by Sian Ceinwen
“Just looking at them is burning holes in my corneas!” she announced dramatically.
She finished the last of her cocktail, then followed him out on to the dance floor, and they danced together. It wasn’t at all like the way he’d been dancing with the other woman. He took her hand and spun her in a circle as she laughed, her dress flaring out around her.
They’d been dancing together for a song or two when Harrison joined them on the dance floor, taking Heather’s hand and spinning her around as well. All three were laughing and dancing together in a circle when the song changed to a slower song.
Harrison wrapped his arms around Heather from behind, and she melted into him, her senses flaring up with his nearness.
“Have fun, lovebirds!” Sebastian said with a laugh and a wave, then headed back to the bar.
Heather’s back was to Harrison’s chest, and he had his arms crossed over her shoulders, she tilted her head to the side, giving him access to her neck and he took the cue, immediately leaning down to kiss her there. Her skin seared where his lips had touched her; he lifted his head slightly to say, “I love you, Heather” in her ear, and she just smiled.
She turned her face up so he could kiss her fully on the mouth, and their tongues intertwined as they kissed. When their kiss ended, Heather was breathless. Harrison spun her around so she was facing him and dropped his hands to her waist to hold her tightly against him. She looked up into his brown eyes and could read the lust in them. She tilted her head up to his, and they kissed again, Heather wound her arms around his neck as he held her tightly to him.
Her attention was brought back to their surroundings as Heather realized that there was now an empty space around them, they were suddenly standing alone together in the middle of the dance floor and spotlights were shining down on them. She broke their kiss, and they both looked around in a lust-filled daze.
“Happy thirtieth birthday, Harrison!” Cooper Powell, Cruise Control’s manager, was announcing into a microphone as he walked toward them. Heather dropped her hands from around Harrison’s neck, and instinctively, she reached for and found his hand, linking it with her own.
Everyone cheered, and Heather saw that the rest of the band, Harrison’s parents, and her own family were following in Cooper’s wake. Heather felt guilty that she hadn’t sought them out to say hello sooner this evening. Harrison’s mom gave her a big smile when she saw her, and Heather returned it. His parents were like family to her, and his mom particularly seemed to view Heather as the daughter she’d never had.
Cooper’s wife, Helen, and Madeline Turner, one of Cooper’s assistants, were pushing a table toward them. Sitting on it was a massive cake in the shape of Harrison’s signature, custom Fender bass guitar. The detailing was so intricate that it genuinely looked like Harrison could pick it up and play it. It even had the Cruise Control symbol near the bridge, a perfect replica of the one Harrison used on stage.
She looked at his face and saw how pleased he was, and Heather was happy that Cooper’s team had managed to get something right for his big day. There was someone with a video camera near them, streaming the footage to the big screen above the crowd so everyone could see. The partygoers all cheered, and there was a rousing chorus of “Happy Birthday To You” before Harrison cut the cake.
As quickly as it had arrived, the cake was wheeled away again so that the staff could cut it into slices for their guests, and Cooper turned to Harrison, speaking into the microphone once again.
“I think it’s time for a speech, Harrison!”
The crowd cheered their approval, and Heather was surprised when Harrison took the mic from Cooper. She’d expected him to refuse; it wasn’t like him. He had gone white all over now and was looking incredibly nervous.
“Thanks so much for coming out tonight, everyone!”
Another cheer from the party guests.
“It means so much to me that everyone wanted to come and help us celebrate my thirtieth birthday. Thank you so much for this wonderful evening. This last decade has been pretty crazy.” He smiled over at his bandmates and parents. “I am so lucky to be where I am. Mom and Dad, you supported my dreams, and I love you for that. Seb, Hayden, and Gabriel, you guys are like my brothers.”
He turned to Heather, and his eyes met hers. He was perspiring slightly now, and she was surprised that he was so nervous. He didn’t like giving speeches, but he’d given so many interviews and even accepted awards with his speeches being streamed live worldwide that it seemed odd that he was so on edge tonight.
“Heather,” his voice softened the way it always did when he said her name, “you’re my angel. I love you so much. You’ve been by my side for ten years now, and I couldn’t ask for a better person to be my life partner. I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, before dropping to one knee in front of her. There was a collective gasp from the vast majority of the crowd around them, and Heather’s mouth dropped open.
“Most importantly, I don’t want to imagine my life without you in it. Heather Lillian York, will you marry me?” he said into the microphone.
Time seemed to stop as Heather took everything in. The camera was still on them; she could see them both on the massive screen behind Harrison. Everyone was waiting for her answer. She looked down at Harrison, their eyes met, and her entire body shook as one word flashed through her brain. Mine.
“Yes,” she finally managed to respond. “Of course!”
She wasn’t sure if the microphone had caught her words, but the entire venue seemed to erupt, as Harrison stood up and slipped the engagement ring on her left hand. She looked down at it and was amazed; Heather had never seen anything like it before. There was a massive, oval diamond set in the center, with a pink diamond either side and a split band set with diamonds down it. It was stunning.
She looked up at Harrison with tears in her eyes, and he leaned down to kiss her before they were enveloped by people wanting to wish them well. Harrison’s parents were first, followed by her mom, and then her brother. Next were the other members of Cruise Control.
“You know, Heather, there’s still time to change your mind and run away with me!” Sebastian winked at her as he hugged her.
“I’ll think about it, Seb.” She laughed at him.
“I fucking hope not!” Harrison said with a wry grin.
“Hey, if Heather’s happy to have mediocre sex with you for the rest of her life, that’s on her.”
Sebastian hugged him, as they both laughed. He moved aside, and then Gabriel and Ariana were there, both were smiling widely at them. In her current mood, Heather couldn’t muster up any anger; she was a bundle of pure joy. So, she accepted their congratulations and a hug from each of them without any incident.
The rest of the evening flew by in a whirl of congratulations, music, dancing, and drinking. Heather kept staring at her hand, disbelieving of the ring sitting there. Harrison had actually proposed. She hadn’t needed this; she was happy with their life together. Yet, she loved that he was her fiancé now and couldn’t wait for their wedding.
It was nearly four in the morning when she and Harrison finally got into a limousine to head home. It felt like thousands of pictures had been taken just on the walk from the venue entrance to their limo. Knowing that the news would be out before the morning, Heather had posted a picture of her engagement ring to Instagram hours ago, so she just posed for pictures with Harrison and happily showed off her ring. Finally, it was just them again.
“Are you happy, angel?” He smiled down at her.
“More than ever. How did you know?” she asked him.
“How did I know what?”
“The ring,” she held her hand up and stared at it, mesmerized, “it’s more perfect and beautiful than I could ever have imagined.”
“It was the only design I found that came even close to matching your beauty.”
Her heart skipped a beat, and she looked up at him.
“You’re my fiancé.”
“I’m your fiancé,” he confirmed.
“We should probably find out if engaged sex is as good as dating sex, then.” She grinned wickedly at him and moved closer so he could kiss her.
He didn’t need any further invitation, and he crashed his lips down on hers. Heather opened her mouth to his as she moved around, so she was sitting on his lap and facing him. They continued their kiss, and she felt him getting hard beneath her.
“I love you, Harrison Fletcher,” she said, and leaned down to kiss his neck.
“I need you so badly, Heather,” Harrison groaned.
As she began to kiss him on the lips again, he reached under her dress and slipped his hand into her underwear. She moaned his name loudly as he began to rub her clit, she was so wet, and she desperately needed him inside of her. She moved off him and slipped off her underwear, keeping eye contact with him as she did so.
“You’re so fucking sexy, angel.”
She unbuttoned his trousers, and he lifted his ass as she pulled them down to his feet. He looked amazing, still wearing his tuxedo shirt but with his massive erection and muscled legs exposed. She moved back, so she was straddling him again and lowered herself onto his cock.
He filled her so completely, and she slid up and down on him, loving the feeling of him filling her again each time she slid back down. He brought his mouth to hers, and they continued to move in rhythm. She felt herself approaching orgasm and wanted to hold off to keep this feeling going forever, but she couldn’t stop it from crashing over her. He continued to fuck her, and the intensity of it brought tears to her eyes. Her body was so sensitive that she didn’t think she could handle it, and soon she felt a second orgasm rock her body as he spasmed inside of her and let himself go.
She stayed there on top of him for a good five minutes before she could move again. When she did, it was exquisitely painful as he slid out of her. He reached over for some tissues, and they cleaned up as best they could.
“Engaged sex is definitely better than dating sex!” she declared as the car turned into their street. Harrison just laughed and kissed her again.
~JULY~
THIS CRUISE CONTROL FAN THEORY WILL BLOW YOUR MIND!
We’ve all seen the pictures of Gabriel Knight looking super in love with his new girlfriend, Ariana Chamberlain. Everyone is so happy for the couple, but Reddit user, cruisefanforever, thinks that Ariana might not be such a new girlfriend after all!
They suggested that Ariana might just be the infamous ‘Ariel,’ the mysterious girl who broke Gabriel’s heart in the past and led to him writing ‘Heart Wide Open.’ It didn’t take long for the internet to agree and #ArianaIsAriel has already started trending on social media.
Pictures have begun to surface of Gabriel on the ‘Cards Have Been Dealt’ tour with a brunette girl that does look suspiciously like Ariana. It’s hard to say for sure.
Meanwhile, Harrison’s proposal to Heather last month might just have been the cutest thing we’ve ever seen. Those two are 100% #couplegoals. Will Heather design her own wedding gown? Maybe Ariana can be a bridesmaid? Otherwise, we know plenty of people who would love to be a part of your special day, Heather! Inside sources tell us they’re looking at a May wedding, so we’ll keep our calendars open.
More to come.
Chapter 3
NOT EVEN YOKO
HEATHER WAS EXHAUSTED. IT was five in the evening, and she’d been up since roughly five this morning, sketching designs for her New York Fashion Week collection. She was in her large studio space, surrounded by mannequins, fabrics, and different types of sewing machines, overlockers, and more.
She was pleased with the work she’d completed today, though, and her collection was coming together nicely. In some ways, she could thank Ariana for Serenity’s success. It had been through opening up to Ariana about Heather’s desire to become a fashion designer that she had pursued it at all.
After Ariana left, when Gabriel had thrown himself into making music to get through his grief, she had turned to designing clothes. A large part of Heather worried that her designs were only popular due to the Cruise Control fans, and their desire to have any kind of connection to the band. Slowly, though, she had started getting positive reviews from critics as well.
She’d been making everything herself in the beginning, but now had a small group of women working for her doing most of the day to day work, leaving her to focus on the big picture for the line. Initially, she had sold her designs online but had started to be stocked in some high-end boutiques throughout the country now.
Still, everyone had been surprised when Heather had been given an invitation to show at New York Fashion Week this year. She’d had two small showings in Chicago when she was launching Serenity, but it was absolutely terrifying to be putting on her first big show, and she was so worried that she would completely bomb in New York.
She had a very real concern that the fashion world might write her off as just the girlfriend of a famous rock star, playing at being a fashion designer. There had already been more than a few nasty articles when she’d been invited to Fashion Week, implying that she was only invited because of Harrison, and saying that they thought she would bomb. Heather tried not to let them get to her; all she could do was focus on making her show the best it could possibly be.
Her focus for this collection was on flowing, free styles. No constraints; as much as possible, she was avoiding zippers and buttons. Everything felt fluid, and the color palette was bright and airy. She was trying to capture the essence behind the name she’d chosen for her label—Serenity. It had come to her early on because that’s how she felt when designing—serene. Everything else in the world could be blocked out while she focused on what she was trying to create.
Her phone buzzed and lit up; Harrison’s name and picture were displayed on the screen.
“Hi, honey.” She answered it.
“Hey, angel, are you leaving any time soon?”
Heather stood up and stretched her muscles; she hadn’t realized how much they had been aching until she moved.
“Yeah, I’ll leave in about half an hour or so, I guess. Why?”
“Sebastian wants us all to come around to his place tonight.”
“Who is ‘us all’?” Heather’s eyes narrowed as she asked the question.
“Yes, Gabriel and Ariana are invited, too.”
“Why would Sebastian invite her?” She pursed her lips.
“He invited Gabriel, and that meant inviting Ariana. Heather, we haven’t all been together since my birthday, can’t we just get along?”
They’d argued off and on over the last month about this. Heather had dodged a couple of Cruise Control events, using the excuse of needing to work on her collection. Heather didn’t know if he’d done it on purpose, but he’d caught her out tonight by asking her plans first.
“You’re kidding yourself if you think Seb’s going to play nicely,” Heather warned him.
“Sebastian isn’t my concern, Heather. Gabriel told me that Ariana is really upset by the fact that you haven’t spoken to her since they got back together.”
A wave of anger flooded over her. Once again, she was being made out to be the bad guy. Did Ariana really think that she could just come back and everything would be as if the last two years had never happened? She was an idiot if she thought that.
“I’m not going to dignify that with an answer, Harrison. All I will say is that I have made my position perfectly clear to you. I do not want to be friends with her, but okay, for your sake and only for your sake, I promise to be civil.”
“So, you will come tonight, then?”
“Yes, I’ll come. I’ll leave now. Are we eating there?”
“I’m pretty sure Seb’s ordering food. We’re just going to hang out and play pool, drink some alcohol; it’ll be like old times.”
<
br /> Heather seethed internally, but took a deep breath and let it slide without comment. It wasn’t worth the argument. Clearly, she had a very different view on ‘old times’ than Harrison did. Every memory of those days was upsetting for her. She wished that Gabriel had never met Ariana at all.
“Right. Well, I’ll see you soon. Love you, honey.”
“Love you, angel.” He paused. “So much. You know that, right?”
Just like that, her bad mood cleared, and she smiled at his words. He was her constant.
“I do. I can’t wait to see you. Bye.”
They hung up, and Heather started clearing away her workspace. She didn’t need to; nobody would come in before she was back here tomorrow to do some more work, but she needed this time to clear her head before driving home.
After carefully making sure that the lights were off and the doors were locked, Heather headed down to the parking garage underneath the building. As she approached her red Tesla, the door handles popped out, and she opened the door to slide into the driver’s seat. She pressed the button for the car to direct her home and pulled out into the street.
She relied on the car to drive her home probably more than she should have, her mind distracted with thoughts about the coming evening. She found that she wanted to talk to Sebastian, so she pulled up his number from her contacts on the big screen in the middle of the car and dialed him.
“Yo, what’s up, sexy lady?” Sebastian answered her call.
“Sebastian, darling, what the fuck? We’re all coming to your place tonight?”
“Yeah.” She could almost hear him roll his eyes as he said it.
“Why?”
“We haven’t all hung out in ages, and I wanted to see your sexy body, of course!”
Now Heather was the one rolling her eyes.
“Seb, be serious.”
“I was, but okay. Also, I just really fucking miss everyone and thought it would be fun to hang out.”
It was often easy to forget that Sebastian had any emotions at all, but the love he did have was reserved almost entirely for the band. He closed himself off to women and relationships, but loved them all and was incredibly loyal. That was probably part of why he’d refused to forgive Ariana for her departure.
