One for the Road

by Lynne Marshall

  She went limp in his grasp. Her eyes brimmed and her chin quivered. He loved her. She hesitated, then squeezed her lids shut forcing tears down her cheeks. “Yes, I know that,” she said, rushing the words. “But…there’s so much I need to sort out.”

  “No you don’t, Dee.” He gathered her into his arms. “We’ll make it work.” He kissed her forehead. She felt the sting of his lips on her skin.

  “I could never handle living in the limelight with you.” She hedged and fought with all of her might to sound logical. “You know that.”

  “I’ve never seen you not handle anything, darlin’.” He kissed her hair and looked her over like he’d never seen her before. “Limelight? Success? Hell, I’d rather have self-respect, my band…and you. That is, if you’ll have me.”

  D’Anne’s pulse rushed and then settled. Shame made her blush. She did know him better than that. She knew he had the best intentions of any man she’d ever met. How could she ever doubt him? With a sigh, she stood on her toes, reached her arms around his neck, and opened her mouth. With every fiber of feeling beating in her chest, she kissed his lips. And like always, he responded. They lost themselves under the stars in a few moments of heaven. Then, difficult as it was, she pulled away.

  “So, you’re really interested in this mature California woman, now that she’s broke?”

  Tyler cleared his throat and tapped his boot in the desert sand like he needed to think about it, making D’Anne feel jittery…bringing on a hot flash. He raised his gorgeous eyes in a mischievous manner. “That depends.”

  Doubt caused her nerves to twitch and dance under her skin. Her breathing went out of sync. She tried a dry swallow. “On what?”

  “Do you love me?”

  Relief rushed over her quicker than she could blink. She didn’t have to think twice. “Yes. I love you.”

  He remained quiet and she knew he needed to hear more. She longed to fall into his embrace and make all his doubts disappear, but she couldn’t. Her chance to explain all she’d been through; how she’d grown and changed since she’d met him was too important. Would he understand?

  “I’ve finally had a taste of being on my own these last few weeks…and I liked it. Hell, I loved it.” She nervously scratched her brow, digging for thoughts and excuses. “I don’t want to rush into anything and end up standing in someone else’s shadow again. I want life on my terms, now.”

  Tyler stood straighter, looking handsome and sincere. “I’m not asking you to stand behind me, Dee. I’m asking you to stand beside me. I want you to be my lover, my friend, my business manager and— what do you call it in California—co-leader?”

  “Facilitator.” She corrected before she could stop herself.

  “Whatever,” he said, rolling his eyes.

  She laughed and relaxed the slightest bit. “Honestly, I don’t know about this, Ty.” She

  faltered, her voice weak. “But I do know I love you and I don’t want to miss this adventure.”

  “As long as we love each other, Dee. It’ll make all the difference in the world.”

  He opened his arms and she rushed to his chest. “I come with lots of baggage and I’ve got to tell you, I need to run this by my sons.”

  She waited for his understanding and empathy. With a switch of weight from one hip to the other and a discerning flick of his eyes, Tyler once again proved why she could love him so much.

  “Slick, I wouldn’t expect it any other way.” He showed his gorgeous country singer stage smile. “Hell, I knew that much about you the first day I saw your cockeyed license plate. If you never had the heart to change that dang thing, I figured you’d never take off with a man like me…that is without asking your boys first.”

  She backed away and crossed her arms, pretending to be insulted. It didn’t fool Tyler. Standing six feet apart and wanting with all her heart to hold him again, she switched tack.

  “I’ve been meaning to ask you something that’s bugged me the entire trip.”

  His eyes shifted.

  “How the heck did you plan on getting Dexter home?”

  Tyler tilted his head to the moon. With his face half in shadows he flashed D’Anne a relieved, smart aleck grin. “I got paid enough tonight to fly him back first class on an airplane if I want.”

  “Yeah?” She socked his arm. “Well, you still owe me money.”

  “That was my back-up plan. I hoped you’d keep tagging along if I owed you money.”

  “Well, you know I’m broke, so you better pay me.” She opened the RV door and started to climb inside.

  “I’ll pay you after you talk to the boys. See where we stand then. If I like the answer, I might even give you a raise.” He patted her ass.

  Once inside, Tyler pulled her close, pressed his mouth over hers and took possession. Her heartbeat went ragged. She kissed him back, tasted the spearmint that was so much a part of who he was. “I love you, Dee,” he murmured. His mustache teased and danced over her lips and skin, prickling her flesh, sending chills down her neck while her toes curled in her fashionable pointy mules. Her knees would have given out if he hadn’t held her so tight. She smelled some fancy performer’s type of cologne that was so not him and wanted to wash it from his skin with her kisses.

  Tyler’s warm lips were more thrilling, intimate, and real, than anything she could ever remember. And she knew there was no place else she’d rather be than in the RV, traveling with him across the country. Her hands explored broad shoulders and a strong back on a life-sized map of tall and sexy male.

  He was a man she trusted…and loved. He’d never let her down. The totality of the thought made her woozy.

  She needed to come up for air.

  “Ty?” She breathed his name.

  “Hmm?” He seemed intent on staring at the delicate spot on her neck he’d just ravished as if he planned to go back for more real soon.

  His breath tickled across her cheek when he dipped his head for a second world-consuming kiss.

  “Baby,” she breathed the word before their lips met. “I’ll drive you anywhere.”

  His big hands swept down to her hips and lifted her. And right there inside the RV in the middle of the Native American School parking lot, he carried her to the bedroom—plopped her down on the mattress—and in a split second, joined her.

  They stretched around each other, sighed, moaned and groaned in a sudden frenzy of lust. Just when things were really heating up, a thump on the bed followed by wet, lapping kisses alerted them to Dexter. They tore apart.

  “Dexter, get down!” Tyler gently pushed him off the bed with his boot.

  The dog jumped back up.

  D’Anne and Tyler looked at each other and laughed. Tyler shook his head. D’Anne felt completely relaxed, almost floating on air with her lover and her favorite adopted mutt.

  “Guess we know who’s running this show,” he said.

  “Yeah, well enough of this foreplay, cowboy. We’ve still got business to take care of.” She whipped out her cell phone Tyler had recovered from the floor of the RV.

  Tyler dug into his fancy white pants pocket for his. They both speed dialed.

  He kissed her quickly, one last time. “We’ll pick up where we left off, later.”

  Dean’s phone was turned off.

  Tyler made contact. “Ricky-Bob? It’s Ty.” He lay back on the pillow and stared at the ceiling to talk.

  “I need to pay you guys. Where can I meet you?” Tyler listened intently for a few seconds, brushing D’Anne’s hand with his fingertips. “Well, that know-it-all don’t-know-nothin’ Bear got it wrong.” Tyler sat up in irritation, clutched her hand and squeezed. “Hell no, I didn’t sign any contract. I tore those papers up and plan to tell Pauline to her face. I didn’t want to blow the gig with Tanya.” He looked at D’Anne and whispered, “That damn Bear.” Tyler’s eyes widened with surprise. “Guess I’m on a speaker phone? Now listen Bear, you should’ve come to me and cleared this up. I was goin’ to wait until I pa
id ya to tell y’all we’re going to be recording for Dwayne Hudson and the Sundown label in a month. All of us.”

  Cheers could be heard through Tyler’s phone. A high-pitched, familiar voice broke in. Tyler turned and grinned at D’Anne. “Yes, Marlene, you can still be the president of my fan club.” He rolled his eyes.

  D’Anne reclined in peaceful repose, a smile spreading from ear to ear. She didn’t give a damn about crow’s feet or laugh lines or anything else at that moment, except for Tyler and the beginning of her new life.

  Her sons popped into her mind again. She sat up. “Let’s go.” She patted Tyler on the forearm. “It’s two o’clock, and I’ve still got some visits to pay.”

  ****

  The casino was as loud and active at two-thirty in the morning as it had been twelve hours earlier. Lost and forlorn people wandered among hundreds of rows of slot machines. Drunks, floozies, wild and crazy party animals, hardened gamblers, grandmothers—you name it. They were all present and accounted for against a blaring backdrop of royal purple and blood red decor.

  D’Anne scanned the blackjack tables for her sons and found them sitting with J.T. and a bored-looking dealer. She and Tyler approached.

  Dean jumped up from his chair and smiled. It eased her tension a bit.

  They hugged. He stuffed his hands in his pockets looking sheepish as if he’d been caught gambling, which he had.

  Randy turned cautiously, looking stressed, chewing his bottom lip. “What-up, Mom?” He tossed his cards on the table and stood, softening his expression.

  No point in beating around the bush. She cleared her throat and dove in. “I’ve decided to drive Tyler back to Nashville. We’re going to take our time and see more of the country. I don’t know when I’ll be back in L.A.”

  Surprise donned on the faces of all three men.

  J.T. shot Tyler a you-dog-you look. Dean raised his eyebrows, caught his breath, held it a beat, then reached for her. Self-assured, not much could throw Dean off balance, but D’Anne suspected she just had. “That’s great, Mom.” Sounding unsure, he hugged her again, glanced at Tyler cautiously, then reached to shake his hand. “You better take good care of her or you’ll have both of us to answer to.” He nodded toward his brother.

  D’Anne’s heart quit beating when she looked at Randy.

  He stood still as a plank. Color had drained from his face. He finally released his lower lip from between his teeth. “I’m not going to lie and tell you I’m happy. But I’m not going to try to stop you either.” He shrugged. “How else are you going to learn from your mistakes?”

  Just like something she’d say…to him…if the tables were turned. Randy smiled at her and her heart started beating again. She grinned at the thought of him finally sounding like an adult.

  Slow to respond, he finally reached for D’Anne and they embraced for the briefest of moments before drawing apart. D’Anne studied her youngest son. She patted and smoothed his shoulders and let him ponder the fact his mother was taking off with a country singer for points unknown. And all things considered, he was handling it well.

  “So when are you leaving?” he asked.

  Swiping at tears she couldn’t keep from flowing, she answered, “Tomorrow morning.”

  “That would be today,” his wistful brown eyes blinked behind his wire frames.

  She nodded, kept holding his hands.

  “I should be hearing about my job next week, so I guess we’re both starting something new.”

  J.T. reached across and shook Tyler’s hand. “See you at Sundown studios, man. Ricky-Bob already called me.”

  Randy let go of D’Anne and moved toward Tyler. They shook hands. “Take good care of my mom. She’s a special lady.”

  “Will do, and keep in touch about that job, hear?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  ****

  Dee rapped on the hotel door with such determination, Tyler worried she’d wake up the rest of the corridor. Then he remembered he was in Las Vegas and figured half of the guests were probably down at the tables making sure they went home broke.

  Theresa opened the door in a white terrycloth hotel robe. Jake stood behind her looking perturbed with an ice pack taped onto his ankle. Theresa didn’t invite them in.

  “You can call off your goons,” Dee said to the bartender. She turned to Tyler, fished in his shirt pocket and produced the receipt from the school. She shoved the paper into Theresa’s hands. “I gave it away, all five hundred thousand dollars of it.”

  Theresa gasped. Jake groaned. Dee crooned with delight.

  “Yep. It’s gone.”

  “That was my money!” Theresa said, rage boring from her eyes.

  Tyler thought he’d never seen anyone look quite so self-satisfied as Dee. Her hands rested on her shapely hips covered in slinky black cocktail dress material. She tapped her sexy shoe on the carpet and waited for Theresa to breathe again.

  “The hell it was. My sons downloaded the computer files showing Reese paid all of you every cent you gave him plus a considerable profit. He didn’t owe you anything more.”

  Theresa’s neck veins bulged, looking like she might explode. “That wasn’t the deal. He kept fifty percent of the net gain and we never would have found out if I hadn’t snooped.”

  “You’ve got Reese’s blood on your hands, you witch. Threatening him with the IRS or jail. Your greed killed him.”

  Jake angled himself in front of the doorway to hold Theresa back.

  Tyler moved closer, ready to protect Dee. She pushed him away. “And you can’t fool me about your affair with Reese anymore, either. He just felt sorry for you!”

  Theresa lunged through the door. Dee’s fists went up like an old-time boxer.

  Jake grabbed Theresa around the waist. With her arms waving and legs kicking, he pulled her back inside and slammed the door.

  “You want a piece of me, Theresa? Come on, lady stalker. Get your skinny butt out here.”

  Revved up, Dee kicked the door, losing her balance. “You’re lucky I’m not turning you in!” She stabilized herself before Tyler could help. “And don’t ever call me again, girlfriend!”

  Another hotel room door opened. Tyler stepped close to Dee and gently guided her toward the elevator, feeling her fury like heat rising in the desert.

  “You made your point, Slick.” He suppressed a chuckle threatening in his chest. “Did Reese really say he felt sorry for her?”

  “Nah, I made that part up. We’d never talked about it. But I always had a hunch it was her he’d cheated on me with. It happened long before she and I became friends. Damn. Now I know. Why did I ever let her be my friend?”

  Dee kicked the wall again. “I used to be such a push over. Shit. I let people walk all over me and then said thank you.” She dusted her hands and tossed him a fierce, goddess-warrior glance. “Well, not anymore. This is the new me. Let’s hit the road.”

  “Not before we get some shut eye.”

  ****

  They’d said all their goodbyes, paid the band, packed, loaded the RV with everyone’s instruments, filled the diesel tank and had even eaten breakfast. Dee kissed Tyler once for the road.

  “Did I tell you I love you yet today?” She sat behind the wheel and started up the engine.

  “I believe you mentioned that in the shower this morning when I had you pinned in the corner…legs wrapped around my…”

  “That’ll be enough of that, cowboy, or we’ll never make it out of the parking lot.”

  He gave her a do-you-wanna type of look. She actually considered the proposition, but threw the RV into drive, forcing herself to think about the Grand Canyon instead.

  Embarking on the next chapter of her life had her reeling with excitement. Who would have thought a month ago she’d be driving into the sunset with a big, handsome country singer? Certainly not her.

  She pressed on the accelerator and pulled onto the boulevard, heading toward the freeway. Dexter appeared between the cockpit seats like the
seasoned traveler he was, circled three times, and settled down for a nap. Life couldn’t get any sweeter.

  As they approached the onramp they saw a lone, dark figure standing on the shoulder of the road with his thumb extended. It didn’t take Dee long to recognize him. She slowed down and came to a halt alongside him. Tyler jumped up and opened the door.

  “What the hell are you doing here? I thought I included airfare when I paid you.”

  J.T. scraped his hand through his long black hair. “The blackjack table took it. Can you give me a ride?”

  Tyler glanced over his large shoulder toward her.

  She pressed her lips tight, stopping herself from speaking her mind. Tyler read her thoughts anyway.

  He dug into his pocket, fished for his wallet, and took out some bills. “The bus station is back that way. I’ll see you in Nashville next month.”

  Tyler looked to see if she was smiling. She grinned wider. He turned back to J.T.

  “Sorry, man,” he said, “but this is a solo tour.”

  A word about the author…

  Lynne Marshall writes contemporary romance and firmly believes it’s never too late to fall in love. She traded in her RN stethoscope for writing in 2006 and hasn’t looked back since selling her first book. She lives in Southern California with her husband and socially challenged dog, and is the proud mother of two adult children.

  Lynne loves to hear from readers.

  Visit her website: http://www.lynnemarshall.com

  More books by Lynne Marshall

  Contemporary Romance

  Too Close for Comfort Mature Romance

  Courting His Favorite Nurse Harlequin Special Edition

  The Medic’s Homecoming Harlequin Special Edition

  Medical Romance

  Making the Surgeon Smile NYC Angels

  Dr. Tall, Dark…and Dangerous? Boston

  The Boss and Nurse Albright Book #1 of Santa Barbara Trilogy

  The Hear Doctor and the Baby Book #2 of Santa Barbara Trilogy

  The Christmas Baby Bump Book #3 of Santa Barbara Trilogy

  Single Dad, Nurse Bride Medical Romance