Ellie could punch whoever knocked on the door at this perilous moment.
As far as she was concerned, they could wait 'til tomorrow to get punched because Daniel was looking at her with soft eyes, waiting for her to respond to what he'd just said and she didn't know how to respond.
Half of her wanted to give in to him one hundred percent.
The other half reminded her of the list she'd made of all the reasons why she needed to forget him.
The thumping kept going, loud enough for everyone else in the hotel to hear too.
"Leave it," Daniel mumbled as he gripped her hands, and drew her to him, his eyes searching her face for some kind of response.
Whilst she was reluctant to remove her hands from his, Ellie worried it could be something urgent.
Also, it gave her a chance to escape his intense gaze and think things through. "I should get it."
Slipping his hands from hers, Daniel ran his fingers through his almost-dry hair, mussing it up into golden tufts.
Ellie stood, tightening the fold of her towel around her chest, sensing a gaping separation between them. Before she opened the door, she turned to Daniel, who had started to flip through her notebook. "Should you ... hide ... maybe?"
Daniel responded with a raised eyebrow and a wry grin.
The knocks got heavier.
Opening the door a crack, Ellie saw Kim, dressed in a loose shirt and shorts over her bathers; sunglasses on her head, waiting in the corridor
"So," Kim pondered with her finger to her chin as she surveyed Ellie up and down, "there's been some discussion around the pool that both our lead singers are missing."
"Oh?" Ellie closed the door a little more and peeped at Kim through the crack. "No. I ... I'm alone. All alone. Just writing my song."
Kim dropped her shoulders and sighed. "Yeah. I knew it. I told Meg not to start any rumours." She looked at Ellie's untidy hair and down at her towel. "Had a shower?"
"Yeah. Yep."
"Feeling better? You acted kind of weird—"
"I'm fine."
"Can I ..." Kim peered over Ellie's shoulder. "Can I come in?"
"Uh ... I'm right in the thick of the last verse and was ... going to head straight to bed ... "
Kim gave Ellie a sorrowful smile. "Jetlag's a bastard, huh?" She took a step closer to the door and pushed her face near to the crack, whispering. "Meg and James are ... kind of ... well, let's just say I sense there's gonna be trouble." She put her finger up to her lips. "Don't tell Meg I said anything. Anyway, she's gone to hang out with the Glue guys. Apparently Gav's got some really good"—she lowered her voice to a hush— "weed. Then they're going clubbing."
"Okay. Well, look after each other ..."
"Oh. I'm not going—"
"But ..." Ellie frowned and searched Kim's face. "Why not?"
"I was thinking about what you said at the pool ... and wanted to tell you ..." Kim stepped forward, and picked at the door frame. "Well, you work so hard. All the time. For us. And I really appreciate it. Meg does too."
Ellie tightened her grip on the door, the guilt sinking in. "We all work hard, Kimmie."
"And, those distractions," Kim continued, "I get what you mean, and you're right. You and me need to focus on the Jessie shit. That's all we need to do. And it's not fair on you if I go partying with Megsy when you're working. I know you don't want to be on tour with Glue so the least I can do is help you get through the next few days so we can enjoy your birthday. Like you said, we're family. We have to stick together—"
"I didn't mean ..." Ellie swallowed. "Why don't you go with Meg? Just because I'm a ... workaholic ... doesn't mean you have to—"
"Nah," Kim smiled, firming her words with a nod. "I'm pretty sure I can handle a few nights off the choof. I'll order room service. Catch up on 'Neighbours'."
"But Kimmie," Ellie said, Kim's words sitting like a low bass note in her stomach. "It's not every day we're in Brissie—"
"It's done. I've decided." Kim stepped back from the door "We've got a crazy day tomorrow. I need a good sleep." She sent her glance down the corridor before looking back at Ellie. "As long as you're okay?"
Ellie chewed her lip; gave Kim a small nod.
"Right." Kim went to leave, but remembered something. She clicked her fingers at Ellie. "If you see Daniel, tell him James and Gav have his room key. He dropped it at the pool. He left in a bit of a hurry. Probs needed to take a slash."
"Okay."
"'Nite then, Ellie Dee."
"'Nite, Kimmie." Ellie closed the door as Kim waved her away.
She locked the door and rested her forehead on the cool wood.
"Devine?"
Ellie turned.
Daniel stood in front of her, ruffling his fringe, those glittering eyes on her again.
"Shall we press play where we left off?" With his smile eager and soft, he stepped forward and positioned his hands either side of Ellie on the back of the door, trapping her between his arms.
Ellie looked at him straight, willing herself to not run her hands down his firm chest to his stomach and press her hips to his, willing him to understand how difficult this was for her.
Dropping his arms from the door, Daniel took a step back from Ellie, lifting his hand to rub the back of his neck. "You want me to go, don't you?" he asked, looking at her from under his eyelashes, his eyes searching hers for answers.
It took everything within Ellie's willpower to say, "Yes."
Daniel swept his hand over his mouth. "I'm rather full on, aren't I?"
"No, god, Daniel, you're ..." Ellie reached to put a hand on his arm to reassure him he was perfect in every way because all of a sudden he seemed to be so very delicate, but she stopped herself just in time; reminded herself of her list.
He was probably just playing one of his 'player' games.
That was it.
In fact, this whole thing had probably just been a game to him.
And she was a grown up. She didn't have time to fall for pretty-boys who flattered her by pretending to fall in love with her and play smoochy love songs so brilliantly on her guitar..
Her own smoochy love songs, at that.
What had she been thinking?
Ellie went to her open suitcase and found the old AC/DC t-shirt she wore to bed. "I need to concentrate on the court case and my album. That's all." She pulled her t-shirt over her head and tugged on her shorts, dropping the damp towel to the floor. "I don't have ... I don't have the space in my head for anything or anyone else right now."
"It's okay, Devine." Daniel's quietude filled her mind as he went to the door, all his previous perkiness gone. He reached for the handle, sending her a small smile over his shoulder. "Once I've worked out where I left my key, I'll be in my room if you change your mind," he said, the light-heartedness returning to his voice. "It's rather large and posh, fluffy robes and stinky soaps and what not. I'll be there all night ... all alone ... if you did fancy a chat ... or even just ... a cuddle."
Of course Ellie regretted asking him to leave, but deep down, she knew she'd done the right thing. "Gav and James have your key."
"Right-o."
"See you on tour."
"Devine"—Daniel twisted the door handle and turned to her with a sparkling gaze—"make sure you mention my eyes in your song. I think they're my best feature, don't you?"
Ellie's lips twisted into a smile even though she didn't want them to and Daniel's grin widened before he slipped out, closing the door behind himself.
With a long groan, Ellie let her shoulders droop. She slumped down hard on the bed, face first into the pillow.
So that was it with Daniel Armstrong, was it? All the fierce passion of it—over and done so quickly there wasn't even time to pick up a souvenir t-shirt on the way out.
Ellie sat up and took a deep breath; rubbed at her eyes.
She leaned across the bed and grabbed her notebook from the bedside table and flicked to the page she'd been writing on, noticing some unfamiliar scribble next to the lyrics of her new song.
This better be about me, otherwise we need to talk. D. X
Ellie traced her fingers across the words, then lifted her finger to her mouth, Daniel's soft, urgent lips still tingled on hers, his warm fingers still teased at her waist.
Finding her guitar, Ellie sat cross-legged on the bed, a song coming to her stronger than ever. But, as the first notes rang out, she held her palm against the strings and lay back on the bed, the chords ringing in her ears.
All she could think about was Daniel in his hotel room, alone, lying bare chested on his bed, in his holiday brochure shorts, smoking a cigarette, looking like that perfume ad she'd seen on the back of Tattler magazine.
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.