Chapter Fifteen, Drink Me
Posted by DiF on Saturday, August 13, 2011
Title: Don’t Look Away: Chapter Fifteen, Drink Me
Rating: PG-13 [language, alcohol, language]
Summary: Pete deals with being away from Cady in a not so smart way. And Cady has similar issues.
Curled up in the large bed, Cady slowly stretched. A frown quickly filled her face upon the realization she was alone as the morning rays began to filter in through the partially closed curtains. She hated that the other half of the bed was cold and empty, more than she hated the tingle of the headache in her head. For a long moment, she considered staying in bed until it went away, especially as she had nothing else to do. It was unlike her to wake with a hangover. It was even more unlike her to drink alone.
But then again she had not been alone. While Pete was in fact on the other side of the ocean, Cady had not been alone and she was very aware of it. She liked having someone around, did not like being left alone because that led to loneliness. And Jimmy was very courteous and attentive… and attractive. But she was in love with Pete. She and Jimmy could only be friends. No more kissing, touching… or anything else he might want. She needed to put her foot down and draw the line. Maybe she should just avoid him.
But no, she could not do that. The man had purchased her airfare to the States. Avoiding him would seem as if she was ungrateful and she certainly was not that.
Sighing she slowly rolled out of bed and shuffled towards the bathroom. Hoping a shower would clear her head so she had no need of aspirin, Cady peeled off Pete’s shirt she had slept in and turned on the water. As she waited for the water to heat, her blue eyes went to the mirror. Though her reflection merely looked tired and a bit hung over, it was shame and regret she saw. She never should have kissed Jimmy, no matter how much wine she drank. It was so very wrong.
And yet just thinking about it made her lips tingle.
“Goddammit,” she growled and turned to the shower, hoping it would wash away her unwanted thoughts.
After scrubbing her body clean and hoping that it helped with her mind as well, Cady faced her foggy reflection in the mirror. She sighed, her eyes focusing upon themselves. What was she doing? She loved Pete with all her heart and soul. It was a bit soon to be declaring such, she knew that, but it was the truth. She had pined for him for months and months already. And now they were together and she was… attracted to Jimmy? What was wrong with her? She had a perfect match in Pete; she had no reason at all to be seeking the company of another man.
Except for the fact, the only other person that she knew in the country was Pete’s ex. And for some reason Jimmy seemed to be a better option. She could not explain it; she wished she could. Yes, she was attracted to him, but that could merely be because he was… smooth. There was no other explanation to it at all. There was the wine, but… no, she could not explain her weakness away with mere alcohol. That was not right at all. Alcohol might be an enabler but it could not make something out of nothing.
She needed out of England and she needed out now.
But then again, Jimmy was the very one who was getting her out of England. She could not appear ungrateful. That would just be wrong. Therefore, she could not ignore him at all.
A ringing interrupted her thoughts, jarring her back into the present. Figuring it would be Pete calling to check in, she hurried from the bathroom completely nude and snatched up the phone.
“Hello?” she breathed.
“Good morning, Cadence. How thee fare?”
Despite her own desires, she felt her heart skip slightly upon recognition of the voice, “James.”
“I trust you slept well?”
“As well as can be expected. Yourself?”
“It would have been much nicer if it had not been alone,” he responded. “Tell me, Cadence, would you care to have lunch with me today?”
She paused, “I don’t know about that…”
“Ah but I would like to apologize for my behavior last night.”
Cady bit her bottom lip, “James, I do not think–”
“Just for a bit. It will be completely innocent.”
“James, I just do not think–”
“Dinner perhaps, then? You should not sup alone.”
“I…” she sighed. “All right. Dinner. What time?”
Waking up to a flat that was so heavily imbued with her essence made Pete pine for Cady even more. But he could not dwell on it, would not dwell on it. This meant pushing it to the back of his mind and heading into the studio. Work was always a good way to forget about the rest of life. He could get lost in a melody or even something as little as a riff. Music nearly made him forget that he missed his girlfriend.
That is until John mentioned her during one of their breaks. Even a mere inquiry into her well-being, if he had spoken with her, set Pete into a downward spiral internally. He needed to be with her, to talk with her, to feel her, to kiss her, to… fuck, he needed out of the studio.
Leaving his bandmates behind, much to Kit’s displeasure, Pete headed back to the apartment. He closed his eyes as he stepped in, inhaling what little of her lingering scent that remained. Gods he missed her. More than he thought was even possible. How could someone whom had not been in his life long, make his life… complete?
Heading to the phone, needing to at least hear her voice, Pete picked up the receiver and dialed the operator. For a few minutes, he waited patiently for her to pick up the phone. He just needed to hear her voice. That would quiet the storm inside him.
“Hello?”
“Cady?”
“Oh Pete, I have missed you so much,” she quickly said.
He smiled, “I have missed you every waking and sleeping moment we’ve been apart.”
She remained silent for a long moment, “I fly out tomorrow. I’ll be with you by tomorrow night.”
Pete got to his feet and paced as close to the window as the phone would stretch. His fingers itched to part the gauzy curtains, as if somehow looking out the window at the sky would make her get to him more quickly. But the curled cord was much too short, leaving him a number of feet from the windows.
“Not a moment too soon,” he finally responded.
“I know, baby.”
“What have you been doing in my absence?”
“Well… getting to know London.”
“Oh? How have you been doing that?”
“Pete, I would really love to talk to you more, but I am about to go out to dinner with a friend. Can I call you tonight?”
“A friend? Who?”
“That’s not important. I’ll call you in a few hours, my love. Write me a song.”
“I… all right. I miss you, Cady. I miss you like crazy.”
“I miss you too, Pete. I love you. Talk to you soon.”
His eyes stared at the phone for a long moment after hanging up. Something did not feel entirely right about the phone conversation. Pete tried to shrug it off as soon as he dropped the phone down, but could not. Cady did not know anyone in London but Karen and Jimmy, but not all that well at all. They likely were not the ones showing her around. Maybe she had just been wandering about the town herself. Cady was not….
“Fuck,” Pete groaned. “She’s with Jimmy Page.”
Scowling he headed to the kitchen and yanked the fridge door open. His eyes quickly scanned its meager contents. His long, calloused fingers quickly circled the cold neck of the only bottle of wine inside the refrigerator. Pete pulled the bottle out, turned quickly and yanked open the nearest drawer. Not seeing a corkscrew, he attempted one more drawer before growling in frustration. In anger and frustration, he held the wine bottle over his head and slammed the neck down on the counter, quickly snapping it off. He snatched a large tumbler from the cabinet, stared at it for a minute, and tossed it aside.
His eyes looked down into the broken wine bottle. Seeing no immediate danger in drinking from the bottle, he held the splintered glass to his mouth and took a deep drink. He spat out the first mouthful into the kitchen sink, fearing glass shards. The next few mouthfuls he swallowed quickly, until the bottle was empty. Tossing it into the sink and watching it shatter, Pete tried to wipe the anger and angst from his eyes.
How could she? They were only apart a couple of days and she was already jumping into Jimmy’s bed. Had she not meant it when she said they were meant forever? Had she not really meant “I love you”? Why the hell did Jimmy steal everything from him? Why was he so fucking magical?
“Fuck,” he muttered and stalked away from the small kitchen.
His blue eyes looked around the flat. As he gazed at her things, the soft white curtains lining the walls, the pastel pillows filling the white couch, the fluffy rugs they made love on, Pete felt his anger soften some. Maybe she truly was not with Jimmy. Perhaps she was with Karen. Yet he was not entirely certain how Cady spending the evening or day with Karen was any better than Jimmy. But it was.
He would just call Karen and see. That seemed like a good idea.
Stalking back over to the phone, Pete snatched it back up and dialed the operator. The wait to be connected to Karen seemed ridiculously long, though in reality was only a few minutes. He practically dropped the phone when she answered.
“Helloooo, Karen,” he said.
“Pete? Pete, why are you calling me? Are you drunk?”
“I… uh… did you see Cady today?”
She paused, “Why?”
“Just tell me dammit.”
“Yes. We went shopping for a while. And I showed her around town some. Why?”
He sighed, “Really?”
“Yes, Pete. I spent hours with your new girlfriend. She’s very sweet. And misses you.”
“You didn’t… you didn’t tell her… anything… did you?”
Karen laughed, “We did talk, Pete. It was not a silent afternoon.”
“Fuck. What did you tell her about me?”
“Do not worry about it. She loves you. That’s all you need to know, Pete.”
“But–”
“Do not worry. She loves you.”
“Is she fucking Jimmy Page?”
Karen snorted, “Are you bloody serious?”
“Yes.”
“Ask her that, Pete. Or stop being an arse.”
“She’s fucking him, isn’t she?”
“I am hanging up the phone now.”
“But, Karen–”
“Goodbye, Pete.”
Hearing the dial tone, he stared at the phone for a long time. Dropping the phone down, he turned around and looked around the flat again. She was not fucking Jimmy Page. She was not. He trusted her. He loved her. She loves him.
“Fuck. Fuck you, Page. If you fucking touch her…”
Locking the door, Cady turned and met Jimmy’s eyes. He smiled, his hand going to the small of her back. Silently they left the apartment behind and headed down to waiting car. Like the gentleman he always was, Jimmy opened the car door and ushered her in. He slid in after her, a bit closer than she would have preferred, but Cady could not find it in her to tell him to move over.
“Where are we going tonight, James?”
“A new restaurant called Taberna Etrusca,” he responded.
“That sounds… exotic,” she commented softly.
“Italian. Do you like Italian food?”
“I do,” she smiled slightly before focusing out the window.
He leaned over, his lips near her ear, “I am very sorry about last night. It grieves me that my behavior troubled you in any manner.”
Cady’s gaze pivoted from the window to meet his, finding their faces much closer than she expected, “James… I should have… worry not. You have nothing to apologize for…”
“Ah but I do. I should not have made you uncomfortable at all,” he declared.
Her eyes searched his briefly, before she leaned away, “You do not make me uncomfortable. I am fine.”
She heard him inhale sharply, but he said nothing. Instead, Jimmy leaned back on the seat and glanced out the window, smiling slightly to himself. Cady watched him for a moment before shaking her head. Biting her bottom lip, she caught his eyes watching her in the reflection of the window before turning away. He did unnerve her, but it was nothing she would ask him to stop doing. Cady did not think he could even if he tried.
“When is my flight tomorrow again?” she asked suddenly.
Jimmy’s dark eyes returned to hers, “A little after nine. I can drive you.”
Her lips curved into a smile, “That would be nice, James. Much appreciated.”
He smiled slightly as well, “Your wish is my command, Cadence.”
Something about the tone in his voice brought a flush to her cheeks and she looked away, “What time?”
“It seems to me that we would need to check in at the airport by eight thirty,” Jimmy stated. “It may be best if you stayed at my house tonight, as your flat is in the opposite direction from the airport.”
“I do not think that is a good idea, James.”
His hand dropped to her knee, “You may stay in my guest room. Nothing for you or Townshend to worry about.”
“I… but I have things back at our flat to take to Pete,” she argued.
Jimmy leaned forward and instructed to the driver to turn back before addressing Cady again, “Then we shall retrieve them before dinner. Problem solved.”
Cady sighed and shook her head, though she smiled slightly, “All right, James. But I am sleeping in the guest room.”
“Of course, Cadence. Of course.”
Ten minutes later, Cady once more slid into the back of Jimmy’s car, this time with a small bag. Inside were the few items she purchased earlier in the day while out shopping with Karen. While at first Pete’s ex-girlfriend had resisted, the two women quickly bonded over tea and stories about everything but Pete. As her goal had not been to dig up dirt on Pete but rather to merely have someone else to talk with in London, Cady had not pressed it. By teatime, however, Karen spilled her thoughts on Pete. Rather than be awkward, Cady felt it brought her closer to Karen and shed light on her lover slightly. But that had not been the intention of the shopping trip; a necklace seen in the window of a shop the other night was. Cady could not explain it, but Pete needed to have it. He could wear it and think of her, she hoped.
“Ah, sweet Cadence, you are lost in thought,” Jimmy’s suave voice interrupted her thoughts.
Her blue eyes went to his dark eyes and she smiled slightly, “I was merely thinking about Pete. I do love him, James. You need to understand that.”
“Of course I understand that. And I respect it. He is a lucky man to have someone like you loving him. A very lucky man,” he remarked.
“Do not attempt to kiss me again, James. Please,” she whispered, her eyes dropping slightly.
His fingers went to her chin, tilting her gaze back to his, “I will never force myself upon you, Cadence. I enjoy your company. I do not wish to threaten having your presence grace my life. I will never do anything that you do not wish.”
“James… I….”
“Worry not, Cadence. Please.”
She nodded and glanced out the window as the car came to a halt. Though she was trying to trust Jimmy’s word, the fact they were led to a small, intimate table inside the restaurant made such trust a bit difficult. It was almost as romantic as the French restaurant Pete wooed her at a few days before. That could not bode well at all.
“Tell me, Cadence,” Jimmy folded his napkin in his lap after ordering wine. "What do you intend to do while Townshend is on tour?”
Her brows furrowed as she looked up from the menu, “I am going on tour with him.”
“I understand that you say that now, but do you know what it takes to do a successful tour? You will be left with many hours alone while Townshend is occupied with the band. Never mind the rumors that he is allegedly working on a new album. If he is anything like what I have heard, he will have nary the time for you.”
Cady frowned, “I toured with Jimi before, James. I am aware of the constraints a tour places on a relationship. However, Pete is not going to abandon me in a hotel room and runabout with only the band… or other women. He is not like that. At all.”
“I know that you believe that but being on the road changes people.”
She rolled her eyes, “Pete and I will be fine. It is none of your concern, James.”
“Ah but I only want the best for you, If Townshend neglects you…”
“Then that is between me and Pete,” she interrupted. “Just stop, James.”
He nodded, “It is rather unfortunate that you cannot come and see my band play before you leave. I think you would enjoy it.”
“Well perhaps you can play for me tonight, then,” she suggested.
A slight smile lit his eyes, “I would love to.”
Though she did not intend to drink wine with Jimmy again, it seemed wrong to eat Italian food and not sip upon a glass of wine. However, this time, Cady paid careful attention to the bottle and her glass, making certain Jimmy did not continuously fill the glass before it was empty. Her close observation paid off as she left the restaurant with only the slightest buzz. She was completely in control of her actions and thoughts.
Or so she thought until she was in the back of the car with Jimmy. His arm slipped around her shoulders and his lips dangerously kissed her ear. While most of her screamed to push him away, she could not find the willpower to actually do so. There was a power in his kiss and touch that she could not explain. Jimmy Page was like magic.
“James,” she breathed when his lips left her ear, hoping to kiss her lips.
“Yes, beautiful,” he whispered before stealing a kiss from the corner of her mouth.
“Stop,” she requested, her eyes boldly going to his.
Jimmy held her gaze for a long intense moment and he nodded, “As you wish.”
His arm remained around her shoulder, but she did not ask him to remove it. Instead, she relaxed into his embrace, laying her head on his shoulder. It seemed safe. For the moment.
Waking with his head pounding and his mouth full of cotton, Pete struggled to determine where he was and why there was a loud ringing filling his eardrums. As the soft light of the busy city filtered through the sheer curtains, his world came into focus. He was in Cady’s flat. Without her. She was across the ocean with Jimmy Page. While he did not know that, he felt it and that was worse. It had led to his drinking an entire bottle of wine quickly... and then passing out on the fluffy white rug they had loved on once. He was a wreck – and without even concrete reason. He needed to roll over, get off the floor, and pull himself together. She would be with him before the sun set the following night.
In addition, he needed to finish his songs so he had something to show in the studio.
If only his head would stop ringing so loudly. It sounded like a bloody telephone and that was… exactly what it was. Realizing that, he pushed up from the floor and staggered over to the ringing device. How long had he slept? Clearly not long enough to sober up. But that mattered not for a phone call, right?
“Hellooooooo,” he drawled after picking up the phone.
“Pete? Mate? Are you okay?”
“How do you know my name?”
There was a brief paused, “Pete, it’s John. Are you okay?”
He considered the question carefully, “No. Jimmy fucking Page is fucking my girlfriend.”
“Um… uhhh… can you give me directions to where you are? I think you should not be alone right now.”
“I….. I don’t know, mate. I don’t know.”
John paused, “I’ll figure it out. Drink some water, Pete.”
When the phone went dead, Pete continued to lean against the wall, holding it to his ear. Though no one, not even an operator, was on the line, he continued to talk and rail against how Jimmy Page always seemed to come along and steal away his thunder. Slowly he slumped to the floor, the phone receiver falling out of his hand. Both hands went to his head and he groaned. He hated Jimmy Page right then. He hated him a lot.
A sudden pounding on the wall next to him jarred Pete awake. It took him a few long seconds to realize that pounding was actually on the door. Slowly getting to his feet, he shifted a few feet over to the door. Struggling to unlock it, Pete swung the door open, causing the knob to slam into the wall he previously leaned against. His blue eyes struggled futile to focus on his visitor.
“Seriously, mate, how much did you drink?” John asked evenly as he stepped into the apartment.
“How… how…?”
Closing the door quickly, the bassist slipped his hand under Pete’s arm and guided him to the nearest chair, “Never mind how I found you. The important part is that I found you.”
“She f-f-fucking J-Jimmy Page,” he stuttered.
“I highly doubt it, mate,” John responded as he opened the cupboard for a glass.
John’s boots crunched glass into the tile as he approached the sink. As this drew his attention, he noticed the shards of the wine bottle in the sink, on the floor. That in of itself was concerning, but he said nothing about it as he filled the glass with water.
“He gets every and anyone into his bed with ease. I know she’s fucking him,” Pete growled.
Pulling out the chair next to him, John sat down and offered the glass to Pete, “Give your woman some credit, Pete. She is not sleeping with Jimmy Page.”
“How do you bloody know that!?” he slammed the glass of water on the table.
“Because as crazy as it may seem, she loves you. She is not dicking around behind your back. You need to trust Cady,” he responded.
“But he’s Jimmy Page.”
“And he doesn’t have a golden cock. Let it go, Pete.”
“But–”
“Let it go,” John repeated. “Why did you come to Cady’s apartment anyways? Have you written any more songs?”
His face screwed up in pain, “I can’t write with the knowledge that she’s fucking Jimmy Page.”
He remained silent for a moment, “Fine, then. Let’s ring up Page and ask him.”
Settled on a couch in Jimmy’s Pangbourne house, Cady looked out over the River Thames while he mixed drinks. She really had no desire to imbibe any more, not wanting to lose what little control she had, but she still could not tell him no for some reason. Therefore, she sat silently on the couch, looking out over the river.
“It is rather peaceful, isn’t it?” Jimmy stated softly as he sat beside her, offering her the drink.
“Thank you,” she accepted the glass, her gaze ever so briefly leaving the river to glance at him. “It amazes me that a city as old as London still has these quiet alcoves.”
“Ah but we are not really in London any more, love,” he responded.
Her eyes snapped to him at the nickname. She wanted to tell him that she was not his love, but upon meeting his eyes, she realized he did not mean it as she interpreted it. It had to be a British thing. Instead, she smiled to erase whatever expression filled her face.
“I suppose one day Pete and I will find someplace quiet like this,” she commented before sipping her drink.
“You believe that you and Townshend will remain together then?” he asked casually.
Her brows furrowed slightly, “Of course I do, James. I love him and he loves me.”
“While I do not doubt your affection, Cadence, you have not known Townshend long. How can you plan out your life around someone you barely know?”
She held his gaze, “And yet here you are trying to convince me to change my life to better suit yours and we have not known each other nearly as long as Pete and I have.”
“I merely want the best for you, Cadence. That is all.”
Her eyes wavered slightly as his intense gaze continued to penetrate hers, but she maintained it. He finally broke it by smiling slightly and lifting his drink to his lips.
“You promised to play for me,” she remarked.
“That I did,” he set the drink on the nearby side table and stood to fetch his guitar.
Her eyes wandered away from the entrance of the lounge. While she briefly focused upon the river outside, it did not last long before she scanned over the rest of Jimmy’s belongings, trying to figure out something about the man. He clearly had refined tastes, which meant that his financial situation was much better than Pete’s was. If she had been a woman who cared about such things, it would clearly indicate she should leave Pete for Jimmy. However, that was not going to happen. At all. No matter how hard Jimmy tried.
The guitarist returned to the room, his dark eyes flicking to her glass to see if she had drank any more in his absence. Concealing his disappointment, he sat beside her once more, guitar in hand. His eyes settled on hers as he began to play. With a smile, she sipped her drink and relaxed back into the couch. Her gaze left his as his eyes closed in concentration and watched his fingers flit across the strings for a few moments. For a very brief moment she wondered how well his fingers could dance across her skin. Shaking her mind free of that thought, she sipped her drink again and looked away.
Letting Jimmy’s music guide her thoughts and the slight glimmers of current on the river outside, Cady lost track of time and reality. Her lips touched the glass in her hand more often than she would have really liked, which she did not realize until a fuzziness filled her head. Realizing her slight buzz had increased tenfold, her blue eyes focused on the glass in her hand and realized it was empty.
Jimmy seemed to notice the same time she did and stopped playing. He set his guitar aside and slipped the empty glass from her fingers. Her eyes went to his and she could not deny the magnetism between them. She did not protest as he leaned forward and kissed her gently. Her lips parted, allowing Jimmy’s tongue to slip into her mouth as his hand caressed her cheek. She shifted slightly on the couch, enabling Jimmy to turn her and press her back down onto the seat cushions. His hand left her cheek to run down the front of her dress, gently cupping her covered breast. She groaned into his kissed as his expert fingers pinched her nipple, causing it to harden.
Ending the kiss, Jimmy leaned up, his hand still playing with her breast and looked down into her eyes, “Cadence, you are so bloody irresistible.”
“James… we… must stop,” she struggled to whisper.
He dipped down and kissed her again, “Are you certain?”
The shrill ring of his phone seemed to agree, interrupting her response. Jimmy, however, ignored it and kissed her once more. Cady resisted this time, pushing up against his chest.
“Your phone is ringing.”
“Let it ring,” he declared and kissed her once more.
“Answer it, James,” she argued.
“I have no desire to speak with anyone but you,” he responded, leaning in for another kiss.
Cady turned her cheek to him, “Answer it.”
Sighing Jimmy got up, headed over to the phone, and picked it up, “Hello.”
Sitting up, Cady tried to clear her foggy head and took deep breaths to silence her body. Her eyes glanced to Jimmy and noticed he seemed paler than before.
He held up the phone, “It’s Townshend. For you.”
Rating: PG-13 [language, alcohol, language]
Summary: Pete deals with being away from Cady in a not so smart way. And Cady has similar issues.
Curled up in the large bed, Cady slowly stretched. A frown quickly filled her face upon the realization she was alone as the morning rays began to filter in through the partially closed curtains. She hated that the other half of the bed was cold and empty, more than she hated the tingle of the headache in her head. For a long moment, she considered staying in bed until it went away, especially as she had nothing else to do. It was unlike her to wake with a hangover. It was even more unlike her to drink alone.
But then again she had not been alone. While Pete was in fact on the other side of the ocean, Cady had not been alone and she was very aware of it. She liked having someone around, did not like being left alone because that led to loneliness. And Jimmy was very courteous and attentive… and attractive. But she was in love with Pete. She and Jimmy could only be friends. No more kissing, touching… or anything else he might want. She needed to put her foot down and draw the line. Maybe she should just avoid him.
But no, she could not do that. The man had purchased her airfare to the States. Avoiding him would seem as if she was ungrateful and she certainly was not that.
Sighing she slowly rolled out of bed and shuffled towards the bathroom. Hoping a shower would clear her head so she had no need of aspirin, Cady peeled off Pete’s shirt she had slept in and turned on the water. As she waited for the water to heat, her blue eyes went to the mirror. Though her reflection merely looked tired and a bit hung over, it was shame and regret she saw. She never should have kissed Jimmy, no matter how much wine she drank. It was so very wrong.
And yet just thinking about it made her lips tingle.
“Goddammit,” she growled and turned to the shower, hoping it would wash away her unwanted thoughts.
After scrubbing her body clean and hoping that it helped with her mind as well, Cady faced her foggy reflection in the mirror. She sighed, her eyes focusing upon themselves. What was she doing? She loved Pete with all her heart and soul. It was a bit soon to be declaring such, she knew that, but it was the truth. She had pined for him for months and months already. And now they were together and she was… attracted to Jimmy? What was wrong with her? She had a perfect match in Pete; she had no reason at all to be seeking the company of another man.
Except for the fact, the only other person that she knew in the country was Pete’s ex. And for some reason Jimmy seemed to be a better option. She could not explain it; she wished she could. Yes, she was attracted to him, but that could merely be because he was… smooth. There was no other explanation to it at all. There was the wine, but… no, she could not explain her weakness away with mere alcohol. That was not right at all. Alcohol might be an enabler but it could not make something out of nothing.
She needed out of England and she needed out now.
But then again, Jimmy was the very one who was getting her out of England. She could not appear ungrateful. That would just be wrong. Therefore, she could not ignore him at all.
A ringing interrupted her thoughts, jarring her back into the present. Figuring it would be Pete calling to check in, she hurried from the bathroom completely nude and snatched up the phone.
“Hello?” she breathed.
“Good morning, Cadence. How thee fare?”
Despite her own desires, she felt her heart skip slightly upon recognition of the voice, “James.”
“I trust you slept well?”
“As well as can be expected. Yourself?”
“It would have been much nicer if it had not been alone,” he responded. “Tell me, Cadence, would you care to have lunch with me today?”
She paused, “I don’t know about that…”
“Ah but I would like to apologize for my behavior last night.”
Cady bit her bottom lip, “James, I do not think–”
“Just for a bit. It will be completely innocent.”
“James, I just do not think–”
“Dinner perhaps, then? You should not sup alone.”
“I…” she sighed. “All right. Dinner. What time?”
Waking up to a flat that was so heavily imbued with her essence made Pete pine for Cady even more. But he could not dwell on it, would not dwell on it. This meant pushing it to the back of his mind and heading into the studio. Work was always a good way to forget about the rest of life. He could get lost in a melody or even something as little as a riff. Music nearly made him forget that he missed his girlfriend.
That is until John mentioned her during one of their breaks. Even a mere inquiry into her well-being, if he had spoken with her, set Pete into a downward spiral internally. He needed to be with her, to talk with her, to feel her, to kiss her, to… fuck, he needed out of the studio.
Leaving his bandmates behind, much to Kit’s displeasure, Pete headed back to the apartment. He closed his eyes as he stepped in, inhaling what little of her lingering scent that remained. Gods he missed her. More than he thought was even possible. How could someone whom had not been in his life long, make his life… complete?
Heading to the phone, needing to at least hear her voice, Pete picked up the receiver and dialed the operator. For a few minutes, he waited patiently for her to pick up the phone. He just needed to hear her voice. That would quiet the storm inside him.
“Hello?”
“Cady?”
“Oh Pete, I have missed you so much,” she quickly said.
He smiled, “I have missed you every waking and sleeping moment we’ve been apart.”
She remained silent for a long moment, “I fly out tomorrow. I’ll be with you by tomorrow night.”
Pete got to his feet and paced as close to the window as the phone would stretch. His fingers itched to part the gauzy curtains, as if somehow looking out the window at the sky would make her get to him more quickly. But the curled cord was much too short, leaving him a number of feet from the windows.
“Not a moment too soon,” he finally responded.
“I know, baby.”
“What have you been doing in my absence?”
“Well… getting to know London.”
“Oh? How have you been doing that?”
“Pete, I would really love to talk to you more, but I am about to go out to dinner with a friend. Can I call you tonight?”
“A friend? Who?”
“That’s not important. I’ll call you in a few hours, my love. Write me a song.”
“I… all right. I miss you, Cady. I miss you like crazy.”
“I miss you too, Pete. I love you. Talk to you soon.”
His eyes stared at the phone for a long moment after hanging up. Something did not feel entirely right about the phone conversation. Pete tried to shrug it off as soon as he dropped the phone down, but could not. Cady did not know anyone in London but Karen and Jimmy, but not all that well at all. They likely were not the ones showing her around. Maybe she had just been wandering about the town herself. Cady was not….
“Fuck,” Pete groaned. “She’s with Jimmy Page.”
Scowling he headed to the kitchen and yanked the fridge door open. His eyes quickly scanned its meager contents. His long, calloused fingers quickly circled the cold neck of the only bottle of wine inside the refrigerator. Pete pulled the bottle out, turned quickly and yanked open the nearest drawer. Not seeing a corkscrew, he attempted one more drawer before growling in frustration. In anger and frustration, he held the wine bottle over his head and slammed the neck down on the counter, quickly snapping it off. He snatched a large tumbler from the cabinet, stared at it for a minute, and tossed it aside.
His eyes looked down into the broken wine bottle. Seeing no immediate danger in drinking from the bottle, he held the splintered glass to his mouth and took a deep drink. He spat out the first mouthful into the kitchen sink, fearing glass shards. The next few mouthfuls he swallowed quickly, until the bottle was empty. Tossing it into the sink and watching it shatter, Pete tried to wipe the anger and angst from his eyes.
How could she? They were only apart a couple of days and she was already jumping into Jimmy’s bed. Had she not meant it when she said they were meant forever? Had she not really meant “I love you”? Why the hell did Jimmy steal everything from him? Why was he so fucking magical?
“Fuck,” he muttered and stalked away from the small kitchen.
His blue eyes looked around the flat. As he gazed at her things, the soft white curtains lining the walls, the pastel pillows filling the white couch, the fluffy rugs they made love on, Pete felt his anger soften some. Maybe she truly was not with Jimmy. Perhaps she was with Karen. Yet he was not entirely certain how Cady spending the evening or day with Karen was any better than Jimmy. But it was.
He would just call Karen and see. That seemed like a good idea.
Stalking back over to the phone, Pete snatched it back up and dialed the operator. The wait to be connected to Karen seemed ridiculously long, though in reality was only a few minutes. He practically dropped the phone when she answered.
“Helloooo, Karen,” he said.
“Pete? Pete, why are you calling me? Are you drunk?”
“I… uh… did you see Cady today?”
She paused, “Why?”
“Just tell me dammit.”
“Yes. We went shopping for a while. And I showed her around town some. Why?”
He sighed, “Really?”
“Yes, Pete. I spent hours with your new girlfriend. She’s very sweet. And misses you.”
“You didn’t… you didn’t tell her… anything… did you?”
Karen laughed, “We did talk, Pete. It was not a silent afternoon.”
“Fuck. What did you tell her about me?”
“Do not worry about it. She loves you. That’s all you need to know, Pete.”
“But–”
“Do not worry. She loves you.”
“Is she fucking Jimmy Page?”
Karen snorted, “Are you bloody serious?”
“Yes.”
“Ask her that, Pete. Or stop being an arse.”
“She’s fucking him, isn’t she?”
“I am hanging up the phone now.”
“But, Karen–”
“Goodbye, Pete.”
Hearing the dial tone, he stared at the phone for a long time. Dropping the phone down, he turned around and looked around the flat again. She was not fucking Jimmy Page. She was not. He trusted her. He loved her. She loves him.
“Fuck. Fuck you, Page. If you fucking touch her…”
Locking the door, Cady turned and met Jimmy’s eyes. He smiled, his hand going to the small of her back. Silently they left the apartment behind and headed down to waiting car. Like the gentleman he always was, Jimmy opened the car door and ushered her in. He slid in after her, a bit closer than she would have preferred, but Cady could not find it in her to tell him to move over.
“Where are we going tonight, James?”
“A new restaurant called Taberna Etrusca,” he responded.
“That sounds… exotic,” she commented softly.
“Italian. Do you like Italian food?”
“I do,” she smiled slightly before focusing out the window.
He leaned over, his lips near her ear, “I am very sorry about last night. It grieves me that my behavior troubled you in any manner.”
Cady’s gaze pivoted from the window to meet his, finding their faces much closer than she expected, “James… I should have… worry not. You have nothing to apologize for…”
“Ah but I do. I should not have made you uncomfortable at all,” he declared.
Her eyes searched his briefly, before she leaned away, “You do not make me uncomfortable. I am fine.”
She heard him inhale sharply, but he said nothing. Instead, Jimmy leaned back on the seat and glanced out the window, smiling slightly to himself. Cady watched him for a moment before shaking her head. Biting her bottom lip, she caught his eyes watching her in the reflection of the window before turning away. He did unnerve her, but it was nothing she would ask him to stop doing. Cady did not think he could even if he tried.
“When is my flight tomorrow again?” she asked suddenly.
Jimmy’s dark eyes returned to hers, “A little after nine. I can drive you.”
Her lips curved into a smile, “That would be nice, James. Much appreciated.”
He smiled slightly as well, “Your wish is my command, Cadence.”
Something about the tone in his voice brought a flush to her cheeks and she looked away, “What time?”
“It seems to me that we would need to check in at the airport by eight thirty,” Jimmy stated. “It may be best if you stayed at my house tonight, as your flat is in the opposite direction from the airport.”
“I do not think that is a good idea, James.”
His hand dropped to her knee, “You may stay in my guest room. Nothing for you or Townshend to worry about.”
“I… but I have things back at our flat to take to Pete,” she argued.
Jimmy leaned forward and instructed to the driver to turn back before addressing Cady again, “Then we shall retrieve them before dinner. Problem solved.”
Cady sighed and shook her head, though she smiled slightly, “All right, James. But I am sleeping in the guest room.”
“Of course, Cadence. Of course.”
Ten minutes later, Cady once more slid into the back of Jimmy’s car, this time with a small bag. Inside were the few items she purchased earlier in the day while out shopping with Karen. While at first Pete’s ex-girlfriend had resisted, the two women quickly bonded over tea and stories about everything but Pete. As her goal had not been to dig up dirt on Pete but rather to merely have someone else to talk with in London, Cady had not pressed it. By teatime, however, Karen spilled her thoughts on Pete. Rather than be awkward, Cady felt it brought her closer to Karen and shed light on her lover slightly. But that had not been the intention of the shopping trip; a necklace seen in the window of a shop the other night was. Cady could not explain it, but Pete needed to have it. He could wear it and think of her, she hoped.
“Ah, sweet Cadence, you are lost in thought,” Jimmy’s suave voice interrupted her thoughts.
Her blue eyes went to his dark eyes and she smiled slightly, “I was merely thinking about Pete. I do love him, James. You need to understand that.”
“Of course I understand that. And I respect it. He is a lucky man to have someone like you loving him. A very lucky man,” he remarked.
“Do not attempt to kiss me again, James. Please,” she whispered, her eyes dropping slightly.
His fingers went to her chin, tilting her gaze back to his, “I will never force myself upon you, Cadence. I enjoy your company. I do not wish to threaten having your presence grace my life. I will never do anything that you do not wish.”
“James… I….”
“Worry not, Cadence. Please.”
She nodded and glanced out the window as the car came to a halt. Though she was trying to trust Jimmy’s word, the fact they were led to a small, intimate table inside the restaurant made such trust a bit difficult. It was almost as romantic as the French restaurant Pete wooed her at a few days before. That could not bode well at all.
“Tell me, Cadence,” Jimmy folded his napkin in his lap after ordering wine. "What do you intend to do while Townshend is on tour?”
Her brows furrowed as she looked up from the menu, “I am going on tour with him.”
“I understand that you say that now, but do you know what it takes to do a successful tour? You will be left with many hours alone while Townshend is occupied with the band. Never mind the rumors that he is allegedly working on a new album. If he is anything like what I have heard, he will have nary the time for you.”
Cady frowned, “I toured with Jimi before, James. I am aware of the constraints a tour places on a relationship. However, Pete is not going to abandon me in a hotel room and runabout with only the band… or other women. He is not like that. At all.”
“I know that you believe that but being on the road changes people.”
She rolled her eyes, “Pete and I will be fine. It is none of your concern, James.”
“Ah but I only want the best for you, If Townshend neglects you…”
“Then that is between me and Pete,” she interrupted. “Just stop, James.”
He nodded, “It is rather unfortunate that you cannot come and see my band play before you leave. I think you would enjoy it.”
“Well perhaps you can play for me tonight, then,” she suggested.
A slight smile lit his eyes, “I would love to.”
Though she did not intend to drink wine with Jimmy again, it seemed wrong to eat Italian food and not sip upon a glass of wine. However, this time, Cady paid careful attention to the bottle and her glass, making certain Jimmy did not continuously fill the glass before it was empty. Her close observation paid off as she left the restaurant with only the slightest buzz. She was completely in control of her actions and thoughts.
Or so she thought until she was in the back of the car with Jimmy. His arm slipped around her shoulders and his lips dangerously kissed her ear. While most of her screamed to push him away, she could not find the willpower to actually do so. There was a power in his kiss and touch that she could not explain. Jimmy Page was like magic.
“James,” she breathed when his lips left her ear, hoping to kiss her lips.
“Yes, beautiful,” he whispered before stealing a kiss from the corner of her mouth.
“Stop,” she requested, her eyes boldly going to his.
Jimmy held her gaze for a long intense moment and he nodded, “As you wish.”
His arm remained around her shoulder, but she did not ask him to remove it. Instead, she relaxed into his embrace, laying her head on his shoulder. It seemed safe. For the moment.
Waking with his head pounding and his mouth full of cotton, Pete struggled to determine where he was and why there was a loud ringing filling his eardrums. As the soft light of the busy city filtered through the sheer curtains, his world came into focus. He was in Cady’s flat. Without her. She was across the ocean with Jimmy Page. While he did not know that, he felt it and that was worse. It had led to his drinking an entire bottle of wine quickly... and then passing out on the fluffy white rug they had loved on once. He was a wreck – and without even concrete reason. He needed to roll over, get off the floor, and pull himself together. She would be with him before the sun set the following night.
In addition, he needed to finish his songs so he had something to show in the studio.
If only his head would stop ringing so loudly. It sounded like a bloody telephone and that was… exactly what it was. Realizing that, he pushed up from the floor and staggered over to the ringing device. How long had he slept? Clearly not long enough to sober up. But that mattered not for a phone call, right?
“Hellooooooo,” he drawled after picking up the phone.
“Pete? Mate? Are you okay?”
“How do you know my name?”
There was a brief paused, “Pete, it’s John. Are you okay?”
He considered the question carefully, “No. Jimmy fucking Page is fucking my girlfriend.”
“Um… uhhh… can you give me directions to where you are? I think you should not be alone right now.”
“I….. I don’t know, mate. I don’t know.”
John paused, “I’ll figure it out. Drink some water, Pete.”
When the phone went dead, Pete continued to lean against the wall, holding it to his ear. Though no one, not even an operator, was on the line, he continued to talk and rail against how Jimmy Page always seemed to come along and steal away his thunder. Slowly he slumped to the floor, the phone receiver falling out of his hand. Both hands went to his head and he groaned. He hated Jimmy Page right then. He hated him a lot.
A sudden pounding on the wall next to him jarred Pete awake. It took him a few long seconds to realize that pounding was actually on the door. Slowly getting to his feet, he shifted a few feet over to the door. Struggling to unlock it, Pete swung the door open, causing the knob to slam into the wall he previously leaned against. His blue eyes struggled futile to focus on his visitor.
“Seriously, mate, how much did you drink?” John asked evenly as he stepped into the apartment.
“How… how…?”
Closing the door quickly, the bassist slipped his hand under Pete’s arm and guided him to the nearest chair, “Never mind how I found you. The important part is that I found you.”
“She f-f-fucking J-Jimmy Page,” he stuttered.
“I highly doubt it, mate,” John responded as he opened the cupboard for a glass.
John’s boots crunched glass into the tile as he approached the sink. As this drew his attention, he noticed the shards of the wine bottle in the sink, on the floor. That in of itself was concerning, but he said nothing about it as he filled the glass with water.
“He gets every and anyone into his bed with ease. I know she’s fucking him,” Pete growled.
Pulling out the chair next to him, John sat down and offered the glass to Pete, “Give your woman some credit, Pete. She is not sleeping with Jimmy Page.”
“How do you bloody know that!?” he slammed the glass of water on the table.
“Because as crazy as it may seem, she loves you. She is not dicking around behind your back. You need to trust Cady,” he responded.
“But he’s Jimmy Page.”
“And he doesn’t have a golden cock. Let it go, Pete.”
“But–”
“Let it go,” John repeated. “Why did you come to Cady’s apartment anyways? Have you written any more songs?”
His face screwed up in pain, “I can’t write with the knowledge that she’s fucking Jimmy Page.”
He remained silent for a moment, “Fine, then. Let’s ring up Page and ask him.”
Settled on a couch in Jimmy’s Pangbourne house, Cady looked out over the River Thames while he mixed drinks. She really had no desire to imbibe any more, not wanting to lose what little control she had, but she still could not tell him no for some reason. Therefore, she sat silently on the couch, looking out over the river.
“It is rather peaceful, isn’t it?” Jimmy stated softly as he sat beside her, offering her the drink.
“Thank you,” she accepted the glass, her gaze ever so briefly leaving the river to glance at him. “It amazes me that a city as old as London still has these quiet alcoves.”
“Ah but we are not really in London any more, love,” he responded.
Her eyes snapped to him at the nickname. She wanted to tell him that she was not his love, but upon meeting his eyes, she realized he did not mean it as she interpreted it. It had to be a British thing. Instead, she smiled to erase whatever expression filled her face.
“I suppose one day Pete and I will find someplace quiet like this,” she commented before sipping her drink.
“You believe that you and Townshend will remain together then?” he asked casually.
Her brows furrowed slightly, “Of course I do, James. I love him and he loves me.”
“While I do not doubt your affection, Cadence, you have not known Townshend long. How can you plan out your life around someone you barely know?”
She held his gaze, “And yet here you are trying to convince me to change my life to better suit yours and we have not known each other nearly as long as Pete and I have.”
“I merely want the best for you, Cadence. That is all.”
Her eyes wavered slightly as his intense gaze continued to penetrate hers, but she maintained it. He finally broke it by smiling slightly and lifting his drink to his lips.
“You promised to play for me,” she remarked.
“That I did,” he set the drink on the nearby side table and stood to fetch his guitar.
Her eyes wandered away from the entrance of the lounge. While she briefly focused upon the river outside, it did not last long before she scanned over the rest of Jimmy’s belongings, trying to figure out something about the man. He clearly had refined tastes, which meant that his financial situation was much better than Pete’s was. If she had been a woman who cared about such things, it would clearly indicate she should leave Pete for Jimmy. However, that was not going to happen. At all. No matter how hard Jimmy tried.
The guitarist returned to the room, his dark eyes flicking to her glass to see if she had drank any more in his absence. Concealing his disappointment, he sat beside her once more, guitar in hand. His eyes settled on hers as he began to play. With a smile, she sipped her drink and relaxed back into the couch. Her gaze left his as his eyes closed in concentration and watched his fingers flit across the strings for a few moments. For a very brief moment she wondered how well his fingers could dance across her skin. Shaking her mind free of that thought, she sipped her drink again and looked away.
Letting Jimmy’s music guide her thoughts and the slight glimmers of current on the river outside, Cady lost track of time and reality. Her lips touched the glass in her hand more often than she would have really liked, which she did not realize until a fuzziness filled her head. Realizing her slight buzz had increased tenfold, her blue eyes focused on the glass in her hand and realized it was empty.
Jimmy seemed to notice the same time she did and stopped playing. He set his guitar aside and slipped the empty glass from her fingers. Her eyes went to his and she could not deny the magnetism between them. She did not protest as he leaned forward and kissed her gently. Her lips parted, allowing Jimmy’s tongue to slip into her mouth as his hand caressed her cheek. She shifted slightly on the couch, enabling Jimmy to turn her and press her back down onto the seat cushions. His hand left her cheek to run down the front of her dress, gently cupping her covered breast. She groaned into his kissed as his expert fingers pinched her nipple, causing it to harden.
Ending the kiss, Jimmy leaned up, his hand still playing with her breast and looked down into her eyes, “Cadence, you are so bloody irresistible.”
“James… we… must stop,” she struggled to whisper.
He dipped down and kissed her again, “Are you certain?”
The shrill ring of his phone seemed to agree, interrupting her response. Jimmy, however, ignored it and kissed her once more. Cady resisted this time, pushing up against his chest.
“Your phone is ringing.”
“Let it ring,” he declared and kissed her once more.
“Answer it, James,” she argued.
“I have no desire to speak with anyone but you,” he responded, leaning in for another kiss.
Cady turned her cheek to him, “Answer it.”
Sighing Jimmy got up, headed over to the phone, and picked it up, “Hello.”
Sitting up, Cady tried to clear her foggy head and took deep breaths to silence her body. Her eyes glanced to Jimmy and noticed he seemed paler than before.
He held up the phone, “It’s Townshend. For you.”
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