by Bryce Oakley
“See you tomorrow, Meg! Good luck, uh, I mean break a leg with your drum solo!” Micah said, looking as uncomfortable and unnatural as she sounded.
Meg waved and watched as Micah scuttled out, her stiletto heels clicking with each step.
Meg turned and looked at Collins for an explanation.
Collins just shrugged and motioned for Meg to get started.
“Uh, that was super weird, what’s up with her?” Meg wasn’t going to be put off that easily.
“She and I had a conversation earlier that didn’t go as well as it could have. So, she’s just being weird around me,” Collins answered, giving Meg the impression she was trying very hard to seem nonchalant.
“So, Micah was finally on the receiving end of one of your famous Collins tirades?” Meg laughed. She couldn’t picture someone as self-assured as Micah being scolded by Collins.
“Something like that,” Collins said.
“What did you yell at her about?” Meg asked.
“It really doesn’t matter, everything is fine now. She’s just going to be weird for a little while about it until she gets over it. Sometimes people react to me that way and I just don’t get it,” Collins smiled and gently laid her hand on Meg’s shoulder. “Now, let’s get this solo finalized so that I can take you out on a very nice dinner date.”
Meg felt a blush spread from her face and a warmth spread from deep in her belly. Well, that was definitely all the motivation she needed to get through this solo.
Chapter Sixty-One
Collins stood in front of the mirror in her hotel room, trying to decide between two different button down shirts.
Should she wear the green one that would make her eyes pop? Or should she wear the pale purple one that would look so nice next to Meg’s light pink hair? She wondered for a moment at the fact that she was seeing someone that she actually liked.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t dated people she liked before, she just hadn’t dated anyone that she enjoyed spending time with when they both had their clothes on.
When they had been working on Meg’s solo earlier, Collins had been struck by the idea that maybe having someone she could legitimately refer to as a partner was possible. She had always mocked the idea, literally laughing at people who called their significant others their “partner-in-crime.”
Seriously, was there anything more cliche?
The problem with a partnership was that Collins was used to her relationships being more of a monarchy. She wouldn’t go so far as to say dictatorship, but she was definitely the ruler. She liked to be in charge. She liked to be in control, so it had always worked out to date women that liked that.
Being with Meg was so different. Meg was not the type to just go along with another’s plan. She had an opinion about everything and for some strange reason, she seemed to enjoy sharing her opinion even more when it was contrary to the person she was speaking with.
At least when it was Collins, anyway.
Meg was challenging and exciting and intelligent and genuinely making Collins rethink her choices in her romantic life.
She decided on the green shirt. She did want Meg to find her attractive, after all.
Once she was satisfied with her appearance and her fragrance choice — she never forgot to smell good on a date — she knocked on Meg’s door directly across the hall.
Collins’ jaw hit the floor when Meg opened the door.
She was stunning.
Meg’s pink hair looked soft and touchable, pinned back at the front with curls cascading down her back. She wore a deep emerald green dress with delicate black beading around the cap sleeves and v-neck. She wore a simple black necklace that just brushed her collar bones. The dress hugged every curve and ended just below her knees, creating a silhouette that Collins couldn’t stop gawking at.
Collins actually laughed out loud when her appraising look made it to Meg’s feet: Instead of heels or another equally elegant yet girly shoe, Meg was wearing a pair of black Fendi sneakers.
“Wow,” Collins whispered. She hadn’t meant for it to come out as a whisper, but she couldn’t help it.
“Yeah?” Meg asked, the look on her face showing she had been hoping to get such a response.
“You look amazing, babe,” Collins continued to whisper.
What was wrong with her voice?
“Why thank you, you look great, too… babe.” Meg grinned. “We match, both wearing green.” Meg stared deep into Collins’ eyes, making it too hard for Collins to reply right away.
Meg giggled, bringing Collins back to Earth.
“I guess we should probably get going. I made a reservation,” Collins said.
If it weren’t for the fact that she had spent a lot of time trying to figure out the best place to take Meg, she would have said hell with it and suggested they stay in for an even better evening.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Ocean Prime, Collins looked at Meg in hopes of a bigger reaction than what she saw.
“I wanted to find the right restaurant for our date, I figured this was a good choice because they’re really known for their seafood,” Collins explained.
“In Colorado?” Meg looked skeptical and Collins smiled.
Collins held the door open for Meg.
“Thank you, that’s really thoughtful. I am missing the ocean,” Meg squeezed Collins’ hand.
They enjoyed a romantic, candlelit dinner together. Collins tried to show off when ordering wine, probably coming off a bit pretentious. Meg clearly didn’t care about Collins’ refined knowledge of wine, but thankfully, she only smirked instead of mocking her.
“So, tell me about your life back in California. What do you do for fun?” Meg asked.
“Um… it’s really just me and Ollivander. I’m kind of a homebody. I read a lot,” Collins said, feeling self-conscious.
“What are you reading?” Meg asked, her eyes widening in interest as she leaned forward in her seat.
They shared book recommendations for awhile, and Collins imagined strolling through a library together.
“I can’t wait to take you surfing. It’s going to be hysterical,” Meg said with a wide smile.
Collins blinked. “There’s no way you’re ever going to get me on a surfboard. Paddleboard, maybe. Surf? No.”
“Oh come on, no one will ever be worse than Sabrina,” Meg said, laughing. “You should have seen how afraid she was of sharks.”
“A legitimate fear,” Collins pointed out.
Meg rolled her eyes. “Donkeys kill more people than sharks each year,” she argued.
“And you don’t see me riding a donkey, either,” Collins quipped.
Meg cracked up, an expression of surprise on her face. “Fair point,” she conceded. “But I promise it’ll be fun.”
Collins sighed. “If I just agree now, maybe you’ll forget by the time we’re home?”
Meg wiggled her eyebrows. “Not in a million years.”
What would their lives look like back home?
She wasn’t usually a plan-for-the-future kind of person. She preferred to keep things open in her relationships, but with Meg, she didn’t seem to mind. And that both thrilled and terrified her.
As they walked back into the hotel, hand-in-hand, they ran into Zoey and Pia in the lobby. Collins got the impression that the two had been staking out the door in order to accidentally bump into Collins and Meg in their way in.
“Zoey was right about that shade of green, it’s phenomenal on you,” Pia said with such animation, just like she was on her show.
“Collins, it’s so wonderful to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you from Zoey, and of course your reputation as a producer precedes you,” Pia said to Collins while shaking her hand. It felt so sincere, Collins couldn’t believe Pia was actually this nice in real life.
“Uh, wow, I don’t… wow, thank you,” Collins said.
Meg raised an eyebrow, watching her.
Pia smiled widely. “I’m a big fan
of your work on Kaleidoscope,” she said with a wink.
Collins laughed, her cheeks feeling warm.
Zoey rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t you dare start pretending Collins’ production is the only reason you like that album,” she said, laughing.
Meg laughed, squeezing Collins hand.
They politely declined Zoey’s offer to buy them a drink in the hotel bar and headed towards the elevator.
Being around Zoey was so different than being around Domino. From what Meg had told her, Domino was being an asshole about her and Meg, and she found that disheartening. She only had support from her side — Jake, and the rest of her family, so she couldn’t imagine how hard it must be for Meg to have someone like Domino ruining the exciting part of first starting to like someone.
“So you had a personal stylist for this look, huh?” Collins asked Meg playfully as the elevator ascended.
“You’re damn right I did, you know I don’t do ‘dress-up’ that often,” Meg smiled at Collins and stepped closer to her, the two of them alone in the elevator. “You do like the dress though, right?”
“No, I love the dress,” Collins said, leaning down to claim Meg’s mouth with her own. “But I’ll enjoy not seeing it so much more.” She murmured.
Chapter Sixty-Two
Meg
Meg wound her arms around Collins’ neck and the two made their way slowly out of the elevator and hallway, stopping every few feet to lean against a wall or trip over each other’s feet as they refused to part.
God, Collins was an incredible kisser. The way her tongue explored her mouth always left her wanting more.
Not to mention how talented Collins was with her hands.
She turned to get her room key out and Collins pressed her against her door from behind, nibbling the vulnerable skin under her ear.
“Take off your dress,” Collins said, her voice demanding and sultry.
“Can I get inside the room first?” Meg joked, fumbling with the card reader.
“Only if you hurry the hell up,” Collins teased, moving Meg’s hair to one side of her neck to get better access. Tingles of pleasure spread out across her body.
After what felt like ten thousand years, the door opened and Collins pushed her inside, her hands sliding over Meg’s hips.
Collins tugged down the zipper of Meg’s dress. ’“Okay, now take it off,” Collins repeated.
Meg smirked, turning around. She normally hated Collins demanding things from her but this… she didn’t hate.
Meg kicked off her shoes, reaching for the top of her dress. She slid it down over her shoulders, then wiggled it over her hips.
Collins stood perfectly still, watching her with rapt attention.
This was a brand new experience. She was suddenly playing a role, unsure, but willing to trust Collins.
Collins let her palms slide down Meg’s back, gripping her ass as she pulled Meg into her. Her mouth came down on Meg’s harshly, possessively.
It was a different kind of kiss. Demanding and greedy. They had been heady and excited at the bar the night before, but this was another shift.
Collins kept the surprises coming.
Something deep in her core was molten, sending white hot flames through her limbs. She clutched at Collins shoulders, uncertain that she could hold herself up any longer. The feel of her own barely clothed body against Collins clothes was delicious in its own way — strange and new all at once.
She parted her lips for Collins demanding mouth, moaning as Collins continued the exploration of her body, reaching to unhook her bra in one swift movement. She didn’t move her body away from Meg’s for the bra to fall out of the way — she simply reached inside of the flimsy fabric to roll Meg’s nipples between her fingers.
“Lie on the bed,” Collins commanded against Meg’s mouth, and pulled away from their kiss.
Meg let her bra fall to the floor as she climbed onto the bed, sitting uncertainly against the headboard.
“God, you’re just fucking gorgeous,” Collins whispered, reaching to unbutton her own shirt.
She took her time, letting Meg drink in the sight before her, too. Meg stared at Collins’ body, taking in all of her hard edges and the soft curves she would never have imagined. Her hands itched to touch every inch of those curves.
“Stay there,” Collins said, her eyebrow raising.
Meg waited, watching as Collins pulled her plain sports bra over her head, revealing her small breasts beneath.
She unbuttoned her pants next, sliding them over her hips before climbing onto the bed after Meg. She crawled up the bed at an agonizingly slow pace, reaching under Meg’s back to pull her down with ease.
“Fuck, I can’t even tell you how long I’ve thought about this,” Collins said, as though she was admitting something.
“Oh yeah, I definitely knew you were just flirting when you made me do twenty-four takes of the harmony on ‘Northern Star,’” Meg joked.
Collins smirked. “Just because I demand good work doesn’t mean I don’t fantasize,” she said.
“Liar,” Meg teased.
Collins at least had the decency to look affronted, however playful her expression may have been.
She dipped her head, nipping at the skin of Meg’s collarbone. She thrust her thigh between Meg’s legs.
Meg couldn’t help herself from rubbing her pelvis against the hard muscle of Collins’ thigh. She pushed against it, a slow, building rhythm taking shape without her control.
“Not yet,” Collins said, holding down Meg’s hip and grinning. Her green eyes flashed playfully.
Collins moved fluidly, her shoulder muscles defining and softening as she slid down Meg’s body, taking her time kissing, nipping, licking. Meg wound her fingers into Collins’ short hair as those perfect lips wound their way down her stomach and pulled her underwear down her thighs, taking her sweet time in the process. She slipped the palms of her hands under Meg’s thighs, parting her legs.
As Collins laid kisses along the inside of Meg’s thighs, Meg focused on breathing deeply, trying her best not to come apart at the seams the second Collins’ mouth found her center.
She bit back a whimper as Collins reached a hand to hold her hips still in an attempt to keep Meg from arching her back to gain more friction.
Collins teased and explored, bringing Meg to the edge and then backing off purposefully.
Meg tangled her fingers in the sheets. “Please,” she begged.
Collins pulled her in more firmly, providing the attention where Meg was desperate for it. The orgasm tore through her, an electric jolt of pleasure that took her over entirely. She cried out, tossing her head against the pillow, helpless.
Collins lingered as Meg came back down to earth, waiting for Meg’s breath to even out before she moved back up the bed.
Meg took a deep breath as Collins settled alongside her, reaching out to wrap an arm around her shoulders.
Meg reached, pressing a kiss to the soft spot below Collins’ ear. “Well, that was definitely a good try, but I think we might have to do another take,” Meg teased.
Collins grinned mischievously.
“Here, let me show you how I would do it,” Meg said, flipping to be on top of Collins.
“You think you’re very funny,” Collins stated, reaching to kiss Meg’s nose.
“Oh, I know I’m very funny,” Meg said, sliding down Collins’ body to show her the same kind of attention and affection.
Hours later, as they lay in bed, Collins snuggled into Meg’s side, tucking her face in Meg’s neck.
“I never imagined you’d be so cuddly,” Meg teased.
“I never imagined you’d smell so good,” Collins said.
Meg shifted, turning to wrap an arm over Collins as she tucked their bodies together.
“I also never imagined you as the little spoon,” Meg murmured.
Collins murmured sleepily, and Meg buried her face against Collins’ back.
A smile crept o
nto her lips as she closed her eyes.
Thursday
Meg sat in Zoey’s hotel room, enjoying a mimosa with Zoey, Pia, and Billie. She felt a weird sort of satisfaction that both Zoey and Billie seemed to be taking her side over Domino. She almost didn’t feel bad for Domino, off by herself.
Almost.
“Is Vero going to come for the show tonight?” Meg asked Billie.
Vero had traveled that morning to Telluride where she had a family house and enjoyed spending as much of her time as possible.
“Nope, her dad is in town with her so she’s going to hang with him until Saturday,” Billie answered. “I think she also wanted to avoid the cameras as much as possible. I think she’s afraid they’ll want to include her in it and she very much prefers to think of herself like… what’s his name — Taylor Swift’s boyfriend — that wasn’t pictured in her documentary.”
Meg and Zoey laughed, but Pia nodded her head emphatically.
“Good for her! That’s great that she’s so cautious not to steal any of your thunder,” Pia said.
“So are you going to disappear then? To let Zoey shine?” Meg joked.
“Absolutely not, I’ll do my best to stay out of the way but I’m not hopping on some rickety tiny airplane to fly off to Telluride,” Pia joked.
“Oh, be serious, you’ve already mapped out all the best pho places in town — I know you intend to spend the day tomorrow touring the city to find the best one,” Zoey playfully smacked Pia’s thigh.
Meg was thoughtful for a moment about the challenges of dating someone in the public eye. Meg had never dated anyone in the business before — let alone dated anyone since their stardom had increased — and suddenly she started feeling nervous about dating a well known music producer.
Never one adept in the art of hiding her feelings, Meg was sure her face showed her concern.
“What’s wrong, Meg?” Billie asked.
“I don’t know, I guess I was just thinking about how hard it must be to date someone that’s famous or whatever.” Meg felt a little self-conscious. “Not that Collins is famous, but she’s in the same industry. Is it going to get weird?”