Things We Do At Night

Part 5

(Reader POV)

You were walking up to the hotel door when you spotted Gene and Paul getting out of the car. Quickly, you stuffed the envelopes of photos into your bag, wanting to avoid a fight from starting. You looked back up, seeing Paul grinning at you and waving, then slapping your boyfriend's shoulder and pointing at you. Gene shrugged his shoulders at the singer and headed into the hotel, ignoring you completely. Both you and Paul looked at each other with your mouth hanging open at the bassist's actions.

"What's up with him?" You asked, walking over to the singer.

"It's just Gene being his usual self. We had words in the elevator, and it set his mood for the day." Paul asked.

"Great. I guess I'm going to be avoiding the room for a bit. I would love to have one day that we weren't at each other's throat." You replied.

Paul looked down at you and smirked, making you avoid eye contact with the singer. You could see the gears turning in his head, trying to figure out how to tell you something. Shaking your head, you opened the door and walked into the lobby. The singer grabbed your hand and pulled you to a stop removing his sunglasses from his face. You raised an eyebrow and put your hands on your hips, waiting to see what Paul was going to do next.

"Why do you have to look at me like that?" You asked.

"Hey, it's hard to take my eyes off a beautiful woman. I saw you putting those photos in your bag. By the way, let me see them," Paul said, gesturing toward your bag.

Sighing, you walked over to a chair in the lobby and sat down, fishing through your bag, reluctantly pulling the envelopes out. Paul grinned and snatched them out of your hand as he took a seat next to you. You looked around the busy lobby seeing the interactions, from the couples drooling over one another to the family of four trying to catch the toddler running toward the elevator. Hearing the singer clear his throat brought your attention back to him, seeing him holding up one photo of him by the fountain.

"When did you nab this one? I don't remember your camera being out over there." Paul asked.

"That's why I'm good at what I do. I have a lot of shots of the band that none of you knew about." you shrugged.

"Well, that settles it, you're going to be an assistant and take photos. Don't argue with me. I already let the demon douche bag upstairs know." The singer said matter of factly

You looked over at him and rolled your eyes, knowing that your boyfriend would not like you working closely with the band. Paul flashed his boyish grin at you, making you grateful that you had picked to take a seat. Reaching across the chair, you attempted to take the photos away from Paul, knowing you would have to go up and face Gene. The singer jerked the envelopes back and stood up, holding them above his head. You stood up and jumped, trying to snatch them away from the guitarist.

"Paul, give me those back!" You pouted.

"I like how my name just rolls off your tongue, Y/N, now say please," Paul pushed.

"Is this what it's going to be like working with you every day on tour because? If so, I think I change my mind," You replied.

"You just have to say the magic words, and they are yours. Stop being so stubborn." He shrugged.

"Fine, keep them, Mr. Stanley. I will check in with you tomorrow about what you need to have done." You told him, walking toward the elevator.

You got on the elevator seeing Paul's mouth hanging open from your comment. You waved at him and pressed the button for the band's floor. Looking back up, you saw Paul pointing at you, giving you butterflies in your stomach. You shook your head, trying to think of anything besides the dirty thoughts dancing in your head of what would happen if Paul would have caught you on the elevator. You wondered what he could do now that the two of you would have more alone time.

The sound of the elevator doors opening brought you back to reality. You stepped off and stood outside the room you and Gene were sharing. Taking a deep breath, you slid the key card through the door, opening the door slowly. The bassist stood up from the bed and glared, making you instantly wish you would have stayed in the lobby.

He grabbed the remote and shut the tv off, and you put your camera bag on the small dresser preparing yourself.

"You're not working for the band, and for damn sure not one on one, with my best friend," Gene said.

"How can I at least get a hello? How was your afternoon before the gloves come on? If you're so worried about your best friend around me, that sounds like something you're going to have to learn to deal with." You replied.

"I'm worried that you'll try to take advantage of him because you're pissed off at me talking to other women," Gene snapped.

"That's the difference between you, paul, and me. Two of us know not to cross boundaries and respect a relationship. The other person only cares about how fast he can get his zipper undone." You shrugged.

Gene stood up and crossed his arms in front of his chest, thinking it would intimidate you in some fashion. You looked at him for a few seconds and burst into a laughing fit, pointing at the man with one hand as you held your chest with the other. The bassist's face turned red, and he walked toward the bathroom, giving you a clear sign he was trying to control himself. Standing up and catching your breath for a few seconds, you walked over to the door and looked at him.

"If me doing this upsets you, then you're just going to deal with it. Paul is just a friend, and that's all he will ever be while you and I are together. You can't get jealous and try to control me for hanging out with him when you just flew off the handle last night about me being jealous of that girl. This conversation is over.

"Why don't you have them put you in another room for the night? I need some space from you." He replied.

"If you want space, I suggest you take your lazy ass down there and ask for another room or go bunk with Paul. I'm staying here." You snapped, crossing your arms in front of you.

The two of you stared at each other for a minute until Gene broke eye contact, pushing past you to grab his room key. He shook his head and walked out the door, slamming it hard behind him. You shrugged your shoulders and walked back to the bed, flopping down on the mattress, feeling relieved to give the bassist a dose of his own medicine.

——————-

(Paul POV)

Paul stood in the lobby looking from the packages of pictures in his hand and back to the elevator. Shocked how just a straightforward move or sentence could have the singer begging for more time with you or just kissing you one more time. Paul felt the familiar twitch below his belt, taking a deep breath as he noticed people looking at him, realizing how they knew the singer.

"I think it's time for a cold shower," he mumbled to himself, and walked toward the elevators.

Paul pressed the call button and stood to the side, giving plenty of room for the occupants getting off to walk away. He was ready to just unwind or find a distraction to keep his mind elsewhere. The singer looked down, grinning at the overload of pictures, wondering how many other people would enjoy your photos as much as he did.

"Why are you still down here?" A man's voice asked.

Paul looked up, seeing Gene in front of him, looking highly pissed off. The bassist grabbed the younger man's arm, pulling him out of earshot for the second time that day. Paul knew there had already been a fight, and Gene wanted answers on why Paul wanted you to work with the band or him.

"I was seeing if the bartender was working yet. What are you doing down here?" Paul asked.

"Well, because of your stupid idea, I am now coming down here to see if they can find a room for me, or I have to stay with you," Gene replied

"The fuck you are. Gene, I think it's time you and I had a talk about this. Let's go grab some food." Paul stated, grabbing the bassist's arm.