“You know what I said in it. You’ve heard the song.” He looked down at me, his eyes so warm on mine, his body leaning in so close I could feel his breath on my neck as he whispered my name.
“Ana, I love you.” He caressed my cheek, swept his fingers under my chin. I swayed into his touch. It felt so good, after all those months, exactly what I’d been craving every day and every night.
Clicks and flashes rose from all around us, capturing us, capturing celebrities. We couldn’t be in a more exposed setting. But I didn’t feel it. It felt like just me and Ash, finally. Alone together in the middle of all the craziness.
“I’m no good without you, Anika,” he murmured in my ear, his hand weaving its way into my hair. “Without you, I come undone.”
I was glad, then, that I hadn’t had a stylist preparing me for my appearance that night. It was much better this way, with my hair loose and natural. Then Ash could weave his fingers through my hair, touch me, caress me, and I leaned into his hand, my eyes fluttering closed.
Then applause rose from all around us, snapping even the two of us from our world together, as the show began. Huge name after even huger name walked across the stage, some looking great in person, others one Botox shot shy of becoming a plastic doll.
Then came the first category Ash was nominated for, and he won. Then the next, which he won as well. By the fourth time he won, he tugged my hand.
“Come on.” He grinned at me.
“No! I—” But he pulled and I followed and before I knew it, we were both up on stage accepting the award for Top 100 Song.
“She’s the reason for this!” Ash declared, holding up the award with one hand, clasping my hand in his other. “She’s my inspiration. She’s the genius behind the song.” Looking at me, he added. “This is for you. Thank you, Ana.”
I couldn’t manage a word. My eyes filled with tears and I think I was able to smile and wave a bit at the massive attack of applause. If I’d had my wits about me, I suppose I could have grabbed the mic and thanked my parents. That would have been nice. But as it was, I could barely manage to stand upright. I’d have to thank them later.
The rest of the show passed in a blur. Ash won a couple more times, giddy with winning, starting to get random in his thank-yous, going on a tangent about his younger brother and how much he loved him. I felt so proud, so happy to see him getting such praise for such a risky departure. That song had been nothing like what he’d done in the past, open and raw and real. A fresh start for him. Maybe for us?
Somehow, I found my parents after the show. Ash and I never stopped holding hands, which made it more difficult. To say he was mobbed would be a massive understatement. Everyone wanted a piece of him, a picture, a glimpse at the star of the evening. But he insisted on sharing it all with me. And then he pulled my mom and dad in for a few photos.
“Oh, my!” My mother patted her hair and pulled herself up to her full five foot two inches. My father smiled as wide and proud as I’d ever seen him. I even caught him wiping a tear from his eye.
“I’m sorry I didn’t thank you when I was up on stage,” I managed to say before I started crying a little, too.
“Och, don’t be silly.” My father brushed away my apology.
“All those piano lessons you drove me to.” My voice broke and my mother caught me up in a big hug.
“I’d drive you to a thousand more,” she assured me, giving me a plump kiss on my cheek. “Now stop making me cry. And go have a nice time with this big rock star of yours.”
“You don’t want to come to the after party?” I asked.
“You’re more than welcome,” Ash assured them. “Anyone you want to meet?” he asked my mom. “I’d be happy to introduce you.”
“I’ve got what I want right here.” My mother tucked her arm into my father’s and they stood together, looking as proud and puffed as peacocks as they gazed at me adoringly.
“Your mother and I are going to go have some real Russian vodka back in that fancy-schmancy hotel room you booked us in. We’re going to go toast to both of your success. Now go! Go!”
They shooed us away and away we went, heading into a party so mobbed we honestly weren’t able to move a foot. We didn’t make the rounds so much as people made the rounds to us, congratulating us, wishing us well, telling us how excited they were for us. Everyone was so nice and kind and lovely and all I could think was how much I wanted to be alone with Ash.
“I can’t wait to get you alone,” he leaned down and murmured into my ear.
“I keep thinking the same thing,” I admitted.
At that moment, Taylor Swift walked into the room. In the rush of attention, we saw our opening and took it. We ducked out a side door, giggling like high school kids cutting class. We couldn’t make it up to the hotel room fast enough. Ash was staying at the MGM as well, of course in one of the top floor mega suites. We had to share the elevator ride with a couple of other people who tried unsuccessfully not to stare at Ash. I understood their difficulty. I couldn’t stop gazing at him, myself. Especially since just the touch of his hand lit me up inside, his fingers stroking that sensitive spot between my index finger and thumb. I’d been craving his touch for so long, I didn’t think I’d make it until the top floor.
Finally, the doors dinged open and finally we were able to tumble down the hall and make it into his room.
“Ana,” he exhaled into me, pulling at the straps on my dress. “Missed you so much.”
“Hated it.” I wasn’t sure he even understood what I meant, that I’d hated all of our time apart, every second of it. But I didn’t need to rely on words when I could reach up and tear his jacket right off of him.
“Need—” He unzipped the back of my dress and pulled it down off of me, one hand reaching out to cup and squeeze my breast through my bra. “Can’t—” He kissed me, ending my attempt to try to answer him, which wouldn’t have been successful anyway.
I groaned in response, kissing him back with all the pent-up longing and passion and need that had welled up in me for months. His shirt, my bra, his pants, my panties, all of it came off quick and he backed me up against the nearest wall.
“Need now,” he groaned, sucking hard on my erect nipple. His thigh parting my legs, he sank a finger into my dripping wet sex, hissing to discover me so ready for him.
“Ash,” I sighed, sinking my fingernails into his powerful shoulders. I wanted to mark him, make him mine so we’d never have to be apart ever again.
“Never letting go,” he managed as he ripped off his boxer briefs and positioned his thick, erect shaft at my entrance. “Are you ready?” He sank his mouth down onto my throat, claiming, biting, sucking. A harsh cry of need escaped from my parted lips.
When he thrust up into me in one long, commanding stroke, I nearly passed out it felt so good. I screamed and clawed at him. He pinned me against the wall, hammering into me.
“Mine,” he called out, his gaze fixed on where our bodies met, where his glistening, hard cock pushed into my slick pussy again and again. I was so wet for him, so aroused, with the sound of us smacking together, his balls against me, I got so close so fast.
“Come for me, Ana,” he ordered, grabbing hold of my breasts in his large, rough hands. “Come hard, baby.”
Screaming, eyes rolled back into my head, I did as I was told. I wanted him to keep fucking me just like that, never stop. I needed him to fuck me like he owned me, like he’d never let me go. I couldn’t take being apart for him, not for another minute, and as soon as I could I wrapped my hands around his ass and pushed him in even deeper.
“Yes, like that!” I cried out as he buried himself in me to the hilt. I could feel his huge, thick cock spreading me, bumping up against my cervix. His precome mingled with my juices and I could feel him tense, his breathing ragged and urgent. I whined with need, knowing he’d come soon, needing to feel him unload in me. I wanted it so badly, that moment of release when he’d thrust and call out and give me all of hi
s come.
“Ana!” he roared as he sank deep inside me, coaxing another orgasm out of me as I quivered and screamed and clutched him to me. Breathing hard, we stayed joined together, our heads sunk into each other.
“Never letting go,” he repeated, his hands cupped under my ass, keeping us firmly linked even as I sank down off the wall, spent. He walked us over to the couch, holding me as if I weighed nothing, then sat with me straddling his lap.