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  “Do you have a pool at your place in Memphis?” I asked as we settled into the comfortable lawn chairs on the wooden porch.

  “No,” Wyatt grinned like he knew what I was thinking. “Doesn’t seem to fit my style, either, huh?”

  “Not much,” I said, taking my first sip of the drink. “This is pretty good.”

  “My research is your enjoyment,” he sighed, raising his glass.

  We sat in silence for a few moments as my mind drifted to how much my life has changed in such a short time. Two years ago, I had no idea if I was making the worst decision of my life deciding to dive headfirst into my music.

  Never in a million years did I think I would end in Wyatt Hart’s back yard, relaxing with a cocktail. It wasn’t how I’d imagined it, but I felt as though I’d made it. This was my dream life, hanging out with artists, making music together, and enjoying the fruits of our labor.

  One day, I’d be put up in a mansion by my record label. Wyatt spoke of it as a burden, but I wanted that pressure. I yearned to be where he was, and I was close, closer than I’d ever been.

  “How was your day?” Wyatt asked, bringing me back to the present.

  I sighed deeply, taking a big gulp of my drink before I began. “It was annoying. I spent the day with my mom, which is always a battle of wits.” In the short time with Wyatt, I’d already forgotten about how upset I was with my mom.

  “Yeah? Why so?” he asked when I paused. I looked into his eyes, wondering if he was truly curious or just being polite. I didn’t see any insincerity, and because he’d said he wanted to know more about me, I decided to show him me – the real me.

  “I think my mom looks at every aspect of my life as a phase – the way I dress, my love for music, not wanting to go to college, wearing Chucks everyday – all of it. So, she’s constantly trying to pull me out of everything that makes me who I am.”

  “I like your Chucks,” he said with a straight face. It was the sweetest response. There was no reason to take sides. I just wanted him to listen, and I truly felt he had.

  I giggled, looking over at him. Wyatt didn’t turn to me, focusing on the pool instead. My mind began racing with bold ideas to invite him to swim. The cool water looked so inviting. Without a swimsuit, we’d be forced to skinny dip.

  Shockingly, that idea didn’t scare me. I felt so comfortable with him, like we’d known each other much longer than we had. Maybe it was his vulnerability, or because I’d just told him so much about my mom and the troubles with her I rarely discussed with anyone.

  I knew my mom loved me and had afforded me a privileged lifestyle. I never wanted to make myself the victim, or exaggerate the difficulty in our relationship. In a twist of irony, I realized I tended to tell myself that the discourse with my mom was a phase. We were both hoping that the other would grow out of their usual behavior.

  I felt the liquor coursing through me, warming my temperature and building my courage. I felt spontaneous and confident, ready to go after everything I wanted in life, including the man sitting beside me.

  Looking back to the pool, I envisioned us splashing each other in the water. Wyatt would strip down, pulling his white T-shirt over his head to reveal his tattoo-clad upper body. Even covered, I could see his muscles threatening to burst through the thin fabric.

  He’d remove his jeans with the extreme confidence I’d grown to expect from him. Swallowing slowly, I imagined the rest of his body, the parts I had forbidden myself from fantasizing about. Pressing my legs together, I fought back the desire that was bubbling in my stomach.

  I wanted Wyatt. Maybe it was the cocktail, maybe it was the truth. But everything in me was ready to risk it all. I at least needed to try. Taking a deep breath, I bit my lip in preparation for a move I knew could go either way.

  The tension had built up to a mountain between us and I couldn’t bear it for another second. Since I’d met him, Wyatt had been giving me signs, and I was done beating around the bush. We were adults, and it was time we acted like it.

  Out of nowhere, Wyatt’s hand slapped across my lower thigh loudly. It didn’t hurt, but I was shocked. My heart skipped a beat as I inhaled sharply, jolted by his intensity. His hand gripped my thigh, and my body tensed, already silently begging for more. My God, did the man do anything with any finesse?

  Chapter 18

  WYATT

  “MOSQUITO,” I MUMBLED, seeing the effect of my sudden slap to Sadie’s thigh. Her skin reacted instantly. Seeing her blush made my thoughts darken, wondering how her skin would turn beneath me. She was so petite and delicate, I hardened thinking of dominating her, gripping her tightly.

  “What?” She breathed the word, her eyes filled with an emotion I knew I was misreading. My own desires were clouding my vision. For a split second, it looked like she wanted me badly.

  There had always been an attraction between us, but what I wanted was more than that. Much more. It was lust, unadulterated and unapologetic. She was giving me the green light, and my body revved with anticipation. But just as quickly as I saw it, the emotion faded.

  “The mosquitos are eating you,” I explained. I’d swatted one feasting on her leg, although now I felt the reaction had been too strong. “Let’s get you inside.”

  Leading the way back into the house, I could feel Sadie following. An imaginary string of attraction connected us, and I was certain it stemmed from me. She was so sweet and innocent, I knew she didn’t think of me that way. I was her boss, for crying out loud; she probably never thought of me sexually.

  Sadie was younger than me, and from all I could tell very impressed with my career. I couldn’t fall into the trap of a cliché by coming onto her, making her uncomfortable when all she wanted was to learn and build her portfolio.

  “Oh, my gosh,” she sighed. Turning, I saw her inspecting her arm. It seemed she had four bites just above her elbow, all reddened and irritated.

  “Damn,” I winced, taking her arm in mine. Rubbing along the raised skin, I felt like an idiot for taking her outside so late. I should’ve known better, growing up in the south. “Back at my place, I don’t have so many mosquitos. I forget how the humidity here changes things.”

  “It’s not your fault. I swear, they love me. Whenever I’m out, my friends don’t get touched, and I end up looking like this,” she rolled her eyes, looking down at her new bites.

  “You must be sweet.”

  The words were out of my mouth before I could stop myself. Sadie’s glance shot to mine, and I felt like the world stopped spinning for a second. Our eyes locked, and I searched hers for that look I’d seen earlier. Even after my silent scolding, I was ready to act if she gave me permission.

  Sadie’s lips pierced until they spread, flashing their smile. Her bright eyes lowered bashfully as she continued rubbing her arm. “In this case, I’d rather be sour.”

  “Do you want me to look for some alcohol to rub on the bites? I think I saw some in one of the bathrooms,” I said, trying to remember where I’d seen the small bottle. On my first day in the rental, I went through the cabinets to see their contents, as I always did on the road.

  Typically, homes this luxurious were stocked as though it were your actual residence. It made it easier to feel at home, although I never settled in. No matter where I was, getting back to Memphis would always be in the forefront of my mind. With all the amenities, the house still felt like a super-sized hotel.

  “No, don’t worry about it. I’d prefer the type of alcohol I can drink,” she said, biting her bottom lip.

  I nodded, rushing behind the bar, desperate for a barrier between us. My cock was twitching, I was so hard. Reaching into the freezer, I paused, letting the cool air hit my skin as I exhaled slowly. I hoped she couldn’t see the effect she was having on me, but from my perspective it felt obvious. She was turning me on so much, I could barely think straight.

  “Any requests?” I asked.

  “Another one of your favorites would be nice,” she said softly.

/>   Again, I answered without a word, filling her glass and another for me. We drank in a comfortable silence, with short exchanges. I told her about my plan for the schedule in the studio, and Sadie explained ways we could build off the lyrics at the last session.

  She wanted to know more about my process, unable to understand why we hadn’t begun recording yet. I explained how I preferred to get the details of the music down before I added vocals, a detail she found impressive.

  “I can tell you take your work seriously, and I like that,” she said.

  “It’s the only way to be taken seriously in this industry.”

  “Right,” she said, turning her glance away from me immediately. Quickly, she finished her drink before giving me a weak excuse about needing to leave.

  Something had shifted; I could feel it in the way she behaved. Gone was the comfort we’d shared just minutes prior, replaced by what appeared to be embarrassment. Again, I began to question my perception. There was no reason for her to be embarrassed by anything, so I considered it a clear indication that I didn’t understand women.

  And, how could I? I’d never given a woman anything more than my body. And even that was usually for a night at a time. Now, I was handicapped trying to make sense of Sadie.

  She packed her notebook away in her bag, but I softly gripped her elbow as she turned to leave. “You can’t drive, Sadie.”

  “Oh, I’m fine. I had a big lunch,” she assured me, but her eyes were focused on the floor.

  “I’ve already called you a car. It’ll be here in five minutes,” I explained, tapping on the screen of my phone.

  “You didn’t have to do that. I could have ordered the car.”

  “I insist.”

  The tension between us was multiplying by the second until threatening to bubble over by the time the car arrived. “Can you please let me know you get home safely?” I asked after walking her to the door.

  “Yes, of course.” She flashed a smile, but it didn’t feel sincere.

  I watched her leave, unsure of what I’d done to fuck things up. I couldn’t pinpoint it, but I knew I was responsible. I racked my brain in the shower, recalling how I’d slapped her leg, and then told her she must taste sweet. Both were inappropriate, and possibly offensive. I really didn’t want this to end up as a #MeToo moment for her.

  I was mentally kicking myself when I crawled into bed, feeling a bit hazy after a day of drinking. My phone vibrated loudly on the nightstand, and I reached over to retrieve it. My stomach tensed at the sight of her name.

  “Hello?” I answered.

  “Hey, it’s me.” Sadie’s voice was soft and breathy.

  “Are you all right? You sound out of breath,” I asked, moving back into the comfortable position I’d made in the bed.

  “Yeah,” she giggled. “I just fell on the sofa. I think it was a good idea for me to get a car home.”

  “I couldn’t let you drive after drinking.”

  It was against my will, completely unacceptable, but my hand slid down my abs as I talked to her. My lust returned just at the sound of her voice.

  “I’m glad you didn’t,” she almost whispered.

  There was a long pause where I tried to stop myself from pushing the issue. I knew I should let it go, but yet I needed an answer. I blurted out the words quickly, to prevent myself from using better judgement.

  “Did I do something to make you uncomfortable?” I asked. There was a delay, which was all the answer I needed. My eyes closed with shame. “Sadie, I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. Trust me, I really value you and want you to be a part of this project. I need you for this album. Please, just let me know if…”

  “It wasn’t you, it was me.”

  “What? You? No, you’ve never done anything wrong.”

  Sadie inhaled deeply, exhaling into the receiver. “It was when you said the only way to be taken seriously in this industry is to take yourself seriously.”

  There was a neediness in her voice that spoke directly to my cock. I stiffened, listening to her explain how badly she wanted to succeed. She’d mistakenly thought I was subtly warning her, and I kicked myself for it.

  “No, no,” I shook my head although she couldn’t see me. “Sadie, I didn’t mean it like that. I swear.”

  “Well, even if you didn’t, it’s right. I won’t deny how I felt tonight. But it was not conducive to a professional relationship. You saying that just reminded me of what I was hired to do.”

  I was stunned. She had been giving me the green light, and I’d missed my opportunity. Even more, I’d given her reason to question the way she was feeling, concerned with her reputation. My fingers wrapped around my freed cock, squeezing violently to give some relief. She had no idea how badly I wanted her, and the realization left me reeling.

  “Sadie,” I growled her name, closing my eyes to envision her petite body swaying nervously.

  “No, Wyatt,” she interrupted. “I don’t want you to explain it or apologize. You’re so talented, and I want to learn so much from you. I refuse to fuck that up.”

  Hearing her curse brought a pearl of satisfaction to the tip of my cock, unable to contain myself any longer. My hand slid up and then down again, tightening at the girth of my length.

  “I really want this to work out for the both of us.” She paused, breathing heavily again, which only added fuel to my erotic fire. I wanted to hear her breathing heavy for me, losing her composure because of how I drove her to the edge.

  I wanted to interject. To assure her that she didn’t need to worry about her position or change the way she behaved. But, instead, I was silent. My length throbbed for her, my hips lifting to ease the tension as I fisted my cock to the sound of her voice and memory of her body.

  “I want you to have the album you dream of. And I want to be a part of that,” Sadie continued with the clearest tone of authenticity I’d ever heard.

  Living in an industry that thrived on pretending to be someone, I’d become a master at detecting false identities. It was so rare to see someone stripped so bare, exposing themselves with complete vulnerability.

  “Sadie, you will be a part of that.” I bit out the words, wanting her bare in every form.

  “Do you want to make sure of that?”

  “Of course,” I responded in under a second.

  “Then hang up,” she shot back.

  “What?”

  “Hang up. I’ll come and get my car tomorrow. We’ll still work together to create your new album that will be a massive hit. And neither of us will lose any respect for the other.”

  “I would never lose any respect for you,” I said sternly.

  “I don’t think you will, either,” she said softly, her tone more even. “If you hang up now.”

  I waited, inhaling and exhaling as I stroked myself. Hearing her breathe across the line was enough for me to grow longer and harder by the second. She was untouchable, the forbidden fruit I was dying to taste.

  “Hang up, Wyatt.”

  I felt myself fighting it, wanting to convince her otherwise, but too far gone to fight with logic. Unbeknownst to her, I was lost to her allure, desperate for her touch.

  “That’s what you want, Sadie?”

  “That’s what we need,” she answered without hesitation. With my eyes closed, and my fist clasped, I ended the call without another word.

  I let out a breath that I didn’t realize I was holding. I threw my cell across the bed, and I could feel my heart beating quickly. Fisting myself roughly, I lifted my hips to express the desire I couldn’t share with Sadie. I growled her name like I wanted her to hear, racing towards an orgasm I couldn’t control. I was lost to her, groaning aloud as I pleasured myself in solitude.

  When I came, it was for her. Memories of her body, scent, and touch pushed me over the edge until I overflowed with thick hot semen, whispering her name. She was everything I wanted and would never have. A truth I would have to grow to accept.

  Chapter 19
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br />   SADIE

  MY PLANS FOR the morning were lost to much needed sleep. When I rose from my slumber, the sun was shining bright, a perfectly sunny day in Nashville. Wanting to explore, check in with friends, and maybe find a bottle of wine that could help me forget about my evening at Wyatt’s, I felt helpless without my car.

  Thankfully, an Uber was available to take me to his house within minutes. When the driver turned down his street, I felt the emotions that had overwhelmed me the previous night resurfacing. All the time spent in the mirror giving myself a pep talk couldn’t prepare me for what I saw as I arrived at Wyatt’s house.

  He stood on the perfectly manicured grass, dressed to perfection. Seriously, he could have shot the cover art for his next album right then and there. His hair was styled back, without a disobedient strand going rogue.

  His hazel eyes narrowed as he tried to make sense of the unfamiliar car, until I revealed myself, stepping from the Yaris with faux confidence.

  “Remember, I had to come get my car?” I tried for casual, hoping we could forget about all that had transpired the night before.

  I was certain he could pick up on my desperation. Wyatt could feel how much I was attracted to him. After so many years in the spotlight, I was certain he could sense the growing hunger on my breath, even before I could.

  Initially, I thought it was admiration, and then just a simple sexual attraction that would fade with time. Once we were alone, in his home, I was forced to accept it was more than I could handle alone. I’d debated sharing the revelation with him the entire ride back to my place.

  Convinced my alcoholic courage was the only way I could admit the dangerous course we were on, I sought his help to keep us on a track that would lead to the successful album we both wanted to be a part of.

  “Why didn’t you call me to come get you?” Wyatt asked as I walked towards my car.

  He wore a white T-shirt that hugged his biceps and denim jeans that had been distressed to reveal a peek of his knee. What had become clear to be his uniform left my knees struggling for stability.