Collide (21 page)

“Done. I'll see you on stage in five love.” He says, pushing my hair behind my shoulder and leaning down to whisper in my ear. “Never underestimate an Irish man.” He husks, his breath tickling my neck.

While I would be lying if I said that his closeness doesn't stir something in me, I still can't shake the thought of Zayne. Even after this sexy as hell rock singer has spent the night hitting on me, all I can think about is Zayne's eyes, the way they seem to see right through me. His hands and how they feel on my body. His mouth and the way it moves against mine. Every single time I stop to enjoy the attention from Thad, my mind immediately goes to Zayne. It's more than a little frustrating.

Sighing in defeat, I playfully shove him away and immediately ask Becca for another shot. Within minutes the group has re-emerged on the stage and the first thing Thad does is ask the audience, which unfortunately has not dwindled down much, to welcome me to the stage.

A few heads turn in my direction as I make my way through the sea of people towards the stage but most pay very little attention to me. When I reach the end of the dance floor, Thad holds his hand out and gives me a brilliant smile as he helps me up onto the stage.

“Ready?” He asks, his smile not fading. I shake my head slowly, suddenly feeling the overwhelming need to vomit. I have never been on stage without my guitar before and it leaves me feeling naked and vulnerable. The amount of people now with their eyes on me only intensifies the feeling and it takes everything I have not to run off the stage.

When the music kicks in, I focus on Thad. The moment the words leave his lips I am entranced. His voice has to be one of the sexiest I have ever heard and with his brown eyes pinned solely on me as he sings the words, the crowd sort of fades into the background. As long as I can focus on him I can get through this. Just don't look out at the audience, is all I can think.

Thad steps forward, reaching out to trail the back of his hand down my cheek as he sings. The contact causes a flurry of butterflies to erupt in my stomach and I don't know if it's from his flesh on mine or the fact that my part is quickly approaching. Either way, I push it down and try to run through the lyrics in my head.

Truth is, I don't know the song that well, as in I have never sang it before, not really anyways. I only know it because Emma played it for a solid month after she broke up with her last boyfriend, if you could even call him that. Em doesn't so much do boyfriends as she does flings.

I almost miss the intro to my part but luckily catch it just in time to start on key. I repeat Thad's motions while he was singing, angling my body towards him and singing directly at him rather than the crowd. With each word that I sing, my confidence grows and before long I am really getting into the performance.

Suddenly, it's no longer the hunky Irish rocker in front of me but Zayne. The words flow through me and I find myself connecting to the lyrics more than I realized I would. It's about two people who break up and go about their lives pretending that everything is great, that they are just fine without the other person but then admitting how hard it is to make it look like they don't care.

By the third verse, Thad and I are somewhat battling back and forth. With each line that we sing, our bodies somehow get closer and closer, until we are singing directly into each others faces, our bodies pressed together as I lean my head back to look up at his face. When the last note of the guitar strums out, Thad smiles brightly at me and then leans down, gently brushing his lips against mine.

The contact is so light and brief that for a moment I wonder if I simply imagined that his lips actually touched mine. The crowd breaks out in whoops and hollers and suddenly I am reminded of just how many people are watching us at this very moment. My breath catches and I instinctively take a step backwards, giving Thad a playful shove, trying to play off the moment as nothing more than an act. Which it very well may have been.

Knowing that the band still has to continue with their set, I give a small wave to the crowd and quickly exit to the side of the stage. “Give it up for the lovely Grace Morgan everyone! If you like what you heard, make sure you stop by Sunday through Wednesday to check out her acoustic set.” Thad says to the crowd, his accent on proud display causing a few females in the audience to sigh and fan themselves.

I smile and shake my head as I disappear down the long hall at the back of the bar that leads to the bathrooms. While I was very hesitant to get up there, I can't deny the rush that I felt in doing so. My body has still not fully come down from the high of being on stage in front of so many people and by the time I exit the ladies room, I decide another drink is definitely a must.

Just a few feet from the end of the hall, a door opens as I pass by and before I have time to react, someone grabs my arm and jerks me inside.

“What the hell?” I exclaim, spinning around in the dimly lit storage closet to get a look at whoever pulled me in here. When my eyes lock with the deep blue of Zayne's, my breath hitches in my throat. “What... What are you doing here? I thought you were in China.” I ramble out.

He doesn't bother answering any of my questions. Instead he takes a couple steps towards the door and pushes it closed before stalking towards me and backing me into the far side wall, my back pushing into the metal shelves that are used for extra stock.

“What the fuck was that?” His voice is low and his eyes are dark, hovering just six inches from my face. I can only imagine the look of surprise and shock that immediately crosses my face.

“Wh....What are talking about?” My voice comes out broken and I take a deep breath to steady myself. I don't know what he is playing at but I am not about to be pushed around.

“What the fuck is going on with you and the singer?” His voice is harsh and I can see the anger flicker across his face.

Immediately my anger surfaces full force and I reach out and shove him backwards. He takes two steps back, giving me enough room that I feel like I can breathe but still hovering very close to me. “I don't think that's any of your business.” I bite out just as harshly, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” He cocks his head to the side and studies me for a fraction of a second before continuing. “You made it everyone's business with that ridiculous display on stage.”

“It was an act Zayne. We were putting on a show for the crowd.” I don't know why I bother making excuses but they come anyways.

“That sure as hell didn't look like just an act to me. And if that's the case, did you really need to have him hanging all over you all night to drive the point home?” His voice rises and I can tell that he is fighting to control his temper. Problem is, I'm completely dumbfounded by why he's even mad to begin with.

“Why do you care? Last time I checked I don't answer to you.” I spit, feeling the hurt from the last time I saw him boil back to the surface. “Or does that only apply to you? Because I'm sure Ashley would have a few things to say on the matter.” I push past him and cross the small space to the door but before I can pull it open, Zayne spins me around and pins me against it, his hard body pressing firmly against mine.

I try not to let the sexual tension now flowing through the air derail me. If he wants to do this right now, then I have a few choice things I would like to get off my chest.

“I already told you, it's not what it looked like.” He growls, his breath hot against my cheek.

I try to push him back but he stands firm, not giving me one inch of wiggle room. Even more pissed that I can't get away, my temper finally starts to show itself. “Really Zayne. Not what it looked like huh? Well considering I saw her straddling your lap with her tongue in your mouth and you not fighting to remove her, I think I know exactly what it looked like and exactly what it was. Don't patronize me. I'm not a child.”

His gaze lightens just the slightest but his face is still full of anger. “And the little act kiss between you and the rock star, aren't you telling me the same thing? That it isn't what it looked like to everyone watching?”

“Don't turn this around on me you asshole!” I scream in his face, completely surprised by my own reaction but even more surprised by the hurt that flashes across his face at my words.

“Watch your mouth Grace.” He scolds, finally taking a step backwards.

“Fuck you Zayne.” The words are off my tongue before I can take them back. How dare he treat me like I don't have the right to choose what words I will and will not use. I am a grown woman and by god if I want to curse, well then that's exactly what I will do.

“I find you practically screwing a woman in a conference room. Then you show up here only to leave without even saying goodbye. You were gone for days without ever trying to contact me and if all of that isn't enough, you show up here demanding answers like I owe you one god damn thing.” I step forward, shoving my hands against his chest.

“Grace.” The word is a warning but I am too riled up now to back down. I can feel the explosion of emotions finally finding their way to the surface.

“Don't Grace me!” I exclaim, throwing my hands in the air. “Go away Zayne. Just go away.” I scream just inches from his face, the alcohol running rapid through my blood stream clearly intensifying my reaction.

“Enough.” The word bounces off the walls and instantly silences me. Zayne's eyes are dark and I can tell that I have pushed him too far. “You saw me in the conference room with Ashley. She initiated it and while I know it doesn't make it right, I should have stopped it immediately. When I came here and you played that song for me. Fuck Grace, it gutted me. To see how much pain I was causing you. I had to walk away, I needed space from all of this.” He gestures between the two of us. “I spent four days trying everything I could to forget about you and I couldn't do it. Grace, I can't do it.” He says, his voice coming out softer, pleading even.

He reaches out and puts both hands on either side of my face, leaning down so that he is staring directly into my eyes. “I tried everything to get you out of my head Gracie. But I can't shake you. When I saw you with the singer, the way he was intentionally finding ways to touch you all night, it spurred something in me that I have never felt before.”

“You're jealous....” The words come off my lips in a ragged whisper, realization hitting me like a tidal wave. It's not because he thinks of me as a child that he needs to take care of, it's because he's jealous. My anger quickly melts and my heartbeat kicks up a notch. He's jealous, that has to mean something right?

“I'm jealous.” He admits. “I couldn't stand the sight of his hands on you and then when he kissed you. Fuck Grace, it took everything I had not to jump up on that stage and beat the shit out of him.” He says, exhaling loudly.

I wrap my hands around the back of his neck and close the short distance between our lips in the matter of seconds. No matter how much this man infuriates me, nothing could have prepared me for the elation I feel knowing that I am capable of making him jealous. Suddenly I want nothing more than to feel him on me, inside of me. The deep ache I feel in his presence comes to the forefront and all words are lost until the only thing that is left is this. The want, the need, the absolute love that I feel for this man.

––––––––

M
y eyes flutter open and instantly close against the harsh sunlight filtering through the windows of Zayne's bedroom. I try again and manage to keep my eyes open long enough to catch sight of a smiling Zayne staring back at me.

“Good morning.” He husks, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me into his chest. I bury my face in the crook of his neck and inhale deeply. God how I've missed his smell.

“Morning.” I get out on a broken whisper, my throat feeling overly dry, no doubt from the amount of alcohol that burned it's way down it all night last night.

“How are you feeling?” He asks into my hair, nuzzling me.

“I'm good.” I say, feeling more than just good in this moment. For days I tried to prepare myself for what it would feel like to never feel this again. To be in his arms and surrounded by his scent. Now, to be laying next to him, to know that I am actually here, well let's just say it makes me feel happier than words could ever describe.

He let's out a light laugh, the vibration shaking my head slightly. “Hungry?” He asks, pulling back to peer at me.

“Starving.” I purr, stretching my arms above my head. His smile is bright and brilliant in the morning sunlight and I have to fight to contain my own giddy smile finding its way to the surface.

“Don't move.” He instructs, flipping the covers back and crawling out of bed. I take a moment to appreciate his naked body. The way his muscles flex as he crosses the room to retrieve his boxers from the floor.

He turns slightly and catches me ogling him. His eyes darken in a very knowing way and his smile turns wicked. “Keep looking at me like that and it will be you that I have for breakfast.” He warns, smiling wider when he catches my eyes light up in delight. “Stay.” He repeats, quickly slipping on his black boxer briefs and exiting the room.

I take the moment alone to run to the bathroom to freshen up. Deciding a shower is a must and hoping Zayne will decide to join me, I turn the water on and allow it to warm up before slipping inside. It doesn't take me long to notice that an expensive girly bottle of shampoo and conditioner is sitting on the ledge next to his. There is also a bottle of Vanilla body wash and a pink loofah perched next to it.

I can't help but wonder when he did this. I have given him crap about having to use his stuff when I am here but I never actually expected him to stock his bathroom for me. The thought makes me smile and I quickly start working the divine smelling shampoo through my long thick hair.

I am just rinsing out the conditioner when Zayne finally slips in beside me. I peek one eye open and smile suggestively at him. “I thought I told you stay put.” He says, stepping forward to trail his hands down my sides, finally coming to a rest on my hips.