“He has more to learn than that. Respect would be nice.” Tassia still held onto the fact that Hyde didn’t want the songs she had written on the album. “He’s calling the shots on a lot of things, um, related to the album, I mean.”
Efrem stared at her and didn’t say anything for a long time before he spoke again. “Pepper told us how you got here.”
The anger Tassia had regarding her trip there had been doused. She didn’t know if Hyde’s fear of working with her or presenting the two of them in public had anything to do with their TV past or if he had shame about being with her.
Efrem cleared his throat. “Mabel and I did our best with Hyde when he was here. As soon as he started working and spending time with his father, he changed. That sweet, open kid became withdrawn and shy. Then he started living up to his name.” He patted the back of Tassia’s hand. “Be patient with him.”
“We’re just working together.” She smiled to support her story.
“He didn’t look at you like you’re just working.” He settled back into the wooden kitchen chair. “And quite frankly, you weren’t looking at him like just a co-worker, either.”
Tassia started to refute his claim. She had to tell him about Hyde’s overbearing nature, and the fact that he’d brought her there under false pretenses. She would also have to admit to herself that the man could make her toes curl in a nanosecond, and had her hitting notes when she came that she didn’t think would be possible. Throw on top of that Hyde’s undeniable talent and he almost had it all. Almost.
“Mister…” Tassia waved her hand in the air to get him to complete the rest. She wanted to be respectful while shooting down his assumptions, albeit accurate ones.
“Call me Efrem. Everyone does.” He continued snapping the ends off green beans and tossing the scraps into a separate bin.
Knowing this family, they probably had a compost bin somewhere. Tassia could have sworn she heard chickens clucking. Mabel hadn’t been kidding about putting the platinum star to work.
“Okay, Efrem. The record label and our management team are counting on us to produce some hit songs for them pretty soon. Probably not a great idea for us to take this time off to not be working.” Everything she had said had been true.
Efrem didn’t need to know that this conversation made her more uncomfortable than telling her father to back off a little.
“Miss Hogan.”
“Call me Tassia, please.” No way could she have this older gentleman calling her Miss anything.
“Do you know how long Hyde has owned his hideaway?”
Tassia felt her eyebrows knit together at his question.
“His home by the pond.”
“Oh. No. He didn’t tell me. I assumed—”
“Eight years. He had it built by an out-of-town contractor team, then he had the roads rerouted so that if any of them did try to make a visit, he would be difficult to find. And in all the time he owned his house, he has never, ever invited anyone there, not even that Shelby Lynne gal, who I couldn’t stand.”
Tassia blinked at his statement.
“She was too self-centered and only cared about appearances. She didn’t care to know about any of us.” His gaze dropped to her hands. “And she for sure wouldn’t snap beans with me.” He tossed a bean in the nearly full colander. “That tells me that you’re someone special. Hyde brought you to his house, and he introduced you to us.”
“Don’t look into that too deeply. I told him I wanted to leave the house after being stuck inside for almost two weeks.” She had to corral this conversation back to something tame.
“Consider this. Hyde could have taken you anywhere. He brought you here. That tells me something. It should tell you something, too.”
A door opened and Tassia thought that would be the end of the conversation.
Efrem continued. “Be good to him and he’ll be damn good to you.”
Hyde strolled in looking like a good-looking sweaty boy next door. It occurred to her that since being at his house, he hadn’t worn his trademark backward baseball cap. Now he had on a well-worn cobalt blue cap with the bill over his eyes. Short grass clippings stuck to his sneakers and his legs around his ankles. His white T-shirt stuck to his body.
“I work out. I shouldn’t be this exhausted. I’m beat.” Hyde lifted his hat by the brim and wiped his sweaty forehead. He started to head toward the refrigerator when Tassia stopped him.
“You want something to drink? I’ll get it for you.” She opened a couple of cabinets and could not find drinking glasses until she peered at Efrem, who cleared his throat and nodded toward another set of cabinets behind her.
Tassia grabbed the biggest one she could find, filled it with ice, and then turned to Hyde.
Before she could even ask what he wanted, he blurted, “Sweet iced tea, like a good southern boy.” He winked at her.
Good thing she held onto the refrigerator door. Her knees buckled for a moment before she pulled out a pitcher of the amber liquid and poured it into the prepared glass. When she handed it to him, Hyde slid his fingers over her flesh.
“Thanks. You didn’t have to do that.” He took three healthy gulps that polished off the beverage.
“You want some more?” She held her hand out to him.
The air around them sizzled as she stared at him.
“I’m sure he wants a lot of things, but he needs to get back outside and finish his work first.” Efrem nodded toward the door.
Hyde chuckled. “Yes, sir. See you two for lunch.”
Lunch consisted of ham sandwiches with a side of fresh-cut fruit and the best-tasting tea Tassia had ever had. They sat in Hyde’s grandparents’ sunroom where they could still enjoy the sun without sweltering or dealing with bugs.
Instead of eating and running like Tassia thought she would want to do considering Hyde’s foreboding warning about his family, she wanted to stay through dinner. Because of the friendliness of his family, including Pepper, Tassia had even considered spending the night there with them. Spending time with Hyde recently felt like a honeymoon, even through arguments and disagreements. With Hyde’s grandparents and cousin, she felt like she had come home.
Tassia helped prepare dinner with Mabel, who even shared her family’s recipe for the perfect fried chicken. Tassia peeled the potatoes and helped with the homemade yeast rolls. Working side by side with Mabel reminded Tassia of being in the kitchen with her mother before Tassia started on the Ratty Rat show.
By dinnertime, Hyde looked like he had a permanent smile affixed to his face. Whenever Tassia looked at him, he winked at her.
“Pep, did you not put any food in his house?” Mabel pointed to Hyde’s cousin.
“I did. I stocked the fridge and freezer and even filled up his pantry.” Pepper tucked one leg under her as she sat in her chair.
“Why is the boy eating like he hasn’t seen food in years?” Efrem nodded toward Hyde, who stopped eating his third piece of chicken and second helping of mashed potatoes with gravy and green beans to answer their questions.
“Pepper stocked me nicely, and I eat a lot at the house.”
Tassia cleared her throat before picking up her frosty glass of tea to take a sip. In her head, she thought about what Hyde had done to her shortly after breakfast and singing the song he had written about her so many years ago.
“I miss this food.” He pointed to his plate.
“He did tell me that it’s his favorite meal in the world.” Tassia picked up her fork but stopped when she noticed the room had gotten quiet.
“And here I thought you two only had time to write songs while you’re, um, together.” Pepper gave him a saucy wink.
“Hyde told me this back when we were on the show together.” Tassia remembered a few things about him, too.
“Interesting.” Mabel raised her eyebrows as she glance
d at Hyde.
“Grammy, don’t.” He shook his head.
“What? Can’t a grandmother want to have great-grandchildren one day?”
Tassia nearly spit out her drink. “Whoa. We’re just—”
Mabel waved her hand in the air at her. “I know. I know. You two are just creating this album. I get it. But one can hope.” She cupped Hyde’s cheek. “I do like her.” Mabel brought her attention to Tassia. “Even after you two finish this project, you are more than welcome to come by here and visit anytime. You’re good people. I can tell you were raised right. And my husband said you can sing like an angel.”
Efrem nodded.
Tassia had to be thankful that Hyde’s grandfather left out the fact that Tassia sang about riding a cowboy in a different way.
“Thank you for the compliment. And I appreciate the offer.” Tassia meant it.
Being in Tennessee, she had half expected not to be welcomed in Hyde’s family’s home, and to be treated like a second-class citizen. These people welcomed her and treated her almost better than her family.
After dinner, Tassia helped clean up and put items away while Hyde did as his grandmother instructed and packed food to take home with them.
“If you ever need a break, you call us anytime.” Mabel handed Tassia a piece of paper that had her name, phone number, address, and even her email address on it. The woman wanted to make sure to stay in contact with her.
“Thank you, Mabel. You are awfully hospitable to someone you just met.” Tassia tucked the paper into her purse.
“I have great instincts when it comes to people. I have a feeling I’m going to know you for a while, even if my knucklehead grandson ruins it by doing something stupid.” Mabel pulled Tassia in for a hug. “Take care of yourself and Hyde.”
“I will. I promise.” Tassia went over to Efrem. In his ear, she whispered, “Please call if you hear from Clever.”
He nodded. “I will. Family should stick together.”
Efrem’s words hit her deeper than simply getting Hyde and his father on the same page. At the end of this project, who would be in her corner besides her father?
On the ride home, Tassia kept quiet most of the way, mainly because of her full stomach. She also had to process the day. Hyde had done something that he had not done with any of the women he had dated seriously. He had never taken them to see his family. He did with Tassia. What did that mean?
“I can’t wait to get back home.” Hyde rubbed his head. “I feel like I have dirt covering every part of my body.” He glanced at her. “Thanks for being so good with my family. I know they can be pushy.”
“They were great. Reminded me of my own family.” Tassia put her hand on her purse over the pocket that contained his grandparents’ contact information. “Your grandfather shared something with me that I wanted to share with you.”
Hyde smiled. “I can only imagine what he would tell you.” He must have noticed her somber expression. His smile melted. “What did he say?”
“He told me about your parents and their early struggles when you were born.” Tassia had admonished Hyde for not being transparent. She had to be the same way with him, and this information seemed important. “You didn’t have a name the first couple of weeks of your life.”
Hyde remained quiet for a moment before he snickered. “That explains a lot.”
“He also said that your mother had issues.” Tassia held his free hand. “She was the one who named you before she left you and your father.”
Hyde remained uncomfortably quiet the entire ride home.
“Your grandfather said he told me because it would give me more insight about you while we work together.” She swallowed hard.
“And why tell me this now?” His voice lowered.
“Because I can’t ask you to be honest with me if I don’t give you the same courtesy.” She squeezed his hand. “You’re not your name. You’ve established yourself to be your own man.”
Hyde nodded. “Nice to hear you say that.” He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. “I appreciate you telling me this.”
“You’re welcome.” Tassia cleared her throat. “This is not what I was thinking of when I said I needed to get out of the house.” She watched Hyde keep his stare on the road.
Just as she started to say that she had enjoyed her day, Hyde interjected.
“As you know, I’m not perfect. I’m not trying to hold you back. If anything, I think you should be shining more.” He pulled into the gravel road that went to his place. After entering a code at his gate and swiping a badge, the gate opened. Once through, he waited on the other side until the gate closed. “I’m sure when you asked to go out you wanted to do something else other than go to another person’s house and stay in it all day.”
Glad the irony didn’t get lost on him either.
“I enjoy spending time with you. I don’t want it ruined by spectators and critics looking to pick apart anything and everything we’re doing.” He pulled up to the house, and instead of parking out front, he drove around the back of the house, engaged a button on his visor and opened a garage door to pull inside. He turned off the vehicle as soon as he parked and closed the door behind them. “If you don’t want to stay here, I understand. But I’m going to do everything I can to convince you to stay, write with me, record with me.” He squeezed her hand this time. “Have a good time with me.”
Tassia remained quiet. She didn’t expect Hyde to open up like that, but she liked it.
“I’m going to take a shower. You feel like writing tonight?” Hyde opened his door.
Tassia nodded.
“Okay, I’ll see you down in the recording studio in about thirty minutes. Is that cool?”
“That works.”
Hyde opened the door leading into the house and waited for Tassia to go inside. After putting on the alarm, Hyde trudged upstairs, leaving Tassia alone on the main floor.
She thought about a lot of things that had happened that day. What she constantly got reminded of had to be Hyde and the way he interacted with his family. Throughout it all, he tried hard to protect her.
Tassia went to her bedroom and packed up all her belongings in her suitcases, and then took them and her purse upstairs to Hyde’s bedroom where she heard the shower running. She left her cases next to the phone cabinet before stripping out of her clothes and shoes and padding over to the bathroom.
Hyde had his back to her as soap suds oozed down his body to the shower floor. Tassia tapped him on his shoulder before joining him.
“Feeling a little dirty myself.” She chewed on her lower lip as she regarded him.
“I thought you would want to go home.” The back of his head blocked the shower spray from hitting her.
“What? And miss all this?” She raised her hands in the air. “Besides, I never want it to be said that I’m a quitter. I’m not. I’m also a really, really big fan of yours now. That puts me at stalker level.”
Hyde laughed.
“I even moved my stuff up here.”
“It’s about time.” He started to reach for her and she put her hand to his chest to stop him.
“Yes, it is about time I do something else.” She got on her tiptoes to give him a sweet kiss before she dragged her lips down his face, to his chin covered in scruff, and his thick neck.
When she got to his chest and licked his nipple, she felt his body loosen.
“What are you doing to me?” Hyde brushed her ponytail braids from her shoulder before she lowered herself to her knees.
“Taking advantage of you.” Tassia slid her hands up his strong thighs before she cupped his sac and wrapped her fingers around his shaft. She felt him throbbing in her fist before she drew her hand up and down his long member.
“Are you giving me pity sex?” Before Tassia could answer, Hyde barreled through.
“If so, I’m all for it.”
“You are a best-selling artist, great singer, and a good man. You have nothing about your life that warrants pity.” When Tassia swiped her tongue over his tip, Hyde took no time in turning off the water and staring down at her like he needed to give her his full attention. She covered him with her mouth and held him there for a moment before humming as she eased her way down to the middle of his now erect penis.
“Oh my God.” Hyde put his hand to the back of her head. “You don’t have to do this.”
Yet the hand at the back of her head told a different story.
Tassia pulled her mouth back from him slowly before gazing up at him. “You want me to stop?”
As Hyde nodded his head, he said, “No.”
She laughed. “You’re giving me mixed signals.” She swirled her tongue around the tip. “You want me to stop?”
He shook his head and said, “Yes.”
She liked seeing him this out of control. Tassia moved her mouth down him again while stroking the base of him at the same time and massaging his balls. It didn’t take him long to start thrusting his hips, slow and easy at first.
When Tassia moved her mouth faster, he matched his thrusts with her movements.
“So good.” Hyde’s thighs trembled. “Can’t hold out.”
Tassia didn’t expect or want him to hold anything back from her. She pressed her tongue against the tip of his penis and extracted some of his salty pre-cum.
She moaned again, knowing the vibration must have felt good to him. Hyde groaned and placed one hand against the wall as he left his other hand at the back of her head.
“Tassia.” He said her name between gritted teeth before coming in her mouth.
She wasted no time in swallowing his essence as she slowed down her movements.
“Jesus, I need to take you over to my grandparents’ house more often if I’m going to get treatments like this.” Hyde tried catching his breath in between laughing.
Crazy on You Page 23