The Second Tour of 44West

ch. 30 - the hours after

Rion

--

It had been about two hours since I brought Elizabeth to my home, and I was pacing back and forth in my bedroom. She had asked to shower, so I now had time to think about the rash decision I had just made.

She was going to be staying with me until she figured her life out. That would only be, like, what? Two weeks at the most? I could do this.

I can do this.

However, I couldn't lie about the nervous anticipation that her living with me was bringing. What would this time entail? I was going to have to act like I wasn't absolutely thrilled that she wasn't getting married anymore, and that she sought me, out of everyone, when she ditched the venue.

Me.

But then the sobering truth of everything else was flooding into my mind. There were probably a ton of people looking for her right now, and the press had the potential to drag her name through hell and back before she could even say anything. Not to mention the whole Robbie situation. I understand that he is definitely going through a tough time with losing his bride and paying his debts, but that never gave him the excuse to treat Elizabeth like she was second class. I was warring over how I felt about him, and was worried that he, too, would slander Elizabeth online once this story inevitably got out.

So, here I was, pacing. Trying to think about next steps and how to act around the woman in my guest bathroom. The woman whom I was still irrevocably in love with, but had to hide those feelings for the sake of hers. There is no way in hell she was ready to talk about anything like that right now. She was supposed to get married to someone else today for Christ's sake.

So, I will be the perfect host. I will make her meals and take care of her as much as she wants me to. And today, my goal is to try and keep her mind off of the bullshit we'll have to face tomorrow. I will -

"Rion?"

I snapped my head in the direction of her voice, halting my anxious steps as I looked at Elizabeth who was standing in my doorway, and I was immediately brought back to that night in Austin before our show. She had a white towel wrapped around her body, her hair was dark from being dampened by the water in the shower and sticking to her shoulders, and there were a few water droplets hanging on her collarbones, just begging to be licked off.

Wait, what?

I felt my cheeks heat up upon realizing how my thoughts were going down a path that they definitely didn't need to, and internally groaned at how my body was giving me away right now.

Just focus and answer her back.

"Yeah?"

Elizabeth's cheeks turned a soft pink as she looked at me and shifted her weight on her feet. "I don't have any clothes."

"Oh," I said, feeling thankful that she basically gave me a task to do and I could stop looking at her. I pulled out a pair of baggy sweatpants as well as a large t-shirt and hoodie from my closet and closed the distance between us to hand her the clothes.

"Thank you." She said, softly.

"Yeah, no problem." I replied, and I couldn't help the temptation to raise my hand and gently wipe off a drop of water that was resting just below her left eye on her cheek. She, unknowingly, leaned into my hand, and upon realization, straightened her neck back up right away. "Um," I started, pulling my hand away and dropping it back to my side. "Do you want to watch some movies? I'll get some snacks together, too."