Time After Time || Chris Cornell

34. Remember To Let Her Into Your Heart Then You Can Start To Make It Better

Houston Texas, May 25 2017

(Chris is 52, Andi is 29)

CHRIS: Swiping the steam from the mirror in the hotel bathroom, I grab my shaving cream, pouring some in my hand then pat my cheeks and grab the razor to clean up this stubble a bit. I rinse my razor a few times and continue on, leaning in close and gently swiping it across my cheek when I suddenly hear my acoustic in the other room being softly played for a few chords. I stop for a second to listen, and hear Andi softly singing and strumming.

I missed that voice of hers, no matter how much she always said she never had one, that playing was her thing, she always sounded so beautiful when she would just let go and sing. I close my eyes for a moment and just focus, listening to her then turn my attention back to finish shaving. Once I've rinsed my face and gently slap on some after shave, and with the white towel around my hips I make my way out of the bathroom.

"Happiness is like an old friend I miss, How can I tell you what it feels to be like this...?" She sings, sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard with my guitar across her lap, in one of my white v-neck t-shirts with the collar slipped off her shoulder, and nothing else. She stops for a moment and picks up her phone, typing something and then glances up to see me.

"Hi," She smiles and bites her lip nervously.

"Hey," I chuckle as I approach her.

"Sorry, I just had an idea, or a melody... something, and I just didn't want to lose it," She says, setting her phone back down beside her.

"S'ok baby, don't stop on my account," I smile at her. She then dismissively waves her hand and sets the guitar aside on the bed, moves to her knees and crawls over to me.

She places her hands on my chest as I reach out for her, leaning down and placing my lips on hers. My hands cup her face holding her to me as she begins to suck on my bottom lip.

"Chris?" She says when she pulls away from me but I touch my forehead to hers.

"Yes baby?" I breathe. It was all I could do to not just lay her back down on the bed and make love to her again... for the third time today.

"Am I coming with you, when you head home this afternoon?"

I lift my forehead from hers and look at her confused by that question.

"Um, yea, why? Do you not want to?" I ask, raising my eyebrow and she flicks her eyes to mine.

"No, I mean, yea I want to, I'm just worried is all,"

"Worried about what?" I ask.

"I don't know... I think I'm just worried about us. Me... specifically. I don't want to slip again," She says as she studies her hands on my bare chest.

"I don't want you to slip again either," I say as I brush a few curls out of her eyes. She stays quiet for a few moments and I touch my forehead back to hers, her fingers reaching up and playing with my damp curls.

"I'm so sorry Chris - "

"Shhhh, you need to stop apologizing to me," I chuckle.

"But - " She starts.

"No,"

"Chris - ?"

"Shhhh," I hush her again and she starts to laugh.

I take her hands and bring them up to my lips, placing soft gentle kisses to her fingers, then lean in and place my lips back on hers determined to convince her that I've long forgiven her for whatever it is that she feels guilty of - her time slipping. I deepen the kiss, making it long and passionate while my hands make their way down her sides, to her hips, slowly inching up my t-shirt that she's wearing so that I can feel her perfect ass in my hands. She then presses her body to mine, her fingers lacing through my hair.