Liner Notes

by Madden, A. M.

  Everything with Cannon was different.

  Sure, there were obvious similarities to the kind of man that attracted me. But not only was Cannon sexy, talented, and hot in an obvious way, he was also wise beyond his years and kind. It wasn’t only his handsome face that stole my breath, or his strong muscular body that made me wet. Nope, it was more so his good heart, his conviction, his ability to bravely voice exactly what he wanted.

  In so many ways, Cannon Davis was much more mature than me. I had a lot to learn, and something told me he was just the person to teach me. And now, only minutes after turning a personal corner, I was already chastising the ridiculous attempt I made at denying what he knew we shared.

  Kisses led to removing the garments we each wore. Stripping led to touches and caresses we couldn’t hold back. Silently, we took a shower, exploring for the first time, removing the grime caused by hiding in that filthy room from the storm last night. More important, we washed away my trepidations over being with him. Every single one of them swirled down the drain along with every cleansing drop.

  He dried my body, my hair, with gentle swipes of the towel. I reciprocated, amazed at how comfortable I now was with our intimacy. That word had never been in my vocabulary. Every relationship I’d been in had always been filled with anger, and heat, and animalistic acts of will between a man and a woman who both had a lot to prove… definitely not intimacy.

  Since the beginning, the raw carnal desire we felt was very much there, but it was blanketed with a layer of mutual respect and admiration. The equal parts created a strangely addicting force between us. I not only wanted more kisses, more touches, more of what he had done to me last night in that hotel room. I also wanted more talks, more stolen moments of laughter, more sharing pieces of each other.

  When a flash of panic crippled me because this time it was so different, which meant he could do so much worse damage with my heart, I pushed it away, refusing to give it any power over my decision. It was those flashes of vulnerability that always prevented my past relationships from growing.

  I had no doubt the anxiety of getting hurt would resurface again with Cannon, but maybe learning how to suppress it was the missing ingredient. Maybe acknowledging its presence but denying it control was the answer.

  Bottom line, this man wanted every part of me. He’d pushed and pushed until he’d succeeded, and although I hadn’t voiced those three little words out loud, he’d still accomplished what he’d set out to.

  He’d made me love him.

  My heart raced over what was to come when we lay side by side in the center of my bed. We had yet to make love, although all that we shared since walking into my condo was as monumental as the act itself. We were now bare of clothing and of denials. It was all out now, released and set free with Leila’s words that I deserved to be happy becoming the balm I needed to allow this to finally happen. No doubt, she’d shit daisies once I told her that.

  “You’re so fucking beautiful.” He traced a finger over my lips, his gaze following the path it made down my throat. He circled first one nipple and then the other. He cupped a breast, running a thumb over its stiff peak. He then skimmed his hand down my body, pausing every few inches to feel me. He watched with obvious awe the effects he had on me through the goose bumps that rose on my skin, through the deep drags of air I pulled into my lungs.

  It looked like he was mesmerized, in a trance, because of me.

  Bringing his focus back to my face, he asked, “This is real, right? You’re really here with me?”

  “I’m here,” I said softly, palming his jaw. “I’m still scared of it, Cannon… but I’m tired of fighting it.”

  “Don’t worry, I got us,” he said with conviction before kissing me softly. “I’m scared, too, Red. But my fear doesn’t hold weight to my feelings.”

  “Why are you so wise?”

  “Reincarnated. I used to be a king in my prior life. Ruled with an iron fist…” He pushed his hardened length against my thigh. “Fucked with an iron cock.”

  “And… there’s the twenty-four-year-old who’s been hiding.”

  He chuckled during a shrug. “I can’t always be the levelheaded one between us.” His expression turned serious just before he bent to kiss me deeply. Our bodies moved closer, searching for more. Pulling away, he said what I was about to, “I need you, Red.”

  “I need you too.” I needed him to keep me from running from what could be something great. “I’m ready for this, with you.”

  But when he shook his head and said, “No, I really need you. Bare. Nothing between us. I need you to trust me, like I trust you,” I couldn’t suppress the gasp that flittered out.

  “I never…”

  “Neither have I,” he quickly interrupted.

  “I’m on the pill,” I offered.

  “I don’t care about that, either, but good to know.”

  My concession came in gripping his neck, bringing his face to mine, and kissing him like I’d never kissed a man before. In truth, I never had in that manner. Something had always held me back, kept me guarded in how much I gave of myself.

  I was about to shed all my armor for Cannon Davis.

  Linking our fingers, he moved between my legs before stretching my arms above my head. I spread my thighs wider, giving him complete access to slide in without delay. His gaze leveled me with pure, raw emotion.

  The moment I was fully penetrated, I stilled, overwhelmed with the sensation of him filling me. His firm lips fused with mine, and with a purposeful roll of his hips I felt my issues crumbling around me.

  He misinterpreted the tears that welled. “Stay with me, Red.”

  “I’m here. Don’t stop, Cannon.”

  “Never.”

  We began to move slowly and deliberately. The connection between us cleared my mind and instigated my lust. He plunged deeper and deeper.

  With every thrust I released another moan. I could feel him possessing me, taking what he wanted without apology… my body and my heart.

  With every thrust I forgot why I was so conflicted before this moment.

  His lips took mine sending a jolt of electricity through my body. It coursed through me, traveled down my spine, and settled where we joined. He swallowed me whole, enveloping me with everything he felt for me. Every push of his hips toward mine blew my mind creating a voracious greed. My attempt to control the situation, to try to slow down my release, was in vain. Unprepared for what consumed me, the strain caused my muscles to shudder and walls to clench around him with a force I’d never felt before.

  It caused my heart to betray me, because in that moment I knew I’d fallen in love with Cannon Davis. The result of that realization was profound.

  “Fuuuuck,” he cried out and emptied himself in me. It seemed to go on forever, draining him completely.

  Once he returned to a normal state, he repositioned us side by side. He wrapped both arms around me, keeping me close and forcing me to accept every inch of himself.

  I ran my fingers through his hair with a shy smile. “Wow.”

  “Yeah.” There was a blazing desire still evident in his eyes when he met my gaze. “We are most definitely doing that again.”

  Chapter 28

  Cannon

  “Now put it on your clit, Red. Keep your eyes on me.”

  She dragged the mini vibrator that I’d found in her nightstand from her nipple straight down to land between her legs. With her lustful green eyes locked on mine, she manipulated the toy over her glistening folds and immediately began moaning along with its monotonous buzz.

  “Keep going. Until you come.”

  The pulsating sound echoed in the space between us… over and over.

  Buzz… buzz… buzz.

  “Your damn phone keeps buzzing,” she said, pulling away the vibrator, clearly annoyed over the interruption. “You need to wake the hell up, Cannon, so I can come!”

  My eyes flew open before they blinked a few times to focus.

 
; Dammit… a fucking dream.

  When the warm body beside me shifted, it took a second for me to remember why I had a naked woman wrapped around me. It’d been a while. But at seeing the spread of auburn hair on my arm, it all came rushing back with a vengeance. I wasn’t sure if it was the dream I’d just woken from, which was getting really good, I might add, or her pressed against me that instigated my raging hard-on. Either way, it didn’t matter when it hit me that I could make it a reality.

  It didn’t matter, that was, until a faint buzzing sounded again, tipping me off to the reason I had probably woken up. Without moving much, I reached for my phone, noting the hour was already past six p.m.

  Time flies when you’re fucking, napping, and fucking some more.

  The next thing I noticed were several texts from my sister Kate.

  I have news.

  Call me STAT!

  Where are you?

  Can Man!

  Great.

  I’d have to remember to thank her for such awesome timing. After a quick glance at Lori to be sure she still slept fitfully, I slipped out from beside her and grabbed my phone just as my stomach rumbled from hunger.

  May as well kill two birds, I thought. I closed the bedroom door behind me, took a much-needed piss, and then sauntered into the kitchen to find something to eat while calling Kate back.

  Not until I had a pot of water simmering for pasta, and another pot heating the remaining contents of a jar of sauce I had found in Lori’s fridge, did I dial my sister.

  She answered with a high-pitched squeal.

  Once my eardrum stopped ringing, I whispered, “Let me guess… you hit the lottery?”

  “Yes, I did! And his name is John.” As if it only then occurred to her that I’d been speaking quietly, she asked, “Why are you whispering?”

  “Watching Liam’s dog, and he’s sleeping,” I lied while rolling my eyes at how ridiculous that sounded. “So… congrats, sis. It’s about time that cop grew a set.”

  “He has a very nice set, thank you very much.”

  “Oh, gross. Please don’t.” Her giggles made me smile when I asked, “So how did he finally ask you?”

  “Today is our anniversary, and he hollowed out the pages of the new mystery novel I wanted and fit the ring box inside. Once I opened the cover, there it was. It was so romantic.”

  “For two dorks.”

  “Shut it.” She proceeded to ask me about the album I was almost done recording and tour specifics. “I’m so proud of you, Can Man.”

  “Thanks, sis.” I really owed the unwavering support of my family toward my career choice for getting me where I was today.

  “Just don’t forget the women who whupped your ass in shape to be the man you are.”

  “Like Mom would ever let me forget her or Kim.”

  “You’re hilarious.”

  “Fine… or you,” I added with mock annoyance lacing my words. “But of the three, you are the one I’d try to ditch as soon as I got famous. Just sayin.’”

  “Jerk. Hey, Can Man, do you think you can come home next weekend? Mom wants to have a small party for John and me. It’d be great to spend some time with you before you take off and become all famous on us.” Despite her teasing, I could hear the melancholy in her voice.

  I assumed I could, but everything I did now had to be run by the label. If I decided to hit a party, check out a concert, go home to visit my family, they wouldn’t deny any of it, but they’d still want to know.

  After I admitted to Lori that things had gotten crazy during my last performance at The Green Rabbit, she’d reported back to LRV, so they were aware. Apparently, an up-and-coming artist could go from complete anonymity to creating mayhem in a matter of hours. I guessed with social media as it was, and after having seen the craziness that had surfaced out of the blue at one of my own stomping grounds, it was plausible.

  Regardless, I didn’t want to give my sister false hope when I replied noncommittally, “Yeah, maybe.” Although I liked the idea of having Lori join me. “I’ll let you know.”

  “Keeping my fingers crossed. If you do, then we should surprise Mom and not tell her.”

  “Okay, I’ll…” A cool hand wrapped around my dick, eliciting a carnal “Oomph!”

  “What happened?” my sister asked with concern.

  “Huh?” All coherent thoughts escaped with each stroke. “Um… I have to go. I just… um…” Warm lips peppered kisses on my bare back as I struggled for the right thing to say. Christ, she was killing me. “I, ah… the dog… stubbed… my toe. Um… I’ll call you… fuck… um… soon,” I said, managing to eek my way through an absurd explanation before tapping my phone to hang up. “Shit, Red.” Her grip only tightened as she pressed up against me. “You’re… you’re… oh fuck,” I rasped, shutting the flames on the stove before I did some severe damage.

  “You shouldn’t be standing in my kitchen naked if you aren’t prepared for the consequences,” she said smoothly, still working my cock masterfully. Meanwhile, I white-knuckle gripped the edge of the counter while trying to remain upright.

  Hastily, she released my cock and turned my body until we came face-to-face. Seeing her in my T-shirt and nothing else solidified my spur-of-the-moment decision to fuck her on the small kitchen island, but she had other plans. Beating me to the punch, she dropped to her knees and covered my cock with her mouth.

  Determinedly, she worked me over in earnest. “Fuck… fuck, Red. I’m going to come soon if you don’t…” A wicked surge of pleasure halted my words. When she began to suck hard, it created the kind of pressure to rival a vacuum. I was forced to hold on to the granite’s edge for dear life as every part of my body prepared for an epic release.

  She increased her efforts unnecessarily, because at that point if she abandoned her tactics and even skimmed a fingertip across my left toe it wouldn’t have stopped the deluge I released into her mouth.

  Looking down just in time to witness her suck me dry, while her green eyes held mine, was hands down the hottest thing I’d ever seen in my entire life. By far the best blow job I’d ever gotten. Shit, I’d been missing out on this? Why were some women just meh at giving head, when some should win awards? Was it something they taught in girls’ sex ed?

  She rose to her feet, and a sexy smirk lifted the corners of her lips, ones that had just devoured me whole. “Hi.”

  “Hi.”

  “Smells good,” she added, her eyes never leaving mine. “Thanks for cooking. I guess we worked up an appetite. I’m starving.”

  “Yeah, but you’ll have to wait. We’ll eat as soon as I’m done with my appetizer.” I lifted her easily, until her bare ass met the cool surface of her kitchen island. “My turn,” I admitted before laying her flat on her back and diving in to eat her out.

  We lay comfortably on her couch with remnants of our dinner on the plates still sitting on the floor where we’d eaten.

  While drawing lazy patterns on her smooth skin, all I could think about was how a few days changed everything. Granted, during the few days there was a shit ton of conversation and a considerable amount of pressure through sexual advances… but still amazing strides in regard to where we’d come from.

  “I need to ask you something.”

  Sensing the urgency in my tone, she lifted her head from my chest with a frown. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing… just the opposite.” A soft kiss on her nose morphed her concern into contentment. “My sister got engaged.”

  “That’s wonderful. You had mentioned it might happen soon.”

  “Yeah, long overdue. They’re having a party next weekend. I’m thinking of surprising my mom and just showing up.”

  Lori’s eyes cut away for a moment before she nodded. “That should be fine. You only have one song left to record and cut this week. You should go. In fact, since you’ll be leaving on tour soon, you should stay a while. Things are going to get crazy next month.”

  “I want you to come with me.” Pred
ictably, she stumbled into silence. “Don’t say no.”

  Sitting up, she clutched the throw I had covered us with to her body. “Cannon, I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

  “Why?”

  “This…” Her pitchy tone and the frantic way she wagged a hand between us meant panic had set in. “It’s too new.”

  “If you prefer to come as my agent, and nothing else, then fine, Red. But you meeting my family is important to me.” I pulled her back down to lie across my chest, holding the side of her head to ensure she didn’t try to escape me. “Of course, we’d then be staying at the only hotel in town because there’s no way I’m not sleeping with you. But not staying at my house would lead to a huge fight with Mom, and lots and lots of speculation from my sisters. Either way, it’s your call, Red.”

  “So basically you’re saying either way we’re outed.”

  “Pretty much. If it makes you feel better, having grown up the only boy in a house full of girls I learned at a very early age when accused of something to just deny, deny, deny.”

  “You think you’re funny?” Despite the way she quirked her lips to the side, a nervous pulse raced beneath my fingers. My lack of a response forced her to think of her own. I could practically see the argument she played out in her mind. Still I remained silent and waited. “What happens if this doesn’t work, Cannon?”

  “Then I fire you before fucking every pussy I encounter from coast to coast.”

  “Don’t be an ass.” The flash of anger that ghosted over her features was met with my annoyed smirk.

  “What do you want me to say to that, Red? You can’t start a relationship with your one and only concern being it’s going to end.”

  Moving both hands to frame her face, I constrained her need to avoid the truth. I predicted I’d be doing so many times a day, many days a week, until she finally got through her head how committed I was to her. Hell, if I had a guarantee that admitting I loved her wouldn’t send her running, I’d have done so already. Part of me felt the need to validate what I felt was real before I went on tour.