Kacen
When I wake up, last night comes crashing back to me. Paige and her tight little body, I kept her up into the early morning hours. I couldn’t get my fill of her. Speaking of . . . rolling over, I reach for her. When I feel nothing but cold sheets, I force my eyes open.
I’m alone.
Climbing out of bed, I grab a clean pair of underwear from the drawer and go in search of her. I quickly scan the living room looking for a sign that she’s still here. Surely she didn’t leave. I don’t think that’s ever happened to me before. With a few quick strides, I’m standing in my kitchen. I find it empty as well. I spot a note on the counter; picking it up, I read her words. “Thank you for a night I will never forget.”
Fuck me!
I settle into a stool, resting my elbows on the counter and burying my hands in my hair. I’m pissed that she left without saying goodbye. I’m even more pissed that I care. It’s usually me who slips out in the early morning hours, but not this time. This time I brought her here, to my space. The only conclusion that I can come up with is that I wasn’t done with her. I wanted to sink myself inside her at least one more time before we parted ways. Glancing at the clock, I see that it’s a little after nine in the morning. Her flight leaves today, but I have no idea what time.
Without taking the time to second-guess why I do it, I race back to the bedroom, pull on a pair of shorts, and run out the door. My bare feet hit the hot sand, but I barely notice. I jog to their rental and knock on the door.
No answer.
Peering in through the window, I see two keys laying on the counter.
Shit! She’s gone.
Defeated, I turn back the way I came. On the way back to my house, I contemplate calling the owner of the rental and trying to get her information. That thought lingers until I reach the back deck and I realize I sound like a crazy-ass stalker. Paige is the only woman I’ve hooked up with since my time here in Hawaii. My lack of sex has obviously affected my brain.
I settle into a lounge chair, close my eyes, and listen to the early morning waves as they hit the shoreline. I’ve been here for three weeks. Three weeks of being just ‘Kacen’ not the famous lead singer of Soul Serenade. Just coming off of an eighteen-month tour takes a toll on you. My bandmates all went home to visit their families. I opted for tropical paradise. My mom was not impressed when I told her my plans, but really, I just needed to decompress.
I will never complain about the success of the band or the life of liberty that success has provided for me. I love what I do. What I don’t love is never knowing who I can trust. This is a cutthroat business, and unless you are blood related, which really stops at my parents, or a member of my band, you are not on the list. Hell, I have women, who I know for a fact I have never seen before in my life, showing up outside my hotel room telling me I fathered their unborn child. I love the music, writing the lyrics, and fitting it to the perfect notes. I hate the fame that comes with it. I’m thankful for it and loathe it all at the same time.
My intention was to escape into this private beach house and decompress from the tour, from the fans, the groupies, and everyone else who seems to constantly want a piece of me. I kept to myself for the first two weeks, and then as I was walking down the beach, I saw her.
Paige.
Her long brown hair was blowing in the wind. I could tell from a distance that she was beautiful, and I was . . . drawn to her. Against my better judgment, I stopped to see if they needed help. Her friend, Lynn, all smiles for me, just like all the other women I meet. Paige, not so much. She was more reserved, yet polite. Her kind smile was just that, kind. She wasn’t mentally conforming to a plan to seduce me; she was just offering a welcoming smile.
A smile so contagious that it pulled me under her spell. There is no other explanation for why I continued to seek her out. I was here to get away from it all, even the women, but one glimpse of that smile, the one that lit her eyes, and I was captivated.
As the week passed by, it became even more obvious to me that she had no clue who I was. This past week has been the best time I’ve had with a woman in, well . . . ever that I can remember. Last night, in my bed . . . it was different. I’ve been with my fair share of beautiful women. My job keeps me surrounded by them at any given time. Paige, she was different. She wasn’t with Kacen the rock star; she was with me, just Kacen. Well, Michael. The lie I told her slipped off my tongue. It was my weak attempt and silent wish that she would not recognize me. My wish was granted when neither of them realized who I was. Technically, I didn’t lie. Michael is my middle name.
I’m sure if put in the same position, just wanting to feel like a normal human being, she would do the same thing. I hope she understands that.
Fuck! What am I thinking? I’m never going to see her again; it doesn’t matter if she understands or not. I don’t know her last name or where she’s from. I didn’t even ask what college she just graduated from.
My phone rings, jolting me out of my inner turmoil over the lovely Paige. Reaching into my pocket, I check the display and see that Tristan is calling. “Hey, man,” I say in greeting.
“How’s paradise?”
“Same ole, I think I’m going to come home early.” Call me crazy, and I would never admit this out loud, but paradise isn’t the same knowing she’s not here. The girl I’ve known for a week, who let the real me inside of her, the one who gave me the best sex of my life. Feeling the loss of her is an entirely new concept to me. I know it’s because she left without saying goodbye. That’s never happened to me before.
“Does this have anything to do with that girl you had G talk to?”
If you only knew. “Nah, I’m just ready to get home. We have an album to start working on. Besides, Jones sent me an email letting me know my new assistant starts Monday. A guy this time, thank fuck. If any of you fuckers run this one off with your dick, I’m hiring an old maid.” I laugh when I hear his snort on the other line.
“K, man, old ladies need loving too. It’s just skin, brother.”
I laugh at his antics. The four of us have been friends since kindergarten, thicker than thieves. “Just skin my ass, I might have to test your theory,” I chide him.
“I think the new guy is safe, to say the least.” He chuckles.
“I’m going to call Cassidy and have her arrange my flight home. I’ll see you in a day or so.”
“I’ll let the guys know. I’m stoked about this new album. We’ve been working on a lot of new material, adding the beat to the lyrics you’ve been sending us.”
“Me too, man. It will be good to be home for a while. Living on the road sucks ass.”
“True that. Catch ya later.”
I type out a quick text to Cassidy, who is our agent’s personal assistant. She’s been filling in since Cole slept with my last one and scared her off. That seems to be a normal occurrence, which is why I insisted on a male this time. Although my boys have been known to get a little freaky in the bedroom, I can’t say I’ve ever known them to swing that way. Only time will tell.
Within the hour, Cassidy replies with flight information. I fly out tomorrow afternoon. I decide to take another stroll on the beach, taking in the serenity before I pack up to leave, leaving behind the memories of the lovely Paige and the normalcy I felt being with her.