Erica Clifford - Completed

Twenty six

I closed the car door, texting my dad quickly as I walked up to him. 

"I need to talk to you." 

"Good job I've brought stuff down to the garage for us to sleep in there then isn't it?" 

"My dad's making me COO." He stared at me. "Well. I asked him for it. And he said yes. Obviously." 

"You're taking it?" 

"Yeah." He looked around and grabbed my hand, pulling me around the side of the house and into the garage. It was a solid door. The windows in here were up at the top of the wall, too high for nosey people to be sneaking peaks from.  Once the door was locked I continued. 

"Is that all you needed to say?" 

"No." I ran my hands through my hair. "I don't want to ruin whatever this is, because my god you look so fucking hot right now, but I need to tell my dad before he announces this promotion in tomorrow's end of week. Because if I don't it will look like we were sleeping together before I got it and that just looks weird." 

"Okay-" He stood there. I don't think he knew what to do or say. He looked exhausted but I couldn't sleep with it all playing on my head, and I needed to get it out. "I'm just going to skip over how much I'm turning you on by just standing here." 

"Oh please, you're one of the reasons I can't sleep. That shit you pulled at the office. I can't think straight." He smirked as he came closer and I backed up against the door, laughing nervously. "Let me finish. I'm not done." My fingers reached out to trace his abs and I had to smack them down. Focus Ez. "It's my dad's birthday party in 2 weeks. Jason is going to be there with his family. I need you to come. As my boyfriend." 

"Boyfr-" 

"Don't. Let me finish." I sighed biting my bottom lip hard as I looked over him and back at his face. "You need to put a top on because I can't breathe." He giggled like a child, bending down and wrapping a blanket over himself, head included. I let out a sharp breathe. 

"Better?" 

"Much. Thanks. I'm thinking of putting an album out too." 

"WHAT?" He pushed his head out and stared at me. "Fucking hell. I thought you were just coming over to tell me you were falling in love with me or something." 

"I mean-" I shrugged. "I definitely don't like you as a friend. I mean I do, you're cool and all, but I like how you kiss me too much to just be friends." 

"Okay." He sighed but the smile on his told me it wasn't going to be an awkward conversation at 1am like I had been expecting. "One thing at a time. How did the promotion come up? " 

"I'd had enough of James looking at me like I belonged to him so I snapped and told him who I was and that I had never liked his attitude nor how he treated people and that it wasn't the personality that lined up with our brand well." I watched as his eyes widened. "Brutal I know but you should hear some of the shit he's said to me as 'just' a songwriter." 

"Okay. And then what happened?" 

"I left there and went to my dad, telling him all about James and how he was a prick and how I didn't see it going well for us. I have this gut feeling it's going to end in like an SA case or something. And I don't want to be linked to that. I don't want my name linked to it. It could cost us loads." 

"Well yeah. So then you and your dad decided to terminate his contract?" 

"Yeah. It took us a few hours but we did. And we got legal in and they agreed and then that was that." He nodded. 

"Okay. Next thing. Tell your dad. I don't care. I'd rather this be out here so I don't have to keep hiding you. You have no idea how good you look carrying your laptop in and out of meetings. I love a powerful woman. So telling everyone is fine." He took a breather. "We'll come back to you not being able to sleep because of me. Don't think I'm letting that go." 

"I really hope you don't." He pulled the blanket tighter and I giggled. 

"Okay. The big one. Boyfriend?" 

"I mean even if it's just a label we use at the party. I don't care. I just-" 

"Okay." I looked at him and he stepped closer. "Will it make you happy for me to officially be your boyfriend? Would you like that baby?" He watched as I moved to the word he knew effected me in a certain way. "Because if me being only yours officially will make you happy then I'll do it." He stepped closer, putting his hand on my hips. The blanket was still on his shoulders but it wasn't covering any of his front now. 

"I think it would." 

"Okay then so we're in an official relationship. As of right now. June 3rd. You're my girlfriend and I'm your boyfriend. We're exclusive and no fucker else gets to touch you. Got it?" I nodded, finally letting my hands sit on his abs. Oh god. "Okay quickly before you collapse. An album? Are you sure?" 

"Yeah. Imagine his face. When I tell him my boyfriend kissed me in a recording studio and it immediately undid everything he broke in me." 

"Erica, are you sure sure?" 

"I've been recording stuff for it for a while anyway. It's all there ready to go. Just a few minor bits and like admin stuff. My dad said he would always be the one to put it out if I was to do it. He wanted to do it himself. It wasn't a split second thought I just had tonight Lee. I've been thinking about it all month. Singing to you in the studio. It reminded me how much I loved watching people watch me do what I loved. I've been singing since, to Brooke, with Callie and Melody. The demo's I'm giving to people I need to. They're me now rather than me bringing someone in to do it." 

"I- Really?" 

"Yeah you gave me that confidence back. Not like a knight in shining armor kind of thing. More like you reminded me how it could feel good. That before Jason it was great. And after him it could be again." He nodded and his grip on me tightened.