Chapter 1

“Can I get you something to drink?”

Startled out of my daydream by the perky flight attendant, it took me a minute to snap out of my thoughts. I stared at him blankly, hearing his words, but unable to register their meaning or respond.

“I’ll have a vodka cranberry and she’ll have a merlot. You’ll have to excuse her, she’s spent the last two months f**king her brains out and now she’s going cold turkey for a few months. I think we’re seeing the first symptoms of withdrawal now.” Sienna smiled to the amused flight attendant, a tall, blond handsome twenty-something man closely resembling a Ken doll, but with a lot of femininity exuding from his stance.

The cheerful flight attendant looked around for unwelcome listeners before leaning down and whispering back to Sienna. “Trust me, you two gorgeous ladies will not have any trouble finding a cure for that withdrawal in London. I take this flight four times a week, and I swear, the men from London all look like James Bond. And I mean the Daniel Craig from Casino Royale gorgeous Bond, not the should have retired three years ago Skyfall Daniel Craig-James Bond.” He winked and continued. “I’ll fetch your drinks, and when I’m done with my service I can give you ladies the 10-4 on some of the hottest night spots in London if you’d like.”

I heard Sienna giggle and more words were exchanged but it was as if only my body was present, my mind had been left floating in Jack’s office that morning, where he had informed me that I was moving in with him, and I had agreed without coaxing. It was only four hours into the flight and already I missed him. I had no idea how I was going to get through four months without waking to Jack every day.

My heart was torn in such a clash of emotions. I was excited at the opportunity to open on the European tour for one of my favorite bands, but my heart felt guilty for being excited because touring meant leaving the man I had come to love over the last few months — the man who still gave me butterflies when I looked at him, who made my skin break out in goosebumps when I caught him looking at me in that way that only Jack did.

I looked over at Sienna next to me, watching her as she jotted down lyrics from her head on a napkin while ever so slightly swaying to the music I could hear streaming from her ear-buds. Having Sienna next to me made leaving easier, and I smiled, thinking back to how thoughtful my dominating, sexy-as-all-hell man could be when he wanted to.

Sienna McAllister had been my best friend since the third grade. We became kindred spirits on our first day in chorus when we realized we could sing in natural harmony together without so much as a beat of music. Twenty years later, our lives had taken us down very different paths, but it had never dulled our bond. The last few months were a whirlwind of change. I broke my engagement to Michael and met Jack in paradise, during what was supposed to have been my honeymoon. I quit my job teaching music, left Boston, and moved to New York to sing again. Now Sienna and I were about to become the opening act for one of the most popular bands around. I stole another look at my wild and crazy best friend, laughing to myself as I watched her write on the inside of her hands. Apparently she must have run out of napkins. There was no one else on earth who could possibly get me through my heartbreak over leaving without Jack.

When I left Jack at the gate earlier, I’d thought I’d be traveling alone. Sienna was scheduled on a flight later in the day because the flights had all been sold out. Our arrangements had only been made a week before, when we’d been invited to join the tour to replace another opening act at the last minute. Jack knew I would be upset when I had to say goodbye to him, so he had surprised me by upgrading both of our seats to first class on the same flight, where tickets were still available.

Even though I was surprised and thrilled to find my best friend sitting in the second row waiting for me when I boarded the plane, finding out what Jack had done had sent me over the edge. His thoughtfulness pushed out the tears I had been holding back as I walked away from him.

I opened my phone, rereading our last texts for the tenth time in the last four hours.

Thank you for the amazing surprise! I can’t believe you got us on the same flight and upgraded us to first class too.

You’re welcome babe. Couldn’t let my girl get upset alone on a long flight to London.

You are so sweet, how will I ever thank you?

Now there’s a first, don’t think I have ever been called sweet, babe. And I know how you can thank me….

Lol. Now there is the Jack I know, sweet gone, perv back.

Call me when you get into the hotel tonight. Which hotel did they change you to?

The Royal Chancery or something like that. Being scolded to turn off my phone now, call you tonight. Love you.

I closed my phone, pulled out my iPod and let myself relax to the calming voice of Norah Jones.

***

I woke up to the flight attendant announcing that we had to prepare for landing. I was surprised that I had fallen asleep, but between the last week of marathon sex with Jack and stressing over leaving, I hadn’t actually slept well at all. I found Sienna sleeping next to me, music blaring from her ear-buds and a notebook with the airlines logo in front of her where she had apparently transcribed her napkin and hand notes. I gently tapped her shoulder, careful not to startle her. I had learned the hard way ten years ago that if I startled Sienna when she wakes, she wakes up swinging.

Sienna woke up with a huge smile on her face that was contagious. She stretched her long curvy body out in her seat, her cl**vage on full display as she raised her arms high, revealing her alabaster skin on her flat tummy sparkling with a diamond belly button ring. I saw our Ken doll flight attendant looking her way as she writhed in her seat, admiring her assets even though I was pretty sure he played for the other team.

Chapter 2

I was excited to find out that our hotel was in the heart of the city of London, although driving through London seemed to be a bit like driving through New York City. We could probably have walked the last ten blocks faster than the car drove in the traffic, but Sienna and I didn’t mind because it gave us time to soak in the city. We sat in the back of the car, both on the edge of our seats, glued to the windows, occasionally pointing out someone or something for the other to see.

Our first five days were going to be spent stationary, at a hotel, before we officially joined the tour and started living on a bus. We had been sent a seven page typed itinerary that included everything from meeting with the tour promoters and photographers, to practicing with the backup band twice a day. Eventually we pulled up to a magnificent building and I was surprised when the driver announced we had arrived at our hotel. A white-gloved doorman opened our door and greeted us in a fantastic British accent. At the time I hadn’t yet realized that he wasn’t the one with the accent anymore.

The bellman took our bags, while the doorman jumped to attention to present the hotel lobby to us. The grand lobby was surreal, an astounding palatial presence with a domed ceiling soaring at least five stories high. Sparkling crystal chandeliers reflecting light from the rich wood accents and golden gilded crown moldings bathed the room in an old, warm charm. Huge paintings, sumptuous fabrics, and warm cream walls wrapped the lobby in supreme opulence.

As we made our way to the front desk, taking in the grandeur of the magnificent hotel, I noticed that all eyes were on us. I wasn’t sure if we stood out compared to the type of guests that the hotel was likely used to, or if the awe in our eyes had caught their amusement. I didn’t think I stood out that much, even if I was dressed entirely in girly pink, but something about the contrast of my girlish look with Sienna’s black, tight-clothes, high-heeled rock star look, made us an interesting pair.

I was surprised when the woman behind the desk knew who I was, but chalked it up to the type of attention to detail that guests of a hotel of that type of stature would receive.

“Good afternoon, Ms. St. Claire, welcome to the Royal Chancery. We are very excited to have you here.” The smiling woman handed me two room keys and an envelope.

I thought it was odd that she was handing me keys before I even gave her my license and credit card. Weren’t we all trained to walk to the front desk and hand over our license and credit card? I started to fumble in my purse as I spoke. “Do you just need a license and credit card?”

The smiling clerk looked amused, but smiled as she spoke. “No, Ms. St. Claire, that’s all been taken care of for you. Please just enjoy your stay and let us know if there is anything at all that we can do for you. Mr. Walman, the hotel manager, will show you to your room, if you are ready.”

I looked at Sienna and saw that she had the same perplexed look on her face. She shrugged her shoulders and gave me a look that said just go with it. So I did. The hotel manager gave us a history of the hotel on the way up to our room, and pointed out a few paintings that were apparently impressive, but which I had never heard of.

We arrived in front of a double door suite on the top floor of the hotel, and I was beginning to think that the manager had made a big mistake. He opened the door and we entered a luxurious suite that looked like it took up half of the entire floor. There was a dining room table that seated at least sixteen and I could smell fresh flowers in the air. It reminded me of the presidential suite my mother and I had stayed in at Jack’s hotel when she came to visit. A light bulb finally flicked on in my dimwitted brain.

“Mr. Walman, who owns this hotel?”

The manager looked confused and more than a bit concerned. “Heston International Hotels, of course. Is everything okay, Ms. St. Claire? Mr. Cole instructed the staff to take care of anything and everything you needed. If this suite is not acceptable, I’m sure we can find one to satisfy you.”

“No, no. I’m sorry Mr. Walman, the suite is beautiful. That isn’t what I meant. Thank you very much for taking such good care of us. I’ll be sure to let Jack, uh, Mr. Cole, know how well we were treated.” I watched as the manager’s face visibly untensed, clearly relieved at my praise.

He smiled at me and nodded his head. “Is there anything else that I can get for you, Ms. St. Claire, before I depart?”

I looked at Sienna, who raised one eyebrow and smirked as she spoke. “A bottle of tequila with a few limes and some salt would be nice.”

The manager looked at Sienna and smiled, then turned back to me as he made his way to the door. “The bar in the living room is fully stocked. Mr. Cole instructed us to add a few extra bottles of tequila, but I’ll have some extra brought up with limes and salt anyway. If it’s okay with you, I’ll have some snacks sent up as well. You must be tired after your flight.”

“That would be great. Thank you, Mr. Wolman.” I smiled, genuinely thankful for his suggestion.

Before the door was even fully closed behind the manager, Sienna started in. “Holy shit, Syd. I am loving the perks that come with you f**king a rich handsome god.” I turned and smiled and found her wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. “Does he have a brother for me?”

We laughed and for the third time in one day, Jack had put a smile on my face and taken good care of me.

***

I powered on my phone to call Jack to let him know that we had arrived safely and found his response to the last text I had sent before turning off my phone for the flight.

Royal Chancery is one of ours. I’ll let them know who you are.

I smiled, thinking of the phone call that must have ensued, with Jack barking orders and scaring the shit out of his staff. The man didn’t do anything halfway. Over the last few months, I’d learned that Jack was direct and commanding in his business. He wasn’t rude, but when he asked for something to be done, there was clearly no room for negotiation. In fact, that was the way Jack was in every facet of his life, except when it came to me. With me he was patient and collaborative, but I could tell it was something he worked to achieve. Partnership didn’t come naturally to Jack, but he struggled to find a balance for me. Except in the bedroom. In the bedroom he reverted back to the domineering and commanding man that was innately him, but that was more than fine by me.

We talked on the phone for almost an hour, and our conversation flowed easily, as it always did. I thanked him for the upgrade to the suite, and my heart melted when he responded by telling me what’s his was mine now. The only time I felt tension was when I mentioned the places that the flight attendant suggested. Jack got quiet for a few minutes, and I could tell he was struggling with the thought of my going out to clubs thousands of miles away. I tried to make him feel better by telling him that we probably wouldn’t have much time for clubbing with the crazy tour schedule, but I knew the damage had already been done. I’d planted a small seed somewhere in the back of Jack’s mind that would grow to visions of men hitting on me in a trendy club in London.

Chapter 3

The next few days were a whirlwind of tightly scheduled activities. The tour promoter had hired a handler to manage our activities and get us from place to place on time. We were photographed, measured, interviewed, lectured, trained and prepped for fourteen hours a day. I found moments to call Jack whenever I could but most of our conversations were short and rushed.

Thursday evening we were finally supposed to meet up with Double Strife, the tour headliners, who were returning from the last of their shows in Belgium. I was anxious and feeling a little guilty for looking forward to seeing Justin again. Justin was one of the two brothers who fronted the band. Sienna and I had met Justin and Kyle Smith when we were all struggling new musicians trying to gather a following back in Boston years ago. We had all stayed friends, often playing the same venues, until Sienna moved to New York and I stopped playing a few years back.

It was no secret that Justin had a thing for me back in the day. Even if he hadn’t confessed his feelings for me that one night when we had too much to drink after a show, I had already known he wanted me. But before that night I’d just assumed his want for me was physical. I was shocked at his sweet words which told me his feelings were much more than physical. But a few days after Justin’s confession, Michael proposed and my relationship with Justin changed. He was still friendly, but he kept his distance and was respectful of my new status.