Always the Baker

Chapter 6

6

B illie

I stepped out of my room, determined to conquer the city. Or at least not look like a total tourist. The bustling streets engulfed me as I tried to mimic the confident stride of the locals. True to the South, a lot of people I made eye contact with smiled or spoke. While some had a rushed, urgent pace, others moved as if they had all the time in the world.

I window-shopped along the storefront boulevard. My eyes widened at the price tags. How did people afford to live here? A group of stylish women brushed past me, and I felt like a fish out of water. My outfit was cute, but it was simple and didn’t feel like something that would be good enough for tonight. As the thought crossed my mind, I received a text from Brax.

Brax Fucking Adams: About to send you something via Apple Pay. Buy something new. Dress in black tonight. ??

The wink emoji he put at the end made me smile, but the smile didn’t last long when I got the Apple Pay notification. My knees almost gave out on me. Weakly, I leaned against the glass door. My eyes immediately glazed over with tears. Heart racing, ears ringing, I tried to pull in deep breaths. They were choppy and fast as I struggled to breathe. It took a while, but I eventually composed myself. When I did, I immediately called Brax and hoped he answered.

“Sweetheart,” was his greeting. Loud music blasted in the background as I paced in front of the store.

“I think you made a mistake. There’s too many zeros on what you sent me.”

I would have been completely surprised if he sent a thousand, but he’d sent ten. Surely there was a mistake. His quiet chuckle was sexy.

“I meant to send that, Billie.”

My pacing stopped. “Are you sure?”

“I’m positive. Buy yourself something nice, aight? You deserve it. I have to go but I’ll see you tonight.”

“O-Okay. Uh, t-thank you. See you tonight.”

I wiped away a few tears and walked the short distance to the nearby bench. I couldn’t believe he’d sent me so much money so casually. In all my life, I’d never had that much money at one time. Even when I was in college and getting refunds for my scholarships, it was never more than six thousand dollars. Unable to stop myself, I texted him.

Me: Thanks again, but I hope you know I’m not spending time with you for your money. I really like you and have enjoyed spending time with you.

Brax Fucking Adams: You don’t know how much I needed to hear that. It makes me want to spoil you more.

Content with his kind gesture, I spent the next couple of hours shopping. I grabbed several different kinds of outfits with shoes and purses to match and ended up saving a little over half of what he’d sent me. That was more than enough to replace what I’d spent on the trip so far, get a better hotel room at The Rose Valley Hotel on the beach, and still have some left.

The difference in my suite compared to the first room was like night and day. The suite was large, colorful and modern, and bright. It was clean. It had views of the beach that were to die for. Now this was a place I wouldn’t have minded Brax dropping me off at, but since he believed I lived here, I wouldn’t have been able to explain why. Still, I was just happy to be in a better hotel on the beach. I was grateful for the money he’d sent and even more grateful for his genuine spirit. While I didn’t know what the night held in store for us, I was even more excited to see Brax now.

When I arrived at the venue and gave my name to the doorman, a bald man in a suit guided me through the place. I stepped into the backstage area of the concert venue, and my jaw nearly hit the floor. This place was unreal. Plush velvet couches, a gleaming bar stocked with top-shelf liquor, and sleek art adorning the walls. If I wasn’t mistaken, all the art had been created by Neko . I stepped forward to get a better view, and sure enough, his signature was on every piece. It was like I’d stepped into a different world.

“Holy shit,” I whispered, running my hand along a nearby leather armchair. “Is this real life?”

My eyes darted around, taking in every luxurious detail. A spread of gourmet finger foods caught my attention, and my stomach growled. I hadn’t eaten all day because of the shopping and being too nervous about tonight.

“Don’t mind if I do,” I muttered, snagging a fancy-looking canapé.

As I popped it into my mouth, a booming voice startled me. “Excuse me, who are you?”

I twirled around, nearly choking on my appetizer. A tall, burly man in an expensive suit eyed me suspiciously.

“I’m, uh… I’m Billie. Brax’s… friend.”

The man’s eyebrows shot up. “Brax’s friend huh? I didn’t know he was expecting anyone tonight.”

“Well clearly he is, or I wouldn’t be back here.” I hadn’t meant to sound rude, but I also didn’t like feeling interrogated. If my name wasn’t on the list, the man up front wouldn’t have let me in. It felt more like this guy was seeking information that I wasn’t sure Brax wanted me to give.

His eyes narrowed. “When and where did you and Brax meet?”

“Uh…” Squeezing the back of my neck, I looked around the empty room. “A bar, but I’m sure if Brax wanted you to know who I was—”

Commotion near the entrance I’d come in from saved me from further questioning.

We both stepped out of the room, and my breath caught in my lungs. Brax had just walked in, and his presence immediately filled the space. He looked impeccable in his all black suit. It fit his frame as if it was made specifically for him. Instead of a button down shirt, he had on a crisp black tee. Dark shades covered his eyes, providing a mysterious look to the man I’d followed for years. I felt my shoulders relax from just being back in his presence. The tension from my awkward encounter with whoever the big guy was melted away.

Brax’s gaze swept the hall and landed on me. A grin spread across his face, and he made his way in my direction.

“Billie! You made it,” he said, wrapping me in a bear hug. The scent of his cologne made my head spin. I giggled at his excitement to see me because it mirrored mine.

“Hi, pooh. You look great, and I wouldn’t miss this.” I hoped my voice didn’t betray how nervous I actually was. “This place is… Wow.”

Brax chuckled as he released me and took off his shades. “Yeah, it’s a bomb venue for something like this. Wait until you see the setup out front.” His eyes scanned my frame as he held my hands. I’d put on a full face of makeup, higher heels, and a white form fitting dress with gold accessories for the evening. “Wow, sweetheart. You look stunning.”

My smile was bashful as I lowered my gaze. “Thank you, Brax. Are you ready for your set?”

“I’m always ready.” He winked, and my pussy pulsed. “Actually, I’ve got a surprise for you. But you’ll have to wait and see.”

Before I could ask what he meant, someone called his name.

“Gotta go, but I’ll see you later, okay?” Dropping one of my hands, he looked toward the big guy. “Pete, this is my good friend, Billie. Billie, this is my manager, Pete. He’s going to take care of you and look out for you, aight? If you need anything and can’t find him, look for the guy who just called my name. That’s Devin, my friend and agent.”

“Okay. Will do. Good luck out there. I know you’re going to do great.”

“Thank you, beautiful.”

As he walked away, I couldn’t help but smile. Despite the opulent surroundings and my fish-out-of-water feelings, Brax made me feel… normal. Like I belonged here, even if just for a moment.

“Hmm,” Pete said, making his way next to me. “I thought you were just a fan that snuck your way back. My apologies.”

“It’s fine, big guy. Just help me find a seat close to the stage, please.”

With a chuckle, Pete extended his arm, and I wrapped mine around his. “I got you.”

Pete led me out to the main floor. It was nothing like I’d ever seen before. I thought Brax was exaggerating when he said the space would be filled with candles and low lighting but that wasn’t the case. I’d never seen so many small candles in one place. They littered the floors around the seating and small area where Brax’s chair, guitar, and microphone was. It was so beautiful and serene.

As I took a seat on the front row, I powered my phone off, since there were several signs that said no videos or pictures. Minutes passed but it didn’t take long for the small space to fill. The lights dimmed, and Brax took the stage. The crowd went wild as he launched into his first song. I found myself swaying to the music, caught up in the energy of the room.

Halfway through his set, Brax paused.

“This next song,” he said into the mic, “is for someone special. Billie, sweetheart, this one’s for you.”

My jaw dropped. Did he just …? The opening chords of a ballad filled the air, and Brax’s soulful voice wrapped around me like a warm blanket. I felt my eyes getting misty as I listened to the lyrics about taking chances and following your heart. About living your dreams and falling in love in the process.

I’d never had anyone dedicate a song to me before, let alone write and sing one. It was overwhelming, thrilling, and terrifying all at once. As Brax sang, his eyes locked on mine. I realized I was in way over my head. But for once, I didn’t care.

As the last notes of Brax’s song faded away, the crowd erupted into cheers. I was still in a daze as my heart pounded. Brax gave a final bow and disappeared backstage.

A few minutes later, the bald man in the suit from earlier approached me. “Miss? Mr. Adams would like to see you.”

I followed him through a maze of corridors with rattled nerves. We stopped at a door marked ‘Private,’ and the guard knocked.

“Come in,” Brax said.

I stepped inside, finding Brax lounging on a leather couch with his shirt off. Between the tattoos and muscles, I swallowed back my desire. He grinned when he saw me, and my stomach did a little flip.

“There she is,” he said, patting the spot next to him. “My muse.”

I sat down, trying to act cool, but inside, I was flipping the hell out! “Muse? I think you’re confusing me with someone else.”

He laughed a hearty, warm laugh that made me feel all tingly. “Nope, definitely you. So, what’d you think of the show?”

“It was incredible. I’ve never experienced anything like that before.”

Brax raised an eyebrow. “Never?”

“Never. The energy, the crowd, it was all so intense. And the song…” I paused and smiled. “The song was beautiful. Thank you. You’re one of one, Brax Adams.”

“Yeah?” He leaned closer, his knee brushing against mine. “I’m really happy you came, and I’m even happier that you enjoyed yourself—and the song.”

The chemistry between us was electric. Every accidental and intentional touch sent sparks through my body.

The muffled sound of a slow ballad drifted through the walls. Brax stood up and held out his hand with a mischievous glint in his eyes. It didn’t take long before I realized it was his song playing, and it was one of my favorites. “How Does it Feel” was a love song for the person being loved properly for the first time. For some reason, it felt fitting for this moment.

“Dance with me, Billie.”

I hesitated. “Here? Now?”

“Why not?” He shrugged and looked around the empty space. “The crew’s packing up, and I’m not ready for this night to end. Are you?”

I took his hand as my heart raced. “No… I’m honestly not.”

He pulled me close, one hand on my waist, the other still holding mine. We swayed to the faint music. My head rested against his chest. I could hear his heartbeat, steady and strong.

“You smell like strawberries,” Brax mumbled into my hair. I giggled. “And cream.” His grip around me tightened. As he held me close by my waist, I tossed my arms around his neck.

“Thank you. I was hoping you’d like it.”

That was the truth. The sweet, warm scent was a new purchase from earlier. It was subtly seductive, or at least that was the vibe I got when I smelled it for the first time. Hearing him compliment it, compliment me, felt like a mission accomplished.

We danced in silence for a while. The intimacy of the moment made my head spin. I was hyper-aware of every point where our bodies touched, of his warm breath on my neck. When his hands lowered to my ass, my breath hitched. I looked up at him, mirroring his smile. His forehead rested against mine, and we swayed as the song transitioned into a new one.

“Hey,” Brax said softly, breaking the silence. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

I pulled back slightly to look at him. “Um, nothing specific. Why?”

He grinned that heart-stopping grin that I was sure made girls swoon all over the world. “How about we explore the city together? I know some great hidden gems.”

My stomach did a backflip. A whole day with Brax? It sounded amazing, but also terrifying. What if I slipped up and he realized I wasn’t who I was pretending to be?

“That sounds fun,” I heard myself say, even as my brain screamed at me to stop. This was insane. I was supposed to be leaving tomorrow.

“Good girl. I’ll pick you up at ten. This is a date, so no meeting me anywhere. Wear comfortable shoes.”

“A date?” I parroted, feeling my grin spread.

I was going on a date with Brax Adams?

Woohoo !

“Yeah.” He licked his lips and pressed my body against his. “Is that cool with you?”

“Mhm,” I moaned, feeling his hardened dick against me. I couldn’t risk speaking. Not with that against me.

As we continued to sway, I tried to focus on the moment, on how good it felt to be in his arms. But a part of me couldn’t help but wonder how long I could keep up this charade, and what would happen when the truth finally came out. If I let the truth come out. I could simply fade into the background after tomorrow. That would probably be the easiest way to go.

Brax twirled me one last time as the song faded out. My heart was racing, and not just from the dancing.

“So, uh, any hints about where we’re going?”

He shook his head with a mischievous smirk. “Nope. It’s a surprise. But I promise you’ll love it.”

I laughed. “I’m not great with surprises. I get a little awkward. They don’t always pan out.”

“Trust me,” Brax said with his hands on my waist. “I’ll show you a side of the city you’ve never seen before.”

Oh boy, if only he knew how true that was. I’d barely seen any of the city beyond the beach.

“I’m looking forward to it.” Even as panic gnawed at my insides, I couldn’t deny the thrill of spending more time with Brax.

As we parted, I caught a glimpse of myself in a nearby mirror. My eyes were bright. My smile was sincere. I looked… different. Alive in a way I hadn’t in years. Brax confirmed my plans for the rest of the evening and how I planned to get home. After assuring him I didn’t need him to book me a town car, he conceded.

“See you tomorrow, sweetheart,” Brax said, giving my hand a squeeze before heading off to talk to his manager.

I watched him go. What was I getting myself into? As scared as I was, I knew I couldn’t back out now. I wanted this, wanted to see where this could go, even if it was just for a little while.

Tomorrow was going to be one heck of a day.

I’d have him pick me up from the hotel, and if he asked why I was there, I’d tell him it’s because I was spending the weekend on the beach. That was the truth. My parents were going to start calling me tomorrow if I didn’t check in. I felt it in my spirit. As hard as it was going to be, I’d have to avoid talking to them until I was back in town. I felt like a coward avoiding confrontation, but this was the chance of a lifetime. Mom and Daddy would have to continue on without me. Business would be fine... I hoped.