"Oof. Sorry" I apologized picking up the stack of papers that had fluttered to the ground when I turned the corner and ran into whoever was on the other side. "Don't worry about it, let me help you" the deep voice of Ethan Carter the Third offered, an immediate blush rushing onto my cheeks at being so close to him. "No, no, it's okay. You probably have something way more important, cooler to do" I stuttered profusely hands shaking so much I dropped the papers I had already picked up. "Actually, I have nothing tonight. Mike and Maria are pretty much taking over all spotlights and the show is almost over" he shrugged calmly handing me the remaining papers, reaching forward with his free hand to steady mine until I was grasping the stack of paper once again. "Oh, I'm sorry. That really sucks, you're really good and cute and I'm going to go now" I stammered looking up at the ceiling to try and hide the blush stretching from my neck all the way up to my hairline. "I'll see you around Jordan" he laughed ruffling my hair before he walked off, leaving me to silently berate myself in the now empty hallway. Groaning quietly I jumped with a loud shriek as a hand settled on my shoulder scaring me out of my self-loathing. "When are you going to grow a pair and tell him you like him?" Maria asked making me groan again as the woman followed me through the hallway and into Dixie's office. "Here you go Dixie, this is the finalized script for next week's Impact, they want you to go over it and let them know about changes" I informed the woman before exiting the room immediately being cornered by Maria again. "So?" she prodded making me roll my eyes at her pressuring "So nothing, you've seen how I get around him. I pretty much forget my name and all basic human functions." I sighed taking a seat on an equipment crate near the curtain "There's no way I'd ever be able to hold a normal conversation with him. And I'm nothing, have you seen the girls he talks to and posts pictures with" I mumbled thumbing through my phone absentmindedly. "Well, you aren't exactly standing out in your jeans and black polos" she pointed out making me roll my eyes "I don't exactly have a choice Mar. I have to wear this during work" I returned with a smirk "Okay, fine but that's only two nights a week. You're ALWAYS in jeans and some band t-shirt, you never branch out." She whined "You're the definition of Wall Flower Jordan, you need to put yourself out there. Stop hiding behind your work and your books." She continued pulling my phone from my hands so I had no choice but to pay attention to her, a pout on my full and pierced lips. "Come out tonight, a bunch of us are going out after tonight's show to celebrate Gail being inducted into the Hall of Fame in a few months. You could dress up, drink up and party with us." She stated making it sound more like an order than a request. "I have nothing to wear, and how am I supposed to get back to the hotel when you and Mike inevitably leave early to fuck." I asked arching an eyebrow at the brunette since the situation had actually come up a few times, and taxis at 2 a.m. are terrifying when you're a female all alone.
"I have clothes you can borrow, and we're going to a bar right across from the hotel." She shrugged wrapping her hand around my wrist and dragging me off to her locker room where Mike was already waiting to head back to the hotel. "She's coming?" he asked nudging his head towards me as we walked through the hallways and out to the parking lot where their car was ready and running. "Unwillingly" I piped up blushing slightly as a couple other superstars turned to look at us. "Look away people. It's just Mute" Mike shouted opening the door for me and closing it behind me "Thank you Mike." I sighed sarcastically leaning my head against the window as he pulled onto the street and drove to the hotel. "Welcome" he grinned leading us into the hotel and up to their room where Maria promptly started digging through her multitude of bags to come up with outfits for both of us. "Go change and do your makeup. ALL OF IT" she shouted as I closed myself in the bathroom before looking at the outfit, groaning loud enough that I'm sure other hotel stayers heard. "Put it on Jordan. Or so help me EVERYONE will know EVERY secret you have" Maria shouted making me groan even louder, but none the less I stripped from my work clothes and slid into her chosen outfit. "Fuck me sideways" I muttered pulling on the skirt hoping to cover more jumping as the door opened and Maria slid in "That's the idea" she giggled leaning into the mirror and touching up her hair and makeup before she looked me over. "You look cute. Let's go" she cheered pulling on my arm pausing to hand me a pair of shoes and wait for me to slip them on before we left the hotel room and headed the short distance to the bar. "We'll take three shots of Tequila, I'll get a martini and she'll have a Jack and Coke" Maria ordered for me before letting Mike order and pay "You're trying to get me drunk" I muttered bitterly "And laid." Mike added loudly flinching as I hit his stomach out of instinct. "Sorry" I apologized glaring down at the shot that was slid in front of me. "Drink it. Or everyone finds out" Maria threatened making me turn my glare to her "You're an evil witch" I commented throwing the shot back before chasing it with my Jack and Coke. "Dance with me" Maria smiled dragging me onto the middle of the dancefloor and swaying her body back and forth, Mike coming up right behind her to join. Rolling my eyes I leaned closer "I'm going to go find somewhere to sit while you get your grinding out of your system" I said loud enough for Maria to hear before I pushed my way through the crowd and over to an empty table in the corner. Setting my clutch on the table I took a seat with a sigh already wanting to go back to the hotel, get in my pajamas and settle down with a book.
"You look like you're having a great time" Ethan's voice popped up as he sat in the chair across from me, my blush almost instantaneous. "And you're blushing again" he pointed out making my blush worsen. "You found me" I murmured looking anywhere but at the Adonis of a man across from me "Yeah, well Maria found me and pointed you out" he smirked making me groan quietly "I'm sorry about her" I apologized not really sure why I was apologizing. "Don't be. I'm kind of glad she found me and told me you were here. I wanted to talk to you about something." He replied reaching across the table and grabbing my hands in his making my head shoot to him. "Oh" I squeaked blushing once again as he smirked at me from across the circular table. "Dance with me first though" he prodded already getting to his feet and tugging on my hand, my clutch being placed beneath his jacket on his chair, before he pulled me back into the crowd. My hand was dwarfed by his and he almost covered my entire forearm with his grip until it moved to my lower back holding my body close to his. "So don't hate me if this is wrong but a little bird told me you might have a crush on me" he whispered, his lips brushing my ear with every word he spoke. I tried pulling away to run but he tightened his hold until I couldn't even wiggle in his arms, my face heating up, the only place for me to hide being his dress shirt covered chest. "Can we not do this please" I mumbled into his chest squeaking unattractively when he forced my face up so we were eye to eye "What was that?" he asked softly making me sigh in frustration at myself "Can we not do this please...we can just go back to you not knowing I exist and our only interaction being at work where I make a fool of myself but then walk off and don't see you again for a few days" I ranted slightly huffing when he pulled off the dance floor and over to our table, grabbing both of our things before pushing me out the door and into the cooler night air. "Come on" he prodded using his hand on the middle of my back to push me over to his matte black Cadillac Escalade. "Ethan I really should just" I started to move away to cross the street to the hotel but he blocked me in against the passenger side door "Jordan, you really should just get in the car." He teased flicking his tongue against my ear making me shriek pathetically but get in none the less. "Thank you" he grinned softly shutting the door before he moved around the front and got into the driver's seat heading for what I'm assuming was his house.
"I'm a mess." I whispered looking out the window jumping when he turned the music down. "Why do you say that?" he asked softly "Have you ever tried to love someone like me before?" I returned with a question turning so I was facing him but looking down at the center console. "Someone like you?" he questioned confusion lacing his tone making me sigh again. "Someone that's not always happy, someone who has days where getting out of bed seems like the most difficult thing in the world" I whispered staring down at my hands bitterly "Someone who with just one word can turn into a trembling mess because it triggers so many bad thoughts." I continued "Someone who gets anxious over talking to new people and having to be out in the public eye is panic attack inducing 9 times out of 10." I whimpered finally looking up at him as he pulled to a stop outside a nice looking two level house. "Come on" he whispered getting out and waiting for me, taking my hand and leading me up the stairs into his home where he was immediately approached by two cats. "Honestly Jordan?" he sighed dropping his jacket on the small table as he walked past it into a kitchen "No, I've never been with someone like that before, but that doesn't mean I'm not willing to try." He shrugged dropping some food in a bowl before returning his attention to me "I've seen you, when you aren't so overwhelmed by me or someone else." He paused pulling out a stool and sitting on it at the same time he pulled me into his arms. "I've seen you when you're listening to music alone, I've seen you reading in a dark corner at the arena, straining your eyes to see in the awful lighting backstage. I've seen you around Maria, when she isn't teasing you about me. I've seen you around Mike when he's just Mike and not The Miracle." He paused with a small laugh "I've seen you tipsy, I've seen you drunk. I'm sure if I knew your tells I've seen you on those bad days when you don't want to get out of bed. I'm sure I've seen you on the brink of one of those panic attacks, and I still think you're the most interesting, beautiful, intoxicating person I've ever met." He whispered leaning down but stopping when I placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed lightly "Ethan I've...never" I shrugged a blush back on my face at admitting that to someone like him. "Even better" he murmured moving one hand from my hip to the side of my head, moving it where he wanted before he closed the distance between our mouths. He started off with soft, closed mouth pecks before he moved on to more serious open mouthed kisses.
"Ethan, I'm scared" I whispered pulling back from him just enough to speak "Do you trust me?" he asked softly dragging his fingertips across the bare skin between the top of my bottoms and bottom of my shirt. "Of course" I nodded knowing that there wasn't a question about it since he had only ever been nice to me "Good, I'll take care of you Jordan, I promise" he murmured before he was leaning back in, our clothes quickly beginning to disappear as his hands wandered my heated skin. "You're beautiful" he whispered getting off the stool only to lift me up and set me on the counter, the granite cold against my flushed skin, goosebumps breaking out causing him to laugh quietly. "I'll warm you up real quick baby" he murmured running his hands and mouth anywhere that he could get them to. My head falling back as I allowed myself to get lost in the feelings Ethan was bringing out in me for the first time ever. "Ethan" I whispered wanting more but not sure how to ask for it "We have all night just relax and let me make you feel good." He whispered, and make me feel good he did.
