Dare to Dream (Truth or Dare #2) (2 page)

Colby

It’s a surreal experience to look into the crowd and see Lea sitting at a table in the front row, singing every word of every song
I’m playing. Sure, she’s watched me before, but this is different. This is Nashville. The big time. And she’s looking at me like I’m right up there with Luke Bryan and Tim McGraw. It’s probably a good thing I didn’t know she was here when I sang her song because I would have lost it. Every time I sing “Road to You” I think about her, but she’s never seen me perform it live. I wrote it right after we made the transition from friends to lovers because there were so many emotions inside of me that I wasn’t ready to voice.

Playing to the crowd is a skill that I’m still trying to hone. Back home, it was easy because my friends were there to support me and
I could be playful with them, ignoring the eyes of strangers who were carefully assessing me. Here, it’s a sea of unknown faces once you get beyond the front row. That’s not an issue for me tonight because that’s the furthest I have any desire to look. I narrow my eyes on Zach, one of the regulars around here, when he leans in to whisper something in my girl’s ear. He looks at me and laughs, making a gesture letting me know he thinks I’m pussy whipped. And he’s right. And I can’t wait to become reacquainted with that and every other part of Lea’s body.

“I’m going to do one more song for you guys tonight
. Hopefully you don’t mind, but there’s a pretty girl I haven’t seen in too damn long who decided to drop in and surprise me. And by drop in, I mean my boss helped get her sweet little backside on a plane to surprise me.” The entire room breaks out in catcalls and whistles and I feel like the king of the world. I don’t give a shit that every man in the room is now craning his neck to get a good look at my girl because I’m the only one who is going to have her laid out bare tonight or any other night. I look down and see Lea’s scarlet curls covering her face and know her face is probably equally red.

She had better get used to the attention because tonight has renewed my hope that I might actually be able to go places with my music.
It may not be as soon as I’d like, but when it happens, there’s no way I’m going to keep her hidden away like some dirty little secret. As I begin strumming the opening chords to my last song of the night, I look directly into her eyes, smiling like a love struck fool when she blows me a kiss.

The applause hasn’t even begun to die down when I prop my guitar against the side of the piano that’s a permanent fixture on stage just before Lea jumps into my arms, causing another round of applause to burst out.

“I’m so proud of you, baby!” In this moment, every minute that I’ve been missing her has been worth it. Seeing the way her green eyes look at me in complete awe of what I’ve just accomplished wipes away every speck of doubt that has been floating around in my mind. And if she kisses me the way she is while her legs are wrapped around my waist every time we see each other after a period apart, I can get through the tough days by looking forward to these little moments.

“You were amazing up there! The entire crowd was singing along.” As I reluctantly set her on the floor so we can take this reunion someplace a bit more private, she wraps her arms tightly around my waist.

“I still can’t believe you’re really here,” I sigh, knowing that at this point, I sound like a broken record. I can’t help it; it’s the only thought racing through my mind that I can express in public. The rest of my thoughts will have to wait until we get back to Aaron’s place.

Shit, the last thing I want to do is go back there right now. There will be plenty of time for her to see where I live, but tonight, I want it to be just the two of us. I want to listen to her scream my name as I bury myself inside of her. The thought of doing the things to her that I’m imagining while under the same roof as Aaron’s
children is like a bucket of ice water to my libido. Looks like I’ll be taking a bit of the money I was saving to get a hotel room at least for tonight.

“Colby, my man! Great job tonight,” Aaron praises me as he wraps one arm around my shoulder in a friendly hug. “And I’m impressed
, I’m not sure I would have been able to keep it together as well as you did with such a beautiful distraction sitting in the front row.”

“It was hard, but I’d have felt like an ass if I fell on my face the
first night she’s here.” Lea needs to see me at my best while she’s here. Even though it was her idea for me to come down here, there’s still that little part of me that worries she’ll begin to doubt her decision. That she’ll see the way I struggle to get out of bed some mornings because jealousy and envy make me forget that most musicians out there do the same shit I am, day in and day out for as long as it takes to get noticed. Above everything else, I’m terrified that she’ll go home and decide that the time apart from one another isn’t worth it after all. It’s clear that I’m carrying more than enough doubt for both of us.

“Even if you had, I’d still love you,” she promises me, spinning herself so she’s standing in front of me. “There’s nothing you can do on that stage that will ever change that.” She stands on her toes, gently placing kisses at the corners of my lips. Someone behind me suggests that we move the show to somewhere a bit more private and I think it’s a damn good idea. Unfortunately, Aaron seems to have other plans.

“Colby, I know you probably want to get out of here, but there are a couple friends of mine that I want you to meet.” I look down at Lea and she shrugs. I’m not sure why I assumed she would know what’s going on, but nothing would surprise me seeing as they already pulled one over on me tonight. We follow Aaron back to the table where Lea was sitting through the first set and the two men she had been with both stand. “Colby Davis, this is Pete Tyler and Cameron Best.”

My mind
is reeling as I realize exactly whom I’m standing in front of. Pete Tyler owns one of the most sought after talent agencies in the city and Cameron Best is the owner of a small, but highly respected record label. Missy Harrington’s label. The thought that the two of them just sat through my performance is enough to make my stomach tighten. Fuck, if Aaron thought I would have screwed up with Lea in the front row, I’m damn glad he didn’t mention these two were here. Even after the fact, being in their presence is giving me a case of nerves like I’ve never experienced before.

“Mister Tyler, Mister Best, it’s a pleasure to meet you both,” I say, hoping my voice only sounds shaky in my own head. Lea’s hand rests on my forearm and I know I’m out of luck. Maybe she just heard it because we know one another so well. Maybe these two men who have the ability to make or break a person’s career are clueless to the fact that I’m about to piss my pants.

“Colby, it’s great to meet you,” Mr. Tyler says, offering me his hand. “And please, call me Pete. You were great up there tonight. A bit rough at times, but certainly nothing that won’t iron itself out with a little more experience. Very impressive for someone who’s been at it for such a short time.”

Holy. Shit. Pete Tyler is standing in front of me telling me that I have talent. As I move to shake hands with
Mr. Best, I feel myself stand a bit straighter, my shoulders squared to show the confidence that is slowly returning to my body. It doesn’t escape me that I’m on an emotional rollercoaster right now. One minute, flying high, the next dropping to the ground. I wonder if it will always be like this.

“Colby, I would like you to give me a call early next week. Cameron and I would like to discuss putting together a demo for you.” My eyes widen as I’m handed a business card that symbolizes the opportunity many artists struggle
for years to be given.

I stare at the card, which has Pete’s
office information on one side and his cell phone number hand written on the back. When I look up at the three men staring back at me, with my mouth slightly agape, they all chuckle. More than likely, this isn’t the first time they’ve seen such a reaction. If not for the fact that I don’t want to look like an unappreciative ass, I would ask if I’m being punked. After all, a few hours ago I was nothing more than a bar manager at one of the hundreds of small bars in Nashville, working on completely mundane paperwork.

“We’d do it sooner, but Aaron says you’ve been looking forward to your girl’s visit since about ten minutes after you
moved down here. So go, have fun with her through the weekend, and we’ll talk once you’ve had time to digest everything.” Cameron leans in, giving Lea a peck on the cheek before excusing himself.

“Baby, if you need to talk to them sooner, I’m sure Aaron’s wife and I can find something to do,” Lea says sweetly, gently trailing her hand up and down the length of my arm. “I knew something would come along for you
, I don’t want me being here to jeopardize that.”

“Don’t worry about him, Lea,” Pete assures her. “He’s got a unique sound, just the type of thing we’re looking for right now. Believe me
—a week isn’t going to change that. You know, there’s a party Friday night for some of our artists. It’s a bit premature, but I would like to think that you will soon be among that group, so I’d be honored if you and Lea were able to come out. Who knows, if you can get Aaron to find a sitter for the night, we might even be able to get him to get in on one of the jam sessions.”

Pete pulls out a chair for Lea and we all sit around the small, round table. As one of my co-workers brings a round of drinks, I keep waiting for the moment when someone points to the cameras, telling me
that this is all a prank. Shit like this doesn’t happen. It’s the very thing everyone hopes will happen, but you rarely here of anyone being in the position I’ve just been thrust into.

We sit there for over an hour, talking about my career, or lack thereof,
up until this point. Pete doesn’t make me feel like I’m too inexperienced for him to take seriously. In fact, it almost seems as if he’s eager to have someone like me that he can mold into the artist he wants. If not for his reputation, it would have been a huge red flag for me. I have no problem receiving constructive criticism that will help me succeed, but I didn’t move down here for some suit to strip me down to nothing and rebuild me to fit their marketable image.

“It’s been a pleasure getting to know you a bit, Colby.” Pete stands, handing a credit card to our server as she passes. “I hope we’ll see you Friday night. If you are interested in coming, call me at the number on the back of
the card and I will give you all of the details.”

“I’ll talk to Lea and get back to you,” I tell him, not wanting to
commit even a minute of our short time together without discussing it with her first. For the week that she’s here, I plan to make her my only priority.

I notice that
Lea’s about to say something, but stops when I subtly shake my head. Pete isn’t pressuring me for an answer right this minute and seems to understand where my head is at.
Not
giving him an immediate answer is also a way for me to gage his true interest in me. If he truly sees potential in my performance as he claims, he’ll stand by his word that he’ll want me just as much once she’s headed back home. Plus, it shows him from the very beginning that there are certain compromises I’m not willing to make, no matter what the cost. Or more accurately, I won’t compromise on
anything
when it comes to Lea.

“Of course,” Pete responds, looking between the two of us with a wistful smile. I wonder what he’s thinking about when he sees us standing before him. Is it a naïve wannabe and his adoring girlfriend? A rising star and the woman who pushes him to do more than he ever thought possible? Or does he simply see a young couple in love, completely devoted to making all of their dreams come true? “Lea, it was a pleasure to meet you. It would be wonderful to see you at the party, but know that I don’t want you to feel as if you
don’t have a choice in the matter. Enjoy your visit with Colby, I have a feeling it won’t be long before life gets a little crazy and I don’t want either of you to have any regrets.”

Pete is so unlike the predators I’ve been warned about. When he makes statements like the ones he is tonight, they seem sincere. While it’s possible that he’s just that good at saying what struggling artists want to hear, I don’t think that’s the case with him. We follow Pete out to the parking lot and say goodnight, promising to talk again soon.

After helping Lea into the passenger side of the Nissan Pathfinder Aaron’s letting me borrow until I get my own wheels, I round the hood as quickly as I can without appearing desperate. Which, of course, I am at this point. I want to be alone with Lea, not only to show her how much I’ve missed her, but to begin celebrating the best night I’ve had since moving away from her. The second my door closes, Lea leans over the seat, cupping my face in her hands. She closes her mouth over mine in a passionate kiss that doesn’t last nearly long enough.

“Baby, I’m so proud of you! I know they’re going to love you just as much as I do.” She kisses me again before sitting back in her seat. “This is a good thing, I can feel it!”
She’s practically bouncing around in her seat with enthusiasm.

I love her excitement, but in a way, I feel that much more pressure to succeed. If I don’t, I’m not sure which of us will be more crushed.

Lea

I lean my head back against the seat as Colby navigates through downtown Nashville like a native. There will be time for sightseeing, but right now I’m fighting just to keep my eyes open. As I’m just about to drift off to sleep, I remember the envelope Aaron slipped to me while Colby was talking with Pete and Cameron.

“Babe, Aaron said to open this before heading back to his place.” I slide my finger under the back flap of the envelope since Colby’s a bit occupied with driving. “It’s a note. Do you want me to read it?”

Colby responds by turning on the map light in the headliner. As I unfold the slip of paper, he rests his hand on my thigh, gently kneading my leg. I read the note out loud to him, amazed by the generosity of Aaron and his wife.

Colby and Lea,

We figured you wouldn’t want to spend your week together with us and the kids, so Rebecca pulled a few strings to get you a room at the Hermitage. All you have to do is give your name and driver’s license at the front desk. Everything is taken care of. The only thing we ask is that you enjoy your time together.

Aaron

PS
. Rebecca also told me to tell you that if you don’t at least make an appearance at the house so she can meet Lea, you might want to start sleeping with one eye open after you get back to the house.

The truck slows and Colby pulls up the address on his GPS. Five minutes later, we’re pulling up in front of the most opulent hotel I’ve
ever seen. There are nice, upscale hotels back home, but nothing can compare to the marble and stained-glass adorning this lobby.

“Holy crap, Colby. How in the world did Aaron’s wife pull this off?” I whisper in Colby’s ear as we make our way to the registration desk. I’m pretty sure we couldn’t afford to stay in the housekeeping closet of a place like this.

“I have no clue. Let’s just do as Aaron says and enjoy our little vacation.” He places a gentle kiss on my forehead before releasing me to check-in. While Colby takes care of the paperwork, I pull up the hotel on my smartphone and nearly choke when I see that this is the type of hotel that plays host to U.S. presidents when they’re in town. Definitely not a hotel for a college student and her fledgling musician boyfriend to use as a temporary love nest.

We’re escorted to our room by a bellman, which is ridiculous in my mind since the only luggage we have with us is my bag
. When I try to tell him that we don’t need his assistance, he assures us this is standard for all hotel guests. The moment he opens our door and flips on the light, I wonder if his primary responsibility is to start CPR while the ambulance is en route when guests fall over at the sight of their accommodations.

We step into a beautiful living area with rich buttercream walls, a desk, small dining area and sitting area. Beyond that, we find the bedroom decorated with slate gray walls. The bright red club chairs by the window seem completely unnecessary because I have no desire to go anywhere other than the regal king size four poster bed.

“Baby, you have to call Aaron and tell him we can’t accept this,” I say breathlessly. He’s a giving man, that much is clear, but this is too much. Even with all the strings in the world, I would lay money that this room costs more per night than Colby makes in a week.

“Already on it,” Colby says, dismissing the bellman after handing him a tip. “Aaron, it’s Colby… Yeah, we got the note… I appreciate it, but we can’t stay here. I’m pretty sure Lea’s scared to touch anything…
” There’s a long pause while Colby listens to whatever Aaron’s saying. “Yeah, okay. Thanks.”

I turn to Colby
when he tells Aaron goodnight, waiting to hear what we’re going to do and see him walking across the room to me. He slides his arms around my waist, pulling me close to him. I lean back so I can look into his golden eyes. When I see the way his eyes glisten with emotion, the breath is once again stolen from my chest. “He won’t take no for an answer. Apparently, Rebecca’s firm does a lot of work for this company and they frequently give them comp rooms, always the best they have available. Aaron said he wants us to stay here to celebrate everything that’s coming my way and that he’s proud of me.”

And now I know the reason for the emotion threatening to spill over Colby’s thick eyelashes.
Other than me, I’m not sure anyone has ever said those words to him.

“Then that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” I say, placing my hand over his racing heart. Resting my head on Colby’s chest, I reach for the hem of his t-shirt,
pulling it over his head so I can feel the heat of his skin against mine. “I think we need to start our celebration in that bathtub.” The only thing capable of drawing my attention away from Colby’s gorgeous eyes is the opulent tub that I could get lost in for days.

Pulling away from Colby, I
begin unbuttoning my shirt, letting it fall off my shoulders as I glance back at him playfully. As it falls to the floor, I kick off my black boots while reaching for the hem of my simple white tank top. Colby groans appreciatively behind me when the cotton drops to the ground, leaving me in nothing but his favorite pair of jeans and my white satin bra. “Are you coming?” I ask, leaning against the doorjamb leading to the bathroom.

“Fuck yes!” He begins toeing off his cowboy boots when there’s a knock on the door. “Dammit,” he grumbles as he heads to the door.

As curious as I am, I’m not dressed for company, so I close the bathroom door behind me. Once again, I feel as if we’re living in a fairy tale. The floors, shower surround and vanity are all marble and there’s a freaking television over the bathtub. I make a vow to myself that at least once before we have to leave this paradise in the heart of the city, I will fill the tub with bubbles and sit here long enough to watch a cheesy romantic comedy, just because I can. I start the water, taking in the assortment of gels and salts on a small caddy perched over the top of the tub.

The door opens and Colby struggles to back his way into the room while holding a tray of some sort. When he turns to face me, I see that he has champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. “Let me guess, Aaron?” I ask, not sure if I love or hate
that man right now. I love him for everything he’s doing to make this first visit special, but hate the fact that we’ll never be able to repay him for his generosity. Well, maybe we will if Pete was right when he said that Colby has something that makes him stand out from the crowd in a good way.

“Yep. The card he sent along basically said the same thing he told me over the phone.” He sets the tray on the vanity, pouring each of us a glass. “I think I’m going to take the rest to the bedroom, otherwise the steam in here is going to melt the chocolate. Think you have
the water hot enough?” He chuckles when I reach to adjust the temperature, assuring me that he doesn’t care how hot the water is as long as we’re in there together.

“What can I say? I like a nice, hot bubble bath,” I laugh, kissing him tenderly as I reach for one of the champagne flutes. “I love you, Colby. This is all overwhelming, but Aaron is right. You
do deserve everything. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you.”

“For us,” he promises
, wrapping his arms tightly around my body. “No matter what the future holds, it’s for us. Not just for me.” Another freaking tear escapes my eye as I watch him walk away. He tells me every night how lucky he is to have someone like me in his life, but tonight, I know that I’m the one who’s lucky.

When Colby walks back into the room, he flips the switch for the overhead lights, leaving only the soft glow of the accent lighting to cast shadows against the wall. He walks over to me, reaching for the button on my jeans. Pushing the denim over my hips, he leans down, leaving a trail of kisses along the side of my neck.

“God, I missed you so much,” he sighs, planting open-mouthed kisses down the center of my chest as he kneels before me. One at a time, he lifts my feet, freeing me of my pants so I’m standing before him in only a matching bra and panties. “Have I told you how beautiful you are?”

“Not in the past hour,” I say breathlessly, weaving my fingers
through his messy waves as he continues kissing his way down to my calves, avoiding the area that is now begging for his attention.

“How insensitive of me
,” he says as he reaches behind my back, making quick work of the hooks on my bra. The languid pace he’s setting is sheer torture, but I can’t bring myself to rush this moment. He hooks a finger under each bra strap, easing them down my arms, dropping my bra on the floor between us. “You are, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. I still don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I promise, I plan to live every day trying to be the man you see when you look at me.”

If I wasn’t already head over heels in love with Colby, I would be after that speech. Before I have a chance to respond, he clasps his hand against the back of my neck, closing his mouth over mine in a heated kiss. My mouth opens on a sigh, allowing his tongue to slide past my lips.
Without allowing any space between us, I reach between our bodies as he nips at my lip, sweeping his tongue across the flesh to soothe the gentle sting.

I fumble for the zipper on his tight jeans, feeling every rigid inch of him begging to be freed. Breaking the kiss, I begin my descent, kissing the soft ridges of muscle, grazing my fingernails along his sensitive skin.

“Baby, you keep doing that and I’m going to embarrass myself,” he warns me. “It’s been too fucking long.” I love how strained his voice is, the way he doesn’t try to hide the need that mirrors my own.

I glance over
my shoulder and see that we’re about to flood the bathroom, which is a shame because I don’t want to step away from him. I make quick work of removing his jeans and briefs before pulling his hand to lead him to the tub. Taking a bath with a lover is something I’ve always wanted to do but never thought I would have the opportunity to turn fantasy to reality. It seems fitting that this will be a moment I will only ever share with Colby. There have been other times I thought I was in love, but what I felt for those men paled in comparison to the overwhelming love and desire I feel for the man standing before me.

I motion for him to step into the tub while I drain enough water that it won’t overflow once we’re both comfortable. He leans back against the hard porcelain, allowing his head to fall back in a combination of anguish and pleasure as I taunt him with a little strip tease to remove
my last remaining article of clothing. After kicking my underwear aside, I bend at the waist to pick my jeans off the floor, reaching in the pocket for a hair tie. I prolong the sensual torment as I gather my hair into a messy bun on top of my head.

“Lea, if you don’t get your ass in here, I’m going to—”

His words are cut off as I place my hands on the edge of the tub, capturing his mouth in a devastating kiss. “You’re going to what?” I ask huskily, staring down at him, almost losing the ability to play this erotic vixen when I see how hard it is for him to focus on my eyes instead of my heavy breasts hanging inches away from his face.

“Enough with the torture,” he pleads, reaching out to steady me as I step into the tub.
I settle between his legs and allow him to cup water over me as I sink into his body. “God, I missed you. How are we going to get through two years like this?”

Part of me hates that he brings reality into this blissful moment. Right now, I don’t want to think about there being a life outside
of these four walls. I want it to be Colby and me, enjoying one another. The reality of life can wait.

“It’ll all be worth it in the end,” I promise him, praying to God that I’m right. Because if we’re not strong enough to get through my last two years of school, I know it will kill me. “Plus, you’ll be so busy soon that you won’t even notice
that I’m not here. You just have to promise me that you won’t forget about me when you’re on top of the world.”

It’s not something I’ve allowed myself to think about, but there have been moments when I’ve worried that he won’t need me once he makes it
big. There will be no shortage of starlets and groupies willing and able to warm his bed while I’m being the responsible student.

“That’ll never happen,” he says curtly. He crooks a finger beneath my chin, tilting my head back so I’m looking into his eyes. “I don’t care how big I get, you’re it for me. Please tell me you’re not already having doubts about us. If you are, I’ll come home
right now.”

I turn on my side, holding onto his arms so I don’t slide away from him in the water. “No, it’s not that. Forget I said anything
,” I mumble, hoping he’ll drop the subject, hating myself for even allowing the doubt to creep into my mind, much less let it pass my lips.

N
either of us can pretend I didn’t put our biggest fear out there, giving it a voice. We sit there, each of us lost in thought, holding onto one another, until the water goes cool, neither of us forcing the topic. Colby pushes me forward, stepping out and reaching over me for two towels. I hug my knees to my chest as I watch him dry off before holding out the other towel to me.

He dries my body with
a tenderness I didn’t know he was capable of and leads me to the bedroom. We slide into the bed and I wish I hadn’t opened my big mouth. Now, we’re tiptoeing around one another, trying desperately to salvage our first night in this magical place.