Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
CALLUM/CASH
Then
The Taste Of Falling
She says it’s just a ride…but I’m wreckage on fire.
Iknock on the front door and push it open. “Livianna, I’m here.”
Between caring for my ma all week and recording songs I fucking hate, I’m ready for my date day with Livianna.
I’ve stopped by her house a few times after work but haven’t been able to stay late. There’s too much going on at home.
“I’ll be right down.”
I shut the door and shake my head. It’s never locked during the day. But then again, they live in a gated community, and a ten-foot iron fence, which requires a code for access, surrounds the property. Motion detectors are all around the house.
Not only that, but the neighborhood has a security team that patrols the area. I’d be shocked if anyone got in without getting noticed.
“Hi, love.” Livianna bounces down the circular staircase wearing black skintight jeans, a ripped gray Tennessee Whiskey T-shirt that shows off her cleavage, lace up platform ankle boots with a maroon high heel, and a black leather jacket.
She’s got the rock goddess look down in spades, making my heart thunder in my chest. I’d love to take her back upstairs, but she wants a date, so she’s gonna get one.
“Hey, Lily. You’re as sexy as ever.” I gesture to her messy bun. “I see you didn’t forget to wear your hair up.”
“Nope.” She steps to me and gives me a quick kiss. “What’s this disguise I’m wearing?”
I reach into my back pocket, pull out a platinum blonde wig, and show it to her. “Put this on with some big black sunglasses and we should be good.”
“My only day off and you’re making me wear this?” She laughs and takes it from me. “Just kidding. I’ll put it on in the car.”
I smile at her seemingly good mood. “Then get ready to have the time of your life.”
“I’m already having a great time.” She grabs my hand, weaves our fingers together, and leads us out to my car. “This is my first real date. What could go wrong?”
Well, you could get caught calling in sick.
I open the car door for her with a zing of nerves firing off. “Let’s just hope I pull this off before you go on about things not going our way.”
She slips inside. “Right.”
I close the door and round the car. This day has to go well. It’s all I want since I asked her to lie again to the director of her show. I cringe at the hypocrisy but excuse it away since I’m not the one doing it.
I get inside and we’re off moments later. “How did the studio handle you calling in again?”
“They were okay, but said they can’t keep switching things around. We’re so close to wrapping the season, I think everyone is just barely hanging on.” She adjusts the wig over her hair. “I’m so ready for the break.”
“How long do you have off?”
“Two months!” She bounces up and down in her seat. “That means we’ll have a lot more time for each other.”
“If my uncle would quit scheduling concerts all over the state.” I shift gears, pull out onto the main road, and head to our destination.
She turns my way. “About that.”
“What?”
“I’m coming to your show tonight.”
I glance at her. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. If anyone finds out, I’ll just say I started feeling better.”
“Look who’s making her own decisions.”
“Hey, I make decisions. Just take today, for instance.”
I reach over and squeeze her knee. “Thanks. I won’t let you regret it.”
“You better not.”
“You’re gonna be flying high once you figure out where we’re going.” I place my hand back on the gear shift.
“Come on, Callum. Tell me. I can’t take it anymore.”
“That’s half the fun of living on the edge. Your curiosity will have your adrenaline growing the entire way there.”
“And I’ll be unable to contain myself.”
I chuckle. “You’re an actress. I think you can handle it.”
We settle in and enjoy the drive, talking about music and our careers. We’re almost to the location of our date when Livianna’s demeanor changes.
She fidgets with the zipper on her jacket. “I hope Zara doesn’t show up tonight.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t need her telling anyone she saw me if she’s there.”
“I already told you, she’s not getting backstage, so she won’t see you if you stay out of sight.” I glance out the side window and switch lanes.
Livianna’s quiet for a few moments, then peers over at me. “I wonder what she wants to give to one of you guys.”
“Who knows. She sounds strange as fuck.”
“Are you sure you’ve never met her?”
“Yes. Guns and I both told you we’ve never met anyone named Zara, and it’s not a name I would forget.”
Livianna stares out the window. “I know, but she’s obsessed with someone in your band and won’t tell me who.”
“Stop worrying, Lily.”
She shrugs and faces me. “Who knows? Maybe she likes my brother and doesn’t want to tell me.”
“Again, who cares? She doesn’t sound like someone you’d be friends with, anyway.”
“But I want to get along with my co-stars. It makes it easier.”
“I get it, but don’t let her steal your happiness in the process.” I turn into the parking lot with a smile growing. “Lily, we’re here.”
She looks out the windshield and her eyes round to the size of the moon. The skyline is a ribcage of steel loops and screams.
“Callum, you brought me to an amusement park! I can’t believe it.”
“You said you knew how to have fun, but you’ve never been on a rollercoaster. I had to fix the obvious issue.”
She squeals once I find a place to park in the VIP area.
I slip on a baseball cap and slide my darker shades on. “Ready?”
“Yes.” She pushes the car door open and jumps out. “I hope the lines are short because I want to do every ride twice. Three times if I like it.”
“That’s already taken care of.” I join her at her side and take her hand in mine. “I got us VIP passes, so we won’t have to wait in long lines.”
She nestles up to me. “You’ve thought of everything. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” At least you’re one person I’m not letting down. I shake the thought away. This day is about excitement, not my stress level.
We get inside the park, meet our private tour guide, and spend the next three hours running around like ten-year-olds in disguise. She beams and laughs like she’s having the best day of her life.
I hold my head high, knowing I’m half responsible for her joy, trying to forget the fact I scraped together the last of my money to make this day happen. Not even Bren knows how much my family is struggling financially.
I blew through the advance I received, paying all our bills. It’s the only reason I let my ma go on this last photoshoot away from home.
She’s not stable enough to be working away on location, but there wasn’t another choice. We need the huge paycheck to cover the next few months. Even with my uncle living on our property, we’re too close to losing everything.
That’s why I’ve gotta make my career successful. Once I do, my ma can stop worrying about everything and get healthy again.
I allow my concerns to fade and focus on Lily. She’s great to be around. She soothes me.
We get off the rollercoaster and I gesture to a cotton candy stand. “Want some?”
“Yes! I haven’t had cotton candy in years.”
I furrow my brows. “Are you sure you know how to have fun?”
She playfully slaps my chest. “Stop it.”
“You know I’m just joking.”
“I know you are.” She steps up to the guy and picks out a bag of pink candy.
I get us a couple of drinks and lead us to a place to sit. She eats her treat while I relax for a minute.
“Are you having a good time, Lily?”
“So much, Callum. I never knew what I was missing out on.” She stares lovingly across the table at me. “Honestly, I don’t think it’s the park, though.”
“Then what is it?”
“It’s spending the day with you. I could be anywhere with you and be feeling this way.”
“What way is that?”
Her cheeks turn red and she tucks a lock of her platinum wig behind her ear. “Really, really happy.”
“Me too.” I gaze at her as intense passion bubbles up in my throat. “Lily?”
“Yes, Callum.”
My breathing speeds up. “I think I’m falling for you.”
She grins wide. “I know I’m falling for you.”
I get up, sit beside her, and seal our proclamation with a deep kiss. Who cares who sees? I want the world to know I’m in love with her.
She’s the only thing in my life that doesn’t cause me any distress. She pulls away and looks into my eyes.
Her expression grows into one of concern. “Callum, what’s going on?”
I pick at the VIP wristband the guide snapped on me. “Nothing.”
“Don’t lie to me.” She gestures to my jacket pocket. “You might be smiling and running around with me, but you keep checking your phone and rubbing your neck like you’re waiting for bad news.”
My stomach turns. “Lily—”
“No. There’s something not right with you. Tell me what it is.”
I shake my head and release a deep sigh. “I’m just worried about my ma.”
“What’s wrong with your mom?”
I glance down with a knot in my gut. “She goes on these shoots and comes back exhausted.”
“How so?”
“I think she does a lot of blow and speed while she’s away to keep herself going. When she comes back, the crash hits her and she…takes a few weeks to get back to herself.”
“I didn’t know your mom did drugs.”
“She doesn’t do it much unless she’s on location or trying to prepare for a job.” I push my concern down and my chest hardens. “It’s no big deal. She’ll chill out in a bit.”
Livianna stares at me and nods. “I’m sure she appreciates your concern.”
“Yeah.” I gaze at one of the rides and point. “We need to go on that before we eat lunch.”
Livianna turns to see what I’m talking about. She whips her head back at me, and she has big, wide eyes.
“Callum, I can’t drop from that high, only to be a human slingshot before it’s over. I’ll die of fear.”
“You won’t die.” I steal a bite of her cotton candy. “The rush is like nothing else. I swear you’ll even wanna do it again once your adrenaline simmers off.”
Her expression grows wary. “But what if I’m the one person who has a heart attack before that happens?”
“You won’t. Besides, I told you I was going to teach you how to enjoy yourself.”
“I’m having fun and death doesn’t have to be a part of it.”
“This is only the beginning, love. Only the beginning.” I give her a nudge. “Time to start living.”
I convince her to give the ride a try. They make us put our phones and sunglasses in a locker so they don’t fall off and hit someone while we’re flying through the air.
She trembles and nearly cries while we’re getting strapped in, but she finds her bravery and takes the ride with me. When it’s over, she can barely walk.
She leans into me, laughing. “I can’t feel my legs and I lost my wig.”
“Yeah, I didn’t think that part through.” I look around. “It’s got to be around here somewhere.”
Right as I say it, someone recognizes her. There is a squeal, then ten phones, then thirty. Our anonymity dissolves like sugar.
Young kids flock around her, screaming and tugging on her. Their parents take pictures and ask her for her autograph.
She’s a bigger star than I am at this point, but soon enough someone realizes who I am. We can’t escape the crowd.
Our VIP tour guide tries to keep the fans at bay and calls security to help, but it’s a lost cause. We end our amusement park date early to avoid the intrusions.
She swears on the drive back to her place, it was worth it even if her director finds out she skipped work to go out with me. Just hearing her say that makes my chest swell.
She put me above everything else in her life just so she could spend the day with me. I hope someday I can return the favor, but until I can figure out how to take care of everything that needs my attention, that day will have to wait.
I just pray she’s still around by the time I figure out my life.
Livianna throws her arms over her head, resting back against her fluffy pillows after giving me another mind-bending blow job. I crawl over her and unzip her pants.
Her breasts are bare and I’m naked. She’s already taken care of me and it’s way past her turn.
I pull her jeans and panties down. She raises her hips so I can remove them. Her smoky blue eyes watch my every move.
“Callum.” She shimmies from side to side to help the process. “I’ve never done this. What if I do it wrong?”
“Lily, there’s no way you can. Just lie back and I’ll do the rest.” I toss her pants to the side and work myself between her thighs. “Relax.”
She sinks into the mattress as I massage her clit with my thumb. I’ve already come, but just looking at her pussy could make me self-combust.
“Fucking hell, Lily. You’re beautiful everywhere.” I lap over her and take my first taste of her sweetness.
She releases a slight groan and spins her hips. Fantastic. She likes this.
Knowing she’s getting into the moment, I lick around her lips and bud until she’s swollen and wet. Her juices are all over my face.
“Callum, you feel so good,” she breathes.
“You taste so good.” I moan and continue eating her deliciousness as I peek up at her.
She’s got her eyes closed and her hands cupped around her breasts. She flicks her nipples with her thumbs as she twists and thrusts into my face.
Fucking hell, she’s so sexy.
She’s ready for more, so I slide a finger into her tight pussy. I don’t think she can take another one at this point. She gasps, telling me I was right. I pump into her gently and slowly.
Once she’s twirling her hips and worked up into a frenzy, I know she’s close. I focus on stimulating her clit with my tongue as I finger her faster.
She tightens around me and shakes. Her legs try to close as she moans and groans.
“Oh, God!” Her walls pulse hard. “Callum…”
I glance up. She’s got the sheets fisted in her hands. She’s coming and I can’t help but smile. The blissful moment is short-lived. Her door flings open.
“Ah, fuck, bro. Sorry for barging in.” Bren sticks his head in but keeps his eyes lowered. “Dad’s home.”
“Bren, what the…” She grabs a pillow and covers herself.
“Cash, get your clothes and your ass in my room now.” Bren turns away but stays in the doorway. “Liv, hate to break it to you, but you’re in deep shit. Get dressed before Dad gets up here and catches you like this.”
With adrenaline shooting up my spine, I jump off the bed, grab my clothes off the floor, run across the hall, and into Bren’s room. He shuts the door behind him as I rush to his bathroom.
Heavy footsteps hit the floor… Dad-weight.
Shit!
Her pops’ voice booms down the hallway. “Livianna Grace!”