New York

"And every song that plays
Is just like the day you had
And it's okay to cry
But I'm saying maybe that's a waste of water
You know I'm here for you
In the back of the taxi cab tonight in New York
It's just reached the morning
And you're still in my arms
And we've stopped driving
Down the boulevard
And I just kissed you, darling
I hope you weren't alarmed
It's just the start of everything
That you want: a new love in New York" New York by Ed Sheeran

My nap in first class seating of the airplane was interrupted by the plane landing in New York. I grabbed my bag and was one of the first ones off the plane. I picked up Justine before I called Christian to let him know I arrived.

"Hello?" A gruff voice answered after I dialed his number.

"Hi, can I speak to Christian?" I asked.

"Is this Lily?" He ignored my question.

"Yes."

"My pa is already waiting for you."

"Ok. Thanks-" I didn't even get the name of the person I was supposed to meet nor the person I was talking to before he disconnected.

It was a fucking mad house, even at 10pm local time. People were scurrying all over the place. I dragged my duffel in one hand and carried Justine in her kennel in the other as I looked around. Right when my arm started to throb with fatigue, I saw a young woman with a sign that had my name on it. I immediately went over to her.

"Hey. I'm Lily."

"Zoey. Let me get that." She tried to grabbed Justine from me.

"I got it. Can you get my bag though?" I handed it over so I could switch the hand I was carrying Justine in. "I need to find a place to let Justine out-"

"We're parked by a pet relief area. Follow me." She chirped.

"Um, so who do you work for?" I asked, taking long strides to keep up with her fast pace.

"I'm Hugo's personal assistant."

Oh, Hugo: Christian's manager.

"Mr. Wilson would have escorted you to the hotel himself but he got caught up in the studio." She explained as we approached a black Maybach. "He said you can wait for him at the hotel room or meet him at the studio if you like. Let Jamie know if you will be needing a ride." She introduced me to the man who opened the back door.

I put Justine down and smiled.

"Hi-" before I could even introduce myself, he nodded a greeting and moved to grab my bag from Zoey.

"The relief area." Zoey pointed out a sign to me. I took Justine out of her kennel and walked her over. Zoey followed, handing me a small card. "Here's your room key. " Zoey said leaving before I could say bye or thank you.

Once Justine finished, we made our way back to Jamie and the Maybach. He held the door open for us. Once he got in the driver's seat, we took off.

Justine and I were equally thrilled as we made our way to the hotel. New York City  was as vibrant and alive as the countless people coming and going. I was just as excited to be in the city as I was to see Christian.

Once we stopped at the hotel, Jamie helped me and Justine out. He handed the bags over to to the bellhop. Before Jamie left, I told him I wanted to go to the studio if he could give me 30 minutes to get ready. He gave me his card and told me to give him a ring when I was ready to leave.

I followed the bellhop through the crowds of people filtering in and out the restaurants and bars of the hotel. The hotel itself was was immaculate. A spiraling staircase and a large chandelier were the focal point of the lobby. We rode the elevator up to the 32nd floor.

When I visited New York with my dad as a teenager, I couldn't get over the feeling of being stuck in the tiny room with my dad. That wasn't the case with the suite Christian reserved. It had a living area, two bedrooms and a private terrace. The floor to ceiling bay windows offered a beautiful view of the shimmering cityscape. Between the high end furniture, the leather and marble surfaces, and the fine curtains and rugs, I was sure the furnishing in this one suite cost more than the ones in my whole house.

I had the bellhop set my bags into the bedroom that was empty. When I tried to tip him, he declined saying it was taken care of. Once he left, I set Justine up in the bedroom with food, water and a potty pad. I then hopped in the glass encased shower and washed up with the fancy sweet smelling body wash.

Afterward, I moisturized with the matching lotion and put on a black lace tank top with a plunging neckline and dark denim jeans. I also wore my Giuseppe Zanotti floral cutout knee high boots. I put my hair up in a sleek top knot and I spent the remaining 15 minutes doing my make-up. I called Jamie as I grabbed my purse and leather jacket. He told me he would be outside in 5 minutes. I put on a rose colored lip gloss before I went downstairs.

When I arrived at the studio, I had to sign in at the front desk and wait for someone to come get me. It was Zoey again and she gave me an approving nod as she approached.

"Nice boots." She complimented me.

"Thanks." I said, looking them over. They were a birthday gift from Sammy and it was one of the few time I wore them.

I couldn't help being a little nervous as we walked down the hallway. There were gold and platinum records and pictures of recording stars adorning the wall. While knowing Christian made me realize they were just people, it was still nerve-racking.

When we got to the studio, Hugo was standing outside waiting for us. He gave me a passing glance and I waved hello before I went into the studio. A beat thumped throughout the studio, it had super low bass with a haunting piano melody weaved over it. I immediately spotted Christian sitting in front of the equipment, bobbing his head to the beat while he played with the numerous dials and buttons. A girl I didn't recognize was in the recording booth, singing on the track. A rapper I did recognized as Logic was standing next to her. When she finished singing, he started rapping over the beat. There were other people hanging around, grooving to the slower, but infectious rhythm.

"Lily!" I heard someone call me. Yazzy, who I met in San Francisco, gave me a broad smile from the couch she was lounging on.

"Hey Yazzy! Nice to see you again." I smiled at a familiar face. I started to head her way, but when I looked back at Christian, he was waving me over. When I approached him, he immediately stood up and gave me a hug.

"Hey, good to see you." He said, holding me close.

"Good to see you too. Thank you so much for inviting me... And Justine." I smiled gratefully, giving him a peck on the check.

Immediately after, I felt like a dumbass for my little display of affection in front of a group of stranger. But he pulled me tighter against him, squeezing my waist. "My pleasure. Beside, with Justine here, there's no reason you have to leave early."

"Nope. None at all." I giggled. "You have me all weekend."

He pulled back to give me a smile. "Fucking right-" he started, before he was cut off.

"Yo Christian! You left us hanging. What's up?" The girl said over the microphone. We both looked up and realized the track stopped playing.

Christian flashed them a sly grin before pushing a button. "My bad guys."

"No worries." Logic responded, with a grin of his own. "No need to explain what's already understood." He said, looking me over suggestively and making me blush.

Christian shook his head and turn to the guy sitting next to him. "Let's start at the bridge." He turned to me. "Go grab a seat; we should be done in a few."

"Ok."  I quickly made my way over to the couch next to Yazzy.

"Is this for the music video?" I asked her, confused. I remembered Christian told me he was shooting the video for "Straight Outta Fucks". Logic was featured on it, but that definitely wasn't the song playing and I saw no cameras except on cell phones.

"No, that's been over. Keosha hussled a feature for her song." Yazzy murmured to me.

"That's Keosha?" I asked, excitedly. I knew her from Christian's album. She was an upcoming singer/song-writer with a sexy, soulful voice. She was obviously of mixed heritage with light, tan skin, beautiful slanted dark brown eyes,  and tiny, super petite frame. She came off as crazy cool in black leather leggings, a beige crop top that showed off her clavicle piercings, and gold lipstick. "I love her voice."

"You wouldn't if you had to hear it for the last 2 hours." Yazzy complained, jokingly.

After about 20 more minutes of recording, Christian finally called it a wrap. Once Logic and Keosha came out the booth, Christian introduced me to them. Before I could even tell them what a fan of their work I was, Yazzy pulled Logic away for a interview for the online magazine she worked for and Keosha left to speak to Hugo about some appearance Saturday night. Christian led me to an secluded corner for another, longer hug.

"You ready to get out of here? I figure we can go get the tourist shit over with tonight." He said when he finally pulled away, his arm still wrapped tight around me.

I laughed. "We don't have to do that. I did most of the tourist shit years ago. I rather see where you grew up and where you like to hang out; stuff like that." I said, sincerely.

"You've been to New York City?" He asked me.

"Yeah, my dad's first baseball coach retired with the Yankee so he came for the retirement party and dragged me with him." I said.

"Dragged you huh? Didn't sound like you had a great time." Christian pointed out.

"I didn't. I was literally dragging because we walked EVERYWHERE: the Empire State Building, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, and all these museums. The only time we got to sit down is when we ate at these fancy restaurants with tiny potions and weird sauces." I keep going as Christian chuckled at me. "I was hangry and all I wanted to do was hang out in Times Square, see who was on TRL, and eat a hot dog."  I vented.

"C'mon. I can't promise you a flash mob, and TRL is cancelled, but I can get you a hotdog in Times Square." He smirked at me.

"Sounds good."




After Christian called Jamie to come pick us up, he made the rounds around the room saying goodbye. Before Jamie dropped us off in Times Square, Christian put on a black hoodie and a black fitted Yankee cap. I made a joke about needing a cap to look like a native, and he informed me the only reason he was wearing it was to blend in and hide his face.

Times Square was super congested with taxis, buses, pedestrians, bike riders, skateboarders, vendors, sight seers, street performers and promoters. I understood my dad's refusal and Christian's reluctance to come out here at night. I, on the other hand, was loving it. I felt the hustle spirit that was so New York. I was feeding off the energy: it was so much fun.

We walked all over, taking in the sights of the numerous billboards, restaurants, shops, and people. I took pictures of the Times Square Ball, visited the Walt Disney World store to see the life size Barbie Condo, bought souvenirs of New York themed chocolates at the Hershey store, and stopped to people watch and take pictures at Father Duffy Square on the red bleachers.

Christian refused to take part in my super goofy, touristy pictures and videos. He even made fun of my introduction to my videos: Live from New York, it's Lily!!! He did act like my professional photographer and took pictures of me, schooled me on sidewalk etiquette so I didn't get yelled out (much), bought me a hot dog and a Yankee cap, and was perfectly content with with me walking aimlessly through the city.

After a few hours, I was regretting my sexy, stiletto boots and I decided to call it a night. Instead of calling Jamie, I talked Christian into teaching me how to hail a cab. After about 5 minutes of trying, Christian chuckled as another Taxi whizzed by me.

"It was off duty." He informed me.

"Fuck! Don't they wanna make money?" I exclaimed, frustratedly.

"You sound like a real New Yorker, cursing cabbies."

I laughed and pulled my cap down over my eyes and struck a pose with my arm out like I was hailing a cab. "Yeah, do I look like a real New Yorker?" I pursed my lips in a model pout.

He put his arm around me and lifted my chin so he can look me in the eyes. "Better." He said, leaning in closer to me. I moisten my lips in anticipation when a cab finally stopped in front of us.

Christian pulled away and opened the door to let me in the backseat first. Once he got in and told the cab driver our destination, I scoot over right next to him, eager to continue what he started outside the cab. I took off his cap, ran my fingers through his hair before brushing my lips against his. We shared short and sweet kisses all the way back to the hotel. I wanted to deepen our kiss, but I had no intention of giving the cab driver a show. I definitely plan to do more once we got to the hotel.

Once we were back in the room, Christian hopped in the shower why I checked on Justine. As soon as I opened the door, she looked up from her spot on the bed. I went inside, closing the door so Justine wouldn't leave. I took off my boots and jeans leaving myself in the lace tank and pulled on matching black lace boyshorts. I examined myself in the mirror and decided to remove my bra. I put my hair down, applied some more gloss before leaving the room.

When I joined Christian in the room, he was already stretched out in the middle of the bed. His eyes widen when he saw me, looking me over slowly. I hesitated, thinking maybe he meant for us to have separate beds. Once he got his fill of looking at me, he moved over to the side to make room for me. I got under the comforter and he gave me a soft kiss on the lips before saying good night.

I said goodnight too, a little concerned to why he wasn't making a move. Once I built up the courage to make a move myself, I heard his deep breathing. When I looked up at him, he was already knocked out. I shook my head at myself, thinking about how long his day must have been, and that was before I dragged him all around Times Square. I turned over on my side to get some sleep too.



The next morning, my body clock woke me at 8am. I went to check on Justine in the second room. I heard her whining at the door, signaling she wanted out. I opened the door and she raced around the living room. When she bumped into the table, but still keep going, I knew I needed to take her outside.

I went back into the room Christian and I shared. I opened the curtains, letting the sunlight beam through the panoramic windows in hopes he would wake up. I went and gave Justine her food and water. While she ate, I got dressed in black skinny jeans and a long sleeve purple top. I went to check again and see if Christian was up: he was still out cold, in the middle of the bed.

"Hey Christian." I said, softly.

When he didn't budge, I spoke up.

"Christian!" I called his name a few more times, and rubbed his shoulder before he finally woke up.

"Yeah?"

"I gotta take Justine out. I'll be right back."

"No you don't. Call the front desk and get a dog walker." He said, groggily.

"That's ok. I want to take her." I told him, moving to my bag to grab a pair of socks and my comfortable creepers. I was finishing up tying my shoes when Christian groaned and flipped over.

"Wait for me." He said, blinking his eyes in the light. I could hear the exhaustion in his voice.

"No. I can see the Central Park from the window. We'll be back in 30 minutes." I told him, confidently. I really was fine going by myself. I would rather have company, but I could managed alone. "Get some more sleep." I reassured him.

"The city doesn't sleep Lily." He rubbed a hand down his face and sat up. "Besides, you've been to Central Park right?"

"Yes."

"You still wanna see where I grew up?"

"Of course!"

He stood up, and I admired his muscular body in his Calvin Kline briefs he wore to bed. "Give me a minute and we'll head to Brooklyn."

30 minutes later, we were heading out the hotel together. He was wearing joggers, a matching hooded sweatshirt and a bomber jacket. Even on Saturday morning, the streets and sidewalks were filled with people.  Once we got outside, he put on his sunglasses and his hood.

"Does it suck having to hide all the time?" I asked him as we walked.

"It's not all the time. Honesty, there are still some cities and places I can go out and not be recognized. It's getting worse with Noelle's show but my music getting more exposure so it is what it is." Christian reasoned.

I saw on his Twitter that he promoted the show. It was strange to me, considering they didn't talk. Or at least, I thought they didn't.

"Do you watch the show?"

He made a face. "No. I have to post clips because it was part of my contact as a recurring guest. Other than that, I don't care about that bullshit."

We took the subway train to Brooklyn. I was immediately impressed with his ability to expertly navigate the various lines and routes that would get us there. On the ride, Christian explained how he had a metrocard at the age of 12 and it was the way he and his friends got around in the city. For someone like me who couldn't even go swimming in my own home without my dad's permission, it was crazy to think about him being 12 and completely free to travel the city alone. He confessed it was without his mom's consent, but as long as he made it home before she did he was safe. Therefore, he learnt the subway system quickly.

Our first stop in Brooklyn was a bakery that he and his mom went to all the time. We grabbed bagels, crounuts and coffee for our trek through Brooklyn. He showed me the neighborhood where his apartment was, the shop he got his first tattoo, and the bars and clubs where he was introduced to some of his favorite music.

We stopped at a pizza place and picked up a few slices of Napoli-style, brick-oven cheese pizza for lunch. We went to a nearby park so I could feed Justine and give her some time off her leash. We walked the Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan. It took us about an hour, considering I had to stop and take multiple pictures but it was definitely worth it. I lamented not bringing my headphones as the walk across the bridge was the perfect opportunity for me to listen to my New York playlist. Christian promised me I could blast it in the car later that evening. It wouldn't have the same affect as walking the city with the music as my personal soundtrack, but I agreed.

As much as I enjoyed Times Square, I loved exploring Brooklyn and learning about Christian more. Since his mother passed away and he had no relationship with his dad, he never talked much about family or home. Listening to his stories and seeing him smile and laugh as he opened up to me made me feel closer to him.

By the time we headed back to the hotel, I was exhausted.  When we got to the hotel room, there was two wardrobe racks and Louboutins boxes set up in the living room.

"What's all this?" I asked, cautiously.

"We have tickets to Hamilton-" he started.

"Hamilton? Like the Broadway?" I questioned, shocked. Even I heard of Hamilton and I wasn't a Broadway or play fanatic.

"Not like." He shrugged. "It is on Broadway."

"I don't even know what to wear to a Broadway Musical." I murmured to myself.

"You have options." He gestured to the rack.

I would have preferred if he would have told me so I could buy my own outfit, but I was starting to see this was how he operated. I went over and looked through the dresses and jumpsuits. They were Balmain and I resisted the urge to look at the price tags. When I looked over at the other rack, it was filled with Le Perla lingerie. I looked over at Christian with a smirk.

"If you don't want it, leave it. Pick out whatever you want." He said, coolly.

"I'll take a dress. Maybe this one." I said, pulling out a colorful striped fitted cocktail dress. It had a short length, long sleeves, and a deep v neckline.

"I like that." He then went to the safe in the room. After punching in a code and going through the safe, he pulled out a jewelry box before bringing it to me.

"Christian-"

"Before you say anything, these really are borrowed. You can wear them tonight and return them." He opened the box to reveal a jewelry set that included a black and gold chandelier earrings and a matching pendant necklace. I had to admit it would like fantastic with the dress.

"Ok. Thank you." I said, graciously, accepting the loaned jewelry. "What time is the show?"

"We're meeting everyone in about 3 hours. I made you an appointment at the salon-" he trailed off when I shook my head.

"No. Cancel it. I can handle my own hair and make-up. 3 hours is plenty of time." I said with a smile to smooth over the fact I was turning him down.

"That's fine. Take all the time you need." I gave him a abrupt kiss on the lips before hightailing it to the bathroom.

I took a shower, washing my hair, before blow drying it straight. I watched my favorite beauty You-Tuber as I parted my hair asymmetrical and flatten ironed it perfectly straight. It took me another 40 minutes to get my lashes, contour and smokey eye right for a sultry look. After I applied a deep red lip, I was satisfied with my full face of make-up.

When I came out the bathroom, Christian was nowhere to be found. I took the opportunity to look through the lingerie rack. I eventually picked out the sexiest option to me: a red lace and silk satin bodysuit. I wore it under my dress and was struggling with the tiny clasp on the necklace when Christian returned. He looked amazing in a Balmain biker jacket with gold embellishments, black fitted slacks, a black v-neck and black and gold designer sneakers. His hair was freshly tapered on the sides, the longer hair on the top of his head brushed up and tousled to one side. His face was clean shaven; his classic handsome features reminded me of a Disney prince.

"Wow." He complimented me, staring at my exposed chest and legs before my face.

"Wow yourself." I told him with a pleased grin. "Can you help me with this?"

He stood behind me and fastened the necklace for me. When he finished, he straightened it out on my neck. "Stunning." He murmured softly.

I turned around to face him. "Yep. Thank you." I motioned to my dress.

"No, thank you for wearing that dress." He grinned.

I smiled. If I wasn't wearing red lipstick, I would have kissed him to show him my appreciation. I settled with a long hug.

"You ready bae?" He asked me after a moment.

I pulled away and went back into the living room and picked out a pair of Louboutins. They were black with a red spiky heel. They matched my dress and the chunky heels where the least intimidating of the bunch. After I put them on, I turned to Christian. "Ready!"

We met everyone on Broadway outside the theater. Everyone included Yazzy, Keosha, Hugo, and Chaz, the sound engineer Christian worked with the night before. Hugo ushered Keosha and Christian to meet with some big shoot director named Marvin Turner before the show while I marvelled at the beautiful theater. Once the show was about to begin, we were shown to our seat.

Things rarely lived up to their hype, but Hamilton did! It was all remarkable: the fantastic music, the witty and smart dialogue, the historical costumes, and the talented and diverse cast. By the end of the show, I was in love with the story, the music, the performance, with Broadway!

Afterward the cast final bow, Christian and Keosha disappeared with Marvin and Hugo backstage to meet with some of the stars of the musical. I made my way through the crowd to the merchandise area. I bought a t-shirts to every concert I been to and I planned to do the same for plays and musicals. Now that I knew how much I loved them, I planned to start a collection of shirts.

After they returned, Hugo invited everyone, including Marvin Turner and his girlfriend, to dinner at an upscale sushi bar. Hugo had a stretch limo waiting for us and once inside, he proposed a toast with chilled champagne. We toasted to a beautiful night and future together. Christian, Hugo, Keosha and Marvin discussed filming the 3rd single from Christian's album, Nomadic.  I was definitely a little envious as they tossed around exotic locations they wanted to film at but the concept sounded amazing. I already loved the song and I couldn't wait to see it.

Once we arrived at the restaurant, the hostess already had a table ready for us and escorted us straight to it. The restaurant was beautiful: it had intricate decor and an extensive menu even though I wasn't in the mood for sushi. It wasn't my choice of pre party food and no Japanese cuisine could compare to my experience in Japan...

As the waitress delivered menus to us, the owner brought 2 complimentary bottles of sake.

"Mr. Wilson, Mr. Turner-" he said, placing the bottles in front of Christian and Marvin. "It's an honor to have you here. If there's anything I can do for you, please let me know." He did a little bow before leaving.

They ordered a ton of sushi and drinks and had a boozy great time. I mostly just listened in, snacking on spicy Miso Chips with Scallops, lobster tempura and sipping sake. Other than taking to Christian or Yazzy, I kept to myself.

After dinner, we ducked out the back entrance where the limo was waiting to take us to Keosha's appearance at some lounge in the Tribeca. Instead of getting in the limo, Christian told Hugo we would meet them at the party in an hour. Hugo didn't look happy, but we went our separate ways. After walking a few steps, I stopped him.

"I'm really not up for another walking tour in these shoes Christian..."

"Jamie is waiting for us up the block." He swore. As promised, Jamie was waiting in the Maybach. Christian wouldn't tell me where we were going as we snailed through traffic. I figured it out when I saw the Junior's sign in the distance.

"Are we going to Junior's?" I asked excited.

"Yeah, I'm not even going to make you walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to the original." He replied.

"You're not Diddy and I wouldn't have made it." I squealed excitedly. "We can walk right now though."

He looked at the crowded streets. "There's a lot of people out here. We'd really have to move." He warned me.

"Let's go."

We got out the car and I moved as fast as I could in the heels.

"Is that?-"

"That guy looks like-!"

No one had time to recognize as Christian as he moved briskly through the crowds. I held on to his arm for support and sighed in relief once we made it. Christian maneuvered himself to the front of the line, holding me close to him. After a brief conversation with the host, we were being seated at a table in the back.

Christian watched me in amusement as I ordered a Manhattan and took a selfie with it. I was debating what cheesecake I wanted when he asked if I wanted to order food.

"You didn't eat much at dinner. You like sushi right?"

"I do, but I have to be in the mood for it. I'm so glad I didn't. I'm ordering like 5 cheesecakes!" I changed the subject quickly.

I didn't order 5, but I got two-plain and chocolate moose. Christian got a cherry crumb that was delicious. I would have ordered one to go, but we had Keosha club appearance and I didn't want to reveal my gluttonous side to Christian quite yet.

As we finished our amazing slices of cheesecake, Christian called Jamie so we could leave quickly. Once we were in backseat, Christian asked me to play my New York playlist, so I did. The first song was "New York State of Mind."

He critiqued my list, complimenting some choices and adding new ones while stuck in traffic. While we were listening to a song by Dua Lipa and she crooned about New York City healing her broken heart, I leaned against his shoulder.

"You tired? We don't have to go to the club. I'm not getting paid to attend." He asked, stroking my hair behind my ear.

I giggled. "No... The city never sleeps remember? I'm just gonna rest my eyes before we get there." I said, closing my eyes.

"Sure bae."

Christian woke me up when we finally arrived. I blinked rapidly, resisting the urge to rub my eyes so I didn't ruin my make up. Christian lead me inside, and I didn't even realize we were back at the hotel into we were in the elevator.

"We're not going to the lounge?" I asked, finally waking up.

"No. You were passed out."

"I'm up now." I said on a yawn.

"Barely." He reaponded as we entered our room. "I didn't want to go anyway. Let's just chill on the terrace."

"Damn. I could brought back a cheesecake."

Christian shook his head. "They have room service. Order one."

"It's not Junior's: it's not the same."

The first thing I did when I got in the room was kick off my beautiful, expensive, uncomfortable shoes. I originally planned to leave them on with the lingerie I planned to reveal to Christian, but I couldn't stand them for another minute. The second thing I did was let Justine out so she could joined us on the terrace. While Justine explored, barking at the various sounds and sirens of the city, Christian showed me some of the music video they shot. It was a rough cut, but the premise of being young, wild, and giving no fucks like the song suggested came through. In the video, Logic and Christian both wore "Straight Outta Fucks" t-shirts.

"I want one of those." I informed Christian as I nodded my head to the beat of the song.

"I got you." He said, as we heard a knock on the door. We didn't order cheesecake, but Christian ordered champagne. He return to the terrace with two glasses and a "Straight Outta Fucks" shirt.

"You got one for me?" I said, taking the shirt and the champagne from him

"No. It's mine but I'll get another."

"You don't have to do that." I smiled, sipping on my drink.

"I wanted too. Besides, I like the idea of you wearing my shirt."

I stood up, wincing slightly as my feet throbbed with pain. I sat my glass down and turned my back to him. "Help me with my zipper."

Christian stood and slowly unzipped my dress. He pressed his lips against my neck, my shoulder and then my back before pulling away. I slid the dress down to the floor, giving him a back view of the bodysuit. He inhaled sharply and I turned to give him a view of the front. He watched my body intently as I put the shirt on.

"What do ya think?" I asked, hopping he would tell me to take it back off.

"Looks a lot better on you." He said, focusing back on my face and sitting back down. I took a step towards him, planning to sit on his lap and take the shirt back off again. My plan was ruined by my sore feet and unsexy hobble.

"Do your feet really hurt?" He asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I guess the shoes kinda numb them. They didn't start to hurt until I took them off. Maybe I should put them back on..." I stated suggestively.

"C'mon. Since I had you running around in those shoes, I'll give you a foot massage." He said, standing up, grabbing the champagne glasses.

"You don't have to..." I said, as we went inside.

"I want to."

Once we refilled our glasses, we got comfortable on the couch. After I placed my feet on his lap, he began to lightly massage them.

"That feels so good." I moaned.

"Good." He said, moving his hands up my ankle before working back down to the soles of my feet. "My album release is going to be here; I want you to come back so remember how good this feels."

"I'll be here. Are you excited about the album release? It's right around the corner."

"I know. Hugo reminds me everyday. I'm ready for all of it to be over with." He sighed.

"Why do you say that?"

"The only reason the label was willing to make the album is because people care about my personal life. I hate having to advertise my life. I know I'm fortunate that I can put out an album but I wish it was only about the music." Christian explained, switching to my other foot.

"So make it about the music. Don't do the reality tv or the club appearances or interviews. Just make music." I said simply.

"People don't just buy music; they buy the brand. The music is the product, I'm the packaging. That's the way it is. I gotta keep selling the brand until I'm established."

"Not that I'm counting your money or anything, but it seems like you have enough. How much more to be established?" I questioned him.

"I'm not talking about money. I wanna be able to choose who I collaborate with. I wanna develops new artist. I wanna have my own studio, fuck, maybe my own record label one day. That's the dream." He confirmed.

I nodded. "I understand."

Once he was done with the massage, we sat there in silence, finishing our champagne, before he spoke up again.

"What's your dream Lily?" Christian asked, his fingers grazing both of my ankles. "What do you want for yourself?"

"Hmmm..." I thought about it. " I just always wanna be doing something I love, surrounded by people I love and who love me back." I smiled at myself. "I know, it seems simple, but I have a way of complicating things."

"Then don't. Go after what you want." He said, squeezing my calf. I watched him through lowered lashes, his muscle flexing underneath his tight t-shirt.

I sat up, before leaning forward to press my lips against his hard.

"No one... has taken my advice... so quickly..." He groaned between kisses.

I smiled against his lips, moving into his lap, kissing him deeper. I explored his mouth, lapping at his lips and tongue. He sucked on my lips, his hands moving under my shirt  and fondling my breast. I whimpered when his thumbs found and traced my harden nipples. I sat back and pulled off the shirt I was wearing. When I started pulling at his clothes, he stopped me.

"Wait..." He panted, moving his hands to my waist. "We shouldn't rush this."

I looked him in his eyes. "I want to know what it's like being with you." I breathed, heavily, meaning every word.

He gently pushed me back on the couch. When he stood up, I looked away, dejected, until he held out his hand to me. "C'mon. Let's go to bed and I'll show you."

My stomach clenched, I don't know if it was excitement or nervousness. I put my hand in his and stood up. I followed him as he led us to the bedroom.