The Greatest Show (Willow Son #5/Brothers of Rock #20) (12 page)

Her father hobbled toward the
kitchen, shaking his leg as he did so.

“
How
do you move things in the bar?
”
she asked.
“
You
’
re going to end up hurting
yourself one day. For real.
”

“
Ah,
I
’
m fine.
”

“
Why
don
’
t you just sell it?
”

“
I
can
’
t. You know that.
”

“
What
do you mean you can
’
t?
”

Her father got a glass and poured
himself some iced tea. He turned and leaned against the counter.
“
I
’
m
in the hole on the place. It
’
s
not worth what it was ten years ago.
”

“
I
thought the market turned back around.
”

“
It
did,
”
her father said.
“
But when you mortgage the place
over and over
…
it doesn
’
t even have a real name
…
it doesn
’
t make much money
…”

“
Oh,
Dad.
”

“
Emma,
I
’
m fine. If I wasn
’
t working, I
’
d be dead. Okay? Don
’
t make a big deal about me.
Worry about Seth. About yourself. About
…
where is he?
”

“
Had
a business meeting.
”

Her father raised an eyebrow.
“
Business meeting? They have
that?
”

“
He
’
s not all tattoos and attitude,
Dad.
”

“
I
bet that
’
s what you liked,
huh?
”

“
Stop
it. That
’
s gross. I don
’
t want you thinking about what I
like.
”

Her father stepped forward and put
his glass on the counter. The same counter where she and Brantley
…

Emma felt her cheeks burning red.
“
He
’
s
coming back tonight. We
’
re
trying to work it out. We
’
re
going to take care of Seth.
”

“
Okay.
Good. Seth deserves both of his parents.
”

“
Just
don
’
t attack him with a
baseball bat again,
”
Emma
said.
“
You knew damn well
who that was. Nobody robs a bar like yours.
”

Her father smiled.
“
I have to rattle him a little,
Em. Tell you what, when he comes back, you two take time and figure it out. I
’
ll come watch Seth. I want you
two to talk all this out. Because I don
’
t
even understand what the hell you two did. I want to be pissed at the guy, Em,
but you keep telling me you were the one who shoved him away, too.
”

“
We
both made a mistake,
”
Emma
said.
“
But we got a miracle
out of it.
”

“
A
hyper miracle,
”
her father
said.
“
But it
’
s goddamn good to see him
running around again. I can
’
t
take watching him in the hospital like that. A kid is meant to run. Be free and
happy. Make messes. Cut their knees. Dig up worms.
”

“
That
’
s what boys do,
”
Emma said.
“
Girls are different.
”

“
You
weren
’
t different.
”

“
I
was your project,
”
Emma
said.
“
Because you never
got a son.
”

“
Aw,
don
’
t say that. I loved you
so much, Em, I never needed another kid.
”

“
Yeah,
that
’
s the reason.
”

Her father hugged her tight. He
smelled of cheap aftershave and dust from the bar. It was a smell that would
never leave her memory.

“
So
how long until the drummer boy shows up?
”

Before Emma could answer, her cell
phone started to ring.

It was Brantley
…
probably calling to
cancel plans
…

(12)

“
You
want me to do what?
”
Emma
asked as she sat on the opposite end of the couch.

It was almost midnight and she had
been sitting with Brantley since Seth went to bed. Their conversation had been casual,
nothing serious, not about medical stuff, blood, parenthood, or any of the
other elephants in the room that so desperately needed to be addressed.

“
I
know it
’
s crazy, Emma,
”
Brantley said.
“
But we can fly out, see the
show, fly back. One, two, three. You and me.
”

“
And
the band?
”

“
Yeah.
The band, too. But it
’
s a
big jet. A private jet. You know? We
’
ll
have space. To talk and stuff.
”

“
I
can
’
t leave Seth.
”

“
I
know. I just wanted to offer though.
”

“
I
mean, it
’
s sweet.
”

“
He
seems to be doing good, right?
”

“
Yeah,
but that could change in a second,
”
Emma said.

“
Then
I
’
ll get a private jet for
us.
”

“
What?
”

“
I
’
ll call Harry right now. We
’
ll fly separate. See the band
play. Then fly right back. If anything would happen, we get right back on the plane
and fly here.
”

“
It
’
s across the country,
”
Emma said.
“
It
’
s
not a twenty minute drive.
”

Brantley stood up and ran his hands
through his hair.
“
You
’
re right. I feel selfish now.
Like I
’
m trying to steal
your time or something. I just want to be with you, Emma. Just us. To talk
about everything. I feel like we
’
re
avoiding it all right now. I mean, you said something about Seth needing my
blood? Take it. Right now. Call the doctor. I
’
ll
go to the hospital right now.
”

Emma felt her heart twist a little.
“
Brantley, it
’
s not that simple. Right now,
Seth is fine. I
’
m fine with
it. I don
’
t want him back
in a hospital just yet. Unless you
’
re
coming and going fast. But I need the truth.
”

“
The
truth?
”
Brantley asked.
“
I
’
m
the truth. Me, right here. Right now. I
’
m
looking right at you, Emma. I feel something when I look at Seth. We
’
ve played ninjas, watched
cartoons. I
’
ve made
breakfast, bought dinner. I helped him get dressed tonight and read him a
story. He
’
s smart, you know
that. He
’
s going to wonder
who the hell I really am and why I
’
m
here so much. That
’
s why I
offered to get a place up here. So there
’
s
no confusion until we
’
re
ready.
”

“
Are
you ready? For him to know?
”

“
Yeah.
I am.
”

Emma felt her stomach spin. A
little sting of jealousy hit her. She didn
’
t
want to share Seth. Not after all they had been through together. It didn
’
t seem fair.

“
Okay.
Then we should talk to him.
”

Brantley inched closer to the couch
and put his hand out. Emma offered her hand to him. He slowly sat down on the
coffee table.

“
Hey,
I
’
m okay with being your
friend,
”
he said.
“
This can
’
t be easy for you. I
’
m
not crashing in on this to take over or nudge you aside. I
’
m not going to disappear either.
Unless you want me to. All I
’
ve
ever wanted, Emma, was for you to be happy with all of this. I grew up so
different
…”
Brantley
swallowed hard.

“
You
don
’
t have to talk about
it.
”

“
No,
I do. Because maybe it
’
ll
show something about me. Maybe I can make sense of myself.
”

“
Okay.
I
’
m sorry. This is a
whirlwind for me still.
”

Brantley touched Emma
’
s face.
“
You
’
ve
been a whirlwind to me since I saw you dancing that night in front of those
speakers.
”

She put her hand to his.
“
I was drunk that night.
”

“
No
you weren
’
t.
”

“
I
was on my way to drunk.
”

“
Because
of that asshole date.
”

“
Yeah
…
that
…”
Brantley still didn
’
t know Rick had been
around long after that.
“
There
’
s a story about him. It
’
s sort of funny.
”

“
Let
me go first.
”

“
Okay.
”

“
All
I
’
ve known is music, Emma.
It saved me. I had a brother named Bobby. He was my older brother. Cool as
hell. He played guitar. He had long hair. A real bad ass kid. After my mother
had me, she ended up getting sick. I really don
’
t
remember much about her because she passed when I was seven.
”

“
Oh,
Brantley
…”

“
It
’
s okay. But Bobby was seventeen.
I was the big whoops in the family. When my mother passed, it took Bobby from
me too. He was gone. He started using. My father drank. Then one day, my father
left. He just packed a bag and split. I remember waking up to find the note
under a gallon of milk and a box of cereal. I ate, went to school, and came
home, trying to figure it out. I was ten years old, Emma. Right then I became
Bobby
’
s responsibility. He
came back to the house, twenty years old, strung out and broke. He had a free
place to stay and I had a home. He never stopped using though. It was the
hardest time of my life watching him slowly kill himself. He sold all of his
guitars to buy drugs. He became a skeleton, a shell of the cool guy I
remembered as a kid. The cops came and other authorities came and I was removed
from the house. By then I was old enough to split on my own and just hide out.
I lived on the street for two years, but I met the guys then. I met Jett,
Ryker, Colby, and Van. We were all together like a band of outlaws, doing
whatever we wanted to do. It was amazing. We wrote music and started to play
shows. I guess the rest of the story you can figure out, but what I
’
m saying is I never knew love.
What it was like to be cared for. I only knew being let down. It
’
s not right to do or say, Emma,
but somewhere in my mind, having this agreement with you was easier than
finding out how to love my own son.
”

Brantley sucked in a breath and
shook his head. He buried his face in his hands.

Emma slid her fingers into his
hair.

“
That
took a lot to say,
”
she
whispered.

“
I
’
m both of them,
”
Brantley whispered.
“
By staying away, I did the same
as they did by being around, right?
”

“
No,
Brantley. No. We both did it together. I didn
’
t
want you pulled away from  your band and dream. I knew I had my support system
here. My father gave me the house and helped me. I never anticipated Seth to be
sick, but you were there.
”

Brantley lifted his head. His eyes
were glossy.
“
I talked to
you through Harry. What kind of man does that make me?
”

Emma touched his face.
“
I think we both know if we were
within any distance of each other it would be bad.
”

“
Bad
meaning good.
”

Emma nodded.
“
Yeah. Like kitchen counter good.
”

Brantley touched her sides and squeezed.
She felt a surge of heat through her body.

“
It
’
s not just about the kitchen
counter,
”
he said.
“
It
’
s
more than that. It
’
s what
you
’
ve done. You need to
know how amazing it is. And how beautiful you are for what you
’
ve done. I know we
’
re figuring all this out, and I
know it
’
s a burden to have
me around here, but you
’
re
beautiful, Emma. I don
’
t
care about the woman from years ago dancing in front of the speakers. She
’
s a memory. I care about the
woman in front of me right now.
”

There was still so much more to
talk about. So much more to apologize for, on both ends. But Emma couldn't
remember a time in her life when someone said she was beautiful and she
believed it.

She believed it when Brantley said
it. And for all she had gone through
…
mentally, emotionally, and physically, it meant something to her.

She grabbed Brantley
’
s face and kissed him.

Not just once either.

She moved from the couch to his
lap, her nails digging at his face. She couldn
’
t
get enough of him. The lines of romance, responsibility, and pure lust were
fully mixed together. But Emma didn
’
t
care. She couldn
’
t care.
She was listening to her needs. They were most important.

Brantley
’
s hands touched her back, holding her.

“
Take
me upstairs,
”
she said.
“
Right now, Brantley. Touch me.
Hold me.
”

Without a word, Brantley stood up.
He carried her up the stairs and to her bedroom. He put her back on her feet
and slowly undressed her. With each piece of clothing that came off her body,
Brantley kissed a part exposed. He started with her top, then her bra. His
hands cupped her breasts, thumbs circling around her nipples, bringing them to
life. She reached for his jeans, demanding them open. Once she got Brantley
’
s shirt off, the sight took her
breath away.

Brantley then dropped down and grabbed
her sides again. He kissed her stomach and Emma whimpered. She wasn
’
t used to him kissing at a spot
she felt so insecure about. But his tight hold and eager tongue said otherwise.

He stripped her of her jeans and
panties, Emma balancing herself by grabbing his shoulders. He then stood back,
rubbing his bare chest against hers. They were connected. Completely connected.

Emma forced her hand between them,
finally able to touch Brantley. Her fingertips touched his thick cock, wrapping
around, tugging at him. He pressed himself against her body, her sex silky and
damp, ready for him.

Brantley pressed at her, guiding
her down to the bed. He hovered over her for a second and then thrust forward,
entering her.

Gripping the sheets with one hand
and her other hand on Brantley
’
s
ass, she felt him slide as deep as before. The pleasure was instant, forcing
her back to arch. She tried to scream but it came out as a hoarse gasp.

He had her right there on the bed.

He fucked when she needed to be
fucked.

He slowed when she came.

And then he made love to her body,
touching so beautifully, kissing her when she demanded a kiss, and never once
worrying about himself. Every move was for her. Emma saw it in his eyes and
believed it in his touch.

They ended up at the top of the
bed, Emma
’
s hair a mess,
head resting on a pillow. Her ankles were locked around Brantley
’
s back as he still moved.
Slowing by the second, his wonderful cock throbbing as he came down from his
own climax.

He eased from her body and rested
next to her. Emma faced him, turning to her side.

“
You
know, we can
’
t do that
every time we try to be serious,
”
she whispered.

“
You
started it this time,
”
Brantley said.
“
I was just
making sure you were happy. That
’
s
all.
”

She touched his face.
“
I
’
m
trying to be happy, Brantley. All of this scares me. It
’
s easier to be mad at you when you
’
re not than it is to have you
here and feel worried.
”