Risky Replay (Country Stars Forever #1)

Chapter 17

Seventeen

EMILY

Last time I was in this city, Derek knocked me up.

The weather rivals Maryland’s humidity. San Diego has spoiled me enough that I’m grumpy and perspiring in places I forgot sweat glands exist. I tie my hair up into some sort of messy bun as soon as we step out of the ride share at the downtown hotel. Derek reserved two rooms, although I insisted he stay at his place. He offered to let me stay with him and sleep in his bed while he took the couch in his one-bedroom condo, but I shut the idea down right away. I’m safer here. Safer from my desires. Alone. In my own room.

Derek’s phone chimes as he lifts a suitcase out of the trunk of the sedan. He claimed only the mega stars get their own driver and car, and I disagree. He’s already a star. Interestingly enough, no one at the airport recognized him. The ride share driver didn’t either. It’s been nice to not worry about?—

A shriek pierces the air.

“Derek James!” A petite blonde, who looks barely eighteen, squeals, and everyone in the lobby stares in our direction. She bounces over to Derek. “I love Soldier On , and Wandering Soles has the most romantic lyrics. Could we take a selfie? My friends will never believe this. ”

Derek tucks his chin in as he smiles, the same way he smiled at his fans the night I ran into him. “Hi. What’s your name? Where you visiting from?”

“Riley. Tulsa.” She says between labored breaths from excitement. “I’ve always wanted to come to Nashville, and it’s my high school graduation trip. My mom is here. She loves you, too.” Riley points to a woman snapping pictures with her phone. I take a few steps back but the teen sees me and squeals again. “Are you here to record an album?”

Why are people slowing down or stopping as they walk near us? Is this what it’s like for Derek? What if James was with us?

“I’m dropping off my friend.” Derek scratches the back of his neck. “Are you going to the show tomorrow?”

“I wouldn’t miss it.” She twirls a finger in her hair.

The little girl is flirting with a man over ten years older than her. I move next to Derek and reach for my carry on sequestered between the two of them.

Derek grips the handle, and when I try to pull it toward me, his big warm hand covers mine. We shouldn’t. But there’s something about the soft hold of his hand letting me know he wants me at his side.

Riley is too mesmerized by Derek to glance down at our connected hands.

Derek’s phone chimes, again. “I’ll make sure I sing Soldier On for Riley from Tulsa.” Riley from Tulsa shrieks, bathing in delight. Derek gives her the blinding Derek smile. The real him. The one that says he’s in his element and he’s the king of this world as his grip on me tightens.

They pose for several selfies. He waits for Riley to check them, and once she’s satisfied, she asks me to take a photo of them. I frame them on her camera. He towers over his young fan. I can’t help but appreciate the solidness of his body. As I snap several photos, I focus on the defined slope from his neck to his shoulders, the soft V-neck with a whiskey logo hugging his wide pecs, the art scattered on his arms, and the ease of his smile. Derek was born to be a star.

“Thank you!” Riley bounces away to her mother.

Derek finds his phone, reads his screen, and his eyebrows sail up into his hairline. Then a twisted smile appears. “Did you bring a cocktail dress?”

My head tilts to the side. “A what in this heat? And you know what that is?”

The corner of his eyes crinkle. “It’s in the message from Aiden. Jax and Bailey want to meet for dinner. They invited the three of us, plus you.”

He says ‘Jax and Bailey’ as if they were old friends. And they want to meet me? Me? Bailey Southern is the girl I wanted to be for so long. I thought I’d get a rushed hello during the concert, but dinner?

“Em?” Derek sounds far away. Is it hotter? Because he sways in my periphery. “Let’s sit down.”

He walks me to a chair in the lobby as he rolls the suitcases with a series of chuckles.

“I need a cocktail dress,” I sputter.

“Any dress will do. Bailey and Jax probably won't dress up for dinner.”

“Have you seen Bailey’s wardrobe? She’s the queen of sequins and rhinestones.”

“That’s for the stage. This is dinner.”

I shake my head. I can’t afford the extra expense of a cocktail dress, but— “I ain’t meeting Bailey in my summer dress and flip flops.”

Derek laughs. “We’ll go get you something.”

On the ride from the hotel, Derek explains we’re in the West End, and it’s a nice area to live in with nearby Centennial Park and Vanderbilt. He boasts about the free summertime dance lessons under an open space at the park and other things locals enjoy this time of year. I love this city. The people are friendly, the houses are gorgeous and historic, and it truly is the heart of country music.

Earlier, Derek took me to another neighborhood in Nashville to shop for a dress. I found an emerald green sheath dress. To complete the outfit, I added gold strappy heels, matching jewelry, and a shiny gold clutch. Derek sat in a chair by the dressing room while I tried on different dresses. Internally, I fretted about the price, thinking about how I could use the money for more important things, and, at the same time, I wanted to be presentable enough to be Derek’s business date. Because this is what this is. Bailey asked to meet me, so it came from her.

When I finally committed to a full outfit, the girl behind the counter told me it had been taken care of.

“Where did you go?” Derek asks as he takes my fingers in his hands as we sit in the back seat of the ride share.

“Thank you for my dress.” I run my free hand over the front of the gorgeous green fabric.

Derek brushes a kiss on my fingertip. A shudder runs through me. “You’re welcome, beautiful.”

Flirt alert.

Flirt alert.

My brain blares the siren.

Careful, I remind myself, we can’t do this. Again.

When the car stops in front of the restaurant, my pulse spikes. Bailey Southern is inside the restaurant. I might scream like Riley did when she met Derek.

Derek’s hand covers mine stopping my nervous movement. “She’s going to love you.”

“You don’t know. What if she was being nice by inviting me, but she wants you?” My face heats as I hear myself. I sound jealous. I glance at my lap. “It wasn't supposed to come out like that.”

Derek tightens his hold on my hand wearing a smirk. “I think I’m the one who will be jealous if anyone looks at you.” His gaze slides down my body leaving a trail of heat. Now the rest of me matches my burning face. Thanks, Anderson.

When our eyes meet again, a slow and dangerous smile spreads across his face.

“I, uh, um, I don’t care if they look. I’m not looking. Not looking for…” My brain and my heart can’t communicate. Gah. Not when Derek Anderson stares at me like I’m dinner, and he’s been starved for the greater part of the millennia. Okay, he’s not a vampire, but damn, the man’s penetrating stare has me considering offering myself up as dinner and dessert.

“Looking for?” he asks.

“Looking for,” I glance at the entrance, relieved the driver hasn’t rushed us out. “Looking for someone. A boyfriend like my grandmother would prefer.” I breathe out the tightness building up in my chest. And the moment I do, I regret telling him.

His lips press together.

“They might be waiting for us.” I nod toward the restaurant.

Derek holds my pleading gaze for a beat and opens his door. The restaurant is classy and upscale, and internally, I thank Derek for buying the dress. With joined hands, he pulls me across the seat and out of the car. He holds onto my hand tightly. And he keeps his grip on me while he talks to the host, and as we are led through the restaurant, past the kitchen, and through a door labeled Private .

Bailey Southern sits at the head of the table with her chin propped on the heel of her palm, and leans towards Charlie like he’s sharing life’s meaning with her. She’s more slender and petite than I imagined. She wears a shimmery black minidress, giving her an hourglass figure.

“Derek,” says a deep voice from our right, and holy smokes. Jaxson is almost as tall as Derek, but leaner, even though it's clear he works out. His button-up stretches across his chest, the top button open, revealing smooth, tan skin, and he's rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, showing off corded forearms.

My free hand lands on Derek’s arm because my primal brain wonders if Jaxson’s sexy forearm would feel the same. I can’t believe I’m in the middle of all this male hotness. Holly would scream her head off. Mark, too. I think I can hear Holly somewhere in the back of my mind, begging for double time. I squeeze my thighs together.

What is wrong with me?

Derek chuckles, and I catch him watching me like he’s waiting for an answer. I clear the fog of lust and try to focus on their conversation.

“I was introducing you to Jax,” Derek says.

My fingers dig into Derek’s muscles as I lean into him. His other hand releases me, and he wraps an arm behind my waist.

Some of the tension eases where our bodies connect.

“Nice to meet you.” I give myself a mental cheer for my articulate, human-like response.

Jax’s eyes roam from my head, over my middle, down my legs, and back up. Unlike Derek’s perusal, I’m not warmed at all. Huh. Maybe I’m star struck. “Lovely to meet you, Emily. I love your voice. Bailey does, too.”

Now I blush. At the sound of her name, Bailey stands and walks over to us, followed by Charlie. “It’s nice to meet you, Derek, and this must be Emily.”

I rub my hand over the skirt of my dress before I extend my hand. Bailey ignores my hand and opens her arms. She hugs me, and I almost hyperventilate.

When Charlie hugs me, he whispers in my ear. “You look beautiful. You make him look half-human again.” He squeezes my fingertips before he releases me.

Before I can ask what he means, Tyler and two men in suits walk in, scowling like my Commanding Officer did throughout bootcamp. The suit with salt and pepper hair and a short beard is introduced as Aiden, the Muddy Boots manager, and the other guy, Quentin, has a title that sounds important, and works for Bailey and Jaxson.

When introductions are over, we sit around the table. Derek pulls out my seat, and I thank him. He takes the one next to me, dropping his arm on the back of my chair. Charlie sits on my other side, and Bailey is next to him. Jax sits across from me.

“Aren’t we a couple of lucky gals surrounded by such talented men.” Bailey looks around the room and admires the company.

“More like they’re lucky we showed up,” I say as I lay the cloth napkin over my lap.

Bailey laughs. “I like you.”

“Lucky indeed.” Jax’s eyes slide over me like heat seeking missiles.

Derek clears his throat. “Emily is the reason we’re here. Her grandmother led the church choir at St. Thomas where we all met and learned to sing.”

I turn and face Derek. “I’m not the reason for your success. Your sacrifice, determination, and smarts,” I make eye contact with Charlie and Tyler, “earned you a seat at this table. I’m the tagalong.”

Derek leans in. “You’re more than that.”

And because I can’t let him shy away from all he’s accomplished, I tell Bailey and Jax the origin story.

“If it wasn’t for Tyler and me, you two would still be there, singing good ole church hymns,” Derek says, poking me in the ribs.

“Nothing wrong with that.” I poke him back, and he jolts narrowly knocking the wine out of the server's grip.

Derek bites his bottom lip and gives me a menacing glare. He might think he’s going to get me back, but I know how to handle Derek Anderson.

“You’ve done a great job keeping this from the media,” Bailey says, her finger pointing and moving between the two of us.

Derek straightens in his chair. “We’re here to talk about the show and our collaboration. Aiden shared the song, and it’s incredible. Thank you.”

Bailey eyes me. “You have an incredible voice. I might have a song for you. ”

“A Bailey Southern song for me?” I squeak, and Derek squeezes my hand. It may have been a dream for fifteen-year-old me, but this isn’t my life any more. Do people say no to Bailey Southern? “I’m flattered?—”

“You need representation before you sign anything,” Aiden interrupts from the other end of the table before I can decline the offer.

“Come by the studio tomorrow with the Boots, and we can talk. For now, let’s celebrate our new family.” Bailey raises her wine glass, and as much as I want to make my point, they’re distracted as everyone raises their glasses as Bailey adds, “Welcome to the Jaxson Bailey clan.”

Derek leans into me and whispers, “You’ve been initiated into the cult.”

I almost spit out my wine.

I lean into him and whisper back, “Are there rituals I have to follow?”

Derek’s eyes land on my lips. “Yes, it’s at the pleasure of the member who invited you. Promise it won’t hurt, unless you want it to.”

Oh god. I squeeze my thighs together.