Authors: Liliana Rhodes
"Ignore what happened between us if you want, but we do need to work together. I think I know part of your problem."
"You're a big part of my problem," she said hoping she sounded more convincing than she felt.
He pulled out his folded notebook from his back pocket.
"Read this. Especially what's dated during the tour. Maybe it'll help you feel better about what you've written. I know you have a lot of stuff. You're wasting time trying to write new lyrics. I mean really, "boomerang man"?"
He tapped the words she wrote earlier on her notebook, dropped his notebook in her lap, and walked back to his seat. Holding his notebook she waited to see if he would come back. When he didn't, she flipped through it looking at the mess of lyrics and poetry, some first drafts, others edited.
Looking around her seat to the back of the bus, she expected to see him but nothing. Without reading a word, she grabbed her bag and took his notebook back to him.
"I can't read this."
"Why not?"
"Because these are your songs. Your babies. These are personal," she said as she handed his notebook back to him.
"And that's exactly why you should read them."
She sat next to him and opened her bag. Pulling out her old notebook with pages stapled back in place, and a large rubber band holding it all together. She handed her notebook to him.
"I'll show you mine, if you show me yours," she said.
"I've played that game before." He looked at her with a grin and raised his eyebrows at her.
"Yeah I heard about that. From a friend of a friend."
They spent the next couple of hours reading each other's lyrics. Lucky blushed reading some of the lyrics about her and caught Jude looking at her several times as he read her.
"Tell me how you write songs," he asked.
"What do you mean? Like my process?"
"Yeah. You have these lyrics, do you know what each song sounds like?"
"Sometimes. Most of the time it's just the words though. They just come to me. I sleep with a notepad nearby because some of my best stuff comes when I'm half asleep."
"The muse is funny when she strikes."
"Other times I get a melody in my head and I build on that. Most of the songs on my album were like that."
"Then lets choose some deeper songs. Show them you've got a lot of depth and emotion. Do you have any favorites?"
"I really can't choose a favorite. I do like some of the word play in "At Your Feet". What do you think?"
"Yeah that's a good one. I also like "Tainted" and "Wounded Love". I noticed you wrote that yesterday."
Lucky groaned. Until he mentioned "Wounded Love", she had forgotten about his whole marriage situation. She folded her arms over her chest and thought about returning to her seat, but she needed to get the songs done.
"Fine. Explain to me how you forgot to mention you were married." Her voice rose as she spoke angrily.
"The entire Donna thing was a mistake. We separated six months after getting married. I kept trying to make it work, but she wasn't interested. Ends up she was only after my money."
"That's how you ended up in the contract with Richard?"
"Richard and I go way back. He discovered me and put Silverlight together. He warned me about his niece but I didn't listen. Luckily I was smart enough to get a prenup."
"You loved her?"
"Yes but...it's complicated. I never thought she was the one. I just wanted to settle down. I think I was still getting over someone."
"Who was that?"
"It's not important. Five years ago it was, but now she's just another memory."
After two days of rehearsals in LA, Lucky added the three new songs to the set list. With Kat gone, the band meshed better than before and they hoped to do an extended jam between two of the new songs.
Dressed in a crimson maxi dress, her hair in loose waves, Lucky stood by the stage curtain looking out at the open space with people making their way to their seat. Through her shoes, she felt the tap of Jude's boots hitting against the floorboards as he walked towards her.
"You ok? You look a bit pale."
"Look at the size of this place. Look at all those people out there."
"Yup, all here to see you."
"Talk about pressure. What if I mess up?"
"You'll be fine. It's no different than playing to a smaller crowd."
"Yes it is. Look how many people are here already. We don't go on for another hour. What if they don't like how I sound? Or I mess up? Everyone will realize I'm just a fraud."
"Listen to me Olivia Saldano." He spun Lucky to face him, keeping his hands on her upper arms. "You have a gift. You're talented and beautiful, you're not a fraud. You're the real deal and you can do this. Just get out of your head."
"You're right. I can do this. This is what I always wanted, always dreamed about."
"And you're not alone out there. You know I'll be out there with you. Just turn around and I'll be right there keeping an eye on you."
Richard told her how well everything was going once the photo went viral, but she found it hard to believe. After all, it was just a stupid photo of her first kiss. She still felt her stomach drop whenever she thought about it being out there and she knew it was responsible for her pre-show jitters.
"You're right. I can do this," Lucky repeated out loud, more for herself than Jude. Knowing he would be there made her feel better, stronger.
The roar of the crowd surprised her when they came on stage, but she immediately looked over at Jude at settled down. Once they started playing, Lucky felt herself go into another world. The place she went to whenever she played. Nothing else mattered except the music.
Feeling good once they hit the new songs, she signaled to the band to break it down and do an impromptu jam. The rising swell of her guitar was met by Jude's steady rhythm. Playing off each other, she kept her eyes on his, forgetting they were surrounded by thousands of strangers.
He slowed down the beat and she interlaced notes between his playing. Showing off, he played a complicated rhythm she was sure he heard from her heart's pounding. The music soared, with increasing intensity until she caught Dylan's eye. When he nodded, letting her know everything sounded great, she suddenly realized where they were.
Lucky transitioned back into the song, playing the last few bars. Jude controlled the change effortlessly as they brought the song to climax with the echo of their instruments. The crowd exploded, leaving her breathless with surprise and a longing for Jude she never felt for anyone before.
After the show, feeling like she shared something so personal in front of so many people, Lucky escaped to the dressing room. She needed some time alone. Taking deep breaths to collect herself, she sat down as she heard a knock on the door.
"Come in," she called out, expecting Jordan.
Putting her head in her hands as she brought herself down, her heart still pounded wildly.
"I'm not sure if I should be embarrassed or not. I just totally got into playing with Jude and forgot about the crowd, everyone else. It just felt so good, so intimate. Its hard to explain. Sometimes I wish you were a musician too so you'd understand better," she said.
"I understand more than you know."
Surprised, she sat up hearing his husky voice and turned to see Jude quickly crossing the room towards her. As she stood up, he met her. Their lips colliding. In one swift movement, he picked her up and cleared the top of the vanity. His lips never leaving hers.
Spreading her legs as she sat on the vanity, she pulled him close, feeling his hard manhood through his pants against her panties. He pressed her against the cold glass of the mirror. She could barely breathe she was so excited.
Feeling her heart beating throughout her entire body, she gave herself into it. She pulled off his shirt then slid her hands over his sculpted chest, and over his tattoos as if she could feel them. His skin was slightly moist with sweat from the show and without thinking she sucked his shoulder, wanting to taste the saltiness of his skin.
Moving his hands over her plump thighs, he pushed her dress up further as his lips sought hers again hungrily. She grasped his back firmly, surprised at how hard he felt under her hands. Feeling his strong hands move under her soft legs, her core throbbed knowing he was so close to her.
The cold of the mirror against her back contrasting the heat of his body in front of her drove her crazy. As their tongues explored each other's mouths, she moved her hands between their bodies and found the waist of his jeans.
After she fumbled with the button of his pants, he undid them for her. She never did anything like this before but she wasn't think about that. She wanted Jude so badly, nothing else mattered.
Looking at his body, her eyes moved down to where the trail of hair under his belly button disappeared into his open jeans. Pushing his pants open more she grazed his hip bones and thought about biting them.
He pushed his jeans down and stepped out of them and she stared at his large erection, her cheeks flushing. He stepped closer to her and moved his hands up her thighs to her hips. Wrapping his fingers around the thin band of her polka dot bikini panty, he began sliding them down her hips. She lifted her bottom from the vanity as he took them off her.
She felt the cool air against her wetness and her breath grew more shallow. He slowly slipped his body between her legs again, his intense gaze never leaving hers. Kissing her again, he pressed her against the mirror so his body crushed hers.
She wrapped her legs around him and could feel him against her throbbing entrance. As his mouth left hers she bit his lip, not wanting him to go. His lips moved along her jawline to her ear.
"I've wanted you for so long," he whispered.
His fingers traveled up her inner thigh and her breath caught with anticipation as they moved closer to where her legs met. Letting her body guide her, she spread her legs a little more.
He slid his fingers over her clit and she moaned. She felt her body immediately react, coming to life. He slowly rubbed and she closed her eyes, lost in the intense feeling.
As he rubbed, she clutched his back more as she felt all her senses heighten. Her body tingled all over. The throbbing at her core grew more insistent.
With his other hand he slid the straps of her dress down, exposing her breasts. From the chill air and the excitement, her nipples were hard, almost aching. He slid her bottom closer to the edge of the vanity, then continued rubbing her as he bent his head down and slowly moved his tongue over her nipples.
She gasped feeling his warm mouth on her breasts. Her head spun and she felt completely out of control, but loved every second of it. She didn't know how much more she could take.
His fingers left her and she felt the thick head of his erection pressed against her entrance. Spreading her legs more, she couldn't wait to feel him inside. His mouth left her breasts and he looked deep into her eyes.
"Tell me if I'm hurting you," he said.
She nodded, unable to speak. His hand moved up to cradle her back as he slowly entered her. She cried a little at the pressure which felt so good and he stopped.
"More," she gasped, unable to say anything else.
As he rocked his hips, letting her get used to him before slowly inching further inside her, he moved the fingers that were rubbing her to her hip. He pressed her close to him, his other hand still on her back.
Moaning, she felt him completely inside her, his body so close she could feel his heat. He slid his thumb over her clit and began rubbing a little faster than before.
Her entire body responded to him. She felt herself begin to shake as pressure mounted inside of her. The tingling spread throughout her body. Rubbing her faster, his cock moving within her, her breath caught in her throat. She didn't know what was going on, she felt everything heightening even more. She clutched and grabbed at him, holding him tight.
"Just let go, Olivia," he whispered in her ear.