Over My Head

Over My Head

By Misha

Disclaimer- Not mine.

Author’s Notes- I love Raleigh. I knew I would the moment he stepped onto the screen. I am still trying to get a read on my MC, so I am easing my way into writing the two of them, but I know this is probably going to be my new big pairing.

Pairing- Raleigh x MC

Summary- Overwhelmed by her victory, Annie takes a moment to get herself together and ends up with more than she bargained for.

It’s chaotic backstage, everyone talking and trying to claim my attention. There are press to talk to and details to oversee and people are congratulating me, but I am barely aware of any of it.

I am still trying to process what had just happened.

I did it.

I won.

And not just the contest, I won a record deal. This was my big break.

It was all I ever wanted and I knew I should be dancing on the rooftops, but mostly I just felt… Overwhelmed. It was one thing to dream, but now… Now I actually had to do it.

Finally, the crowd eased a bit and I had a moment to breath. As soon as people stopped talking to me, before someone else could I slipped away, needing to be alone for a moment, just to get my bearings.

I slipped through the nearest door and closed it behind me, closing my eyes.

“I knew you couldn’t get enough of me.”

My eyes shot open and I saw Raleigh standing there, trademark smirk on his face.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, looking around, trying to figure out where I was.

“Sweetheart, this is my dressing room, I should be the one asking you that,” he grinned, “but it’s ok, I don’t mind. I am always up for sharing with a beautiful woman.”

I rolled my eyes. “I bet.” I reached for the door. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude, I just… Needed a minute.”

I started to open the door, but Raleigh’s hand covered mine, stopping me. “It’s ok,” he told me, “I get it.”

I thought of the moment we had shared earlier, the way he had talked about the crowds, and then my cheeks flushed as I remembered our kiss.

“Congratulations on your win,” he said after a moment, his hand still on mine, his body dangerously close. Why did he have to be so damn attractive?

“Even if you only voted for me because Abbigail’s mother threatened you?” I teased, determined not to let him see how much affected me.

“You didn’t seem to take my words to heart,” he pointed out, moving closer, “and besides, I am a bit of a jerk, didn’t you know?”

“I had heard that,” I admitted, my back hitting the door, my hand falling from the doorknob. “But I think there’s a lot more to you than meets the eye.”

“Do you now?” He asked, “and here I thought you just liked me for my pretty face.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Who says I like you?”

“It seemed like you did earlier,” he commented, his hand moving to rest on the door, right behind me, almost touching, the warmth of his body blanketing me, “or was I mistaken? Maybe we should try again.”

Raleigh lowered his mouth to mine and I responded eagerly, my arms wrapping around his neck, pulling him closer, loving the feel of his hard body against mine.

“That’s what I thought,” he said when we finally broke apart.

“Just because you’re a good kisser, doesn’t mean I like you,” I told him.

He grinned. “So you admit that I am a good kisser?

I shrugged. “Doesn’t mean you’re not a jerk.”

Raleigh just continued to grin as he stepped back, releasing me. I immediately missed the feel of him, though I refused to let him see that. “Maybe I need someone to keep me in line.”

I rolled my eyes. “Sounds like a full time job.” I looked back at the door. “I should probably go back out there.”

“Or we could get out of here,” Raleigh suggested, tilting his head towards a barely visible door, “that leads to a back alley. We can slip out of here and go get a drink and you can continue to tell me how much of a jerk I am.”

I bit my lip. I knew it was a bad idea. For many reasons. I had an obligation as part of the contest, I should go do what was expected of me, and I should check in with Avery… Plus, Raleigh was almost certainly a bad idea, he had a reputation for being a heartbreaker and nothing he had said or done made me think he was interested in more than a good time, plus hadn’t I hated how I looked like an idiot in that video? No good could come out of getting involved with Raleigh Carrera, even for one night, and yet…

“You buying?” I asked, moving toward the door.

“Of course.”

Raleigh reached the door before me, opening it and gesturing for me to go through, “after you.”

I hesitated for a moment, thinking once more of all the reasons I shouldn’t, and then I banished them, stepping through the door. Tonight wasn’t a night for second guessing, it was night for celebrating, and if that meant a few bad decisions well.. Wasn’t that the rock star way?

• End