The Hottest Ticket in Town (10 page)

Oh, that warmed her heart ridiculously so. Her sinuses tingled and she knew tears weren't far behind. “How'd Rian know you were playing it if it was done in private?” she asked.

“Because we shared an apartment when we were first out of the military and the walls were thin between bedrooms.”

She smiled and waited until she knew her voice wouldn't crack and said, “That means a lot to me. I'd always hoped...that maybe you were listening somewhere out there. Track ten...it's about you.”

His gaze held hers and until he ducked his head, possibly to hide the blush of pleasure as he said, “I kinda figured. Or at least...I thought, maybe.”

She laughed and cuddled up to him. “Okay, secret's out. ‘Country Boy' is all you, Kane Dalton.”

The Ferris wheel creaked to a stop at the very top and Laci admitted with a deep breath, “I didn't mean to get so fired up. When you say things like
screw your career
, it sparks something crazy inside me and before I know it, I'm saying all sorts of hotheaded things.”

He took a moment before answering and she appreciated that he was taking his time because that told her he wanted to say it right. “I would never mock your work. I just don't like the idea of you being taken advantage of by the people who are supposed to be looking out for you. It makes me feel like shit that I'm not the one protecting you, looking out for you. Feels like it should've been my job.”

Annnnd, her heart just melted.
What a sweet, caring man. The fact that he felt that way about her...well, it did something to her. Something deep and meaningful. But she needed to clarify so he could stop worrying. He didn't deserve that kind of stress on her account. “No one is taking advantage of me,” she assured him. “I promise. I will talk to Trent about my tour schedule and get him to dial it back. It's my fault for not speaking up. I'm sure once I talk to Trent he'll understand and want to do what's right for me. He's a good guy. I know I'm not painting him out to be very nice, but he really is, he's just very focused on the end result and sometimes he loses sight of the people that make it happen.”

“Well, we'll see about that. I don't know the guy, but I don't like him already. The fact that he wanted to put you back on tour right after you collapsed doesn't make me want to go shake his hand. Frankly, it makes me want to punch him out.”

Oh, good Lord.
She couldn't have Kane punching out her manager. “Please don't hurt my manager. I can't see how that will make things better.”

Kane shrugged. “It might make me feel better. But out of respect for you, I'll keep my hands to myself.”

“Thank you.” She leaned in closer with a sweet smile. “Can we go back to kissing now?”

He grinned and pulled her close. “Gladly. Talk is overrated anyway.”

16

K
ANE
AND
L
ACI
had just managed to make a full loop of the festival before someone recognized her. Kane was the first to realize the woman was staring a little too hard at Laci as she was trying to win a stuffed teddy bear. Then a large crowd started to assemble. Kane didn't want to cut short the fun, but he was becoming uncomfortable with the way the woman became animated with her circle of friends, pointing and gasping.

Kane leaned over to whisper in Laci's ear, “I think the jig is up. You've been spotted.” And when Laci looked up to see what Kane was talking about, he knew by her expression that things were about to get real. Kane kicked into protective mode, gripping her by the elbow and guiding her quickly away from the building crowd. But within moments, people were pointing and exclaiming as if the queen of England had suddenly shown up and, before they knew it, there were cameras and camera phones being stuck in Laci's face with pleas and demands to get her autograph or a photo with them.

“Back off,” he finally had to growl, warding off an overeager person who had thrust a camera into Laci's face. “Show some respect. I'm not shoving a camera in your family's face as you try to enjoy a nice evening at the festival.”

“Hey, celebrities are fair game. That's the price they pay for being famous,” an obnoxious man spouted off. “Besides, tabloids will pay big money for candid shots of celebrities like her.”

“Yeah, well, you're just going to have to find a real job because Laci's not here to fund your lifestyle.”

Laci tugged at Kane's shirt, urging him to go. “Come on, let's go. He's just a jerk, and I'm used to it.”

“Well, I'm not used to it.” He glared at the man. “Back off before I teach you some manners.”

“Yeah, tough guy? Go ahead and try.”

Laci pleaded with Kane, “Don't do anything. These kinds of people deliberately provoke so they can earn a payout. Settling in court is the way they make their money. Let's just go. I've had enough of the festival anyway.”

Kane knew she was right. He'd counseled many clients on that very thing, but usually he was the cool head in these situations. Not this time. His blood was boiling. He hated the idea of random people thinking they had the right to badger Laci simply because she sang songs that people enjoyed. “Go harass someone else.”

He grabbed Laci's hand and they walked away quickly, going to the truck and climbing in. His heart was hammering, almost painfully, and his adrenaline was racing. This was exactly what he counseled his clients not to do—don't get emotional. And yet, here he was, gripping the steering wheel, wishing it were the guy's neck. “Why do people have to be such assholes?” he asked, knowing there was no answer. “I can't believe what people will do to another human being for a buck. Makes me sick.”

“That was nothing. Sometimes people get downright ugly. They feel entitled to know everything about a celebrity's life. I've even had a few death threats,” she admitted with a shaky laugh. He looked at her sharply and she was quick to reassure him, “Trent had them checked out and everything was fine. They were just crazies.”

“The crazies are the ones who will follow through with those threats. Trust me, I know something about this. I'm in the protection business. What kind of bodyguards does your manager have placed on the tour?”

She shrugged. “I haven't a clue. I let Trent take care of that stuff.”

Kane scowled. “The more I know about this guy the more I think he's an asshole. And incompetent. Death threats should always be taken seriously. That's why they're a felony.”

Laci sighed with a yawn. “I can't spend all my time worrying about who might potentially be out there wanting to hurt me. I would go insane. You realize that I sing to sold-out venues and there are millions of people out there who want a piece of me? It's impossible to weed out every potentially dangerous person who might be in the crowd. I understand that's the risk that I take.”

“But you can mitigate that risk. You need a competent protection staff.”

“I'm sure Trent has excellent bodyguards working for me. It's not like he would purposefully put me in danger.”

“Wouldn't he? The funny thing about celebrities...sometimes their value goes up when they're dead. Particularly when they die a tragic death.”

“Oh, come on, Kane...you're really not suggesting...?” She couldn't even finish the sentence; it seemed too absurd to her, but Kane wasn't so sure. He didn't know this Trent character, but he did know that Laci had a trusting spirit and if she was in danger, she'd never see it coming in someone she considered part of her inner circle.

She yawned again and said, “Enough of that kind of talk. I'm tired and I don't have the strength to argue with you. Let's just put a pin in it until morning, okay?”

“Whatever you say,” he said, agreeing to let the conversation rest, not because he was ready to stop but because he could tell Laci was still fighting extreme fatigue in spite of the rest she'd gotten since arriving at the ranch. Putting her to bed and climbing in beside her sounded better than arguing anyway.

* * *

L
ACI
NEEDED
TO
wind down. Her nerves were stretched taut after what'd happened at the festival. She was so accustomed to the intrusion into her private life that she barely let it register any longer, but experiencing it through Kane's eyes made her realize that her life was spiraling out of control. Impulsively, she went to Kane and pulled him straight to her mouth, sealing hers to his with a hungry, almost desperate kiss. After a long, lingering moment, they broke apart, leaving Kane to gaze at her quizzically.

“Not that I'm complaining, but...what was that for?” He paused a moment before asking, “Are you okay?”

No. She braved a smile for his sake. “I'm great. But you know what I would love?” He waited for her answer and she grinned mischievously as she said, “A bath. I want to soak in that big, claw-foot tub and I want you to join me.”

“I don't think the tub is big enough for us both,” Kane said with faint concern.

“Sure it is. I'm pretty certain I'll fit perfectly if I lie against you.”

He swallowed hard and she bit back a knowing grin. Oh yes, he just popped a boner. “Are you game?”

“You, naked? I'll go anywhere. Hell, I'd squeeze myself into a cardboard box if it meant being shoved up against your naked body,” he admitted without an ounce of shame. “I'll get the water started.”

“You do that. I'll get towels and soap.”

Within minutes, the steam from the tub filled the small bathroom and Laci entered, her gaze going straight to Kane, who was already lounging in the antique tub like the lord of the manor and damn, did he look good. Seeing Kane naked like that was enough to wipe away even the worst memories and she didn't hesitate to join him. She gingerly stepped into the steaming water, placing her feet carefully between his legs, but as she braced herself on either side of the tub and began to lower herself, he caught her hips with his strong grip and she sucked in a tight breath as his teeth grazed her cheek.

“You have the world's most perfect ass,” he told her almost reverently. “Makes me want to do bad things.”

She closed her eyes, but a slow smile found her lips. “Yeah? What kind of bad things?”

“Dirty things,” he growled. “The kind that good girls shouldn't know about.”

She laughed and threw a coy look over her shoulder. “Who said I was a good girl?”

His brow climbed and he slowly spun her around, the water glistening on her thighs, lapping at her knees, as he said, “Oh? Are you saying you're a bad girl, Laci McCall?”

She bit her lip, watching as his gaze darkened at the tiny movement, and said breathlessly, “You have no idea how bad I can be.”

The gauntlet had been thrown. Kane responded by burying his face between her folds, his tongue stabbing between her hot, needy flesh until she had to grip his shoulders or else fall. He was insatiable, groaning as he delved deeper, flicking her clit without mercy, driving her toward that single moment of indescribable pleasure until her knees trembled and she felt she might die from utter bliss as she shattered beneath his tongue, sagging against him as the waves washed over her, one crest after another.

Once she could breathe again, she lowered herself on shaky limbs into the water, sighing as complete happiness blanketed her every thought. Kane's chest at her back was a perfect cushion, although something was persistently poking her in the back. She wiggled against him and he groaned.

“That's not fair,” he told her and she laughed, ignoring his poor condition to grab the soap. “You're going to leave me like this?” he bemoaned and she giggled. “Oh, you're a cruel woman. Just you wait...you have to get out of this tub eventually.”

She laughed outright, ending on a sigh as she said, “I wish we could be like this forever. This is perfect.”

“Yeah,” he agreed softly, his cheek resting against her head. “It is.”

A moment passed of easy but companionable silence and she wondered, if things had turned out differently between them—if Kane hadn't left when he did—would they have enjoyed this kind of happiness together or would they have fallen apart like so many other young couples, battered by fame and the pressure of celebrity life? It was impossible to know, but a part of her wondered if Kane hadn't made the right decision, even though it had hurt, because as he'd pointed out, things had worked out for them both in spite of their loss of each other. She thought of Kane's younger brother. “How's Rian these days?”

He chuckled and somehow his hands found her breasts, cupping them as if it was completely the thing to do while having a casual conversation in the bathtub together. “He's the same as ever. Always the cool guy, the guy all the girls seem to chase after.”

She laughed at that. “I always thought he was a little goofy.”

Kane chuckled. “I can't wait to tell him that. He could use a little humble pie. He gets plenty of action, I can tell you that. No shortage of the honeys, if you know what I mean.”

“Yes, I get it. So your little brother turned into a man-whore?” she joked.

“Completely. But in a gentlemanlike way,” he said. His defense of his little brother warmed her heart, as it always did. “I'm kidding. He's a good man. Solid, dependable. I never worry about putting clients' lives in his hands.”

“You've always looked out for Rian. I'm glad to see some things never change,” she murmured, overwhelmed by the swell of emotion that followed. Kane, so gruff, yet so inherently good. How was it that some woman hadn't snatched him up? “There's no one special waiting for you?” she had to ask. He'd mentioned dating but hadn't gone into detail and she needed to know.

He squeezed her breasts from behind, drawing her more tightly to him as he answered, low and sweetly, against the shell of her ear. “The only person I ever considered special is filling my hands with her glorious tits.” She sucked in an excited breath as fresh arousal hit her like a thunderbolt. His fingers found her nipples and lightly pinched, shooting tendrils of need and lust into her pelvis as he said, “In all the years since you and I were together, there's never been anyone who makes me feel as you do.” His mouth traveled to her neck as he lightly nipped and sucked. “You are my drug, Laci McCall.”

That was all she needed to hear. Turning, she found his lips and kissed him sweetly, deeply. Then she rose and graced him with a sultry look as she announced, “I've had enough of the bath. Time for bed.”

And as she wrapped herself in a thick towel and walked to the bedroom, she smiled to herself as she heard him splashing to get out of the tub fast enough to send the contents all over the floor. Before she even heard the gurgle of the tub emptying, Kane was behind her. A quick glance over her bare shoulder revealed Kane, wet and dripping, eyes filled with hunger, his beautiful cock standing at full and eager attention as he reached for her, drawing her against him. “You know how to make a man forget everything he ever thought was true,” he growled, the low timbre of his voice sending goose bumps rioting across her skin. “You are bad,” he confirmed, the corners of his supple mouth twisting as his gaze fastened with hers.

She smiled, slow and sensuous, allowing her towel to drop to the floor, enjoying the sudden sound of Kane drawing a tight breath. “I'm not the innocent girl I used to be. Now, come here and let me show you a thing or two.”

Before he could say another word, Laci was indeed showing him that country girls with sweet smiles could very well disguise a filthy and dirty mind.

Judging by the loud groans and the way Kane gasped her name...he didn't mind one little bit.