The Songwriter (12 page)

She stretched beneath him and couldn’t stop the smile on her face. God, everyone woman in the world
should have sex like this. She frowned. Not with Trey but a man
like
him. She waited for the mental lashing from her conscience but there was nothing. Even her conscience had been sated by Trey. What a concept. She just had sex with Trey Phoenix- country superstar, friend and now lover.

“
I knew you’d be good,” Trey said against her neck.

She stroked back his hair.
“You were amazing.”

She felt him twitch to life in her. She moved against him, heard him groan and knew this was going to be a night to remember. If she was going to ruin their friendship
, she had to make it worth it, right?

He nibbled on her neck and got up with effort. He sat up and looked her over with heavy eyes. She looked at him too and wished she could take a picture so years from now
she could peek at it and say, ‘Once upon a time he was mine.’

“
Let’s take a shower.”

Trey pulled her out of bed and into his tiny shower stall. Trey used the tiny space well and by the time he flopped with her on his bed again
, they were both quivering with aftershocks. Although he should have been exhausted, he spread her out on his bed and investigated every inch of her as if he’d never had a woman before. Gwen let him explore and didn’t feel an ounce of shame with his eyes so heated for her. His energy filled the room and it was that same adrenaline rush they experienced onstage, but he had it directed solely on her. He was revved up and she lost track of time. Trey seemed insatiable and when he finally relaxed, she lost track of how many orgasms she’d experienced. More than she had in the past two years…

Gwen waited for Trey to get up and move away from her. She wasn’t sure what his bed protocol was
, but she was pretty sure Trey didn’t
sleep
with his women. Most men in his position didn’t. She was exhausted and drowsy and she wanted nothing more than to wrap herself around him and sleep, but… She wasn’t sure exactly what they were doing. She didn’t want it to be awkward in the morning, waking up beside him if this was a one-night stand.

She poked
him. “Are you sleeping?”

“
I don’t know,” he groaned and nuzzled her temple.

He was good in bed
and
a snuggler? She pushed him away so she didn’t ask him to marry her. Trey didn’t budge.

“
You need to go to the bathroom?”

She liked that he sounded drugged and exhausted.
“No. I need to go to my bus.”

“
What for?”

“
You know… for clothes and sleep.”

Trey raised his head and looked at her through one eye as if that was all the effort he could put into the act.
“What’s up?”

“
I don’t want to crowd you,” she said.

Trey
snorted and lay boneless over her again. “I don’t think I’m the one that needs space. You have major trust issues we need to talk about when I can think again.”

She thumped his shoulder.
“What trust issues?”

“
Not now,” he moaned. “Let me get some sleep and you should get used to this.”

“
Why?”

“
Because this is how I want you.”

Gwen woke alone in
Trey’s bed. She sat up and ran a hand through her tangled hair and listened. She smelled breakfast and the bus was moving so they were on the road again. She couldn’t remember what city they were heading to. She took a deep breath. No matter what happened this morning, last night was amazing and it was worth it. For almost two years now, Zach was a black cloud that hovered around her, casting doubt and guilt over her. Last night, however, she exorcised him countless times.

She
untangled herself from the bed sheets and was surprised to see a bag with a change of clothes for her and some toiletries. She saw her cell on top of the clothes and saw the messages from Johnny on the screen.
I hope it was worth it.
She texted him back,
Better than you!
Johnny’s message came back almost instantly.
Bitch.

Gwen snorted, stood and stretched. She hadn’t had a night like that
ever. She refused to worry about how Trey would be this morning. She couldn’t control it. She wanted to replay the events of last night in her mind and just savor the memory. She knew what kind of guy Trey was. She’d always known.

Dressed, refreshed and determined to face Trey without nerves
, she walked out of the bedroom just as Trey set eggs, hash browns and bacon on the table. He saw her standing there and came towards her. He was dressed in a pair of sweats and nothing else. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her slow and easy. Gwen grasped his wrists and leaned into him.

“
Breakfast and we need to talk,” he said.

Talk? She sat when he pushed her into a seat and plunked a glass of orange juice in front of her. He sat across from her, said grace over the meal and began to eat. She eyed him like a hissing viper as she began to eat. She was starved but his ‘we need to talk’ made her stomach dip. Was he going to tell her not to get attached or ‘last night was great but I think we need to keep this professional?’ Her leg bounced beneath the table
as she examined his upper torso. On the inside of his left bicep he had a line of lyrics from his first solo hit and on his wrist was a tattoo of army dog tags in honor of a brother he lost ten years ago.

Trey finished his breakfast and drained his glass of orange juice and looked at her. Gwen fought the blush that wanted to creep over her face. She was thirty one not eighteen and she wasn’t a virgin, which he now experience
d for himself. She had her own moves and-

“
The other night you told me you were engaged.”

All sexy thoughts flew out of
her head and she blanched. “When did I tell you that?”

“
You were telling me you found the perfect man.”

She groaned.
“I must have been out of my mind.”

“
In all the times we talked and you flew around to meet me, you never mentioned this perfect guy.”

There was something in his voice that made her look up. His blue eyes were bright and hypnotic. She cleared her throat and began to shred her napkin.
“I keep my personal life separate-”

“
I’m your friend,” he interrupted.

She bit her lip.
“Yeah, but when I met you, we were always talking about songs and the tour and it wasn’t about me.”

From the hardening of his face, he didn’t like her answer.
“That’s going to change. You didn’t tell me you were engaged. Would you have gotten married without telling me? Damn, Gwen!”

She crossed her arms defensively.
“I probably would’ve had a small ceremony in White Mist. You were on tour and… Okay, no. I probably wouldn’t have.”

“
What happened with the perfect guy?”

Guilt and shame flooded her and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
“His name is Zach and he realized I wasn’t fully committed. I was always flying to see you and Johnny and whoever else had a songwriting crisis. He knew I wasn’t totally in love with him. Part of my heart was in music and he realized I wasn’t going to make him a good wife after all.” Her stomach twisted sickly. “It was horrible.”

“
And when did this happen?”

“
Two years ago.”

“
Which is when you started ignoring my calls.”

She picked at her food and didn’t meet his eyes.

“Why do you look so guilty?”

“
I accepted his proposal, knowing it wouldn’t work out,” she whispered as her eyes flooded with tears.

“
Oh, baby.”

Trey got up, picked her up in his arms and sat on the couch with her in his lap. She wasn’t sure where the tears were coming from and she desperately tried to get a hold on herself.
She tried to push Trey away, but he held her firmly against him.

“
Mama wanted me to settle down and I didn’t want to date anyone in the music business. I had offers but I thought I had a better chance with a guy from my hometown and Zach and I were friends.” She wiped away tears. “It’s the worst thing I ever did.”

Trey hugged her close and brushed back her hair.
“It was a mistake.”

“
Uh, yeah!”

He tipped her face up.
“Are there anymore secrets you should tell me?”

“
No.”

Trey kissed her.
“Are you done eating?”

“
Yeah. I can’t eat anything else.”

“
Good.”

Trey got up and took her back to the bedroom. He set her on
the bed and unzipped her shorts. She shoved him away to grab a Kleenex and stared as he pulled off his sweats and came after her.

“
We talked about my ex and now you want to have sex?”

“
Uh huh. I don’t like secrets and now that I know, we can get on with this.”

He tugged off her shorts and spread her legs. Gwen’s earlier nausea was settling now after seeing how dismissive Trey was, as if what she’d done to Zach didn’t matter. She put her feet flat against his chest to stop him from eating her alive to the point where she was mindless.

“You don’t think I’m a horrible person?” she asked.

“
I think you made a mistake. I made a mistake every time I got back with Natasha so I can’t judge.”

He grabbed her feet and tugged her to the edge of the bed. She shivered and
sat up to wrap her arms around him as he knelt beside the bed. She kissed him to rid herself of Zach’s haunting memory and focus exclusively on him. His hand cupped the back of her head and he thrust his tongue in her mouth. She moaned and moved against him.

“
We have a long drive today,” he muttered, hands moving over her skin. “Thank God.”

There was a five day break between
their shows in Indiana and Pennsylvania. Trey took full advantage of the first three days and kept Gwen hostage in his bus. Like everything else he did, Trey surpassed any other guy she’d been with. Trey was attentive, insatiable, funny, down to earth and wanted her at his side at all times. Trey scowled when Gabe called and tried to snatch the phone from her, but Gwen locked herself in the bathroom and smothered her laughter as Trey cursed on the other side of the door. When she finally came out, Trey smacked her butt a few times which led to some interesting bed play.

For someone so driven
, Gwen was surprised that Trey seemed perfectly content to lie in bed with her caged between his naked thighs and watch sports or reality TV. She hadn’t left his bus at all. When she tried to get fresh clothes, Trey fetched them himself and ignored Johnny’s snide comments. She kept expecting him to give her a sign to go back to her own bus or say something along the lines of, “So yeah, that was nice and we should keep this quiet,” but it never happened.

Gwen leaned
back against his chest and jotted lyrics on a notepad balanced on one knee. Trey glanced at what she wrote every now and then and drew distracting patterns on her shoulders. After three days of sex with Trey, she felt mellow, drowsy and satisfied. The outside world ceased to exist and she steeped herself in him. 

“Where do you get material for your songs?”
he asked.

“Everywhere. The weather, strangers I pass in the street, friends, family.”

“We should write an album together.”

“I’m booked.”

Trey grabbed her hair, tilted her head back and looked at her through sharp eyes. “What did you say?”

“You’re not the only one who wants me
.” He leaned down and sucked the pulse on her neck until she said, “Okay, I guess I can fit you in.”

He
chuckled and stroked her face with callused hands. “I don’t know what to think about you. You’re terrified of going onstage, but once you’re there you’re fearless. You’re hard and soft wrapped in a very nice package.”

“I’m complicated.”

“You gave me blue balls for almost two months.”

She rolled her eyes. “You weren’t telling me straight out that you wanted me, buddy.”

His hand moved down her front and she sucked in a breath. “Women usually come to me.”

She shoved his hand away. “I’m smarter than that.”

“You’re more stubborn.”

“You didn’t want to ruin our friendship either.”

He wrapped his arms around her. “I think we can manage both.”

She knew he would find a way. Aside from Natasha, Gwen couldn’t
think of one of his past lovers that held a grudge against him and now she knew why. Women knew going in that Trey wasn’t the guy that would work a nine to five. He was a country superstar and his work included recording albums, touring, publicity, award shows, etc. It was one of the reasons why Gwen thought Trey and Natasha would end up together because they were in the same business.

“I love and hate being on the stage. I love
seeing the fans mouth the words as I sing, I love hearing them scream for us and I like talking to them after the show when I have the energy. I can’t imagine having them focused on me for an hour and a half. I’d go into a coma.”

“You didn’t think you could sing one song
onstage,” he reminded her.

She twirled her pen thoughtfully. “That’s true
, but I like being in my apartment in New York writing my heart out.”

“
Are all of the songs about your relationship with your ex?”

She wished
Trey didn’t know about Zach because just a casual mention of him made any euphoria she was feeling disappear. “No. Some are about him and I and some are about other people.”

“Do you ever talk to him?”

She shifted uncomfortably and his arms tightened a little. “Sometimes. I’ve never called him back.”

“You like living in New York?”

She was a little shocked by the abrupt change in subject and she stared a little wildly at the TV screen. Asking if she liked her home base wasn’t something a man should ask unless they were serious, but maybe Trey was just curious. “I like the energy in New York and I travel a lot so I need a home base. I’ve thought of moving back to my hometown a couple times so I guess I am open to change.”

Trey nodded absently and trailed kisses down her
neck and tossed her notebook to the side. Despite being on tour and her sex filled days with Trey, she was surprised how much she was able to write with less time. She discovered that in the blissful silence after a climax she thought of the best lyrics, but she didn’t tell Trey that. He had a big enough ego as it was.

The next morning
, Johnny pounded on the door. “You’re holding her hostage! Give her up, man!”

Gwen heard laughing from the crew and went beet red
. She got up from the table when Johnny burst in. Trey and Johnny glared at each other before Johnny turned his back on his rival.

“You’ve gotten laid. Time to work,” Johnny
told her.

“I tell her when she works, not you,” Trey snapped.

Gwen rolled her eyes. “Johnny’s here so I can help him with the album. I forgot, babe. You’re leaving soon, right?”

Trey’s expression eased when Johnny nodded and he almost offered Johnny a cup of coffee but decided against it. He didn’t want the bastard showing up again. Gwen told Johnny she would meet him in the recording bus and changed. Trey grabbed her hand before she left the bus and hauled her up against him.

“You feel okay?” he asked.

She grinned. “I feel a little lightheaded but good.”

He leaned down and gave her a thorough kiss. “Hurry back to me.”

She almost stumbled down the steps of his bus and
groaned when Barbie and Cassie appeared out of thin air to accost her.

“How was he?” Cassie
demanded.

“What do you think?” Gwen said with a grin she couldn’t hide. “You haven’t seen me for days.”

Barbie moaned. “Damn.”

“You’re a bitch,” Cassie informed her.

Gwen laughed as she dashed away from them and met Johnny in the recording studio.

“
You reek of sex,” Johnny said snidely.

She ran a hand through wavy hair
that hadn’t been straightened in days and sniffed her clothes self-consciously.

“
Jealous? Haven’t you been doing research for your album?”

“Well, yeah, but not with the same woman,” he said as if the thought of monogamy was for aliens.

“Johnny, you have issues,” she sighed and settled herself comfortably on the sofa.

“Doesn’t he feel crowded?”

In the past she always needed alone time but with Trey s
he savored being with him because she had no idea what was happening between them. She wasn’t sure if this would last a week or the rest of the tour and she wasn’t about to question him about it either.

“
Stop harping on Trey. Let’s write songs.”

To Johnny’s delight
, Gwen was full of ideas and they quickly got the lyrical ball rolling. Johnny paced the bus with his guitar strapped to him while Gwen played melodies on the keyboard on her iPad. They tossed words back and forth and even pulled out Scrabble, a strategic word game to keep their minds focused. It was nearly dark when Trey came in with fast food. Gwen and Johnny attacked him and bit into their tacos. Trey sat beside Gwen and put his arm around her.

“
So what’s the new album about?” Trey asked.

“
Being a wronged man,” Johnny said with his mouth full.

When Trey looked to Gwen for clarification she elaborated.
“Johnny thinks all women are out to use him for sex and let him take the fall when their husbands come with guns blazing.”

“
You can relate, right?” Johnny said, gulping his soda.

“
I think I may be more selective than you.”

“
You don’t have to lie because Gwen’s here. She doesn’t judge.”

Trey glanced sideways at Gwen.
“Actually, Gwen judges me a lot for being with Natasha as long as I have.”

“
She’s Natasha Wilde,” Johnny said as if that should absolve Trey of all blame.

Gwen eyed Johnny with disgust.
“You didn’t.”

Johnny dug in his fast food bag and didn’t respond. Gwen glared at both
of them.

“
Men are so easy. All you need is a skinny body and a pretty face and-”

Trey covered her mouth with his hand.
“We’re really easy when we’re younger. It takes us a while to realize what we really want, right Johnny?”

Johnny frowned.
“I don’t get it.”

Trey glared at him as he addressed Gwen.
“Are you done for the night? You’ve been in here all day.”

Even though
Gwen shook her head, Johnny got up and stretched.

“
I’m done for. Are you coming back to your bus with me?” Johnny asked.

Even while Gwen nodded
, Trey answered, “No.”

Johnny
rolled his eyes and headed off the bus as Gwen got to her feet and faced Trey with her hands on her hips. “I think I should have a night on my own bus.”

Trey got to his feet.
“Why?”

She didn’t want to crowd him or take anything for granted and a part of her needed time to regroup.
“Don’t you need some time to yourself?”

“
I had the whole day to myself.”

Gwen didn’t know what to say
to that. She thought he might want some space now, especially since he had the day to think about what this would do to their friendship. As he stared at her, she realized he had no qualms whatsoever.

“
I hate to sound like a girl, but I just want to know what we’re telling people,” she said.

“
About what?”

“
Us.”

“
Everybody knows we’re sleeping together.”

“
So we’re not hiding it?”

He frowned.
“Hiding it?”

She gestured ineffectively with her hands.
“You know, we work together and I don’t want it to be awkward…”

“
It’s not awkward.”

She fumbled.
“And it’s
me
, you know?”

“
No. I don’t know.”

She sighed and rubbed her forehead.
“I spend all day thinking of words yet when I talk to you I don’t have any.”

He put his
hands on her shoulders and gave her a light shake. “You said the word fake, hide and awkward. I’m not faking or hiding anything. I have nothing to feel awkward about. Do you?”

Her mouth curved in a big smile. “No.”

“Good.”

Trey
held her hand as they walked outside. The buses created a small community which made her feel as if she was living in White Mist, her small hometown. Some people winked and smiled as they passed but no one commented. Gwen saw Barbie bent over and Cassie mimed spanking her ass. It was also part high school, Gwen thought.

“
Hit that,” Cassie mouthed.

Gwen snorted with laughter as she walked onto Trey’s bus.
He pulled her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom and pinned her beneath him.

“
Breaking up with Natasha’s the best thing I ever did.”

She wasn’t thrilled to hear that bitch’s name when they were in bed
, but she let it pass this time. Plus, he was doing great things with his mouth.

Johnny left
right before their show in Pennsylvania. She hugged and kissed him and promised to work on songs for
The Scarlet Woman
. Oliver came over to nudge her playfully with his shoulder, his adolescent way of letting her know he approved of her relationship with Trey and told Johnny he was “dope” before he ran off to open the show.

“
You look happy,” Johnny told her.

She
put her hand on her hip and smiled. “I am. I feel great.”

“
Good sex will do that to you.”

She hugged him again.
“I’m glad you came to see me.”

“
Me too. Be careful.”

She kn
ew Johnny was referring to Trey. She kissed his cheek and waved goodbye as he ducked into a taxi. Gwen went backstage and watched Trey. She sensed someone come up beside her.