Ace's Wild (8 page)

    “That child has been through hell. I won’t begin to tell you the details, because it is not my story to tell, but I feel there are things you should know about him before you dive headfirst into a relationship with him. I want to see him happy, and I’m hoping that through me telling you all of this that you will still be able to stick by his side and help him man the inevitable storm that is coming his way.

    “I need to make this somewhat fast so I will skip over the mumbo-jumbo and get to the main points. Ace grew up over-privileged and under-nurtured. His parents paid nannies to take care of him. That was the beginning of his deep seeded issues, or so I assume. You see, I wasn’t allowed to see my grandsons. I made the mistake of talking ill on my daughter’s new lifestyle, and she thought it best to make a decision, to choose it over me, even though I never gave her that ultimatum. And I never would have because all that mattered to me was that she was happy. I only looked down on her lifestyle because I felt like she wasn’t truly happy. The money and the society changed her as it does for many people.

    “I’m getting a little off track. My point is that Nate and Jason’s parents were so worried about public image that they never put thought to the image they were putting out for their children- that money and people with money always come before family. So from a very young age Ace knew that he didn’t want that with his life. Yes, he still became a famous rock star, but I don’t think it was ever about the money for him. It was about the loyalty he had for his bandmates. He just wanted to share his lyrics with the world.

    “Once Spades was signed, the boys were elated that all of their hard work had finally paid off. They thought once they were signed that would open up doors for them, and it did, but with every open door came a potential Pandora’s box. Jason opened one too many, and he’s just now starting to clean his life of them.” She takes a deep breath and smiles sadly. “If you’re sure that you want to be a part of his life then please, do not become another Pandora’s box. I don’t think he could handle it.” She pats my leg again before leaning back in her seat to get comfortable.

    I look down at my nervous shaking hands setting on my lap clutching onto each other. She may have told me all of that to make sure that I’m ready for the next step with Ace but what she doesn’t realize is she just raised a million questions that I can’t even ask him because he doesn’t know that I know any of this.

    Confused? Yeah, me too.

    Ace walks into the door only a minute after Grams stops talking. She looks up and a grin stretches across her face. It’s the sweetest thing to witness how much she adores her grandsons.

    He hands her the bag, and she waves her hand in front of it. “It passed. It turns out I was just tired.” She pushes herself off of the couch. “I’m going to turn in, you two have fun. It was nice meeting you Melody, I hope to see you soon.” She winks. After embracing us in goodnight hugs, Grams disappears down the hallway.

    I shake my head “She’s a character.” I laugh.

    “She is, isn’t she?” Ace’s eyes wander from the hallway to my face. “Will you sing with me?”

    The smile drops from my mouth, the quick change in subject has left me glued to my spot.

    I’ve only ever sang for fun. My dad taught me how to play the guitar at a young age and singing usually goes hand in hand with that. Every strum of the guitar was a beacon drawing me in to sing.

    Andy and I mess around with songs for fun. If we hear a song we love that is perfect as a duet then we collaborate on it as soon as our schedules allow. But singing with Ace Caplin is an opportunity that I never thought would come my way. Not only am I going to sing with him, but he
wants
me to sing with him, which results in my lack of response.

    “Um…” I clear the anxiousness from my throat. “Sure, what song do you have in mind?”

    “Do you know “Broken” by Seether?”

    And now he wants me to sing one of my all-time favorite songs with him? I think I’m in love.

    I’m a bundle of nerves, but I cover it the best I can before answering. “I do, it’s actually one of my favorites,” I answer truthfully. “Did you want to sing it here? Or do you think that will disrupt Grams’ rest?”

    “That woman sleeps like the dead, but if it makes you feel better we can go out on the patio in the backyard?”

   I nod my head.

   “Great, let me grab my guitar.”

    He’s only gone for a minute before he reappears with his guitar. I immediately notice that it’s a Gibson SJ-200 Western Classic, my dream guitar. I bite my tongue to prevent myself from asking if I can play it. Instead I admire its beauty. The orange darkening to red and then going completely black. The perfect detailing in the body structure.

    Before I have a chance to ogle it any longer we begin walking toward the sliding glass door to get to the patio.

    I’ve never seen the backyard before because the blinds have been shut, but it’s definitely not what I was expecting. The rest of the house is really nice, and it’s in a fairly new development. Although I did expect it to be up to par with the rest of the house, I did not expect it to exceed the rest of the house.

    It’s absolutely gorgeous.

    The patio has an overhang and is covered in what appears to be mosquito net. The material is tied in the corners to each of the posts and it opens up to a swimming pool that looks like a private pond in the middle of the tropics. There are trees and plants surrounding it to the point that the fence or nearby houses isn’t visible. There are twinkle lights illuminating the patio, and there are spotlights randomly placed throughout the yard.

    The whole vibe is extremely intimate. Ace seems to realize this at the same moment, and he locks eyes with me. He’s only a couple of feet from me so he reaches over to grab my hand.

    It’s a simple touch but one that makes my body tremble and sends tingles to every nerve ending in my body. He gives me a cocky grin, one that I can only assume is because I’ve failed once again at hiding my attraction to him. At this point I don’t think there is any use in trying. He gently tugs on my arm and leads me over to a comfy set of chairs in the corner and we take a seat.

    Ace begins gently strumming his guitar and leans his head down to listen to the strums. He tunes the guitar until he feels content with the sound. He lifts his eyes to mine and smiles. “You ready for this?”

    I nervously grin and nod my head. Words still haven’t found their way back to me yet. My palms are sweating, and my body is vibrating with anticipation. I sing all the time, hell I’ve even been on a stage in front of small crowds plenty of times, but being here with Ace is different.

    I could be in front of millions, and it wouldn’t compare. They hear my voice, they see my physical form, but they don’t see my soul. Their eyes don’t penetrate the shell I so carefully construct for everyone else. Ace’s eyes aren’t just looking at me—they’re seeing me. Actually seeing me. And I’m terrified.

    I inhale deeply and exhale slowly. I can do this. “I’m ready,” I finally answer.

    He closes his eyes and is quiet for just a moment and then he begins to strum. Every strum brings a new wave of amazement. Hearing recordings doesn’t compare to the magic that is in live music. He hasn’t even started singing yet and already he has me awestruck. And then he begins to sing.

    At first I’m feeling amazed and in denial that this moment is actually happening, but soon it morphs into something else entirely. I know his voice, and I’m trying to convince myself that the only reason I recognize it is because of his numerous number one hits. But that’s not it.

    My breath catches, and my hand flies to my mouth. No. Nonono. Not possible.

    Is it?

    I’d recognize that smoky voice anywhere. It’s the kind of voice that wraps around you and leaves you breathless. I haven’t gone back to the spot where I first heard him in fear that the whole thing was just something made up by my mind. But here he is, my mystery man. It’s Ace. What are the chances?

    “You okay?”

     I shake the realization from my mind. I was so lost in my thoughts that I missed my cue to join the song.

    I’m at a fork in the road. Do I tell him of the epiphany I just had or do I pretend like my world didn’t just experience its first summer after years of winter.

    I decide for the latter. “Oh, yeah, sorry.” I laugh. “I missed my cue.”

    The look on his face shows that he’s not buying my nonchalant apology, but he doesn’t push. “Okay, I’ll start it again,” he smirks.

    He begins strumming, and this time I don’t lose focus. Our eyes stay glued together in a silent song of their own, never straying.

    He begins singing and still his eyes don’t leave mine. My part is coming, and my anxiety is through the roof, but I push it aside and let a part of myself free that I usually hide behind my fears. I focus on Ace’s voice, and I begin singing softly along with his voice to the chorus. I have a solo coming, but I’m gaining more confidence as I go. Ace gives a slight nod of his head for encouragement. I grin back at him and belt out the lyrics. It’s the first time in a long time that I feel like the weight has been lightened on my shoulders.

    When we finish Ace stares at me for a moment before setting down his guitar. He stands, grabs my hands, and hauls me to my feet as well. We stand staring at each other for just a moment before he drags me into the house. He’s walking so fast that I have to jog just to keep up. We get to his room, and he shuts the door behind us.

    I don’t have time to get my bearings or figure out the reason he brought us in here before his mouth captures mine in a passionate soul-devouring life-altering kiss.

    His hand gently entangles into my hair while his other hand finds its way to my lower back and pulls me into him. Our mouths are fused so closely together that it’s like he’s trying to meld our souls together.

    Today we’ve taken giant steps in our relationship, and although I was doubtful earlier, now I know I’m willing to give myself to him wholeheartedly. Ace begins walking us farther into his room. My legs hit the mattress, and he slowly lowers me onto my back. I scoot farther onto the bed while our lips remain in their passionate embrace.

   
He’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of but so much more than I deserve. Every passionate kiss, every gentle touch, and every word he speaks makes me fall into an endless Ace oblivion. I‘m falling for him but there’s no turning back now and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

    His hands are on the sides of my head holding him above me. The only parts of our bodies touching are our lips, but my body is screaming for more.

    As if my limbs have a mind of their own, my legs wrap around Ace’s waist, and I lock my legs together behind him which brings his center crashing to mine. We moan in unison as we collide. My heart is racing, my legs are shaking, and I may spontaneously combust at any moment. The sensations this man provokes would scare the hell out of me if they didn’t feel so damn good.

    Our mouths are in a frenzy as my hips rock back and forth against his arousal. One of his arms stays anchored to the bed while the other roams its way up my leg. He trails it from my thigh up to my hip, and he slowly cups my breast. Another moan escapes my mouth, but before I’m able to satisfy the burning in my core Ace pulls away. I whimper from the loss of him.

    He rolls away and settles into a seated position at the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let it go that far.” He rests his elbows on his knees and brings his hands to his head. I’m still lying on my back unable to do much of anything except catch my breath.

    We’re silent for a few moments to let our bodies cool down. I can tell Ace is frustrated but I’m unable to distinguish if it’s because he stopped or because he started in the first place. Eventually he lies down on his back next to me. I’m still in a mind-blowing kiss induced haze. If you’ve never been in the midst of one then you haven’t been properly kissed. It’s freaking amazing.

    Ace slowly entwines his fingers with mine, and my nerves are in a frenzy again. He’s been holding my hand so much today it’s like he’s staking his claim on me. I grip my fingers with his and give him a gentle squeeze.

    I turn my head to Ace. “You have absolutely nothing to be sorry about. If anything, I’m the one who made it go that far, and I’m glad I did,” I admit sheepishly.

    A handsomely genuine smile lights up his face bringing out his bitable dimples. “Are you now?” He wiggles his eyebrows jokingly. I bring my free hand over and poke him in his ribs, and he lets out a bark of laughter before playfully smacking my hand away.

    I smile in amusement before getting serious again. “Can I ask you something kind of personal?”

    “Shoot,” he replies with a wink.

    Since I’ve been talking with Ace more and especially after today, I can no longer ignore my curiosity. “I’m not stupid, I know most tabloid stories are wildly untrue so I put very little into what they say but I’m wondering how they could
cast you in such a harsh light. I haven’t read much other than the headlines that stand out while I’m waiting in line at the grocery store but everything always seems so negative when your name is in the headline. I guess my question is, how much of it is true?” I grimace at the amount of rambling that question contained.