by Amy L. Gale
He takes off his jacket and loosens his tie as I grab my cell phone and dial Jenna’s number. She picks up on the second ring.
“Hello?” She already has attitude in her voice.
My heart races. “Can we please talk?”
“I guess someone should, now that Van has abandoned everyone.”
I sigh. “Please don’t be so theatrical. I really want to fix this before it gets out of hand.”
“It’s already out of hand. I’m surprised there isn’t a bounty on Van’s head, or yours for that matter,” she shouts.
I twirl my hair around my trembling fingers. “Blame me; let everyone blame me. I pushed him to it. I made him choose.”
“Yeah you did. Before you came into his life he’d never abandon the band. Out of all the shows on the tour, this one was most important to Devil’s Garden’s future and you wouldn’t let him stay. It was Lexie’s way or the highway, and now we all have to suffer. But hey, you got to have your boyfriend at your sister’s wedding so everything worked out.” Her voice drips with sarcasm.
A low growl erupts in my throat. “That’s not fair. I’m sure you’ve faced some situations like this with Marcus. I don’t mind taking a back seat to the band for many things, but this was really important to me and my family, and I needed him. I’m sorry it turned into a shit storm.” Tears well up in my eyes.
“You’re right; I’ve faced situations like this. We shouldn’t always come second to the band, but sometimes we have to and this was one of those times.”
My face is hot and my jaw clenches. I take a few deep breaths to calm myself down. Jenna is my only hope of correcting things, so fighting with her isn’t going to help my cause. “I understand that now, but what’s done is done. What can we do to fix things and get back on track?”
“I’ll let the guys know that you called and see what they want to do. Please promise me that you won’t let him pass up any more huge opportunities from now on unless it’s your wedding day. Maybe not even then.”
Wow, she is something. I exhale loudly. “I promise. Call me back and let me know what needs to be done.”
I close my cell phone and turn to Van, who’s sitting on the bed taking off his shoes. “She’s going to call back after she talks to the guys. I’ll make sure we fix this. Too many women are blamed for bands fighting and I’m not going to be one of them.”
I reach around and unzip the back of my dress, letting it fall to the floor. My heels click on the hardwood floors as I step out of it and walk over to the bed. Slowly, I crawl onto the smooth sheets and straddle Van. “You do wonders for this suit, but I prefer what’s underneath.” I softly kiss his neck and gently tug at the buttons of his shirt, exposing his perfectly chiseled chest.
“I would miss anything in the world for this.” Van pulls my hips toward him, grinding my body against his.
My heart rate accelerates and my skin flushes. I slide off his shirt, toss it to the floor, and push him backwards, lowering him onto the bed. I lay on top of him, pressing my body against his.
He rolls to his side so we’re facing each other and lightly brushes his fingers over my breasts, down my abdomen, and under my panties.
My muscles twitch as adrenaline rushes through my veins. My body aches for him. “Oh Van, I need you.”
“No reason to rush tonight. For once, we have time.” He continues his sexy assault, gently rubbing my most sensitive areas and slides his fingers inside of me.
My heart pounds and my breathing is quick and heavy. A loud groan escapes from my throat. He moves his talented fingers in a perfect rhythm, causing my body to erupt with pure pleasure. Once I regain focus, I roll Van over and straddle him, pressing his wrists against the bed.
He wets his lips. “Now that you’ve got me, what will you do with me?”
I brush my lips across his and send soft kisses down his body, bit by bit. I run my tongue over his salty skin, tracing every peak and valley. He moans and his muscles tighten when I glide my tongue across his stomach, ending just underneath his belly button. I take my time, sweeping my lips along the rim of his boxers, slowly pulling them down. I slide my tongue over the tip of him and his breathing becomes erratic.
“My God, you’re killing me. Don’t stop.”
My mouth engulfs him, gently sucking, aiming to alleviate his frustration. I stop after a few minutes, leaving him wanting more. He looks up at me with those emerald eyes, feverish and over-bright. I creep up and ease myself on top of him, slowly rocking my body back and forth. I’m breathless. We both groan as I run my hands behind me, over his body. Our breathing accelerates. He grips my hips tight and rolls me over. I gasp and dig my fingers into his back as he thrusts inside of me, starting off slow and easy, and increasing his intensity with each thrust. My nerve endings prickle and I wrap my legs around him, squeezing tight and pulling him as deep inside of me as I possibly can. I groan as he fills me. We meet each other thrust for thrust, our bodies giving in to the passion and exploding with desire at nearly the same time.
Van buries his head in my shoulder, catching his breath. He looks up at me and tucks my hair behind my ear, brushing his hand against my face. “You’re so beautiful.” He gazes into my eyes, gently placing a kiss on my lips. “Other than Marcus’s, this is the only wedding I’ve been to. Do they all end like this?”
“They will now.” I push Van’s hair out of his face, stealing another kiss. My eyes travel down to his impeccably sculpted torso as I pull away. That thin sheet lying over his waist is the only thing separating me from intense pleasure. My heart races again. God, he’s sexy. Time for round two.
My phone rings, interrupting my seductive thoughts. I inhale deeply and check the screen. It’s Jenna.
“Hello?”
“I talked to the guys and they finally decided to end their pissing contest. Everyone wants to straighten this out.”
Thank God. I let out a deep breath. “I hope it’s more talking than fighting and that they can all come to an agreement.”
“Umm, it’s not going to be that easy. Since you and Van are together now, we all need to talk this out, including you and me. When do you start work?”
Why am I part of this? It should be between Van and the band, but if the guys consider Jenna and me part of the package, then I better be there. “I have a mandatory meeting on Wednesday, and I start the next Monday. What did you have in mind?”
“Our next show’s in Idaho on Tuesday. Can you guys come to Kansas on Monday? Then you can head back home and we can get back on the tour.”
I turn to Van and fill him in on the plan. “Ok, we’ll meet you at Van’s house on Monday.”
I close my phone and take a deep breath. Emptiness fills the pit of my stomach. I run my hands over my face and turn to Van, who’s drifting off to sleep. Please let my mind turn off so I can do the same. How will this meeting go? Everyone’s pissed at us, especially at me, and from what I’ve heard about Van’s temper, things can quickly go awry. I just want to get this over with as quickly as possible.
The morning sun floods the room with a vengeance, blinding me. I stretch, rub my eyes, and greet the new day. Van’s still sleeping peacefully. His hair scatters around his face in a sexy mess while his body slowly moves with each breath, allowing the sun to accentuate his muscles. My heart rate quickens. Even in his altered state of consciousness, Van Sinclair is perfect.
He wakes and catches me staring at him.
My face flushes.
He smiles his sexy half smile. “Like what you see?”
“Best view in the world.” I lean over to kiss his cheek. “Not that being rushed is anything new to us, but Bryce’s parents are having a brunch downstairs in forty-five minutes.”
“I was hoping we could stay in bed all day.” Van sighs. “Ok, let’s hit the showers.” He playfully smacks my behind.
I hop out of bed. “I’m showering first. I’m sure my Dad doesn’t want to meet us coming out together.”
He scrunches h
is eyebrows. “They know we were on tour together for months. Do they think we were sleeping alone in all of those hotel rooms?”
“It doesn’t seem right to throw it in their face.” I snatch my toothbrush and head to the bathroom.
The invigorating shower relaxes my tense muscles as well as my mind. I return to our room to find Van on the phone making airline arrangements.
“Guess it’s my turn.” He grabs his jeans and a gray T-shirt and makes his way to the shower.
Who would have thought we needed a full wardrobe for this weekend? The only clean outfit I have left is my red, strapless dress, while Van only has his suit, jeans, and T-shirts. Cynthia may have a nervous breakdown when she sees us. I’m sure my mother will have some comments, too. I finish up my make-up as Van enters the room.
“Wow, you look hot.” Van stands behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing the back of my neck.
“Right back at ya.” How can he look so great without even trying?
He runs his fingers through his damp hair, causing it to become the perfect balance of sleek and sexy.
Knock Knock. “Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey,” Brooke calls.
Van opens the door, letting Brooke and Dean into our room.
“Are we going to a stuffy brunch or a concert?” Brooke chuckles and looks me up and down. “Cynthia’s going to freak out.”
“Great! I’ll be known as the slut of the brunch.” I roll my eyes and grab my small purse.
“You may have earned that reputation already. These walls are either really thin or you were having the time of your life last night.” Brooke raises her eyebrows and smirks at me.
Dean looks down at the floor, holding his lips together, trying not to smile.
I cover my mouth with my hand. Ugh! My parents’ room is not very far from ours. I can’t even blame Sydney since she spent her wedding night in a lavish hotel. I drop my hand. “You know what? I may as well play the part. Anyone who sees Van will understand why I can’t keep my hands off of him.”
“You go girl!” Brooke nudges my arm and we make our way downstairs.
I hold on to Van’s hand for dear life as we enter the ballroom. My mother’s eyes widen. She crosses her arms and shakes her head. Everyone in the room is staring at us. Why doesn’t this bother Van? He stands with his shoulders back and his head held high. I guess he’s accustomed to judging eyes staring at him.
My mother walks toward us. “Really Lexie? We’re at an elegant southern plantation and you chose to wear that?” She waves her hand in front of me.
“I didn’t know I needed a million outfits mom, so this is what I have left. Sorry to disappoint.” I grip Van’s hand tighter and clench my jaw.
“You’re the most beautiful woman in the room no matter what you wear.” Van kisses my cheek. Our eyes meet as we stand facing each other, blocking out the rest of the world.
My mother sighs. “Come on you two. Let’s sit down before you bring any more attention to yourselves.”
We follow my mother and join everyone at the table.
My dad speaks first. “So kids, did everyone have a good time at the wedding?”
“Oh yes, Mr. Waters. Lexie was just telling us about what a great time she had last night.” Brooke flashes a devious grin at me.
I kick her under the table and give her a death stare. “We had lots of fun Dad.”
“Do you need me to take anything back to our apartment for you?” Brooke asks.
“Nope, I have most of my stuff and I’ll get the rest soon. We’re making a quick pit stop at Van’s house but I’ll be back at the apartment on Tuesday.” I shove a forkful of eggs benedict into my mouth.
She wrinkles her eyebrows and sets down her crystal goblet full of orange juice. “I thought you were coming home later tonight. Tomorrow’s Labor Day.” Brooke’s face reddens.
“It’s Labor Day, not Christmas. No biggie. I’ll be home Tuesday. I have a meeting with my boss on Wednesday, and then I’m free until Monday. Don’t worry; we’ll have lots of time to spend together.” I blow her a kiss and sip my coffee.
Brooke sighs. “I was going to throw a surprise welcome home cookout for you tomorrow, but I guess that plan is shot to hell.” She drops her fork onto the table.
I certainly have a gift for pissing people off lately. “That’s really sweet of you to do, but my life is on a constant schedule now. Surprises aren’t included.” I grip my napkin.
She shakes her head. “What was I thinking trying to surprise my best friend with a party?” She looks away. “If that’s what you still are.”
I let out a deep sigh and drop my napkin. “Please just cut me a break. I’ll be home Tuesday.”
Brooke flashes a meek smile and nods her head slowly. “Tuesday it is.”
The whole table is absolutely quiet. Jeeze, am I at the library? It’s not like we had a battle royal at the brunch. Everything’s fine. Thank God the guys finally make small talk about sports and music to break the tension. I pick at my fingernails and patiently wait for brunch to be over; it seems like it is taking days. Finally, Van and I head back to our room.
“Well, that went well. I guess we’ll have to clone ourselves to make everyone happy.” I violently shove my clothes into my suitcase.
“It doesn’t really matter, as long as we’re happy.” He grasps my arm and pulls me into an embrace.
I wrap my arms around his neck and hold him close to me. “I’m glad we’re going to your house tonight. I need a night to be with you and only you and forget about the rest of the world.”
“I got us on a three p.m. flight, so we’ll be at my house by the evening.” Van tilts my chin up and softly kisses my lips. “You should probably leave some of your stuff at my place so you’ll have it when you need it. I’ll clear out a few drawers for you.”
My heart rate spikes and my stomach flip-flops. It isn’t like we’re moving in with each other, but it’s a step in that direction. “You should probably leave some of your stuff at my apartment too.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
I change into jeans and a T-shirt and quickly say my goodbyes. Brooke’s gotten over our fight. Thank God, I don’t need any drama when I see her on Tuesday. We thank Mr. and Mrs. Thomas for having us at their home and quickly hug and kiss my parents.
I sigh as I step inside the plane. Tomorrow will consist of a horrible battle before any resolution is made. Fortunately, tonight is the calm before the storm. My heart flutters; a night completely alone with Van. No distractions. No time constraints. Just two people in love, enjoying some much needed quality time with each other. I turn to the stunning man sitting next to me as he holds my hand in his lap.
My mind wanders during the flight. Why are all our friends turning against us because we choose each other over anything or anyone else? Jenna and Brooke are hypocrites; they would certainly choose their men too. Everything in life comes with a choice, and I choose Van Sinclair.
CHAPTER 20—KANSAS, REVISITED
The plane follows the setting sun, reflecting golden rays through the window as we land in Kansas. Luck is on our side, we’re able to stroll right out and catch a cab. All the fanfare is absent. No screaming fans, no autographs to sign. Ah, a nice surprise. It’s probably because this is an unplanned and unannounced trip. The short cab ride leads us to a dark, isolated house. I rest my head back and gaze out the window. It’s the most welcoming sight I’ve seen in the last few months.
Van clutches our bags with one hand and puts his arm around me with the other as we walk up to the huge wrap-around porch. I sit on the swing and take a deep breath, inhaling the fresh summer air while he fumbles with his keys. Finally, the porch light turns on, illuminating our path. I follow Van into the house. Everything’s exactly as we left it.
“We only have soda and water. I guess we should’ve stopped for some food.” Van holds the refrigerator door open and searches its contents.
I glide my hands up his back and kiss his neck. “I
think there’s still some pasta sauce left.” I open the freezer and remove a frozen pint. “I can boil some noodles and put a bottle of wine in the fridge.”
“You can make the best out of anything. One of the many things I love about you.” He spins me around and pins me against the refrigerator, smashing his lips into mine. The door slams shut. “Let’s get our stuff upstairs.”
Van carries our bags up to the bedroom. He drops them and collapses onto his bed. “I’ve missed you.” He hugs a pillow and professes his love to the bed.
I giggle while he rolls around on his purple sheets. He’s more content than I’ve seen him in a while.
He suddenly sits up and lunges for me, grabbing me by the hips. I squeal as he pulls me backwards onto the bed with him. The smooth satin sheets cool my skin. How refreshing. It’s great to be carefree and playful. He rolls on top of me with his face hovering above mine. “I consider this our bed since you’re the only woman who’s ever been in it.” He kisses my lips softly, staring into my eyes.
“I’m proud to earn that honor.” I raise my eyebrows placing a quick, sweet kiss on his lips as his hair tickles my face. “Well, since it’s ours, which side is mine?”
Van gently rubs his nose against mine. “Lady’s choice.”
“We’ll have to see what side I end up on later.”
Van pushes himself up. “I’m losing track of why I came up here.” He stands up and walks toward a tall chest of drawers. “Are three drawers enough?”
I nod.
“Bouncing between here and your apartment’s gonna be tough. Then I guess we’ll see what happens.” He sighs, his lips forming a hard line.
Ugh. Please don’t let him bring this up again. We’re not making a decision until I get settled with my new job and he finds out the details of his new album and tour. No need to re-visit the fight we had the last time we were in Kansas. How can I change the subject quickly?
“I’m all out of clean clothes.” I twirl my hair around my fingers.
