Chapter 10
Brax shouldn’t be hanging on the edge of his seat for Raleigh’s answer. And yet there he was, doing just that.
“We’re in a band together,” she stated, picking up a piece of hay and picking at it with her fingers. “We’ve spent a lot of time together.”
“Is that all?”
“We dated a hundred years ago but that’s been over for a long time.” She rattled off the words quickly, like she didn’t want to get talking about it over with as fast as possible.
“Does he know that?” The question had to be asked. The fact she didn’t answer right away told him everything he needed to know.
“I’ve been clear with him there’s no chance of getting back together.” She blew out a frustrated-sounding breath.
“He’s not getting the message, is he?” Brax could feel his muscles tense up, and yet he didn’t have any designs on Raleigh. She was free to date anyone she wanted.
Which was the problem, an annoying little voice in the back of his mind pointed out. She didn’t want to date Hotshot.
“He will,” she said with the kind of confidence that showed her conviction.
“How long have you known him?” Brax needed to see how far their relationship went back for the investigation. Or so, he told himself this wasn’t personal.
“Since the beginning. And that’s when we dated,” she said. “It didn’t work out between us. We moved on. He got married…”
“When was the divorce final?” he asked, figuring that had to be the case.
“Recently. And that’s when he made it clear that he wanted to start things up again,” she said. “It just doesn’t work like that for me. I told him the truth and he’s been trying to win me over ever since.”
“How hard is he trying?” Based on the glares from earlier, the guy wasn’t letting go.
“It gets uncomfortable at times but I put my foot down. Believe it or not, I’ve gotten really good at taking care of myself.” Those last words came out sounding defensive. She crossed her arms over the guitar, a sign she was closing up.
“I have no doubt you can take of yourself and probably everyone else around you.” He meant every word. “I just don’t think you should always have to.”
She blew out a breath.
“I love these guys. So, don’t get me wrong. But sometimes I feel like their mother and I don’t even want kids.” Her comment surprised him.
He decided not to comment. When he really thought about it, her lifestyle of being on the road or in the studio wouldn’t give her a whole lot of time for anything else.
“We live in small quarters, on the same bus, together almost three hundred and sixty-five days a year,” she said.
“You don’t take any time off from touring?”
“Kind of, but I’m making music so it’s not really time off so to speak,” she said. He must’ve shot some look at her because she added, “Do you take vacations from the ranch?”
“I’ll take that as a no,” he said, smiling. “But I’ll add that when you love what you do it’s not called work.”
“Oh, yeah? What do you call it then?” she asked.
“Passion,” he said and then realized the trap he’d walked himself into.
“Exactly.” A self-satisfied smirk crossed her features.
“You don’t have to gloat,” he teased, thinking he might need to have a one-on-one conversation with Hotshot at some point if the guy didn’t get the message.
“But you walked yourself right into that one.” Her laughter was all the music he needed. And yet, when she started strumming the guitar and belting out one of her songs, he realized how wrong he was for a second time tonight.
One thing was certain, someone with a talent like hers needed to share it with as many folks as possible. She had a rare gift.
All he could do at this point, was lean back and enjoy it.
“What time is it?”
“Ten o’clock.” It was long past dark before Brax realized how long he’d been in the loft with Raleigh. He could listen to her all day.
“Oh, wow.” She shook her head. “Sorry for keeping you up here so long.”
“Are you kidding me? I just had hours and hours of a private concert with the one and only Raleigh Perry. I should be thanking you,” he said with a wink.
She shook her head and smiled.
“Sometimes, like tonight, I just get lost in the music,” she admitted.
“Was that new?” he asked.
“Just made it up tonight.” She caught his gaze. “I was inspired.”
She set the guitar down and stretched out her arms.
“It was incredible.” He couldn’t hold back the admiration.
Her talent was beyond anything he’d ever experienced.
She was beyond anyone he’d ever known. And he needed to stop himself right there before he went all ‘fan boy’ on her.
Suffice it to say, his respect for her grew leaps and bounds after spending time with her.
“It’s been a hot minute since that’s happened,” she said, and then looked around. “Being here brings out the best in me.”
“I don’t know. That was pretty awful when I really think about it.” He couldn’t help but tease her.
She crawled over on her knees just to tap him on the shoulder. “That’s not fair. I’d never call you a bad cattle rancher,” she said.
“How would you know one way or the other?”
She sat back on her heels and made a face at him. Then her hands came up in the surrender position. “You got me there.”
Brax noticed the exact moment the air in the room changed. It went from light and fun teasing to crackling electricity in a heartbeat.
“May I kiss you?” he asked, looking into emerald eyes that glittered with what looked a whole lot like need.
“Thought you’d never ask.” She met him halfway.
When their lips touched, one word came to mind…home.
This situation was impossible. There was no future. But they had right now.
Brax was on his knees in two seconds, his hands cupping her cheeks as he drove his tongue inside her mouth. The dark roast taste was long gone but he didn’t mind.
She looped her arms around his neck and tangled her fingers in his hair, urging him to deepen the kiss. She nipped at his bottom lip, scraping across it with her teeth. All he could say was, damn.
Kissing her was right up there at the top of the best things in his life.
It had nothing to do with her being a rising star.
This was Raleigh from Lone Star Pass. A beautiful and intelligent woman who was sexy as all get out.
A person who made him want things he probably shouldn’t as he dropped his hands so they could roam her incredible body.
She pressed her body flush with his and a tidal wave of need welled up inside him.
Before things got too out of hand, he pulled on all his willpower to break apart. He found her forehead with his and tried to catch his breath. He’d never gone from zero to a hundred and twenty before like he just had with her.
The whole situation left his body aching for more.
“Hardy’s still waiting,” she finally said.
“Then, we should go,” was all he managed to say.
Raleigh kissed Brax Firebrand, her childhood crush. Seriously? More than once today but that session in the loft just now was beyond hot. If only she could go back and tell her sixteen-year-old self this would happen…nah. Sixteen-year-old Raleigh would never believe it.
Plus, she’d spent most of her time daydreaming about a singing career.
Brax reached for her hand as they walked out of the barn, and then linked their fingers. There was something incredibly sexy about holding this man’s hand. Something that sent her stomach into a flipflop routine that would make any gymnast show a little respect.
At the back door of the main house, he let go long enough to open the door for her.
“I’ll return this to Corbin,” he said, holding up the guitar.
“Think he’d mind if I borrowed it for the rest of the night?” Being in the loft with Brax gave her a whole lot of inspiration for new songs. “I’m not ready to turn in yet.”
“You haven’t eaten dinner yet,” he pointed out.
“True. When I get in a zone, I sometimes forget the basics. Food. Water.” She couldn’t remember the last time someone noticed whether or not she’d had a meal.
Normally, she was making sure the band had a pizza.
The past few hours had been freeing on so many levels she couldn’t begin to unpack them all.
What she could say definitively was that Brax Firebrand was good for her music.
“Why don’t we set up in the kitchen for a minute and I’ll heat a few plates,” he said.
“How about you let me help this time?” she asked.
“You’re a guest. No dice,” he teased.
“I’m practically family. I grew up here,” she countered.
“Fine. You get the drinks,” he said.
“Are you hungry, Hardy?” She should have stopped at some point while in the loft and told him to go eat.
“Mrs. Firebrand brought me a meatball sandwich,” he said. “I’m good to go.”
Of course, she did. The woman was Raleigh’s role model and superhero wrapped up in one adorable Italian package.
“Since we’re inside the house now and I have Brax here, why don’t you go power down in your room?” she asked.
Hardy took in the layout. He studied Brax, looking like he was sizing him up.
“How about this? I’ll lock the backdoor,” Brax said. He seemed to understand Hardy’s hesitation.
Hardy nodded. “I’ll double-check windows and doors on the ground floor before heading to my quarters.”
“I can show you to your room whenever you’re ready,” Brax said.
Hardy nodded his appreciation. He didn’t get close to anyone on tour. And yet, she sensed that he liked Brax. Or the Firebrands at the very least.
Brax locked the back door, as promised. Hardy saluted before making his way through the rooms, checking locks and securing windows. In the middle of June no one left windows open in Texas. It was too hot outside and most places had central air conditioning.
“I know Hardy appreciates the gesture,” she said, motioning toward the door. “And so do I.”
“He’s just trying to do his job. I see no reason to get in the way of that,” Brax said as he moved to the fridge. “Now, let’s see what kind of leftovers are in here.”
“I could eat your mother’s meatballs three meals a day.” She put her hands up like she was swearing on a Bible. “It’s true.”
“It’d be real hard to top that. But, let’s see what else I have up my sleeve.” He pulled out a container. “If memory serves, sour cream chicken enchiladas were your favorite.”
“They barely edge out chicken fried steak, though,” she said.
Road food was nothing in comparison to Mom Firebrand’s cooking. No contest there. Raleigh knew all the best truck stops along the highway but there was something special about home cooking that no roadside diner could top.
Or maybe being home made everything better, including the food.
“Who had access to the stage on the day of your last concert?” Brax’s question came after a long moment of silence while he prepared plates. He walked over and set them down on the table as she placed the water glasses down.
“Everyone in the band, of course. The crew and any onsite workers. Each venue provides a skeleton crew for a price.” She sat down. “Oh, and my business manager, Wade.”
“Have I met him?” he asked.
“No. As a matter of fact, he’s supposed to be here. I called to check on him and he hasn’t called me back.” She fished her phone out of her back pocket and then checked the screen. “Still no word from him.”
She opened her e-mail.
“Nothing there either.” She glanced up in time to see the confusion on his face. “He’s supposed to send me my financials.”
“Do you have your account logins and passwords?” he asked.
“I probably have a few, not all though,” she admitted. “I could be better about learning the business end.”
“It’s important to know all aspects of your business,” he said.
“I had an amazing business manager until she left the tour to have a family.” Raleigh had never wanted those things.
The first time she really considered them came when Sharon broke the engagement news to Raleigh.
As happy as she was for her best friend, a piece of her—the not-so-good-of-a-friend part—knew how much she would miss her partner-in-crime.
“I never once had to question books or what was happening on the business end.”
Would the bomb threat have happened on Sharon’s watch? For reasons Raleigh couldn’t explain, she doubted it.
“Sharon was thorough in everything she did. She was the first person at a venue and the last person to leave,” she continued.
Brax didn’t immediately speak. He seemed to take it all in and consider her words. If she had someone like him on tour and managing her business, she could focus on what she loved doing…
“Let me know if you’re ever in the mood for a change of pace. I’d be beyond grateful to have a partner like you,” she said on impulse.