Aubrey (Revolving With Axis)

089: Rafe

089: Rafe

I tossed back my head, holding her hips securely so she couldn't get away. "Aubrey!"

"Dead serious."

"I take it back. I'll pay you double."

"Nope. Won't do. I will go back to work in a heartbeat."

"Aubrey, it's just habit."

"Break it now."

"Cut me some slack. We can't even get through a conversation without you stopping it for some word. You're picking at my words!"

"Then stop saying those words!" Now she was pulling away from me, and there was little laughter left in her voice. "Listen to me--- you wanted me to stay. I did. You wanted me on tour. I am. You wanted me to sleep in your bunk. I am. Stop swearing."

Somebody had stopped the video and all were paying very close attention, damn small closed quarters. I could see over her head the rapt expressions on all the guy's faces. I wanted her to back down. I wanted her to stop this foolishness. I wanted what I wanted, and I wasn't used to being made fun of, or forced into anything.

"You're undermining me in front of my friends." I hissed at her.

She blinked in mock astonishment. "Heaven forbid."

I pinched her shoulder, not hard, but enough to warn her I wasn't happy. Her lips tightened into a thin line and her eyes clouded in anger. Was it to always be this? This asinine cussing/ swearing subject? I started to turn, and she grabbed me and pulled me back. She took the TV controller away from Ben on the floor and rewound it just a little. Her movements were jerky, not fluid and her eyes had that very determined expression I couldn't resist. I stood there as she stared at me. Then she literally blew me away as she sang--- with Bowie:

There's such a sad love
Deep in your eyes.
A kind of pale jewel
Open and closed
Within your eyes.
I'll place the sky
Within your eyes.

There's such a fooled heart
Beatin' so fast
In search of new dreams.
A love that will last
Within your heart.
I'll place the moon
Within your heart.

As the pain sweeps through,
Makes no sense for you.
Every thrill is gone.
Wasn't too much fun at all,
But I'll be there for you-ou-ou
As the world falls down.

Falling.
Falling down.
Falling in love.

I'll paint you mornings of gold.
I'll spin you Valentine evenings.
Though we're strangers 'til now,
We're choosing the path
Between the stars.
I'll leave my love
Between the stars.

As the pain sweeps through,
Makes no sense for you.
Every thrill is gone.
Wasn't too much fun at all,
But I'll be there for you-ou-ou
As the world falls down.

She had danced her way through, singing in a fake microphone, her hair swinging, in her sexy shorts and loose fitting t-shirt top, she was extraordinary and every guy in the room felt it. There was nothing even slightly not amazing about her performance. It didn't even seem karaoke. And her eyes were on mine--- she knew all the words and literally, as the music kept playing and the scene unfolded, and the couple on the screen kept swirling Aubrey sang a few lines over.

But I'll be there for you-ou-ou
As the world falls down.
Falling.
Falling down.
Falling in love.

I felt the stress of our almost fight falling down too. G--- Man, she was beautiful and so full--- of amazing qualities, and---- in that moment it was hard to believe she was at heart--- a doctor.

I took the step to her side, pressed up against her in that breathless moment and slid my hands down her arm for the controller. With my eyes still on hers, I fast forwarded through a few scenes--- barely looked at the screen and then tossed the device to Ben who was staring up at me in freaking reverence--- I know--- no other girl would have, or even could have done what Aubrey just did.

I started singing my own song with Bowie:

"How you turn my world
You precious thing
You starve and near exhaust me

Everything I've done
I've done for you
I move the stars for no one

You've run so long
You've run so far
Your eyes can be so cruel
Just as I can be so cruel
Oh I do believe in you
Yes I do

Live without your sunlight
Love without your heartbeat
I, I can't live without you"

We stood there, staring into each other's eyes as Ben stopped the movie and their eyes glued to the little battle taking place in the bus lounge. But for Aubrey and me there was no one else there. Until someone--- Dylan I think--- started this slow clap, clap, clap—

She let out her breath with a startled sound, and so did everyone else. There was a smattering of finishing applause, as if they weren't quite sure what to do. My relationships weren't typically this intense--- not this way I mean—they were intense, and everyone was used to screaming and fighting and fits and temper tantrums. But this--- was way out of their league.

It was obvious we were far more emotionally attached, far less inclined to throw each other out the door--- or under the bus--- so the speak.

Jeff cleared his throat. "Can you sing for me next, Aubrey, and then we'll go make love?"

She turned her eyes on him, narrowly, and gave this really incredulous flirty cocky grin and then pushed me back the way I had come. Everybody laughed, and it broke the spell she'd put us under.

"Did you mean it?" She whispered.

"Mean what?"

"The words? Do you think I'm cruel?"

"No."

"Do you think I starve and near exhaust you?"

"Yeah." I leaned close to her so no one else could hear us. She knew to what that referred. I was starving for her sexual attention, and it did exhaust me to meet all her expectations and rules. She bit her lip, not in a wondering way, but in a pensive, annoyed fashion. I smoothed back her hair and she knocked my hand away from her.

"What do you want me to wear tonight?"

"Club fashion." But neither of our minds was on those statements.

Her eyes on mine were light. "I have the black you bought me, or--- a red one."

"Wear the red."

She nodded curtly, and still didn't move. I bent forward, close enough to kiss her--- that almost kiss we'd had--- the brushing, breathing one that had sent us both into paroxysms of sexual tension earlier.

"It's so awkward to do all our courting in full view of your whole band and all your crew and friends." She whispered.

I grinned and pulled her chin back to me, going in for the brushing kiss. "Don't leave me."

"Don't cuss around me." She let our lips touch, felt the slight pressure, the searching, questioning, desiring feeling---- I pulled her in.

Somebody cleared their throat. "The van is waiting." It was Holli. Annoyed. I wondered why she was so annoyed, unless she still secretly had a crush on me and was jealous, or something. She was acting so bitchy.

Aubrey reached past me to our junk bunk and pulled the bags close. I saw a glimpse of her hose and heels, and then I went and got dressed. 

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