Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Luc
Time In A Bottle
YUNGBLUD
I drive us to the hotel because, number one, I have no idea how to get back to her place, and number two, I’m not ready to let her go yet. And, as much as I hate to admit it, I’m afraid if we go to her apartment, I’d be leaving there without her.
It’s only a little after three so there’s still plenty of afternoon left for us to spend together. And honestly, I wouldn’t mind wasting that time up in my room, naked, but since I’ve already fucked her three times today, I don’t want to push my luck.
“What do you feel like doing?” I drive into the valet lane, and hold my finger up to the valet so he knows I need a minute.
She shrugs, her damn lip clenched between her teeth again, and fuck if it doesn’t make me want to suck it out and claim her mouth again. This girl is going to be my ruin, my goddamn downfall and she doesn’t even have a clue.
“What can we do?” She glances out the window at the hotel entrance and then back at me. “I mean, people will know who you are if we’re out in public, right?”
“Eh, sometimes.” One side of my mouth tugs down. “Sometimes it’s totally fine. The hat and glasses help a bit.”
“Want to just walk around? It’s actually not too hot out today.” She suggests.
“Sure.” I nod, thinking it’s hot as fucking Hades, but want to do whatever she wants. “Let’s give it a try. If things get ugly, I can call someone to grab us up.”
I reach for the handle and open the door, the valet standing at the ready. He hands me a ticket, which I pass over to Lily, whose standing next to me now. She slides it into the little purse slung over her shoulder, and then I grab her hand and intwine my fingers with hers.
Her brow shoots up as she looks down to our joined hands and then back up at me, a smile lighting up her face, and that makes me smile right back at her. Yep, definitely going to be my ruin.
“Which direction?” I ask. “This is your town after all.”
“Let’s go this way.” She turns to our left, tugging me with her. “I know a place that we might actually be able to hang out at and not be bothered this time of day.”
“Cool.” I slow my stride so I can match her smaller one, content to let someone else have control. “So, I’m not allowed to ask where you work, what your birthday is, or anything else too personal, so what do you want to talk about?”
“You.” She tilts her head to look up at me. “Tell me about the band, and what the guys are like, and what it’s like when you’re up on stage with everyone screaming your name.”
“The guys are cool.” I bob my head up and down as I think about how to explain how you can love and hate your best friends at the same time.
“My brother is in the band, as you know, Mikey. He’s the only one I want to murder most of the time.
Dean, Mikey and I all grew up together; went to the same schools, started the band in high school.
Dean met Hayden playing hockey. He’s a couple years older than us, and probably the parent of the group. ”
I chuckle as I recall some of the crap we’ve been through and how many times Hayden has had to come bail our asses out of a jam. “They’re all great guys. There’s not much I wouldn’t do for any one of them.”
“That’s really nice.” She gives my hand a little squeeze. “Especially since you spend so much time together.”
“Yeah, but don’t get me wrong. As much as I love them, by the end of a tour, we’re all ready to rip each other apart. Too much time together, too much booze, being in each other’s spaces constantly wears thin.”
“How much longer are on tour for?”
“One more month.” I state. “And I’m ready for the break. We’re not going to do another tour for at least a year. Just write and record. It’s going to be amazing to just be in one place for a while.”
“I can’t even imagine what it’s like living in hotel room after hotel room.” She shakes her head, stopping at the intersection we’ve approached to wait until it’s safe to cross. “The place is just another couple blocks up.”
“It’s cool. We have buses we stay on most of the time. We usually only stay in hotels when we’re in a cool city like this.” I scan the area around us, pleasantly relieved that no one seems to know who I am, or maybe they just don’t care. “It’s nice being able to walk around and not get mobbed.”
The walk signal starts yapping that it’s safe to proceed, so we move forward with the few other people that are waiting.
“Does that happen a lot to you? People just coming at you?” I can hear the concern in her voice, and it tugs at my heart, falling under her spell a little bit more.
“Depends where we are, honestly.” I shrug.
“It comes with the fame, and most people understand boundaries, but there’s always the crazies.
We usually have staff looking out for us, especially in situations when we’re around large crowds.
” I let out a small chuff. “I’ve gotten some pretty fucked up shit in the mail, let me tell you. ”
“Oh, do tell me.” She giggles. “I want to know.”
“It’s pretty nasty sometimes. Not going to lie.
Dirty panties, naked pictures of girls, and guys too sometimes.
” I blow out a breath. “Got an actual wedding ring with a proposal letter once.” I pause, frowning before I continue.
“Probably the worst one was from a mother who sent me a letter blaming me for her kid’s suicide.
I guess one of my songs was on repeat in the room where she did it. ”
“Oh my God.” She gasps and skids to a halt next to me. “That’s horrible. How can someone blame you for something like that?”
She’s so utterly beautiful as she stares at me. I cup her cheek gently with my free hand, swiping my thumb over her soft mouth. She has no idea how attractive her nativity about how shitty things can be in the world is to me.
“Because baby, she needed someone to blame. Someone to be angry at. I was that for her. And I just had to let that be okay. Even if it does haunt my fucking thoughts at least once a week.”
“I’m so sorry you have to put up with that.” She twists her head until her lips are against my palm, pressing a kiss to my skin. “It’s not fair.”
“It’s the life I signed up for.” I drop my hand and tug her forward. “Anyway, enough about that shit. Where’s this place you’re taking me to?”
“Right there.” She points to a building that’s set back a bit from the sidewalk, trimmed in a bright blue color, a big sign across the center of the roof, Peppermill. “It doesn’t look like anything on the outside, but it’s got a super chill vibe inside.”
“I trust you.” I assure her.
We’re at the building in a matter of minutes, and I hold the door open for her as we both step inside. The cool air feels amazing after the heat outside.
It’s essentially a really big diner, with lots of colorful booths and fake trees and greenery set up between the seating. There are a few people in the place, but not a single one even glances our way as we move further into the restaurant.
“Here.” She pulls me to left. “This part is fine, but it’s the lounge part that’s cool.”
I follow her into a darkened room, and stop beside her when she pauses. She looks over at me, I’m sure to gauge my reaction. She’s right. It’s pretty fucking cool.
There’s a damn fireplace in a sunken pit in the center of the room, pink velour couches all around it. The lighting is a low, a dark pink or purple kind of glow. And the best part, it’s practically empty. There’s one other couple sitting at the bar, and that’s it.
“Do you like it?” She asks, excitement bubbling in her tone.
“I like it.” I flash her a grin. “You did good.”
“Come on.” She tugs me toward the bar. “Let’s get a drink and then we can go sit at the fireplace.”
We do just that. We each order a beer. I throw some cash up on the bar, and we get cozy on one of the couches. She curls her knees up against her side, and leans into me, my arm slung casually around her. She fits like she was made for me.
“This is nice.” I take a sip of my beer, staring into the flames flickering in soft waves, contemplating the simple enjoyment of being able to do something like this.
It hasn’t happened in a long time. I’m not sure what kind of juju is allowing this in my universe right now, but I’m not even going to question it. There’s no way I want to jinx this.
“It is.” She agrees, snuggling into me a little more. “What time do you have to get ready for your show?”
“We’ve got time.” I tighten my grasp on her shoulder to keep her close. “You’re going to come tonight, right?” I feel her body tense under my hold, my pulse increasing as a result. “What’s wrong?”
“Well, um, I don’t have a ticket. I only went last night because Bri had them and needed someone to go with her.” She stammers out in a rush.
Relief floods through me, a soft chuckle rumbling through my chest at how easily I can solve what she thinks is a problem. “I think I can take care of that.”
“Are you sure?” She sits up straight and turns to look at me. “I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
This fucking girl. She has no idea how adorable she is. I flash her a wicked grin as I shake my head. “Unlike what you did to me in your car?”
Her cheeks flame a dark pink, her bottom lip instantly sucked between those teeth again. Jesus, why does that make my dick so fucking hard?
“That was your fault.” She blusters, sticking her chin out in defiance.
I chuff loudly in protest. “How was that my fault?”
She rests back on her calves, takes a sip of her beer, maybe for courage, and dives into her defense. “If you hadn’t looked so damn hot singing, telling me you were made for loving me, looking all sexy, I wouldn’t have done, you know, what I did.”
I throw my head back as laughter bellows out of me. When I find her eyes again, her brow is furrowed like she can’t believe my reaction.
“Kitten, I’ll sing to you every damn hour of the day if that’s the reaction I’m going to get.” I lean forward, closing the gap between us to crush my mouth to hers. She melts into me, my arm wrapping around her back to pull her closer.
She pushes away a minute later, her eyes peering up at me under her lashes, her body still flush to mine. “You have to stop.”
I cock my head, confused. “Why?”
She huffs out a heavy sigh. “You’re a rock star, and you’ll be gone in a day, and you have this huge life, and because, even though I don’t want to, I’m starting to like you.”
Her voice lowers to almost a whisper as she continues to stare at me. “I wish we never met because you’re going to be so hard to forget. Being with you is like playing with fire.”
“Then burn with me.” I growl back, kissing her hard, not willing to listen to any of the sense I know she’s making, because fuck me, I don’t think I’m going to be able to let her go anyway.