Double Exposition (Songs and Sonatas Book 1)

by Jerica MacMillan

  She snuggles back into me. “I won’t,” she promises. “I love you too.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Gabby

  I had no plan after sobbing in Lauren’s arms in the practice room. I didn’t know what to do. I just knew that I needed to do something.

  The first thing was to put my stuff away. Then I needed to see Jonathan.

  His roommate surprised me by opening the door. After spending so much time at their house without Ben there, part of me forgot he lived there. Or figured he’d just gone ahead and moved in with his girlfriend despite Jonathan’s confidence that that wouldn’t happen until they got engaged or married.

  But Ben smiled at me and waved me in, telling me to give him a minute to get his stuff together and then he’d leave Jonathan and I alone to figure things out.

  I didn’t have a plan for what to say when I burst into his room, and everything, all the thoughts and feelings that had been running through me since I clicked the link that my brother sent me spilled out of my mouth. And then, to my complete and utter horror, I broke down sobbing again.

  When his arms wrapped around me, I felt the fractured pieces of me fitting back together again, like he and he alone could keep me from breaking into a million pieces. Even though his presence in my life, and then that song, was responsible for me ending up that way.

  But no matter how much my logical brain tried to convince me to stay away from him, that our relationship is a bad idea, doomed from the start, I can’t stay away from him. Not don’t want to. Can’t. It’s physically impossible. Especially now that I’m here in his arms, in his bed once more.

  After showering together—a slow, sensual experience full of touching and kissing—he pulls me back to bed. He spoons behind me, his legs wrapping around mine, his face buried in my hair as he breathes in deep. I snuggle back against him, pressing every part of me against every part of him I can reach. “I’ve missed you so much.”

  “Me too.” He presses another kiss to my shoulder. “I didn’t—“ He breaks off and clears his throat. “I didn’t mean for those videos to do that to you. I just, I mean I wanted you to see them. To know how I feel, how I felt, without you. And I hoped it would make you talk to me at least, maybe open the door to me convincing you that we can work this out somehow. But I never wanted to cause you pain.”

  Sucking in a deep breath, I squirm around to face him, laying my hand on his cheek. His stubble is rough on my palm, like it was rough between my legs not too long ago. He turns his face into my hand, his eyes closing like he’s relishing the contact. “I didn’t want to cause you pain either. I thought I was doing the right thing.” I shake my head. “But it isn’t right. It’s too hard. It hurts too much. And I can’t take it anymore.” His eyes open, and they’re deep green today, serious and searching. “If you say we can figure it out, then I believe you. I don’t know how it’ll work, but if you say we can do it, then okay. We’ll do it.”

  His arms tighten around me, and he draws me in closer. “I don’t know either,” he whispers. “But we will figure it out. I promise.”

  At my nod, he kisses me again. For long minutes, that’s all we do, his tongue tasting all around my mouth, mine finding its way back into his, sliding together, getting reacquainted, our bodies pressed together from chest to ankle the whole time. The longer our kissing goes on, the more aware I become of him hardening against my thigh that’s caught between his legs.

  He lets out a groan when I create a little space between our bodies so I can reach down and stroke him. I love the way he reacts to my touch. The way he thrusts into my hand, not holding back anything, his sounds and his movements letting me know how much he enjoys my hand on him.

  With a sigh, he rolls onto his back at my urging, his hands never leaving me as I make my way down until I can slide him into my mouth. His moan is everything as my tongue plays over the crown, then I suck him as deep as I can, squeezing and pumping his shaft.

  But he doesn’t let me finish him with my mouth. All too soon, one hand wraps around my wrist and the other hooks under my arm. Reluctantly releasing him, I let him drag me up his body until he brings my face to his again. This time I’m the one to reach for a condom, and I break the kiss and sit up, straddling him, his cock nestled against my clit. I roll my hips as I tear open the condom, eliciting another groan from him, his jaw clenching as he arches against me.

  “Jesus, Gabby. Stop teasing. I need you.”

  With a flirty grin, I slide against him once more before moving back enough to roll the condom on, giving him one more squeeze, getting my name in response on a drawn-out moan. When I line him up and move down, taking him inside me in one slow, sweet slide, we both let out simultaneous sounds of pleasure. His hands climb my torso, settling over my breasts, tweaking my nipples, and I move my hips in reaction.

  I never got completely comfortable riding him before. But now I can’t think of anything I’d rather do. The way his hips rise to meet mine, the feel of his hands on my breasts like this, the way he stares at me—like I’m everything—make this the best ever. I thought before was the best, but this, his eyes locked on mine, my name a chant on his lips, the feel of him bucking beneath me, the friction so sweet its almost too much, it’s everything. He’s everything.

  “Oh, God. Oh, fuck. Oh, Jonathan,” I pant as my orgasm overtakes me. I shudder and clench, unable to keep moving, but his hands go to my hips and he holds me in place as he pounds into me from below, making it all last forever. Then he slams up hard and fast and stills, grinding me down against him, a long groan ripped from his throat.

  His fingers relax their death grip on my hips after he finishes, and he wraps his arms around me again, pulling me down to his chest, kissing me again with him still embedded inside me.

  When he ends the kiss, his eyelids flutter open, and his green eyes meet mine again. “I love you, Gabby. That’s the most important thing. The rest is just details. They’ll fall into place.”

  I nod, deciding to believe him about the details. “I love you too.” I brush one more kiss over his lips before sliding off to one side, snuggling back into his bed. Where I belong.

  Epilogue

  Gabby

  I clap as Jonathan crosses the stage after his name is called, accepts the folder from the president of Marycliff University, and shakes his hand, stopping at the other side to move the tassel on his cap from one side to the other.

  A big grin splits my face where I sit on the second level of the coliseum with Jonathan’s dad and brothers. His mom escorted him onto the coliseum floor and hooded him. Now, after sitting through endless speeches and exhortations to the graduating class, the ceremony is nearly over. Just the rest of the graduates to get through before we can meet him in the reception put on by the university to mingle for a few minutes before we all go to dinner to celebrate.

  Jonathan’s parents were friendly and pleasant when we met the day before, mostly hiding their curiosity about me. When Shannon, Jonathan’s mom, started asking more questions than Jonathan deemed appropriate, Jonathan skewered her with a look. “That’s enough, Mom. She’s not under interrogation.”

  I had to work hard to hide my smile. Wayne, his dad, is more easygoing, but I’m not sure I’ve gotten the seal of approval from his brothers. Brendan keeps eyeing me suspiciously when no one’s looking. Apparently he hasn’t gotten over the fact that I broke up with his brother for “no good reason” and then got back together with him. Even though that was months ago.

  Or maybe he’s more worried about what will happen now. I know I am.

  Because graduation means that we won’t be in the same place anymore. Jonathan is going back to California with his parents next week. He’ll finish up with the last few songs, then head to the studio to record his first solo album.

  And I’m going to Texas.

  We’ve talked about finding time for me to come visit him, or him to come visit me, but no firm plans are in place. No plane tickets have been purchased.
We’re waiting to find out his schedule, which he won’t know until he gets there.

  On top of that, to say that my parents are less than thrilled is putting it mildly. They were sympathetic and supportive of my decision to break up with him over Christmas break. And calm, but unenthusiastic when I announced that we got back together.

  Now? They want me home “where I belong,” at least for the summer. And next year?

  Even if I convince my parents to let me go to California for half the summer, and he spends the other half with me in Dallas, what will happen when I have to come back to Marycliff?

  The label wants to capitalize on his current popularity and status as a media darling, so they’re going to push through the production of the new album, getting it out as fast as possible, and there’s talk of a North American tour to kickoff the launch. No dates have been set, but it’ll be by the new year at least and running through the following summer’s festival season. Which means hiring musicians, a road crew, all of the logistics of a major tour, rehearsing the show, and then hitting the road when the time comes.

  Jonathan’s words echo in my head. “The details will fall into place.” He’s told me the same thing again and again. I’ve nodded and said okay each time. But inside, I don’t know how that’ll work.

  I want to believe that it’ll all work out fine.

  But with so much pulling us apart, how will we survive?

  To be continued …

  Thank you so much for reading Double Exposition! I hope you enjoyed it enough to want to finish Jonathan and Gabby’s story. They have two more books.

  Probably about a year ago, I was chatting with my friend and fellow writer Leslie McAdam. And she told me I need to write about musicians. She said this because in a past life, I was a violinist. (By that, I mean before I became an author. I still play, but not as much as I used to.)

  At the time, I already knew I wanted to write a story about Gabby, Lance’s little sister the violinist.

  And then one day in the shower, I thought that it would be fun to write a book about a washed up one hit wonder. What happens after the fame has faded?

  Since I didn’t have a guy for Gabby to meet and fall in love with yet, I decided to mash these two ideas together.

  And so this series was born.

  It’s been a fun journey so far, which has allowed me to fully explore some of my feelings about the nature and purpose of art. And even though the first three books are all about one couple, I have plans for more in the same series with other characters. If you’re asking yourself, “Will _______ get a story?” The answer is probably yes.

  I hope you’ve enjoyed a return to Marycliff University.

  None of this would be possible without the help of a variety of people. Leslie McAdam and Deb Markanton always have my back, whether I need help with fleshing out ideas, encouragement to keep going or take a break when I need it, or whipping my writing into a coherent shape that keeps readers reading, they’ve got it covered. Thank you both.

  Julia Heudorf for beta feedback. It’s always helpful to have more than one other person’s opinion on what kind of shape a story is in, and she is always happy to help. Thank you.

  All the bloggers who read, review, and post on their blogs and social media to share new books and new authors, thank you so much for your dedication and support.

  My Book Junkies. Your reactions to the sometimes random things I share with you always brings a smile to my face.

  And to my readers. Thank you for coming along for this ride. It just keeps getting better.

  Here’s a list of songs and pieces that are either mentioned in the book or embody the feeling of their relationship.

  Paint the Town Green by The Script

  I Lived by One Republic

  The Nights by Avicii

  Go Big or Go Home by American Authors

  Tonight by fun.

  Believer by American Authors

  The Cave by Mumford and Sons

  Piano Man by Billy Joel

  Nothing Without Love by Nate Ruess

  Oblivion by Bastille

  Better Place by Rachel Platten

  Sight of the Sun by fun.

  Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol

  Where We Gonna Go From Here by Mat Kearney

  Young Volcanoes by Fall Out Boy

  Chaconne from Partita in D minor by JS Bach

  Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major by WA Mozart

  Overture to Aida by Giuseppe Verdi

  Symphony No. 39 by WA Mozart

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  Jerica MacMillan is a lifelong reader and lover of romance. Nothing beats escaping into a book and watching people fall in love, overcome obstacles, and find their happily ever after. She was recently named a semi finalist in Harlequin’s So You Think You Can Write 2015 contest.

  Jerica is living her happily ever after in North Idaho with her husband and two children. She spends her days building with blocks, admiring preschooler artwork, and writing while her baby naps in the sling. Sign up to receive updates on her reading and writing life at www.JericaMacMillan.com.

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