FUEL (DirtSlap Series Book 1)

by Ashlynn Pearce

Cassie lifted her head and peeked at her. How had she figured her out so quick?

  “Have you banged him yet?” Lila asked all matter of fact.

  Cassie would have thought it funny, except for last night.

  “No. Not for lack of trying, though.” She picked up her whiskey glass, realized it was empty, then set it back down. “I’d say he’s made it clear that he doesn’t want me, but that’s not true. His eyes say one thing, his lips say another, and his words say something totally different.”

  Lila leaned forward, her blue eyes spooky bright. “Tell me something. If you walked away right now, would you always wonder?”

  Would she? Hadn’t she told him life was too short not to take in everything—because you never knew when your number would be up? Hadn’t she promised herself just last night that she would have him one way or another? Regardless of the outcome, she wanted to know the end result.

  So she’d landed in the same town as Thrand. She had no clue why or how it happened, but she would regret it if she didn’t see this through. Life was a clusterfuck maze. There wasn’t a crystal ball or fairy godmother to tell her what to do. All she had was instinct. And instinct told her to go after what she wanted.

  She lifted her head, determination steeling her.

  Lila’s freckled cheeks broke out into a knowing smile. “Then make him see you. As a woman, and not the girl he knew.”

  Cassie took a breath and nodded. “You’re right.”

  “There’s my girl.” Lila’s grin spoke volumes as she patted Cassie’s hand and hopped up. “I’ll see you later, sweetie. I’ve got an appointment at the nail salon.”

  She waggled her fingertips and headed out the door.

  It wasn’t long before Cassie was tired of the crowd, so she wandered outside and down the sidewalk. She hadn’t seen the Cumberland River at night yet, so she ambled toward its edge. She propped her arms against the railing and stared across the wide expanse. From here, she could see LP Field and the metal art statue called Ghost Ballet, which she thought looked more like parts of a suspended roller coaster.

  Here it was quiet with the noise of Honky Tonk Row behind her. The water flowing down the banks soothed her and the lights of Nashville reflected off the calm ripples. Not many people were taking in the peaceful setting, but she needed to clear her head.

  She loved Thrand. She knew it like she knew her heart thumped harder when she was around him. She wasn’t in the habit of lying to herself. Lila was right. She couldn’t let him slip through her fingers so easily. What about their friendship? Could she even consider them friends anymore? So many years had passed without contact. Combine that with the heat in his eyes and none of it screamed friend. There was a whole lot more there than that. But what if all went bad? Where would that leave her?

  A chill slithered up her spine.

  She looked at the night sky as she rubbed the leather cuff that had once belonged to her brother and took a deep breath.

  “Cam, I don’t know what to do.”

  He didn’t answer. He never did when she talked to him.

  But it made him feel not so far away.

  *

  Thrand was going to take off after Cassie, but then she’d kissed Ryan. That had stopped him in his tracks. The squeal of tires let him know how pissed off she was.

  He’d waited up for her. Sitting in a recliner stuffed into the corner of his living room. In the dark. What was she doing? Who she was doing it with? None of it was his business. He gripped the arms of his chair tighter and knew, without a doubt, he wanted to make her his business.

  A war raged within him.

  She’d woken that part of him he’d put to rest…Bedlam. Known for taking what he wanted and asking later. He tapped the arm of his chair as Cam’s face came to mind. The only thing Thrand should be doing is protecting Cassie and helping her get on her feet.

  Not pinning her to the wall and claiming her.

  He glanced up when he heard the click of the door. She never turned on a light so she didn’t see him as she went straight to her room.

  He took a relaxing breath, got up, and went to his room.

  She was safe.

  The next few weeks passed in a blur and Thrand avoided her when he could. But living together and barely talking was getting old. He honestly didn’t know what to say to her. Every time their paths crossed, all he could do was stare and remember her in his lap. His neck would sizzle just like the brand he swore she’d laid on him.

  She didn’t bother to hide the fact she wanted him. Her eyes said it all. He would catch her walking around his house singing some song off the radio in nothing but boy shorts and a tight tank. Her bras were always hanging on his towel bar and, more than once, he’d found her clothes and panties mixed in with his laundry.

  He was on edge, and the only way he could release it was to bang the hell out of his drums. Studio time used to be enough, but it was too tame. He needed something harder. So he had lined up a few gigs to work, even though he had been busy at the studio.

  He pulled his Harley into the garage and noticed his truck was parked in the drive, along with Ryan’s motorcycle.

  He walked in through the back door to the sound of their laughter and the strong smell of marijuana.

  They sat on the floor, passing a joint between them.

  “What the hell?” Thrand demanded and saw red. It was one thing for Cassie to have kissed Ryan when she was mad, but had something come of it? He glared at Ryan.

  “Dude, chill. Not what you think,” Ryan said but was laughing as he said it.

  “Why are you getting high in my living room?” He wanted to add, and alone with Cassie.

  She was smiling, her eyes a bit glassy. “I wanted to try it.”

  “You wanted to try it?” He arched a brow at Ryan and crossed his arms over his chest. “And you just happened to have some on you?”

  Ryan shrugged. “I came to see you. You weren’t here, and Cassie and I got to talking. Somehow it came up that she had never tried it. So, I helped.”

  “Of course you helped.”

  Thrand was at a loss. Cassie was reckless and hell-bent on driving him mad. She sat on the floor, legs crossed, with her head leaned back against the couch. Her hair looked like gold spread out over the black leather.

  She licked her lips and smiled. “Ryan’s a good friend. He’s helping.”

  He turned an eye on Ryan who wasn’t as high as he first seemed.

  “Hey guys, I gotta split.” Ryan climbed to his feet.

  “Awww, but we were just getting started,” Cassie said with a sulk. “He was telling me all about your crazy conquests.”

  Ryan coughed. “Yeah, sorry, Cas. Maybe another time.”

  Faster than Thrand thought possible, Ryan was out the door.

  Thrand sat on the couch beside Cassie and couldn’t take his eyes off her. “Do you really have to try everything? Is there any line you won’t cross?”

  She pursed her lips while she pondered the ceiling before her gaze settled on him. “There might be, but I haven’t found one yet.”

  “I was afraid you might say that.” Exactly what he didn’t want to hear.

  “Thrand, do you want me gone?” A trace of sadness lingered in her eyes.

  “What?” He shook his head. “No.”

  “You avoid me. You don’t talk to me. It’s like I’m in your way.”

  All true. He sighed and slid to the floor so they were eye level. “I’m sorry. I’ve been an ass, haven’t I?”

  “Yes.” Then she scooted up against him and snuggled into the crook of his arm.

  He had no choice but to wrap an arm around her.

  “I missed you,” she said softly against his shirt.

  He knew she wasn’t just talking about recently. He kissed the top of her head, the silkiness of her hair brushing against his lips. “I missed you, too.”

  “Can we please talk?” Her arm lay carelessly across his waist. “I don’t like all this silence. You
used to talk to me.”

  There was a time when they would talk about anything and everything. But it was so long ago. He’d gotten a glimpse of that those first few days she was here, but then she’d kissed him. That had changed everything. He wanted the easy companionship they had before, but every time he looked at her, all he felt was her lips on his. He was all twisted up and he had no idea what to do with any of it. Guilt, mixed with this insane attraction, was driving him out of his mind. He couldn’t make peace with it.

  She turned her head up toward his and he met her gaze. High cheekbones, full lips and green eyes tempted him. He tried to not want to kiss her. But those lips were right there. Had their first kiss been a fluke? Had he just imagined that intense feeling? His heart hammered in his chest, he tightened his arm around her and claimed her lips.

  She tasted sweet with little a bit of whiskey…and that same slow burn.

  There was no hesitation on her part. She opened for him, melded her body to his and turned him inside out. He wanted more of this crazy girl who made her own rules. Within moments, the slow kiss turned into a fire threatening to burn down every single reason he had for keeping his distance.

  Hot and needy, he cupped her neck and feasted on her hungry lips. Her moan mixed with his groan shot him right past the limits he’d tried so hard to maintain.

  Her hands crawled under his shirt, scraped across his lower back along the edge of his jeans. This girl had no inhibitions and held nothing back. He coiled her hair in his hand and pushed her to the floor. Need overriding sense, he wanted to bury himself in her.

  Get lost in all that was wild about her.

  Chapter 7

  Oh lord. Thrand was kissing her and she couldn’t get enough. Cassie gave into all her pent up hunger, and when he pushed her back against the floor, she hooked a leg around his. No way was she letting him get away again. His body was flush against her, his weight pressing her into the carpet, and she was as close to heaven as she’d ever been. She raked her nails up his back, the muscles there bunching under her touch. His heat surrounded her and she arched her hips feeling just how much he wanted her.

  His lips traveled down her neck, making her body shudder. She was beyond thinking. His hands skimmed up her shirt and cupped her breast, sending her right over the edge.

  “Thrand.” She gasped against his ear.

  His body immediately stiffened and he jerked back.

  She clutched his shirt when she saw warring emotions flicker across his face. “No. Don’t you dare stop.”

  “But—” He tried to push himself off of her.

  “Dammit, Thrand.” She tried to pull him down for a hard kiss, but he wouldn’t budge.

  “You’re high.” He shook his head and scrambled off her and to his feet.

  She launched herself up to stand toe-to-toe with him. “Seriously? Now, it’s cause I’m high? For the record, I’m not that high. I know exactly what I’m doing. What will it be next time? I’m tipsy, or I’m wearing purple.”

  She didn’t care that she wasn’t making sense. The man was being absurd. He wanted her, but his so-called morals were getting in the way.

  He glared at her. “I try to respect you and you throw it in my face?”

  She laughed bitterly. “Right. If it was just respect, I could deal with it. But that’s not all that’s going on here. You and I both know it.”

  He took a step back and the muscles in his jaw worked. “I’m not talking to you when you’re like this.”

  “Like what? Like when I’m wanting you?” She flung her hands out wide then planted them on her hips. “And you haven’t been talking to me at all.”

  He didn’t respond but turned on his heel and went upstairs to his room.

  “That’s right. Walk away.” She was so mad she grabbed a couch pillow and screamed into it.

  Five days later, Cassie stood in Lila’s apartment. She’d had all she could take and she was pulling out all the stops. He’d gone from barely talking to her, to flat out ignoring her. She’d tried talking, reasoning and flat-out yelling. Her patience was gone. Nothing was getting through his thickheaded skull.

  She looked into the full-length mirror and bit her lip, then glanced at a grinning Lila.

  “It’s perfect.” Lila folded her arms over her chest and nodded her head in triumph.

  “You think?” Cassie wasn’t sure about that. She wore low-rise tight jeans, which were fine, but the top was a black, cropped, skintight, off the shoulder shirt. Her boobs weren’t hanging out or anything, but her mid-drift was bare, it was more revealing than what she normally wore.

  She was a bit self-conscious, because even though she was tall, she wasn’t skinny. Wearing her pajamas around Thrand’s house seemed a lot safer than wearing this into town.

  “I don’t think I have the body for this.”

  “Don’t be silly. You’re curvy, and trust me, you’re hot.”

  Thrand was playing a gig tonight at Booseys, and Cassie had the night off. Lila assured her getting gussied up was a fabulous idea and thought Cassie should take advantage of it. Let him see exactly what he was missing. Cassie, on the other hand, had second thoughts. This wasn’t how she wanted to go about things, but she’d tried everything else.

  “Here.” Lila shoved a shot glass in her hand.

  “What? Why?”

  “Liquid courage.”

  Cassie sighed, then downed it, letting the burn settle into her toes.

  “The boots. You gotta change those. I got some great heeled boots—”

  “Oh, no. No heels.” Cassie glanced at her worn, punk-style, combat boots. “These are fine.”

  “All right, but only ‘cause you’re tall anyway. Now, let’s go. I can’t wait to see his face.” Lila dragged her out the door, giggling the whole way.

  The shot was doing its job with Cassie’s tension, until they stood at the entrance.

  “Well, well, Jailbait. Look at you.” Dooley let out a whistle.

  “Thanks.” There wasn’t anything intimidating about him now and she gave him a hug. She pointed at Lila. “Her idea.”

  Lila’s blue eyes twinkled with mischief. “Drastic measures were called for.”

  Dooley narrowed his eyes and bellowed with laughter, his large frame shaking with the deep sound. “Let me guess. This is for Thrand.”

  Heat hit her face at the mention of his name.

  “That boy ain’t gonna know what hit him.”

  “That’s the plan.” Lila snickered and pulled her inside.

  The air whooshed right out of her when she saw Thrand leaning against the bar with a pretty brunette hovering and giggling at something he’d said. Cassie had no rights on him. No holds or promises or anything at all, but the urge to knock that girl flat on her ass was enticing.

  “Oh, this is gonna be good,” Lila said.

  When the girl laid a hand on Thrand’s arm and got closer, Cassie’s blood pounded in her ears and she halted in her tracks. She was too enraged to let her tears fall, but two could play his game.

  “To hell with him.” Cassie turned to Lila. “I think it’s obvious where I stand with him and I’m tired of chasing. He can do whoever the fuck he wants.”

  With that, she sauntered toward bar, gave her hips a little more swing and made sure she turned every male head. She tapped her nails on the bar and grinned at Mick when he walked up.

  “Looking good, Jailbait.”

  “Set ‘em up, Mick. I’m celebrating,” she said then finally met Thrand’s eyes.

  He stared at her, his expression blank. The girl who had her arm curled around his never noticed. She was too busy whispering something in his ear.

  Mick glanced at Thrand then shook his head and chuckled.

  “You got it, baby girl. What are you celebrating?” he asked as he set up two shot glasses and poured the amber liquid.

  “Being…free.” She lifted a glass in Thrand’s direction, downed it, then picked up the other one. “Hey, I can’t drink alone.
Mick set Lila up, too.”

  Lila smirked and wiggled her eyebrows as they clinked glasses then downed them at the same time. Cassie didn’t look at Thrand again.

  To hell with him.

  *

  When Thrand saw Cassie, it was all he could do not to gape. Her tanned shoulders were bare, revealing the little indent at her collarbone. How many nights had he spent awake imaging his lips right there? Her laugh was carefree, but when she swung her head he recognized the storm brewing in her eyes. She was on a mission to make his night a living hell, and he had a feeling it had something to do with the girl beside him and the past few weeks of tension.

  The only reason he’d even approached the girl was to drive out thoughts of Cassie. But from the moment the girl opened her mouth, he realized it wouldn’t work. Her hair was wrong, her eyes the wrong color, and that surgery sweet voice grated on his nerves. He was about to walk away, when Cassie showed up.

  His luck sucked ass.

  He jerked himself away from the woman and jumped on stage to finishing setting up and ignored Ryan’s amused expression.

  Over halfway through the set, Thrand thought his head might explode. Cassie had danced with every guy in the place, and it seemed she had finally settled on one—some blond cowboy who wouldn’t keep his hands to himself. On the verge of violence, Thrand kept breaking his sticks.

  Her hair curled down her back and her hips swayed to the beat of the music. His beat. She held a beer high above her head, danced, and completely ignored him. How could she do that when she was dancing to his beat?

  The song they played wasn’t even over when he stood up behind his set, making the rest of the band stop and turn in surprise. He banged his sticks together three times and the noise in the bar quieted a bit.

  Cassie turned to look at him, he pointed at her with one stick, then banged them together three more times. Her smile reached him from across the room. She hopped off the cowboys lap and took a few steps toward him through the crowd.

  Then he started playing her favorite song. Hard rock all the way. Not suited for Honky Tonk Row at all. He didn’t give two shits what he was supposed to be playing. Bedlam was lose and there was only one thing he wanted.