Chapter Three

Sebastian

In all my years of performing, I have never understood stage fright. The way some people’s hands tremble, voices quiver, and hearts race when they step on the stage, it has always been the opposite for me. I come alive on stage. The rush of adrenaline when the spotlight hits, the excitement from the crowd, and the way they scream when I perform have always been a tangible force for me and not the paralyzing fear most people experience.

And yet, I find myself experiencing just that as I stare into the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen.

There is a tremble in my hands and a slight quiver in my voice. My heart is pounding so fast and hard against my chest, it’s a wonder neither of these girls can hear it.

Is this what stage fright feels like?

If so, then it seems that I have been underestimating some of my bandmate’s troubles before they walk on stage. Despite my best efforts to keep a cool outward appearance, my insides are twisted with nerves.

This is not a feeling I have ever had around Elizabeth Fae. To me, she’s always been the quiet girl next door who would sometimes trail after her older cousins. The same girl who I would sometimes catch watching me play my guitar from her bedroom window.

Right now, she looks nothing like the girl I knew back then. I never quite thought of her as anything more than my quiet little neighbor.

For a long moment, our eyes stay locked on each other, and I spy something akin to heat in those pretty eyes, but it’s quickly replaced by something else. Something that looks a lot like anger.

“You have some explaining to do, Sebastian Foster,” she finally says, her eyes narrowed on mine.

“Lizzy…” I start, but quickly stop when I remember that we have company. Standing next to me is a girl I barely noticed when I walked in. Fuck, it was not my intention to come off as rude, but I haven’t stopped thinking about Lizzy, and when I walked in, she was all I could see. Turning toward her, I offer my hand in greeting. “Forgive me for being rude, I’m Sebastian.”

“Oh, I know,” she says giddily, taking my extended hand. “I have been a fan of your band for years. You were always my favorite band member.”

“Really, Abby? Just a minute ago, you told me the DC stood for Dirty Chapter,” Lizzie accuses her friend.

“Dirty Chapter?” I ask, turning to Lizzie who rolls her eyes.

Abby shrugs, not looking the least bit embarrassed. “I thought it sounded cool, and it just kind of stuck in my head. Don’t worry, I know it’s really Dynamic Circuit,” her friend says.

“Dirty Chapter does have a nice ring to it,” I comment.

“Right?” Abby chirps. “You should definitely use the name Dirty Chapter if you decide to form another band instead of going solo.”

Lizzie shakes her head with another sigh before turning those pretty eyes back to me. “Why are you here, Sebastian?”

Right.

“Can we talk?” I say, quickly adding when the friend perks up at my words, “In private?”

“I’m working!”

“Yes!” Abby interrupts. “I am her boss, and I say she can take a break to talk to her boyfriend.”

Fuck! I knew it was naive to think I get to Lizzie before she saw the post or someone told her about it. But still, I was hoping to be the one to break the news to her. It seems I’ve been beaten to it. Before Lizzie can say anything, her boss walks around the desk and grabs her by the shoulders then guides her out.

“Abby, there are so many people calling to make bookings.”

“I can handle that while you and your boyfriend have a little chat. He came all this way to see you.”

“But you don’t have experience with making the bookings, Abby. You have to double check the room codes to make sure you aren’t double booking.”

“You’ve shown me what to do a dozen times already. I have to try it on my own at some point, don’t I?”

I watch with amusement as the two bicker, making their way around to me, but it all dies abruptly when Abby literally shoves Lizzie into my arms, forcing me to grab her waist as she crashes into me. Heat rushes south when I feel the press of her tits against my chest and her soft breaths against my neck.

Fuck!

I didn’t think this through before showing up here. I knew I was attracted to the girl when I saw her picture, but I had no idea I would get a fucking erection from merely touching her.

I’m in serious trouble.

“Are you okay?” I ask the girl in my arms, discreetly leaning in and inhaling the soft flowery scent of her hair. I resist the urge to close my eyes and breathe in more of her, especially since we have an audience. Oh, and not to mention there is that little matter of Lizzie not really being my girlfriend.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she huffs, pushing back to look at me, and something sizzles between us when our gazes lock. Jesus. Obviously, I have seen Lizzy’s eyes in the past, but those were the eyes of a little girl almost a decade younger than me. These beautiful blues are the alluring eyes of a woman, and the impact they have on me is like a punch to the gut.

“You two should probably go have your ‘talk’ now. You look seconds away from tearing at each other’s clothes, and this is a family-friendly establishment.”

Lizzy’s eyes widen at her boss’s words, and she jumps back away from me. I immediately miss the feel of her body against mine.

“Abby!”

“Go on, get going. I’m going to call James and see what he’s up to. Watching you two stare at each other has me missing my a fiancé.”

Lizzie spatters, but before she can explode and reveal the fact that she is not actually my girlfriend, I place my hand on her shoulder and pull her to my side. “I apologize for stealing her from you. I won’t keep her away for long.”

“No, please, take your time,” Abby says, extending a keycard for me to take, and I grab it, confused. “It’s for room three-oh-five. The two of you can talk there.”

“You can’t just give him the room for free and,”

“I’ll pay,” I cut off my chatty little fake girlfriend, digging into my pocket for my wallet. “What do you need?”

“Oh goodie, the first guest I get to serve is Sebastian Foster. This is a great start for me,” Abby says excitedly before asking for my driver’s license and a credit card. For someone who is supposedly new at this, she processes the room for me quickly, handing me back my cards with a smile. “Here you go. I hope you enjoy your stay, Mr. Foster.”

“Thank you,” I flash her a grateful smile before placing my hand once more over Lizzy’s shoulder, and we start for the elevator. She doesn’t shrug off my hand until we are in the elevator, where she whirls around to face me, those beautiful ocean blues turning stormy when they lock on mine.

“What is the meaning of this, Sebastian?”

“Let’s talk in the room,” I say, my eyes shooting to the camera in the corner. She follows my gaze and releases an annoyed huff, but she calms down, moving back to lean against the wall. The rest of the ride passes in silence, and when the door opens to our floor, she walks out ahead of me, which gives me the perfect view of her backside.

Jesus Christ!

The way those tight jeans hug her ass has my cock aching behind my fly. Her hips sway as she walks, the soft pad of her steps the only sound in the carpeted hallway. Lizzie stops outside a door marked 305 and moves aside for me to unlock it. I watch with amusement as she stomps inside before following in, bracing myself for the storm that is about to come.

“Is this some kind of a prank?”

“No.”

“Why am I the last person to find out that I am dating the most popular member of DC then?”

I can’t help a smirk, shutting the door behind me. “You think I am the most popular member?”

“Shut up.” she growls, heat climbing her cheeks, and she tries to hide it. “You haven’t answered my question.”

Whatever it is I am feeling is quickly replaced by humor as I push away from the door and approach the girl, fully conscious of the large king-size bed in the center of the room. I walk up to Lizzie and lean into whisper. “Do you want me to shut up or answer your questions?”

She visibly shudders, her breath hitching, and I can’t begin to dissect what that does to me. On the drive here, I questioned what kind of reception I would get from a girl I’d only ever known as my neighbor. Would she ask for money to keep the ruse a secret, or would she yell at me for putting out such a blatant lie on social media without her consent and possibly ruining her life?

Right now, I’m getting neither.

There is mild annoyance, but there is something else surprising. Heat. So strong, it sizzles between us in bright colors.

“Answers,” she breathes. “I want answers. Was the post a joke? Did James put you up to it?”

“No, it’s not a joke,” I say truthfully. Quite frankly, I want to play with her a little more just to get a reaction out of her, but I owe her the truth. What my record label did with that post crossed a dozen lines, and she deserves answers. “You’ll want to sit down for this.”

Her eyes turn alarmed. “W-what, why?”

“Let me explain myself, and if you tell me to lost afterward, I will. It wasn’t me who posted that picture or the caption that went along with it. But I am so sorry that it happened.”

She seems taken aback by my words, but she nods, walking over to the bed and sitting down. “Okay, tell me.”

“You may or may not have heard of this but DC has disbanded. The label terminated the contracts for everyone in the band except me. Now they want me to pursue a solo career.”

“What does that have to do with me?”

I’ve only ever been known as the frontman for DC. Losing my band could be the end of my career. I don’t have the fan following that those guys do.

“Sebastian,” she whispers, tapping the spot next to hers and against my better judgment, I walk over to her and sit down. “I’m so sorry to hear that. I know how hard you’ve worked on your career. Are you okay?”

Her brows are furrowed with concern, her voice soft, and she undoes me. Ever since the news broke of my own bandmates leaking the music and trashing me to anyone who’d listen, I haven’t had anyone show such concern over my failing career. Not so openly.

“I’ll be okay,” I assure her, and realize for the first time that I am, in fact, okay. Seeing Lizzie once more, I am reminded of my days locked in my room practicing my guitar or drums and creating music by myself. Well, me and the girl who liked to spy on me from her window. A smile I haven’t felt in what feels like ages brushes my lips at the memory of the girl ducking under her window whenever I caught her spying on me.

“Where do I come in with all of this?” she asks, her voice soft. “Wait, are you using me as a PR tactic to divert attention from the band’s fallout?”

“Yes.”

She seems taken aback by my response. “Wait, what? Are you serious?”

“Look,” I start, raking my brain for a way to explain this to her but decide to go with the truth. “With the band done and the label forced to keep me since I didn’t violate my contract, they said I need to create a different image from the one I have, that I have to show more of myself to the fans.”

“And that requires having a girlfriend? Why don’t you just hire one? Aren’t most celebrities in contracted relationships anyway?”

I know a couple of high-profile celebrities in those kinds of relationships, and every one of them is miserable. “A contracted relationship is not something I have ever entered into, nor will I ever entertain the idea.”

“But you are fine with a fake one with some girl from your hometown,” she snarks.

It’s meant to be a jab, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark because I am not looking to have a fake relationship with Lizzy. From the moment my eyes connected with that photo, it felt like fate showing me what I needed in my life. And when Gary, on behalf of the label, acted without my permission and posted that picture of Lizzie my public social media profile, I decided now was the perfect time to return to Valor Springs and attempt some damage control and maybe take advantage of the opportunity to get close to Lizzy.

I was pissed when I found out what Gary had done behind my back. I’d underestimated his ability to track down Lizzy’s picture after having seen it for only a second. But he managed to not only find her profile, but also convinced the label’s PR team that this was the best plan, never mind the fact that Lizzie had no knowledge of it. After realizing what he’d done, I was going to demand he take it down and issue a retraction immediately, but I couldn’t find the little weasel. He obviously knew how angry I’d be and is avoiding me. But then I realized that Gary had inadvertently offered me the exact opportunity I needed.

She is exactly what I need in my life right now and not just for publicity. This girl has been there, quietly watching from the background, for all major milestones of my life, though she may not even realize it. Growing up, my household was chaotic. My parents were constantly running from one activity to another, never slowing down. Music was how I relaxed, how I caught my breath. And every time I played, little Lizzie from next door would show up in her window, an audience of one. She might have been a kid, but her reliable, quiet presence helped calm me. Lizzie was predictable in ways nothing else in my life was. Heck, even I didn’t realize it until I was thinking back over my memories of growing up in Valor Springs on the drive here.

And now that she’s all grown up, Elizabeth Fae is who I want.

Convincing her of my sudden feelings might not sound believable, and the last thing I want is for her to think I’m trying to manipulate her into being in a fake relationship with me. I have to win her over slowly.

“I know this is a lot to ask of you…”

“When exactly did you ask? Did I miss an email? From where I’m standing it looks like you just decided for both of us that you were going to use me.”

I wince at the harsh truth of her words. Yes, it was Gary who dragged her into this, but I could have taken the post down myself or demanded the label’s PR team do it. I open my mouth to apologize, but she continues before I get a word out.

“What makes you think people will even buy that?” she argues. “Heck, in all the years I have known you, I think this is the first time we’ve been in a room alone together.”

“We have history, and people will buy into that.”

“What about chemistry, huh? You haven’t been home in almost ten years. I was eleven the last time I saw you. Really, we hardly know each other. What if I’m terrible at faking chemistry with you?”

Considering the pull I feel toward her and the way she is leaning toward me without even realizing it, I don’t think our chemistry will be a problem. I don’t tell her that, though. “Does this mean you’ll agree keep up the charade?”

“I…” she clears her throat. “What’s in it for me? Assuming I agree to this crazy plan that will probably backfire, what do I get in turn for being your fake girlfriend?”

“Anything.”

“That’s a reckless offer,” she says. “I could ask for your precious guitar in exchange. Maybe I’ll sell it online to some obsessed fan for a fortune to pay for my college classes.”

“Anything you want.”

Her brows furrow in confusion. “Wait, you are serious. You would give up your guitar for a fake girlfriend? Are you really that desperate for a relationship?”

Perhaps now is not the time, but soon, she will realize that everything that belongs to me, belongs to her. Fake girlfriend? I’ll let her believe that too.

“To be honest, I could probably find some other celebrity looking for an easy way to gain some publicity. But I’d rather it be you, someone who isn’t interested in using me for their own fame. So, are you in?”

She flushes, “What? No! Everyone will know you are lying soon as they see us together.”

It’s almost laughable really. How she can look into my eyes and not see the fire burning there? We’re seated on a bed, and everything in me wants to rip off those form-fitting jeans down her legs, clutch her ass in my palms and pound my cock into her until she is screaming for release.

Oh, there’s chemistry alright, and not just from me. I don’t miss the way her breath catches in her throat when my hand accidentally grazes her thigh or how she’s seated so close to me, inches away from climbing onto my lap. Lizzie dead set on convincing herself that we’re still just neighbors, barely even acquaintances. She doesn’t want to see that there is something between us. An irresistible pull that I have never felt with anyone before, and I am willing to bet everything I have that it’s a new feeling for her as well. What I don’t understand is why she is fighting it.

But I will play her game. If convincing is what she needs, I will happily do so.

“We have more chemistry than you think, Lizzy,” I say, placing a hand on her thigh, and she jolts, her lips parting with a sharp gasp at the contact. “If you agree to be my girlfriend, then I will teach you how to act in public so no one has any doubts.”

It’s clear words aren’t going to convince her. I need to show Lizzie exactly how combustible we can be together .

So, I do.