All Areas Accessed - Sequel to Access All Areas

Chapter Eight

Well, I totally smashed that show!

I am hyped to the max. Everyone is hyped to the max. But there's only one face that I really want to see. Backstage is literally buzzing with relieved excitement. My adrenaline is piqued and I'm desperate to see Clara. Last night, I blew her away with my performance. Tonight, I want to arouse her with my performance. As I'm sharing time with my crew, team and dancers, I'm constantly looking out for Clara. As yet, there's still no sign of her. I've already asked Will whether he has seen her and I know that Cam isn't with her either.

Shit, maybe she's already left?

Maybe she couldn't face seeing me after the show?

Maybe that kiss was a kiss too much?

My heightened mind becomes plagued with worrying about whether or not I have scared Clara away by being too pushy. Just as I'm mentally giving myself a good kicking, I see the face that I've been longing to see. "Clara, I've been looking for you." My relief is obvious, as is my pleasure at the sweet sight of her. "Did you want to change for the party in my dressing room?" It takes all of my strength, just to refrain from sweeping her up in my elated arms.

Her eyes fall so depressingly low. "I am really tired, Rhys. I had zero sleep last night. Today and tonight has been full on. We have finished the interview, finished the photos...I'm just ready for my bed now."

"Is this because of what happened earlier?" Of course it is! You're the reason why Clara wants to leave!

"Of course not! I'm just—"

"Knackered." Comes my bitterly disappointed interjection.

"Yes, I am." She tells me with a burdened sigh and such a regretful smile.

Needing to get rid of the awkward space between us, I move nearer to her. "I really want you to come, Clara?" It's honestly and plainly said. I do want her to come. I want her at the party, because it will probably be the last time that I see her.

Hesitant, she cutely grimaces. "I'm not sure."

"Even if it's just for a little while?" I widen my hopeful eyes and smile, just wanting her to say yes. "If me and my lips promise to behave ourselves, will you come?" My eyes brighten with playfulness, aglow with angelic flirtation. At this point, I'd say just about anything to get Clara to this party. For me, promises are just like New Year resolutions—made to be broken.

Surprisingly, Clara then says with a sexy roll of her eyes. "Oh, alright then." Undoubtedly persuaded by my irrepressible Rhys Ryan charm, she finally agrees to come.

Quietly elated, I try to keep my reply real casual, but my eager and bouncy body expresses just how happy I am that she's now definitely coming to the wrap party. "Cool." I cheerily say, now looking at her clothes. "Are you wanting to take me up on that offer of changing now?"

Clara smiles, nodding hard. "That would be great."

Offering to walk her to my dressing room, I walk with a confident swagger. Now, I would get more time with my gorgeous journalist. I would thankfully get more time to discover more about the alluring Clara Thorn. With my adrenaline pumping hard around my body, I feel like I have been given a reprieve.

I'm not yet ready to return to LA, and I'm not yet ready to say goodbye to this unbelievable woman.

**

When I saw Clara again, my capacity to speak kind of got lost in the swallow that I honestly couldn't make. Changed and ready for the party, she was quite simply womanly perfection. Her brown hair was sexily swept to the side, looking gorgeously shiny against her neck as it teasingly rested on her right breast. Her eyes looked just as compelling as the ocean, now framed with glorious gold and elongated lashes that were coated in the blackest of black. And her divine lips. Oh jeez, her divine lips were deliciously stained an illegal shade of red that just made me harder than hard. I couldn't find any of the words that I had wanted to say to her. Every one of them was paralysed in my overwhelmed and over aroused throat. I think I just about managed to say that she looked amazing. And shit, she did look amazing. Clara Thorn was quickly becoming all kinds of amazing to me. "I think me and my lips might be breaking promises later." Is what I had truthfully told her, because I knew that me and my lips were totally screwed for the night.