by Ava Manello
Tiny lets out a forced cough, forcing my attention back to where we are, standing in the hall outside my room.
“I’ll leave you two to it then.” He pats Alex on the back and kisses me on the cheek before heading off to his room.
“You want to go for a walk and talk about this?” Alex asks. “We’ve got a little time before I need to be at the theater.”
“Let me grab my bag.” I quickly retrieve my bag from the room and meet Alex outside in the hallway. He reaches over to take my hand as we walk to the elevator. It’s such a simple gesture, but it warms my heart.
Chapter Forty One
Sally
We talk about everything, yet we talk about nothing. I couldn’t tell you what we talked about, but by the end of it I feel a lot closer to Alex.
He understood when I asked if we could take this slowly. Despite us having known each other for weeks now, I feel like we’ve only just met. The guy I thought I knew doesn’t exist.
Alex’s character hasn’t changed, but it’s going to take my heart a while to understand that he actually could be mine if I want it.
Of course the hussy that is my inner voice is begging me to take him to bed now. I’m tempted. Very tempted. But I’d like to do this the old fashioned way, and take it slowly.
I look up and realize we’re back at the hotel. The afternoon has gone too quickly.
“I know you want to take this slowly.” Alex says. “But can I kiss you? I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long.” God, my knickers are wet just listening to the way he said that.
“I think that would be nice.” Nice? Nice? Sally Evans, I berate myself, kissing Alex is going to be way better than nice!
And it is. Alex leans in and kisses me, gently at first. It’s a soft romantic kiss. I’m not sure who deepens it, but we quickly lose ourselves in each other. My hand reaches up to his head, drawing him closer. He pulls my lower lip into his mouth, biting down on it gently. I melt into him.
“Yo. Lovebirds. Come on, dinner’s getting cold.” Jackal calls from the doorway. Too soon Alex pulls his lips away from mine. I moan in disappointment.
“Don’t worry, we’ll continue this later.” The promise in his eyes gives me hope.
“I look forward to it.”
He draws my hand into his and guides us through to the bar where the rest of the guys are waiting.
There’s various name calling and jeering, but as a whole the guys are pleased for us.
Guido still looks perplexed.
“So how the hell did you get a gay man to go straight Sally? I need to know that trick.” Everyone breaks out in laughter at his naivety.
Alex just holds my hand tighter in his, whispering into my ear.
“Later.” The promise in his voice has me so wet I whisper back that I’m going to have to go back to my room and change my underwear before we head to the theater. I’m rewarded with a very uncomfortable expression on his face and smile smugly when I catch him adjusting the hard on in his trousers when he thinks no one is looking.
I’m definitely looking forward to the show being over tonight.
Chapter Forty Two
Alex
The show goes well. We’re all on top form tonight and the audience loves it. I find myself glancing into the wings too often though. I need to keep checking that Sally is still there, that this is real.
The meet and greet seems to drag on forever tonight. There’s the usual raucous behavior and crude commentary from the fans. Sally’s face looks more pinched than normal every time one of the girls gets a little too close to me. I get it. I’d feel the same way if she had a group of men surrounding her.
She catches my eye and I mouth, “I’m all yours.” She understands and smiles back at me, blowing me a kiss.
The girl in front of me turns her head to see who I’m talking to, and gives Sally a filthy look. I’m not having that and hurry her along the line up.
I’m relieved when we finally head backstage to the dressing rooms. The guys are still ribbing me a little, but it’s all friendly banter, and they remain respectful of Sally. They’ve all become attached to her over the past few weeks. I’m not sure if she realizes she’s now got a group of protective brothers in them.
Sally never comes in the dressing room after the time she found me with my trousers down. Instead she waits out by the stage door, chatting with the theater staff.
No matter which theater we’re at she seems to build a rapport with them. Since this thing with her friend’s husband we tend to make sure one of us is with her though. I know she gets wound up over it, but none of us want to see her hurt. She’s told us over and over she’s in no danger, but as I told her, better safe than sorry.
I’ve just fastened the laces on my trainers when I look up and realize we’re all here. That means no one’s out there with Sally. An uneasy feeling prickles my skin.
“Who’s with Sally?” I shout, a little too harshly.
They look at each other, obviously all thinking that one of the others with her.
“I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Tiny assures me, but I can see the tight line of his mouth as he says it.
He pulls on his polo shirt, which strains at the seams over his large chest. He’s the first out of the room.
“You seen Sally?” he asks Doris, one of the volunteer dressers who’s been looking after us.
“She was out by the stage door love, it got a bit stuffy in here for us.” She answers.
Tiny and I head for the stage door, and I can sense that the others aren’t far behind me. There’s no sign of her in any of the narrow corridors underneath the theater where the dressing rooms are so we head up to the corridor that takes us to the stage door.
She’s not there either. Tiny rushes out the stage door before me and I hear him swear.
“Get your fucking hands off her now.” What the hell?
I follow quickly behind and almost lose it when I see Sally tight in the grasp of a strange guy. Her face looks red and puffy, it dawns on me that he’s hit her. Anger starts to cloud my vision as I head over to him, but Tiny gets there first.
“I said let go of her.” Tiny bellows. Sally looks terrified. Meanwhile the guy holding her looks deranged. He’s shaking her like she’s a rag doll. He reaches to slap her again but before he can Tiny gets to him, drawing his arm around his back. There’s a sickening crack. I think Tiny’s dislocated his shoulder.
The guy howls out in pain and releases his hold on Sally who crumples to the ground, and I rush towards her.
“Call the police!” Someone shouts. Tiny has the guy down on the floor and is hitting him. Guido and Jackal are trying to pull him back before he kills him.
Sally is trembling. Her face is white and shaken, apart from the bruise that is already forming on her cheek. I growl under my breath.
“It’s okay baby. I’ve got you.” I tell her as Jonny comes up behind me.
“We’ve called an ambulance for her, just in case. The police are on their way as well.” He squats down on the other side of Sally and pats her hand.
‘You’re going to be fine Sally. We’re here for you.” I can tell he’s holding back the anger.
Guido and Jackal have managed to get Tiny off the guy, all three of them are standing guard around him, and he’s not going anywhere soon. I think Tiny’s knocked him unconscious.
The street lights up with the blue of the police car and ambulance that are pulling up.
It’s a blur of activity. I almost lose it when the ambulance men attend to the guy who attacked Sally first. A young policewoman is trying to talk to Sally, and calm me down at the same time.
As Sally’s only walking wounded she suggests that she takes her to the hospital in her police car. She wants to get her checked out and doesn’t want her to have to wait for another ambulance to arrive.
I’m reluctant to let go of Sally, but it turns out that she’s just as reluctant to let go of me.
We get into the back of the poli
ce car and Sally cuddles up close.
I don’t know what the hell happened tonight, but I’m damned sure going to find out.
Chapter Forty Three
Sally
It was past three am before we all got back to the hotel. It wasn’t just Alex and Tiny who refused to leave me alone there. All the guys turned up and sat out in the waiting room with me.
I felt a little guilty sitting there, like I was wasting the hospital’s time. I’ve just got a few scrapes and bruises and a sprained shoulder after all, but the policewoman asked me to see it through. The medical report will help in their case against Gary.
I’d been standing in the corridor near the stage exit talking to Bert, the doorman. It was a little cooler up there than down in the basement rooms. Bert had been called away by one of the dressers to check something. It was fine. I was on my own but I was in the back stage are of the theater so felt safe.
I shouldn’t have. Nor should I have ignored what I thought were the two sightings of Gary. It turns out he’d turned nasty when Ashley kicked him out. He’d gone back and beaten her up, so she was now pressing charges against him. He’d fled up north before the police could arrest him.
They think he’s been stalking me for the last few shows, and just took his chance tonight when he found me unguarded for the first time.
I’ve apologized to the guys so many times tonight for not listening to them, nor taking their concerns seriously.
I’ve never been so scared as I was when Gary grabbed me. I don’t know what happened to him but that wasn’t the Gary I know and remember.
He looked almost maniacal. He hadn’t shaved in a while, and looked unkempt and scruffy. The Gary I know would never have stepped foot out the door looking like that.
He kept telling me it was my fault his marriage was over and that I had to be punished.
It was probably only a matter of moments from being grabbed and taken outside to the guys showing up, yet it felt like it was all happening in slow motion.
It hurt like hell when he slapped me, but it woke me up and that’s when I started to fight back.
There was talk of Tiny being charged with assault, apparently he knocked Gary cold and broke his jaw. Eric called a solicitor in and that soon seemed to bring the talk to an end. I was furious, how could they charge him when all he’d been doing was trying to save me.
I get that he maybe went a little overboard; he doesn’t realize his own strength sometimes. But I won’t be sorry that he hit Gary. The little shit got everything he deserved.
Alex didn’t want me to ring Ashley but I had to. I was so relieved to hear her voice. She kept apologizing until I finally shouted at her to stop. She’s got nothing to apologize for other than her crap taste in husbands. To be fair to her none of us ever saw the real Gary. Most of the time he was all sweetness and innocence. She’s better off without him, and I for one am very happy he’s spending the night handcuffed to a hospital bed before he’s taken off to prison.
Alex hasn’t left my side. I should feel suffocated by the attention, but I don’t. With him here I feel safe.
I panicked when we got back to my hotel room. I didn’t want to be alone. Alex must have sensed what I was thinking, as he offered to stay with me.
“No funny business mind you.” He chastised me. Damn. That would have been fun. Not that I’m ready for that yet. “I’ll just hold you tight, keep you safe from the nightmares.” He whispered as he brushed a stray hair from my face, and kissed the place where it had been.
Alex was true to his word. He undressed down to his boxers, and scooted in beside me in the bed. It felt strange having a warm body beside me again after so long. It felt even stranger being drawn into his embrace. None of my previous partners ever showed that kind of affection to me.
I thought it would take me ages to fall asleep, that my mind would be in turmoil for hours. But there, safely nestled against Alex I fell asleep almost instantly.
Chapter Forty Four
Sally
I woke from my nightmare too hot and confused. I was disorientated. When I felt the body behind me I panicked. My nightmare had been about Gary grabbing me.
“It’s okay, you’re safe.” Alex whispers in my ear. I relax a little against him. Either that’s one hell of a morning wood or he’s pleased to see me.
I slowly reach my hand back, testing how far he’ll let me go. I know from our conversation he’s happy to wait for us to have sex. I need to spend more time with him, with us as a couple, before I’ll feel comfortable with that. I’m normally quite prudish, but I can’t stop myself. I want to pleasure him.
He draws in a gasp when he feels my hand over his boxers, but he doesn’t stop me. Instead he just asks if I’m sure.
I don’t answer him with words; I ease my hand into the top of his boxers instead. My eager boy pulls his boxers down and tosses them aside, allowing me unrestricted access.
He fills my hand. I draw my fingers up and down his length, loving the soft silky feel of him. It’s not enough.
I turn in the bed, moving to sit astride his thighs. My shorts are high on my legs and my sleep vest sits low on my bust. Alex eyes me hungrily.
I fist him in my hand, moving up and down slowly. Tossing my sleep tousled hair over my shoulder I lean over and draw my tongue across his tip.
Alex moans. His greedy cock pushing closer against my mouth. Well, it would be rude to ignore him wouldn’t it?
I slowly lave his cock with the tip of my tongue, up and down. When I get down to his balls I suck one of them into my mouth. He arches off the bed. I repeat the move, turning my attention to the other one. I draw my tongue back up his length, teasing his tip a little more, lapping up the drop of pre-come that sits there glistening at the top.
Alex groans again when I take his length into my mouth. I’ve never done this before. I’ve never wanted to. I just hope my inexperience doesn’t show. I want to please Alex.
Alex lifts his hips up and down in time with my movements. One hand is in my hair, caressing my head. His other hand is by his side, clutching the sheet tightly.
“Oh God, Sally. That feels so good.” I smile. Looks like I’ve got this right.
I can feel Alex tense beneath me. “You’ve got to stop Sally. I can’t. I can’t.” I ignore Alex and carry on, moving my mouth faster, drawing him deeper.
Even though it’s what I’d planned, I’m still shocked when he comes in my mouth, yet I manage to swallow it all down.
I sit up straighter on him, licking my lips. My god, I’ve turned into a hussy!
Alex is laid back, eyes closed, a look of total bliss on his face. I put that look there. That feels bloody amazing.
He opens his eyes and looks deep into mine.
“That was amazing.” He grins. “But it’s only fair that I return the favor.”
Before I know what’s happening Alex has flipped me onto my back and pulled off my sleep shorts.
His long fingers caress my thighs; my skin is tingling all over. Slowly he draws my thighs apart and moves his head down. He plants gentle kisses up and down my legs, each time getting closer and closer to my center. Just when I think I’m going to die from frustration his tongue enters me.
Jesus. Christ. I think I’ve died and gone to heaven. Before I know it he’s brought me to an earth-shattering climax. If I didn’t love this man before, then I sure as hell do now.
“Thank you.” He tells me as he draws the cover over us and pulls me in close to him again. He’s thanking me? I should be thanking him. That was the best-damned orgasm I’ve ever had.
I still want to wait before we have sex. But now I know that when we do, it will be absolutely amazing.
We fall asleep again, wrapped up in a tangle of limbs around each other.
Chapter Forty Five
Sally
The knocking on the door wakes me from a blissful, dreamless sleep this time. Alex is still out of it so I grab my robe and go see who’s trying to wake the d
ead.
It’s Tiny. That figures. It’s normally him or Alex banging on the door. I smile as I look back and see Alex sleeping in my bed.
“Hey girl, how are you this morning?” He pulls me into a hug.
“I’m fine, Tiny. I feel better than I have in a long time.” I smile.
“Oh yeah?” Tiny looks from me to Alex on the bed, a knowing smirk on his face. I hit his chest but my hand just bounces off, he’s so solid.
“It’s not what you think you jerk.” I laugh.