Dirty Mind (Nashville Outlaws #2)

by Cheryl Douglas

  I rinsed the teapot and pulled a drawer open, looking for a drying towel. I found a neat stack of them and plucked one off the top.

  He faced me, taking the dry teapot out of my hands, before he said, “I’m glad to hear you say that. We’d had a few drinks and—”

  “I don’t think alcohol had anything to do with it, do you?” I wasn’t someone who excused their mistakes with alcohol. I tried not to do anything when I was drinking that I wouldn’t do if I was sober, and I definitely would have done Dade when I was stone-cold sober.

  “No, I don’t.” He shook his head slowly. “That night at the concert, when Knox showed me your picture, that day at the hospital…” It’s like all of those moments were leading up to it.”

  “It?” I pursed my lips as I folded the towel neatly. “It being explosive sex?”

  We shared a smile before we both started laughing. “Uh yeah,” he said. “I guess you could say that.”

  I loved that we could laugh together, like we’d known each other forever. I hadn’t had that in previous relationships, and my brief time with Dade reminded me how much I wanted it in my next relationship.

  “You wanna watch a movie or something?” he asked, after we spent a few more minutes tidying the kitchen.

  This felt weird, almost like a date, or a night-in with a long-time boyfriend. But I got the feeling he didn’t feel like being alone and I didn’t either. “Depends,” I said, testing him. “Do you like rom-coms?”

  He tried to keep a straight face when he said, “Do any guys actually like rom-coms?”

  I stuck my tongue out and pushed against his chest. “I’m pretty sure plenty do.”

  “Whatever.” He rolled his eyes. “But since you’re the guest, I’ll let you pick the movie. Why don’t we both slip into something more comfortable and meet down in the movie room in ten?”

  “The movie room.” I laughed. “You rich folks. You sure do know how to waste money.”

  He chuckled. “You say that now, but wait ‘til you try out those chairs. You’ll never wanna go to a movie theater again.”

  “I don’t doubt it.” I started to walk backwards toward the foyer to retrieve my suitcase. “But I can’t get too used to it. This isn’t my real life, it’s yours.” I winked. “Only a temporary assignment for me, remember?”

  His expression was unreadable when he said, “The job doesn’t have to be temporary, Charli. Not unless you want it to be.”

  Hmm. A permanent gig as Dade’s go-to girl would be tough to resist.

  He was right about the chairs. They were deep and plush and ridiculously comfortable. So comfortable that I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open as I dipped into the small bag of popcorn I’d snagged from the vintage popcorn machine tucked away in the corner of the room. Yeah, he had a vintage soda machine, popcorn machine, even a fully stocked bar and vending machine. Talk about living large. My daddy would piss himself if he saw this set-up.

  He turned his head to the side, looking at me. “Gettin’ sleepy, beautiful?”

  “A little.” I stretched my short legs out on the built-in footstool, wiggling my toes.

  Mama didn’t pack for comfort, she packed for appeal. Meaning I’d be sleeping in my Lulu capris and tank tonight and not the tiny tap shorts and crop top that she thought passed as pajamas suitable for a house guest.

  “Not into the movie?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

  It wasn’t bad. The typical good girl/bad boy story. She was trying to reform him, he was fighting it, and she eventually decided to give up. We were just waiting for him to come around so we could get our HEA.

  “I can’t remember the last time I saw the end of a movie…” I reached for my soft drink, taking a long pull through the straw. “That I watched with a guy.” I giggled. “How ‘bout you? You and your dates ever make it to the end?”

  “Honestly? Going to a movie theater isn’t really an option for me and I never make time for shit like this at home.” He gestured to the huge screen dominating one wall. “It’s crazy, right? With a set-up like this you’d think I’d be a movie buff.”

  “So, why’d you do this then?” I asked, munching on my popcorn. “Trip out this room?”

  His eyes shifted before he said, “This might sound silly, but I was imagining kids using this space. You know, birthday parties, sleepovers, stuff like that. I thought animated movies would be pretty cool on a screen like that.”

  He slayed me when he said shit like that. This guy deserved his happy ending, and I hated the bitches who’d stolen that from him because they’d been too greedy and selfish to look past his bank account. Or maybe they weren’t entirely to blame? Maybe he hadn’t been willing to let them in.

  “What about your ex?” I asked, hoping to gain some insight into his previous relationships. “Why didn’t you ever hang out down here with her?”

  He was silent so long I was sure I’d crossed a line, until he said, “Honestly? We had a hard time being in the same room together without fighting.”

  “Oh.” I didn’t wanna be like my mama, even though I’d already stomped all over boundaries and asked plenty of inappropriate questions tonight. I figured if he wanted to tell me more he would, without being prodded.

  “She was bitter and resentful because I was away so much, and she felt like I didn’t make time for her when I was home.”

  “That true?” I asked, wiping the butter off my fingers with a paper napkin I’d torn from the old school stainless dispenser.

  “I found reasons to avoid her.” He tipped his head back, staring at the waffle ceiling. “I know that makes me sound like an asshole, but it’s true. I didn’t want to fight, but towards the end it felt like that’s all we did.”

  “Was it like that in all of your relationships?” I didn’t want to be nosy, but since he was volunteering, I didn’t want to seem disinterested.

  “Yeah, it was. Eventually. They all started out okay, like most relationships, I guess. But within a couple of years it felt like I was living with the enemy.”

  “You were young the first time you got married, weren’t you? Early twenties?” I remember being crushed when I read online that he’d married some model in Vegas. I’d been in my teens and still had an active fantasy life that allowed me to believe I was destined to be the one and only Mrs. Dade Jarvis. I laughed at the memory now.

  He nodded. “Twenty-three.” He quirked an eyebrow. “What’s so funny?”

  I shook my head, wondering if I was ballsy enough to share. “It’s too stupid.”

  “Come on, you have to tell me,” he said, nudging my arm with his elbow. “Please.”

  I was pretty sure Dade didn’t have to beg often, but he was damn good at it. “I was just thinking about how devastated I was when you married your first wife.” My cheeks were warm as I rolled my eyes at my own stupidity. “I didn’t even know you. Not like I was ever gonna meet you, but I was wrecked when you married someone else.” I laughed. “Wouldn’t even go out with my girlfriends that night, if memory serves.”

  He smiled. “You would have been too young for me back then.”

  “And I’m not too young for you now?” I was twenty-six and he was thirty-four, not an age difference anyone would think twice about in my experience.

  “Charli…”

  “Never mind, stupid question.” I hadn’t realized I made it sound like I wanted him to consider me as a potential partner until it was too late to take it back. “I think I’m gonna turn in now.” I crossed the room and disposed of my trash before I said, “Thanks for tonight. I had fun.”

  He stood, hitting the remote to dim the screen. The only light in the room was the soft glow of the overhead lights on dimmers. “Let me walk you upstairs.”

  He’d already shown me to my room so I could change, but I couldn’t make a beeline for my room without making it obvious that I was trying to hide my embarrassment.

  Before we could make it to the stairs, he grabbed my arm, turning me to face him.
“Please don’t do that.”

  “Do what?” God, he was really gonna call me out, wasn’t he?

  “Don’t shut down on me like that. Assume you know what I’m thinking, because I’m pretty sure you don’t.”

  “Fine,” I said, trying to keep the bite out of my tone as I crossed my arms. “You wanna tell me then, so I won’t have to guess, what were you thinking?”

  “I was thinking that timing really is everything.”

  I frowned. “I don’t follow.”

  “All those years ago, you were sittin’ at home crushin’ on a stranger and I was marrying a stranger, trying to pretend I was in love with her. Because I really wanted to be.” He hung his head, drawing a deep breath. “If I’d just waited, hadn’t made all those mistakes, and we’d been standing here tonight, like this, things would be so different.”

  I hated that he was still punishing himself for past mistakes, but I understood it. I had a lot of relationship baggage too and I’d never even tied the knot.

  “I like to think my mistakes served a purpose,” I said, letting my arms fall to my sides. “How would I have known the good guys from the jerks if I hadn’t dated the jerks?” I squeezed his forearm. “And how would you have known the genuine girls from the disingenuous without the contrast.”

  “The contrast,” he repeated, staring at me. “That’s one way of putting it.”

  I leaned in, whispering, “Don’t keep beating yourself up for the mistakes you’ve made. Just change your perspective. Start viewing them as experiences instead of mistakes. Might make it easier to let go… and move on.”

  He reached for my hands as he looked into my eyes. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “Sharing your take on it. It helps me to see things in a different light.”

  “I’m glad.” I rolled forward on my toes, kissing his cheek. “Good night, Dade. Sweet dreams.”

  He kissed my hand. “I have a feeling they will be, thanks to you.”

  Chapter 6

  Dade

  It was bright and early on Monday morning, and my housekeeper was due to arrive in a few hours, but I texted and told her to enjoy a paid day off.

  Charli was sleeping just down the hall and I wanted to spend some time with my new… assistant. Bring her up to speed on the things I needed her help with and get her settled in the guest house. If it wouldn’t have seemed weird, I would have offered her one of the guest rooms. It was nice, having company. And Charli brought life to my house. The sound of her voice, her laughter… it felt right having her share my space. But I refused to read too much into that. I was just lonely, missing my crew and life on the road.

  She tapped on my bedroom door and poked her head in, smiling when she spotted me. “Hey, hope you don’t mind?”

  I grinned. “Uh, you’ve seen me naked. And I think we passed the awkward phase when we broke the bed.”

  Dropping her head, she bit her lip. “God, I still can’t believe that happened. I guess I should see about replacing that today, huh? Or at least getting it fixed.”

  “If you can find a replacement,” I said, rolling on my side and propping my head in my hand. “I’d be happy to pay for it. It’s the least I can do.”

  Covering her face with her hands, she said, “Okay, I can’t have this conversation before I have my first cup of coffee. I just came in to ask if it was alright with you if I made us some breakfast. I wasn’t sure if your housekeeper was working today and I don’t wanna step on anyone’s toes.”

  I held my phone up. “Just texted and told her to take the day off. Thought we might need some time alone to, uh, get some work done.”

  She nodded. “Sounds good. So, breakfast…?”

  “Just let me throw some sweats on and I’ll come down and help you.”

  She gave me the cutest suggestive look, all raised eyebrows, and teeth trapped lip. “Huh, so you sleep in the buff all the time. I thought that was just with me.”

  I laughed, falling back on the mattress when she slipped out of the room. I had a feeling she was bold and flirty by nature, but not in the way I was used to. Most women I knew were forward and left nothing to the imagination. Charli always left me wanting more.

  My phone buzzed and I groaned when I saw Knox’s phone number. I connected the call and prepared for a tongue-lashing, knowing he’d only be calling for one reason. The fact that I’d dragged his sister-in-law into my mess.

  “Hey Knox, what’re you doin’ calling me on your honeymoon. Don’t tell me Cece’s sick of you already.”

  “Aren’t you funny?” He sighed. “I wouldn’t have to call you on my honeymoon if I wasn’t getting growly phone calls from my father-in-law about how one of my best friends is trying to defile his baby girl.”

  “Ugh.” I shouldn’t have been surprised the old man was pissed. I could tell he had it in for me when it looked like he wanted to spit in my face rather than shake my hand at the wedding. “Are you serious? I’m sorry, man. I don’t wanna drag you and Cece into this shit. Especially not on your honeymoon.”

  “It’s okay.” Knox chuckled. “I’m sure it’s just Chee goin’ all papa bear. Imagining things, right?”

  I hated lying, especially to my friends. And I suspected Cece would be hearing about our one-night stand now that her mama knew, so I said, “Uh, so after the wedding we may have…” I winced, knowing there was no way to break it to him gently. “Slept together.”

  “You what?” Knox roared. “You’re shittin’ me, dude.”

  “Afraid not.” I made it sound like I regretted what happened with Charli and I didn’t. It hadn’t been a mistake. Hell, it might have been one of the smartest decisions I’d made in a long time. “But listen, we’re good. Charli’s here, in fact. We’re figuring this thing out, so you don’t have to worry. And you can pass that message on to her old man too. She’s a grown woman, she can take care of herself.”

  Knox laughed. “You have met Chee, right? I’m not tellin’ him that. You tell him. Just be warned. The man’s always packin.”

  “Great.” Like I didn’t have enough to worry about, now I had an old biker gunnin’ for me.

  “Hold up, you said Charli’s there. Does that mean you two are—”

  “Working together.” I sighed, knowing there was no way I could avoid telling him the whole story. “So, you probably know that pic of us kissing at your wedding went viral?”

  “Yeah, and the paps were crawlin’ all over the folks place. Aidy told me.”

  “Right, so obviously I couldn’t bring that shitstorm down on them. That didn’t seem right. When I found Charli she was hiding out at some dude’s house, ‘cause she couldn’t go home without being bombarded by those assholes. You know how they are. I couldn’t put her through that.”

  “So you’re protecting her?” Knox asked, sounding skeptical. “That’s why she’s staying at your house?”

  It probably didn’t make sense to him that I cared so much, but I was the reason Charli was in this mess. I couldn’t leave her alone to deal with the fallout. “Well, yeah. That and I really do need an assistant, as you know. She needs a job, a place to stay. It makes sense, don’t you think?” I wasn’t asking for and didn’t need his approval, but it would help if I had someone other than Aidy on my side.

  “I don’t know.”

  “What?” I could tell he was holding back and that wasn’t like Knox. “Just say it already. What’re you thinking?”

  “The last time you had a woman living with you it ended with a ring and—”

  “She’s not living with me! She’s working for me. And staying in the guest house. That’s it.”

  “So there’s nothing between y’all?”

  I hadn’t even kissed her since she slipped out of bed and left me wondering if I’d ever see her again. “I like her, she’s great. But we’re determined to keep this strictly professional.” And that would test my willpower like nothing else ever had.

  “Because…?”

 
I couldn’t even believe he was asking me to explain why Charli was off limits. I knew he loved that girl like a sister. Did he really want me to burn through her life and leave ashes in my wake? Didn’t he know that was my M.O., whether I wanted it to be or not?

  “Because Charli’s too young and innocent to be another chapter in the messed up story of my love life.”

  “And you’re sure that’s all she’d be, another sad chapter in your story?”

  I didn’t know why I was so frustrated. Maybe because my friend was making me want something I could never have. “You know me. You know her. It sounds like her history with men is almost as bad as mine with women. Put us together and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.”

  “Or perfection?”

  “Excuse me?” My heart started racing as I sat up, trying to process his implication. Charli and I… perfect for each other. No way.

  “You’re right, I know you and I know her. I wouldn’t be sayin’ this unless I believed you two could have a shot at something real.”

  “What are you talking about?” I pulled a hand through my hair, tugging on the messy strands. “Are you crazy? Are you trying to start another world war with your new family, ‘cause that’s what you’re gonna get if your bride, or God forbid, her old man, hears you talkin’ like that.”

  “Maybe.” But he didn’t seem worried. “But my wife knows I don’t blow smoke and my father-in-law knows I don’t back down. So, if you wanna give this thing with Charli a shot, just know I’m on your side, Dade.”

  I swallowed, unsure how to respond. “Thanks, but even if I did wanna give this thing with Charli a shot, which I don’t, think about all the ways it would mess with her life. You know what it’s like in Nashville, man. We’re like rock stars living in L.A. We can’t go anywhere without having a camera or voice recorder stuck in our face. And since my last break-up, I’ve been stalked by those assholes, lookin’ for the scoop on my next fatality.”