Pretty Baby

Chapter 6

The smoky haze of The Ryeman envelops me like a well-worn blanket as I step up to the battered mic stand. Neon beer signs and vintage posters cast a ray of colors across the scuffed hardwood stage, bathing the small crowd in an almost dreamlike glow. Like a stand up comedian working out new material at small venues, I’ve been using this bar to do the same for as long as I can remember.

"What's up, Nashville?" I rasp out, flashing my trademark smirk as I settle in on the familiar stool with my battered acoustic guitar against my thigh. "Thanks for coming out tonight and letting me play a few tunes for you,” I say to the small crowd.

A collection of cheers and whistles greets me, the energy in the room already buzzing and electric despite the early hour. It's a small, dedicated crowd. The kind of diehard music fans who haunt these gritty little dive bars night after night, chasing the raw authenticity only found off the beaten path. I don’t know if there are any “locals” left in Nashville, but if there are, they’re here.

My kind of people, in other words.

"I'm gonna start us off with a little something I've been tinkering with lately," I announce, picking out the opening chords with well-worn ease. "It's a bit of a departure from my usual stuff, but hell… I'm a new man these days, so why not shake things up?"

The lyrics start to flow.

“I’ve made a career of feeling sorry for myself,” I sing, my eyes slipping shut as I lose myself in the song about Chloe. “Making every girl I’ve loved feel guilty as hell..." The crowd looks on.

As I look into the eyes in front of me I wonder if anyone can tell that I'm no longer the brooding, self-destructive asshole I used to be. I'm a father now with an entire universe of creativity to tap into. I finish a couple of songs and launch into another.

I close my eyes, letting myself feel the words spilling from my lips. "You wanna be loved like no one else.” I belt out with the most emotion I’ve ever sang with. “And I want all your love and nothing else..." I open my eyes to find the crowd preoccupied on their phones. A sight I haven’t seen since I played open mic nights in high school.

I’ve lost their attention.

This new material is all about capturing the raw humanity of my new normal. The gritty truth of single parenthood, of trying to pour from an empty cup while still staying afloat. It's a confessional in a way my writing has never been before, holding back nothing as I lay my vulnerabilities bare. But the crowd doesn’t care.

~ ~ ~

As I hit the final song, Drunk With Love , from my first record, a fan favorite, my eyes drift open instinctively, searching out the one person whose opinion matters most to me these days.

Jade is seated at the bar, cradling a glass of white wine and watching me with a warm smile. Our eyes lock from across the room, and I can't help the slow smirk that curves my lips as I drink in her radiant beauty.

She's a vision tonight in an emerald green dress that clings to her curves. Her tousled curls and minimal makeup, her skin shining in the low lighting.

As if sensing the direction of my thoughts, she arches one perfectly sculpted brow and brings her wineglass to her lips, never breaking our heated stare. The tip of her tongue darts out to catch a stray droplet, and I nearly swallow my tongue at the unconsciously sensual gesture.

Get it together, man , I say to myself, finally tearing my eyes away with a force of will. Now is definitely not the time to start indulging those persistent… thoughts.

I pretend to leave the stage to conduct the encore pomp and circumstance, but I pause.

"Alright, who's ready for another?" I call out, my voice only slightly rougher than before as I launch into the last few songs. A cover of Sam Hunt’s Break up in a Small Town , followed by covers of a few more of my favorite songs.

The rest of the set passes by in a bit of a blur, my mind still stuck on the heated undercurrent that seemed to almost crackle between Jade and me earlier. It's nothing new, this simmering tension that's been slowly building over the past couple months since she arrived in my life.

At first, it was easy enough to dismiss, to chalk up to a combination of unresolved sexual frustration and the heady rush of having someone as gorgeous as Jade in such close proximity. But lately… lately it's becoming harder and harder to ignore and bury those persistent cravings.

Jade has slotted into my world so seamlessly, so completely, that it's getting increasingly difficult to imagine my life without her in it now. She's not just an invaluable source of support when it comes to Penny. She's become a true partner, a confidante who I rely on for everything from creative guidance to emotional ballast.

And if I'm being fully honest with myself… part of me has started to wonder if she could be more than that, too. If we could take this crackling spark of awareness between us and fan it into an all-consuming flame.

The thought should scare me, fill me with a sense of dread over the inevitable chaos and destruction that would follow. Hell, isn't that how I've scorched earth with every other meaningful relationship in my life?

But when I'm around Jade, when I'm on the receiving end of one of her radiant smiles or infectious laughs… that fear gets overshadowed by a deeper, more primal craving. A bone-deep yearning to know if the reality could possibly live up to the idea of us ending up together.

As I bring the show to a close, I can't resist seeking her out in the crowd once more. This time, her gaze is locked on me with a heated intensity that practically scorches me from across the room.

In that moment, it's like the world around us falls away, narrowing down to just the two of us. I can practically feel the weight of everything unspoken shimmering between us, that persistent romantic charge that's been slowly building with no outlet for release.

Then, a voice from the crowd shatters the heated bubble surrounding us as I put my guitar in its case.

"You were amazing up there!"

I blink, finally tearing my eyes away from Jade to find the source of the voice. A stunning blonde is making her way through the crowd towards the stage, her thin form encased in a skintight red dress that leaves little to the imagination.

As she draws closer, I'm struck by how attractive she is, a classic California beach babe, with high cheekbones and full, pouty lips. She can't be much younger than me, but her tan, toned body and artfully tousled hair give her a distinctly youthful vitality.

"Thanks," I say, flashing her a grin as she hops up onto the stage. "Always nice to have an appreciative audience for a change."

"Well, you definitely gave us plenty to appreciate tonight," she purrs, looking me over with undisguised interest. "I'm Taylor, by the way. Taylor Shea."

"Zac," I supply, taking the delicate hand she offers. "Always a pleasure to meet a fan."

Up close, I can see the faint laugh lines crinkling around her eyes and mouth, suggesting she's likely in her mid-to-late forties. But she wears her age effortlessly, like a badge of honor, the confidence of a woman who's grown into her sexuality and sense of self.

"Oh, I'm definitely a fan," Taylor murmurs, holding my gaze for just a beat too long. "Your music, your writing… I've followed your career for years, Zac. You're a true artist in every sense of the word."

I can't resist loving her praise. "Well, aren't you just a breath of fresh air compared to the usual critics and naysayers in this business?"

"What can I say?" She shrugs one slim shoulder coyly. "I have a deep appreciation for authentic talents who pour their heart and soul into their craft. And from what I could see tonight… you're the real deal."

There's an undercurrent of suggestion in her words, a subtle heat simmering just beneath the surface. I'm not sure if she's even aware of it or not. This could just be her natural flirtatious energy bleeding through.

Either way, I can't deny that I'm intrigued. Attracted to her easy confidence and the way she seems to drink me in with those blue eyes. It's been… well, far too long since I've had the chance to indulge in this kind of feminine energy.

"You know, I actually had a few questions for you, if you've got a minute?" Taylor presses, taking a step closer so we're nearly toe-to-toe. "About your new album, your… change in circumstances recently?"

"Change in circumstances?" I echo, arching an eyebrow. "You're gonna have to be a bit more specific there."

She lets out a low, throaty chuckle that sends a shiver of awareness down my spine. "Oh, I think you know exactly what I'm referring to, Mr. Fulton. Unless the gossip rags got it wrong about you recently becoming the very handsome, and very single, father of an infant daughter?"

Well, shit… she certainly did her homework. I can't decide if I'm more impressed by her dogged journalistic skills, or slightly unnerved by how much she seems to know about my personal life.

"You're direct, I'll give you that," I say, holding her heated stare. "You're not wrong, I did recently take on the role of single dad under… complicated circumstances."

"Hence the new musical direction," Taylor nods sagely. "Tapping into the raw, unvarnished humanity of your new normal as a parent. It was deeply compelling stuff up there, Zac. I could feel the grit and honesty in every word."

I open my mouth to respond, but her hand on my arm stops me.

"Look, I don't mean to ambush you here. But I would love the chance to sit down with you for a more in-depth discussion about this whole new chapter you've entered.”

She reaches into her clutch and produces a business card, handing it to me. "I'm actually really a fan, but also a kickass reporter for Rolling Stone Magazine. They'd be really interested in getting the inside scoop on your life as a newly-minted dad and where you're drawing creative inspiration from these days."

"You're a reporter, huh?" I glance down at the sleek black card embossed with the Rolling Stone Magazine logo and her name - Taylor Shea, Senior Editor. "Can't say I'm surprised, you've definitely got that tenacious energy about you."

Taylor laughs again, the sound full of feminine bravado. "You say that like it's a bad thing, Zac. But trust me. My readers eat up that kind of grit and authenticity, especially from a true talent like yourself."

She steps even closer, her floral perfume surrounding me in an intoxicating cloud. "So what do you say? Can you make some time for me this week so we can… get to know each other a little better?"

The weighted suggestion in her words is unmistakable this time. She wants me, or at the very least, she's dangling the prospect of sex like a carrot to get her story. And damned if I don't feel that primal spark of interest flaring to life, despite myself.

It's not that it’s been so long since I've allowed myself to indulge in the simple company of a woman. But between adjusting to single fatherhood and my persistent, complicated feelings for Jade, actually pursuing a romantic or sexual relationship hasn't even entered my mind.

But there's something about Taylor, her easy confidence, her undisguised interest in me, her refusal to be intimidated. It's all hitting me straight in the long neglected core of my masculinity, awakening urges and hungers I haven't felt in far too long.

"You know what?" I murmur, pocketing her card. "I think I can definitely make some time for you this week, Taylor. It would be my pleasure to give you… whatever exclusive access you need."

Her lips curve into a slow, satisfied smile at my words. "Excellent. I have a feeling you and I are going to get along just fine, Zac."

With one final, searing look, she turns and melts back into the crowd, leaving me to stare after her in a daze. Part of me feels almost giddy, like an angsty teenager again chasing the thrill of potential new conquests and the ego-stroking high of being desired.

But another part of me feels… unsettled. Guilty, even. Like I've somehow crossed an invisible line simply by entertaining Taylor's flirtatious energy and bold proposition. As if by allowing that spark, I've committed some grievous act of betrayal.

As Taylor turns to leave, she whispers, “You don’t remember me do you?”

I wince at the thought of previously making an embarrassment of myself having met her before, “I don’t think so,” I tell her.

“Well, a lots happened since you eye fucked me your first night back from your last tour,” she laughs as she walks away.

It's only when I turn and find Jade watching me, her expression unreadable, that I realize why I feel so leaden with shame all of a sudden.

She doesn't say anything as I make my way over to the bar, her eyes never leaving mine. But I can sense the slight chill in the air surrounding her, like I've somehow broken an unspoken rule and upset the delicate balance we've been cultivating.

"Hey," I say carefully, sliding onto the barstool beside her. "You, uh… you caught the end of my conversation with Taylor there, huh?"

Jade shrugs one slim shoulder, not quite meeting my gaze. "I caught enough, yeah. She seems… nice."

Her tone is mild, almost too mild. And that's when I know I've seriously overstepped some boundary, even if I'm not quite sure what it is yet.

"Jade…," I begin, struggling to find the right words to address the sudden tension crackling between us. "Look, I know that whole thing with Taylor probably seemed a little sketchy from an outside perspective. But I swear, it's not what you're thinking -"

"You don't have to explain anything to me, Mr. Fulton," she cuts me off, finally turning to face me head-on. Her expression is carefully neutral, but I can see the slight tightness around her eyes that suggests she's holding something back. "You're a single guy, free to… mingle or whatever. I'm not your keeper."

"That's not what this is," I protest, feeling wrong-footed and off-balance in a way I haven't in months, not since before Jade became such an integral part of my world. "Taylor's a reporter. She just wants to interview me about my new music and… my life as a single dad, I guess."

Jade arches one perfectly sculpted brow. "Is that so? Well, she certainly seemed to have a few… extracurricular activities in mind based on how she was eye-fucking you up there."

I blink, momentarily stunned by her candor and her tone. "Okay, look… I'll admit, Taylor was definitely giving off a certain… vibe. But that's not what I'm about these days. You know that."

"Do I, though?" Jade challenges, holding my gaze steadily. "Because the way I see it, you're a single guy whose biggest vice used to be chasing a never ending string of women and hedonistic thrills. So, maybe this Taylor chick is just the first of many temptations you're gonna start falling for again now that you've got your freedom back. She seemed pretty age appropriate anyway.”

Her words are like a sucker punch straight to the gut, momentarily robbing me of air. Because as harsh and accusatory as they are, some deeply buried part of me has been hiding the same nagging fear.

What if this new life as a single father is just a temporary detour from my usual reckless, self-destructive patterns? What if I'm destined to eventually slip back into the indulgent vices and bad habits that have derailed me so many times before?

The thought of disappointing Jade, of proving her concerns right and squandering this chance at stability and redemption, fills me with a sick sense of dread. Because somewhere along the way, her approval and faith in me became just as precious as Penny's unconditional love and trust.

"You're wrong," I say roughly, leaning in so our faces are mere inches apart. I can smell the sweet scent of her apple shampoo, as she starts to twirl it in her fingers. "What you're suggesting, Jade. I'm not that selfish, short-sighted asshole who always chose the easy thrill over anything real or lasting."

Her eyes widen slightly at my rebuttal, but she doesn't look away. Doesn't give an inch as she holds my heated stare.

"You say that like you're sure," she murmurs after a beat. "Like you've got it all figured out now, just because you're playing house with a baby. But the truth is, you don't know jackshit about what kind of man you really are yet, Zac. That's something you have to constantly work at, not just talk about."

I open my mouth, a biting retort on my tongue. But Jade isn't done, she's working herself up to a full head of self-righteous steam now.

"You think I don't see how you look at me sometimes?" she presses, her voice low and intense. "Like you're moments away from finally making a move, from giving into… whatever this is that's been building between us?"

My breath catches in my throat at her daring words, at having the heated argument between us finally acknowledged out loud. I open my mouth, but no sound emerges. I'm too rattled, too thrown by her brutal honesty.

Jade watches me flounder for a moment before shaking her head, something like resigned disappointment flickering across her features. "Yeah, that's what I thought. You can't even deny it, can you?" She lets out a chuckle, draining the last of her wine in one, burning swallow. "The sad part is, I used to think that was a good thing. That the way you'd look at me, like you were moments away from devouring me whole. It made me feel powerful, you know? To have that kind of pull over a man like you."

I'm frozen, utterly transfixed as she lays herself bare in a way I never could have anticipated. Jade has always been warm and open, yes, but never like this. Never with such raw, unguarded candor.

"But now?" She exhales a shaky breath, her gaze dropping briefly before locking onto mine once more. "Now, I just wonder if you're even capable of following through. Of being man enough to go after what you want instead of just wallowing in the safe, comfortable fantasy."

The words are like a slap to the face, the sting of them shocking me back to my senses. "Is that what you think this is?" I demand, leaning in until we're nearly nose-to-nose. "That I'm just getting my kicks by leading you on, by indulging some bullshit fantasy in my head?"

"Aren't you?" she challenges, her lips twisting in a bitter moue. "Ever since that night you held me after Penny's feeding, when I finally admitted how I really feel about you… it's like you've been doing everything in your power to keep me at arm's length. To pretend like you don't feel the same way, even though I can see it burning behind your eyes every time you look at me."

The memory of that heated, loaded moment rises vividly in my mind. The two of us on the couch, our bodies as close as they can be without touching as she confessed her long buried feelings for me. I can still remember the dizzying rush of adrenaline that slammed into me in that moment.

The desperate need to close the distance between us, to finally chase the intoxicating promise that had been slowly simmering for months. I want to throw caution to the wind and indulge in the kind of all-consuming passion I hadn't felt in… God, I can't even remember how long.

But then Penny had let out a soft cry from the nursery, effectively shattering the heated tension surrounding us. And in that moment, I knew I couldn't. Couldn't risk surrendering to the reckless impulses that had always been my downfall before.

So, I pulled back, just like I always do when the promise of true intimacy and vulnerability shows its evil head. I shoved those wants and needs down, convincing myself it was for the best. That maintaining boundaries with Jade was the only way to preserve the domestic bliss I had finally found.

But now, watching the hurt and accusation play out across her beautiful features, I can't help but wonder if I've been lying to myself all along. If pulling away, putting up those defensive walls, has only delayed the inevitable and caused her untold anguish in the process.

"You're right…," I say, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. "You're right. I have been holding you at arm's length ever since that night. But not for the reasons you think, Jade."

I reach out, unable to stop myself from brushing a rogue curl back from her face. She stills at the gentle contact, her eyes slipping closed for the barest moment before snapping back open to hold my stare.

"The truth is… I'm terrified," I admit, the confession scraping itself free from my very bones. "Terrified of what'll happen if I finally let myself give in to this thing between us. Because you've got to know, Jade. With you, it wouldn't just be a fling or a casual fuck. It would consume me, you'd consume me, until there was nothing left."

I can see the words landing, I can see the flicker of vulnerability she tries to hide as I lay myself bare in front of her.

Jade doesn't look away, doesn't give an inch as I lay my soul before her. She simply watches, waiting for me to finally unleash the deepest truth I've been grappling with.

"With you..." I exhale roughly. "With you, it would be everything, Jade. No holding back, no restraint - I'd pour every single piece of myself into us until I was utterly spent and depleted. And I'm terrified that once I went there, once I surrendered to that all consuming need… I wouldn't know how to come back from it. That I'd end up burning this whole life I've built to the ground like I always do."

Jade… she just watches me with that gaze of hers. Then, slowly, she reaches out and cups my jaw in her palm, holding me in place like she's afraid I might bolt at any second.

"You're right about one thing," she whispers, her thumb brushing over the scruff of my cheek. "You and I… it wouldn't be casual, it wouldn't be temporary. If we went there, it would be everything.Explosive and all consuming and powerful as hell." She pauses, holding my stare as her lips curve into the faintest of smiles. "But what you're forgetting, daddy-o, is that I'm not some delicate little flower you need to protect. I can handle your intensity, your passion. I can match it fire for fire."

This… this is the woman I've been desperately trying not to crave, the force of nature I've been holding myself back from surrendering to.

"So, you don't get to use that as an excuse anymore," Jade declares fiercely. "You don't get to hide behind your fears, or wallow in the same old patterns of self-sabotage. Not with me, Zac. I won't let you." Her fingers tighten ever so slightly against my jaw, the possessive gesture sending a dizzying bolt of pure craving straight to my core. "The only thing you need to be afraid of… is what's going to happen if you keep denying this thing between us. If you keep running from the possibility of something real."

My breath is coming in heavy waves. Jade's eyes are daring me to finally make a move.

"So, I'm gonna ask you one last time, daddy..." Her voice is a heated rasp against my lips, her mouth a scant hairsbreadth from mine. "Are you gonna keep hiding? Or are you finally gonna be a man about this and take what you want?"

The challenge, the sheer eroticism of her words… it obliterates the restraint still holding me back. With a guttural groan, I surge forward and crash my mouth against hers in a searing, hungry kiss.

Jade gasps against my lips, her fingers clutching at the fabric of my shirt as she returns the embrace with equal fervor. It's like something primal and long-suppressed has finally been unleashed between us, and we're both powerless against the riptide.

I angle my head, deepening the kiss as my hands find her waist, pulling her against me. She tastes like wine, the soft curves of her body molding to mine in a way that has me dizzy with want. This is what I've been denying myself, been too afraid to chase after.

But now that I've had this glimpse, I know there's no going back. No more running, no more hiding behind the same tired excuses and insecurities. Jade was right. We're both forces of nature meant to collide.

So, that's exactly what I intend to do. With a low growl, I tear my mouth from hers and trail a blazing path of kisses along the slender column of her throat. Jade's head falls back, giving me better access as she lets out a breathy moan of pure feminine surrender.

"Yes… oh god, Zac, yes..." she pants out, her perfectly manicured nails scratching my back. "Don't you dare stop."

I have no intention of stopping, of letting this blaze between us die down to smoldering embers again. Not this time. Not ever again. With a low rumble of possession, I hoist her up onto the bar, stepping between her parted thighs as our mouths crash together once more.

We're well past the point of no return now. This is happening. No more hesitation, no more holding back. Just the primal joining of two forces of nature destined to collide, no matter how explosive the fallout.

And what I want is her. All of her, with no restraint, no boundaries.

With a low growl, I bring her closer until she's straddling my lap when I sit down on the battered leather couch beside the bar. Her tight body molds to mine like she was made to fit there, every lush curve and toned line pressed flush against me.

"Fuck, Zac..." she pants out between searing kisses. "I've wanted this for so damn long..."

Jade's head falls back with a breathy moan, giving me better access to worship the elegant lines of her neck and collarbones.

Part of me can't believe this is actually happening, that I've finally given into the tension that's been simmering between us for months.

I just want to consume her; to drink in every intoxicating inch of Jade until I'm utterly delirious with wanting her.

"You taste so fucking good, baby…," I growl against her skin.

Jade lets out a low, needy whine at my words, her fingers tightening in my hair to pull me even closer. I sit up and capture her mouth in another searing kiss, my hands roaming freely over her body. I can feel her trembling against me.

"Zac…, oh god, I need you…," she whimpers, rocking her hips in a slow, sinuous grind against my rapidly stiffening length. "I need to feel you inside me, baby… need you to make me yours..."

The raw eroticism of her plea damn near obliterates what's left of my sanity. With a low rumble of possession, I hoist her up and put her on the bar again in one smooth motion, stepping between her parted thighs.

Jade lets out a breathless giggle at the sudden move, her eyes sparking with a mixture of feminine power and undisguised longing. "Well, well… looks like someone's feeling a little… assertive tonight."

"You have no idea, baby," I growl. “I'm gonna make you mine in every way a man can claim a woman."

She shivers at the undisguised promise in my words, her lips parting on a soft whimper of pure, feminine surrender. "Yes… oh god, yes. I'm all yours, every inch of me..."

Jade's fingers are working the buttons of my shirt, her nails raking over my chest, leaving red marks in its path. I take her wrist in one hand, pinning it over her head as I trail open-mouthed kisses along her breasts.

"You're playing with fire, baby," I rasp out, nipping at the tender hollow of her throat.

She lets out a breathy moan. "Then burn me alive, daddy… I can take whatever heat you bring."

Jade’s legs wind around my waist as she grinds herself against my cock. I can feel her heat, her slick readiness even through the thin barrier of our clothes, and it's like throwing gasoline on an already raging inferno.

"You want it so bad, don't you, baby?" I growl against her lips, rocking my hips in a slow, torturous grind. "Want me to bury myself so deep inside you, make you take every thick inch until you cum."

"Yes…," she hisses out, her eyes squeezing shut as she chases the delicious friction. "God, yes, daddy… I'll take all of you."

I'm just about to make her mine once and for all. But then a sudden sound from across the bar shatters the heated bubble surrounding us, a muffled cough, the scrape of a barstool against hardwood.

My head whips around, suddenly aware that we're not alone in our delirious little world after all. A few patrons still linger in the dim area of the bar, their eyes wide as they take in the porn playing out before them.

One older gentleman in particular is staring openly, his expression a mixture of shock and… something else. Something I really don't want to put a name to. Beside him, a pair of young women clutch their drinks and giggle nervously, clearly scandalized by the show we've been unwittingly putting on.

The rude awakening is like a bucket of ice water being poured over me, dousing the raging inferno of my lust in an instant. I blink slowly, suddenly aware of how exposed and compromising our position is. Me standing between Jade's parted thighs, her breasts hanging open, and my hands pinning her wrists over her head.

"Shit…," I breathe out, feeling heat flood my cheeks as I release her from our heated embrace. "I, uh… I didn't realize we still had an audience."

Jade lets out a breathless giggle, clearly not as fazed by the situation as I am. "What? You've never wanted to give the people a little dinner theater before, daddy?"

I shoot her a half-hearted glare, already tugging my shirt back into place with jerky, self-conscious motions. Only Jade would be utterly unruffled about getting caught in such a compromising, vulnerable position.

"You're impossible, you know that?" I murmur, pulling her in for one final, lingering kiss. "Utterly incorrigible."

"Mmm…, but you love me for it," she purrs against my lips, her fingers toying idly with the hair at my nape. "Now come on, daddy-o. I think we've given the nice people here enough of a show for one evening. We should probably relieve my mom of babysitting duty.”

So, with one final look at the scandalized patrons, I take Jade's hand and lead her towards the exit without a backwards glance. Let them stare and speculate all they want.