by Kelly Oram
That cheer was my first much-needed burst of confidence. The second was the look on Val’s face. There was a brief instant where a single flash of emotion lit her up before she smoothed her expression out. But what emotion was it? Fear? Surprise? Excitement? I couldn’t tell.
“I suppose you can’t interview Virgin Val without bringing up Kyle Hamilton,” she said. She sounded playful, but she was nowhere near as collected as she’d been when she first walked out on that stage.
She was nervous, but was it a good nervous or a bad nervous?
“I suppose not,” Connie said. “You’re a good sport, Val. So, do the two of you keep in touch?”
Val shook her head. “He went on the S is for Sex tour and I left for Stanford long before he came home. We never spoke again.”
Was that regret I heard in her voice? Or was I imagining it?
“I’m sure he’s forgotten all about me.”
That got me another round of teasing from my bandmates. Even I laughed that time. Forgetting Val was impossible. Sure, I’d managed to bury her for a few years, but I could never forget her entirely. No one could forget Val.
“I heard he was pretty serious with someone for a while. Got engaged, even.”
Thank you, Connie! She was broaching the awkward topic so that I wouldn’t have to, and she was letting me see Val’s reaction to it. I’d never say another bad thing about chick talk shows and their gossip ever again.
Val swallowed hard. Why? What was she thinking?
“I heard that, too.”
Her answer was too vague. I wanted more and Connie, bless her heart, delivered. “Then you heard it was a bad breakup?” she pressed. “Broke his heart, she did.”
Val’s smile fell from her face. “I did hear about that,” she admitted, “but from my experience there’s never much truth in those tabloid stories, so who knows?”
I had no freaking clue what was going through Val’s mind as she shrugged for Connie, but she was definitely battling some kind of emotions. If I didn’t talk to her soon, I was going to go crazy.
“He and I were kind of notorious for not getting along,” Val said, “but I hope it wasn’t as bad as it sounds. I hope he’s well wherever he is.”
My lips curled into a big grin. She cared about me. It was written all over her face. Virgin Val hadn’t forgotten about me any more than I’d forgotten about her.
My missing confidence finally showed up. It surged through me like lightning, leaving me charged with excitement. It may have been four years, but Val was still Val. And Virgin Val had always had a weakness for Kyle Hamilton.
Well, she was in for it now, because I wasn’t the same Kyle Hamilton she’d known then. Like her, I’d done some growing up, too. I’d been around the block a few times, learned a few things. I was ready for her this time.
Game on, Virgin Val, I thought to myself just as Connie yelled, “Come on out here, Kyle!”
My entire body buzzed with energy as I walked out into that studio.
The screams from the fans helped me focus. They brought me back to myself. I was onstage now. I was in front of an audience. I was home. I smiled for the cheering women and blew them kisses, stalling as I braced myself to meet Val’s gaze.
I strutted over to Connie, oozing as much confidence as possible. I knew I looked cocky, but I wouldn’t show any fear. I was Kyle Hamilton. I was capable of handling one woman, even if it was the infamous Virgin Val.
After Connie shook my hand and welcomed me to her show, I pulled Val to her feet and wrapped her up in a hug before she had the chance to do or say anything. I crushed her to me so tightly I was sure she felt the erratic beat of my heart.
She trembled a little as she returned my hug with a gentle and hesitant embrace. I rubbed my hand across her back, hoping to soothe her, and she melted against me. She laid her head on my shoulder and released a soft sigh that I doubt she was even aware of.
I came undone. Every feeling I’d ever had for Val—and believe me, there had been a lot of them—rose to the surface of my skin. I felt alive again, the way I used to. Val ignited something in me that I couldn’t ignore, couldn’t control. She always had.
When Val and I broke apart, I forced myself to focus. It wasn’t easy; she’d completely scrambled my brain.
I had to get a grip.
Her birth mother rose to her feet as well, staring at me a little starstruck. “It’s an honor to meet you,” I said, holding out a hand to her in greeting. “I have to say, thank you for bringing my favorite virgin into the world.”
The woman burst into tears, but I figured they were happy tears because she was laughing while she was crying. “I don’t know whether to thank you for your part in bringing my daughter back into my life,” she said, “or smack you for the way you treated her.”
I concentrated on smiling so that I wouldn’t roll my eyes. I was often accused of being a jerk to Val back in the day, but, honestly, I didn’t see what I’d ever done that was so wrong. Val always knew I was just messing with her. I think. She fell for me anyway, so I couldn’t have been that horrible.
“Well, if I get the chance,” I said, forcing a laugh, “I’d prefer the thank-you. I’ve been slapped on national television before and it’s not all that fun.”
Okay, maybe, on the rare occasion, I’d been a little bit of a jerk.
Whatever. She still liked me.
Val and her mom scooted down on the sofa, making room for me to sit on the end closest to Connie. Val scooted a little too far away for my taste, so when I sat down I pulled her over to me, closing all distance between us. She cast me a flustered glance, letting me know exactly how much I affected her.
I grinned and tucked her snuggly against my side. Val stiffened, as if I was making her nervous, but I didn’t care. It felt right. It’d been years, but the chemistry between us was still there, still thick enough to choke on.
I kissed the side of her head and whispered, “It’s been way too long, Val,” not sure if I was trying to calm her down or rile her up.
My attention was pulled away from Val when Connie cleared her throat and said, “So, Kyle, Val was just telling us she was sure you’d forgotten all about her. Is that true?”
Connie smiled so big her face had to hurt. She looked ecstatic as her eyes bounced back and forth between Val and me, obviously proud to have reunited us.
I laughed. “Connie, there are some people that could never be forgotten.”
“I have to agree,” she said. “Tell us what you’ve been up to.”
“Well, I’ve got a solo album coming out soon, but other than that I’ve just been taking it easy.” I gave Val a meaningful squeeze and added, “Waiting for the right woman to come along and make an honest man out of me.”
Connie nearly melted into a puddle of pleasure in her chair. Even the audience swooned. I tried to gauge Val’s reaction and noticed little pink spots of color on her cheeks. She was blushing. That was a good sign.
“You’re looking to settle down then, are you?” Connie asked, following my lead.
“Something like that.” I smiled to myself. We were talking about settling down, but inside I was only getting worked up.
My gaze drifted to Val again. She was wearing the faintest trace of perfume. It was just barely enough to make me want to lean in and bury my nose in her neck, taste her skin. It was maddening.
Her lips looked so soft. If I didn’t do something fast, I was going to kiss her. I couldn’t let that happen. She’d been so mad the last time I’d done that in front of the cameras.
I reached across her lap and pulled her hand into mine. I needed the distraction. She gasped, but it wasn’t the handholding that had her shocked—it was the bracelet tied around my wrist.
That’s right, Virgin Val!
“What is this?” she asked, fingering the black leather strap with the small A dangling from it.
I grinned, loving her reaction. “You don’t recognize it? You gave it to me once, a long time a
go.”
“Yeah, I recognize it.”
Her eyes drifted out of focus, as if she were recalling a memory. I was sure she was thinking of the day she’d given me the bracelet at the Huntington High School Fall Festival. She’d handed it to me as a joke. It had been an attempt to put some space between us. I don’t think she realized that I kept it.
The night she gave me the bracelet, she’d blown me off and missed my song. I was so pissed. The brush-off stung. That night I became determined to win her over. I decided I was going to seduce her, take her virginity, and rub my victory in her face as revenge for hurting my pride.
Somewhere along the way, my need for revenge turned into real feelings and the bracelet became priceless to me. I took it with me on the S is for Sex tour and wore it in my pocket for every performance until I’d lost it toward the end of the tour.
My mouth lifted into a smirk as we both stared at my bracelet. After everything Val and I had been through together—after I’d pushed her away and lost her because I refused to play her game—I ended up giving her what she wanted anyway.
Oh, the irony.
“Eight months, now,” I admitted.
Val didn’t get it at first. “Eight months, what?” she asked.
The idea of me abstaining from sex was so impossible to her she couldn’t comprehend what I was saying. I had to spell it out for her. “Haven’t you heard? The A stands for abstinence.”
I stared down at her, waiting for her to understand, and I saw the exact moment it clicked into place. “You?” she gasped.
I laughed. The look on her face was worth the last eight months of celibacy.
My good mood died quickly as she sat there waiting for an explanation. The situation didn’t seem all that funny anymore. I didn’t want to explain it, but I knew I’d have to prove myself to Val if I was going to convince her I was sincere.
I gritted my teeth and shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “It was my relationship with Adrianna. I loved her, you know? When we broke it off I realized I hadn’t been with anyone else since I’d met her, and that I didn’t want to be with anyone else. The woman ruined me because now I don’t want to sleep with anybody I’m not in love with. Believe me, I tried. When she cheated on me I tried to sleep with a million girls just to get back at her, but I couldn’t do it.”
I couldn’t believe I was admitting all this in front of the whole freaking world. Adrianna was probably going to see this interview and would laugh about how she broke my heart for the rest of her life.
I pushed Adrianna from my thoughts. I didn’t care about her anymore. It didn’t matter what she thought. “I figured since I wasn’t doing it anymore anyway, I might as well wear the bracelet.”
I forced myself to meet Val’s gaze. She’d been waiting for me to look at her. When our eyes met, she stared at me as if she were trying to tell me something important. As if my life depended on whatever secret message she was about to convey.
“Good for you, Kyle,” she whispered.
Her eyes misted over, and I realized what she was trying to get me to understand. She was proud of me. I’d surprised her—impressed her, even—and she was proud of me.
I’d been waiting years to see that look from her. I’d tried so hard to win her approval back in the day, but I’d never gained it. Yes, she’d grown feelings for me, but I’d never fully earned her respect. Until now.
My chest started to burn. I squeezed her to me again and brought my lips to her ear. “I’ve figured it out, Val.”
Before I could explain myself, Connie interrupted us. “Are you going to perform something for us today?” she asked me.
Hell yes, I was going to sing something today.
My adrenaline spiked. I’d never been so anxious to sing a song in my life. Not even the first time I sang “Cryin’ Shame.”
“Uh, yeah,” I said.
Unable to sit still another second, I jumped up and crossed the stage to where my band was set up.
Things were going to be different this time. Val wasn’t going to hate this one. She was going to love it. The whole world was going to love it. Shane had been right that day. I had another chart topper on my hands. I was sure of it.
This was going to be just like “Cryin’ Shame” all over again. I could feel it in my bones. This moment, right now, was the start of something epic. Kyle and Val: the Sequel.
I couldn’t wait.
I adjusted my mic and gazed out at the anxious audience. I could feel their excitement as sure as I could feel my own. “I’ll be singing the first single of my new album,” I said, a wide grin spreading across my face, “and in grand Kyle Hamilton tradition, I’ve written it for a certain someone who I couldn’t manage to get out of my head.”
The audience went crazy at the confession and after smiling for them, my eyes found Val’s. The expression on her face was classic—something akin to horror. Laughing, I winked at her and said, “It’s called ‘Worth Waiting For.’”
I know it sounds horribly cliché, but music is my life. I literally live and breathe for the moments I get to hold a microphone to my mouth and share all my innermost thoughts and feelings in song. Singing isn’t just what I do; it’s who I am. I love it.
As soon as the first chord of music sounded, everything faded out and all was right in the world. All the nerves I’d been trying to shake all day melted away and I opened my mouth to sing, feeling as if I were on top of the world.
Thoughts of you runnin’ through my head
Heart’s pumpin’ full speed ahead
Body’s screaming to get you in bed
Need you, want you, baby gotta be mine
Come to me girl, I’m done wastin’ time
You ask me to wait, don’t know if I can
Too scared to lose, I’m only a man
But I can’t let you go, can’t shut the door
Heart’s telling me you’re worth waiting for
The feel of your lips, hot breath on my skin
Touching you, touching me, I’d relish the sin
Let’s find a way for us both to win
Need you, want you, baby gotta be mine
Come to me girl, I’m done wastin’ time
You ask me to wait, don’t know if I can
Too scared to lose, I’m only a man
But I can’t let you go, can’t shut the door
Heart’s telling me you’re worth waiting for
Forever I’ll wait, it’s drivin’ me mad
Driven by memories I’ve not yet had
Hangin’ on a promise of you and me
Hope springs eternal for things that could be
You ask me to wait, don’t know if I can
Too scared to lose, I’m only a man
But I can’t let you go, can’t shut the door
Heart’s telling me you’re worth waiting for
You ask me to wait, don’t know if I can
Too scared to lose, I’m only a man
Bring on the torture, forever and more
’Cause girl it’s true, you’re worth waiting for
The music ended, the audience cheered, and I basked in the thrill of a performance well done.
Man, I’d missed this.
If nothing else came from today, at least I’d found my muse again. It’d been gone since Reid died, and for a while I’d given up all hope that I’d ever feel like my old self again. As I came down from my adrenaline high, I knew I was back. I was myself again. I was ready to let this solo album take me on my next great adventure. I had a purpose again, and it felt amazing.
It was all thanks to Val.
That thought had me crashing back into reality. Val. What did she think? I took a deep breath and looked in her direction. Her eyes were already on me. She sat there, completely motionless, as if she’d been frozen in place. Her eyes were wide, but otherwise her face was smooth. Either she was doing all in her power to hide her thoughts, or she was in so much shock she was unable to express them yet.
Good or bad? Good or bad? Good or bad?
I had no idea what was going through her head. We were caught in a crazy staring match and I couldn’t tell at all what she was thinking. Not a freaking clue.
I had to do something. I had to move, or look away, or something. Anything besides just standing there staring at her. I lifted a finger in her direction and mouthed the words, “For you.”
The spell holding us finally broke. Val turned her head away from me and discreetly dabbed a tissue to her eyes. She was crying. I’d made her cry. That had to be a good thing. Right? Or was it bad?
I moved exactly one step toward her and then Connie was there, hugging me and complimenting the song. My brain went to autopilot, unable to think of anything but Val, until I heard a roar of applause. I shook myself from my daze. Connie was thanking me for something. What had I just agreed to?
A signing. All of the audience members had received a copy of my new album, and I’d just agreed to stay and sign them. No, no, no! Val would be long gone before I was finished. That was unacceptable.
I held the microphone up to my face so that I’d be good and heard by everyone in the room as I answered her. “Sure, Connie. I’d be happy to stay behind for a while and sign a few CDs…as long as Virgin Val agrees to stay with me.” I flashed the women in the audience my best smile. “I haven’t seen her in four years. I can’t give her the chance to sneak away from me too quickly.”
This got the reaction I was hoping for, the reaction I knew it would get. No matter what, when it came to Val and me, the fans would always be on my side.
I waited out the screams and then turned my grin on Val. She was across the room, introducing her birth mom to her parents, and whirled around at the sound of her name. The incredulous look on her face made me burst into laughter. Just like old times.
“What do you say, Val?” I taunted. “Want to do the Virgin and the Rock Star thing with me again?” Time to bring out the irresistible sexy pout. “Just this once? For old times’ sake?” I turned my puppy dog face on the audience and said, “It’d really make you guys happy, wouldn’t it?”
Everyone in the audience went crazy again. Val had no choice but to throw her hands in the air. Groaning, she said, “All right, you win. I’ll stay.”