“I imagine not.” Jamie sighed, and just like that, her business voice returned. “However, that doesn’t change the situation here and now.”
“Maybe you should go and talk to other people. I’m fine.” Vanessa steadied herself and took another breath. “We can talk later.”
“I don’t want to leave you right now.”
“Loc, we can talk later.” She smiled. “It may be better for me to have a moment where I don’t have to discuss it…or anything else for just a little while.”
“Okay.” Lochlan gave Jamie a scathing look and walked around her.
As they watched Lochlan walk away and talk to her fans, Jamie’s eyes never left Vanessa. “She’s a big deal, Vanessa.”
“I understand that.”
“She can’t do this. It will ruin her.” For the first time, it became abundantly clear to Vanessa what Jamie wanted. “I’m asking you nicely to walk away from her.”
“I don’t think this is your call.”
Jamie shook her head. “I’ve seen this before, Vanessa. Lochlan was madly in love with another woman once. But eventually, she had to let her go. She’ll be there until you decide that you need more. Once that happens, she’ll get scared and realize just exactly what she has to lose, and she’ll cut you loose. She’s done it before.”
“You mean with Mac.”
“Mac really cared about her, and the feeling was returned. Mac was much better equipped to handle what will happen to Loc if she decided to go public. She could have helped Loc through the media storm. You don’t offer her that, Vanessa. If she walked away from Mac, what do you think she’ll do to you? Mac was much more her equal. Mac is an out American sweetheart, and that could have made the blow of their relationship easier. I like you, Vanessa, but you are in way over your head here.”
Jamie left, leaving Vanessa to replay all that she said. Would Lochlan do that to her? Would she just walk away from her like she had done so easily with Mac? Jamie had been right that MacKenzie could have handled this better than she probably would. God, how had Vanessa started dating someone who made her compare herself to the likes of MacKenzie Daveys? Where had this life come from? After a while, Vanessa decided that she would go to the restroom to freshen up. She had been in there a short time when she heard the door open and felt arms wrap around the waist. She leaned her head back against the shoulder behind her as she felt lips brush the spot just behind her ear. “Loc, you shouldn’t.”
“I just need to hold you for a minute.”
Vanessa seemed to melt into Lochlan, because, God she needed this. “That feels nice.”
Lochlan kissed her neck softly, causing Vanessa to hum and turn in her arms. “I cannot wait to get you home with me.”
“Me too,” she said as Lochlan kissed her quickly. They separated as they heard the first door to the restroom open. When the second one opened, they looked at Jamie.
“Loc—” Jamie glared at them in frustration.
“Damn it, Jamie.”
“In case you’ve somehow forgotten, there is a room full of people on the other side of those two doors,” Jamie said sarcastically as she grabbed tissues and handed one to each of them. “Fix your damn lipstick. Both of you.”
“I am not a child,” Lochlan huffed. “And I don’t need you to talk to me like I am.”
“You say that, but look at the way you’re acting. You’re playing Russian roulette with your career. She doesn’t know this industry and how they could turn on you. You two can’t wait till you get home? For fuck’s sake, it’s just a couple of hours. Just keep your hands and lips off each other for a couple of hours!”
“I knew she was still upset after seeing her brother’s doctor, Jamie,” Lochlan growled. “I just wanted to make sure she was okay.”
“Making out in a public bathroom is going a bit beyond making sure someone is okay, don’t you think? You’re playing with fire here, Lochlan.”
“If I want to check on her, I will. Do you understand that?” Jamie didn’t answer. “You work for me.”
Jamie looked at Vanessa as if she wanted to say more, but instead, she chose to storm out of the room.
“Sorry about that.” Lochlan turned to the mirror and began cleaning up her lipstick. Vanessa watched Lochlan in the mirror as she wiped away the smudged lipstick.
“Maybe she’s right.”
Lochlan turned and looked at Vanessa. “I know what I want to do, but Jamie has handled things for a long time. I can’t deny that there are things she knows very well how to work.”
Vanessa thought that what Jamie was working on was her. “I’ll do whatever you think is best for the rest of the night. You tell me how you want this to work.”
“It’s not how I want anything, Vanessa.”
“Okay, then you tell me how it has to be.”
“Maybe we should do as she asks and just try to get through this night without jumping each other.” Lochlan laughed, and Vanessa tried to as well. “Spencer will show you out tonight and have a car service bring you to my house.”
“Okay.”
Lochlan hugged Vanessa. “Okay, I’ll see you at home, then.”
Vanessa didn’t move as Lochlan left. No matter what anyone told her, Vanessa had just seen for herself how this game worked. Lochlan clearly thought Jamie was right when it came to her career, and even though she had stood her ground and protected Vanessa, she had shut down quickly. It seemed to Vanessa that Lochlan had realized that Jamie was right, and she would choose whatever path would cause the least disturbance in that area of her life, even when it meant following Jamie’s orders instead of her heart. She had wondered if she would be different from Mac, but apparently, that wouldn’t be the case. Now it was up to Vanessa to decide how she would handle this.
Chapter Ten
When Vanessa’s car pulled up to Lochlan’s house, the driver exited and opened her door. “There you are, ma’am.”
“Thank you,” Vanessa politely answered. “Have a good evening.”
“You too, Ms. Vanessa.”
As she came through the door, she noticed that most of the lights were off or dimmed. She thought that she would go up and change her clothes before Lochlan arrived. They had been in the same room, yet so far apart, for the past few hours. Lochlan talked to the industry people and fans, while Vanessa mingled with the university students, alumni, and doctors. She heard a voice from behind her. “Before you go in there,” she turned to see Lochlan, “can you follow me?”
The first thing that she noticed was that Lochlan was still dressed. “I can probably do that.”
“Good.” Lochlan extended her hand and Vanessa took it in hers. She walked with her until they entered a room full of sound equipment. It too was dimly lit, and there were candles placed about the room. Lochlan turned to Vanessa. “Do you have any idea what I have wanted to do all night?”
“No, but if it’s anything like what I’ve wanted, I’m not sure what we’re doing in here.”
Lochlan laughed softly. “We’ll get to that, but what I’ve wanted all night isn’t that.” Vanessa tilted her head. “Well, not yet.” Lochlan released her hand pressing a few buttons on the soundboard, and suddenly, music surrounded them. Lochlan extended her hand. “Dance with me.”
Vanessa smiled and took the offered hand as they found their way to each other. She pressed her body against Lochlan’s and they swayed slowly to Ed Sheeran and Tori Kelly. Vanessa placed a kiss on Lochlan’s shoulder as she thought about this moment. They had watched people dancing during the night, and Lochlan had said this was all she had thought about. There was so much that Lochlan couldn’t seem to do or say in public. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to, because the way they swayed here in the dark was proof that she wanted her. Vanessa tried to put everything else in the back of her mind, while she just gave in to being in this moment and letting the future work itself out. Right now, she had this amazing woman in her arms, and the real world would have to wait outside that door for ton
ight.
As the music stopped, Lochlan was kissing her way up Vanessa’s neck. “We did my thing, now we get to do yours.”
Vanessa chuckled. “To the bedroom?”
“Yes.”
They barely parted during the walk, Vanessa’s hand roaming over Lochlan’s body. Once in the room, Lochlan found the zipper of Vanessa’s dress. “As incredibly hot as you look in this, I want it off.” Vanessa didn’t answer, only allowing the dress to fall to the floor. Lochlan kissed her way down Vanessa’s throat and placed her hands firmly on Vanessa’s bare breasts.
Vanessa pushed Lochlan toward the bed, and when the back of her knees contacted the mattress, Lochlan sat on the edge of the bed. Vanessa looked down into eyes that were a dark shade of blue and ready.
Vanessa kissed the top of Lochlan’s forehead as she felt hands slide across her thighs and around to her ass. Vanessa’s hands were on the sides of Lochlan’s face, and she positioned it upward, taking her mouth by storm in an assault that caused Lochlan to moan. Vanessa forced her down until she was lying on her back.
Vanessa kissed across Lochlan’s jawline, down her throat, and paused between her breasts. She reached behind Lochlan and undid the bra that was now in her way. As she straddled her legs, she took a nipple into her mouth and let her hand slide down Lochlan’s ripped abs.
Vanessa stroked her up and down several times as she felt Lochlan’s hand moving down between them, and once inside Vanessa’s panties, she cupped her, causing a hitch in Vanessa’s breath. Lochlan moaned as Vanessa’s fingers ran across her entrance and almost gasped as two plunged inside. “Oh God,” she whispered into Vanessa’s mouth. Vanessa felt Lochlan’s hand mirror hers. It didn’t take long before Lochlan’s entire body tightened. Vanessa slowed her hand and her kisses. She drew back just a touch and placed one soft kiss on Lochlan’s lips and lowered her head to touch Lochlan’s.
“You are going to kill me.”
Vanessa smiled. “That would never be my intent.”
“You put those glasses on and become this extremely intelligent woman, then you get in this bed and become a vixen.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Being here with you will never be a bad thing. I just don’t know how much more that I can take tonight.” Lochlan laughed.
Vanessa smiled as if challenged. “But, baby, we’re just getting started here.”
“You don’t have to cripple me the first two days you’re here.”
Vanessa chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She slid her fingers out of Lochlan, and with one finger, she hooked Lochlan’s underwear and started to pull them downward. Every inch farther she kissed down Lochlan’s body, the panties were lowered that amount until they pulled off her feet and Vanessa was kissing the inside of Lochlan’s thighs.
As Vanessa kissed her, she propped up on her elbows watching her. She never broke eye contact as she took Lochlan fully in her mouth. Had she not been so turned on by Lochlan watching her, she would have chuckled at the game of who would look away first, before Lochlan’s head quickly found the pillow again in complete surrender.
As she worked her body, the magnitude of what Lochlan was offering her resonated with Vanessa. This intimacy was something that Lochlan had been afraid to share with anyone else. Now, she’d chosen to let Vanessa in, and for that alone, she wanted Lochlan to feel how special this moment was to both of them.
Seconds later, she felt a hand tangle in her hair and her face pulled closer. As if on cue, Vanessa took Lochlan Paige to places that she had never been. The giving over of her body was a gift to someone she cared about, and Vanessa valued that.
After Lochlan’s body had come down from the second high, she chuckled. “God, I don’t think I can again.”
“So, you’re giving up on me?” Vanessa smiled.
“Oh, my beautiful little nerd, no one said anything about giving up.” Lochlan quickly turned Vanessa over, reversing their positions. “It’s just my turn to play.”
Vanessa cared deeply for Loc and would love to say that it wasn’t the thought of megastar Lochlan Paige making her way down her body that was the sexiest thing she had ever seen, but she couldn’t lie. She gasped as Lochlan’s mouth grabbed her in a sort of desperate assault.
Vanessa’s head was fully pressed to the pillow as she let out a moan that caused Lochlan to lock eyes with her, but without stopping her action. As she pushed fingers deeply into Vanessa’s pulsing body, Vanessa’s ragged voice pushed out, “Oh my God, Loc. Fuck!” She knew Vanessa wouldn’t feel the smile that graced her mouth. She was proud. She had done that. She had made Vanessa call out like that. The pleasure was short-lived as she felt Vanessa contract underneath her touch. Felt the pulse against her lips. Suddenly, the smile and pride were gone, replaced by a desire that Lochlan didn’t know she possessed. She quickened the rhythm of all that was touching Vanessa until she heard, or rather felt, the rumble of pleasure that came from Vanessa.
Her smile did return when she felt a hand pushing against her forehead. “You have to stop, or I’m afraid for your safety.”
Lochlan giggled. “What? I’m just down here hanging out.” She felt the hand run softly through her hair.
“What you’re doing down there is going to be the death of me, and I can’t be held responsible for the repercussions when my legs involuntarily clench together. How will I ever explain to Jamie that your neck is broken because my legs slammed shut?”
Lochlan kissed the legs in question. “And God, they are nice legs.”
She felt Vanessa laugh before she heard it. “Please. You breathing on it isn’t helping either. Get up here.” Vanessa lightly tugged at the hair in her hand, and Lochlan did as she was asked.
“Do you have any idea how beautiful you are when you have your head thrown back moaning my name?”
Vanessa chuckled. “No, I don’t. I think I was almost unconscious. I don’t know what was happening.”
“Well then, maybe I should do it again. I would hate for you not to remember.”
Vanessa laughed and stopped Lochlan from making her way down her body again. “I remember. I remember.” Lochlan smiled. “You stay up here with me.”
“Who’s giving up now?”
“Me. Me, I am.” Vanessa pulled Lochlan in for another kiss. “For now.”
Lochlan moved over to lie beside Vanessa, who snuggled over to her. She wrapped her arms around Vanessa and tried to take in all that had just happened. She didn’t have much to go by but was pretty sure that was amazing on anyone’s chart. She pulled Vanessa in tighter and after a moment felt the breathing against her chest deepen. Out like a light. Lochlan smiled at what an amazing feeling this was. To be here with someone she trusted, but more importantly, someone she was developing some pretty serious feelings for. She analyzed all of this until she joined Vanessa in sleep.
✥ ✥ ✥
Vanessa woke early the next morning, and the other side of the bed was cold. She sat up and looked around the room. The clock read 7:15 a.m. “Loc?” Vanessa called out. When she didn’t get a response, she stood, pulled on her shorts and a T-shirt, and walked out toward the hall. “Loc?” She looked through the house and into the kitchen, where she smelled fresh coffee. She moved through the house. “Loc?” She made her way toward the back hallway. She saw a light coming from the door that was cracked at the end of the hall. She approached the door and peeked inside. She saw Lochlan in the large sound booth with a keyboard. The intercom was on and Vanessa could hear Lochlan singing.
She played the piano for a moment, then grabbed the pencil that rested on the shelf of the piano and made marks on the music sheets. She started playing again and softly sang words that Vanessa couldn’t quite make out. Lochlan had her hair pulled up in a loose bun, and the concentration on her face was mesmerizing. Vanessa leaned against the doorframe and just listened to the melody. She had been there a while when Lochlan looked her way and quickly did a double take before smiling.
She motione
d for her to come into the room. “The door is open.”
Vanessa came farther into the room and through the booth door. “I didn’t mean to bother you.”
“You’re fine.” She patted the seat beside her on the bench. “Come sit down if you want.”
Vanessa sat beside Lochlan but turned away from the piano so that she and Lochlan were facing each other. “Good morning.”
Lochlan leaned toward her and kissed her lightly. “Good morning.”
“That music was beautiful.”
Lochlan seemed shy. “Thank you. It’s something that I’m working on for the next album.”
“I can leave you alone—”
“You will not.” Lochlan wrapped her arm around Vanessa’s abdomen. “You will stay right here.”
“How long have you been up?”
“About two hours. When the mood hits to write, you have to give in to it.”
“So your side of the bed will be cold a lot of mornings?”
Lochlan took the teasing as it was intended. “If you aren’t up to help me keep it warm, then yes.” She placed another kiss on Vanessa’s pouting lips. Before long there was a full make-out session happening on Lochlan’s piano bench. Lochlan ran a hand down the front of Vanessa’s shirt and stopped at the waistband of her shorts. Vanessa wasn’t sure if the act was intentional but felt Lochlan’s tongue delve into her mouth at the same time as her hand made its way under Vanessa’s shorts.
Vanessa’s mind was going in a million directions. Lochlan was about to own her right here on this piano bench in the middle of her recording studio. It only took a second longer for Vanessa to not give a damn where they were. She held Lochlan’s hand. “Wait.” Lochlan did as she was asked. Vanessa, holding Lochlan’s hand in place, stood and maneuvered herself until she was straddling the bench. When she was back down on the seat, Lochlan’s access to her increased substantially. Lochlan quickly began moving again and returned to kissing Vanessa, who took Lochlan’s hair into her hands and cupped her head. She moaned in pleasure and called Lochlan’s name.
Breathless and with her forehead against Lochlan’s, Vanessa tried to steady her breathing. “Okay, if it leads to this, you can leave the bed early every morning.”
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