True Loves (A Collection of Firsts)

by Michelle A. Valentine

  My phone buzzes next to me on the bed. Aubrey. She’s been texting me like crazy since our phone conversation this morning. I’m not even sure who she hates more at this point—Diana or Noel. Both of them, to her, are the scum of the earth.

  Are you sure you don’t want to say screw ‘em and come home anyway? You can reschedule your flight.

  I look at the clock on my laptop. My flight already left. If it wasn’t for this piece of paper in my back pocket that could ruin my life, I would hop on an airplane back to New York and not bat an eye.

  I sigh and text her back. I’m stuck.

  A hoot from the front of the bus draws my attention. The guys must be back. Several voices fill the bus, and Trip’s stands out.

  “Hell of a show, guys! Did you see that crowd when Noel sang the encore? They were intense. One of the best gigs we’ve played all year. I say we get fucked up to celebrate!”

  I tense at the mention of Noel. He’s going to come back here and try to get under my skin, to prove how much I still want him. The thought terrifies me and intrigues me. On one hand, I want him so badly it hurts. The last couple days we spent together were amazing. The mere thought of his hand sliding down my body causes me to erupt with goose bumps. But on the other hand, he has a fucking girlfriend, whether he claims her or not. A pregnant girlfriend who claims he’s the baby’s dad.

  He says he wants to be with me, but those are just words. Even he’s said he won’t leave Sophie to be with me. So where does that put me? Am I a toy to be discarded when he’s done playing with me? I shake my head. That’s exactly why I need to keep my distance. I can’t let that happen.

  I hear a couple cans open, which I assume are beer, before Trip says, “All right, boys, there’s a hot piece of ass waiting for me outside the bus. I got to get to it.”

  “How hot?” Tyke asks.

  “Fucking ten, dude,” Trip replies.

  “She got a hot friend?”

  Trip laughs. “Come on, little brother, I’m sure we can find you a score.”

  I listen to the twins head off the bus bickering about which one is actually older. My stomach rumbles. I don’t know what it is about this damn bus that makes me to forget to eat. Noel or not, I have to find food. I save my work on the project and shut my laptop before I shove off the bed. I pad down the hallway and into the kitchen.

  Riff leans against the island with a package of Oreos. He pours milk into a red plastic cup and then recaps the jug. He glances up and gives me a sad smile. “Hey. You want some?”

  I shrug after I look around and find no sign of Noel. “Sure.”

  Riff grabs another cup from the cabinet. “I’m surprised to see you. I figured you’d be in New York with Aubrey by now.”

  Obviously Riff doesn’t know about the contract. I should tell him. Let him know about yet another underhanded thing Noel Falcon has done, but I decide against it. The band is struggling already without any help from me. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out. “Trust me. I wish I was.”

  He pushes the package over to me as he pours milk into my cup. “Want to talk about it?”

  I shake my head. Riff is already fully aware of my plight. No need to rehash it. “Thanks for the milk…and the cookies.”

  “No problem.” Riff smiles and tilts his head, almost as though he’s studying me. “You know, I meant what I said the other day. We should be friends. You can talk to me.”

  I dunk my cookie and avoid his stare. “I’ll keep that in mind.” The last thing I need is another close relationship with a member of Black Falcon. His offer seems innocent, but I can’t shake the feeling that winning me over is a competitive thing with Noel. What’s with these two going after each other’s girls? Uncomfortable with where the conversation may go, I grab a couple more cookies to take to the bedroom. “Thanks for these and the…talk.”

  Riff touches my shoulder. “No problem. Anytime.”

  Once I close myself inside the room, I plop back down on the bed and get to work. It’s the easiest way to distract myself from thinking about Noel. After a couple hours of good, solid work, I glance at the clock. It’s after midnight, and the bus is quiet. I heard Riff leave shortly after our run-in, and I found comfort in being completely alone.

  My vision blurs as I fight to keep my eyes open. I didn’t sleep for shit last night, and suddenly the bed is appealing. The lights flick off with the flip of a switch, and I snuggle down into the blankets. I’m nearly asleep when the door flies open and a drunken Noel staggers into the room. He makes his way over to his side of the bed and laughs when he bumps his knee in the process.

  “Noel?”

  Before I can even ask what he’s doing, he makes it painfully clear. He wrestles his black shirt over his head. Light streams in from the hallway, allowing a beautiful display of his chest. I stop myself at that thought. I shouldn’t be thinking of him that way. He doesn’t belong to me; he’s Sophie’s. Noel told me that himself.

  “What are you doing?” I whisper harshly. “Put your shirt back on.”

  Noel laughs as he unbuttons his jeans. I turn my head away as his cock springs free. “Damn it,” he mutters. I think he should invest in some underwear. “Look what you did.”

  “Excuse me? I haven’t done a thing to you.”

  He chuckles as he nearly falls over while taking off his boots and jeans. “Yeah, well, that’s the problem. I have this raging hard-on whenever you’re around, and now you refuse to play with me.”

  I cover my eyes to avoid seeing nude Noel standing beside the bed. “Well, get used to it. That’s never happening again.” I risk a glance at his perfectly hard body and immediately cover my eyes again. “Ugh. Would you please put your clothes back on and get the hell out of here?”

  He ignores me and crawls under the covers. “Where am I supposed to go, huh? Tell me that.”

  I fold my arms over my chest. “Not my problem. Now get out.”

  He snuggles into the pillow. “No can do. Get used to it, babe. You and I are roomies for the next couple days.” Noel reaches around my waist and pulls me into his body. Hard liquor lingers on his skin, along with the distinct smell of women’s perfume.

  I pry his fingers off my hip, and he sighs deeply and closes his eyes before he rolls over. I stare at the large cross etched into his back. Where does he get off thinking he can come in here and crawl into bed with me after what he’s done? A soft snore accompanies his chest rising and falling slowly. He’s passed out—so much for forcing him to leave. I grunt, frustrated, and flip to my other side. This will be a very long two days.

  24

  My mother’s annoying ring tone sings through the air. I peel my eyes open and freeze when I discover a very naked Noel Falcon wrapped around me. His tattooed forearm rests across my bare stomach. I attempt to lift it off me, but Noel bats my fingers away and reattaches himself.

  “Stop, Lane. I’m trying to sleep,” he grumbles with his eyes shut.

  I ignore him and shove his hand off, not caring if I woke him or pissed him off. When I fling my legs over the side of the bed, two large hands wrap around me and slide me back into bed. Noel rolls on top of me, effectively pinning me to the bed.

  The phone stops ringing, and I push on his chest, which he seems unfazed by. He traces my cheek with the pads of his fingers, and my toes curl. Blue eyes gaze straight into mine before flitting down to my lips. My heart hammers with the anticipation of him kissing me.

  Noel tips his head, and our noses touch. “Since you seem to be up early, there’s somewhere I want to take you.” My shoulders slump. That isn’t what I thought he was going to ask. Noel notices my disappointment and chuckles. “Don’t get me wrong. I won’t object if you want to stay in bed with me all day.”

  I frown. “Just because I didn’t throw your drunk ass out of here last night doesn’t mean I’ve changed my mind about being with you.”

  He shrugs. “Maybe…maybe not. I don’t think it’ll take much to wear you down and get you to see my
side of this situation.”

  I shake my head. “That’s where you’re wrong. I’ll never be the other woman.”

  “You’re not. You’re the woman.”

  I open my mouth to protest, but before I get the chance, Noel rolls away and hops off the bed. He grabs a towel from the cabinet and wraps it around his still-naked waist before heading to the bathroom. “Hurry up and get ready. I want to spend the day with you.”

  I rake my hands through my hair and take a deep breath. He still doesn’t get that we’re over…again. I pick up my phone and send Mom a quick text that I’ll call her a little later.

  A few minutes later, Noel returns wearing only a towel. He doesn’t hesitate to drop it and pulls a clean pair of jeans out of the drawer. Noel frowns. “You aren’t dressed.”

  “That’s because I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  He tugs on my hand, and I snatch it away. “Come on, Lane. Can’t we get through this?”

  I sigh and rub my forehead. “Are you still drunk? No, no, we can’t get through this. You’re having a baby with someone else.”

  “But—”

  “No fucking buts. We’re done. From this point on, this”—I gesture between us—“is just a business relationship.”

  He shakes his head and closes his eyes. “It doesn’t have to be that way.”

  “Yes, it does. I’m basically a prisoner here. Between you and Diana, you’ve made it impossible for me to get out of this deal without ruining my financial future.”

  “Lane—”

  I hold up my hand. “Just stop talking. I don’t want to hear another word out of your mouth.”

  Noel pulls his lips into a tight line. The muscle in his jaw works under his skin. “Fine. Fuck it. If you say we’re done, then we’re done.”

  I open my mouth to tell him not to be like that but quickly shut it. He’s right. We are done. How can we possibly work out anything? He belongs to someone else. When he sees I’m not going to argue, he yanks a shirt out of the closet and slams the door when he leaves.

  I rub my forehead and sigh. This sucks so much. It’s not supposed to be like this. How can he pretend things aren’t completely fucked up? I mean, he wouldn’t have anything to do with me if I were pregnant by another guy and refused to leave him. Why does he expect any different from me?

  Out of sheer boredom, I attend the Black Falcon show. If I have to spend one more moment cooped up in that stupid bus, I’ll go nuts.

  Embrace the Darkness rocks the crowd. Striker’s long hair flings around as he bangs his head to the beat. He flips his head up and points at the crowd as he belts the chorus. The entire place sings along, and he holds out his microphone to them. Even I know every word to this song. It’s number one on the charts right now. The song ends, and Striker pumps his fist in the air one last time. Screams fill my ears, and I smile as the band saunters offstage one by one.

  “Great set, guys,” I tell the members of the group as they pass by.

  Striker grins as he nears me. “Lanie, love, great to see you again.”

  I smile as his eyes roam over my face. “You too.”

  He peers over my shoulder, and I turn to follow his gaze. Noel strides through a circle of adoring fans but stops dead in his tracks when he spots me and Striker. He narrows his eyes, and for a second, it appears as though he might charge at us and read me the riot act for talking with Striker. Instead, he turns in the opposite direction.

  “An odd fellow, that one,” Striker says. “He wants his hooks in you, that’s for sure.”

  I face him. “Well, that isn’t going to happen.”

  His eyes light up and a broad smile covers his face. “There’s an after-party for the bands. You ought to go.”

  I swallow hard. This feels a little soon, but it will be a good distraction from everything going on. Striker tucks a lock on his dark hair behind his ear, and I can’t help but notice that he’s pretty damn attractive. I stare into his chocolate eyes and nod. “Yeah, absolutely.”

  “Great! I’ll be watching for you.” He touches my shoulder lightly as he steps around me.

  Out of nowhere, Noel appears beside me the instant Striker is gone. “What did he want?”

  I shrug. “To talk.”

  Trip and Tyke take the stage, and the crowd goes crazy. I watch the two men tease the crowd with waves and a couple quick notes. I do my best not to look at Noel. The weight of his stare on my face tries to force me to look at him.

  Riff steps up next to the stage and yells, “Noel! Come on, man, let’s do this!”

  “In a minute. Lane?” I shut my eyes and try to pretend he isn’t talking to me. He grabs my elbow and twists me toward him. “Look at me.” His bright-blue eyes waver with a sad look, and it hurts me to see him this way. I sigh and try to look away to tamp down the emotion welling inside me. Noel takes my chin between his fingers and forces me to see him. “Don’t promise Striker anything. You’re going to be mine again one day.”

  My heart bangs against my ribs. The intensity of his eyes and voice sends shivers through me. He’s so sure we’re getting back together, and it’s a little overwhelming.

  “Noel! Man, hurry up!” Riff shouts, impatience thick in his voice.

  Noel opens his mouth to say something but takes another look at me and closes it. He kisses my forehead before he turns toward the stage. Throughout the show, Noel glances in my direction, almost as if he’s double-checking I’m still there. When Black Falcon performs their hit ballad, he sits on a stool and turns in my direction. He brings the mic to his lips and sings soft words about being in love.

  I bite my lip under the scrutiny of his stare, and he smiles at me. He’s basically serenading me before a crowd full of strangers, and it’s intense. His feelings are apparent—even Riff notices—but Noel continues to sing to me. A couple of off notes from the lead guitar catches my attention, and I watch Riff step directly into Noel’s view of me.

  Noel hops off the stool and tries to step around Riff, but it doesn’t work. Riff blocks every step he takes. Riff is obviously pissed off that Noel is doing this. Noel tries again, and Riff stops playing and shoves Noel. Sensing the impending fight, I decide it’s best if I get out of Noel’s sight before they have a very public brawl in the middle of their set.

  I turn away and book down the steps leading off the stage. Noel calls my name over the microphone, but I don’t turn back. The sooner he learns to let this relationship go, the better things will be for everyone involved.

  25

  I catch a ride to the after-party with Trip and Tyke before Noel gets an opportunity to tell me how awful Striker is or something. A bodyguard I’d never seen rides along with us. Mike is usually the one who hangs out with Noel and I, so I was getting kind of used to him. Squeezed between the twins, I wonder how long the ride to the club is.

  “What made you want to party with us?” Trip asks.

  “Not that we’re complaining or anything,” Tyke throws in.

  I shrug and smile at them. “Just needed to get out.”

  Trip grins. “Yeah, right. You sure it doesn’t have anything to do with Striker?”

  My mouth hangs open. “How did you—”

  Trip laughs. “Know the lead singer of Embrace the Darkness has a thing for you?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Noel won’t shut up about it. He’s been bitching the entire time.”

  I square my shoulders. “Why should he care? He has Sophie.”

  Tyke shrugs. “That’s what I told him, but he nearly ripped off my head when I mentioned that.”

  I take a deep breath and face forward. It’s really crazy he expects me not to move on. I don’t get where he gets off thinking he should be able to have his cake and eat it too. News flash, this cake store is fucking closed.

  We pull up to the club hosting the after-party, and just like the last time I went to one of these, it’s packed. Fans rush the SUV, and I tense. I kick myself for wishing for a split second that Noel was w
ith me. The bodyguard hops out and opens the door.

  Tyke jumps out, practically right into the arms of a screaming group of female admirers. A little nudge from Trip, and I’m out and making my way inside. This place isn’t quite as wild as the last. No half-naked women are dancing in cages, but the dance floor overflows with bodies grinding to the beat. A couple men give me suggestive looks as they take in my short black skirt. I give them a polite smile but turn away when they start their approach.

  Trip and Tyke sit at a table signing autographs for what looks like a never-ending line of fans. I glance around and relax when I don’t see any sign of Noel. Hopefully he isn’t coming. I step up to the bar and order a beer. The skinny blonde bartender doesn’t bat an eyelash in my direction after multiple attempts at gaining her attention.

  “Excuse me, love, but you look like you could use a drink.”

  I turn to find Striker with two beers in hand. He winks at me as he hands me one, and I smile. He’s looking good. His dark hair hangs loose around his face, and his blue shirt makes his eyes an impossibly deep brown. I lick my lips and take a long draw from the beer.

  Striker leans into me and places his hand on the small of my back. “You here alone?”

  I nod. “If you’re asking if I came with Noel, the answer’s no.”

  He grins. “Brilliant! Care for a dance?”

  I take another drink. This is what I came here to do—move on—and what better guy to do that with than this hunky specimen. I take Striker’s outstretched hand, and he curls his fingers around mine. He sets both of our bottles on the bar and tugs me toward the floor.

  The minute we hit the floor, Striker pulls me in tight against his body. His hands roam down my back and then back up as he moves slowly against me. It’s deliberate and sexy, as if we’re alone in a bedroom instead of a packed dance club. A tremor shoots through me as he slides a knee between mine. Deep brown eyes lock on mine as he threads his fingers into my hair.