Made in Nashville: HarperImpulse Contemporary Romance

by Mandy Baggot

  He slipped his hands underneath her and pulled at the waistband, drawing the denim out and under her ass until her jeans were free, unrestricted and he was able to adjust his hold, pull from the hem of the legs and take them off completely.

  ‘Jared.’ She turned a little on the rug. Just a strip of white lace separated him from finding out how she felt on the inside.

  ‘You’re so beautiful.’ He put a hand to his chest. His heart was hammering so heavy he needed a second.

  ‘I want you, Jared.’

  Her pure, sweet voice telling him that sent another shockwave over him like an earthquake off the scale. ‘Lord, Honor, you’re killin’ me.’

  ‘Touch me,’ she begged.

  He hesitated, watched the pure white heat of need in her eyes. Putting his fingers to her panties he took a breath, then ripped straight across the side seam.

  She arched off the rug a little more and he could feel himself edging closer to something he’d have a hard job holding back from.

  He looked at her. Perfect, dark curls, a swirl of moisture just visible. He put his thumb into his mouth and locking his gaze with hers he wet his skin. And then he touched her, pressing his thumb on that sweet spot and listening to her cry out.

  ‘Jared, oh God, Jared.’

  She writhed as he moved his hand. Deep, hard circles from his thumb were sending flashes of hot sparks all over her body. She wanted to scream for him to stop. She wanted to scream for him to carry on, faster, harder, further, but all she could do was let her body take over. She felt him push a finger inside her and she clawed at the floor with her hands.

  ‘What does it feel like?’

  The sound of his voice had her moving her hips to the rhythm he was creating.

  ‘Hot … it’s hot and … wet and I want it so much, Jared. I want it so much.’

  ‘God, Honor, you’re destroyin’ me.’

  The swirling stopped and for a second the heat lessened. ‘Oh God … oh God!’ Her stomach clenched as she felt the warmth of his mouth inside her, his tongue pushing her lips apart and circling her center, licking, biting, teasing.

  There was nothing she had control of now. Her limbs were flailing, numb. She was coming apart and when she did he was going to feel the whole thing. She was leaving her body, here on the bear skin rug, and floating higher, soaring out of the room and up to the stars, reaching and climbing until finally she was there.

  ‘Jared! Oh my God!’ She closed her eyes and felt her toes splay, every part of her longer, fuller, more sensitized. She clasped his head as he brought himself back up to look at her, pulling him hard, wanting his mouth on hers.

  She kissed him, pressing her lips hard against his, wanting to taste her own scent, share the intimacy. When she drew away she felt like someone different, someone completely liberated. She was someone who’d been living such a restricted life, too scared to let loose. Now she’d broken free.

  She sat herself up, went onto her knees as he shifted back, mimicking her position. Running her hands over his broad shoulders, she stopped to trace a finger around the tattoo of the Confederate flag on his upper arm. She couldn’t wait any longer to see all of him.

  ‘Stand up,’ she ordered.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Stand up,’ she repeated.

  The authority in her tone had him on his feet. He was defenseless here and he wanted to be. This was his moment, with his girl, the only girl, the one girl who had taken in everything he’d told her and thrown it down because she loved him and believed in him.

  He watched her crawl forward on her knees and then she was parting his legs, running a hand up each denim-covered leg, driving him crazy. When she reached the buttons she didn’t waste any time, she ripped the fly open and dragged down the jeans until the only option he had was to lose them. He kicked them across the floor and looked down at her, kneeling naked and perfect in front of him.

  She inched forward, her dark bangs falling over her face as she took her eyes from his and focused on what was in front of her. He was tight and hot, a ball of heat. He’d never felt so pent up, so desperate, so emotional. He closed his eyes the second he felt her tongue touch the tip of his penis. She was so gentle it was making him crease inside. She took him in and his hands were in her hair, stroking her curls as her mouth danced around him.

  ‘Honor.’ He didn’t have the strength to say anything else. He was barely holding it together now as waves of a warm, prickly sensation folded over him. Every motion brought something a little more intense, took him a little nearer. He didn’t want to lose it yet. When he came, he wanted to be inside her. As that thought struck he took her head in his hands and pulled her away.

  ‘Did I do something wrong?’ She got to her feet, a concerned look on her face.

  ‘Yeah you did. You did too much too darn well.’ He took a breath, framed her face with his hand then quickly he moved. He lifted her up, pressing her against his length until they connected. She let out a gasp and clung to him, her fingers digging into his back.

  ‘I love you,’ she whispered, looking into his eyes.

  ‘With all my heart,’ he responded, edging her down a little and earning a sigh.

  He carried her to the couch and with every step he lowered her on to him a little further until she thought she couldn’t take anymore. He was so solid, yet so gentle and tender in his motion she wanted to cry out for it. Her body slipped down onto the rugs and cushions and finally every inch of him was inside her. She felt him tuck a hand behind her bottom and pull her closer as she cried out.

  ‘D’you feel that?’ he asked, moving slowly back then bringing himself into her again.

  ‘Yes.’ Her voice was husky in response, new sensations travelling over her.

  ‘Tell me how it feels,’ he begged.

  She felt him push harder, a little faster and she reached for him, pressing her fingers into his shoulders again, scratching the skin.

  ‘It feels … like … I don’t want you to stop. Like I want to feel it forever.’

  He thrust his hips, filling her each time, rocking her into a rhythm like no other, each time taking her back to that knife edge between pleasure and pain.

  ‘Don’t stop,’ she pleaded.

  ‘I can’t stop.’ He let out a guttural groan as she bucked against him, matching his pace, pushing herself on to him, feeling every motion as he brought her closer to the point of no going back.

  ‘I can’t … Jared … I can’t.’ She was losing to her body again. She was out of control and falling hard and fast.

  ‘Let go,’ he begged her. ‘Let go with me.’

  ‘Fall with me,’ she whispered.

  He cried out and she pressed her lips to his as her wave crested at the same time and she dropped, splashing down into the water, rolling up towards the shore, her heart racing and her emotions shot to pieces.

  She clung to him, pressed her damp skin to his and held on tightly. His heart was racing and his breath was hot and staggered against her cheek, their bodies still locked together. She tried to come down, but smaller waves were still breaking, little shockwaves of pleasure sneaking up on her as Jared pulsed inside her.

  ‘Did I hurt you?’ He raised his head from her embrace to look at her.

  ‘No.’ She brushed her hands over his hair. ‘No … it was beautiful … just so beautiful.’

  ‘It was everything,’ he told her.

  ‘Yes, it was.’ She put her hand in his. ‘It was everything.’

  Chapter Thirty Five

  With two steaming coffee cups in her hand she entered the bedroom, smiling when she saw Jared was unmoved. She put the drinks on the dresser and crawled back into bed, snuggling up close to him and drawing the covers over them both. She lay there for a moment, breathing him in and then she pinched an inch of skin and he flinched.

  ‘Hey, what was that?’ He shifted in the bed and turned to look at her.

  ‘Good morning,’ she greeted, smiling.

  ‘One thi
ng you’re gonna have to learn about me is I ain’t no mornin’ person,’ he stated, rubbing at his eyes.

  ‘I’ve made coffee.’

  ‘I’m awake.’ He grinned and wrestled her into him, making her squeal as he tickled her ribs.

  ‘Stop!’

  ‘What is this?’ He pulled at the t-shirt she was wearing. ‘Are you really wearin’ my limited edition Lynyrd Skynyrd tour t-shirt?’

  She pulled it up and over her head, throwing it down on the duvet. ‘Not now. What you gonna do about it?’

  She watched him wet his bottom lip with his tongue. ‘What am I gonna do about it?’

  She nodded, sat up a little straighter, pushed her hair back, unashamedly bare.

  He studied her, watched as the lack of covering and his scrutiny made her breasts change and harden. He could look at her for always, just look, and before last night that would have been enough. But now he knew how perfect she was in every way, how her body responded to his, he never wanted to be parted from her in any sense.

  He sat himself up and reached out for her, his thumb lingering over her nipple until she closed her eyes for him. He cupped her breast and then pulled her in for a kiss.

  ‘How hot is that coffee?’ he drawled, nipping at her bottom lip.

  ‘It’ll keep,’ she responded, pushing herself up against him.

  The tune of ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ erupted from Jared’s phone on the dresser. He groaned and let her go.

  ‘It might be Buzz. After yesterday I can’t let it go,’ he stated, his eyes meeting hers.

  ‘Go, go answer it,’ she urged.

  He left the bed and moved to pick up the phone. ‘Buzz … well I’m not at home right now. What’s up?’

  She pulled the cover up around her and watched him as he spoke. It was only just past eight. She didn’t know much about Buzz’s daily agenda for Jared but Larry never used to call her before nine unless there was a problem.

  ‘You what? Are you serious?’ He turned around to look at Honor, his eyes wide. ‘No, I know, it’s good. I just don’t understand it is all.’

  She tried to listen harder, decipher what was going on by watching his body language. She mouthed the word ‘what?’

  ‘Yeah I will. We have a sound check slot at three. Listen, thanks, man, for sorting all this out and for everything. Are you comin’ tonight? Then, hell, I’ll see you there.’

  He ended the call, put down the phone and leapt back onto the bed.

  ‘Hey! That was almost my strumming hand,’ she said, scooting back a little as he advanced.

  He took hold of her hand and put it to his mouth, kissing the skin. ‘That was Buzz. Dan Steele’s dropped the charges against me. My lawyer called Buzz and that’s it, it’s all done.’

  She stilled, not knowing how to react. Had Dan really done what she’d asked him? Had what she said really sunk in and had an effect? Or was this just another one of his games just so he could be in control. Did he have some other plan? Perhaps there was something else going on they didn’t know about yet.

  ‘Hey, what’s up? This is good news. Buzz says he’s told the Marlon Awards board and they no longer want a meet which means I’m still in the runnin’. I’m performin’ tonight at the festival and, when that’s done and the awards are over, we can head off to Alabama to meet my mom with no pending trial over my head.’ He brushed a hand down her hair then held her chin up with his thumb and forefinger.

  ‘You really want me to meet your mom?’ The thought of being invited into a family filled her with mixed emotions. Joy that she was going to be able to interact in that way like she’d never had the chance to do before and fear because she didn’t know how that would feel.

  ‘Yes I do. We’ve only got six weeks before the tour. We start rehearsals next week and it’s gonna be full-on. I don’t know when we’ll get the chance to get to Alabama again. We don’t hit there until the Fall.’

  Honor nodded her head and forced a smile.

  ‘What? Are you worried about meetin’ my mom?’

  ‘No … I guess … maybe a little. I just have no idea what it’s going to be like. I never had a mom, remember? I had care workers and I’m hoping that isn’t anything like the same.’

  ‘I don’t know, she was damn straight-down-the-line with me and my brother. Anna seemed to do better. She’d put on her cute face and force the tears out.’ He laughed.

  ‘How old are they?’

  ‘Jacob’s the baby, he’s coming up twelve. Anna’s fifteen.’

  ‘So you’re the eldest.’

  ‘Yes, ma'am but I look well on it don’t I?’

  Honor smiled and looped her arms around his neck, tugging him towards her for a kiss. She pressed herself against him and shivered as his arm went around her waist, pulling her into him.

  ‘I love you, baby,’ he whispered into her ear.

  ‘With all my heart,’ she replied.

  ‘So, where’s Baby Blue Bonnet really from?’

  He was showing her the park. They’d headed off into a trail through the woods and when he asked that question she felt the need to kick a stick.

  ‘I have no idea. I was left in Michigan but you’re right, I could be from anywhere. My parents could have been visiting, just passing through, just dropping off their unwanted brat on the Mayor’s doorstep.’

  ‘I’m sorry, that was a real dumb ass question to ask. I just can’t imagine havin’ no history like that. I can trace my ancestors back as far as … well I think one of my great granddaddies helped Noah with that Ark.’

  Honor spat out a laugh and thumped him on the arm.

  ‘Hey, that’s my frettin’ arm just there and I have a gig tonight.’ He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

  ‘Roots. You need to put down some roots in Alabama with the Marshall family,’ Jared told her. ‘Just you wait, my mom will have you in her dance dress before you’ve even meet the chickens.’

  ‘Dance dress?’

  ‘It still swamps Anna.’

  ‘I bet she’s a great cook too,’ Honor said.

  ‘Yeah, and she can sing.’

  ‘Now you’re being bad, stop it.’

  ‘She’s gonna love you, Honor.’ He stopped walking and turned to look at her. ‘She’s not gonna believe that someone like you is with someone like me but … ’

  ‘Don’t do that. Don’t put yourself down. We’re all marked by things that happened in the past.’ She moved her hair and touched her scar. He raised his hand and touched hers with his.

  ‘If I ever see the guy that did that … ’

  ‘We’ll dial 911 and wait for the cops. It took me a long time to realize that people like him just don’t have any sense of right or wrong. Even after psychiatric treatment it’s doubtful that the inbuilt, screwed vision of life he has can be changed. When he attacked me, he just attacked me. He didn’t do it because he thought it was bad, he did it just because he wanted to.’

  ‘Never again, not on my look out.’ He kissed her cheek, then linked their hands and started to walk again. ‘So, you gonna watch me later on?’

  ‘Hell yeah. Is that how it goes?’

  ‘You’re catchin’ on to those Southern ways, baby. C’mon, I need to show you how to get real dirty in these woods over here.’

  Chapter Thirty Six

  ‘Are you OK?’ Honor had to shout to raise her voice above the noise of the band. Jared’s musicians were on stage at the Marlon Festival starting up the opening number while he waited for his cue.

  ‘Sure! This is what I love the most. I’m gonna go out there and have the time of my life … and you’re gonna be watchin’!’ he called back.

  ‘Thirty seconds, Jed.’

  ‘I’d better go. I’ll be in the pit with Mia. I’ll be the one screaming harder than anyone else,’ Honor told him.

  ‘I love you, girl,’ he told her.

  ‘I love you too. Go!’ She kissed his lips, holding onto his hands.

  ‘Ten seconds, Jed, le
t’s go.’

  She let him go, watched him rush along the backstage area before she hurried down the steps and around the side of the stage to the VIP pit.

  ‘HOW Y’ALL DOIN’ TONIGHT!’

  Jared’s voice reverberated around the arena and the noise rising from the crowd disorientated her. There were fifty thousand people screaming at the tops of their voices for her man. She’d watched a couple of other acts the previous day but the reaction was nothing on this. Southern flags and banners were being held up in the air, drinks were being spilt because of frenzied clapping and rock hands.

  ‘ARE YOU READY FOR THIS OUTLAW?’

  She flashed her pass at security on the cordon and looked for Mia. The audience screamed louder, hats were waving, women were sitting on the shoulders of men, flashes from cameras and glows from cell phones were erupting everywhere.

  Mia had her mouth wide open in a screech when Honor reached her. She pulled her arm.

  ‘Where’ve you been? You’re missing it! WOO HOO! YEAH!’ Mia jumped up and down, waving her arms in the air. ‘Did you bring corn dogs?’

  ‘What? No.’

  ‘Look at Byron! God, he’s so sexy! BYRON!’

  Honor caught an elbow in the ear as Mia jumped again, waving her arms.

  ‘LET’S BREAK ALL THE GOD-DAMN RULES … IT’S TIME FOR SOME DRINKIN’ DOWN SOUTH!’

  The band kicked into one of Jared’s most popular songs and the crowd reacted immediately with more air-punching, photo-taking and joining in with the lyrics. Honor had never experienced anything like it. Ten years away from the music scene and she had no idea it was going to be like this. Everyone around her was worshipping Jared like a god and looking at the stage, seeing him perform, hearing the fantastic band, she could understand why. She was almost awestruck. He was charismatic as well as supremely talented and he held every single person watching in the palm of his hand.

  Mia elbowed her in the side. ‘I totally forgot. You’ve never seen him live, have you, doll?’

  Honor shook her head, aware of what she’d missed. He was a true country rock star, not just a song-writing genius but an energetic performer who know exactly how to have a party on stage and transmit that feeling to the entire room.