Tassia walked back to the main area of the house and rested at the base of the stairs. She stared up to the top and directly at Hyde’s closed bedroom door. What if her searching caused him to wake up and come out of his bedroom…naked? She imagined that he slept in the nude because with a body like his, why not?
Damn. She had to stop thinking of that man’s body and how he slept and who he had slept with in his past, if anyone. In Tassia’s mind, Hyde remained as innocent as he had been as a kid, shy and reserved. He probably saved himself for marriage, which would make him even more likeable. His female fans would hate her if they found out that she turned her back on this project if she didn’t feel right about it.
To record with someone she used to work with who later wouldn’t even offer her a job still stung a little. Tassia had to keep repeating Nora and Graham’s words in her head each time she felt like running. “This is business. This is business.” Her team had the attorneys put in an easy-out clause to their contract. She could leave if she wanted. Then would she always be the woman who ran away like C. Love had said to her in the meeting room?
Bastard.
After taking a deep breath, Tassia ascended the stairs. She avoided going toward Hyde’s room and instead went the opposite way, where she went to one of the other five bedrooms that contained its own bathroom. Seeing it made her wonder why Hyde hadn’t set her up in this room instead of the room downstairs. Did he not trust her or himself?
In the first bedroom, she stepped inside and opened the closet doors and found nothing. She did the same with the dresser drawers and came up empty. Her curious nature took her to the other four open bedrooms. Her exploration of those rooms came up empty. Where did Hyde keep his treasured keepsakes? Did he have any? Did he keep them all in his bedroom?
Tassia stood outside his bedroom door. Cool air whispered from the crack under the door and over her feet. After taking tentative steps forward, she pressed her ear against the cool wood of the door and listened. She didn’t even hear him snore.
Damn it. This guy was damn-near perfect.
Then she heard him grumbling or growling. Tassia couldn’t tell, and she wouldn’t keep standing there to figure it out for much longer. She backed away from the door and continued with her search, which included three standalone bathrooms, all complete with whirlpool tubs and separated glass-enclosed shower stalls. All of it looked lush and beautiful, something ripped out of an interior design magazine. Too bad Tassia couldn’t find the heart anywhere in the home.
No pictures of his family or friends existed on any walls or shelves. She returned to the music room, hoping to see an award or some sort of acknowledgement. He had sold lots of albums. Surely, his platinum awards would be there. Nothing.
Tassia felt like Hyde used this place to escape his stardom, but not his talent. He had instruments, so he did exercise his musical chops. What else? Why didn’t he show pride in his accomplishments?
Maybe Tassia assumed too much. She hadn’t really been with Hyde all that much to know why he did the things he did now. Maybe he hadn’t taken her to his primary residence. Perhaps that home existed in Nashville, where she assumed all country stars lived and died.
After Tassia’s museum-like tour of Hyde’s clean but understated home, she returned to the pool area after snagging another bottle of water and another apple. She had banged out three songs in a matter of a few hours. She wanted to write more if only to prove to Hyde that the stories told about her had all been lies. Then again, she should have done this activity in front of him. What if he didn’t believe that she had written the songs and maybe had someone else do them and she copied them?
Damn. Now she thought like her haters. Tassia had to push those thoughts out of her head. She had to assume that Hyde would trust her, would believe her above all else. Again, a tall order for someone she hadn’t talked to in over fifteen years.
Tassia resumed her spot on the chaise lounge and looked out across the pool and yard in front of her. Unlike at her condo in Virginia Beach, she didn’t hear any ocean sounds or smell the sea-salt air. Silence filled the still air with the exception of a few birds whistling and chirping. She removed her sandals and reclined back while taking a bite of her tart green apple.
She could write about a simple life that could be had in a place like this, with maybe a man like Hyde. Who would listen to that? No. Kids wanted to dance and move and not think or care. Tassia could write songs like that all day.
She took a deep breath and rubbed her eyes. Despite the angel on her shoulder telling her to get her head out of the clouds, Tassia couldn’t stop thinking about Hyde. She understood why female fans went crazy for him. Unfortunately, even a long car ride with him didn’t get her close to him.
The day slowly crept into the late afternoon. She closed her eyes for a moment. Tassia didn’t want to relax, especially since this whole trip should have been about work, not resting by a luxurious pool.
Considering she had slept most of the way there, Tassia should have been wide awake. The impromptu tour of his house and the food she had eaten couldn’t have made her that sleepy.
Listening to the birds tweeting and flying from one treetop to another, and the quiet hum of the pool filter lulled her back to slumber. It didn’t help that the noon-day sun baked her into a comfortable place while she stayed cool under a large poolside umbrella.
Tassia set her phone on a glass-and-steel side table next to her lounge chair before she fell back asleep again. Since Hyde slept, she would take advantage of the quiet time for now. She knew as soon as the rest of the team showed up, they would be working hard and having long, sleepless nights.
It felt like as soon as she closed her eyes, Tassia came out of her sleep with the sounds of splashing. When did she get transported to Sea World?
Tassia blinked and gazed up. Besides being welcomed by the night sky and being bathed by the lights lining the pool, she sat up and looked in the pool only to see what she had been dreaming about when she had fallen asleep.
Hyde swam from one side of the Olympic-sized pool to the other side. The lights reflected off the water and his slick skin. The muscles in his wide back tapered down to his waist. When he turned over and swam backward, exposing his chest, Tassia felt a bit of drool oozing from her mouth.
“Stop it.” She wiped her bottom lip and sat up taller.
Hyde got to the end of the pool and put his hands on the side like he needed to rest. He turned his head and spotted her, evident from his wide eyes. He ran his hand over his hair and swam over to the side of the pool closest to her.
Once to her side, he rested his hands on the side of the pool and stared at her. “I guess you were more exhausted than me.”
“Guess so.” She rubbed her eyes and sat at the edge of the lounge chair. “I hope I didn’t miss the team coming here. It’s so peaceful out here, I probably wouldn’t have heard anyone at the door.”
Hyde looked to the side of the pool before he brought his stare to her. “I’m sure you didn’t.”
She picked up her phone and glanced at the time. “It’s evening time. Shouldn’t they be here by now?”
“They should…if they were actually coming.” Hyde shook his head. “It’ll be just us here.”
Chapter 10
Hyde could see the color leave Tassia’s face as he finally made his admission. He knew he would have to tell her the truth eventually, at least part of the truth. He didn’t have to tell her that he wouldn’t be doing this project once he had gotten completely relaxed. He had hoped he would have had more time to enjoy the solitude of his home before revealing the fact that he wanted to treat this outing like a small vacation.
“What the hell do you mean?” Tassia jumped to her feet and looked like she refrained from putting her fists to her hips while she held her phone. That didn’t stop her from balling her free hand and keeping her arms stiff by her side
s. “You told me that you had a team of people joining us here.”
Hyde shook his head while he stayed submerged in the cool pool water. “No. I told you that no one in my team would be in the vehicle with us. When you asked if they will be following, I said yes. I’m sure my manager will try to follow what I do on social media.” Even though he thought he had been clever with his deception, he didn’t crack a smile. He wouldn’t make light of this situation.
“Oh my God. You’ve kidnapped me.” Tassia stumbled back toward the house.
Hyde braced his hands on the concrete side and hoisted himself out of the pool. Even though he spotted Tassia scanning his body, he had to ignore his racing heart to bring her back down to earth. “Don’t say it that way. I just thought—”
“I know what you thought.” She pointed at him. “You wanted to get me out here to—to—ugh!”
Shit. Did Tassia think he wanted to take advantage of her?
Hyde followed her into the house, not caring if he tracked water on the floor. He didn’t have time to dry himself off or even cover himself with a towel. “Honestly, I came out here to get a break. Nothing more. You had shared you wanted the same thing. I—”
“I’m calling an Uber and getting out of here. You’re crazy if you think I’m going to work with you after this.” She held her phone in front of her face and started to engage the application, but her face stilled. She peered over the phone.
Hyde acknowledged what she recognized. “The beauty of this place is that it’s far enough from civilization to be off the grid. No cell reception.”
“Wow. You are crazy.” She shook her head. “Fine. I’ll walk.” She marched to the bedroom he had set her up in, and within moments, she returned to the living room trailing her luggage behind her.
Hyde held his hand up to stop her. “Please. I really didn’t want to freak you out.”
Without stopping her trek, Tassia asked, “Did you really want to work or is all this a joke to you?”
“I am inspired when I come out here. But I also needed to relax.”
“And it’s all about you, right?” She threw her purse strap over her shoulder. “You got me out here under the pretense that we would be working with a team of people to get this album done. Instead, you want to goof off.” Tassia stomped up to him. “I’m not sure what type of woman you think I am, but I’m not going to stay here for whatever game you’re playing.”
Tassia stood in front of him, snorting as hard as a charging bull. He had no doubt of her anger. A droplet of water dripped on her smooth cheek. She growled as she wiped it away.
She pushed past him. Brushing against his hard body actually gave him conflicting feelings inside. His brain and moral compass directed him to convince her to stay for the album’s sake. His body wanted to pull this woman back to the bed or even the pool he had just left to touch her more.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” She stormed to the front door. “I would never do this with anyone else. Hell, I didn’t even record in the same room with Aaron. And here, I’m—” She turned to Hyde, glared at him again, and grunted.
“Don’t leave.” Hyde had more concern about her setting off the alarm than her leaving.
“I will walk back home if I need to. But I’m not staying here.” Tassia opened the front door, setting off the warning before the alarm engaged.
“Damn it.” Hyde rushed to the keypad next to the door and entered the code to disengage the alarm. Then he followed Tassia as she pulled her luggage behind her. “Stop running.”
“You are a liar. Now I understand why you aren’t in a relationship.” Tassia started down the long driveway. In her thong sandals, she wouldn’t go far.
Hyde ran his hand over his wet hair. “Look. I admit I made a mistake.”
“Yeah, you did.” Tassia didn’t stop or even turn to acknowledge him. “You could have asked me if I wanted to come out here with you.”
Hyde chuckled, and that finally got Tassia to stop.
“Something funny?” Tassia finally halted her marching to acknowledge him.
“I’m tired of asking for permission to live my life.” This time he put his fists to his hips.
She released her luggage handles to get back in his face. “You shouldn’t have to ask for permission to live your life. It’s when you involve other people that it becomes a problem. You should have been honest with me.” She turned around.
“Don’t move.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.” She grabbed her luggage handles again.
“No. Really. Don’t. Move.” Hyde hoped the way he spoke this time, slowly and with authority, that she would take him seriously.
“Why? Are you going to try to justify your behavior? You can’t. You were wrong.”
When Tassia refused to stop, Hyde had to take matters in his own hands. He ran up behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Tassia shimmied her body.
Big mistake. Not that Hyde grabbed her for any other reason but to protect her, but her wiggling delectable body felt good against his body.
“Don’t move.” He got down by her ear.
“Why? Is your lawn boobytrapped, too?”
“Not mechanically.” With his free hand, he pointed to a bushy line of shrubs several feet away from them. “Something is in there.” When Tassia didn’t say anything, he helped fill in the blanks. “Could be a bear.”
Tassia gasped.
* * * *
Tassia went from anger to fear in a millisecond. If Hyde told the truth, they could be in the crossfire of a dangerous animal out here in the woods and with no way to call for help.
Damn Hyde and his need for privacy.
Tassia kept her stare on the bushes until she saw what Hyde must have noticed. A section shook significantly enough in the still night that it caused Tassia to release a small scream.
“No, no, no. Don’t do that.” Hyde tightened his hold around her waist and covered her mouth with his large hand.
The tips of his calloused fingers brushed against her cheek by her lips. The rough touch sent a shiver down her spine. Damn it. Did her knees just buckle?
Oh, yes. She had remembered that Hyde had his nearly naked body pressed up against her. It didn’t help that his wet body felt heavenly against hers. Now her heart accelerated for other reasons.
“Stand still.”
Hyde’s warm breath feathered by her ear as he deftly moved around her body to stand in front of her. He didn’t instruct her to do so, but Tassia hooked her arms under his and held onto his broad shoulders.
As she stood behind him, she couldn’t help but press her face against his back. His wet body smelled like light chlorine from the pool, but his musky essence permeated through the chemical aroma. Damn, he smelled good.
He grabbed one suitcase while she still held the other. “Back up with me.” He stepped slowly backward.
Tassia matched his steps until she noticed the bushes shaking even more. “Can we go faster?” She tried pulling him even more.
“Sure. Ow!” Hyde brought his foot up in a jerky motion. “Stepped on a rock.”
She had forgotten that Hyde had chased her with only a pair of swim trunks covering his sexy body. “Okay, we can take it easy.”
The back of Tassia’s foot knocked against the brick front step, and she stepped up while pulling him up with her. Hyde stepped backward through the front door while dragging her luggage with him.
Hyde put his body in between her and harm’s way. When they both made it inside his home, her fears started to relax. She inhaled but wouldn’t release her breath until they became secure behind the door.
“We should be okay.” Hyde pushed her bag off to the side and stood at the door.
Even with them both being in the house, Tassia
didn’t want to let Hyde go. Not just yet. His protective nature had her rethinking why she had been angry at him.
Tassia’s eyes widened as soon as she saw something dark crawling out from the bushes. She exhaled. “Oh my God. A bear!” She cowered behind Hyde until she watched the animal wandering around the front yard. Then she really took notice of its size. Or maybe in comparison with Hyde’s huge vehicle it looked small. When it sat down in the middle of the yard and rolled on its back playfully, Tassia had to smile. “Aww, it’s a cub.”
Hyde held his heavy wooden front door. “It is the season.” He peered behind himself. Then he brought his attention back to the front yard. “You’re right. It’s a cub, which is worse.”
“Worse?” She released him to approach the glass door. How could this cute thing be anything but harmless and adorable?
Hyde wrapped his long, strong arm around her waist to pull her back against himself. That feeling alone had Tassia sighing. Time away from the pool did him no favors as far as drying his body. Water droplets fell on her cheek and bare shoulders. This time she didn’t wipe the offending spill away.
“If the cub is here, that means mama is not too far behind.” He closed the door, which engaged the alarm again. To make sure they remained secure, Hyde locked the door. “Sorry I got you wet.”
“What?” Tassia didn’t move from her spot. Her intimate core quivered while he continued holding her.
How did he know what his touch did to her? Could he smell her essence the way she smelled his musky scent? She took another deep breath to capture his aroma. Despite being hotter than a skillet at his lies, she could at least enjoy his being.
“Running from the pool and holding you. I didn’t mean to make you all—”
“Oh.” Tassia pulled out of Hyde’s grasp. “That’s fine. I need to take a shower anyway.” She looked at the closed door. “I guess locking the door makes sense since you know that no one is coming.” Tassia took a couple of big steps away from Hyde. “Just because you helped me just now, don’t think I’ve forgotten what you’ve done. I’m angry with you.”
Crazy on You Page 13