Chapter Eighteen
Annie
It’s nearly lunchtime, and Aston hasn’t avoided me once today.
He’s not exactly touchy. Dad’s been watching us like a hawk, but every time Dad turns away, Aston looks at me and smiles.
And every time… I smile back.
I can’t help wondering if he’s thinking about kissing me as much as I’m thinking about kissing him.
Dad’s been running us through feedback from last night. What we did well, what needs work. Apparently, things are about to move quickly for us. Another show tomorrow night and more coming after that.
Then, of course, he slipped in a comment about not letting relationships interfere with the music.
Subtle as a sledgehammer.
I roll my eyes at the jab, but honestly, I can’t see whatever this is between Aston and me disappearing.
“Half-hour break,” Dad announces. “Then we’re back into it.”
We all stretch after sitting for so long, and I glance over at Aston, and he smiles. As everyone shifts around, his hand brushes mine—light and deliberate.
A spark shoots straight through me, and I let out a quiet giggle as he winks.
Dad’s distracted, talking to Caleb.
Perfect.
Time to make a move.
“I’m going to be under the willow tree if anyone needs me,” I say casually. “Got a new song I want to work on.”
No one really listens.
Except Aston.
Who gives the smallest nod.
Message received.
I grab my notebook and pencil, smiling to myself as I head out.
Mum’s in the kitchen when I pass through, the smell of lunch filling the house. “Oh, hey, sweetheart. How’s it going?”
“Good. Dad’s giving us some solid pointers,” I say, sliding the door open.
“Where are you off to?”
“Break time. Thought I’d work on a song under the tree.”
She smiles. “Have fun, my little creative genius.”
I laugh. “Hardly. But thanks. Lunch smells amazing.”
“Be back in time,” she calls. “You know your father likes everything on schedule.”
“Got it.”
I slide the door shut behind me and start the walk, and with every step, the anticipation builds. There’s a very good chance Aston will follow.
And if he does…
Well… let’s just say my focus probably won’t be on the song.
By the time I reach the tree, I drop into my usual spot, leaning back against the trunk.
Then I open my notebook, just in case he doesn’t make it, and start working.
The notes come easily, flowing through my mind like music I can almost hear.
I get lost in it, the rhythm, the melody forming in perfect harmony.
Then, that familiar prickle runs over my skin and I smile before I even look up.
“Looks like you’re in the zone,” Aston says.
The music in my head fades as I lift my gaze. He’s walking toward me, and just seeing him sends a warm rush through me.
“I was,” I reply, smirking slightly. “But there’s a completely different zone I’d rather be in right now.”
He huffs a quiet laugh and drops down beside me.
“Oh, really, and what would that involve?” he asks with an air of playfulness.
“Well, maybe something involving the tongue.”
“What something like this?”
My heart rate spikes as he leans in and softly licks from my neck to the back of my ear, and then he bites on my lobe. I close my eyes, taking in the feelings engulfing me.
“Mm-hmm,” I murmur, unable to talk.
“Or maybe this?” he asks, taking my head in his hands and kissing me softly.
I open my mouth and let his tongue in, and he caresses mine so softly it sends a tingle up and down my spine.
Turning my body to meet his, he pulls my leg out from under me and then moves me on top of his lap, so I’m straddling him.
Aston leans his back against the tree trunk, and I lean my chest against his, getting as close as I can as we kiss slowly and passionately under our favorite tree.
His hand is caressing the back of my head while the other travels down my back and then up underneath my shirt, then his soft, warm hands caress my naked back. His hand hovers over my bra strap—he must be thinking about it, but he doesn’t undo it.
My stomach is fluttering, and the feeling of kissing him is making me so excited that all of my body is pulsing with pleasure.
I need to be closer to him. I want to move my hips, so I start to grind on top of his lap, and he groans and tightens his hand in my hair.
The contact is making me pant through our kissing, which is getting hot and heavy.
I notice his boner pressing up between my legs, and it makes me even more determined to make him feel good.
I grind on him harder, which causes the area between the top of my legs to ache so much that I feel like I want to explode. He groans into my mouth and moves his hands to my hips to stop my movements.
I’m worried that maybe he doesn’t like what I was doing, so I stop kissing and look at him.
He is smiling happily as I raise an eyebrow at him.
“Was I doing it wrong?” I ask, and he chuckles, then brings his hand up to caress my cheek.
“No way, baby. You were doing everything right, that’s the problem. It was feeling too good. We should stop and try to work on the song before I strip you naked and your dad finds us,” he says, and I giggle.
I smile because he called me ’baby’ and casually bite my bottom lip. “Wouldn’t that be a joyous occasion,” I joke sarcastically.
He leans in, kissing my lips quickly and then pulling my legs so I fall off him and back on the ground. I pout and bat my eyelids while he rearranges his dick in his pants.
“You are going to make this whole going slow thing really hard for me, aren’t you?” he asks, and I smile and shake my head.
“No, I’m fine with going slow. I was doing what my body was telling me to do. Should I not do that?” I ask, and he leans his forehead against mine and takes my hand.
“No, you keep doing that, and I’ll stop us when it gets a bit much for me to handle. I need to take this slowly with you, Lennox. I can’t fuck this up. I won’t,” he says.
“Well, you’re doing an excellent job so far, so just keep doing what you’re doing, and we’ll be fine.”
He taps my notebook. “I guess we should do some work?”
“What, no more kissing?” I ask incredulously.
“Maybe after. We need something to show for our time out here,” Aston replies, and it suddenly dawns on me.
“Does Dad know you’re out here?”
“No. I slipped out while he was talking to Chad and Caleb, but your Mum saw me come out, so she’s bound to know.”
Damn!
“Oh well, better get to it then,” I say, and he spreads his legs wide as he leans back against the tree trunk. I look at him, raising an eyebrow, wondering what he’s doing.
“Sit between my legs. I can look at your book over your shoulder, and that way I get to hold you for a little while longer.”
I shift and settle between his legs, and he pulls me back so my spine rests against his chest.
God… I love this.
Being this close to him feels… right.
Romantic, maybe? I don’t even know what romance is supposed to feel like, but whatever this is, it has to be it. I glance back over my shoulder, giving him a small look, silently asking for another kiss before we start.
He chuckles and brushes a quick kiss over my lips before gently turning me back around. I grin and open my notebook, showing him the music that’s been running through my head.
“It’s a slow one,” I explain. “Kind of a rock ballad. I don’t have lyrics yet, only the melody.”
He rests his chin on my shoulder, and I lean into him, soaking up the closeness.
This…
This is how writing should always feel.
“All right, let me see,” he murmurs.
I lift the notebook, showing him the messy scribbles scattered across the page. He’s quiet for a moment, then starts humming, soft and low. It sends a strange, warm feeling through me that I can’t quite explain.
I focus on the music, on the way his voice fits so naturally with the melody, but it’s hard not to notice how close he is. The warmth of his breath against my neck, the steady rise and fall of his chest behind me…
It’s distracting.
In the best way.
I tilt my head slightly, and he shifts with me, brushing closer, like he knows exactly what I need without me saying a word.
My eyes drift closed as I let the sound carry me. The notes swirl in my mind, colors and movement blending into something perfect—something that feels like us.
Like this moment.
Like this connection.
I could stay here forever.
His humming fades, and I feel the slight vibration of his chuckle against my back.
“You still with me, Lennox?” he murmurs near my ear.
I blink, coming back to reality a little too quickly. “Yep,” I say, my voice coming out higher than expected. I clear my throat. “Yep,” I repeat, more normal this time.
He laughs softly, tightening his arms around my waist. “Okay,” he says, “I’ve actually been working on some lyrics that might fit this. And, by the way… this tune is amazing.”
“Do you have them?” I ask, glancing around.
He taps his chest. “Right here.”
I smile at that.
Music in the heart.
I get it.
“Okay… so what’s it called?”
He exhales, suddenly a little nervous. “What do you think about “You Were Always Mine.” ”
My eyes widen slightly.
That feels like it means something.
“Nice,” I say softly.
“Want me to try it with your melody?”
“Yes. Please.”
He tightens his arms around me, like he’s grounding himself. “If you don’t like it, that’s fine. I don’t want you to feel pressured to use—”
“Just sing it, Ast,” I cut in, smiling.
He chuckles, pulling me back into him, holding me a little closer, and I rest my head against his shoulder, letting myself relax completely.
“Okay… here goes.”
I close my eyes… waiting.
She’s the greatest girl I’ve ever known,
She lights up my life, in my heart, she is my home.
I’ve never known the way someone can make you feel,
The way she does it’s like a spinning wheel.
She’s been with me all my life, and I guess you could say,
She makes me feel things that I want to repay.
She’s my light,
She’s my home,
And in a way, I’ve known all along.
She’s my heart,
She’s my breath,
And I must confess,
I knew you were always mine,
Mine because our hearts entwine.
Her eyes make me feel like I’m losing my mind,
I can’t explain the way they make me blind.
She takes my breath away like never before,
And I can’t understand how my emotions are raw.
I’ve never felt this way, and I hope it stays,
Because I want to say the things I’ve needed to say.
She’s my light,
She’s my home,
And in a way, I’ve known it all along.
She’s my heart,
She’s my breath,
And I must confess,
I knew you were always mine,
Mine, and that’s the bottom line.
You’re mine until the end of time,
Like a song that’s being sung sublime,
I knew you were always mine,
I knew you were always mine.
His voice fades, the final note hanging in the air, and my heart is pounding so hard it feels like it might burst right out of my chest. A tear slips free before I can stop it, rolling down my cheek and landing on his arm.
“Shit, Lennox… did I make you cry?” he asks, tightening his hold on me as he leans around to see my face.
I quickly wipe at my eyes, shaking my head, still reeling from the words. Words that feel so undeniably… about me.
“Annie, talk to me.”
I swallow hard, my throat thick, not even sure where to begin.
“Annie, please… you’re killing me here. Was it that bad?”
I shake my head again. “No. Not at all, Ast. It was… beautiful. So damn beautiful, I can’t even…” My voice breaks as fresh tears spill over.
“Hey, hey… I’m sorry. Don’t cry,” he murmurs, turning me gently to face him.
I lean into his chest, wrapping my arms around him as he strokes my hair, pressing his cheek against my head.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” I whisper. “That was the most beautiful song I’ve ever heard.”
I feel his smile before I see it, his lips brushing against my hair. “I meant every word, Annie.”
I lift my head, wiping at my cheeks as I look up at him.
“You’re beautiful to me… in every way. And I’ve always known you were mine.”
A soft laugh escapes me, even as my chest swells. “So… I’m yours?”
He leans his forehead against mine. “Only if I can be yours.”
I nod, closing the small space between us and kissing him softly. “That’s it then… we’re officially together?”
His smile spreads, warm and certain, as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “Always, baby.”
My heart skips.
I kiss him again, slower this time, softer, like sealing something real between us. His arms wrap around me, holding me close as the world fades away.
And right now…
Everything feels perfect.
I’m wrapped up in Aston, in the music, in this moment where nothing else exists.
Where I’m his… and he is mine.
And I never want to come down from this feeling.