Love's Autograph (22 page)

“
Seems like days ago that we were in this room,” Ria said.

“
What a day,” Ellie said.

“
Who's this?” Ria asked as she pointed to the screen.

“
It's Jane Thomas from Missouri,” Ellie said as she punched a couple of keys and plugged a cord into the laptop. Jane's music filled the room through several speakers. Ellie took Ria's hand and pulled her into an embrace and guided her back and forth to the music. Ria looked into Ellie's eyes.

“
You being here is the best surprise,” Ellie said.

Ria said,
“Really? I wasn't sure.”

Ellie answered,
“You're always welcome here. I'll always be happy to see you.”

“
What if we have a bad break up like Jenny and you?” Ria asked.

Ellie answered,
“Not possible.”

Ria asked,
“What if I sell naked pictures of you to a tabloid?”

Ellie answered,
“You'll have to fight more jealous fans off.”

“
What if I gain a hundred pounds and burn all your guitars?” Ria asked.

“
A hundred pounds, no problem. Burn all my guitars, you better have a plan to make it up to me,” Ellie asked.

“
What if...” Ria started.

“
What if I kiss you right now?” Ellie asked.

Ria answered,
“Yes.” Ellie kissed Ria and ran her hand through her thick black hair. The smell of berries and something spicy filled the air. Ria pushed Ellie toward the couch.

“
Umm, let's keep this vertical for now,” Ellie said.

“
For now? Like meaning?” Ria asked.

“
Until after my concert?” Ellie said. “I’m afraid if I start I won't want to stop, and I don't want to disappoint my fans.”

“
What about me?” Ria asked as she kissed Ellie and then bit Ellie's bottom lip.

“
What about you?”

“
What about disappointing me?” Ria asked with a sly smirk.

“
Oh, there will be no disappointing. Just consider this foreplay,” Ellie said.

Jane Thomas started playing an upbeat song. Ellie leaned down and typed a few words.

“What are you doing?”

“
I'm commenting on her performance. That way fans know I'm watching this and that I like this; it’ll draw more people to follow her,” Ellie said as she typed. Ria reached down and put her arms around Ellie's waist and ran her hands down Ellie's thighs. “Quit it. It's not easy to type this way.”

“
Oh, am I distracting you?” Ria asked.

“
No, not at all. I think I might need to call Clara in during my concert to keep you off the stage.”

“
Clara?”

“
Clara is head of my security,” Ellie said. “She's pretty tough, had like a million tours in every country. Has more shrapnel in her than a whole platoon.”

“
Probably a great idea to get her here,” Ria said. Ellie grabbed Ria's hand and they started dancing to the upbeat music of the banjo. “This is probably a good speed to keep us out of trouble.”

“
Exactly,” Ellie said. Jane finished her set, and next was Ruby Manning. She was from New York City. She played acoustic ballads. She started with a slow acoustic love song, and all the songs were similar from there. Ria and Ellie held onto each other and danced to all three of Ruby's songs. Ellie let go of Ria only once to write a comment on Ruby's concert. After the third song, Ellie kissed Ria.

“
See you after the show,” Ellie said as she pointed to the chair for Ria to sit in. She handed her the beer they had brought into the studio. “Don't get up from there please.” Ria flashed her a mischievous smile.

Ellie sat on her couch with acoustic guitar in hand
with a notebook containing a play list strategically placed on a chair to the side of her. Ruby finished and the air went quiet. Ellie stood up and quickly unplugged the speakers from the laptop. She typed her user name and password, and she went live on the site. Ellie's palms were uncharacteristically sweaty.

“
Hey everyone,” Ellie said into the laptop camera. “EJ Way here. Thanks for coming so last minute. It looks like we have about 33,000 people and counting. I can't believe you all fit in my studio. Please use a coaster and take off your shoes. I hope you all enjoyed Jane Thomas and Ruby Manning. Do me all a favor and buy their albums. Someone was there to buy my stuff when I was a newbie. Thanks Jane and Ruby! Great performances! So, here I am and I don't plan to be running off anywhere soon. I’m going to New York in a few days. Check me out there. Always love going there. Thanks for all your concern about my whereabouts and my well-being. Everything is better than great. I hope all is going great in your lives too. I'll start off with an oldie but goodie.
In the Dark.” In the Dark
started off slow but picked up in the chorus.

“
That one is off my first album. It was written about my first dating experiences and having to make sure my relationships remained behind closed doors,” Ellie said as she tuned her guitar.

“
This one is for my friend Jazzie. Thanks for helping me out,” Ellie said. Then she started the intro to
Crazy Good. “
It's about looking up from your own life and lending a hand to others.” Through the first two songs, Ellie periodically glanced at Ria. Ria was behaving herself and was smiling and nodding her head to the beat. She seemed to have toned down her teasing glances.

“
This will be my last song of the night. Thank you all for tuning in, and let me know what you think. This song here is HOT, HOT off the presses. Words and music written today. It's still a little raw so let me know what you think. The idea came from a little musical genius I know, and the inspiration came from someone special. It's called
42 Chords for One Date
.”

How do I rub to get the wish of my life

Bribe, deal, favors, beg

How do I roll up my sleeves to let you see my heart

Giving you everything,
giving up anything
S
he'll give you 42 Chords for One Date
30 days of Emotional Craze

42 Chords for One Date

Your eyes, your smile, your hand, my love

How can time go faster, I know I can wait...

42 Chords for One Date
...

The song ended and Ellie said, “Thanks, you all, drive safely, tip your waiters and kiss your loved ones goodnight.”
Ellie leaned forward and logged out of the site. She closed her laptop and then her attention was on Ria. Ria's eyes were glistening.

“
You alright?” Ellie asked.

“
Yes, I get teary eyed over a commercial. You wrote that?” Ria asked.

“
Yeah.”

“
That's amazing,” Ria said. “It sounds like something catchy from the radio or something.”

“
Yeah it probably will be on there soon. Glad you like it,” Ellie said. “Can we get out of here? I'm sweating up a storm and need a drink?” They walked down the hallway and back to the kitchen. Ellie grabbed a beer and handed Ria her second one. Ria hoisted herself up on the counter.

“
That was amazing,” Ria said. “Sadly, I've heard
Crazy Good
on the radio before. I didn't realize it was you.”

“
Thanks. I'm glad I finally can share this with you. I think I'll do live web concerts more often. That was easy to set up and I’m sure it was worthwhile for Jane and Ruby. I can also try out new stuff on fans.”

“
You're lighting up the same way I do when I talk about surgery,” Ria said.

“
I'd come support you and come watch a surgery...”

“
Umm, no. I saw how white you turned when you saw that little amount of blood on your arm,” Ria laughed.

A text came over Ellie's phone and she laughed,
“Maggie said that she better get some royalties off that song.”

“
No! She didn't say that! Well, that does sound like her. What are you texting back? She doesn't know I'm here with you.”

“
I texted she can play on the original cut and get some royalties from that,” Ellie said.

“
Seriously?” Maggie asked.

“
Yes.”

“
Maggie texted back good night, she's sleeping at the babysitters tonight,” Ellie said. “Why's she with a sitter?”

Ria hopped down from the counter and smiled. She took a swig of her beer
, turned on her heels from Ellie, and walked to the window. Ellie walked to the stereo and plugged her phone into the stereo. She played her mix titled
Ria
.

“
So, now what?” Ria asked.

“
We could watch a movie,” Ellie suggested as she sat on the couch and picked up the remote. She put the television on mute as she surfed through the channels. Ria walked over to the couch and sat next to Ellie. Ellie scooted away from Ria and pretended to ignore her. Ria casually put her beer on the coffee table, and then dove back and grabbed the remote from Ellie. She turned off the television and threw the remote over her shoulder. There was the sound of something falling and breaking.

“
What the—?” Ria said.

“
Oh, tell me that wasn't the blue vase,” Ellie said as she covered her eyes.

“
Yes, was it expensive?”

“
Twenty-five,” Ellie put her hand on her head in agony.

“
Thousand? Holy shit I'm so sorry.” Ria sat up and looked at the vase. Ellie crouched next to the vase still covering her head. Ria continued to sit on the couch staring at Ellie. “Oh no, I can pay for it. It’ll take me a while.”

“
Cents,” Ellie whispered.

Ria said,
“I know. I should've used my sense. It didn't make sense to toss that. I was trying to be spontaneous.”

Ellie drained her beer and placed the bottle on the coffee table. She squatted down and gently picked through the pieces. She picked up a piece of the vase and tossed it to Ria. There was an orange sticker on it. Ellie stood and started to walk to the kitchen.

“Twenty-five cents!” Ria yelled.

“
From a tag sale,” Ellie laughed and ran into the kitchen. Ria followed and was faster than Ellie anticipated. Ellie ran around the kitchen and tried to elude Ria. “Just because I'm rich doesn't mean I spend it irresponsibly. $25,000?”

“
You're in so much trouble,” Ria said as she quickened her pace around the island after Ellie. Ellie broke from her route around the island, ran down the hallway and into her bedroom. Ria followed into the dark room. Ellie was inside the doorway against the wall. Ellie steadied her breath. As Ria entered, Ellie came from behind Ria and slid her arms around Ria's waist. Ria turned and Ellie kissed her fast and hard. Ria responded with the same energy. Ria's lips were so full against Ellie's. Energy surged into Ellie's chest.

Are we about to
make love? Can I do this?

Ellie walked Ria backwards toward her bed. The ceiling to floor curtains were already drawn. The only light filtering into the room came from the hallway. Ria lightly kicked off her shoes.
They pulled back from each other. While catching their breath, they stared into each other’s eyes. It was as if they were searching for their own emotions reflected back at them, and each found what they were looking for. With one hand Ellie pulled down the covers and sheets. Ellie pushed Ria onto the bed and then slid on top of her.

Ellie looked down at Ria. She traced her finger down the side of Ria's face and then through her hair.

She's so amazing. I can
barely breathe when I look at her.

“
So, did you set it up so you can stay the whole night?” Ellie whispered in her ear.

Ria nodded
, ran her hand over Ellie's face and brushed Ellie's hair behind her ears, “If it's alright.”

“
Always,” Ellie answered.

“
How's it that you’re so head over heels over me?” Ria asked.

“
I am. Believe me, I am,” Ellie said. “Less talk, more kissing.”

Ria unbuttoned Ellie's shirt
,
smoothly and gently slid it over Ellie's shoulders and down her arms, then tossed it onto the floor. Ellie followed suit and slid Ria's shirt over her head, throwing it on the floor to join her own.
I cannot believe this is happening.

Under her blouse
, Ria's breasts did not disappoint Ellie's imagination. There was a red lacy bra holding back Ria's full, round breasts. As Ellie was preoccupied taking in Ria's beauty, in one swift snap of her fingers, Ria released the clasp on Ellie's bra. Ria pulled Ellie down to her for a kiss. Ellie slid her hand to Ria's back.