by Piper Snow
“I’d love to, but me and the band have to sit through a ton of interviews in the morning. I have to be in the make-up chair by 5 A.M. Then we’ll be rehearsing all day and performing all night. I’m so sorry.”
“Oh, it’s okay. I understand.” He tried to hide it, but I could hear the disappointment in his voice.
“Besides,” I said, trying to lighten the mood. “Do you really think I could resist you after what you just did to me?”
He chuckled as he hugged me closer. “I guess not. C’mon, I’ll take you back to the hotel.”
He held my hand as we waded through the ocean and back onto the shore, and I never wanted him to let go. I couldn’t stand the thought of not seeing him the next day.
“Hey, I know you’re probably busy tomorrow night, but if you have time, why don’t you swing by the concert?”
“I’d love to. I’ve never been to a Wild Diamonds show before.” He smiled as he buttoned up his shirt, and I already couldn’t wait to see him again.
Chapter Nine
ELI
I tried not to look too eager as I walked down the seemingly endless hallway of dressing rooms, searching for the one with her name on the door. The day had gone painfully slow, and I had practically counted the seconds before I could see her again. I found her room, knocked on the door and waited impatiently, adjusting the VIP Backstage Pass lanyard that had been delivered to my door that afternoon, along with a handwritten note that said, ‘I can’t wait to see you again, xoxo.’
The door swung open and my jaw dropped at the sight of her. Dressed in tight denim shorts, torn fishnet stockings, knee-high motorcycle boots and a white fringed t-shirt revealing her gorgeous, toned stomach, I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. To top it off, her hair was styled into a killer mohawk and she was wearing bright red lipstick. She looked incredibly hot, the memory of her plump breasts in my hands and the slick wetness of her pussy invaded my thoughts, giving me an instant hard-on. I shook off the erotic images flooding my mind, wanting to have at least one coherent conversation with her before she went on-stage.
“You look freaking gorgeous.”
“Thank you, so do you.” She pulled me inside and pushed the door closed before wrapping her arms around me, kissing me with her beautiful lips. Her breasts pressed against me and I couldn’t help but get hard again, using all my strength to stop myself from ripping her clothes off and taking her right there on her dressing room couch. But I didn’t want her to break a promise to herself because of me, so I pulled away.
“We better not, I can’t control myself around you.”
She batted her long, dark eyelashes at me. “Okay. You’re right.”
“So,” I said, trying to focus on anything other than her sexy eyes. “How was your day? How did the interviews go?”
“Ugh, it was a nightmare. I lost count of how many times I was asked about you.”
I raised my eyebrows, curious to hear more. “Really? What did they say?”
“It was just question after question about whether you and I are dating, how long we’ve been seeing each other, all that crap.”
“Oh,” I said, wondering how she answered them. “What did you say?”
“About us?”
“Yeah.”
“You know, just the usual stuff we all say when we get that question: we’re just really good friends.”
“Oh.” I tried to hide my disappointment, but I hoped that’s not what she really thought of our relationship.
“Well, what else could I say? ‘He cooked me dinner then gave me the best orgasm of my life in the middle of the ocean?’” She laughed, and I got her point.
“Best orgasm of your life, huh?” I flashed her a cheeky grin, and she began to blush. I loved it when she blushed, it made me feel powerful, like I had some magical effect on her body.
“Anyway, some of those reporters are here tonight, so you’d better get an answer ready. No doubt they’ll come at you with the same questions.”
“Well, if it’s okay with you, I’m happy to just tell them the truth, say that we’re together. What do you think?”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Eli Hudson, are you asking me to be your girlfriend?”
“Maybe. Yes. What do you think?” I swallowed hard, hoping I hadn’t just made an idiot of myself.
“Yes, of course!” Her smile lit up the room, and she hugged me tight. It felt so good to see her as happy as I was, and I couldn’t resist anymore. I placed my hands on either side of her face, kissing her hard.
With her arms over my shoulders, she jumped up and wrapped her legs around my waist, giving me my third erection in less than five minutes. This girl was driving me wild. I spun around and pushed her back against the door, grinding into her. The breathy sounds escaping from her lips combined with the warmth of her pussy against my hard-on was enough to make me blow right there.
With one hand firmly on her butt, I moved the other under her shirt, tracing my fingers over her tight nipples. I pushed myself against her again and again, her moans getting louder and louder.
I’d never wanted any woman more than I wanted her, and the fact that she was about to go on-stage and perform to thousands of people only made it worse: I knew I couldn’t have her. Not here, not now.
I could tell by the frantic way she was grinding against me that she was about to come, so I pulled her shirt up to reveal her soft, supple breasts and began sucking hard on her nipples. Seconds later, I felt her whole body tighten before she let out a long, heavenly sigh. The smile on her face said it all; I had just given her the best orgasm of her life... again.
Before we could catch our breath, there was a knock at the door.
“Jaz? You’re on in five. We need to get you wired up.”
“Be right there, Janice!” The satisfied tone in her voice filled me with a sense of accomplishment.
“Alright,” she said as she let her legs drop down to the floor. “I gotta go. Janice will take you backstage so you can watch the show. I’ll see you afterwards... Boyfriend. Enjoy the show, and prepare to be amazed.” A wide grin spread across her face as she kissed me one last time before opening the door.
I stood in the hallway with the goofiest smile on my face as I watched her disappear around the corner. Jaz Malone was my girlfriend. Who would have thought? If only she knew; I was already amazed.
“Mr Hudson?” A woman’s voice awoke me from my gaze.
“Yeah?” I turned to see a short red-headed woman wearing a bluetooth headset smiling up at me. “Hi, I’m Janice, assistant to the Wild Diamonds. I’m a huge fan of your work. It helped me get through high school.” I returned her smile, always happy to hear that my music means something to people.
“Thank you so much, Janice. I really appreciate that.”
“Shall I show you to the stage? We’ve set up a private area for you to watch the concert without being watched yourself.”
She began speed walking down the hall as all assistants to superstars do, always in a rush. I followed, trying to keep her pace as we weaved in and out of hallways.
As we made our way up the stairs and to the side of the stage, the sound of the crowd became deafening. Janice showed me to a seat that was far enough behind the curtain that the audience couldn’t see me, but close enough to the stage that I had a perfect view of the performance. Next to it sat a cold bottle of water and some popcorn. I smiled at Jaz’s thoughtfulness as I took a seat and prepared for the show.
Seconds later, music blared throughout the arena, and a cool mist bellowed out of the smoke machine, clouding the entire stage. This was already nothing like any of my performances, which, as a singer and songwriter with just a guitar and a microphone, were much more intimate but nowhere near as exhilarating.
I saw something rising up through the smoke just in front of me, and I instantly recognized it as Jaz’s sexy silhouette. She fist-pumped the air and the audience responded instantly, cheering and screaming hysterically. Kelly started i
ntroducing the band just as one of the crew rushed past me, holding out a hot pink electric guitar. Jaz ran over to grab it, pausing to wink at me as she threw the strap over her head and over her shoulder before heading back out into the spotlight.
They started playing their first song for the night, and her energy was intensely powerful. She commanded the stage in such a subtle way, it was as though she was born to be there. And the smile on her face told me that she knew it, too. She knew that was where she thrived, where she belonged. I’d already thought she was electric off the stage, but now her vivaciousness had reached a whole new level.
I was completely captivated by her. The way she moved her hips to the music, the strength she exuded with every strum of her guitar, the power of her voice. She was a true star. And she was mine.
Suddenly, I didn’t want to hide in the shadows behind the curtains anymore. I wanted to step out onto that stage and tell the thousands of people there that Jaz Malone was mine, and I was falling in love with her.
But before I did that, I needed to tell her. I’d never felt this way about anyone before, not even Melissa. No one lit me up like Jaz did. I decided to tell her after the show, before I chickened out.
A couple of hours later, the last song ended and the curtains slid to a close. My heart had been pounding anxiously in my chest since the first song, when I decided to tell Jaz how I felt. It was official. She was my girlfriend now, and I wanted her to know just how much she meant to me.
She ran off the stage, sweat dripping off of her as she grabbed a bottle of water and started drinking it. I stood up as she walked over to me and kissed her beautiful lips.
“That was the best show I’ve ever seen!”
“Are you amazed?”
“Amazed!”
“Yes!” She fist pumped the air, pleased with herself and her band. “Look, I gotta head back out for the encore. But I’ll be back in ten. Maybe we could move the party to my hotel room?” She winked, and my mouth dropped open at the thought. I was so turned on, all I could do was smile and nod.
“Great! See you in a sec.” She ran back onto the stage, her ass swinging invitingly in those damn short-shorts.
My fantasies were interrupted by a buzzing in my jeans pocket. I hurriedly pulled out my cell phone, trying to answer it before the music started, otherwise it would be impossible to hear anything.
“Eli?”
“Yeah?”
“Eli, man! Where the hell are you?”
It was my manager, Sam, and he sounded pissed.
“At a concert. What’s wrong?”
“A concert? Dammit, Eli. I’m at your place. I’m here to pick you up and take you to the airport, remember? You’ve got that charity gig in London, and your flight leaves in four fucking hours. Get your ass here now!”
“Shit!” I said as the curtains opened and the music blared. “I’m leaving soon!” I yelled into the phone before hanging up. I looked over to Jaz, who was too immersed in the music to notice my panic on the side of the stage. I couldn’t just leave, and I silently cursed myself for forgetting about the charity performance in London. I’d been so enamored by Jaz, so caught up in falling for her that it had completely slipped my mind. I checked my watch, hoping I would make it to the airport on time.
The next ten minutes went by at a snail’s pace, and I grew more anxious by the second.
As the house lights faded and I watched Jaz walk off stage, her liveliness emanating from her like electricity, the last thing I wanted to do was disappoint her.
“Hey, honey,” she said as she wrapped her arms around me and kissed me slowly.
“Get a room, guys!” I heard a man’s voice call from behind us, and I knew it must be Jesse, the only dude in the Wild Diamonds.
“Good idea!” Jaz replied before grabbing my hand and pulling me further backstage, resulting in wolf whistles from all around us. I cringed, dreading giving her the bad news even more.
Once we made it into the stairwell and out of earshot, I stopped her.
“Jaz, I’m so sorry, but I have to go.” I watched as her face fell, taking my heart with it. “My manager just called, I’m supposed to go to London tonight and I completely forgot. My flight leaves in less than four hours. I’m so sorry, baby.”
“It’s okay, I get it,” she said, the sadness is her voice making me ache. “Both our schedules are pretty hectic. When are you coming back?”
“In about two weeks. I've got a few gigs and interviews to do. But I'll be back in L.A before you know it.”
Her eyes dropped to the floor. “I’ll be back home in New York by then.”
“Well, can I come see you? On my way back from London?”
“Of course!” she said, her mood visibly lifting.
“Awesome. I’ll call you when I land in the UK. I really am sorry, Jaz. I just forgot.”
“Eli, it’s okay. Really.” She kissed me once more on the lips, and I wanted it to last forever. “Now go, before you miss your plane.”
I ran down the stairs, wishing more than anything that I didn’t have to leave her. Knowing I would have to wait two whole weeks before I could see her again, before I could tell her how I really felt, was painful. I missed her already.
Chapter Ten
JAZ
Watching Eli leave hurt more than I cared to admit to myself. But the high I was already on from giving such a rocking performance and from Eli asking me to be his girlfriend was enough to keep me satisfied, and the focus on our last tour shows kept me distracted for the rest of the week.
But the moment I made it home to New York and walked into my loft, I really started to feel his absence.
At first, I tried to tell myself I was being ridiculous; I’d only been out with him a few times, for God’s sake. But he already meant so much more to me than anyone else I’d ever dated, even Trent. Eli was so different to all the other guys. He understood me, he took the time to look past the superstar image and see the real me, someone I’d lost sight of for a long time – until recently.
For the first time in years, I felt alive on and off the stage. I felt clearer and healthier, and I used the encores of our last shows to thrive in the moment and give my all, instead of scouting for one night stands. I was passionate about music again. I was excited about life again.
It had been more than two weeks since I last saw him, since I last kissed him, and these last hours apart were the worst. In that time, I’d written more songs than I could keep track of, I still hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol, and we'd spent most nights on the phone raking up what I'm sure will be one very expensive phone bill.
A part of me was grateful that he had to go to London. Last time we saw each other, I was so energized after our show and turned on from our sizzling moment in my dressing room that I knew I wouldn't have been able to control myself that night. With us oceans apart, it allowed us to get to know each other intimately, without the insane sexual tension we'd had before. And it gave me more time to sort out my life.
After spending so long feeling trapped in my own emptiness, after greeting countless new days with a pounding hangover and a string of regrets, finally everything was starting to turn around. All because of my decision to clean myself up. If it wasn't for that moment – when I stood facing my own reflection in a mess – and that promise to myself, I would never have given up drinking. And I would never had said yes to going on a date with Eli – I would have tried to jump into his bed. Instead, I've started to fall in love.
I resisted temptation and I began to feel comfortable going to bed alone, in fact I was actually starting to love it. But tonight, I had given myself permission to follow where the passion led me. If it led me in between the sheets with the man I'm falling in love with, then I would savor every moment. If it led to staying up all night talking, I would savor that just as much. Either way, I was happy. Truly happy.
Adjusting my silky blue dress, I tussled my hair and began lighting the candles on my old rustic dining table. T
he light of the setting sun shone through my windows, tinting my entire loft with an amber glow. It felt so good to be home, to be back in New York where I could walk down the street without so much as a 'Hello' coming my way.
A knock on my door made my heart skip a beat in excitement, and butterflies danced around in my stomach as I went to answer it.
I hadn't even had a chance to greet him before his lips were on mine, his now familiar aroma intoxicating me like a delicious drug.
"I missed you so much," he said as he stepped back to look at me.
"Me too.” I closed the door behind him and he held out a gorgeous bouquet of red roses, tied together with a white ribbon.
"For you."
"Thank you! I'll put them in some water, just make yourself at home."
"I love this place, I've always wanted a New York style loft," he said as he looked around.
"Really? What stopped you from having one?"
"I guess I just got stuck in an L.A kind of life. Chose a beach house instead. But the more I think about it, the less it feels like home."
"I get it, I feel the same way in L.A. For me, nothing compares to New York. I love living here."
"Speaking of L.A..." he said as he took a seat on the couch. I placed the vase of roses on the dining table before taking a seat next to him, barely able to resist the urge to climb on top of him. "My plans have changed. I was hoping to stay in New York for a few days at least, but I have to go back home in the morning. I'm sorry to cut our time together short... Again.” He ran a hand through his hair nervously before continuing. "But I was hoping, if you're not doing anything, maybe you could come back with me?"
The sweetness of his offer actually made me consider going back there. "I'd love to go back with you, but we're recording some new songs this week, getting an early start on the new album. Sorry, honey."
I could tell he was as disappointed as I was, and I let out a sigh. "I guess this is something we'll need to get used to. Long distance relationship and all."
"Yeah," he nodded. "I know."
"When could you come back here?"