He helped Tassia to her feet and did not hesitate to kiss her.
“Now we need to get dressed and get down to the studio.” She placed her hand on his chest when he attempted to hold her. “No sex until we write and record.”
“Then let’s go. I’m ready to get creative, and I don’t mean with the songwriting.” He winked at her.
Chapter 18
Hyde had never enjoyed the creative process of writing and recording more than now. It helped that he had a great partner. Tassia gave as good as she got, and he didn’t just mean with sex, although sex with her couldn’t be compared to anyone he had ever been with ever.
He didn’t want her to think he only wanted her for sex, even though after each song they wrote and recorded together, they made love until his body could no longer take it. He wouldn’t have the experience any other way.
“Ten songs in.” Tassia smiled as she tapped her finger over her phone screen while she rested her back against the arm of the couch in the recording studio. “How are you feeling?” She had her legs stretched out and over Hyde’s legs while he had his back pressed against the other side of the couch.
“Physically? Wiped.” Hyde laughed. “But in a very, very good way. These last three weeks have been amazing.”
Tassia rubbed her foot up Hyde’s leg. She looked sexy wearing one of his old T-shirts and in her lacy panties. “I think so, too. I never felt so…”
“So what? Finish your thought.” He set the pad and pen he held onto his lap.
“This is going to sound strange, but I finally feel heard, if that makes sense.”
Hyde smiled hard enough that his face felt as sore as his back and thighs. “You have no idea.” He grabbed her ankles and lifted them enough so that he could slip under her and go to the other side of the room to get his guitar. “But you’re wrong. You haven’t been heard, not by me or Charisma.”
Tassia wrinkled her forehead. “What are you talking about?”
“You remember that song you wrote called ‘Kidnapped by the Cowboy?’”
Tassia rolled her eyes. “Okay, I get it. It hurt your feelings and I shouldn’t have written it.”
He waved his hand at her. “No. I was wrong. I should have never told you that that song and the other ones you had written weren’t good enough for the album. They were and they are.”
She sat up. “No. You were right. I was getting my feelings out and I didn’t have a part for you in it. It won’t work.”
“Listen. I’m going to play the melody for it, what I think the song should sound like. Will you sing it?” He had a plan and hoped she would be on board.
Tassia sighed hard. “I think you just want to hear me sing.”
“I will never turn that offer down. You ready?” He counted her off before he started strumming his guitar.
She started singing the lyrics from when she played it for him initially. After she got through the chorus and just before she started the second verse, Hyde cut her off and infused his part.
“I’m a man who knows what he wants. A straight-up beauty not acting like a debutante.” He watched her mouth drop open as he sang. “Can’t take my time with you. The last time I waited, I turned around and I lost you. Didn’t mean to take you away. But with me is where I want you to stay. I would never treat you like a toy. And you’ll never regret getting kidnapped by this cowboy.” He continued playing, hoping Tassia would continue her part.
When she didn’t, he peered up at her and saw her slowly coming to a stand and padding toward him. She crouched down at his feet when she got to him and pressed her hands against his guitar strings.
“You put in a duet part to my song?” Her voice came out light, almost fragile.
He stroked his fingertips down the side of her face. “It is a duets album, darling.”
She turned and kissed his hand before she continued. “Did you finish it?”
He nodded. “I was hoping you would keep singing your part of the song.”
“I couldn’t. I was too overwhelmed.” She laid her head on his lap. “You did it.”
“We did it.” He stroked her hair.
Tassia lifted her head and shook it. “No. You did it. You got me to believe in something I didn’t think was possible. I didn’t think anyone could be generous in this business, especially someone at your level. I didn’t think there were men out there who could be this open and kind. And I didn’t think…”
She stopped right at the moment Hyde suspected she wanted to put her whole heart on the line. Did she feel the same way he felt? Had a simple pre-teen crush turned into so much more?
Hyde started to open his mouth to let her off the hook and admit his feelings when she stopped him by standing.
“I want to hear this whole song from beginning to end. And then I want to hear what you did with my other two songs.” She strolled over to the piano.
“And then we’ll record them. And then—”
“And then.” She smiled.
“Yeah, one of my favorite parts of this process.” Hyde stood and sauntered over to Tassia to kiss her on her forehead. Then he sat down closer to her before they started playing together.
He felt so in sync with this woman who he had only known as a child. Grown up, she still contained that fighting spirit and beauty that drew him to her.
By the time they recorded “Worthless,” where in his verse he refutes everything she says about not being worthy of love and respect, Hyde carried a hard on that couldn’t be missed. He looked over at their stash of condoms and saw one left.
Damn. They would have to venture out and buy more. No way did he want to stop this practice of having sex after a recording session.
“I want to hear the songs.” Tassia left the piano and joined Hyde in the control-room area where he had the songs already cued up to play.
“I’m ready.” He took off his T-shirt and turned around to make her see what their hard work had done to him.
She peered down briefly before she removed her shirt, revealing her panties. “More than you would ever know.”
Before Hyde made another move, he pushed the playback option to play all thirteen songs they had recorded so far. In his head, each one sounded better than the last one. He leapt from his chair and framed her face in his hands. Once he kissed her, he couldn’t think of anything else.
He felt Tassia pulling down his shorts. It took her no time to wrap her fingers around his shaft and give him a hard stroke up. He palmed her ass cheek in one hand and massaged her breast in the other while continuing to kiss her hard. He snaked his tongue in her mouth and Tassia started to moan.
Those sounds from her always shook him. Hyde pulled her panties down. The motion made her break from the kiss and turn to the place where they kept their condom stash.
“Damn.” Tassia must have noticed what Hyde had observed earlier.
“It’s okay. We can get more.” He eased her down to the couch before picking up the last package and tearing it open.
“There are other ways I can pleasure you.” To prove her point, she licked the underside of his erect penis up to the tip.
That action halted his motions for a second before he continued. “You are killing me.”
Tassia giggled. “Sorry, but not sorry.”
Hyde rolled the condom on before positioning himself between her lean thighs. In one smooth motion, he entered her, causing her to embed her fingernails into his shoulder and suck air between her gritted teeth.
“Sorry, but not sorry.” He kissed the side of her face and her neck as he thrust into her hard and deep.
Tassia wrapped her legs around him and tightened her hold. Not necessary. Hyde had no plans to leave this position or leave this woman unsatisfied.
He rolled her hardened nipple between his thumb and index finger, making her moan and whimper. She
arched her back, and he felt her slick inner walls constricting around his shaft.
“Already, baby?” He liked teasing her. He had never been with a woman who reacted to him as fast as she did.
Tassia nodded and kept her lips clamped shut.
“Tell me. Talk to me. Let me hear it.” Hyde slithered his hand underneath her ass to cradle it as he continued pumping into her, harder, faster. He would ignore his aching back to give his all to her.
“Best. The best.” She nodded. “More. Don’t.” She shook her head. “Stop.” She framed his face in her hands and kissed him on every area that she could. “I like being here with you. Don’t want to go.”
He curved his hips and hit a spot inside her that she must have liked. He felt Tassia’s body stiffen before she started screaming and beating on his back with her fist.
By the time the last song of theirs played, Hyde felt the buildup inside him cresting at the surface. He could no longer hold back.
“Tassia!” He braced his feet against the arm of the couch as he pushed himself hard in her and held himself there, depositing his seed into their last condom.
Hyde tried not to move while small tremors overtook his whole being. By the time he settled, he opened his eyes and gazed at the beauty under him.
Tassia smiled. Even with a sheen of sweat covering her face and body, she looked gorgeous. “You are going to ruin me when we go to record. I’ll expect this every time.”
“I’m sure we can find a quiet spot somewhere at Charisma.” He kissed her forehead. “A dark hallway.” He brought his lips down to the tip of her nose. “An abandoned office.” He kissed her lips. “A closet.”
At the last suggestion, Tassia laughed. “I would love to see you and me in a cramped, musty old closet.”
“Is that a challenge?” He didn’t pull himself out of her. Not just yet. He liked feeling connected to her.
“Of course. But then again, our whole relationship has been a challenge.”
He caught something in her eyes that he didn’t like. The hopefulness that she had before looked dimmed and almost extinguished. He couldn’t have that.
“I have a surprise for you.” He finally pulled out of her and deposited the used condom in the adjoining bathroom trashcan.
“You are full of surprises. I can’t imagine what this could be.” She rolled onto her side as she watched him.
He held his hand out to her. “Come on. We’re going to shower and get dressed. We’re leaving the house tonight.”
* * * *
Tassia had no idea what Hyde had planned, especially since the first stop in their trip had them going to his grandparents’ house. Not that she didn’t like Mabel, Efrem, or Pepper. When Hyde said he had something special for her and that they were getting out, she thought it would have been to a nice dinner somewhere or to a show, not back to the place where he had grown up.
“What are we doing here? Game night?” Tassia tried to keep her voice light, but she suspected that she may have sounded a little bitter about a second outing revolving around his family.
Hyde shook his head. “Nope. Stay right here.”
Efrem opened the front door for his wife and granddaughter, and locked it when the two ladies departed and went to separate vehicles. Then he approached Hyde’s side of the car. Hyde rolled down the window to talk to his grandfather.
“You aren’t going to drive, are you?” Efrem adjusted the worn-out baseball cap on his head.
Hyde cursed under his breath. “That’s right.” He turned to Tassia. “We can sit in the back seat and my granddaddy can drive us.”
“Wait. Where are we going? What are we doing?” Tassia didn’t get all the cloak-and-dagger stuff. Although none of the clandestine actions scared her, it all raised her curiosity.
“You’ll see.” Hyde put his SUV in park and got out. “Do you mind?”
Efrem shrugged. “Your Grammy and I assumed you wanted it done that way anyway.”
Hyde got out and into the back seat and waited for Tassia.
“You might want to get back there with him.” Efrem nodded behind himself.
“My God. Are we going through Klan country or something?” Her heart started racing.
Efrem laughed. “No, dear. You’re famous so it might get out about you being in town.”
Tassia considered the whole situation and finally figured out that Hyde had planned on taking her out to a public place. The idea of that pumped her blood even more.
She hopped out of her side of the vehicle and got into the back seat where she found a couple of coolers separating her from Hyde. Were they going to do a late-night picnic? All kinds of ideas rolled around in her head as they pulled off, following behind Pepper’s deep-purple pickup truck and Mabel following behind them in their all-white SUV.
Hyde draped his arm across the back of the seat, probably with the hopes of touching Tassia. He brushed his fingertips over her shoulder.
“Where are we going?” She kept her stare on the fairly empty road in front of them.
“You’ll see.”
Even in the darkened cabin, she caught Hyde winking at her. Secretive until the end.
The three vehicles got on the interstate for about fifteen minutes before getting off an exit to a location that seemed like it could pass for their downtown. Stores lined the quaint street they drove through to their destination. Another ten minutes on the road, Tassia finally saw their last stop.
“A drive-in movie theater?” She didn’t think places like these still existed.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been. I thought you would enjoy it.” Hyde pointed to the marquee. “There’s an action movie playing with some romance in it.”
“I’m more of a comedy fan.” She smiled.
“Oh, really? Good to know for the second date.” He brushed his thumb over her shoulder.
As the cars lined up at the drive-up box office, Hyde slipped on a hoodie and then a black baseball cap before throwing the hood over his head and sitting with his head down. When they got closer to the clerk, Tassia followed Hyde’s cues and turned her back away from the window just in case the cashier recognized her.
“Three adults,” Efrem said to the cashier.
Tassia caught a pause before she finally heard the cashier say, “Here’s your receipt and the radio station or the app to download if you want to hear the movie through your vehicle speakers. Just make sure your vehicle isn’t running. We also still have the stand speaker if you want to use it.”
“Thanks.” Efrem rolled up the window and pulled into a space in between Pepper and his wife’s vehicles. He turned the SUV off and turned to the duo in the back seat. “You two all set?”
“Yes, sir. We’ll listen to the movie on the speaker.” Hyde got out of the back seat and gave his grandfather a hug before he got back into the front seat to set up the speaker.
After placing it in the window and rolling up the window as much as he could, he took off his jacket and used it as a makeshift curtain in that window. Then he carefully moved over to the passenger side and hung a towel in that window before getting back into the back seat.
“I will never make fun of your Boy Scout ways again. You have everything planned except for one thing.” Tassia held up her index finger.
“What?” Hyde rested his hand on top of a cooler while he awaited her answer.
“Bathroom. What if one of us has to go?” She shrugged and laughed.
He held up a can of shortening. He removed the lid to show the empty container. “You can go in here and we’ll toss it—”
“Eww! I can’t believe you even thought of that.”
Hyde laughed. “I’m always prepared.” He put the can behind the third row seating. “I have plenty for us to eat and drink.” He started pulling out items. “Bottles of water, soda, sport drinks, juices, be
er, and little bottles of wine.”
“Wow. You are prepared. We both can’t drink alcohol.” Tassia took the wine from his hand and inspected the bottle as much as she could in the darkened cab.
“Wow. You are a church girl, aren’t you?” He winked at her. “We could do some drinking. My granddaddy can drive us back home since I know he and Grammy don’t drink.”
She put her hand on his lap. “Yes, but I wanted to do other things when we got home.”
“Really? Then I’ll hold off. I know how much of a screamer you are.” He laughed.
“You are so not funny.” She laughed with him. “What do you have in there for food?”
Hyde opened another cooler. “Let’s see. Fruits. Got some cut-up watermelon, strawberries, apples, grapes. I also have some sandwiches, hot dogs, chips, pretzels, popcorn, candy.”
“Babe, did you think we were never going back to the house?” She marveled at all the food he had for them both and the time it took for him to plan this whole excursion.
“I like giving you options.” He reached behind them. “I also have a blanket in case you want to put it on the hood and lay out on it.”
Movie trailers populated the tall, white screen in front of them.
Tassia threw the blanket across Hyde’s lap, which made him furrow his eyebrows. “Or I could use it to cover you up in case someone walks in front of the truck.”
“What are you doing?” His face stilled when she undid his zipper to his shorts.
Hyde took off his baseball cap and threw it on the driver’s seat while Tassia undid his shorts and reached in for his limp member.
“I’m going to make sure everyone is awake for this.” She curled her legs up on the seat and moved in closer to him while she stroked him, slowly at first. “I have always wanted to go to a drive-in movie theater if only to do this.”
“Really?” He spoke in between harried pants. “You like fooling around in public?”
She nodded. “I like the danger of getting caught. What about you?”
Crazy on You Page 24
