Reckless Love: A Billionaire Baby Steamy Fantasy Multicultural Love Story Rockstar Romance (16 page)

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

Roxanne, the Quartet and Origin of Species at the Grammy Awards

Due to some kind of glitch, the practice time they were intended to have was somehow lost in the schedule.

“Sorry girls,” Roxanne, their new promoter, said. “You’re just going to have to go on and do it live.”
“Without rehearsal?”

A grimace appeared on Roxanne’s face. “That’s what it looks like. You know there are thousands of moving parts in these kinds of shows, and somehow you four were overlooked. You were meant to go to a rehearsal –“ she checked her notes. “Last night at the Art Warehouse, but we were never informed. So you’ve just got to go on. You’ll have about ten minutes with the band backstage, during which you can discuss whatever you need to, and sort out any questions you might have, but that’s going to be it.”
Jasmine could see from the look on her face that Kerry was fuming, but she put her hand on Kerry’s shoulder and stepped in.

“Thank you Roxanne, we’re pros – we’ll handle it.” She nodded to the others. “Let’s make this happen, girls,” she said, steel in her voice. They turned to practice for the last hour they had, before hair and makeup and the show.

“Oh, and I did mention, that it’s nominated for song of the year?” Roxanne added. “Just in case you missed that. The whole country will be watching!”

“Thanks Roxanne,” Jasmine said, a bit wryly. She was striding purposefully toward the door.

“You have two hours before hair and makeup!” Roxanne called after them. It would be two hours that they spent practicing, setting up safeguards for every possible thing that could go wrong. Jasmine felt better than she had in ages, ready to pour herself into this challenge, this opportunity to show everyone what they could do, and make Leo’s song Reckless Love the most beautiful thing the Grammy audiences had ever heard.

Before they knew it, rehearsal was over and they were swept off to hair and makeup, and then dressing for the show. When they stood in the dressing room, they were all in awe of how incredible they looked. Each had her own style, but all were coordinated. Jasmine’s asymmetrical off-the-shoulder gown was mostly white, with panels of color, Kerry’s a bandeau with panels, Jessa’s a modified mermaid and Robyn’s a halter, but they shared a similar riot of materials. The boots were all lace-up sandals that added at least 4 inches to their statures. Hair was gorgeous, different on each girl, but a variation of piled on top of their heads, with tendrils hanging down in just the right places.

Makeup was edgy brows, dramatic eyes, set off by glowing skin and glossed lips.

“We are freakin’ off the chain!” said Kerry, taking in their appearance. “Doesn’t really matter how you play when you look like this!”

The other girls doubled over in laughter. “If anybody makes a mistake, someone pop a boob out,” joked Jessa, and they cracked up even more.

“You guys are the best,” Jasmine said. “I am so excited to go through this whole thing with you. I love you all and thank you for carrying me through all this drama.”

“Aw, anything for you girl,” said Kerry, instantly mollified.

“We love you too!” Jessa said, going for a careful hug that didn’t smudge makeup or wrinkle anything, barely touching, but with the loving intent still clear as a bell.

“You bet,” Robyn said. “Now don’t you girls make me cry.”
A handler came in to usher them out on stage.

“But we were supposed to meet with the band?” Kerry said, biting her lip.

“Yes, sorry about that girls, but things have changed. You’ll have thirty seconds during the commercial break, then you do your number, and after that we announce the nominees for best song. You’ll still be onstage but the cameras will be on the presenters, then the winner, and then the next commercial break.”

“It’s showtime,” said Kerry, looking at Jasmine. “I guess this is the way they do it in the big leagues.”
Along with her excitement, Jasmine was feeling nervous that the first time she was going to see Leo was going to be on stage, but at the same time, she knew that the quartet would be able to handle anything the band might throw at them. They were completely prepared, and they would give their all.
And
, she reminded herself,
they looked incredible.

She couldn’t wait for Leo to see her in her dress.

Her hand closed around the familiar wood of the neck of the cello, and they took their places on stage. But Leo and the band weren’t there! Where were they? The commercial break was ending. Her heart was in her chest, for more reasons than one. But the excitement running through her veins made it all worth it, when the lights came up and the announcement rang through the room introducing the band, calling out Leo’s name. The crowd roared, and Jasmine almost jumped back at the sound, but was able to keep her cool.
 

She felt a breeze go by her head, and a guitar chord rang out. It was Nigel – sliding across the stage and ending on his knees, leaning back, head and guitar neck held up in a dramatic pose, before he began. The first notes of Reckless Love, played perfectly, rang through the room. She lifted her bow, meeting the eyes of her quartet. They nodded, and entered smoothly at just the right time. Her hand felt steadier than ever.

And then she saw him, leonine Leo, stalking into the room, wearing a white jacket, tight black leather pants, and black boots, his tie undone around his neck, collar open revealing the angular definition of his chest.
He had never looked so perfectly insouciant, gorgeous, cool, sinewy and strong. He opened his mouth and began to sing

“You came out of nowhere/You came from across the sea/Hunting me down/To save me…” Jasmine drew the sounds from her bow to match his voice, raspy, beautiful vibrations, seamlessly intertwining with his vocal line. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him, and every millimeter of movement from his mouth as he sang, she echoed in her strings, perfectly miming and mixing with his expression. He turned his eyes to her as he sang. Every moment she first knew him was going through her mind – when they first met, the haughty look on his face combined with the sadness in his eyes, the weary crinkles in the corners…the way he kissed her in the Pagani… his hands on her in his room… his face on the moors as he finally told her how he felt about her.

She could feel the strength of the other girls’ sounds all around them, complimented by Nigel’s guitar. It was going perfectly, perfectly, the light flashing around them, the crowd rapt, and then Leo turned to her, and strode over to her, singing, He was seeing visions of her as well, her lips, full and soft and open in their first kiss… the curve of her breasts, her ass. The way she looked at him, so open and trusting.

“They’ll never understand you and me…” His hand came out to touch her face gently as she played, staring into each other’s eyes. The crowd squealed with delight at this move, and she could feel the flow of love and electricity between them. “I’m your man if you’ll have me,” he sang, kneeling by her chair. Jasmine couldn’t help but smile, and seeing her face on a big screen behind them, her eyes widening the only element of shock that showed at all.

Leo lowered the mic out of range and whispered, “You’re doing great. I love you!” at her before standing up and singing the rest of the song in the spotlight to the crowd.
Kerry was staring at Jasmine’s face. She had never looked so radiant, ever, even on the nights of her best performances. She was a queen tonight and Leo her king.

***

Mrs. Peters flipped on the television. The Grammies were on that night, and she had made a small bowl of buttered popcorn. Unfortunately she had burned the first batch and needed to make another, but when it was finally ready, the nomination for best song was on. She was about to dismiss the performance – clearly just some hoodlums singing and playing guitar – emblematic of the way music had declined since her day, when suddenly there was her neighbor, Jasmine – face blown up on the big screen behind her. She leaned forward, peering at the set.

“Jasmine?” She asked. “Is that you?”

“There’s nothing as reckless/As love/My love for you,” sang the ruffian with the undone shirt. She could see Jasmine singing along, mouthing the words behind him. But when she began to mouth the next line, “Will you love me?” the ruffian turned around, walked over to her and fell onto his knees, pulling a small blue box out of his pocket, and sang, “Will you marry me,” instead.

She saw her neighbor’s face go through a multitude of emotions – shock, awe, excitement, control, as the crowd went wild with excitement. Finally he put the mic to Jasmine’s mouth.
“Don’t do it!” Mrs. Peters croaked at the television. “The English are chintzy! Chintzy!”

But she was unable to save her from her fate. An unmistakable ‘yes’ formed in her full lips as they embraced, before cutting away to the announcers.

***

“Are you for real, Leo?” Jasmine whispered into his ear.
“You don’t know how happy you’d make me,” he said, eyes warm with love.

“Wait, they’re announcing,” said Jasmine, gesturing over to the dais, where two impeccably dressed celebrities stood, struggling with the envelope.
 

“And the Song of the Year is…” the woman finally ripped open the paper, and pulled out the sheet, peering at it. “No surprise to anyone, is it… Reckless Love, by Leo Wellington-Kerr and Origin of Species!”

The crowd was in uproar. Lights flashed everywhere as Leo strode to the podium, and made a speech that was punctuated by constant applause.

“Look, I’m not sure what you’ve heard about me lately,” his grin was devilish as he addressed the crowd. “And I am sure that my past has earned everything you’ve said, but I wrote this song for a very special woman,” he looked meaningfully at Jasmine, until the crowd couldn’t contain its enthusiasm, before he went on. “– But now, whatever you’ve heard is wrong. Ever since I met her, I’ve hardly been able to look at another woman. And you lot are the first to know,” he smiled, angelically this time. “I’m engaged. And she’s off the market, lads. And speaking of lads, I want to thank my band mates, without whom none of this would be possible.”

It was pandemonium, the crowd loving every second of his speech, before the swell of ‘Reckless Love’ swept them off to commercial, and the album of the year nominees to follow.
Leo jogged over to her and helped her with her cello, holding her around the waist and kissing her before carefully bringing it backstage.

“I’d never have been able to do this without you,” he smiled. “I love you, Jasmine!”

“I love you too Leo,” she said, knowing it was the truest thing in her heart.
“And I love you too, Jasmine,” said another voice behind them. It was Nigel. “And I’d love you even more if you’d accept my apology. I am so sorry about calling you names.” He rubbed his jaw ruefully. “Really sorry. And frankly so’s my chin.”
“Your chin?”

“Yeah. It took awhile, but Leo punched me pretty hard, right here, just before he wrote this hit song. So I had to forgive the bastard. Still, you have to admit the lad’s got timing,” he winked.

“All is forgiven, Nigel, and it’s lovely to meet you properly,” Jasmine grinned.

“Pleasure’s mine,” he said, though his eyes began to roam over Kerry as she bent to put her violin away.

Leo waggled his eyebrows at Jasmine and she cracked up. “Forget that lunatic. Now let’s get to the hotel,” he whispered in her ear.

“I thought you’d never ask,” she smiled.
 

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

Jasmine and Leo, and baby makes three…

Kissing furiously on the hotel sheets, one thing was weighing on Jasmine’s mind. She hadn’t yet told Leo that she was pregnant.

She pulled away. “Leo there’s something I need to tell you,” she started.

“Can it wait, my love,” he said in his smooth voice. “It’s been too long that we’ve been apart –“ His body against hers, his urgent need immediately apparent, pressed hard against her.

She relented. “Of course,” she murmured, caught up in the moment. “Oh Leo,” she said as he kissed her neck.

“Yes, my love…” the vibrations of his voice tickled her skin.

“I’m pregnant.”
“Me too,” he said absentmindedly, before – “You’re what?”

“I’m pregnant, Leo. We’re going to have a baby.”
 

This time it was he pulling away from her, his eyes wide, but she was gratified to see that they didn’t seem alarmed, instead excited. “You’re serious!”

“Yep, serious,” she said solemnly. “No joke.”

“That’s incredible!” His lips joined hers in their deepest kiss yet. Then he pulled away. “That’s brilliant! Brilliant!”

“You’re sure you’re happy with it?” She said anxiously. But then she had to laugh – if the way he was kissing her was any indication, he couldn’t be more thrilled. He just grinned at her in his devilish way before kissing the warm brown skin of her neck again. His hand cupped her breast, squeezing it gently before thumbing her nipple and making her squirm in pleasure. She wrapped her leg around his.

“God you’re sexy! And that dress, incredible…”
“Do we have to wait Leo, or can we just go for it? I need you inside me!”
 

“You don’t have to ask me twice,” he grinned, reaching down to unzip the leather pants and free his cock. “God I’m so excited I’m like a teenager.” It was true. She reached down to feel him and he was rock hard.
“You feel amazing,” he whispered. “And since you’re already pregnant –“

“No condom,” they said together, before he slid her panties off her legs and teased her with the head of his cock.
“You want this, baby?” he asked her as he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling.
“More than anything,” she purred, and he plunged into her in one move, her hot wetness surrounding and squeezing his hard length.

“Oh my god you feel so good,” he moaned. “You’re so wet and tight…”
She could only cry out in return, as he rubbed her clit gently while he filled and unfilled her again and again. She clutched him to her as he undulated his hips, tantalizingly, sweetly, then hard. Demanding. His eyes were shut tight, his eyebrows knitted together, but his mouth softly opened as he thrust into her.

“Jasmine, oh Jazz,” he cried out, as the pressure built inside both of them, a warm tingling turned pressure, turned need. Finally the feeling broke, and he pushed into her – a thousand tiny stars filling her body, as the waves of pleasure washed over her again and again, until they lay panting, spent, entwined.

His hand came up to caress her face. “Jazz,” he said softly.
“You’ve never called me that before,” she smiled, turning to him.
“Is it ok?” he asked.
“Sure!”

“Ok. Jazz, my beautiful Jasmine, was that good for you?” his hand trailed down her body, fingers pausing at her hard nipples.

“The best,” she said, reaching over to touch his soft lips, his cheek. “You’re the best,” she said again.
“I love you,” he said as he nuzzled her chest, settling in by her neck. ‘I’m beyond thrilled that we will have a little Jasmine or Leo on the way,” he murmured. “And we will raise the baby here, in the states… how does NYC sound?”

She imagined it. The wedding – then moving in together in the city, and finally having the baby - comparing their features. A brownstone on the Upper West Side. A terrace. A kitchen and a nursery. She snuggled into him, completely peaceful for the first time in what seemed a long while.
“Then I could continue with the quartet,” she said.
 

“And I with the band, though I’ll be putting that jet to good use.” He murmured, snuggling in further. “But it’ll all be worth it to be with you.” He meant every word. It would be the perfect way to state his claim on his own path, to marry Jasmine, the love of his life, to have their child.

In America: a new world for a new life.

Together.

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