Unattainable

by Schlosser, Jamie

  I grinned back before reaching for my discarded dress in the sand a few feet away.

  Aiden narrowed his eyes as I pulled it on. “What are you doing?”

  “Getting dressed.” Lifting my eyes to the sky, I observed how high the sun was getting. “It’s probably noon by now.”

  “Nope.” Like a total caveman, he tugged the dress off again and tossed it behind him. “We don’t have to be back until three for stage rehearsal. Clothing is optional until then.”

  Prowling up my body, he rained kisses on my hip, my stomach, between my breasts. “I think I already made it to two hundred today, but just to be sure…”

  His hard cock grazed my inner thigh.

  I couldn’t believe he was getting an erection a third time, but I wasn’t unhappy about it. I spread my legs wider to accommodate his body.

  When his pelvis was nestled against mine, I said, “So, I’m all for safe sex but it’s not like we’ve been with anyone else, and we haven’t exactly had great experiences with the condoms so far.” Wincing, I ran a finger over my forehead. “I say we ditch them next time.”

  He playfully nipped at my bottom lip. “I see a lot of next times in our future.”

  I quirked an eyebrow. “How about right now?”

  Pleased with the suggestion, his dimple deepened. “I’ll never turn down an opportunity to be inside you.”

  “SEX ON THE BEACH?”

  “Huh?” Startled, I jerked at Theo’s accusation as he sat in the metal folding chair next to me.

  Paranoid that someone might’ve heard him, I glanced over my shoulder to see if anyone was paying attention. Luckily, the music coming from the stage was loud, and no one in the audience behind us seemed to notice his unwanted announcement.

  Why would Theo call me out like that? And while the cameras were rolling? And how did he know about my time with Corrie in the cove?

  “Dude, can you keep it down a little?” I said low.

  “What?” He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, and I got the feeling we weren’t on the same page.

  I blinked at him. “What?”

  Holding up the pink drink in his hand, he raised his eyebrows. “I was offering you an alcoholic beverage.”

  Oh.

  “Is that what you’ve been shoving down my throat this whole time? I’ve just been calling it a fruity cocktail.” I accepted the glass before changing my mind and giving it back. “I don’t drink before I sing, but I’ll definitely want it after.”

  Corrie would probably want one, too. In fact, I should probably just let her have mine. After getting back from the cove, she’d spent the afternoon doing stage rehearsal with the three pairs. By the time she got to Stan and me, she was visibly frazzled by the clusterfuck that was Mallory and Camille.

  And speaking of them…

  I resisted the urge to cringe as Mallory’s voice cracked while hitting a high note. She was obviously trying to outdo Camille, and their duet was just as bad as I’d feared.

  Schooling my expression to feigned interest, I linked my hands in my lap and forced myself to keep my eyes glued to the stage. There was a camera off to my left, just mere feet away from my face, filming my every reaction. It would’ve been terribly unprofessional to allow my true feelings about the shitshow to come out.

  At least Jordan and Twila had rocked it. They’d been the first to go on, and they were totally in sync with each other for the flawless performance. Elliot and Dawn had sounded equally good together for “Whiskey Lullaby” by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss, but they lacked the chemistry the previous pair possessed.

  Lights flashed, the speakers boomed with the finishing tempo, and the girls ended with a nice harmony.

  It wasn’t going to save them.

  Fortunately, the audience didn’t seem to mind. The crowd went wild, and some even whistled while giving a standing ovation.

  Over three hundred chairs were set up on the beach in the rows behind me, occupied by a mix of NTT families and friends, and locals who’d applied to be extras for the show. There were also a few important talent hunters out there somewhere, and I hoped they’d be interested in whoever got the ax.

  Everyone began chanting, and it took me a second to figure out it was my name coming from their mouths.

  Maybe all the cheering wasn’t for Mallory and Camille after all.

  Because now it was my turn. Stan and I were about to sing our Garth Brooks duet, and I’d been so worried about all the other performances that I hadn’t had time to be anxious about mine.

  I wasn’t kidding when I’d told Corrie I still got the jitters before performing.

  I was always fine once I started singing but having so many eyes on me was nerve-racking. What if I forgot the lyrics? Or tripped? What if my pants fell down?

  Okay, so the last concern was highly unlikely. My jeans were snug enough that there was no way they’d randomly come off.

  It’s just that this performance was so important. It wasn’t just for the audience. The entire world would see it when it aired. And I was no longer just a competitor in a talent contest. Expectations were higher. The pressure was on.

  Tonight was, by far, the biggest career move I’d ever made.

  “Break a leg.” Grinning, Theo nudged me before he got up to head for the stage to do my intro.

  I smiled a little.

  He certainly didn’t hate being the center of attention, and I liked seeing him happy. Anticipation oozed from him as he carried the drink with him, cool as a cucumber in his spiffy suit and tie.

  A mic tech standing next to one of the large speakers waved me over. Time to get hooked up.

  As he gave me my ear piece, I tuned out the crowd, imagining the beach was empty and silent. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans and smoothed the front of my red-and-blue plaid button-up. The sleeves had been torn off, showcasing my arm muscles and giving me a rugged look. I tucked the front of the shirt into my belt. The metal buckle had the Rodeo Records lasso logo engraved on it. Dennis and Darrell wanted it to be visible during the performance.

  Another crew member guided me to the side of the stage where Stan was already waiting.

  As if he could sense my unease, he gave me a manly clap on the back. “You’ll kill it.”

  “Thanks,” I told him. “You, too.”

  He looked good tonight. He’d gotten a beard trim and the wardrobe team had dressed him in a shirt similar to mine, only his was yellow and green.

  Our run-through at sound check had gone way better than our time in the studio, so at least I had confidence that we would put on a good show.

  As my foot landed on the bottom step of the stage, I glanced to my left and locked eyes with Corrie. She was hidden away behind the big metal frame, back in the shadows with her DJ equipment. Headphones hung around her neck, and she was totally in her element. Right where she wanted to be.

  The red mark above her eyebrow from the condom debacle was almost gone. She was wearing the same professional ensemble as the first night, and my fingers itched to undo all the pearl buttons on her blouse.

  A blueish glow from the spotlights illuminated her hair, making it appear silver. It reminded me of the first time I ever saw her, and suddenly, a calm came over me.

  For some reason, knowing Corrie was nearby made everything okay.

  I smiled at her as I made it to the top of the dark platform.

  Grinning, she sent an encouraging chin nod my way.

  My heart flipped in my chest, and I felt strong. Invincible. Like I could do anything.

  And in that moment, I knew I was truly owned by her.

  I was one-hundred percent crazy in love with Corrie. Not puppy love. Not a crush. Not just because she was my first.

  She’d only been back in my life for a few days, but I couldn’t imagine not being with her from here on out.

  “What a show!” Theo’s booming voice stopped the clapping and cheering while Stan and I hung back in the wings, waiting to be introduced. “When you co
mbine Night Time Television, Rodeo Records, and the best talent in America, this is what you get folks—an unforgettable evening.” He paused for the applause. “But it’s not over yet. I might be biased, but I think the best act is yet to come. Put your hands up for Aiden Legend and Stan Lawless!”

  The roar of the audience was deafening, and a stagehand scurried over to give Stan and me our guitars. I looped the leather strap over my head.

  “Ready?” Stan shouted.

  I nodded. “Ready.”

  And I totally was. I’d never been more excited about the future—career and otherwise.

  Throwing Corrie one last discreet smirk, I strutted out into the spotlight, determined to give the performance of a lifetime.

  STAN AND I ROCKED IT. No, that was an understatement. We brought the house down—almost literally.

  After our duet, the audience shouted for an encore. Stan was so in sync with me, and me with him, it was like we’d been performing together for years. And so we decided to give the people what they wanted.

  Instead of ending the show, we sang “Good Time” by Alan Jackson.

  An impromptu line dance started up in the sand right in front of the stage. But when we transitioned to a rock song, the organized group quickly turned into somewhat of a mosh pit.

  It got really out of hand when people started climbing the tall speakers. One fell over and busted. At that point, we stopped playing and rushed off the stage. Security got called—putting an end to the concert—and several trouble makers were escorted from the property.

  It was awesome chaos.

  Despite the crazy events of the night, the after-party wasn’t cancelled. There were too many important people who showed up to talk to me specifically. I rubbed elbows, started the right conversations, and made the connections I needed.

  But all the while, I missed Corrie. It wasn’t like the employees were banned from attending, but a string quartet had been brought in for the music, so her services weren’t needed, and it would’ve looked highly suspicious for her to be hanging around me.

  It was past two a.m. now, but I wasn’t tired. I was too amped up from the energy of the crowd and I was eager to see Corrie.

  As I unlocked my door, I listened for signs of life in my suite. It was dark and silent.

  I’d slipped a key to Corrie earlier when she was packing up her equipment, kindly requesting her presence in my bed tonight.

  Okay, I ordered. Ordered her to be here.

  But that didn’t mean she’d do what I said. Instead of giving me a definitive answer, she’d passed me our dolphin notebook and sashayed away. I hadn’t gotten a chance to look inside yet, but first, I needed to check my bedroom.

  The glow from the pineapple nightlight was enough to see a person-sized lump under the covers.

  I let out a happy sigh when I saw purple hair sprawled across my pillow. Corrie’s back was to me, and from the looks of her bare shoulders, she wasn’t wearing clothes.

  My cock stiffened, and I glared down at it. Like, really? Three times wasn’t enough?

  Thinking about our first time made me smile.

  Actually, all our firsts over the past few days were humorous. The awful date I’d planned. Almost getting caught by Twila and Dawn. The awkward sex.

  Everything had gone wrong.

  I wouldn’t change any of it.

  It wasn’t perfect, but it was ours.

  After brushing my teeth and changing into black gym shorts, I bent down to grab my jeans off the bathroom floor. I retrieved the notebook out of the back pocket and opened it, flipping to the second page. Corrie’s flawless penmanship was scrawled across the lines in purple ink.

  Aiden,

  My favorite memory of you happened during the last rehearsal before the winter concert. When you told me you liked me. Really liked me. Up until then, the flirting had been fun, but I wasn’t sure if your feelings went deeper than friendship. The thing is, you could’ve had anyone you wanted, but you chose me. You were this unattainable guy, aloof and unreachable. Wealthy but generous. Gorgeous and kind. I’ve never felt more special than I did that night.

  —Corrie

  I chuckled. Aiden the unattainable. Guess Ross wasn’t the only person who associated me with that title, but that was no longer the case. Corrie owned me, heart and soul.

  There was a squiggly line under the first paragraph and an arrow pointing to the next page. I turned it over to see a second note in black pen.

  Never mind. Scratch that. My new favorite memory of you is today on the beach.

  She ended the update with a wink face.

  I smiled as I switched off the bathroom light, crept to the bed, and set the notebook down on the nightstand.

  Today was my new favorite memory, too.

  Sliding under the white sheet, I quietly cozied up behind Corrie, wrapping a hand around her waist to pull her body flush against mine. My hand splayed on her lower belly, and my pinky finger slipped under the waistband of her panties. My hard cock nestled in her ass crack as I rested my head on the pillow.

  My face was just inches away from her shoulder, and I snuggled closer so I could breathe in her heavenly scent.

  “Are you sniffing me again?”

  I froze at the sound of her amused voice, my nose hovering over her sweet skin. “I thought you were asleep.”

  “That makes it even creepier.”

  I hummed in agreement. “Can’t help it. I’m just so glad you’re here.”

  Placing her hand over mine on her midsection, she linked our fingers. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.” She paused. “Just so you know, I’m really proud of you. Tonight you were… amazing. Did you and Stan even rehearse those other songs?” When I shook my head, my chin grazing her shoulder, she continued, “I’ve never seen anything like it. You’re truly talented.”

  I squeezed her. “Thanks. I had a pretty good puppet master pulling my strings.”

  She laughed lightly. “Is that what I am? A puppet master? I like the sound of that. I could get used to bossing you around.”

  “I’m at your service,” I confirmed. “Do with me what you will.”

  “Well, in that case…” Bringing her hand up, she moved her hair off to the side. “My neck is really tense from working so long today. I could use a massage.”

  Corrie quietly moaned when I complied, digging my thumb into a knot between her shoulder blades.

  My dick didn’t know the difference between a sound of contentment and something sexual, but I ignored my erection.

  As I rubbed her tight muscles, I thought about earlier in the evening when Mallory and Camille got sent home. That was enough to make my boner die a swift death.

  “Thank God there’s no eliminations for ten days,” I mused out loud, walking my fingers down Corrie’s spine. “I’ve had enough of that this week. You’ve got your work cut out for you with the top five, though.”

  I was referring to the brand-new songs Corrie would basically be producing from scratch.

  One of the biggest perks for the remaining contestants would be recording their own single. Over the next week, Rodeo Records planned to bring in a team of their best songwriters and musicians to work individually with each up-and-coming artist. It was going to be a dream come true for Stan, Dawn, Elliot, Twila, and Jordan.

  Their songs probably wouldn’t make it to mainstream radio, but there were other platforms for them to get exposure.

  But behind the scenes, Corrie would have her hands full perfecting their tracks.

  “I’m excited to spend so much time in the studio,” she stated on a wistful sigh. “This is the best time I’ve ever had. Thank you, Aiden.”

  I grunted. “I didn’t do anything. This is all you.”

  “I meant thank you for being a part of it. I still can’t believe it’s real. I get to live my dream with you.” Passion laced every word, and I recognized the desire in her tone.

  She wanted this career.

  “Is this what you
want to do with your life?” I asked, then clarified, “Not DJing—the music production.”

  Wiggling, Corrie turned around to face me. She apprehensively bit her lip, and I got the feeling she was afraid to say it out loud—to fess up to such a lofty goal.

  “Truth dare,” I challenged, and she sighed.

  “Yes. It just seems so farfetched. It’s a highly competitive job field.” She hiked a shoulder. “Someday, I’d like to take another shot at Nashville.”

  “You can do it. You got this far. You can do anything you want.”

  She playfully poked me in the ribs. “We’ll see if you’re still saying that when you hear my work.”

  Catching her hand, I brought it up to my lips and kissed her palm. “I have complete faith in you.”

  “I don’t know.” She furrowed her eyebrows. “A lot of talented people don’t reach their goals. Having potential doesn’t mean it will work out. Look at Mallory and Camille.”

  I winced, because their elimination had been the hardest for me to handle so far. At least they didn’t cry. No one—including them—seemed surprised by the decision. Both were actually very gracious, thanking me for the opportunity before being sent away.

  “It’s not over for Mallory or Camille,” I said optimistically. “One of the talent scouts might recruit them. I tried to talk them up as much as possible at the party.”

  Corrie placed her hand on my cheek. “You have such a good heart. It’s one of the things I love most about you.”

  Locking eyes, a few seconds of silence ticked by. She’d said the word love. I didn’t know if that meant she was in love with me, but it was enough of a green light for me to blab.

  “I love you, Corrie,” I blurted. “So fucking much. I wanted to tell you earlier today, but I thought it might sound insincere while we were having sex.”

  She laugh-snorted, then her face got serious. “Aiden.” Deep breath. “I used to think I loved you.” Exhale. “But I was wrong.”

  My heart sank. It literally felt like the organ fell to the bottom of my stomach where a high-speed blender pureed it to mush.