Wilde Velvet (7 page)

“Mr Wilde, there’s no music and I haven’t warmed up.”
he shakes his head at me.

“Miss Harper, for once can you just do as I ask?” His voice is calm. I grimace and then clear my throat. My mind starts to rush, I am nervous. I close my eyes.
Just breathe Ashley and do your thing.
  I part my lips and open my vocal chords.

“Turn around, every now and then

I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by

Turn around, every now and then

I get a little bit terrified and then I see the look in your eyes

Turn around, bright eyes

Every now and then I fall apart

Turn around, bright eyes

Every now and then I fall apart

Turnaround, every now and then

I get a little bit restless and I dream of something wild

Turnaround, every now and then

I get a little bit helpless and I'm lying like a child in your arms

Turnaround, every now and then

I get a little bit angry and I know I've got to get out and cry

Turnaround, every now and then

I get a little bit terrified but then I see the look in your eyes

Turnaround bright eyes

Every now and then I fall apart

Turnaround bright eyes

Every now and then I fall apart

And I need you now tonight

And I need you more than ever

And if you only hold me tight

We'll be holding on forever

And we'll only be making it right

Cause we'll never be wrong

Together we can take it to the end of the line

Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time

I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark

We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks

I really need you tonight

Forever's gonna to start tonight

Forever's gonna to start tonight

Once upon a time I was falling in love

Now I'm only falling apart

There's nothing I can do

A total eclipse of the heart”

“Perfect. Stop right there.” Mr Wilde says smirking and looking at Tony and Alex. They both look at each other and then at me. Mr Wilde pushes the button again.

“Nice voice Miss Harper,” I blush proudly. Alex has just given me compliment. This feels awesome.

“Thanks,” I gush. Both guys smile and then they excuse themselves. I push my loose hair away from my face as I await Mr Wilde’s next order.

“That was good for a first attempt. You have certainly won those two over. But I’m gonna need a little more convincing. We have to get together and discuss your sound. You have a very chilling voice, but I have noticed that you have picked up a few bad habits. Tell me something, have you been doing a lot of karaoke lately?” I am stunned; I thought that he was impressed by my performance. And the comment about karaoke, well that’s just insulting. He always seems to find a way to put a dampener on everything that I do. Will I ever be up to his standards?

“And what’s wrong with doing karaoke?” I say firmly.

“Did you hear me say that there was anything wrong with it?” Inside I am screaming. Why does he have to be so arrogant? Why can’t he just be nice and act professional? Why does everything he says have to have a hidden meaning?

“NO!” I shout. He laughs as he strokes his chin. “Can we just move past the karaoke debate?” he straightens his face, eyes fixed on mine.

“Sure, now I’ll see you tonight.” I scowl at him.

“What’s tonight?”

“Miss Harper, why must you continue to test my patience?”

“Forgive me, but you’re just so hard to read. Most of the time I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about.” he laughs at me again. I am so frustrated right now. I could kill him. 

“Let me make it clear for you. We need to discuss your sound. I’ll stop by your apartment later, so that we can talk.”

“Why can’t we just talk now?” he rises up from the seat and he slides into the small booth. He reaches out and grabs onto my arm. He pulls me off of the chair and I crash against him. He smells incredible and I could bask in his scent all day long. His deep brown eyes are sinful and his lips are tempting. My eyes close. I remember the feeling of his kiss. I smile and he shakes me.

“Are you okay?”
he says in a firm tone. I blush. Crap I let myself think about him, again.

“I’m fine,” I say desperately. He exhales as he lead
s me out of the booth.

“We can’t talk just now because I have a meeting and then I have some other … business to attend to.” I nod. I understand. He must be really busy and here I want to take up all
of his time. I feel guilty.

“I see,”

“So is eight okay?” I am stunned. That’s late. I don’t know if I feel comfortable with this.

“Maybe it would better if we just talked in the morning.”
he stares at me. He knows that I am trying to avoid what he is offering me. I try to compose myself.

“Are you trying to avoid spending time with me, Miss Harper?” Crap he has seen right through me.

“No it’s just … wouldn’t it be more … professional if we discussed my music here at the studio?” he laughs at me. Boy I wish that he would stop doing that.

“It’s better to discuss your music away from the temptation of the studio. I don’t want you to get distracted by everything that goes on here.” I frown at him. I know exactly what he is trying to say. I saw the way he acted when Alex made
that comment. He didn’t like the tension between Tony and me either. Mr Gucci is jealous and he doesn’t want me to be around those guys. I smile to myself.  It’s nice to see him uncomfortable for once.

“And what temptations are you trying to shield me from?”
he presses his lips into a hard line. He isn’t impressed. I try to change the focus. The last thing I want is to start an argument with him. “If you’re going to insist on coming over to my apartment, then I must insist that you call me Ashley.” he briefly smiles and then he pushes past me. He opens the door and he stretches out his arm for me to exit the room. Of course I do as he says. I walk out into the hallway and I lean against the picture framed wall.

“Okay Ashley, I’ll see you at eight.” I press my lips together. I am not looking forward to tonight. I am dreading being alone with him. He makes me feel things that I don’t want to feel. I am scared that my tall walls may be knocked over by his ever growing infatuation. I smile at him as he walks away from me. I shake my head. How am I going to get through tonight?

I walk along the hallway, trying to remember my way out. I scramble past a few closed doors and I begin to feel stupid as I realise that I have been heading in the wrong direction. I quickly change course and as I turn around, my body crashes into another. My hair flies all over my face as I try to find my footing. Two hands steady me and I manage to stand straight. My eyes are blurry from the sudden movement, but when they clear, I am surprised to see the guy from yesterday holding onto me. I am embarrassed and now he’s about to say something and I have completely forgotten his name.

“Ashley right?”
he says as he pulls his hands away from me and rests them at his sides.

“Yeah, we meet yesterday.”
I answer. He smiles at me, blue eyes sparkling in the sun. “I’m sorry but I have forgotten your name.” I feel silly. I just blurted it out. Luckily he doesn’t seem too offended.

“Tyler,” he says smoothly. I laugh and then he does the same. “So where were you heading off to in such a rush?” I blush. I can’t believe that I crashed into him, and then forgot his name.
How stupid can you be Ashley?

“Home,” I say brightly. He smiles again. I stare at him, he has a nice smile and his eyes are beautiful.

“Me too, I don’t suppose you need a ride?” he asks in a soft tone. I bite my lip. I do need a ride, but can I accept one from this strange guy? I don’t know him. He could be a serial killer or something less dramatic. But I have to be careful, especially given my track record with the opposite sex.

“That would be great, thanks.” I give in. I need a ride home and I am sure that he isn’t dangerous.

Tyler walks me out of the building and across the street. We walk further along the street and I look up at him as he stops in front of an old Chrysler Newport. He unlocks the car and jumps inside. I am standing on the sidewalk, staring at him. I am motionless. What is wrong with me? I stare at him as he plays on his cell phone. I realise that I was expecting him to open the door for me. I have been so used to Jonathon doing it, that I just got freaked out that Tyler didn’t do the same. I can feel my legs start to wobble. Man he’s gotten under my skin. Why am I so drawn to him? Is it because I know that he is all wrong for me?
Ashley, stop thinking about him.
  Tyler throws his phone into the cup holder as he looks at me from inside his car.

“Are you gonna get in?”
he says with a gentle smile. I nod and I slide myself into his car. The seats aren’t as comfy as the Maserati and the car smells like cigarettes and Taco Bell. But the company is cool. Tyler seems really laid back and the total opposite of Jonathon and that’s exactly what I need right now.

Seven

Tyler drove me back to our apartment building and we talked most of the way. As I expected he is a really nice guy and we have a lot in common. Both of us moved to California to pursue our dreams of music. I highly doubt that his reasons are as dramatic as mine was though.  He is originally from the east coast. Naturally he is a lot more laid back than any of the guys I have met since I moved to California. He has a very positive outlook on life. He seems very open minded and I get a go-with-the-flow vibe from him. He is a lot different to Mr Gucci and it’s really refreshing to be around someone who isn’t an in-your-face kind-of-gorgeous. Tyler is cute. He has sweet dimples in his cheeks and his eyes sparkle in the dazzling sun. He isn’t as attractive as Jonathon, but what he lacks in looks he makes up for with personality. He is funny and he seems caring and sweet. He is the opposite of what I am used to. Brandon and Tyler are like chalk and cheese, and that thought intrigues me.

“Well I guess this is my stop.” I say as I unlock the door to my new apartment. Tyler stands in front of me with his hands stuffed into his loose jeans. He looks disappointed that we have to part ways. I feel bad. Maybe he is lonely? I push open the door and I offer him to come inside. “Do you wanna come in for some coffee?” Tyler smiles and I take that as a yes. I walk into the apartment and I throw my handbag down onto the sofa. I walk into the kitchen as I hear the door bang shut. Tyler follows me into the kitchen and he sits down at the seating area. I begin to the rummage in the cupboards in search of some cups. I find two large, round coffee mugs and a bag of ground coffee. I set the cups down onto the counter
, as I make my way over to the built in coffee machine. I squint my eyes as I try to figure out how to switch it on. I am taking longer than I would have liked. My cheeks start to flush.
How lame am I? I can’t even work a frickin coffee machine.
I give up and I turn to face Tyler. I flash him an awkward smile and he bursts out laughing.

“Would you like some help?”
he says as he rises from the seat. I nod, cheeks still blushing. He glides over to my side and he flicks a switch and the machine lights up. Man. He makes it look so easy. He grabs the bag of coffee out of my hand, and he fills the machine. He flicks another switch and the machine begins to power up. Steam and the scent of fresh coffee fill the air around us. He slides over and grabs the two cups. The machine begins to pour out the coffee and soon we have our drinks. He switches off the machine once it’s finished and he makes his way back over to the seat. I follow him, and I sit down next to him. We sip our coffees in silence and then I break it when I let out a soft giggle. “Why are you laughing?” he says in a smooth voice.

“I’m laughing at how pathetic I am.” I
laugh again and this time Tyler can’t hold back his own chuckles. We laugh together and I like it. I like how he has made me less serious. I feel young and carefree around him. I smile. I am really going to enjoy getting to know him more.

“Well you were a little pathetic, but you’re a cute pathetic you know?” I blush at his comment.

“Well thank you, I guess.” We laugh again and then he checks the time on his watch. He quickly downs his coffee and then he stands up in front of me.

“I gotta bounce.” I smile, I like his slang. He’s cute.

“Okay,” I say smiling at him. He smiles back and then he pushes his hands into his pockets. He looks as if he would like to say something and I blush. Knowing what it is.

“When can I see you again?”

“I’m guessing the next time I need a ride.” he rolls his eyes at my sarcastic comment. “Sorry.” I say holding my hands in the air.

“How about we go and see a movie one day next week?” Dam it. I kn
ew that was coming. My mind starts to rush. I have made a pact with myself that I wouldn’t date. But oddly I am considering dating him, but why? Is it because he is the opposite of everything that I know? He isn’t dangerous and he doesn’t make me feel like Brandon or even Mr Gucci does. He doesn’t set my pulse racing and he isn’t drop dead gorgeous. But somehow I feel drawn to him. I sense that there is something in his eyes that makes me believe that he would never hurt me. I have been through so much shit in the past with guys. I have been hurt, scared and emotionally abused. I don’t trust men and I am terrified that I am set to repeat the past. I usually go for the tall, hot dark haired guy that melts my entire body with just one look.  But maybe average Tyler is just the guy to break me out of my bad habits. Maybe I should give him a chance.

“That sounds … great.” I accept his offer.
Be proud of yourself Ashley. You have agreed to go out with a guy that you would normally never even consider. You changed. You have finally moved on from the girl that you used to be.

“Cool
. How’s Saturday for you?”

“Saturday it is!”

Tyler leaves and I am exhausted. It’s still early and I have a few hours yet before Mr Gucci comes over to talk music. So I make way into my new room and I flop down onto the extra soft bed. I pull the covers over my body and I quickly drift into a deep sleep.

There is a loud knock at the door. I jump up in terror. I stumble across the bedroom floor and I push my way through the open door. The knock persists and I run across the living room floor towards the front door. I stand on my tip-toes and I frown when I see Jonathan standing in hallway. Crap why did I have to sleep for so long? I run my fingers through my knotted hair and I smooth out my white shirt. He knocks again and I reluctantly pull open the door. He smirks when he sees me and I gasp. Why does he have to look so good? He is flawless in his dark slim fit jeans and Gucci high-tops. His smile is wicked as he greets me.

“Wow
. What’s up with you?”

“I was sleeping. Sorry if my appearance isn't up to your standards.”
he sighs at me as he pushes his way into the apartment. I scowl. Man he's annoying. I follow him into the living room. He flops himself down onto the sofa removing his brown leather jacket to reveal a tight polo shirt. He folds his arms across his chest as he stares at me. I feel a little uneasy but I try to maintain my composure. I sit down next to him on the sofa. He smiles and turns to face me. I blush and his smile deepens.

“So let’s talk music.” I say trying to bring the focus away from my fiery cheeks.

“Okay well there are a few things that I would like to go over with you.”

“Okay shoot.”

“Your tone for starters, it's a little up and down. You have good balance, but all the karaoke has made your voice lazy. You miss out words because it’s convenient. Pronunciation is everything. What's the point in singing if the listeners don't know what you’re saying?” I take a deep breath. It's hard to hear criticism, but he is the professional. He knows what's right and wrong and I need to take all of his advice on board.

“Okay so what do you suggest I do then?”

“I've already called the best vocal coach I know. I have arranged a meeting with her tomorrow.”

“Okay
. Is there anything else?”

“Yeah, there's plenty.”

“We'll go on then.”

“You're a pushy little thing aren't you?” I press my lips together. Is he flirting with me? “You have a good style. I like that your voice has depth. And that little husky thing you do is stunning. But I must make it clear that we have a lot of work to do. We are about to embark on a journey together and I need to know that
you’re committed.”

“Absolutely
. I want this more than anything. I'm willing to go the extra mile to achieve my dreams.” Mr Gucci laughs. He likes my reply.

“Good
. A girl after my own heart!”

We talk for ages about my music and all the talking has gotten me excited. He makes everything sound amazing and I can’t wait to get started. We have discussed my sound and I was surprised that he has already started looking at few possible songs for me to record. He doesn’t want me to do a cover and that
was also surprising. I have written so many songs over the past year. All of them about my secret pain and what I went through with Brandon. Writing really got me through everything. It helped me to express myself and let out my inner pain. There were days when I was really down and I couldn’t open up to anyone about how I was feeling. So I would sit on my bed and write. Writing about how you feel can be more satisfying than talking about it. It certainly helped me and I was blessed that I was able to find comfort in my music.

“Would you like a drink?” I say as I slide myself off
the sofa. Jonathon stretches his legs out in front of him, resting his feet on the glass coffee table. He runs his tanned fingers through his hair as he replies.

“Yeah, what ya got?”

“Coffee,” he scowls at me.

“Do you have something a little stronger?” I shake my head.

“No, its water or coffee, take it or leave it.” he doesn’t look happy.

“Then I guess it’s gotta be coffee.” I nod at him and then I make my way into the kitchen. I quickly make some coffee. Making sure I remember how Tyler did it, so that I don’t embarrass myself in front of Mr Gucci. Once the coffee is brewed, I pour it into two cups and then I join him back in the living room. He takes the coffee out of my hand and he begins to sip it slowly. I sit back down next to him and I have to hold back my nervous giggles as he stares at me. I sip my drink and then I meet his stare. His eyes are dark and intense. I wonder what he’s thinking. I would love to see into his mind. Love to read his thoughts and see into his inner soul. I would like to know how he feels about me –if he feels anything at all for me. “Have you eaten today?” I have to think about it.
When was the last time you ate Ashley?

“Not since this morning.”
he shakes his head at me.

“I asked you to eat more healthily not to starve yourself.”

“I’m not starving myself. I just feel asleep and forgot to eat.”

“Well are you hungry?”

“Not really.” I confess. He places his cup down onto the side table and he takes his BlackBerry out of his pocket. He searches his contacts and then he presses send when he finds the right one. He holds the phone to his ear –in a sexy manner no less. He presses his eyebrows together when someone answers him.

“Hey it’s Jonathon, I need an order.”
he says casually. “Yeah I’ll have my usual times two. Oh and throw in a bottle of Merlot.” he listens intently as I sit motionless. “I need you to deliver it to the studio penthouses. You know where that is, right?” he nods his head as the squeaky voice talks to him. “Thanks,” he says and then he hangs up the phone. He slides it back into the pocket of his jeans and then he fills me in. “Food’s on its way.” I smile at him, trying to hold back my annoyance. He didn’t have to order food for us. I could have easily of ordered a pizza if was hungry. I am not a child and I do know how to feed myself. He makes me really angry with his over the top behaviour. I would love to slap the control freak out of him.

Dinner arrives and we have started to eat. Jonathon ordered us Italian food consisting of, chicken and tomato pasta with peperoni and pancetta. It’s really nice and the wine compliments the food wonderfully –at least I think it does. I am not much of a wine expert, but I do know what tastes nice and the combination of the food and wine, certainly tastes good. We are eating at the dining table and I can’t believe that this is the third time that I have sat down and had a meal with Mr Gucci. And what surprises me the most is that, it doesn’t feel awkward. When we are eating, I feel comfortable around him. It’s easy and effortless. We don’t say much, but we don’t need to. We somehow know what each other is thinking and that means we don’t have to fill the air with unnecessary words. We are free to just eat in peace.

“The food is wonderful, thanks.” I gush. Jonathon meets my stare.

“You’re very welcome.” I smile at him. He smiles back. We eat again in silence until he breaks it by surprising me –again. “Eres hermosa!”

“You speak Spanish?” I ask as I place my fork down onto the plate. He laughs at me as if were asking a stupid question.

“I am Spanish, well half.” I smile and then my mind rushes, what did he just say?

“What you said… what did it mean?” he laughs at me.

“Never you mind.” I scowl at him and he laughs again. I wish that he would stop doing that. It’s not only annoying, but when he laughs
, I find him irresistible. He has a line that forms in his cheek when he laughs and the sight of it makes me go weaker the knees. When he laughs, he looks so young and playful. It’s as if all of his stresses and worries disappear. He becomes this whole other person, a person that I could see myself falling for.
No Ashley no thinking about him, remember? 

“So you’re really not gonna tell me?”

“No,” he laughs again and I look away. A knock comes to my door. I stand up, who could that be? I excuse myself and I make my way over to the door. I look through the peep hole and I relax a little when I see Tyler standing in the hallway. I pull open the door and he smiles when he sees me.

“Hey,” he gushes.