Unstoppable (Fierce) (3 page)

I joined Vanni for “Only Forever Will Do,” and we all joined Dreaming in Blue for the encore song, “Make it Happen.” Even though we sang these songs a lot, Vanni always threw something in there that made them feel fresh and brand new.

This tour was like a college course
on how to be a super star, with a real live idol at the helm.

The after-party consisted mostly of industry professionals. Fans won backstage passes through local radio promotions, and I watched as Jace followed Vanni’s lead of being accommodating without being inappropriate. I could only imagine how things used to be when Vanni was a free man, able to romance groupies by the dozen. None of the guys in DIB seemed to care about scoring with eager groupies, even Randy – who was new to the whole process. He followed Yael and gravitated mostly to other musicians.

It was really interesting to me to see how people so uncomfortable with the spotlight could seek out a living right in the middle of one. I, too, had a love-hate relationship with the attention. Most of it was overwhelmingly positive, but it was impossible to ignore the negative. I forced through my own lingering self-esteem issues to tackle that stage, wearing clothes that didn’t fit me the same way Shelby’s outfits fit her.

She was gorgeous. It was impossible not to compare ourselves as we stood next to each other in front of the mirror, applying our makeup and doing our hair.

I’d probably never be able to share the stage with her at all if it weren’t for Jace, who would give me a wink from across the stage or pat my butt as I walked by. He’d text me sexy little messages, telling me how much he wanted me, sometimes getting so naughty I’d blush as I read them.

Shelby would just give me a giggly little nudge and say, “A message from your hubby, I presume?”

I’d think about Jace’s ring on my finger and I’d just answer with a big smile, “You know it.”

He was mine.
In all the ways that counted.

And tonight, I’d be able to show him.

The after party lingered into the wee morning hours. Since it was our first night together in a long time, Shelby was reluctant to let it end. She was still flying high from her performance, which introduced her own single. It was a pop tune, but the audience had eaten it up, dancing in the aisles. I knew it’d be the next ear worm that would take over the country. Alan White, our stage manager from the show, even gave her a dance to go with it. It was sure to be a sensation.

Finally Jace extricated himself from the festivities, yawning wide and
reminding everyone that we all still had one more date in Seattle before we could get any downtime traveling to our next stop. I agreed heartily, but Shelby grabbed my arm. “Oh, please don’t both of you leave! I haven’t seen you guys in forever!”

I sighed as I hung behind. I sent him a helpless look that basically said, “I’ll be there as fast as I can,” and let Shelby lead me back to the buffet table. She plowed into the French pastries full of sweet cream and colorful, flavorful fruit. “Oh my God, this is so good!” she exclaimed through her chipmunk cheeks. She thrust one my way. “Here, have one!”

I shook my head and held up my hand. “No, really. I’m full.”

“You hardly ate anything,” Shelby pouted. “Come on. One won’t kill you.” I hesitated because I hated to undo my progress, so she added, “Honestly, Jordi. If you lose any more weight you’re going to disappear. Come on.”

I glanced back at the pastry with a sigh. It did look good. And we still had one more show; I convinced myself that I could work off one pastry. I relented and took it from her hand. The bite was both sinful and heavenly. She was enormously pleased as she led us over to some seats, her arm hooked in mine.

“So tell me everything. How’s married life? How’s Eddie?”

I shrugged. “I don’t see much of him, honestly. You know how it’s been after the show, always on the go doing interviews, meeting with Graham, doing public appearances.”

Her face fell just a tad. “I’m not as busy as you, I guess. I’m working on my album in Nashville, but I’m not doing any real promotion yet.”

“It’s just because you’re not in L.A., I bet,” I consoled. “We’re there so we get put on the list for everything. I think I’ve seen more movies in the last six weeks than I have in my entire life.”

She shrugged. “I guess.” She took another bite of her pastry. When her eyes met mine, there was
a sadness there. “I’ve missed you guys.”

“
Aww,” I said as I reached for a hug. “We’ve missed you, too.”

Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I can’t stop thinking about Jace,” she confessed. “I can’t help it, Jordi. I’m in love with him. Like, for real love. Do you think I have a chance?”

I stared into her big, hopeful blue eyes. I didn’t know what to say, so I couched my answer by saying, “Love finds us when we least expect it. You just can’t give up hope that it’ll happen the way it’s supposed to happen.”

She shook her head with a smile. “I’ll never give up,” she promised. “I want my happy ending just like you.”

The pastry in my stomach threatened to rebel. “Anything is possible,” I said with a cheerful smile I totally didn’t feel.

I indulged her for about twenty more minutes before I finally excused myself.

“I have a totally beyond brilliant idea!” She exclaimed. “We should bunk together! Like a slumber party every night!”

Oh great
, I thought. How was I going to get out of this? Finally I said, “Thing is, it’s my only real ‘alone’ time. I call Eddie, it gets… intimate…”

She blushed as she giggled. “Oh, okay.” She heaved another wistful sigh. “You’re so lucky, Jordi.”

I gave her another hug. “You will be, too,” I assured her. “You’re beautiful. You’re talented. You’re successful. You’ve got it all.”

“Not yet,” she replied. “But I will. Night, Jordi.”

I still felt like a shit when I got to my hotel room. She was confiding in me her deepest wishes and I was a big lying liar who lied about everything. I was depressed as I slid the key card through the slot and let myself into the darkened hotel room.

The second the door shut, I was swept up into powerful arms and pushed back against the wall. When his mouth landed on mine, I knew who it was. And I threw my arms
around him and kissed him back, my sour mood immediately evaporated. How could I be depressed when he loved me? How could I feel bad when he wanted me?

My Jace was worth everything.

His tongue danced along my lips. “You taste sweet,” he said in a deep, soft voice, and I felt my insides tighten with anticipation.

“
It’s strawberry cream,” I whispered back.

“No,” he said as he lifted me up
easily and wrapped my legs around his waist. “It’s you.”

I coiled my body around him like a snake as I
returned eagerly to his kiss, and he carried me effortlessly through the room toward the luxurious king-sized bed. The corner room featured two walls with large windows facing the Space Needle. We didn’t even bother with the lights as we toppled onto the bed. My fingers slipped through the buttons of his shirt easily, pushing the material from his strong shoulders.

He didn’t break the kiss as his hand slipped under my shirt, sliding up my bare flesh to cup my breast through the bra. I arched my back towards his strong hand as his thumb brushed slowly over the hardened peak. “Jace,” I gasped into his mouth.
I wanted to tell him how I’ve wanted him every day… dreamed about him every night… but I was lost to bliss of being in his arms. His hands were on my body, making all my senses sing.

He positioned himself between my thighs, both of us still fully clo
thed. I could feel him grow, even harder than I remembered. I whimpered. I never needed anyone so badly. But he was determined to take his time.

We had waited too long.

He tore my blouse from my body, tossing it somewhere out of sight as his mouth landed hot and hungry against my bared flesh. He trailed kisses along my shoulder and across my chest as his hand gently massaged my breast, making me crazier for him. He easily unclasped the bra from its hook in the front. The material fell to either side, releasing my full, heavy breasts for him. “God, Jordi,” he moaned. “You’re even more perfect than I remember.”

With that he clasped his hot mouth around my hardened nipple, his teeth holding me into place as his tongue dashed across me like quicksilver. I shuddered against him, my fingers gripping his dark hair he’d begun to grow out a little longer and spikier to fit his new rock image.

He was a rock god. And he was all mine.

I hooked my leg around his hip to draw him even closer to me, gyrating against him. He strained against his jeans as he mimicked my motion, grinding into me, making me ache for him.
“Jace,” said again, a more plaintive whimper.

He released my breast to rise up for another kiss. “No, baby,” he muttered against my lips. “I want to savor you.”

I felt his finger hook into my jeans and deftly release the fastener. His eyes locked with mine as he eased the zipper down. I lifted my hips so he could peel my clothes from my body, leaving me naked and trembling under him. He parted my thighs with his large, strong hand as he positioned himself between my legs. Cool air rushed over me briefly before his tongue darted between the slippery folds to taste me.

I let out a contented groan as I parted my legs further, tilting my hips up to his hungry mouth. His fingers spread me apart as his tongue found its target, flicking over me in firm little strokes that made me tingle all the way to my toes. The tip of his finger gentle rimmed me before dipping inside teasingly in short stokes that got closer and closer to that magic little spot inside of me only he could find.
Just when he did, his lips clamped around my engorged clit, making me cry out as he sucked me into his mouth. He wasn’t playing around. He wanted to make me come hard and repeatedly.

I felt the spark start deep within me as warm pleasure rushed over me in a wave. I couldn’t even speak as he lingered between my thighs, tempting one powerful orgasm after another.
I thrashed under him until finally I exploded, “Jace, please!”

His incredible green eyes locked with mine as he crawled up my body. “Please, what?” he asked in a powerfully sexy low voice.

My eyes were wide as I stared into his. “Make love to me.”

His head bent toward mine. I could taste myself on his mouth as he toyed with my lips, nipping playfully as he stared deep in my eyes. “Every day,” he said softly, “in everything I do.”

I wound my arms around his neck and pulled him down to me, kissing him deep to erase every single lonely day without him. My fingers wound through his scalp, clutching his hair. “I need to feel you inside me,” I said into his mouth.

He rolled me over on top of him until I straddled him. I could feel him hard and strong between our bodies, and it was making me crazy.
He groaned deep as I lifted up and sat atop him. His fingers trailed up my stomach to my breasts. “My goddess,” he said as he watched me writhe against him.

I kissed my way down his chiseled chest, sliding easily down his body until I trailed my tongue over his lower stomach. His jeans were unfastened and showed a teasing hint of his skin, and I was all about revealing the rest of his beautiful body. I tugged down his jeans, my mouth against the red cotton underwear barely containing his massive erection. He trembled under me, this time his hand in my hair as I got to be the one in control.

I let him spring free at last. God, he was beautiful. It made me ache just to look at him. I closed my hand around him, guiding that angry, purple head right to my parted lips. He gasped as I closed my mouth over him.

He was the only one I had ever done this for willingly, and he knew what a big deal it was that I would pleasure him in this way. The whole act had a lot of trauma associated with it from my childhood. Every time I took him into my mouth, I was battling those demons.

Only Jace was worth it.

He guided me but did not force. His fingers cupped my head as he encouraged a rhythm, but he let me decide how much I could take and how far I could go. With every gasp or moan I pulled from him, I got even hotter. I didn’t quite have his restraint. I wanted him so bad I could barely think straight. I pulled his clothes free until he was as naked as I was, then I straddled his hips.

His large hands rested on my hips as I positioned myself above him. Our eyes met and locked as I slid down slowly, taking him deep inside me. “I need you,” he finally said as he strained up to meet that first stroke.

It was all I needed to hear. I tipped my head back, my hair sliding down my bare back as I
rode him, slowly at first, picking up the rhythm with each deep thrust. I loved how he felt totally buried within me. I’d grasp his body even deeper into my own, making him cry out as he tried not to lose control.

I didn’t care. I wanted him to lose control. We had waited too long. I leaned down to whisper, “I love how you feel inside me,” before teasing the rim of his ear with my warm tongue.

“Jordi,” he muttered, his eyes closed as he slammed me down against him. “I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want you.”

“Then show me,” I demanded softly.