Bourbon Harmony (Bourbon Canyon #5)

Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

June

The air was crisp on my cabin porch, but I sat at the edge of my chair, guitar on my lap. I hummed fragments of a melody. I couldn’t quite get a lead on a solid clip.

Mostly, I was enjoying the day. No neighbors. Wide-open spaces. Neither I nor any of my sisters liked cramped quarters after the accident. I’d rather fly than travel in a cramped bus that reminded me of traveling from campground to camping spot. Having a small hotel room at the end of a long trip wasn’t any better. More memories would flood in. Me and my sisters crammed too many to a bed. Single-file lines for the bathroom. Greedily watching TV while we had access to electronics.

If I nailed this album, I’d get the plane. A bigger hotel room. A suite even. A tour schedule with stops close to my other homes.

I pushed my hoodie sleeves up. I’d gone for comfort today in a sweater, soft leggings, and a pair of slides. After lunch, I’d come outside to write, hoping the mix of spring and summer would rouse my muse. The damn thing had hung around for two and a half songs and slid back into her cave.

I hummed a few more notes.

Useless.

I closed my eyes. This album had to happen. I had a solid fan base, but fame was fickle. Their ruined expectations would set me back. I was in my thirties, but I was still seen as a starlet. That came with connotations of innocent but also amateur and unpredictable, which somehow led people to question if I had any true talent.

Professionals in my field, and even a lot of fans, never looked at the male singers and said But can they actually sing? Can they entertain a crowd and deliver a set at the same time? How do they hold up under pressure?

I would not flake on my release date.

“ Can I hold up under pressure ,” I sang and ran the pick down the strings. “ Or will I be consumed? ”

What a dismal fucking lyric.

Sighing, I set the guitar aside and propped it against the exterior log wall. I scribbled down my new lyric on a fresh page, then gazed at the land around me.

Spring was in the mountains. The land was alive. I’d seen deer run through the valley this morning. My muse might be hiding, but I didn’t want to be. I’d been steeped in sad songs for years. Were these songs harder to write when a blue sky soared overhead and birds sang from the trees?

The sound of an engine coming up the hill gave me pause. Summer had said she and Teller were going to stop by and run through the contracts for the next year. I continued to plan around a tour I wasn’t sure would happen.

But the pickup that came into view was Rhys’s red Chevy. Flutters erupted in my belly until I spotted his flashing gaze. The hard cut of his bearded jaw was visible through the dappled shadows of leaves on the windshield as he drove under the trees.

I walked to the railing and leaned my elbows on it. The girls weren’t with him.

He parked and got out, shutting the door hard. I jumped, the sound echoing against the slopes backing the house.

He stalked toward the porch stairs. “I thought you were hiding up here.”

“I am.” I folded my arms, the earlier thrill at seeing him gone.

“You’re all over the news. Wren showed me your feed. Lots of updates.”

I notched a brow up. “At least once a day.”

That gave him pause. “This isn’t some PR stunt?”

Anger ignited hot in my stomach. “When have I ever done a PR stunt?”

“When your concert bus broke down on the way to a venue, but it turned out you and your crew had already flown to town and were setting up the entire time the news fretted over your safety and whether the concert would get canceled. That sure as fuck got a lot of attention on your tour.”

The media had tracked our movements to each town. It had become a game of spotting June Bee and her crew. “We flew because the bus wasn’t doing so hot. The driver thought it was fine to make it, but my promoter didn’t want to risk it. We had fun with the attention. It was harmless stuff.”

“My kids can’t be part of your harmless fun.”

“What are you talking about?”

He wiggled his phone. The screen was black. “You’ve been posting every day. Some from Copper Summit.”

I gawked at him. “Are you telling me that you have an app on your phone that’s not about the weather or market prices?”

His expression turned flat. “I’m not joking.”

“Neither am I. You’re quick to accuse me of shit when you don’t know how it works. Wynter suggested I hire Ruby from the Bozeman location to post about me once a day. I gave her some videos, and at one of the photo shoots, Wynter helped me out. I haven’t seen a thing, but as long as Wynter isn’t sounding an alarm, I don’t care.”

His jaw flexed. Between Rhys’s size and his good looks, even as a kid, no one had stood up to him. But I was used to three older brothers towering over me. I wasn’t intimidated by an irritated Rhys.

What he’d said earlier finally registered. “What do you mean I’m all over the news?”

“Wren saw it. You know how she likes those entertainment shows.”

“Just now?” Wren had been all over Inside Edition , E! News , and Entertainment Tonight . I used to watch a few with her when Rhys and his dad had been working cattle. I could’ve helped, but his dad was old-fashioned that way. Since I’d been put to work enough at home, I never argued about being housebound at Jonathon and Wren’s place.

He nodded. “They said you haven’t been seen for weeks and you even missed your appointments with some fucking guy.”

“Remi Dahl?” He was an amazing songwriter and we worked well together. “I canceled with him over a month ago.” Confusion infused Rhys’s eyes and I waved my hand. He’d know the process if he’d ever come to Nashville. “I write a lot myself. I get the melody and the chords. Then for a lot of songs, I work with him to get the drums, percussion, bass, whatever. Sometimes, I can do it myself, but for the more pop-sounding ones, the crossovers, so to speak, I like to collaborate. It’s a really fun environment. Actually, it’s one of my favorite things and it’s going to be rushed to get this album produced, but my real appointment isn’t until the end of June.” I was rambling. His gaze was focused on my mouth. Was he hearing my words or just seeing them? The air thickened between us. “It’s probably just a slow news day and my name still garners interest. Filler. Why does it bother you so much?”

“The girls.”

“What about them? No one knows I’m in Montana, and if they did, they probably wouldn’t care. My fans know I come home, and they know I work for the family company.”

“They might figure it out.”

I shook my head. His reaction still didn’t make sense. “And? Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather they didn’t. I’d rather keep this cabin to myself, but it’s been years and they haven’t ventured as far as Mama’s place. I’m not an actress. I’m not Taylor Swift. Even Dolly Parton gets some privacy. I’m just a news story when things are slow or when I’m connected to a guy other women want.”

He flinched. It was subtle, but I caught it .

“Are you worried about you?” I asked.

He rolled his shoulders and averted his gaze. “I’m not a guy other women want.”

“Tell that to Annette.”

His expression turned perplexed. “Why?”

“ Puh-lease , Rhys. She wants you.”

His eye twitched like he knew exactly what I was talking about. “You’re kidding, right?”

I folded my arms and tapped my fingers on my biceps. For some reason, he didn’t like me addressing Annette’s infatuation. Made me want to poke the bear more. “Did Kirstin have to club you over the head and drag you off?”

He looked away. “I told you. I was ready to move on.”

“And now you want to be single?”

His right eye twitched. No. He didn’t want to be single, but he wasn’t interested in Annette.

A knot inside my belly unraveled. Annette was pretty and kind, and she related to Rhys more than I ever could. But he wasn’t interested.

“I have contacts who can help with damage control,” I conceded. He was worried, and since my fans would love to know about a sexy single dad I had a history with, his fears weren’t unfounded. “I’ll make sure you’re not dragged into the spotlight.”

“It’s Bethany and Hannah. They don’t need any proximity to fame.” Bitterness laced his tone. No one close to me had been dragged in because of my notoriety, but then they’d had their own already.

Why would Rhys be so worked up— “Your mom.”

He blanched. “What about her?”

“Did you get dragged into the news about her?” I thought back to the articles I had read. “I don’t recall her getting much press.”

“She didn’t,” he snapped. “A single mom trying to jump from theater to screen while dragging a kid around? She fought an uphill battle she’d never asked for.”

He’d never speak of the scenario like that if it was his daughters. “Is that how she phrased it?”

He stalked to the railing. “No, but I’m familiar enough with public life, and I don’t want the girls to be involved.”

“Just them?”

He turned back to me. “I’m just some guy from a small town. All the apps I have are for weather and market prices.”

I wouldn’t get more from him, but he wasn’t as upset as when he’d arrived. He also didn’t want the attention on him. His tense shoulders were all I’d get on the subject. “I bet you have at least one investment app on there.”

“Nah, I don’t use my phone for financials. I’m old-fashioned that way.”

A soft chuckle left me. “You can really run hot and cold.” I inched closer to him. “I miss the easygoing Rhys I used to know, but I think I might actually be seeing the real you.”

“You’ve always gotten the real me.”

I closed the distance between us and tipped my head back to meet his gaze. “No. I haven’t.”

His eyes darkened. “How do you keep drawing me in with those big honey eyes?”

“How do we keep ending up this close?” I whispered.

“Why can’t I stop myself around you?” he growled and dropped his head. My mouth was covered by his, and his arms were around me once again.

My ass hit the porch railing. He lifted me until I twined my legs around him. I let out a moan. Finally. I had him back where I’d craved him.

He broke free from my mouth, kissing his way down my neck. “Too many nights since I’ve had this.”

Was he talking about the kiss? Or everything?

There was nothing behind me but a drop to the ground. All that was holding me in place were his hands on my thighs and my feet hooked around his waist.

I arched back to give him more access to the sensitive flesh at my collar. “Rhys, do you know what I did the night after you kissed me in your shop?”

He paused, then another growl left him. “I want every fucking detail.”

His lips were back at my neck and he nibbled a path to my ear. Shivers racked my body.

He brushed his hands underneath the hem of my sweater. Another moan left me when the heat of his touch hit the skin of my belly.

“I don’t have any toys.” I gasped when his fingertips brushed my sensitive nipples. “So I had to do it myself.”

“Did you stroke your clit?”

I nodded, unable to speak. He cupped a breast and his fingers were on the bare flesh above my bra.

“Tight little circles, just like you need it?”

“Yes,” I breathed.

Through the lace of my bra, he rolled my peaked nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

“Did you push a finger into that tight little pussy?”

“Oh god.” His voice was back in my ear, rumbling the naughtiest things. A spark inside me came alive. A happy little glow that didn’t want to be extinguished ever again.

His mouth was back on me for a hot second. “Did you come hard?”

“Yes.” I let my eyelids fall shut and rubbed myself against the ridge in his pants. Too much was between us. A tiny alarm sounded in the back of my brain.

Should we be doing this?

Did I care?

“With my name on your lips?” he asked roughly.

“Yes,” I said on a gasp. He tugged my bra down and the fabric of my sweater grazed against my sensitive nipple. He rolled it under his palm. Damn, he remembered how sensitive I was there.

“How many times have you done that over the years?”

I opened my eyes and caught his gaze. “Too often.”

“Fucking right you did.” He claimed my mouth again, hard and unyielding. I was paying for all the times I’d come with his name on my lips. When we’d just broken up. When he’d been married. When I’d been alone and thinking of him while dating other men.

Gravel crunched and he pulled away so fast that my feet untangled from behind him.

I cartwheeled my arms. “Shit!”

He pulled me off the railing before I could tumble backward. As soon as my feet hit the floorboards, he careened to the end of the porch and stared into the trees.

I feathered a hand over my hair and looked behind me. Teller’s pickup came into view.

I glanced at Rhys’s back. His shoulders rose and fell with his breathing .

My cheeks were probably red and my lips kiss-swollen, but I’d have to put on a show. I smiled and waved like I hadn’t been kissed senseless, talked dirty to and then abandoned in the space of a chord.

“I can’t do that again.”

I paused at Rhys’s voice.

“It’s too hard to let you go, and I will let you go, June. Don’t doubt me on that.”

The glow from the kiss was effectively extinguished.

“How can I doubt you when I’ve lived through the proof?” I lifted my chin and smiled at Summer as Teller parked next to Rhys’s pickup.

I was back to being a bucket of conflicting emotions around Rhys, but irritation rose to the top. I was tired of getting burned by his heat.

“If that’s what you plan to do, you should probably stop kissing me,” I said to his back.

He whipped his head around, and I only cocked a brow. Then I danced down the steps. “Howdy.” I gave Summer a quick hug. “I’m ready to talk contracts and bourbon.”

Teller’s brown gaze swung from me to Rhys. “Did we come at a bad time?”

He knew damn well we’d arranged this meeting. He was digging for an explanation of why Rhys was here. If I didn’t give him something, he’d keep probing and he wouldn’t be the only one. Summer would be relentless.

“Not at all.” I waved for them to follow me up the porch. “Rhys came to tell me that my absence from Nashville has been noted.”

Annoyance crossed Summer’s face. “Why is it anyone’s business?”

“On a positive note,” I said, “that means there’s interest. Honestly, if no one talked about me, I’d be worried.”

Summer continued to frown. “That’s not how it should work.”

But it did.

“I’ll leave you be.” Rhys nodded at Teller, then at Summer. He avoided my gaze as he took the stairs down and started for his truck.

“See you Sunday? Or are the girls taking the summer off?” My breathing ceased until he answered. He had his out. Would he take it? I would miss the girls. They were quick and enthusiastic learners and just plain fun to be around.

He stopped before rounding the front of his pickup. “No, they’ll want to keep lessons up except for the weeks they’re with Wren.” This time, he lifted his shuttered gaze to mine. “Until you leave.”

His words hit me dead center of my chest. They came out with such certainty but also with a hint of wistfulness like he was just counting down the days until I left him again.