Better Than Me

Andy descended from the tour bus, squinting in the glare of the late afternoon sun. He had been sleeping deeply when Jeremy roused him and announced that they were at the venue in Ontario.

Andy wasn't looking forward to the show tonight. He wasn't focused on what he had to do and hadn't been since Riley left. If she would only call, he was sure he could shake the feelings that were weighing on him. Or, better yet, if he could take a few days off and go home and talk to Riley face to face. He wanted to apologize again for not trusting her. He wanted to convince her that he deserved another chance, that things would be better the second time around. Mostly, he wanted to tell her he loved her--and hear her say it in return.

Andy filed inside with Jeremy, Jake, Christian, and Ashley. Their crew, along with some of the staff employed by the venue, were scurrying back and forth, preparing for the Black Veil Brides' sound check. Andy slouched into the dressing room. He didn't even want to do his vocal warmups, let alone the necessary sound check.

Fuuuck! he thought, dragging his hands down his face. Apathy had invaded every particle of his being. The only thing that seemed important was having the opportunity to speak to Riley.

"Andy?" Christian had followed him to the leather couch crammed in the corner of the room. He was regarding the younger man with a mixture of concern and understanding.

"What?" Andy mumbled, throwing himself onto the couch.

"Have you heard from Riley?"

"No."

"Have you tried calling her again?"

Andy snorted. "What's the point? She's avoiding me."

"She just needs time, Andy. It took you nearly two weeks to get in touch with her after..." Christian trailed off. "Anyway, maybe she's not ready to talk to you yet."

"Or maybe she's in Alabama, letting Jacob lick her wounds for her."

"So what if she is? You've drowned your sorrows in two or three other women."

"Two or three strangers, not someone who contributed to the breakup."

Christian rolled his eyes. "Jacob didn't contribute to the breakup. Your suspicious nature brought him into it."

"You don't think running to him proves that she's had feelings for him the whole time?"

"No, I don't. And where is the proof that she's been around Jacob since the two of you broke up?"

"I asked Cori if Riley had seen Jacob lately and she avoided the question. That's all the proof I need."

"You're an idiot. Cori wouldn't tell you if Riley had so much as driven to the gas station for a Coke right now. She's furious at you."

"That's fair," Andy said sarcastically.

Christian shrugged. "Riley's her best friend. They're practically sisters. She's not going to forgive you until Riley does."

Suddenly, Andy's cell emitted Pink Floyd's "Young Lust." Andy hadn't changed Riley's personalized ring tone. His heart leaped and he quickly pulled the miniscule phone out of a pocket. "Hello?"

"Um...hey."

The sound of her voice caused a quiver in his belly. "Riley, hi. How are you?"

Christian went over to the other guys and ushered everyone out of the room, giving Andy some privacy.

"Pretty good," Riley said. "You?"

"Tired. We just finished the long-ass drive to Ontario. We have three shows in Canada, then it's down to Denver, Colorado."

"Y'all only have about two weeks left, right?"

"Yup. And our last show is in L.A., thank God."

There was a pause. Seconds passed before Riley said "Cori delivered your message. What did you need to talk to me about?"

Andy didn't want to do this over the phone. Much like the conversation that had resulted in the end of their relationship, this was something that had to be handled face to face. "I'd rather talk to you in person."

"Andy..."

"Please, Riley? I know things are still a little raw, but you can't just pretend I don't exist."

"I would never do that!"

"Then come to the L.A. show."

"Andy, if this is important, we don't need to wait--"

"It is important," he interrupted. "Very important. That's why it has to be done face to face."

Riley sighed. "I guess if you can wait two more weeks, I can, too."

"Perfect."

"Bye, Andy."

"Later."

Smiling, Andy pocketed his cell. Christian had been right: Riley wasn't quite ready to talk to Andy. However, she would probably be ready by the time two more weeks went by. She would be willing to listen and, hopefully, she would be receptive to what he had to say.

Andy got up and walked to the door of the dressing room. The rest of the guys were gathered less than ten feet away. They were laughing loudly at some reenactment that Jake was doing.

Sticking a cigarette between his lips, Andy joined them. He was lighting the cigarette when Christian nudged him. Andy's eyes flicked to the drummer.

"That was Riley, right?" Christian said quietly so as not to be overheard by Jeremy, Jake, and Ashley.

Andy nodded.

"And?" Christian demanded.

Andy blew out a cloud of smoke and smiled. "She'll be at the last show in L.A."

"Did you guys make up?"

"Nope." Andy's smile widened. "That will happen in two weeks."

**********

Riley was counting down the days to the Black Veil Brides show in Los Angeles with trepidation. She knew what Andy was going to try that night and it bothered her that she wasn't one-hundred percent positive how she would react to it.

She entered the office on Tuesday morning, exactly one week from the show. She worked through the hours until lunch. She didn't get much done. Her mind wasn't on her task. It was where it had been every since the phone call: on Andy and the upcoming show. Therefore, it took her a moment to realize who had just sauntered into view.

Her heart gave a particularly hard thump at the sight of Jacob. Thoughts of Andy immediately vanished as if they'd never been.

"Jacob!" She ran to him and jumped into his arms. There had been phone calls, but they hadn't seen each other since she'd come back to California.

He smiled, kissing her. "Hi."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm taking you to eat."

"Let me tell my boss." Riley picked up the phone on her desk and punched the button that would connect her to Colin's direct line.

"Yes?" Colin said over the noise of typing. He obviously had her on speaker.

"I'm going to lunch."

"Okay."

Riley set the phone back in its cradle and retrieved her purse from the bottom drawer of her desk. Jacob guided her to the elevator with a hand at the small of her back. As soon as the doors slid closed, Riley turned to him and pulled him to her for another kiss.

"Riley," he protested, only halfheartedly, letting her tug him against her.

"No talking," she scolded.

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist, deepening the kiss. The elevator slowed as it reached the lobby and Riley broke away from Jacob. She didn't think her coworkers needed to be privy to her personal life, and if a single person spied she and Jacob making out, it would be all over the office within the hour.

Jacob led the way out of the building, to a sporty black car. Remembering his Corvette, Riley shook her head. Jacob obviously loved fast, expensive cars. Maybe they were his true vice.

The two of them had lunch at a restaurant that had a generous number of vegetarian and vegan options on the menu. They chatted easily while they ate, but Riley's dread increased with every passing second. She had to tell him that she'd talked to Andy and that she was going to the show next week. He deserved to know. Whatever happened at the show now affected Jacob's life as much as hers and Andy's.

Greeting Jacob in such an affectionate manner was probably a mistake, Riley thought unhappily.

"Riley?" Jacob said as they left the restaurant and angled for his rental. "Is something wrong? You're really quiet all of the sudden."

Riley looked at him, meeting those pure blue eyes, so much like Andy's. The idea of hurting him was still repulsive to her. Honesty is preferable to lies.

"We need to talk." She had to force the words out. She would rather have done anything else.

Expression growing wary, Jacob nodded. They reached the car and climbed in. Jacob drove in silence and Riley took her cue from him, keeping her mouth shut. She didn't ask where they were going and soon, she began to see familiar landmarks.

Jacob turned into the parking lot of the studio where Adler was recording. Riley figured it was as good a place as any. She definitely didn't want him back in Andy's house. That would feel very wrong.

Jacob got out of the car and walked inside without waiting for her. Riley followed. They ended up in a room filled with comfortable furniture and a table. Jacob tossed his hoodie over the back of a squashy armchair, then sat on the matching sofa. Riley reluctantly perched on the edge of the sofa, situating herself as far from Jacob as possible.

"So?" he said. "Talk."

Riley sighed. He was mad. He assumed she was about to insist again that their relationship could never work. Riley almost wished that was what she was about to do. The alternative seemed worse.

"I called Andy."

Jacob's face was instantly mask-like. There wasn't a trace of emotion anywhere, not even in his eyes.

"He had called the last day we were in Ohio," Riley hurriedly continued. "I ignored it. He got in touch with Cori, made her swear to have me call him. He said it was important, that he had to talk to me."

Jacob maintained his silence. Riley gritted her teeth. She wanted some kind of reaction from him.

"I called him," she repeated. "But whatever it is that's so important, he'll only tell me in person. The last show of this tour is next week in L.A. I'm going. I want to hear what he has to say."

"You know what he has to say," Jacob muttered.

"Maybe."

"Maybe? Maybe what? Maybe this time it'll be good enough?"

Riley stood. "I don't expect you to understand."

"Because I've never been in a relationship as meaningful as the one you had with Andy?"

Riley stared at Jacob, surprised. She had never heard his voice so harsh, not even at the hotel in Ohio when he'd been spilling his guts to her.

Jacob rose to his feet in one fluid motion. He approached Riley, who couldn't have retreated even if she'd wanted to. She was too intrigued by this new facet of his personality, too curious about what he would do next.

In the space between two heartbeats, she was in his arms and he was kissing her as he'd never kissed her before. Riley was stunned. This was the last thing she would have guessed he would do.

Riley responded--it was impossible not to--and Jacob's kisses became even more urgent. His hands tentatively wandered to the bottom of her shirt, pushing it up. As her shirt slid over her skin, his fingertips did as well. The contact was feather light and she shivered.

Jacob drew back and Riley obediantly held her arms up so that he could lift her shirt over her head. She experienced a brief flash of self-consciousness. Hugging herself, she blushed.

Jacob grabbed her hand and returned to the sofa. He sat down, pulling Riley onto his lap. She shifted so that she was straddling him and sought his lips again. One of his hands was at the small of her back, the other kneading her right breast. He claimed her lips in a long, breath-stealing kiss.

Riley had her hands entangled in his hair. This was what she'd wanted from him since they'd first kissed in Ohio. It was odd how her brain had gone straight to sex...she'd abstained for an entire year during her relationship with Andy.

Sex with Andy meant something and I didn't want to ruin things with him, she reasoned. In Jacob's case, it's inconsequential.

Despite what she and Jacob had agreed on in Birmingham, Riley still believed this was a rebound. And casual sex with an attractive man never hurt anyone.

Jacob's hand dropped from her breast to the button on her jeans, unbuttoning them with only a bit of difficulty. There was just enough space between their bodies for him to slip his hand beneath the waistband of her jeans, straight into her panties.

Riley bit her lip. The sensation of his calloused fingers on that oh so sensitive skin was enough to drive every thought and every worry right out of her head.

Jacob explored her gently at first, using his free hand on the back of her neck to bring her mouth back to his. The kiss was long and firm and more like he was breathing her in than simply tasting her. Meanwhile, he was now focused on her clit with the other hand, massaging with his thumb and sending shocks of pleasure through her.

"Jacob," she gasped. She caught his wrist, causing him to hesitate. Something had just occurred to her.

Casual sex with an attractive man won't hurt ME. But for Jacob, this isn't casual. And this can't happen when I have no idea what the outcome of my talk with Andy is going to be.

"I can't," she whispered.

His eyes met hers and he tauntingly traced the edges of her opening. Riley's breathing hitched in her throat. Jacob smirked.

"I'm serious, Jacob," she said shakily.

He leaned forward, kissing her while simultaneously sinking two fingers into her body. Riley arched. The noise torn from her throat was muffled by his lips sealed firmly over hers. Her every inclination to protest died.

Jacob probed her warmth with those fingers, his thumb continuing to stimulate her clit. Lightheaded, she had to break their kiss in order to take a deep breath.

Jacob never altered his pace, not even when he hit a spot deep inside her that made her cry out. Her kisses became more eager the nearer she got to release. The buildup was gradual and it was driving her crazy.

And then, her orgasm washed over her, prolonged by Jacob's fingers still sliding in and out of her. She was literally paralyzed from the pleasure for several seconds that felt like an eternity.

"Get up," he said.

Riley, who had her head resting on his shoulder, groaned. "I'm not sure I can."

Jacob laughed softly. "You have to, darlin'. Your lunch hour is over. You're late."

"And whose fault is that?" she retorted playfully, managing to stand despite the weakness in her knees.

Jacob grinned, totally unrepentant. Riley zipped and buttoned her jeans. Smoothing her shirt, she walked out of the studio with Jacob.

It was a short trip to the office. Jacob cut the engine and stretched over to kiss her. "I'm going to be really busy tomorrow, and I'm flying home on Thursday." He caught and held her gaze. "Call me after the show."

"I will."

He seemed to want to say something else, but instead, he kissed her again. "Bye, darlin'."

"Bye." She hopped out of the car and sprinted inside.