Gypsy Hearts

by Lisa Mondello

  His call must have connected because Will was now totally focused on the conversation he was having with the person on the other end of the line. Brock had no doubt Will was making sure things happened.

  He was going to be a star, Josie thought as she stroked Dexter’s back. There was no doubt in her mind. He’d caught her eye as fast and sharp as Will’s, but for a different reason.

  Brock stood apart from the rest of the boys on the bus. She stood apart from all of them. But Brock was definitely something to look at. He shined like a new copper penny.

  It wasn’t glitz and glamour. Sure, he was handsome with his angular jaw and the authentic cowboy look. He cleaned up better than most men she’d ever met in her life. But it was more than that. There was nothing phony about Brock Gentry. He wasn’t hotheaded or impulsive. He thought before he spoke, and truly meant the things he said. And everybody listened to him.

  Brock pulled himself up from the seat beside hers and moved toward the front where he stood in the aisle, listening to whatever Will was saying to the other person on the phone, taking it all in. He seemed oblivious to how the other band members saw him.

  He was different all right. And he definitely was not wearing a blue suit.

  Josie sighed as she glanced out at the passing scenery, seeing but not really taking it all in. Dex seemed comfortable on her lap, warming her with his body and his companionship. The world would be an easier place if a woman only felt the need to fall in love with her cat, not a man.

  Startled by the thought she jerked her head back to Brock. The heat of a blush crept up her cheeks, burning them. As easy as it would be, she wouldn’t fall in love with Brock Gentry. He had a way of making a girl feel starstruck with a single glance, a mere hint of a smile. Just having him sit here beside her had made her heart feel all girlish and giddy in a way she’d sworn she’d grown out of back in high school.

  And yet, his way was so comfortable that he put her right at ease. There was no pretense, no competition.

  She must have tensed because suddenly the cat leaped from her lap and ran to the back of the bus, climbing onto one of the bunks. Josie had sworn that even though she insisted Dexter come with them on the tour, she wouldn’t let her cat intrude on anyone else’s space. It was only fair. Dex was her security, like a warm blanket and an old friend, no one else’s.

  Holding on to the wall, she made her way to the back of the bus where the bunks were. She found Dex on a top bunk, settling in at the foot of the newly made bed.

  “Not here, Dex,” she said, lifting the cat off the comforter, his body growing long as he hung from her arm. “This is where we’re sleeping for the next month.”

  She placed the cat in her bunk and moved the crate to her pillow. “Space is sparse, so don’t go taking more than what’s yours,” she whispered.

  “If that cat starts talking back to you, I’m out of here,” Brock said from behind, his voice deep.

  Josie swung around and found him right next to her. He held the cabinet above to keep himself steady as the bus merged into the next lane and just looked at her. He had magnificent blond hair. Even the crease marks left by his cowboy hat were appealing to Josie and had her fingers itching to comb through them to make them smooth again. And she had no doubt his hair was soft as silk to the touch.

  She was in trouble.

  “Blue suit,” she muttered with a sigh, turning away and moving toward the back of the bus. She needed the space from Brock and on this bus that was going to be hard to manage. As she moved down the aisle past the other bunks, she spied the bathroom and realized that was the only place to which she could retreat.

  By the sound of his boots hitting the floor, she knew Brock had followed her. She was trapped.

  “I can wait if you need to go first,” she said, turning around and gazing up at him.

  The engine noise was louder in the back of the bus, although it may simply be that the talk and music playing in the front drowned out the sound.

  “Is that why you really came back here?” he said, his voice low and thick.

  She almost laughed. Not because they were standing there on a bus rolling down the interstate, making small talk about who should go to the bathroom first, but because she’d clearly given herself away.

  But she held her composure in check. Josie was good at that. She could easily hold her distaste for someone else’s music out of kindness as well as she could hold her emotions in check. Grant had accused her of staying too reserved. But stroking someone’s ego just for the benefit of building oneself up wasn’t her style. Had never been. Somehow, though, she’d slipped and Brock must have seen the thoughts that had been rolling around in her mind.

  Someone in the front of the bus laughed loudly, making Brock turn around for a second. Josie used that moment to collect her thoughts.

  “Hey, if you’ve got a better reason than using the bathroom, go for it. I just figured I’d be polite.”

  “What does ‘blue suit’ mean?” he asked, ignoring her lame attempt at changing the subject.

  Darn! She knew she’d grimaced when Brock’s lips went askew in a knowing expression.

  “Blue suit?”

  “Don’t play dumb with me. The first time you said it in the studio, I figured I was hearing you wrong and you must have been talking to yourself about something. But this is the third time I’ve heard you say that. Blue suit. And always right before you turn on your heels and hightail it in the other direction. I figure I must be doing something to cause this. I just don’t know what it means.”

  Closing her eyes, Josie leaned against the back wall and considered lying. It would be easy. But this was going to be a long road trip if the lies started here. They’d only get bigger and longer and harder to manage, not to mention leave a bitter taste in her mouth for doing it. All just to keep the man from knowing what he already suspected-that she was wildly attracted to him.

  “That’s what I’m going to marry.” Opening her eyes, she stuck out her chin and looked up at Brock. His expression was blank.

  “You’re going to marry a blue suit?”

  She forced a smile. She knew it sounded ridiculous, even to her own ears. But it was a decision she’d made long ago, a planned path she’d managed to derail from when Grant Davies had entered her life. One she was determined to stay on now no matter how attracted she was to Brock Gentry.

  “It’s just a figure of speech. I don’t want a man who is never around. I want to marry someone with a normal job and a normal life. Someone who gets up every morning and comes home to me and me alone every night.”

  His eyebrows creased. “Most people look for a person they can love, not the clothes they wear.”

  “Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong,” she said, standing up straighter. “People look at the outer package all the time. You can’t say that these ads with stick-thin super models are meant for us to see their inner beauty No, it’s the package. The inner stuff comes later.”

  “How are you ever going to get to the inner stuff if all you’re doing is looking at a man’s job?”

  Brock had a full-blown smile now. One that showed how completely adorable that lone dimple on his right cheek could make him. He was making fun of her and because she knew she sounded crazy, she couldn’t help the heat that seared her cheeks.

  “Okay, I know it sounds nuts. I’ll admit that. But you don’t have to agree with my ways.”

  He chuckled low and put his arm against the wall as she started toward him, preventing her from passing. “It’s not a matter of agreeing. I just don’t see how it’s possible.”

  “How do you figure that? I’m pretty determined when I put my mind to something.”

  “I have no doubt about that. But I doubt very much that that heart of yours is looking for a boring man in a blue suit.”

  She straightened her spine and laughed hotly. “Who said anything about boring?”

  “If all you’re looking at is a man’s occupation, how can it not be?�
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  “Lots of women hope to marry lawyers and doctors. I don’t care what the man does so long as it’s a job that’s not going to take him on the road away from me.”

  Feeling the walls close in, Josie took another step forward, but Brock remained in place. One more step and she’d be on top of him. And with that thought, her imagination started to reel. He smelled too good, not just the light hint of cologne, but also the smell of clean soap and fresh air. She didn’t want to look up at him, knowing her thoughts would betray her.

  She’d made a colossal mistake in coming on this road trip. There was absolutely no way she could spend all her time in close quarters with Brock Gentry and not have him know how attracted to him she was. And if he could see it, then it was a safe bet the rest of the band could see it too. She didn’t relish the idea of being the butt of every joke, hearing the snickers at her back or whispers when she entered the room.

  “So what does that mean? No traveling salesmen?” He reached up and brushed his finger down her cheek and her head spun. “No musicians?”

  “Please let me pass,” she said, her voice failing her and coming out in a breathless plea.

  “Why?” he said, tilting her chin up with his fingers. “So you can find your boring blue suit man? I don’t think so.”

  “And why not?”

  His eyes were magnificent and Josie could only imagine how easy it would be to drown in them forever and not care about anything else. But she did care.

  “You need a man who’s not going to tie you down, Josie.”

  “And you think you’re so sure you know what I need?”

  He bent his head and brushed his lips against hers in a kiss that was light as the breeze. His hot breath teased her skin and made her head float. She closed her eyes and against her better judgment, she fell against his chest and into the kiss he offered. He wasn’t demanding, not at first anyway, and for that brief moment, Josie forgot about all the reasons why she shouldn’t be kissing Brock and focused on all the reasons why she should.

  He pulled away and through her dazed eyes, she saw he was smiling down at her, his lips full and moist from their kiss.

  “You’re kidding yourself big time. You’ve got a gypsy heart, lady. No blue suit man is going to change that.”

  on’t do that again,” she said, her eyes flaring in a way Brock had never seen before. The little flecks of gold in her eyes sparked to life and seem to glow like burning embers. Brock was tempted to test her, see how far he could push her until the slow burning embers came to a roaring flame. Not one to push a woman beyond her comfort zone, however, he held himself back and followed her lead.

  If she was feeling even half of what he was feeling after that kiss … Holy smokes!

  “Why not?” he asked, trying not to smile because he knew it would only irritate her. And right now, Josie was fired up as hot as the engine moving them down the highway. “I thought it was kinda nice.”

  That was putting it mildly. His body was still feeling the effects of holding Josie in his arms. His mouth could still taste her, but Brock didn’t elaborate further. There were too many eyes on his back as it was and he didn’t want to risk making her feel uncomfortable in front of everyone and having no place for her to retreat.

  “That’s not the point,” she said, glancing past him to the front of the bus.

  He could have sworn he caught her lips trembling and his mind reeled with the memory of having his mouth on hers just moments ago, how it completely rattled him. He thought of what it would be like to kiss Josie on many occasions. His imagination paled to reality. “Then what is it?”

  She laughed, touching her forehead with her hand and darting her gaze up front again, then back at his face. “I should think it would be obvious.”

  “Maybe to you.”

  “I have to live on this bus for the next month under the watchful eyes of all of them.” Sighing, she pointed to the front of the bus.

  Brock glanced over his shoulder, but thankfully everyone seemed to be oblivious to the two of them. Miles and Roy had moved on from sleeping arrangements and were now arguing over which fast food restaurant had the best french fries. Will was on the phone again, no doubt talking rings around whoever was on the other end. Matt was sitting upright, sound asleep on the sofa.

  “There is no reason for us to keep this secret,” he said, reaching his hand out to touch her hair. He’d thought of doing this at least a hundred times while he’d been alone with Josie in the studio. But he didn’t dare. In the studio, he remained professional, keeping his mind on the work they had to do. That didn’t mean he hadn’t thought of her endlessly or about how it would feel to tangle his fingers in her dark hair and kiss her like he’d just done. Her hair was thick and silky, much like he’d imagined. A smile rose up inside him with the discovery.

  Josie shook her head, pulling back from his reach. “Believe me, it wouldn’t even work to try and keep it a secret. Nothing we do will be a secret for long while we’re living in such close quarters. Please, Brock. What just happened was a mistake. It can’t ever happen again.”

  In her eyes, he saw that she was unsure, maybe even as rattled by their kiss as he was. That was a good thing because he didn’t want to think that what he’d been feeling these last few weeks was all one-sided. He’d imagined Josie feeling those same things too.

  There were times when he’d look at Josie and would think they were both talking to each other, saying the same things with their eyes. Only with their eyes. When his lips had touched hers just now, he knew her response, understood it, even though she was trying to deny it now. She was good at pulling back her emotions. He already had that part of her figured out. He just didn’t know why.

  “Brock, it was a mistake,” she repeated in a rushed whisper.

  He shook his head and reached for her, brushing his hand along her hair and settling it on her shoulder. Something warm and tingling stirred inside him with the contact. He was infinitely glad that Josie didn’t pull away.

  “You’re telling me you didn’t feel a thing? Nothing at all?”

  She lifted her chin in challenge but didn’t say a word.

  He sighed. “Okay. Are you telling me that what’s been happening between us is all in my head? If the answer is yes, then I’ll leave you alone. I won’t touch you again and we can forget this ever happened.”

  Josie gazed up at him with those unbelievably beautiful eyes. His mouth suddenly went cotton dry and the air around him seemed to be sucked right out of his lungs as he waited for her answer.

  “No.” She glanced at the ground for a brief second and shook her head. Brock was comforted in knowing she hadn’t lied to him about her feelings. It made him that much more determined to figure out what she was so afraid of. Tipping her chin up with his fingers, he forced her to look him in the face.

  “Good. I was afraid this was all in my head.”

  Bending his head to kiss her again, he was startled and a little disappointed as she pulled back.

  “We have an audience.”

  He chuckled low, shock replaced by a light heart.

  “I didn’t figure you for being shy. Is that what’s bothering you?”

  “I can’t believe it doesn’t bother you.”

  Brock shrugged and moved in closer to her, mere inches from her ear. “It shouldn’t be a problem. It just means we’re going to have to be a little creative if we want to steal a few minutes alone.”

  Sighing, Josie crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s more complicated than that and you know it. Twentythree cities in twenty-five days. Every waking moment is going to be spent living and breathing the next show.” Josie shook her head, biting on her bottom lip. “This isn’t the right time. We can’t do this.”

  “We can, if we both want it.”

  “Every conversation we have comes back to the band, or recording, or the show. What do we have outside of this? We don’t know each other outside the band and what we do here.”

&nbs
p; “Twentythree cities in twenty-five days. We’ve got the time to get to know each other, Josie. I want to know all the reasons why you’re looking for a blue suit. I want to know your favorite color, flavor of ice cream, and why you lobbied so hard to get your cat a seat on this bus.”

  “I told you. It may sound crazy, but I don’t go anywhere without Dex.”

  “It means you’re a loyal friend. I like that. That’s a good quality.”

  “Is that what you want out of this? A friend?” she asked, cocking her head to one side. “Just for the record, I’m not in the habit of passionately kissing my friends.”

  The sound of boots coming closer had Josie glancing over his shoulder and caused Brock to turn as well. Will was treading down the aisle toward them.

  “The next stop is in about a half hour. We can all stretch out our legs a bit,” Will said. “I just set up a photo gig. We’ve got to get you some shine, kid. These clothes are the pits.”

  Running a hand down the front of his chest, Brock said, “What’s wrong with what I have?”

  Will chuckled. “Boy, you look like you just walked right off the pasture. You need some flash. Something that’s going to make people notice you. Trust me on this. People are going to remember the name Brock Gentry.”

  “They’re going to remember me, all right,” Brock said, standing in front of the tri-fold mirrors at the department store. “I look like a Christmas tree bulb. I can’t wear this.”

  He started unfastening buttons, but Will moved in front of him and stopped him.

  “You look great, kid,” Will said, giving him a slap on the back. “They’re going to love you.”

  Irritation clouded Brock’s face. “I want to get out of this getup.”

  Josie wanted to puke. She had to agree with Brock’s assessment of himself. The red satin cowboy shirt was a far cry from his normal attire of a simple black cotton T-shirt and jeans. The colored boots matched the jewel-studded jeans. Flashy, yes. But it wasn’t Brock. Or rather, it wasn’t the Brock she’d come to know.