Decided to challange myself to write 50K words for TMT for Nano instead of starting something new. Not edited, but it's a second update :) Thoughts of Alex now?

Chapter Eleven

As the movie credits roll onto the screen, my heart floats back and forth with uneasiness. I was hoping in-between movies I'd hackle down my feelings and find a point to divide them, but with the devastating scene happening on the screen, it felt like my heart strings where being yanked all over the place.

Warm lips press against my cheek tenderly, which makes me snap out my bubble of thought.

"What are you thinking about?" he asks.

Shaking my head, I meet his eye contact and say, "Nothing."

"Do you want to order food in or cook something?" he asks.

"Cook?" I offer.

There's plenty of food sitting in the cupboard and fridge for us to eat, honestly. Ava forced me to go food shopping when I first got back to New York. She even made a special visit to my apartment to ensure I'd brought enough healthy food so I wouldn't waste away until my next big career move. I half expect my parents were behind her visit to check on my welfare.

If I hand of made this career, I'd be closer to home and not living independently in a restless city like I am now. The perks of being famous meant they could easily track me down with the photographer's constant diary of my life, and I wouldn't get into any financial trouble, well, not yet. I don't have an eye for expensive things or a reckless behaviour like throwing money out the window.

"What are you hungry for?"

"Something Asian, stir-fry?" I suggest.

"You read my mind beautifully," he sings off key.

I untangle myself from the blanket and move myself off Alex's lap. He stands to his feet, then offers me a hand. I greatly accept the gesture as I climb to my own two feet.

"Thank you." I smile.

I start packing away the blankets while Alex walks over to the fridge so start gathering ingredients. I see a small pile of an assortment of vegetables piling up on the counter. Once he's gathered everything he wants, he grabs a chopping board, knife and the wok which is stored under the kitchen sink.

"Want some help?" I offer.

I see Alex's eyes filter across to my latest inspiration wall, then back down to the chopping board in front of him.

"I want to make you dinner," he says, "how about you play me some music?" he offers.

"I'm not a singing machine." I pout.

"I'm just curious about your music, is that so bad?" he asks.

From the tone of Alex's voice, it sends my stomach slicking with guilt. I feel bad for snapping at Alex, that wasn't very nice of me.

"Sorry."

"Truth be told, I'm just curious about what you've been up to for the last couple of days. You've been rather mysterious." The conversation falls silent and all you can hear is the sound of his knife tapping against the glass chopping board.

"Just my music?" I ask.

"Fine." He huffs with annoyance, "how is the dress coming along?" A small pout filters onto Alex's face, which melts my heart.

"Secret." I wink.

"Ava has been bugging me about having a fitting done from my tux, but I haven't been bothered. She won't even tell me the colour you've decided," he explains.

"Lucy and I are in-between colours and designs. She's sort of going through an artistic movement and thrown all her designs out the window in favour of something else," I offer up as an answer.

The sound of the knife hitting the board stops and silence envelops us.

"Change of direction? What was the previous direction?"

"Well." The excitement dawns in on me, I'd really like to share my outfit with him. "We were thinking about a fish tale to go away from my flowy dresses – an evolution in style, but Lucy has found new inspiration and has decided she likes the flowy ones better."

"Which style do you like?"

"I loved the idea of the evolution in my style, but after seeing some new designs." I nibble on my lip, "I like this new direction. Beside, a fishtail would be hard to walk in." Somehow having a flowing dress gives you more movement and space to breath. But with Lucy, she seems mad enough to chuck a bone crushing corset into the design.

"You're going to look breath taking ling beautiful regardless of the dress." He leans over the counter and I meet his short chaffed kiss.

"Thanks, Alex." I smile. "I'm sure you'll look super sexy in your suit once you finally return Ava's call and get if fitted."

"Point very well made, Riley." He sighs with guilt.

"I should work on some songs so I don't get my butt haled back to the record label tomorrow," I explain.

"Ava might be small, but she can be feisty." He chuckles.

I collect my notebook and guitar before perching on the stool in front of the kitchen counter. I open the book to a fresh page and balance my guitar in my lap. Before I am able to do anything, I give Alex that look.

"I won't say anything." He raises his hands in defence.

"Good, because sometimes your just, your comments are preferred after I've finished playing with the song," I explain in a muddled up way.

"I won't say anything until you ask me." He promises.

While Alex flies through the kitchen like a ninja with a mission, I focus on the guitar and the blank page staring back at me. My fingers run over the strings and I play a few different tunes before converting to a random song I can sing along to.

"I got ten fingers to the sky, my back to the wall, my white flag high, Hair, lips, just like a gun. She's got silver bullets on her tong, he's deep under her spell. I'm screamin' out, but it just won't help," I sing.

"I think I'm cursed, I had her first," Alex sings along.

"You don't wanna break my heart," I chime in.

"ZZ Ward, I like your taste in music." Winks Alex.

"Learnt it from a great influence." I wink straight back at him.

"He must be charming and handsome too," he stirs.

"Or over confident and a bit douche." I giggle.

"Pft, someone that amazing wouldn't be," he tries to recover.

"You're smiling like that again," I point out.

"I can't help it." He shrugs his shoulders, "I love it when you sing, your how body just comes to life."

"When you say cute things like that, I just want to pill my gut."

"Why resist something you really want then?"

Despite his infuriating attitude, Alex had a solid point. I place my guitar against the kitchen bench as I slip off the stool and walk around the kitchen bench to his side. I press my back against the cold marble as I push myself up and slide onto the table.

"Remember when we used to sit around the studio making music?" I ask.

Alex discards his post at the chopping board in favour of moving in-between my parted legs.

"I remember perfectly." He kisses the end of my nose.

"Am I detecting some kind of tone?" I ask.

"Certainly not." He pouts and shakes his head.

"Hm." I poke my tongue out and he nips the air, teeth chattering and chills running down my spine.

"I prefer moments like this." He quirks his head to the side, "Where you spontaneously haul your guitar out from wherever and just start singing something that makes you happy. You come to life, and that's when the real Riley tucked under so many layers of everything pops out for a glimpse of the world," he explains.

"You think so?" I ask.

"I do." His hands trail up the sides of my legs with a soft touch, then up my side and all the way to my face. His thumb rubs against my cheek in a light caress which sends feelings and tingling's rocketing through my body.

"You're so beautiful," he whispers against my skin.

His lips capture mine in an effortless motion. A soft pressure and explosions of sparks and passion formulate from the kiss. One hand is hooked around his waist, while the other one slides up the back of his hair, knotting and curling strands of his dyed jet black hair. I loved the way Alex made me feel.

"What about dinner?" I whisper in-between breathes.

"Fuck dinner." His lips connect to mine with more fierce passion than I've ever felt.

My mind clouds into an intense fluffed up fog. All I can think about is the tingles surging through my body, the feeling of Alex's hot breath against my neck and the smell of something burning.

"Alex," I scream.

We jump apart just in time for Alex to swoop in and rescue the food from burning. But on a closer inspection, the food looks pretty inedible from the dark colouring and strange smell. I go with it being burnt rather than questioning his cooking skills. Alex has made me some amazing Asian dishes, but this one looks, well, interesting.

"Let's order food?" I offer.

"We could order Chinese from your favourite place?"

My stomach curls into a nasty hungry growl. "Pizza?"

"Extra garlic bread and a chocolate mousse?"

"Baby, you know me so well." I lean in and kiss Alex's lips before ducking off to get my phone to order pizza.