“Yeah, it’s just been a long time since someone has slept in bed with me, so my body isn’t used to it.”
The thought of someone else besides me being in this bed with her makes me want to put my fucking fist through the wall. “Get used to it, darlin’, because this is going to become a regular occurrence.”
“I hope so,” she whispers, her minty breath tickling my nose. She leans forward and places a soft kiss on my forehead. Goddamn, this girl is one of the sweetest fucking people I’ve ever met.
“Are you nervous about tomorrow night? I can’t believe this is your first late-night show appearance.” I feel her start to draw circles on my back, the mere touch of her fingers sending sparks down my spine to my toes. I have to blink a couple times to remember what she just asked me.
“No, I’m not nervous, but that’ll be a different story once we’re there. You know they do most of the taping of the shows in the afternoon and it’s broadcast later that day, right?” She shakes her head and I continue on. “The daytime talk shows start taping at 12:30 pm, so as soon as we land, we’ll go straight to our hotel to get styled and ready before performing on The Ellen Clarkson Show. Then it’ll just be a whirlwind of more shows and interviews the whole time we’re there.”
“Is Sosie excited about the trip?”
“Sosie is actually not going. She prefers to never step foot in the state of California ever again,” I tell her with a yawn, and I suddenly start to feel tired. My dick has finally deflated enough to where I can lie next to her and not be in pain anymore.
“Why is that?” she asks, and I hesitate a little. If Aly is going to be in my life the way I want her to be, then she needs to know everything. My gut is telling me I can trust that she won’t tell Sosie I told her.
“Sosie left California to get away from her parents, because they’re drug addicts. They’ve been that way for most of her life. When they lived in Austin, my parents tried to protect her anytime my aunt and uncle got in trouble with the law. She lived with us during the times they were sent to jail or rehab, but they never stayed clean long. I think the longest they ever did was two years.”
“Oh my God, that’s awful! No wonder Sosie seems so hostile.”
“Hostile is a nice way to put it.” I chuckle, because Sosie can be a raging bitch sometimes for no reason other than the chip on her shoulder, and her distrust for everyone she doesn’t personally know.
“When did they move to California?” Aly asks.
“When she was thirteen. Out of the blue, my uncle said they were moving, because he got a job out there. Never told my dad he was even considering leaving Austin. The main core of the family still lives in Austin, so it was a shock that anyone would want to leave.” I’ll never forget that day for as long as I live. Sosie was screaming and bawling her eyes out, begging my parents to please adopt her so she didn’t have to go. We asked her parents if she could live with us, but they refused.
“Sosie hated California and being taken away from our family. I think deep down she knew her parents were on a downward spiral. Fortunately, she had wonderful neighbors who helped take care of her until she could take care of herself. We would talk every day and keep a countdown to the day she turned eighteen. Once she graduated high school, we bought her a one-way ticket back to Austin, and she moved in with my parents.”
“Poor Sosie. That really makes me sad for her.”
“Even being back home, Sosie felt on edge. She had this nagging feeling they would come back. When my schedule was getting too crazy for me to control, I offered her a job to be my assistant, and she’s been here ever since.” I sigh, hating the fact that my aunt and uncle are such scum to not give a fuck about their daughter. How Sosie didn’t turn out to be like them is a miracle.
“I don’t have any plans on Sunday. Do you think Sosie would want to hang out with me?” Aly asks in a tired, soft voice.
“You don’t have to do that, baby.” I bring my hand up to her cheek, my thumb caressing her cheekbone. How is this gorgeous, amazing creature still single? And how am I the lucky bastard she’s willing to take a chance on?
“I know I don’t have to, but I want to,” Aly says before yawning. I slide my arm down her waist, cup her hip with my hand, and pull her against me.