Sophie
We weren’t in the air very long. Phil and I spent our time in the back bedroom, and as promised, he made me forget about everything else in the world.
No more stalkers.
No more paparazzi.
No more bodyguards.
No more dead boyfriends.
Just Phil, paying attention to my every whimper, every ask, every plea.
Just me, as I lost myself in his body, his sounds, his touch.
The bodyguards were at the very front of the jet with the flight attendant, Cindy. I think Cindy knew something was going on in the back, because when we landed she used the intercom to tell us we could remove our seatbelts.
Like we had used our seatbelts.
Phil put his clothes on and gave me another kiss. “Stay on the jet until I tell you it’s okay to come off, Petal.”
“All right.”
He left, and I went into the second room and sat down on an oversized chair, looking out the window.
It was dark out, but I could see Phil from the runway lights. He was stressed. Something wasn’t right. It was cold, and his breath came out as fog as he paced the runway with his phone to his ear, trying to sort out whatever was not right.
At dinner, I knew something was up. He tried his best to make me believe everything was okay, but I knew it wasn’t. Then he said he was coming to Canada with me. He looked exhausted, and I knew it was my fault.
My addiction to him was growing. I didn’t mean to fight him and felt bad about ruining his holiday. He told me we could be what I wanted, and I did want to be with him. I couldn’t deny it anymore. But I still had the voice in my head whispering to me that I needed to make sure I didn’t get too close.
Getting close meant developing feelings. Feelings meant I was vulnerable, and I could never let myself be in that situation again.
Looking out the window, I realized he had been right: he’d felt something wouldn’t be sorted with security. If I had come here without him...
I shuddered. I wouldn’t have known any different and would have gotten off the jet and not even known, thinking I was protected.
He was out on the runway for a good thirty minutes or so. Between his phone and the men who were on the tarmac, he was pacing back and forth, trying to figure the situation out. More guilt shot through me; I knew he was overworked and stressed, and once again, I knew it was my fault.
Tonight he needs to sleep. Nothing else, Sophie.
A car showed up on the runway, and four men got out. Phil talked with them and reviewed their credentials.
Finally, he got back on the jet. His face and hands were freezing, and his exhaustion was more apparent.
“Sophie, you can get off now.” He motioned for me to come out, and grabbed a bag from the overhead bin.
My hand stroked his cheek, and he looked at me in surprise. “Thanks.” I gave him a quick peck, and he wrapped his arm around my waist as we walked out. He ushered me to one of the cars on the runway, and one of the bodyguards ogled me and licked his lips. Yes, I was super famous, but a bodyguard should never do that. I would have to talk to Phil, but I wasn’t going to at that moment. He needed to get rest.
When we got in the car, he put his head back against the headrest.
I stroked his hair, and he looked over at me. “You’re going right to bed when we get to the hotel.”
He gave me a tired smile. “I love hearing those words out of your mouth.”
I laughed. “For sleep. You need to sleep.”
He stared at me with his tired eyes.
“Your beard is so soft.” I stroked his goatee.
He softly chuckled.
“Thank you for coming with me.” I leaned into him and kissed him on the cheek.
“You’re welcome.” He yawned.
We quickly arrived at the hotel. The bodyguards checked us in and handed us each a room key.
I grabbed Phil’s out of his hand.
He looked at me in surprise.
I stepped into him and whispered in his ear, “Let me take care of you tonight.”
He searched my eyes, debating whether he should come to my room or not.
I grabbed his hand. “Come on.”
It was around eleven o’clock. The bodyguards cleared the elevator, and we went up to the penthouse suite. They checked out the room and gave us the all-clear to enter.
We walked in, and Phil locked the door behind us. He threw the overnight bag that he kept on the jet on the couch. My bags were already in the room.
I grabbed him and started to undress him.
He gave me a sly grin. “I think I like your version of sleep.”
I laughed. “Don’t get excited. I’m running you a hot shower, and then you’re getting into bed.”
As I released his pants to the floor, he stepped forward and pulled me into his mouth. “You could join me in the shower.”
I laughed. “Not tonight. You need to rest.”
“It’s just one little shower…”
I laughed some more and led him into the bathroom. “Nice try.” I reached into the shower and turned the water on, unwrapped the soap, and stuck it on the shelf.
He snuck up behind me and pulled me into his body. “Come shower with me,” he whispered as he nibbled on my neck.
I turned into him. “You need to rest.”
“I’ll get it after our shower.”
I shook my head and slapped his naked ass. “Get in the shower, now.”
He nipped at my earlobe and murmured, “Shower with me. Help me not think, Petal.”
I took a deep breath. He needed rest, but I also knew how he needed to turn his mind off.
He took my arms and raised them above my head and pulled my shirt off me, then threw it on the ground. His hands were quickly on my jeans, unbuttoning them and pushing them down along with my panties. Within seconds, he had my bra unfastened and off me.
I softly laughed. “You did that rather quickly.”
While walking me over to the shower, he hungrily kissed me. “I don’t have to think about how to do that.”
We stepped under the hot water, and I stroked his hair with my hand. “You need to rest. This needs to be a quick shower.”
He put his forehead to mine. “Just let me feel you shatter against me, Petal. That’s all I want. Can you give that to me?”
My heartbeat quickened, and I nodded.
He turned me around and lathered himself and me up with soap. I slid against his body as his lips fluttered on the curve of my neck.
I grabbed behind me at his body, pulling him tighter to me as his arm went around my waist and his other fingers slid down to my already throbbing sex.
“I imagined you in the shower with me, Petal.”
“Mmm.” I closed my eyes and laid my head against him as his fingers slid in and around me.
“Did you imagine me in the shower with you?”
“Yes.”
“When?” His fingers were gliding gracefully over me as if to the beat of a song.
“All the time,” I whispered.
His manhood pulsed against my naked back as his fingers curled within me. “Was I holding you like this, Petal?”
My knees started to tremble, and I took a shaky breath. “Yes.”
“Did you play with yourself and pretend it was my fingers?” His lips on my neck sent volts down my spine.
“Mm-hmm,” I whimpered.
His thumb circled my clit harder. “Did it feel as good as my fingers feel?”
“No,” I moaned as he pushed my adrenaline higher. I dug my fingers into his thighs more.
“What did you dig your fingers into, Petal?” He started to swipe my sweet spot.
“Oh…” My breasts started to heave up and down as little waves of pleasure began to shoot through me.
“Did you imagine my dick was hard against your back like this?” His thumb started going faster, and my body began to tremble.
“Phil… Oh...please,” I cried out.
He slowed me down. “Did you beg me when your fingers were my fingers, Petal?”
Nodding, I closed my eyes and leaned farther back on him. His body was warm against mine, and the white steam quickly surrounded us.
“You did it fast and hard, didn’t you, Petal?” He swiped at me again.
My knees buckled, and he held me up with his arm that was tight against my waist.
“Answer me, Petal. Did you make yourself cum fast and hard?”
“Yes,” I cried out. The ripples were moving, and I needed them to move faster.
“Do you want me to do that, Petal?”
“Yes,” I echoed throughout the bathroom.
He nipped at my ear and quickly started circling with his thumb and grinding away at my g-spot.
“Phil,” I cried out, and flew over the top, ricocheting hard against his body as he drove his fingers in and around me.
He held my body tight to his as it convulsed violently. “You’re so beautiful, Petal.”
I slowed down and started to regain my leg strength.
He turned me around and sweetly kissed me. His voice was hoarse. “I mean it, Petal. You’re so beautiful, in every way.” His eyes drilled into mine as if they were burning into my soul.
I had to turn away, and I buried myself in his neck and started to kiss him to hide.
People told me all day long how beautiful I was. But I knew Phil didn’t mean it the same way. Only one other person had ever seen me as beautiful in the way that Phil meant it.
He had been with me in the way thousands of men had fantasized about being with me. And he was telling me he saw past what everyone else saw. But I’d known that he saw me differently the moment he’d laid eyes on me. It was in his eyes that first night, and I’d seen it.
But knowing something and hearing someone say it are two different experiences. And I wasn’t ready for it.
I changed the subject. “You need to sleep. Time to get out.”
He laughed. “Jeez, you’re bossy.”
“I think you like me bossy.”
He turned off the shower and gave me a naughty smile. “Depends what you want to boss me around about.”
“Ha, ha!”
I grabbed a towel and threw it at him, grabbed one for myself, and stepped out. I gazed back at him through the shower glass as water dripped off his muscles and he toweled himself off.
He’s so hot.
Phil looked up. “You enjoying the show?”
“Sure am.”
He laughed and wrapped it around his body, stepped out, went over to the sink, grabbed one of the guest toothbrushes, and brushed his teeth.
“Come on.” I curled my finger at him, and he followed me out to the bedroom. I pulled the covers back and pointed. “Get in.”
He rolled his eyes, but had a small grin on his face as he kissed me and got into the bed.
I tucked him in and turned off the light.
“Where are you going?” He grabbed my hand.
I wiggled out of his grasp. “I’m going to brush my teeth. I’ll be back soon.”
He moaned. “Come to bed so I can make you cum again.”
I laughed. “Close your eyes and go to sleep. There’s no more of that tonight.” I walked out of the room and brushed my teeth, and when I was done, I walked back out to the bedroom.
My lips pursed. I expected to see him asleep, but he was on the phone. Something was going on with security again.
When he got off, I grabbed his phone from him and turned it off.
“Sophie, what are you doing?”
“You don’t need this anymore tonight. It’s time to sleep. We’re safe in our hotel room. Anything that needs to be done can be done after you wake up tomorrow.”
He reached out and tried to grab the phone from me.
I tossed it over to the armchair and rolled my naked body on top of his, kissed him, and started to roll off of him. “Goodnight.”
He grabbed my ass and held it to him. “Where are you going?”
“Phil, go to sleep. We can play tomorrow,” I told him sternly.
Yawning, he released me. “Okay, you win.”
I snuggled up to him. “Good. You should add that phrase to your vocabulary.”
He laughed softly. “No problem, Petal.”
“That one, too.”
He laughed again. “Okay, wake me up tomorrow for your interview.”
I kissed his cheek. “Go to sleep.”
He quickly fell asleep. He was still sleeping when I left the room at four a.m. to get to the station for my radio interview. I didn’t have the heart to wake him.
The bodyguards stood up when I opened the door. There were two different men than the night before.
“Ma’am.” They nodded at me. One of them checked me out.
What’s up with these Canadian guards? Do they not know proper professional etiquette? Have they never guarded anyone famous before?
“Good morning. I have my interview at the radio station?”
“Yes, we are aware. Please follow us down to the car.” The non-ogler pointed me toward the elevator.
It didn’t take long before I was at the station. I did my interview and went into the private guest lounge, where I had several other interviews with different publications. My manager Terry normally did interviews with me, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Around 9 a.m., I had finished up an interview when the non-ogler bodyguard came up to me. “Ma’am, you need to look at your phone.”
I peered at him curiously. “Okay. What am I looking at?”
“You have a message from Phil.”
“Thanks.” I went and grabbed my phone. I had over a dozen missed calls from an unknown number, and text messages as well.
Jeez. I didn’t take Phil as the obsessive type, but maybe I’m wrong?
I opened the text message chain.
8:40 a.m. “Sophie, it’s Phil. Why didn’t you wake me?”
8:41 a.m. “I need you to call me.”
8:44 a.m. “Your interview should be over right now. Please call me.”
8:48 a.m. “Sophie, make sure you don’t go anywhere and call me.”
8:52 a.m. “I’m not fooling around. Sophie, I need you to call me.”
8:54 a.m. “CALL ME.”
8:57 a.m. “Sophie, don’t go anywhere. CALL ME.”
The hairs on my neck stood up. I didn’t get the vibe that Phil was a needy type of guy, so something was going on. I hit the button to call him.
He picked up on one ring. “Sophie, I’m on my way over there. Don’t leave the room you’re in.” He sounded frantic.
My pulse started to beat faster. “Phil, you’re scaring me right now.”
He sighed. “Stay put. I’m five minutes away.”
“Can you tell me what’s going on?”
“Not right now. Just trust me and do what I say, okay?”
“All right. I’ll stay put.”
“Don’t drink anything, don’t eat anything, just stay in the room and don’t let anyone in, including the bodyguards. Lock the door.”
Chills rushed through my body. “Phil, you’re freaking me out.”
“Are the bodyguards with you?”
“Outside the room.” I glanced over at the closed door.
“Good. Go lock the door.”
Lock the bodyguards out?
I went over and locked the door. “Okay, it’s locked. Why am I locking the bodyguards out?”
“I’ll explain everything when I get there, I promise. Just don’t let anyone in.”
The handle on the door moved. There was a knock on the door.
I stood next to the door. “Who is it?”
“It’s Ally, the station manager. Your next interview is here.”
“Ally, I need a few minutes. Can you tell them it’s going to be about fifteen minutes? I spilled coffee on myself and need to change.”
“Do you need a stain stick or a better place to freshen up?”
“No, I’ll be fine here. Thank you. Please, just give me fifteen minutes of privacy.”
“No problem, I’ll inform everyone and move your schedule back another fifteen minutes,” she said sweetly.
“Thanks, Ally. You’re the best!”
She walked away, her heels faintly clicking on the floor.
“Phil, you still there?”
“Yes. That was good, Sophie. I’m two minutes away. Just hang tight, okay?”
No one had ever made me stay in a room by myself without allowing my bodyguards in before. “Phil, this is creeping me out. Please tell me what’s going on.”
The door handle moved again. There was another knock.
“Who is it?” I called out again.
“Ma’am, we’re going to move you to another room.”
My heart started to thump against my chest. “Why do you need to move me to another room?”
Phil’s voice came through the phone. “Don’t open the door. Do not move rooms, Sophie.”
My mouth went dry.
“Ma’am, please open the door.” The door handle moved again.
“I’m not decent right now. Please stop trying to get in. I need a minute.” My voice sounded frightened. I tried to make it not be, but I couldn’t help it—it was shaking.
He continued to try and get in. “Ma’am, we need to move you now. This isn’t a drill.”
“Sophie, I’m getting out of the car now. Don’t let him in.”
I turned away from the door. “Oh my God!”
“Sophie, what’s going on?” Phil came back through the phone.
I accidentally dropped my phone, and the call was disconnected.
Outside, holding a sign written in red with the words Die Carlotta, was Timothy Jerlew, the man I had just filed a restraining order against. He stood on the sidewalk about one hundred yards away from me.
“Ma’am, we have to get you out of there.” The security guard once again rattled the knob.
I looked between the door handle and out the window at him as he continued to stare at me and smile his sinister smile. He knew I was looking at him, and he opened the side of his jacket and pointed to the gun sticking out of his pants.
My quivering insides started to move faster, and my entire body started to convulse in fear. I ducked down underneath the window so he couldn’t see me.
The bodyguards continued to turn the door handle and knock on the door. There was a lot of commotion between the door handle, knocks, and their voices.
There was another loud bang on the door. “Sophie, it’s Phil. Let me in.”
I jumped up, ran over, and unlocked the door.
Phil drew me into his arms and quickly pulled me out of the room and into a bathroom with no windows. He locked the door. Phil grabbed my face in his hands. “Sophie, you okay?”
I nodded as tears started to drip down my face.
“Shh.” He pulled me into his chest and stroked my head.
Phil held me until my quivering body started to return to normal. He kissed the top of my head.
I pulled back from him. “He has a gun. He opened his jacket to let me know.”
Phil didn’t say anything. He just pulled me back into his arms. “We need to get you out of here, Petal.”
I pulled out of his embrace. “Phil, tell me what’s going on. Why couldn’t I let security in?”
He hesitated, trying to find the words.
I grabbed his face. “Tell me what’s happening!”
Phil closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “We think one of them has been compromised.”
“What? How?”
His phone rang. He held his finger up for me to wait. “Tell me you have good news for me.” He scanned my eyes.
There was a long pause. “When do they land?” He looked at his watch. “The driver is waiting on the runway?” He put his hand on my cheek, then caressed his thumb on my jawline while he listened. “Keep me updated.” He hung up.
“What’s happening?”
“We reinstated the international clearance for your normal bodyguards. They should be landing in the next ten minutes. We’re about twenty-five minutes to the airport. Get comfortable, because we aren’t leaving this bathroom until they arrive.”
Closing my eyes, I slowly opened them and nodded. I walked over to the counter and jumped up on it, then patted the space next to me. “Come sit.”
Phil walked over and sat next to me. He put his arm around me, and I leaned into him.
“We need to cancel the rest of your interviews.”
“Okay. I won’t argue.”
“When your bodyguards get here, they’ll need to assess the situation and determine if it’s safe for you to be on stage tonight.”
My head jerked up. “I can’t miss a concert. Whatever they need to do to secure the arena, they need to do. Part of the arena’s responsibility is to make sure I’m safe, anyways.”
“Sophie, we aren’t dealing with normal issues here. This isn’t about metal detectors and pat-downs. If they say it isn’t safe, then we’re on the first flight out of here. Your life isn’t worth it.”
I took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling. “Phil, missing a concert is a no-no. I’ve gone on stage sick with the flu too many times to count. A lot of money is involved in a reschedule. My label and manager will not be happy. Plus, the fans get really pissed off.”
Phil pulled my chin toward him. “I’ll do everything I can to make it happen. But if I say we need to go, then we need to go. Please don’t fight me on this.”
I promised him on the way to the airport last night that I wouldn’t fight him anymore. And I knew he had my best interests at heart. He was a businessman, so he understood the complexities of a concert being rescheduled.
So I decided just to nod and say, “Thank you.” I stroked his soft beard and inched my lips to his. My tongue slid out and licked his bottom lip, then glided into his mouth. He pulled me closer into him, and we lazily explored each other’s mouths. I could taste the tiny hint of mint as he rolled his tongue around mine. My body melted into his once more.
That was the effect Phil had on me. No matter the situation, he always knew how to make me forget. We were locked in a bathroom, my stalker was outside, my security was possibly compromised, but I became lost in him. It was what I needed, and he always delivered.
He quietly groaned and told me between kisses, “You drive me crazy, Sophie.”
I continued to kiss him, but whispered, “Crazy with more work.”
He softly laughed. “At least I get benefits.”
I moved my mouth to his ear and gently sucked on his earlobe.
He moaned quietly.
“I think I owe you extra benefits.”
His hand grabbed my hair and gently pulled my head back. His soft lips moved across my jawline. “I’ll remember to cash in on those,” he hummed into my neck.
“Mmm.” A faint pulse rippled from my toes and up my body.
Phil pulled me onto his lap, and his warm hands crept under my shirt and onto my naked back. Little tingles rushed to the surface of my skin as his hands caressed me.
“You’re so damn sexy,” he murmured in my ear.
I found his mouth again and pushed my fingers through his hair as my tongue urgently started to play cat and mouse with his.
“I think you’re sexier.”
He gently laughed and went back to my neck. “You’re the best work perk I’ve ever had.”
“Even though I’m a bunch of extra stress?”
“You’re not extra stress. If it wasn’t this, it would be something else.” His lips hit my collarbone and sent a small shudder through my body.
His phone rang.
He groaned.
“Don’t get it,” I whispered.
He smiled and pulled back. He picked up his phone and put it to his ear. “Hello.”
I unbuttoned one of his buttons and leaned in and kissed his chest. He watched me and ran his hand through my hair.
“Okay, give us four knocks.” He hung up.
We went back to kissing. About fifteen minutes later, there were four loud knocks and, “Phil, it’s Isaac,” rang through the bathroom.
Phil gave me a final quick kiss, then set me on the ground. He winked at me. “We’ll continue this later.”
I laughed.
He jumped off the counter and put his arm around my waist. He led me behind the door and motioned for me to stay back. Unlocking the door, he inched it open and peeked out, then opened it farther.
My bodyguard Isaac came in. “Ma’am, you okay?”
“I’m good, Isaac. Thanks for coming.”
He smiled at me. “No problem.” He turned toward Phil. “The rogue bodyguards have been detained. It was two, not one. The perimeter is secured, and the car is waiting out front. We should leave now.”
Phil nodded to him and grabbed me by the waist. The three of us quickly moved through the radio station and out of the building, directly into the car. My other bodyguard Rich was waiting for us when we stepped outside.
We went directly to the hotel and up to the suite. Phil was on the phone the entire time we were in the car, and for the first few hours we were in the suite. He finally hung up.
“The police were called, but Timothy Jerlew left before they could arrest him. We don’t know where he went.”
A shiver ran through my body. It was past noon, and I still needed to do sound checks and other things at the arena. “Phil—”
His phone rang. He held up his finger. “Isaac. What’s the situation?” He stood up and started to pace and ran his hand through his hair. He glanced back at me. “If that’s the safest thing, then that’s what we’re doing.”
I sighed. I had a feeling I didn’t like what was coming.
“We’ll get ready. See you soon.” He hung up.
I walked over to him. “Are you canceling my concert?”
He looked at me like he was preparing himself for battle. “Yes.”
I blew out a deep breath. “Okay.”
He squinted his eyes at me. “You aren’t going to fight me on this?”
“I thought you didn’t want me to fight you anymore?”
“I don’t.”
“Then stop expecting me to.”
He slowly grinned at me. “Fair enough. Thank you.” He pulled me in for a quick kiss. “We need to be ready to go. Isaac will be here shortly.”