She sighed. “It’s just…well, you’re you and I’m me, and we’re different people. You’re on the road all the time, and I’m going to be here. I don’t know what we’re doing, or where this is going.”
“Baby,” he whispered. “I can’t make you any promises about the future right now.”
Meg winced. “I know.”
“But I promised that I would never lie to you, and I’m a man of my word. What I can honestly tell you is that I’ve never felt this way about any woman before.” He felt tension in her body ease, and he leaned in to kiss her. “I can’t get you out of my head.”
Mallory hiked through the woods to Sky’s log cabin, and was disappointed when she found his car missing from the driveway and his house dark. “He must be with that bitch,” she thought, as she ran back towards her car and drove in the direction of Meg’s house.
She parked her car on the side of the road a few houses down from Meg’s cottage. Good thing I dressed in black, she thought as she approached the cottage and spied Sky’s Tahoe in the driveway. She crept around the side of the house and looked through a window, where she found Sky and Meg getting dressed inside a bedroom. Fuck. He fucked her again, she thought as she watched them share a kiss before disappearing into another room.
A few moments later, she heard the sounds of voices coming from the back of the house. She found some bushes to hide in and watched as they lit some candles and set the small outdoor table on the back deck. She heard Sky’s distinctive voice ask when the girl had time to cook, and she replied that she picked up a rotisserie chicken and some side dishes at the store. She doesn’t even cook for him, Mallory thought, outraged. If I was your girl, I’d cook for you every night.
She listened as the girl apologized for not cooking because she had just gotten off from work, and heard Sky reply that the girl, who he called Meg, cooked plenty for him while he was recuperating. She must be the one who took care of him after the accident. Anger bubbled up inside her. It should have been me taking care of you, Sky.
Mallory watched while they ate and talked about making plans for the following night. She shook with anger as she listened to Sky suggest Meg pack a bag and go back to his house with him, but she said she needed to get up early for work the next day. The disappointment in Sky’s voice pleased her, and she thought, I’d never turn you down.
Hearing the couple begin to say their goodnights to each other, Mallory dashed down the road towards her car. As Sky’s Tahoe passed where she was parked, his headlights briefly illuminated her face, and they made eye contact.
Meg was busy stacking the dishes into the dishwasher when she heard the back door open behind her. “Sky? Did you forget something?”
“No, he didn’t,” a female voice replied.
The hair stood up on the back of Meg’s neck as she turned around. Her blood ran cold when she recognized the intruder was Mallory. Her eyes narrowed as she asked, “What are you doing in my house?”
“I’m here to settle a score.”
When Mallory pulled a knife out of the pocket of her sweatshirt, Meg tried to hide her fear. Her eyes darted around the kitchen as she looked for something to defend herself with. Keep her talking, she thought. “What do you mean?”
“I told you to stay away from him. He’s mine.” Mallory inched closer and pointed the knife at Meg.
“How…how did you find my house?” Meg backed away and towards the drawer where she kept her knives.
“I followed you and Sky after you left Kayne Prime the other night.”
“But we went back to Sky’s house,” Meg said, confused.
“And I watched him make love to you,” Mallory said, her voice shaking. “Just like he used to make love to me.”
Meg felt faint as all color drained from her face. “You watched? But…”
“Shut up!” Mallory stamped her feet and shook the hand holding the knife at Meg. “Shut the fuck up! He loves me, not you.” Mallory charged forward and backed Meg into a corner. “I followed him when he drove you home the next morning. And when he wasn’t home tonight, I just knew he was here with you.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything else Mallory’s right hand flew at her, and she felt pressure and searing pain coming from her left shoulder. She struggled with Mallory, desperately trying to knock the knife out of her hand.
Meg felt herself get pushed to the floor and Mallory threw herself down on top of her. She used her arm to block the knife in Mallory’s hand before grabbing a fistful of her hair, jerking her head backwards. She raised her other arm and hit Mallory in the nose with her elbow. She heard a satisfying cracking sound, just before blood began to pour out of Mallory’s broken nose. Meg found herself covered in Mallory’s blood as she tried to wrestle the knife away from Mallory.
“I’m going to kill you, bitch,” Mallory hissed as she pinned Meg to the floor. She raised the knife up and was about to plunge it into Meg’s chest when she was picked up and thrown to the side of the room.
“Holy shit,” Sky screamed. “Meg, are you okay?”
“Tell her the truth, Sky,” Mallory cried out. “Tell her I’m yours.”
“What the fuck? I’m calling the police.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed 911 to report the emergency, then turned to help Meg, who was struggling to stand up. “Meg, baby, you’re covered with blood,” he said.
“I’m okay, really. I think it’s mostly her blood, from when I broke her nose.”
“Beauty, brains, bravery, and now brute strength. You’re slaying me, Meg. You’re a mess, but I couldn’t be more turned on.”
Sky and Meg heard the screen door slam and the sound of Mallory running down the driveway. “She might think she got away, but I’ve got information on her,” Sky said. “I’ve got a photo of her driver’s license from the night I took her back to my bus.”
“What? Why do you have…?”
Sky cut her off. “Jack snapped a photo of her license because he caught me with her in the middle of…well, you know, sex. He was afraid she was jailbait, and that I’d be in trouble.”
“Oh. My. God.” Meg sank into a chair and put her head in her hands. “This can’t be real. I can’t believe this is my life.”
“Which part?” Sky sat down next to her and rubbed her back. “The part where you’re dating a country singer who’s crazy about you? Or the part where the country singer has a crazy stalker who just tried to kill you?”
“Both,” Meg said in a grim voice. “Crazy is the right word. How did you know to come back here?”
“When I drove down your road, I caught a glimpse of her sitting in a car. I thought I was seeing things, but I got a bad feeling and turned around. Thank God I did.”
Meg turned and looked Sky in the eyes. “You saved my life. We’re even now.”
Sky shook his head. “Hardly. I think you would have beaten the crap out of her if I hadn’t come back. And besides, you saved me twice – once when you showed me I could spend the night with a woman just talking, and again when I had my motorcycle accident.” He stood up, opened the refrigerator door, and retrieved a bottle of white wine. “Here,” he said as he poured her a glass. “You look like you need a drink.”
The police arrived, and took their statements. Sky furnished them with the photo of Mallory’s driver’s license, and Meg gave them her bloody t-shirt as evidence. As they were getting ready to leave, one of the officers said, “Miss Novak, you probably shouldn’t stay here alone tonight. She knows where you live, and has already tried to kill you. I wouldn’t stay alone until she’s caught.”
“Come home with me. It’ll be safer there,” Sky said.
“It’s not safer there.” Meg told Sky that Mallory watched them make love through Sky’s bedroom window. “She knows where you live too.”
“But at least I have an alarm system.” When Meg glared at him, he said, “Okay, have it your way. I’ll stay here with you tonight, but you’ve got to promise that yo
u’ll get an alarm installed here a.s.a.p.”
She sighed. “Okay, I guess.” She looked at the clock on the microwave, and said, “It’s late, and I’ve got to get some sleep. I’ve got to get up at five a.m. for work.”
Sky checked the locks on the doors and windows, before taking Meg by the hand and leading her to the bathroom. “Let’s get you cleaned up first. Your hair is matted with her blood, and I don’t want any part of her on you, or in your bed.” He gently removed her clothes, before removing his own. “Let me wash you,” he said, as he guided her into the shower.
“Sky…,” Meg protested.
“Shh…baby, let me take care of you.” He squeezed some shampoo into his hands before massaging it into her scalp. “It’s my turn to take care of you.”
“Okay,” Meg said, as she closed her eyes and let the warm water wash over her. She next felt him apply conditioner to her hair, before he took her loofah and covered it with her perfumed shower gel. She melted into Sky’s body as his strong arms held her tightly while he cleansed her body. He discarded the loofah as his hands moved between her legs, and she parted them to allow him access.
His soapy hands glided easily over her sensitive spot. “I’ve got to make sure you’re nice and clean down here, too,” he whispered in her ear.
She gasped as he flicked his fingers between her legs. “You’re going to make me dirty all over again.”
“Then good thing we’re already in the shower,” he said with a wicked grin, as he held her tightly. He reached outside the shower and grabbed a condom out of his jeans pocket. He picked her up, impaled her on his erection, and backed her against the tile wall.
Meg could barely breathe as she wrapped her arms and legs around him, holding on to his wet body as he pumped himself into her. She felt herself losing control, and screamed his name as she reached her climax.
Feeling her body contract around him, Sky shuddered. “Oh my God, Meg,” he grunted, as he found his release.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The next morning, Sky rolled over in bed and pulled Meg close to him. “Good morning, gorgeous. How’s my guardian angel this morning?”
Meg yawned. “Tired. I didn’t hear the alarm,” she said, as she rolled over. “What time is it?”
“Just after 5:30. I caught the alarm before it went off, but wanted to watch you sleep for a little while before I woke you up.”
“Crap! I’ve got to get up and get to work.” She bolted upright, threw back the covers and jumped out of bed.
“Call in sick, and stay in bed with me all day.”
“I can’t do that. People depend on me.” She disappeared into the bathroom, and a few minutes later returned to the bedroom, where she brushed her hair and pulled it into a ponytail. She dressed in scrubs and leaned in to kiss Sky goodbye.
Sky pouted. “That’s it?”
“If you wanted more, you should have woken me up sooner,” she said with a grin. “Can you lock up on the way out? I’m leaving my spare key on the dresser. Gotta go.”
Later that morning, while she was on break at work, her phone rang. She smiled when she looked at the screen. “Hey, handsome.”
“Hey, darlin’,” he replied. “I’ve been thinking about this coming weekend. I’ve got a run of three shows, and don’t want to leave you home alone.”
“I’ll be fine. An alarm company is coming tomorrow to do the installation.”
“The alarm’s already installed. I contacted a company, and they came first thing this morning.”
Meg sighed. “I’ll write you a check when I get home.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s on me.”
Meg closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Thanks, but you didn’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I did. You wouldn’t need an alarm if it wasn’t because of crazy Mallory. And, besides, I don’t want to worry about you all weekend. I want to keep you safe. So, come out on the road with me.”
“But, Sky…”
“Don’t make me beg, Meg. Please, come on out on the road with me this weekend.”
Just talking with you on the phone makes my knees weak and gets me all hot and bothered. “I don’t know…”
Sky was quiet for a moment, before asking, “Is it that you mind sharing a bus with the band?”
“Umm…no, but are you sure it’s okay with everyone?”
“The guys in the band don’t get a vote. I know Jack and Becky would love to have you out on the road with us, especially Becky. It would be great for her to have some female company.” When she didn’t answer right away, Sky added in a sexy half-whispered plea, “Come on, baby, don’t you want to share a bunk with me this weekend?”
Meg’s heart skipped a beat. “I find it very hard to resist you.”
He laughed out loud. “Good. I was counting on that. I’ll come by early afternoon tomorrow to pick you up. Bus call is at 6:00 p.m. We’re playing in Atlanta, Birmingham and Little Rock this weekend.”
The rest of the day dragged as Meg counted down the hours until she would see Sky again. When she got home from work that evening, she packed and re-packed her suitcase a dozen times, not sure what to bring with her. Finally, she decided to call Becky.
“Think of the bus as a moving hotel, except there’s pretty much zero privacy,” Becky explained. “You’ll want something to lounge around in and to wear to sleep, clothes for the shows, and extra clothes to wear during the day if you guys get away from the venues. Bring a pair of slippers or flip flops so you don’t have to go barefoot on the bus, because that floor can get pretty grungy. And you’ll want all your usual toiletries, but don’t worry about bringing a blow dryer – I keep one onboard.”
The conversation with Becky did little to calm Meg’s nerves. When Sky arrived the following afternoon to pick her up, he shook his head when he saw her two large suitcases in the hall. “Baby, there’s no way you can bring all of that with you. What the hell did you pack?”
“Umm…,” Meg said, shrugging her shoulders. “I didn’t know what to do.”
“I thought you talked to Becky.”
“I did, but…,” Meg hung her head low as her voice trailed off.
Sky felt an overwhelming need to protect her at that moment, and took her into his arms. He kissed her on top of her head, and said, “Let’s open your suitcases and see if we can get everything into one bag.”
He opened her luggage, and began tearing through the clothes she packed. “This is cute, but you’ll never wear it,” he said as he tossed aside a bulky sweater. “You also don’t need two pair of boots, in addition to the pair you’re wearing.” He picked out color-coordinated tops, two pair of jeans, and some yoga pant and camisole sets. “This should do it,” he said, as he began tightly rolling her clothes up and fitting them in the suitcase. “I’ll let you pick out your underwear, though,” he said with a mischievous grin. “Surprise me.”
Meg added some matching underwear sets to her suitcase, and was surprised by how easily she was able to zip the bag. “You’re a genius,” she said to Sky as she set the alarm and locked the door to her cottage before following him to his Tahoe. “Thanks for helping me.”
“Anytime, darlin’,” he said as he opened the passenger door for her.
As they were turning into the bus depot parking lot, a sudden realization hit Meg. “Do the guys know I’m coming along this weekend?”
“Yeah. I texted them this morning, so there wouldn’t be any surprises.” He smoothed her hair as he parked. “Don’t worry. It’s all going to be okay.” He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. “You’re my brave girl,” he whispered while nibbling on her ear.
Waves of pleasure shot through her core. “You’re getting me all hot and bothered,” she said. “And we’re not going to be able to do anything about it for the next four days.”
Sky took her hand and placed it over the crotch of his jeans so she could feel his arousal. “Oh, trust me, baby, we’re definitely going to do something about
it.” He squeezed her hand and added, “Come on, let’s get on board.”
Meg was greeted with hugs and kisses by Jack and Becky as she boarded the bus, and Sky introduced her to the rest of the band members. Just before they pulled out of the depot, Paul, their driver, winked at her, and said, “Welcome aboard, Meg.”
While most of the band members played cards in the front lounge, Meg felt the eyes of Beau, the keyboard player, on her every time she looked up from her book. After catching him staring at her, she shrugged her shoulders and asked, “What?”
He grinned and shook his head. “Sky gets all the good ones, I guess.” He turned around and picked up his cards.
“I’ll kill him,” Sky whispered in her ear as he dragged her to the back lounge. “It made me sick to see him hit on you in Tampa.”
Meg raised her eyebrows. “You saw that?”
“Of course I did,” he said. “I almost thought I lost my chance with you.”
“I felt the same way when I saw you surrounded by all the other girls at the after party.” Meg swallowed hard as she looked around the bus. How many girls has Sky brought back to this bus after concerts?
He read her mind. “I don’t want you thinking about my past this weekend. I want to concentrate on the future, and making memories with you.” He kissed her hard on the lips. “Only you.”
After a few hours on the road, Paul brought the bus to a stop outside a diner, and they crowded into two tables. Meg ordered a salad, but Sky shook his head, and changed her order to a burger and fries.
“Don’t order a salad here. Everything they serve is brown, including the lettuce,” he said. “I’ll take you out to lunch tomorrow in Atlanta for a salad.”
Becky nodded her head in the direction of a table filled with giggling teenage girls. “We’ve been spotted.”
Meg watched as Jack and Sky signed autographs and posed for photos with everyone who approached them. “You’re great with the fans,” she said as they walked hand in hand towards the bus after dinner.
“The fans are great to us,” Sky said. “We’d be nowhere without them.”
Love Hard (Anything But Mine Book 2) Page 10