by Tess Keeler
Blake nodded his head and patted Nixon’s shoulder before walking off. Not another word from him.
“Do we know how bad the picture is?” I asked, Blake’s words haunting me as I stood up and moved to look at my boyfriend. The three of us formed a private triangle, much like it always was when I was with them.
“It’s us kissing in a pool.” He didn’t seem worried about the picture or the press. I was borderline throwing up, but it was mostly because of what my brother had said. “It’s not like we’re doing anything dirty.”
“I know…” I released the breath I was holding. His image would still be messed with. “You’ve never been caught kissing anyone. Not even your ex.”
“I was never this serious about my ex.”
“Mate’s never been this serious about anything other than his music,” Mason said, chuckling slightly.
I tried not to blush or to feel the heat take over my body. Nixon could have anyone in the world, and he fell in love with me—a Kansas girl with big dreams and a traveling heart. For a moment, I wanted to forget about the picture and go back to the main purpose of the visit: celebrating Nixon. I loved celebrating him and worshiping him in every way.
“Want to go back to our room, so I can give you your gifts?” The low tone of my voice was obvious I was thinking with the pulse between my legs. I looked up at him, my teeth hugging my bottom lip closely.
“Aye. Please take it to your room. We don’t need pictures of your dry humping all over the internet.”
“Dude,” Nixon said, his face redder than a tomato.
I reached for my boyfriend’s fingers, playing with them a second before pulling him along behind me. “See you in the morning, Mason. I hope you’re not sleeping in the room next to ours.”
“No. Thank bloody hell I’m not,” he said back, loudly, earning a laugh from both of us.
I tangled our fingers together as we waved at the rest of his crew, saying goodbyes for the night. Blake must have gone to his room. He wasn’t in sight. How far would he go to try to split us up? He knew that we were happy together. Why did he have to ruin it? Or try to?
“I really do have gifts for you,” I purred up at him, leaning my body against his arm and smiling. I was thankful that getting caught hadn’t ruined his night or changed the way he interacted with me. He continued to prove himself to be better than any other man.
I know he treats you better than you’ve ever been treated. He treats everyone better than they deserve.
Shaking my head, I tried to free myself of his judgmental words. I wasn’t hurting Nixon. If I was, he wouldn’t be with me in the elevator, heading down to our room for a night of birthday celebration and lovemaking.
“You didn’t have to, baby,” he said, his free hand moving to cover the one attached to his. “I’m over the moon that you’re here, and you even brought my little sister. That really is plenty.”
“It’s too late,” I smiled, stealing a quick kiss before the doors opened up to our floor.
We found our way into the room with a pass of his key, quickly changing out of our wet clothes and into something dry and comfortable. I even spent the time rinsing my body off and washing my hair while he got comfortable in bed. I hoped he wasn’t looking for the picture. Was it up yet?
I towel dried my hair and walked out in my oversized t-shirt. He looked up at me, greeting me with the smile that made my knees weak. I tried not to wobble as I walked toward my bag, pulling his presents out. The first one I handed him was a jar of lavender honey that I bought from my hometown farmers’ market. I hoped to take him there one day. Until then, he could enjoy the same sweetener I put in my tea every day. It was wrapped in a deep blue wrapping paper and tied off with a bow. “Open it,” I encouraged as I sat down beside him, my eyes on his working hands.
He was reading the label when I spoke again, not able to contain myself or the excitement of sharing such a special day with him. “I use it in earl grey most, but it’s really good in most black and green teas.” I already had his big gift extended out to him, my eagerness possibly over the top.
“You really shouldn’t have,” he said softly, his neck and face slowly turning into a blotchy pattern.
“I wanted to,” I said with a smile.
He ripped at the paper until the black watch box was in his hand. After opening it up, he picked up the heavy silver and let it rest in his hand. It was an expensive collector’s watch—I didn’t even like to think about how much those items went for, but I had no problem spending it on him.
“I hope it keeps you company when I can’t be here.”
What made it special was the engraving on the back, where the battery rested:
Nix, I’m all yours
I love you
-Harps
1
Make You Mine
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Nixon
I woke up to yelling. Pulling myself from my bunk, I walked into the front lounge to see Mason pacing the length of the space. He was pulling at the ends of his hair that he had grown on tour, and his brown eyes were red and puffy.
“Pierson, I think we need to call it.” He took a deep breath, deflating in the process. “I can’t do this back and forth. It’s killing me.”
There was a pause and his eyes met mine. I don’t know if my face showed as much concern as I had felt, but when he pulled his lips together, that was all the confirmation I needed to tell me it did. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, so I motioned to the back lounge. I’d be back there waiting for him until he was ready to talk— if he was ready to talk. If not, I could pass out back there. It wouldn’t be the first time.
“Don’t say that,” I heard him say as I walked away. I had to give him his space and privacy. He deserved that. But I also didn’t want him to feel like he was dealing with this alone. Friends don’t let friends suffer in silence.
When Mason finally came to the back lounge, I had dozed off. It was 3:36 am when I blinked the sleep out of my eyes to focus on him. We were almost to Philadelphia, and I had a morning full of interviews— phone and in person. Nonetheless, I would stay up all night to make sure he was okay if I had to. I could catch up on sleep midday if absolutely necessary.
“You okay?” I asked as he sat down next to me, and a sigh fell from his thin lips.
He shook his head, the sadness radiating off of him. “Pierson and I are done. For real this time. No more fighting. No more ifs or maybes.”
I put my hand on his back to comfort him but I didn’t say anything. I just let him talk.
“He told me that he couldn’t trust me on the road due to my reputation, and I was tired of being mad at him. He made his decision, and I should respect that. Just like he should respect my need to let it go.” His face fell into his hands. “He will always be the love of my life, and maybe someday we can reconnect. But bloody hell, I’ve got to piece myself together. I can’t continue to self destruct, and I can’t hang on a hope that he’ll change his mind and do this long distance thing.”
My eyes were wide, I could feel it. “So, you decided this?”
“Aye.” He took a breath before continuing his thought. “At what point do you decide what’s okay to put yourself through and what’s not?” It was the most vulnerable I had ever seen him. Typically, he put up a very strong front. Tough. Impenetrable.
I knew that wasn’t the real Mason, and as much as I hated him hurting, I was glad he was allowing himself to feel something in front of a friend. He could trust me. I would never hurt him or tell anyone. It wasn’t my place. It felt good to know he felt that he could tell me something so personal.
“I get that.” I nodded, my hand falling from his back. “You know, I’m proud of you. I know that this couldn’t have been easy…” I trailed off, watching him as he sat up straight to look at me.
“Who he is to me will always be the first person that really broke down my walls, but now isn’t our time.” He pursed his lips before letting a weak smile spread
. “Thank you for listening. I’m sorry I woke you.”
Shaking my head, I let a smile greet him as I spoke. “Don’t apologize to me. What are friends for?”
“You’re one of my best mates. You know that, right?”
It took me off guard, but I didn’t hesitate when I responded. “You’re one of my best friends too, Mace.”
————
After my first interview, I was feeling my lack of sleep and exercise. I would never complain, though. It was out of service to my friend, and I wouldn’t change anything— except maybe the pain that Mason was going through.
Mason seemed almost cheery despite the situation only hours before. I think it was the most energetic I had ever seen him. Maybe the weight of all of it was gone, and he could finally be more himself than ever.
The second interview kept my mind preoccupied though, as they asked about the compromising picture from the night before my birthday. Honestly, I had done well about not seeking it out. Mason showed me, and it wasn’t too bad. I knew other celebrities that had done way worse on camera than the picture of my girlfriend and I sharing an intimate moment during my birthday celebration. Between Sam and Blake, I didn’t get asked about it too much during interviews. But they couldn’t protect me all the time, no matter how hard they tried.
“Nixon, recently there was a picture linking you to a girl. It was fairly intimate in nature,” The radio station DJ blindsided me a bit. “Is there anything the world should know?”
I had my hands folded in front of me on the table, and I shrugged, “My fans know of my relationship. I’ve never been anything less than forthcoming about my status.”
“But, that picture is fairly risqué for someone with your image.” He countered. Was it normal to get mad?
I licked my lips, wetting them before responding. “So, because I have a clean image, I can’t be in a committed relationship and kiss my girlfriend whenever I want?”
That threw him.
“Was it only kissing?”
Sam came to my rescue, interjecting and telling them to stop with the invasive questions or we would leave. Blake had his face in his hand. This couldn’t be good.
The interview evened out, but I was feeling anxious. My fans were being mostly supportive and getting mad at the interviewer for me. Or at least from what I read on social media. I appreciated that. But I was still worried about Harper and all that Blake could possibly say about the matter. About us being careless. That Harper should limit her time on tour. I was waiting for it.
Mason had fallen asleep on the bus, so I was pacing in the dressing room at the venue before my soundcheck. Sam had joined us for the East Coast leg of the tour, and he was way more even-tempered than Blake. I was relieved that it was him who had knocked at the door and let himself in. I wasn’t ready to face Blake about the current issue we were dealing with.
“You okay, Nix?” he asked, his deep voice was smooth and comforting in the strangest way. I remember it being one of the first things I noticed when I met him over three years ago.
I shook my hand, running my fingers through my hair. “I want to be strong and say yes, but I’m panicking a little.” I paused and stopped walking, and he motioned for us to sit down. I obliged before continuing. “I don’t want this to be a hiccup in my relationship,” I blurted out, and Sam seemed slightly surprised at first.
“I really expected you to be worried about your career,” he laughed lightly, and I pulled my eyebrows together. Sam’s blue eyes were kind and patient, and it was something I had always appreciated about him.
“I know that this wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been,” I began. “But Harper is Blake’s little sister. People know her face more now. What if it runs her off?”
Sam’s face had softened, his head nodding in understanding. His brown hair was brushed back, and it made the grey strands through it more obvious. “You’re right about it being worse. I think you handle the balance really well, Nixon, but I get your concerns. You know I’ll do everything I can to make sure this doesn’t get out of hand, on either end of the spectrum, right?”
“Yes, I do know that.”
“Good,” he began, leaning back against the cushion behind us. “I think everything will be okay, Nixon. Try not to stress.”
“I’m in love with her, Sam.” Our eyes met, and I swallowed the lump in my throat. My heart dropped into my stomach. I hadn’t said it out loud to anyone, aside from her and Bella. It made it more real. I needed him to understand the depth of my feelings for Harper. Maybe it would help in some way. “I can’t lose her. She’s it for me.”
Sam didn’t say anything for a few moments, which seemed to go on forever. It didn’t help my anxiety,
“It’ll be okay, Nixon. I’ve only met Harper briefly once, but she’s pretty smitten with you, too. I have a gut feeling it would take more than a few jealous fans to run her off.”
I smiled at him, appreciating his reassurance and kind words. But, it wasn’t necessarily the fans I was worried about. And I didn’t know how to say that without causing problems for Blake with Sam.
“You’re right. I just don’t want to cause her any hurt or trouble.” I wanted to tell Sam that she was a travel blogger, mostly alone and on the road. Her face being recognized was one of my biggest fears, mostly for her safety. Not that I really thought someone would hurt her for being with me— but who could be certain?
Sam put his arm around me, squeezing my shoulders. “We’ve got this, Nix. I promise.”
—————
The digital version of Harper’s eyes wasn’t nearly as bright as they were in person, and lately, I could tell something had been bothering her. I didn’t want to push, but my anxiety was trying to get the best of me.
“Did you hear about the interview?” I asked her quietly, twisting the silver metal watch around my wrist as the silence filled the room around me.
She nodded slowly. “Are you okay?”
My stomach felt uneasy, but I shrugged. “I’m a little anxious about it, simply because I don’t want it to affect us.”
I watched as she cocked her head to the side and confusion tainted her beautiful features. “Why would it affect us, Nix?"
“Because people know your face now. There’s more risk while you’re out on the road alone. And…” I chewed my lip, trying to decide if I should say something about the slight change in her energy. “You seem like something has been bothering you, and I didn’t want to ask you about it but it’s starting to mess with my head a little.”
“Oh, babe, it’s just Blake. It’s nothing.” Her hand went into her hair, flipping it to the other side as she answered me, “I’m counting down the days until Thanksgiving.”
“Blake?” I asked, feeling acid rising up in my throat. I was so concerned about Blake and what his thoughts were. For good reason. I sat up straight, firing off questions, “What did he do? What did he say?”
“He tried to tell me I wasn’t living in a fairytale.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“In Blake, it means I need to get my head out of my ass and stop ruining your reputation.”
“You’re not ruining my reputation. You have literally made my life better from day one.” I was wearing my frustration on my sleeve, my face feeling like it was on fire as I thought more about it. “He can kiss my ass.”
She smiled slowly, a devious glint in her eye. “You’re hot when you’re fired up.”
I took a deep breath, realizing the level I was at. I didn’t get angry often, but this was my relationship here. One I put a lot of time and energy into. I knew she was trying to change the subject, to bring me back to her. “Trying to get my mind off of it?” I asked, laughing in a strange sort of defeat before deflating.
“Maybe… I have a few ideas too.” She licked her lips slowly, her bedroom eyes in full effect now. I loved when she pressed her tongue to the back of her teeth when she smiled— which she was doing at the moment.
I took in a deep breath.
“Oh?” I laughed softly, feeling a smile flirting with my lips. “What ideas do you have?”
“Hmm, I bought something to wear for you.” Her fingers began to tease me, lifting at her oversized t-shirt. “Want to see it?”
Was that a trick question? “Hell yeah, I want to see it.”
I pulled my laptop closer for absolutely no reason, but it made me feel closer to her somehow. We hadn’t been together since my birthday— a little over three weeks ago. My mind tried to distract me with Mason and Pierson, and how Pierson refused to do the long distance part. It wasn’t easy, and the time apart could really fuck with your head; I knew that.
“Are you sure?” She was teasing me, bringing me back to the moment by pulling her shirt up to the bottom of her beautiful breasts.
I nodded, my eyes on the white lace barely covering her milky skin. “Please? I miss you so much, Harps.” My heart was throbbing in unison with the heat between my thighs. I tried to stay focused on her, not on the desire building in my center.
Her shirt was discarded now, her hands adjusting the camera so I could see more of her body. I was basically drooling. The plunge of the lace barely covered her large chest, and I enjoyed the curve of her hips in the delicate material.
“You look so damn sexy, baby.” My tone was low and husky, and as my need for her grew in my lower half, the ache in my chest doubled in size. “I wish you were here with me.”
“Me too.” She chewed her lip, pulling the thin straps off of her arms to reveal her bare breasts. I swallowed the lump in my throat as her hand slowly moved down the center of her body towards her spread legs. “You’re alone, right?”
I looked around, even though I had been alone since I gotten on the bus. I licked my lips and brought my attention back to my beautiful girlfriend and her enticing insinuation. “I am.” I nodded, taking in a shaky breath as I watched her intently. She was so fucking sexy all the time, and I didn’t know how to handle my lack of composure when it came to her.
