Wild Chase

by L. A. Bressett

  “Do what?”

  Turning her head, she cuts her half-glazed morning eyes at me.

  “You heard me. That sexy, son of bitch that just left my bedroom is celibate! C-e-l… IBIT!” she whisper-yells at me.

  My jaw hangs open slightly.

  “Nu-uh! What happened?” I ask, hoping that she doesn’t catch on to my genuine amusement. There had not been a man yet who could resist this girl once she had her eyes on him. At least, not until last night.

  She snorts, “We baked cookies and frolicked through fields of dandelions, Chase. What the hell do you think happened? You found me asleep in the bathtub— sans beefcake!”

  I shrug my shoulders, keeping my mouth shut. Vic is one of those people that will eventually blurt out everything bothering her after she has a quick tantrum.

  Rubbing her hands over her face repeatedly, she sighs heavily.

  “Everything was going great. He’s quiet, which is not something I’m used to, but we had such a great time yesterday. He’s really sweet and funny, and once everyone headed to bed and he followed me to my room, I naturally thought, hey! my lucky panties did the trick!” I chose this moment to roll my eyes, but luckily, she didn’t notice.

  “I started laying on all my moves and he instantly froze up, telling me that while he likes me a lot, he didn’t want me to get the wrong idea about him. He said he’s been celibate for a long time for ‘personal reasons’, whatever the hell that means! Then he kissed me on the cheek before curling up in my bed and falling asleep. I couldn’t just lay next to him in my ‘no longer lucky’ undies, so I grabbed my blankey and snuck in here.”

  Shaking my head, I find myself at a loss for words.

  I want to laugh so badly, but I know she is genuinely upset, so I take a second to collect myself before finding the right… well, some words to say.

  “It’s not that bad, Vic. He said he likes you, and that’s great! Besides, you don’t have to rush into anything. You just met, plus, it’s just sex,” I finally say, trying to sound as casual about it as possible.

  “Easy for you to say!” She roars, nearly shouting at me. I raise a finger to my lips to hush her.

  “They are all right out there you know!” I whisper to her, making my way to the door.

  “I know you’re right, because let’s face it, it’s not the end of the world, but it still sucks! I looked super cute last night, too. And his dimples had me all kinds of horny,” she grumbles, standing up and leaving her blanket behind.

  “I could have done without that last bit of information,” I state in my annoyed voice, making a stank face at her.

  Rolling her eyes, she smacks my shoulder.

  “Oh, come on, I saw you last night. Between the two guys singing and then Jesse serenading you, I thought you were gonna ‘O’ right there on the couch.”

  Horrified, my jaw drops, “SHUT UP! I WAS NOT! Jeez! You’re as bad as Adam! Gahh! Don’t take your sexual frustrations out on me, all right? I’ve got my own crap to deal with, thank you very much.”

  Rolling her eyes, she puts a hand on her hip and stares me down, “I hate to break it to ya, but my sexual frustrations fail in comparison to yours honey. All that mess you’re dealing with is about 80% pent up sexual tension and only about 20% repressed feelings because anyone with half a brain can see that crap in the way y’all look at each other. I mean, your first time doesn’t really even count, Chase! It’s awkward, it hurts, and you barely know what you’re doing. You don’t have a clue what you’re missing out on or you would have already been speed dialing those people that make those cookie bouquets and sending me a sympathy gift after finding out that a fine specimen of a man like that is celibate.”

  I literally stand there and mutter out the beginnings of an argument that I can’t even seem to form into actual words.

  “You are impossible,” I finally say.

  “Yeah, well it’s not my fault. Blame the hot celibate. How y’all willingly go without, I’ll never understand,” she mutters, pushing passed me and heads down the hall to her room.

  I shake my head and lock the bathroom door behind her, hoping that a shower will scrub away all the craziness flying through my head.

  After I get her comforter out of it, that is.

  After taking far too long to get ready, I come out of my room in a pair of jeans, flats, and a few layered tank tops in random colors, to find my kitchen completely cleaned up and everyone else dressed and ready to head out.

  Looking around, “Thank you mystery cleaner-upper person!”

  Kennedy smiles, “It was the least we could do. I haven’t eaten that well in weeks. Thanks.”

  Jesse walks over and links pinkies with me; for some reason, it makes me grin like a schoolgirl.

  “You ready?” he asks, smiling just as much as I am.

  Nodding, I grab my bag and notice my roommate is still in her pajamas.

  “You’re not coming along?” I ask, sounding worrisome.

  She shakes her head, “Nah, I have a test shoot in a little while that I can’t miss. Some make up campaign.”

  While everyone gathers up their belongings, I notice Kennedy making his way over to Vic and leaning in closely to whisper something to her. A faint pink color takes over her cheeks and a sly grin appears. She turns to look at him and he leans in further and kisses her gently. I turn away quickly, not wanting to invade their private moment, but secretly laughing on the inside.

  TOLD YA! I think to myself.

  The ride over is hella awkward, and by hella, I mean *% *#$*ing awkward.

  First, Jesse insists that I ride with them. Olivia isn’t shy about her complete discontent in the matter. I receive dirty look after dirty look from the girl, and considering that I am making a conscious effort not to stare at her man, you’d think she would have been in a better mood.

  Kennedy hops in to drive and Adam calls shotgun. As I climb into the back, all I can hear is Olivia’s whiney voice going on and on under her breath about purple something or another. Jesse follows in closely behind me, snuggling in closer to me than he needs to be. Truthfully, I don’t really mind.

  The huge, black SUV fit all of us comfortably. I had never seen a vehicle with the windows completely tinted before. I hadn’t really noticed that all of the guys had put on hats and sunglasses before we left the apartment. It was easy at times to forget that they were celebrities; they really are just a great group of guys.

  Until they ruin you for all other men, I thought bitterly as I gaze out of the window.

  When we finally arrive at the studio, I follow in closely behind Jesse. I hesitate at the door, suddenly feeling out of place, as if I have no real business being here, when I felt a gentle hand at my back. Looking over my shoulder, Avery’s stormy eyes meet mine and he gives me a gentle smile.

  “Go on, Chase,” he whispers, making sure that his words are so quiet that no one else hears them but me. I don’t want to feel comfort from him, but it doesn’t matter what my head tells me, my body reacts to him as it always does. I kindly smile back at him and my legs start to move with a renewed purpose.

  It hits me—I am actually in one of Blurr’s recording studios! My heart starts to race wildly as we pass a few doors until the guys start filing into one at the end of the long hallway.

  Inside the room looks like any other recording facility that I’ve seen in photos; soundboards, speakers, couches, and headphones are all over the place. My heart swells at the sight of the separate room through the glass with the microphones and instruments, but my feet stop moving just inside the doorway as I stand in complete awe.

  Before I can take it all in, Olivia huffs, barreling in passed me, nearly knocking me over in the process.

  “We don’t have all day, you know!” she mutters, throwing her purse and body onto the leather sofa. “You know they only have a certain amount of time in here, and it’s all paid for hourly.”

  Avery actually rolls his eyes, tossing his hat and glasses onto a nearby t
able with all of the other guys’ stuff.

  “Olivia, seriously? She’s our guest.” He gazes back at me with an apologetic look; I just shrug. What the hell am I supposed to say to that?

  “Mel, this is Mike, Mike this is the sexy genius I was telling you about,” Jesse says, yanking my hand and dragging me a few feet over to a middle age guy in a chair at the soundboard. He flashes a weird look over to the couch before he gives me a hesitant smile and shakes my hand.

  “Well, play it, Mike!” Jesse exclaims, sounding as excited as a kid on Christmas morning.

  The producer begins flicking around with a few knobs here and there. Jesse directs me to sit in the free seat by the soundboard as the song starts to play and I can’t help but instantly smile. The song is noticeably heavier than before, but the violin makes the song come alive. Alternating between Jesse’s heavier voice and Avery’s smooth vocals, there’s no doubt in my mind that the song will be a hit. I shut my eyes and completely lose myself, playing along to Adam’s killer drumbeat with my hands. Opening my eyes, I peek around the room and all of the guys are watching me, smiling. I close my eyes again and listen as the rest of the song plays, quietly humming to myself and then softly singing along for all of a few seconds before Jesse’s hand flies over to my shoulder and startles me.

  “Hold on. Do that again.”

  I wrinkle my forehead and look up at him, “Do what again?”

  “Mike, back it up by about 20 seconds. Sing that ad-lib you just did again,” Jesse demands. The excitement in his voice matches the excitement in his bright blue eyes.

  Looking around at all the other guys, they all nod at me.

  What am I missing here?

  I wrangle in my thoughts as Jesse turns a few knobs and the song starts to play again. I sing out again, hoping I did whatever it was he wanted me to do. I make an unsure face as I look around the room again, hoping someone will pipe up with an answer.

  “DUDE!” Adam says, hoping up from the couch and coming over to lean on the soundboard next to me.

  “Right?” Jesse answers him before turning his attention back to me.

  “So what do you think of the track?” he asks me casually.

  Smiling and tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear, “It’s amazing! It really turned out incredible. The way you guys did the violin piece—it’s insane.”

  Jesse sweeps his eyes around the room before bringing them back to me. “I think it could be better.”

  Yup, I’m still confused.

  “I’m not following…” I mumble, twisting my fingers in my lap nervously.

  “I want to see what it sounds like with you taking on Avery’s vocal part on the track,” Jesse states slowly, waiting to see my response.

  I must be dreaming right now. Pinching my arm I look down at the almost purple mark I leave behind.

  Twisting my head back up to him, “Are you serious?”

  “No, he can’t possibly be serious! Jesse, have you lost your mind? Don’t you think—A) you should check with your LEAD SINGER first! And—B) you need MY father’s permission before you do something like this!” Olivia seethes, standing to her feet and crossing her arms across her chest.

  Jesse rolls his eyes and looks over at Avery.

  “Olivia, he doesn’t need to ask me anything because I already know he’s right. I don’t expect you to understand. Her voice on the track is going to sound twenty times better than mine will. And secondly, we already have the other version nearly done. We can do it this way and see which one the label prefers when the time comes,” Avery says firmly, his eyes never leaving hers. She glares at him and then sits back down on the sofa, arms still crossed. Well, damn.

  Adam does one of those whistle sounds and the she-devil glares at him, but he just turns around and winks at me.

  “So?” he asks, raising his eyebrows.

  My heart falls into my stomach and then shoots back up into my chest.

  HOLY SHIT BALLS.

  They are really asking me to sing on one of their tracks and I can’t remember how to breathe.

  “Pretty please, with whipped cream and a cherry on top?” Jesse asks, pouting his full lips at me as he holds a hand out. As I take it, he pulls me up, out of my seat, and far too close to his own body than should be allowed in a room full of people. He watches me closely, his lips turning up into one of those sideways grins that I’m starting to like a little too much. When he flashes his almost perfectly straight white teeth at me and swipes his tongue across them, I get a glimpse of that tongue ring and my brain short circuits.

  I bite the corner of my lip, nervously messing with my lip piercing, unable to think straight when he starts doing things like that. I think I nod.

  “YES!” he breathes out, gripping onto my arms and quickly planting a kiss on my cheek.

  He leans in next to Adam and Mike, and starts talking about the song. Avery crosses the room in a few steps and takes me by the forearm.

  “I’ll take her in there guys,” he says, tugging me in the direction of the microphone on the other side of the glass.

  When he opens the door and I take my first step inside, I almost forget that he’s even there. All of the guys’ instruments lay around the room and as I walk in, I ever so slowly trace my finger over the top of the neck of Jesse’s bass. I turn and see the microphone and my hands fly up over my mouth in an attempt to hide the emotion that’s bound to pour out of me at any given moment. Suddenly, Avery circles around me, standing between the glass and me so that no one can see anything but his back. He reaches up and grabs the headphones and gently places them around my neck, letting his hand slowly trace its way from my shoulder all the way down my arm. This one little movement sends shivers all the way up my body.

  “You belong in here,” he says, his voice low and soft, caressing me in ways I know it shouldn’t. I place my hands on the headphones and look up at him, glad that he’s in here with me because I know he can see the tears welling up in my eyes, but he doesn’t pry. He completely understands just how incredible this moment is to me. As I pull the headphones up, he brushes my hair back for me and helps adjust them so that they fit my head. He smiles at me, in a way that looks like he’s proud and sad all at the same time. The back of his finger gently skimming along the side of my cheek before he lets his hand fall to his side. We take one final quiet moment together before he reaches back and presses a button on the wall.

  “She’s ready,” he says before turning and walking back out of the door. Jesse comes over the speaker and I look up at him and grin.

  “All right, Babe! First, the sheet with Avery’s part should be in that stack of papers in front of you. Second, go ahead and take a minute to warm up while we finish getting things ready.”

  “Oh ok! Um, y’all aren’t gonna listen to me while I warm up, are you?” I ask with a nervous laugh. He smiles and I can see him laugh, but he doesn’t press the button, he just shakes his head no.

  I give them a thumbs up as I watch Adam playing around with some headphones as he flops down into the chair I was in. Avery and Kennedy stand behind him, seemingly fascinated with Mike and Jesse’s conversation.

  Taking a deep breath I close my eyes and start doing probably the stupidest warm up ever. I start rapping.

  “Holy, fucking, shit…” Adam mutters, staring at Chase with a huge grin on his face. He taps Kennedy, and hands over the headphones. Kennedy places them up to his ear and his face lights up. Letting out a soft chuckle, he smacks Avery on the back and hands the headphones over. Avery pulls them over his head hesitantly, but then jerks his head around to look at the girl behind the glass.

  “Un-fucking-believable!” he breathes, the amazement on his face blatantly obvious.

  Adam stands up, takes the headphones off Avery, and plants them onto Jesse without any warning.

  “What the—” Jesse starts before his eyes widen and his eyes look up at the girl with lavender hair. He stands to his feet, unable to take his eyes off her.

>   “I don’t understand why you guys are wasting your time on this girl. I don’t even see why you guys think she’s so talented!”

  Adam, Avery, and Kennedy all turn around and gape at her. Avery leans up and presses a big red button and suddenly, Chase’s voice rings out throughout the room, half singing and half rapping to the song “Super Bass.”

  Olivia stares through the glass as she listens to the girl belt her heart out. Her mouth falls open before she shuts it and frowns. Avery shakes his head at her and turns his attention back to Chase.

  “Not only can she sing, but the girl can rap, too,” Adam says, giving Liv a cold shoulder as he turns back to watch Chase finish up.

  “You don’t find someone like her every day. That kind of talent is something rare, Olivia. Like it or not, she’s about to be around a whole lot more,” Jesse declares, his blue eyes still stuck on the girl at the mic.

  “Do you have any idea how incredible you were in there?” Jesse asks me as he pulls me out of the studio and into the hallway.

  After a few takes, I’m almost dizzy and breathless and completely and utterly happy. For a little while, my entire world of problems just didn’t exist.

  I grin up at him and shake my head no.

  He shakes his head in disbelief and laughs, “Seriously? Well, you were. I could have watched you in there all day. I still can’t believe that you can rap!”

  My eyes bulge out of my head, “YOU SAID YOU WEREN’T GOING TO LISTEN TO THAT!” I reach out and playfully smack him across the chest—his very firm chest.

  Chuckling, “Well, I didn’t intend to, but I am so very glad that I did. It was hot.”

  I feel my cheeks warm. I lick my lips and stare down at the floor for a minute.

  “Go out with me,” he says, reaching out and twirling his fingers around with some of mine.

  Our eyes meet and I almost feel sick.

  I want to tell him yes, but my stomach is twisting around in knots.

  No, butterflies.

  Saying yes would be selfish and wrong on so many levels, CHASE! my head screams as I debate on what to say to him…