CHAPTER 24
As Brian drove his SUV to Skye’s parents house he contemplated his meeting with them the previous afternoon. He watched the road carefully as he drove and sighed to himself. It had gone well, he knew that, and Skye had been right when she had warned him about their matchmaking tendencies. They had been short of subtle when asking him of his intentions towards their daughter. He was thankful they had at least waited until Skye had left the room before asking. It could have become uncomfortable for both of them.
He knew he loved Skye even though he hadn’t told her yet. He didn’t want her to hear it when he was talking to her parents. In his mind he had the moment all planned out to the finest detail and he wanted the moment to be when they were alone, a most special occasion. His daydreams were better than any dream he had had and he ached to make them a reality. First he needed to know if she could at least try to accept his lifestyle. Today would be the first step he thought, as he drove into her driveway. He was taking her to meet the guys before they went to a radio interview.
As he got out of the car he noticed the door open and Skye came out, running towards him a huge smile on her face. Her arms flew around him and he copied her actions, pulling her into his arms and holding her close. He wanted her so badly it hurt. He reached his lips down and kissed her soundly, wishing he could deepen the kiss and kiss her passionately. He pulled away and looked at her, running his fingers through her hair. “I missed you,” he said to her with a husky voice.
Her lips came up to his again, kissing him over and over. “I missed you too,” she said in between kisses.
Brian groaned. “I think we better get going or I might make a spectacle of us both.”
Skye looked up at Brian boldly. “You know I want you,” she said with a mischievous look in her eye. She giggled when she saw Brian’s reaction and heard his accompanying groan.
“Skye, it’s not fair to tease me like that.”
Her face grew serious. “I’m not teasing Brian.”
The front door opened at that point delaying any further conversation on the subject. Skye’s mother waved at them, a huge smile on her face at seeing them together as they were. Still stunned at her words, Brian led her to the passenger side of the car and helped her in before running around to climb in without a word. He turned the ignition on and reached over to take Skye’s hand in his. He was still amazed that she had told him so boldly, but he was glad she had. He looked at her hoping his eyes were telling her he felt the same way. Words escaped him right now.
“I think we better go Brian,” Skye said to him looking in the direction of the front door. “I think we are making someone very happy right now. We better not give away too much.” She laughed as she spoke. He looked up and saw the smile on her mothers face and smiled to himself. She really was an incurable romantic. It had to run in the family because he felt it from Skye's grandmother and also Skye herself. It gladdened his heart.
Brian drove towards AJ’s house where they were going to have a Barbeque lunch before heading on to an evening radio interview. It wasn’t the normal procedure for them, to get together before an interview, but Brian wanted to show Skye off. It was simply to get Skye to meet his friends. Today was very important to him.
“Now it’s my turn to be nervous,” Skye said to him as they neared the gate of the gated community. She looked at the impressive houses and felt somewhat intimidated. It was a beautiful area very much like the ones she had dreamed of one day being able to afford.
“Don’t be nervous, they are going to love you, I’m sure of it. You aren’t worried about them being famous are you?” he winked at her and she knew he was kidding.
“Not at all. I was thinking they would be just like you. You never needed anything or tried to get special favours because of who you are. No, I am just nervous because I do want your friends to like me.”
Brian stopped the car and looked Skye in the eyes. “How could they not like you?” She felt him move closer as he licked his lips subconsciously. “You want to know something?”
“What?” she barely managed in a whisper, waiting for his lips to close the gap.
“I want you too,” he said to her before his lips crashed down on hers in the kiss he had been wanting to give her.
**********
Sitting beside Brian, his arms loosely around her, Skye watched his friends in front of them. Nick and Kevin were deep in conversation by the pool leaning on their elbows on the glass fence overlooking the glorious lake beyond AJ’s yard. Every now and then they would laugh at something said, the easygoing friendship obvious. AJ stood by the stereo system deciding which CD to put on next to keep the party hopping. His girlfriend was disagreeing with his choice, arguing with him on the merits of the artist she had chosen. When she pouted at him, he laughed, dropping a kiss on her cheek and popped his choice into the player, making Skye chuckle to herself. AJ looked like he would get his way, but was so loveable you couldn’t hold it against him. Howie sat in the corner drinking a glass of wine talking to his girlfriend whom he had known for many years according to Brian. He looked happy, their free hands held loosely together in a loving way. The scene in front of her looked very normal, yet Skye could see and feel the difference to anything she had ever experienced before.
“I knew they would like you,” Brian said dropping a kiss on her forehead.
“I like them too Brian. They’ve all made me feel so welcome. It’s been a nice day, I’ve enjoyed it.”
“Would you like a drink? I’ll go get you one.”
“Yeah, that would be nice, thanks,” she told him. No sooner had he disappeared and AJ jumped into the spot Brian had been sitting in, pulling her in for a hug. At first it gave Skye a bit of a fright, not being used to such behaviour but she quickly calmed down.
“Skye, I just want to thank you, from all of us,” AJ finally said after loosening the hug he was giving her.
“Thank me?” she asked, clearly confused.
“For making Brian happy again,” he stated simply. At Skye’s confused look he continued. “He hasn’t been happy for a long time. The stress of touring really got to him. We all needed a break, but he needed it more than any of us. The difference in him since he left is remarkable.” He laughed aloud, looking down at his hands that were fidgeting. “There’s a word I don’t use very often.” He looked back at Skye. “Seriously Skye. You have really brought back the Brian we all knew a long time ago and I want to thank you.”
“I second that,” came Kevin’s voice. He had moved in front of them without either one of them noticing. “I can already see you are very special to Brian.”
Skye smiled. “Thanks both of you. I was a bit nervous about meeting you all.” She saw the look on her face. “No not because you were famous or anything. I mean I didn’t know Brian was famous and that proved that we’re all the same.”
“It’s so nice to hear people say that Skye,” Kevin said to her. “It makes a change that’s for sure.” Skye shrugged and smiled at him. “I’m just thankful Brian met you.”
“Well so am I Kevin,” Skye told him as Brian returned eyeing AJ who still had his arm around Skye. As quickly as he had appeared he moved away, exaggerating the motion with a sweep of his hands to make way for Brian to return to her side.
Brian sat back down and pulled Skye into his arms after placing the drinks on the table. He kissed her softly. “What have these clowns been telling you?”
“Not a lot Brian,” Kevin answered for her. “Just telling her about some crazy things you used to get up to.” He looked at his watch and ran his hand over his face in semi disgust. “Looks like we have to make a move now. They’ll be waiting for us at the radio station. Not that I think any of us really want to go right now.”
Groans from all were heard followed by laughter. “It’s really not that bad Skye,” Brian said to her. “It’s just that we are on a break, but never really on a break.” The group dispersed, getting ready to leave. “This time I am glad because I got to introduce you to the guys and also show you a little of what life’s like for us without it being too crazy.”
“I imagine it would get crazy at times too. Yesterday morning alone was a sign of that.”
“Hopefully the radio station won’t be like that, but I don’t know if it’s got out that we are coming. If it has it might be a little wild.” Skye could sense he wanted to ask her something. There was something going on in his head. He opened his mouth to speak then closed it again.
“Brian? What’s up?”
He looked into her eyes. Skye could feel the love coming from him, even if he had never said the words to her. “I was just wondering if you would like to see my place. We can call in quickly on the way to the station.”
“Your place? I’d love to see it Brian.” Skye said to him excitedly.
He smiled and took her hand leading her out of the back yard and around to the front where the car was parked, waving to the others as they went.
**********
Skye contemplated the day and the events that followed as they sat on the plane returning home again two days later. Brian’s head lay back on the seat, his eyes closed and she guessed he was asleep by the relaxed way in which his fingers were entwined with hers. She smiled and lay her head on his shoulder letting herself think about the things she had learnt.
She had liked Brian’s friends instantly and they had in turn liked her. Howie and Nick had come to her in the chaos at the radio station and thanked her for making Brian happy again as Kevin and AJ had earlier. She had felt bad that Brian had been so unhappy, but it also made her feel very special that she had been able to make such a difference in his life. She wanted to continue to make him be happy, regardless of the craziness she had seen.
Fans had heard about their appearance at the radio station and by the time they arrived it was bedlam. She had never been more pleased that there was security for them in her life. Brian held her tight, never letting her go throughout the whole thing, making her feel a little more at ease, but the whole scene that played out in front of her made her feel scared for Brian and also explained to her how this could have gotten him down before. She also knew that she was the topic of conversation when they entered the building, the fans all wondering who the woman on Brian’s arm was. This was another thing he had warned her about.
He had told her a few of the things to expect as they had called into his house. She had to admit she had loved the house on sight and found comfort in the fact it was much more ‘normal’ than she expected for such a superstar. He had shown her around the house with pride, pulling her from room to room quickly, knowing they had no time. His bedroom had been a little awkward, both of them realising if they had more time they might have acted on their desires. He finished in the beautiful living room, pulling her into his arms and kissing her tenderly before having to leave for the interview.
She reached up to her lips with her free hand reliving the kisses they had shared since then. Their final day in Orlando Brian had been so busy in meetings for their new album they hadn’t been able to get together. It had frustrated Brian and he apologised repeatedly to her and Skye assured him she understood. It also gave her a chance to spend time with her parents.
But now, as they neared home, Skye thought about their future, or more to the point, their immediate future. She had been serious with him when she had told him she wanted him, and she knew he had been serious with her. Her body was warning just at the thought of making love to Brian, like the many times they had in her dreams. She looked up at him, still sleeping. She was tempted to wake him, but she knew how he disliked flying, and thought it best that he sleep for as long as he could as they landed.
Brian had woken up before the plane began to descend but didn’t let on to Skye. He wanted to think about everything that had happened in their trip away. He had a good feeling about it, and hoped it would go a long towards Skye being able to accept how he lived his life. He had to admit the radio interview had him worried, scared that the scene with the many fans would turn her off. He had held her so tight, but she seemed to take it all in her stride.
Now he lay back in his seat thinking of their return and how he was going to resist her. No, he didn’t want to resist her. He wanted her. He went so far as knowing he needed her. The plans he had made in his mind began to surface and he wished the plane would land. Everything going right tonight would be their night. His body began to warm at the thought and he squirmed, opening his eyes to see Skye watching him. Her honey eyes looking at him with such love only heated him more.
Chapter 25
Index
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