Something inside me snapped, like a boat breaking free from its mooring. I had no obligation to please this woman. I'd wanted everything to be perfect but that wasn't possible.
"I'm going to go out with your son," I told her, my voice firm and strong. "We are going to have a relationship and I'm going to be around for a long time. You can either accept that and be happy or you can be miserable but I don't want you making Eric miserable."
And I really believed those words. The feelings I had couldn't be scared off by her and, if Eric was the person I thought he was, then maybe he wouldn't be either. He might choose me. I had to let him make that decision for himself, rather than running away and not giving him have the option.
She glared at me for a moment then turned to leave. I knew my own mind. That not-standing-up-for-herself Angie could be booted out the door. I wasn't sure what she was thinking but I realised I no longer cared.
-o-
It seemed like the plane couldn't fly fast enough. The whole time, I wondered if it would work. Maybe I’d misread the signs. I do that sometimes. I think everything is going to be all happy, rainbow-flavoured then life hands me a shitty, poop-ball instead. My mind picked over every word he’d said, every gesture, analysing what he’d meant by them. It made it hard for me to swallow. I’d gone through about five of those mini cans of Coke. Just Coke, no booze because I didn’t want to land feeling all fuzzy-headed. Then I had to keep getting up to go to the toilet, which really annoyed the hell out of Hannah because she had the aisle seat.
“Settle the hell down,” she said as I pushed my way passed her.
“Well, you take the window seat!”
I watched a fat man move down the other aisle. If I didn’t hurry, he’d get the only free toilet.
“It’s okay, Angie. He’s crazy about you. Anyone can see that.”
I shrugged, trying to look cool but the insecure part of me, which seemed to be the only part of me at that moment, did a happy dance. Then I smiled and raced down the plane to beat that fat man to the toilet.
It took forever to get off the plane and even more forever to get into the city and find the hotel. We’d arranged to meet the guys at the venue but, when we waited to check-in to our rooms, I felt someone behind me. Really close, so that their body almost touched mine.
I swung around, ready to punch that creeper out. I charged with the full force of my body behind my fist then had to stop myself when I saw it was Eric. I stumbled because all that momentum had to go somewhere, and almost fell face-first to the ground but his arms closed around me, holding me tight.
I couldn’t hide my grin. I got back on my feet and tried to pull away from him but he didn’t let me go. He smiled back at me with that shy smile of his and the light from his eyes made everything around me glow brighter.
I wanted to kiss him right there in the lobby but, you know, it was the lobby, filled with people. And the guy handed us our room key. But our eyes, our eyes did mighty dirty things to each other. There was definitely a lot of eye-sex going on.
If he’d followed me to my room, I think I’d have thrown him on the bed and ravaged the fuck out of him but he waited for me in the lobby.
“If I go to your room, I might not make it on stage tonight,” he said.
That made me smile even more, even though we only had these few days together then I’d not get a chance to see him until the end of the tour.
As I watched him play that night, I realised. I'd just began to scrape the surface of what Eric was. I'd been holding myself back, trying not to get too involved with him in case it didn't work out. But he was a deep pool of cool water and I was ready to jump in and submerge myself in all that he could be. I wanted to let him seep into my skin and leave traces that would remain forever.
Hannah nudged me.
"Ooooh, look at you, all love struck."
I punched her in the arm but didn't look at her because I didn't want her to see the love shining in my eyes.
When he got off stage, he threw his arms around me and I sunk into him, feeling the warmth of his love. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I knew that the thing with his mother was nothing but an uneasy truce. I’d have to fight. We’d have to fight. But it was a thing worth fighting for. I couldn’t let a chance like that pass me by. How many times in life do you meet a guy that makes every atom in your body sizzle with joy? I’d be a fool to give that up.
His fingers tangled in my hair and his lips danced over my skin.
“Are you guys coming to the party?” Jack asked.
“No!” we both said in unison.
His fingers threaded in mine and our eyes locked together with the joy of just being us. We didn’t need anyone else, didn’t want to be with anyone else.
In the cab back to the hotel, our kisses got almost indecent. I couldn’t get enough of touching him. My emotions were too raw and new for me to say anything corny like “I love you” but I had a feeling those words would be in our future.
“I don’t think your mother is ever going to like me,” I said.
“That’s okay, I’ll just have to like you double to make up for it.”
All the wavering ended. All the not touching and not feeling and not letting him in. We went to my room and the crazy, sexy times began.
###
Also Available:
Bad Boy Rock Star
Hannah Sorrento has been abandoned by her rich father with nothing but a band management contract to her name. She needs to make this band pay if she wants to survive but lead singer, Jack Colt, proves to be a major obstacle.
If you haven’t read the first book in the Bad Boy Rock Star series, get a copy and read it now (although you’ll be majorly spoiled if you read this one first).
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GPP30O2/
Bad Boy vs Millionaire
Jack Colt is back – and now he has a rival. Sexy, mysterious and rich, Tamaki seems like Hannah’s perfect man but she can’t get Jack out of her mind.
The second book in the Bad Boy Rock Star series is available now.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J83LEVO
Coming soon:
Bad Boy Redemption
The final book in the trilogy will be released in July 2014. Add it on Goodreads: - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21402827-bad-boy-redemption
Newsletter:
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About me:
Candy J. Starr used to be a band manager until she realised that the band she managed was so lacking in charisma that they actually sucked the charisma out of any room they played. “Screw you,” she said, leaving them to wallow in obscurity – totally forgetting that they owed her big bucks for video equipment hire.
Candy has filmed and interviewed some big names in the rock business, and a lot of small ones. She’s seen the dirty little secrets that go on in the back rooms of band venues. She’s seen the ugly side of rock and the very pretty one.
But, of course, everything she writes is fiction.
Blog: candyjstarr. com
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Angie Page 5