Chapter 29

The adrenaline of the concert still buzzed in the air as Billie and I slid into the back of the black SUV, the doors shutting with a soft thud. Outside, the night was alive with fans lingering near the venue, their excited voices carrying through the streets. The tinted windows shield us from the view, a small pocket of privacy in the chaos of the post show rush.

Billie flopped back against the seat, head rolling to the side as she grinned at me, still breathless. "so?" she teased, nudging my knee with hers."Did I prove myself?"

I smirked, stretching my legs out just enough so that my thigh pressed against hers."hmm" I mused, tapping a finger against my lips like I was deep in thought."I don't know, Billie. I might need a little more convincing"

She let out a playful scoff, turning her body toward me, her arm draping over the back of the seat."Em, I just had an entire arena screaming for me" She said, voice dipping into that low, teasing tone that always made my stomach flutter."And you're telling me that wasn't enough proof?"

I bit my lip, holding back a grin"I don't hear them right now" I said with a shrug

"Maybe the real test is in a one-on-one setting"

Billie laughed, her fingers lightly brushing over my wrist, tracing a small pattern before she pulled away, leaving a trail of warmth behind."you're a menace" She murmured, shaking her head with amusement

The driver cleared his throat from the front seat, I glanced up just in time to catch his eyes in the rearview mirror. I bit the inside of my cheek, stifling a laugh. We weren't being outright obvious, but our energy was unmistakable. -- a push and pull neither of us seemed to want to stop.

Billie shifted closer, lowering her voice as she whispered"you know, I was thinking... maybe we do a late night room service when we get back. celebrate properly"

I arched an eyebrow, tilting my head."celebrate what, exactly?"

She gave me a look, eyes dark with mischief"my flawless performance, obviously"

I hummed, pretending to consider it"I guess that sounds fair... but only if you let me pick the dessert."

Billie gasped dramatically "you mean I don't automatically get to pick? after all that effort I put in tonight?"

I grinned"sorry Bill, even the best performers don't get everything handed to them"

She let out a groan, dropping her head back against the seat"fine, but if you pick something terrible, I get full judgment rights"

"deal" I said, holding out my pinky

She hooked hers around mine, giving it a soft squeeze before letting our hands drop between us, fingers brushing lightly. The city lights flickered past the windows, illuminating her face in brief golden flashes, and for a second, I let myself get lost in the sight of her, soaking in the quiet, charged energy between us.

As we neared the hotel, Billie stretched, her fingers grazing over my knee absentmindedly."You think we'll actually eat, or are we just gonna spend the night teasing eachother?

I chuckled

"I mean, i'm not opposed to both"

She smirked, her hand lingering on my leg for a beat longer before she pulled away, eyes locked onto mine.

"guess we'll see then" she smirked

the SUV slowed in front of the hotel entrance, and the driver put the car in park. As soon as the door opened, the cool night air rushed in, along with the faint hum of the city life around us. Billie stepped out first, offering her hand with an easy smirk.I took it, letting her pull me up beside her. The warmth of her palm lingered against mine as we walked inside, side by side, the rest of the world slipping away as we made our way toward the elevators.The hotel lobby was quiet, the soft hum of music playing over the speakers as we moved through. Billie pressed the elevator button, leaning against the wall as she glanced at me with that familiar gleam in her eyes.

"you know" she mused"If you get a dessert that's anything less than perfect, I might never let you live it down"

I scoffed, crossing my arms"you act like I don't have impeccable taste"

The elevator door slid open, we stepped inside, the space feeling smaller the second we were alone. Billie leaned in just slightly, her voice a little softer now.

"guess i'll just have to see for myself then/"

my breath hitched for a second, my heart pounding as I met her gaze. The air between us felt charged, electric in a way that sent shivers down my spine. But before I could say anything, the elevator dinged, the doors opened to our floor.

Billie smirked, stepping out first and glancing over her shoulder"come on pretty, let's see if you can impress me"

I followed her down the hallway, pulse still racing, anticipation curling in my stomach. Whatever the night held, I had a feeling neither of us would be forgetting it anytime soon.

As we reached our rooms, Billie turned towards me, her hand lingering on the door handle.

I hesitated for a moment"let me go change first"

She grinned, stepping inside her room."don't keep me waiting too long, pretty"

I watched her disappear inside, exhaling as I turned toward my own door. My fingers trembled slightly as I swiped my keycard. The entire night had been a whirlwind and yet, somehow, I knew the best part was still to come.

When I finally stepped into Billies room, she was already lounging on the bed, scrolling through the room service menu. She glanced up with a smirk.

"took you long enough"

I rolled my eyes slipping onto the bed next to her, close enough that our arms brushed."had to make sure I looked good for the celebration"

Billies gaze flickered over me, slow and deliberate."you always do"

Heat rose to my cheeks and before I could come up with a response, she handed me the menu

"alright pretty. impress me"

I took it, glancing at her out of the corner of my eye. The teasing, the lingering touches, the way she looked at me-- it was all leading somewhere, and I wasn't sure I wanted to stop it.

Maybe tonight, I wouldn't.

Billie nudged me playfully"come on, pick something"

I skimmed the menu, but my focus kept slipping back to her. The way her hair was slightly tousled from the night, the way she bit her lip as she scrolled through her phone. Finally, I settled on something.

"how do you feel about chocolate lava cake?"

Billie hummed"sounds rich"

"Exactly" I smirked

She grinned, grabbing the hotel phone and ordering while I leaned back against the pillows, watching her. The anticipation in the air was undeniable, stretching between us like an unspoken promise.

When she hung up, she turned to me, raising an eyebrow"alright pretty, now we wait"

I smirked"I can think of a few ways to pass the time"

Billies eyes darkened slightly, she leaned in, her voice so low"yeah?"

I swallowed hard"Yeah."

Billie's lips were a breath away from mine, her eyes flickering with that intense, undeniable heat. My heart raced in my chest As I leaned in closer, the electric charge between us finally snapping. She kissed me first, her lips warm and urgent, pressing into mine with a hunger that mirrored my own. It was no longer just teasing or playful - it was raw, untamed, and it made my entire body burn with want.I kissed her back, my hands finding her waist, pulling her closer until there was no space between us. The bed creaking beneath us as we shifted, her fingers threading through my hair, tugging me deeper into the kiss. She tasted like the remnants of her performance, sweet but fierce.

Her breath was ragged against my lips as she pulled away just enough to whisper." you have no idea how much I want you right now."

I could hardly think with her so close, her presence overwhelming every thought I had.

"then have me." I breathed, my voice hushed and desperate.

I reached for the hem of her shirt, my fingers skimming her skin, her hands were on mine immediately, guiding them higher.

We were both lost in the moment, the teasing, the build up, all of it coming to a head in the quiet of the room our breaths mingling as our lips collided again.

Then, just as I was about to lose myself entirely in her, a knock sounded at the door, shark and jarring, pulling us both out of the haze.

"Room service" came the muffled voice from the hallway.

Billie groaned, her forehead dropping to mine as we both exhaled in frustration. The knock came again, louder this time, Billie grinned despite herself, clearing fighting the urge to laugh.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me, our luck sucks" she muttered

I chuckled, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before sliding out of the bed.

Billie flopped back onto the pillows, her fingers running through her hair as she stretched.

When I opened the door, the waiter was standing there with a tray covered in a silver dome. He gave me a polite nod, his eyes flicking briefly to the bed behind me where Billie was sprawled, looking entirely too carefree for someone who'd just been moments away from driving me wild.

"your dessert, miss" the waiter said, settling the tray sown on a nearby table."enjoy your evening."

I gave him a polite smile, nodding as he left, then I turned back to billie, who was watching me with a mischievous grin.

"you know" she said, voice dripping with that same playful tone"we can always pick up where we left off later. no rush"

I closed the door, turning back toward her as I made my way to the bed, the dessert now forgotten for the moment.

"you're right. no rush"

Billies smirk deepened, she scooted back on the bed sitting up"well, pretty, i'm still waiting to be impressed"

I leaned in, kissing her again, this time slower, with purpose, savouring the moment before it all got too intense again. Billie immediately scooted closer, her fingers tracing the edges of the silver dome. She lifted it with a dramatic flair, revealing the warm, gooey lava cake nestled inside. The sight of it made my mouth water, but it didn't compare to the temptation sitting next to me.

"finally" she said with a smirk, grabbing a fork and diving in. She took a bite, her eyes lighting up with that satisfaction i'd been waiting for

"okay, Em, i'll give it to you, this is perfect"

I leaned back, watching her, still feeling the heat of our earlier kiss buzz in my veins."glad you approve"

Billie offered me the fork with a teasing grin, a slow, deliberate moment that made my heart race all over again. I took a bite, savouring the rich sweetness of the cake on my tongue, but still unable to focus fully on anything but her.

"you know" she said between bites, her voice dropping lower"this cake is great... but i'm thinking we should skip dessert next time"

I raised an eyebrow, leaning in closer"you sure you don't want to finish it first?"

Billie smirked, leaning over and brushing her lips against mine in a quick, heated kiss.

"not if we can skip to the next part" she whispered.

I dropped the fork onto the tray with a soft clink, pulling her closer, closing the distance between us. The cake, the teasing, it all faded into the background as her hands found my waist, tugging me against her. The moment our lips met again, it was like the spark we'd felt earlier reignited, only this time it burned even hotter.