SOS

Forty-One

"Good morning, pretty girl." Elodie grins, blushing as she buries her head into Luke's warm chest. "How are you feeling this morning, El?" He mumbles, pressing a few feathery kisses to her hairline.

"I'm happy, Luke." She whispers, turning her head up slightly to make eye contact with him.

"Not regretting last night or anything?"

"No. Last night was perfect." She smiles, pushing up slightly to place a kiss on his lips.

"Good. So I had a couple ideas I want to run by you?"

"Like?" She asks, shifting slightly to make it easier to see his face.

"Well, for starters, will you ride on the band's bus with me to Arkansas today? I'm suddenly feeling very aware of the fact that this tour leg ends tomorrow and then I won't have an excuse to see you all day everyday."

"As long as your bandmates don't mind. I'd like that." She nods.

"They won't mind, we can nap again and watch a movie or something. I just want to spend the day with you."

"Then I'm in. And for the record, wanting to see me is a plenty good excuse to see me once we are back in LA after tour, just call."

"Good because I was also thinking maybe I could plan a date for us once we are back in LA?"

"You think that's a good idea? Your bitch of an ex-girlfriend may actually go bat-shit-crazy if rumors started about us."

"I'll make sure you're safe, El, please? I want to take my girl out on a proper dinner date."

"Oh ya?" She giggles.

"Ya, can I take you out, baby?" He almost begs.

"Okay. Now I have a question for you."

"Ask."

"Can I borrow some clothes? Because I did not bring any from the bus." She laughs.

"You never have to ask to borrow my clothes, Pretty girl. You look damn good in them, and I like seeing you wear them." Luke chuckles, "How about a quick shower and we can head back to the bus."

"A shower sounds great."

"Together, or separate?" Luke asks, tucking some hair back behind her ear.

"Together." She smiles, pushing the blankets down and rolling to the edge of the large bed. "Oh." She stops as she sits up, suddenly feeling an unfamiliar pain in her lower region.

"Are you sore?" Luke asks as he climbs out of the other side of the bed.

"Um, ya." She chuckles nervously.

"Sorry, that's kind of part of that unavoidable pain..." Luke runs a hand through his curls as he rounds the bed, offering her his hand.

"I'll be fine, it just kind of surprised me." She nods, letting him pull her up to her feet.

"I could carry you." Luke smirks, pulling her into his chest, leaning down to kiss her hard on the lips.

"I'll be fine, but thank you. Let's shower so we can get to the bus."

"Come on, pretty girl." Luke laughs, dragging her by the hand towards the bathroom, turning the dials to warm the shower before helping Elodie out of his t-shirt and following her into the steam.

***

"Did you want to grab anything from the crew bus before we head out?" Luke asks Elodie as they climb out of the car at the venue with Michael and Ashton in tow, Calum had crashed on their bus after the party instead of going back to the hotel.