Becca looks out the window and then back at me. “We’re already in the air?’
I laugh and nod my head. “I can’t wait to distract you when we land.”
Rebecca
When we land in California it’s around six-thirty and I’m starving. I was too nervous to eat before we took off, but my stomach is making itself known now. When Luke asked me just before we landed if I wanted to go eat, it was almost like he was reading my mind, or maybe he just heard my stomach. We’re just about to stand up to get off the plane when he grabs my hand.
“Hey, there might be photographers when we get off; a lot of them camp out at the airports because there are always celebrities coming and going. I brought this for you.” He hands me the same hat that he had given me the first night we spent together. “Just hold onto my hand and don’t look at or talk to them. Okay?”
I nod my head, trying to wrap my mind around what I’ve gotten myself into. Once we move past security I see a group of men standing around with expensive looking cameras around their necks. Luke has my hand and is guiding me toward the door, but sure enough they spot him. I knew they would, though; his hat isn’t much of a disguise. Within seconds we’re surrounded and Luke is pushing his way through the men, dragging me along with him.
They’re all shouting questions at us, some of them enough to make me blush.
“Who’s your new girl Lucas?”
“Is she better than Samantha?”
“Look up and show us your face, honey, we’ll find out who you are either way!”
I squeeze Luke’s hand, terrified that I’ll lose track of him in the midst of all the craziness if I let go. As soon as we step outside there’s a big black SUV waiting by the curb. I reach for my bag, but Luke stops me.
“Leave it, babe, the driver will get it.” He pulls me over to the door of the car and climbs in behind me. Once the door is closed I look out from under the cover of my hat to the men that had followed us through the airport. My heart is racing and my hands are shaking. When I look back over at Luke he looks worried. “Are you okay? Do you regret coming here?”
He’s worried that this is all going to scare me off. “No, I don’t regret it. I just think that this is something I’m going to need to get used to.” I scoot over next to him and snuggle up against his side. He puts his arm around me, and even with all the flashing lights from the cameras and the fact that I can still hear the men yelling from outside the car, I feel safe.
As the car moves away I relax a little more. Luke leans over and buckles my seatbelt for me but keeps me close to him. “So, I want to take you out for dinner since it’s your first night in town, but if you’re not up to it we can always order something.”
“No, we can go out. Take me to your favorite places like I did all week with you.”
“Okay, it’s about an hour drive into Malibu, so we still have some time. I’m going to call ahead and make a reservation, though.”
The next thing I know, I’m opening my eyes to a beautiful yellow, orange and pink sky. Did I fall asleep? I’m still lying against Luke, but something’s changed; he seems tense. I’m just about to pick my head up to ask him what’s wrong when I hear him start talking.
“Listen, I hear you but it’s not your decision…No, I was never into her and I told you that from the beginning…Well, that’s too damn bad if she isn’t going to be happy. I’m going to be happy and that’s what should matter to you. I’ll see you tomorrow, don’t call me back. Oh, and you need to make sure everyone is on their best behavior tomorrow or it’s going to be a long tour.”
He wraps his other arm back around me and I’m guessing that means that he’s ended the call. Who could he have been talking to and what could they have been talking about? I have a feeling that it had a little something to do with Luke deciding to take me with him, but why would that be a problem?
Luke’s arms tighten around me and I feel his head dip down next to my ear. “Becca, wake up.” I look up at him, deciding not to let him know I had heard the phone conversation; he’ll tell me if he wants me to know. “We’re here, babe.” I smile up at him; usually I think it’s so cliché when guys use the terms ‘babe’ and ‘baby’, but when they’re coming from him I can’t get enough of them.
I look out the window and see that we are pulled up in front of a place called Moonshadows. I also notice the crowd of photographers outside of it.
“So, I didn’t know there would be paparazzi here tonight; it’s kind of hit and miss with them. If you want to go a different night, we can.”
“Are they allowed inside?” Walking past them I can handle, but having people snapping pictures while I’m shoveling food in my mouth is not something I’m okay with.
“No, they won’t let them inside. Once we get past the door we’re home free.”
“Okay, let’s go in then.” I slide over to the door and am about to get out when Luke grabs my hand. I turn to look at him and see him holding my hat out to me. I grab it and put it on.
“Let me go out first, okay?” I nod my head, and as he’s climbing over me, he leans down to kiss me. If this is going to be everyday life with him I can really get used to it. He makes me feel so cared for and he always seems to know exactly what I’m thinking and feeling.
Once the door opens, the flashes and questions start, but I pay less attention to them this time. Maybe this will get easier, at least while we’re together. I can’t imagine trying to navigate through the paparazzi by myself. This time, instead of just holding my hand when I get out of the car, Luke puts his arm around me and pulls me close to his side. I wonder why he’s doing this now; does he want them to know that we’re together? Was this a way of staking his claim? I know from the brief encounter I had with him after Jackson hit on me that he can be very jealous. I’ll just add this to the list of things I’m going to have to adjust to.
We walk up to the hostess stand and the woman behind it immediately recognizes Luke. She shows us to a table that’s on the outside deck. Once we sit down I look around; this is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Our table is right by the railing that separates the restaurant and the beach. Instead of normal seats, we sit on ottomans. As soon as the hostess walks away, Luke stands up, picks up his ottoman and places it right next to mine. He puts his hand around my hip and pulls me close to him as we look over the menu together.
The first thing I notice is how expensive everything is; I could never afford to eat at someplace like this. I guess for Luke, not needing to look at the price tag is normal; I doubt I’ll ever get used to it. His thumb is drawing little circles on the small area of bare skin between my shirt and my shorts. I stare out at the beach where the sun is just setting and lean my head against him. He kisses the top of my head and I turn to look at him.
“Do you know what you want to eat, beautiful?”
I have no idea what half of this stuff is, and the prices are scaring me away from the other half of it. I don’t come from money so I’ve never been comfortable spending a lot of it. “Not really.”
“Well, do you want it to be a surprise? We can take a chance and see if we like what we get.”
I laugh because only Luke would order food that costs this much without knowing if it’s something he would even like. “Sounds good.”
The waitress shows up and he tells her that we want their two best-selling appetizers and entrees. When he tells her that she isn’t allowed to tell him what they are, she looks so confused.
“So what do you think of Malibu so far?”
“I think it’s beautiful; I can’t wait to see what your house looks like.”
He leans in close to my ear and whispers, “I can’t wait to have you in my house.” Have me? Like have me, have me? My body and mind are at war with each other right now. My body is ready to give him everything and enjoy every minute of it, while my mind is reminding me not to be some star struck idiot who gets her heart broken. “Calm down, I just meant that this is all so new
to me and I have never taken anyone to my house before.”
“Really?” I’m not an idiot; I know that Luke has been with plenty of girls before me, so this really surprises me.
“Yes, really. My house is kind of like my escape so I don’t take just anyone there.”
The rest of dinner is amazing; the food is some of the most delicious I have ever had. The appetizers consist of shrimp scampi and scallops. Besides the crab cakes we had on our first dinner date, I’ve never really had much seafood, but I’ve discovered that I really enjoy it. Our entrees are Maine lobster with garlic roasted potatoes and steamed vegetables. Everything is cooked to perfection and seems to almost melt in my mouth. Luke stays close to me and I have to admit that I love it. We talk and laugh all through dinner and it all feels so normal.
When it’s time to leave, Luke texts his driver to pull the car up, and holds me close as we make our way through the paparazzi again.
It’s only about a half hour drive to his house, and when we pull up my mouth drops open. It has to be, by far, the nicest house I have ever seen. It has a cream color stucco finish and it is surrounded by palm trees. The roof has dark brown shingles, and there are enormous sliding doors on the second floor that lead out to an attached balcony. As I’m climbing the steps I can’t help but feel out of place, especially when I look up and see his front door. It has to be almost ten feet tall, made of a dark brown wood, and looks like it was handmade with all of the intricate designs in it. He walks up and unlocks the door, then looks back at me and laughs. “You might like it even more when you go inside, you know.”
I start walk into to the house, embarrassed at how dumbfounded I must have looked. Once I’m in the house, my expression doesn’t get any better. The entry is circular with a big staircase leading up to the second floor. The staircase reminds the ones you see princesses descending in the fairy tales with finely crafted spindles and a beautifully carved banister. The walls are pretty bare except for a couple of pictures hung on the wall, and the only other thing in the room is a small white leather loveseat against one of the walls. There are different doorways up and down the halls, which I’m guessing lead to many more extravagant rooms. I turn to face Luke and see him smirking at me. I must look like such an idiot gawking at his house. The doorbell rings, saving me from further embarrassment. Saved by the bell.
“Who the hell can that be?” Luke walks over to the door and pulls it open. Before he can say anything else his manager that I had met at the concert comes walking in. When he sees me standing there he stops and looks at me as if I’m some parasite that he can’t get rid of. With each passing moment I’m regretting coming here; I feel more and more like I don’t belong.
He turns back to Luke, completely ignoring my existence. “Can we go somewhere to talk?”
Luke walks over, stands next to me and puts his arm around my waist. “I thought I told you when we talked earlier that I would see you tomorrow. What’s so important?”
That must have been who Luke was talking to on the phone. I can understand why he’s giving him a hard time about having me here. I mean, our relationship has really moved at a rapid pace compared to “conventional” ones.
“It won’t take long, Lucas. Why don’t we just go into your office?”
He doesn’t wait for an answer, but walks straight toward one of the doorways. I turn to Luke who looks irritated. “Why don’t I go take a shower and let you guys talk?”
He shakes his head no. “Stay with me. Mike needs to get used to you being around, babe.”
The last thing I want to do is walk into that office and have Mike give me dirty looks the whole time. “No, really, it’s not a big deal. I could use a shower after the flight and everything, anyway.”
“Okay, I won’t be long. My bedroom is upstairs, the last door on the right.” He leans down and gives me a kiss.
I bend down, grab my tote bag that has just a couple changes of clothes in it and head upstairs to find the bathroom.
Lucas
I storm into the office and see Mike sitting down looking comfortable. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I came to see how you are, Lucas. I’m concerned that you’re getting in over your head with this girl. You barely know her but you invited her on the biggest tour you’ve ever done, and you’re having her stay in your house!”
It’s pissing me off that he thinks he has any right to voice his opinion on what I do with my personal life. “Listen, I told you earlier that I don’t care what you, Samantha, or the label thinks. I will do whatever the fuck I want to and none of you get a say in that. I don’t care what your opinion is of her because you don’t know shit about her.”
“And you do? You have known her for a week, Lucas!”
“Get the fuck out now, Mike! I’m warning you to drop this issue or you will regret it.”
He gets up and leaves without another word, which is smart on his part. When I make it up to the bedroom, I hear the shower running and have to fight the urge to slip in there with her. I know at this point, Becca will probably give in if I push her enough, but I don’t want to push her. I want her to surrender herself to me willingly and I can’t wait for that to happen.
I’m about to sit on the bed when I hear what sounds like the radio coming from the bathroom. I push the door open, hating that I chose the frosted glass for the shower doors instead of the regular, because all I can see is the outline of Becca, and it’s taking my breath away. I now realize that what I heard isn’t the radio; it’s Becca singing and she’s singing one of my songs. Her voice is one of the most beautiful sounds I’ve ever heard.
The shower shuts off and I see her drying off with the towel while she continues singing my song. When she opens the door, she jumps, not expecting to see me standing there. I cross my arms over my chest, trying to hold onto the very little self control that I have left. “Your voice is beautiful; why haven’t I ever heard you sing before?”
She looks shocked and somewhat embarrassed. My eyes can’t help but follow the droplets of water that are falling from her head, trailing down her chest and finally disappearing beneath the towel.
“I um…I don’t really sing in front of anyone.”
I see her eyes dart to the counter where she has a set of pajamas laid out. “You brought your own pajamas this time?”
“Yeah, I figured I would need something to sleep in this summer.”
I stalk over to her, no longer able to hold back the urge to touch her. I drop my head and lick the few drops of water that still linger on her top lip. She gasps, giving me the opening I’m looking for. I slip my tongue into her mouth, pulling her so close to me that I can feel how fast her heart is beating. When I pull away I can see in her eyes that she wants me, but until she tells me it’s okay, I’ll wait. I want her to have no regrets, especially about us. “I liked seeing you in my clothes; it reinforced the fact that you’re mine. If I go get you a shirt and shorts will you wear them?”
She nods her head and I walk back into the bedroom and get her a set of clothes. I bring them back into the bathroom, put them on the counter and smile at the fact that she’s still standing exactly where I had left her. I love that I have this effect on her. I walk to the bed, lie down and close my eyes until I feel the mattress dip next to me. Becca slips under the sheets then seems to debate whether or not to make her way over to me. She finally makes up her mind and ends up sliding over next to me and curling up against my side.
I never understood how good it feels to have someone to sleep next to and just be there for you every night. I always saw relationships as a roadblock; something that would hold me back from what I wanted to do. What I have with her, though, I can tell it’s going to be so much more than that.
“So what’s the plan for tomorrow?”
“I have a meeting with my manager, agent, publicist and a bunch of other people in the morning, but then I’m going to go to the recording studio to start the new album. Do you want to come a
nd listen?”
“Really?”
I laugh because she seems so shocked that I want her around. “Yes, really. I didn’t invite you here to keep you hidden away in a dungeon as my sex slave.” She lifts her head to look at me, and even though it’s dark, I can see the shock on her face. “Unless that’s what you want; I can so have them build a dungeon in here ASAP.”
She smacks my chest, laughs and lays back down. “I’d love to go watch you record. Are you sure I won’t be in the way, though?”
I’m running my hand up and down her back, forcing myself to stop just before I get to her ass. I want her so badly right now that my dick hurts, but I know if I give her time it will happen soon. Or at least I hope it will. “No, babe, you’ll never be in the way. I asked you to come with me so that we can spend time together and give us a shot. I’m going to keep you with me as much as humanly possible.”
Not only that, but since Jackson is touring with me, I need to make sure he keeps his distance, too.
Chapter Six
Rebecca
When I wake up it takes me a minute to realize where I am. I sit up and realize that Luke isn’t in bed anymore, either. I pick up my phone to see what time it is only to see a note on it.
You looked so peaceful I didn’t want to wake you up. I had to go to my meeting but I will meet you at the studio at 11. I left my truck in the garage and the keys on the table downstairs for you. I’ll text you the address to the studio so that you can put it in the GPS. See you soon, beautiful.
Luke
I’m smiling so hard that my cheeks hurt. I don’t know how in the world I got so lucky to have someone like him care about me, but I’m so thankful for it. The clock on my phone tells me it’s almost ten and I see I have a text from Luke.
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