Nashville Boxed Set #1-3

by Bethany Michaels

  Blood pumped through my veins and I felt lightheaded. I wanted him right there. I’d waited all my life to hear someone say that to me—that they liked me for me. Not who I was or what I could do for them.

  But guilt nagged at me. I’d insisted Shay be honest with me and I was holding back a big secret. “I have to tell you something.”

  He dropped my hands, his smile fading. “Look, I get it. We’re almost done here. I’m not asking for anything more. I just…wanted to say thank you for, well, everything. I guess.”

  “It’s not that.” I took a deep breath, hoping I wasn’t sabotaging everything we’d worked for the past weeks. “Robert is only going to renew one contract, Shay. This whole thing has been a sort of audition. He’s playing us against each other.”

  Shay was silent a moment. “So I guess you’ll be the one with the contract at the end of this.” His voice was flat.

  “Nothing is written in stone.” I swallowed. “I won’t lie. I want to cut my next record at Belle. It’s the only thing I’ve known my whole professional life and I don’t want to have to shop myself around town again.”

  Shay looked out over the lake, his mouth set in a grim line. “I need that contract, Michelle. I’m…about to lose everything.”

  “I’m sure some other label would snap you up,” I said brightly, wishing it was true. Shay was great on stage but he was a liability. “The tour is doing great right now. I’m sure that’ll be enough to carry you through until you sign a new contract. That is, if you’re not the one who gets the deal with Belle.”

  “It would barely be enough to pay another month’s rent.” He looked down. “I blew it, Michelle. Blew it all. Cars, booze, women, toys I couldn’t afford. Trying to impress people back home that won’t ever thin k I’m anything but a worthless piece of garbage who lucked into something he didn’t deserve.”

  I was silent, wondering how anyone could blow through that much money so quickly, trying not to judge. But then Shay didn’t have someone at his back helping him with those things like I’d always had Daddy. He’d had no support, no one in his corner. Until now.

  “We’ll figure it out, Shay. Whatever happens.”

  “We both know what’s going to happen. You’ll get the contract because you always get the contract. I’ll be heading back to the oil fields and will spend the rest of my life wondering what my life could have been if I hadn’t fucked it up. My Daddy was right. I came from nothing and I’ll always be just the same.”

  Shay pushed to his feet and stalked to the water’s edge. I’d never seen him like this—so morose and down on himself. I wondered if I was seeing through his shell for the first time. The hard partying, the flamboyant, look-at-me headlines, they all made sense. He was trying to prove to the people back home as well as to himself that he deserved the talent and success he’d found. But he didn’t buy it, always expecting the other shoe to drop, hiding his fears behind party songs and wild nights.

  I realized that maybe I’d made some assumptions about him in the past that weren’t fair, just like he’d done with me. I swallowed hard as my heart ached for the pain he’d been in most of his life. I wondered if he knew, himself, how deep the pain went.

  I gathered the blanket around my shoulders and went to Shay.

  “I’m sorry, Shay. I had no idea.” I put my hand on his back.

  “Don’t feel sorry for me.” His voice was tight.

  “I don’t. I admire you.”

  “Right.”

  I walked around to face him. The moonlight reflected the raw emotion in his deep soulful eyes. “I had it easy. I had people supporting me, pushing me, fighting for me. Somebody always had my back and helped me make the right decisions. Sure, it was hard and I gave up a lot. But I always knew there was someone in my corner and that made it easier to get through when things went bad.”

  I stroked his jaw. He’d shaved before he’d brought me out here. “You didn’t. Everything you earned, you earned by yourself. You had to fight against a lot of people who said a lot of horrible things to discourage you.” I got up on tiptoe and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I respect that, Shay. I respect you.”

  Needing to touch him, I began to slip the buttons of his shirt through the holes. “Whatever happens, I’m in your corner, now, Shay. As your colleague.” I pressed a kiss to the slice of bare flesh I’d revealed. “Your friend.” Another kiss, lower this time. I undid the last of the buttons and pushed his shirt open to expose his bare chest to the moonlight. Stroking my hands over the hard planes, I felt the familiar thrum of need begin deep inside me. But now it was stronger, went deeper. “Your lover.”

  His arms suddenly banded around me and he kissed me deeply, with a desperation he’d kept bottled up until now.

  He broke away, breathing heavily. “I want you.” His voice was strained, barely a whisper. I could feel the rapid beat of his heart behind his warm flesh.

  “You’ve got me.”

  And before I could utter another word, Shay swept me up into his arms and stalked back to the blanket. He laid me down carefully, then came down, too, half on top of me.

  “Let’s just be honest with each other, OK?” I said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen with the label, but let’s just be honest with each other. Stay friends through this.”

  His grin was back. “I’m not feeling very platonic right now.” He worked my top up and over my head, leaving me in my lacy black bra. Then he reached for the button of my jeans.

  “Maybe we could be friends…with benefits,” I said. I wanted his hands on me more than my next breath.

  “Hmmm. What kind of benefits?”

  I sat up and pushed him to his back on the blanket. Straddling him, I wiggled a little and was rewarded with his low groan. “I’m sure I can think of some benefits you’d like.”

  “I don’t know,” he said, stroking a finger up my bare belly to the edge of my bra. “I think you’re going to have to prove it.”

  *****

  In a blink, Shay rolled Michelle so that she was on her back again. He moved down her body and with shaking hands stroked the heel of her boot.

  “These are so sexy.” He slid the shoe from her foot and presse d s his mouth to her instep, her delicate ankle, her toes. “But these are sexier.” He pressed a kiss to each pink toenail before moving his mouth up the inside of her ankle.

  He could feel the tension in her muscles and knew that she wanted him, wanted this, as much as he did. He removed her other boot, giving the same care and attention to her instep, her foot, each toe.

  Then he peeled her jeans off in one motion, leaving her in just her sexy black bra and panties. His mouth went dry at the sight of her, the pale moonlight playing across her skin, the cool night breeze raising goose bumps across the smooth expanse of her belly.

  “Are you cold? Do you want to move inside?”

  “No. I want you here. I’ve… kind of always had this fantasy about doing it outdoors.”

  It was too dark to see her blush, but he knew it was there. He smiled.

  He forced her knees wide enough to accommodate his shoulders and ran his hands up the inside of her thighs, swirling small circles across her heated skin with his thumbs. His mouth followed the trail, kissing and nipping at her sensitive flesh until her knees dropped apart bonelessly.

  “What you do to me, Shay — -- I swear it’s magic.”

  “Just lay back and enjoy it, baby,” he said. “Let me love you.” He hooked her knees over his shoulders and gazed at the thin strip of black lace covering her sex. The scent of her arousal already perfumed the fabric and he buried his nose there, inhaling her scent. For the rest of his life, he’d remember this, remember her. After they were back in Nashville, after they didn’t know each other anymore. He’d always have this.

  He glanced up her body to find two hard peaks pushing at her bra. Moving up her body, he took one peak inside his mouth, nipping her through the lace. Her sharp inhale told him he was on the right track.
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  Pulling the cup aside, he tasted her quivering nipple, sucking it inside his mouth and swirling his tongue around the perimeter. Not wanting to leave her other breast needy, he plucked at her nipple with his fingertips, finally pushing away the fabric, too, to cup her breast in his palm.

  “You’re so warm,” she said. “I love your hands on me like this.”

  “Me too. I love touching you. Your skin is so smooth, your body curves in all the right places.” He moved up her body so he could reach her lips. Shifting, he pressed his erection against her. He framed her face in his hands, kissing her until they were both breathless and trembling with need.

  “I need you.” Her voice was husky and sent his head spinning.

  “Not yet.” He moved to the vee of her thighs and pulled her panties off, exposing her glistening sex to his gaze. She came off the blanket at the first swipe of his tongue across her swollen clit.

  Smiling, he grasped her thighs, holding them wide. She was so hot and responsive to his touch. Never would he have guessed sex could be this way. His cock was rock hard, sure, but it wasn’t just because he was thinking about driving inside her and how hot and wet she’d be for him. This was about her pleasure and he loved watching her and knowing he was the one making her feel so good.

  He laved her clit, sucking it gently into his mouth. She tasted so good, her scent driving him wild. But it wasn’t enough. Putting a thumb on the little nub, he moved his tongue to her opening, slick and sweet. He thrust his tongue inside, lapping at her until she was arching and calling out his name over and over. He’d never heard a sound so sweet as his name on her lips.

  She was panting now, writhing on the blanket, but he kept up his licking and thrusting with his tongue, trying to go deeper. She was wet and ready for him and he knew he could be naked and inside her in under three seconds. But he wanted to see her come apart this time, wanted his mouth right there to catch her when she fell.

  He used a finger to thrust inside her and moved his mouth to her most sensitive spot.

  Her knees tightened on his shoulders, drawing him closer. “Shay. Oh God. I need you. Please.”

  He quickened the thrusts, knowing she was close. Adding a finger, he went deeper. He raised his head and looked up the length of her naked body. Her hand was tangled in her own hair, her eyes closed. She bit at those full lush lips of hers and a fine sheen of sweat coated her brow. She’d never looked so beautiful and Shay committed the image to memory, like an erotic snapshot he could pull out to look at any time he thought of her.

  With a final squeal and his name on her lips, Michelle climaxed. Shay removed his fingers and replaced them with his mouth, loving the taste of her, lapping her up, wanting more.

  After the deep shudders had subsided, Michelle sat up and kissed him deeply, her tongue thrusting inside his mouth, just as his had done a moment before. He wondered if she could taste herself on his lips and that thought made his dick even harder.

  She clutched at the front of his shirt. Breaking the kiss, she looked deep into his eyes.

  “Get naked,” she said in a husky voice he barely recognized. “It’s my turn.”

  *****

  I had never come so hard in my life as I had with Shay’s mouth on me. He was a sweet - talking man, for sure, but he knew how to do more than talk with that mouth of his.

  Once I issued my demand that he strip, it didn’t take long for him to get completely and gloriously naked.

  I’d never been the take charge type in the bedroom, or in anything, really. Someone else had always called the shots, from what I would wear on stage, to what songs would be in my set. Now it was my turn to be in control.

  I pulled Shay’s belt from his jeans. Sliding my hands over the soft leather, I said, “Lie down.”

  “Anything you want, baby.” Shay lay spread eagle on the blanket. I turned on the camp lantern so I could see him better.

  “Put your hands behind your head,” I said, stroking the leather, slapping the doubled belt lightly on my palms.

  “Are you going to punish me if I don’t?”

  “Maybe.” I slapped his bare thigh lightly with the belt, making him jump.

  His cock twitched and I knew he liked what he saw.

  “Don’t move,” I said when he was in position. I unhooked my bra and tossed it aside so that I was completely nude, too.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Lock your fingers behind your head and don’t unclasp them until I tell you it’s OK to do so.”

  He nodded.

  I moved over him and straddled his thighs.

  “This seems very eager,” I said, stroking his dick lightly with the belt from the root to the tip. It twitched in response.

  “You have no idea.” His voice was gravel rough.

  I leaned forward to lick at his flat nipples, biting down until he jumped. “Hurt?”

  “No. Yes. I don’t know. Jesus. Just don’t stop.”

  I ran my hands over his chest, broad and rippling with muscles held in check by my will alone. I moved to his throat, pinching his nipple as I kissed and nipped my way up the salty column of his throat to his earlobe.

  “God, Michelle,” he was breathless and his pulse raced under my tongue.

  I felt wild and hungry and bit him lightly before soothing the small hurt with my tongue. I held his jaw firmly in my hand and sucked his earlobe into my mouth, biting him there, too, needing to mark him.

  “You’re mine.” I whispered in a low growl. “Do you understand?”

  “Yes.”

  I sat up, raking my nails across his chest, leaving tiny red lines, visible in the dim light of the lantern. I rubbed at them, soothing the light welts, then following with my tongue.

  Leaning forward, I shoved a balled up shirt under his head—his, mine, I didn’t know.

  Turning, over, I spread my legs and put my soaking wet sex right in his face, then grasped his erection and brought it to my mouth. “I’m going to suck you now,” I said. My head was spinning with the heady feeling of totally letting loose, taking what I wanted. “You’re going to lick me, but you’re not going to come.”

  “Yes, Ma’ a m.”

  I went down on him, taking him deep into my mouth. He was salty and had a musky flavor I remembered so well.

  He gasped and arched with a jerk, driving himself deeper into my mouth.

  But he wasn’t doing what I wanted him to do, so I pulled back and wiggled my ass a little.

  His mouth was warm and wet on my sex and I closed my eyes against the rush of sensation that weakened my knees and stole my breath. After a moment I went back to work, licking the length of him before taking him as far as I could into my mouth.

  Warmth pooled in my belly, giving a hard tug of desire, but I pushed it away, wanting to remain in control of Shay’s body and mine for another moment or two.

  Shay’s tongue lapped at me and I pushed back, needing him deeper. He got the message and soon was thrusting inside me with his tongue, his hands still behind his head as I’d demanded, as far as I could tell.

  I grasped his dick with one hand while I worked his balls with the other and sucked harder.

  Shay groaned against my sex and the rumbling vibration traveled up my body, sending a shuddering pre-climax sensation ripping through my body.

  I jerked away from him, breathing hard, squeezing my eyes shut, willing my pulse to slow.

  I could feel Shay doing the same beneath me.

  I turned back around to face Shay. His face was slick with my juices and I kissed his lips, loving the taste of me on him.

  “You’re so sexy,” I said. “So hot.”

  He barked out a laugh. “Ditto. More than that—I. Sorry. No words. I just want you.”

  His stumbling over his words made me even hotter.

  “I’m going to fuck you now.”

  His cock twitched. “God, yes. Please.”

  Bracing my hands on his chest, I lowered myself slowly on his dick. He was slick with my
saliva and his own pre-come. I bit my lip at the delicious sensation of being filled up by Shay. I moved as slowly as I could, savoring each inch of penetration until at last I was fully seated.

  I closed my eyes, adjusting, loving that we were connected so fully.

  “Michelle?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Before I could ask, he’d flipped me to my back. He shoved my legs up and he slammed into me hard, taking my breath away.

  I looked up at him, his eyes dark, sweat dripping from his brow. His jaw was hard, but not as hard as his cock driving into me relentlessly.

  I gripped his wrists, digging my nails into his flesh, begging him to go harder, faster.

  He quickened his strokes, my need to come knotting to the point of near pain deep in my belly. I gritted my teeth. “Now. Come now!” I demanded.

  And he did, with a shout and a few hard strokes, he was pulsing inside me. The gate of need inside me let go in a storm of pure passion, too. Waves of total satisfaction washed over me, making my body explode in hard tremors. From a distance I could hear myself shouting, crying and begging all at once.

  “Michelle. My God. Michelle.”

  He collapsed on top of me, just as spent as I was, his sweaty head resting on my chest over my heart.

  “I’m here,” I said, stroking his damp hair. “I’m here.”

  *****

  “Where did sweet little Shelly May learn to do that?” Shay asked once we had gathered the blanket, cooler and discarded clothing and moved inside to my bedroom on the bus.

  I pulled the sheet up over my damp cooling skin and rolled over to face him. “I read a lot.”