Page 43 of Sky Full of Stars

“Oh my God, is this who you were thinking about the other night?”

“Keira don’t be annoying. I don’t want you spooking her. We’re friends and I still don’t know what might happen but I don’t want you freaking her out. It’s hard enough as it is given who I am, she’s not in the industry so I have to be careful with her.”

“Okay…But is she your-”

“I won’t bring her if you don’t stop it.”

“Fine. I promise to be good. She’s just another friend. Not your girlfriend.”

She is still cackling as she hangs up the phone. I know she is only trying to push my buttons and will be fine when she meets Jenna.

Jenna text last night to say she would come but she had to go to work first and couldn’t leave until ten thirty. That was fine by me, I was glad she agreed. If we are doing this, I’m not gonna sit around and wait for things to happen. I won’t get much time with her and need to show her I’m serious about this as fast as I can. The European tour is looming, I’ll be gone for six weeks and I don’t want anyone else stepping in while I’m gone, she’s gorgeous she could get any man she wanted and that asshole at the gym was clearly interested.

Ideally, I would have preferred our first kiss to be more personal than that, without an audience or a fake beard, but I could feel her melting in my arms as I pressed her against me and left her wanting more. If she doesn’t want to go further I respect that and will never force anything, but I am going to do whatever I can to make it difficult for her to keep fighting what she wants. And I’m not above using my family to show her I’m not the guy she thinks I am.

There is so much running through my head as I wait at the hotel for her. After visiting Kono and Jasper’s studio, I called Archer to talk about the possibility of working on and recording our next album here. He suspected there was an ulterior motive which I swore wasn’t true, he doesn’t need to know anything until I know what is going on with Jenna. He’s seeing Nick and Jordan tonight so said he would speak to them but didn’t think it would be a problem.

Arch’s dad was recently diagnosed with diabetes and he would be glad to spend some time with him, so he would definitely be on side. Jordan usually went with the flow. It was looking to me like this was going to happen and I couldn’t be happier about it.

I just needed to not fuck up with Jenna.

Reception buzzed me just after ten thirty to let me know my visitor had arrived and the car was waiting for me. I couldn’t keep the silly grin off my face as I headed down to the lobby. When I exit the elevator and see her, she’s pacing back and forth, talking on her cell phone and she doesn’t look happy. I get a queasy feeling in my stomach as I walk over. I catch her eye but stand back so she doesn’t think I’m trying to listen to what she’s saying, although I really want to know if this is going to jeopardise today. She looks at me and holds up a finger letting me know she will be a minute.

I chuckle inwardly, that would never normally happen, people mostly fell over themselves to do what they thought I wanted. I decide to check out and wait away from the main entrance. I fiddle with my own phone and glance at her. She has her thumb nail between her top and bottom teeth, listening intently. Fuck, she is sexy when she is all serious. And that thumb in her mouth, I have to look away.

“Hey, sorry about that.”

I turn to face her. She looks really pretty with her hair pulled up in a ponytail, wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans with a lightweight dark red jacket. “No problem,” I kiss her cheek and she gives me a small smile. “Anything serious?”

“Oh just a minor client melt down at the office, nothing new.”

“Do you need to go?” I almost kick myself for saying that. I don’t want her to go.

She smiles, her head tilting, like she knows exactly what is going on in my head. “It’s okay. I spoke to the author and managed to settle him down. Crisis averted, for now.”

“Did you threaten to punch him?”

“Do you think all I do is hit men who can’t control themselves?”

“Yes,” I laugh. “I’m gonna be on my best behaviour today.”

She shook her head, stuffing her cell phone into her pocket. I take her bag from her despite her protests and pick up my own overnighter then walk out with her to the car. I tell her to get inside when I notice some girls staring at me. It won’t take them long to realise they are really seeing me and not some lookalike. I slam the bags in the trunk and go to the driver’s side when I hear my name being called. Two girls approach, in their late teens, giggling and bordering on hysteria.

“Hey,” I say, trying to cut it off. “I’m in a hurry girls, but if you’re quick I can take a couple of pictures.”

One of them shrieks. The other scrambles out her phone. I get between them and take a few pictures, thank them and say goodbye then get into the car. I immediately lock the doors, it isn’t unheard of for fans to pull the door open and try to grab us, Archer once had his t-shirt sleeve ripped right off by two overzealous fans. That was an eye opener to what could happen if we aren’t careful. I glance at Jenna. The look on her face is a mix of curiosity and concern, I give her an apologetic look as I signal and pull away from the hotel.

“Does that happen often?”

“Yeah but that was fairly tame.” I need to be honest.

“You were very…accommodating, I guess?”

“It’s best to be like that, you snap or try to get away, things can get out of hand. I always try to cut them off before they freak out and draw attention by giving them what they want. Within reason,” I wink.

She nods but doesn’t ask anything else. Shit. That was her first real glimpse of what life would be like with me and that really was nothing compared to what could happen.

We start the drive quietly, I’m concentrating on getting us out of the city and fiddling with the radio when she speaks.

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