Only The Beginning (Rockin' Country)

by Briscoe, Laramie

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  * * *

  Hannah’s heart was going to come out of her chest, of that she was sure. Just because she was working on being more comfortable around Garrett, didn’t mean that she actually was. With her eyes closed, it was easier to regulate her breathing, to believe he didn’t see all the imperfections of body.

  “Open your eyes, babe, look at me,” he said it softly, not wanting to spook her.

  She shook her head, not wanting to see herself in the harsh light of the room. Before dinner when she had been in the bathroom getting dressed, there had been no expectations. Here, in this moment, there were a ton of expectations, and she didn’t want to ruin any of them. Never in her life had she wanted something to go so right.

  Her hands shaking, she raised her head and opened her eyes. The brown of hers met the green of his, and her breath hitched at the heat she saw there. “Come here.” He motioned for her with his finger.

  Hannah shuffled her feet, and his deep voice sounded again. “That wasn’t a request.”

  The demanding tone of his voice made her want to listen to him, made her want to do what he told her to. This was a first for her, usually demands made her shrink away and shut down. Instead of wanting to shut down, she wanted to perform for him. Putting one foot in front of the other, she walked over to him.

  He pushed up off the arm of the couch and swung his legs over the edge, opening his knees as she came to a stop in front of him. Using his hands, he cupped her around the thighs, smoothing his fingers up so that they caught in the strings of the hipster underwear she wore. When he pulled, she put her hands on his shoulders to brace herself.

  “If I take these off, are you going to get shy on me?” He was toying with her, trying to push her, to see how far she would go.

  Shaking her head, she let her hair fall in her face, obscuring one side from him. “No, I’m not going to get shy on you,” the tremble in her voice belied her words, but he would have to trust her on this.

  He flexed his wrists, catching the cloth, and pulled it down her legs. Clasping her thighs shut, she rubbed them together as she watched him. The feel of his rough fingers against her smooth legs caused goose pimples to rise across her skin. Running his hands up to her waist, he pulled her against him. As she stumbled, her legs spread to keep her balance, and he pulled her so that she straddled his waist. His arms went around her body, and she could feel his hands at her back, unhooking her bra. The band tightened and then released, the straps falling to her elbows.

  She didn’t want to straighten her arms, when they had done this before, it had been dark. Here she was now in the harsh light of a hotel room. What kind of imperfections would he find now? Would she be enough for him? Would the small scars that she did have from the surgery sicken him? They sickened her, and in her mind, she always thought that others saw her the same way she saw herself.

  Slowly, he grabbed the cups and pulled them down, revealing the skin underneath. Hannah wanted so badly to take her arm and hold it over herself, she made a move to do just that, but his strong fingers clamped on her wrist.

  “Don’t. You’re beautiful. There’s nothing about you that I don’t think is beautiful. When are you going to get that?”

  She wanted to tell him that she already had it, but at the same time, she realized just how insecure being in the business and being with Ashton had ended up making her. “I’m working on it,” she whispered.

  “I’ll tell you as often as you need, but at some point it has to come through on your end.”

  Hannah nodded. “I know, and I’m not fishing for compliments, it does give me anxiety.”

  “I know. You’ve completely tensed up. There’s no reason to. Just take a deep breath and just relax, babe. It’s just us here, remember.”

  She did what he asked. Taking a deep breath, she released it slowly, letting it flow through her. When it did, she opened her eyes, and there she saw his. There was no judgment there, no pity, nothing that made her feel like she was lacking in any kind of way. She realized in that moment that she trusted him. What he told her, she could believe because he had never lied to her, never made her feel like she wasn’t everything that he wanted. He was right, she had to trust in him, and she had to take the risk. There was nothing in life without risk, and the only thing holding her back was her own mind.

  “I trust you,” she told him as she leaned forward and kissed him. For the first time, she really kissed him.

  She threw herself into it, not holding back, not worried about him saying it wasn’t what he wanted. She put all the feelings into it that she had wanted to since the beginning. Her fingers went to his thick, black hair and twisted, holding his mouth to hers when she would have broken the kiss before. She stumbled as her head swam; his large hands gripped her hips and pulled her against him. He stood with his hands still clamped on her hips, and she squealed as he lifted her, putting her legs around his waist. Ashton hadn’t been strong enough to manhandle her, and she realized that she liked it as her body heated up.

  “Hang on tight,” he told her as he ripped his mouth from hers and buried his lips into her neck, sucking at the skin exposed there.

  She did as he instructed as he walked them into the bedroom, almost dropping her when he had to turn to get through the hallway. She giggled, tightening her arms around his neck. He answered her laugh with a deep one of his own. When he made it into the room, he set her down on the bed and stood in front of her. “Lay down.”

  Scooting back against the covers, Hannah did as he said. The heat in his gaze made her swallow roughly. “What are you gonna do to me?” she asked, her chest rising and falling rapidly with the tension of not knowing exactly what that would be.

  “I haven’t quite decided yet.” He turned off the overhead light before going to the bedside lamp and flicking it on. A soft glow ensconced the room, allowing her to breathe easier. His eyes traveled up and down her body, making passes as he stood in front of her.

  “Are you going to get naked?” she asked, licking her lips. The drinks she had consumed over the course of the day making her mouth dry.

  “I don’t think you’re ready for that just yet, but I will.” He grabbed her foot and pulled her closer to him. “Right now, I want to get my fill of you.”

  Immediately, she was grateful for the pedicure she had made time for earlier in the week. That thought caused her to giggle. Did other women think of this kind of stuff when a man like Garrett Thompson stood in front of her, getting ready to devour her body?

  “What’s so funny?” he asked, running his hand up her leg to her thigh.

  “Nothing, it’s just me.” She really didn’t want to tell him what went through her head.

  “If you’re laughing, then I must not be making this serious enough for you,” he whispered darkly.

  Before she could even open her mouth again, he stretched himself out along her body. There, she could feel just how serious he was taking this, and it caused all thought to flee her mind, all words to die in her throat. His eyes captured hers for a split second before he leaned down and swirled his tongue around her bare nipple. Moaning deep in her throat, she arched into him while at the same time scrambling with the heels of her feet to move further up the bed. His hands clamped on her hips, holding her there for him, allowing him to manipulate her to his satisfaction.

  Hannah opened her eyes, looking down to where he toyed with her. Her fingers dug into his hair again, holding him tightly there. When he used his teeth to nip at the sensitive flesh, all she could do was throw her head back and let him do what he wanted.

  Running his hand down her side, he stopped at the indention of her waist and then trailed down to her thigh. There he gripped her flesh and pulled her leg behind his back, opening her body up to him. That same hand went around cupping her ass, pulling her even more tightly against him.

  “God, Garrett,” she hissed between clenched teeth. This man, somehow, knew every button to push. Where it h
ad taken her what felt like hours to warm up with Ashton, all Garrett had to do was look at her and she was ready to go. The wetness between her thighs was evidence of that.

  “I know,” he moaned, moving up her body, kissing the side of her neck. “I can’t seem to ease into anything with you. One look and I’m gone,” he admitted, breathing heavily against the flesh his mouth devoured.

  It was nice to hear that she affected him the same way he affected her. This was the first time she’d heard the need in his voice, the control slip. It made her feel good, made her feel powerful, made her want to completely blow his mind. Slipping her hands down his back, she pushed them underneath the cloth still covering him, easing it off his body. He was obviously on board, because he kicked at the offending clothing with his feet, getting them off as quickly as possible.

  “I want this, just do it,” she begged him, her breath coming in gasps. This had gone from slow and easy to out of control in the space of seconds, but when she made up her mind to do something, she wanted to do it. Right now, she wanted him to make her his in every way possible.

  Garrett pulled away from her, letting his heart rate slow down, letting his body slow down. He didn’t want to ruin this for either of them. “Hey, we’ll be good,” he whispered, running his hand down her face.

  “Don’t treat me like that,” she told him, her bottom lip jutting out.

  “Like what?”

  “Like I won’t be able to handle this. I have had sex before.” Her body was on fire, and he wasn’t quenching it. It was beginning to piss her off.

  “I know, but you have to understand, Hannah. Sex with me isn’t like sex with Ashton. We do this and I’m not going to be able to let you go. You’ve wormed your way into every part of my life. This seals the deal.” His eyes were impossibly green as she looked up into them.

  “Then do it,” she pushed at him with her hands. “I want to seal the deal with you. I want to be the woman that you need me to be, but I’ll never be able to unless you tell me how you want me.”

  That was the thing, he wanted everything with her, and he was so afraid of scaring her off that he couldn’t be completely honest with her about it. Instead, he cupped her chin and made her look at him. He pushed deeply into her body. The bite of her nails into his shoulders and the tightening of her legs around his waist told him just how good it felt for her. Allowing himself a moment, he committed the look on her face to memory—the way her eyes lowered, the way her mouth opened before digging her teeth into her lip, the way her head tilted back against the sheets. He’d remember that look for the rest of his life. It was only when he knew he had a snapshot in his mind that he allowed himself to bury himself—mind, body, and soul—in her.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  * * *

  Sunlight streamed into the room, bathing it in a soft glow. Glancing to this left, Garrett saw that it was just after seven in the morning. The events of the night before had left him tired, but in a good way. Twice more he had awoken her, and she had answered him each time. It amazed him how perfectly she fit him, how he didn’t have the fears with her that he had with other women. Usually after sex, he worried that they would become too clingy, they would expect a commitment that he wasn’t ready to give, they would expect to meet his parents and travel with him. With Hannah, it was different, he had already done these things, and there was such contentment in his heart and soul right now. He didn’t want to let it go, he didn’t want to let her go.

  Slowly, he ran his hand up and down Hannah’s arm, smiling when she snuggled closer to him. It was humbling how completely she trusted him, especially after what she had endured before him.

  “Han,” he whispered, running his finger along her nose, before leaning down and kissing her there. “Wake up, babe.”

  She moved slightly, putting her leg over his and scooting even closer into the warmth of him. “Don’t wanna,” she mumbled, burying her head into his shoulder.

  “C’mon, we only have two more days together,” he said near her ear, his morning stubble scratching against her skin.

  “But someone kept me up really late last night, and I have to perform tonight,” she argued.

  “Tough tits, lady. Get that fine ass up,” he lightly smacked her on the leg.

  He was rewarded as one eye opened. “I’m not the best of morning people,” she warned him.

  “Really? I would have guessed you were sunshine and rainbows at all hours of the day,” he commented dryly, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

  “It takes me a frappe, and then I’m ready to go. If you call Shell, she’ll tell you what kind I like, and you can go get it for me while I take a shower. Then I’ll be prepared for the world as a whole,” she told him, stumbling to the bathroom.

  He thought twice about calling Shell. She was probably still asleep, and what if Jared was with her. Going with his gut, he texted.

  I’ve been informed that Princess isn’t fit for public without a frappe and I’m not sure what kind of frappe that is??

  He threw the phone down on the bed as he went to grab some clothes. The bathroom door was closed and he didn’t hear the shower running, so he took his toothbrush and toothpaste to the kitchen and quickly took care of business. If there was one thing he couldn’t stand, it was not brushing his teeth. When he went back to the bedroom, he noticed the bathroom door was now open and he had a message on his phone.

  LMAO! She’s a tiger in the morning before coffee. Good luck buddy! It’s a grande (venti if she’s really bad) light caffe vanilla WITH the whipped cream. You might get an extra shot in it too. It just depends on how she is.

  With the order on his phone, he walked to the bathroom. “Hey, I’m gonna go get your coffee. Do you want anything else?”

  “Some breakfast if you get some. I don’t care what, but I’m starving,” she shouted over the sound of the water.

  Her voice already sounded much more awake. “All right, I’ll grab something then. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

  “Garrett,” he heard as he turned out of the bathroom. He turned back around and saw her sticking her head out of the shower, her hair plastered against her head. She looked like a drowned rat, and he couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Yeah?”

  “C’mere.” She moved her index finger in a come hither motion.

  He stopped in front of her and tilted his head to the side, giving her a grin. “Whatcha want, grouchy?”

  She rolled her eyes and leaned in, giving him a quick kiss. “Thank you for my coffee.”

  “You’re welcome, Princess,” he laughed.

  “Princess?” She wrinkled her nose. “What the crap?”

  “You act like a princess in the morning. It’s okay though. We all have our little quirks,” he told her as he backed away.

  She flicked water at his back, causing him to run when it splashed against his arms. “You better run.”

  * * *

  As she got out of the shower, Hannah grabbed her phone to see that she had a few texts from Shell and one from Marie. As she read Shell’s, her face burned.

  So please tell me that you’re getting some tonight?? Jared is being a gentleman and I think that at least one of us should be having a good time!

  The next one came about thirty minutes after that.

  No response, I’m assuming there’s some bow chicka bow wow goin’ on since it’s still early and your phone is surgically attached to you.

  A few hours later, there was another.

  Must have been good if you haven’t picked the phone back up yet.

  Hannah snorted, pushing her face into her hands. She loved Shell, but sometimes it was scary how well the other woman knew her. Scrolling through her texts, she came to the one from Marie.

  If you want, Kevin and I are hitting the pool around 9 this morning. We’d love to spend some time with you guys. Maybe we could play tourist until you have to go get ready for your show tonight? Just let me know!

  She figured
Garrett wouldn’t mind if she answered for the both of them. Hitching her towel around her chest, she typed out a reply.

  Sounds great! Garrett went to go get coffee and breakfast. We’ll be done in just a few. Just let us know where you are and I would love to play tourist! Mind if I invite Shell and Jared??

  Throwing her phone on the bed, she went over to her suitcase and grabbed a bikini along with a pair of shorts and the shirt that read Reaper’s Girl. She laughed, getting a kick out of it herself. If the soreness between her thighs was any indication, she definitely was his girl. As she put on her bikini, the door to the suite opened, and she heard Garrett throw his stuff on the counter.

  “I’m back,” he yelled, glancing up as he saw her walking into the living area. “If you could just live in one of those, my life would be made,” he grinned, grabbing her around the waist and kissing her cheek.

  She blushed. “You’d probably like it better if I was just naked, but your mom texted that she and your dad are at the pool and asked if we wanted to join,” she told him as she grabbed her coffee and took a large drink off of it. “That’s the good stuff,” she sighed.

  “You just drank that like an addict getting a hit from a pipe,” he told her, raising his eyebrows. “Why weren’t you like this before?”

  “I’m only like this if I don’t get enough sleep, and given the number of times you woke me up last night,” she threw him a look, “I really didn’t get a whole lot.”

  A small smile played across his lips as he set out a bowl of fruit for her along with some bagels and cream cheese. He hadn’t been exactly sure what she wanted, but he’d seen her eat fruit on several occasions. “You didn’t seem to mind it too much, Princess.”

  She opened the bowl and popped a strawberry in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. “Didn’t say that I minded it, just said I didn’t get much sleep. I’m much more awake now though. I just gotta do something with my hair, and then we can head down as long as you’re ready.”

  He nodded, taking a huge bite of the bagel he had spread cream cheese on, chewing slowly, and then he held up a finger. After he swallowed and took a drink from a bottle of orange juice, he answered. “Just gotta change into some swim trunks.”