Love's Falling Star Page 8

  Lochlan laughed and Vanessa felt the car stop. “Okay, you can take it off.”

  Vanessa slowly removed the blindfold trying to not mess up her hair. She looked around and all she saw was concrete walls and flooring. There were several cars parked about the garage. It resembled the stadium they had been in the night before. “Where are we?”

  A man approached and took the keys from Lochlan. “Ms. Paige, it’s good to see you again.”

  She smiled at him. “You too.”

  “Hope you two have a good night. Should be fun.”

  “Thank you,” she said as she turned to Vanessa. “Follow me.”

  “Yeah, ’cause where else would I go? I have no idea where we are.”

  Lochlan ignored her until they were inside the building. They were met by a younger guy. “Lochlan.” He smiled.

  “Corbin, how are you?” She hugged him. “I really appreciate you and Spencer setting everything up for me.”

  “No problems. I was glad to help.”

  She turned to Vanessa. “Corbin, this is my friend Vanessa. Friday was her birthday, so we’re here as a gift to her.”

  He acted excited. “It’s nice to meet you, Vanessa. You’re going to love this.” He motioned for them to follow. “Come with me.”

  They walked down the hallway until they reached a door that Corbin knocked on. He stuck his head in the door. “Lochlan is here with her friend Vanessa.”

  He stepped out of the way and motioned for them to step in. Lochlan led and turned to Vanessa just as they entered the room. Vanessa felt her mouth fall open as she looked at the woman now standing in front of her. She vaguely heard the “Happy birthday” that came from Lochlan. She did register the laughter to her side as Lochlan placed a hand on her arm. Her voice was becoming clear now. “Vanessa, this is my friend Brinley. I believe you know her.”

  Brinley walked toward Vanessa with her hand extended. “Hello, dear. It’s so nice to meet you.” She took Vanessa’s hand in hers. “It’s always nice to meet a…friend of Loc’s.”

  “I’ve known Brinley for years,” Lochlan said. “She’s one of only a few people who are aware of everything about me.”

  Brinley smiled. “And when she told me about you being a fan, it was settled that you come to a show.”

  Vanessa seemed to come back to reality. Her lips parted and she managed to say, “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Brinley looked her over. “Goodness, Loc, she is stunning.”

  “She is, isn’t she?” Lochlan said with pride in her voice.

  “No wonder you turned me down for the duet tonight. I’d wanna stay with this one, too.”

  Vanessa smiled. “Thank you again.” Vanessa decided that she needed to speak. Like—words. “My God, I feel so rude not saying much of anything to you. I think I’m still in shock.”

  They laughed. “Okay, Brinley, we need to find our seats—and let this one breathe.” They exchanged kisses to each other’s cheeks. “Before we go, we need to do pictures.”

  “Agreed,” Brinley said.

  Vanessa got on one side of Brinley and Lochlan was on the other side. The picture was perfect. Vanessa had worried that she would have this stunned look on her face, but luckily, she didn’t.

  “All right. We’ll get outta your hair.” They hugged one last time. “I assume you’re busy afterward, so we’ll catch you another time, but thank you for taking the time to meet her.”

  Before Vanessa knew what was happening, she walked into the outstretched arms of her idol. “And it was so nice to meet you. Happy birthday.”

  “Thank—thank you,” Vanessa stuttered, aware that this was the third time she’d said those words. “I really appreciate it.”

  “Don’t mention it. Lochlan Paige now owes me one.”

  Lochlan laughed. “Shoulda known there was a catch.”

  “Enjoy the show,” she said as they left.

  They were immediately met by Corbin. “I’ll show you to the elevator. Take it to the first level and go over two sections and down to the floor.”

  “Got it.”

  They entered the elevator with an attendant on guard. Vanessa didn’t speak until they were out of the elevator when she placed a hand on Lochlan’s arm, stopping her forward motion. “Yeah?” Lochlan looked at her.

  “That was fucking Brinley Wade.”

  Lochlan laughed. “Welcome back.”

  “You know Brinley Wade.”

  Lochlan laughed again. “I do, yes.”

  “So, we’re going to see Brinley’s show tonight?”

  Lochlan looked around and laughed. “Um, we are in the building, so yeah, I assume we’ll see the concert. Gonna be hard to miss from our seats.”

  “You flew me to LA to see Brinley?”

  “I did. It all sorta worked out. She’s playing here all weekend and, well, I just fit in. If I had taken you to a concert in some smaller town, I would be mobbed. Here, I’m just another celebrity. There’s no telling who is in the seats next to us when we get down there. Here, I just blend in and we can have a good time. So, LA it was.”

  “You flew me all the way here and took time out of your extremely busy tour schedule to do this for me?”

  “It’s your birthday.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You are very welcome. Believe me, the look on your face, that gasp—” Lochlan laughed. “It was worth everything.”

  “I did not gasp.” Vanessa huffed.

  “You did.”

  “Oh, God.” Vanessa’s face flushed. “I did gasp, didn’t I?”

  “I thought you were about to pass out.”

  Vanessa grimaced. “Did I just make a fool out of myself in front of Brinley?”

  “She wouldn’t expect anything else from her fans. Y’all truly love her. It’s nice.”

  “Are you just trying to make me feel better?”

  Lochlan held her index finger and thumb very close together. “Just a little.” Vanessa’s shoulders dropped, and she sighed. “Believe me, as an artist, those meetings are fun. You get to make someone’s day.”

  “Or life,” Vanessa said.

  “Hey,” Lochlan whispered. “You slept in Lochlan Paige’s bed last night.” She stared at Vanessa. “Really? Your whole life?”

  Vanessa laughed. “Oh, bless it. I am so sorry. Shall I fawn over you now?”

  “No. I’ll just live in the delusion that I’m like Jerry Maguire. That I had you at hello.”

  Lochlan started to walk off, but stopped when she heard from behind her, “You did, ya know.” Lochlan turned back to her. “There is just something about you. It’s not the name, or the status, or the jets. There is just something about you—” Vanessa seemed to be struggling to find the words to say.

  “That’s all I need to know, then.” Lochlan waited a beat as she tried to keep her emotions at bay. God, she just wanted to kiss Vanessa right here, right the hell now. “We better get to our seats. She’ll be coming onstage any minute.”

  They found their seats on the front row to the center of the stage. Lochlan had been right. To Vanessa’s left was a star of the biggest movie playing in the theaters. To their right was one of the stars of Grey’s Anatomy. “I understand now. Someone like you just blends in with the other celebrities here.”

  “I get to be just a girl still trying to impress you.” She understood now that Lochlan truly did blend in here. She got to be a normal girl, who was trying to impress someone she had feelings for. Without judgments or speculations, she got to be the girl who had just made a birthday dream come true.

  “You have no idea just how much you’ve already impressed me.”

  As the concert went on, they danced with the TV star and took selfies. It was a side that she hoped she saw more. There wasn’t a Lochlan that was sexier than a Lochlan who was free to be who she was.

  Chapter Eight

  Vanessa and Lochlan lay in bed as Vanessa talked at high speed about the concert. “And then she was like—arms
up, and then everyone was like—” Vanessa raised her hand and made the gesture. “And she started the song. Oh my God, that was the most awesome thing I have ever seen. And that noise level. Like, only at your concert have I heard that kind of noise.” Vanessa stopped and looked over at Lochlan. “Oh my God, people go home from your concert and do this, don’t they?”

  Lochlan let out a hearty laugh. “Probably. Everyone but you.”

  As Lochlan laughed harder, Vanessa lifted in the bed and straddled her. “Oh, are you trying to be funny? I think I was in shock after yours.” She started tickling Lochlan. “I can’t just fangirl over the woman lying in bed beside me.”

  Lochlan could hardly breathe, she was laughing so hard. “Okay, okay. I give.”

  Vanessa stopped and quickly took in the situation. Her face just above Lochlan’s. Lochlan’s toned body between her legs. She brushed the haphazard hair that was touching Lochlan’s face. She traced a finger down Lochlan’s cheek and her thumb gently brushed across Lochlan’s bottom lip. Just then, their eyes locked. Everything that Vanessa was feeling, she saw echoed in the desire in Lochlan’s eyes. She slowly leaned forward until she felt her lips touch Lochlan’s. Lochlan moaned and Vanessa kissed her thoroughly. Vanessa’s tongue slightly grazed Lochlan’s lip just before she pulled back. Vanessa paused and looked into Lochlan’s eyes. “Thank you so much for this weekend. This has been the best birthday that I have ever had, and it’s because of you.”

  “You’re—you’re welcome. That statement made it all worth it.”

  Vanessa smiled a devilish grin. “No, sweetie, I’m about to make it worth it now.” Her lips met Lochlan’s solidly. She tucked her hand behind Lochlan’s head and pulled. Lochlan followed the instructions and sat up. Vanessa was still straddling her lap, their lips never separating, as Lochlan came to a full sitting position. Vanessa’s hand brushed the small space of skin below Lochlan’s shirt, and she ran her hand up Lochlan’s abdomen until she had lifted the shirt over her head. The small amount of time that her lips were away from Lochlan’s made her desire them more. Vanessa knew that Lochlan felt the same way as her own shirt was being lifted over her head. Their lips met again the moment the articles of clothing were out of their way.

  Lochlan placed a hand on Vanessa’s bare back and reached the hook of her bra. With one hand, she released the snap and pulled both straps down Vanessa’s arms, discarding the bra on the floor. She plunged her tongue farther into Vanessa’s waiting mouth and tugged at the waistband of Vanessa’s shorts. She didn’t want to force space between them to have Vanessa lift off her lap, so she palmed Vanessa’s stomach as she slipped her hand down inside the shorts and under the thin panties that she found. As her fingers made full contact with Vanessa, she watched her throw her head back, and Lochlan found Vanessa’s throat with her mouth.

  As she entered Vanessa fully, the hips over her hand started to move in time with her. She wrapped her other arm firmly around Vanessa’s waist, holding her while her mouth worked the firm breast in front of her. As she circled Vanessa’s nipple with her tongue, there was a moan that came through Vanessa’s chest that Lochlan felt against her face. Lochlan could feel the hips speed up slightly and she increased the force of her thrusting and rubbed the spot that Vanessa needed. Vanessa’s forehead softly met her own, just before lips kissed her again. During mid-kiss, Vanessa’s body stiffened, and her movements slowed, but not before Lochlan was surrounded by the sexiest moan that she had ever heard.

  She stopped her movements inside Vanessa as she felt her trying to recover. There was a moment of silence before Lochlan felt the body in her arms shaking. It took Lochlan a moment to figure out it was laughter.

  Vanessa pulled her head back and looked at Lochlan. “I was supposed to be showing you how appreciative I was for this weekend. Not the other way around.”

  “I’ll take a raincheck. Seeing you right here is enough.”

  Vanessa placed two fingers against Lochlan’s chest and softly pushed. “No, ma’am.” She kept pushing until Lochlan was lying flat again. Vanessa moved her hips slowly against the hand that had yet to move from her center. “As much as I like you there…” Vanessa rose softly off the fingers. “I am gonna need you out for a while, at least…” She slid down her body, pulling at Lochlan’s shorts until they were clear of her feet. Lochlan watched as Vanessa’s eyes trailed up her body and took in every inch of her, everything about her.

  Then Vanessa settled between her legs, kissing her way up. She covered her calves, her knees, and her thighs in kisses. She kissed Lochlan’s stomach just before moving her mouth to her center. As Vanessa’s tongue glided through her, Loc grabbed the headboard with one hand while the other grabbed a handful of Vanessa’s hair. The farther Vanessa delved, the more forceful Lochlan’s hold became on the crown of her head. Loc’s hips started to move against Vanessa’s face, matching the stokes of her tongue. Just before Lochlan was about to let go, Vanessa took her firmly into her mouth, and with equal and forceful motions, she both sucked and licked Lochlan. That was all it took—Lochlan was gone.

  Vanessa slowed the movement until she felt Lochlan’s grip on her head loosen. Lochlan moaned a chuckle. “God, I can feel you smiling against me.” Vanessa used her mouth again until she heard her name being called out in the darkness. She placed several kisses to Lochlan’s core and up her abdomen as she moved along Lochlan’s motionless body under her. She kissed both nipples before she licked and sucked along the length of Lochlan’s throat. When Vanessa felt Lochlan’s breathing return to something resembling normal, she lay beside her, one arm draped across Lochlan’s midsection and one leg wrapped between hers.

  Lochlan turned to Vanessa “Hi.”

  Lochlan laughed. “Hi.” She leaned over and kissed her. “Do you have any idea how sexy you look right now? Flushed and a look of complete satisfaction on your face?”

  “I could say the same for you.”

  “Who are you?”

  “A bookworm, if I remember correctly.”

  Lochlan’s smile fell and she looked from Vanessa’s eyes to her lips. She kissed those lips that were bruised and swollen. “Happy birthday, my beautiful bookworm.”

  ✥ ✥ ✥

  Vanessa sat in her eight a.m. class on Tuesday morning. She had arrived in Raleigh just after ten the night before. She and Lochlan had stayed in bed most of the day yesterday after they changed her flight until the last available one to get her home by midnight. She thought of the last kiss that Lochlan had given her as they were leaving the house. Somehow, it was a kiss of both passion and uncertainty. They were entering unchartered waters, and they both realized that the times they could be together would be few and far between. They had gone to the airport together and had separated at the gates. Now she was home in Raleigh and Lochlan was in Minnesota, where she would perform this weekend. They had FaceTimed till just after midnight until Lochlan had insisted she get some sleep for school.

  When her class was over, she found Mia waiting outside. She nervously smiled as she remembered there had been a promise to call her yesterday. “Hey.”

  “Hey? That’s all I get is hey?”

  “Sorry. I was really busy this weekend and—”

  “Yeah, too busy for your friends, apparently.” Mia looked away, but Vanessa saw all the hurt that she was feeling.

  “I’m really sorry,” Vanessa said sincerely.

  “We had plans for you. Me, Ty, and our friends were planning to take you out Saturday night. Then we thought maybe Sunday would be better since you were busy at home. Then you said that you would talk to me yesterday, so we planned it again. Now, here I stand in front of your class, on Tuesday, after I find you, and all you say is I’m sorry?”

  “I’m sorry, Mia. It was a dick move and I should have called you yesterday, but I was really busy.” Vanessa wanted to tell her, she needed to talk to someone, but Mia hadn’t always been the best to keep secrets. “That’s all I have. I was busy all weekend, and I was supposed to be ho
me early yesterday, but it didn’t turn out that way.”

  Mia looked at her with hurt on her face. “When did you stop telling me things?”

  “What?”

  “I get some vague, half-ass, ‘I’m sorry, I was busy’ bullshit? Really?”

  “Mia—”

  “When you’re ready to talk to me, let me know.”

  “Mia—” Vanessa said as Mia was walking away. “Hey, Mia!” It was obvious she wasn’t turning around, and Vanessa huffed.

  ✥ ✥ ✥

  Vanessa had just finished her final class of the semester. She was packing her things and would head home and then tomorrow catch a plane to Nashville to meet Lochlan. There was a fundraiser for the cancer center at Vanderbilt this weekend, and Lochlan had jumped at the chance to attend. Lochlan thought bringing Vanessa to the hospital gathering might help her make some contacts in the area. Several of the alumni from the university were speaking at the event tomorrow. Lochlan and several other stars from the area were donating tickets and signed items to a silent auction. The tickets included sporting events and concerts to help the cause. Lochlan had signed a concert-used acoustic guitar, the hockey team had offered an autographed puck, and the football team a signed helmet. Everyone who was anyone in Nashville would have a hand in the event.

  As she loaded the last of her belongs in her car, Vanessa sent a quick text to Mia. They hadn’t spoken in weeks, but she wanted to say good-bye.

  Hey, I’m heading home. Just wanted to say bye and that I hope you have a wonderful summer.

  Before starting her ignition, she sent one last message.

  Mia, I miss you.

  She read the last five messages to Mia that had gone unanswered. She had tried texts and had called several times without a reply. She had talked to Ty, but he wouldn’t give any information on Mia, only saying that the two of them needed to talk this out themselves.