by Eva Haining
True to his word, he finds us a hotel five minutes from the hospital and takes care of getting us rooms while Tony and I stand dazed in the lobby.
“Here you go.” He hands us each a keycard. “You have rooms for the next three nights with the option to extend your stay if needed. Can I do anything else for you guys before I go?”
Tony shakes Knox’s hand. “Thanks, man. You didn’t have to do any of this for us. I really appreciate you taking us to the hospital and everything. If you ever need anything, I want to repay the favor.”
“No need. I’m just glad your friend is going to be okay.”
Tony grabs me, squeezing me so tight I can’t breathe. “I love you, Belle. I don’t say it enough. You, David, and Johnny are my family. We could’ve lost him. I’m going to tell that motherfucker I love him when I see him tomorrow.”
I squeeze him back. “I love you, too, Tony. Go get some rest. We can kick Johnny’s ass when he’s awake.”
“Night, Belle.” He leaves me to say goodnight to Knox and heads for the stairs. When I turn to face him, I crack. Tears fill my eyes as Tony’s words sink in. We could have lost him.
“Hey, girl, come here.” He wraps his arms around me, enveloping me in the comforting scent of his cologne. “He’s going to be okay.”
“I just can’t get the image of him lying on that stage out of my head. And then I couldn’t get to him. If you hadn’t been there, I would’ve been swallowed up by that crowd.”
“Well, I was there. I’m here. If you need anything at all, you call me, okay?”
“Thank you.” I push myself up onto my tiptoes and press a kiss to his lips while tears are still fresh on my cheeks. My heart is racing as he deepens our kiss, his hands sliding up into my hair.
“Belle…”
“Don’t go, Knox. Stay with me tonight.”
Five
KNOX
I couldn’t say no to her. Belle was looking up at me with those big brown eyes of hers, glistening with tears, and I knew I should walk away, but the words didn’t come out. Instead, I kissed her as if my life depended on it, brought her up to the hotel room, and fucked her until I thought my cock was going to fall off.
Low, Knox. Low.
The sun is almost up, and my farm-boy internal clock has me wide awake. Belle is nestled at my side, and I have a dumb fucking grin on my face. I’m an idiot and a low-life idiot at that. I knew it was a bad idea to drive down here last night, and a small part of me was relieved when she said she wouldn’t have time to hang out afterward. It made it easier for me to justify driving to Houston simply so I could watch my one-night stand sing. Sure, she thought I wanted to see Marcus Brody, and that part was true—I did have tickets, and my dad did break his arm. But when she offered to get me tickets for last night, I didn’t give a fuck about seeing Brody.
I battled myself all week, carrying Belle’s number around in my pocket, telling myself I’d just throw it in the trash, and if she ever came to town again, we’d have another great night together. Who was I kidding? The question wasn’t if I’d take her up on the offer but when. She represents everything I don’t want in a woman right now, and yet I’m drawn to her, even though I know it can only end badly for me. Right now, lying here beside her, I’m so fucking glad I caved and drove out here.
Last night was fucked up. I was shocked when Johnny collapsed, but it was the sight of the crowd closing in on Belle that had me ready to fight every damn person in that stadium who was in my way, keeping me from getting to her. I dread to think about what could’ve happened if I wasn’t there. Every muscle in my body tightens at the thought of it—if she had been hurt.
Lying here, I realize how little I really know about her. Last night she told the doctor that she and Johnny grew up together in foster care. What kind of guy have I become that I don’t know anything about the woman sharing my bed? Her bandmate overdosed last night, and I have no idea if Belle dabbles with drugs. It’s a cliché about musicians for a reason. Touring all the time, constantly traveling, working nights—people start messing with uppers. Then they need downers. It’s a slippery slope.
I saw it more than I should’ve when I played football back in high school. Half the guys on the team were taking shit to enhance their performance. I didn’t need that crap, I was great without it. I was ready to leave Kingsbury Falls behind and make a name for myself playing college ball. I didn’t have any illusions of grandeur. I wasn’t pinning my hopes on being drafted to the NFL or anything. I just wanted to go to college, to build a life for myself that was my choice. When that all went up in smoke, I drank way more than I should’ve, but I never did drugs. They scare the shit out of me if I’m honest.
Extricating myself from Belle’s embrace, I grab my jeans and pull my phone from the front pocket. I need to let Ben know not to expect me at the farm today. I want to make sure Belle’s okay before I head back home. As I gather my clothes off the floor, I can’t help but look at her, sound asleep, peaceful after such a tumultuous night.
When she asked me to stay, I told myself I’d get her settled and then leave her to process the events of last night, and yet, the moment we got to her room, she begged me to help her forget, to push back the visions of her friend lying prostrate on the stage. I tried to be the good guy, but the moment she began undressing in front of me, holding my gaze the entire time, I was helpless to resist.
To say we fucked all night seems crude for what I felt last night with her in my arms. We didn’t make love—we barely know each other—but it was more than a one-night stand. I shouldn’t be happy that we found ourselves in this position, considering the circumstances. My instincts are telling me to run, to quit while I’m ahead. This girl makes me feel things that can never be between us. As soon as Johnny’s better, she’s going to LA and will never look back, and I’ll still be in Kingsbury Falls milking cows.
I should’ve stuck to the plan and left last night. Lying with Belle beside me made me want her all the more. I’ve been doing my best after what happened last year to distance myself. Casual sex, no feelings. I don’t want to want this girl, but as I see her shifting in the bed, her hair sex-mussed and the sheets clinging to her naked curves, she’s all I want at this moment.
“Morning. You’re still here.” She’s awake. Her voice is delicious, all raspy but soft as she straddles the seconds between sleep and wakefulness.
“Hey, girl. Sorry if I woke you. My body clock is in farm mode. I was going to run out and grab you some coffee and bagels.”
“What time is it?”
“Five.”
“God, do you get up at this time every day? Didn’t we just go to sleep?”
“Girl, this is late for me. Do you want coffee?” I step into my jeans, shrugging them on when I notice Belle’s gaze has traveled down my body to where I’m shoving morning wood into my boxer shorts.
“It would be a shame to let that go to waste. Coffee can wait.” She throws back the covers, her naked body on display as she sashays across to the bathroom door. “Care to join me for a shower?” The way she’s staring at my cock leaves me incapable of coherent thought. If someone offered me $1,000 right now to walk out of here, I’d turn them down. She’s hotter than the hinges of hell.
Instead of zipping my fly, I shove my jeans down, kicking them off before following after her and pulling her into my arms. Her naked flesh is warm against me, the soft swell of her breasts pressed tightly to my chest. “Let’s get you good and dirty.”
“Aren’t showers for getting clean?” she says with a sly grin.
“Not the way I do it.” I take her mouth in a fierce kiss, backing her into the bathroom as our tongues twist and tangle together. Blindly fumbling around for the shower, she turns the water on as I slide my hand between her legs, enjoying how wet she is for me.
Picking her up, I set her down on the vanity, her legs parted to accommodate me. I begin to kiss down her neck, lower and lower until I graze my teeth over one of her tightly budded
nipples before sucking it into my mouth.
The room begins to fill with steam, misting the mirror behind us. We could heat this place without the running shower. Her skin on mine sparks a fire inside me, and all I want is to lose myself in her body for as long as she’ll have me.
“Condom,” she whispers between kisses.
“Shit! We used them all last night. I didn’t exactly come prepared for this.”
Belle takes my hand and leads me into the shower. “There are other ways to fuck.”
I can’t concentrate as the water cascades down her body, and she wraps her fist around my achingly hard cock. “You need to stop that, girl. I’m ready to push your back against the tile and fuck you so hard you’ll be feeling me for a week.” My lips crash down on hers, my self-control waning as she continues her ministrations. I want to be inside her so bad it hurts.
Belle pulls back, leaving me wanting more as she drops to her knees under the showerhead before taking me into her mouth. Fuck me, I could come in two seconds flat with how dang good her lips feel. A soft groan escapes her, sending a vibration down my cock. My eyes are fixed on where her pretty little mouth meets my hard shaft.
“Shit. Belle, slow down. That feels too fucking good.” As I stare down at her, she lifts her eyes to meet mine, all the while working my cock with her mouth. Holy shit. She doesn’t take her eyes off me, and she doesn’t let up. As she flicks her tongue over the tip of my cock, I have to look away—think of literally anything else—before I shoot my load.
I see stars, and my legs start to shake as the beginning of my release takes hold. She is so dang beautiful when she’s on her knees, and I can’t hold back. My hands instinctively tangle in her hair, holding her steady as I fuck her mouth. Relinquishing control, she rests her hands on my thighs, letting me set the pace, taking me as deep as she can, her eyes still fixed on mine.
If I were to die right now, I’d die a happy man. As my orgasm rips through me, I shout her name—a roar torn from my chest. “Belle! Oh fuck, yes.” She continues to circle the head of my cock with her tongue as I ride out the aftershocks. I never come before I’ve made sure the woman I’m with has been thoroughly satisfied. I don’t know what came over me. Everything about this girl is so goddamn sexy, I just couldn’t force myself to stop.
When she sits back on her heels, her gaze is dark and devious, full of wicked desire.
“We need to get out of this shower. You’re about to ride my face, and we need a bed for that.” Her grin is so sultry, I could lose myself in her for hours, but unfortunately, our time together is about to end. I need to take her to see her friend and then say goodbye. For now, I’m going to give her something to remember me by.
The hospital is eerily quiet at this time of day. The hustle and bustle wait in the wings, giving patients a small reprieve from the chaos that brought them here in the first place. Tony was already here before we left the hotel. As we approach Johnny’s room, Belle slides her hand into mine.
“Thanks for bringing me and for last night. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
“I’m glad I was here.” That doesn’t sound right. “I mean, I’m not glad about what happened. I didn’t think I’d get to hang out with you. Fuck, this isn’t coming out right.” She tugs on my hand, coming to a halt as she turns to face me.
“I know what you meant, Knox. What happened was awful, but if there’s such a thing as a silver lining, it was being able to spend the night with you.” She pushes herself up onto her tiptoes, planting a soft kiss on my lips. God, she tastes good.
“Are you ready to see your friend, your brother?”
“Probably not, but time waits for no man or woman. Will you come inside with me?” I feel a little uneasy at the prospect.
“Shouldn’t it be for friends and family? He might not be happy about your one-night stand seeing him at his most vulnerable. As a guy, if he’s anything like me, he doesn’t want some random cowboy seeing him lying in bed hooked up to drips.” She reaches up, caressing her hand over the stubble on my jaw.
“You and he are nothing alike. You might be one of a kind, Thomas Knox.” I want to kiss her so badly it hurts right now. “Do you have to go?”
“Yeah.” Even as I say it, I know I can’t say goodbye to her quite yet. “But I can wait until you’ve seen him. How about I go in search of some decent coffee? I saw a little Starbucks pop-up when we came through the lobby downstairs. I’ll be sitting out here when you’re done. What do you want?”
“Just a black coffee.”
“And Tony?”
“Same. Thank you for thinking of him, Knox.” Her smile could melt even the toughest macho façade.
“You don’t have to keep thanking me. I’m just doing what any decent guy would do. We’re friends.” The sound of it makes me cringe. I want this girl in my life, and I know the only way will be as friends. The moment she leaves Texas, I’ll be relegated to the occasional text message or phone call.
She cups my face in her hands, pulling me in for a kiss, not a friendly peck on the cheek or chaste on the lips. Instead, her tongue darts out to lick the seam of my lips, asking entrance which I freely give. My stomach flutters with a thousand fireflies locked in a jar, going crazy to get out. I want her more than I care to admit.
When we come up for air, Tony is standing in the hallway staring me down.
“You two get much sleep last night?” I know he’s just being protective, but there’s a part of me that seems to have awakened that same instinct when it comes to her. I really have to bite my tongue, but Belle is quick to put him in his place.
“Mind your business, Tony. How’s Johnny doing? Is David still here?”
“I sent David back to the hotel with my room key to get some rest. Johnny’s awake. He’s in bad shape, but he’s awake. He’s asking for you. Just be prepared, Belle, he looks rough. It shocked me when I went in there, so I don’t want you to freak out. Also, I got a call from Stuart this morning. He said he tried to call you, but you didn’t pick up. We need to sit down and have a talk, maybe grab a coffee?”
“Knox is going to grab some just now.”
“How nice of him.” His words are dripping with disdain. “Maybe I’ll join you, big guy. It’ll give Belle some privacy.” I look to her, wishing she didn’t need to go through any of this.
Without thinking, I lean in and kiss her, drinking her in for a moment longer than I should, hoping to give her whatever strength I can offer right now. As she heads for the door to Johnny’s room, her trepidation is evident in the way she hovers over the handle, taking a deep breath before going inside.
“So, what’s your deal, Knox?” I guess he was shellshocked last night when he was thanking me for sticking around. Today, he’s ready to compare wang size and duke it out for Belle’s honor or whatever he thinks he’s doing right now.
“No deal, man. Belle and I are friends, and where I come from, you help your friends in times of need. Not that she needs me. She’s strong.”
“You barely know her.”
“Look, I get that y’all have been through a lot, and you’re just looking out for her, but you have nothing to worry about.”
“Are you guys a thing now? You came all the way here to see her. She’s never brought a guy to a gig. That’s a big deal.” As we weave our way through the halls, navigating our way back down to the lobby, his words hit home.
“I don’t know what this is. She’s great, but I don’t have to tell you that. We weren’t even supposed to see each other last night. All this just kind of happened. If you’re asking whether I’m just stringing her along or something, then the answer is no. She and I live very different lives, and I don’t expect anything from her. I’m here, and I’m glad I was able to help out. After I do this coffee run, I’ll say goodbye and head back home.”
“Okay, but just remember that if you hurt her, I’m going to come back to Kingsbury Falls and kick your ass.”
“I’d like to see you try,
pretty boy.” He chuckles as he sizes me up. He might be as tall as me, but I’ve got fifty pounds on him and a whole lot more muscle. Working a farm isn’t for the weak.
“You’re probably right, but I’d slay you in a riff-off.” And the pissing contest is over. We make small talk the rest of the way to the coffee cart, and by the time we get back to Johnny’s room, I hand him Belle’s coffee and take a seat outside.
Minutes seem like hours as I sit in silence waiting to say goodbye to Belle. There’s a strange gnawing feeling deep in the pit of my stomach, but I’m trying not to overthink it. I pull out my phone and tap a quick message to Maddox. I was supposed to meet him later today to talk about a business idea he ran by me last week.
Me: Hey, bro. I’m still in Houston. Can we push our meeting to tomorrow?
Mad: Sure. Wild night with Belle?
Me: Long story. I’ll explain when I see you.
Mad: Everything okay?
Me: Not really. Gotta go. Talk to you tomorrow.
Mad: Give me a shout if you need anything.
Mad is one of the best guys I know, but I’m not up for talking any of this out right now. Until now, I hadn’t even thought about anything to do with last night other than Belle. Is she okay? What is she feeling? Sitting alone with my thoughts right now, my brain is starting to process the sight of Johnny looking as close to death as I’ve ever seen someone. It was so fucked up, and the panic I felt trying to get through the crowd to Belle—I’ve never had such a sense of urgency before, like every fiber of my being knew I needed to get to her.
I actually hate hospitals. After I blew out my ACL senior year, I spent so much time in and out of the hospital and physical therapy, and at that point, I thought my life was over. Teenage drama makes everything seem like the world is ending. As an adult, you quickly learn that the world keeps turning.