Lover/Leaver (Jake Kiszka)

Chapter 21: No Strings Attached

Amelia woke up slowly, the morning light filtering through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. She blinked her eyes open, feeling the comforting weight of Jake's arm draped around her waist. His steady breath tickled the back of her neck, and she smiled, savoring the peacefulness of the moment. The warmth of his body against hers, the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest—everything felt so right.

She gently turned in his arms to face him, her movements slow and careful, not wanting to wake him just yet. Jake's expression was relaxed in sleep, the usual mischievous spark in his eyes replaced by a rare softness. Amelia couldn't resist leaning in to place a light kiss on his lips, her heart swelling with affection for this man who had brought so much joy back into her life.

Jake stirred, his arms tightening around her as he woke up. A lazy smile spread across his face as he opened his eyes to meet hers. "Morning, beautiful," he murmured, his voice husky with sleep.

"Morning," Amelia whispered back, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. "You stayed."

Jake's smile widened, and he leaned in to kiss her again, slow and sweet. "Amelia I would never want to leave an opportunity like this," he laughed, pulling her closer until their bodies were pressed together. "I wish we could stay like this all day."

"Me too," Amelia sighed, resting her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. But the reality of their tour schedule soon crept in, and she knew they'd have to get up and start packing for the next leg of the journey.

Reluctantly, they finally rolled out of bed and began getting ready for the day. After a quick breakfast and some playful banter, they found themselves hauling their suitcases out of the hotel and toward the tour buses.

As they walked toward the buses, Jake suddenly stopped, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. Before Amelia could react, he scooped her up, throwing her over his shoulder in one swift motion.

"Jake!" she squealed, laughing as she dangled upside down, her hair falling in wild waves.

Jake chuckled, giving her a playful pat on the behind. "What? I thought you might need a lift."

Sam and Danny, who were already near the buses, burst out laughing at the sight. "Nice form, Jake!" Sam called out, clapping his hands.

"Careful, Amelia! You don't want to fall for him too hard!" Danny added with a wink.

Amelia couldn't stop giggling as she squirmed in Jake's grip. "Put me down, you asshole!"

Jake finally set her down, still laughing as he did. "Just wanted to make sure you didn't have to carry that heavy suitcase of yours," he teased.

Amelia playfully swatted his arm. "You're ridiculous."

"Yeah, but you love it," Jake said, leaning in to steal a quick kiss, his hands still resting on her hips.

She couldn't help but smile as she kissed him back. "Maybe I do."

They stood there for a moment, wrapped up in each other, ignoring the bustle of the crew loading up the buses. Finally, Jake pulled back, his hand brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "You'd better get on the bus before I decide to keep you with me."

Amelia laughed softly. "As tempting as that sounds, I think Jess and Lisa might have something to say about that."

"Alright, I'll let you go," Jake said with a mock sigh of resignation. He leaned in for one last kiss, this one slower and more lingering. "I'll see you when we get to North Carolina."

"See you then," Amelia replied, her heart fluttering as she turned to board the bus.

However, as soon as she stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted. Jess and Lisa were sitting at the back, their expressions cold and distant. Amelia's smile faded as she realized something was wrong. Jess and Lisa were usually the first to greet her with excitement, but today, they were eerily silent.