“How could you do that?” I pushed him away when he tried to take a step towards me once we were behind closed doors. “We’re supposed to break up after our albums are out! This means we’re stuck pulling off this fake relationship for even longer!”
“I’m sorry, it was the heat of the moment. I mean, what was I supposed to say? Sorry, we hate each other, and we can’t do a duet together? Come on!” Brendan exhaled sharply and stared at me. “I didn’t have a choice! You were stumbling over your words. I had to say something.”
“This is a nightmare. I’m going home.” I stormed out of the room before he could say another word.
Two weeks later
I managed to avoid Brendan entirely for two weeks after he promised the world that we were working on our duet. Our albums were finished and ready to be released. It was nothing more than a waiting game at that point. The paparazzi didn’t need pictures of us having dinner anymore after the radio interview was done. The news of our duet created a lot of buzz around our upcoming albums, and our singles were climbing the charts, but I was filled with turmoil. I didn’t want to do a duet with Brendan. I just wanted the charade to end when our albums were released and get on with my life. The whole ordeal had been a disaster outside of the attention it got us. When my birthday finally came, I knew I was going to have to see him again. I couldn’t exactly skip my own party. I sulked in my apartment until around noon when I heard a knock at my door.
What the hell? I’m not expecting anyone.
“Lauren, are you in there?” It was Brendan’s voice.
“What do you want?” I pulled the door open and stared him down. “The party doesn’t start until seven o’clock.”
“I screwed up. I’m sorry. Regardless of what I’ve done, we still have to figure this out.” He put his hand on the door. “Can I come in?”
“Fine.” I stepped back from the door and let him step into my apartment. “I don’t know why we have to figure it out. You’re the one that made this mess, so why don’t you figure it out on your own?”
“Sawyer thinks the duet is a great idea. I mean, I know it was a mistake to say it without talking to you first, but look how much attention it has gotten us.” He pushed the door closed and sighed.
“Yeah, he told me the same thing, but I don’t necessarily agree. The charade did exactly what it was intended to do. People know who we are. There’s no reason to keep lying to our fans.” I walked over and sat down on the couch.
“Hold on.” He walked over and picked up my guitar. “I’ve been working on something.”
“Oh great… A Brendan Tanner original. That’ll sell records.” I rolled my eyes. “Didn’t other people write every song on your album?”
“Yes, but—this is a starting point at least.” He sat down on the chair across from me.
“I didn’t mean to fall in love.
Yet here I am, strung out on you.
You’re like a drug that won’t let go.
Everything you are, is what I need.”
“That doesn’t even rhyme.” I stood up and grabbed the guitar. “Here, let me see if I can make that sound halfway decent.”
“I didn’t mean to fall for you.
Yet here I am, strung out on love.
You—shit.”
“It’s not that easy, is it?” He chuckled and shrugged. “Trust me, I’ve spent a week on it and all I have is four lines that don’t rhyme.”
“No, hold on.” I hit the guitar with my fingers a few times. “Okay, here we go.”
“I didn’t mean to fall for you.
Yet here I am, strung out on love.
All of this feels brand new.
You stole my heart, you—yeah, screw this.”
“It doesn’t flow. I mean, I get the message you’re trying to convey, but it just won’t work unless we figure out how to turn it into a melody.” I walked over and put my guitar back on the stand. “See, this is why you shouldn’t promise a duet without figuring out if we can even write one!”
“We’ll figure it out, but right now, we need to get out there and start celebrating your birthday. You only get to turn twenty-one once.” Brendan stood up and extended his hand.
“It’s way too early.” I shook my head back and forth.
“Nonsense. Don’t you want the thrill of being able to walk into a bar and order a drink?” He tilted his head to the side.
“I—I don’t really drink.” I twisted my lip into a frown of disgust. “I tried it a couple of times and it wasn’t for me.”
“Let me guess, doing shots at college?” He chuckled and smirked.
“Yeah.” I nodded with the frown still plastered on my face.
“Let’s try something a little more mellow. Come on, you’re going to have to put on a performance at the party. It might as well be a press conference at this point. Let’s have some fun before then.” He motioned with his outstretched hand.
“Fine…” I shrugged and took his hand.
This kind of feels like an actual date. I’m reading too much into that, right?
8
Lauren
Accompanying Song:
“If I Die Young” by The Band Perry
Brendan took me to an old bar and I sat down. Before we could order drinks, my parents called, and I had to step outside so they could wish me a happy birthday. They even sang into the phone and I tried not to laugh. When I hung up with them, I had a message from Misty telling me happy birthday as well. I quickly typed out a reply and stepped back into the bar. Brendan was sitting at the bar, sipping a beer, and he appeared to be actively engaged in a conversation with the bartender. It was hard to look at him and not see the man who had treated me like shit, but it was impossible to ignore how stupidly sexy he was. He looked like a Greek god in a Stetson hat, chiseled from a fantasy. I blinked away my thoughts as I approached the bar and took a seat next to him.
This is all for pretend. I can’t read too much into it.
“Everything squared away at home?” He turned towards me.
“Yep, all set.” I nodded quickly.
“What would you like to drink?” He turned to the bartender. “She’s celebrating her twenty-first birthday.”
“Is that so?” The bartender glared at me. “I’m going to need to see some identification.”
“Ha. Okay.” I smiled as I pulled out my driver’s license and handed it over.
“Texas girl, huh?” The bartender scanned my license and handed it back.
“Yep, I’m a transplant chasing a country dream, just like half the people in Nashville.” I chuckled and nodded.
“You’re looking at one of them. I grew up in South Carolina and moved here because I wanted to write music. One day, maybe.” He smiled and looked back at the bottles of liquor. “So what are you drinking? Tequila is popular for birthdays.”
“Oh god, no.” I quickly shook my head back and forth. “Something that isn’t going to have me throwing up in the parking lot, please.”
“Yeah, she’s got a long day ahead of her.” Brendan chuckled as he spoke.
“Hmm.” The bartender scratched his chin and then reached for a bottle. “How about a John Daly? It tastes like sweet tea with a little bit of a lemony kick.”
“Sure, why not?” I shrugged and nodded.
The bartender made the drink and I cautiously sipped it. It was a lot better than anything I had tried at college. I gave the bartender a thumbs up as I sipped it and turned towards the main part of the bar. It was fairly empty for the most part with a few people playing pool, a couple of guys drinking, and some couples in the booths near the perimeter of the room. There was a song playing on the jukebox that I didn’t recognize, but it sounded like an older country song. Brendan finished his first beer and got another one before I had really put a dent in my John Daly. After a few sips, I was feeling it though. It wasn’t like the rush I got a few minutes after I did my first shot with Misty. It was more like a warm sensation that started in my stomach and started s
preading out to my limbs.
“So you like that drink?” Brendan looked at me and smiled.
“I do. It isn’t half bad.” I nodded and sipped it again. “I can taste the alcohol, but it’s not overpowering.”
“I don’t like drinking to excess anymore. I had my fill of that after breaking up with my girlfriend, but a few drinks are always nice. They take the edge off.” He reached over and squeezed my hand. “You’ll need it tonight.”
“Probably so.” I looked down at my hand as he turned it over and our fingers interlocked.
“We’ll be okay, though. After tonight, we’re home free until our albums launch.” He nodded aimlessly.
“You don’t have to hold my hand.” I looked up at him. “There are no paparazzi here.”
“Maybe I want to hold your hand.” He raised an eyebrow as our eyes met. “Whether there are cameras on us or not.”
“Why should I let you? You’ve treated me like garbage the majority of the time I’ve known you. The one day when you seemed to be turning over a new leaf, you went and promised the world a duet.” I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life.” He sipped his beer and sighed. “I’ll never be perfect, but I realize that I need to be better than I have been lately.”
This is the man I wrote His Stetson Hat about, not the one I’ve been pretending to date since I got to Nashville… What in the world is going on here?
“Maybe I’ll let you hold my hand for a little bit.” I smiled and gave his hand a light squeeze. “You are buying my drinks today, after all.”
“Am I? I guess I am.” He chuckled and nodded.
When the first drink was done, I was feeling it, but I wanted another one. The alcohol was making me attracted to Brendan in a way that I hadn’t felt before. Holding his hand just felt right, even after the way he had treated me. It was hard for me to admit it to myself, but I did miss him during the two weeks we spent apart after he promised the world a duet. I liked the man that was honest and open when we walked together in the park. He was a stark contrast from the asshole that was barely cordial when we were out on our fake dates. After the second drink was almost done, I felt the warmness spreading beyond my limbs and throughout my whole body. I was aware that my face was flushed as well.
“I should probably stop after this one.” I drained the last few drops from the ice cubes and sat the glass on the bar.
“We’ve still got some time to kill before your party. Do you want to go back to your place and work on the duet while we’ve still got a buzz?” He smiled and finished his beer.
“That might be nice.” I nodded. “I feel extremely creative right now.”
“Let’s grab a six pack of beer from the store next to your apartment and see if we can make some magic.” He turned and dropped some money on the bar before standing up.
“Is it wise to mix liquor and beer?” I raised my eyebrows in concern.
“Beer before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor before beer, you’re in the clear.” He chuckled and led me towards the door. “That’s what people say, at least.”
“I feel like that would be hard to remember after a few more drinks.” I laughed and shook my head.
“Yeah, sometimes it is. We’ll be fine, though.” He held the door open and let me walk out into the street.
The buzz was still there when we got to the store. I convinced Brendan to go with some Hard Lemonade instead of beer because it seemed like it would go better with the John Dalys in my stomach. He gave me some money and let me pay so I could have my age checked again by the clerk behind the counter. We got back to my place and when I took the first sip, I could taste a difference. It was sweeter and had a harder kick, but the alcohol content wasn’t as strong. I picked up my guitar and gave it a few strums as we sat down. I felt extremely creative, but I still didn’t know how to make the song rhyme with the part he had already put together.
“Yeah, this is harder than I thought, even with alcohol.” I laughed and shook my head.
“We’ll get there.” He nodded and sipped his drink.
“I didn’t mean to fall for you.
But you took my hand and changed my view.
You’re not the man I thought you were.
You’ve turned my world into a blur.”
“Holy shit.” Brendan blinked in surprise. “That gave me goosebumps.”
“Cause it’s true.” I felt my heart racing as our eyes locked.
Brendan crossed the distance between us in a flash. He pushed the guitar to the side and our lips met. The warmness inside me turned into a fire that roared out of control as he crushed my lips beneath his. His hand slid underneath the edge of my shirt and grazed against my skin. My heart started beating wildly in my chest as he pushed me back against the couch and continued to kiss me. Our lips formed a perfect seal and his tongue began to ravage my mouth. I had been kissed before, but never like that. I felt his hand moving further up until it was squeezing my breast through my bra. His other hand moved along my thigh then started sliding between my legs.
“Wait.” I broke the seal our lips had formed and pushed him back.
“What’s wrong?” His breath was hurried as he spoke.
“I really like you and I’m not trying to send mixed signals here, but I’ve never had sex before. I’m still a virgin.” I bit down on my lip and stared into his eyes.
“That’s okay, we can go slow.” He nodded and then started kissing me again.
I was glad that he didn’t push for more than the make-out session we were having on the couch because I wasn’t sure I could have turned him down if he did. My body was begging for his touch and begging me to let him keep going when his hand was on my thigh, but it was too new. He was still the man that had treated me like crap and while I was falling head over heels for the man beneath his wounded mask, I still had hesitations. There was a plan already in motion and if we turned the fake relationship into a real one, it could complicate things. My thoughts were a jumbled mess by the time he finally pulled away from our kiss and leaned back on the couch.
“If we don’t stop now, I’m not going to be able to hold back.” He pushed himself back to his feet and reached for the guitar. “Let’s see if we can get a little bit more of the song figured out.”
“Okay.” I nodded and sat up as I reached for my drink.
“So let’s see. If you start the song like that, maybe I can follow up with something like this.” He strummed the guitar lightly.
“I don’t deserve your gentle touch.
I’m man enough to know that much.
But I fell so hard, I can’t let go.
You’re the one for me, this I know.”
“It could use a little work, but you’re on the right track.” I smiled and nodded. “Shit, where the time go? I need to get ready for the party.”
“Yeah, me too.” Brendan turned his wrist over and looked at his watch. “But first…”
“What?” I looked up at him as he stood.
“I believe there’s a birthday girl that needs her birthday spanking.” He grinned and reached for my hand.
“Hey! No!” I shook my head and laughed as he pulled me to his feet.
“Don’t fight it, you got twenty-one and one to grow on coming.” He took a seat and pulled me across his knee.
“I need to get ready for the party!” I kicked my feet and struggled in his grasp.
“You’ll have plenty of time.” He brought his hand down on the seat of my jeans.
“I thought you were going to be nice to me now!” I shot him a comically angry glare over my shoulder.
“I am.” He chuckled and gave me another smack. “If I wasn’t trying to be nice, I’d pull your jeans down.”
“Yeah, that’s not happening.” I shook my head at him.
Brendan didn’t spank me very hard, but he made sure I felt all twenty-one, and the one to grow on definitely left a sting. I hopped off his lap as soon as he was
done and rubbed my ass, glaring at him the whole time. I couldn’t fight the smile that was trying to creep up on my lips. He stood and pulled me close for another kiss, which I didn’t even want to try and fight. I felt like I was melting into his embrace. My body was still on fire and I was struggling with the desires inside me that just wanted to forget the entire party and convince him that I didn’t want him to go. He finally pulled away, leaving me practically panting as he walked to the door. I stared until he was gone and put my hands on my head.
What in the world am I doing?
9
Brendan
Accompanying Song:
“She’s Everything” by Brad Paisley
Lauren’s birthday party went pretty much as I envisioned. We got a few opportunities to stand together for photographs, and a few stolen kisses when we were able to get away from the crowd, but it was mostly just publicity for her album. I got pulled into various conversations about my album, the duet, and when it would be ready. I told the reporters it was going slow, but it was promising. That much was true at least. I had a hard time keeping my eyes off of Lauren as the night went on. She was so beautiful and after having a taste, I just wanted to pull her into one of the bedrooms and do exactly what we had pretended to do the first night. I couldn’t believe she was still a virgin. I wanted to be the first man that had her, but there was something else brewing too. I didn’t just want to be the first man she was with. I also wanted to be the last.
“She’s come a long way in a short time.” Sawyer walked up next to me with a glass of whiskey in his hand. “She was so nervous at that first party, but she’s a natural.”
“Yeah, she’s doing great.” I nodded and smiled.
“You two seem to be a little tolerable of each other tonight. A few weeks ago she told me she wanted to stab you with a fork every time y’all shared a meal.” Sawyer chuckled slightly and sipped his drink.
“I figured I should start treating her a little better.” I sighed and shook my head. “I guess my accent is turning me into a real southern gentleman.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t go that far.” Sawyer’s head fell back as he laughed. “You’re still just an asshole from Chicago, but you’re the asshole that’s going to sell a lot of records. You’re also the rising country music star that’s going to break her heart real soon.”
Mr. Twang_A Fake Relationship Romance Page 5