Perfectly Wrong (Elena & Sam Musical)

Chapter four

One, two, three, four, five shirts. Three skirts and two pairs of pants. A pantsuit and some jewellery. I paused to think. Running clothes! Even though I always packed them and never actually used them—too exhausted to go for a run after long days. But, hey, Tokyo has its charm, and I could use that as an excuse.

I was packing my suitcase when Sam came out of the en suite bathroom, wearing only his black boxers and using a towel to dry his hair. “I still don’t get why I can’t come with you,” he muttered.

“Probably because it’s a work trip, not a vacation.” I started placing each item of clothing carefully inside the suitcase. “Besides, let me remind you—we’re just seeing each other. We’re not a couple, and people can’t know about us.” He sighed. “And that, dear, was your idea.”

“Right.” Sam’s smile was laced with sarcasm. “Brilliant idea.”

“We can end things right now if you’d prefer.”

He moved closer and helped me close the suitcase.

“How long are you going to keep throwing that in my face?” Sam took the suitcase from the bed and set it by the door. Lately, we’d been caught in an endless loop, having the same argument for the past month. Since we started this secret relationship, it had been both wonderful and difficult. It felt amazing having someone to come home to at the end of a long day, especially after being alone for so long. Not to mention, he was young, full of energy, and had this “life’s just beginning” aura. He was also intense and curious, eager to learn anything—from cooking to sex.

But his desire for a serious relationship could be exhausting. His emotions often overruled his logic, and he craved a level of commitment I wasn’t ready to give.

I sat down on the bed, studying his perfectly sculpted face that looked as if it had been hand-carved. He took three deep breaths before sitting beside me. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I know we have an agreement, and I’ll learn to operate on your terms.”

“They’re not my terms, Martin. We both want this, but in different ways. Right now, I can’t be in a public relationship with you, for a lot of reasons.”

“Your career at Icon Records,” he pointed out.

“Yes, but not just mine—yours too. We’re building something incredible here, and you have years of success ahead. I’m not going to let a scandal ruin that if I can help it.”

He held my hand and started tracing his fingers over mine. I hated feeling like I had to lecture him, like I was old enough to have a son his age.

“And I’ve told you before, I’m not interested in the social expectations that come with a public relationship,” I said. “It’s not about disrespecting you; it’s about respecting myself and giving myself some space right now.”

He studied my face for a moment, and I felt my cheeks flush. Sam smiled and gave me a soft kiss.

“Are you ever going to tell me what happened?” His voice was full of concern.

“I don’t know.” I felt my chest tighten. I didn’t want to scare him with the details of my past with Noah. “It wasn’t good, Sam. You don’t want to know.”

He nodded. I stood up and positioned myself between his legs. Sam wrapped his arms around my waist.

“You suggested keeping this quiet, and I agreed. That’s the way it has to be, okay? Just know you’re free to end this whenever you want.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said firmly.

“Let’s not make any promises.” I kissed him slowly. More than his scent, I loved the way he tasted. “Promises are made to be broken, and I don’t want to put either of us in that position.”

I pulled away, and he groaned. “Where are you going?”

“I need to do some research on a new client. I’ll be in the living room.”

I left the bedroom, leaving Sam alone with his thoughts, which clearly needed sorting out.

I had been researching this Japanese band since Monday. Jeremy was on my case to get every detail needed to convince their managers that bringing the group to Canada was a smart move. I’d worked with some of them before, and they were adamant about negotiating only with me, which was ridiculous, considering I wasn’t in finance or legal. I was flying to Tokyo just to be there and make them comfortable with signing. But I’d have a team of lawyers and financial experts with me who would handle the actual negotiations.

After two hours of studying, I rested my head on the desk and closed my eyes. I was practically learning Japanese without ever taking a class. Then a soft melody drifted through the room, and I looked up. Sam was sitting on the couch, strumming his guitar.

“I ask myself if someday she’ll be mine,” he sang, his eyes focused on the strings. “If she’ll ever tell anyone about me and her / though I’d fight for her with my life / I don’t own her heart.”

Was he just singing, or was that a hint?

“How many times will I have to ask? / How many more times will she turn away? I just wish she’d tell me.”

That was definitely a hint. But Sam Martin better be ready because Elena Vaughan doesn’t play games.

“I don’t want to set a fire that’ll burn us / but I don’t know what else to do / if only she trusted me a little more / She’d know that my heart…”

“Will always be hers,” I sang, meeting his gaze.

“For evermore,” he continued, smiling. “I know exactly how you feel / I believe you when you say you care / but did he say anything about love? / I can’t lose you to something that isn’t real.”

He nodded, encouraging me to go on.

“How many times will I have to ask? / How many more times will she turn away? I just wish she’d tell me.”

“I don’t want to set a fire that’ll burn us / but I don’t know what else to do.”

“If only she trusted me a little more / she’d know that my heart…”

“Will always be hers.” Sam stopped playing, a broad smile spreading across his face.

“No, don’t stop,” I said. “I love that song.”

He shrugged and started playing again. “If you think you’ve had enough, then it’s done / Though I know it’ll never end / Our love is a delicate, sturdy rose / I don’t want to set a fire that’ll burn us / but I don’t know what else to do / if only she trusted me a little more / she’d know that my heart / will always be hers / for evermore.”

Rose. A rose! I jumped up from my chair and ran to my room in search of my phone. I dialled Matt’s number, and he answered on the second ring.

“Hi, Lena. How are you?”

“A rose, Matt! That’s what we’ve been looking for!”

“What?” I could hear his excitement, but he was cautious. “And why?”

“He was just singing a song, and it clicked.”

“He? Where are you?”

Crap.

“I mean, I was listening to one of his songs on Spotify, looking for inspiration. Then I heard this one, called Our Love is a Rose. ” Nice save, Elena. “The creative team is insistent on working with flowers. Let’s tell them we want roses, or at least have them featured somewhere. We can use it to symbolize the transition from the old Sam Martin to the new, evolved version.”

“That actually makes sense.” He sounded thoughtful. “Picture a massive rose in the middle of the crowd, like a chandelier, hanging above the audience.”

My breath caught as I envisioned it. “Yes, exactly! Matt, I’m flying to Japan tomorrow, so you need to lock this down. Get the design team working with roses everywhere.”

“You’ve got it, boss!”

“And I’m sorry for calling so late!”

“Oh, please, Lena. Good ideas can’t wait.” He laughed. “But I need to go. Jenna’s calling. Have a safe trip tomorrow!”

“Thanks. Say hi to Jen for me.”

We hung up, but I was still buzzing with energy. I raced back to the living room and leapt onto the couch, landing on top of Sam.

“Holy—” He was startled and nearly dropped his guitar, notebook, and pen.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you for singing that song!” I said, kissing every inch of his face.

“You’re welcome, I guess.” He laughed, trying to wiggle away from me. “I didn’t expect you to join in.”

I sat on his lap and started playing with his hair. “Are you kidding? I did a lot of research before our first meeting. I never show up unprepared, which means I know a lot of your songs.”

“Good to know.” Sam kissed me just below my ear, smiling. “And what are you planning to do with the rose? Album cover, maybe?”

I rolled my eyes. “You’ll have to wait and see. If you thought me singing was a surprise, you have no idea what I’m capable of once I put my team to work.” I winked and stood up. “But right now, I just want to get into bed, have great sex, and then sleep.”

I held out my hand, and he took it without hesitation. I pulled him up from the couch, and our lips met in a slow, sensual kiss. He wrapped his arms around me so tightly that my feet left the ground.

“Where are we headed?” he asked between kisses. “Bedroom? Kitchen? Your desk? The floor?”

“Are you planning to christen the whole house?”

“Absolutely.” He laughed. “And once we’re done here, we’ll move on to mine. Then my car, your office, every hotel room in Toronto.”

“What about airplanes?” I suggested, smiling at the thought. It had always been a fantasy of mine. “In the restroom during turbulence. That would be something.”

Sam paused, his eyes gleaming with intrigue. He set me back down and started unbuttoning my shirt. “Sounds like we have some very interesting ideas in the air, eh?”

I smirked and took his hands in mine. “The ideas aren’t the only things I want to get interesting, Mr. Martin. Let’s go to my room—I want you on my bed.”

He followed me eagerly, like the good boy he was. Once we were there, Sam moved towards me, full of desire and determination, but I stepped back before he could touch me. “Take your clothes off,” I said.

The atmosphere shifted, and I saw his breathing deepen. Despite his confident exterior, Sam was still an eighteen-year-old, excited but a little nervous. It was time to teach him a few things. He pulled off his shirt and hesitated, looking a bit uncertain.

“What?” I asked, my tone firm. “I’m not helping. Keep going. Pants and underwear.”

He unbuttoned his jeans and took everything off in one swift motion, standing completely naked in the middle of my room. And what a sight he was. I approached him, running my hands down his arms. He tried to touch me, but I didn’t let him. This was my moment, and I wanted every second of it.

I circled him slowly, trailing my fingers along his abdomen and back. “What are you doing?” he whispered, his eyes half-closed, lips slightly parted.

“Enjoying the view,” I replied in a low, sultry voice. “And deciding where to start.”

The anticipation was driving me wild, but it was nothing compared to what it was doing to Sam. The thrill of being at my mercy turned him on, and he was more than ready. I moved behind him and started stroking him gently.

“Fuck,” he breathed out. “That’s torture, Elena!”

“Is it?” I teased, stepping in front of him again, locking eyes. “Let’s see what you think of the challenge I have for you.”

His eyes sparkled, and he grinned.

“I’m going to please you with my mouth, but you can’t come. If you do, no sex until I’m back from Japan. If you can hold back, I’m yours—any way you want me.”

“Why are you doing this?” His voice was a mix of shock and excitement. He was loving this.

“So you’ll remember me while I’m gone.” I bit my lip provocatively and exhaled. “Or we can just have regular sex, but I think you’re up for the challenge. What’s it going to be?”

“Can I make a counter-offer?”

I rolled my eyes. “Spit it out before I lose interest and entertain myself.”

He grinned, probably amused by the thought of me taking matters into my own hands.

“I’ll take your challenge, Miss Vaughan.” His voice was low and sexy. He’d never called me by my surname before, and it sent shivers through me. “But first, you need to take your clothes off. I don’t want to waste time on that later.”

That was fair. I agreed. Especially since, with what I had in mind, I’d be begging for him to finish long before I wanted to stop. Being naked would save time.

I stepped back and began taking off my clothes slowly. He tried to touch himself, but as I’d already made clear: this was my moment. “No,” I scolded. “It’s mine!”

Sam exhaled, more in satisfaction than surprise. When I was down to just my underwear, I knelt in front of him. If you’d asked me what was going through my mind, I wouldn’t have been able to explain. Maybe I was just tired of always following orders, tired of people trying to control my life. Do this, read that, write those reports, choose where I’ll let you take control next. Screw that. I needed to reclaim some power, and lucky for Sam—or maybe not—my moment of taking it back just happened to be when he was around. And naked.

“You’re still wearing clothes,” he muttered, shutting his eyes as I wrapped my lips around him.

I wondered if there was any part of this boy’s body that wasn’t perfect. I teased him with my hands, keeping him in my mouth the entire time, caressing him with my lips, making circular motions with my tongue along his length. Sam was clearly doing his best not to give in, not to lose the challenge—which would mean no second round. But this wasn’t the time to be merciful, so I took him deep, all the way to my throat.

“Fuck, Elena,” he groaned, and I couldn’t help but grin. He gripped my head, trying to steady himself, but my hands were quicker and held him in place. “Shit.”

“No,” I warned. It would be really frustrating if he couldn’t control himself and I had to stick to my promise of no more. But I knew Martin could handle it. For God’s sake, he was young, full of hormones, and in perfect health. It’s not like he had to worry about coming quickly because of a bad back.

I took him deep again, and when I felt him twitch, I stopped. Oh, no, honey. Don’t even think about it. Our eyes locked, and I licked my lips. Sam looked both amazed and desperate. Before I could make another move, he pulled me up and tossed me onto the bed. I squealed in delight.

He was furious, just as I’d hoped. He loomed over me, holding himself up on his arms. We stared at each other for a moment. “This is going to be quick,” he warned. “You’ve driven me crazy. I need a good fuck.”

I giggled. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you right now.” I bit his lower lip, tugging gently. He smiled. “There are condoms in the top drawer of the bedside table.”

His eyebrows rose. “Prepared, huh?” He grabbed one and put it on hurriedly.

“Always,” I said proudly. “You never know when an eighteen-year-old boy full of energy will show up for—what was it you said? A good fuck?”

“You must get a lot of visits if you bought a whole box,” he teased, trying not to laugh.

“Or maybe I was just waiting for a particular boy to shut up.” I winked.

Sam kissed me hard and started tracing his fingers over my underwear. “How attached are you to these?” His fingers played with the lace waistband. Considering it was a beautiful black set from Victoria’s Secret, I liked it a lot. But I liked what he could do with it even more.

“Buy me two more of these later, and you can do whatever you want.”

“Deal,” he said, and my underwear became two pieces of fabric in his hands. The sound of ripping lace in a moment like this is surprisingly sexy.

He lifted my legs, positioning his arms behind my knees. As promised, it was quick and intense. I shuddered, first in surprise and then in pure pleasure. The sensation of having him inside me was incredible. He kissed me deeply and began thrusting hard. Our bodies collided with every movement, and my breath came in rapid bursts.

“This is...” I tried to speak, but I couldn’t. My entire body was on edge, and the electricity between us was overwhelming. We were good together. No, we were amazing together.

“I know,” he whispered against my neck. His moans grew louder, his skin glistening with sweat.

I felt my muscles tightening and clung to the back of his neck, digging my nails into his skin.

“Come on, Lena,” he urged in my ear. “Come for me.”

Not that he needed to ask—I was already there—but his low, deep voice was the final push, and I climaxed around him, pulling Sam over the edge with me in a powerful release that made him groan my name.

He collapsed on top of me, still inside, our bodies entangled. I could feel his breath slowing, his heart rate returning to normal. We lay there in silence, and I ran my fingers through his hair.

“A kiss for your thoughts,” he said, his voice tired.

“Just a kiss?” I teased. “I think you can offer more than that, Mr. Martin.”

He laughed softly.

“I’m just thinking about tomorrow’s trip. It’s going to be exhausting with all the negotiations I’m not interested in.”

“Then why are you going?” he asked, lifting his head to look at me.

“Because I follow orders,” I grumbled. “What about you? What are you thinking?”

His cheeks flushed. “About a song I’ve been working on.” His shy smile appeared, and it was the cutest thing ever.

“Oh, so we’re making progress?”

The rest of his face turned red too.

“I think so. I have some new songs I’m planning to show the producers soon. Just need to finish one I started earlier today.”

“Can I see the lyrics? Or maybe you can play them for me?”

He shook his head. “Not yet. They’re still rough. I need a more professional opinion first.”

I rolled my eyes, and Sam chuckled. I wasn’t going to push him. If he wasn’t ready to share, that was fine. I was just happy he was writing again and that we’d have something to work with soon.

It was our fourth meeting in three days. The band’s team’s demands were starting to get on my nerves. I understood they deserved to be heard, given their popularity, but this was getting out of hand. Did they think we were amateurs who couldn’t handle a group of up-and-coming singers? We’ve been doing this for decades.

My phone buzzed in the middle of the meeting, and I glanced at it.

Call me as soon as you can! SM

Before I left, Sam had asked for my number. I tried to avoid giving it to him, but the guy was persistent. In my opinion, what we had wasn’t serious enough to be sharing personal information like phone numbers or email addresses. I was already sharing my bed—what more did he want?

One of our lawyers shot me a look. Another request for changes to the contract had just come in, and the Japanese representatives were waiting for my response. I wanted to tell them all to go to hell and walk out of that room, especially now that they were demanding their own marketing specialist work with our team, essentially replacing my colleagues. That really rubbed me the wrong way.

“Gentlemen, I have to say I’m a bit offended by your request,” I said, keeping my tone professional. “With all due respect, your marketing team isn’t familiar with our target audience. How could they create a marketing plan based on what they know of the Japanese market in Canada? I understand your concerns, and we will keep you informed of all our projects. That’s the best I can promise from our marketing team.”

Murmurs went around the table. From our side, there was unanimous approval. Who did they think they were, trying to dictate how we did our job? We were already offering far more than the band was truly worth. On their side, there were raised voices, but I didn’t care.

“You know, she’s right,” Rento, their marketing manager, finally said. “We could take the lead on this, but it would take us months to research the Canadian audience. Elena’s team already knows them well, which will save us a lot of time. And she’ll be kind enough to share everything with us. We’ve worked together before, and you can trust in her team’s excellence and professionalism.”

That was unexpected. I almost thanked Rento, but I just nodded, hoping everyone else would agree. And they did.

We wrapped up the meeting, and I stepped out of the room, immediately pulling out my phone to call the number that had texted me.

“Hey, how are you?” Sam answered almost instantly, his voice bright with excitement. “How are the negotiations going?”

“They’re driving me crazy,” I replied, still annoyed, as I ducked into the nearest restroom for some privacy.

“I’m sorry to hear that. But I have some news, and I hope it’ll cheer you up.”

“Really? Let’s hear it, Martin. You went to the studio, recorded an entire album, and now we can finally get to work, right?”

I must have sounded too eager because Sam laughed nervously. “Not quite, but we’re getting there, I promise. Before I tell you the big news, I have a question for you. Do you got plans tonight?”

That was an odd question coming from someone who was many time zones away.

“Yes. I’m going to put on my pyjamas and sleep like a baby, hoping not to dream about managers and Japanese bands. Why?”

“I was thinking of, I don’t know, flying to Japan to spend the rest of the week with you.”

I laughed. “Sure, right.” But he didn’t say anything. “Wait, are you serious?”

“Yes!” Sam sounded anxious. “I’m about to get on the plane.”

I sat down on the toilet lid in shock. “You can’t come! You’re famous here; people will start questioning why you’re in Japan! What am I supposed to tell Icon Records? That I’ve taken up a side gig as a tour guide in Tokyo?”

He sighed. “We’ll figure it out once I’m there. Just text me your hotel and room number so I can find you. And Lena?”

“What?” I felt a headache coming on.

“Try not to fall asleep. It’s just a few hours, and I have a surprise for you.”

Then he hung up. I left the restroom feeling a mix of tension, shock, and confusion. But after a moment of thinking, I realized he had to be joking. There was no way Sam would fly seventeen hours just to see me. Even though I was more than worth the trip, he had to be bluffing, and I had nothing to worry about. Deciding to play along, I texted him:

Keito Plaza Hotel, room 321! Xx

Two can play this game, darling!

“Elena,” I heard Rento call out. “Ready for lunch?”

“Absolutely, let’s go.”

Feeling light as a feather, knowing I wouldn’t have to deal with an unexpected visitor that evening, I headed out to lunch with my colleagues. All that stress had left me starving, and I was more than ready for some Japanese food.

And I’d been right. Sam didn’t show up that evening, but it was odd that he didn’t text or say anything else either. Even though I’d mentioned my number was for emergencies or if he needed help, he’d texted me a few times while we were apart. I replied once or twice and ignored the rest.

After a well-deserved bath, I put on my dark blue pyjamas covered in polar bear prints. Exhausted, I refused to leave my room to eat. Just as I finished drying my hair, a knock at the door indicated room service had arrived.

I tried to stay awake, watching something on Netflix, but my eyes were heavy, and I could barely keep them open. Hugging the extra pillow, I fell asleep within seconds, only to be woken up hours later by the sound of my phone buzzing.

“Hmm?” I mumbled groggily.

“Hey.” Sam’s voice came through the speaker. “Can you open the door?”

“Martin, go to bed. There’s no way you’re in Japan, standing outside my room.”

I heard a single knock.

“Did you hear that?”

I sat up in bed. Another knock.

“And that?”

“You didn’t…”

He laughed.

“Of course, I did. Now, please open the door?”

I hung up and stumbled to the entrance, opening the door just a crack to peek out.

“What the hell?” I opened it all the way, and a grinning Sam Martin walked in without waiting for permission. As he passed me, his arm wrapped around my waist, and he pulled me into a deep, lingering kiss, clearly having missed me. It was intense—more than I could handle in my sleepy state.

“Did you miss me?” Sam asked in the sweetest voice.

“No,” I almost shouted. “And I’m definitely not going to miss you after I kill you! What are you doing here?”

I locked the door and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. His kiss had left my lips red, and my hair was a mess. It was five in the morning, and I couldn’t believe he’d woken me up at this hour.

“I told you I was coming. You should believe me more often. And by the way, I missed you.” He shrugged and placed his suitcase next to mine.

I blinked a few times. This had to be a dream. A nightmare, more accurately.

“Okay,” I said, marching back to the bed. “I’m going back to sleep, and when I wake up, I’ll be alone in my room, and you’ll be back in Canada, and everything will be fine.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he teased, and I stopped, glaring at him.

“And why not?”

A wicked grin spread across his face. “Doctors say morning sex is the best way to start the day.”

Though he tried to keep a straight face, his eyes sparkled with mischief.

I was furious. Completely pissed off. But I couldn’t deny that Sam was like a breath of fresh air, pulling me back to a time I’d barely had the chance to enjoy—the carefree days of being twenty. Back then, I’d already been dating Noah. He was my first and only, so I never got the chance to go a little wild. Honestly, I wanted to experience that. To jump on Sam and make love until morning.

It didn’t matter how much joy Sam brought into my life, though—I didn’t want him to get hurt. And that was inevitable. He couldn’t see the reality of our casual relationship, not clearly. The fact that he’d spent an absurd amount of money on a last-minute flight, travelling seventeen hours from Toronto to Tokyo just to see me, was alarming.

“Do you love me, Sam?” The question slipped out before I could stop it. He took a step back.

“Love?” He seemed to be processing the word, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m not sure. What’s the difference between loving someone and adoring them? Which one leads you down the aisle, gets you two kids and a dog?”

I took a deep breath, almost panicking. “Love, I think.”

“Then I adore you,” he said, his grin widening.

“Great.” I could feel my heart racing. “Perfect.”

There was still time to save his soul, it seemed.

Sam stepped closer, brushing his hand against my cheek. He began kissing my face, his lips igniting a fire everywhere they touched, while his hand moved to my neck. I closed my eyes and let myself enjoy the sensation. His hands were skilled, probably from endless hours playing the guitar. When his lips reached the base of my ear, I pulled back, pushing him away.

“What?” He looked confused.

“You’re not going to win me over with sex, Martin,” I said, my tone stern.

“Oh, that’s a shame.” He kicked off his shoes and began undressing. “Especially after you see the gift I brought you. I think you’ll regret it.”

Sam sprawled across my bed, now wearing only his trademark black boxers, looking more irresistible than ever. I could easily ride him for hours and not feel guilty about it.

“Where is it?” I asked, intrigued. He pointed to his suitcase and told me to grab a pink package from inside. “Victoria’s Secret?”

Oh. My underwear!

When I opened it, I was stunned. He’d promised me two, but there were dozens in the bag—all different styles, colours, and fabrics. Some were pretty daring, too.

“Twenty-two pairs, in case you’re wondering.” He beamed with pride. “Two because I promised, and the other twenty so I can rip more without you getting mad at me.”

I couldn’t hold back my laughter. I spread them out beside him on the bed and asked Sam to pick one.

“Ha-ha,” he mocked, “I see the regret is kicking in sooner than expected.”

He chose a black set, similar to the one he’d torn apart before. The difference was this one was a thong.

I went to the bathroom to change and start the day as he’d suggested. I was already awake—might as well make the most of it, right?

Right.