubborn, but he’s the best in the land; the best I’ve ever worked with. He’s the most talented musician, and he just so happens to be my incredible boyfriend.”

  Hearing her share that we were officially back on track had me grinning from ear-to-ear, though my mother had no problem taking a stab at my inflated ego. “I think I might’ve heard of him. And I guess he’s alright.”

  Once again, Zalayah was full of giggles as I held a hand to my chest as if she had really offended me. “Wow, Mama. It’s like that?”

  “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. You’re pretty great. But of course you are. Look who your mama is,” she replied with a wink before telling Zalayah, “It was a pleasure to meet you, sweetheart. Congratulations on the album, on the show tonight, on all your success. And I know you’re a busy girl, but if you have any down time… say n
ine-ish months or so…”

  “Mama, chill!” I yelled just as Zalayah’s eyes went wide once she realized what my mother was hinting at.

  But Constella surely wasn’t one to back down, shrugging as she insisted, “Gotta speak things into existence, right?”

  “Maybe one day, but definitely not to-day. I still have to prove myself worthy,” I told her, knowing that was exactly what I planned to do moving forward.

  Zalayah had already shown she was willing to give me an opportunity to grow, an opportunity to learn and love, an opportunity to evolve in the same way she had. And even though my evolution was more personal than professional, I knew as long as I had her on my side, everything would be just fine.

  epilogue.

  Zalayah

  The mood was perfect, the setting phenomenal, and the ring… my goodness, the ring. It seemed to look even better under the stage lights as I dabbed at the tear that threatened to ruin my makeup.

  It was our last stop on the RoseGold World Tour; the international wing that landed us in a sold-out arena in the most romantic city in the world, Paris. And there was plenty of love in the air as Knox lifted Amerie into a hug after she had accepted his surprise onstage proposal in the middle of my set; one he had been nervously yet meticulously planning for the last few weeks, though it had clearly paid off according to the stream of tears rushing down Amerie’s face as she gave me a quick hug and Knox did the same before he and the other dancers escorted her from the stage.

  I tried my best to regain my composure, clearing the lump in my throat before I told the crowd, “Give it up for two of the best choreographers to ever do it!”

  The packed audience roared with excitement the same way they had been doing all night, a sound that still gave me goosebumps to this day. And as I made myself comfortable on the single stool that had been waiting for me in the middle of the stage, I decided to take a moment to speak from the heart, knowing the personal element was something that always went over well with the fans.

  On this night in particular, the message practically wrote itself for me as I shared, “Love is… it’s such a beautiful thing, right? I mean, to find someone who just… gets it; someone who gets you. Someone who loves you, flaws and all. Am I right, ladies?”

  This time, the response was a little more high-pitched as the ladies let it be known that they agreed with me, making me giggle into the mic as I used a small towel to dab at the sweat I had worked up from dancing. The energy was already electric throughout the building, and I was prepared for that to grow even thicker when I asked, “Can I tell y’all a secret? Just between me and you?”

  While the clash of enthusiastic responses and cheers for me to go on had the noise on another level, it only made my smile grow wider when I blushed as if it was my first time admitting, “I’m in love.”

  Even though I couldn’t hear any words in particular, I could tell my news wasn’t news at all when I stood up from the stool and asked, “Oh, y’all already know? It’s not a secret anymore? Not even across the seas? Well damn. Is it alright if I... bring him on out then?”

  Convincing Gabriel to take a hiatus from his job at the community center to come on tour with me was probably the most begging I had ever done in my life. But after talking to Reagan, his boss, and having her explain to him that she completely understood his extended absence, he had finally taken me up on the offer, making the tour that much sweeter. In fact, everything was sweeter with Gabe around, his energy alone giving me the perfect balance, especially on the days where I didn’t have to perform and we could just… be.

  He was the perfect travel partner, letting me talk him into going on adventures he wouldn’t have otherwise dreamed about. And even though we had only joked around about me bringing him on stage to play while I sang along, with tonight being the last show and with the crowd already going wild with excitement about having him join me, I decided to wave an inviting hand in his direction, urging him to come on.

  For a second he seemed against it, but I suppose the roar from the crowd was enough to encourage him as Grayson - my opening act - quickly slung the guitar with a mic attached over his brother’s shoulder before giving him a little push onto the stage. His steps were slow yet confident, his eyes trained directly on me as if he wasn’t walking in front of thousands of people all screaming in response to his presence. And once he finally made it over to me, I couldn’t help but smile as I spoke right into the mic, “Hey baby.”

  I didn’t think the crowd could get any louder, but those two words seemed to really set them off as I continued, “You alright? You enjoying the show?”

  He nodded, leaning in to whisper an answer in my ear that certainly wasn’t appropriate for everyone to hear. And even though he had kept quiet with the actual words, he still let the general content be known to the world as he landed a hot kiss in the crook of my neck that made me gush, “Not in front of all these people, baby.”

  There was an assortment of laughs and aww’s from the crowd as the stage crew subtly brought another stool in behind us so that we could make ourselves comfortable as I asked into the mic, “So what’s up? You gonna play a little somethin’ for me?”

  Obviously, the crowd let it be known that that was exactly what they wanted to hear, more phones appearing in the air from the rows of people that I could actually see just as Gabriel began to play the simple chords of a song we both loved; Lost Without U by Robin Thicke.

  I immediately began to vibe along to it on my stool, rolling my neck and closing my eyes as I told him through the mic, “Ooh, that’s nice. Keep it just like that.” Waiting for the beat to come back around before I belted my own especially seasoned version of the chorus that featured all sorts of extra high notes and vocal runs just for the hell of it. And while I knew all the eyes of the audience were on me, along with all the eyes from the various cameras pointed my way, I could only feel his as they danced along my skin while I sang my way through the first verse.

  But this time when the chorus came around, I decided to open my eyes, singing it to him and meaning every single word. I could’ve sworn he was blushing, though the stage lighting in combination with the lights from the crowd didn’t do me too many favors. But even if he wasn’t, I could tell he was enjoying himself, his grin wide as he put his own little sauce on the beat and slowed it down in a way that encouraged me to get even fancier with my rendition, making it that much more enjoyable.

  Things couldn’t have been any more perfect up until he played the final note, the two of us taking a second to smile lovingly at each other as the crowd went nuts around us. Then he pushed his guitar behind him, standing up to pull me into a hug before sealing the deal with one his perfectly gentle kisses; an image I knew would be viral in no time.

  But in that moment, none of that seemed to matter. Because while Gabriel and I had been on a rollercoaster ride from the very beginning, we had finally reached a place of peace, a place of serenity, a place where we could really flourish and give each other the love that we both deserved regardless of everything going on around us. And even if things hadn’t been perfect, I knew there wasn’t a harmony in the world sweeter than that.

  The End.

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  To stay up-to-date with all of Alexandra Warren’s happenings including samples and excerpts, visit actuallyitsalexandra.com or like her Facebook page!

  Also, be sure to check out the Heated Harmonies playlist on Spotify!

  More Books by Alexandra Warren

  Attractions & Distractions Series

  Getting The Edge

  An Unconventional Love

  The PreGame Ritual

  Distracted

  The Real Deal

  A Rehearsal For Love

  An Encore For Love

  Love at First Spite

  In Spite of it All

  Accidental Arrangements

    Alexandra Warren, Heated Harmonies