One Night Baby - A Romance Compilation

by Tia Siren

  I shook my head. “That’s not my main goal. My goal is to produce music and work with artists from various genres.”

  “Do you have a preference?” he asked.

  I shrugged. “I like country, but it isn’t my favorite,” I said, knowing I may have very well sealed my fate by disparaging country music in a Nashville studio.

  He burst into laughter. “It isn’t my favorite either. It isn’t even my second favorite.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief, thanking god I hadn’t stuck my foot into my mouth too badly. “What kind of music do you produce here?” I asked, hoping it wasn’t electronic or something along those lines.

  He smiled. “We vary, but most of our artists tend to be folksy, country rock, or really unique in general. We love finding artists who don’t sound like anyone else out there. We’re hoping to work with a producer that can help take our studio to the next level without us moving away from what we really enjoy.”

  “As an intern, what would I be doing?” I asked, a little afraid to hear the answer. I envisioned coffee runs, stocking toilet paper in the bathroom, and filing paperwork.

  “You would be working with me, learning the ropes and getting a feel for the business in general. I imagine there will be some errands you’ll be asked to run, but we have no intention of bringing anyone on as unpaid maid service.”

  I grinned. “That’s good to know.”

  “Have you ever worked in a recording studio before?”

  I shook my head. “No. This would be my first. I’m really trying to get my foot in the door.”

  He nodded. “Okay, well, do you have any other questions for me?”

  I gulped, knowing I should ask questions but having no idea what to ask. “No. I don’t think I do.”

  “Great. We’ll be in touch and let you know which direction we’ll be going in.”

  He stood and shook my hand. I walked out of the building, not entirely sure how I felt. I didn’t exactly get the job, but it did sound like I had a chance.

  “Guess what!” I squealed when Hannah answered her phone.

  “What? Wait, let me guess: You slept with Mr. Hot Cop again?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Actually, yes, but that’s not why I’m calling. I just had a job interview! Well, not an actual job, but an internship at a music studio!”

  She hooted with glee. “We’re coming back to the cop situation, but tell me everything about the job.”

  I excitedly filled her in and accepted her premature congratulations.

  “I have to get back to work,” she said. “You are going to fill me in on the cop situation tonight. Don’t spare any detail.”

  I laughed. “A real lady never kisses and tells.”

  She scoffed and hung up the phone. Feeling elated, I drove home and found Cameron knocking on my front door.

  “Hey,” I said, getting out of the car.

  “Hey. I thought we were going to grab lunch today?”

  I slapped a hand to my forehead. “I’m really sorry. I woke up late, and then I had an interview. I completely forgot we were going to hang out today.”

  “That’s okay. We can grab a late lunch if you’re up for it.”

  I grinned and walked toward him. I realized I was about to kiss him hello and stopped myself. That would be too boyfriend-like. We weren’t together. We weren’t a couple. We didn’t kiss hello.

  “I’d like that,” I replied, keeping my voice even. “Did you want to go now?”

  “Sure. You look nice,” he said, his eyes roaming over my body.

  “Thank you.”

  “We can take my truck,” he said, heading across the lawn to his big pickup.

  I looked at the height and realized getting in was going to take some effort. Cameron was the perfect gentleman and opened the door for me before giving me a little boost inside.

  “So how was the interview?”

  I shrugged. “I thought it went great, but he didn’t come right out and say I got it. He said they would call and let me know.”

  “I hope you get it. Is it doing the music thing?” he asked, backing out of the driveway.

  “Yep, with new artists. It would really be my dream job,” I said, a little breathless at the thought of getting to work in a studio every day.

  Even if I wasn’t getting paid, it would still be awesome. Getting to be around people making music and learning firsthand how a track was cut and produced would be worth it. I was afraid to get my hopes up but did it anyway.

  “What would you like for lunch?” he asked in that easy way of his that always made me feel so comfortable when I was with him.

  “I’m up for anything.”

  “There’s a sandwich shop I like. Does that work for you?”

  “Yep.”

  He drove to the shop and was kind enough to help me out of his big truck. We ordered and sat down, and he told me about a few of the traffic stops he had made.

  “How was Ella after breakfast yesterday?” I asked, a little embarrassed to bring up the subject.

  He chuckled. “She’s a smart girl. I think she knew something was up. Not that, but she knows there’s something between us.”

  Hearing him admit there was something happening sent heatwaves through my body. “Should I stay away?”

  He shrugged. “It isn’t like you’re there a lot. It was one time. I told her we were friends.”

  I nodded and felt a slight disappointment.

  We fell into easy conversation about the coming fall weather and what we planned on doing for the holidays. I loved listening to him talk about his family. I wanted to ask about Ella’s mother but figured that was a conversation for another day. Things were too good between us, even if it was all based on a fake engagement. The fake engagement actually made it easier to relax. There were no expectations from either of us.

  “I have to get going so I can pick up Ella,” he announced.

  I nodded. “Okay. Maybe on your next day off we can do the sightseeing and shopping you promised,” I teased.

  He groaned. “I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you.”

  I reached out and touched his hand. “You don’t have to make anything up to me. I slept in. I would love if you could show me around a little, though. That, I’m holding you to, but I won’t force you to do any shopping.”

  We walked to his truck, and before he opened the door, he gave me a quick kiss on the lips. “I wouldn’t mind shopping with you. I think you would make it fun.”

  I smiled and climbed inside the truck. It felt so good to be with him. He was easy to talk to. That hard exterior he wore all the time wasn’t quite as tough as it looked. The man was kind, maybe a little arrogant, but a lot sexy. I wanted to spend more time with him, and that was not a good thing.

  It scared me to feel so drawn to him. I couldn’t jump into another relationship with a man when I was still dealing with the fallout from my last relationship. Letting myself fall into something with the man sitting next to me wasn’t wise. I knew that.

  He pulled in front of my house. I suddenly got a case of the first-date jitters and practically jumped out of the truck. I wasn’t sure if he was going to kiss me or expected me to kiss him.

  “Bye,” I said in a high-pitched voice, then slammed the door and practically ran for my front door.

  I heard the truck motor rev up and knew he was gone. I felt like a complete moron for running away, but it was the only thing I knew to do.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Cameron

  “Are you sure?” I asked my mom again for the third time during our conversation.

  “Yes, Cam. Your father and I want to take her to the zoo in the morning. You need to stay up late and do what you do to get ready for your graveyard tomorrow. Take that pretty neighbor of yours out to dinner or something,” she said smoothly.

  “I knew you had an ulterior motive,” I said, scowling.

  She laughed and I knew I was right. “Good-bye, son. We’ll see you in a bit.”
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br />   “I’ll be over around four. Thanks, Mom. I really appreciate all you do for me and Ella,” I told her, meaning every word I said.

  “I know, dear. Bye, now.”

  I hung up and packed Ella’s little suitcase for her overnight stay at my parents’. It was a normal occurrence. I tried not to let the guilt take over. It was good for them and good for Ella. She loved spending time with them.

  Once I dropped Ella off with them, I drove home and headed straight over to Scarlett’s house.

  I could hear music blaring and shook my head. The woman was going to blow her ears out.

  I knocked on the door several times. When she didn’t answer, I turned the handle and opened the door a few inches.

  “Scarlett!” I yelled.

  “Cameron?” she said a split second before the music came to a dead stop.

  I pushed the door open and saw her come out of the kitchen.

  “I knocked, but you didn’t answer.”

  She gave me a sheepish smile. “Are you here to give me that noise pollution ticket we talked about?”

  I grinned. “No. I’m here to see if Hannah is coming up for the weekend.”

  She shook her head. “Nope. She has to work.”

  “Do you want to go out with me? I know a bar that has a live band tonight,” I said, hoping I didn’t sound too eager.

  She smiled. “I would love that! Anything to get me out of the house. I’m starting to go a little stir-crazy.”

  “All right. Get ready and I’ll be back to pick you up in a couple hours.”

  She was still grinning, looking as gorgeous as ever. “I’ll be ready.”

  I turned and left her, reminding her to keep the music down so she could hear the door.

  When I returned exactly two hours later, she answered the door wearing a pair of tight jeans that hugged her curves and black boots. Her sweater fell to the side, leaving one shoulder exposed.

  “I’m going to be the envy of every man in that bar,” I told her, placing my hands on her hips and kissing her.

  I knew the stolen kisses here and there were above and beyond the fake engagement lie, but I couldn’t stop myself from touching her. I loved looking at her body and had to fight hard to keep my hands to myself whenever she was around.

  “Thank you. You’re looking rather dashing yourself. You better not ditch me for another woman,” she said with a wink.

  “Not in a million years,” I vowed.

  When we arrived at the bar, it was filling fast. I managed to secure us a small table in the back of the room. We would be able to see and hear the band and still be able to talk to each other. We ordered hot wings and cold beer as we waited for the band to take the stage.

  “Is this twangy country stuff?” she asked, looking around at the cowboys milling about.

  I shrugged a shoulder. “There’s definitely a little country, but I think it’s more rock. Think along the lines of Florida Georgia Line,” I told her.

  Her eyes lit up. “I can’t wait.”

  When the band took the stage, the energy in the room transformed. People were shouting and dancing and having a good time in general.

  “Let’s dance!” I shouted over the music.

  She nodded and took my hand. I led her to the dance floor, where we bumped and grinded and let ourselves get lost in the music. I stared into her eyes, feeling completely in tune with her, and blocked out the rowdy crowd around us.

  I heard cat whistles and snapped my attention back to the present. People had spread out around us, leaving us alone on the dance floor, our bodies moving in time to a ballad the band was belting out.

  “People are watching,” Scarlett whispered.

  I nodded. “Yes, they are.”

  I turned to look around the area and saw the singer point his finger at us while he belted out his lyrics about finding love after the rain. We finished the song and headed toward our table, Scarlett leading the way with me close behind her, when a man wearing a baseball hat stepped directly in front of her.

  She tensed up and I immediately knew something was wrong.

  “Isaac?” Scarlett breathed out, barely loud enough for me to hear.

  I immediately stepped beside her, crowding out the smaller man and pushing him out of her personal space.

  “Is this him?” Isaac said with an ugly scowl. “This is the guy you’ve been cheating on me with?”

  I could feel people watching us and made a move to step around the angry ex. He stepped in my direct path.

  I peered down at him. “Move.”

  He sneered. “Really, Scarlett? You couldn’t find a bigger guy? Have you fallen for the old bigger-is-better theory?”

  “Isaac, please, don’t do this. We’re here to have a good time. You’re drunk. Just leave us alone.” Scarlett’s voice was far too reasonable and controlled for the situation.

  I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and steered her past Isaac, making our way back to our table. I hoped once we were away from the dance floor, Isaac would back off. I could tell he was the kind of guy that got off on making a scene. He wanted people to think he was a tough guy. If they only knew what kind of man he really was, their opinions would change.

  I waved the waitress over and ordered two beers.

  “I can’t believe he’s here,” Scarlett said, her entire demeanor stiff and tense.

  “Ignore him. He’s drunk.”

  We didn’t get the chance to ignore him. The insolent man grabbed a chair from a nearby table and sat down next to Scarlett.

  “Back off, buddy,” I warned him, not hiding the threat in my voice.

  “She’s my girlfriend,” Isaac spat out, spittle flying as he spoke.

  “We’re not together,” Scarlett said firmly.

  “She wants you to leave her alone. In fact, I believe you have been warned several times already, haven’t you?” I growled.

  Isaac grinned. “That was all a misunderstanding. Scarlett and I have history together. We love each other. We had a little fight and she ran away. She’ll come back to me—she always does.”

  Scarlett shook her head. “That wasn’t a fight, Isaac. You tried to attack me with a baseball bat. What if I hadn’t been in the car?” she said.

  My brows shot up, and I could feel the blood boiling in my veins. “You hit her with a bat?” I fumed.

  Isaac rolled his eyes. “I didn’t hit her with a bat. I hit the windows.”

  “With me inside the car, asshole,” Scarlett said.

  I leaned forward a few inches and looked the man dead in the eye. “You need to get the fuck out of here before you really piss me off. I don’t want you calling her again. I don’t want you talking to her or going anywhere near her. Do you understand?”

  I knew I could be menacing when I tried. My size alone put most people on guard. Isaac wasn’t most people. He leaned toward me, our noses a couple inches apart.

  “She’s mine. She’ll always be mine,” he said in a low, monotone voice that told me all I needed to know.

  The man was not right in the head. I would go so far as to say he was a sociopath. That wasn’t something I wanted to mess with without knowing more.

  “We’re going now,” I said to Scarlett.

  She nodded. I could see the fear in her eyes and immediately felt bad for her. Her terror that first night she had called the police hadn’t been for nothing. She truly feared for her life, and I knew why now. I feared for her life as well.

  I grabbed Scarlett’s hand, and we headed for the door.

  “This isn’t over!” Isaac shouted from behind us. “This isn’t over, Scarlett!”

  “Keep walking,” I told her. “We don’t need to give him the response he wants.”

  I stopped at the door and told the doorman there was a man causing problems. He radioed his fellow security personnel to inform him.

  I helped Scarlett inside my truck, and we sat there for several minutes, each taking a few deep breaths and composing ourselves.

&n
bsp; “I don’t think it’s safe for you to go home,” I said.

  She nodded. “I don’t think so either. How did he find us? Do you think he followed us?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “He had to have followed us, which means he’s been watching me,” she squeaked out.

  I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. If Isaac had been watching Scarlett, he had seen me. He would have seen Ella as well. Shit just got real. I drove home, my eyes going to my rearview mirror every few minutes. I didn’t notice a car following us, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t show up later.

  When we got back to my house, I took her keys and checked her house while she stayed at mine. It didn’t look like Isaac had broken in. When I got back to my house, Scarlett was pacing.

  “I’m so sorry,” she repeated over and over. “I should have known. I’m sorry. I did exactly what you told me you didn’t want to happen. I dragged you into my mess.”

  “Let’s go to bed. We’ll worry about everything tomorrow,” I told her, leading her to my bedroom.

  “Thank you. Thank you for being there and letting me stay here.”

  “It’s no problem. There’s no way I’d let you stay home alone with that creep in town.”

  She stripped down to her underwear and crawled between the sheets. I didn’t make a move to touch her. This wasn’t the time for that. She needed comfort and security. I lay beside her, hoping to sleep, but my eyes refused to close.

  “You asleep?” I whispered.

  When she didn’t answer, I knew she was. I got up, pulled on my jeans, and did a quick walk around outside with my 9 mm in hand. Everything had changed. I really liked Scarlett, and the idea of spending more time with her and getting to know her better appealed to me, but I couldn’t put Ella at risk.

  Isaac needed to be dealt with. I wasn’t sure how to do that. The guy was not stable. I had no idea what he was capable of, but after hearing about the baseball bat, I was definitely concerned for Scarlett as well as Ella. This wasn’t my mess. I could walk away. I should walk away in the best interest of my daughter.