Let Me Wake Up In Your Arms

Part Three ~ A Heart At War

I stood on the porch, awkwardly hugging Ville, my heart pounding in my ears. I couldn't believe any of this was happening. I couldn't believe I'd just spent the remainder of my birthday having a heart to heart with Ville freakin Valo, of all people.

I pulled away and looked into his emerald eyes, unsure of what to do next. I wanted to kiss him, damn did I want to kiss him, but we'd only just met. It would be awkward, to say the least.

"I'm not sure I'm ready to say goodbye." I admitted, fearing this was my one and only chance to spend time with him.

"Me either." Ville replied, stunning the shit out of me. "I feel like we've only just gotten started."

"As do I, and I can only hope we have this opportunity again in the future. It's been wonderful spending the evening with you. I couldn't ask for a better birthday. I don't want you forgetting me while you're out there on the road." I slipped off the plain silver band I wore on my right thumb and took his hand, pressing the ring into his palm.

"I'm sure we'll see each other again someday, at least I really hope so. Until then, I wanted you to have this so you won't forget me while thousands of fangirls are throwing themselves at you." I laughed.

"I could never forget you." He slipped the ring onto his own thumb and pulled me into his arms. He held me tight and I melted into him. We stood there like that for a good 5 minutes. He pulled away slightly, grasping me suddenly, his hands warm on my forearms. He leaned down close and I thought he was going to make things awkward and kiss me.

The door slammed open and Eden came stumbling out onto the veranda with the rest of the HIM guys. Ville and I pulled away quickly. My cheeks were flushed as Eden and her entourage sidled past us, they were obviously on their way to being drunk off their asses. She was hanging all over Mige and I wasn't the least bit surprised.

Ville and I followed Eden and the guys to the parking lot and I found myself less and less willing to let him go. It was just as he'd said, we'd only just gotten started, and there was so much more I wanted to know about him. I was getting really attached to that adorable teddy bear of a man.

"Autumn, we're calling cabs and heading to the boys' hotel." Eden said suddenly.

"Um what? Why?" I leaned my hip against her car.

"We're going. With them. On tour." She said slowly, like I was a little kid or something.

I almost fell over. She had to be joking. "And I'm supposed to believe this, Eden?" I folded my arms across my chest. I felt a raindrop plop onto my head and I stared up at the darkened sky.

"Yes." At that moment the taxis they'd apparently called while Ville and I were still on the veranda, showed up. Three of them. Eden dragged Mige into the first without any further words.

"That Eden sure is a fiery one." Gas said, shrugging. He, Linde, and Burton all packed into the second cab. Which, of course, left the last one to be occupied by Ville and I.

"Guess it's you and me." Ville said with a smirk, ushering me into the cab. I silently cursed Eden as I slid across the torn upholstery. Ville came around the other side and got in beside me. I watched the rain pick up and race down the window as our yellow procession drove towards HIM's hotel.

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"Wake up, love, we're here."

His voice was like a beacon in the middle of a blackened ocean and I followed it's light to the waking world, finally opening my eyes. I jumped back, off his shoulder and stared out the window. 'Oh my God, I fell asleep on him. How embarrassing.' I berated myself as I followed him out of the taxi.

"We're staying the night and heading out first thing in the morning." Ville was saying. I was otherwise occupied, staring up at the fading stars and watching the midnight blue sky bleeding into pinks and purples. The kiss of dawn.

"Please tell me I'm not going to be sharing a room with you." I blurted as we followed Eden and the guys inside.

"And why not, Autumn?" Ville arched a brow while we waited for Eden to sweet talk the concierge and check us in.

"Because." I said, brushing him off. I walked forward and put myself between Eden and Mige. I grabbed her arm and pulled her aside while the guys headed towards their rooms.

"Geez, Autumn, what's wrong?" She pulled out of my grasp.

"I'm NOT staying with Ville. It's awkward. I can't be sharing a room with someone I just met. I can't be feeling these things for him, not yet. I'm going to just try to stay away from him on this tour. Please let me stay with you, I'm practically begging here."

"Okay, I understand. Now let's go grab a room and some shut eye." She smiled.

We turned to walk toward the elevator and Ville was standing there, just a few feet from where we'd been talking. Judging by the look on his face, he'd heard the whole thing.

"Ville...you heard us, didn't you?"

"Autumn, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable." He walked off toward the elevators, jabbing at the up button.

"Ville, wait. It's not YOU, it's ME. I was..." He disappeared into an elevator and was gone before I could finish.

I felt awful. It wasn't his fault, it was all me. I was the one practically throwing myself at the poor guy, while he was just being the sweet gentleman he is. Eden and I were silent on our ride up, not even taking the time to speak before we collapsed into our beds.

I cried silently into my pillow, clutching the sheet in my fists. This was always a problem with me. I had a hard time letting friendships blossom before I starting throwing myself at the guy, thus screwing everything up.

Sometimes I wondered if I would ever learn.