Time Out (Nashville Nights Next Generation -6)

by Cheryl Douglas

  “Jesus, settle down,” he said, holding her at arm’s length. “You’re gonna fall off those damn heels and break your ankle. Then your husband will blame me for gettin’ you all riled up.”

  She giggled as she pushed him toward the closed door. “Go in there and talk to her. Tell her everything you just told me, and she’ll melt. Trust me.”

  If only it were that easy. He didn’t mind though. She was worth the effort.

  He tapped his knuckles on the door before he turned the knob. What he saw ravaged him: her tear-streaked face, big, sad eyes, shoulders sagging as though she couldn’t bear the weight of her sadness another second.

  He rushed into the room and closed the door behind him. He knelt in front of her. “Baby, what is it? What’s got you so upset?”

  She was crying so hard she could barely get the words out. “I… had… a talk… with Alisa.”

  Nick vowed to deal with his well-meaning friend later. Anyone who put Megan in this state would have to deal with him. “Tell me what happened.”

  Megan sniffled. “She’s… right.”

  Nick’s heart started beating double time. “About what?”

  “She said I,” she took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, “should just leave you alone if I’m not in this for the long haul.”

  Nick thought every curse word he knew. “Alisa doesn’t get to decide that.”

  “She loves you. She’s just looking out for you. You would do the same for her.” She touched his face, a look of longing on her face that made him wonder what she was so afraid to say.

  “Of course I would. But that doesn’t mean-”

  She pressed her index finger against his lip. “Don’t pretend this isn’t hurting you, Nick. This back and forth, hot and cold… I know it must be hell. It is for me.”

  Nick kissed her hand, then lowered it to her lap. “I don’t mind. I can be patient if you need a little more time.”

  She looked at their joined hands a long time before she said, “If only it were that simple. I’m afraid you’re getting your hopes up. I know I’ve told you half a dozen times I don’t intend to stay in Nashville, but I can’t help but worry about whether you’re really getting that message.”

  The word Nick’s family and friends would likely use to describe him was obstinate. When he set his mind on something, he found a way to make it happen, no matter the obstacles. But Megan wasn’t business or sports or school or any of the other things he’d conquered in his life. He couldn’t put in the work and expect to reap the reward. Megan had to decide whether a relationship with him was worth the effort and sacrifice, and he had a sinking feeling she didn’t think it was.

  “I’ve heard you loud and clear, but I can’t help the way I feel about you.” He’d never said those three little words to a woman because he knew a serious commitment would be the next logical step, and he’d never felt ready to even consider that possibility… until now.

  His instincts told him Megan was the one, and if he let her get away, he would have to live with the regret for the rest of his life while he tried to find a substitute for the real thing.

  “I knew this was a bad idea. Relationships based on sex always get complicated,” she said, wringing her hands.

  Nick didn’t like the sound of that. Their relationship was so much more than what happened in his bed, and reducing what they had to their physical attraction irked him. He was torn in two. The part who was her jealous, insecure lover didn’t even want to think about her past or the scars on her heart, but part of him wanted to know everything about her. He asked, “You speakin’ from experience?”

  She looked him in the eye. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I haven’t had sex with a lot of men, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  His breath escaped in a whoosh, and he knew he’d revealed how grateful he was.

  She withdrew her hands from his. “You were wondering if I had? Is that how you think I got this job, or maybe the last one? I slept with the right people?”

  Nick’s mind flashed back to the Internet photos he’d seen of her and her producer. He had been at least twenty years older than her and apparently married with grown children.

  “Oh my God, you do think that, don’t you?”

  He stumbled backward when Megan pushed him out of the way to clear a path to the door. He didn’t want to spend the rest of his life wondering what she’d seen in that guy. He wanted to hear her side of the story so he could put his concerns to rest once and for all. “Meg, where the hell do you think you’re goin’? We need to talk about this.”

  “I’m spending the night at a hotel.”

  Nick beat her to the door and stepped in front of her before she reached the knob. “I’m not judgin’ you, okay? We’ve all done things we’re not proud of.”

  She pushed him hard, scowling when she failed to budge him. “I don’t give a damn what you say. You think I’m a whore, a gold-digger, an opportunist.”

  He grabbed her shoulders. “Would you stop it!”

  She crossed her arms and stepped back. “Look me in the eye and tell me you’ve never said or thought all of those things at one time or another.”

  Nick couldn’t lie to her, not after all the times he’d preached about honesty, but if he admitted the truth, he would lose her. “I was an idiot. I thought I had all the answers.”

  “Get out of my way.”

  “You don’t understand-”

  “I understand perfectly. Now get out of my way.”

  Nick stood his ground until it became obvious he wasn’t helping his cause. “I’m sorry. I was wrong about you. I judged you when I should have gotten to know you first. I-”

  She held her hand up. “It’s okay. No harm done.”

  He knew she was lying. He could only hope the harm he’d done wasn’t irreparable. “At least let me take you home.”

  She reached for the door handle again. “I told you, I’m staying at a hotel tonight. I’ll send for my things tomorrow. I think you and I should keep our distance for a while.”

  “Damn it!” He reached for her hand, feeling the sinking desperation of trying to hold onto something that was already gone. “That’s the last thing we need, Meg. We need to sort this out. We need to be together.”

  She looked at him. “Trust me, you don’t need me anymore than I need you.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Megan had just downed her fourth pain reliever of the day when a knock at her hotel room door made her groan. This miserable day is never going to end.

  “I’m coming.” When she caught a glimpse of her visitor through the peephole, she wished she could retract the statement. Her half-brother, Stephan.

  Megan pulled the door open just enough to ask, “What the hell do you want?” She had already given him a place to stay at her condo in L.A. If he wanted money, he was out of luck, and she was out of patience.

  She’d left Nick five long days earlier, and every night without him seemed longer than the last.

  “Is that any way to greet your big brother?”

  She gave him a cursory once-over. He looked as though he hadn’t slept or showered in days. Pathetic. She’d given him what he asked for, help getting his life back together, and he was throwing away his second chance. She wasn’t surprised. In her experience, if she gave someone a chance to disappoint her, they were usually happy to oblige.

  “I really don’t have time for your bullshit right now. Just cut to the chase,” she said.

  He peered over her shoulder and whistled under his breath. “Pretty fancy digs you got here, sis. I’m impressed.”

  Megan rolled her eyes. “I can rest easy tonight knowing I’ve impressed you.”

  “You mind if I come in? We need to talk.”

  Megan was too tired to ask again why he was there. She just wanted to have a hot shower, slip into her pajamas, and order some comfort food from room service. She opened the door farther for him. “Make it quick. I’m tired.”

/>   She didn’t have to ask how he knew where to find her. She had left a message for him on the voice mail at her condo, in case of an emergency.

  He reached into the mini-fridge and grabbed an over-priced bottle of water. “You don’t mind, do you?”

  “Would it matter if I did?” She pulled her terrycloth robe tighter around her and wished she’d kept her power suit on when she came in. She needed all the strength she could muster to deal with Stephan. “Why don’t you tell me why you came all the way here to see me?” As if she didn’t know. She could already see the dollar signs in his eyes.

  “You mind if I grab a shower before we talk?”

  She couldn’t deny he needed one. He smelled of stale booze and cigarettes. Apparently, he’d taken a detour from the straight and narrow path he’d vowed he’d been on since she left town. “Fine, but make it quick. I’d like to go to bed.”

  He eyed the second queen-size bed. “You mind if I crash here tonight?”

  “Are you crazy? You can’t stay here with me.” She’d have to put everything of value in the safe, or he’d walk off with it while she slept.

  “Why not? You have an extra bed.”

  “I gave you a place to stay: my condo. You shouldn’t have come all this way without thinking about where you would stay once you got here.” She’d only agreed to let him stay in her condo because he’d begged and harassed her until she gave in. By the time she’d left L.A., she was already so worn down from her personal problems, she was an easy target.

  She sighed when he gave her that look he seemed to have perfected. It said, without words, ‘Come on, gimme a break, sis.’

  “Just take your damn shower, say what you came here to say, and get out.” She knew putting him up in another room would cost her a couple hundred dollars, but it beat the alternative.

  “What’s got you in such a pissy mood?” he asked, walking toward the bathroom.

  “Life.”

  Megan was scanning blogs highlighting the local recording artists when someone knocked at the door. She heard Stephan turn the shower off at the same time, and she hoped he had the good sense to stay in the bathroom until her visitor left. She didn’t want any of her new friends in Nashville meeting her half-brother.

  When she stood on her toes to look through the peephole, she could barely catch her breath. Nick. She thought about pretending she was out, but when the hammering on the other side of the door became more insistent, she knew he wouldn’t give up easily.

  Megan opened the door as she tried to force air into her lungs. “What are you doing here?” She gripped the door handle tighter. Lord have mercy, he’s gorgeous. He wore black jeans, a black, button-down shirt, and cowboy boots. His hair looked freshly cut, and he wore that spicy cologne that made her want to lick him all over.

  “We can’t go on like this, baby. We need to talk.”

  The endearment slipped from his lips so easily and reminded her of all the times he’d called her that when they made love. “Now’s not a good time.”

  “Too bad.” He walked right past her, and she was too stunned to try to stop him. “I’ve given you time and space, now we’re gonna talk.”

  “How did you find out where I was staying?”

  “My mother told me.”

  Megan closed the door and leaned back against it as she crossed her arms. “She had no right to do that.”

  “She knew I was goin’ through hell.”

  Megan’s heart twisted. No man had ever been as open with her as Nick. He wore his heart on his sleeve. That was one of the many things she admired about him. He was courageous where she was scared. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  He slowly moved in on her. Bracing one hand just above her head, he used his body to block her in. “Are you? Really?”

  She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. His scent was so intoxicating, one sniff made her tipsy.

  “What are you doin’?” he asked, brushing his cheek against hers.

  The faint outline of stubble created just enough friction to give her thrill bumps all over. “I’m just-”

  “Hey, I didn’t know we had company,” Stephan said.

  Megan winced when Nick turned around so fast she feared he may get whiplash. She’d been so caught up in him, she’d almost forgotten about Stephan.

  “Who the hell are you?” Nick moved in on Stephan, who was now wearing a bathrobe that matched Megan’s.

  Nick stood with his hands fisted at his sides, and Megan saw he was poised to strike. Nick was tall and muscular, while Stephan was shorter and leaner. Nick would make him beg for mercy by the time he was through.

  “I could ask you the same question.” Stephan looked Nick up and down with obvious disdain.

  “Start talkin’ or I start beatin’ the shit out of you.”

  Megan knew if she didn’t stop Nick, the situation would be disastrous for Stephan. Not that she felt the need to protect him. She was more concerned about Nick landing in jail.

  Reaching for Nick’s arm, she said, “Nick, you-”

  “I asked him.” Nick stepped closer to Stephan. “Whatever you think you got goin’ on with her, it’s over.”

  Stephan smirked. “Is that so?”

  Nick shoved him, causing him to stumble. “Are you laughin’ at me, you little punk?”

  “What if I am?”

  Megan squeezed her eyes shut when her receding headache came back with a vengeance.

  “Let’s get one thing clear, asshole. She’s mine. Whatever the hell you think this is, it’s nothin’ more than a one-night stand.” Nick shoved Stephan again, but Stephan managed to stand his ground.

  “Nick-” Megan said, grabbing his arm. She was hurt he would assume she’d jumped into bed with another man so soon after leaving him, but if their situations were reversed and she found Nick and another woman in a hotel room wearing matching bathrobes, she knew she would draw the same conclusions. It would destroy her, just as it was destroying him. “Would you just listen to me?”

  Nick turned to face her, his handsome face a mask of pain and rage. “How could you do this? I thought about you every goddamn minute for the last five days. You don’t know how many times I picked up my phone to call you, to tell you how much I missed you. Finally, when I couldn’t stand to be away from you another second, I come here and find you with this loser? Do you have any idea what you’re doin’ to me?”

  “Hey, watch who you call a loser, man,” Stephan said, crossing his arms.

  Megan glared at him over Nick’s shoulder. “Shut up and get dressed.”

  “I still need a place to stay tonight.”

  Nick turned on him, his face coloring as the veins in his neck became more pronounced. “If you don’t get the hell outta here, you’re gonna spend tonight in a hospital.”

  “Fine,” Stephan muttered and headed toward the bathroom.

  Her half-brother wasn’t the smartest guy Megan had ever met, but she gave him credit for recognizing real danger.

  “I gotta get the hell out of here before I do or say somethin’ I’m gonna regret,” Nick muttered, striding toward the door.

  “He’s my brother.”

  That stopped him in his tracks. It took a minute before he turned to face her. “What did you say?”

  “You just had the pleasure of meeting my half-brother Stephan. Didn’t you notice the family resemblance?” Megan said sarcastically. They had no physical similarities. He had dark blonde, shaggy hair and light eyes while she was dark with an olive complexion, much like her father.

  “Are you serious?”

  She sank down at the desk, suddenly feeling exhausted. “Yes. My mother put him up for adoption when he was baby. He reached out to me shortly after she died.”

  Nick retraced his steps, stopping just short of where she sat. “What’s he doin’ here? What does he want?”

  “Who knows? Money probably.” Megan was tired of pretending. Maybe if he knew how messed up her family was, he would lose interest. That wo
uld be best for him, but it would break her heart.

  Nick set his hands on his hips. “Did he ask you for money?”

  “Not yet, but I’m sure he will. Why else would he come all this way? I was letting him stay at my condo in L.A. He said he was trying to get his life back together, get a job, get off the booze. Judging by his smell when he walked in, that isn’t going so well.”

  “He’s takin’ advantage of you, baby. Can’t you see that?”

  “I’m not stupid, Nick. I know what’s going on.”

  He dropped to one knee and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You deserve better than that.”

  “He’s kind of the only family I’ve got.” She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t like him very much, but who says you have to like your family, right?”

  He pulled her into his arms and stroked her back. “I’m sorry I assumed the worst. I seem to have a bad habit of doin’ that with you.”

  She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Being back in his arms felt so good. “It’s okay. I would have done the same.”

  “Let’s get him out of here so we can talk.” Nick stood up when the bathroom door opened. He turned to face Stephan. “So, Meg told me what the deal is.”

  “Is this where you apologize for calling me a loser?”

  Nick looked him up and down. “Don’t push your luck, buddy.” Nick reached into his pocket and peeled a few hundreds off a stack of bills. “Get a room and don’t bother your sister again tonight. We need some time alone.” He tossed the bills in Stephan’s direction. Stephan scrambled to grab them before they hit the floor, causing Nick to roll his eyes.

  “So, you’re her boyfriend, huh?” Stephan asked.

  “Yeah, I am.”

  Megan didn’t bother to correct Nick. What was the point?

  Stephan chuckled. “You must have been pretty pissed when you walked in here and found her with me.”

  “I’m not laughin’, and you shouldn’t be either. Now get out and remember what I said.”

  Stephan looked at Megan. “Can I come by and see you tomorrow?”