This was my perfect opening. “I’ve been there. Actually, my husband is the assistant manager.”
What flared in Will’s eyes wasn’t surprise, but it was definitely disappointment. “Ah. Your husband, huh?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I know I haven’t mentioned much about him—”
“No, you never mentioned anything about him. I’d heard that you were living with some guy, but since you never said anything, I figured it was just a roommate situation.” He glanced at my hand. “You don’t wear a wedding ring.”
“No. Things haven’t been settled between us, but we’re better now. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to mislead you. I haven’t said anything to anyone, really. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen.”
“And now you are? Sure, I mean?” He raised one eyebrow. “Are you sure you’re sure?”
“I know I’m committed. I know I’m not interested in anyone else.” I met Will’s eyes. “We’ve both had things to work out, but in the end, Trent’s the only one I see. He’s my always.”
“Okay then.” Will sighed. “I can’t say I’m thrilled to hear that, but I guess I’m happy for you.” His mouth twisted into an almost-smile. “Maybe it’s my turn to go drown my sorrows in pastries.”
“Tell you what.” I hit save on the letter I’d been writing and closed my laptop. “I’ll walk over to Kiki’s with you, and I’ll treat you to one of her specialties. It’s the least I can do, right?”
“What’s her specialty?” Will followed me out of the office.
I grinned at him over my shoulder. “That’s the coolest part. We won’t know until we get there and she sees you. Once that happens, she’ll know what you need.”
“Sounds a little weird, but what the hell. Lead the way.”
I’d just finished my chocolate croissant when my phone went off again. I rolled my eyes and lifted it up to show Kiki. “Maureen keeps sending me pictures of this dog. I’m starting to feel like he’s stalking me.” I glanced at the screen and frowned. The number of this text wasn’t Maureen’s. I opened it up and scanned the message.
This is Mason. Thought you might want to know Trent is playing guitar tonight with our act. You should come over and catch the show. PS I didn’t tell him I told you.
“Everything okay?” Will licked some raspberry jelly from his thumb. Kiki had pronounced him in need of a double-jelly Danish, and from the looks of it, she’d been on target as usual.
“Yeah. Apparently my husband is playing at the Road Block tonight.” I knit my eyebrows together. “I wonder . . .”
“You’re going to go, right?” Kiki stood on the other side of the counter, hands on her hips and eyes questioning.
“I guess so. But he didn’t ask me to be there. Mason did.”
Kiki shook her head. “You need to be there. Trent will never tell you he wants your support, but he does.” She shot an arch glance at Will. “Men sometimes don’t know what they want or what’s good for them. It’s up to the women to let them know.”
Will snorted and said something else, but I was too busy staring at the phone to pay attention. Before I could change my mind, I typed a response.
I’ll be there.
He was good.
No, better than that. He was amazing.
My husband was a freaking rock star.
Okay, so he wasn’t playing rock; it was folk music. Still, he was phenomenal. Watching him up there on the stage with the pretty blonde singer, I fell in love with him all over again, on an entirely different level. Since I’d met him, Trent had been fighting just to keep his head above water, certain he was destined to get the raw end of every deal and the short end of every stick. Life hadn’t been kind to him.
But tonight, with his eyes closed and his fingers moving over the guitar strings as his voice joined with Crissy Darwin’s, he was different—lighter and more alive than I’d ever seen him.
I knew the moment he spotted me. His eyes lit up, and it felt like energy flowed between us, a spark that shot straight to my core. Even with the throngs of people pushing me as I stood alongside the stage, it was almost as if we were alone. I wanted to crawl across the stage and slide my body up against his until he fell on me, pressing every inch of his strength into me.
“He’s good.” Mason’s voice was suddenly at my ear. “He’s damned good. I had no fucking idea.” He sounded delighted, like a kid on Christmas morning. “Did you know? Have you heard him play?”
I shook my head. “I knew he used to play. We went to see a band at the Riptide back in the Cove, and he mentioned it. But he told me he’d sold his guitar for gas money to Michigan when he left to work for Nolan. I remember thinking I’d get him one for his birthday, but then . . .” I lifted my shoulder. “You know. Stuff happened. I just forgot.”
Mason nodded. “He’s too good not to be doing something with it. I’m going to talk to him tonight. I’ve still got connections in Nashville, and I could get him linked up with a promoter, maybe get him into play for a recording studio. There’re no guarantees, but it’s worth a shot.”
“If you can talk him into it.” I sighed as the tempo of the music changed, morphing into a sweet love song that threatened to melt me into a puddle. “Now go away. I want to soak in every minute of this.”
Mason chuckled and fell silent, though I knew he stayed close to my side. When they finished and the lights went down, he leaned down to me again.
“They’ll be in the back, right through the door next to the kitchen. It says Employees Only, but come on back when you’re ready. I’m going to say goodbye before I take off.”
I turned to follow him, but for some reason, I hesitated. The Trent I’d seen on stage had been almost a stranger, and I was a little shy about going to see him. I’d never been a groupie, but tonight I felt like one. Plus, he hadn’t told me he’d be performing tonight. I wondered if he was going to be pissed that I’d shown up unexpectedly. Maybe he didn’t even want me here.
I’d nearly talked myself into sneaking out and driving home when someone grabbed my arm. “Hey there. Bet you don’t remember me.”
The woman smirking at me was probably a good fifteen years older than me and looked a little familiar, but I couldn’t quite place her.
“I’m Darcy. We met your first night in town.”
Now I did remember. A little. “Oh, yes. You have the same name as my best friend from law school.” I winced as memories from that night flashed through my mind. “I’m sorry if I was rude that night. I was a little, um, nervous about moving here.”
Darcy laughed. “Oh, honey, I’ve seen much worse. Don’t worry about it. Come on, I’m going to take you to see Trent. You looked like you might be a little lost.” She pulled at my arm, and I had no choice but to let myself be moved.
She kept talking as we walked. “We just love Trent. He works hard, he’s always willing to lend a hand, and he’s not full of himself, you know? He’s made a big difference here.” She stopped by a door, turned the knob and gave me a slight shove. “Here you go. See you later.”
I stumbled into the hallway, glancing around. A few feet away, Mason was chatting with Trent and Crissy. When he spotted me, he nodded in my direction, and Trent turned. Before I could say anything, he was on me, catching me in his arms and spinning me around.
“Baby, how did you know?” His face was glowing. That was the only way I could describe it. Gladness swelled in my heart.
“Mason texted me.” I reached up to touch his hair, which was still slick with sweat. “My only question is, why didn’t you?”
He blew out a long breath. “I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out. I was scared shitless, babe. If I’d screwed it up, I didn’t want you having a front-row seat.” He cupped my face between his hands and lowered his lips to mine, nudging my mouth open and teasing me with his tongue. When he pressed his body against mine, I felt a surge of the same connection I’d experienced when he was performing, and judging by the hard ridge under his fly, I guessed he
was on the same page.
All I wanted to do was drag him home—or some other dark, private place—and cover every inch of his skin with my mouth. But before I could make this suggestion, Crissy came over to introduce herself to me. I tried to smile and play nice, but it wasn’t easy with Trent’s fingers teasing at my hip, rubbing the skin just above my jeans.
Crissy wanted to talk with Trent before she left town, and the two of them set up to meet for lunch the next day. I wondered if she had the same thoughts as Mason about Trent’s talent and future in music, but honestly, I just wanted her to leave so that I could have my husband all to myself.
“I still have to hang out until closing, to make sure everything runs smoothly. Can you stay with me?” Trent held me close again, brushing my hair away from my face.
Staying here was the last thing I wanted to do, but I agreed. I wasn’t very excited about sitting at the same bar where I’d gotten wasted and embarrassed myself a few months back, but I followed him out into the club anyway.
Someone at a table called his name, and once they began chatting, I realized that the man who’d yelled for Trent was Cory’s son Flynn. His very pregnant wife sat next to him, and the guy at the far end of the table was her brother Sam and his wife Meghan.
When Trent explained that he was still working, they invited me to join them while I waited for my husband. I glanced at Trent, wondering if he wanted me to say yes or no, but the prospect of staying here, instead of at the bar, made me agree quickly.
They were a friendly group, quick to include me in their conversation. Ali leaned across the table and squeezed my hand.
“Between Cory and Maureen, I feel like I know you. Maybe once I finally pop out this kid, we could get together some time.”
“I’d like that.” I smiled and turned to Meghan. “It’s good to meet you. I know your mom and Logan pretty well. Logan rented me the space for my law office back in the Cove.”
Meghan nodded, but she seemed uncomfortable. I wondered if she’d heard something about me she didn’t like.
“Jude and Logan are great, aren’t they?” Sam slung an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “So you met Trent down there, and then you moved up here?”
“Yes.” I decided there wasn’t any need to go into detail about how we’d happened to end up in Georgia. “I had to close up my law practice in Crystal Cove before I came up to Burton, and Trent had some issues to take care of with his mother.” I figured they probably already knew all about Donna and her history.
“I’m so glad Trent found someone like you.” Ali beamed. “We were all in the same class, Flynn and Trent and me, and we used to hang out together. He was always so sweet, but he dated the skankiest girls.”
“Ali.” Flynn laughed, shaking his head.
“It’s the truth,” Ali protested. “And if you’re wondering why my sister-in-law is looking so guilty over there, it’s because she was one of Trent’s less-skanky conquests. Back before she met my brother, of course.”
“Ali!” Meghan’s face was aghast. “Seriously, who says things like that?”
“Only my sister.” Sam patted his wife’s back. “Relax, sugar. It’s in the distant past. Your taste in men has only improved with time.” He winked at me. “No offense to you or Trent.”
Meghan covered her face with her hands and peeked at me between her fingers. “I’m sorry. I was drunk and stupid and blowing off steam.”
“But if you hadn’t gotten drunk and stupid, I wouldn’t have met you.” Sam kissed her head. “And you could’ve done a lot worse than Trent, if you had to blow off steam with someone.”
“Meghan, don’t worry about it. Trent was honest with me about his past when we met. No hard feelings on my part.” I smiled. “And in the interest of full disclosure, the first night I got to town, I got drunk and stupid, too, right here in this bar. So believe me, I’m not throwing stones.”
Meghan seemed to relax after that. We chatted about people we both knew in the Cove, and she told me a little about her job teaching art in the Burton elementary school. I was having a grand time when Flynn announced it was time for him to take Ali home.
“He’s scared I’ll turn into a pumpkin for real if he keeps me out too late.” Ali stood up and stretched her back. “Hopefully the next time you see me, I’ll have a flat stomach and a new bundle of joy.”
After they’d all left, I wandered over to the bar. It seemed as though the evening was winding down, and most people were heading out. I sat down on a barstool as Trent oversaw the closing time tasks.
“Hey, babe. Almost done here.” He came over and leaned over the bar, twisting a strand of my hair around his finger. “Thanks for being patient.”
I raised myself up to be closer to him, touching my lips to his with the lightest of kisses. “I think I’m tired of being patient.”
His forehead wrinkled in consternation until he got my meaning, and then a smile spread over his face.
“All good things come to those who wait.” He tugged on my hair, urging my head back so that my throat was exposed to him, and ran his lips down the column.
“I don’t want to wait anymore for all the good things. I want them now.” I dug my fingers into his shoulders.
“I think we can make that happen.” Trent’s eyes smoldered with the same fire that was currently building inside me. “Give me two minutes.”
Trent was as good as his word. Two minutes later, he grabbed my hand and pulled me off the stool, through the darkened club and to the back door, where he paused just long enough to set the alarm.
“Crud.” I came to a halt as he began to move toward his truck. “I have my car here, too, remember? We’ll have to drive home separately.”
“Nuh-uh.” He shook his head. “I’m not letting you get that far away from me tonight. We’ll leave my truck here, and you can drive me back tomorrow, okay?”
“Sounds perfect.”
We stepped carefully through the pitch-black night until we came to my BMW, parked in the far corner of the lot. I held up my key to Trent.
“You want to drive?”
“Nope.” In the dim light from the safety lamp above, his eyes glinted predatorily. “You drive. I want my hands free.”
I opened my car door and slid behind the wheel. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’ll see.” Trent shot me a cocky grin. “Now drive me home, woman.”
I cut straight across the empty lot to the highway. It was deserted this time of night, but I still drove carefully, mindful that animals were out and about, just waiting to dart in front of my car.
“Are you still flying high?” I glanced at him sideways. “You were so incredible tonight. I knew you could play the guitar, but up there—oh, my God.”
“It was a pretty surreal experience.” He shifted in his seat so that he faced me. “I was so nervous, I thought I was going to pass out. Then I settled down into it, and it was cool.” He reached across and with one finger traced the inseam of my jeans, just above my knee. I shivered.
“And then, just when I thought I was probably going to make it through without crashing and burning, I saw you.” His finger inched a little higher, a little closer to the spot that was pulsing, waiting for his touch. “When I saw your face, any possibility of doing anything other than rocking that show went out the window.”
“Mmmmm.” I was listening to him, but a good part of my attention was focused on his finger on the inside of my thigh.
“You know why? Because you make me want to be a better man. You make me want to be someone you could be proud of.” He hovered for a second right where I wanted him but instead of touching me, he moved to the other side and ran the tip of his finger down. I wanted to cry in frustration.
“All I could think of when I saw you watching me was that I could do this. I could . . . blow you away.” He crept his hand up, up . . . closer . . . My breath caught. “I could rock your world.”
As he spoke the last word, two of his
fingers pressed between my legs, and I thought I was going to fly through the roof. I arched up, desperate to have more of his touch, wishing like hell we were already at home.
“So are you going to rock my world?” I managed to eek out a whisper.
“Baby, count on it.” He rubbed a little harder.
“God, Trent.” I was panting. “I’m going to run us off the road.”
“Can’t have that.” He withdrew his hand to my knee. “Just get us home fast.”
I growled in frustration, and Trent laughed softly.
“You’re mean. And you’re a tease.” I gave the gas pedal a little more pressure.
“Nope. I wasn’t teasing. I was just giving you a little appetizer. Preview of coming attractions.” His grin was wolfish, and I shivered.
He kept his hand on my leg for the five minutes it took to get us home, but he didn’t say anything else until I pulled up to the curb in front of the apartment. The minute I took the keys out of the ignition, he ratcheted his seat back as far as it would go and reached for me, dragging me onto his lap.
“God, I’m dying for you.” He mumbled the words as his hands raked through my hair, gripping my neck and pushing my face down until our mouths collided in a rush of tongues and lips. I heard small, desperate sounds and realized they were coming from me.
Trent’s tongue plunged against mine, and his hands slid to my hips, then under my shirt and up to cup my breasts. I arched, my breath coming in short bursts.
“What do you want, baby? Tell me what you want.” He teased his thumbs just under my nipples, over the silk of the bra.
“You. I want you. All of you.” I grasped his wrists and moved his hands to where I wanted them, writhing as he curled his fingers to tug down the cups. With one hand, he shoved up my shirt and lowered his mouth to fasten on one aching nipple.
“Baby.” He whispered the word with my breast still in his mouth, making me moan. “You taste so fucking good. I’ve missed this so damned much.”
Always My Own (Always Love Trilogy #2) Page 19