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braveclementine · 4 months

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Chapter 4

Warnings: None. (Will however be a 18+ reader book)

Copyright: I do not own any Marvel characters or locations. However, I do own my OC: Elizabeth Y/L/N (created so you don't get Y/N and Y/S/N consistently mixed up. I do not condone any copying of this.

Elizabeth 🧸❣️: That's fine. Sorry for not calling. Mom needed to have me get the strawberry patches ready for the season.

God you were glad that you weren't on the farm anymore. There had always been so much to do. You always wanted to enjoy the summer break from school and then you had to bust your back working with animals and plants instead of hanging with the few friends you had in that small town, getting Shirley temples at the small café on the corner street next to the cinema.

Now, you were free to do whatever you were so long it didn't clash with work. Which, you were going to be late for if you didn't get a move on.

You slipped out of bed, deciding to skip the long process of scrambling any eggs up, instead grabbing one of the yogurts Ivy had and a wrapped danish pastry in plastic.

"I'll see you when I get home from work." You called over your shoulder to Ivy who was just wandering out of her bedroom, rubbing her tired eyes.

"Yep." Ivy yawned. "I might be home. Kaylee and I are going out for drinks. You can come with if you want, we're meeting a bunch of people there."

"Sure, that sounds like fun." You grinned, "Any guys?"

Ivy winked, "Plenty."

You grinned.

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚.˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

"HI, WHAT CAN I GET YOU TODAY?" YOU ASKED. Tanya was waiting in the corner, to make sure you had everything settled down. It was almost nearing your first week at work and everything had been smooth sailing.

"Hi, I need um, six black coffees, four coffees with sugar and cream, three carmel frappes, and two chocolate frappes." The lovely red head in front of you said. She was dressed in a business like state and looked rather professional. Almost familiar, but only like you'd seen her on the TV or something.

"Coming right up." You said, mentally counting in your head.

Tanya went ahead and helped you with the order since it was so large. You put four coffees at a time in the plastic carriers.

"Do you want some help carrying those to your car or wherever you're going?" You asked, leaning forward a little on the counter.

"Yes, that would be great, thank you." The woman who had put the last name down as 'Potts' said.

You took half the drinks and she took the other half and the two of you walked out to where a very large man was waiting in the driver seat of a long black limousine. You raised your eyebrows a bit, but said nothing, holding your tongue for once.

"Thank you." The woman- who you were starting to think might be Pepper Potts, head of Stark Industries- turned and said to you.

"Yeah, no problem." You said, feeling slightly breathless, but not wanting to make a big deal out of someone who might not even be who you thought they were. You turned to go, and then turned back when she said, "one second."

You turned back, slightly surprised. "Yes?"

"I was just. . . sorry, but I was curious about the tattoo on your chest." She half laughed. "Not that it was my business anyways, sorry."

"Oh, no it's fine." You said, moving the apron a little so she could see the strange blue tattoo there. "I don't know what it is though so that makes finding my soulmate a little harder. I know one's has to be a doctor but yeah. Oh well, thank you for buying the coffee."

"Oh, yes, thank you for helping me carry it out." She said, giving me a friendly smile and then walking over to get into the passenger seat of the limo.

"Nice ride." You muttered and headed back into the coffee shop.

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚.˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

"YOU TALKED TO HER FOR A WHILE." Happy commented as he drove Pepper back to the Avengers tower. "Was something wrong?"

"No, something right for once." Pepper said happily. "I don't want to get my hopes up to much, but I believe she's one of Tonys'- and possibly Stephens' as well- soulmate. She has an arc reactor tattoo right in the middle of her chest, right where Tonys' real one is."

"Oh he'll be pleased to have her." Happy said, smiling inwardly for the future happiness of his friend. "Then they'll only have one more to go."

"Yep." Pepper said happily.

"Have you already told him?" Happy asked, stopping at a red light, picking up one of the black with cream and sugar coffees that was for him. Pepper picked up one of the chocolate frappes.

"Nope. I want to see the look of joy on his face when I do it." Pepper said.

Happy chuckled. "Good call."

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚.˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

"I MEAN, IT'S POSSIBLE IT WAS PEPPER POTTS." Elizabeth said thoughtfully. For once, she wasn't working, but rather sitting up in the treehouse that your father and grandfather had built together for the two of you when you were young.

She had set her book aside- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies- to call and talk to you. "I mean," she continued, thinking about it. "It sounds like her anyways. Natural red heads are pretty rare these days. But I suppose it is possible for there to be another red headed business woman. Of course, the shop you're working at is close to the Avengers Tower so the chances of it being Pepper are even higher-"

"You sound like Kaylee." You laugh.

"Ivy's soulmate?" Elizabeth asked in surprise, "Really?"

"Yeah, she was going over the mathematical probabilities of me and you sharing five soulmate tattoos." You said. "She works with Bruce Banner apparently as an intern of sorts on his gamma radiation technology. Whatever that means."

"Oh." Elizabeth sounded both impressed and interested. "I don't know to much about gamma radiation, but Dr. Banner is incredibly intelligent. Kaylee has to be extremely smart to be working with him."

"You know him?" You frowned.

"I've read three of his five books." Elizabeth explained. "I couldn't make it through all of them because of the technical scientific terms, it was to complex, but from what I can tell he's a genius."

"I'll take your word on it." You said. "All I really know about him is that he's a doctor, an Avenger, and the Hulk."

"Hmm, yeah that wasn't very smart." Elizabeth said thoughtfully, almost to herself. "He's always described as a shy person, but I wonder the deeper feelings inside of him."

"Don't get philosophical on me." You groaned.

"No, I won't. It's just that he had to have some sort of superiority complex to want and become a super soldier. I wonder what the original intent was, he never explained in the book." Elizabeth continued and you realized with annoyance that she really was talking to herself now. "I mean, unless he had good intent for the serum. But what if he just wanted to be strong for himself? Huh, that's interesting."

"To you." You responded lightly. "Not to me. You and Kaylee can talk about it when you meet her."

"Is she nice? Or is she like Ivy?" Elizabeth asked, making the defensive trait rise up in you again.

"What do you mean? Ivy is nice." You replied indignantly.

Elizabeth sighed, "I only meant is she brazen? You know Ivy has quite the mouth on her."

"Yeah, I like Kaylee, she is nice." You replied in an effort not to fight with your sister.

"Good." Elizabeth said absently. "So. How's work?"

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚.˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

"YOU MET HER?" STEVE WAS THE ONE TO ASK instead of Tony when Pepper was done.

"Well, one of them." Pepper said happily. "She had an arc reactor tattoo and I can't imagine that would mean anything but Tony. And since you guys all share that flower tattoo, and five of you share the bird with the key tattoo, it just has to be her."

"If she works at Starbucks, how have we never met her before?" Clint called down from his bird nest up in the ceiling.

"I think she's new." Pepper said. "I've never seen her there before. Neither has Happy."

"What does she look like?" Steve asked.

"Hmm, well she's pretty tall, maybe the same height as Tony. Maybe even a little taller." Pepper said absently. "She has long H/C hair and E/C eyes. I didn't get to good of a look at her though because, you know, I was just getting the coffee and I didn't want to be staring. She seems nice enough, she offered to help me carry the coffee out to the car. She has a slight western accent I noticed."

"Nice." Bucky and Sam said together.

"I should let Stephen know." Tony said thoughtfully, finally speaking. "Thank you Pep."

"What about meeting her?" Sam asked. "We don't want to overwhelm her. Maybe just like Tony could go and meet her tomorrow? And then he could invite back to the tower and the rest of us could meet her?"

"I mean, that sounds good to me." Clint said. "After all, this way you'll be able to see if it's like, all of our soulmate, or just the one the five of you have. And then if it's the one just the five of you have, Loki and Thor can bring Hogun down from Asgard with them."

"That sounds like a plan." Tony said stretching.

"Sure." Bucky shrugged, though he privately smarted that Tony was going to get to meet you before he was. So he satisfied himself by thinking up several punishments Sam was going to receive tonight in bed.

A side glance at Steve told him that Steve was directly in line with Sam's thoughts, accented perfectly as Steve walked past Sam, squeezing Sam tightly while also blocking Sam from view so none except maybe Clint could see him.

"You're in trouble." Bucky whispered in his ear before joining Steve at the counter for coffee. Sam looked flustered, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his thighs to hide the bulge in his jeans. Clint snickered silently to himself.

"Well shit." Sam muttered.

⬅️➡️

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carmellimousines · 1 month

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artadoblog · 3 months

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The Ultimate Guide to Black Car Services in NYC

When you think of New York City, images of bustling streets, iconic yellow cabs, and the ever-busy subway system might come to mind. But there's another, more luxurious mode of transportation that savvy New Yorkers and visitors alike opt for: Black car services. This upscale alternative offers a blend of comfort, convenience, and a touch of class. In this guide, we'll explore everything you need to know about Black car services in NYC, from their history and benefits to how to choose the right service for your needs.

A Brief History of Black Car Services

The concept of Black car services originated as a response to the need for a more refined transportation option in cities. While taxis are great for quick rides, they often lack the comfort and reliability that many desire. Black car services filled this gap by offering professional chauffeurs, clean and well-maintained vehicles, and a more personalized experience.

Why Choose a Black Car Service?

Comfort and Luxury: Unlike traditional taxis, Black car services provide high-end vehicles, usually from brands like Mercedes, BMW, and Cadillac. The interiors are plush, and the ride is smooth, making your journey comfortable and enjoyable.

Professionalism: Drivers for Black car services are not just drivers; they are chauffeurs. They are trained to provide excellent customer service, maintain a professional demeanor, and ensure your safety and comfort.

Reliability: Punctuality is crucial in New York City, where being late can mean missing important meetings or flights. Black car services are known for their reliability, with drivers often arriving early to ensure you're on time.

Privacy and Safety: With a Black car service, you can expect a higher level of privacy and safety. The cars are maintained to high standards, and drivers are often background-checked and professionally trained.

Fixed Pricing: Many Black car services offer fixed pricing, so you know the cost upfront, unlike taxis that charge based on time and distance, which can vary with traffic.

Popular Black Car Services in NYC

Uber Black: Uber's premium service, Uber Black, offers luxury vehicles and top-rated drivers. It's a popular choice for those who want the convenience of Uber with the luxury of a Black car.

Lyft Lux: Similar to Uber Black, Lyft Lux provides high-end vehicles and professional drivers, catering to those who want a more upscale experience.

NYC Limousine: Known for their extensive fleet of luxury cars and limousines, NYC Limousine offers a variety of services, from airport transfers to corporate travel.

Dial 7: A staple in NYC, Dial 7 offers reliable and professional car service with a range of vehicles, including luxury options.

Carmel Car & Limo: Carmel has been serving New Yorkers for decades, known for its affordability and wide range of vehicle options, including luxury sedans and SUVs.

How to Choose the Right Black Car Service

Determine Your Needs: Are you looking for airport transportation, a ride to a special event, or corporate travel? Identifying your specific needs will help you choose the right service.

Check Reviews and Ratings: Look at customer reviews and ratings on platforms like Yelp or Google. This will give you an idea of the service quality and reliability.

Compare Pricing: While luxury comes at a price, it’s essential to compare rates among different services. Some might offer promotions or discounts for first-time users or specific routes.

Consider Vehicle Options: Depending on your preference, you might want a sedan, SUV, or even a limousine. Check if the service offers the type of vehicle you need.

Availability and Booking Process: Ensure the service is available when you need it, and check the booking process. Many Black car services offer easy online booking or mobile apps for convenience.

Tips for Using Black Car Services in NYC

Book in Advance: If you have a specific time in mind, especially during peak hours or for special events, it’s wise to book in advance to ensure availability.

Communicate Special Requests: If you have any special requests, such as child seats or additional stops, communicate them at the time of booking to ensure the service can accommodate them.

Be Ready on Time: Black car services are known for their punctuality, so be ready at the designated pick-up time to avoid any additional waiting charges.

Tip Appropriately: While gratuity may be included in some services, it’s customary to tip your driver for exceptional service.

Enjoy the Ride: Take advantage of the comfort and luxury of your ride. Whether it’s catching up on emails, relaxing, or enjoying the sights of NYC, make the most of your Black car experience.

The Future of Black Car Services in NYC

As technology continues to evolve, so does the transportation industry. Black car services in NYC are likely to see several trends and advancements:

Sustainability: With an increasing focus on environmental responsibility, many Black car services are incorporating hybrid and electric vehicles into their fleets. This shift not only helps the environment but also attracts eco-conscious customers.

Enhanced Technology: From advanced booking systems to real-time tracking and feedback, technology will continue to play a significant role in improving the customer experience.

Personalization: Expect more personalized experiences, with services tailoring rides to individual preferences, from music and climate control to preferred routes.

Increased Competition: As more companies enter the market, competition will drive innovation and potentially better pricing for consumers.

Safety Protocols: In a post-pandemic world, heightened safety and sanitation measures will remain a priority, ensuring passenger confidence and trust.

Final Thoughts

Black car services in NYC offer a premium alternative to traditional transportation options, combining luxury, comfort, and reliability. Whether you're a local or a visitor, these services provide a seamless way to navigate the city with style and ease. By considering your needs, comparing options, and following our tips, you can enjoy a top-notch experience that elevates your time in the city.

Whether it's for business, leisure, or a special occasion, a Black car service can transform your journey into an experience to remember. So, the next time you find yourself in the Big Apple, consider opting for a Black car service and enjoy the ride!

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scarletnews · 7 months

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Carmel First Rideshare to Let Users Pay with Crypto Worldwide

Mark your calendars, crypto fans. As of today, Carmel Car and Limo, New York City’s leading transportation provider, is turbocharging into the future by letting passengers pay for rides using popular cryptocurrencies – a global first. Drivers, your blockchain is set already! That’s right – simply download or open the Carmel app on iPhone or Android, punch in your destination, and click pay with…

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taddixon-blog · 11 months

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Make sure not to use Carmel Limo. Check out the damage done to my front lawn after guests were dropped off 11/3. Now the company is refusing to compensate me for the $1.000 in destruction that looks like a bomb went off. New Castle police are investigating the matter. Terrible customer service. Beware.

#limousineservice @carmellimo @newcastlepolice

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birdsviewblog · 1 year

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formeandmyfics · 3 years

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JUGENEA FAN FICTION

AT C.G.’s

sequel to ‘At The H.R.’ - Months after their sexy rendezvous at the Roosevelt Hotel, Judy and Gene reunite once again, this time at one of Cary Grant’s infamous parties up on Mulholland

1948

His forehead wrinkled as he felt a tingling sensation on his skin. The comfortable, crisp air suddenly became very warm. The tingling sensation now made its way into his insides. Drifting out of sleep, Gene suddenly felt a spark hit his body and he opened his eyes with the sudden sensation.

Confused, he looked around. He was standing in a living room, one he didn’t quite recognize, but oddly felt familiar. How did he get there from his bed? He looked down and realized he was no longer wearing pajamas but a black suit. Everything felt strange but it wasn’t at all unpleasant. Actually, it was quite pleasant, but peculiar. The atmosphere was muggy and warm, a hazy red glow was in the air, feeling exotic.

Behind him, a blurry figure emerged slowly down the staircase illuminated in red. He heard the sound of familiar heels clicking on the floor in a distance behind him. He knew who it was without even turning around. He just knew. He could already smell her alluring perfume. Gene felt her hand slide along his back before she came into focus. As she slid to the front of him, her hand followed its path to his chest.

Judy.

She wore a ravishing, white evening gown. The dress was long, with a slit cut way up high on her thigh, the strapless bodice accentuated her breasts beautifully. And she smiled at him, a titillating smile that expressed seduction. Her lips were redder and fuller than he ever remembered. Her eyes were dark, almost black, hypnotizing him. She ran her finger slowly down his silk tie before she turned and started to walk away from him. Her hips moved sensually as she made her way to the back hallway. It was Judy, it looked like her, smelled like her, but it she never acted this way. Where was she going?

Judy?

He called out for her in his mind. Why couldn’t he speak? He followed her to where she stood in front of a door. When she turned to look at him, he opened his mouth determined to speak, but she put her finger up to her lips, smiling, shushing him.

Gene stood frozen in place as he watched her lean against the door provocatively, her leg fully visible, beckoning to be touched. The way she looked at him at that moment just screamed sex. He could feel the energy. He could taste it. Opening the door, she motioned with her finger for him to follow her inside before shutting the door behind her. Anxious arousal and confusion spread throughout his being as his hand reached for the door knob. He hesitated at first, but when he grabbed onto the handle, it took a lot of energy to open the door. It was heavy like steel, and his grasp felt very liquid, but he managed to open it.

When Gene shut the door behind him, he found himself standing in the center of an empty soundstage. Where was she? Why did she leave him? Suddenly he felt abandoned, lost. But he could still feel her energy. She was here somewhere.

"Yo, buddy."

Gene heard a harsh voice echoing in his ears. The middle of his eyes wrinkled in bafflement as he turned his head to where the voice was coming from.

"I'm sorry?"

The impatient cabbie turned to look at him over his shoulder, "You gonna pay or are we at the wrong place?"

Gene looked out the window and sure enough they were in front of Ciro's. He immediately reached into his pocket and handed the driver money, "Thanks."

Gene sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He still couldn’t stop thinking about that odd dream he had last night. As he started to walk up to the entrance of the popular watering hole on Sunset, photographers turned from Lana Turner, who just disappeared into the building, and started shouting towards him.

"Mr. Kelly, Mr. Kelly."

"Evening, Mr. Kelly. Over here."

Gene was pulling out his cigarettes as they started flashing and he put his hand up and nodded, turning away from them. He hadn't been here for a night out since the last time he was at Ciro's, months ago, and he wasn't really in the mood for all the hobglob: a term he gave to paparazzi.

After lighting his cigarette, he was about to open the doors when Dick Powell, June Allyson, Peter Lawford and some chorus-girl came charging out of them startling him a bit.

"Oh, hey, Gene," Dick said noticing him first.

Gene smiled wide and shook his hand, "Hey guys," then turned to give Junie a kiss, "Hi sweetheart."

"How are ya, bud," Peter asked placing a friendly slap on his back.

"I'm good. Finally checking out the club scene again."

"Good to see ya back out. Gene, this is Maggie, Fox contract player," Peter said smiling at the bubbly blonde.

"Nice to meet you, Maggie," Gene smiled and kissed her hand.

"Thank you. I love all your films."

"You're sweet. So, what, are you all leaving," Gene asked disappointed.

"Yeah, there's a party we're all headed to. Come on with us," Junie said linking her arm with his.

"Where?"

"C.G's," Rich quipped.

Gene had never been to one of Cary Grant's infamous Mulholland parties, but he had heard about them. As charming and sophisticated Mr. Grant was, his parties seemed a little nuts.

"Oh, you know, the last I heard, from up at Cary's, was that Mickey woke up ass-naked on a pool lounger," they all laughed and he went on with a chuckle, "Not sure it's my scene."

"It's all about self-control, my man," Peter said trying to urge him to come along, "which you have. Mick's got no self-control with anything...especially with legs," he said raising his eyebrows like Groucho Marx.

Maggie giggled and slapped his chest, "Stop it."

"Well, if you're all going I might swing by in a bit. I'll see whose all here first."

"Believe me, everyone you want to hang out with is already at the party," Rich went on.

"Yeah, Kay and Lucille left about 20 minutes ago. Come on, I got a car over there. The girls are already in there waiting," Peter said as he led Maggie away.

Without another word, Junie pulled him along with her making him smile. He couldn't help but just give in. They walked up to Lawford's rented 1947 Cadillac limo and the five of them piled into the back. Gene was the last in, and the minute he shut the door, he was staring at the back of Judy. She was sitting up front laughing horribly with Lena Horne as the driver started the car.

So, those were the 'girls', he thought mischievously as he assumed would be two more chorus girls Pete picked up.

Judy hadn't noticed him as he stared at her surprised. He couldn't see all of her, as he was in the back seat, but he saw her dark lashes as she looked at Lena with wide, amused eyes at something naughty the brunette said, and then her red lips as she burst out in laughter. Her auburn hair was the last thing he saw before the overhead light went off as the driver started the car. He knew she had been in Carmel on vacation for the past 3 1/2 weeks after finishing Easter Parade, but he didn't expect her back for a few more days, and surely didn't expect her to just show up out of no where. But, alas, Ms. Judy Garland did have that way about her.

The two had seen each other and talked since their rendezvous at the Hotel Roosevelt, but they hadn't spent anytime alone. When he started working on Three Musketeers, he didn't even go out to nightclubs. He was just too damn exhausted. And her time working on Pirate and Parade simultaneously had worn her out. He was happy she was granted all that time off, but he missed the hell out of her. Now that he was in-between filming, he was very much looking forward to rekindling with her. His plan was to make up for lost time when she returned from vacation, as she would for sure be well-rested. Judging by how giddy she seemed right now, he was hopeful his plan was working out earlier than expected.

It was dark in the car, but he could see her pale, white shoulders illuminated by the moonlight and he had a sudden urge to touch them...kiss them.

"Look at us, it's like a mini Words and Music reunion in here," Junie said.

"None of us have even started filming yet, baby cakes," Lena said sarcastically over her shoulder.

"That's beside the point, you stinker."

"It's a shame that most of us won't get to film together," Judy added a little downtrodden.

Gene almost chimed in, as he was included in the upcoming film, but he quickly decided that he didn't want her to know he was back there. He wanted to see her face when she saw him. He was playing the game and she loved games.

"Your scene is with Mick, isn't it, Judes," Lena asked.

"I have a musical number with him. You know, three of my leading men are in this picture.”

“And you only get Mick,” Powell stated as he noticed Pete and Maggie huddled close whispering amongst themselves across from him.

“Yah, no, I take that back,” she quickly retorted, “Actually, I have a short scene with Drake, too. Maybe I should ask them to write in a scene with Gene, that way I can act with all three of ‘em,” she chuckled.

June turned to Gene, “That would be swell, wouldn’t it G…”Gene quickly placed his hand over her mouth. She looked at him confused as he pointed towards Judy and then leaned over to whisper, “She doesn’t even know I’m in the car, let’s see what awful things she has to say about me.”

June then reiterated to her husband in his ear and Judy spoke up, “Why’d it suddenly get so quiet,” she turned around in her seat to look at them and Gene quickly bent forward so she wouldn’t catch him.

“Mind ya own business, baby,” Rich said trying to cover up, “You got two couples back here. Sometimes it will get quiet.”

Judy laughed and turned back around in her seat and Lena smoothed her updo, “They all smooching back there?”

“All huddled together like newlyweds,” Judy teased.

“How dare they,” Lena said and she turned just as Gene sat back up straight. Her mouth opened just as surprised to see him but he quickly pointed at Judy and placed a finger on his lips as to say to not give him away. She smiled and turned back around. She, of course, was the only one in the vehicle that knew of her relationship with Gene and loved this charade of Gene’s.

“Judy,” June asked sweetly.

“Yes, darling?”

“If you had to choose, who would you rather work with more, Drake, Mickey or Gene?”

“They’re all different in their own way.”

“Whose a better kisser,” June asked winking at Gene who was smiling.

“Well, I think I have enough class not to answer that.”

“Ok, between Mickey and Gene, which one do you prefer more?”

“It’s Mickey, isn’t it, that little dog,” Rich said in a girly voice.

Judy giggled nervously and scratched her eyebrow, “Please, he’s like a brother to me.”

“Gene then?”

“I didn’t say that,” she quickly said in defense.

Lena glanced back at Gene and did a come-hither motion to get her to keep going and she did, “Gene’s like a brother to you, too, hm?”

Judy sported wide eyes at her friend’s question as she was well aware that Lena asked that on purpose knowing a good-extent of her love-affair with Gene.

“Okay,” Peter said leaning forward, “We all saw those kisses on your Pirate picture. There was no brother-sister dynamic on those takes, you know what I mean,” he laughed naughty.

Judy crossed her arms not annoyed, “I thought you were busy back there, Lawford?”

“Lawford,” he repeated, “Uh-oh, I’m-in-trou-ble.”

“Kissing on screen doesn’t mean you’re into the other actor. She is an actress, you know,” June said.

“And she is married,” Maggie said in Judy’s defense.

Judy and Lena shared mischievous glances at one another. Oh, how naïve that chorus girl was for Hollywood. Gene’s smile widened as he watched Judy smiling at Lena biting her nail like some guilty teenager.

“You must not have read Judy’s biography,” Peter joked to his date.

“You have a Biography? But you’re so young,” she quipped.

Even Gene gave a look to the blonde as Judy placed her fingers on her temple, “No, I don’t have a biog…look, can we please stop talking about me or shall I open up the can of worms that’s all of your discrepancies?” They all murmured “noooo” and she nodded, “Didn’t think so.”

“I think he’s cute,” June went on.

“Who?”

“Gene Kelly. Don’t you think he’s cute?”

“He’s alright,” Judy answered monotoned, forcing herself to seem like she was uninterested.

Lena glanced back at Gene who had his arms crossed and looked baffled. “Well, I for one think he’s a hunk.”

“Yah, for a dancer, I suppose,” Judy went on clearly acting her little heart out for the other’s sake but Lena could see right through. Gene, not so much this time.

Gene leaned forward about to speak when June pulled him back by the shoulder reminding him of his game. “Well, if he’s not a good kisser and not attractive, why do you spend a lot of time with him,” June went on.

“I never said he wasn’t a good kisser and I never said he wasn’t attractive,” Judy answered quite defensively, “He’s a great leading man, we have great chemistry on screen. He’s just…not my type. We’re the best of friends. And don’t you all go talking this nonsense to him, neither.”

Suddenly everyone cracked up. Gene smiled licking his bottom lip, before biting it ready for the charade to end but before anyone could spoil it, the driver stopped and announced they had arrived.

As everyone piled out of the back, Judy grabbed her purse as Lena started to scoot past her.

“Get your game face on, baby,” Lena said before she stepped out of the car.

Judy was confused by her comment, but brushed it off before grabbing the hand that was held out for her. As Judy stood up out of the car, she glanced up at whom she thought was either Richie or Peter, but instead was staring at a very amused Gene. She gasped and whisked her hand away from his clearly shocked.

“Where on earth...” she was going to ask where he came from but didn’t need to continue as the question was written all over her face. Gene just smiled wickedly and she knew.

“There,” she asked in her distinct, but meek, tone as she motioned to the backseat.

“Oh, didn’t you know,” he asked playfully.

Judy couldn’t help but smile embarrassed before she went to get back into the car but he quickly grabbed her arm, “Nah, uh-uh. We have some things to talk about, young lady.”

“Oh, don’t be boring. We’re at a party,” she said just as teasing as she squirmed away from him and caught up to Lena as they all walked towards the front door.

Inside, the party was in full swing and Gene recognized nearly everyone. To the left, in the den, Lucy and Keenan Wynn were entertaining a group with funny anecdotes, while to the right, in the living room, Peggy Lee was entertaining another group as she sang accompanied by George Shearing on the piano. All-in-all, nothing seemed bonkers, as he had heard.

“Hi, Gene,” Angela Lansbury said cheerfully as she walked up to him.

“Hello, Angie,” he said leaning over to give her a kiss on the cheek.

“Since when do you crawl on top of Mulholland on a school night?”

“I didn’t crawl, I was kidnapped outside Ciro’s by Lawford’s gang.”

“Ah, on a magic carpet no less.”

“Something like that,” he teased back.

C’mere,” she giggled, “Get yourself a drink.”

Together, arm-in-arm they walked to the mini bar in the living room and Gene looked around. As quick as Judy could seemingly appear, she seemed to disappear even faster.

“What’s your poison, darling?”

“Oo, how about Bourbon and water.”

“Simple, simple,” she said as she took it upon herself to make him a cocktail.

“So, where’s your groom-to-be?”

“The last I saw him, he was hiding by a potted palm. Which reminds me, I better go find him. Here you go,” she said and handed him his fresh cocktail.

“Thank you. See you later.”

Gene wandered around and said hi to friends meanwhile looking for signs of Judy. When she didn’t seem to be around in these few rooms, he decided to explore elsewhere. As he passed the den, Lucy waved at him which he waved back before heading towards the hallway.

It was semi-dark as he passed a couple necking against the wall and soon found himself in a large, state-of-the arc library and billiard room. Ann Miller, Bob Hope and Mickey Rooney were in the middle of a pool game as Kate Hepburn chatted with Kay Thompson on the couch by the fireplace.

“Gene, Judy didn’t tell me you were coming,” Kay spoke up surprised as she stood up to walk over.

“I didn’t know he would be,” Gene heard Judy’s voice behind him before she appeared next to him.

He wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked but Kay reached in for a hug.

“I’ve never seen you at C.G.’s before,” she said in her brass voice.

“I was tricked.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure I was tricked,” Judy retorted and reached her finger in for the cherry in his drink.

“Hey,” he said seeming annoyed as she plopped the maraschino in her mouth.

“You always give me the cherries that are in your drink.”

“What if I wanted that one,” he said acting sad.

“There are more at the bar.”

If they were alone right now, Gene would have taken the cherry back from her mouth...with his tongue.

His quick thought was interrupted by a loud thump followed by a rolling 8 ball that made Judy jump back.

“A little less force, Mick,” Kate called out.

“Golly, Mickey,” Judy said as she picked up the ball.

“Sorry, Judes.”

Judy handed him the ball as Bob Hope took a drag of his cigarette, “Cary will beat your little behind if you scratch his pool table, Rooney.”

Mick did a double take on the spot and licked his finger before rubbing it on the green baize making the small, white mark disappear.

“Speaking of Cary, I haven’t seen him.”

“He was out by the pool with Betsy Drake the last time I saw him,” Ann said before she leaned over and got into pose to hit her mark.

“Careful, Annie,” Kay said, “your tits are in the way.”

Ann gave Kay a smirk over her shoulder and when she turned forward again, she saw Mickey staring, “Do ya mind?”

“I beg your pardon,” he said smiling and walked out of view.

“Horndog,” Bob said.

Gene turned around to say something to Judy, but noticed she was no longer in the room, “Now, where the hell did she go?”

“Probably getting you more cherries,” Kay giggled.

“I swear, that girl is either a magician or some kind of chameleon.”

“Why are you so agitated?”

Gene didn’t answer, he just took another sip of his drink.

“Is this the first time you’re together again since her vacation,” her voice lowered.

He nodded and watched as Ann continued to hit the balls in the pockets, “Damn, Annie, I didn’t know you could play.”

“I’m a Texas-girl, Gene.”

“Aw, you two should be alone,” she continued.

“I didn��t know she’d be back already. I hopped in Lawford’s Limo and there she was. She didn’t even know I was in there until we got here.”

“Well, why don’t you go talk to her and catch up? She’s missed you.”

He smiled, “Terribly?”

“Terribly,” she breathed in exaggeration.

“Other than the cherry jar, happen to know where she went? She never walked out the door.”

Kay nodded towards the patio door and he gulped the rest of his drink down handing her the glass, “Thanks.”

When Gene walked out onto the balcony, he made an impressed face at the beauty of the surroundings. The back part of the house he was at, he could see the entire San Fernando Valley all lit up in the night sky. Most of the cluster of lights down below were Universal and Warner Bros. studios he could make out clearly, even with the cloudy weather. As he kept walking, the veranda seemed to wrap around nearly the entire house accessorized by patio furniture & a grilling area. He could also see part of the pool area down below as well as he rounded the corner.

Looking up, he noticed Judy standing there, leaning against the railing, oblivious to his presence as she gazed at the skyline. As he got closer, she turned her head. He smiled, but she quickly nodded to look behind him. There, on the next story, was a sitting room, 90 degree walls made of glass where you could easily see people sitting there. He knew in an instant she was warning him to behave.

He stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her as they faced the view, "You are like a damn ninja, so sneaky."

"How do you mean?"

"You appear and then disappear. It's like my dream."

Judy turned more towards him curious, "What dream."

He turned towards her just the same, "I had a weird dream about you last night. Wanna hear it?"

"That depends," she giggled a bit nervous.

"Don't worry. This one isn't naughty."

"This one?"

"Mmm. It was so strange, actually. I remember being in bed and then I opened my eyes and I was in some house I didn't recognize. And then you appeared. You didn't say anything, you just made me follow you, like you were seducing me. It felt so real, I didn't realize I was dreaming."

"Then what happened," she asked as if it were the most casual thing in the world.

"You walked through a door. When I went in, I was in a dark, empty studio. You appeared, then disappeared, just like now." She looked at him with the same seductive eyes as in his dream and he continued, "What do you think it means?"

"Maybe you feel lost."

"Maybe I feel like you're drifting away."

"Maybe you're trying to find me."

His eyes sparkled, a small smile forming at the corner of his lips, "Maybe I want you."

Her eyes sparkled back, "Maybe it was just a dream."

Gene's smile turned wide in amusement as he leaned his elbows on the banister and she continued, "And I didn't mean to disappear. Cary just has the most beautiful view in all of Southern California, I think. I've only been up here a few times, but I always I always come out here when I visit."

"It is stunning, isn't it? But you said you have a great view, too."

"I do. I have a lovely view, but mines on the other side of the mountain and not as high up. It's mostly views of the hill. It's not open like this."

Down below, they noticed Cary and Betsy get up from the lounge chairs to walk in. When the host noticed them up above, he gave a smile and a wave. They both smiled and waved back. When pair were out of sight, Gene looked up at the glass-wall room and the two ladies that were in there, had vacated.

He tapped her hand before turning his palm upwards. Judy glanced down at it before nonchalantly looking around to make sure no one was watching.

She placed her hand into his, their fingers entwining and he spoke up in a lower voice, "I've missed you, sweetheart."

"I missed you, too, so much," she said placing he head against his shoulder.

For a moment, they were silent, just enjoying the view until Gene spoke up teasing her, "Not your type, huh?"

Judy laughed, lifting her head, "I had to act Blasé. What did you expect me to do?"

"Tell them how great of a kisser I am not just on screen but off screen as well," he said slowly moving his finger up her arm, creating goosebumps over her porcelain-like skin, "Tell them how much chemistry we have not only when we're acting..." he leaned into whisper in her ear, "but when we're fucking as well." He smiled when he saw her shiver, "Tell them how much I'm not your type when my head is between your legs."

Judy pulled her hand free from his and gave off a breathless giggle as she stepped away from him to create a little space, "See, you're going to get us into trouble," she pointed her finger at him, "Behave."

"Only if you promise to let me drive you home from the party."

"And, uh, darling how to you expect to do that when you didn't drive up here?"

Gene quickly remembered neither had a car, "Shit."

Suddenly his plan of them 'making up for lost time' tonight flew out the window. It's not like he could just ask Lawford to drop them off at a hotel or let them Christian the back seat.

Judy seemed to read his mind from the disappointment on his face, "We can call up Frank. I’m sure he’ll save us.”

“Out of town,” Gene murmured but then perked up, “Kay.”

Judy shook her head, “She drove up with Lucille.”

“And Lena drove up with us. Looks like we’re all out of options of the people that know about us baby cakes,” he saw the disappointment on her face as well which made him feel good that she clearly wanted to be alone with him as much as he with her, but he also didn’t want to waste a good time at the party so he lightened the mood, “We could always hop the fence and pop off behind a tree.”

“And give a chance for a rattlesnake to bite us in the ass,” she joked.

Gene chuckled and walked over to a nearby patio sofa where she followed.

“Cigarette?”

“No, thank you.”

“So, how was Carmel?”

“Oh, golly...”

“You enjoyed yourself?”

“All that time away from the studio, you must be joking. Of course, I did. I just rested and spent almost every waking moment with Liza. We went to the beach and I played a little golf and I ate. Gene, I ate like a horse.”

“Good for you,” he said eyeing her frame which he noticed was just a tiny bit more meaty, in a good way, especially her tits.

“I gained 8 pounds in 3 weeks. Because I’m so little, it’s gonna show on camera. Do you think I should lose it for this collaboration,” she asked curious referring to Words and Music.

“No,” he said almost disgusted, “And fuck em’ if they say something. You look better than ever.”

“Your sweet,” she said placing her palm on his cheek, “So, you’re done with Muskateers?”

“Yep.”

“Good. Less stress right now.”

“Much less stress, but only for a few weeks while I work on my scene for this picture. After that I start on Ballgame.”

“I’m so happy you finally got it going with Stan.”

“Me, too. But a little disappointed that we couldn’t get you as much as we both pushed for it.”

“I know but they want me for Berkley’s of Broadway with Fred,” she said shrugging her shoulders, “Did you get Charlie to direct?”

“No,” he said looking at her with raised eyebrows, “Buzz.”

Judy’s mouth opened wide in horror, “Oh, you’re kidding me.”

“It’s alright, baby. I can handle him more than you can.”

“I swear, if they ever put me in another picture with him in charge, it might be the death of me.”

“Then don’t let them,” he said taking a drag.

“Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done, Gene.”

They sat in comfortable silence, crickets and echoes of the party from inside, surrounding them.

“How are you and Vince?”

“He’s as sweet as can be. Patient,” she trailed off a moment and reached for his cigarette, “Boring.”

“So, the same?”

“The same,” she said exhaling up into the night air, “You?”

“The same. Though, I have to admit, Betsy and I have been fighting a lot more lately.”

“Why?”

“I was kind of taking my frustrations out on her. I would just be so damn irritable that anything she did ticked me off. I haven’t been spending a lot at home.”

“You shouldn’t take your frustrations from work home with you. If that were the case for me and Vince, especially since we’ve worked closely together, we probably would have split up before we even married,” she said as Gene’s friend, not lover.

“It wasn’t just frustration from work,” he said softly referring to their time apart, just not location-wise but intimately as well.

She looked up at him as he was staring at her intently. “We’re both to blame for that, Gene,” she said flicking ashes off the cigarette.

“You know, the more time apart we are, the more I want to toss our two-year ‘agreement’ down the drain.”

Judy nervously licked her red lips before taking another drag and pounding the cigarette out on the ashtray.

“Do you ever think about that night at the H.R.,” he asked, his voice getting husky.

Judy lifted her head, and gave a little smile, “Every day.”

Flashes of him yanking the ribbons on her corset as her hands were placed against the mirror went through their minds. His loud grunts as his hips smacked into hers, her hands grasping the hotel bed sheets, their laughter after they were both sated, their intimate talk in bed in bathrobes, her back arching as his mouth was her insatiable alarm clock also flashed through.

“C’mere,” he said motioning for her to lean into him.

Their lips met just barely when all of a sudden Gene flinched confusing her. She leaned back and he flinched again before looking up squinting one eye.

“What is it?”

“It’s raining, I think.”

One then hit Judy’s cheek and she giggled wiping it away, “I’d say so.”

“Judy, Gene...” Kay said from around the corner and whistled, “Cary wants everyone to do a toast.”

Judy patted Gene’s knee, “Rain check?”

“Funny,” he said getting up and they walked inside.

A little later, everyone was scattered in the living room as a Cole Porter tune was being played over the piano. Judy sat next to their pianist, as Gene stood at the other side of the piano, facing her.

Together they sang 'Night and Day' in a melodic and romantic tone.

Night and day, you are the one Only you beneath the moon Under the sun Whether near to me or far It's no matter, darling, where you are I think of you Night and day...

The pianist was concentrating on what his hands were doing, that he didn't even notice the way his singers were staring at one another. Judy and Gene seemed lost in each other as they sang, their eyes sparkling.

As Kay took a slow sip of her martini, she slyly glanced up at the crowd watching the pair. Judging by their relaxed expressions, mesmerized by the entertainment, no one seemed to notice the sensual chemistry radiating from the MGM pair.

As the song started to near the end, Judy broke away from Gene's stare, her eyes falling on their audience, and she smiled at Gene, darting her eyes to the side of him, non-vocally reminding him that they were being watched. He turned around and continued singing. Judy's eyes remained on the back of him, looking completely in awe, but a bit sad. His comment about tossing their '2 year agreement' down the drain was fresh in her mind. At the Roosevelt hotel that one evening, they had admitted they were in-love, but neither was ready to leave their families...yet. If, in two years, they were still unhappy in their marriages, he had said, then they would leave and finally be together. Gene was more unhappy in his marriage than ever, she knew, and she also knew he was serious about that comment. If he did leave his wife, would he expect her to leave Vince? As much as Judy was in-love with Gene, and missed him greatly, she was not ready to do that.

Her thoughts drifted away as she noticed he was currently putting his all into the song. All eyes seemed to be upon him, not only his beautiful tone, but confidence. She felt tears spring to her eyes feeling so very proud of him, how far he came, that she gradually let her singing drift away so he could shine. When the pianist hit the last key as Gene's singing faded, everyone applauded enthusiastically. Gene smiled, nodding 'thank you' before turning around. He took Judy's hand and kissed it. She gave Gene a wink in return.

For a few minutes, Gene conversed with friends as Judy conversed on the other side of the room with others. By this point, there were only about twelve remaining at the party so things were a little more quiet, and a lot more casual and intimate.

"What is that," Peter asked as he shushed some in his group.

"What is what," Lucy asked.

"Listen."

Sounds of hard dings one right after the other, above their heads, were heard. Then in a second, a blanket like a loud crash on the ceiling shushed the entire room. Cary walked over to the patio and ripped open the curtains revealing a torrential downpour over Los Angeles including small hail. Rain, ok, downpour and thunderstorm, rare, hail...no one there had seen in Southern California before.

"Holy camoli," June said walking over to him.

"Oh, fuck, my car," Powell said and quickly left.

"What are you doing," June called out to her husband.

"It's only light hail," Cary said opening the patio door to pick one up.

Lena shook her head as she placed a hand on her hip, "Have you ever seen this before?"

"Not in Los Angeles," Gene replied.

"And we might not ever see it again," Peter said reaching down to take off his shoes.

"What are you doing," his date squeaked.

"I'm not giving up the chance to experience this like mother nature intended," he said as he stripped down to his skivvies as everyone laughed.

There was an uproar of hilarity as he ran out onto the deck and practically danced in the rain. After he tried to persuade his date to join him, and she wouldn't, he started on Lucy and Lena and June who enjoyed the scene but also refused.

When it was Judy's turn, she looked at Kay and Gene over her shoulder, "Think I'll melt?"

She went to walk but Kay quickly grabbed her arm, "What are you doing?"

"Having fun," Judy emphasized, "Everyone thinks I'm crazy, might as well act the part!"

As Judy ran past Cary, and straight into the rain, Kay was so shocked, she took a few steps with her mouth open wide, as if to stop her, but she was already in Peter's arms laughing and getting drenched.

"Jesus," Gene replied before he placed his hands over his face and chuckled.

"Judy, you're insane," Lucy yelled.

"She must be toasted," June replied laughing.

Her wanting to have fun, and make fun of herself, was typical Judy, but her behavior right now out in the storm like that, acting as lunatic as drunk Peter, made him realize June's comment probably rang true. She must have had too much to drink.

After a few minutes of laughter where their belly's hurt, the rain died down and Peter and Judy finally bounced their way back inside. Lucy handed the both a towel and Gene pulled a giggling Judy aside. As he did so, she stumbled just a tad.

"You didn't melt."

"That's because I'm a Black Irish Witch, not the Wicked Witch of the West. Woo, you know, even after being out there, I feel so hot," she said fanning herself.

"All I saw you drink tonight was some wine. What else did you have?"

"I had some drink that the boys gave me."

"What drink?"

"Uh, it was green. They called it some type of fairy."

Gene looked at her like he didn't hear her right, "Absinthe?"

"Yes, that's it."

"Which ‘boys’ gave you that?"

"Why?"

"Because it has psychoactive side-effects to it. It's higher proof than whiskey. I won't even drink that shit, and neither should you."

"Well, I'm not having any hallucinogens, Gene. I knew exactly what I was doing out there."

"It was Mickey before he left, wasn't it?"

"No, it wasn't. And I'm not telling you."

"Why?"

"Because you're too protective and you'll have something to say and no one wants to hear what you have to say right now," she teased leaning her chin up at him with a silly grin like a child.

"Not even you," he said wanting to reach down and kiss those lips.

"Nope."

"How about now," he said back, his voice getting lower.

Judy's chest heaved, her smile disappearing, when she felt those certain butterflies invade her torso.

Then it went dark.

"Oh, what the hell," Cary shouted as the entire house went dark including the houses on the hills in the distance.

"What happened," they all heard Powell call out as the front door shut.

"Power's out," Peter replied.

"No shit, Sherlock."

"Oh, I'm stepping on wires or something," June's voice was heard, "Oh, what was that?"

"That's me," Lucy giggled.

"Everyone take a hand next to you and follow me into the kitchen. I have a storage of flashlights and some lanterns," Cary said.

"Oh, fun, like a human train," Lena said.

"I'll be in the den. I'm not giving any of you a chance to knock me over," her footsteps disappeared into the next room as the others footsteps disappeared down the hall.

Gene couldn't see shit, but judging by the stillness and silence, he felt he was alone. But wanted to make sure. He swung his arms around gently, to see if he could feel anything that resembled Judy Garland, but just got air in return. He was going to follow into the kitchen, when he heard a few notes play on the piano.

"Whose that," he asked walking over cautiously.

The piano slowly played the bells are ringing...

Gene instantly smiled, "So, that's how you announce yourself now."

"Only to you," she spoke.

"What are you doing over here?"

"Getting out of everyone's way."

"Not everyone," he whispered as he finally caught her.

Placing his hand on her hips, he turned her around, and pressed her body up against his, holding her tight as he felt her breath near his neck. Her fingers then touched his lips gently.

"Oh, there you are," she breathed before he bent his head and she could feel his breath against her lips.

"Here I am," he said before his lips captured hers.

Their lips smacking and sucking sounded awfully loud in the abandoned, dark room but neither cared as they finally kissed again after what seemed like an eternity. When her arms wrapped tight around his neck, Gene plunged his tongue into her mouth, her lips already parted for him. When her hand slightly grasped the back of his head as she took control, sliding her tongue into his mouth now, he felt arousal shoot down to his groin. It made him slightly groan, just a vibration enough for her to hear. He took a hold of one side of her backside as he took a step to push his body into her against the piano. But, she lost a bit of footing and completely sat on the keys in full force that the sound rattled the entire living room as deep as a thunderbolt.

"Who's fucking up my piano," they heard Cary say followed by another footstep behind him.

Then, the flashlight went on revealing Judy and Gene standing shoulder to shoulder looking like frightened deer in headlights.

“What happened,” Rich asked.

“I bumped into her and she fell on the piano keys,” Gene said squinting and held his hand up, “Get that fucking light off me, Grant.”

Carey lowered his flashlight and handed Gene of the small, electric lanterns, “Here, go give this to Kay before she knocks over one of my Tiffany lamps in there.”

Gene gave Judy a look before walking into the next room.

“Do you have any more lanterns?”

“Lena’s turning them on in the kitchen. Go grab yourself one, baby doll,” Cary answered.

“’ll be right back,” Judy giggled as she passed Cary & Richie.

Gene returned back in the living room a few minutes later, after talking to Kay once Lucy joined, and it was pitch black again.

“Anyone here,” he asked hoping Judy still was.

When there was no answer, he made his way to the kitchen. He didn’t speak, but he noticed everyone was now sitting down chatting and had also lit some candles. But Judy wasn’t there.

After making his way around the obvious places with his own flashlight, he started up the stairs. It was still pitch black.

Suddenly, a door next to him opened startling him. He pointed his flashlight and Maggie walked out of the bathroom giving him a friendly smile before heading back downstairs. So, Judy wasn’t in the bathroom, where he assumed she would be.

Where the hell was she?

He held his flashlight down, and was about turn to walk back downstairs, when he saw a faint light coming from the corner room. He carefully walked in what was the master bedroom and the orange hued light was brighter coming from the master bathroom.

Bingo, he thought, and turned his flashlight off as she came into view. The lantern was lit, resting on the large counter, and she was trying to fix her damp hair as much as she could.

“Disappearing again, I see.”

She didn’t say anything, but in the shadow of the lantern on the side of her face, he saw a little smile appear. It was simple, but had a major aphrodisiac effect on him. Without another word, he walked in and shut the door behind him.

Judy stopped fiddling with her hair when she heard him turn the lock.

“Are you sure you don’t want to drive back with me,” Lucy asked Kay as she walked her to her car with a flashlight.

“No, thanks. Lena said she was going to hitch a ride with Vivie and Nick in a few minutes so I’ll just catch a ride back in the Lawford-mobile with Judy and the gang.”

“Speaking of Judy, I wonder where she went. I would have loved to say bye to her.”

“Don’t worry, darling, I’ll tell her for you. Say hi to Desi for us, will ya?”

“You bet. Bye honey,” Lucy said as she got into her car.

Kay waved as Lucy backed down the driveway and didn’t turn until she got back on Mullholland safely.

“I bet I know where Judy went,” Lena said leaning in the doorway.

Kay nodded, “They’re both taking advantage of the blackout by necking like a couple of teenagers is my guess.”

“Good for them. If they enjoy being together that much, than have at it I say.”

The lantern lit up the bathroom with a sensual glow, reflecting back through the large, bathroom mirror as Judy whimpered sensually.

She let go of the back of Gene’s head to grasp the edge of the counter, her knuckles turning white, her back arched. She moaned louder as Gene’s mouth became more demanding between her legs. She felt a rush of moisture cascaded her lower being and her body felt heavenly.

“Oh, gosh,” she whispered as another burst of pre-climax tingled, over-stimulating her.

Gene took that cue to stop and he let her go with a loud sucking motion before standing up to undo his pants. His erection was strained, pressing against his shorts, he hadn’t felt that hard and ready since their last encounter; not even the times he had jerked off thinking about her during their mini-separation.

Judy took it upon herself to yank down his shorts and started caressing him the way she knew he liked as their lips skimmed on another. He softly groaned from pleasure and torture. He wanted to stop her, he wanted to plunge himself into her warm, slick, pulsating center but Judy loved to please him as much as he loved to please her. So, he let her take control. He trusted her not to let him come before he was inside of her.

“I’ve missed you,” she breathed against his lips.

“I’ve missed you, baby, you feel so good,” he breathed back before capturing her mouth with another hot, open kiss.

Cary stood up from the table and grabbed a lantern, “I’m gonna try the braker again.”

“Has anyone seen Gene? He’s usually so good at fixing things,” June commented.

“I haven’t seen Kay or Lena since Lucy left, haven’t seen Judy or Gene, neither,” Peter replied getting up to assist Cary downstairs.

“Yes, what are they doing,” Cary’s girlfriend Betsy said with a casual curiosity.

Over and over, in a timeless rhythm, Gene hit the right spot with each thrust. And she held onto him tightly, her finger tips digging into his lower back to feel his movements and bring him closer.

They were both passionately, and emotionally, reveling in the feeling of being together again. They both also kept the sounds of their lovemaking to a minimum for the fear of getting caught. And it was a challenge as the rise of their impending orgasms made them both want to respond to each other vocally on how they were feeling. Fortunately, after being together since their first picture, they were very familiar with each other’s bodies and body language, so a repeated vocal response of their fuck was not necessarily needed.

Gene felt her slide her back a bit lower against the mirror for a better angle as he realized she was close. He grabbed her hips, accommodating her, and continued his thrusts, now becoming a little faster for her release as he tried to hold out.

She couldn’t hold back her cry of erotic desperation as her climax was near the edge making her toes curl and her body tense up. She wrapped her arms around his shoulder and grabbed on as she rode the wave. When her orgasm burst throughout her being, Judy leaned her head back, the side of her face visible from the lantern, scrunched up as her red lips parted. A cry that she purposefully bit back escaped from her chest, filtered out from her teeth biting her bottom lip.

Gene was relieved as he thrust into her harder, feeling himself start to expand. Hearing his intense breaths start to skip, Judy leaned her head back up and grabbed the sides of his face, their noses touching as he let go.

His hand fell flat up against the mirror beside her head as his orgasm shot out inside of her. It was overwhelming, intense and seemed to keep going as he continued to thrust and softly groan over and over. When both their bodies stilled, Gene breathed heavily, almost shaking, as he leaned his head down. Judy just kissed his forehead.

Then the lights went on.

Gene lifted his head and smiled, “There you are,” he said from their earlier encounter.

“Here I am,” she whispered back and kissed him softly.

MGM was bustling and busy as a bee as Judy walked down the lot towards the small parking lot outside the south entrance. The day was so beautiful, the sun was bright and the sky was bright blue, no one would have expected that it had been storming the past few days.

When she got closer to her car, she noticed Gene leaning against the hood, his back to her, smoking a cigarette.

“Hi,” she said with a bit of surprise.

“Oh, hey,” he replied turning around and stomped out his cigarette.

“I thought you were off for a few days.”

“Had to drop off some notes to Stan. Saw your car was still here,” he reached over and gave her a kiss on the cheek, “How did it go?”

She had just finished her recording for Words and Music with Mickey and was actually quite proud at how easy things went, “It was good. We got it done. Went smoothly. Vince even brought Liza by to watch. Mickey played with her, it was all very relaxed.”

“Oh, how swell. Are you leaving the studio now?”

“Mm hm. It’s such a nice day. I was thinking of having a picnic with Liza in the backyard since I’m getting out earlier than I thought.”

“I’m sure she’ll love it. But, before you go, I have to talk to you,” he said, his voice becoming a bit serious, it made her a little nervous as he urged her to get in the car. She did and watched as he got in the passenger side.

“I’m taking residency at the Beverly Hills Hotel.”

“What do you mean you’re taking residency,” she asked her face completely confused.

“You know how unhappy my marriage has been lately...well, for a while now,” he said and Judy nodded becoming anxious, “Betsy and I talked last night and we decided to separate for...”

“Oh, Gene, are you really sure you want to do that,” she interrupted with almost an exasperation.

Gene looked at Judy in disbelief by her quick response before he even finished talking, “Am I really sure I want to do what?”

“Separate from your family. It’s just...” she looked down fiddling with her fingers, “I’m not ready to do the same.”

Gene turned to her more in his seat, a little irritated, “I’m not asking you to.”

“You’re not?”

Her response was so shocked and genuine that it made him angry. He turned forwards and pressed his palms into his knees shaking his head.

“Why are you getting upset?”

“Do you really believe that whatever I do with my personal life, I expect you to do the same?”

The hurt expression on his face cause Judy to practically sink into her seat, “Well, after what you said the other night about our ‘agreement’ I...”

“Oh, fuck the agreement,” she looked at him with wide eyes, “If you would have let me finish talking then you would have heard that my separation is only going to be for a few weeks.”

“A few weeks?”

“A break. We decided to start there and see what happens. And if we need more time or...anything else...then we’ll cross that bridge when it gets to it.”

Judy tried not to show relief on her face but he could see it in her eyes and he laughed from ridiculousness, “Why are you automatically jumping to conclusions?”

“Because you said you wanted to throw our agreement down the drain since you are so unhappy with Betsy. I assumed that meant you wanted to divorce her and that would mean I would do the same.”

“Assumptions can get you into trouble,” he replied almost amused but sounded like some strict teacher.

“I know that now,” she said irritated, her elbow leaning on the window frame, her temple leaning against her hand. She was candidly embarrassed.

“Honey, I wanted to talk to you because with me staying at the hotel for a few weeks, that would mean I would be more accessible to you, to spend more time together since that’s what we both want. I never expect you to do anything just because I do it. Your decisions about your family are yours and Vince’s only. When you get to that own bridge of yours, I’ll be on the other side of it. But I’ll never be in the middle.”

“You said ‘when’, not ‘if’. How are you so sure of yourself?”

“I don’t know,” he said his voice softening. “It just came out that way. But one thing I know for sure is that we belong together, sweetheart, in one way or another.”

Judy slightly smiled as she thought the same.

“Listen, I’m never going to ask to take time away from your husband, or you daughter, but when you do have free time, you know where I’ll be.”

He reached over and gave her a cheerful peck on the lips before getting out of the car. Judy watched him in her rearview mirror as he started to walk away.

Knowing she was watching him, Gene turned around and smiled once more.

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cantteachanoldguardnewquotes · 4 years

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thefakejeffreyazoff · 4 years

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‘He’s our Satan’: Mega music manager Irving Azoff, still feared, still fighting

(x)PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. —

This is not Irving Azoff’s house. Irving and his wife Shelli own houses all over, from Beverly Hills to Cabo San Lucas, but right now in the last week of October it’s too cold at the ranch in Idaho and too hot at the spread in La Quinta, so he’s renting this place — a modest midcentury six-bedroom that sold for $5 million back in 2016.

From the front door you can see all the way out, to where Arrowhead Point juts like the tail of a comma into the calm afternoon waters of Carmel Bay. More importantly, the house is literally across the street from the Pebble Beach Golf Links, where Azoff likes to play with his college buddy John Baruck, who started out in the music business around the same time Azoff did, in the late ’60s, and just retired after managing Journey through 20 years and two or three lead singers, depending how you count.

(Via LA Times)

Azoff is 72, and this weekend he’ll be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Bruce Springsteen’s longtime manager Jon Landau. Beatles manager Brian Epstein and Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham are already in, but Azoff and Landau are the first living managers thus honored. Azoff is not only alive — he’s still managing. As a partner in Full Stop Management — alongside Jeffrey Azoff, his oldest son and the third of his four children — he steers the careers of clients like the Eagles, Steely Dan, Bon Jovi and comedian Chelsea Handler, and consults when needed on the business of Harry Styles, Lizzo, John Mayer, Roddy Ricch, Anderson .Paak and Maroon 5. Azoff has Zoom calls at 7, 8 and 9 tomorrow morning, and only after that will he squeeze in a round.

The work never stops when you view the job the way Azoff does, as falling somewhere between consigliere and concierge. “My calls can be everything from ‘My knee buckled, I need a doctor’ to ‘My kid’s in jail,’” Azoff says. “I mean, you have no idea. The ‘My kid’s in jail’ one was a funny one, because the artist then said to me, ‘Y’know, I’ve thought about this. Maybe we should leave him there for a while.’”

Golf entered Azoff’s life the way a lot of things have — via the Eagles, whom Azoff has managed since the early ’70s. Specifically, Azoff took up golf in the company of the late Glenn Frey, the jockiest Eagle, the one the other Eagles used to call “Sportacus.” By the time the Eagles returned to the road in the ’90s they’d left their debauched ’70s lifestyles largely behind, but Azoff and Frey got hooked on the little white ball.

“Frey would insist on booking the tour around where he wanted to play golf,” Azoff says. “We made Henley crazy. Henley would call me in my room and he’d go, ‘Why the f— are we in a hotel in Hilton Head North Carolina and starting a tour in Charlotte? Is this a f— golf tour?’”

Trailed by Larry Solters, the Eagles’ preternaturally dour minister of information, Azoff makes his way down the hill from the house for dinner at the golf club’s restaurant. He’s only 5 feet, 3 inches, a diminutive Sydney Pollack in jeans and a zip-up sweater. In photos from the ’70s — when he was considerably less professorial in comportment, a hipster exec with a spring-loaded middle finger — he sports a beard and a helmet of curly hair and mischievous eyes behind his shades, and looks a little like a Muppet who might scream at Kermit over Dr. Teeth’s appearance fee.

His father was a pharmacist and his mother was a bookkeeper. He grew up in Danville, Ill., booked his first shows in high school to pay for college, dropped out of college to run a small Midwestern concert-booking empire and manage local acts such as folk singer Dan Fogelberg and heartland rock band REO Speedwagon. Los Angeles soon beckoned. He met the Eagles while working for David Geffen and Elliot Roberts’ management company and followed the band out the door when they left the Geffen fold; they became the cornerstone of his empire. “I got my swagger from Glenn Frey and Don Henley,” he says. “No doubt about it.”

Azoff never took to pot or coke. The Eagles lived life in the fast lane; he was the designated driver. “Artists,” he once observed, “like knowing the guy flying the plane is sober.” This didn’t stop him from trashing his share of hotel rooms, frequently with guitarist Joe Walsh — whose solo career Azoff shepherded before Walsh joined the Eagles, and who was very much not sober at this time — as an accomplice.

“This was a different age,” Walsh says of his time as the band’s premier lodging-deconstructionist. “We could do anything we wanted, so we did. And Irving’s role was to keep us out of prison, basically.” He recalls a pleasant evening in Chicago in the company of John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, which culminated in Walsh laying waste to a suite at the Astor Towers hotel that turned out to be the owner’s private apartment. “We had to check out with a lawyer and a construction foreman,” Walsh remembers. “But Irving took care of it. Without Irving, I’d still be in Chicago.”

Azoff became even more infamous for the pit bull brio he brought to business negotiations on behalf of the Eagles and others, including Stevie Nicks and Boz Scaggs. He didn’t seem to care if people liked him, and his artists loved him for that. Steely Dan co-founder Walter Becker said they’d hired Azoff because he “impressed us with his taste for the jugular … and his bizarre spirit.” Jimmy Buffett’s wife grabbed him outside a show at Madison Square Garden, pushed him into the back of a limo and said, You have to manage Jimmy, although Buffett already had a manager at the time.

His outsized reputation as an advocate not just willing but eager to scorch earth on behalf of his clients became an advertisement for his services, a phenomenon that continues to this day. In August 2018, Azoff’s then-client Travis Scott released “Astroworld,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, and occupied that slot again the following week, causing Nicki Minaj’s album “Queen” to debut at No. 2. On her Beats One show “Queen Radio,” Minaj accused Scott of gaming Billboard’s chart methodology to keep her out of the top slot and singled his manager out by name: “C—sucker of the Day award,” she said, “goes to Irving Azoff.” Azoff says he reacted as only Azoff would: “I said, ‘I’m really unhappy about that. I want to be c—sucker of the year.’” In 2019, Minaj hired Azoff as her new manager.

Most of the best things anyone’s ever said about Azoff are statements a man of less-bizarre spirit would take as an insult. When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted the Eagles in 1998, Don Henley stood onstage and said of Azoff, “He may be Satan, but he’s our Satan.”

An N95-masked Azoff takes a seat on a patio with a view of hallowed ground — the first hole of the Pebble Beach course, a dogleg-right par 4 with a priceless view of the bay. He cheerfully admits that he and his partners at Full Stop are “obviously, as a management business, kind of losing our ass” this year due to COVID-19. In another reality, the Eagles would have played Wembley Stadium in August before heading off to Australia or the Far East. Styles would have just finished 34 dates in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. As it stands Azoff is hearing encouraging things about treatments and vaccines and new testing machines, and is reasonably confident that technology will soon make it possible for certified-COVID-free fans to again enjoy carefree evenings of live music together; he doesn’t expect much to happen in the meantime.

“What are you gonna do,” Azoff says, “take an act that used to sell 15,000 seats and tell them to play to 4,000 in the [same] arena? The vibe would be horrible, and production costs will stay the same.”

He knows of at least six companies trying to monetize new concert-esque experiences — pay-per-view shows from houses and soundstages, drive-in events and so on. But he’s not convinced anybody wants to sit in their parked car to watch a band play. More to the point, he’s not convinced it’s rock ’n’ roll.

“Fallon and Kimmel, all these virtual performances — people are sick of that,” he says. “Your production values from home aren’t that good. And they’re destroying the mystique. I mean, Justin Bieber jumping around on ‘Saturday Night Live’ the other night without a band, and then he had Chance the Rapper come out? It made him look to me, mortal. I didn’t feel any magic. So we’ve kinda been turning that stuff down to just wait it out.”

In the meantime, he says, Full Stop is picking up new clients during the pandemic. Artists with time on their hands, he believes, “have taken a hard look at their careers— so we’ve grown. No revenues,” he adds with a chuckle, “but people are saying, ‘We need you, we need to plan our lives.’”

“IN HIGH SCHOOL,” Jeffrey Azoff says, “I wanted to be a professional golfer, which has obviously eluded me.” He never expected to take up his father’s profession. “But my dad has always loved his job so much. There’s no way that doesn’t rub off on you.”

The younger Azoff got his first industry job at 21, as a “glorified intern” working for Maroon 5’s then-manager Jordan Feldstein. After a week of filing and fetching coffee, he called his father and complained that he was bored. According to Jeffrey, Irving responded, “Listen carefully, because I’m going to say this one time. You have a phone and you have my last name. If you can’t figure it out, you’re not my son.”

“Direct quote,” Jeffrey says. “It’s one of my favorite things he’s ever said to me. And it’s the spirit of the music business, by the way. There are no rules to this. Just figure it out.”

Over dinner I keep asking Irving how he got the temerity, as a kid barely out of college, to plunge into the shark-infested waters of the ‘70s record industry in Los Angeles. He just shrugs.

“I never felt the music business was that competitive,” he says. “It’s just not that f—ing hard. I don’t think there’s that many smart people in our business.”

It’s been written, I say, that once you landed in California and sized up the competition, you called John Baruck back in Illinois and said —

“We can take this town,” Azoff says, finishing the sentence. “Where’d you get that? John told that story to [Apple senior vice president] Eddy Cue on the golf course three days ago. It’s true. I called John up and said, ‘OK, get your ass out here. We can take this town.’”

In the ensuing years, Azoff has occupied nearly every high-level position the music industry has to offer, surfing waves of industry consolidation. He’s been the president of a major label, MCA; the CEO of Ticketmaster; and executive chairman of Live Nation Entertainment, the behemoth formed from Ticketmaster’s merger with Live Nation. In 2013 he and Cablevision Systems Corp. CEO and New York Knicks owner James Dolan formed a partnership, Azoff MSG Entertainment; Azoff ran the Forum in Inglewood for Dolan after MSG purchased it in 2012.

Earlier this year Dolan sold the Forum for $400 million to former Microsoft CEO and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, who’s since announced plans to build a new stadium on a site just one mile away. Despite the apocalyptic parking scenario that looms for the area — two stadiums and a concert arena on a one-mile stretch of South Prairie Boulevard — Azoff is confident that the Forum will live on as a live-music venue. “People are going, ‘They’re going to tear it down’ — they’re not going to tear it down,” Azoff says. “It’s going to be in great hands. I have many of the artists we represent booked in the Forum, waiting for the restart based on COVID.”

The holdings of the Azoff Co. — formed when Dolan sold his interest in Azoff MSG back to Azoff two years ago — include Full Stop, the performance-rights organization Global Music Rights and the Oak View Group, which is developing arenas in Seattle and Belmont, N.Y., and a 15,000-seat venue on the University of Texas campus in Austin. Azoff describes himself as increasingly focused on “diversification, and building assets for the family that aren’t just dependent on commissions, shall we say.”

But as both a manager and a co-founder of a lobbying group, the Music Artists Coalition, he’s also devoting more time and energy to a broad range of artists’-rights issues, from health insurance to royalty rates to copyright reversion to this year’s Assembly Bill 5, which threatened musicians’ independent-contractor status until it was amended in September. (“That was us,” Azoff says, somewhat grandly. “I got to the governor, the governor signed it — Newsom was great on it.”) He describes his advocacy for artists — even those he doesn’t manage — as a “war on all fronts,” and estimates there are 21 major issues on which “we’ve sort of appointed ourselves as guardians.”

He does not continue to manage artists because he needs the money, he says. (As the singer-songwriter and Azoff client J.D. Souther famously put it, “Irving’s 15% of everybody turned out to be more than everyone’s 85% of themselves.”) Everything he’s doing now — building clout through the Azoff Co., even accepting the Hall of Fame honor — is ultimately about positioning himself to better fight these fights. “I’d rather work on [these things] than anything else,” he says. “But if I didn’t have the power base in the management business, I couldn’t be effective.”

The recorded music industry, having fully transitioned to a digital-first business, is once again making money hand over fist, he points out, but even less of that money is trickling down to artists. That imbalance long predates Big Tech’s involvement in the field, but the failure of music-driven tech companies to properly compensate musicians is clearly the largest burr under Azoff’s saddle.

“These people, when they start out — whether it’s Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, whatever — they resist paying for music until you go beat the f— out of them. And then of course, none of them pay fair market value and they get away with it. Your company’s worth $30 billion and you can’t spend 20 grand for a song that becomes a phenomenon on your channel? Even when they pay, artists don’t get enough. Writers don’t get enough. Music, as a commodity, is more important than it’s ever been, and more unfairly monetized for the creators. And that’s what creates an opportunity for people like me.”

AZOFF’S FIRM NO longer handles Travis Scott, by the way. “Travis is unmanageable,” Azoff says, nonchalantly and without rancor. “We’re involved in his touring as an advisor to Live Nation, but he’s calling his own shots these days.”

I ask if, in the age of the viral hit and the bedroom producer, he finds himself running into more artists who assume they don’t need a manager. Ehh, Azoff says, like it’s always been that way. “There’s a lot of headstrong artists,” he says. “I haven’t seen one that’s better off without a manager than with,” he says, and laughs a little Dennis the Menace laugh.

We’re back at the house. Azoff takes a seat on the living-room couch; Larry Solters sits across from him, his back to the sea. Azoff recalls another big client. Declines to name him. Says he was never happy, even after Azoff and his people got him everything on his wish list. “He hit me with a couple bad emails. Just really disrespectful s—. I sent him an email back that said, ‘Lucky for me, you need me more than I need you. Goodbye.’”

He will confirm having resigned the accounts of noted divas Mariah Carey and Axl Rose. Reports that he once attempted to manage Kanye West have been greatly exaggerated, he says, although they’ve spoken about business. “Robert [Kardashian] was a good friend of mine. The kids all went to school together,” Azoff says. “What I always said to Kanye was, you’re unmanageable, but we can give you advice.

“A lot of people could have made a dynasty on the people we used to manage,” Azoff says, “let alone the ones we kept.”

But he still works with many artists who joined him in the ’70s — with Henley, with Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen and with Joe Walsh. Walsh has been sober for more than 25 years; it was Azoff, along with Henley and Frey, who talked him into rehab before the Eagles’ 1994 reunion tour. “Irving never passed judgment on me,” Walsh says. “And from that meeting on, he made sure I had what I needed to stay sober.” If he hadn’t, Walsh says, there’s no chance we’d be having this conversation. “All the guys I ran with are dead. Keith Moon’s dead. John Entwistle’s dead. Everybody’s dead, and I’m here. That’s profound to me.”

The first client Azoff lost was Minnie Riperton — in 1979, to breast cancer when she was only 31. Then Warren Zevon, to cancer, in 2003. Fogelberg, to cancer, four years later.

“And then Glenn,” says Azoff, referring to the Eagles co-founder who died in 2016. “I miss Glenn a lot. And now Eddie.”

Van Halen, that is. I ask Azoff if he can tell me a story that sums up what kind of guy Eddie Van Halen was; he tells me a beautiful one, then says he’d prefer not to see it in print. It makes perfect Azoffian sense — profane trash talk on the record, tenderness on background.

I ask if he’s been moved to contemplate his own mortality, as his boomer-aged clients approach an actuarial event horizon. Of course the answer turns out to involve keeping pace with an Eagle.

“Henley and I are having a race,” he says. “Neither one of us has given in. Neither one of us is going to retire.”

Henley was born in July 1947; Azoff came along that December. Does Don plan to keep going, I ask, until the wheels fall off?

“I don’t know,” Azoff says.

Do you ever talk about it?

“Yeah! He’ll call me up and he’ll go, ‘I really feel s— today.’ And I say, ‘Well, you should, Grandpa. You’re an old man. You ready to throw in the towel? Nope? OK.’”

Azoff says, “I contend that what keeps us all young is staying in the business. I’ve had more people tell me, ‘My father, he quit working, and then his health started failing,’ and all that. Every single — I mean, every single rock star I know is basically doing it to try and stay young. And I think it works. I really think it works.

“I have this friend,” Azoff says. “Calls me once a week, he’s sending me tapes, it’s his next big record. Paul Anka! He’s 80 years old. OK? And my other friend, Frankie Valli …”

“Do you know how old Frankie Valli is?” Solters says. “Eighty-six. And he still performs.”

“Not during COVID,” Azoff says. “I told the motherf—, ‘You’re not going out.’”

#jeffrey azoff #la times #11.05.20

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