by Mills, L. C.
“This is what I love about friends coming to gigs! They make the most out it! Evan down here is rocking out in a world of her own!” Jack's accent echoed around the venue as I slowly lifted my head up to see him, I licked at my lips as I saw him standing right in front of me up on the stage.
“But y’all make such good music! It's not my fault! I couldn't help myself!” I shouted up at him.
His face split into a full on megawatt grin. “You are the only girl I know that could start a pit with only three people! So you wanna help me tell everyone who we are?!”
I nodded. I loved this part. “Hell yes I do!” I was buzzing.
“Well, you're gonna need to get your skinny little ass up here to do that!” He indicated the security to help me over the barrier.
Cameron moved forwards with me. “I'll keep your space!”
I nodded as the security man from earlier helped pull me over the barrier, I took the small set of steps up to the stage, my heart pounding in my chest as I reached Jack. I turned to face the crowd and it took my breath away for a moment, I could see the first few rows clearly, but after that it was a sea of blurry light bleached out faces.
“Everybody this is Evan Watson, and she's our best friend and so I want you to give her a warm welcome!” He handed me a spare microphone as the crowd erupted into cheers. I couldn't keep the smile off my face. I had only every introduced them once before, but I remembered it off by heart.
“Wow, thanks for the warm welcome guys, I'm actually super privileged to know this band, so I'm gonna help y’all out cause some of you might not know, and its shame cause you should know this band's name! On drums we got Johnno! He's the one that's making your whole heart vibrate!”
On cue, he did a mini drum solo.
“And on bass with the sick beats we got Andy!” I ran over to him, as he played a few notes and hung my arm around his neck. “He's the dude making the vibrations that reverberate through the soles of your shoes!”
I let go and ran back over to Jack. “And this is Jack! He's the one that has the voice of an angry angel! Oh, and he also plays guitar, but like whatever!” I laughed and half bowed to him with a smirk.
The crowd was working with me which was great, they had all started stamping their feet, like a drum roll and it vibrated through my whole body. “So for those of you here tonight, that don't know these guys, and for those of you that do and are here because you love them just as much as me, well you can join in, on three!”
I held my left hand up in the air, my fingers as a cue. “On three!”
I glanced at Cameron. He was staring up at me with an interesting look on his face. I gave him a huge smile. “One, two, three! - Vampire Empire.” I screamed the name, goose bumps erupted all over my body as they kicked off their next song. The crowd went crazy. I put the microphone down and took the steps back down, and re-joined Cameron, several people next to me held their hands out for a high five. I grinned from ear to ear as I high fived as many as could before I was put back over the barrier. I was keen to get back to Cameron.
“You were spectacular! You hide your light!” He held his palm out to me with a grin.
I laughed as my palm made contact with his, it was satisfying to feel the slap of my hand against his. “Thank you! I've only ever done that once before!” I turned back around to watch, his arms twisting around me, we stood like that for the rest of the gig. He'd sing along every now and then when he picked up the lyrics.
Two hours later and we were standing around the corner from the venue waiting for Jones to pick us up.
“It's so cool you got to introduce the band! I am so jealous! When we get back to Cams, we can have hot chocolate and chat about it all! It’ll be like a sleep over!” She grinned at me and clapped her hands in excitement.
This was a stark improvement from how she’d been earlier, Georgia was still hyped up from the show.
I grinned. “I'm very privileged to know such talented people! I love that life, the venues, the smell of tour buses and the sound of thousands of kids all screaming their hearts out. It's what runs in my blood! About the hot chocolate, I'm pretty tired, I'll probably go to bed when we get in.” I grinned. I didn't intend to spend the whole night chatting to her, I intended to spend it with Cameron. I'd not given her any of the merch yet either as Cameron had asked me to wait so I was sticking to that.
“I rather enjoyed watching you actually, you're rather a renegade!” His arms twisted around my middle as I looked up at him.
I wanted to kiss him, wanted to run my hands through his hair, but his sister was standing next to us and I was meant to be acting tired. I was also quite cold, so was grateful for him, rubbing my back.
“Are you staying in one of the spare rooms then?! Or like in with Cam?!” She frowned, looking disappointed.
“Oh, here he is! The traffic must have been bad! Georgia you're in the front again, I ride in the back with Evan!”
I turned around to see the SUV stop in front of us. “I'm just glad he's here! I'm quite cold now!” I shivered. I was also glad I could dodge the question about my sleeping arrangements.
Cameron held the door open and I climbed in.
“It's so warm in here!” I sat myself down and waited for Cameron to get in the other side.
After everyone got in, Jones set off again.
“Sorry about that Mr. Ballard, traffic was a nightmare!”
Cameron's hand slid over mine. “Its fine, can't be helped! Miss Watson isn't acclimatized to the British summer yet!” He laughed.
I rolled my eyes. “You call this summer?! Its cold compared to L.A but I had a personal body warmer so it wasn't too bad!” I smirked.
Cameron pulled his phone out of his pocket and started to type. I frowned.
A few seconds later, my phone vibrated in my pocket of my jeans and I rummaged to get it out. I shook my head, why couldn't he just say whatever it was to me?! I was sat right next to him. I read it.
Oh darling, I'll do more than warm you up when we get in! I'll make you sweat! I am resisting the urge to kiss you right now! X CB.
I bit my lip. That was why he couldn't say it out loud. I actually found these secret texts a turn on. I glanced at him, he was looking out of the window, with a passive look on his face. No one would know he was texting his lover, he looked bored but I knew otherwise.
I tapped a reply.
Oh really?! Well, I'll look forward to you making me sweat! If I can escape your sister! I wonder where you might kiss me?!
I let a shaky breath go as I hit send, it was always risky asking him questions like that because he would give an honest and probably detailed description which would result in me not knowing how to reply.
His phone lit up and reflected the smirk on his face.
“Traffic seems quite good now, the jam seems to be all over!”
I turned my head to look at him as his voice dropped to that husky sexy tone that did things to me, all over! That was said deliberately. He was going to kiss me all over.
I edged my hand towards his lap slowly and rested a hand over his upper thigh with a soft squeeze.
“Yeah, I'm so tired, I might just have to go straight to bed!” I did my best fake yawn.
He breathed heavily through his nose as my hand brushed his groin, softly. It was risky, but I wasn't in the frame of mind to care.
I watched him with fascination as he typed me another text.
My phone lit up and I unlocked it with my left hand.
I am going to undress you slowly and then take you to bed, where you will learn what tired feels like! I can also hear you breathing heavier as you read this! Leave your bag in here as an excuse so we have to ride in the lift alone! I want to taste your skin on my tongue! CB. Ps. that’s giving me a semi!
I closed my eyes and tried to steady my breath as I glanced at him. I rubbed slowly but firmly with my palm against his jeans and felt his semi against my hand. I f
igured I should stop so moved my hand back down to his thigh and left it there, tapping a reply with my left hand.
So I can feel! Very impressed! Ok, got it! I look forward to riding in the lift! I also look forward to you taking me to bed and showing me what tired feels like! PS: I'm kinda turned on by these! Everything south of my waist is clenched, thinking about it!
Cameron's phone screen lit up and his face turned towards me, his eyes looked almost black as he lowered his phone and moved his left hand so it now sat on my knee, he slowly moved it to push between my legs, and pressed his fingers into my leg as he ran his hand up my inner thigh.
I bit my lip. I had never been so turned on. He didn't even look away from my eyes as he typed.
My phone lit up and I glanced at it.
I swear if we were in the car alone I would take you here and now! Evan, you turn me on like no one has ever done before! CB.
My mouth suddenly felt dry, I clenched against his fingers automatically and closed my eyes. I couldn't even reply. I wished we were alone in the car, just me and him.
“Are you two texting each other?! It's weird you know that you're sitting next to each other!” She sounded confused.
His hand didn't move, he just rubbed his fingers against me in the most delicious way, with an impish look on his face.
“No! We aren’t!” He said matter of fact. “I'm sure Evan is just looking at texts from her friends and as for me, business stuff!”
I licked my lips and steadied my voice. “Yea, just saying how good the gig was!” I really did want a drink now, I felt ridiculously thirsty.
I rummaged in the bag with my left hand and pulled out a bottle of water, Cameron took it from my hand without even asking and undid it holding it out to me with a grin as he removed his hand.
“Thank you.” I mouthed at him as I tipped the water to my lips. It quenched my thirst.
God, he did things to me. His hands just knew where to go, his fingers just what place to press and I came undone around him. It was fabulous and exhausting all at the same time, I loved it! We came alive when we were together.
I typed a reply.
You make my head spin in the best way there is! You are the touch paper to my firecracker! We literally set each other off! I love how it makes me feel! I love you Cameron Ballard.
His phone lit up a few seconds later and a smile spread across his face, his cheek bones jutting out. He turned his head towards me and stroked his thumb over my cheek, his fingers resting behind my ear.
It was a soft, gentle and loving stroke, it was his way of saying what he couldn't out loud. I closed my eyes and leant into his touch. I'd miss him over the weekend, it might only have been two weeks or so since we had known each other, but I didn’t want to go back to being so painfully lonely all the time and I suspect he didn't want to go back to his old lifestyle either. We completed each other.
CHAPTER 23
We all spent the rest of the ride back to One Hyde Park in silence until we reached the underground parking area and I put the plan into action, making sure I left the bag in the SUV.
We all climbed out of the SUV and started walking to the lift, Jones was just ahead with Georgia. Cameron walked beside me, his hand resting on my lower back. It was normal for me now, I felt safe when he did that.
“Oh dang, I left my bag in the back! I'll just nip back and grab it!” I huffed a sigh almost but not quite dramatically as I stopped walking.
Cameron smirked. “Jones chuck me the keys, I'll go back with Evan and get the bag and come up in the lift after!” He held his hand out for the keys.
Georgia and Jones turned around, he looked confused for a second, then shrugged and chucked the keys to Cameron in one fluid motion. “Just make sure you put the key back, so I don't have to disturb you for them early Saturday!”
Cameron nodded. “Will do! Georgia don't be up all night! And don't raid my fridge for anything but food and non-alcoholic drink! And under no circumstances will you enter my room! We will see you in the morning!”
She tutted. “Ugh, it's not fair! You're keeping Evan all to yourself! And don't think I don't know what you'll be doing!” She raised a brow. “Mother would not approve of such illicit activities!” She snorted with laughter, then turned around on her heel and walked off ahead of Jones.
I tried not to laugh. She totally had us measured, but elicit was a little strong.
Jones smiled and turned around and caught up with her. “Come along Miss Ballard!”
I turned around and started walking back to the SUV. “She totally knows we're gonna be having sex later!” I laughed.
He chuckled as he unlocked the SUV. “Yes, she does, but at least she won't bother us! It's true, though my mother would literally have a fit! She's strictly Catholic! So no sex before marriage is permitted!”
I frowned for a second as I reached the SUV, that's what his sister had meant, but had his mother really thought he'd not been bumping-uglies with Miss A-line skirt or did she let it slide because she approved of her?! I didn't know, but I wasn't Catholic I wasn't even anything! I hadn't been bought up following any religion.
I turned and faced him his eyes flashed dangerously at me as I took a breath to speak. “Hmm, well does that mean I go to hell?!” I winked at him.
Without warning, he moved towards me, his body pinning me against the cold metal of the SUV knocking the wind from my lungs for a second or so as his fingers wrapped around my wrists stopping me from moving them from my sides. His face was mm’s away from mine, his breath came in hot bursts.
“I'm the king of hell my darling, want to be my queen?!” His voice was deep, and smooth just above a husky whisper in my ear.
I couldn't speak, that voice did things to me. I had no idea what to say. I hadn't expected him to say that. Did he really conceive himself that way?! Beyond redemption?! No one was beyond being saved if they wanted it enough.
His lips brushed mine, with quite some urgency as he let go of my wrists.
I would happily be his queen, but he wasn't giving me a chance to reply. I wound my hands into his hair and tugged lightly reminding him I wasn't like the others. If I was going to be the queen it made us equal.
His mouth curled into a smile, as our teeth clashed, as if our mouths were fighting for dominance. He moaned as he pulled back.
I pulled a deep breath into my lungs. It felt like I'd been running.
“I've waited all night to kiss you! Your mouth is very inviting.” He smiled down at me. His lips looked a little swollen.
I smirked and tiptoed as I wrapped my arms around his neck so I could whisper to him.
“Well, you'd be surprised at the things my mouth is very good at!” I deliberately licked his ear, in a way that I hoped was sexy and non-creepy.
“Fuck! Evan that is the sexiest thing you've ever done! I think you've been hiding your light under a bushel!”
He let me down from the hug and pulled open the SUV door with his free hand.
I glanced inside and then back to him and bit my lip. “We could yanno... If you wanted to live dangerously!” I hinted and for a moment I had a vision that made me go weak at the knees.
He groaned. “I wish more than anything we could, but it's not safe down here for that too many prying eyes! Plus I have plans for you and your mouth so grab your bag and let's go!” He winked at me.
I nodded and lent in and grabbed my bag and then turned around. “I don't think I ever had a bushel to hide anything under I think you have unlocked a side of me that I didn't know existed!” I took a few steps ahead of him. “What the fuck is a bushel anyways and why do people hide lights under them?!” I laughed.
His laugher echoed around the parking space as the SUV beeped to say it was locked. I heard his hurried footsteps as he caught up with me, throwing his arm around my shoulders. “You ask all the important questions! I actually don't know! But I'm glad I'm unlocking your desires, feelings and needs! Y
ou are unlocking parts of me that I didn't acknowledge existed before, I do believe we are dragging each other into the light!”
I brought my hand up to rest on his as we reached the lift. “The light of a full moon!” I smiled, I felt like within that exchange he had let me in a little more, another brick in his wall had been taken down! As had mine. One brick at a time we were taking each other's walls down and it had taken me all this time to realize that you can't just take your own wall down, we had after all, taken years building them up on strong foundations, the key to this was that we each removed each other's bricks one at a time, until there was nothing left; then and only then did we start building our own wall as a team. Other people could try and take down our bricks, but unless they were true they didn't count properly. None of my exes and none of Cameron's exes or whatever they were called had even come close to this.
“You look thoughtful! What are you thinking?!” He swiped for the lift to come down to us.
“Oh, uh, just something metaphorical really.” I grinned up at him.
He quirked an eyebrow at me. “About us?! Tell me, please.” His tone was soft, agreeable. He actually wanted to know as opposed to demanding I tell him.
The lift rolled open and we both stepped in. “Well, it's that I think we are helping each other to lower the walls we have spent so long building up and that when we have no walls left we will build our own wall together!” I shrugged. “It's just a stupid metaphor.”