See Her (Turn it Up #1)

Chapter 19

19

MAYZIE

T he Black Fire is an old building transformed into a major nightclub downtown. It has three levels with a bar on each one, and balconies that look over an impressive stage.The setup here is definitely bigger than the one at The Cedar, and has lights suspended to project onto the performer to really give off the small concert effect. I can see why the guys have really been gunning to play here. Apart from the bigger and more techie stage, the entire place is huge and definitely brings in a bigger audience.The guys have even dressed up a little more than usual for their set.Jack is in black jeans and an army green button down open over a grey tank. He’s also added a couple of black leather bracelets around his wrist.The club is already bumping to alternative and rock music, courtesy of a DJ, who keeps announcing how much closer the time is getting for Turn it Up to take the stage.

“I’m not sure I like what you’re wearing,” Jack says with a playful smile.

We’re in the back corridor where the band is staying out of sight until they go on. He’s leaning one hand against the cement wall I’ve got my back against, and holding one of my hands with the other .

“You don’t like this?” I ask, feeling self-conscious for a moment, but hoping his smile means he’s joking.I’m wearing black slacks with a grey, clingy tank top. I’ve got a long chain hanging down in front of me, with matching dangly earrings. There’s a stack of bangles on one wrist, My hair is down, I’m in full make–up, and I’m actually wearing heels.“This is a big night for you, I wanted to look good.”Besides, it’s been a while since I got this dressed to impress, and it’s sort of the common attire for a place like this.

“Baby, you look so good I’m in pain ,” he says, dropping his forehead to mine. “The problem is, there’re probably two hundred guys out there that are going to feel the same way.”

“Don’t worry. Annie is here too, and so is Ian.”

“Thank God for that.” He gives me a flirty, closed-lipped smile.

“So… what about when I go back to jeans and t-shirts?” I ask. I still need a little reassurance sometimes, and I feel it now that I’m in as deep as I am with Jack.

“Are you kidding me? That’s the person I’ve been falling in love with all this time,” he says, shaking his head.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

I give him a smile and a shrug. “Saying that.”

“It’s just the truth.” He levels his gaze with my eyes so that I know he’s serious.We look at each other another moment, just happy to be with each other in the quiet before I realize I should let him get psyched up.

“You’ve only got a couple minutes before you have to be out there, so I’m going to let you have them with the guys.”

“Okay,” he says, and I take his face between my fingers and tilt my head up to receive his kiss.

“I can’t wait to see you out there. Good luck.”I turn out of his arms and head down the corridor to walk out into the club.

Since that night I first saw him play, Jack and I have continued to fall hard for each other. We’ve gone out on the Harley ; we’ve played in the pool, and there have been a couple more overnights. But there is something different about our connection now.Since we’ve been sleeping together, it’s gotten deeper, more intense. I’m so happy, but sometimes, still so scared.

I never figured out what I would do when I fell deeply in love with someone.Unlike my past experiences, with Jack, I feel taken care of. He made love to me that night, and he’s repeated it several times since. And it’s because he actually loves me.I know this, and I thank God that I’m in a place with Jack – and with myself – that I don’t have to question it.But still, it’s new territory, and I can’t help but drive myself crazy, wondering what I’d do if things went south.It terrifies me.As I make my way through the crowd, my people come into view, and I put my smile back in place.

I freaked out with the rest of the crowd when Turn it Up came out, and they tore it up like I hadn’t seen them do before.Chris had never banged on his drums harder, Matt was bolder than usual, working the stage to get the crowd amped up, and even Josh came out of his shell a bit. Normally when I look at him, he’s all business, focused on producing the music hooks on the keyboard while keeping up the rhythm guitar. Tonight, his boorish demeanor took on a more seductive stance, making more eye contact and even sticking his tongue out, giving it a few scandalous flicks, enticing more than a few females.

And Jack swung his guitar every which way while he shouted the lyrics to every song into the mic, teased the crowd, and occasionally let out a scream like a man possessed. It was intense, and the crowd was eating out of their hands.I saw several cell phones up in the air, recording the performance. At one point, he even lost the button down and played the rest of the sh ow in his tank, giving everyone a good look at his biceps, glistening with sweat. Thank God he didn’t go completely shirtless, or I might’ve had to have the same talk with him that he had with me before the show.The way they were playing, it was easy to forget we were in a club. We might as well have been at Madison Square Garden.

Something about that performance got everyone fired up, especially Jack, who now has me pressed against the wall in the hallway that leads to my bedroom. With how we’ve been ravaging each other, it took us several minutes to even get this far. He lost his shirt somewhere in the living room, and his hands are caressing each side of my face while his tongue is plunging deep in my mouth.

I whimper helplessly against his lips as every cell of my body thrums with want for him.

The race of our hearts seems to have the pheromones releasing with more potency, because his scent is wafting and encasing me more than ever, and my response to it is unmeasurable.

I grip onto Jack’s bare waist and lash back at his tongue with my own, enjoying the approving grunt he lets out in response.

His rough fingers release my face and reach down for the hem of my top, working it quickly up my body and pulling his mouth away only long enough to pull it over my head. My bra goes next with just a single flick of his fingers at my back, and he pulls the straps down, helping the lace to drop from my body.

“Come to bed with me,” he says, in a ragged whisper. I feel even more blood rush to my core, bubbling and percolating. I let out a moan, letting him know what those words do to me.I want him so bad, and I’m so pissed because that nagging worry I had earlier tonight is still sitting in the back of my brain, holding onto the tiny remaining thread of my self-control and not letting go.

No.

I’m not letting the demons of self-doubt win this one .

Like he’s reading my mind, Jack crouches to wrap his arms around my waist, lifting me up with no effort and strutting the last few feet into my bedroom before falling down onto the mattress with me. He continues to devour whatever parts of me his mouth can get to as he reaches frantically between us, undoing the clasp of my pants before pushing them down my thighs.

Our sex has never been this rushed or crazed before, but I’m loving every second of Jack’s urgency to be with me, and when he rolls to the side to struggle with the button on his pants, I lean in and lay kisses to his inked-up skin, savoring each taste, letting my hand stroke languidly down his neck, skimming the rough ridges of his chest. Another groan is released into the otherwise quiet room, followed by the sharp rip of his zipper.

Jack hurriedly rolls to his back to work his pants down around his ass before reclaiming his position on top of me, pulling my black thong to the side. He’s in me in one swift thrust, and we hit the ground running. No pause. No starting slow. We jump right in, thrusting and rocking at a steady rhythm.

“Ah God, Maze,” he grunts into my neck, as we continue the frantic pace. I squeeze him so hard with my walls as he pulls my leg up over his, driving in deeper. Jack returns his lips to mine while lacing both our hands together, sliding them upwards above my head.His hips continue to collide with mine, and I feel him hit that spot deep inside me, making me whimper into his mouth as he makes contact with it over and over.The pressure builds and coils as he increases the pace just enough to boost momentum, pushing me closer to the edge.

“I’m gonna come,” I say against his lips, cuing him to speed up even more until he can feel me tighten around him and hear me crying out in release. It’s so powerful, I almost can’t take it. He squeezes both my hands as he groans against my cheek, urging me through it, changing to sharp, measured strokes. I swear my climax has no end in sight.He grunts and moans, slowin g his movements as we come down, which seems to take forever.

“Ah… baby,” he says into my neck, giving me all of his weight. I’m still panting and throbbing, my heart slamming in my chest as he lifts his head to look at me.

After gently pulling out of me, Jack shifts off of me, rolling on his side to face me. We look at each other, a new calm settling over us after the rapturous storm.

“Are you okay?” Jack’s voice is scratchy from lack of breath, and his hand plays absently with the fingers of mine.

“Yeah,” I assure him, feeling the space between my eyes scrunch slightly. “Why?”

He lifts a shoulder and gives a small shake of his head, resting it on his hand. “I just… haven’t taken you like that before. Just checking in.”

How he can look so much the part of a bad boy musician but be so fucking sweet is a phenomenon I’ll never understand.

It helps soothe that worry that’s been trying to jade the beautiful bond we have going on, and my eyes involuntarily cast downward as I wonder if it’s enough. Because I don’t want to just soothe that worry – I want to annihilate it.

“Hey,” he whispers, rubbing his thumb against my ring finger, and I wonder if he’s even aware he’s doing it as I look up to see him gazing down at me, a look of concern furrowing his brow. “Where did you go?”

I draw in a deep breath, willing the cool sensation flooding my lungs to help me through this moment.

“I’m just…” God, this is so hard to say. “I’m just a little scared, Jack.”

Jac k

The very idea that Mayzie is scared scares me. I don’t want her to turn tail and run, especially if it’s because she’s just thinking that this is too good to be true. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t thought the same thing a couple of times.

“I’m just so happy,” she says like a confession.

“I’m happy too, baby. I’m so happy,” I whisper. “Is that a bad thing?”

“No. It’s scary though. Everything has been so incredible, and it’s going so fast,” she says on a shaky breath as she threads her fingers into her hair, reminding me of the damn firework theory.

“Baby, I’m scared too, but you don’t have to be. Please don’t be scared,” I say, searching her beautiful eyes, looking for some sign of relief. Instead, she looks sweetly curious.

“You are, too?”

“I was,” I clarify. “It’s what took me so damn long to kiss you,” I chuckle down at her as I lean in to do just that, and she returns it with a smile of her own.

“Baby,” I continue, sweeping my thumb against the fingers of her hand. “I don’t just love you, I’m in love with you. All the way.This isn’t some phase. I’m terrified of being without you, but not enough to actually be without you.”She reaches up to my face and pulls me down to kiss her.I put all the warmth, security, and love I feel for her into the kiss, hoping it shows her I mean every word.

When our mouths part, I reluctantly peel myself from the bed to stand, pulling my pants the rest of the way off. After pulling Mayzie up to stand with me, I loop an arm around her waist as I pull the covers back.

“Get in bed with me,” I murmur against her cheek.Once we’re in and I’ve pulled the covers up over us, I look into those grey eyes looking back at me, wide with a cautious hope.“Let’s hold each other until neither one of us is scared anymore.”