He surprised me by offering us a deal, which was where his support acts shared half the tour with Alfie’s support act. Namely, XrAid for the next tour.
This way I’d get to spend some time with Alfie, but the band would have exposure from working with two household names. I was humbled that this big time rock star would do this for me.
Not only were we going to support Alfie’s band, but I was stunned Rick had that much confidence in XrAid to invite us to support his band during their international tour.
I only had two things to achieve now. One was to get the guys to agree to the arrangement. That would be hard as soon as Alfie’s name was mentioned.
The fact that I had pulled off us supporting two of the biggest bands on the planet would maybe help them see past that.
As for Alfie? I knew he was going to throw a hissy fit that we wouldn’t be together all the time. This was my condition. If he wanted me to take a chance on him, he would be able to concede.
When I brought it up, he was a little indignant about the whole thing and didn’t want me to work with Rick. When he realized it was this or nothing, he was more than happy to agree with the arrangement.
I called Lennon and asked him to get the guys together at his place, because I had something I needed to discuss with the group. “Am I going to be pissed about this, Lily?” I bit my lip and chewed the inside of my mouth, as I decided how I was going to answer this.
“Well maybe, but not if you take a deep breath and consider what I’m bringing to the table.” He growled down the phone at me.
“Does this have anything to do with that shifty shit Alfie?”
I giggled. “Hmm, that’s not very kind Lennon.”
Lennon mumbled almost to himself, “Maybe, but it’s definitely fucking apt.” I finished the call, telling him I would be there by 4pm. It was 3:10pm now, so I had to get moving.
After showering, I dressed in a pair of cut-off denim jean shorts and a little cropped t-shirt. It hung off one shoulder. I brushed my hair and wound it up into a messy bun, securing it with a clip.
I ran around with a small trundle case, throwing in my outfit to wear tonight, shoes, and some makeup.
When I went into the sitting room, Jack and Rosie were cuddled up watching TV. Jack was eating my new pack of ham.
“Great I’m starving are we going out to eat? There’s only rabbit food in the fridge.” I knew he meant healthy stuff, like peppers, lettuce, celery, and other salad items.
“I’ll drop you at the diner Jack. I have a meeting with the band right now.” He glanced at me, looking annoyed that he’d hung around for me to eat.
“You should both spend the rest of day doing last minute things before our parents arrive.”
I had made reservations for dinner and booked our parents’ tickets for the theatre this evening. “I’ll pick you up at seven for dinner, and we’ll leave my car at the place; Elle’s booked a VIP section for tonight. All you have to decide is if you’re coming back here tonight or going to our parents’ place.”
Jack gave me a look that told me that he was coming with me, without saying anything, and I nodded.
Rosie turned to Jack. “What do you want to do, baby.”
He glanced at her. “It’s all sorted.” He kissed the top of her head, and I could see Rosie’s brows bunch, because she had no idea how I knew what he had decided.
I kissed Rosie and Jack goodbye, and Jack pulled me in for a hug. He started sniffing my hair. “I missed that smell.” I giggled and smirked at Rosie.
“He’s a pervert isn’t he?” I teased, and we giggled together as I opened the front door. Jack winked at me, and I pulled it closed it behind me.
By the time I drove to Lennon’s place, Cody and Digs’ rides were sitting out front. I wasn’t sure if Shawn had come with one of the guys or if we’d have to wait for him to get here.
I pulled the screen door open and called out to them in the back. “Hey, guys it’s only me.”
I heard the toilet flush and Shawn came out of the guest bathroom. “Ah everyone’s here already.” Shawn smirked.
Lennon’s voice cut through the quiet. “Okay, what’s up?”
I smiled and wrung my hands. “Well I have something I need to run past you guys.”
Cody smirked and looked at Lennon. “Does this have anything to do with Alfie?” I blushed that I was so transparent.
“Now there’s a sight I haven’t seen in a while.” Cody pointed at my face, which I knew had gone red.
“Promise to hear me out?” I looked at them, concerned this wasn’t going to be as easy as it sounded when I spoke to Rick earlier.
I explained about Alfie coming to see me, and my feelings for him. I told them that even though a lot of people would view it simply, I was aware that my predecessor had left the band because of a guy.
I wanted to reassure them this wasn’t what I wanted. I was considering the band before I made any final decisions about getting involved with him again.
Cody’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. “You have us touring with both bands? How the fuck did you pull that off?”
I explained about Alfie’s suggestion for us to be together, but my reluctance to have XrAid stuck touring with one act. So I called Rick.” I smirked at Cody when I remembered telling him about us exchanging numbers.
“I just wanted to run it by you all, and to tell you guys I know you’re scared about me getting with Alfie again. I love him. I’ve been denying it, but I owe it to us to try. I’ve been running away from him almost since I met him. I need to know if we’re supposed to be together. I think he’s the love of my life, and he says he knows I’m his.”
The guys all sat staring me until Digs slapped his hands on his legs and pushed up onto his feet. “You do what you have to do, honey, but he gets one chance. He fucks with your head again I’ll make sure he never gets near you.”
I smiled. Digs was very protective of me but was always the first person to see the good in people.
“Well, we have to do our tour first, before we do anything else.” Lennon was now talking in practical terms. We had eighteen dates in twenty-one days.
So, for the first three weeks after New Year’s Day we would be touring eighteen states. Alfie would be on the backburner no matter what. The difference this time was that it was me who was going away.
My cell rang and when I saw the SEXPERT ID, my heart skipped a beat. Even before I heard his voice he had my heart racing.
I swiped my phone, and his voice cut into my ear like a warm, velvet caress. “Hey.” That one word from his lips always gave me goose-bumps, but this time it also held hope.
I couldn’t let him know that just yet. I had to make sure he had taken care of Zoe, and that she was able to leave Alfie behind before we could go forward.
“Zoe?” Alfie exhaled loudly. “She’s gone, Lily. Des took her to the airport. She’s flying back to D.C. as we speak. She has an apartment there, and she wants to go to college. I’ve already arranged that for her. She was lucky; she got enrolled for the January intake studying at the college of Arts and Science. She had great scores from high school but her parents didn’t have a college fund, so she ended up working in a hardware store.”
I wondered what Alfie was doing in a hardware store to meet her. I’d revisit that with him later.
“Where are you?” I asked, hearing traffic.
“I’m sitting in my car outside your apartment. Can I come up?” I thought about Holly, and her likely reaction if I went back there. I explained that I wasn’t at home.
“Shit, where are you; I’ll come pick you up.” If we were going to do this, then I needed to be firm and independent from the onset.
“No, Alfie, go home. I’ll see you tonight. It’s only a couple of hours away.”
Alfie exhaled heavily. “Lily, it’s been way
over a year. I can’t wait another minute.” I smiled, and my heart sped up. Hearing him say that and knowing I was finally giving in to my feelings made me extremely nervous. I was determined to play it cool.
“Tonight.” I chuckled. “I promise it will be worth the wait.”
Alfie groaned into his cell. “You are determined to kill me aren’t you?” I giggled at his groan.
“I think you’ll live, see you later.” I swiped my finger on the red phone icon and closed my cell, throwing it in my bag.
I had contemplated asking him to dinner with Jack, me, our parents, and Rosie, but I needed time to persuade my dad to give Alfie another chance.
When I looked up, Lennon was shaking his head. “Here we go again,” he grunted, crushed the beer can he was holding, and threw it at the trash can.
It missed. “Well, I hope Alfie’s better at scoring tonight than you are.” I smirked, and Digs high fived me.
“There’s that smart-ass mouth again. Something tells me this time with Alfie is going to be different,” Digs quipped.
I smiled at Digs, who seemed to have the most confidence in me. “Bet your ass it is, honey.”
I showered and dressed at Lennon’s place after messing around in the pool with Digs and Shawn.
They were playing their own version of water polo, but without the net. Somehow I kept being hit with the ball, but they both smirked and insisted it was all part of the game.
I collected Jack and Rosie, and we went to have dinner with my parents. I hadn’t told them about Alfie yet.
Jack did his best to make me squirm a few times but stopped short of dropping the bomb that Alfie was back on the scene.
Jack’s mother secretly harbored some notion he and I would end up together. She dropped less than subtle hints in front of Rosie a few times.
Jack was funny when he burst her bubble about us. “Lily and I are incompatible,” he stated.
His mom, Jacqueline, furrowed her brow. “Nonsense Jack, whatever could make you think that?” Jack smirked, and I cringed as I waited to see what was going to come out of his mouth.
Jack paused for effect. “I could never sleep with my sister, and I know it’s the same for her. We’re not from that kind of town.” He grinned.
I was relieved he’d kept it clean for once, and also relieved that he hadn’t embarrassed Rosie. After dinner our parents went back to the villa to change before the theatre. We drove to a club I had never been to before.
It was one that the Crakt Soundzz guys seemed to be favoring in Miami, since I was playing at Eject, D’mond and Blazers.
I felt both hurt and touched they had been avoiding coming around me while I wasn’t with Alfie.
I hadn’t even been to this part of Miami before. The club was called ‘Ziggy’s Palace.’
It was every bit as flashy as Louie’s clubs and filled with beautiful people. It was most likely the number four spot in Miami, because everyone knew that the clubs owned by Louie were the places to be.
Jack talked non-stop from the moment we got in the car, and I could see that Rosie was a little worn by his constant energy levels.
“So Lily, I get first dance tonight right? I never got one last night, and I’m having withdrawal symptoms.” He looked at my scowl and turned to Rosie.
“You don’t mind if Lily and I dance do you?” Rosie’s jaw dropped, she was caught off guard as she squeaked, “Not at all, Jack.”
He turned and smirked at me, then winked when Rosie began rummaging in her bag for some imaginary item.
I was wearing a skin-tight dress, which was off the shoulder in a deep green color. It was a beautiful little dress. Holly and I had been shopping together, and I fell in love with it on sight.
It was understated, but with a few choice accessories, it was soon jazzed up. Jack told me I looked like a million dollars dressed in it.
Chapter 17 – My girl
Arriving at the club, Alfie was hovering just inside the door, with his bodyguard, waiting for me. When he saw me, he came running across and opened the cab door. The girls in the queue for the club instantly recognized him and began to scream. When we stepped out of the cab and Alfie placed his hands on my hips, the girls screamed louder.
He pulled his face close to my ear and whispered, “Where have you been? You look so fucking hot by the way.” He smiled widely. There was a buzz of excitement coming from the line of girls waiting to get into the club, and they continued to scream for Alfie’s attention.
They began making catcalls to him, offering themselves in one way or another, from one calling that she would show him the “best night of his life,” to choruses of, “We love you, Alfie.”
One voice rose above the rest. “Hey Alfie, when is it my turn to be grabbed.” Alfie smirked and turned to the crowd of girls. “Sorry girls, I only have two hands, and they don’t like touching anyone except my girl here.”
The girls let out a collective groan. “Lucky bitch,” one called out.
I smirked and looked up at Alfie. “They all want you, what does it feel like to be able to have any girl you want?” He scowled at me and shook his head.
“I didn’t know until tonight, because I have only wanted one girl for so long. She didn’t want me until recently. So, it’s a new concept for me.”
He began to grin and had a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Now that I have her, my heart is bursting with joy, and I have an excruciating ache with the wood in my pants.” He chuckled.
I looked over at the girls that were still making loud comments, and Alfie’s finger hooked under my chin. He turned my face back toward him. “They may think they want me, but I know not a single one of them could ever come between us.”
He pulled me closer and looked at the girls again. “Well…” One of them shouted. Alfie looked at me, “Guess they are waiting for me to kiss you now.”
The way he was looking at me with his sensual stare made me shiver, and I was instantly wet. My body was vibrating in anticipation of him doing just that.
He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, and slowly his sexy lopsided grin appeared. It widened until his dimple was on show. Do you mind?” he asked staring at my lips, as his tongue brushed along his to moisten them.
I almost had to pinch myself, just to reassure me this wasn’t a dream. I had dreamed about being in his arms for so long, and now I was actually here. Alfie dipped his head and licked his lips, making them shine. He dropped his forehead onto mine, his eyes heavy with passion.
Grinning down at me with so much tenderness in his voice, Alfie softly said, “This will be our first official kiss as a couple, Lily. I’m nervous, are you?” I swallowed audibly thinking, hell yeah, but just nodded, speechless.
Alfie’s lips brushed lightly across mine. He stroked his nose over my face inhaling the scent on my skin. The noise from the queue of girls was deafening, but then they seemed to disappear, and there was only us in the moment.
Alfie’s scent was the one thing, out of everything, that always did it for me. As soon as I inhaled him, I always wanted to crawl inside of him. Something about it just turned me on and drove me wild, but I had to remember we were in front of everyone.
Tilting his head, he found my mouth. His soft, moist lips melded with mine, while his tongue probed for entry. My lips parted, and the feel of his hot, wet tongue tangling with mine was electric. A rash of goose-bumps extended from my scalp to my toes.
His hand swept up the side of my body until his fingers fanned through my hair. He wound it in his hand and pressed the back of my head toward him to deepen the kiss. The sensation between our connection and the tingling in my scalp was almost enough to send me over the edge.
Alfie placed his hand on my lower back and pushed our bodies flush against each other. I could feel his need for me as the bulge in his pants grew harder when he made a subtle friction mov
ement between us.
In that moment, I heard nothing but the soft, low moan of want escaping his throat and the feel of it entering my mouth as it vibrated. Breaking away from the kiss, we both stood breathless. Our eyes transfixed on each other. “Wow.” One of the girls shouted, “Oh. My, God! That was so fucking hot.” Another screeched.
Alfie smirked and chuckled softly, but his eyes were still fixed on mine. Slowly he broke his gaze and turned to the group, still smiling.
“Damned straight it was,” he shouted, as he pulled me tightly to him and squeezed my ass.
I giggled and bowed my head into his chest, still trying to cope with the aftermath of what just happened. Our kiss had the same effect on me as being drunk.
He slid his hand around my waist again, and we began to walk into the club. I could feel Alfie still trembling, buzzed from our connection, when he held me tightly to his side. Jack had been standing by silently.
“Thank God you stopped. For a moment there, I thought I was going to have to do my boy-scout-thing and erect a tent for privacy. I would have called out for you to get a room, but I doubt you would have heard anything with what was happening between you.”
I swiped his arm, feeling a little embarrassed. “It wasn’t that bad Jack.” I made eye contact with Rosie hoping for some reassurance, but she looked a little red and flustered, so I thought to myself, yeah, hell, maybe it was.
Alfie smirked and leaned into my ear. “How long do we have to stay here?” His voice was raw and husky. “I need to get you alone, babe.”
I frowned, knowing that he was going to be upset with me. “After that display, we’re definitely not going to be alone, not just yet. We still have a lot of things to hash out between us.”
As I predicted, Alfie looked really annoyed with my rejection. “Lily, you’re not being fair here.”
I smirked but stood resolute on my decision. “Alfie, just trust me. If we’re doing this, we need to give this our best shot. I’m not rushing that, because this is our now- or- never- moment, a chance to make things work out between us.”
Everything I want: Will Alfie and Lily's love survive?... Page 14