"One day you'll regret it." She commented sadly.
He brought her face closer to hers, so close she imagined he would kiss her, but all the rocker did was glue his forehead to hers.
“Never!" He made sure he got their thighs and threw them high.
Melissa sank and when she emerged she found the singer laughing.
"Your first sea bath in Sarasota, Mel..." He blinked at her to clear the air around them. “You had to dive”.
She ran her hands through her soaked hair, realizing that she had lost her sunglasses. She wanted to be furious, but she ended up accompanying her singer in laughter and hugging him again, only to have the male body sink into a forced dive.
"Too vengeful..." Gabriel brushed the water from his face as he emerged.
They played in the water like two unconcerned teenagers for a while longer until a stronger wave threw Melissa away, toward the strip of sand.
“Gabriel!” She screamed at him, with panic in her voice.
"I'm here..." He held her tightly, preventing the wave from pulling her back. "I'll always be here."
Melissa absorbed the words. She knew he was talking about more than stopping her from drowning pathetically on the shallow end of the beach.
"Let's go back..." Gabe led her out of the sea.
"Wait..." She asked when she was able feel her feet back into the sand. "Do you want to talk about Hanna? You can talk about anything to me”.
"No," He denied promptly, but there was still a small smile on his face. “Not here. Not now." Practically carrying her away from the water, he continued. "Right now, I just want to enjoy a day at the beach with my girlfriend”.
“I'm not your girlfriend.” Melissa countered with a twist of her eyes.
“Are you sure?” He teased her.
“Well, you never asked for it...”
Laughing, Voss stopped the walk and looked at her, his eyes glittering.
"Do you want to be my girlfriend, Mel?" He whispered hoarsely close to her ear.
"That's so tacky..." She laughed, but brought her lips to his ear. “I'd rather be your girl”.
With a huge smile on his face, Gabriel walked again.
"You know it's the same, don’t you?"
She pretended to not call but she smiled at him before jumping onto his back.
"Hmm... Gabriel Voss..." She laughed out loud as he ran through the sand, carrying her. “My boyfriend.” She said the second part just so he could hear. "It doesn’t sound that bad."
It didn’t sound too bad, Gabriel decided when he reached Angela and Elisabeth.
"There you are..." Angela gave a long look to her best friend who tried in vain to remove the excess water from her dress. "I was beginning to wonder if you hadn’t been kidnapped."
"The sea almost took Mel..." Gabriel threw himself into the sand. "But other than that, we're safe and sound."
“Damn it! Are you alright?” Ang asked in alarm.
"It’s everything ok..." Lissa reassured her friend and ended up narrating, laughing, the ridiculous somersault the wave had caused. “Gabriel saved me”.
“I'm a hero”. The singer said happily. "What do you think of recording the moment?" He pointed to the inseparable cell phone, with the camera on.
Angela nodded enthusiastically, so Melissa allowed herself to be photographed next to her friend and her boyfriend until two teenagers approached timidly.
“Gabe?” One of them called tentatively. “Damn it! I can’t believe I'm even face to face with Gabriel Voss.”
“Hello girls!” The singer handed his cell phone to Melissa and answered the fans with his usual sympathy. "Do you want some pictures?"
Lissa pretended not care for the interruption until the girls asked her to take the picture with them.
“Me?” She asked in surprise when Gabriel helped her up and join the group.
She landed on the pictures without knowing what she was doing.
“It’s nice to meet you at the beach...” One of the girls said when the pictures were over. “Are you enjoying it before the tour starts again?”
"Yes" Gabriel replied with the same old smile. "A good place with good friends..." He pointed to Angela who was watching the scene. "I hope to see you at some show."
“Of course”. The fans nodded in disbelief as they pulled away, having gotten a tight hug from the idol.
"I'm sorry..." Gabriel began, slightly embarrassed. "But in less than five minutes, the world will know I'm here..."
"Then we'd better leave before the madness starts..." Angela suggested as she stood and dressed.
Everyone nodded, though Gabriel looked annoyed.
“It was really fun, right?” Lissa said to distract the singer who wasn’t very pleased to see his ride coming to an end sooner than expected. "I bet Angela will never forget”.
"I’ll never forget..." Ang agreed, practically jumping to the car. “It was wonderful”.
"I will not forget either..." Mel said to Gabriel as she helped him put all the things they had brought in the trunk of the car. “That was really cool”.
CHAPTER THIRTY- ONE - MALIBU
“We are just like the waves that flow back and forth
Sometimes I feel like I'm drowning
And you're there to save me
And I wanna thank you with all of my heart”[45]
A lthough she was saddened by her friend's departure, Melissa kept the good mood of the last few days even as she watched Angela get in the car with her mother to go home.
She had four days with her best friend. It might seem a little to most people, but when she left Seattle and embarked on that tour, one of her biggest fears was never to see her friend alive again.
And she not only had she reviewed it, she had shared some good and unforgettable moments.
“Thanks!” As soon as the car disappeared, she threw himself into Gabriel's arms and hugged him as tightly as she could. "For everything you provided Angela these days... I'll never forget”.
"I wish I could do more..." The musician answered truthfully, after all, he had also become fond of Angela and it was thanks to her frame that he had met and fallen in love with Melissa.
Lissa stared at him with bright, tear-filled eyes that she would fight to not shed, after all, she was happy. She had no reason to start crying. Her friend was always right: Gabriel was fantastic. Not only as a singer, but mainly as a person.
"We'll still see her again and again..." He said confidently, interlacing Mel's fingers and leading them back into the house.
"Well..." Melissa gave her best gentle gaze to her boyfriend. "You're going to have a show in Portland in about three and a half months... It's close enough to Angela go… I mean it's only 1h flight, if everything happens as planned and...”
“It's a great idea, Mel”. Gabe agreed promptly and loved to see the smile spread across his face. "We can talk to Arthur so he has the time to plan everything to this is the best show in her life.”
“This will be!” Lissa threw herself onto the couch and, with a wave, called the rocker closer. "It's a pity that our days off are ending... and that you haven’t really rested this week. But maybe I can reward you...”
Understanding the malicious tone with which the last sentence was spoken, Gabriel joined his girlfriend on the couch, pulling her into his lap, assuming their favorite position.
"I've loved every moment of the last few days..." He answered honestly as he took advantage of the carefree kisses the designer began to distribute around his neck. "You have nothing to compensate for”. When she stopped to kiss him to look at him with an arched eyebrow, he hurried to clear it. "But I will never stop you from continuing."
Laughing, Melissa kissed him. They had become so intimate that week that they knew how to warm the mood when they wanted to. So much so that a light glide of nails by the back of his neck was enough, as she knew he adored, so that the rocker intensified the kiss.
"Take that away..." He asked after a while
, when they were panting, referring to the light coat she'd chosen to wear that day and kept him from feeling soft and delicate skin. “Let's go to the room...”
"No..." Lissa denied in a second request with enough difficulty as she took care of the first and threw the long-sleeved blouse in some vacant space behind the sofa. "Your nanny is coming to dictate orders soon."
“That’s why we needed to go...” The singer took the advantage of the fact that she had gotten rid of the unwanted garment and started kissing the thin shoulders, as well as running her hands over the arms that had twitched at his touch. "Let's enjoy it, it's just the two of us. No Arthur, no bodyguards, no compromises. Tomorrow all the madness of travels and shows resumes. I want to enjoy my girlfriend as much as I can”.
"You loved that, did not you?" She laughed lightly as he lifted his kisses to one of her arms, focusing on the scars she was becoming more comfortable every day to show him. - "My girlfriend." Imitated.
With a silly grin, the musician nodded.
"My girlfriend..." He repeated, increasing the intensity with which the skin of one arm was kissed as he infiltrated a hand beneath the light, loose dress she wore. One of so many she had bought especially for her. "My girl, my angel..."
“Gabe!” Lissa softened in his arms as the nimble fingers began a gentle, slow, sensual caress on the scars on her thigh.
"Let's go upstairs..." He asked again.
"No..." She denied it again, though it sounded like another moan. "I don’t want Arthur stuffing me again." Clutching the tips of his fingers in his hair, she made Gabriel look at her. "Why so many kisses and caresses in my scars?"
"Because I like kissing and caressing your arms and thighs..." He knocked her down on the couch, laying her small body under his. "And you like it, too. Coincidentally, that's where the scars are.”
"I like..." she agreed, stroking his face lightly. "But it makes me very conscious of them. It’s weird.”
"Maybe because you're too accustomed of being ashamed of them." He replied quietly, causing her to reflect. Maybe he was right, but how couldn’t she be ashamed? “I also love to kiss and caress other places...”
"And what are these places?" Choosing to leave her scars and all that they represented in the background, Mel gave herself to the cares she received.
"My favorites are hidden under all these clothes." He responded with a blush that made her blush and even more excited.
“You are insatiable!” She accused, though she was feeding the man's insatiability with caresses as bold as the ones she received. "You did more than kiss and caress last night and today earlier."
"And it would do much more now ..." He sat down again and pulled her back into his lap, even though he wanted to continue what they were doing. "But since you didn’t want to climb, we'll be interrupted in a few seconds."
Only in this moment Melissa realize the voices in the foyer that approached the living room. Feeling her face warm by the near flagrant, she searched for the coat she had discarded. Her eyes found the play a few feet away, between the sofa and a wall, just as Gabriel's parents entered the room. She could not pick up the jacket and put it on without attracting attention and, consequently, denouncing what they were doing.
Bothered by her uncovered arms, she lowered her head and swallowed a curse when she heard Karen's annoying voice.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she tried to leave Gabriel's lap as his younger sister stepped closer to place a kiss on his cheek, but Gabriel held her in place, preventing an abrupt exit that would only draw even more attention.
"Relax..." Gabriel said quietly, after greeting the parents, sliding his hands down the side of her body. Letting her arms fall, Lissa focused her attention on the print on the blouse the singer wore, so she wouldn’t have to deal with the eyes of any member of the Voss family. "And no one will see."
For a few seconds, Melissa tried to believe he was right, but it was enough to find Karen's startled gaze on her, her arms and Gabriel's face, to realize that he was wrong.
Feeling his girlfriend's body tremble slightly, Gabe followed her gaze to find his sister staring at them.
“What are you doing?” Lissa hissed to Karen as the blonde pulled out her cell phone and pointed it to Gabriel.
“Just checking my Facebook, emo girl.” Karen replied with an annoying smirk on her face, before taking a seat in a nearby chair, with the damn cell phone in hand.
Melissa crossed her arms again, bothered by the indiscreet evaluation of the youngest Voss, and tried to not think about the fact that her arms were bare. She felt so uncomfortable that she just wanted to leave the room. She would have done it if Gabriel hadn’t held her firmly in his lap.
With a serious look, which the singer expected to be a warning enough to keep his sister quiet, he tried to steal everyone's attention.
"So..." It began in a lively tone. "Lissa and I are dating”.
Richard Voss laughed out loud.
"No one had noticed, my son”. The patriarch groaned, but came over to tap lightly on his son's shoulder.
"What I meant is that it's official now”. The singer replied rather embarrassed and smiled at his mother who leaned down to kiss his forehead.
“What's official?” Arthur entered the room, carrying some boxes that soon found a place on the floor near the sofa.
"Mel and I are dating”.
“Official like I need to call the marketing people?” The manager asked with an annoyed look on the couple, already taking out his cell phone.
“No!” Melissa said, emerging from the trance that Karen's look of judgment had placed on her. "Official like Gabriel couldn’t be without a nomenclature." She shrugged. "And apparently, he can’t keep his mouth shut up too."
"It's a good plan to keep his mouth shut." Arthur commented. "But I know Gabriel enough to know that will not happen... I'll call the marketing people." He decided. "Just to let they know. Then, keep your mouth shut for as long as you can." He spoke directly to his friend before leaving the room.
“I'm very happy for you two.” Melissa was surprised when Esther Voss hugged her affectionately. "Take loving care of my baby boy.”
"Gabriel is no longer a baby, mom.” Karen insisted, using her best petulant tone. "Let him break his face and realize how stupid he's doing, alone, when she turns his life and his career upside down.”
"I think now you have to agree that your sister hates me." Melissa shrugged, and finally left Gabriel’s lap, after watching Karen make a dramatic escape worthy of a Mexican soap opera and be followed by her parents who apparently were not at all pleased with the daughter's behavior.
"I don’t know what is her problem..." The singer replied in despair. He hated seeing his sister and girlfriend behave as if they were in a war.
"I know..." Lissa commented casually, though she felt her blood boil at the thought of the not-in-brotherly interest she knew Karen had for Gabriel. "But since I don’t want to fight, I will refrain from pointing out the obvious”.
♫
“That's too insane!” Melissa grunted, lightly stroking her sore hips as she got into the car and fled the paparazzi attack.
They had landed in Los Angeles, where Gabriel would do some interviews and two great shows to start the North American circuit of the tour, and they were greeted at the airport by a horde of photographers who almost ran over trying to get a picture of the rockstar.
“Are you alright?” Gabriel studied her closely, feeling his own blood boil as he remembered the confusion they had been through and the unnecessary thrusts that had knocked Melissa down. If Arthur hadn’t positioned him so far from her, he would have put her on his lap and out of that hall with his girlfriend properly guarded. "Where was your bodyguard?" He asked sullenly.
“I'm sorry, Mr. Voss." Pietro said grumpy from the hitchhiker's seat next to Brian who took over. "I should have been more careful. It will not happen again”.
"Next time, we'll have more security with Melissa." Brian
interceded, in a light and friendly tone that denounced that his relationship with the singer had overcome the barrier of the strictly professional and turned into friendship. "As we do with you."
"It's not their fault”. Melissa sighed as the vehicle managed to leave the airport. ""It's not your fault too…” She continued to see the musician's face. "It's the fault of those vultures with a camera. How can you handle it?”
"It's fucking uncomfortable..." The use of the curse made Lissa realize he was more annoyed than she'd like. "But I usually go through it without much hassle. The problem begins when they reach the one I love.”
With a smile she hoped was comforting, Melissa shook hands with her boyfriend.
“I’m ok, Gabe”. She blinked at him. “No missing pieces. I swear”.
He nodded, but he didn’t say or did anything, except to return the squeeze in his hand, until they reached the hotel where they would be staying.
"Let me look at this..." Gabriel asked as they entered the suite he was supposed to occupy, pointing to Melissa's hip after the girl had taken her hand to the place for the fifth time since they left the car.
She glanced around, making sure the security guards had left the room, and allowed the singer to lower the dark jeans she wore.
“Shit!” He raged, but touched tenderly the bruise that was beginning to form. “Is it hurts?”
"Just a little..." Lissa replied, putting on her pants again while she watched Gabriel turn on room service and ask for a bucket of ice.
He stared at her for a moment.
“I'm sorry!” He said as she approached him and pulled him into a hug.
"I'm fine," She assured him. “Just take off the humiliation out of a fall in public.” She joked. "I bet I made a good laugh at whoever watched.
Placing a kiss on her forehead, Voss pulled away after a knock on the door. Releasing the entrance, he watched Arthur enter the room, followed by a chambermaid.
"Your room is next door..." The manager threw an access card at Melissa as soon as the maid was dismissed and Gabriel proceeded to pour the ice into a towel. "That’s a tremendous bullshit and waste of money since we know you're not going to occupy it. But as the record company is paying, let's pretend we don’t care.”
Broken Angel (English Edition) Page 39