Beautiful Noise

Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

K ori.

Ezren in his studio was intoxicating. Ezren on stage, in his element, lost to the music and driven by the crowd, was the ultimate high. This man was something beautiful.

Even the performances with Leijah were perfection.

Watching him bordered on erotic. The way he caressed the mic, holding it intimately between his large hands, hands I was very well acquainted with, had me squeezing my thighs together. The slow confident way he moved across the stage with a guitar strapped to his shoulder, occasionally posing like a king addressing his subjects, was incredibly sexy.

He was in rare form, which was sensual, sexy, and addictive. I completely understood how women bypassed paying rent, car notes, and credit card debt to be front row at one of his performances. Every second spent enjoying the beauty and talent this man possessed was worth every penny.

For the first half of his performance, I was jealous of those women in the front row. They had the better view, and while I was closer, standing a few hundred feet away to the left of the stage, they had all his attention. He performed for them, sang to them, and I wanted to murder each and every one. How would I survive a life sharing this man with the rest of the world? In no way would he ever be exclusively mine. The world craved and revered him as much as I did.

How did I end up here? Jealous of women who didn’t know or care about my existence. This was an experience for them. A fantasy.

But very real to me.

Still. Hearing his melodic, baritone croon lyrics of lust and sexual gratification had my body ablaze. I was drunk off the potency of him. His movements were calculated and he played off the words, engaging the women hanging on every syllable that eased effortlessly past those beautifully talented lips.

The entire time Ezren performed, my heart was pounding, waves of energy pulsed down my spine, and a stampede of bulls moved around my stomach. The man’s presence was so enormous, all consuming and simply everything. When he sang the lyrics to “Passion” one specific set of lines— she’ll never know anyone but me, because I’ve marked her with my soul, ruined her completely, but it doesn’t really matter because she’s mine for eternity —I wanted to be just like those women standing below him who had confidently bought into the fantasy of Eccentric .

“Relax, you get to go home with him, they don’t.”

I swung my head to the right and found Leijah at my side, grinning amusedly before she pointed to Ezren. “You look like you want to run out there and snatch him off stage.”

I presented my best effort not to smile and agree but she was right. I considered the thought a few times but realized it would go terribly wrong. “I thought I was doing a much better job of playing it cool.”

She laughed and gently shook her head. “You’re not, but in your defense, that man has something so insanely beautiful about him when he’s on stage. It’s impossible to deny and I’m sure, for you, a painful tragedy to share.”

“I’m not…we’re not…”

“You are and trust me, I’m rooting for any woman that managed to accomplish the impossible. Ess isn’t the we’re doing this type of guy.” She flashed an amused grin. “He’s also very private and no, I don’t know him that well so don’t allow your mind to go on a tangent. I’m aware of what he allows others to know, which was basically nothing, until you .”

She had a very valid point.

“I’m trying to figure this out,” I admitted. This thing with him made no sense at all but also perfect sense at the same time.

“I understand and truthfully you guys are none of my business. I respect people’s personal lives because I want that…” She pointed to Ezren and when I delivered a warning glare she clarified, “Not that as in him, but the success, the fandom. And when I have it, I also want people to respect my personal life. What I share I share, what I choose to keep private remains private.”

I glanced at the man who obliterated my ability to think and behave logically. Nothing about what I was doing with Ezren was logical but it felt so damn good. “Is privacy a possibility with who he is and who you want to be?”

“Complete privacy? No, but it is somewhat possible to have the semblance of it. However, that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about. I wanted to ask about your poems…”

I frowned hard. “You know who I am?”

“The world knows who you are, Bleu . I have to admit though, I wasn’t aware until the clips of you on stage at SipLicity began circulating and I’ve been obsessed ever since. I can probably recite most of them by heart. Your words are beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

She grinned. “You’re still getting used to all this, aren’t you?” When my brows pinched slightly, she added, “The recognition.”

“Yeah I am. I liked it better when no one knew who I was.”

“I can understand that too.”

“Can you? You want the recognition.”

She shrugged lazily. “I do because the fandom means I matter, that my songs are reaching the masses and they love and respect my talent, but I can’t fully say I’m prepared to have the simple things no longer be simple. I live for Saturday mornings at a quiet, little coffee shop enjoying the moment without having to be mindful of who the world believes me to be. How tragic would it be to no longer be able to enjoy random midnight trips to grab a burger and milkshake because my cravings got the best of me? The fandom is a catch twenty-two but one I’m prepared to embrace.”

I nodded just as Ezren finished his last song and began addressing the crowd. I felt a rush, knowing he would be all mine soon. No more high-pitched screaming voices and lustful eyes from adoring fans.

“So would you consider it….”

I had been so caught up in watching Ezren I hadn’t realized Leijah was still talking until I heard her voice and swung my eyes back in her direction to be met with an amused grin once more. She looked slightly to the left, toward the stage and her smile expanded. “You didn’t hear a word I said, did you?”

“No, sorry.”

“I was asking if you ever thought about songwriting, and if you had, would you consider writing for me?”

“I don’t write songs, I write…”

“Beautiful lyrics that are soulful, deep, and engaging. It’s pretty much the same and I really need a songwriter. Clay has been trying to lock one down, he even asked Ezren, but he refused because he only writes for himself. I’m new and none of the greats want to waste their songs on me…”

“It wouldn’t be a waste.”

“No, it wouldn’t, but they don’t know what I’m capable of or how amazing I already am. They don’t want the risk of having their lyrics attached to a newbie. Once I prove myself, and I will prove myself…” She spoke with confidence. “They’ll be lining up to work with me. But for now, I need help, I need songs, and I really love the way you weave words together.”

I wasn’t a songwriter but I would surely try. Maybe being here tonight was the universes’ way of gently nudging me toward something new. Encouraging me to think outside the box and presenting an option where I could make money doing something I love. Yes, I’ll give it a try was on the tip of my tongue. However, before the words left my mouth, a familiar set of lips covered mine. I smiled into the kiss, leaning into the warmth of his body, hard muscles, and alluring scent.

When he pulled back and dropped his forehead to mine, and I was blessed with hooded eyes and a lazy smile, my heart exploded.

“Well…”

“Well, what?”

“You just watched me perform. Tell me how I compare to your girl.”

“My girl?”

“Yes, your girl, Ri. The only artist you seem to respect and admire, Lauryn …”

I smiled slowly. “I mean, she’s legendary so…”

He smiled sexily and kissed me again. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“Back to my dressing room so I can show you how legendary I am.” He grinned softly but the act was laced with a promise. One I was certain he would keep and I would appreciate the effort of him doing so.

I was so enchanted by Ezren that it completely slipped my mind that we weren’t alone until Leijah’s voice danced around us. “Before you go proving your legendary status, I need her to answer my question.”

“What question?” His body shifted so he was beside me and a thick corded arm draped over my shoulders, tucking me away for safekeeping.

“I need a songwriter and I asked Bleu if she’d be willing to give it a try.”

I tensed, not knowing how he would receive this. I didn’t want him to think I was just like all the others. A connection meant a come up and…

“Stop overthinking and tell her yes.”

“What?” My eyes shot up to his, which were waiting, paired with an unfairly sexy smile before he confirmed what was going on in my head.

“With every second that passes, you’re thinking of reasons to say no. Tell her yes, you have nothing to lose, Ri.”

That was when it occurred that he might have been the reason she asked. “Did you set this up…”

“No, he didn’t. I wasn’t lying when I said I saw the clips and devoured your site. Every single word, Bleu. This has nothing to do with Ezren but if saying it does provides an advantage to having you on my team, then…” She grinned and mine matched hers.

“Yes, and not because of him. I’ve been told I need to live more and writing songs for my new favorite artist is definitely living.”

“Damn…” He chuckled next to me. “I can’t fucking win with you. You have something against male artists?”

“Nope, not at all.”

“I damn sure can’t tell.”

“Seriously, that’s a real yes?” Leijah sang in a high-pitched squeal.

I nodded. “A real yes and now you can tell me how all this works.”

“Another time. In fact… she’ll text you. We have plans,” he cut in before I could finish and moved me down the hall.

“Ri, we’ll talk when you get to the lounge. If you get to the lounge,” she yelled at our backs seconds before we bent the corner.

“Lounge?” I asked as soon as we reached the small space that doubled as his dressing room. He closed the door and my back was against it seconds later.

“Shit, yeah. The VIP lounge. I promised Clay I would make a quick appearance.”

He shoved a hand into his pocket and ripped open a condom.

“What are you doing?”

“Making the appearance I promised you first.” Eager fingers were already working on the button and zipper to my jeans so I decided to roll with it. At the rate we were going, Leijah was right when she said if we make it to the lounge.