Crazy Dreams (14 page)

I took a few deep breaths, forcing myself to relax.

“You should eat something,” he suggested, handing me an apple from the huge fruit basket the studio had delivered an hour ago.

There was no way I was eating anything. “No.”

He sighed, setting the apple back down in the basket. “Fine. Come here, then.” He crooked his finger at me. I couldn’t deny him.

I kept my head down, more nervous than ever. His fingers moved to my chin, lifting my head up until I was looking him in the eye. “You are going to be perfect. We didn’t work so hard for you to not be able to enjoy it. Even if no one likes our songs, we’re playing for us. Remember, neither of us cares about super-stardom. We just want our music to be heard.”

He was right, of course, but I was still more than a little anxious. He turned me around, rubbing my shoulders. I let myself enjoy his ministrations, letting the tension ease out of my body. I leaned back into him and he kissed my neck, his hands going around my waist.

We still hadn’t had sex, but our relationship was well-developed now, and I almost didn’t want to do it; I was afraid it might ruin our closeness. I still wanted him, though, which meant I tried to seduce him every chance I got. His will power was much more resolved than mine.

A knock on the door separated us. “Hey guys,” one of the sound techs popped his head into our room. “They’re ready for you to get started. Follow me.”

Stone took my hand and we walked behind the sound tech. I couldn’t get my hands to stop shaking. Stone squeezed my hand as we walked back stage. I gulped. I wasn’t sure I was ready for this.

The sound tech pointed to the mics on stage and then directed us to go to them. We walked out on stage and the first thing I noticed was how large the crowd was. Was it really only twenty thousand people? It seemed like much more than that. My breath caught in my throat as I grabbed my mic. I closed my eyes.

“How’s everyone doing tonight?” Stone asked, revving up the crowd. They screamed in answer. “Well I’m Stone Tucker and this beautiful woman is Ember Daniels, and together, we’re Heaven Sent.” It was the name for our duet, one we’d spent a full two weeks discussing and trying to make perfect. “We’ve got a few songs for you tonight.”

Stone had already pulled on his guitar and the band behind us were ready to go. His finger was healed and he was more than anxious to play in front of people again. He locked his mic in its stand and then strummed a few chords. My eyes found his and the crowd dissipated, vanished into thin air. Stone and I were the only two people on that stage, the only two people in the world.

Twenty-Three

Stone

The concert passed faster than I expected. It was fun and exciting, and I noticed Ember finally came out of her shell and put on quite a show. She was so vibrant. In a sundress and high heels, she danced around the stage, her eyes always coming back to mine. It was like she didn’t care one bit about the crowd. She was performing for me.

It was our first show, but I knew, given the way the crowd responded to us, there was no way it would be our last. We were destined for greatness. She was the star, though, and I liked it that way. I was happy to just watch as she did her thing, singing and dancing.

The studio promised a second show, provided our feedback was good, and it seemed like we were on our way. When we finally stopped singing, the applause was deafening. I held Ember’s hand and we bowed together. Our smiles were real as we both rode the high of our success. Granted, we weren’t stars or anything, but in that moment, it felt like we were.

We left the stage and the headliner started to get ready to go. The lead singer of the big name band approached us.

“You guys were amazing,” he said, his thick southern drawl prominent. “I hope we get to work together some day.”

Ember just stared at him, so I smiled. “We’d like that, too. Thanks, man.” I shook his hand. When we got back to our dressing room, Ember fell on the couch.

“That was incredible!” she exclaimed.

“Yeah, it was,” I agreed, sitting beside her.

She leaned her head on my shoulder. “I’m exhausted.”

“Me too. Let’s drive back home tonight,” I suggested. We were in Chattanooga, which was less than two hours away from my apartment.

“But don’t we have a hotel room for tonight?”

“Yeah, but I figured you would want to get back and tell Baker and Dallas all about the concert.”

She looked thoughtful. “I mean, I do want to tell them, but I think I want to bask in the afterglow tonight and just enjoy our night.”

“Works for me,” I said.

We spent a lot of our time together; it was getting harder and harder for me to say no to her. She was far too sexy for her own good. I kept true to my promise, though. I was just scared to death if I told her I loved her, she’d reject me.

It was stupid, but I couldn’t help it. My ex made me skeptical. I knew Ember wasn’t anything like Jess, but saying the
L-word
first was just too much. I had a feeling she was in love with me, but I knew she was holding back, too. We were both afraid.

A limo took us from the concert venue to the hotel. We were in a huge suite on the top floor. They offered each of us our own room, but Ember explained she would be more comfortable if we were in the same room. She even requested a two-bedroom suite. Last night, she slept in the other bedroom. Sexual frustration was starting to stress me out.

The hotel was fancier than any I’d ever been in and the suite fell in line with the ritzy atmosphere. With elegant décor and expensive bed linens, I was glad I wasn’t the one who had to foot the bill. The studio paid for everything and encouraged us to enjoy ourselves.

In the room, Ember slipped out of her shoes and went to the mini-fridge. She pulled out a few tiny bottles of vodka and a larger bottle of cranberry juice. “We should celebrate.”

“I don’t think so,” I argued. “You’re underage.”

She frowned at me. “I’m old enough. Besides, there aren’t any cops in this room. I haven’t had anything to drink in months. I deserve to let loose. We both do. We’ve been working like crazy the past few weeks to get everything perfect, and finally, it is.” She scooped some ice into two glasses and then made two drinks, handing one to me. She raised hers against mine. “To finally getting what we deserve.”

Her words worried me. She wasn’t acting like herself, but I just nodded, keeping silent. I sipped my drink while she took a large swallow from hers. She walked over to the radio and turned it on. Country music filled the room. She swayed to the music, dancing by herself.

“Tonight was amazing,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the music. She pulled me to her, a silent plea to dance. I moved with her, our bodies moving to the beat of the song.

When the song ended, Ember looked like she was about to say something to me, but the radio host’s voice interrupted her.

“Well, folks, we’ve got a treat for you. Tonight was the big concert downtown, and one of the opening acts has been requested nonstop since then. I had the privilege of listening to this band’s song, and I can tell you: it’s awesome. For the first time on any radio station, you’re about to hear
Heaven Sent’s
single,
Her Smile
. We hope you all enjoy it as much as we do.”

Ember’s eyes grew wide, and I was sure mine did, too. Her voice came through the speaker, starting the song. I pulled her close to me and we danced for real, our bodies pressed together. We each set our glasses down on the table and then I twirled her around. She laughed, a beautiful sound.

I led her around the suite, dancing and twirling along until the music faded away and it was just us, staring into one another’s eyes. I was so in love with her, so willing to do whatever it took to keep her as mine. I almost blurted my feelings for her right then and there. I kept my cool, though.

Until she whispered, “I love you, Stone.”

Twenty-Four

Ember

The words left my mouth before I could stop them. The vodka and the natural high of performing, not to mention hearing our song on the radio… Everything just got to be too much, I had to get the words out.

He leaned away from me. “What?”

I gulped.
No turning back now
. “I love you.”

He sighed and then smiled brilliantly. “Thank God. I love you, too, Ember.”

“You do?”

“How could I not?” he asked. He started dancing again, holding me close.

I rested my head on his shoulder and let him lead. I was so lost in the moment, I didn’t even realize he danced us into one of the bedrooms. He stopped us in front of the four-poster king bed. He cupped my cheeks in his hands, lifting my head until we were looking into each other’s eyes.

“I love you so much. Will you stay with me tonight?”

I’d been trying to get him into bed for weeks, trying every seduction I knew, and all it took was me saying
I love you
?

“Of course I will,” I told him.

Stone’s face lit up and he slowly pressed his lips to mine. Our mouths met in heated passion, each of us trying to devour the other. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he lifted me, holding my ass. My legs went around his waist, ankles locked behind him. I couldn’t quite believe it was actually happening, after waiting so long.

Stone put a knee to the bed, slowly lowering me onto the mattress. I watched him as he kissed his way down my neck and to my cleavage. He tugged the straps of my dress down, off my arms so he could pull my breasts free of the material. He sucked one already puckered nipple into his mouth while his fingers played with the other.

I arched against him, desperate for more of his touch. He chuckled. “Easy, now. We’ve got all night.”

“I don’t want to wait any more. We’ve been waiting all summer.”

He couldn’t argue with that, so he pulled my dress down my body, taking my panties with it. He stood up at the end of the bed and started to undress. His black button-down shirt went first, his magnificent chest revealed. He was a gorgeous specimen of a man. I couldn’t wait to get him inside me.

His pants and boxers went next and he was finally naked. He grinned at me and then crawled back onto the bed, his body hovering above mine. His fingers touched my sex, delving into the wetness. I moaned.

“Please don’t make me wait,” I whispered.

He’d had enough foreplay as well, it seemed, as he ripped open a condom packet that appeared from nowhere. I’d ask him later where he got it, but for the moment, I pulled his hips to mine as soon as the latex covered him. He leaned down to kiss me, his cock pushing softly against me. I lifted my hips to meet his and finally, he completed me.

We both moaned in unison. Everything in my life boiled down to that one point, one moment in time when we came together. It was all that I expected and so much more. He was a passionate lover, gentle and demanding at the same time. He didn’t
fuck
me, or talk dirty. Just the opposite: he made love to me, whispering words of love as he sank deeper.

He built me up, forcing me to crash over the orgasm wave. I let out a low moan, enjoying the pleasure he gave to me. I was lost to everything as a thousand tiny bursts of pleasure erupted all over my body. It was beyond intense.

He went over soon after, his breathing labored. He kissed my cheek, a huge smile on his face. “I love you.”

“Love you, too,” I whispered. I’d never been more in love, more satisfied in my life.

This relationship was one I wasn’t going to walk away from any time soon. We were going to be together forever. That’s how it felt. I just wanted to lie there with him forever, too. The real world was bound to interrupt at some point, causing both of us to doubt our relationship. It always happened. I was nervous about it, honestly. I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to keep it together. I didn’t need to break.

We drifted off to sleep and for the first time in over a year, I didn’t dream of Rainey. I dreamt of Stone.

Twenty-Five

Stone

The sex was amazing.

There was more to it, of course, but the reality was, Ember and I were meant for each other. Our bodies fit together perfectly, our minds connected, and when we made love, it felt like our souls touched. It had been a long time since I actually felt so close to someone. I trusted her implicitly, without a single hesitation.

The following morning, I woke up to a beautiful blonde next to me in bed. She lay on her stomach, her right arm flung off the edge of the bed. To wake her, I trailed my fingers down her back and kissed her shoulder.

“Good morning,” I greeted her.

Her eyes fluttered open. “Well, good morning. You aren’t usually a morning person.”

“Not usually, no. But you’re reason enough to wake up in a great mood.”

She laughed. “Aww. I almost believe you. I think you just want morning sex.”

“Well, that too,” I admitted. “But first, I have a serious question for you.”