The woman walked off then, stopping at the bar before heading out of the door. Apparently, like George, she had seen everyone else the club had to offer for the night. Lita wasn’t sure what to make of her offer, but she had some time to think on it, and she was pretty sure she would be making a call on Monday.
Chapter 31
She had called Carla first thing Monday, and though it terrified her to do it, she let the cheerful woman know she would be more than happy to do the show. Carla informed her she would do a set of four songs, which was a lot more than she had expected. The show would be in three weeks, and during that time, she practiced and participated in more open mic nights. She wanted to make sure she was at her very best.
When the night came for the show, Lita felt more prepared and excited for a show than she had in a long time. Everyone had come up for the show as well, and they had rented out several rooms at the hotel nearby so they could enjoy the night. Some amazing bands were playing after her performance, and she was going to live it up.
Part of her wished Alex would be there. He would have been proud of how far she had come and that she had done it on her own, but she also needed to keep doing this on her own. Once she was on her feet again, then maybe she would think about crossing that bridge. For now, it was best she kept her attention focused on her music and the show.
Carla had shown her to a small room she was using as a dressing room. It wasn’t much, but it was more than enough for her. She was touching up her makeup and going over the songs in her head one more time. It helped to calm her nerves and get her in the right headspace.
“How are you feeling?” Carla said from the door. “Are you doing okay?”
Lita turned to see Carla, a smile spread over her lovely face. Carla was tall, dark, and beautiful, fitting for her confidence, charm, and bright personality. It was enough to make anyone smile.
“Yeah, I think I am. I thought I would be terrified, but I honestly just feel pumped for the show.” Lita gave her own smile and grabbed her guitar so she could head out to the stage. She had a set to play with a band and practiced with them over the last week. It made the sound so much better, and she couldn’t wait for everyone else to hear it.
“I heard you at the rehearsal this afternoon. You guys sounded wonderful. I bet everyone is going to love it. Lita, I’m telling you that you should pursue this more. It could take you far,” Carla encouraged as the two of them walked toward the stage. “If you want, I would be more than happy to help usher you into a new future. I could get you some paying gigs here at the club, and I have some other friends who might be willing to pay for it as well. It would be a good start.”
“Why don’t I get through tonight before we move forward any further.”
The closer they got to the stage, the more she could feel the energy in the club. Carla’s place was huge, holding ten times more people than the place in Dothan. It was also packed to the brim with people, most of who were there to see the bands who played after her. She just had to get them started. Hopefully, it would work to pump them up.
Lita had truly believed she would be nervous before walking onto the stage, but a strange calm washed over her. It was beautiful and powerful, and when Carla called out her name and the crowd cheered, even though they had no clue who she was, she felt energized. The lights were dim on the stage with a spotlight following her as she walked toward the microphone. As always, there seemed to be this strange calming sound that spread over the room, or maybe it was just in her head. Either way, she let the moment sink into her, and then she turned toward the crowd.
At first, she didn’t look out to them; instead, she found someone and hazily settled her sight on them so she could get her bearings. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she struck that first note and let it vibrate through the club, releasing a power which was all hers. The note was just about to fade when she began to sing and the band started to play. The first song started out slow but picked up quick, and once it did, the crowd roared to life.
As her set went on, she sang and danced around the stage, putting on a true show. She sweated, and her hair became a mess. The cheers and screams of the people in the audience fed her, pushing her to do more and more. She had never put on a show like that before, and now that she had, she wasn’t sure she could ever give it up.
Having gotten so lost in the music, she hadn’t focused much on the details of the crowd much until she finished her final song. She looked down to the front of the stage, and she swore she saw Alex standing there. No, that didn’t seem right.
Her arms fell, and she knelt to get a better look, and sure enough, Alex was there, standing, as if waiting for her. Shock washed over her face, but before she could react, Carla came out to give her a rousing conclusion. “What a show! Lita Reigns everyone! Give her another round of applause. We look forward to having her back soon.”
Lita gave a bow with another huge smile then walked off the stage. However, as soon as she was out of view of the public, she rushed to the front. Had she really seen Alex standing? When she pushed through the backstage door, she was sad to see him sitting. Of course, she hadn’t expected to see him at all.
“Alex? What are you doing here?” she asked, rushing over to him.
When she got to him, he pushed a button on what looked like a remote and pushed himself up from the chair. Her eyes opened wide. Damn, she had forgotten how tall he was. He had to have been a good six inches taller than her. Reaching up, she cupped his cheek, and then she started to investigate his body. He pulled a cane over to lean on, but other than that, he stood there with her.
“That was the most incredible thing I have ever seen, Lita. I am so proud of you,” Alex whispered.
“How are you doing this?” Lita asked, not caring what he had said to her. Alex was standing.
“I took what you said to heart. The doctor did a surgery on me. I can feel and move. Not all the time, but I have a lot more control, and the pain is a lot less,” he answered. Taking her hands, he moved them to his back so she could feel where the implants were.
“This is incredible.” Lita was in pure shock. She had no idea what to say. The joy and wonder of her performance were intensified by the surprise of Alex.
“Not as incredible as you. Lita, look, I am sorry I pushed you so hard. I was trying to push my problems on everyone else, and I thought if I could fix you it would make my pain less. I can’t swear to you I will be perfect. I am still broken. I still have night terrors, and the surgery isn’t without its flaws, but if you will have me, I want to give this another shot.” Alex turned her face so she was looking up into those beautiful blue eyes.
For several seconds, she just stared at him, breathing hard and trying to control the rush of emotions flooding her. Instead of answering him, she rose up on her tiptoes and kissed him with all the love and passion she had felt for him since they had been teenagers.
From around them, there were cheers and catcalls, and when their kiss broke, Lita realized they were surrounded by her family and friends who had come to see the show. The two of them laughed, and then the whole group went about enjoying the rest of the night.
***
Lita was shaking as she moved to straddle Alex’s body. They had kissed and touched for hours, making the most of their reunion. However, this was the first time they would be together fully, and she was a bit nervous. Part of her was afraid she would hurt him, and another part of her was afraid she would disappoint him.
“You are so beautiful,” Alex whispered, lifting her just a bit so he could position himself. He was hard and ready for her, probably more ready than her. After all, it had been over five years since he got to experience a woman.
“You will tell me if I—”
Alex kissed her hard, taking her breath away. “Stop it. I want to make love to you. I need to make love to you.” He slid himself inside her.
She moaned deeply as she started to rock against him, adjusting to the feel of him deep inside her.
His head fell back, and she watched as a look of pure ecstasy flowed over his face. It was probably the sexiest thing she had ever seen.
His hands roamed her body, and he grasped her hips and took control. He moved her and bounced her the way he desired, and it sent shockwaves of pleasure pulsing through every nerve of her body. He gripped her hair, pulling her down to him and kissing her like a starving man.
Passionate sounds echoed up from his throat as their sensuality turned more animalistic. He gripped her, empowered her, and made her feel like she belonged to him. He dominated her and gave her a sense of feeling protected. They screamed out as climax hit, and they shook and writhed against each other. No story or fantasy could compare to the real thing. There was nothing she could have made up that would measure up to that moment of pure orgasmic bliss.
Once she started to calm, she collapsed against his strong chest so he could hold her, wrapped up in his warmth and protection. Her heart was pounding, and before she lost her nerve, she whispered, “I love you, Alex Houston.”
“I love you, too, Lita Reigns. I always have,” he answered, kissing the top of her head.
Calming relief washed over her, and she felt truly at peace. After ten years, she had finally made it to where she was always meant to be. That moment, in bed with Alex, after a perfect night on the stage, was all she had ever wanted.
About the Author
Cherron Riser was born in Dothan, Alabama on November 2, 1983. With her family being military, she spent a lot of her early childhood traveling all over the country, giving her a lot of new and different experiences, she would not otherwise have been given. When she turned ten, however, her family settled in the small town of Ozark, Alabama where she finished her high school career.
After high school, Cherron began college, however she also found herself in love with her old high school crush. The two of them were married in July of 2002, and welcomed their first child in October of 2003, after moving to Knoxville, Tennessee. In December 2008 the welcomed their second child and found themselves headed back to Alabama. They have now been married for over thirteen years, and Cherron has returned to school to finish what she had started all those years ago.
All through her life Cherron has been drawn to the arts. As a child she danced and sang all of the time, often driving her family crazy. During middle school, a group of friends and Cherron started "The Outcast" a club established for building a love of writing. Once the club was formed, Cherron was never seen without a spiral notebook and pen. She wrote daily, developing silly stories for her friends. After high school, Cherron began to write more serious stories and develop more original plot lines. It is a talent and love Cherron has developed over the years, filling her computer with story after story.
As an author, Cherron began her career as a self-published author, releasing the book Defying Destiny in March of 2015. She gives a lot of credit to her husband, children, and friends for inspiring her characters and worlds and looks forward to showing them to all of her readers in the near future. Cherron can often be seen at conventions, both for readers and for geeks, as she is and will always be a geek herself, and proud of it.
Veteran Dreams (Forever Young Series) Page 17
