A Kiss and a Cuddle (6 page)

After
we lubricated our stomachs with grease and deep-friend goodness, we were ready
to continue our day.  Rex thoroughly enjoyed his Big Mac, as he described
eating it to be like “filling his belly with laughter and rainbows”.  I assumed
that was a good thing, and we headed back to my condominium so I could grab my
car.  We were going to hit the highway.  All four of us.

“Lock
your doors and buckle up!” I announced as my car quickly accelerated on to the
street.  I drove a red Mazda 3 that I bought after my music success over the
last few years.  It wasn’t fancy by any means, and I wondered if Rex was used
to not riding in a hired car or limousine.

“Are
we being held hostage?” Rex laughed.  “Where exactly are you taking us, missy?”

“Yes,
I have just been patiently waiting for this moment to kidnap you.  Get over
yourself, Billy-Bob,” I rolled my eyes.  “I am taking you to see Red Rocks.  It’s
only 10 miles away.”

“Red
Rocks?  Is it as good as Stonehenge?”

“Even
better.  It is an amphitheatre where people perform outdoor concerts and
shows.  I have played there a couple times myself.”

“Wow. 
Sounds great.  That reminds me.  When are you going to serenade me?” he
whined.  “Sing me that song you wrote about chasing waterfalls.”

“Umm…
I think that was TLC, not me.” I said, keeping my eyes on the road.

“I’m
only joking.  I know your songs, like the one about Christmas lights, and
there’s that one about cuddling under a duvet… one about cowgirl boots, one
about being lost.”

“How
do you know all of my songs?” I asked.  I definitely had not broken into the UK
market yet.

“Well,
I was actually paying attention that night when I crashed your gig.  And… I,
admittedly, may have googled you and watched your YouTube music videos,” he
blushed.  “On repeat.”

“You
creeper!” I joked.  “To be honest, I may have done a bit of googling myself.”

“That’s
the modern dating world these days!”

“Tell
me about it.  So do you have Facebook or Twitter or anything?  Under a secret
name?” I asked as I merged onto the highway.

“I
once did... but the word got out, so I removed it.  I am not really into the
social media scene.”

“You
did?  What was your secret name?”  I asked excitedly.

“Thor,”
he replied with a straight face.

“Thor?! 
That’s an interesting choice.”

“It’s
a nickname from my mates.  Maybe one day you’ll get to meet Thor.  Now
he
is a charmer,” he grinned and put his hand on my knee.

“Oh
my,” I moved his hand back on to his own lap.  “You can keep Thor tucked away
for now.  I’ll take Billy-Bob back.”

We
both laughed, and I could see Rex turn his head to look out the window.  There
were acres of green grass as far as the eye could see.  The leaves on the trees
were gently turning to the golden, orange, and red color, and the sky was blue
without a cloud in sight.  There was nothing more gorgeous than autumn leaves
that only lasted for a week before they fell to the ground.  That was the
allure and anguish of fleeting beauty.  I carried on driving with a slight
smile.  I loved the open road.  There were no expectations.  There was
absolutely nothing else you had to do, except for drive and gaze out of the
window.  It was almost as if you were suspended in time.

“The
sky is so blue and big here,” Rex said.  “There’s no chance you would see this
back home.  It would be raining and smoggy.”

“I’m
sure it isn’t that bad in England.”

“You
are right.  I am pretty lucky to live where I do.  Though it is always nice to
come over here to see if the grass truly is greener,” he grinned.

I
smiled.  Was he flirting?
 
It was so hard to tell sometimes with that
cheeky smile of his.  I was sure he could turn a political discussion into a flirtatious
exchange before you knew it.  I was starting to believe that he did have a
degree in the fine art of flirting.  No wonder he hadn’t met many girls who could
resist his magic.

“So,
why did you choose a career in music, Rose?” Rex asked.

“Since
I can remember, music has been a big part of my life.  Music is there for every
big moment in your life and every small moment too.  It never goes away.  I
constantly had headphones or earbuds in while I was growing up.”

“Ahh,
they say that people who always need to listen to music or have some sort of
sound blaring in their headphones are actually afraid to listen to their own
thoughts.  They are trying to drown out that little voice in their head,” he
said thoughtfully.

“That’s
definitely not the case for me,” I replied.  At least, I didn’t think it was. 
“I listen to music out of love, not out of fear.  Whatever mood I am in, I want
music to reflect that feeling and amplify it.  I think that is pretty
powerful.”

“True,
and now you can create music to help people feel.”

“That
is what is so amazing about making music.  If I can make a love song that one
girl plays over and over because it reminds her of her crush, a sad song to
help someone with their loss, or a happy song to help them get pumped up before
a game, I would be a very happy girl.”

“I
think you already do that, Rose.”

“That’s
why I’m a happy girl.”

“Are
you?” he asked, and I got the feeling that he was asking about something
different.

“Yes.”

“Okay,
good,” he nodded his head.

I
turned up the radio for the remainder of the trip, while the three guys rattled
on.  I couldn’t exactly make out what they were talking about, but their conversation
was lively.  They must have been talking about sports.  What else would get men
so riled up?  That must be a universal male trait.

We
shortly arrived at our destination, parked the car, and started the hike
towards the theatre. 

“Mate,
you didn’t tell us that we would be rock-climbing,” Johnny yelled from behind
us.  “We would have packed our trackies and hiking boots!”

“We
are almost there!” I assured them, while huffing and puffing myself.  I didn’t
remember the hike being this long before.  It also didn’t help that I was
wearing tight denim jeans and three inch boots.

“Come
on, you lot!” Rex shouted from further up the trail.

 “Why
are you so good at hiking, Rex?  What happened to the pampered life of an heir?”
I asked, out of breath.

 “Ha,
please.  This is nothing, kitty-cat.  I’ve climbed Mount Kilimanjaro,
remember?  I’m as fit as a mountain goat.”

I
carried on my way to the top of the trail, not sure if he was joking or not.  I
never really knew with him.  I eyed him up from behind.  He looked surprisingly
in his element, with his broad shoulders and tan skin.  “I think you are more tanned
than me.  Look at your sun-kissed skin!” I yelled.

Rex
turned around and laughed.  “Well, normally, I have moon-kissed skin.  That’s
the pale fate of a British lad, I’m afraid.”

We
both laughed, and he waited for me to catch up.  “Come on, kitten,” he said as
he gestured for me to jump on his back.  I jumped on, and he gave me a
piggyback ride for the rest of the hike to the top.  I swung my arms around his
neck and held on tight as I was jostled around.  As childish as a piggyback
ride was, it was surprisingly intimate with my upper body pressed up against
his back and his hands grazing my legs.  I closed my eyes and enjoyed the ride.

When
we finally made it to the top, I jumped off, and we stared out at the massive
rock structure in awe.  The Red Rocks were so glorious and colossal you fell in
love and broke your heart at the same time.  It was striking something as
earthly as natural rocks could look and feel so unearthly.  The Red Rocks were
originally named the “Garden of Angels”, and it was clear to understand why.  Luckily,
the theatre was mostly empty on the mid-week afternoon, except for a few groups
of tourists sitting in the stands.

“Last
one to the stage is a spotted dick!” Rex screamed, and he started to descend
the stairs towards the stage.

I
was shocked and caught off guard for a moment, but quickly ran down the stairs
once I saw him getting a head start.  I ran as fast as I could, and I was
actually getting closer to him.  He turned back to see where I was, and I
zoomed straight by him.  He stayed behind me until I victoriously jumped on the
stage.

“I
win!” I yelled as I threw my arms in the air.  “Wow, what a view.”

“I
would have to say that I had the better view for the last half of that run. 
What a cute little wiggle you have,” he jested, as he jumped on the stage after
me.

Typical
Rex.  “You’re just saying that because I won.  Besides, you shouldn’t use such
vulgar language in front of me.  What is that, a disease?”

“Spotted
dick?  It is a popular English pudding.  It might be a bit dry and bland for a
dessert, but there’s nothing vulgar about it.  Get your mind out of the gutter,
missy.”

 “Dry
and bland?  You are definitely the spotted dick then.” I laughed.  “So, what
does being a spotted dick entail?  Do you get a punishment for losing?”

“You
can choose whatever punishment you see fit, oh glorious one.  I am not opposed
to spanking or handcuffs!”

“Do
you ever stop?” I asked.  “It must be exhausting to be in flirting overdrive
all the time.” 

“Just
having a laugh,” he grinned.  “I will do anything.  Whatever you want.”

“I
think you should put on a little performance for me.” I said and jumped off the
stage to sit in the stands.

“A
performance?  I thought you would never ask!  Any requests from the audience?”

“You
choose,” I yelled and crossed my legs to get comfortable on the rock seats. 
This should be entertaining.

He
shuffled around for a bit, scratched his head, and then a smirk started to spread
from ear to ear.  Oh dear, I could tell he had another one of his brilliant
ideas.  I was sure he would disrobe and start dancing erotically for all to
see.

Rex
raised his hands to cover his mouth like a beatboxer, opened his mouth, and unleashed
a wreckage of sounds, “Bssssch buhh bsssch bsssch, vrrrrrroowwwwrrrr, blip blip
blip, bssssch buh buh, bleeeeeuughh.”

“What
are you doing?  What is this?” I yelled out, covering my ears.  I could see
that the other groups of people in the stands were not impressed, as they
scrunched up their faces and gave each other confused looks.

“It
is dubstep, baby!” he replied, still spewing out sounds of toxic waste.

“I
don’t like it!  Change the channel!” I said as I held my arm out, pretending to
click a remote control.

“Fine,
fine,” he stopped.  “Do you want something romantic?”

“Anything
is better than that,” I replied.

Rex
stood up straight, cleared his throat, and began to sing in a thick Jamaican
accent, “
One looove, one heaaart, let’s get together and feeeel alright
.”

He
was actually a talented singer, and he definitely did not mind having all eyes
on him.  I clapped along, as he started to grind his hips and do a dance to the
music.

“Come
join me!” he yelled in between lyrics.  “
Let’s get together and feeeeeel
alright.”

I
jumped back on the stage, held his hand, and we started to groove slowly to the
beat.  We sang in harmony for the final chorus, “
One looove, one heaaart,
let’s get together and feeeel alright
.”

We
started laughing as soon as it was over, and Rex gave me a hug.  I don’t know
if it was the exhilaration of singing, or if it was the way his hands moved
ever so slowly down my lower back, but I felt a surge of electricity stirring
in my stomach and coursing throughout my body.  I closed my eyes and leaned
into him, smelling a mixture of sandalwood, soap, and a hint of cinnamon.  We
slowly separated our bodies and looked into each other’s eyes for a second,
before I looked down with a little laugh.  I wondered if he could also feel the
magnetic pull between our bodies.  Our intimate moment came to a sudden end,
when we heard clapping from the crowd.  We jumped away from each other and
looked out to see the groups of tourists cheering and Rex’s bodyguards whistling
and pumping their fists in the air.

“Looks
like we have created a bit of a stir,” Rex laughed.

“Yes,”
I replied knowingly.  “We have.”

There
was an hour before Derek’s gig started at the Three Kings Tavern south of
downtown, and I was trying to decide what to wear.  I laughed out loud,
remembering what happened when I said goodbye to Rex yesterday.  After driving
home from Red Rocks, I parked my car in the underground parking, and we went up
to my condo for a few minutes.  When he walked in, Nina hissed and ran away,
but he was determined to cuddle her.  He followed her into my living room,
picked her up, and exclaimed, “I’m going to hug you ‘til you love me!”  I burst
out laughing and thought it was such a funny expression that I would have to
remember it.  After some adamant cuddling and cooing, Nina eventually stopped
resisting and nuzzled into his chest. 

As
he rocked Nina back and forth, he asked when he could see me again.  I told him
that my friend was performing a show at a bar on Friday night, and I couldn’t
help but invite him along.  He was more than happy to accept my invitation, and
commented on how lucky he was to get to experience this city like a normal
person.  As he was leaving my condo, I explained that the lighting at the
tavern was dim, but it would still be better if he put on his ball cap and tried
“not to act like a
royal
heir at all, okay?”

My
mind snapped back to the matter at hand: what to wear tonight.  I stared at
myself in the mirror, currently wearing a white lacy dress and brown knee-high
boots.  The tavern was not fancy by any means, but I still wanted to dress up
and look pretty.  Not that this was a date, Rose
. 
I was pretty much
just Rex’s tour guide.
 And there was so much I didn’t know about him.
 
Why
was he even here in Denver?  I felt I shouldn’t get too close to him, since he
must have to leave soon.
 
I looked at myself in the mirror, and the
happy girl about to go on a date had disappeared.  Why did I always put the guy
down before I went on a date?  I sighed.  Probably to lower my expectations. 
No expectations meant no disappointment.

I
couldn’t deny the connection between me and Rex though, which seemed to be
amplified at the amphitheatre.  It felt like an explosion when we embraced.  I
wondered if he could feel it too.  I looked at my face in the mirror.  You
could do this, Rose.  Get to know him better.  Let him in.  Just go with the
flow.  

I
decided to run the risk of looking overdressed in my white lacy dress.  I
couldn’t help it.  Sometimes a girl just needed to feel pretty.  As much as the
negative voices in my head tried to convince me otherwise, I really didn’t want
Rex to think of me as just a tour guide.  It was time to unleash my womanly
wiles.

After
choosing my outfit, I quickly grabbed my brown leather jacket, headed out the
door, and pushed the elevator button.  Rex said he would be waiting out front
in a cab.  The bell dinged and the elevator doors opened up to reveal another
young woman.  She was all dressed up, presumably to go on a date too. 

“Wow,
you smell great,” she said.  “Like vanilla and Christmas.”

“Thank
you,” I gushed.  “You look gorgeous.  Whoever you are meeting tonight is one
lucky guy.”

She
laughed, and we both watched the floor numbers on the screen count down.  I
felt the butterflies stirring in my stomach as the elevator descended.  When
the elevator doors opened, we exchanged goodbyes.  I could see the yellow cab
through the glass doors.  As I walked out of the doors toward the cab, I could
see Rex squished between his two bodyguards in the backseat.  Oh, right.  I had
forgotten about the babysitters.
 
I opened the front passenger door and
sat next to the driver.

“Hello,
Rose!” all three of the men chimed in unison.

“Hi,
guys,” I replied.  “Thanks for picking me up.”  I hoped it would be a quick cab
ride.

“Our
pleasure. Take us to the Three Kings Tavern, please,” Rex declared to the
driver.

“It
is on South Broadway,” I added.  The driver nodded and pulled out on to Larimer
Street.  There was a net of white Christmas lights that enveloped the street
like a tunnel of light.  The streets and the sidewalks were crowded.  It was a
typical Friday night downtown with horse-drawn carriages and couples walking
hand-in-hand.

After
a few minutes of brain-numbing silence, Rex asked, “So, tell me again, Rose. 
How do you know this bloke?”

“Derek
is a really good friend of mine.  We met a few years ago while playing open mic
nights at a bar downtown, and we just clicked.  He is an aspiring rock singer,”
I explained.  “He is really talented.  You will love him.”

“Oooh,
you speak very highly of him.  Do you fancy him or something?” he grinned.

“Me? 
Fancy Derek?”  I laughed out loud.  “Never in a million years.  We are such
good friends.  Absolutely not.”

“Me
thinks the lady doth protest too much,” he said in a Shakespearean voice, and Johnny
and Clive chuckled.

“You’ll
see.  Men and women can just be friends, you know.”

“I
sure hope not,” he quipped in a low voice.

The
cab couldn’t get to the tavern soon enough.  I always felt slightly awkward
when his bodyguards were involved in our conversations.  The driver turned the
radio on a bit louder as we continued our journey.  It wasn’t long before I
announced that I could see the tavern coming up on the right hand side of the
street.

“Alas!”
Rex said.  “You boys seem to have indulged in a bit too much American food.  It’s
like you have supersized yourselves.  It is a tad squishy back here.”

“We
just wanted to get a proper cuddle with you, mate,” Johnny replied, while
leaning in closer to rub his arm.

The
driver pulled over to the side of the road outside of the tavern, and Rex paid
the driver.  I opened my door and stepped out on to the sidewalk.  It was a
crisp October evening, and I felt a chill in my lacy dress.  Soon enough, Rex
squeezed his way out of the cab and walked towards me.

“Oh,
my little marshmallow… wow!” he said, eyeing me up and down. “I couldn’t see
how cute you looked in the cab.  You look absolutely delicious.”

“Thank
you.  It’s nothing fancy, just an old dress.”  I replied.  Or it was quite
possibly the cutest outfit in my entire closet.  “Shall we go in?”

“Lead
on, Macduff,” he said, extending his arm with a rolling gesture towards the
entrance.

I
led the way into the bar.  It was dimly lit, and there was music blaring from
the speakers. I could see an eager crowd gathering in front of the stage,
waiting for Derek.  We headed towards the crowd, and Rex lightly placed his
hand on the small of my back to guide me, and a slight chill ran down my spine. 
We found a spot to stand near the back.  The bodyguards sat near the back of
the bar at a high table with a perfect view of the heir.  I thought I could see
Babs at the front of the crowd.  I wondered if her blatant, keen approach with
guys ever worked for her.  Unfortunately for her, Derek was one of the guys who
always wanted what he couldn’t have.

“Perfect. 
I’ll grab us two pints,” he yelled into my ear, and he headed towards the bar.
“Stay here, kitty.”

“Okay,”
I yelled back.  I figured I had to force down a beer for the night.  Not that I
would want Rex to have to order one of my girly drinks in a bar like this.  Why
did all of the best tasting drinks have to have names like ‘Slippery Nipple’ or
‘Porn Star’?  So a pint it was, then.

Just
as Derek came on stage, Rex returned with our drinks.  The crowd went wild.  I
cheered along and clapped my hands high in the air.

“Here
you go,” Rex said leaning into me, and I felt his warm breath on my neck and
hair.  I felt another light tingling sensation course through my body. 

I
smiled, grabbing the bottle of beer.  Rex stood close beside me.  The place was
packed full of people, and I was sure he didn’t mind the lack of personal space
between us.

Derek
spoke clearly into the microphone, “Thank you for coming to my show.  I wrote
this first song for someone special.  I hope you like it.”

Derek
sat on the stool behind him, as he began to intricately fingerpick his acoustic
guitar.  The individual notes blended into a sound that was both beautiful and
melancholy.  He took a deep breath and softly sang, “
When will she see… we
can be together happily…”

Oh
no, was it the special song he wanted to show me yesterday?  Did he write it
about me?  No, how could I flatter myself with a claim like that.  There was no
way to tell that it was about a specific person.  I convinced myself to relax
and enjoy the song.

Derek
continued to the chorus, raising his voice, “
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down
your sweet hair… I am your prince and I’ve always been there…”

Sweet
potato pie!  The song was definitely about me.  A feeling of alarm shot through
my body.  Rex was going to know it was about me and think there was something
going on between me and Derek.
 
I scanned the crowd to try to get a view
of Rex with my peripheral vision.  He looked completely oblivious.  Maybe even
a bit bored.  It would all be fine, just as long as Derek didn’t start yelling
out my name in the next verse.

For
the most part, Derek had his eyes closed, but he would occasionally search the
audience.  When he saw me, our eyes locked in.  His eyes were wide, and they
were asking if I would be his, simply and earnestly.  I couldn’t answer.  I had
to look away.

Derek
continued and finished the song.  He really was an engaging performer.  And
very handsome.  I was sure that every girl in the crowd was imagining
themselves as Rapunzel right then.  Any girl would be lucky to have him.  He
was strong, stable, and steady. 

I
wondered if it was only in Hollywood movies where the girl always ended up with
her best friend.  Did that really happen in real life?  After years of friendship,
could you actually remove that barrier and see your best friend in a new
light?  My life was not a Hollywood movie by any means.

When
the song was over, everybody cheered and clapped.  Derek smiled and squinted
out at the audience, slightly blinded by the light.  He looked over at me, and
we both smiled.  He would always have a special place in my heart.

“Well,
that was sappy and romantic,” Rex yelled at me through the cheers.  “I thought
you said he was a rocker.”

“Haha,
I don’t know what has gotten into him,” I laughed a little bit too hard, then
started to blabber on.  “I think he has gone crazy.  I mean, those song lyrics
were pretty crazy, right?  Like, who sings about Rapunzel?  That’s just clearly
crazy, made-up, nonsense stuff.”

Rex
gave me a quizzical look like I was a madwoman, but then the next song started
loudly and the crowd cheered again.  We turned our attention to the stage as
the guitar chords thundered throughout the bar.  Phew, I thought I was safe. 
Good covering up, Rose.  That was completely natural.