“Yeah, just about,” Nikki responds.
“Great! We should arrive in four hours. That gives you both enough time to relax and maybe take a nap if you need it,” he continues.
“Perfect.”
I try to hide that I’m disappointed he’s here with us.
“Are you riding with us or with the crew?” Nikki asks.
I glance at her out of the corner of my eye. I know why she’s asking that. She wants to be alone with me just as much as I want to be alone with her.
“I’m going to ride on the other bus with the crew since it’s bigger. I just wanted to come check on my two superstars before we pull off,” he explains.
His words are like music to my ears. I flash a quick smile at Nikki, and she smiles back on the sly.
“I think we’re all set here,” I reply, urging him off the bus.
“You sure? Nikki, do you need anything?” he asks.
“Nope. I have everything I need right here, Rocky.”
“Alright then. I’ll see you two in Youngstown,” Rocky says as he exits the bus.
The door closes behind him, leaving me and Nikki alone again. The bus jerks as it pulls off. It feels good to have her all to myself. Four hours isn’t long, but I plan on using every second of this trip to get to know as much about her as possible. I want her to share her secrets with me, and I want to share mine with her, too. I want to know everything there is to know about the real Nikki Minx.
“Youngstown is close to where I grew up. I wish we had enough time to stop by my hometown,” she begins.
“When’s the last time you were there?” I ask.
She thinks for a bit.
“It’s been about five years ago, when I was thirteen. Gosh, it’s been a long time,” she realizes.
“Why so long?” I ask.
“After I officially moved to Hollywood, I just never came back,” she says.
“I understand. After I left my hometown, I never went back either. Not until my dad died,” I add.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. How long ago did it happen?” she asks, her eyes filled with sympathy.
“It’s alright. It happened ten years ago, around the time I stopped touring.”
“Is that why you went on a hiatus?” she asks.
“That’s partially why, but there were other factors, too. I’ve been in this industry since I was fifteen years old. I worked really hard during the first ten years of my career, and I needed a break. Working that hard as a kid makes you grow up fast. I feel like I missed the best years of my childhood,” I explain.
“I totally get it; it’s the same for me. I’ve been in the industry since I was ten. Being a star at such a young age isn’t as glamorous as everyone thinks. I feel like I never really had a childhood,” she says.
“I’ve never had anyone I could share that with before,” I state.
She smiles softly.
“Me either,” she says. “I feel like I can open up to you and be my real self with you.”
“You can. I meant what I said, Nikki; I’ll never hurt you,” I reassure her.
“I know, I believe you. It’s just hard to make genuine connections when you’re a celebrity. Sometimes it feels like people are only around for what they can get from you.”
I grab her hand and hold it tightly.
“Nikki, the only thing I want from you is your heart,” I say sincerely.
She grows silent as she stares into my eyes. I completely get what she’s saying. I’ve had a few people in my past use me for my fame, but that isn’t the case between us. She’s an amazing musician, but what matters most is the way she makes me feel when I look into her beautiful brown eyes.
“Do you mean it?” she asks.
“Yes, that’s all I’m after. That is, if you’ll let me have it,” I add.
She’s silent again, and it feels like my heart has stopped as I wait for her to say something. Maybe I’m asking too much of her. She’s a young, successful woman with her whole life ahead of her. I doubt she’s ready to give her heart to a man nearly twice her age.
“It’s already yours,” she declares suddenly. “It’s been yours since the moment we met.”
My heart starts beating again. I’ve been all around the world, and – thanks to my rock star status – I’ve bedded a lot of women, but none of them have ever made me feel the way that she does. As I gaze into her eyes, I realize I’m falling in love with her.
“You don’t know how good it feels to hear you say those words,” I say.
I’d been searching for love my entire life, but I couldn’t find it. I gave up trying to find a love I could call my own years ago because I figured I’d never find the right one, but as I stare at her, I know I’ve finally found it. The love I’ve been searching for is right before my eyes.