Falling for the Rockstar

Chapter 18 - Louis

In the last few days on tour, Grace had experienced the full chaos up close—from concerts to stressful TV appearances and interviews. At first, she seemed overwhelmed, but by now, it felt like she had found a rhythm, as if she had always been a part of it. She had fully embraced the tour life: the long nights on the bus, the early morning rehearsals, the quick packing and departure, and even during the recording sessions for the new album, she was excited and involved. The guys loved her energy, and I could tell how much her presence did me good.

When the tour bus finally stopped in front of the hotel, I felt a wave of relief. Finally, a real stop with a bed of our own for Grace and me, even if it was just for one night. We got off the bus and headed through the back entrance—that was the plan, at least. As soon as we opened the door of the bus, I heard murmurs that gradually turned into loud cheering. A crowd of fans had gathered at the entrance, and when they spotted us, chaos ensued.

I was used to it, but this time Grace was by my side, and my instinct told me I had to protect her at all costs.

I felt Grace instinctively grip my hand tighter as fans gathered around us. Some shouted my name, others called for her or the guys, and the flashes started, the questions overlapping. "Louis, over here! Grace, what does this all mean?" Paul urged us to move faster, but I stayed calm, kept Grace close to me, gave a brief smile, and nodded at a few fans. Grace looked unsure, but I leaned in and murmured reassuringly, "It's okay, just a few more steps, then we're in the hotel."

As soon as we made it through the lobby, I felt her tension begin to ease. She had bravely endured the public attention on both of us over the past few days, but I knew this constant attention wasn't easy for her. When we finally got into the elevator, the door closed, and silence enveloped us. Grace leaned against the cool wall and took a deep breath, a tired smile on her lips.

"You did great," I said, gently stroking her cheek. "It's not easy to get used to all of this."

She chuckled quietly and shrugged. "Being a celebrity's kind of fun, never gets boring." I laughed.

The elevator reached our floor, and when we stepped into the room, a peaceful sense of calm enveloped us. Just the two of us. Finally. When the door clicked shut behind us, Grace immediately dropped her bag and went to the window, looking out over the dark city, the streets lit up, and the hum of cars below. I walked slowly behind her, placed my hands on her waist, and pulled her gently toward me.

"Finally alone," I whispered in her ear, my lips brushing softly against her neck. "What are you doing?" she asked quietly. "Just what I've been waiting for for weeks," I replied, feeling my heart beat faster as I pulled her closer. Grace laughed softly, and I saw that familiar, warm glow in her eyes—the look that always catches me, as if she just has me completely under her control. My hands gently glided over her shoulders, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. As I cupped her face in my hands and our gazes met, the air between us crackled.

She smiled back at me, her eyes sparkling in the soft light of the room. Her hands slid over my shoulders, finding their way to my neck, and for a moment, we were just still—almost as if we wanted to hold onto the moment before it passed. She closed her eyes, and I pressed my forehead to hers, savoring the feeling of being so close to her.

Slowly, I leaned in, our lips touched, first gently and cautiously, as if we both wanted to savor the moment. But soon, the kiss grew deeper, our movements more determined. My hands moved from her face down to her waist, pulling her closer. She sighed softly, and I felt her fingers tighten in my hair as our kisses became deeper and more passionate.

As she pulled slightly away and looked me in the eyes, I could see the desire in them. We wasted no time in pulling away or hesitating. I gently guided her toward the bed, my hands still on her waist, and I felt how much she trusted me. I pulled off the hoodie she had stolen from me and saw her smile. Grace pulled me back to her after I had gotten rid of my clothes and wrapped her arms around my neck, her eyes glowing with anticipation and nerves. I felt her heart beat faster, and it filled me with a feeling that's hard to describe—a mix of deep affection and the realization that this moment meant more than anything we had shared before.

Slowly, I lowered her onto the bed and followed her, my hands gently sliding over her shoulders and down to her hips. Quickly, I put the condom on, which I had already taken out of my pocket.

"Louis..." Her voice was barely a whisper as I entered her. Slowly, almost tenderly, we continued our night. A moment I had been waiting for weeks. Together, we reached our peak, and in that moment, I felt it.

The moment when I realize it hits me like a punch. The condom has broken. I look at Grace and immediately see that she's noticed too. Her eyes widen, and she inhales sharply as she realizes the situation. It goes silent between us, only the soft rustling of the bedsheets can be heard.

"Shit," I mutter as I pull away from her and fall beside her. I take a deep breath and try to stay calm. I toss the condom in the trash can next to the bed and lie back down. I look at Grace and see tears in her eyes.

"Grace..." I whisper, turning to her, my gaze full of concern. She looks at me, her eyes shining with fear, and I feel my hand trembling as I reach out to touch her cheek. "Hey, everything will be okay." Grace turns her face slightly, as if she can't bear the look I'm giving her. Her eyes fill with tears, and I feel the weight of the situation in the air as we both fall silent. She pulls the blanket up to her chest and closes her eyes for a moment, as if trying to push the reality away.

"It's going to be okay," I repeat softly, even though I'm not sure if I believe it myself. "I'm scared, Louis." Her voice shakes, and I see the tears running down her cheeks. "I know! Everything will be okay!" I pull her tightly into my arms, and we stay like that for a few seconds.

"We can get the morning-after pill," I say. I feel her cling to me as if she's holding on to me to avoid losing control. "And what if it still happens? What if..."

I put a finger to her lips to calm her and look deep into her eyes. "We'll think about that when the time comes. Right now, we're getting the morning-after pill." She looks at me skeptically. "It's the middle of the night. The fans are waiting outside, the press is out there with 100 people. We can't just leave the hotel and run to the next pharmacy. Louis, if my parents find out, you and I are done. And not just that, the press will tear me apart." Grace's voice gets more panicked. I sit up and look at her.

"Okay, okay, calm down," I say with a wry smile. "You know I'm an international superstar, right?"

Grace looks at me with a mix of confusion and a hint of a smile, and I continue: "I mean, I get whatever I want. And if I want a pharmacy to deliver something to me, they'll do it. Even in the middle of the night."

She almost snorts in disbelief and shakes her head. "You're impossible."

"You just have to trust me," I say, pulling my phone out of my pocket. "I'll sort it out now. One moment."

I grab my phone from the nightstand and quickly look up the emergency pharmacy. "Give me five minutes, and everything will be sorted."

Grace nods, but her eyes reveal the uncertainty that's bubbling inside her. She pulls the blanket tighter around herself and looks at me as if she's searching for reassurance.

"Louis... what if it still happens?" Her voice is shaking again, and she sounds so vulnerable that it breaks my heart.

I put the phone down and take her hand, squeezing it tightly. "Nothing's going to happen!"

She looks at me as if she's looking for something in my gaze, maybe for confirmation that everything will really be okay. And I give her exactly that. "You're not alone, I promise."

I confirm the order for the morning-after pill, and within minutes, I get the confirmation that it will be delivered to our hotel. When I show it to her, she looks at me with a relieved but still thoughtful expression.

"Okay..." she says finally, as if she feels a little safer in that moment. She leans back, and for now, we can both finally take a breath. But the air is still tense.

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Author's note:
Oh dear, let's hope everything turns out well for them.
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