Come Back to Me - It's Almost Easy

After having ravished Lea earlier on, I was somewhat calmer. Having seen her tattoo, I knew that I didn't need to worry about her falling for Matt again either. It was her first tattoo. The first tattoo, and it was tribute to me. The man she said she loved. The man that made her happy and not cry, like other had before me.
And to be honest, I was surprised myself: In the past 2 weeks, she had been my sole reason for coming home. For putting in my hardest work in the studio, so that I could wrap things up without having to re-record shit over and over again. I had fallen so hard for this girl, I didn't even know if I had landed already, but my feeling told me that there was still some way to go, before I 'd have her fully figured out. But from what I knew about her so far was enough for me to love her unconditionally...now that my doubts about her and Matt had finally been put to rest.
She was sitting on Brian's lap at this stage, him nuzzling his face into her neck. At any other occasion, I would have jumped up and pulled her off him, but I had to keep my cool, seen that her and me had so far successfully been able to keep our cover up. Sandra knew, she gave me looks that said 'don't worry' . Matt's cool was surprising as well. I had kind of expected him to be all over her, or at least force her to have some sort of front- clearing discussion, but he held off well, actually enjoying himself. He hadn't seen Matt smile in weeks now, and him sitting here, interacting with all his friends, laughing and chuckling about jokes, it was good to see he was finally back to his own self again. This only brought painfully back to mind, that Matt's pain had partially to do with me, but I easily brushed this thought off: he fucked it up, I merely picked up the pieces, ending up with the most amazing girl ever.

"Zack, is there anything going on between you and Lea?"

I turned around, looking up to Leana, who was sitting down next to me. I scanned her face, she was pretty, smooth features. She wasn't my type, but that didn't take away from her beauty one bit. I took a drink from my JD & coke, looking back over to Brian, Lea and the others.

"Whatever gave you that idea? I am just minding my own business, and you throw assumptions around you."

I was mildly pissed off that she had been able to put all the right meaning into my stares towards Lea, but I was not willing to give up my cover that easily. I couldn't let anybody know without informing Lea first, so we could avoid any weird situations. This little band family was way too close knit, and although Leana was like a mother figure to all of us, she would most likely tell Jimmy at some stage: she wasn't the best person to keep things from her fiancee.

"Well, let me see: she has your name tattooed in giant letters across her whole back, everytime you talk to her, she looks as if she'd jump you any second and you look like you're just about to take a swing at Bri because he's awfully close to her. We women have an eye for stuff like that you know."

I took another drink, not being able to hide a smile. Had I been that see-through all night? Maybe I should feel grateful that it was her that had asked me, not any of the guys or Dave.

"Come on, every guy in this club would like to snap his neck and try to be with her, I am no different, I'm just a bloke after all the fame. And if she looks at me the way you say...I doubt she'd sit right over there, nibbling on Brian's earlobe!"

I caught her off guard, her head was swinging around as she looked at Brian and Lea. Hell, they did look way too close for comfort! The picture that was presenting itself to me was making my blood boil, although at second glance, she had been whispering into his ear, not actually nibbling on it. But the way she was leaning her head back exposed her cleavage to Bri, and Brian couldn't help but to look down to catch a glimpse of her goods. I was about to stand up, as I saw movement out of the corner of my eyes, which made me settle back into my seat.

"Ok, that's enough Haner. Stop staring at her titts!"

Matt had practically jumped off his seat, now dragging Lea behind him, towards the stairs, with her struggling to keep her balance. It should have been me doing this! My eyes followed the two of them, as they descended the stairs. Brian looked rather confused, he was usually not the one being told off by Matt, but he quickly realized, that he had been trying his luck with the girl that Matt was still in love with. The expression on his face was priceless and not only me, but both Johnny and Jimmy were starting to laugh out loudly.

"Ok, never mind Zack, you just got cleared. But I'll be watching you!"

Leana said, as she wondered over to Jimmy.

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*General POV*

"What the fuck Lea? Are you trying to get me all worked up on purpose? Flirting around with all my band mates but Jimmy? I have a hard enough time not to be all over you myself, while you are behaving as if you were ready to fuck with every guy that gives you the time of day!"

Matt barked at her, finally releasing her wrist, after having pulled her all the way outside the club. She was rubbing the sore wrist, looking down at it. He had used so much force, she could still see his hand imprinted on her tanned skin. He was kicking back, leaning against the brick wall, digging his clenched fists deep into the pockets of his stone washed jeans, trying to calm himself down.

"You know damn well I still want you with every damn fibre of my friggin' body, why would you make me look like a fool in front of all my friends? I know I hurt you, and that I have a lot of ground to make up for...but don't you think that this is going a bit far Lea?"

The last sentences were spoken in a much smoother tone of voice, and he looked over to her. She had some venomous replies on her lips, until she could see the shimmer in his hazel eyes. Was he having tears in his eyes?

"Damn Matt, I am not your woman to claim anymore. You gave up this right when you purposely lied to me and had sex with the woman you were still going out with at the time. I cannot hate her, as much as I want, I mean, you were still going out with her. And no, I am not trying to fuck any guy in here, I am just trying to have a good time, celebrating my birthday and my new found confidence. There are so many things about me that you don't know about Matt...but hurting you on purpose is not one of them! I am sorry if you still feel so strongly about me, but there is no way I will get back with you. I thought I was through with men that cheat and lie to me...but you have been a sore reminder, that I should have listened to my own alarm bells going off...or at least to Sandra."

She was walking towards the entrance again, as she could feel that he put his large hand on her arm.

"Can you say with complete honesty, that you do not think about me? That you don't want me anymore? Come on L. , after all we have been through, the months of waiting and bottling up feelings...can you seriously say you are done with me?"

Lea braced herself for what she was about to say. It would be hard, as she knew it would stab his heart, after what he had admitted just a minute ago, but she needed to say this, so that he would stop hoping for something, that would never come true.

"I am sorry Matt, but yes, I am sure. In fact, I am having a new boyfriend since 2 weeks. Someone that loves me and shows me that every minute of the day, whenever I see him. His love is unconditional. And please, don't think I have been over you in a snap...but I love him more than anything in my life, and will move in with him. So please, do yourself a favour and forget about me. Find yourself another woman that wants you, even get back with your ex, I bet she'd take you back with open arms, since a little bird told me that she's a fan girl. But this, you and me, is not happening in this lifetime, and the sooner you get that into this pretty head of yours, the sooner we can maybe become friends again."

Lea stood on her toes, and pressed him a soft kiss on his right cheek, before she turned around and entered the club again. Leaving Matt behind, still clouded in her scent and the naked truth she had just given him. That she was not available anymore. That she was having a new man in her life. That after this short time, that it had taken for his life to fall apart, she was already planning on moving in with that other man. The other man. No...he was just realizing that he himself was now the other man, sitting on the sidelines, knowing that the coach was not likely to put him into play. He took a deep breath, looking towards the entrance of the club, drenched into blue light. He turned his back and walked to his car. He needed space to come to terms with everything that had just been said, and he would not be able to do that, if she would be around.

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It was almost 4am, as Zack's car was turning into his driveway. Lea was sound asleep on the passenger seat, her cheek resting on her hand. He smiled as he took in this innocent picture. He leaned over to her and softly brushed some stray hair out of her face, before placing his lips on her cheek. She moved, stretching her legs, turning towards him.

"I must have fallen asleep, sorry baby."

He unbuckled her seatbelt before he opened his door.

"That's ok. I am just glad we were able to keep the whole situation under control tonight. I am so proud of you talking to Matt and putting him straight. And now, I wanna take you inside and make passionate love to you, without the fear of anyone walking in on us!"

They both exited the car and he locked it with the press of a button. They met in front of the car and he wrapped his right arm around her waist, kissing her neck, causing her to giggle. He had almost gone crazy at the club, not being able to touch her the way he wanted, not being able to talk to her the way he wanted. And after Leana's comment, he didn't even dare looking at her the way he wanted anymore. As she was rummaging in her purse to retrieve his house keys that he had given her, so that he didn't need to carry them around in his pocket of his pants, he pressed her against the door, his lips crushing into hers, his tongue slipping out and grazing her lips, until she gave in and granted him access. She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and pulled him closer. She had been missing his kisses and his touch all night, and the short intercourse they had had at the club had no where near been able to replace the amount of tender loving they usually shared.
They suddenly heard movement on the far off corner of the porch and broke their kiss, both turning their heads towards the origin of the sound, slowly inching away from each other.