by Amity Cross
“Tell me if I’m doing it right,” she said.
Before I could answer, her warm lips closed over me and her tongue laved my cock in slow, agonising circles. My head fell back, and I let out a deep moan as she began to move up and down, sucking as she went. She fisted the base of my dick in her palms and took me as deeply as she could.
I didn’t know how long she was on her knees, pleasuring me with her mouth. It could’ve been a minute or an hour, but I lost all sense of time as she worked her magic. Then I was on the edge, desperate to come apart.
“Fuck, Juniper,” I exclaimed. “I’m going to blow in your mouth.”
My cock slipped from her lips with a wet pop and she rose to her feet.
But she wasn’t done with me. Her hand was around me and she stroked, fast then slowly, then faster again. Fuck, her hands felt so good. Better than anything in the world.
“Come,” she whispered into my ear. “Show me.”
I thrust into her hand, fucking her as she fucked me. I completely lost my mind as I erupted, spurting onto her stomach, the water from the shower washing me away. She pumped faster, drawing everything out of me, not stopping until I’d run dry.
My chest heaved as I twisted her hair in my shaking hands and pulled her head to the side. I kissed her exposed neck, biting softly, lost in her being.
I was already hardening again, and she moved so her thigh was between my legs. She began to ride my leg, her movement grinding my balls.
“Juni,” I whispered.
“Are you going to put it in me or what?”
I pulled her from the shower, keeping her nakedness close to mine.
Finding a condom in my toiletries bag, I tore open the packet and rolled it over my already hard cock. Juniper was standing in the middle of the bathroom, a mere step away from me, surrounded by marble and gold, her fingers between her legs and her gaze on mine. In that moment, I knew my worlds were colliding. The old Sebastian and the new were coming together.
I grasped Juniper’s waist and lifted her onto the countertop, spreading her legs. Then I was pulling her onto my cock, sinking as deep as I could into her slick heat. She was so turned on, she took all of me at once, shuddering with a cry of ecstasy as I filled her.
The first time we’d been together, it was almost fucking poetic—the way her body felt under mine, her breathless kisses, her cries of pleasure. I’d came harder than I’d ever had in my whole miserable life. I needed that, and I needed her. Right now, all I wanted to do was fuck Juniper Rowe.
She braced herself as I thrust, her knuckles were white as she hung onto the edge of the counter, and her shoulders anchored her body against the mirror. I held her legs open with one hand, keeping my other free to rub her clit. I pounded into her, our bodies slapping together in a wild beat, driving her higher and higher, testing her limits.
Her cries spurred me on and I leaned down and took a hard nipple into my mouth and bit.
“Sebastian,” she called out, “I’m … Fuck.”
She came, clenching my cock as I fucked her. I drove as deep as I could, my balls slapping her arse until I couldn’t hold on any more. I exploded, my orgasm ripping through me so intensely that I heard my blood whoosh in my ears.
Finally, I thrust into her, holding until the last of my come left my cock and her grip loosened.
“That was—” she said through a moan.
“Raw.”
Her gaze met mine, her cheeks flushed. “Yeah.”
I couldn’t stand leaving her, so I stood with her in my arms and my cock still in her pussy. Her body melted into mine, her heaving breath tickling my neck.
“You were electric on that stage,” she said between breaths. “You radiated…”
“What?”
“Sex.”
Well, that explained what we just did on this poor bathroom counter.
“It feels like that,” I murmured, rubbing my palm over her bare arse. “I get so fucking turned on sometimes.”
She tensed underneath my touch, and when she turned her face away, I knew I’d said the wrong thing. What the hell was wrong with me? I’d just justified my sleeping around as a stress reliever while my dick was still inside her.
“That’s not what I meant,” I said. “Knowing you were there watching me—”
“Shut up, Sebastian.” Her mouth found mine and she kissed me, squeezing my cock inside her. “Our life starts now.”
Our life. Her words struck me deep and everything we’d shared during our time in Point Mambie came rushing to the surface. She was starlight in my arms.
“I have to go to Sydney this week,” I said, my cock slipping out of her. “By Thursday for press. The release party is Friday. Then the tour.”
“Oh…” Her arms crossed over her chest and her thighs snapped together.
“I want you to come with me,” I murmured, caressing my palms over her body. “I want you by my side for all of it.”
“But,” she began, her eyes widening, “won’t that make a statement?”
“Fuck yeah it will.”
“Aren’t you worried? I mean…” She bit her bottom lip.
“I know it’s different here,” I murmured, rubbing my hands up and down her arms, soothing some of her anxiety. “I know it’ll take time to adjust, but I don’t care who knows about us, Juni. Fuck the world, it’s about us.”
“The media?”
“They’re going to print their stories whatever we do. I’m not going to hide what I feel. I want to share everything with you, and I want you to share everything with me.”
She lowered her gaze. “I don’t have much to share…”
“You’ve got a lot to share,” I argued. “And when everyone has had a chance to get to know you, they’ll see it too.” I could see her mind ticking over as she studied me. “Don’t think too much about it.”
“Be present, in the moment,” she whispered.
“This naked moment.”
She laughed softly, pressing her palms over my heart.
“I’ve still got a lot to do at home,” she added. “I’ve got to pack and then there’s the contracts for the sale.”
“You’re still going to sell the Page Break?”
“Yeah. That was never going to change despite what happened with us.”
Knowing how much her mother’s shop meant to her, it was hard to hear, but Juniper was intelligent and headstrong. She knew she couldn’t afford to keep the business running. I’d give her anything, but we’d already had this conversation—she wouldn’t take my money.
“I’ll help you.” Her eyes narrowed, and I pressed my forehead against hers. “Not like that. Like packing your stuff, getting a conveyancer to handle the contracts, couriering things to sign. All that fun stuff.”
“Don’t remind me,” she moaned, shivering in my arms.
“Don’t worry. It’ll work out.”
“The bad boy of rock ‘n’ roll has gone soft,” she mused.
I tensed and a stab of fear sliced into my gut. Juniper’s fingers traced over my lips and I shook off the unwanted feelings, relishing her touch instead. The bad boy Sebastian Hale had been brought to his knees. No more fucking around, no more booze-fuelled parties, no more punching journalists in the face, no more brawling. This was what I wanted.
“Yeah,” I whispered. “Only for you.”
4
Juniper
Everything ached. Rolling over, I throbbed between my legs and my thigh muscles were tight.
The bed was unfamiliar, but the sheets were laced with the smell of sex and spice. Though the window, I could see the Melbourne skyline lit by a spectacular sunny day. It was so close, I could almost reach out and touch it, and I lifted my arm and traced the imaginary edges of the buildings. For the first time in weeks, the weather was clear. It had to be an omen.
Sebastian was awake beside me, scrolling on his phone.
“Hey,” he said, watching me trace nothing in the air.
“The sun’s out,” I m
urmured. “Finally.”
“Nice, huh?”
I rolled over and gazed up at him.
“Sore?” he asked with a wicked grin.
“Arsehole.”
Sebastian laughed and nodded towards the sitting room. “I’m going to call my assistant. You might want to cover up.”
“The real world is calling, huh?”
“It’s never far away. Are you hungry? I’ll get some food sent up, too.”
“Sure.”
I lounged in bed, watching as he walked into the closet and started to dress. He’d unpacked like he lived here, hanging up clothes and putting stuff in drawers. Is this how rock stars lived on tour? It couldn’t be. Seemed like too much work for me.
As he moved into the sitting room, he partially closed the door behind him and started to talk to someone on his phone. Something about food and clothes echoed through the gap and I grimaced as my muscles protested.
I felt weird being naked in a robe while mysterious assistants walked around the penthouse, so I picked up my clothes from where they’d ended up on the floor last night and put those on. They smelt like Sebastian and something a little dirtier, which was fine by me.
When I emerged, he rose an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. He just typed something on his phone and perched beside me on the couch.
“What’s going on?” I asked, the whole thing mysterious and slightly worrying.
For all the things we’d shared back in the Point, and last night, he somehow seemed further away in this place. His world was so out of tune with what mine had been, and I didn’t know what to do or expect. His time wasn’t his own anymore and with the upcoming album release, I was even more uncertain.
“Your change of clothes,” he said, throwing in a wink for good measure.
“My, what?”
The door opened, and I watched in fascination as a man rolled in a rack full of clothes—mostly in black and shades of grey—and parked it by the windows. Then he went back into the hall and rolled in another, this one stacked with different coloured boxes.
“Juniper, this is…” Sebastian hesitated like he didn’t know his own staff.
“Harry,” the man said, nodding at me.
“He’s my personal assistant.”
“Oh.” I looked him over, committing his face to memory. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Harry looked like he was in his early thirties, tall and weedy, with immaculately combed hair and designer stubble. His style was fairly casual, with jeans and a black tee with a grey graphic print, sneakers, and a blazer thrown over the top. I had a feeling I’d be seeing a lot more of him.
“Is there anything else you need Mr. Hale?”
“Nope.”
“Your breakfast will be here shortly.” Harry smiled at me and left the penthouse, likely only a phone call away.
“You don’t know the name of your assistant?” I asked, turning to Sebastian.
“They change a lot.” He shrugged, looking sheepish. “Besides, some of them are in Vix’s back pocket. They like to talk for an extra hand out.”
“You don’t know that,” I said. “And be nice to the guy. A little kindness might win him over to your side.”
“Fuck, I know you’re right, but I’m still salty.” His scowl deepened and he shook his head. “These are for you, by the way.” He gestured to the racks of clothes.
I stared at the wall of temptation in front of me and wasn’t sure what to do.
“You bought all this?” I asked.
“Not yet. Designers send racks of stuff over and we pick what we want and get charged for it later. Sometimes it’s free. Those are good days.”
“Free?” My mouth fell open and I turned towards the gleaming racks of heaven. “You know, when you said a change of clothes, I was expecting a pair of jeans, a tee, and maybe some clean underwear delivered in a plastic Just Jeans bag. Even though having your assistant show up with knickers would be weird.”
“When you put it like that, it is a little creepy.” Sebastian laughed and nodded towards the rack. “Take what you want.”
“Anything?” I was like a deer in headlights and completely out of my depth. There were more clothes here than I had at home.
“Yeah. I’ve gotta go do a thing, but I’ll be back in an hour or so.”
“Oh… What about breakfast?” Were we at the stage of our relationship where I could ask him where he was going? Curiosity tugged at my heart, but I shoved it away.
“I’m not hungry.”
I made a face and glanced at the door.
“After the way you talked back to Vix last night, somehow I think you’ll be okay.” Sebastian laughed softly and turned me towards the clothes. “Go nuts, Juni.” He kissed the top of my head and made his way towards the door. “Oh, and don’t be shy, okay?”
The moment he was gone, I began to slide coat hangers back and forth. The money conscious part of me fossicked for tags, but there weren’t any prices on them, though reading the labels was more than enough to give me an idea—Burberry, Chanel, Prada. Oh my God.
I’d never touched designer clothes like these and didn’t know whether to squeal or jump around on the spot. Instead, I found my leather jacket—the one that used to belong to my dad—and pulled my phone from the pocket.
There was only one person I could call at a time like this..
“JUNIPER!” Vanessa screamed when she answered.
I tore my phone away from my ear and made a face.
“Hey,” I declared. “Tone it down a little, huh?”
“Tell me everything! Did it work out? Are you back together? Tell me you are so I can live vicariously through you.”
I recounted everything that happened after I’d turned up at Festival Hall last night—well, almost everything. I told her about Josh and the other band members, about the concert, and bitchy Vix. It seemed like such a long time ago, even though it’d barely been a day since she’d given me Sebastian’s letter.
“So you’re together, right?”
“Yeah, I guess we are.”
“I knew it!”
“It’s a trip, Ness,” I said, looking around the hotel room. “The way he lives is so alien. Point Mambie was a real step down.”
“Spill,” she demanded. “Where are you exactly?”
“The penthouse at Crown Towers.”
“No fucking way!” she squealed and Ziggy barked in the background.
“It’s insane,” I said with a laugh. “He got his assistant to get me a change of clothes and the guy turns up with a whole rack of fucking Burberry and Prada. There’s a Comme des Garcons leather jacket that’s got to be worth thousands of dollars. The closest I’ve been to one was when I pinned it on my Pinterest board titled ‘In My Dreams’.”
“And you can just take what you want?”
“I’m afraid to touch it.” I eyed the rack like it was going to jump up and swipe my credit card.
“What did Sebastian say?”
“He said to take what I wanted, but…” I sighed and began squirming. Pawing at my five-dollar T-shirt I got at the local Op-Shop, I screwed my nose up. “It feels weird. I don’t want to take advantage.”
I could picture Vanessa pouting as she scoffed, “He told you to take what you wanted, so take what you want.”
I stared longingly at the clothes, temptation drawing me closer. I was here because I felt something profound for Sebastian, and his fame and money wasn’t even part of the equation, but a part of me was hesitating. After meeting the rest of the band and his management last night, I didn’t want to cause any friction, and I especially didn’t want them to think that I was a cheap arse gold digger.
“I can hear you hesitating,” Vanessa said.
“Can not!” I jutted my chin out.
“Can so. I have a gift for reading breathing patterns over the phone.”
Sighing, I reached out and picked up a simple black jumper. The tag said it was cashmere and it felt soft between my f
ingers.
“It’s just so different here,” I said. “And it hasn’t even been a day. He’s…Sebastian feels different here.”
“What do you mean? He can’t have had a personality transplant.”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’m just reading too much into it. Maybe it’s me who’s out of sync.”
“Give it some time,” Vanessa suggested. “It’s a big change. You can’t expect to assimilate seamlessly.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Hey, before I forget, that reseller guy called this morning,” she added.
“Yeah? Is he coming to pick up the stock?” I moaned and glanced at the cornucopia of clothes. “I haven’t finished sorting. I’ve only gotten half-way.”
“He wants the stuff,” Vanessa explained. “I gave him the deal, that you’ve been swamped and he was cool with it. I negotiated the same price, but he’ll take the lot. No need to worry about fucking around with that recycling joint. He’s coming with a truck on Thursday and with his big fat chequebook. Though I suspect it looks pretty skinny next to Sebastian’s.”
There was so much left to do at the Page Break—the sale wasn’t finalised, my stuff was still in the apartment, and the shop was still full of stock. Thinking about Sebastian’s invitation to the release party in Sydney and to the tour in the US, I was partially relieved and disappointed.
“Don’t worry about being here,” Vanessa said when I didn’t reply. “I’ll sort him and the books out.”
“No, I can’t let you do that. There’s too much to do, I—”
“Oh, shush! After everything you’ve been through, you deserve the break. I’ll handle it.”
I sniffed, a sudden wave of emotion prickling in my eyes.
“Are you crying?” Vanessa demanded. “Wuss.”
“Am not!” I retorted. “I’m just…I don’t know what I’d do without you, Ness. Thank you.”
“You’ll find a way to make it up to me. Concert tickets, perhaps?”
“And there’s your real motivation,” I said with a laugh.
“What can I say? Hugo’s a fan. Now fuck off and try on all those sexy clothes. Message me with pics, ‘kay?”
Feeling a great deal lighter, I ended the call with a promise to send her some selfies, and I turned towards the racks.
