Kip and I get up as I shout after my oldest brother, “The Hell you will, Levi. You leave us alone!” I take Kip’s hand and pull him along with me. “Mom, don’t let them bug us, please.”
Mom stacks plates in the dishwasher. “I’ll get them busy cleaning those gutters they promised me they’d do while they’re here. That’ll keep them out of your hair.”
I smile at her and tug Kip out the back door. “They’re awful, I know. You probably want to leave now.”
His arm slips around my waist and he pulls me into him. “I don’t want to do anything of the sort. Now take me fishing, I’ve never done it on my own.”
“Neither have I,” I say as my arm slides around his waist. “My brother’s always did it all for me. So you and I can learn how to do it on our own.”
Kip smiles. “Everyone should know how to fish on their own anyway.”
While I’m thankful my parents are finding so much work for my brothers to do they’ll have no time to bother Kip. I am surprised Kip would put up with their threats for a girl he has no future with.
Kip
After fishing for a while and doing fine on our own, we caught a fish each. We threw them back as neither of us wanted to clean them. Peyton took me horseback rising through their place until it got too hot, then we went for a swim.
Now we lay on a large chaise lounge by the pool where we both are dozing in the cooling evening air. Never have I been more relaxed with a woman. She’s the easiest person to get along with. Everything seems effortless.
I stroke Peyton’s back as she lies on her stomach next to me. “This has been the best day ever, Peyton.”
She turns her face to look at me. “You and I both know you’ve had way more exciting days than this one, Pop Rock.”
I can feel her breath cease as I trail my fingers over her cheeks. I say softly, “Did I say the word exciting, pet?”
With a shake of her head, she props her head up on her hand to look down at me as I lie on my back. She runs her fingers over my tightly muscled stomach. “I should admit to you I think it was a pretty fantastic day as well.”
The sun sets behind her, reds, oranges, and yellows fill the space around her. “Being with you is so easy. I’ve never felt more a part of someone,” I say.
She smiles. “You’re easy to get along with. I’m sure you’ve felt connections before. There’s nothing special about me.”
I take a curl of her hair and twist it between my fingers. “There is no end to what all is special about you.”
Stroking my abs and leaning over me, she begins to get closer. She gives my lips a quick glance. Steadily she moves down to me. My hand goes to the back of her neck as I lick my lips and anticipate her lips on mine.
“Hey!” a voice calls out. “Aren’t you making dinner? That’s what Mom said.”
Peyton jerks up and I see Tyler standing next to us.
Now how did he manage to sneak up on us like that?
“Shit!” she says. “You scared me, Tyler.”
Tyler lightly punches me on my bicep. “I bet I did. You two come on inside and be sociable.” He hands me my shirt and Peyton a towel. “Cover up now, we don’t want any of the goods on display now, do we?”
I get up and pull the shirt over my head as Peyton grabs the towel from her brother’s outstretched hand. “Thanks, Tyler,” she says then sticks her tongue out at him.
Tyler runs his arm around his baby sister’s shoulders. “Anytime, Sissy. I got your back.” Peyton sighs and allows her brother to lead her into the house, followed by me.
Don’t believe I’ve ever come up against such protective brothers before!
I change clothes and find Peyton cooking away in the kitchen. “Let me help you, pet.”
She hands me a bowl and grabs some things to make a salad from the fridge. Gesturing to the counter, she says, “The cutting board is over there along with the knives.”
He laughs as I walk over to grab a knife and the cutting board. “Salad, maybe I can get this right.”
“Ever cook before?” she asks.
I wink at her, igniting a smile. “Would you actually call what I’m about to do cooking?”
She shakes her head. “Uh-uh, but have you even made a salad before?”
I scan the area for her brothers before I grab her from behind and hold her to me as I whisper in her ear, “No, you’re my first one.”
Giggles fill the air as she wiggles in my arms. A kiss I leave on her neck before I let her go. It’s stopped her giggles and made her cheeks pink. The urge to push all this stuff off the counter top and place her on it is overwhelming.
I see her watching me out of the corner of her eye as I carefully pull the lettuce leaves off and tear them with my hands before placing them gently in the bowl. A layer of hand torn lettuce leaves, followed by cherry tomatoes I cut. A purple onion I chop into rings.
“Kip, who writes the songs you sing?”
“A lot of different people,” I answer as I continue to make the salad look as good as it can.
The noodles done, she pours them into a colander in the sink and tosses them with olive oil. “Do you write any?” she asks.
A tiny cherry tomato cut into a rose I place atop the pile of vegetables and turn to her. “I write, but they hate my stuff.”
I lean back against the bar and cross my arms as she looks me over for some reason. “Why would they hate your music, Kip?”
“I write about things like life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. They want songs about my rockin’ bod, and how I use it to get the girls.” I turn back to pick up the bowl of salad and take it to the table. “It sells though, so who am I to tell them any different.”
Following behind me with the spaghetti, she says, “You’re an artist who should get to do the type of art he likes to do.”
The platter I take from her and place it in the middle of the table. “You’re a sweet girl, but that’s not how the music industry works. You want to make money, you do what sells. My father taught me that.”
“Is it hard to sing things you don’t like?” she asks as she places plates on the table.
I pull forks from a drawer and grab a handful of napkins. “It’s not hard, it’s just a bit unfulfilling. It’s all an act.”
“All of it?” she asks.
After the last fork is placed on the table I turn to her and wrap my arms around her. “All of it.”
She lays her head on my chest and runs her arms around me. “I find that sad, Kip.”
I kiss the top of her head. “Don’t, I make lots of money to do that act. I do mean lots, pet. Sure sometimes I begin to feel a bit used then I look at my bank account and forget about it.”
“Money isn’t everything, you know,” she says as she clings to me.
“No, it isn’t, but it sure does help.” I gently push her back. “Should we call them all in to eat now?”
Letting me go she nods and goes to get her family. I watch her walk away in a pair of faded blue jean shorts and tank top. Long, tan legs, still wet curls and not an ounce of make-up and she’s taking my breath away.
What is happening to me?
Peyton
After dinner, Dad put on a movie and the whole family gathered in the living room to watch it. He’s put on a comedy and Kip seems to be finding not only the movie, but the comments my family makes about it more than hysterical. “You are the funniest people on Earth. You need your own reality show.”
Mom’s snuggled up next to Dad. “No way,” she says. “These boys ain’t movin’ back in here. And since Sissy has graduated college, I’m sure she’ll find herself a place pretty darn soon. Nope, no reality show here.” She looks at Dad and kisses his cheek. “We’re loving the place to ourselves after so many years of raisin’ kids.”
I awe while my brothers look as if they may be sick. “Gross,” Tyler says as he gets up off the sofa he and my other two brothers were sitting on. “I’m going to bed.”
Levi stands u
p and stretches then taps Blake on the shoulder. “Wanna go down to Huebel’s and see what’s up?”
Blake is up and grabbing his keys before he answers, “Hell yes I do.”
Kip looks at me. “What’s a Huebel’s?”
“A bar,” I answer.
A smile creeps over his face. “Let’s go.”
I raise one eyebrow. “I don’t know why you’d want to go anywhere with my brothers. They’re assholes, as if you haven’t noticed.”
A quick kiss he gives my cheek. “I adore them, Peyton. They’re part of the reason you’re the way you are, which is perfect.”
My eyes narrow as I look at him. “Levi, can we go with you?”
Both brothers stop their exit and look at each other. Levi’s head tilts to one side. “You sure, Hollyweird? I mean, we party pretty hard down here. You might not be able to keep up.”
My whole head rolls along with my eyes as I look at Levi. “Literally, you goof, do you remember who his father is? Huebel’s ain’t nothin’ and his nickname ain’t Hollyweird, it is Pop Rock.”
“Come on,” Levi says with a wave of his hand. “It’ll be interesting to see how your fan club handles you showing up with a guy anyway.”
Kip gives me an odd look. “Is he talking about your fan club, Peyton?”
I nod and follow my brother’s out the door. “I’m kinda famous for my kick ass dance moves and Karaoke singing. I’ve won most of the competitions they put on at that bar.”
“Really?” he asks with a smile. “Maybe you and I can do a duet, what do you say?”
Levi opens the back door to his four-wheel-drive truck. “You need a boost, Hollyweird?”
I smack Levi on the shoulder. “Stop calling him that. We can’t let anyone know who he really is or they’ll mob him.” Levi takes me by the waist and lifts me up into the backseat of his tall truck. I scoot over and Kip grabs the handle and gets right in with no trouble at all.
Levi laughs as he gets into the driver’s seat. “Ain’t no one gonna mob him at Huebel’s. We don’t get star struck around here. Austin is so close we’ve seen all kinds of stars in there. Hell, Harry Connick Jr. still shows up and has a beer with all of us every now and then.”
Kip takes the seat belt and straps me in, he leans in close and whispers, “Is he serious?”
I nod. “Every once in a while some actor will come in. They’ve made a few movies around here. When I worked at the convenience store before college, I waited on Lou Diamond Phillips and that was weird.”
“So, that’s why you didn’t get all crazy when I talked to you at the college, you’re used to celebrities,” he says and smiles. “I knew there had to be some reason.”
“I don’t think that’s the only reason why,” I say as Levi pulls out of the long driveway and heads towards the small town. “I also don’t see the need to get all crazy, like ever.”
“Ever?” he asks, quietly. “I think I’d like to see how crazy I could make you.”
I look at him and know he’s talking sexual and my face heats up as I know he’d make me act plenty crazy and that’s why I have to keep my wits about me. He slips his hand around mine as Levi turns up the radio and one of Kip’s songs is playing. My brothers start banging their heads as I look at Kip and he looks back at me.
Kip
The bar is small and dark with bits of neon light here-there-and-yonder. The parking lot is full as it is a Saturday night in BFE and this seems to be the only watering hole. Peyton’s brothers walk in as she and I follow them. I have my arm around her waist.
The men walk in and there are a few people who high five them and a couple trade fist bumps. Then I see the first guy whose eyes go wide when he sees Peyton.
“Damn it! They let you come with them! Shit, baby,” he says and wraps his arms around her, oblivious to me as he takes her from me.
The music is playing some country song, and the moron tries to drag her out on the dance floor, before I can protest another guy, tall with broad shoulders and long, dark hair, pulls her from the other, much smaller guy. “Uh, uh, she’s dancing with me first.”
“Guys wait,” she shouts over the music as an old man pushes past both of the young men who both have their hands on her arms, basically pulling her in two directions at the same time.
The old man, skinny and short, walks straight up to her and takes her in his old, wrinkly, and very skinny arms and dances out to the little dance-floor with her as the two men look at each other. “Bob, wins again, the old fart,” the tall, dark haired guys says. “I’m next, Doug, so don’t even think about it.”
The smaller guy who must be Doug looks up at the other guy. “Fuck you, Pete. Once the song’s over I’m getting to her first.”
My eyes go out to the dance-floor to see Peyton cutting the rug up with the old man who is smiling like he won the lottery. Her brothers come up on either side of me and Levi hands me a tall, dark bottle of beer. “You’ll play hell getting to her now, Hollyweird. Her fan club will keep her dancing all night.”
Some guy behind me says, “Hey, Peyton’s here!”
I sigh and take a long drink of the cold beer.
No wonder they let us come with them!
Peyton
Old Bob tries to hang on to me for another song, but Pete taps him on the shoulder and etiquette dictates he hand me over. I look past Pete to see Kip standing between my brothers, a frown on his handsome face. I give him a smile and wave at him as Pete takes me in his arms and starts twirling me in the direction of Kip without realizing we’re together.
I make a motion for him to tap on Pete’s shoulder, and he walks up to us and does as I showed him. Pete stops and looks at Kip. “What?” Pete asks.
“Pete, you have to share,” I say. “You know the tapping rules.”
He sighs and lets me go. “I’m getting her back, you aren’t even in the normal rotation anyway, newbie.”
Kip takes me in his arms and moves slowly with me. “Wow, girl!”
I laugh as he pulls me close to him. “You aren’t the only one that gets mobbed. I try to stay out of here most of the time.”
He laughs and makes a small circle with me. “And now we’re stuck here since we rode with your brother. You should’ve told me you were such a hot commodity.”
“Would you have believed me?” I see little Rob coming up and know that he’s about to make the tap so I look at him and wave him away. He stops, stomps his foot and turns around.
The song ends and I know if I don’t do something fast I’ll be drug away from Kip again. “Let’s go find a song to sing together.”
He nods and allows me to pull him towards the bar where Gail has the folder with all the songs in it. Pete stops us as we hightail it towards the bar.
“Come on, baby,” he says as he reaches for me.
“We’re going to sing a song,” I say as I swerve around him with Kip in tow. “After that, I promise.”
“He looks unhappy,” Kip says as he looks back at the tall guy I grew up with. “Is he one of the two old boyfriends?”
“No, neither of them are here. One moved away and the other still lives here, but he doesn’t drink so he doesn’t come out here.” I climb on a barstool and wave at Gail, who brings me a beer and the folder. Kip sits on the one next to me and smiles at me.
“She knows what you want, I see,” he says, then takes a drink of the beer he already had.
Gail places the things in front of me and leans in so I can hear her over the noise of the bar. “So, who’s your new friend, Peyton?”
I gesture to Kip. “This is Kip. Kip, this Gail. She owns this dump.”
Kip smiles and gives her a wave. “Nice to meet you. You have a nice place here.”
Gail’s eyebrows go up, and she extends her hand to shake his. “Aussie?”
He nods and puts his empty beer bottle on the bar. “How ‘bout another?”
She reaches into the cooler and grabs him another and pops the top off then places it on the b
ar in front of him. He reaches into his pocket and she holds up her hand. “Levi has it all, don’t worry.”
He’s pulled out a twenty and holds it in his hand, then after she turns her back, he places the bill in her tip jar. I smile at him and lean over and kiss his cheek. “You are a sweetheart.” I point to a song. “Wanna do, ‘I Got You Babe’, by Sonny and Cher?”
“Anything you want, love,” he says and gets off the stool and stands in front of me. “I’ll do anything you want to.”
His blue eyes dance as he looks into mine and what I really want to do is kiss him as he takes all this in stride. Gail walks up behind me and clears her throat. “Did you pick one, honey?”
I nod and turn around. “We’re going to do that one.”
Off to the stool I go and Kip runs his arm around my shoulders as I lead the way to the little stage. The lights go on as Gail turns them on and we go up the one step to get on the small stage. I take the microphones and hand him one. I laugh as the other music dies down and Gail announces that we are about to sing.
“No fear, huh, pet?” Kip asks as the music starts up.
I shake my head. “These people have heard me sing a million times. Get ready to hear some real applause, Pop Rock.”
The whistles and shouts start up as my fan club sees it’s me who is about to sing and Kip smiles like crazy as he runs his arm around my shoulders. “Damn, girl!”
We sway back and forth to the music and I start the song, “They say we’re young and we don’t know. We won’t find out until we grow.”
His eyes light up and he sings his part, “Well, I don’t know if all that’s true. Cause you got me, and baby I got you.”
He pulls me into his arms and dips me as we sing together, “Babe, I got you babe…” the crowd goes wild and I go weak in the knees for this man.
Kip
Never have I had more fun singing than tonight. Peyton’s brothers brought us home once the bar closed. I had to fight to keep her with me when we were at the bar. I lost her several times to men who just had to dance with her and some girl who had to do a duet with her to a Pat Benatar song. That girl can sing, the little vixen.
The Naughty One Page 23
