Miles of Pleasure

by Nicole, Stephanie

  "Why is it that I always have to save your stupid ass?" Ashton joked, smiling the whole time.

  "Thank you. Again and again, thank you a million times over," she said softly, and took his good hand in her good hand and brought it to her lips, gently kissing it.

  "You know how many times I've come close to losing you?" he asked, his voice choked with emotion.

  "I'm sure not enough for your liking."

  They both laughed.

  "I kicked Brandon off the tour," Ashton told Kaylee, looking down at the floor.

  "I know. Thank you. It's for the best, and probably should have been done a while ago."

  She looked down and realized that they were still holding hands. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, touching him felt good.

  "Thank you, Ashton," she said with sincerity.

  "No," he murmured after a long moment. "Thank you."

  Chapter 11

  "So when do I get sprung from this joint? I can't wait to have some real food again!" Kaylee asked her brother after her third day in the hospital. He had just gotten back from talking to her doctorin the hallway.

  "The doctor said you can go home tomorrow. Only one problem." Noah dreaded giving her the news. "You're going to have to go home instead of finishing thetourwith us."

  "What? Why?" Kaylee protested. "There are only two weeks left. Why can't I just finish it with you guys?"

  "The doctor feels that you need your rest, since you had some minor head trauma. If you don't go home, then you'll have to stay here for a few more days," he explained. "Besides, you're in a big shoulder cast. Do you really think that the bunks on the bus are big enough to fit that monster?"

  "Come on Noah! Don't make me go home. I won't have anything to do, I'll be all alone," Kaylee whined.

  "Kaylee, it's only for two weeks. Don't make this any harder than it has to be," he pleaded. "I'll call Jenny to come stay with you so that you won't be all alone. I'm sure it will be nice to have her help until you're healed."

  Kaylee thought about it for a few minutes. It would be great to spend some time with Jenny again. She had been their nanny when they were growing up, and she was more of a mother to Noah and Kaylee than their own mother had ever been.

  "Fine," she finally said. "But I don't have to like it."

  "I know. I'll miss you too," Noah smiled, knowing that was one of the biggest problems.

  "Well, don't even think of turning off your cell phone. I'm going to be calling all the time to find out what's happening and making sure that you know what your schedule is," she warned.

  "You can reach me anytime you need to." He leaned over the bed and gave his sister a kiss. "So when we leave on the bus tomorrow, you'll head back home. Wecan hirea car and driver for you since we're only six hours from home. Better than trying to get you on a plane with all that plaster on your arm."

  Kaylee sighed. She knew it was all for the better, but she didn't have to like it. Honestly, she didn't know how she would have gotten along on the bus in the shape that she was in, but it was a bitch to admit it.

  A soft knock was heard in the room and Ashton peeked his head in the door slowly, making sure it was okay to go in.

  "Hey," he said.

  Kaylee smiled. "Hey, come on in." She looked over to her brother, giving him a look that asked for a few minutes alone.

  "I'm just going to go call Jenny and let her know the plan. I'll be back in a few," Noah said, squeezing his sister's hand. As he walked by his bandmate, he clapped him on the back.

  "So, I suppose you know that I'm not coming back on the tour?" Kaylee asked.

  "Yeah, I heard Noah talking to the doctor earlier. I didn't come in then because I didn't want to get hit by any flying object," he teased, knowing how much it meant to Kaylee to be with the group.

  "Nothing I can do about it," she said, defeated. "But at least you'll finally have me out of your hair."

  She searched his eyes to read his reaction. She was testing the waters, still not sure what was happening between them. She had all these feelings jumbled up inside her, finally understanding what they meant when they said, 'There's a fine line between love and hate'.

  For so long, she had all these passionate feelings towards Ashton, which she truly thought was disdain. But now she thought that it was something else. Maybe it was just her own way of protecting herself from getting hurt and exposing her true feelings.

  And as for Brandon, was he just a pawn, someone she used to try to make Ashton jealous? Or was he just another shield used to mask her feelings for the man in question? Kaylee didn't think she was the kind of person to intentionally use someone, so maybe she was doing it on some subconscious level?

  "Are you listening to me?" Ashton asked, waving a hand in front of Kaylee's face.

  "Huh?" Kaylee had been so focused on her thoughts in her quest to find out how she truly felt that she ignored every word that was coming out of Ashton's mouth.

  "I said I was going to miss you. I got kind of used to you on the bus with us," he admitted.

  "I got used to it too..."

  "Besides, I'm going to miss all the drama. I was kind of getting used to being the knight in shining armor," he teased.

  "Ha-ha. Like I intended for all that to happen!" She rolled her eyes, ignoring the pain that shot through her head when she did it.

  "It's all good though. Anyway, I think I can handle two weeks without having someone to fight with constantly," he joked. He ran his good hand across his chin, feeling the stubble scratch against his fingers. He was hoping that he wasn't letting on just how much he was going to miss Kaylee. He felt like he was turning into a girl with all these emotions that he'd been showing lately. Time to make an exit, and quick, before he completely spilled his guts to her.

  He stood and kissed Kaylee on the forehead, then the nose, then lightly and quickly touched her lips with his.

  Before Kaylee even realized what was happening, Ashton was gone, leaving her even more frustrated.

  The next morning, Kaylee and Noah met with the doctor and went over her release paperwork. Much to her dismay, she was forced into a wheelchair instead of being allowed to walk out of the hospital on her own. What really mattered was that she was finally free of their watchful eyes.

  As much as she hated not finishing the tour with the guys, she was a little excited to be able to sleep in her own bed again. She was also looking forward to spending some time with Jenny.

  Noah rolled Kaylee out of the hospital to where the hired car and the bus were waiting. As soon as she was through the doors, she saw the members of the band waiting outside for her, next to their brand-new tour bus. Noah stopped the chair and Kaylee stood up slowly, trying to get balanced from the weight of the cast.

  Colton came to hug her first. Jayden was next. "Going to miss you," he told her as he embraced her. He was going to miss all the time they spent talking and playing cards. He had so much fun with Kaylee during the boring stretches on the tour bus. She always knew how to make the slow times fun.

  Kaylee nodded, unable to speak, a lump forming in her throat.

  Ashton was next, and Kaylee was dreading it. She was already over-emotional, and saying good bye to Ashton was bound to make it worse. He opened his mouth to say something, but Kaylee raised her hand and put her fingers on his lips before he could get anything out. She shook her head at him, effectively stopping what he had been planning to say.

  Instead, Ashton pulled her into his arms, careful not to get smacked by the large mass of plaster being used to heal her bones. Tears slowly trickled down her face, and she was unable to stop them. She felt stupid for getting so emotional. After all, it was only a couple of weeks that she would be spending without the band, but they had become such a huge part of her life that she felt empty without them.

  Ashton released Kaylee and softly pressed his lips against her forehead. "Come on, I have a surprise for you." He took her good hand in his and led her around the bus to where her ride was waitin
g for her. "Just thought you deserved to ride in style."

  Kaylee cast her eyes over the stretch limo that was waiting for her. "Wow! You didn't have to do that!"

  "Well, I didn't think you'd fit in a small car with that big thing on your arm," Ashton teased.

  "Just when I thought you were starting to be nice..." she laughed. "This is so cool. Thank you."

  "You're welcome." Ashton kissed her cheek. "Have a safe trip, and we'll see you when we get back." He slowly walked away from her, using all the restraint he had not to turn around and kiss the breath out of her.

  Noah was last to say goodbye. He made it quick and painless, with a 'See you soon, Sis' and a big smooch on the cheek. She was thankful that he didn't make it a mushy goodbye. They both knew that she wouldn't be able to handle it at that point. After he helped her into the limo, he smacked the roof and waved her off.

  Kaylee waved goodbye to the guys with her good hand until she could no longer see them. For the next few minutes, to fight off the pangs of loneliness, she explored all the features and luxury that her ride had to offer.

  Back at the bus, Noah gave Ashton a knowing look. "I didn't order a limo for her to ride home in." A grin spread across Ashton's face.

  "Yeah, sorry about that," he admitted sheepishly. "Don't worry, you won't get charged for the upgrade. I took care of it."

  "It's about time you paid for something, tight wad!" Noah teased and pushed Ashton onto the bus, where Colton and Jayden were already seated and waiting to take off. The silence once the bus got moving was deafening.

  Colton started drumming his fingers on the table and Noah picked up a tennis ball that was near him and bounced it on the floor. Jayden started blowing bubbles with his gum, then sucked it back into his mouth so hard that it made popping noises. Ashton listened for a few minutes to everything going on around him. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.

  "Stop!"

  Everyone stopped what they were doing, and looked at him as if they had no clue what he was annoyed about.

  He stood and stalked to the back of the bus, where he could be alone. He just hoped that the rest of the tour wouldn't be like this.

  A couple of magazines and a short nap later, Kaylee felt the limo come to a stop. She looked out the window and was relieved to see home. Jenny bolted out of the front door when she saw the limo pull up, eager to see the girl who had essentially been her daughter.

  She carefully helped Kaylee out of the vehicle and up to the house, thanking the chauffeur profusely for bringing Kaylee's bags in. Once they were settled, they caught up with each other's lives, and it felt like they had never been apart.

  "Jenny, do you remember the last time I had a cast on my arm?" Kaylee asked, laughing a bit at the memory.

  "That was a long time ago," Jenny recalled, feeling a little guilty.

  "I was only nine years old. You were on vacation, and Noah and I thought it would be fun to jump off that tree limb into the lake. You never let us do it when you were here, so we figured it would be a perfect opportunity," Kaylee remembered.

  "And you learned why I never let you jump from that tree, didn't you," she pointed out sternly.

  "Did I ever!" Kaylee groaned. "I knew I should have let Noah go first. But no, I had to show him that I wasn't a sissy, and I went first. I don't know who screamed louder when I slipped and hit my arm on the tree, him or me." Kaylee was finally able to laugh about it.

  "You know, the killer was that when Noah called Mom at work to tell her what happened and that the bone was popping out of the skin, all she said was that she was busy and had to go. She left him to deal with his little sister who was hurt. But ever since he threw me onto the seat of his bicycle and pedaled us to the hospital, he's been my hero."

  "I wish I'd been there for you, Kaylee," Jenny said, tears coming to her eyes.

  "Hey! Stop that right now! You deserved a life too, Jenny. It wasn't your fault that our parents were such shits. We were your job, and every job needs a vacation," Kaylee lectured.

  "You kids were always more than my job," Jenny reminded her.

  "We know, and you were more than our nanny. You still are." Kaylee patted Jenny's hand. "Thanks for always taking care of us. Hell, thanks for still taking care of us!"

  "I wouldn't have it any other way." Jenny smiled at her. "So, tell me more about what's happening with you and Ashton."

  "Jenny, you probably know more than me. That boy has me so confused, I don't know up from down anymore." Kaylee was happy to finally have someone to talk to about what had been happening. She also knew that she could trust Jenny with the truth, without it ever coming back to haunt her. Maybe heading home early really was for the best.

  Chapter 12

  "I don't know Jenny. On one hand, he's such a player and he can irritate me no end. On the other hand, he makes me feel like I am the only person in the world when I'm with him, and I just get this rush." She paused. "He can be so sweet and caring sometimes; but there are the other times, and when they're bad, they're horrible. I just don't know what to make of the whole situation."

  "Sounds like he's someone you need to watch out for. I don't want to see your heart get broken," Jenny warned, without trying to tell her what to do. "As I've always told you, you need to figure out what you're going to do for yourself. I can't make the decision for you, but any time you need to talk, I'll be here to listen."

  Jenny didn't really know Ashton. She had only met him a few times, and they were always meetings on the fly. Someone was always rushing to get somewhere, so they never had time to really talk. She didn't have much of an opinion on him, besides what she had heard from other people.

  "Thanks Jenny. I'm going to be thinking about this pretty hard over the next few weeks. It's good to be able to talk to you about it, and it's nice to be able to spend time with you again." Kaylee got up and hugged Jenny on her way to her bedroom.

  "Good night!" she called.

  "Good night!" Jenny called back. She looked at the clock, and even though it was late, she wasn't ready for bed. Instead, she curled up on the couch with her memories of when Kaylee and Noah were younger. She thought about all the times she had been there for them, and the times they had been there for her. Maybe they didn't realize it, but those kids had become her world, and she was always glad to be called back to them, no matter the reason. They were her family, and sitting on the couch while Kaylee was upstairs made her feel entirely at home again.

  Over the next two weeks, Kaylee spent a lot of time trying to straighten out her feelings. When she wasn't deep in thought, she was either reading or watching movies. But even then, her mind was a million miles away. Many of the plot lines that were holding her attention were stories that mirrored her own.

  One day after a sappy movie marathon, Jenny gently reminded Kaylee that things don't always work out the way they do in the movies.

  "If you aren't happy with the way that Ashton is now, then move on because you can't go into a relationship expecting to change the person," she pointed out sympathetically. Jenny was aware that Kaylee knew that, but it didn't hurt to have a little reminder every now and then.

  Things were relatively quiet for the band on tour. The guys were anxious to play their last few concerts, being extremely tired and drained from the past few months of traveling. With the exhaustion setting in, the parties afterwards weren't as wild as normal.

  Ashton still flirted a lot, and even kissed a few girls, but never went beyond that anymore. Every time he became close to a woman, he started to feel guilty. Besides that, he was under Noah's watchful eye, and even though he and Kaylee weren't technically 'together', he had still received quite a few dirty looks when he was with other girls at the after parties. Those looks always made Ashton feel ashamed, even though he really wasn't doing anything wrong.

  So he needed some female companionship. Big deal. Maybe he was bored, maybe he was lonely, maybe he missed Kaylee more than he wanted to admit. What was it about her that all of a sudden ma
de him want to change everything about himself to make him worthy of her attention? And could he change? Or would he end up screwing something up and breaking her heart?

  So yes, maybe he was trying to keep himself busy by making out with other girls to keep his mind off Kaylee, but was that so wrong? He just hoped that once the tour was over, everything would work itself out and whatever was meant to be would happen on its own.

  Everyone was excited for the last show. Kaylee had called and talked to the band before they took the stage and wished them all luck, telling them that she couldn't wait to see them all the next day. What they didn't tell her was that they were skipping the after party and heading straight home when the last song was finished.

  The guys rushed off stage as soon as the final note of the final song was played. They were on the bus and headed for the highway before the first concertgoer even left the arena. Everyone was excited to get back to their friends, their families, and most importantly, their own beds.

  A few hours later, the tour bus stopped only long enough to deposit Colton and Jayden before it moved again. A few short minutes later, it was Noah and Ashton's turn. They grabbed their bags before saying good bye to their driver, and headed to the house.

  The guys were careful to be quiet since it was 3:00 in the morning. Neither one wanted to wake anyone up, especially since they were so tired themselves. They took their time making their way through the house, not turning on any lights. Noah bid Ashton a good night and silently tiptoed to his bedroom.

  Ashton stood where he was for a moment, his thoughts racing. Was this really it? Was this really their chance to make it work? It might be, but if he did what his heart was telling him to do, Kaylee might take it the wrong way. Still...he wanted to feel the warmth of her body. He missed it more than he could ever admit.