Charmed

by Woods, L. R.

  “Yes, it was.” She has her head turned to the window, lost in thought. I didn’t want this to be sad. I wanted to give her a chance to get to know me again. See that I’m hers. “So what’s the deal with the new music, then?” she finally asks, breaking the silence.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You said earlier that last year your music changed. What was the reason for the change?”

  “You.”

  Her heads whips to me and her eyes are going crazy, making me wish we weren’t on the Metro. “Me?”

  “I started to realize that no matter what happened, I couldn’t accept it. Couldn’t accept our story was over. There was always something inside telling me I should have talked to you again. Fuck, how I wish I’d listened to that voice versus the one who told me you were a bitch.”

  “Uh, the bitch is sitting right here, so can we move past it?”

  I laugh. “Yeah, well, I started writing it all out. My thoughts, my feelings, my anger, my love. It all came out in a way it never had before and next thing I knew, I had Wildfire’s Damage laid out and about fifty thought processes that couldn’t be songs, but held my truth.”

  “Wildfire’s Damage?” she questions.

  “Album’s title. Another reason I was nervous about showing it to the guys. They were more pissed at you than I was. Alex thinks you’re the world’s biggest bitch. No offense.”

  “Uh, yeah, offense taken. I was heartbroken too, you know. I felt like my heart had been put in a blender. Plus, he’s one to talk, going around being all assholey,” she pouts and again I wish we weren’t on the Metro.

  “Yeah, we know that now, but at the time, I thought you’d fucked with me. That’s not the point, anyway. Point is, I wrote the album for you. My soul to yours. I wasn’t sure they would understand going from love, to hate, to hurt, to acceptance and back to love. Turns out, they did. Guess we all have our shit.”

  “And this was a year ago?”

  “Well, it started a year ago. Once I got it all out, I decided to come after you and force you to remember what we had. But you weren’t easy to find. That’s why I ended up at The Lucky Charm. I was going to beg your parents to give me your number.”

  “Yeah, I sort of went off grid after they passed. Couldn’t deal with everyone calling with their condolences, so I did my best to make sure no one could find me. Guess it worked. They would have given it to you though. They tried to get me to reach out for years. They really did love you, Evan.”

  “I’d give anything to tell them thanks. For giving me a family.”

  “They knew.”

  “Do you know how many ideas Nancy gave me to keep you seeing me as your Prince?”

  She smiles. “What do you mean?”

  “Do you seriously think a twenty-year-old horny kid knew to throw pebbles at your window, asking you to come down. Or to leave sappy love notes in your purse to find.” I laugh but a memory surges forward. “Oh shit, remember that time I magically showed up at your doorstep with one of your converse?”

  “Yeah, you said I’d left it in your room.”

  “Nancy had stolen it from your room then called me to come over and put it on your foot.”

  “What the hell?” She laughs out loudly, hitting me on the arm. “This is freaking unbelievable. I thought you were so romantic.”

  “Hey, I needed help. I didn’t know what to do with you.”

  She smiles an honest smile. “I knew you were it for me. I make no apologies.”

  “I’d never ask you to, Wildfire.” I lean in and give her a long kiss.

  We spent the rest of the trip laughing about old times and learning about the present. It was mainly her asking questions about my life. She forced me to talk about some things I wish she didn’t have to know, but whatever helps, I guess.

  By the end of the trip, I know we’ve made progress. Not that I needed progress. I already know what I need to know. Hell, I knew it seven years ago and I’m not letting it slip through my fingers again.

  Chapter 31

  Kimber

  I wake up to soft lips pressing against mine and I can only smile now, knowing Mom told him to wake me every day like he was waking Sleeping Beauty. God, it sounds so stupid, but I pray he’ll do it for the rest of my life.

  “Mmm. I could get used to this,” I moan out.

  Evan told the guys he’d start back work on the album once I left, so the last week and a half has been nothing but riding the rails and roads, vegging out in front of the TV and making love every chance we get. We’ve laughed, cried, and screamed bloody murder at each other. Some things just don’t change.

  He thinks he’s the same, but he’s not. He is so much more. But, one thing that hasn’t changed is his need for a family. He would not hesitate to give up everything he has, if it meant the guys and me were still in his life.

  “Get used to it, Wildfire.” He keeps nipping at my lips, but never trying to fully kiss me. He raises up and I pout in response. He tugs my arm. “Come on. Get up. I have breakfast ready.”

  “You made breakfast? I’ve been here over a week and we’ve either gone out or skipped it for lunch.”

  “Ok, Martha came and made us breakfast, but get up because we have things to talk about.”

  Crap. I knew this was coming and I’ve been dreading it. I’m going to have to ask Evan to move back to Mills Point with me, starting now. He’s done his best to show me his life here, so I’ll feel comfortable staying with him when I come out to visit while he records. And it’s fine, not nearly the rock star image I had in my head, but I can’t leave The Lucky Charm. I can’t leave my home. But Evan is my home too.

  I’ve come up with a whole speech to try and convince him to stay with me in Mills Point. To commute to LA for the album and label meetings. He can keep his place here for times he has to stay the night, but I want him home with me. I think he wants it too, but I’m not sure since he tried so hard to show me everything here.

  I follow him to the kitchen and find that Martha has seriously outdone herself. The breakfast laid out on the kitchen island is restaurant worthy. I immediately grab a cinnamon roll and shove it in my mouth, moaning at the warm melty goodness.

  “Can you please stop that, I really need to talk to you and I’m already about to blow a load with you walking around in a tank top and nothing else.”

  I look down and he’s right. Oh well, that’s his problem. On to the pancakes!

  “So, I’ve given this a lot of thought, Wildfire, and I think…”

  I don’t let him finish. “Come home with me. Stay with me. Don’t tell me you are staying here, because I won’t be able to take it. I know you have work to do, but I’ll pay for the extra trips myself if I have to.” Well, I just blew my whole planned speech out of the water but, his true smile starts across his face and when it’s full, I melt.

  “As I was saying...” He gives me a smirk now, to which I give him an eye roll. “I have given this a lot of thought and we need to start searching for some property to build on. I want us to have a house with plenty of room to raise a family and maybe have a pool and a rehearsal studio so I wouldn’t have to come back here as much. It’d be awesome if we could get it finished before anything else major happens.”

  “Wait, what?” I ask.

  “A new house, Wildfire. Yours is fine for right now, but it’s small and why not just go ahead and build one the way we want it.” He’s staring at me like I’m the crazy one.

  “A new house where you’ll be living… with our family?” I ask, trying to comprehend what he is telling me.

  Evan throws his head back, laughing. “Where else would I be? In this dump?” He is smiling and now I’m smiling. He really is finally coming home. To me. To our future.

  I throw my pancake on the floor and run over to him, jumping up and wrapping my body around his. “And you want a family with me?” I ask, still not believing my ears.

  “Wildfire, I hope you already have a baby growing in that bell
y of yours, but if not, then I’m going to keep at it until you do. The work will be hard, but I’ll mange through it somehow.” His face is a perfect reflection of happiness and I couldn’t ask for anything more.

  Now, every part of me knows I should have some smart assed retort, but I can’t think of anything other than how amazing this man is. “Well, if you think you can manage, I have some work for you right now.”

  He carries me back into the bedroom, lowering us both to the bed. After kissing me silly, he stands and pulls his shirt over his head, rubbing his hands down his chest and towards the button of his jeans. I prop up on my arms to get a better look. He’s giving me his signature smirk and I’m biting my lower lip to keep from giving him the toothy smile.

  “Let me see those rock star moves, Evan Stone,” I pant as he begins to unbutton his jeans, running a hand through his hair, pulling it away from his face while the other pulls down his zipper.

  He shows me his crazy greens as he tells me, “I’ll show you rock star moves, Wildfire. Lean back, close your eyes and I’ll give you everything you ever needed.”

  Oh God, this man. I want nothing more than to dive right in, but am just as eager to see what he has in store for me. I lean back and close my eyes and wait.

  He begins kissing my ankle and starts moving his way up my leg, hovering around the backside of my knee, causing me to twitch a little. He continues by dragging his tongue up the inside of my thigh. I can feel the desire pooling in me when he places a kiss at my center, breathing a breath of warm air. I’m tempted to grab his hair and hold his head right where it is.

  “Tell me what you want, Wildfire,” he hums onto me as he begins kissing up the rest of my body, pushing my shirt up as he goes. He sucks my breast hard into his mouth, biting my nipple before he continues up to my shoulder.

  The sensations of his mouth are keeping me from speaking as I process each wet touch. “Talk to me, Wildfire,” he asks again as his kisses slowly work their way across my shoulder, down my arm to my elbow, and then to my hand. He takes my other hand and places it over his chest, holding it firm to him. He places a kiss on each of my fingertips and asks again, “Tell me what you want, Wildfire.”

  “You, Evan. Always you.” I feel him lift his hand from mine, leaving my hand resting over his heart. I feel his fingers touching my other hand lightly as something cool slides over my skin, resting firmly near my knuckle. I don’t open my eyes as the tears start forming.

  He begins kissing my cheek, stealing the tears away. “Tell me I’m your Prince, Wildfire.” I can feel his stare on me and I open my eyes to his piercing greens as my body dances with happiness. I can’t speak, my breathing picking up even more as he pulls my shirt over my head. “You are my Prince, Evan,” I finally whisper out.

  He pulls a breast into his mouth again, flicking his tongue against me, the way that drives me crazy. He moves his kisses down my stomach, dipping his tongue into my bellybutton, then placing a kiss on my hip bone, letting his tongue drag down to my center.

  He works me with his tongue and I’m starting to lose myself. Then he hums, “Tell me I’m your happily ever after, Wildfire.” I almost orgasm, but he has different plans for that.

  He rises up as he pulls off his jeans and boxers coming back to me, covering me with his strong chest and teasing me with his hardness. I put my arms around his neck and reply, “You are my happily ever after, Evan.” He moves the tip up and down my ready center, hovering his body above mine on one arm, boring into my eyes again.

  “Tell me yes, Wildfire,” he commands, as he puts a slight pressure on my opening, but not entering me.

  I moan, rocking against him. I need him right now but he still teases me. “Tell me yes, Wildfire.” Again, sliding himself up and down, putting pressure at my entrance but not penetrating me even as I rock, smiling up at him. “Tell me…”

  “Yes!” I scream before he finishes his question and he slams into me with such force, it would be painful if it didn’t feel so good. All I can do is hold on to his shoulders as he thrusts in deep and hard with an unrelenting pace. Too soon I cry out, pleasure consuming every inch of my body.

  Evan continues, softly moaning each time his hips meet mine. He raises both my legs so they are resting against his chest, giving him even deeper access, and another orgasm is overtaking me. My hands tighten into fists and I scream out as Evan pushes in one last time, screaming out my name. Sparkles are dancing behind my eyelids and then everything starts to fade to black.

  I come to with soft kisses on my eyes and lips and a smirking Evan still on top of me. Yeah, ok, he’s got some rock star moves.

  I hit him on the shoulder and let out a giggle. His smirk turns into a smile. “I will wait here for you, Wildfire. Always.”

  I put my hand on the side of his face and reply, “I will always wait here for you, Evan.”

  He begins kissing me and we spend the rest of the day making love and talking about our future. There are no more doubts about who he is or if we belong to each other because I am finally listening to my heart. And my heart tells me with each beat that he is my Prince. And I am his Wildfire.

  Epilogue

  Kimber

  After LA, I came back home to search for the perfect piece of property to build our castle. Evan followed a few days later. We found a place not too far from The Lucky Charm. It’s a long walk but a short bike ride, in case Evan does not get his license.

  He’s been commuting back and forth between here and LA as they put the final touches on the album. It’s going to be an overnight success, I can already tell. I mean, it’s all about mine and Evan’s love so how could it not be.

  We’ve talked about a lot of what happened back then and although it’s easy to blame Steve, we know neither of us tried hard enough to stay together. I didn’t wait at the concert to talk to him, didn’t call him about Mom and Dad. And he never came back to see what the deal was, never called to check on anything. I have no doubt we loved each other, we wouldn’t be where we are today if we didn’t, but we didn’t know what love meant. Not really.

  We were too young to understand that love is a responsibility. To yourself and to the one you love. An understanding you don’t give up on because of a stupid overheard conversation or some heated words that don’t make sense. We both failed each other and that’s why we spent seven years apart. Sure, Steve threw in an obstacle, but we gave up on each other so easily and that’s on us, not Steve. But you can be damn sure it’ll never happen again.

  But boy, have I been understanding in loving Evan. Living with him has been challenging, to say the least. The most awful being the fact that he’s a serial pile maker. Nothing ever gets put away. It just gets put into one of many, many piles. He also likes to shove his shoes under the coffee table, as if that’s where they belong, and then leave the socks, jeans, shirts, whatever, beside the couch. He watches the same TV episodes over and over because he falls asleep halfway through and never makes it to the end. And I’ve caught him more than once doing dirty things while watching a video someone made of us kissing. Yes, the fun never stops around here.

  The guys finally finished recording and I’ve just landed at LAX, where Evan and I are going to begin a bus trip around the southern US and then back home. I’ve packed light because I don’t want to be hauling a lot of stuff between buses. I assume you can’t just get on one the whole way, but I’m not real sure, and Evan has been hazy on the details.

  He assures me I’m going to love it but I have my doubts. I mean, who really wants to spend days and days on stinky buses with herpes-inducing bathrooms. Evan, that’s who. Ugh, the things you do for love.

  “Wildfire,” I hear as I’m coming out of the security doors. He’s there with Drew, whose face just fell when he sees it’s just me.

  Evan told him Penny wasn’t coming, but he must have thought otherwise. I actually feel sorry for the guy. He keeps texting her dates and she keeps ignoring him. Penny explained a lot of what happened, but I don�
��t think she’s being honest with herself. But then again, who am I to talk. I lied to myself for seven years.

  “Hey, babe,” I say, pulling Evan in for a kiss. I turn to Drew. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Hey, no worries, you just never know. So, the adventure begins, huh?”

  “If you say so,” I respond, rolling my eyes.

  Evan sweeps me up. “You are going to love it, Wildfire. In fact, we don’t even have to leave the airport. Bus stop is right outside.”

  He takes my bag from me and he and Drew start walking outside. After standing there for a few seconds, I run to catch up.

  “Uh…what? I thought we were going back to your place first. You can’t really expect me to get on a bus right after getting off a flight. I mean, I haven’t even had time to stretch my legs and I don’t know if I can deal with more screaming babies and mouth breathers.” They keep walking through the sliding door, ignoring me.

  I step outside and before me is the biggest bus I’ve ever seen. This is no Greyhound. Evan bows. “Your chariot, my lady.”

  My eyes have doubled and I’m not sure what exactly my chariot is. Then it dawns on me and I punch him in the arm. “We are going on your tour bus, aren’t we?” He nods and I laugh. “I can’t believe you let me think I was going to be crammed on some bus with fifty strangers.”

  He laughs too. “But now I know you really do love me, Wildfire.”

  “Keep playing games and I might change my mind.” He’s smiling and I’m smiling and we are just two of the smiliest people you ever did see.

  Drew and Evan give each other a hug then Drew turns to me, arms open, so I hug him, saying, “She’ll come around, Drew. I believe that.” He doesn’t respond as he pulls away.

  “You kids have fun,” he finally calls, halfway towards a red sports car of some kind.

  We climb onto the bus and I slip on the ring that Evan gave me a few months ago. We’ve been keeping it a secret so we could have privacy. I know some people want the big affair, but after all we’ve been through, we just want to hold each other knowing that it’s really happening.