Bad Habits (Nashville Outlaws #1)

by Cheryl Douglas

  “Kiss me,” she whispered.

  I’d gotten caught up in my head and must have made her nervous, but she always knew how to bring me right back to the present. Back to her. I didn’t just kiss her. I made love to her with my mouth, pouring everything I hadn’t yet said into the act. It was the most sensual kiss of my life, and I’d never been more aroused.

  “Cec,” my whisper was harsh, my lips hot against her ear. “I need you, baby.”

  Her arms closed around me. “Yes.”

  I didn’t hear a hint of uncertainty in her voice or I would have asked if she was sure. I weighed almost twice as much as she did, so I was careful to support my weight when my body covered hers. “You want me?”

  She nodded, her eyes locked on mine as she looked towards the nightstand. “Condoms in there?”

  I nodded, watching her tear a packet open with her teeth before I inched back enough to let her roll it on.

  I lowered my body and whispered, “Take me, Cec.” Make me yours.

  She eased her hand between our bodies and guided my shaft to her slick heat.

  I knew this wasn’t going to be quick or easy so I lowered my head, biting my lip as I planned to take it nice and slow, giving her all the time she needed to adjust to me. I wanted this to be the stuff her dreams were made of.

  She gasped when she brought her hips up to meet mine. Damn. She was tight as hell and I… couldn’t make it easy for her if I wanted to. I was determined to make it last, but it would take every ounce of strength I possessed, because with every nudge I lost a little more control.

  “Jesus, Knox…”

  I knew what she was thinking. Snug didn’t begin to describe it. “I know, babe. Just relax for me.”

  “You could have warned me you were huge!”

  I chuckled, unable to help myself. Only Cece could make me laugh at a time like this.

  I kissed her, knowing the only way to help her relax was to take her mind off the pinch of pain. It worked. We were getting lost in each other and before I knew it I was fully seated, stretching her, and judging by the expression on her gorgeous face, she was loving it.

  “You good now?” I whispered, brushing my lips across her cheek.

  “Better than good. Ah, it feels amazing.”

  I moved slowly, lacing her fingers with mine as I leaned back, taking it all in. Fantasy couldn’t possibly live up to moments like this. I was a part of her, she was a part of me, like we were fused together. Permanently. I knew long after her body was free, her heart would still belong to me and this moment.

  “This has been a long time coming.” My voice was raspy with emotion. I felt overwhelmed by my love for this girl. No one had ever owned me like this. “Too long.” I was ramping it up, but still lost in the rhythm our heart beats seemed to set.

  She nodded, but said nothing. A tear glided down her cheek into her hair, but I wasn’t worried. The fear was gone. She was just overwhelmed, same as I was, by what she was feeling. When you knew someone as well as I knew her, you didn’t have to hear the words, you had an unspoken language.

  “This was always meant to be, you know, you and me.” My body was taking over now, letting my mind spill all my secrets. “You’re perfect for me. In every way.”

  “I love you, Knox.”

  My heart twisted at those three little words. It’s not that we’d never said them before, but this time everything felt different. “I love you too, angel.” That seemed to kick it into high gear, because slow and easy was no longer an option. The momentum was suddenly fierce and demanding and she was racing to the finish line.

  “I need to—”

  “I know.” The jerking coupled with the constriction almost did me in, but I was determined to let her ride this out.

  I covered my body with hers and tried to slow things down, but she took control, wrapping her legs around my waist, and tipping her hips while her nails skimmed my back.

  “I want to see you lose control, Knox. Just for me.” Her tongue flicked my ear as her teeth grazed. “I want you on your back. I want to watch you.”

  This lady could have anything she wanted from me, all she had to do was say the word. Cars, furs, and diamonds. Nothing was out of her reach. But I knew the only thing she’d ever ask for was my love and commitment, which made me want her even more.

  I was tired of being used, tired of meaningless romps that left me feeling empty. I wanted this from now on. A meaningful connection with a woman who meant everything to me.

  I flipped us around so she was straddling my waist, her hair blanketing us when she leaned down to kiss me. She smiled as she traced the interlocking C’s on my arm. “I love this.”

  It’s you, girl. It’s always been you. It just took me so damn long to realize it.

  “I do too.” I sucked her fingertip into my mouth as she was tracing my lower lip. “Even more now.”

  When I gripped her hips, she tipped her head back. “Ah, that feels amazing.”

  I thought I was as hard as I could get, but this girl kept proving me wrong. Seeing her perfect breasts on display made me realize there were no limits to how much I could want her. My hands were big, but she was more than a handful and I sure as hell wasn’t complaining as I skimmed my thumbs over her peaked nipples and twisting just enough to give her that bite of pain I was starting to realize she liked.

  “Ohhh….” She braced her hands on my chest and started rocking against me, making me curse as I held on to my tenuous grip on self-control.

  She linked her hands with mine, staring into my eyes as she used my arms for leverage to ride me… hard. Damn. She picked up the tempo and I lost my breath, my words, and probably a few brain cells.

  “Cece…” Her name was a broken groan as I struggled to focus on anything except the finish line. I didn’t want this to end. I wanted this feeling, with this girl, to last forever.

  “Sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.” Her whisper was hoarse, her moan soft, and I knew she was close again. “Watching you surrender.”

  I forced my eyes open. Damn. Her cheeks were flushed from multiple orgasms. Her hair a tangled mess from my hands. Her green eyes were hooded with arousal and her perfect tits were scraped up by my stubble. I wanted to burn this image into my memory forever.

  “Use me.” It was obvious she was teetering on the edge and I wanted to watch her freefall. “Take what you need from me, baby. Let me watch you.”

  Her breath stuttered as she rocked back and forth, crying out as her grip on my hands tightened.

  I knew I could help her along, but I just wanted to watch her do her thing. Use my body like it was her own, because it was. This woman owned me now. “That’s it, angel. So damn sexy.”

  She threw her head back as her body convulsed once more and that was all it took to finish me off. I groaned, releasing her hands so I could grasp her hips. I’d never hated condoms more than I did in that moment. I wanted to flood her, not a cheap piece of latex, but that would mean a level of commitment we hadn’t established yet. We’d get there, I had no doubt. But today wasn’t the day.

  We were both quiet as I held her, stroking her hair while we came down from the highest high I’d ever experienced. I’m not proud to admit I’d experimented with drugs, but those nights, those highs, didn’t compare to this. This was surreal.

  “Wow.” She tried to laugh as she patted my chest. “That was… crazy.”

  I kissed her cheek as she rolled off, pulling the sheet up.

  “Crazy good?”

  She gave me a cheeky grin, sticking her tongue out. “You know it was.”

  “Careful now,” I said, smacking her sexy ass. “I can think of a few ways to put that tongue to use.”

  She laughed. “Shut up! I need a shower before rehearsal.”

  Huh. I was hoping she’d ask me to join her, but I understood why she might need a few minutes to herself. We’d just crossed every line and broken down every barrier. We were in new territory now, and as excited as I was about it,
I was pretty sure the terrain might be rocky.

  Chapter 10

  Cece

  The show was unbelievable that night. Knox was on fire and the crowd was eating it up. Auden was good too, but it was hard to look at him the same way… since Knox was invading every part of my brain.

  I was still having a hard time wrapping my mind around what happened between us in his bus, but I couldn’t feel bad about it. It felt too good to feel bad. I tried reminding myself that Knox was a man-whore, so I shouldn’t expect too much from him, but every time our eyes met on stage it seemed like he was trying to send me a message.

  Dade had a concert in town in a couple of nights, so he rolled in early to catch our show. Knox and I invited him for drinks, so I was waiting in a corner booth of a dimly-lit bar for the men of the hour. I could have hung back and waited for Knox after the show, but walking into a public place with Knox could get a little crazy and I’d had enough crazy for one day.

  Dade was the first to arrive and people reacted to him the same way they would to Knox: lots of pointing, whispering, and the flash of cell phone cameras as he made his way to our booth.

  Dade was ridiculously handsome, like Knox, but he had a chip on his shoulder that my man— uh, that Knox had lost a long time ago. I suspected it was because of his failed relationships and the grief the press and music buying public gave him about it.

  “Hey gorgeous,” he said, bending to kiss me on the cheek “Where’s Knox?”

  “He should be here in a bit.”

  We shared a smile and he grasped my hand. I’d made a lot of friends in this business, but I could honestly say Dade was one of my favorite people. It was hard to believe he hadn’t settled down with the love of his life by now, since he’d tried so hard to find her.

  “Damn, it’s good to see you,” he said, kissing my hand. “You guys were great tonight.” He flashed me a bright white smile and winked. “Tough act to follow.”

  I grinned, knowing no shoes were too big for Dade to fill. He was one of the best in our business and everyone was in awe of his talent, not only as a singer, but also as a songwriter and guitarist.

  “Please, like you have anything to worry about.”

  The pretty young waitress approached to take our order, and it was obvious she was a little starstruck when she realized Dade Jarvis was seated in her section. He winked after ordering a scotch for himself and a gin and tonic for me. No wonder the guy had trouble staying single. He flirted with every girl he met.

  “So, tell me what you’ve been up to?” he said, leaning back as he stretched his arm across the back of the leather bench seat. “I know the tour’s been goin’ well. Sellin’ out every stadium and that’s no easy feat.”

  “Yeah, it’s been going good. Auden seems to be the right fit.” Though I didn’t know how much longer he’d be a fixture, in light of the awkwardness between him and Knox.

  “Yeah, that kid’s got some real talent. I wouldn’t mind having him open a few dates for me.”

  I smiled. “I don’t think Knox would have a problem with that. He and Auden haven’t been getting along all that well lately.”

  “Oh yeah?” His dark eyes sparked with interest. “Do tell.”

  I normally wouldn’t confide in anyone about this, but Dade and I went way back and it wouldn’t hurt to have a guy’s perspective. “So, um, I might have done something kind of stupid.” I cleared my throat when the waitress returned with our drinks and a bowl of pretzels.

  “I’m waitin’,” he said, rolling his hand. “Tell me already.”

  I bit my lip, knowing Dade wouldn’t judge me, but it still felt weird, talking to him about sex. “I kind of slept with Auden,” I whispered, leaning in.

  Dade grinned. “And that’s a problem because…?”

  I wasn’t ready to tell him about the weirdness between me and Knox. If he sensed something tonight he’d no doubt come right out and ask us. “Because we work together.” I snagged a handful of pretzels and started munching. “And I think maybe he wants a little more than I can give him now.”

  “I know how that can go,” Dade said, biting into a pretzel. “Worst mistake I ever made was sleeping with a girl who worked for me.” He sliced his hand through the air. “From then on, that was it for me. I only work with guys or really ugly women now. That way there’s no temptation.” He winked. “So far, it’s working.”

  I laughed, nudging his knee under the table. “You’re crazy.”

  “Hey.”

  I’d been so busy filling Dade in, I hadn’t even heard Knox’s approach, and I was pretty sure he’d endured the same fanfare Dade had.

  “Why’d you guys take off without me?” Knox asked, frowning. “I texted you to tell you to meet me at the bus. Didn’t you check your phone?”

  He seemed pissed and Dade obviously picked up on the tension because he chuckled. “Relax, man. We’re all here now, that’s all that matters.”

  Knox looked at his friend. “You two come here together?”

  I couldn’t believe he was making such a big deal about this! “No, I grabbed an Uber.” Not that I felt I had to explain myself to him. “And Dade just got here a few minutes ago. Now shut up and sit down.”

  Dade laughed, pointing at Knox. “You’ve been told, buddy. Better take a load off.”

  Knox narrowed his eyes at his friend before sliding in beside me. “So, what’re you two talking about?”

  Dade pointed at me. “This little lady was just tellin’ me how she got in over her head with your opening act.”

  Knox side-eyed me, ratcheting up the anger. “Is that so?”

  “Uh oh.” Dade looked from me to Knox. “Did he not know that? I thought you guys told each other everything. Sorry—”

  “Don’t worry, Dade.” I held up my hand. “He knows all about me and Auden.”

  “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

  Dade frowned. “Since when do you care whether the people on your crew date? You had no problem with Cece seein’ that Leo character.”

  Ugh. If I never had to hear that man’s name again I’d be happy. “Please, let’s not talk about him.” Dade knew that he’d cheated on me with a groupie in Knox’s dressing room, but he didn’t know about the endless harassment that followed that little indiscretion.

  “Am I missing something?” Dade asked.

  “He’s gone,” Knox said. “Fired his ass.”

  “Good.” Dade nodded. “You did the right thing. I know he was good at his job, but you don’t need assholes like that workin’ for you, man.”

  That’s what I loved about my friends, they always had my back.

  “True.” When the waitress returned Knox ordered the same as Dade before glancing at the leather bound menu. “I need food. I’m starving.”

  “Yeah well,” Dade said, chuckling. “You worked up quite an appetite tonight.”

  I blushed, thinking about how we’d worked up an appetite, even before the show. I caught Dade looking at me out of the corner of his eye, his lips tipped up in amusement. Shit. He was already on to us.

  “What’s it gonna be for you guys?” Knox asked. “Nachos and wings? Maybe pizza?”

  I’d kill for a loaded pizza, but unlike Knox, I couldn’t eat anything I wanted and still look like an underwear model.

  “Pizza sounds good to me,” Dade said, before closing his menu. “The number four?”

  We all agreed before the waitress returned to take our order. She collected the menus and promised to return with Knox’s drink. Poor girl. She was tongue-tied and fair-haired. Every time she looked at Knox or Dade she blushed. Not that I could blame her. I counted these two among my closest friends and I sometimes got a little awestruck watching them work a crowd.

  Knox seemed to relax a little when he settled into the bench and stretched his arm behind me. “So, did you talk to him about hirin’ your sister?”

  “No.” I grinned at Dade. “Apparently he only hires ugly women. That leaves Charl
i out.”

  “Your sister?” Dade repeated. “It feels like I’ve known you forever. Why have I not met her?”

  Because I was afraid he would chew her up and spit her out like every other girl he’d dated. I knew that wasn’t fair. Dade had honestly tried to make a few relationships go the distance, but he just wasn’t cut out for the long haul.

  “There’s good reason,” I said, wincing. I didn’t want to embarrass my sister, or him, but if Charli honestly expected me to make the introduction I had to give my friend fair warning. “She’s kind of been crushin’ on you forever.”

  He laughed as he brought his glass to his lips. “Is that so?”

  I knew having women make fools of themselves over him was nothing new for Dade, but this was my baby sister we were talking about, and no one made a fool of her, if I could help it.

  “You wouldn’t be laughing if you saw her,” Knox said, tongue in cheek. “She’s something.”

  “Shut up,” I said, through clenched teeth, elbowing Knox in the ribs. Poor Dade had a hard enough time resisting a beautiful woman. The last thing we needed was to dangle my sister in front of him. It would be worse than a crackhead trying to resist a fix.

  Knox pulled his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through his pics. I was pretty sure he had quite a few taken with Charli. “Put that away,” I said, out of the corner of my mouth. “Dade doesn’t need to see that.”

  “Yeah,” Knox said, chuckling. “But I’m pretty sure he wants to.”

  “You do not, do you?” I looked at Dade, who was trying hard to look disinterested. “God, what is wrong with you?” I reached across the table and pushed against his shoulder. “You said you were off women.”

  “Doesn’t mean I can’t look,” he muttered.

  Knox flashed the screen at him and I saw the pic he showed him. Ugh. It couldn’t have been one where she’d been wearing a ball cap and jeans. No, he had to show him one of her all sexed up, wearing a strapless black dress, with the girls on full display. I was so gonna kill him.