“I don’t play with backup bands.”
“You do now.”
“I do?”
I frowned, unsure of why she was so freaked out. “You sing in front of people all the time.”
“That’s back home in front of people I know. This is different. This is real country music. I don’t think I can, Brantley.”
“You can, and you are you crazy? You are the real deal. Don’t ever think you’re not.”
Rydell wasn’t about to pass up the chance to sing in one of the best bars in the city. Many talents had been found right there, except me, of course. I never seemed to be in the right place at the right time, but thinking about Bay made me happy for unanswered prayers. For once in my life I might have been a believer in the, everything happens for a reason, bullshit. I’m sure, had I made it as singer, I wouldn’t have Bay in my life. I’d take her over that any day.
I ate all of my food and Rydell barely touched hers. She was too hyped up, and once the band started to take the stage, she was done. I couldn’t help but laugh at her when she downed her beer and asked Shelby for another one, along with two shots of Jack. She didn’t order two to give me one. She drank one, chased it with beer, and then repeated it with the other one.
“Are we really doing this?” She questioned, looking around at the standing room only.
“Yup, but only a couple songs. We have somewhere to be at ten.”
“We do? Should I get more Jack?”
Rydell was on top of the world and I was the one that put her there. Making her happy pleased me, and that was saying a lot coming from me. I didn’t aim to please. Not until now anyway. She did get another Jack and so did I, right before we took the stage.
“OMG, Oh my God! Is this real life?”
“It’s real, but I could only get us two songs.”
The shine across Rydell’s face was ridiculous. It showed in the smile with bright white teeth, her eyes glowed with delight, and the expression on her face was the best. The girl couldn’t have hid her pleasure had her life depended on it. “I’m totally cool with two songs. I don’t even know what to say to you right now.”
I watched Rydell place the strap of her guitar over her head, still wearing the crazy smile. “Don’t say anything. Sing. Do you know, Love Can Build A Bridge?”
“The Judd’s? Hell, yeah.”
I had sang that song right there on the same stage many times, but never did it feel like this. People stopped to listen, guys kissed their girls, and I couldn’t take my eyes off my Florida cowgirl. Jesus, I was so in love with this chick.
We didn’t sing two songs, because the crowed insisted after the second one that we keep going. We sang four songs, and I couldn’t have been happier. The gathering right in front of us cheered when we ended the last note with a kiss. Eddie Rabbit’s, Just You and I. This wasn’t just a quick peck like I meant it to be. Rydell kissed me with everything she had in her, sending emotions through my entire existence like I had never felt before.
Jesus, I was in love. Real love.
That was just the beginning. Once we reached our final destination, Rydell was forever mine.
“What are we doing?”
“Get your guitar out, girl.”
“Here?”
I proceeded to open my guitar case, preparing for what I hoped to be an amazing night. The busy streets full of drunks and shoppers showed great potential, and we were in one of the best places to busk in Nashville.
“This is what I did here. You’re a busker tonight.”
“We’re busking?”
I tipped my hat to a couple by passers and strummed down on my strings, already picking a tune while I waited for Rydell to quit freaking out. “Yes, we’re busking. You playing, or what?”
“Oh, my God. Yes!”
Playing with Rydell was so natural. We sounded like we’d been playing together for years, and I was so happy she was this thrilled. A big kid with a new toy. That’s what she reminded me of. She played her heart out, singing from her soul just like I did until the streets cleared and the bars quieted.
“Ready to pack this in? I’m freezing,” I asked, as I slid the strap of my guitar over my head and placed it right on top of one hell of a pile of money.
“No, one more. Come on, Brantley. Who knows when we’ll make it back here? Please.”
“No. That’s what you said the last three times. We’re done. Let’s go.”
Rydell shivered, obeying my orders while placing her own guitar in her case full of money. “Is this normal? How much do you think we made?”
“I’m not sure, but let’s wait until we get back to the room to find out. I’m beat and cold.”
Hand in hand we walked down the sidewalk, back to our room where there would be heat. “I think Florida has turned you into a pussy. I’m from there and I’m not whining as much as you are.”
“I’ll give you pussy.”
“How about I just give that to you?”
The anticipation of that had been lingering all evening. Singing with Rydell was an aphrodisiac all on its own. “I love that idea.”
“After we count our cash.”
“Oh, no. Miss Brinkley drank the Nashville Kool-Aid,” I teased.
“This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me, Brantley. I can’t thank you enough for doing this. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
Hearing how much she appreciated my attempt to make her a star meant the world to me, even if it was only a busking star for one night. “I’m so happy you enjoyed it.”
Rydell showered first, only because I let her. I secretly wanted the hot shower first, but I didn’t want it to turn into shower sex. Her hard wet body that close to mine would no doubt turn into just that. I stayed away from her, deciding to gather our cash instead. What I really wanted to do was call and check on Bay. I missed her like crazy, but knowing she had been asleep for hours, I refrained.
“Oh my God, Brantley. How much is that?” Rydell asked as she came to me on our bed, a towel wrapped around her head, wearing a Florida Gator’s tee and panties.
“You’re beautiful.”
Rydell smiled a sexy half grin and crossed her legs in front of me, pink panties in plain sight. “You’re not so bad yourself, cowboy. How much?”
“I don’t know. I wanted to wait for you. Start counting. I’m going to grab a quick shower.”
I thought about Bay again as I showered, brushing away the thought of Kit taking her from me. One night away from her was torture. I couldn’t imagine every night.
A five minute shower and seeing Rydell sitting on the bed surrounded by dollar bills, wearing a smile was all I needed to warm up. She really was beautiful.
“Brantley. Do you have any idea how much money is here? We really could quit our jobs and move here. Why didn’t you tell me you made this much money?”
“How much?”
“Seven-hundred-twenty-three and nine dollars in change. Did you make this every night here? Is this normal?”
I plopped to the bed, amused at my girl’s excitement. “Not every night. Sometimes more, sometimes less. This is a giving time of the year. If you can stand the cold, you can make a career out of it.”
“I can stand the cold. Let’s move here. What’s the most you’ve ever made?”
I plopped to my back and rested my head on my hands while I thought about it. “Over a grand. The 4th of July is an awesome time to busk.”
Instant enthusiasm showed on her face and the eagerness was heard in her tone. “Can we come back then?”
“Yes, I think that can be arranged. Now get over here. You have a promise to fulfill.”
Without another word, Rydell came to me and I pushed myself back against the headboard. My hands went up her bare legs and then up her shirt. We kissed, making out like a couple teenagers in love, exploring one another with overloaded emotions. I never thought I was capable of feeling this way about someone. I never wanted to. Of course, I never wante
d to be a dad either, and that turned out to be a shocker. My life was suddenly full of surprises I never wanted…until now.
Just like she promised, Rydell took great care of me. Her lips kissed my jaw and then my throat as her hands slid behind the elastic in my shorts. Warm fingers cupped my balls and then slid around my already erect cock while a tingling sensation permeated my body, warm and erotic.
I slid down, sliding out of my shorts as I took myself in my own hand and guided her mouth where I wanted it with my hand on the back of her head. She obliged, gliding her tongue over my slit a couple times. My hand gathered her hair from around her face and I shoved again, hissing as she took me to the back of her throat, over and over. I enjoyed it for as long as I thought I could take it, and stopped her, afraid of it ending way too soon.
“Come up here, baby,” I coaxed, when I knew I couldn’t take much more. I tried to get her to sit on my face, but she wouldn’t do it.
“No, I hate it like that. I’m too shy to do that.”
“Get up here and straddle my face. Right now.”
“Brantley,” she said, with a quiet desperate plea for me not to make her.
“Come on. I want you to.”
“I hate this,” she whined again as she climbed up my body, stopping to let her lips meet mine.
I kissed her, feeling her warm body on mine as my hands explored her bare ass, giving it a shove upward. “Keep moving.”
I knew she liked her pussy licked, but this was the first time I forced her to straddle me like this. I also knew she would enjoy it once I got her there. I just didn’t realize how much I would enjoy it. Her scent touched my nose as soon as she had one leg on each side of my face, but all I could do was stare up at her. Her body was stiff, her eyes were closed, and her hands white-knuckled the headboard as I spread her more with two thumbs.
“Relax,” I coaxed, while a weird thought crossed my mind at the worst time ever. I had gone down on plenty of girls before, but only two like this. Kit was the first. I had to blink my eyes a couple of times to see Rydell above me and not Kit. What the hell?
A short puff of air escaped her lips, but her body failed to unwind. “I’m trying.”
My eyes closed as soon as I tasted her, one long stroke to her manic nub, where I sucked, devouring her with everything I had. Her body never did calm, but she no doubt came. I had to hold down on her hips to keep her from pulling away when she moaned and writhed her hips above me.
“Brantley,” she panted, through a whimper.
“Come, baby.”
At precisely the same moment I gave her permission, I felt the warm juices run down both sides of my face and my neck. That’s when her body relaxed, giving in to euphoric pleasure. I licked her swollen nub over and over while she rode out the waves.
“Sit on my cock,” I coaxed, with one last lick.
Rydell slid over me with ease, and my body was suddenly the stiff one. She felt amazing and the sight of her naked body, her long dark hair, and firm breasts were the icing on the cake. I couldn’t watch it without wanting to buck my hips and come inside her. I flipped her to her back, giving it to her that way for a little bit, and then turned her again when that made me want to release, too. I shoved her face into the mattress, lifted her ass, and pressed a flat hand against her back when she kept wanting to raise up.
The sounds of her wetness, her moans, the dollar bills scattered around us, and the way she felt was out of this world, and I couldn’t take it. As much as I wanted to last all night, fuck her into a delirious state, I couldn’t do it. She felt too incredible to prolong it a second longer. I reached around her and pressed hard on her clit, moving my fingers up and down while I pumped deep and hard, praying for her to be ready again.
“Oh, God. Oh, Lord, mmm, yes right there, Brantley.”
Hallelujah. I savored the cosmic fireworks exploding through and around us as we came together. Rydell dropped first and I dropped to her, kissing her bare shoulder.
“I love you, Brantley Jandt.”
Still out of breath, I returned the love. “I love you, too. I’m glad you’re here.”
Sure I couldn’t love her any more than I already did, Rydell rolled to her back and kissed my lips. Her finger touched my lips, and she smiled softly. “I keep wanting to check on Bay. I miss her.”
Those words assured me that I could indeed love her more.
Rydell gathered our flow of cash and we crawled below the covers.
Tangled with her naked body, I dozed off a happy man, content with her in my arms.
I woke in a panic the following morning when I saw the time, but then realized that Bay was with my sister. I quietly slipped out of bed and dressed, careful not to wake Rydell. After sliding into my boots, I kissed her forehead and left her, first to find coffee, and then my little Bay Berry.
The aroma of fresh brewed coffee hit my nostrils as I stirred in a little cream, reflecting on my night with Rydell. And then I heard the familiar voice.
“Sit, Brantley.”
My head snapped to the left, right to my mother, sitting alone. “I’m good. Where’s Bay?”
“Bridgette took her to see Santa. I’m not asking, I’m telling you. Sit down.”
The grown man in me wanted to tell her to go to hell, the little boy that listened to his mother made me sit. “What?”
“I’m over this, Brantley John. I love you and I love Bay. I can’t take it back, Brantley. I would if I could.”
“Yeah, whatever. Is that it?”
“What do you want me to do, Brantley?”
“I don’t want you to do anything, Mom. Leave me alone. Why, now? You never cared before.”
“I’ve always wanted a relationship with you. You know that. I’m sorry, and I’m not going to sit here and lie to you. I got caught up in the life, the glamor, the material things that shouldn’t have mattered. Your dad left us with a lot of bills, money I didn’t have.”
“So you just took other people’s money. Awesome. You’re forgiven.”
“You’re a spitting image of him. Will you just listen for a minute?”
“I’m nothing like him.”
My mom didn’t comment on my remark, confirming that I would never be like that bastard. She continued her own speech instead. “I didn’t know it was wrong. I thought we were giving it back after we invested it. I didn’t know we were stealing it.”
“Right, and that’s why you had to do time. Okay, we done?”
“I swear, Brantley. I knew there was something going on, but—.”
“But you couldn’t see anything, but your boyfriend and the glamourous life you lived while a nanny took care of Bridge and me.”
“Yes, exactly. That’s exactly how it was. I thought you guys were happy, living in a penthouse, living a life with the finer things in life instead of struggling for once.”
“We were happy struggling in the little house on Maple Street. We never got a choice. We needed our mom, not a nanny.”
“I’m sorry, baby. I can’t change it. I would if I could, Brantley.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say. I mean it’s not like we even know each other. You pretty much left us as soon as you got that fancy job.”
My mom dropped her head with a light shake. “That’s all I can say, Brantley. I’ve apologized a million times. I want to be a part of your life, and I love Bay so much.”
I didn’t give her time to say another word. I stood, taking my coffee with me. “Okay, well, it was nice having this chat. I better get back to my girl. I’ll see you around.”
What she planned to get out of that repetitive conversation was beyond me. I’d heard it all before, and her ordering me to sit and hear it again did about as much good as it had the first fifty times. It didn’t.
I did suck it up and have dinner with her, Bay, and Rydell, against my will. Bridgett wouldn’t shut the hell up until I did, but it wasn’t so bad. Bay kept the peace. It was impossible to be upset around her. She was too
funny and too silly to be angry. Bay the peace maker.
We exchanged gifts in the lobby of our hotel later that night by a cozy fireplace, only it wasn’t so cozy. My mom and Bridgette left Rydell out, completely. They didn’t include her at all. Hell, they didn’t even talk to her and it pissed me off royally, but I held my tongue, for as long as I could anyway.
Bay got fussy around seven-thirty, and whined for her mommy. My mom and Bridgett begged for her to stay with them again, but I said no.
“Come on, Brantley. She’s going home tomorrow. I’m not going to get to see her again for who knows how long. Please.”
I took Bay from her arms and handed her off to Rydell. “You can see her in the morning before we head out.”
“What? Why are you being such a jerk?”
“Can you take her up, Ry?”
Rydell shifted Bay on her hip while giving me a serious glance. “Brantley, don’t.”
“Just take her up. I’m going to put all these presents in the car.”
As soon as the door closed, I turned to my sister. “What the hell, Bridgette? Talk about being rude. You knew she was here, you couldn’t pick up a five dollar necklace or something?”
“Wait. What? You expected me to buy your girlfriend something? I didn’t even know she was coming.”
“Yeah, and we didn’t know you were bringing Mom either, but we still bought her something while we were out.”
“You did, or your girlfriend did?”
“Forget it. I’ll see you in the morning.”
My mom stepped up to the plate next. “We really like Kit, and she is Bay’s mom.”
The look I gave her mimicked the shock in my tone. “What? When did you talk to Kit?”
“Last night with Bay. I love her. She’s so in love with that little girl.”
“Yeah, that’s why she just up and left her for a year. You don’t know Kit any more than you know me. I’ll see you guys later. Did you tell her Rydell was here?”
“No, and neither did you. Why not, Brantley?”
I walked away from Bridgette’s mouth, unsure of how to respond due to the fact that I didn’t know, myself. It never came up and I didn’t think it was her business. We didn’t talk about stuff like that. We talked about Bay, usually. For the life of me, I couldn’t say why I never told Kit, and I made a mental note to do so, the very next time I talked to her. Not that it even mattered, but whatever.
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