43. EPILOGUE
43
EPILOGUE
“ F uck me, that’s an album cover,” Seb says, staring at the proof picture in his hands.
“You’re not holding back, that’s for sure,” Nico agrees, peering over Seb’s shoulder.
We’ve all gathered in the Marchmont Arms this evening, on the ground floor where there’s natural light. No more basement for me.
Under the table, Jack squeezes my hand. “I’m so proud of you,” he whispers. I squeeze back and reach for the proof cover with my free hand. We’ve used one of the photos Jack took of me, lounging on the piano. The most tasteful one, and it has been edited, so it looks classy rather than porn-worthy. I run my finger over the album title, Indecently Exposed .
“Yeah. I’m done holding back,” I say, a new sense of purpose swelling my chest. I’m proud of me too.
I’m releasing the new songs tomorrow, so we’re celebrating. I signed up with Robert Lloyd and he got me a record deal almost instantly. Apparently, they were clamouring to sign me, because my scandal was a PR dream, rather than a nightmare. He kept saying that the photos were great, and we should use them for marketing purposes. It took me a while to get my head around it, but it turns out he was right.
I have over a million online followers now, and it’s growing all the time, and most of that is on the back of what happened with those naked pictures. Singing with Amy Moritz at Nico’s party helped, and I sang a number with her when she appeared at Wembley Stadium in the spring. It’s been a crazy year, and my career has exploded. I could never have anticipated it.
“Fuck, not another one. This is a nightmare,” Nico says, gesturing to a photographer who’s lingering outside. He lifts a drinks menu and uses it to cover his face. “I’m going to have to stop hanging out with you if this keeps up.”
Kate rolls her eyes. “Oh, rubbish, it’s not like they don’t follow you around sometimes.”
Nico flinches. “Not like this, they don’t.”
Jack stands, and I grab his arm to stop him. “Where are you going?”
He jerks his head towards the window. “To get rid of him.” I’m about to tell him not to bother when I change my mind.
“I’ll come with you,” I say, although really I’m saying, ‘ let’s take a moment away from the others ’, and I can see the second Jack understands exactly what I mean because his eyes widen.
“Come on then,” he says, tugging me out of my seat.
The others are so busy chatting that they don’t notice as Jack and I disappear in the opposite direction from the photographer outside. I lead Jack out the back exit.
It’s a warm summer evening. We’ve been together for six months, and I’ve never been so happy. I know, right down to my toes, that this is the man I’m spending the rest of my life with. Jack pulls me into him, here in the back alley, and kisses me with a ferocity that hasn’t worn away even after all this time. We’re still as eager for one another as we’ve ever been.
“You amaze me,” he whispers as he pulls back from our kiss. “I can’t believe all that you’ve achieved.”
“You gonna take credit for it?” I reply, my tone teasing.
“Not even a little. This is all you.”
I kiss him again. “I love you. I could never have done this without you.”
“I love you too.” He grins against my lips. “You know what else I love?”
“What?”
“These tiny signature skirts you wear.” His hand slides up my inner thigh, and I feel every speck of want in my body dip to meet it. My skin blazes beneath his touch.
I let out a moan. “We’re going to have to stop doing this if I get really famous. Can’t be hooking up in public like this.”
“This isn’t public,” Jack says, scanning the empty alleyway. “Not exactly salubrious though.” He glances at the empty bottles around us and the industrial bins. “I think you deserve something better.”
“Oh, yeah?”
He pushes away from me and pulls out a sheaf of papers from his jacket pocket, dangling it between his finger and thumb.
“What’s that?”
“Your extended lease.” He thrusts his other hand in his pocket and pulls out a lighter, clicking it to reveal the flame. “Move in with me. Officially.”
I laugh. “I already live with you.” When my lease ended, I stayed with Jack, but I demanded that he draw up a document and extend my lease, so I could keep paying rent. It was my way of instigating my independence, and I paid on time every month.
“I know. But there’s always been the damn paperwork in the way, and I don’t want that.” He lets the flame approach the paper. “What do you say? Live with me. Stay with me. As my girlfriend, not my tenant. I’m deadly serious. I want you, forever.”
I laugh and agree just before he lets the whole document burn, dropping the papers to the street when the flames get too close to his fingers.
“Ha!” Jack stamps on it. “You’re mine now,” he declares, yanking me into his embrace and kissing me so violently that my lips feel raw in seconds. “One day, I’m going to marry you.”
Sparks explode beneath my skin. “Marry me?”
“Of course. You’re the other half of my soul. As much as we laugh and mess around, and as fun as this is, I want you to know that I’m serious too. I’m in this for the long haul.”
He kisses me softly, but passionately, his expression turning mischievous as he pulls back, still breathless from the kiss, and says, “Reckon we could fuck out here?”
Just then, a photographer appears with a huge long-lensed camera at the other end of the alleyway.
“Best not,” I say, but I can’t help smiling ear-to-ear as I grab Jack’s hand and together we run down the back alley like a couple of kids, laughing and screaming.
“You…” Jack breathes, when we come to a stop a couple of streets away. “There is no one like you in the whole world. How did I get this lucky?”
I laugh. “It’s your huge—”
He presses a finger to my lips to cut me off. “Nope. If you say this is just about my dick, I’ll toss you over my shoulder and carry you home.”
“—dick,” I goad.
“That’s it,” he says, lunging for me. I twist out of reach, but he has a long stride and in two steps he has me in his arms, and he lifts me off the ground. I squeal and lock my legs around his hips, and my arms around his neck.
I’m not quite over his shoulder this way, but it’s better because in this position I can see his handsome face when he growls, “You’re in trouble now,” making heat rage through me.
I press my lips to his, and the kiss is soft and tender this time, the passion behind it increasing with each passing second. I can feel his heart thumping through his shirt, beating right against my breasts. He loves me . I know it in every glance, every touch, every moment I spend with him.
I didn’t know life could get this good.
I pull back, biting my bottom lip as I look up at him. “This is the best kind of trouble.”
He flashes me a look of agreement. “Let’s go home and play.”
I answer without missing a beat. “Yes, please.”
“All day?” he asks.
“All day,” I confirm. “Every day. For the rest of my life. I love you, Jack Lansen.”
“You do?”
“Yup. I'm sure. One hundred per cent,” I reply, and I absolutely mean it.
THE END