Chapter Fourteen
“I hope you don't mind a secluded place. I don't want the media to catch too much wind about where I am, so I'm using my fake name. Would you believe I've never been to Layton, Utah before?” Zeke said as Ariel pulled up into the parking lot of the hotel he'd made a reservation at. He didn't want to assume it would be okay to stay with her at her apartment, so he'd made all the necessary steps to make her realize he didn't just want to be cooped up with her in bed the whole time, that he wanted to get to know her a lot better in other ways.
“Not a city most big stars stop at,” Ariel teased, killing the engine and pulling the keys from the ignition. A convertible. Not a car he expected for her to drive, but seeing her in the driver's seat gave his songwriter's muse and libido a wild ride. She'd told him it had been a graduation gift from her parents.
“I'm not here for the city. I'm here for one of its residents. You're too far away from me. Come here,” Zeke beckoned. He pulled her close for a kiss. “I've been so eager to lean over and kiss you, but didn't want to distract you from driving.”
After Zeke checked in, he led Ariel up to his room. Dropping his bag on the large bed, he reached for her again. “You look nervous.”
“A little,” she admitted. “I can't believe you're really here. And now, here I am, alone in a room with you.”
Was she a virgin? Maybe that made her nervous. Zeke dared not ask. He'd find out when the time was right. “So in between rehearsals this week, I started writing a new song. I want you to be the first to hear it.”
“Me?” Ariel squeaked, eyes wide.
“Well yeah. It's only fitting, because you're the inspiration behind it.” The look of shock and awe on her face brought out a chuckle.
“I'd love to hear it.” A blush crept up in her cheeks, and a smile replaced the shocked expression. Zeke drank in the sight of her pale skin, freckles, and the fan of red hair surrounding her. So damn different from the other women he'd been infatuated with. Exactly what he'd been looking for, and he'd found it in Ariel.
He tore his gaze away from her to pull out his guitar and a pick. Clearing his throat, Zeke started the melody. “Here goes.”
Gone is the girl
uncertain and unaware
With a voice that can't compare
She has a light ready to shine
Here is a woman
So full of heart
Her smile is a fresh start
Something holds her back
Somebody ought to tell her
Take her in their arms and love her
By the end, Ariel's hand flew over her mouth. She hadn't said a word, but awe and wonder shone in her brownish-green eyes.
Zeke set the guitar down and gently moved her hand from her mouth. “You've grown from the first day I met you to now. I saw a shy woman, unable to let it all out. Your story and transformation during your time on Sing It! won't stay out of my head. I took time to watch the episodes before I stepped in, and even though I didn't admit it at first, I knew you had something special from the start. I just didn't expect this draw to you.” He drew her close, surrounding her body with his arms, dropping kisses along her jaw and neck. Ariel leaned into him, their bodies fusing together as she returned his kisses, fueled by need and desire.
“Zeke,” she whimpered with an exhale of breath.
He immediately pulled back. “What is it, baby?”
Did she not want this? Zeke searched her face, stared into those smoldering eyes, feeling the heat from her body.
“M-make love to me, Zeke,” she pleaded.
He went rock hard at her words. “You sure? I don't want to pressure you into anything.”
“Don't be like everyone else. Don't make me second guess everything. I want you.” Her eyes held a truth that matched her words and the sexy, seductive tone in her voice.
That was enough for him.
He'd take her anywhere, anyhow, but for their first time, Zeke would do it right. Pleasure her, make her feel everything. Steal her breath and make her weak in the knees. Things pop and country singers belt out in their melodies.
Zeke memorized every detail about Ariel's body- big and small. Freckles on her shoulder as he slowly raised her shirt over her head. Her breasts were bigger than he'd originally thought, and he ached to take off her bra and cup them in his hands. Her sharp inhales and little moans added fuel to his already lit fire.
For her.
“You're so hot, Ariel,” Zeke whispered before trailing a line of kisses down her torso, toying with her. “All those looks and fantasies are finally taking shape. I've thought about you like this for weeks.”
Her hands were shaky as she fumbled with his shirt buttons. Zeke flung his shirt off and tossed it away, right near the pile of her clothes he'd stripped off. He kicked off his shoes as he dropped his pants to his ankles.
She shivered, and Zeke took advantage of the effect as he finally slipped off that bra. Skin fully exposed, he worked off her skirt as he swirled his tongue around her ready and waiting nipple.
Zeke gently eased down on the bed. Almost naked, his eyes locked on hers, he soaked in the moment before making his next move.
He claimed her lips for another sizzling kiss. God, she was killing him with how ready and willing she made herself. Ariel deepened the kiss and opened for him, allowing for his tongue to mesh with hers.
He wanted to taste more of her. Zeke slowly made his way down, kissing, touching, and licking the entire way. Her body reacted in response with shudders. Zeke moved around the curve of her belly, down to her thighs before he spread her legs further apart. Not giving her a chance to respond, Zeke flicked his tongue across her sensitive skin. Hands squeezed his shoulders as Ariel's body quivered.
It didn't take her long. She writhed and moaned at every turn. Ariel's cries were getting louder, frantic, and made him want to thrust himself into her now instead of waiting. Zeke peered over at her. Ariel arched her back and clutched the blanket tight in her hands.
Fuck, he loved that she was a screamer.
When her body stopped spasming, Zeke pulled away. His pulse pounded, and he wanted to have her. He wiped his mouth with his right hand.
Ariel tried to sit up. “Zeke, that was...” she breathed heavily. “I-”
He moved to grab a condom. “I love the taste of you, Ariel.” Ripping the packet open, he rolled the condom over his cock and straddled her. She was slick and wet from him going down on her, and he entered her with ease.
So damn tight.
He'd never gone down on a woman before.
He'd never cared to stay longer than a few rounds tangled beneath the sheets.
That was the old Zeke.
He liked the new Zeke, and the new Zeke wanted to make love to Ariel. Not just sex. Not just a night, but for as long as she'd let him in her life.
He let out a moan as Ariel pulled him down for a kiss as they came together. Four damn months with a dry spell and he didn't last long. Zeke thrust over and over, harder at her request, until their bodies soared over the edge in an explosive climax that had them screaming the other's name over and over.
*****
Ariel awoke in an unfamiliar place to the sound of her text notification going off. Shifting in bed, barely able to move due to a weight over her body, the events last night came tumbling back. The memory of making love with Zeke- twice- before they fell asleep tangled in each other's arms filled her mind.
She carefully climbed out of bed to check her phone. A few texts from her mother lit up the screen, another from Jared, and a few from her friend Liz, asking if she was free this weekend.
Her mother's texts were typical. Frantic and worried, since she'd never 'checked in' after meeting up with Zeke. Ugh. She loved them and all, but really, this overbearing needed to stop.
No wonder everyone looked at her as if she was still a child. Her parents kept her way too sheltered, and Ariel hadn't experienced enough of life to satisfy her.
“Hey you. Get back here,” Zeke mumbled, his voice sleep-filled.
“Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. My phone startled me.” Ariel set it back down and raced to crawl under the covers.
“I thought for a second it was all a dream,” he mumbled in her ear after snuggling up to her.
“You thought that? Those were my thoughts!”
“I want to ask you something. A favor.” Zeke combed his fingers through her hair gently. He sounded a little more awake.
“What's that?”
“If you ever wonder about rumors about me, then ask. Don't believe everything you read or hear. You already have doubts about how I feel and why I'm hanging around, and there are always going to be nasty things said about me.”
She'd seen much of that already, especially during his hardcore party days. The same ones Jared lived through. “That's fair. Okay. Easy.”
“I'm serious. It's hard to get a good reputation after being known for what most will call a typical rock star life. No doubt I lived it. I've had women in my bed get pissed at me for a one night stand and then my name shows up in the tabloids because they told a story about me. One I worry will come up is about a woman I was involved with. She went on tour with my band and was a complete mess. First off, she slept with all of my band members, and then she'd been so auto-tuned in the studio and couldn't perform live. It was pretty ugly. She wanted to sue Zinger for making her performances look bad, and she spread some vicious shit about us.”
Ariel let all of this information sink in.
“I'm laying all my skeletons out, because there are many. I'm not proud of the man I was. I just don't want you to freak out because of things you hear. This new image is upsetting my reps, but if any of us kept up with that lifestyle, one or more would be dead. It was Jared who gave us an ass kicking.”
“He was so excited to be a part of Zinger,” Ariel recalled. “Lucy looked up to him. She always asked him to give us tips from the music world. Jared scared us all when he started partying too hard.”
“We weren't the best influence, but man, when he set us straight and then left the band when we wouldn't follow his lead at first, it was a hard lesson. When our drummer almost died from an overdose, we took a real hard look at our lives. I had a slip up a few months ago with a woman I was with, which is why I'm trying my damn hardest to keep that life away. Temptation is difficult when it's around.”
“I know,” Ariel teased. “You're a temptation, and I can't stop wanting you.”
“See there, I'm not complaining. You're a weakness I don't mind losing myself to.” Zeke's lips found hers again. “I'll get lost in this sweet habit over and over.”
*****
“What are your intentions with our little girl?” Ariel's father glared at Zeke over lunch Saturday afternoon at their house. The man sure as hell didn't beat around the bush. At least he'd asked when they'd already finished eating. Conversation before that had been light, calm, and fun.
Well, as much as it could be. They obviously didn't like him around her daughter, but both parents at least tried to be decent.
“Dad!” Ariel gasped. “Seriously?”
Zeke folded his hands together on the table and leaned forward. No answer would appease the man, because face it, to a father, no one was ever good enough for their little girl. But he wasn't about to blow this and have her parents unhappy about him in Ariel's life, either. “To be honest sir, I don't have the answer you're looking for. What I'll say is, your daughter is special and I want to get to know her. That is my current intention.”
Ariel buried her face in her hands. Her father nodded, but the warning look never left his face. “Good answer. I appreciate your honesty.”
Zeke stole a glance at Ariel. Her cheeks were red, and the look turned him on.
She groaned and set her hands in her lap. “Can we stop this now? I feel like I went back in time five years or something.”
“I hate to cut it so short, but Ariel and I have plans.” Zeke dabbed at his face with a napkin. Plans he didn't tell Ariel, about, anyway. “Thank you for lunch, and it was great to meet you both.” Zeke helped clear off the table while making light conversation with Ariel's mother.
Actually, despite their overbearing ways, her parents were great.
Standing at the front door of the Lexington household with Ariel at his side, Zeke came to a realization. He was in over his head. They weren't even a couple yet technically, and he'd already met Ariel's parents, reassured her father of his intentions, and helped her mother do the dishes.
And he had enjoyed every minute of it.
He didn't expect to want this part of life. Everything had been so fast paced and on the go. Music was his life above everything else.
Funny how thinking with a clear head changed things, especially after meeting someone who piqued his interest more than sexually.
“So what are these plans you speak of, or was that a ploy to get me back in bed, since my parents are so embarrassing?” Ariel asked when they were back in her car.
“Oh no, I have real plans. I hope it's as good as someone advised me it would be.” He grinned. “What would it take to let me drive your car?”