ACE

G od was she was beautiful. I couldn’t believe that after so long of trying to find her, she was now sitting in the backseat of the limo with me. Inches from me, my body aching to reach out and touch her, but I had to play it cool. This was no regular girl. I could feel something between us, something I had never felt before.

“So, tell me how you got my number.” She asked within minutes of heading out.

It was an odd question to start with. “I told you, Aria gave it to me.”

“Yeah, but like, did she offer it up or did you ask?” she smirked.

Mischievous. She was fun, and I liked that.

“Maybe a bit of both…” I conceded.

“Ah, okay then…” she nodded.

She clearly needed more. “I was hoping to see you again at the club, but when it didn’t happen, I assumed I missed my chance. However… thanks to Jax and Aria, here we are!”

There was something electric in the air between us. Like a magnet pulling us together, I wanted to run my hands through her hair and pull her into my body. I could imagine the softness of her pressed against me and the taste of her in my mouth.

“Yeah… I guess it was meant to be,” Harley said, laughing.

I wasn’t sure what to make of her comments. Her tone was a little sarcastic, and she seemed a little standoffish. Maybe she was nervous. I tried to calm her nerves.

“I thought we could hang out at my place for a bit.” I began. “Surprisingly, I’m an excellent cook and I don’t live too far away.” I boasted. I wasn’t really, but I already catered the evening and had my staff put it on china dishes while I came to pick her up.

“We’re going to your place?” She exclaimed, eyes wide. “I’m sorry Ace, I don’t mean to be rude but—”

Panic overtook me. “I can’t really go out in public, Harley. It would cause a scene, everyone would see us together, it would be all over the papers by morning.”

I watched as her eyes glazed over a little. She seemed far away and distant.

“I assure you that it’s safe and I have a full staff that works for me. We won’t be alone.” I tried, attempting to reassure her.

A few long seconds passed as we stared at one another. Fuck… had I messed up already?

But soon Harley took a deep breath and her beautiful face broke out into a smile once again. “I’m not worried about being alone with you, Ace. Just a little surprised that you can cook.” She mused with a teasing tone that was only slightly apparent.

“Ah, just you wait!” I grinned, happy to be back on track.

With her hand on her chest, she raised her eyebrows in feigned shock. “Just don’t give me food poisoning. It’s happened before and it’s not the way I like to spend an evening.”

I chuckled at her words. “Don’t worry, sweetheart.”

The drive to my place wasn’t too far. Only about twenty-five minutes, but most of it was uphill on a dirt road.

“I had to get a place that was out of the way and really secure.” I told her. “The other guys prefer those downtown condos and lofts, but I wanted to feel like I was out in the country, even if I was only an hour from the city.” I continued. “It reminds me of back home in Kelowna.”

I went on to tell her that the band often rehearsed at my place and that not only was it soundproof but completely invisible from the road. I’d even had an electric fence put in. The more security I had, the better I felt. This fame thing had become crazy in the last few years and I needed somewhere where I felt safe.

However, the more I talked, the more I realized Harley wasn’t as into it as I was. She was looking a bit bored.

“I’m so sorry… I think I’ve been talking too much.” I laughed nervously. This didn’t seem to be going the way I had hoped. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself?”

Harley smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She was definitely hesitant.

“I’m from Chicago originally, but been in LA for years. Not much to tell, really. Started working at Sunset Dreams when I first arrived in the city. It’s a decent gig. Pays well and I don’t have to get up early.” She laughed and shrugged before continuing. “Aria is my best friend, has been for years. We usually do brunch on weekends. Other than that, my life is pretty boring. Unless I have tickets to a Desolation Sound concert.” Harley giggled and winked.

Her words hit me hard. She was a fan. Not a girl with actual interest, just a fan. The blow was heavy as it instantly wiped my eyes clean of the rose-coloured glasses I had so clearly been wearing.

Running my hands through my hair and then across my jaw as I tried again. “You’re a fan, eh?”

Now she really grinned. “Like, so much so! You guys are my favorite band of all time!” Harley gushed. “I’ve seen you four times live, once in….” She proceeded to list off the cities where she’d been to our concerts and then went into a rant about her favourite songs and moments that happened at each of those concerts.

I didn’t hear a thing. Tuned her out the second I saw that silly groupie grin.

I’d wrongly assumed she was different. Fuck my life.

Girls like this usually tried a little harder to be interested though, they rarely liked to give away their ulterior motives till much later in the game. As these miserable thoughts rambled through my head, I still found myself being sucked into those beautiful blue eyes of hers. As she recounted her favourite moments from past Desolation Sound concerts, her eyes sparkled with animation. My brain had muted her words, but my cock was enthralled by her beauty. He had a mind of his own during moments like these and there wasn’t much I could do about it. Shifting in my seat, I casually removed my jacket, laying it across my lap to hide the evidence of my attraction.

Exhaling softly, I leaned back and casually stared ahead as Harley rambled on about concerts and crazy nights spent partying to our music. I looked over at Ben, my driver. He sat up front ram rod straight, driving silently like he was the only one in the car. I wondered what he thought of moments like these. Or what he thought of me even… we rarely conversed all that much. He seemed to be the strong, silent type. Although, when it came to the all women who had passed through this vehicle, perhaps he would have good advice for me. He’d certainly seen it all. I made a mental note to check in with him later.

After a little while, we reached my place. A solid ten-minute drive passed the unassuming gates and soon enough we rounded the corner to a mansion that looked both imposing and impressive. No one needed to know that I had only furnished the rooms I lived in, certainly not Harley. Not because I couldn’t afford it, but more that there just hadn’t been time. In the three years since I’d bought the place, I’d only actually stayed there a few months. Between the last tour and secluding ourselves up in Canada to write that album, this was hardly a home. A beautiful estate, sure. A home, not yet. Hopefully, one day, but not yet.

“Oh, wow…” Harley whispered under her breath at the sight of it.

I nodded in mutual appreciation.

As Ben parked the car, I jumped out and went around to Harley’s side to open the door for her. Regardless if she was just here as a fan, it was still important to me to treat her the way she deserved. I was going to have to realize that finding love might not be in the cards for me. This career had given me so much, but it also took ruthlessly. Fame and success had taken my privacy, many of my freedoms and, most of all, my ability to find true love.

“Want to carry me over the threshold?” Harley teased, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.

“Excuse me?” I responded, slightly unsure what she meant.

“Well, ya know…” she drawled. “If you’re gonna keep opening doors for me and all, I just figured.” She giggled, surprising me a little.

I cocked an eyebrow. “One step at a time.”

She nodded slowly, one finger lightly tapping her forehead as she slowly winked.

She was exquisite. Watching these little facial expressions ebb and flow across her face was almost paralyzing. What was she up to?

“Race ya!” she yelled before taking off, running towards the front doors.