My frown faltered. Is he serious? He knows I do, or have. He caught me in the act the first time he slept on the couch behind me. But now he was asking me if I will?
“No,” I said.
“Yes, you will.”
A smile was pressed against my hair, and the unsettled feeling of wishing his lips were pressed against mine and not my hair angered me. I knew where his lips were earlier tonight, and I hated it. Just like I hated the life he had as a boy. I wanted to somehow go back in time and change it for him. I didn’t know what I could have done to have made it better, but even if it meant for me to be there for him like I planned on doing now, then I would have. I would have been the friend he needed to make his hard days better and worth living.
He needn’t to ask me to dream of him, because my mind would do so anyways, with or without his permission.
♪♫♪♫♪♫
There was loud laughter coming from downstairs. I moaned when I noticed the time on the clock. I could seriously use about two more hours of sleep. In an instant my bedroom door blew open, causing me to startle from the sudden explosion.
“Hey, have you seen—” Reed started, but stopped mid-sentence. My cheeks began to heat from the look on his face as I noticed his attention divert to the body that was now fully seated upright in the bed beside me.
“Fucking knock first, Reed,” Trevelin grumbled through a yawn.
“Sorry, dude, I was looking for you...and wouldn’t you lookie here? I found ya.” He motioned to Trevelin and where he was getting out of my bed while waggling his eyebrows. “So how was it? Wild and dirty? Hot and raw? Did you claw his back to shreds, Kitten, or did he make you purr? Maybe both?” He arched both brows wittily, making his eyes wide with wonder.
“Reed, you got two seconds to get the fuck out or I’m going to let her claw your eyeballs out.” Reed only laughed before he blew me a kiss. If I wasn’t so embarrassed at that particular moment, I’d probably be finding something sharp that I could stab him with.
After all he thought Trevelin and I had sex.
Technically we had. All night long. In my dreams. But no one had to know that. No one would ever know that. Yet here Reed was, standing in front of us, thinking we actually had.
“Okay, Trev, but I got one more question...is she as hot and spicy in bed as she was last night, dancing her tight little ass around you on stage?” Reed began swirling his hips in a vulgar motion, then winked at me.
That was it. My blood was boiling to a dangerous temperature. I leapt off the bed, grabbed the nearest thing I could find to throw—my cowgirl boot made for perfect throwing material—and I chucked it right at him. It nearly missed his head which I found unfortunate, so I grabbed its mate and heaved it even harder. When he caught it, all the while laughing so hard he could barely stand, it only anger me even further.
“We didn’t do anything, you impudent asshole!”
“If you say so. Purr on little kitten, purr on,” he laughed, dropping my boot where he stood, then left the room.
With my lips pressed so firmly together they hurt, I whipped my head in Trevelin’s direction fast enough that it was a wonder it didn’t sling off my shoulders.
He had the damndest look on his face. I could tell he was using every ounce of willpower he had not to laugh.
“Go ahead. Let it all out. I know you want to,” I said, giving him a daring look.
He released his lip that had been bound between his teeth and they lifted across his face into a humored smile. He stood and stared for a second before walking around the bed to me. The look he was giving me along with the fact that he was only in a pair of black boxers made my body buzz and flush with tingles as I drank in every last drop of him.
“Are you sure about that?” he asked, arching one dark, dreamy eyebrow.
“I know you’re dying to.”
“I want to do a lot of things, Country. Doesn’t mean I should.” He closely stopped in front of me, lifting a hand to push a strand of my crazy bed hair out of my face. I shuddered from my head to my feet, desperately hoping he didn’t notice while chastening myself for my reaction to his touch.
I didn’t need Trevelin Knight making my body feel that way, whether it felt good or not. And with the way I guessed I looked right now, it was no wonder Reed thought we’d had crazy sex.
“I’m not going to laugh at you. I think it’s sexy as fuck that you get raving mad and take up for yourself. You got one helluva’ arm,” he chuckled mildly, squeezing my little bicep. “Don’t worry about him though, I’ll take care of it,” he reassured me with the most amazing smile and eyes so stunning that I become lost momentarily, stupidly marveling over the color and how they were framed by the most fabulous eyebrows. Yeah, they’re that sexy.
I snapped myself out of my Trevelin induced daze and softly hit him across his arm. I intentionally avoided his chest altogether. I didn’t even want to look at it because the second I did I wouldn’t be able to look away. Damn his nipples. I hated them, yet I loved them. I was conflicted.
“You better, because I’ve—” I paused, realizing what I was about to admit. That was none of his business, and I couldn’t believe I’d almost let it slip that I’d never had sex. He looked at me funny, playing with his tongue ring. Yet another piece of jewelry that I hated to love. “I don’t want them all thinking we had wild dirty sex as Dweeb—I mean, Reed, put it.”
Trevelin chuckled with a huge grin, “Consider it fixed.” I felt better that he was willing to correct the misconception and gave him a thankful smile before I turned to my nightstand to grab a hair-tie. The room wasn’t huge, nor did it have many mirrors, but I knew he was watching me. I could feel it. And as I pulled my long hair into a messy bun, he asked somewhat apprehensive, “Do you have a boyfriend?” The question caught me off guard, and I quickly turned back to face him, frowning. “All those guys at the bar last night…I thought one might be your boyfriend,” he explained, staring at me, his eyes glued to mine.
I shook my head while heading to the door. “Nope. Single and needing to mingle, as Addie tells me.” I think I saw relief spread across his face as his shoulders relaxed. I decided to leave it at that and go take a shower.
Opening the door, Trevelin’s beautiful voice stopped me. “Country?”
“Yeah?” I looked back at him standing there, looking downright amazing in nothing but his boxers and tattoos.
“Thanks...for last night.”
“Crap!” I expressed. “You mean you remember that? I thought you were too drunk and wouldn’t remember a thing,” I teased with a propitious smile.
“When it comes to you, I think I’d always remember...everything.” He beamed brighter. “I believe we’re going to be great friends, Country.”
Trevelin Knight was someone I never imagined I would have an attraction toward, and hearing him say we were going to be great friends added to my suspicion of the growing feelings I had for him. I wanted to be his friend. A great friend, just like he said. Someone other than his band members that he could talk to about things. Someone he could turn to and trust so he wouldn’t feel so alone, and hopefully he would lighten up on the number of prostitute look-a-likes he tended to mingle with.
Maybe I could help him believe that he was better than that and nothing was too good to have. That he was someone who deserved to be happy and live the life he wanted. Somehow, I found him believing that was all impossible from the way he had to grow up.
He simply settled.
The man had enough money to have anything in the world he wanted. Most in his shoes would be happy beyond words, and yet I could see emptiness in his eyes. A lacking of something that could make him whole. Call me stupid, but there was a small part of me that felt like we could possibly be more than just friends. Stupid!
“Me too, Hollywood.”
We smiled at each other for a silent moment, invisible words passing between us before I left the room with a vigorously pounding heart.
Chapter Eigh
t
Trevelin
I didn’t sleep worth shit last night. Lying in an actual bed next to Country, being pressed against her tempting little body, was harder than I’d thought it would be. It took everything I had not to try something with her. I wasn’t going to sleep in the bed with her.
I was done—done torturing myself with her, but I couldn’t resist when she demanded me to. That was all it took. Her hasty command that was laced with irritation, yet candy coated in sweetness. It was impossible for me to say no.
I never claimed to be a genius; I clearly realized that Country was too good for me, from the moment I saw her. I basically told her that last night, but not in so many words. It was what she said back to me that had me so torn. I wanted to fight for her to the point I couldn’t anymore, and at the same time I felt it was hopeless, because she wasn’t going to want someone like me. Her being a perfect shining gem, she needed a smart jeweler that knew how to make her shine, not someone like me who would only dull her sparkle. She was too sweet and precious to put up with my lifestyle. I understood she wanted to make it big, but the country music industry was subtle in comparison to the hardcore life I lived.
All the booze, drugs and loose women that get passed around backstage could be pretty gruesome at times. The Knight Raiders partook in two out of the three. Hardcore drugs were a no-go for us.
We’d promised ourselves before we made it big that no matter what, drugs were off limits. We dealt with that shit enough growing up. We wanted to be known for our music, not by how fucked up we got or what rehab facility one of us was checking into next. A fat blunt got passed around now and then, and we usually hit it a few times, but that was as far as our using went.
Country, however, was so pristine. I wanted to kick my own ass for even offering for her and Addie to come on tour with us. But maybe she needed to see some of the bad that went on. See how crazy it could really get when you were famous before she jumped the gun. I was no damn psychic, although I’d had an unrelenting glimpse into the future, seeing how it was going to be near impossible for me to not try and make something more from our now so-called friendship. Reed and Jace would call me a huge pansy-ass if they could peer into my brain right now. Fuck! I am a pansy-ass.
Not only did I constantly envision all the ways I could fuck her, but I’d found myself counting down the hours until I could lie next to her and wrap her in my arms. Those few hours with her nestled against me made her feel a little more like she was mine. I’m a goddamn loser.
I wanted to leave her alone. I wanted to stop the magnetic lure she magically had on me. And after talking to her last night and lying beside her, going back and forth between watching her sleep to staring at her ceiling, I had decided I should leave her be. I wasn’t the type to chase the chick. I wasn’t the type to do emotions and feelings. That shit vanished years ago.
Then Reed had to open his big ass mouth and bring up her performance from last night. What he’d said brought vivid memories back into plain view. Seeing her dance seductively around me, moving her hips in ways that made my dick painfully hard, was like fuckin’ torment. Dirty images of her body ran through my mind all the time as it was. They had been from day fucking one, but now I knew how she could move it, and I couldn’t stop wondering if she could move that little body that same way with my dick deep inside her.
It was made ultra-clear last night that Mr. Happy wanted nothing to do with anyone but Country. My mind might want to keep its distance, but my dick’s got other plans. I was fucking screwed. I blamed it all on that piece of shit bus.
“Hey, cum slurper, finally decided to join us from your fuck ‘em hard hole?” Reed said when I walked into the kitchen. He and Jace were sitting at the table eating cereal, and Bryson was sitting next to them giving me a weird look. When did he get back? “Did the two shags in the storage closet not do it for you?” he probed.
“I didn’t fuck Country. I’ve told you it’s not like that with her. She was mad at me last night and I wanted to make things right,” I broke off, sounding angry as I took a cup from the cabinet and poured some coffee. When I turned around all three guys were staring at me. “What?”
“So what, did you like...snuggle?” Reed asked, sounding repulsed by the idea. When I didn’t answer and completely ignored his question by taking a sip of my coffee, he and Jace burst out laughing.
Jace slapped Reed across the shoulder in hysterics and said, “He fuckin’ did. I bet they spooned.”
“What’s wrong with spooning?” Bryson looked at them both like he was about to knock their lights out.
“Only pussies spoon, dude,” Reed said, as though he felt sorry for anyone who did as he placed his bowl in the sink.
“I happen to love pussy, so if spooning is how I’m going to get it, then call me whatever the hell you like,” I told them.
“I was all up in some last night and I didn’t fucking spoon,” Jace implied, arching his pierced eyebrow.
“Where and who?” I questioned, because when we left the bar last night no one was with us but Addie, and she was pretty fucking pissed. The only thing I remember was telling her to sleep on the couch because I wanted to make things right with Country.
“More like wow and how did you not hear it?” Reed chuckled, sitting back down.
I gave Jace a look.
“Addie is a fuckin’ FREAK!” His eyes widen, more than proud of the fact. “Bitch bout bit my nipple off, dude. I don’t know who fucked who.”
I couldn’t stop myself – I laughed so hard I came close to spewing coffee out of my nose. Bryson did the same.
“Trev, if you would have let me speak last night after you came out of that closet, it would have probably gotten ya more pussy. I tried tellin’ ya, you had sex rubbed all over your fuckin’ face.” Everyone started up laughing again but me. I shot all three of them the middle finger and drank my coffee. For the first time in my life I wished I had let Reed ramble off his damn mouth.
When their laughter subsided Bryson looked at me with a grin. “So I heard you invited the girls to tag along with us.”
“Yeah, Bryce, you should hear ‘em sing,” Reed told him.
“They remind me of us. Singing in local bars and venues to try and get recognized. They were fixing to go tryout for some backup slots for a few country artists, so I thought, why not let them see what fame can bring?”
“So it has nothing to do with Izzy? Because you don’t snuggle,” he declared knowingly. “You’ve never snuggled with a girl a day in your life, and you’re saying you haven’t even had sex with her yet.” He gave me a pointed look. Bryson was the oldest out of the four of us, and he was like the big brother/father figure of the group. Nothing slipped by him, and he knew me too well.
I glanced at the other two farts-for-brains who both seemed to be in a deep discussion about something entirely different, so I walked a little closer to Bryson. If anyone would understand how I was feeling, it was him. “You’re right, I don’t. But she’s not just some girl. I can’t quit thinking about her, and these thoughts are driving me damn near crazy.”
Bryson smiled. “Well, I’ll be damned, Trevelin Knight finally found a girl he could settle down with.” He crossed his tattooed covered arms as he leaned back in his chair. I frowned, searching for some comeback that would tell him he was out of his goddamn mind, but I drew nothing but a blank. Son of a bitch! I don’t just want to fuck Country, but I like her...I mean really like her. As much as I didn’t want to tarnish her, Bryson was right. I could see myself in an actual relationship with her. Relationships weren’t my thing. The closest thing to a relationship I’d ever had was with my guitar.
This is scary as fuck!
“She’s not like the normal girls that hang around us, Bryce. She is sultry, angelic and innocent, but at the same time she has an edge to her sharp enough that it could cut you in half without a thought. I have never come across anyone like her. She’s fucking real, man. Like Jade. There is no fake crap about her.
”
He eyeballed me, tilting his perfectly styled, flaming faux-hawk then leaned closer so Reed and Jace couldn’t hear what he was about to say. “Are you telling me Izzy could be your one?”
I shoved my hands through my hair, brushing it out of my face as I shook my head. “I don’t know what I’m saying. I told you the girl has me going crazy.”
“Well, all I can say, Trev, is don’t fuck it up. You are about to be with her nonstop for three months. A lot of shit can happen in that short amount of time, and if you think she is your keeper you better straighten your ass up and stop fucking around. No matter what Reed and Jace say, you need to listen to me. Whose about to get married to the love of his life? Me. Don’t let those two fucktards screw you over, because if she’s the one and you lose her, you’ll never get over it. Trust me, I almost lost Jade, and I thought my world was going to come to an end.”
He gripped my shoulder as everything he said mulled around in my head. Not fucking up was going to be the hard one. A loud honk snapped us all out of our conversations. The sound was very obnoxious and very familiar.
“Jimster’s back,” Reed announced, shoving himself up from his seat and heading for the door.
“The bus is fixed?”
“Yep, Marvin finished her up yesterday, and Darren took Jim to get it after he picked us up from the airport. It’s time to get back on the road again.” Bryson grinned at me.
That thought had my nerves a wreck, knowing it was because of the brown hair, blue-eyed beauty that was going to be on the road with me. This was either going to be the best or worst three months of my life. Sure, I was thinking that they were going to be the best. But now I wasn’t so sure. She had a way of stirring things in me I didn’t know were there to be churned—things that I had accepted and was fine with not having in my life. . Yet she’d found the missing quirks and was luring them out to play. It freaked me the fuck out. Frightened the shit outta me. Bryson had just given me a shit ton to think about.
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