Documentary (40 page)

He pulled his mouth away as he brought her back up and took in a few deep breaths. “This is my favorite music festival. I always look forward to both weekends, and right now, there’s somewhere I want to be more than here.” His smile spread slowly, suggestively.

“Me too. More than anything,” she whispered. Kai held up a set of keys.

“You already got the keys from the driver?” She giggled. “How’d you know I’d say yes?”

             
“Wishful thinking.”

Once they were away from the main crowd on the beach, he grabbed her hand before they ran through the darkness to the bus in a parking lot across the street. They left a trail of clothing down the aisle as they kissed before ending up in his bedroom. They both sucked in a breath when she lowered herself on top of him, bracing her palms on either side above his shoulders. She was determined not to feel self-conscious as they stared at each other. Dylan held his gaze, almost needing to understand what he couldn’t tear his eyes away from, and needing to not be afraid to let him look at her. She had fought this connection for so long. It wasn’t supposed to be like this; it had turned out better. Very messy along the way—still messy—but better.

Kai gripped her sides when she rocked against him, and she shuddered from the pleasure then moaned in tangent with the motion. His breathing exited harsher with every push, and he moved one hand to stroke her breasts softly, thrusting up against her.

              “I want you…” he said when she leaned forward, before he kissed her collarbones and neck. Kai pressed her against his body by applying light pressure on her back, like he needed her closer to him somehow. Her sweaty body slid against his, the friction emitting the heat of their passion.

             
“You have me,” she whispered along his shoulder. Rolling to the side, Kai flipped them over and raised himself up, balancing on his arms.

“I want all of you…” He wiped her
sweat-saturated strands off her face. Dylan smiled, even as she sensed what he was asking. For more. The part of herself she had shut away. Instead of responding, she grabbed his waist, lifting her hips against his, and he groaned roughly. The mattress indented suddenly on both sides of her head when he clutched the top edge, and she drew her fingernails up his back as he pushed into her.

“Just you,” he whispered. “I just want you.”

The Truth About Erica Evigan – Chapter 20

“What do you think?” Kai asked, running his hand down her hair. She was lying on top of him, the two of them still mostly naked except for their underwear. There was one ear bud from his earphones in her ear and the other in his. He gave her an impatient look, his hand sliding up her side to her right breast, which he proceeded to squeeze.

             
After smiling against his lips, Dylan lifted her head and bobbed it to the sound as Kai fingered the hollow between her collarbones. “Sad but sweet. It’s beautiful.”
Kinda like you.

             
“It’s called ‘I Wanna Be.’” Kai held her face then smacked a big kiss on her lips. “Been recording it late night in the hotel. It’s rough, but I’ll clean it up and re-record when I can get back in a studio.”

             
“Just you and Sable, and nothing else. You don’t do that much. I like it.”

             
“Well, you better,” Kai said, squeezing her butt. “It’s yours. A one-of-a-kind.”

             
“Seriously?” Dylan beamed, giggling before she pecked him on the nose. “My own song? Like smiley face tattoo girl?”

“No!”
He laughed and shook his head. “No one else will ever hear ‘I Wanna Be’ unless
you
want them to. I’m not the flowers and candy kinda guy, but this is still special,” he said, sliding one side of his mouth up into a half-smile. “And since I’m going to share you with the whole world once the next album comes out, I wanted one thing just between us.”

“Your next album is all about me?” Dylan’s heart clenched; Nina had been right about him. “Whoa.”

“Mostly. I’m still writing. Is that creepy? It won’t be obvious. It’s not like it’ll be called ‘Dylan Kimberly Carroll from CSFC’ or anything.” His fingers tapped up her spine. “There might be one or two songs you’ll want to skip though.” Kai laughed. “I was mad.”

Dylan bit her lip. “Wow, I really don’t know what to say, except thank you. That is the sweetest thing ever. And today has been absolutely perfect, Kai. Perfect.”

              Kai flipped them both over, excitement shining in his eyes. “Well, why does only today have to be perfect?”

             
And there it was. “Uh…” No matter what words she chose, she would never be able to truly explain what was really holding her back. And certainly not in a way that wouldn’t ruin things. She had a grim thought, though, that eventually she would have to.

Kai’s cell rang suddenly
, saving her, and he kept his eyes on her until he fished it out of the pocket of his jeans, which were crumpled on the floor. “Marse…Ha!  Tell J I don’t need a soundcheck. Yeah. I’ll be there in ten.” Kai signaled for Dylan to get up too. “All right. Bye.” After he sent a text, they both got dressed and went toward the main stage with Kai’s hand bumping hers as they walked. They stopped at a tent where drinks were being sold. He got her a lemonade before taking pictures with a few fans.

             
“Can’t wait to see you up there,” she whispered. “Break a leg.”

“Thanks. I told Abe to meet you here. He says they’re all hanging
out and…sliding? Anyway, later, baby,” Kai said, squeezing her hand once before he disappeared into the crowd. Shortly after, Abel swung to her side and pressed his wet shirtless body against hers when they hugged.

“Should I
even
ask?” she said, twisting her face up when she pulled away.

“Haha. Slip-N-Slide. Come hang out with everybody. Only Ash is in the tent.”

“Right…coming with you.” She linked arms with him and they moved quickly in the opposite direction. They stopped at a gigantic, inflatable, double lane Slip-N-Slide that was near one of the other VIP areas at the festival. They got there just in time to see Odette and another girl barrel down the horizontal slides and crash into the shallow pool at the end. Dylan quickly noticed that Leko, Heath and Xavier were the only ones of her friends not there, and she didn’t recognize some of the other people around. After nabbing victory in the race, Odette stood and pumped her fists in the air. The small crowd roared.

“No one can beat Odette. Girl, guy, no one. She’s up like $600. You want in?” Abel asked Dylan, bumping her with his
damp elbow.

“Who’s next against the abominable Odette Porter?” Wes screamed as he staggered to the side before he waved at Dylan. He was speaking into his beer bottle as though it were a microphone. He beckoned her.

“Did you just call my future wife repulsive, asshole?” Ribsy asked before he chucked something at Wes.  “It’s indomitable, you idiot.”

“That’s what I said, Seth Ribisi,” Wes said, looking at him in confusion. “I’m the
Scrabble
champeen. I know words!”

“It really sucks that I have to share a face with that guy.” Abel tipped his bottle of beer to his lips.

The festival crowd hollered as J.Kutch took the stage, and the music began to echo in the air and blast out of the speakers set up around the beach.

“Dylan, you have to race me!” Odette begged. “Plus, I want everyone to see the new Porterble Devices bathing suit…” She suddenly raised her voice. “…That I designed! The one my lovely friend is wearing is called ‘Ursula.’ Pieces from the entire line are available here at the festival and will be in Miami too!”

“That’s my girl! Never missing an opportunity. Love you, baby!” Ribsy shouted.

“Fine!”
It was a cool evening, but Dylan stripped her dress off and revealed the electric blue bikini. She ran over to where Odette and Wes were standing.

After giving her the
once-over, Wes said, “Wanna be my first ex-wife?”

“No fucking way, Wes.” He high-fived her when she stepped up to the starting point. Dylan quickly wrapped her hair into a bun.

“Okay, ladies, the pot is currently at $250. Winner takes all. First one to touch the edge wins. Bobby over there at the end is the judge. Ready, set, go!” Wes yelled.

Dylan ran and launched herself down the slippery slide of her lane, and she squealed for the entire few seconds before she splashed into the pool. She and Odette were both giggling loudly as they waited for Bobby’s judgment. Once again, he raised his hand for Odette, and the crowd cheered. She offered Dylan a hug as a consolation prize before doing a victory dance. Dylan hadn’t been on a Slip-N-Slide since she was
a kid and had forgotten how much fun it was, so it was okay that Odette had won. After Dylan rinsed off at one of the beach showers, Abel was waiting with a towel for her to dry off before she stepped back into her dress. A really skinny guy had presented himself as Odette’s next opponent.

Abel aimed his beer at her. “You want something?”

“Yeah, but I can get it,” Dylan said as she wrung her hair in the towel.

“Cooler full of drinks is over there in the last tent,” he said, cocking his chin at it.  Several yards down from the Slip-N-Slide were two rows of
VIP tents, six on each side. Abel was referencing one on their left.

“Great! I can see the screen better from over there, too, and I want to see the rest of the show,” she said.

“I bet you do,” Abel said with a laugh as he raised his eyebrows. “Yeah, don’t think no one noticed that
both
of you were missing for, like, an hour.” He leaned in to her ear. “You two, worst kept secret ever.” Dylan felt her face heat up but she didn’t respond. As she walked to the tent, she stared up at a large screen as Kai played a slow guitar riff. Dylan stopped and cheered with the crowd. He played along to J.Kutch’s song and sang the chorus. Kai played through a short medley of J.Kutch’s hits. She really should’ve been recording it but, hopefully, someone in J.Kutch’s entourage was, and she’d just get a copy of it later. Keeping her eyes on the screen just before she entered the tent, she slammed into a person who caught her by the waist.

“Whoa. You okay?” Jeremy Bunyan was smiling at her, and Dylan recoiled immediately. Suddenly Leko, Heath and Xavier’s absences made sense.

“Yup. Thanks.” Her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears, it was smothering J.Kutch’s song. She wondered if Kai knew he was over here as she rounded him and continued to the cooler behind him. Things had the possibility of escalating into something dangerous really quickly. She eyed Jeremy’s few bodyguards staring at her from the far end of the tent. And a few people who were in his entourage turned to look at her as well. She realized suddenly that it was enclosed on all sides, and although the front flaps could be pulled apart, he had kept them closed.

“I got it…” Jeremy beat her to the cooler and flipped the top open. “Okay, so we got water, beer, soda…” He looked up at her with a
friendly smile as he reached in.

“Is this yours? Abel told me to come in here. I’m sorry,” she said.

“Yeah, it is…but it’s cool. We’re all friends, right?”

Dylan gulped down and grabbed a bottle of water on her own and walked away, but Jeremy caught up with her. All the hairs on the back of her neck stood when she stepped out of the tent. She really didn’t want to talk to him after what happened last night. Several girls nearby shrieked when they spotted him, and he waved at them.
He summoned them to the steel barricades around the VIP area, meant to prevent people from sneaking into the tents, and signed their t-shirts and bikini tops. Dylan took the opportunity to move away.

“Guess I deserved that. I was really rude to you last night. I was having a bad night and I took it out on you. I’m really sorry,” Jeremy said when he caught up with her once more. She glanced behind her and saw that the bodyguards were trailing them. “Can we start over?”

“Uh…yeah…I guess,” she said, as she stopped walking, slightly surprised. “Apology accepted.”

“Having a good time?” he asked earnestly, smiling. 

“I am.” Dylan uncapped the bottle and pressed it to her lips, and she turned her attention to a nearby big screen. Kai was already gone. She would’ve been having a better time if he would’ve just let her watch the show in peace. That same dedication to Kai that had made her act distant with him before was present and intense.

“Did you catch my performance?” From the corner of her eye, she caught his gaze focused on her. Dylan tried not to shudder aloud.

“I did.” Her pulse galloped at a faster pace when she saw Chase watching them, and he was standing in a spot in the direction she was headed. She hadn’t noticed him before, and she wondered how long he had been there. Something was clearly up with the Bunyan gene pool.

“Well, I’m going to
see what everyone else is doing,” she said when Chase started walking toward them.

“Okay…but I’m hav
ing a conversation with you,” Jeremy said, clutching her wrist, annoyance thick in his tone. “You can’t talk because of Kai? Is that what this is about?” There was an edge in his voice, much like she had heard the night before. It made her uneasy, especially as she replayed how he had lashed out back then. His and Kai’s mutual animosity was unsettling, especially for two people who had once been friends.