The door opened a second later. Shane stepped back as Haley walked out of the room wearing the crème colored dress and heels. Her long wavy hair was full of bouncy curls that cascaded across her back and forward over one shoulder.
Shane held her breath as her eyes raked over the beautiful woman in front of her from the gorgeous curls, to the silky-smooth skin between her breasts, and down the thigh peeking out from the open slit, and back up to the blue-green eyes staring back at her. She moved closer, leaving little space between them.
Seeing the half-lidded look of desire burning in Shane’s eyes made Haley’s heart pound in her chest. Scorching blood coursed through her veins. She held her breath, trying desperately to swallow. Shane’s lips were even closer because she was wearing heels. If she raised up on her toes just a little…
If things were different, I’d kiss you like you were the oxygen my body needed to breathe, Shane thought, as they stared at each other. “Not that it matters,” she said softly, finding her voice, “but you look stunning.”
She was close enough for Haley to smell the mint she’d been chewing, on her breath. It tickled her nose. “Thank you,” she said, wrapping her hand around a strong arm as Shane moved to the side, holding out her elbow.
It was a short walk from backstage to the rows of seats filling the large arena. Shane avoided the eyes staring at them as they walked across the stage and down the stairs towards the aisle in front of the rows of seats. Haley stopped to say hi to several other musicians while Shane stood off to the side. Haley had let go of her arm as soon as they’d navigated the stage steps and were on flat ground.
“Haley! I thought you were on tour,” a popular female singer said, walking over and hugging her slightly so they didn’t mess each other up.
“I am, but I couldn’t say no when they asked me to perform and present.”
“Well, you look gorgeous!”
“Thanks! So do you!” Haley replied, walking up towards the fifth row.
Shane moved into the row first and took the second seat, leaving Haley the aisle seat.
“These things are the biggest dog and pony show you’ll ever see,” Haley whispered, leaning over towards Shane. The fresh, clean scent of her cologne sent shivers down her spine.
***
The show opened with a performance, then the emcees took over, cracking jokes and talking about country music. When they mentioned Haley and her saucy new album, the TV camera in the aisle cut directly to her. Shane stared straight ahead, hoping to avoid the spotlight while Haley smiled brightly, winking at the camera.
It wasn’t long before Haley was called to the back to get ready to present after the next commercial break. Shane stayed by her side as she was escorted to the waiting area.
“I’ll be off stage to your left,” Shane said, walking away from her.
Haley simply nodded.
“Who’s the shadow?” a male voice said.
Haley pulled her eyes away from Shane’s back to see Tucker Miller standing beside her. “What was that?” she asked.
“You look dressed to kill,” he said, taking a long look up and down her body.
“Are you looking to be my victim?”
“I’ll be whatever you want me to be.”
Haley laughed and shook her head. “Tucker, it’s never going to happen.”
“Why not? You and I together is like Johnny and June.”
“You’re nothing like June,” she replied with a smirk and walked out on stage with a Hollywood smile plastered across her face.
Tucker quickly rushed up beside her and began reading from the teleprompter.
Shane stayed behind the curtain, out of sight, but she stepped out enough to watch the presentation for the hottest video of the year. She rolled her eyes and shook her head when the guy next to Haley made a stupid comment about her latest video being steamy. “Dumbass men will do anything to get into a pretty girl’s pants,” she mumbled, shaking her head. “Good luck with that one, she has razor sharp claws and I’m pretty sure she bites.”
Haley laughed off Tucker’s inappropriate comment and continued with the words they were supposed to be saying as she revealed the winner. As soon as they handed off the award, Haley walked back stage.
“I’m not sure what part of ‘no’ you don’t get, but I’m not into you, Tucker, and I never will be. You’re a pompous ass who thinks he is God’s gift to women. Don’t you ever put me on the spot with a sexist remark like that again, or I’m going to nail you to the wall,” Haley growled and headed off to get ready to perform.
Shane stood a few feet away, but close enough to hear the tongue-lashing Haley gave him. Then, she followed her down the hallway.
“I can change clothes on my own,” Haley snapped.
“I wasn’t coming in,” Shane replied, stopping outside the door before Haley slammed it closed.
God help the person who does win her over. They’ll be in for one hell of a ride,” Shane thought, sighing as she crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall.
***
When the show came back from commercial, Haley was center stage, dressed in her steam punk country outfit, with her band members behind her. The electric guitar moaned as Joey played the first few chords. Haley’s raspy, blues sound cut through the music like a hot knife through cold butter, firing off one country twanging lyric after another. Much to her surprise, the audience clapped and sang along during the chorus. The wild blonde waves of her hair bounced all around as she jammed on her guitar, capturing the attention of everyone in the massive room. She had a demanding presence unlike anything Shane had ever seen.
By the end of the song, most of the crowd was on their feet, and Shane was nodding her head to the beat. Haley waved and smiled like a kid in a candy store before leaving the stage as the show cut to the side stage for the next award presentation.
“We blew the roof off this mother!” she cheered, high-fiving her band mates.
“Hell yeah we did,” one of the guys said.
“I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready to get back to Oklahoma. What do you say we head on out of here and skip the rest of the show?” she said.
“That’s fine with me,” Joey replied.
“Me too,” the others added.
“I’m going to grab my stuff out of the dressing room. I’ll meet you where we came in. The limo should still be outside.” As she turned to head down the hallway, she tripped over an extension cord.
Shane, who had been nearby the entire time, reached out, quickly grabbing her and pulling her close. For a split second, their eyes met and time felt like it stood still. Their lips were a couple inches apart at most.
It would be so easy to kiss you, Shane thought before helping her stand back on her feet.
No words were spoken, but the blood pounding in Haley’s ears as her heart raced was deafening.
“I’m sorry,” Shane finally said, letting go of her and taking a step back.
Haley didn’t say a word as she headed into the dressing room, still holding her breath. She was certain Shane was about to kiss her, and her body had wanted her to. Shaking the thought from her head with an audible sigh, she walked over to the vanity and looked at herself in the mirror. “Get it together, girl. The last thing you need to do is get involved with someone like her,” she muttered, removing her jacket. That’s when she noticed the white envelope propped up against the mirror with her first name written across the front of it. Figuring it was an invitation to one of the many after parties that she couldn’t attend, she tore it open.
A loud shriek came from her mouth as her eyes focused on the letter that flew from her hands and slowly sank to the floor like a feather in the wind. “Shane!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.
***
Shane checked her watch. They had to be back at the airport in an hour and she estimated it would take at least thirty to forty-five minutes to get through the down
town Nashville traffic. She watched other country artists walking around and talking to one another backstage while the crew worked diligently to close the show. All of the singers and groups who had performed also had dressing rooms to change clothes if need be, so most of the rooms along the hall were occupied.
She was only about thirty feet from the door to Haley’s dressing room, but the shrill sound of her screaming Shane’s name sounded as if she were standing right next to her. The hair on the back of her neck stood up as her body went into protection mode. She took off running and smashed the door open.
Haley was standing near the vanity with tears streaming down her cheeks. She didn’t have to ask what had happened. A quick glance around the room was all she needed. A white, half folded piece of paper was lying on the floor, and a white, torn envelope was on the vanity counter.
Shane rushed over, wrapping her arms around Haley. The familiar smell of her floral scented shampoo and conditioner was stronger than ever. Shane closed her eyes and breathed in slowly, burning to memory the feel of Haley’s warm body against hers. If she moved her head slightly, her lips would press against Haley’s forehead in a gesture that meant so much more than she was willing to let herself feel. Instead, she kept her position and held on until Haley was ready to let go.
Haley threaded her arms around Shane’s waist and laid her head against her collar bone where her chest and shoulder met. The steady cadence of her pounding heart soothed Haley enough to stop the tears. She took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh and clean mixture of Shane’s soap and cologne. Feeling much calmer, and in a position that was starting to kick start her libido, Haley casually backed away.
Shane released her hold and searched around for something to use to touch the letter and envelope. Haley stepped away to wipe her wet cheeks and pull herself together. “Can we please get out of here?” she said softly.
“Absolutely,” Shane replied, wrapping tissue paper around the envelope and letter as she folded it. She shoved it into her coat pocket and walked over, pulling open the door.
“Do you think he’s still here?” Haley uttered, looking around the hallway.
“I can’t say for sure,” Shane answered honestly as she moved closer.
Together, they walked side by side through backstage towards the side exit door. The limo was idling next to the loading dock with her band members already inside.
“Everything okay?” Joey asked as they climbed inside.
“Yeah. I got stuck talking to a few people,” Haley replied with a quick smile that vanished as soon as the door was closed.
Chapter 18
The plane ride was uneventful. Haley barely touched the lavish meal that was served for dinner, and Shane spent most of the flight texting back and forth with both Rich and Dennis about the new letter. She hadn’t read it yet, but all that mattered was he’d somehow gotten into her dressing room, or at least had it delivered there.
By the time they were back in Oklahoma, Rich had found out that the envelope had been delivered around the start of the show and was put with other after party invitations and gifts that were placed in the dressing rooms. The stage crew had assumed that was where it belonged. No one remembered how it arrived at the arena and there was no camera footage showing the delivery.
With nothing else to go on, Shane was right back to square one, which only frustrated her more. She was ready for this case to be over. She didn’t mind protection detail and she lived for the thrill of solving a criminal case. What bothered her was Haley. She was unpredictable; headstrong and uncooperative; and the most beautiful woman Shane had ever met, all rolled into one red hot ball of fire that burned Shane in more ways than one.
***
Haley boarded her bus and went directly to her bedroom. Shane shrugged out of her jacket, placing it over the arm of the seat and she sat down at the dinette table with the tissue paper covered letter and envelope. Using utensils from the kitchen drawer, she unfolded everything. The envelope had Haley’s first name written in block letters across the front of it. The letter had two words cut out of a magazine picture and glued onto the paper: Welcome Home. Shane studied the paper, then pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of it, which she sent to Rich and Dennis. Even if they tracked down the magazine they came from, there could be a hundred thousand people with a subscription to it. The only thing she had to go on was his choice of words. Welcome Home.
***
Haley spent most of the next day with the band in the arena, while Shane went back and forth with Rich over the phone. He’d been unable to get any more information out of anyone working for the awards show or the arena the night before.
“Forget it,” she said, “it’s a dead end anyway. I doubt there will be any prints, either. I hate to say it, but he’s going to have to come after her for me to catch him.”
“I know. I’ve thought the same thing. Do you need me to come back you up?”
“No. There’s no room in the entourage, and I have no idea where the hell we are going at any point in time.”
“Alright. We’ll talk soon.”
Shane ended the call on her phone and pushed off the rail she was leaning against in the upper section of the arena.
Haley was down on the stage, alone. She’d run through the full show twice already and was pretty much just sitting there with her guitar.
Shane’s phone rang a second later with a call from Rich. The tone echoed through the massive open space, drawing Haley’s eyes directly to her.
“Damn it,” she growled, answering as Haley snatched up her guitar and stormed off the back of the stage towards the prep area below. “Let me call you back,” she said, rushing down the stairs to the lower section where she could swing herself over the railing. “Haley! Wait!” she called as she ran across the arena floor.
“I can’t do this anymore!” Haley snapped as Shane caught up to her. They were completely alone in the dimly lit space below the stage.
“Do what?”
“Work! Write music! Sleep! Anything!” Haley yelled, wanting to smash her guitar against the metal rafters holding up the stage as she leaned it against one of the beams. “You have to go!”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Shane growled. “I’ve given you plenty of space.”
“You were just in here spying on me! How the fuck is that space? How long were you here? Did you watch the entire rehearsal? How long did you sit there and watch me when I thought I was alone? Damn you!” Her body hummed with energy fueled by a hunger unlike anything she’d ever felt. Which only made her madder.
“It’s my job to protect you. I try not to be seen for your own benefit…to give you the God damn space you need so badly!”
“I can’t. I just fucking can’t anymore!”
“You have no choice! Someone is trying to hurt you! Can’t you see that?”
“You don’t think I know that?” Haley stepped closer, moving to within a foot of her. “You’re fired. I’ll hire someone else to do the job. It just can’t be you!” she said through gritted teeth.
“Why? Because I actually want to protect you?” Shane snarled back.
Haley glared at her, then reached up with one arm around Shane’s neck and the other tangled in her short hair, and pulled her close, pressing her mouth against Shane’s soft, inviting lips. She briefly tasted mint as their intense kiss quickly turned into a fierce battle of tongues fighting for dominance. Shane wrapped her arms around Haley’s waist, pulling their hips together before sliding one hand down to her ass and the other up her back under her long, wavy locks.
The whimper of desire escaped one of their mouths in a faint moan as their bodies grated together, breast to breast, hip to hip, each urging the other to go further. Haley pushed into Shane, pressing her back up against one of the metal beams. Shane quickly spun Haley around, taking control as they continued ravishing each other.
The lustful kiss seemed endless until some blood made its w
ay back into Shane’s head from between her legs. She let go of Haley, feeling the air sting her sensitive lips as she backed away. She knew they either had to stop or take the next step, and having meaningless sex with Haley would only make matters worse, not to mention anyone could’ve walked in on them at any time.
“We can’t do this,” she said, meeting Haley’s eyes.
Haley stared back at her with a raw, carnal look in her hazy blue-green eyes. Shane searched her brain for something to say, but Haley turned and stormed off like a scorned woman. She didn’t go after. She knew the paid security personnel was right outside and would escort her back to the bus.
Space was something they both needed if they were going to survive another encounter.
***
Shane was standing twenty yards from the buses, talking to the rented security about after the show. She’d replaced her short-sleeved over shirt, to hide her gun and shoulder holster, with a long-sleeved one. October had arrived and so had the fall weather with cooler temperatures. The warm Texas sun was long behind them.
When one of the bus doors slammed open, all heads turned as Haley immersed, dressed in light-colored, threadbare, blue jeans with holes at the knees and slits across the thighs. They were slung low on her hips and held up by a wide black belt with a large silver buckle. Worn, pointed toe boots stuck out below the boot cut leg openings. A tight white T-shirt with a large American flag across the front, showed off her small, lithe frame and the curves of her round breasts.
Bob Seger’s song Her Strut played in Shane’s head as she watched Haley walk. Her swagger was full of independence and self-confidence as she moved. Her long blonde waves bounced up and down along her shoulders and back, and her hips rolled in a steady side to side motion. Metal-framed aviator sunglasses hid her eyes from the fading sun, but that didn’t matter. All eyes were on her backside, watching her ass move under those tight jeans.
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