Outlaw Country

by Davida Lynn

  “You can say that again.”

  Kathleen didn’t hear anger in her daughter’s voice, more like exhaustion.

  There was a hint of anger in her own voice, though. “Gracie Hart, I am trying to apologize.”

  Gracie’s face lost some of the bitterness that it held. She hunched down in her chair just a touch, “Sorry, Mother.”

  “I thought he was Shepard all over again. I probably even thought he was your father all over again. Let’s just say that Colton’s track record had me worried. When I get worried, I go a little batty.”

  Kathleen hoped she would get a reaction from her daughter. Gracie’s eyes lost some of the chill, and a faint smile appeared. It was progress. It was something, at least. “I let the rumor mill get to me, and I know how much it hurt you. I was doing way too much managing and not enough moming. The time at The Grapeyard was very eye-opening.”

  For their own reasons, both Kathleen and Gracie would look back on those two weeks as some of the best time of their lives. Kathleen had Roger, Gracie had Colton, and the music that came from the live room was just sublime.

  “He’s a good boy, despite the tattoos and the Joe Cool attitude.”

  Gracie threw her hands up, bringing them down hard. Her voice was exaggerated, “Oh God, Mother. You sounds like Gram.” Kathleen was embarrassing her daughter, and that was a good sign. Gracie was a massive talent and a beautiful daughter, but she was still a teenager; she could only feel one emotion at a time. If she was embarrassed, she wasn’t angry anymore. The eye rolling sealed the deal.

  Kathleen laughed out her response. “Well? He is a good boy.”

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  “Anyway,” she ignored her daughter’s red cheeks, “What I’m saying is that I’m sorry, and I only want what’s best for you. If Colton is the right man, you have my blessing because I know you’re the right woman.”

  Gracie stood up and threw both hands over her flushed face. “Oh my good lord, I can’t even right now, Mother.” Kathleen could hear the giddiness in her daughter’s voice. “I cannot even!”

  As her daughter ran from the kitchen, Kathleen shook her head. Footsteps echoed in the house as Gracie ran upstairs.

  Leaning out of the booth, Kathleen called, “So we’re still on for a jog after dinner, sweetheart?” The ache at her cheeks from laughing felt good after the tidal wave of tension that had tossed them to and fro.

  Colton saw Gracie standing at the loading dock, poking away at her phone. He couldn't stop the smile that came to his face. As usual, she wore a dress that hugged her midsection and flared around her creamy legs. It was white with cardinals here and there. The one from their first meeting at Muscle Shoals. Colton remembered with a smile. He stopped for a moment, leaned against the door that led in and out of the theater, and admired the view from behind. It had only been a week, but it felt like an eternity.

  Tilting his head, Colton tried to remember the last woman that he had slept with more than once. He gave up, realizing that it was probably a fruitless exercise. Settling on the thought that no woman but Gracie was coming to mind, he moved toward her.

  She jumped when she felt a hand move her big, blonde curls aside, but giggled at the feeling of Colton’s stubble at her neck. “Lord, you scared me half to death, Colton Wade.”

  She spun around, her teeth showing as Gracie threw her arms around Colton’s neck. He lifted her, giving her that butterfly-in-the-stomach feeling that even a roller-coaster couldn’t match.

  “Gotta get your heart racing one way or another, babe.” His last word was muffled by her kiss. He laughed at her passion and fury. Every time they were together, the world around them ceased to exist. Gracie was just about ready any time, any place. Good god, what have I created, Colton thought with elation.

  She bit his ear lobe, and whispered, “It’s always racing for you.”

  As his manhood swelled at the breathy whisper, Colton wished for a room with some hint of privacy. The theater was small and swarming with people setting up for the event. The band had only twenty minutes before their rehearsals began, but he was going to be damned if he’d let this opportunity slip through his fingers. Gracie was a once in a lifetime girl, and Colton was a live in the moment man.

  Fingers interlaced, the two ran through the backstage, sliding past riggers and make-up crews. Endless doors and hallways came and went as Colton and Gracie hunted down a secret spot. Sparks and bright light came from the pair. They weren’t trying to hide their love from the world, but they did crave their privacy.

  Colton’s feet moved quick, grace and speed coming from that primal instinct inside of him. He peeked through an open door and saw a single fluorescent bulb lighting a room of costumes. Shoving the door open with his shoulder, Colton pulled Gracie inside.

  “Fuck yes, it locks.” He backed her against the door, slamming it closed. With a flick of his fingers, Colton and Gracie had found a private retreat for just a moment. Their bodies were one as she grabbed him by the belt and yanked him towards her.

  She bit at his bottom lip, pulling away until her head bumped against the old green door behind her. Gracie let out a breath as if she had just escaped death. “I didn’t realize just how much I needed you until I felt your fingertips on my skin.”

  “Like this, sweetness?” Colton’s index finger brushed over Gracie’s shoulder, bringing the thin strap of her dress along with it as it moved to her arm. Her hands were still at his belt, unhooking it.

  She gave him a girlie look that made Colton’s cock throb harder. With a nod, Gracie dropped the zipper.

  Colton growled back before tearing the remaining strap from Gracie’s other shoulder. His hands moved down to her thighs, pinning her back against the door again. Colton made no attempt to be gentle. It never even entered his mind. Gracie had driven him absolutely insane with desire. He had to have her, and if she came away with a few bruises, tough shit.

  Colton looked like he was about to tear Gracie’s dress from her tight frame. She grasped at the waist and shimmied her hips as she lowered it. The dress fell to the floor, leaving her in a white, strapless bra and matching cotton panties.

  Gracie thought she could actually see Colton’s heart breaking through his eyes. He took a step back and looked her up and down. Her heart was racing from the danger and the need.

  As her man drank her in, Gracie bit her bottom lip. “Please tell me you’re not about to slow down.”

  Colton kicked off his motorcycle boots. “Not a damn chance.”

  He had his jeans down in a heartbeat, and when he steps towards her, Gracie clawed at his t-shirt until it was on floor with all their other clothes. Colton’s fingers slid up Gracie’s legs until they pressed the thin, pure white cotton against her aching pussy. He could feel the heat and wetness right away.

  “Fuck, yes. This is what I’ve been dreaming about.” His voice was a low rumble, deeper even than his stage voice.

  Gracie’s head fell back against the door at his touch. “Touching me?” She gasped. “Touching Gracie Hart’s wet panties?”

  He let out another visceral groan. “Oh god, baby.”

  She reached down and grabbed his throbbing cock, feeling like a true goddess. It was more powerful than being in the spotlight in front of forty thousand screaming fans. She loved the feeling of his heart beating through his manhood. She was making it beat.

  Colton’s fingers slid to the edge of her panties, pulling them down and to one side in one fluid motion. He couldn’t live another second without being deep inside her. Colton positioned himself right in front of her, and he took her leg up in his free hand. Their eyes were locked onto each other as Colton sheathed his cock inside of her.

  He could see the scream coming in her eyes, and he muffled it with a hard kiss. Her mother was tolerating their relationship, but if anybody walked in on them fucking like rabbits, Colton might as well start digging his own grave.

  She dug her nails into Colton’s shoulders with no regard for
his skin. Gracie was discovering how amazing a fiery sexual relationship could be. She dragged those nails down his back, watching and listening to his reactions. Something about the grizzly nature of sex energized her. She knew he’d feel those marks for days, and it pushed Gracie a little more. Every time they were together, something pushed her a little more.

  Colton’s lip pulled back in a silent snarl as he thrust upwards. She felt like more than heaven. Gracie’s tight body writhed, and her painfully beautiful eyes gave a look that could shatter the coldest heart. Colton loved it more than music.

  As the two found a rhythm, Gracie half-whispered, “Oh my god, you get better every time.”

  “Speak for yourself. This is as good as it gets right here. Gracie, I can’t get enough.”

  She laughed. “Good, that’s how I like it.” And just before she slid her tongue into her man’s mouth, she said, “Now, hurry. We’ve got a show to put on.”

  The confidence in Gracie’s voice and her perfect little kitty worked as one to push Colton over the edge. He let out one last grunt before sucking in a breath and pushing with all his might. She had gotten to know the signs of his orgasm well, and even if he had already made her come, his pleasure had started triggering her own.

  As Colton filled Gracie and pressed her hard against the door, electricity shot from within her. Every bit of her body fired up, the orgasm wiping everything but pleasure from her mind. She wrapped her arms tightly around Colton, knowing that her legs would give out.

  The two had grown to love mutual orgasms. It always left them laughing out of pure joy and exhaustion, marveling at what they had done together.

  Gracie and Colton did their best to stay silent, but a passing lighting rigger stopped for just a second and heard a muffled groan. He looked up one side of the hallway, then the other, then decided it was probably someone in the basement store room on the walkie. He moved on.

  When Gracie and Colton slid back out into the hallway, no one was there to greet them. Her mother had left a million messages on her phone, and the world seemed to be going on like nothing had happened. Colton was used to being walked in on with groupies, but Gracie was no groupie. She was the woman who had changed him, and the last thing he ever wanted was for her to feel anything but pure happiness.

  They retraced their steps until the two found themselves backstage. Roger looked up from a control board and threw up a hand. “Guys, I was just about to phone you. Sound is just about ready for you.”

  Gracie pulled Colton down, so she could whisper in his ear, “Talk about good timing.”

  He laughed, his breath flowing over her skin. Gracie shivered and couldn’t help but close her eyes and smile. The two of them headed towards Colton’s manager.

  “That is a sight that’s going to take some getting used to,” Kathleen called out, stopping Gracie’s heart for a second. Her mother was standing in a shadowed part of the stage amidst road cases.

  Gracie followed her mother’s eyes down between her and Colton. The two were holding hands, something that they could refrain from doing during the recording session. Everyone knew they were together, but they weren’t showing it off for the sake of the job at hand. Play one song at an awards ceremony barely qualified his work, and after the mind-melting sex in some hidden room, the two were inseparable.

  Blood flowed to Gracie’s cheeks, and she turned away. “Mother, could you please not embarrass me tonight of all nights?”

  Kathleen was half tempted to grab Roger’s hand and embarrass her daughter further, but she understood the importance of the night. She was trying very hard to respect her Gracie and didn’t want to do anything to fire up their feud again.

  Nodding, Kathleen said, “Fair enough, Gracie Hart, but do your mother a favor. Until tonight is over, try to keep the PDA to a minimum. Tonight should be about the song and the upcoming album. I want reporters asking about that, not asking any questions about…”

  Hundreds of euphemisms came to Kathleen’s mind, each one worse than the last. “You two being an item.” That was the one that made her stomach turn the least. When did my little girl grow into a woman?

  Kathleen had thought about her daughter growing up more times than she cared to count. It started when she’d turned thirteen and she was featured on a local Atlanta talent search. She’d lived in fear until they had signed with Moonshine. They’d treated Gracie right, and for a few years, Kathleen had slept well. Then Gracie started talking about boys.

  After giving Colton a sad look, Gracie dropped his hand. Yes, it hurt to have to ignore such a large part of herself, but Gracie knew that her mother was right. The attention should be on the release of the album and not the relationship. There would be plenty of time for that later. As soon as the record goes to number one, Gracie told herself.

  “Yes, Mother.” Gracie turned to Colton. “Sorry, sweetheart,” her voice downtrodden.

  Colton brushed it off. “Just because we ain’t cuddlin’ up doesn’t mean we can’t give ‘em a show that’ll have everyone talkin’. I get your point, Mrs. Hart, and I gotta say that I agree.”

  Gracie’s mother beamed. “Kathleen, please.” Was that respect she detected from Colton? Things were changing indeed. Even the look on Roger’s face let her know that it was an unexpected statement from the country singer.

  Colton came up to the pair of managers, his voice lowered, “Still no word from Kitt?”

  Roger’s face fell. He had done everything in his power, including force the record company to put some press behind the missing musician, and still, nothing had turned up. There were very few times in Roger’s life when he felt like a failure, but this was one of those times. He had not only let down Colton, but Kitt was out there somewhere. Was he hurt, was he dead? Nobody knew.

  “Still no word, buddy. You might tell me to fuck right off, but I think it’s best that you put Kitt out of your mind until the show is over tonight. I know that’s shitty, but worrying about your brother isn’t going to help anything, you know?” Roger watched Colton closely. The boy had a temper, and Roger was talking about a very touchy subject. It wouldn’t have surprised anyone if Colton throwing out profanities or even throwing a swing.

  Colton’s tongue pressed on the inside of his cheek. He looked down at the weathered floor backstage. In that moment, he couldn’t tell his mind was completely blank or totally overrun with thoughts. He had never wished more for Gracie’s hand in his own than right at that moment.

  He gave a stern nod. “You got it, boss. Let me know if anything changes.”

  “Of course, Colton, of course.”

  Roger gave a quizzical look as Colton headed toward the stage. A roadie handed him his guitar and his in-ear monitors, and Colton slid them in. Roger never knew Colton to take bad news well, and this was some bad fucking news. Maybe Gracie was doing some good. God knows he needs it, Roger mused.

  Kathleen must’ve seen the worried look on his face because her hand slid into his. Roger looked over at her, the confused expression remaining. “Oh, they’re not allowed to hold hands, but we are?”

  Second, Kathleen was concerned that she had overstepped some bound, but Roger’s looked changed. A smile came to him, and she knew that he was just teasing. She nodded. “Those two are news. Us? The media could care less about two middle-aged behind-the-scenes music industry insiders. We can run through the streets naked, and nobody would give a damn.”

  Roger laughed. “I would certainly give a damn.”

  She knew he would go on, probably to say something stupid and ruin the moment they were sharing, so Kathleen kissed Roger before he could get another word out.

  Gracie and Colton stood on one side of the stage, the band on the other. The awards show would be cutting commercial, and then in a well-choreographed flurry, stagehands would move all the microphones and instruments forward as the stage curtain opened. Gracie, Colton, and the entire band would take their place. They’d stand still for the two minutes of the commercial break, and then
it was their time to shine in front of millions of people.

  Colton gave her shoulder a squeeze and stared out into the bright lights, tapping a finger against his thigh with his free hand. Gracie turned and looked across to the band, and that’s when she grabbed Colton by the arm. He turned to see what she was looking at, and there stood Kitt.

  Colton’s older brother was leaning against Kevin, saying something to the band. It was like he had never disappeared. Colton’s eyes went wide, and he just stared. Gracie looked back and forth between the two. She was hoping Kitt would look up so the brothers could face each other eye to eye. Just when Kitt was turning away from Kevin and the rest of The Guilty Party, the lights went out. Her hand was still on Colton’s arm when he walked out into the darkness to take his place on the stage.

  She couldn’t imagine what thoughts were going through his head. Kitt was alive and well, and he had even managed to make the gig. At first she thought maybe Roger was keeping him a secret, like a surprise, but she cast that thought aside. If it was a surprise, it was a cruel, shitty one.

  There was no time to think about it, though. Colton pulled Gracie on stage, and once she was in place at her marked glow tape, he moved past her with a quick whisper, “You got this, babe.”

  The stage was dark, and despite two thousand people in the audience, the place had a calling silence to it. Gracie knew Colton, with his eyes closed and head bowed, so that his cowboy had covered his face, was standing a few feet to her left.

  She admired how thought out and perfected his stage show was. On all the takes, Colton had kept his head down. It stayed down even as he strummed the first chords of the song. Just before he was to sing the first lines, Colton would slowly look up and over the audience. It made her smile, and it pushed her harder to be a better performer, as well.

  Someone came over the in-ear monitor to let them know it was ten seconds until show time. The commercials would be cutting back to the graphics, and then the cameras would point at the stage bathed in the faintest blue light.