Holding a Hero

by Layne, Lyssa

  “It’s probably just a mild concussion,” Tom repeated.

  As much as the football player irritated him, Johnny knew he was right. He’d once had a bad concussion from a fan throwing a beer bottle that hit him square in the nose. He’d tried to finish the set, but vomiting, double vision and ringing in his ears made it impossible. Joel insisted he go to the hospital, where they hadn’t allowed him to sleep or take any medicine for a few hours.

  “I’m going to bed,” Tom announced.

  Apparently satisfied Johnny had things under control, Charlie and Evan pulled their chairs to the table and began a card game.

  Montana’s eyes drifted shut. “I want to sleep, too.”

  “Baby,” Johnny said, “you can’t. Not yet.”

  “I’m tired.”

  “No.” He touched her shoulder. “Talk to me.”

  Her gray eyes opened and found his. “About what?”

  “Whatever you want,” he said. “I’ll sing for you.”

  She smiled. “I’d like that.”

  Grabbing a chair from the table, Johnny set it next to the bed and chose a slow, soft ballad from Heartbeat. Although most of the songs had been written for and about Teal, he still liked some of those songs a lot.

  He wished the public had connected with the raw emotion he’d put into them. Bu they hadn’t wanted love songs—they craved the dirty, raunchy Johnny he’d always been.

  After the last notes faded away, Montana smiled. “I love that one.”

  Her praise sent warmth straight to his heart. Unlike most of the women he knew, Montana didn’t gush over him, offering endless praise that meant nothing. When she offered a compliment, it was meant.

  She was exceptional.

  Too special for him.

  His actions had hurt her physically. If they’d screwed, he would have hurt her emotionally. In the morning, when she felt better, he’d ask her to take him out of the mountains. He needed to get back to his real life and the kind of women he understood.

  With a heavy heart, he opened his mouth to sing another song.

  ~*~

  Montana woke to the scents of coffee and frying eggs. A curtain hung between her bed and the men, but she heard them moving around and speaking in low voices. When she swung her legs off the bunk, pain slammed through her head.

  “Ouch.” She touched her forehead as memories of the night before poured through her brain. Kissing Johnny. Running away and falling. Hitting her head and blacking out. Maybe.

  The concern in his eyes as he sang to her.

  He’d sung to her until it was safe for her to sleep.

  He must care a little bit to do something like that. Her heart squeezed. Maybe she’d misread him last night and more than a fast lay mattered to him. Before she could mull it over, the curtain was pulled back and Johnny stuck his head inside.

  “You’re awake. How’re you feeling?”

  “Not too bad, considering.”

  “Do you need help getting dressed?”

  “No. I can manage.” She wore thermal underwear with a bra and panties underneath, but she felt exposed to his gaze, although his expression was unreadable. If he had any thought about seeing her half undressed the previous night, he didn’t show it.

  “We’re eating, but if you want to rest longer, the others are leaving soon,” he said.

  “Hunting?”

  “No, they’re going home. Apparently Mr. Football killed an elk yesterday and is ready to head out.” Johnny didn’t hide his disdain for Tom.

  Montana’s lips twitched at the name he bestowed on her ex-fiancé. She had no desire to spar with him today. Her head still ached and another hour or two of sleep sounded good. “I need to get up and see about the horses.” She struggled to stand. “And you’ll want to hunt…”

  He put a hand on her shoulder. A bolt of awareness shot through her at his touch. “Montana.”

  “Yes?”

  “Relax.” He gave a gentle squeeze. “The horses and mule are munching oats and I’m not worried about hunting today. I’m more concerned about your health.”

  “I’m fine.” She swayed and put a hand on the wall to steady herself.

  “You’re not fine. You have a concussion. Just rest and let me take care of things.”

  Unused to having anyone to lean on since her father’s death, she didn’t know how to act with someone babying her. It was a strange sensation. Making it weirder was Johnny doing the coddling.

  Music superstar waiting on her.

  Strange beyond words.

  She sank onto her bunk. “If you’re sure—”

  “I’m positive. Now get some sleep.” He tugged the sleeping bag closed.

  ~*~

  Montana woke with a jolt. Unsure how long she’d slept, she stared at her unfamiliar surroundings, trying to orient herself. Memories of the previous night crashed through her head. Pushing them away, she wiggled out of the sleeping bag and stood. She felt a lot better, almost normal. Her forehead hurt a little, but the headache had disappeared.

  She picked up her clothing from the end of the bed. Making a face at the blood on the collar of her shirt, she dressed, leaving the soiled garment where she’d found it. Johnny had undressed her. If she hadn’t run from him last night, he would have seen everything.

  With a deep breath, she opened the curtain.

  Johnny looked up from the table where he sat scribbling something on a piece of paper. “Hi. How’re you feeling?”

  “Better.”

  He stood and pulled out a chair for her. “Are you hungry?”

  “No, but I could use coffee if there is any.” She sat in the chair. “The guys left?”

  “Yeah, they said we could stay as long as we like. Even the rest of the week if we want to.”

  “I have free access here,” Montana said. “I talked to Evan and Charlie’s mom a few days ago and she told me they didn’t have plans to use it.” She bit her bottom lip. “I’m sorry about Tom.”

  Johnny laughed. “That jerk with the tiny dick? He has a big mouth, but nothing I can’t handle.” He poured a cup of coffee from the pot on the stove and set it in front of her. After refreshing his own cup, he sat across from her. “You look better. How’s your head?”

  “I feel fine.” She brushed a strand of hair away from her cheek, noticing for the first time that it was stiff with dried blood. “Yuck. My hair’s a mess though.”

  “You always look beautiful.” The warmth in his eyes made her stomach clench. He quickly masked it and cleared his throat. “About last night… I feel responsible… it won’t happen again.”

  “Good.” Montana hid her warring disappointment and relief with a cool look. “We can ride out soon if you like.”

  He shook his head. “You’re not up to it. Besides, you promised me a soak in the hot springs. I think it might do you a lot of good, too.”

  The thought of washing her body and bloody hair sounded wonderful. What didn’t sound as appealing was skinny dipping with Johnny. With a head injury, she didn’t dare go to the springs alone. If she slipped into unconsciousness, she could easily drown.

  “Do you have a towel? If not, there are some here.”

  “I have one.” He ran a hand over his jaw. “I could use a shave, too.”

  “I like your stubbly face.” She blushed, thinking of his rough chin hair on her bare skin.

  “You do?” His sexy smile sent shivers coursing through her.

  Instead of answering, she thought about his words. He’d just said he wouldn’t kiss her again, so why was he flirting? Had charming women become so much a part of his job that he didn’t even realize when he did it?

  “I’m going to get undressed.” She pinned him with a stern look. “For the hot springs.” She stood and walked to the bunk where she’d spent the night. After closing the curtain, she took off her clothes and pulled on a blue track suit. Stepping into her boots, leaving them unlaced, she took a deep breath and slid open the curtain.

  Jo
hnny knelt in front of the fire, stoking it. Like her, he wore a sweat suit and boots. She grinned. Where was Mr. Sexy now? As her gaze roamed over him, she couldn’t help but notice the clingy fabric hugging his thighs and oh-so-fine ass and her smile faded. He could wear a bear skin and his sexy would still be there. Getting naked with this guy was going to be an exercise in self-control. Probably better to stay inside. But her sticky hair brushed her cheek, winning the battle within. She really should clean up.

  The combination of cold air and hot water made thick steam, so she could hide if she needed to.

  She’d absolutely require the fog’s veil to conceal her emotions.

  “Is the fire banked? We’ll be warm in the water, but the return is chilly.”

  He stood and faced her. “Yeah. All set.”

  “Let’s go.” Montana walked toward the door without looking back.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  The hot springs sat several hundred yards from the cabin and the path wound through snow-covered pines. Montana knew the way well. She’d been here many times.

  Although the sky glimmered with bright sunlight, the cold sent steam from the hot water rising into the clear air. A low gurgling alerted them when they drew near.

  Scattered gray boulders at the northern end of the pools made natural dressing rooms. She pointed toward one. “You can use that to undress.” She indicated another section. “I’ll go in here and meet you back here in a minute.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” His smile made her stomach do the Snoopy dance.

  Between the giant rocks, Montana slipped out of her clothes. After stepping back into her boots, she wrapped the towel around her and stepped into the open. A smile lifted her mouth. Johnny wore a towel low on his hips and boots on his feet.

  Her smile faded as her gaze roamed his chest and carved abs. With corded muscles in his arms and shoulders, the guy looked like he worked out every day. His legs, bare from above the knee to his boot tops, looked as strong and muscled as his upper half.

  Swallowing hard, she forced her gaze away. “Ready?”

  “Yep.” His eyes seemed locked on her legs and she resisted the urge to cross them.

  “Watch the rocks here. They can be slippery.” Her voice came out breathy as a teenage girl’s.

  At the very edge of the water, Montana stepped out of her boots. “Turn around until I say turn back.”

  He grinned, but complied.

  Leaving her folded clothes and towel on top of her boots, Montana stepped into the hot water. Smooth pebbles on the bottom made walking a little difficult. The springs, fed by a trickle bubbling up from the ground, ranged from around four feet deep to about eight feet at the deepest spot. Rumors said old-time miners or prospectors had pushed boulders into the water to use as seats. The rocks had been worn smooth over the years and made perfect benches.

  Montana sank onto one of the flat rocks where the water was deep enough to cover her chest.

  “I’m decent. Come in.”

  She turned her head away as Johnny slipped into the water. He looked like a ghost moving through the thick mist as he swam, gliding from one end of the small pool to the other. Finally, he joined her on a nearby seat. Tipping his head back, he stared at the clear blue sky.

  “This is great.”

  “It’s pretty nice,” Montana agreed.

  “Nice doesn’t describe it.” Johnny sighed. “I didn’t realize how knotted up I was until now.”

  “I know.” Montana’s tension slowly melted as she soaked in the hot water. “I hope Adrian is doing better now that she’s at a lower elevation.”

  “I’m sure Joel has gotten her the best medical care possible.”

  Curiosity about her former college friend got the better of Montana. “Where did you meet Joel?”

  Johnny focused his attention on her, his blue eyes intent. “When we started to make a little coin, I had no idea what to do with it. I sing. I write songs. What I don’t do is manage money very well. I knew I needed to find somebody smarter than me to take care of that side of things.” He flattened his palms on the water’s surface and moved them back and forth. “I asked my dad for a recommendation and he suggested Joel. He worked for my dad’s bank and they thought highly of him there.”

  “Your dad’s a banker?” She shook her head.

  “Yeah. President of Seattle Loan and Finance. After college, Joel worked in the loan department. My father thought Joel would be a good fit for me. I hired him to manage my money, which he oversees, but his main job is taking care of us—me.”

  “Joel and I lost touch after college,” Montana said. “I had no idea where he went, or that he ever thought of me again.”

  “You’re pretty unforgettable.” Johnny’s eyes darkened to midnight blue.

  Montana looked away and stared into the steam surrounding them. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”

  “Actually, I don’t.”

  He sounded as sincere as a used car salesman, which made her laugh. “Right.”

  “You have a low opinion of me, don’t you?”

  “Not you, per se. But I know how celebrities are…a girl in every port and all that…”

  “You’re judging me because that piece of shit football player couldn’t recognize a good thing when he had it?” He sounded flat-out mad. “Yeah, I’ve done the player thing and slept with a bunch of girls. But I grew up. I eventually wised up, too. My marriage taught me a lot about what I do and don’t want.”

  She stared at him openmouthed as he continued.

  “I’ve been separated for a year, and officially divorced for six months. Yeah, I’ve fucked a lot of women since the day the ink dried, but the only one I gave a damn about ran off on me, not the other way around.” He snorted at her disbelieving look. “I can see you don’t buy it, but I’m telling the truth. At first I went crazy, but after a while it all seemed pointless.”

  “The internet—”

  “Is full of crap,” he said flatly. “Lies and made-up bullshit.”

  Of course she didn’t believe everything she read, especially online, but there had been so many web pages with pictures of him with one woman or another, it seemed implausible he had been in love. Montana wiggled down in the water and tipped her head back so that her hair floated out behind her. She pondered Johnny’s words. Were they true?

  Tom, too, had proclaimed his innocence when it came to affairs.

  Now that she’d seen Tom again, she’d gotten a clearer look at him—she realized if his mouth had been moving he’d been lying. Why hadn’t she been able to see it then? Blinded by love? Or was she just unable to see the truth when it was right in front of her nose?

  She pushed up out of the water, deep in thought. She shoved her hair back from her face, wincing when her palm connected with the cut on her forehead.

  Could she trust Johnny? Or was he lying, too?

  He and Tom weren’t the same man.

  From the moment she’d met him, Johnny had been honest. Maybe a little crude at times, but never dishonest as far as she could tell. Her gut, and more importantly her heart, wanted to trust him.

  She didn’t realize she’d bared her breasts for a moment. Not until Johnny’s gaze locked on them. Heat flooded her cheeks and she crossed her arms and slid down under the water.

  “You don’t have to run from me.” His husky voice sent shivers dancing across her exposed skin.

  Indecision warred within her.

  The injury on her forehead was a painful reminder that she wasn’t able to take Shannon’s advice and have a meaningless quickie. She just wasn’t made that way--something she’d known all along.

  But an afternoon spent in Johnny’s arms, something she could tuck away to take out later, held a great deal of appeal. If she could stand the heartache of seeing him with other women on TV or the internet.

  Montana nibbled her bottom lip.

  She stood, turned and waded to the edge of the pool. With a cool look over her shoulder, she said, “I�
�m hot. Coming?”

  He lifted his smoldering gaze from her ass. “Right behind you.”

  Johnny’s husky voice sent a shockwave straight to her lower stomach. Montana wrapped her towel around her and stepped into her boots. Picking up her clothes, she led the way to the cabin on wobbly legs. She’d bet her last dollar Johnny had never been seduced by a woman dressed like her. Giggles built low in her stomach like champagne bubbles and she forcibly swallowed them.

  At the cabin door, she struggled with the doorknob.

  Johnny crowded behind her. “I’ll get it.”

  His erection pressed against her bottom. Any second thoughts flew away with the clouds. She wanted him. Needed to be with him. If today was her only chance, then so be it. She’d deal with repercussions later.

  Johnny covered her hand with his, held it there a moment and then turned the knob.

  With a deep, shuddering breath, Montana stepped across the threshold.

  “I’ll build up the fire,” Johnny said.

  Her internal fire already raged, but Montana nodded. “I should dry my hair.”

  How could her voice sound normal?

  Stepping to her bunk, she closed the curtain behind her. She took the towel from her body and wrapped it around her head. Satisfied her dripping hair was sufficiently wrung out, she removed the towel and ran shaking fingers through the tangles.

  Nerves had her stomach jumping like a herd of stampeding horses. Johnny had been with a lot of women, including porn stars and strippers. Montana’d only had a couple lovers. She wasn’t sure what he would want her to do—weird or kinky stuff she’d never even thought of? She’d draw the line at anything strange.

  With her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, she slid back the curtain. Like an old-time movie goddess, she held the drape over her breasts and one cocked hip. “Johnny?”

  His gaze roamed over her and a slow, sexy grin slid across his face. “You called my name?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Like a mountain lion stalking his prey, he crept toward her. “What do you want with me?”

  “I have a few ideas.” She wet her lips, amazed at her own boldness.