The Price of Love (Rockin' Country Book 2)

by Briscoe, Laramie

  He did the same to her, slamming the glass down on the lacquered surface of the bar, and then fished out his wallet, throwing some money there. They couldn’t even pretend anymore that they were going to need a tab. Like always, their chemistry was combustible, and he knew he had to get her away from watchful eyes. He had to have her. Garrett got up from the barstool and held his hand out to her. “Please tell me you have a room.”

  She held up the card in her hand. “I do.”

  Without another word, he dragged her out of the bar and towards the bank of elevators. He didn’t touch her as they waited, and it drove her insane, but as soon as the doors opened and he pushed her inside, the no-touching rule was no longer in effect.

  Chapter Nineteen

  * * *

  Garrett waited until the elevator doors closed, making sure that no one got on with them, before he turned on Hannah.

  Hannah saw the look in his eyes and immediately started walking backwards. When her back hit the coolness of the paneling of the elevator, she knew she was in trouble. “We shouldn’t do this,” she whispered.

  “Do what?” he asked, the hungry look absorbing every part of her body.

  “This. In public.”

  “Do you see anyone else around?” he asked as he advanced on her. He felt like a hunter stalking his prey. In a few strides, he was close enough so that his body almost touched hers, but not quite. One hand slapped against the paneling next to her head, the other hung loosely at his side. “Am I making you nervous?” He heard her sharp intake of breath.

  “No,” Hannah answered as she nodded her head yes. She had no choice but to widen her stance as he got himself all up in her business.

  “I think I am, but I think you like it.” He leaned in, whispering in her ear.

  He was precisely right, but she wasn’t ever sure that she would be able to voice those feelings out loud. It would always be a struggle. She grasped his waist as his lips brushed against the side of her neck. How long was this elevator ride?

  “Should we find out?”

  She wanted to ask him “find out what?” Her mind was going every which way, and she couldn’t concentrate on what they were talking about. The only thing Hannah knew was that she wanted him to take care of the ache that raged inside of her. She wanted that closeness with him and the relief and comfort that only he could give her. Her question was answered when his other hand came around the front of her skirt, pushing it up so that he could get to her.

  “What will I find here?” he whispered in her ear, his teeth pulling on the lobe of her ear.

  It was hard to stay standing when her knees were weak and all she wanted to do was lie down on this floor and have him go at her. It was in bad taste, she knew, but she would do almost anything he asked her to do without a second thought. She trusted him that much. “Excitement,” she breathed, biting her bottom lip to keep it from trembling.

  Pulling aside the fabric that kept them apart, he groaned loudly. “Feels like much more than excitement to me.” He moved his head so that their lips could meet, but before he could do the things he wanted to, the elevator dinged. “Is this our floor?”

  Hannah blinked hard, yanking the skirt down so that she was covered, and pushed her hair back from her face. “Umm,” she looked at the card in her hand and then the digital display that showed the floor number. “Yes, this is it, we’re at the end of the hall,” she told him.

  “Lead the way, babe.”

  She had come back to herself some before she stepped out of the elevator and onto the carpeted floor of the hotel hallway. She glanced behind her as they exited the elevator; she still wore the heels that she’d worn on stage. As she walked down the hallway, she couldn’t help but add an extra sway to her hips.

  “Killin’ me,” Garrett told her as he walked behind her.

  She chanced another glance back at him and saw that he had slowed, truly admiring what he saw in front of him. It was moments like this that made her so thankful. She knew that she would never have to worry or wonder if this man wanted her. Every time he looked at her, she could tell. It was there in his eyes, in the set of his lips, in the look of adoration on his face. She was truly blessed with the best husband ever, and she was almost positive that Shell was right. They fought just to make up. Making her way to the room she’d rented for this night and the next day, she swiped the card in front of it, breathing a sigh of relief when it flashed green at her. Within seconds, Garrett was behind her, pushing her inside.

  “Fucking never thought we’d get here.” He slammed the door behind them.

  No mention was even made of the f-word as he picked her up against him, wrapping her legs around his waist.

  “Wait, I didn’t get a chance to take a shower after the show, I had to come straight here. That’s why I’m painted up like a two-dollar hooker,” she grinned.

  He threw his head back, laughing at her choice of words. “I never took you for a two-dollar hooker, babe. Maybe a ten-dollar one, but never a two-dollar.” He winked. He still held her against him and took stock of where he was.

  “The bedroom is in there, the bathroom should be over there.” She pointed to a closed door on the left.

  With long strides, he walked them over that way and burst through the closed door.

  “You can put me down,” she laughed.

  “No, I can’t. I don’t wanna let you go,” he told her as he let go with one hand, searching for the light switch. When he found it, he flipped it on, taking in the shower that stared back at them. It was glass and there was a bench seat. “Fuck yeah,” he breathed.

  He reached in and turned the water on and then set his glasses down on the counter.

  “Aren’t we going to get undressed?” she asked when he opened the door.

  “We can do that just as easily in here.” He carried her into the shower and finally set her down.

  “These are really expensive shoes, Garrett,” she breathed out as he pushed her back against the tile wall, his body enveloping hers.

  “I’ll buy you more, just like I’ll buy you another shirt and skirt,” he told her.

  She didn’t have to ask what he meant when his hands went to her shirt and ripped it down the middle, same with her skirt. She stood there in front of him, the water from the shower running down her body, her clothes hanging in pieces beside her.

  “I wish you could see how you look right now.” He ran a finger from her bottom lip down her chest; he hooked it into the cup of her bra, pulling it down. His eyes flashed to hers before they went back down to the skin he had exposed.

  Hannah pressed her hands against the hard tile, afraid to touch him. If she touched him, she knew she would make a fool of herself and swoon at his feet. She couldn’t let him know that he had that much power yet. Swallowing hard, her eyes followed the path of his finger as it circled the hard tip of her breast. She watched as he lowered himself in a standing push up to grasp the piece of flesh between his lips, using his teeth to toy with her. “Garrett,” she ground out, she was sliding, falling against the slickness of the shower.

  “Nope, you stay upright,” he told her, taking one hand off the tile and securing it to her hip. “I’ll help you, baby, if you can’t do it yourself.”

  She circled her arms around his neck, leaning her head back against the cool tile. Her body was on fire and she wanted him to put out the flames, that’s all she wanted him to do. She didn’t want him to toy with her anymore. Hannah closed her eyes against the sensations that were coursing through her. “I can’t take it.” Her breathing was shallow.

  “You have to, I’m not done with you yet,” he told her, insinuating himself between her thighs.

  “No, I can’t.” She pressed herself tightly against his body. When he didn’t pay attention to what she was saying, she unhooked one hand from around his neck and trailed it down her body. This was the first time she had ever been this bold with him, but they were married—she could be as bold as she wanted to. That’s wh
at he kept preaching to her, that there was no reason that either one of them should be embarrassed about anything they wanted to do with the other person. Using her hand, she pushed the cotton of her underwear aside and used the tips of her fingers to give her the relief that he wasn’t.

  “Hannah, that’s gonna make me lose it,” he warned her through gritted teeth, leaning his head against the tile. Even in the heels, he still towered over her.

  “Good,” she moaned against his neck. The way they stood put her at the perfect height and she took advantage of it. She used her teeth and mouth to put what she hoped were visible marks there. After the pictures with the other woman, she wanted everyone to know that he was hers.

  He reached down, wrenching his belt lose at the buckle and pushing all his clothing down. Garrett grabbed her around the waist and lifted her so that her legs went around him, her ankles crossing and the heels of her shoes digging into his bare skin. “You keep that hand right there.” He pushed against her, groaning when he felt the smooth skin of her palm stroke him while she stroked herself. He leaned forward, devouring her mouth with his, wanting her to know exactly how much he had been missing her, missing this, and how connected he felt to her when they showed their physical love to one another.

  “God, Garrett.” She gripped his hair with her other hand, ripping his lips from hers so that she could take a breath.

  “I know.” He withdrew and pushed back in, setting a punishing rhythm for the two of them. It had never been like this for him with any other woman he’d ever had, and he’d had a lot. There was no reason to lie, but there was something about the woman in his arms, and it wasn’t just the fact that she wore his ring, it was something physical that drew her to him. It made him want to be with her all the time, made him want to bring her pleasure before himself. It made him want to be the giving sort of man that he always imagined a husband would be. “You feel so good,” he praised her. “Hot and warm against me.” His lips met her chin, tilting it up so that he could feast on her neck.

  The way he spoke lulled her into a dream world where all that mattered was the feel of him entering and exiting her body and the feel of her own hand on her core. Hannah couldn’t even hear the shower anymore, could barely feel the beating down of the water on them. At some point the other cup of her bra had come loose. That was her undoing, the feel of her sensitive flesh rubbing against his.

  Garrett crushed her against him, a sound she had never heard ripping from somewhere deep inside him. His hips flexed against hers until it started to hurt and she had to move her legs.

  “I can’t feel my thighs anymore,” she told him, breathing deeply, trying to get her panting under control.

  “Sorry, shit, sorry,” he told her, carefully unwrapping her legs, holding her up as she stood on the wet surface.

  “Can you take the heels off?” she asked, pushing her hair back from her face, running a hand up her neck, surprised at how responsive her skin still was.

  He leaned down, taking the heels off and placing them on the bench before having a seat himself. His heart was beating out of his chest. “I think you gave me a goddamn heart attack,” he grinned over at her.

  “Me?” she laughed. “That was all you, buddy.”

  Reaching over, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him, sitting her on his lap. “I love the hell out of you, don’t forget that.”

  “I know.” She pushed his wet hair out of his eyes. It was getting much longer than normal. “I love you too.”

  Chapter Twenty

  * * *

  “What are we going to do today?” Hannah asked Garrett as they sat at the table in their hotel room, enjoying their breakfast.

  “We really need to do something besides spend the whole day here, in bed.”

  “Yes, we do. Although I’m not sure what this place has to offer us.”

  “Me neither,” Garrett sighed, pulling his phone over to him. He fiddled around for a few minutes. “Not a damn thing. This is the most boring town on the planet.”

  “We could hang here, I do have some things I need to do,” she told him. “But we can’t spend all day in bed.” She smiled.

  He smiled a slow smile back at her. “Are you sure?”

  “Very. We get used to that and then what are we going to do for the next few weeks?”

  She had a point, he had to give her that. “I have some writing for the next session we have to get done. How about I call Jared and see what he and Shell are up to.”

  “Sounds good,” she nodded. “I’ve got a few things I can write on too. Even if we’re only in the same hotel room, I’m fine with that. I just want to be around you until I have to leave.”

  “Me too.” He leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips.

  She finished eating her breakfast and then went to the bathroom to freshen up. Lying on the bench were her beloved high heels. After she brushed her teeth and put her hair up in a ponytail, making sure that everything Garrett had done to her the night before was completely covered, she walked out, shoes in hand. “I think you owe me a new outfit.”

  He wore a shit-eating grin as he made his way over to where she stood. “Seems like you’re right. Do I get to pick out the outfit, or do you?”

  “Don’t really care about the outfit, babe,” she teased him, calling him what he normally called her. “I do care about the shoes, they better well be the same exact ones. I’m giving you these for reference. You don’t want to see my southern crazy come out if they aren’t the same.”

  He watched her, his eyes narrowed. “Are you trying to tell me they’ve been discontinued and I’m gonna have to give my left nut to get a pair of them?”

  “You are so crude sometimes. No they aren’t discontinued, but they are very expensive. They were my treat to myself when my first song went number one. I didn’t have the money to buy these, but I bought them anyway. They cost me a month’s rent, if that tells you anything.”

  “I happen to think that the time we had together was worth it. I don’t know about you…” he trailed off.

  “Oh, I never said it wasn’t worth it. My favorite thing in the world is when you lose control and you take me any way you want to. I love that.” She ran her hand down his arm, clasping their fingers together. “But I loved these shoes too. They’ve seen me through some very hard times.”

  “I can show you some very hard times,” he mumbled, just loud enough for her to hear.

  “I’m serious, Garrett.”

  “Oh, I am too, like a week ago.” He laughed when she slapped him in the chest. He captured her hand and brought it to his lips.

  “Stop trying to be sweet after being crude.” She wrinkled her nose.

  “You know you love it.”

  She opened her mouth to answer him but was interrupted by a knock on the door. Walking over, she opened it, seeing Jared and Shell on the other side. “Hi.” She waved at them.

  Shell thrust a frappe at her, a smile on her face. “Figured you might need this today.”

  “I love you,” Hannah laughed, closing her eyes and taking a drink from the cold beverage.

  “I have to admit I had ulterior motives.”

  Hannah took a good look at her friend, and noticed that she wasn’t as happy as she should have been after spending the night with her boyfriend.

  “Don’t be a Debbie Downer,” Garrett yelled from where he sat at the table.

  “What’s going on?” Hannah asked, her stomach clenching for some reason. It was too much that they be happy for longer than a few hours. That was the way this tour was going.

  “Have you been on your phone or anything today?”

  Garrett groaned from where he sat. “Not something else. For fucking real, can’t we all just be happy for one day?”

  “I honestly wouldn’t say anything about this, but I know it’s going to upset and piss her off in a very big way.”

  Hannah closed her eyes. “Can you tell me? Maybe it will be better coming from you.”


  Jared reached over, putting his hand on Shell’s shoulder for support while she searched to find the words. “The record company put out an alternate version of your new song. It’s a duet with Bryson Grant.” Silence greeted her announcement and that made Shell nervous. “Please say something.”

  “What is there to say? How did they do this? Why did they do this? I didn’t even record with him.” Hannah was beginning to panic, they could all see it in her face, could tell it in the way her breath was coming quickly, in short pants.

  Garrett got up from where he sat. “Babe, calm down. Come on, let’s sit down.”

  “Why aren’t you upset about this?” Her eyes cut to Garrett. “I wanted you on this song.” Tears pooled and her face broke.

  “Shit.” Garrett pulled her into his arms. “It’s okay, I’m not mad,” he told her, enveloping her in his arms.

  “I am,” she sobbed. “How dare they do this to me? I was very clear in what I would and would not do about this song. How could they do this? I wrote this song for you, that’s why I was so upset. How could he do this to me? I thought he was my friend.”

  “Han, they probably did to him what they did to you.” Shell had a seat next to her friend and put her hand on Hannah’s arm. “I’m willing to bet he recorded his own version, you recorded yours, and they put them together. Don’t be so quick to throw Bryson under the bus.”

  Angry didn’t even begin to cover how upset she was at this news. Glancing around the room, she saw what she had to work with and knew what she had to. “You know what? I’ll record my own version and upload it online then.” She sniffed, shrugging as if it wasn’t a big deal.

  “What do you mean?” Shell asked, not understanding.

  “I have the person here that I wanted to sing the song with, we have a guitar player, and you would make a phenomenal camera woman. Why can’t I do what I wanted to do in the first place?”

  They all looked at one another, realizing that Hannah was right. They had everything they needed to make a video to upload to YouTube or wherever else they wanted to upload it to.