Shalan and I looked at one another, and I think we were both wondering the same thing. Was this really happening. Were we being approached by a record producer after two nights of filling in at a hotel lounge?
“Yes,” I answered, feeling protective of Shalan. The music business could be harsh and I felt a strong pull to protect her.
“We sing together, and are just friends, is what he means. We aren’t a couple.” It was a low blow to my ego and punch to my balls, but I understood why she’d said it. Shalan wanted to be able to have a future, with or without me. It was only natural for her to let them know that she had no ties to me, but for some reason it hurt hearing it.
The gentleman replied, “I think what my wife is trying to ask is if you’d be interested in coming in and letting us work with those voices. I can’t make any promises, but I’ve got some big clients that would love to have you on their team, even if things didn’t work out with the two of you together, which I’m pretty positive that I can make something happen.” They both had New York accents, wore lots of jewelry, and had styled their hair with a ton of hairspray. I wanted to laugh when I took in their fancy appearances, and then thought about what I wore to work everyday.
Shalan started jumping up and down, forgetting the dress that she’d pulled off wearing up until that moment. She put her hands over her mouth, as if she was at a loss for words, but then started speaking. “We’ll do it, won’t we, Noah?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I reckon we can check it out.” I grabbed her and started pulling her to the side. “Darlin’, can I talk to you for a minute?”
I motioned to the couple as I pulled Shalan away enough to talk without them hearing. “I know this is a big break for you, but I can’t commit to somethin’ like that, not when all hell is about to reign down on me at home. This could be the answer to all your prayers. If it’s legitimate, I think you should go for it without me. You and I both know you can sing your heart out whether I’m around or not. Go in there and sing them that song you wrote for your mom. They’ll have you on the radio before you know it.”
“Will you at least go with me? Come on, Noah. Say you will. Please.” She put her hands up like she was praying.
I kissed the top of her head, knowing that I wasn’t about to leave her side. “Yeah, I’ll be there, darlin’.”
She ran over and started talking to the couple again herself, setting up a good time to meet at their studio. While she was busy I turned on my phone and checked for a signal before dialing my cousin, Bella’s number. I’d tried to call her when I was out getting the dress and food for Shalan, but she still wasn’t answering. I got that she was mad at me, but she would usually send me a text letting me know I was an asshole, and that we could talk once she was over it. This time felt different and I didn’t like it. When her voicemail answered I hung up without leaving a message.
That’s when I noticed I had missed text messages that were starting to come through.
Call me when you can. Dad said you talked today. I just want to know when you’ll be home. – Mom
I stopped by your house today, but you weren’t there. I miss you. We need to talk. – Perry
I heard you were in New York. Can you stop by Tiffany’s and get me this pair of sunglasses? I will pay you when you get home. – Addy (There was a picture attached)
I rolled my eyes and laughed, knowing how my sister was.
Noah, please call me. I have to tell you something. – Perry
Shalan had come up on me without me realizing. I quickly turned off my phone without replying to anyone and stuck it back in my pocket. The first thing I noticed was that the couple had already gone back inside, leaving the two of us alone in the alley. “So, what did they say?”
“They want us to come in at one tomorrow afternoon. I don’t know why you walked away. They were asking if you weren’t interested at all.”
One of the band guys opened the back door and peeked out. “It’s time to start again, you two.”
“Alright, we’re coming.”
Shalan shot me another look. “We’ll talk about this after the show.”
I grabbed her arm before she could go inside. “You and I both know I’ve got to go home, Shalan. I’m goin’ to be there for you tomorrow, but it will also be because I’m tellin’ them that I’m not interested. This is all for you, not me. This is your dream.”
She shoved me. “You say you want to find your own way, but you’re running right back home, Noah. I thought you were a brave man when I met you, but now all I see is a coward with a bunch of issues. Just go home to your family where you obviously belong. There’s nothing here for you anyway.”
That was a low blow. More than anything I wanted to make my own future. Now I had this chick, that not only drove me crazy, but seemed to know me better than I was able to know myself at the moment.
She left me outside for a few seconds alone, before I walked back in to join her. As much as I wanted to say she was wrong, I knew she wasn’t.
Noah
It would have been nice if my night turned out like the one before it, with Shalan in my bed and not a care in the world. The crowd may not have noticed it, but Shalan was rushing through her performance. Her excitement for the next day was quite apparent. After we were done, she hugged the band members for giving her the opportunity, even though she knew she’d see them again the next day. Surprisingly enough she waited for me to walk back up to our room.
I’d been so focused on the chance for her to be able to make her dream come true that I forgot to think about how fucking sexy she looked in her dress. It wasn’t until we were back in the elevator that I took in her slender, but yet curvy body. I clenched my jaw and remembered the way her skin felt to touch, and the way she tasted when I was between her legs.
Shalan checked her phone and looked up at me. “What’s wrong with you, tonight? You’ve been weird ever since we met that couple.”
I ran my hands through my hair and thought about what I should say to her. “You’re lucky. You don’t have nothin’ holdin’ you back, Shalan. I do. I can stand here and tell you that my family doesn’t matter, but it would be a lie.” The doors opened to our floor and we started walking toward the room. “I can go with you tomorrow, but there ain’t no way I’m puttin’ myself out there for somethin’ else.”
I unlocked the door and let her walk inside first. She kept standing, waiting for me to close the door behind me. “So you’re just going to give up on what you want? You’re going to settle for a life that you don’t want?” She leaned against the dresser, while I sat down on the bed facing her. “I just don’t understand how you can be so selfless. It’s very commendable. I’ll give you that. I just don’t understand how you can live out your whole life for the benefit of everyone besides yourself. One would think that you’d at least want to try something else before you settled.”
I placed my hands on my knees and looked up at her. “How do you even know there’s somethin’ out there that’s better? Maybe this is all I’m good at?” This was my decision, not hers.
“I’ve heard your voice. Don’t tell me that there’s no talent there, Noah. Have you even considered how good we could be together? I just know I wouldn’t even be here right now if it wasn’t for you. It seems unfair that I’d take this chance without you.”
“You need to. You said this is what you’ve always wanted.”
She walked closer to me, breaking the distance between us, and making it hard for me to concentrate on anything other than her body; and too close to not want to touch. “Don’t make me beg, Noah.” Shalan took her finger and raised my chin, obviously seeing that I was focused on her chest. “Please.”
In those beautiful eyes I saw fear, and I hated that I was considering leaving her all alone in the big city that she wasn’t familiar with. Still, I had to think about my family, and the fact that they’d have my back for the rest of my life, which was something that someone I just met couldn’t guarantee. In the en
d my decision had to be the right one for me. I wasn’t willing to run off on some whim to try and make it big singing, after two nights of filling in for someone. Shalan had a real chance at making it big. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d ever heard a more beautiful voice.
When I didn’t answer she moved back a couple steps and turned around. “While you’re thinking, can you help me out of this dress? The zipper is difficult.”
While my hand started pulling down the zipper, I couldn’t help but to look at the skin that was there underneath of the sheer fabric. I moved her hair to the side and leaned down to kiss the back of her neck. Shalan leaned to the side, allowing me even more room for my lips to explore.
The moment my tongue made contact with her sultry skin I knew I was in trouble. The urge for more was apparent as a jolt from my dick reminded me what it wanted. Shalan turned around, wrapping her arms around my neck, and leaning up to place her lips against mine. Kissing her wasn't like any other women I'd messed around with. Something about her made the experience toxic for me. I knew that she was seducing me with her silky skin and sexy eyes, and so did she.
There's only so much a man can take before he loses himself. There's an extent we get to where we know when to walk away. I was crossing that line with Shalan, and I wanted to keep on going. She wasn't a stranger any longer, which meant that she was becoming something else to me; something more.
I'd left Kentucky to find my place, and instead found her. I knew I had to go home, but the mere thought of walking away from such a woman was making me go crazy.
Our kissing became intense, both of us knowing where it was leading. Her dress fell to the floor, leaving me with only black panties and a bra to remove. Shalan tugged on the edge of my shirt and lifted it up to where I could pull it easily over my head. In between kisses, I fought with her bra until finally freeing her breasts from it. She backed away and leaned on the dresser, motioning for me to come closer. I did as I was ordered and was swiftly flipped around and shoved against the piece of furniture. Shalan dropped to her knees and began tugging down my jeans. Once she had them down to my ankles I stepped out of them. With no warning she pulled the elastic of my boxers and freed my cock. The erection that faced her caused her to lick her lips. I licked mine knowing that she was about to suck me off. Instead, she ran her hands up my thighs until they wouldn't go any higher. The back of her hand rubbed over my balls, soft enough where I could barely feel it. I felt her tongue rolling over the inside of my left leg. She lapped over the other side, focusing on only what she was doing. Her eyes came up to meet my cock and I watched how focused she was on the tip. She pretended to lick it, not once but three times. I jerked it, causing a smile to cross over her face. I dug into her dark hair and yanked her back away from her next attempt to lick my skin. "Stop playin' around, darlin'."
"I can do what I want, darlin'," she mocked me, reaching in for another attempt.
Someone knocking on the door broke our focus. I walked over to the door wearing nothing, and not really caring who it was. No one was going to screw up my night.
A hotel employee stood on the other side. “Excuse the intrusion sir. I was told to deliver this to your room tonight.” He started to push a cart with champagne and two glasses in the room. I grabbed the thing away from him and maneuvered my body behind the door. “I got this, man. Hang on, I’ll get you a tip.”
All of a sudden the guy turned crimson red and stared at something behind me. Shalan had gotten up and started to walk to the bathroom as the cart was being wheeled in. She couldn’t have known that the door would open so far, especially since I wasn’t dressed. Just as quick as she’d appeared, I watched her vanish. The kid backed away from the door and put up his hands. “Don’t worry about it, sir. Have a good night.” I couldn’t help but notice a smile across his face when he turned to walk away.
Shalan came out of the bathroom just as I wheeled in the cart. She picked up the card and read it, while I focused on nothing but her naked body. “It’s from the guys. They said congratulations, and that we better drink the whole bottle because it cost them a ton.”
I started laughing and picked up the bottle of champagne, opening it easily. Shalan sat down on the bed with her hands folded in her lap. The bubbly drink started pouring out of the top and I slurped it up enough to where it wouldn’t fall to the floor. Shalan giggled and I turned my attention back to her. Instead of using a glass, I put the bottle to her lips and lifted it to allow an easy sip. She licked her lips as I pulled it away. “I guess everyone wants us to celebrate.”
I sat down next to her and took another drink, all the while knowing I wasn’t being classy, whatsoever. “Seems so. It all just seems so unreal to me. I haven’t wanted to do anything in the music business since I was a kid.”
“You didn’t tell me that. You wanted to be a singer?”
I chuckled and thought back to the moment I found out about my uncle. “Well, my uncle was in this band. It was pretty popular back in the day, and I thought nothin’ was cooler. I even learned to play the guitar so I could be like him.”
“Did he teach you?”
I shook my head. “Nah. My dad did. It was something we used to do on the porch of our house after dinner. I haven’t played for a long time.”
“Why? Where is your uncle now?”
I didn’t want to tell her. For better words, I couldn’t bring myself to. “It doesn’t matter. He used me for a publicity stunt and ruined a chance of ever bein’ somethin’ to me. He got into drugs, and alcohol, lost his wife, and any chance of ever livin’ a normal life. The business did that to him. I’ve hated him ever since, but I know being famous was the real culprit.” I paused for a moment and took another sip of champagne. “Besides, it was when my mom was sick. We’ve all tried to put that part of our lives behind us.”
Shalan leaned her head on me. “So, that’s why you don’t care whether you’re a part of this or not? You think that fame will make you like him?”
I shrugged. “Maybe. I just know it ain’t somethin’ I’ll like doin’. I know I walked away from the ranch, but that don’t mean I won’t want to settle down one day. I don’t want to be in some kind of spotlight. I just want to make my own decisions. Does that make sense?”
“All I’ve ever wanted to be was a famous singer. I think I wanted it because I never thought it was going to happen. Who would have thought that running away from a crime would land me here, with this opportunity,” she turned and faced me. “And with you, Noah.”
I could feel our connection, so I knew exactly what she was talking about. Though it had come by surprise, with both of us getting out of relationships, there was definitely something happening between us. I moved in and kissed her slowly on the lips, slowly allowing it to intensify as we sat there. When I pulled away her eyes remain closed. “Does this mean you forgive me for losin’ my shit earlier?”
Her lips answered when she reached in for another kiss. “Maybe.”
“I gotta tell ya, darlin’, it’s gettin’ real hard to sit here and have this conversation, when all I want to do is be inside of you.”
She backed up on the bed and let her arms fall over her head. I had a full view of that body and I couldn’t decide where to start.
Shalan
I couldn’t hold my excitement in.
How many people run away from something horrible and fall into their dream situation? I didn’t want to jump the gun, but I’d been given a real chance at something that I’d wanted my whole life. Noah was the reason for it all, and I couldn’t stay angry with him for his earlier rant.
The truth was that I already cared more for him than I should, more than I thought possible after only a few days.
It was possible that my attraction was out of thanks. I mean, he’d saved my ass, brought me to this wonderful place, where we’d been given this opportunity. It could have been all of those things. Still, when we were alone, something else was there.
I lusted for him, fe
lt jealous when other women looked at him, and was drawn to him every way possible.
Champagne.
I’d never really been a fan until I watched it saturate Noah’s lips. Somehow, he’d made it less nasty to taste, almost like it was liquid sex, filling me with confidence to give him a night he’d always remember.
I wasn’t trying to seduce him into staying, and if it seemed that way, I didn’t mean it. Noah was a grown man, who’d obviously carried an opinion about the music industry for a long time. Since I had to appreciate his feelings in the matter, the only thing left to do was satiate each other with what we did best together.
Sex.
Noah brought the bottle to my lips again, filling my mouth with the bubbling concoction. He kissed me, using his slow moving tongue to get a rise out of me. “Lay down, darlin’.”
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