by Tamara Adams
"Oh! I could. Yes… um…"
He was laughing at her silently when she finally looked at him. But the smile quickly faded from his beautiful blue eyes, replaced by something hot and urgent.
Gently he pulled her towards him and leaned in.
His lips hovered just over hers for a moment before swooping down and molding to hers. Her lips opened in surprise and his tongue delved inside quickly, almost as if he were afraid she would change her mind.
His arm slid around her waist and she arched against him, giving into the feelings coursing through her body. He eased her backwards onto the couch and positioned his body overs hers so that he was pressed against her intimately.
His hands slid up and over her chest, caressing her through her shirt and bra. Their legs intertwined as the kiss intensified to almost a frenzy. He was easing her shirt up when she felt it.
Justin was hard.
He started rocking his hips against her so that his erection pressed directly between her legs. She froze, utterly panicked.
"Don't!"
He held perfectly still above her, breathing heavily. His eyes looked pained as he stared down at her.
"What is it? Are you alright?"
She gave him a gentle nudge and he pulled back, scooting a little further down the couch. He looked worried and so, so sexy. Meanwhile Cerise wanted to sink into the couch and disappear.
"Cerise? Are you okay?"
She grabbed a pillow and held it in front of her. Finally she nodded.
"Yes, I'm alright."
"Did I do something wrong?"
She shook her head quickly.
"No. It's not you. It's just- I'm a-"
She looked at him, feeling utterly miserable and embarrassed.
"You're a what?"
"I'm a virgin."
To say that Justin looked stunned was an understatement. But a moment later something changed. He looked… thrilled. He smiled tenderly at her as he pulled her towards him again.
"Oh sweetheart that's alright. We don't have to do anything you don't want to. Okay?"
She nodded shakily.
"I just got excited. You feel so good. Can I kiss you? Maybe touch you a little?"
"Okay."
"Just okay? You don't want me to?"
He held her chin, gently raising it so she was looking at him.
"Yes. I do."
He smiled at her so sweetly that her breath caught in her throat. Later, when he eased her back down onto the couch, she wasn't afraid. Even when he pressed his body against hers.
Even when he moaned in frustration after an hour or two of kissing.
Even when he'd escorted her back downstairs to the waiting limo.
Cerise rode home on cloud 9, knowing she would see him tomorrow. Knowing that he wouldn't rush her.
He'd kept his word.
Justin Westlake had been a perfect, drool inducing gentleman.
9.
Justin stared at the beautiful girl past the glass partition. Cerise was in the studio, recording a few of the hooks they'd worked on over the past two weeks.
It had been the best two weeks of his life.
It had also been the worst two weeks of his life.
He'd never been so tightly wound in his life. Almost every night he got to hold her in his arms. He'd even taken her clothes part of the way off. But that was all. His clothes had certainly not come off. And he was in a state of near constant arousal because of it.
It didn't matter though.
She was worth it.
And last night she'd said something that made his heart sing and his cock lurch in his pants.
Last night, as he'd bundled her into the limo she'd stood on her tiptoes and whispered softly in his ear.
Soon.
Soon. Maybe even tonight. He grinned at the thought. He'd been planning carefully. He'd researched on the internet how to make a first time as painless as possible. He'd thought about all the things he could do to make sure she enjoyed it as much as he would.
He'd planned his attack.
He was ready.
He just hoped she was too. Because he wasn't sure how much longer he could take this. His producer nodded.
"We got this."
"Sweet."
He pressed the intercom and leaned over the mic.
"You can come out now sweetheart."
It was still early so he thought maybe he'd take her out for something to eat. Then they could go home and rent a movie. And cuddle.
And hopefully more.
A lot more.
But either way, he planned to spend the night with her. He kept hoping that if she slept over, she'd feel more comfortable with him.
He'd even bought her a set of silk pajamas and a robe.
Not that he wanted her to wear it necessarily. Not for long anyway. But hopefully it would make her feel at home.
He wanted that. He wanted her to feel at home. Hell, he wanted her to be at home at his place instead of that crummy little house uptown.
He was pretty sure he was falling in love with her. The feeling was unfamiliar and overwhelming.
But oh so sweet.
It was pretty ironic that he'd written so many love songs and never experienced it before now.
He grinned and went to the door to get her.
*********
"You can leave that. I'll have it delivered to my place."
She stared at the cello she'd been playing on and back at Justin's smiling face.
"What do you mean? This is a Stradivarius."
He just grinned at her. Her jaw dropped open.
"Justin. You didn't."
He shrugged a little.
"You should have a beautiful instrument to play."
Her stomach flipped over.
Justin Westlake had just bought her one of the most valuable musical instruments in the world.
"I can't Justin. Please-"
He stepped in closer and leaned down, scooping her up into his arms. As usual all her thoughts flew away when he touched her. She even forgot the producer and sound engineer were in the other room.
"You can leave it at my place if you want. Then you'll have to come over to play. Besides, Christie's doesn't take returns."
"Oh."
He'd bought it at the world famous auction house. Of course. Well, she hoped he hadn't paid more than twenty thousand dollars for it. It was a dream to play it. But she couldn't accept that from him. He wasn't even her boyfriend yet. Not really.
But she wanted him to be. Oh boy, did she ever. And tonight she was going to give in and give him what he wanted.
What they both wanted.
"Let's go get something to eat."
She smiled and let him slip her jacket over her shoulders. They waved to the guys in the booth and stepped out into the cool air.
A girl was standing outside. Not just any girl either. Her blond hair and pretty face was easily recognizable.
It was Jackie Pierce. One of the biggest young stars in Hollywood. She had put a pop album out that did alright, but she was better known for her saccharine romantic comedies.
She was also someone who'd been linked to Justin in the tabloids as a past conquest. Cerise knew, because she'd looked. She hadn't been able to stop herself.
Justin kept his arm around Cerise as the distraught looking girl blocked their way.
"I've been looking for you Justin."
"It's not a good time Jackie. Why don't you just get in touch with my manager if you need something."
"I need you."
"That's not going to happen. I've told you a hundred times."
Jackie smirked.
"It sure happened the other night."
"That's not true and you know it."
But Cerise wasn't listening. Of course he was seeing other girls. His arm had slipped away. He was shouting at the girl now.
In the back of her mind she heard Jackie talking about all the things they had done together. About h
is apartment. About the song they'd recorded together the year before.
Hot tears of humiliation stung her eyes and washed down over her cheeks. She turned away just as he reached for her. She refused to take his hand, starting to run before she even knew what she was doing.
"Cerise, wait!"
She brushed the tears away but didn't stop. She could hear him behind her, practically at her heels. The light was changing and she took a chance, dashing right in front of traffic. He screamed behind her but she kept going, weaving through the crowded streets of lower Manhattan.
It was over.
She'd been a fool.
She told herself that at least she hadn't given him her purity. But the truth was she'd done something much, much worse.
She'd given him her heart.
10.
Justin stared at his phone. He'd called Cerise a dozen times, sent a dozen texts. He'd sent flowers chocolate, gifts. He'd more or less begged Cerise to listen to him.
To let him explain.
But she was ignoring him.
In fact, the only communication they'd had was the box that arrived with her jacket and backpack. The ones he'd given her. There was a simply gold bracelet and a pair of warm boots as well.
All the things he'd gotten her since they met.
There was a piece of paper lying on top. It said three simple words. Three words that cut him like a knife.
"Leave me alone."
He'd stopped contacting her immediately. He'd stopped doing everything else too. No gym, no work, no nothing. He was too devastated.
He was berating himself for not warning her about Jackie and her stalkerish behavior. He was berating himself for not getting a order of protection against Jackie when she'd become fixated on him after one mediocre night together.
But mostly he just missed Cerise.
How she had gotten under his skin so fast, he had no idea. But she was in there and she wasn't going anywhere.
He had to get her back.
He just didn't know how.
It was his mother who finally clued him in.
'If she's as good as you say son, you're going to have to pull out all the stops.'
'What do you mean mom?'
'Trick her.'
For the first time in a week he'd laughed. It was a hollow, empty sound, but it was better than nothing. Then he and his mother had hatched up a plan and put it into motion. And today, it was happening.
He'd had to get the rep from his label, the sound engineer and his manager involved. But he'd done it. And he'd finally reported Jackie to the cops and hired a security team, just to keep her away while he waited for the order of protection to become final.
He sat in the darkness of the recording studio waiting. They'd called Cerise and told her that her parts needed to be rerecorded and that the rest of the tracks she'd agreed to play for needed to be done now. She was prepared to be here all day. She'd signed a contract so she really didn't have a choice.
She'd also been promised that Justin would not be in attendance.
His breath caught in his chest when she walked in.
She was not wearing a coat, which infuriated him. It was freezing out. And she had the checks from the label and from the video production house.
Of course, they'd told him she had yet to cash those as well.
Cerise looked so beautiful to him. And so sad. He watched in silence as they put her through her paces. They ordered in for lunch, and his stomach lurched when he watched her eat. She ate like she was starving when she thought no one was looking.
She looked far too thin.
She barely said a word to anyone. As much as he hated to see her suffer, part of him was relieved that she appeared to be as affected by their separation as he was.
As the day wound to a close he finally stood up and took a deep breath.
It was time.
He stepped into the studio as the techs were taking down the set up.
Cerise stood up awkwardly, obviously taken off guard. He stared at her, not breaking eye contact for a second.
"Justin…"
"Everybody out."
They stared at each other as everyone else vacated the room.
"What are you doing? Why don't you just go away?"
He pulled her into his arms.
"I can't… Cerise, I can't."
She was crying against his chest, not putting her arms around him. But not pushing away either.
His hand smoothed her hair, making small circles on her back.
"I'm so sorry Cerise but I swear I don't want to be with anyone but you. And I haven't."
She cried a little harder.
"I'm in love with you. Don't you know that?"
She cried harder then, making him choke out a laugh.
"Does that mean you love me too?"
He held his breath while she pulled back slightly and stared up at him. Her eyes were wet and huge, making her look otherworldly.
"I think so. I've been so unhappy."
"Me too Cerise. Me too."
He couldn't help himself from kissing her in a long, drugging, far from innocent kiss. It was ten minutes later before either of them came up for air. She looked dazed in his arms but the tears were gone.
Sudden sharp relief and joy filled his body.
"Let me take you home Cerise."
She nodded quietly and he led her outside and into the waiting limo. At home he had champagne waiting. But he wasn't sure he needed it. He didn't feel like having a party.
No, what he was feeling was something much more reverent.
He felt like his life had been saved.
**********
Cerise felt so shy as they rode toward his condo in his ride. Not shy because she didn't want what they both knew was about to happen.
She felt shy because she did want it. With every fiber of her being.
Tonight, she was going to become a woman.
As nerve wracking as it was, she knew in her heart that Justin would be gentle with her. So she did her best to relax and go with it. He was kissing her neck softly as his hands smoothed over her back.
They were at his place before she knew it, climbing out of the limo, stepping inside. In the elevator he pulled her against him for a lingering kiss. He was taking it slow but there was an underlying urgency underneath it all.
He led her down the hallway to his apartment. The moment the door closed though, all bets were off. They were all over each other instantly. He pushed the door shut with one hand, while the other one yanked her against him. He felt so hot and hard against her.
But this time she didn't pull back. She let her hands grab his strong shoulders as their tongues intertwined frantically. Slowly he backed her into the kitchen until her back was against the island countertop.
He laughed and pulled his head up, his thumbs grazing her cheeks as he rested his forehead against hers.
"I want you so bad Cerise."
"I do too."
"We don't have to do anything you don't want to do."
"I know."
She lifted her eyes to his.
"But I want to."
He groaned and pulled her against him, bringing her hips in direct contact with his turgid erection. His shaft was burning a hole through his jeans and hers. He forced himself to stop and lifted her up, carrying her directly to his bedroom.
She hadn't been in there before. It was sparsely but luxuriously decorated in shades of gray with an enormous platform bed and a huge mirror leaning against one wall. A dresser, nightstands and a chaise lounge were the only other furniture.
He bent down and lay her gently on the bed. She stared up at him as he kicked off his shoes and unbuttoned his shirt. His beautiful blue eyes were so serious as he stared down at her. He looked like he was holding back desperately. All his moves were so deliberate as he touched her.
He reached down and pulled off her ballet flats. Then he grabbed her ankles and pulled her legs slightly apart.
Slowly, he crawled onto the bed until he was hovering above her.
"Cerise…"
He lowered himself down onto her.
"Oh god… Cerise… Once we start I might not be able to stop. Are you sure?"
She nodded, wanting to reassure him. He felt so good pressed against her this way.
"I'm sure."
A helpless moan escaped his lips before he lowered them to hers. The kiss went from zero to sixty in two seconds flat. His hands roamed over her body ceaselessly, caressing her breasts and hips and thighs. He stopped kissing her and tugged at her collar with a frown.
"I want to- take this off."
"Alright."
His eyes seemed to darken to a dark aquamarine as he tugged on the waistband of her jeans.
"And this."
"Yes."
He was breathing heavily as he unbuttoned her shirt, pulling it open. His eyes flared as he stared down at her breasts, spilling out over the top of her plain white bra. He caressed her reverently, eventually reached beneath her to unclasp her bra. As it came free he groaned, his hands finding her bare breasts.
He leaned down and pulled her nipple into his mouth. She gasped, her back arching off the bed. He'd touched her there before but he hadn't done that.
And she knew it was just the beginning.
He busied himself with her nipples as his hands snaked down and started to undo her pants. He groaned again as he unzipped them and lifted his body up and off her. She felt so naked, so exposed as his hot eyes stared down at her.
Then he started to pull off her jeans.
Very slowly he pulled them down, his eyes devouring her as her bare skin came into view. She felt so shy but she didn't look away. She couldn't.
She was completely under his spell.
He tossed her jeans aside and slowly slid his hands up and down her legs.
"My God… Cerise…"
He bent down and started kissing her calves, making her giggle breathily at the soft, ticklish sensation. Then he worked his way up her legs, lifting each leg to kiss the inside of her knee.
"Oh…"
The soft moan that came from her lips caught her off guard. She sounded breathy… feminine… impatient.
He chuckled softly as he nibbled on her inner thighs. Then his lips pressed into her sex, right through her panties. Cerise nearly flew off the bed.
