Dirty Mind (Nashville Outlaws #2)

by Cheryl Douglas

  “Have you even heard the girl sing?” I asked, uncapping my water bottle. “She’s better than decent. She’s damn good. If she wasn’t, I wouldn’t have had her on my tour.”

  “I think our boy here is afraid to spend time alone with her,” Archer said, grinning. “Might be tempted to—”

  “She’s barely legal,” Archer said, throwing an empty water bottle at him. “Would you give me some credit, asshole? I ain’t no cradle robber.”

  Archer was a little too sensitive, but the poor bastard had PTSD after two tours overseas, so I wasn’t gonna be the one to call him out.

  “What about you?” Archer asked Reed. “Your ex was there last night. You ain’t said shit about that yet.”

  Reed glared at Archer. “Got nothin’ to say.”

  I had to diffuse the situation if I didn’t want an all-out brawl at thirty thousand feet. “Did you get a chance to talk to her at all, Reed?”

  He shook his head as he peeled the label of his water bottle. “She barely looked at me, except when she was wrapped up in that sonofabitch’s arms at the end of night.”

  “They were just dancing,” I said, knowing how hard it must have been for my old friend to watch the woman he loved with someone else. “I talked to her for a bit. I don’t think it’s serious with that dude. He’s a business associate. An entertainment lawyer, I think she said.”

  “Figures,” Reed said, crushing the empty bottle. “Scum sucking little weasel.”

  Wow. My boy had a lot of anger. “You, uh, can’t blame her for getting on with her life, buddy,” I said, choosing my words carefully. Reed had a temper and I knew Brooklyn was his sorest subject. “It’s been, what, almost seven months since y’all broke up?”

  “I don’t give a shit how long it’s been,” he said, scowling at me. “It could be seven years. I’ll never be okay seein’ her with pricks like that, who don’t deserve her.”

  “But you did?” Archer asked. “Deserve her?”

  My friend had no filter, and no sense of tact. He said that’s why he preferred his own company, so he wouldn’t risk a fight.

  Archer cracked his knuckles and stared straight ahead. The color was rising in his face and I was holding my breath, waiting for the explosion. I had a feeling I’d be peeling these two off of each other by the time we landed.

  “No, I didn’t deserve her,” Reed said, finally. “I didn’t treat her right. And I’ve gotta live with that every day.” He looked at Archer. “You think that’s easy?”

  “Look man,” Archer said, obviously regretting this conversation. “I know you—”

  “No, you don’t know.” Reed stood, tossing his bottle in a waste receptacle. “You don’t know shit about loving anyone the way I loved that girl ‘cause you don’t have the balls to put yourself out there.”

  He walked back to the second bedroom at the back of the plane and closed the door.

  “Let me have it,” Archer said, sighing. “I was an asshole for bringing up Brooklyn.”

  “I don’t have to tell you,” I said, scrolling my phone. “You already know you were.” I’d have to call my publicist when we landed. Do a little damage control since that image surfaced.

  He sighed. “I’ll talk to him later, apologize.”

  “Probably a good idea.” Archer and Reed went way back. I knew it would take a lot more than that to destroy their friendship.

  “So, when are you gonna get a new assistant?” Archer asked, grabbing a copy of Rolling Stone magazine that Reed had been reading. “I tried sending a few songs to you last week and you still haven’t responded. You must be drowning in email and shit.”

  “I am.”

  I needed to hire a new assistant months ago, but I couldn’t bring myself to give my team the go ahead on any of the resumes they showed me. Probably because I’d sort of offered the job to Charli and didn’t want to disappoint her by giving the job to someone else. But after last night there wasn’t a chance in hell that girl would work for me.

  “So, what’s the problem? Can’t find anyone?”

  “Finding someone isn’t the problem.” I tossed my phone on the empty seat next to me. “I’ve already found someone, but I…” Archer would take my secrets to the grave and I needed to get this shit out before it ate me alive. “I screwed things up.” I drew a breath before I said, “Charli would be perfect for the job, but, I, uh, slept with her last night… then told her it was a mistake.”

  “You what?” He shook his head, looking disgusted. “Must have been those booze-colored glasses you were wearin’ last night. Mistook her for one of those little gold-digging bitches you—”

  “Archer. Please.” I didn’t need to be reminded of my ex-girlfriends. I needed some advice from someone I trusted. “I know Charli’s nothing like my exes. I guess that’s why I like her. But I can’t work with her.”

  “Why not?”

  “I can’t keep my hands off her.” I smiled in spite of my foul mood. “Every time that girl’s within ten feet of me I’m fantasizing about all the filthy things I want to do to her.” I hesitated, but added, “Especially after last night. She did me in. If I wasn’t addicted before, I sure as hell am now.”

  Archer laughed, clapping his hands once. “I knew it!” He pointed at me. “I knew she’d be a little firecracker in bed. Wore you out, huh?”

  “We broke the goddamn bed.”

  I squeezed my temples, trying to contain the smile when Archer roared with laughter.

  I never talked about sex with my boys, and I’d never give Archer explicit details about Charli, but I needed someone to tell me I was crazy for not walking away from this while I still had my sanity. Sort of.

  “You did not.”

  “Shut up.” I chuckled. “So, let me just say this…” Since it was part of my problem, I had to tell him. “Best sex of my life. Bar none. And I can’t get her out of my head. Couldn’t before, but now? She’s seriously messed me up and I don’t know what the hell to do about it.”

  “I don’t see the problem.” Archer spread his hands. “You’re into her, she’s into you. You’re both single, living in the same city—”

  “Look, I know you don’t like to get wrapped up in the scene, but even you must know that I’ve been a goddamn laughingstock the past eighteen months. All the comedy clubs in town… I’m their punch line.” Thanks to the most recent, almost Mrs. Jarvis, who tried to take me to the cleaners. She’d had her engagement ring appraised the day after I gave it to her. That probably should have tipped me off that she wasn’t in it for love. The greedy little bitch.

  “You’re not a stupid guy, Dade. So maybe marriage isn’t your thing. That doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with someone like Charli. Tell her the score, that you have to keep things on the downlow—”

  “Don’t you think it’s a little late for that now?” I bit my lip. “Everyone probably already thinks we’re a thing.” Shit, I couldn’t let people think that. If I did, Charli would be collateral damage and I couldn’t have that.

  “Just make a statement. Tell them you both tied one on at a wedding. It was one kiss, nothing more.”

  “You really think it’ll be that easy?” My friend was lucky, as a songwriter he didn’t have to deal with the public scrutiny. But this was the life I’d signed on for. I just never imagined when I did that I’d have two failed marriages and a broken engagement under my belt by the time I turned thirty-five. “You don’t even know the shit storm this could turn into, Arch. I can’t do that to Charli.”

  “Let me ask you something.” He looked at me a long time before he said, “You clearly want the happily ever after or you wouldn’t have proposed to three women.” He held three fingers up. “But what if Charli’s the girl you should have proposed to the first time and you shut her out because you’re afraid to give her a chance?”

  That, right there, was my biggest fear. What if…?

  Chapter 2

  Dade

  I wished I was back in the air because m
y phone had been blowing up ever since I touched down. Goddamn photo had gone viral and everyone wanted to know more about the new woman in my life.

  I knew what I had to do. Protect Charli. She hadn’t asked for this mess and didn’t deserve it. Travelling without my security team was gonna get me an earful from my manager, but I needed to do this alone.

  I was sitting out in front of Charli’s parents’ house, but I damn sure wasn’t alone. There were half a dozen cars lining the street and several people with cameras pacing, obviously waiting for her to come out.

  The windows in my Suburban were blacked out, so they still hadn’t spotted me. Probably thought I was one of them. Assholes.

  I knew it was cowardly, but I couldn’t get out and knock on her door without being bombarded so I texted her and asked if she was home.

  She responded immediately and said she couldn’t go home because there were goddamn reporters camped out on her doorstep.

  I couldn’t blame her for being pissed. I would be too.

  Can I pick you up? We need to talk about how to handle this and I’d rather not do it over the phone.

  I’d get her private security if I needed to, but I wasn’t leaving her alone to deal with the mess I’d made. This was my fault. I’d been the stupid, reckless one, who’d kissed her in front of strangers. And I knew what happened to women who got dragged into my world. They became fodder for gossip rags.

  I held my breath as I waited for her to respond.

  Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.

  Please, Charli. I didn’t give a shit if I sounded desperate. I was. Just give me half an hour.

  A lot can happen in half an hour.

  A damn winking emoji? This girl was gonna do me in. I just wanna talk. I promise. Please?

  Fine.

  I could almost hear her sighing, but I was still smiling as I pulled away from the curb after she texted me the address. I plugged it into my GPS at the next stoplight and tried to tamp down my enthusiasm. We were supposed to be in problem-solving mode, yet I was stoked about seeing her again. Even if she was pissed that I’d dragged her into this, that picture gave me an excuse to see her and I couldn’t hate that.

  I pulled up in front of a non-descript brick bungalow and ran up to the door. I could have just texted to tell her I was there, but I wanted to meet her friend. She hadn’t lived in Nashville long, but Charli was an outgoing girl, so I wasn’t surprised she’d met people.

  I rang the doorbell and some dude with long dark hair, a scruffy beard, and ripped jeans answered.

  “Hey.” I was expecting a girl. Who the hell was this guy… her friend? No logical reason that thought should piss me off, but it did. “I’m, uh, here to pick up Charli. She around?”

  “Hi, Dade.” Charli reached around the guy at the door and waved, her hand curling around his bicep. “This is Max. Max, Dade.”

  I offered my hand when it was obvious he wasn’t going to. “Nice to meet you.” I was lying through my teeth and we both knew it.

  “You too.”

  I hadn’t expected a pissing contest, but this guy seemed down for that. Which meant he and Charli were more than friends, or he wanted them to be. WTF? She’d had sex with me last night and she was, what, sleeping with someone else? I had no reason to assume I was the only guy she’d been intimate with lately, but damn it, I wanted to be.

  She kissed Max on the cheek and offered him a dimpled smile. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

  Poor bastard looked like he’d been gut-punched. No question, he wanted her. Bad.

  “Hey,” he said, grabbing her hand. “Why don’t you come back here when you finish up with him?” He smiled. “We can pick up where we left off.”

  She nodded. “Maybe, if I’m not too tired.”

  I suddenly had the irrational urge to wear her out. Just like I had last night.

  We walked to my truck and I cast a quick glance up and down the street before I opened the passenger door and watched her get in. Damn. I couldn’t tear my eyes off that sweet little ass. Remembering how it felt to—

  She patted my face, looking smug. “Whatever you’re thinking. Stop. I just came out to talk.”

  “Why?” I clenched my teeth, jerking my head back towards the house. “He your boyfriend?”

  Challenge sparkled in her eyes when she crossed her arms and asked, “Would I have slept with you if I had a boyfriend?”

  “You’d had a few drinks. So had I. I don’t even remember askin’ if you had a boyfriend.” I leaned in closer. “Not that it would’ve mattered much.” I curled my hand around her headrest.

  “If he was my boyfriend, don’t you think I would’ve brought him to the wedding?”

  I had no right to ask, but that didn’t stop me. “So, who the hell is he?”

  “What’s it to you?”

  I should have known she’d challenge me. I put my foot on the running board, leaning in close, “Look, I know I called last night a mistake and you’ve already written me off, but I do care about you. I don’t wanna see you get hurt.”

  “I’m not gonna get hurt.” She grinned. “And I’m not your problem, Dade. I’m a big girl, I can look after myself.”

  It had been years since someone dismissed me the way she did. It’s not that she was being rude. In fact, she was killing me with kindness. Smiling the whole time she basically told me to stay the hell out of her life.

  I bit back a retort as I nodded and closed the door. Stay in your lane. That’s what I kept telling myself as I closed her door. Don’t try to insinuate yourself into her life or her business. But something about this girl made me want to… protect her. And I hadn’t felt that way about anyone in a long time.

  “Where are we going?” she asked, as I drove away from the curb.

  “My place.”

  She shot a hesitant look my way before she asked, “Uh, you sure that’s a good idea?”

  “We need privacy and I have a gatehouse with twenty-four security. No one’s getting in unless I let them in.”

  She shrugged. “If you say so.” She pulled an egg-shaped lip balm out of her oversized purse and reapplied before rubbing her lips together and dropping it back in her bag. “I guess that little kiss led to a lot of drama we don’t need, huh?”

  “Little kiss?” I smirked. “That’s what you call it?”

  She looked out the window, obviously trying to hide her smile. “What would you call it?”

  “Hot.” Her legs were bare in the short white shorts she was wearing, and my fingers were itching to know whether they were as smooth and soft as they’d been last night. “Memorable.”

  “Is that right?” She set her purse on the ground at her feet. “I imagine you kiss a lot of women. What made that so memorable?”

  Charli was fishing, and I didn’t mind. She didn’t seem like the kind of woman who needed me to stroke her ego, but if her ego was the only thing I was allowed to stroke tonight, I’d take it. “It was you.” I licked my lips and swore I could still taste that cherry balm she favored. “And I’d been waiting a hell of a long time to kiss you.”

  She batted her naturally long lashes and smirked. “Why Dade, are you flirting with me?”

  I inhaled deeply, trying to resist the urge to pull over and finish what we’d started in bed that morning. “You want me to be?”

  She laughed. “To what end? You’ve already slept with me.”

  I looked at her out of the corner of my eye, sensing a shift in her demeanor. She’d laughed, but there was underlying sadness I couldn’t ignore. “Is that what most men want from you, Charli? Sex?”

  She crossed her arms protectively as we turned onto the private road that led to my rural estate. “They may want it,” she said, hesitantly. “But I don’t sleep around, if that’s what you think.”

  “I don’t think that.” I wanted her to know that I liked and respected her, even though my actions that morning may have given her the wrong impression.

  “I’ve lived with a f
ew guys.” She winced. “I didn’t plan it that way. We just started dating and they, uh, fell on hard times. Lost their jobs and, um, needed a place to stay.”

  So she’d been taken advantage of too. Nice to know she could understand, on some level, what I’d been through. “I get it.”

  “I know you do.” She glanced at me before she said, “So, they’ve been my only serious relationships, meaning the only guys I’ve slept with, other than you.”

  I didn’t need to know about her sexual history. We’d used condoms last night, but I appreciated that fact that she was willing to open up to me. I felt I owed her the same. “I know people think I must be a man-whore because I’ve been married twice and engaged, but trust me, I’m not.”

  “Really?”

  I waved to the guard at my gatehouse and pressed the button overhead to swing the iron gates open. “I’ve been looking for forever, Charli. That’s why I made the mistake of getting married and engaged. I know now that forever just isn’t in the cards for me.”

  “Too bad,” she said, clucking her tongue, “that bitches like that made you want to give up on finding love.”

  I drove my truck to the side of the house, in front of the garage, before raising one of four wood panels with the built-in opener and pulling inside. The lights automatically turned on and when I cut the engine, I turned to face her.

  I expected her to be embarrassed about letting that comment about my exes slip, but the stubborn little tilt of her chin told me she had no regrets and was taking nothing back.

  “What makes you think they were bitches?”

  “My sister and I talk.” She reached for her purse, settling it in her lap. “And I’ve read a few articles online.” She raised a shoulder. “Like I said, I’ve been a fan of yours for a long time, so I guess I was curious.”

  “I can’t put all the blame on them.” Though my friends would have been happy to. “No one twisted my arm.” Though each one of those three women had been pretty adamant about getting a ring. “I saw the warning signs, but I tried to ignore them.”