Reaching over to a nearby table, he sorted through a short stack of CDs. Josh Groban, U2. Lady Gaga. That made him laugh, considering where she worked. Michael Bublé. Why not? He took the CD out of the case and put it into the player. When the music began, he leaned back, singing along with “Crazy Love.”
What a bizarre ending to the day, he thought. But hey, there were worse things in life than sitting in a gorgeous woman’s living room on a Friday night…or was it Saturday morning? He was lucky she hadn’t left him on her doorstep after his approach to a confessional. It might not have been the best thing to do, but she’d been so ethereal in the moonlight, he hadn’t been able to resist getting closer to her.
And he still wanted another kiss.
Maybe he should let Sam know where he was in case a reporter needed an interview, since he hadn’t told him about taking Silver home. No, he’d talk with Sam tomorrow…or today. Something like that. He kept singing as his eyelids drifted down.
* * *
Silver froze in the kitchen when she heard Justin singing. He knew music other than country? Wasn’t that sacrilegious or something for a cowboy?
Against her better judgment, and in spite of his boots and hat, she was drawn to the man like steel to a magnet. Maybe it was loneliness reaching out, but it felt nice to have a gorgeous man in her house. She would love to hear him sing all night long…and she’d love to hear what other sounds he made…all night long.
She grabbed two bottles of water from the refrigerator and walked back into the living room to find Justin asleep, slumped down, his head resting on the back of the sofa. Silver smiled. Relaxed in sleep, he had the guise of a cute little boy with his long dark lashes brushing against his cheekbones…innocence personified. Chewing the inside of her cheek, she wondered what to do.
Walking over to stand beside him, she heard his steady breathing. “I guess it can’t hurt to let you sleep here,” she whispered. “It’s not as if we’re in the same bed… Darn it. Besides, who’s going to know?” She smiled, set the bottles aside, and picked up a blue blanket to cover him, brushing back some of his hair that had fallen over his forehead. “You really are gorgeous, Justin Rivers. Are you as wonderful as you seem to be?”
She almost leaned down to kiss his cheek, then stopped. Instead, she turned off the music and the lights and went into the bedroom, leaving the door open a bit in case he needed her.
Chapter Five
Silver frowned as she heard some kind of staccato noise. Maybe it meant something. A signal or warning. When had the school changed from one long ring to short bursts?
Fire drill!
Sitting straight up in bed with her heart pounding, she wondered why a fire drill was being done at her house.
She struggled through the haze of sleep to get her frantic breathing back under control and glanced at the bedside clock. Seven o’clock on Saturday morning. The city didn’t have the tornado siren test this early. Cocking her head, she heard something like rolling thunder. Maybe a storm outside?
A massive headache interrupted her thoughts. Moaning softly, Silver put her head into her hands. Had it really only been five hours ago that she’d fallen into bed?
Her head came up as she remembered.
Dark blue eyes.
Tight jeans.
Country music.
Justin Rivers.
She froze when the bed next to her shifted. A sickening feeling grabbed her stomach. Surely she’d remember that. Swallowing against the rising nausea, and already forming excuses in her pounding head, she slowly turned, relieved and oddly disappointed when she saw Becky.
It would be so nice to wake up next to tall, dark, and handsome Justin. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like with him close to her, under the covers. Then she remembered hearing him sing along to “Crazy Love” and smiled. For a cowboy, Justin had an incredibly sexy voice. Speaking of which, where was he?
Leaning out from the side of the bed, Silver peeked through the bedroom door—Becky must have left it open when she came in last night—to see if he’d left. Nope, she could see his black hair and the blue throw blanket.
Asleep. On her sofa.
She leaned out further and wondered if he had…
With a squeak of horror, she fell out of bed onto the floor.
“Ow,” she muttered softly, holding her head with one hand and her hip with the other. Silver peeked to see if Justin heard, but he hadn’t moved.
“Aren’t you a bit old to be falling out of bed?” she heard Becky mumble.
“Oh, shut up and get your beauty sleep,” Silver whispered.
“Lord knows I need it after scrambling to meet my deadline last night. Of course, it would be much easier to sleep if people weren’t thumping around on the floor.”
For some reason, those words sounded…well, wrong to Silver. She began giggling and couldn’t stop. Before she knew it, she had tears running down her face. Becky peered over the edge of the bed.
“It’s too-damned-early, Sil, but I’m thrilled I can amuse you. If you’re getting up, then close the door behind you.”
Silver stood up, wiped her face, and climbed back into bed. “No, I’m still tired. And I have the mother of all headaches. But something woke me up. A noise of some sort…”
Becky stared at her, eyes half open, and said nothing. Silver bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Still not much of a morning person, are you?”
“Not much for chit chat, either. And the buzz saw in the living room isn’t helping.”
So that’s what she was hearing. “Justin is snoring. Good grief, I didn’t recognize the sound. What does that say about my life?”
Becky rose up on one elbow and said with an exaggerated western accent, “Silver, how long has it been since you tangoed? Well, that’s too long!”
Silver gasped in shock. Both women fell into their pillows gigging like teenagers. After a few minutes, Silver sighed. “Too bad he’s a cowboy, isn’t it?”
“There are worse things, and we both know that’s not the real reason you’re holding back. Now, I’m the guest and I want a few more minutes of shuteye. Like Mom used to say to Dad: I love you, but leave me alone.” With that, Becky turned to her other side. “Go to sleep or go away.”
Silver snuggled back down under the covers and tried to go back to sleep, but her mind raced around the tribal drums beating inside her skull. Last night had been such a spontaneous experience. She thought about the dinner and the ride home…and Justin’s lips on her neck. And how she’d wanted more.
But I don’t like cowboys, she reminded herself. I don’t like their hats or their shoes or their tight jeans. Or their deep, sexy voices and soft lips. Maybe I do like their tight jeans. I kind of like the smelly hat a little bit. I definitely liked the lips.
If only he played classical or jazz or something more refined. Something…better.
Too bad she didn’t want to date a cowboy.
But you had a date with him last night, a tiny voice pressed.
No, she reassured herself, not a date. Just an encounter. A small blip that amounted to nothing. A brief study in the irony of life.
When had she become such a liar, especially to herself?
Why not be honest? It had nothing to do with cowboys. She was scared to death of being hurt again. Of having her heart shattered and of being a disappointment…again. Her mother had adored Chase Richards and blamed her for breaking off the engagement.
Silver shook her head as she remembered the argument with her mother. Amelia Madison wanted her daughter married to a professional man, maybe a lawyer, or a doctor, or Prince Harry. “William is taken, but you could still be a princess.” The woman had been serious, and their conversation had descended into accusations and anger. Six months had gone by and not a word from Amelia. No apology. No “how are you?” Nothing.
Her head brutally reminded her of its agony, so Silver slipped out of bed and grabbed some clean clothes. She eased past the sofa and tiptoed
down the hall to the bathroom. After taking a quick shower, she dropped her wet towel in the clothes hamper, brushed her teeth, and dragged a wide-toothed comb through her long hair. Then she located the aspirin bottle. Shaking out two of the pills, she decided on an aggressive assault and shook out a third.
Making her way to the kitchen, she reveled in the quiet house. Early morning stillness rejuvenated a person like nothing else could.
She glanced toward the sofa to see Justin still asleep.
As much as she liked seeing him in her house, she hoped no one found out. Silver shuddered to think about how the GaGa school board would react if they knew she’d let a man sleep in her house. Their strict rules about teacher behavior, on and off the campus, were a little old-fashioned, but gave very little room for interpretation, and the school had enough to deal with right now.
The last thing she wanted was a man in her life adding noise and confusion. Having this type of life was fine. Lonely sometimes, but she could always find someone to be with once in a while. It didn’t have to be anything more than two consenting adults enjoying each other. Right?
Moving around the kitchen, Silver turned on her coffee maker and reached for a mug while the machine warmed up. She should wake Justin. Surely he had things to do and people to call. After all, the man had been nominated for Best New Artist last night and had a Nashville agent ready to talk.
She dropped in a K-cup and started the brew. So many things to figure out. Connie’s words…the Amelia situation…why her hands shook with desire every time she glanced toward the sofa where Justin slept.
Silver rubbed her forehead and picked up the hot cup of coffee. She didn’t have the energy for puzzles right now.
Sitting at the kitchen table and holding her head until the aspirin kicked in sounded like a much better idea.
* * *
Justin’s eyes opened slowly to bright sunlight on his face. He squinted and sat up as he sniffed the aroma of freshly brewed coffee—and something unpleasant—while running a hand through his hair.
Where was he?
Memories came rushing back as he stretched his arms over his head. Silver and Becky. Punching Cowboy Wannabe in the face. A ’66 Mustang called Buddy. Winning the ACMA nomination. GramMer and Nashville.
It was the most fun he’d had since he and his brother Kade had been caught racing tractors on the county line road near Grandpa Slade’s ranch. Grandma Ginny still talked about it at family dinners.
What was that stench?
Sniffing, he realized the strong smell assaulting his nose was him. Eau de Sweat did not appeal to him.
Justin stood and headed to the kitchen. Silver halted in mid-sip with a coffee cup in her hand. She must have already had a shower since her hair was still damp.
“Mornin’, dar…Silver. Would it be all right if I used the shower?”
“Sure. Down the hall on the right. Clean towels are on the shelf.”
Justin walked to the bathroom, grinning. Silver looked beautiful first thing in the morning.
He stripped down, turned on the shower, stepped inside, and moaned with pleasure as the hot water sluiced down his body. Reaching for the body wash, he sniffed it then read the front of the bottle. Rain and Roses. He shrugged and poured some into his hand. It had to smell better than him.
Inhaling, he smiled. It smelled like Silver.
Meeting Silver had sure thrown him for a loop. It had been a long time since a woman grabbed his attention the way she did. Her softer side had touched him last night, especially when she’d talked about her uncle. Nibbling her neck hadn’t been bad, either. Her delicate skin and throaty moans had an immediate effect on him. He’d love to take the time to discover all her secrets, but she wasn’t part of the plan. He’d made a decision months ago to follow the dream. No distractions, though Silver made that difficult to remember.
Justin frowned when he thought about the direction of his life. His grandmother always said his guardian angels worked overtime, but things were on the right track now. He had to concentrate on what mattered.
As he lathered up his hair with shampoo, Justin imagined himself accepting the award for Best New Artist and felt his stomach clench. Allowing himself to daydream, he used the shampoo bottle as a microphone and made audience applause with his mouth, then bowed slightly and tipped a ghost hat. “Thank you, thank you. Wow, this is amazing…a dream come true. I couldn’t have done it without inspiration from people like Luke Bryan…” He pointed toward the corner of the shower. “And Blake Shelton…” Turning, he thumped the area over his heart with a fist. “I love you, man.”
Laughing at himself, he rinsed his hair and turned off the water, then stepped out. While he dried off with a clean towel, Justin found himself grinning at the powder blue walls and brushed chrome fixtures warmed with splashes of brown and coral. He turned to dress.
And saw his dirty clothes on the floor. “Son of a bitch.”
He tried wrapping a towel around his waist, but it wasn’t decent in his opinion, even though he didn’t really mind showing off his chest and legs. “I don’t want Silver attacking this gorgeous body. Well, maybe a little.” He flexed his arms in the mirror then laughed at himself. Could he take down the shower curtain?
Then he spied a robe on the back of the bathroom door. Hands on his hips, he stared at it, wondering if he dared borrow it. He took it off the hook and slipped it on, surprised to find that it fit.
“Oh well. It’s not like anyone is going to see me.”
* * *
A naked man in her bathroom.
Make that a gorgeous, six foot, Greek-god-like creation with six-pack abs. Fanning herself with a trembling hand, Silver stared into her coffee cup. So what? It wasn’t the first time she’d… No, Chase had never asked to use her shower, and he’d certainly never had a Golden Oreos-worthy chest. In fact, Justin had the distinction of being the first male in there since Uncle Buddy.
No doubt Justin’s sculpted body took up most of the space. He’d use the shower, her soap…lather that hard stomach and…
“Wait, I don’t want a man, don’t need…OK, don’t want a man,” she reminded herself. The litany didn’t chase away the vivid pictures her mind conjured up. True, the small shower could make it difficult, but if she and Justin stood very close together…
“Silver?”
Startled, she sloshed coffee all over the floor. Justin stood in the kitchen doorway holding his clothes. His dark hair was wet and delightfully messy, and he wore Uncle Buddy’s purple bathrobe, which did nothing to stop the delightful musings.
“Didn’t mean to startle you,” he said with a grin.
Embarrassment washed over her. “No, it’s OK.” She grabbed a paper towel and bent down to mop up the coffee mess. Way to go, Silver, she scolded herself, her face reddening at the images still in her mind. When she straightened, he quickly looked away. Did he just check out her backside? Clearing her throat, she gestured to his outfit.
“Purple is a good color for you. Almost as good as it was for Uncle Buddy.” She had a tantalizing view of his legs since the robe hit him at mid-thigh.
“Almost?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows as he fluffed up the feathered collar. “Speaking of which, I thought it was yours, but it fits me and I, uh…”
Her eyes narrowed. “It was Uncle Buddy’s. Yes, he was gay and loved flamboyant clothing. Is that a problem?”
He shook his head, then held up his dirty clothes. “Not with me. Hey, speaking of outfits, is it insanely weird or rude of me to ask if I can wash these?”
“Not at all. But here, I’ll do it.”
“I don’t want you—”
“Don’t be silly. You’re my guest. And besides, I owe you for dinner and the ride home last night. Help yourself to coffee and I’ll be right back.”
Silver took the pile of clothes from him and walked out to the garage, grateful to put some distance between them while her lustful thoughts calmed down. She put the clothes into the wash
er and smiled. One day, after he reached superstardom, she’d be able to say that she washed Justin Rivers’…uh…Iron Man boxers.
Iron Man? He wore Iron Man boxers?
She started to giggle at all the jokes she could make, then a sudden realization made her mouth open in surprise. If she had his boxers, that meant he was wearing…
Oh. My. Don’t. Go. There.
Silver added detergent and closed the lid. As an afterthought, she changed the cycle temperature on the washer to hot. That should make those jeans good and tight. Tighter.
She walked back into the kitchen to see Justin sipping a cup of coffee.
“I like my one cup coffee maker,” she said. “It’s fast and no mess to clean up. I mean, I’m so busy getting ready in the mornings.” Grimacing inward at her inane conversation, she shrugged.
Amusement danced across his face as he grinned. “Tastes good to me.”
“Great,” she replied, trying to keep her gaze from dropping below his waist. Looking past him into the living room, she spotted his hat on the coffee table. “Justin, I insulted your father’s hat last night, and I’m sorry.”
“Apology accepted, Miss Madison,” he said warmly. “Thank you.” He brushed his fingers across her cheek, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear.
“You know, if it’s that special to you, maybe you should do a remake of ‘Daddy’s Hat,’ that old song by Chet Atkins.”
“You know Chet Atkins?” He sounded surprised, if not impressed.
“Hey, I said I didn’t like country music, not that I had never heard it.” She leaned into his hand against her cheek.
His fingers trailed along her jaw. “The real title of the song is ‘I Still Can’t Say Good-bye,’ and you know what? That’s a great idea.”
Her eyes met his and a delicious tingle traveled down her spine. Her leg brushed against him. His strong legs would grip tightly and hold up… Oh, geez, she needed to focus on something else.
Midnight Diamonds Page 5