Anything But Mine

by Taryn Elliott

Zeke raised his arms. “All right. Everybody back it up. We’re doing a special meet and greet later on today after rehearsal. Then you can get a little piece of him. How’s that sound?”

  The crowd made sniping comments, but the rushing wind in his head drowned most of it out. Some small part of his brain engaged and he hid what had to be crazy eyes behind shades.

  Zeke pushed him through the crowd and back to the truck. Instead of letting him drive, Zeke pushed him further into the cab of the truck. The blast of the air conditioning canceled out the silence and brought the world around him into sharp focus.

  “What the fuck?”

  Logan shook his head and pressed his forehead to the cool glass.

  “You gotta pull it together, man. I was hoping a visit to Bella would get your head on straight.”

  He didn’t answer him. Too pissed off and too afraid his voice would sound like a prepubescent. Fuck. He had a dozen interviews to do in less than ten minutes. He hooked the charms from the ends of his leathers into his palm and squeezed until pain fired all of the fog out of his head.

  “Dammit, Lo. Another panic attack?”

  Logan cleared his throat. “I saw her in the crowd, then there were all these people in my face and I was surrounded.”

  “As I said, panic attack.”

  He scrubbed his hands down his face. “Christ, I was good literally five minutes ago. I did get to see Iz.”

  “So you should be all cranked up and…well, empty of the bullshit if you catch my drift.”

  “A cloistered nun could catch your drift.”

  Zeke slapped his chest. “Thata boy. There ya are.”

  Logan blew out a breath. “I thought she was going to skip this one. Winchester Falls usually isn’t big enough for her to come to.”

  “Yeah, but then you went and made it the Must-See-TV of concerts, man. Everyone will be here. I got a call from Charlie that our VIP list could fill the damn barn.”

  “Son of a…” Logan tipped his head back on the headrest. “I just want to play. Is that too much to ask?”

  “No, it’s not. It’s up to you to get over your shit. This woman is just getting under your skin. And you’re letting her.”

  The muscles between his shoulder blades tightened and Logan shut his eyes. Shame and embarrassment swirled in his gut. “She’s not getting to me tonight. I’m going to kick ass tonight—we’re going to kick ass. Hell, even Nash is coming in for the show tonight.”

  “Well, how about that?”

  If anyone knew what it was like to climb into a bottle and close off, it was Alexander Nash. He was a few years younger than Logan, but they’d bonded over an antique upright in a seedy bar in New York City. That piano had gotten a workout and they’d played the little dive until five in the morning.

  It had been the first time Nash had sung in public since the car accident that nearly killed his voice. Five years later his friend was still doing the club circuit and Logan’s career had gone on a much different trajectory. But near Christmas the previous year, he’d heard that the little club in New York was going out of business. He’d bought that upright and sent it to Nash.

  The fucker owed him another show.

  They pulled up to the barn and two security guys opened his door and ushered him through the crush of people waiting to get inside. They were lining up already? That was insane. The show wasn’t for another nine hours.

  He and Zeke snuck into the back. Tables were set up in the center of the general admission floor. Reporters sat with their microphones and phones on tripods for video. Leave it to Charlie, their manager, to set it up like this. Lindsey, Johnny, and Cole all sat at separate tables answering questions.

  Logan scanned the room, found his band on stage, and circumvented the tables to get to the back of the stage. He slowed as he saw the small upright piano sitting where a keyboard had been before. He smiled. “Son of a bitch.”

  “What?”

  He turned to Zeke. “Check out the piano.”

  “No. That isn’t the piano.”

  “One in the same.”

  “Son of a bitch. That’s an omen, my friend. A good one. The kind that adds up to magic and panty removal.”

  Logan laughed. He stood up straighter, and the focus he’d been trying to find came in crystal clear. He’d been in the game too long not to have a few superstitions. The piano was good juju all right. He rolled his neck and headed back down the stairs. He held his hand out to the first reporter that stood.

  “Thanks for coming.”

  “Logan, it’s good to see you again. It’s been a long time since you’ve given an interview.”

  He sat down and waved to the other three reporters sitting around the table. He folded his hands together. “I’m an open book tonight.”

  ∞ ♦ ∞

  Bella hopped out of the bathroom, tugging on her wedge heel.

  “Hot mamacita.”

  “Shut up, Nic.”

  Her best friend was sitting in the center of her bed. “So, tell me. Is this get up to get laid?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Did you already get laid?” She looked over her shoulder at the mussed sheets. “Oh, man. Did you come up for a nooner?”

  Bella laughed.

  Nic slid off the bed. “I hope I didn’t sit in the wet spot. Urgh.”

  “Is there a reason you’re up here harassing me? I’m late.”

  “I know. That’s why I’m up here. Adam is already down at the barn trying to shoehorn us into the back near the bar. Evidently that country dude—”

  “Cole Deveraux.”

  “Whatever. Hot country dude with long hair and sky blue eyes.”

  Bella stopped in front of the mirror and tucked in her cotton tank. “Pretty accurate for someone who doesn’t know his name.” She held up two belts. “White or black?”

  “Red.”

  She looked down at her white shirt and black dress shorts. “Are you sure?”

  “Yep. Makes that tiny little waist—I hate you by the way—look all cute and cinched in.”

  She ducked back into the closet and pulled out the thin red crocodile belt. She slid it through the loops of her leather shorts. “So I should do the red wedges huh?”

  “Tanned legs. Hells yeah.”

  Bella waggled her eyebrows and kicked her black shoes into the closet and stepped into the red. “What about Cole?”

  “Oh, yeah right. He opened the shin dig tonight with that foxy chick.”

  “Lindsey.”

  “Right. Lindsey York. She’s a sweetheart. We had dinner with all of them last night at Valentine’s.” Nic folded her arms. “You were strangely absent.”

  “Hair up or down?”

  “Changing the subject, B.”

  Bella sighed. “I’m not giving you all the details.”

  “So, there are details to be had? How many times have you got it on with the super sexy stud millionaire dude?”

  “Do I ask the details between you and Adam?”

  She curled a lock of her thick hair around her finger. “No. But I’d tell you. Like this one time, he pushed me right up against the mysteries bookcase in the back. Wow, we—”

  “Oh, so don’t need to know.” And now that’s all she’d see in her head. Not cool. She twisted her hair up, then let it fall to her shoulders. It was going to be a crazy hot at the concert.

  “Hair up, by the way.”

  Bella nodded and gathered it up with a clip. She messed with her bangs a little and turned around. “Okay. How’s this?”

  Nic held up a finger and went over to Bella’s jewelry box. She came back with a long silver chain with a red glass pendant and a chunky silver ring. “Now you’re done. And I expect details at eleven.”

  Bella pressed her lips together. “I plan on being naked around eleven.”

  Nic burst out laughing. “Oh, this dude is good for you. Now, let’s go watch some music so I can indirectly get all worked up and attack my husband later.”

&nbs
p; “Stop putting naked images of you and Adam in my head.”

  She hooked her arm through hers. “You’re the perv that keeps getting the images. It’s not my fault.”

  They laughed their way down the stairs and wandered up Main Street. It wasn’t worth trying to drive up to the barn. Not with the streets clogged thanks to the festival. The main stage had a band from the city playing and the grass was overflowing into the street with people. Kids were running around in packs and tethered to parents.

  All in all, it looked to be a success. Sharon had been riding her ass for days, and she was pretty sure the mayor’s favorite number was Bella’s cell. But in the end, it had been worth it.

  Cam spotted her from the sound booth and waved her down.

  “Hey. Are you on your way to the barn?”

  She nodded. “I’m going up with Nic to check out the show.” She’d missed the chance to go up during rehearsals thanks to a Sharon meltdown about ice. They were going through it much faster than they’d planned. The humidity just wasn’t cooperating.

  “Good. Sharon is up there. Keep her please. I’m gonna kill her.”

  “What’s it worth to you?”

  Cam folded his arms on the ledge of the booth. “An hour with the kittens I just got in at the clinic and a steak on my deck.”

  “Oh, kitties,” Nic crooned.

  Bella squinted up at him. Cam had a very nice house on the lake with a wraparound deck. It was a good bribe. “Low blow, Harding.”

  “I’m a desperate man.”

  “All right. I’ll keep her busy.”

  “You are a goddess among women.” Cam grinned at Nic. “You both are.”

  “That’s better, Dr. Harding.”

  Cam waved. “Have a good time. I heard Cole and Lindsey killed the opening act.”

  “I heard that, too. I’m sorry I missed it.”

  They waved and kept on moving. It took another twenty minutes to make it up to the barn since every person she knew was out for the festival. By the time they got to the security checkpoint music was pouring out into the woods. After they were waved through they headed for the back door.

  The floor was packed. There was a line at the bar for the wine and beer that they’d been able to procure a license for at the last minute. Adam waved them over a glass of wine in each hand.

  “Good timing.”

  “How’s the show?”

  Adam lifted both cups. “They just started.”

  Nic took one of the glasses. He offered Bella the other, but she shook her head. She was too buzzy for more wine. She’d drank half a bottle to calm herself down earlier. No need to tip the scales.

  On the stage, Logan was winding down one of his singles from All the King’s Men. He was wearing his usual all black. This time he was wearing a tight black t-shirt instead of a dress shirt. The V-neck showed a triangle of tanned skin. The same skin she’d kissed and stroked that morning.

  He’d gotten a haircut sometime between the time he’d left her and the show, but shaving hadn’t been on the schedule. She was glad. She liked the almost beard. Her thighs definitely remembered just how amazing the scruff felt. She folded her arms across her chest to hide her instant reaction.

  “Welcome to our first show at the barn. We spent a few hours trying to find a name for this place, but everyone calls it the barn.” Logan shrugged. “Can’t mess with that. Might as well go with the flow, right? In fact, that’s what I’m going to ask you to do tonight.”

  The crowd cheered and Logan smiled. The crinkles fanning around his eyes deepened with his pleasure. He held up his hand. “All right. Enough. I’ve got tons of friends coming in tonight. Some you know.” He pointed to Emerson and Zeke.

  Whooping catcalls made Zeke step forward and bow.

  Logan grinned. “See, you can’t do that. He’s already way too full of himself.”

  Zeke moved back to his mic. “Lo’s just jealous because I get all the ladies.”

  The crowd got even more stirred up and Bella found herself smiling so much that her face hurt. Joy radiated off of Logan. He was in his element.

  “Some new faces.” He held out his arm for Lindsey to come forward. “You met Lindsey York earlier. Cole’s going to come back out a little later to play with us.” He hooked an arm around Lindsey’s hips. “I’m going to let this angel sing.”

  Lindsey went up on her toes and kissed his cheek.

  Bella’s fists tightened under her arms. A quick flash of temper flared over her chest and neck. That wasn’t good. She had no reason to be jealous. The more she tried to tamp it down, the tighter her shoulders felt.

  The moment Logan moved away from her, the feeling melted away.

  No way was she going down that road. Especially not with Lindsey. She was sweet and funny and didn’t have any designs on Logan. Even if she did, Bella didn’t have a hold on him.

  The lights went down and a single spotlight shone down on Lindsey making her blond hair even more angelic. A soft touch at the piano teased out a haunting song. Familiar lyrics to a powerhouse Faith Hill song soared into the rafters.

  When the intro finished the lights lifted and Logan had his twelve string guitar in hand. A new face was on the stage. He played the piano with a single-minded devotion to complement Lindsey’s voice.

  Logan slowly walked to the piano and played out the song on the guitar. When Lindsey’s voice drifted into the night, there was a pause before a dirty bass throbbed through the room.

  The new guy crowded his mic as he pounded on the keys and sang. Jet black hair hung low in his eyes. He wore a white dress shirt rolled up at the elbows. Ink climbed his arms. Music notes on a staff were the main art with splashes of color.

  He growled into the microphone as the entire stage came alive with the rhythm and heavy-handed bass line. The piano raged and his rough voice teased down her spine. The song was familiar, but it felt like this was a bastardized version of it. The kind that was jammed out in a grungy bar for four minutes one night or fifteen on another one.

  Logan draped his hand over his mic in the stand. His chest bellowed in and out as he sucked in lungfuls of air. “That, my friends, was Alexander Nash. He decided to come out of the bowels of New York City to help me out.”

  The murmur in the crowd surprised her.

  “We are even now, son.” Nash’s raspy voice scraped through the speakers.

  A soft thrum reverberated around the room. The lights went out and a black light set the room into a whole different tone. A dripping chord repeated and Bella’s chest tightened.

  Oh, no he didn’t.

  “I don’t really sing this one much anymore, but a certain lady told me it was her favorite, so I dragged it out of the old memory banks. This is ‘Tipping Point’.”

  Gritty guitars and a powerful drumbeat bloomed through her chest. The room went silent as Logan’s voice went tenor deep. It slowly built until it was more rumble than words. The guitars rose up with him, hypnotic and layered. The song had the ebb and flow of seduction and the lyrics of a sweaty, dirty fuck.

  The heat of the room and the throbbing rhythm of the song lured her closer to him. The crowd had lulled with the absolute control Logan had on it. The room wasn’t terribly big and she knew the moment he spotted her.

  Searing green eyes never broke away from hers. And as the song hit the climax and his voice was little more than a groan, she melted back into the crowd.

  The set continued on like that. With songs old and new driving the crowd into a frenzy. Finally the house lights went down. She’d been to enough concerts to know they had an encore to do, but she needed to see him—to touch him, just for a moment.

  Needed to know that this was only the beginning of the night.

  An ache was growing inside her that only Logan could satisfy. She flashed her all access laminate to the security at the side stairs and snuck behind an amp, around a trunk of guitars. Was that the trunk she’d been so deliciously used on?

  That wouldn’t be enou
gh tonight.

  She needed the total access of a bedroom—his room. Memories of the room she’d stayed in a few nights ago bombarded her over-sensitized flesh. He’d stayed away all night. Part of her was glad that he’d respected her wishes, but there’d been a huge part of her that wished he’d simply taken the option away from her. Just one push and she’d have caved. But that wasn’t Logan. She was starting to learn just what kind of man he was.

  In the middle of the night she’d caught him there, in the atrium, with his bottle of whisky and shadows. A man very much alone. She’d wanted to climb onto that super-sized couch and hold him, taste the whisky on his tongue, pour it over the corded muscles of his neck and collarbone, then drink it off his freckle-spattered skin.

  In the dark of night, a safe life with a stable guy wasn’t nearly as alluring as this intense man with demons crawling just under the skin. He was holding something back and she’d wanted to dig those details out of him.

  The fact that she’d wanted more, wanted to learn what made him tick, had scared her enough that she’d run out the door at first light instead of facing him.

  Tonight she wouldn’t hold back.

  She’d let that side of her out again. And she’d own it. Let him own her.

  She took a deep, appreciative breath when Logan came off the stage. Sweat soaked his shirt, making it cling to every muscle, a towel was draped over his head. She came up behind him, slipping her hands under his shirt.

  He jumped and he swung around, his eyes blazing with…something. Was that fear? He had his arm up, a bottle of water angled as if he was going to impale her with it. She took a step back, her arms coming up. “Hey, there. Whoa, I was just trying to—”

  He cut her off, dropping the bottle before lifting her off her toes into a kiss that matched her song in every way. She latched onto his shoulders and gave a startled groan when he pinned her to the wall. He swept his tongue into her mouth, drawing hers out so he could suck her tongue before stroking every corner and crevice.

  He pulled back, his shoulders heaving with deep breaths to match the jackhammer beat of his heart. “When I saw you down there, it took every ounce of willpower not to jump into the crowd.”

  She dangled off his shoulders, completely at his mercy. “They’d have torn you apart.”