by Caisey Quinn
OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR
Kylie Ryans Series
Girl With Guitar
Keep Me Still Series
Keep Me Still Special Edition
For those of you who feel first and think second. And for everyone who loved Kylie’s story and wanted it to continue.
THE sound of a less than healthy motor cranking up and breaking the sound barrier startled Kylie from the depths of unconsciousness. What in the world?
She blinked a few times, dragged her hands across her eyes, and waited for things to come into focus. When they did, she couldn’t have fought the grin that spread across her face if her life had depended on it.
She stretched as hard and far as she could, groaning when her back reached its limit. The only thing that could’ve made the morning better would be if he were still in bed beside her. But she was pretty sure he was responsible for the God-awful noise that had woken her. Yawning, she padded to the kitchen in nothing but his favorite blue plaid button-up. She could smell coffee and the faintest hint of bacon. Hmm, he was a god in the kitchen and a devil in the bedroom. How did I get so lucky?
That thought repeated itself when she saw the spread on the kitchen table. Plates of biscuits, sausage, bacon, and fruit waited for her, along with a fresh pot of coffee. Hazelnut—her favorite. Her stomach growled at the sight. She snagged a piece of bacon, thankful that he’d made it crispy just like she liked it. They’d been so busy making love last night she’d never eaten dinner. Pinching off a piece of still-warm biscuit, her mouth watered at the buttery fluffy goodness. Day-um the man could cook.
But then she saw something in the window that made her forget all about her stomach. When Trace’s shirtless self jumped down off the tractor he’d undoubtedly been working on, it was her hormones that began growling instead.
She dropped the biscuit as if it was poisonous, and her body began to propel itself forward. Towards the door. Until she remembered she hadn’t brushed her teeth yet. Kylie yanked open the fridge and grabbed the orange juice. She briefly considered swigging it straight from the carton, but no matter how at home she felt here, she didn’t actually live here. So she made quick work of grabbing a glass and pouring herself some. After downing it, she walked as briskly as possible towards the door. But it looked awfully hot outside. And she had every intention of helping Trace work up a sweat if he hadn’t already. So she filled the glass once more and headed out the door. It slammed behind her and she winced, hoping she hadn’t woken Trace’s sisters.
If we didn’t wake them last night, that probably won’t startle anyone. And if the tractor hadn’t already jerked them from unconsciousness like it had her, she figured she was safe.
The concrete driveway was scorching so she skittered across it on her tiptoes. When she reached the grass, the bottoms of her bare feet eased onto the coolness of the damp ground. She slowed as she approached the giant contraption Trace was working on. Mostly because he was bending down to work on it. Now there was a sight she’d never get tired of.
She figured he hadn’t heard her approaching because he uttered a curse as he stood. She watched as he yanked the hat off his head and wiped the sweat from his hairline. His back muscles rippled in a deliberate, satisfying movement that had her heart rate speeding towards a dangerous pace. For a moment she lost her breath. She sipped his juice to wet her mouth so she could speak properly.
“Thirsty?” Kylie called out.
He turned, his hazel eyes bright and clear in the sunlight. “Mornin’, sleepy head,” he greeted her with his slow, intense grin. The one she knew was reserved for her and her alone.
“Never figured you for an early bird,” she said, handing him the orange juice. She watched as he gulped it greedily, the thick knot in his throat bobbing as he swallowed. Overcome by the urge to lick him, his neck, and every other inch of him, she took a step closer. “Sleep well?”
Trace lowered his empty glass and set it on the edge of the tractor seat. “So well it should be a sin,” he drawled. He winked and her insides flashed hot. Who was she kidding? All of her was hot. And not from the intensity of the Georgia morning sun.
“Guess all that wild sex you stayed up having with that trashy blonde from Oklahoma wore you out. Verdict’s in—I’m a harlot.” Now she winked and Trace’s eyes widened.
He arched a brow and took a step in her direction. “Hmm, that could’ve been it. Except I didn’t see any trashy blondes last night. I saw an amazingly beautiful one. And for the record, that wasn’t wild sex.”
She bit her lip. Okay, he knew a hell of a lot more about sex than she did. But still. “It wasn’t?” She fought the urge to pout.
Trace grinned more broadly than she’d ever seen as he gripped her hips and pulled her towards him. “No, ma’am. If you’ve got some time, I’d be happy to show you my definition of wild sex. If you’re interested, that is.”
Kylie’s insides warmed, and she barely resisted the urge to fling herself at him. “Oh, I’m interested.”
“Right this way, darlin’,” he said as he lifted her from the ground and began walking. Towards the barn.
She squealed, startled by being lifted so swiftly from the earth. “Trace! Where are we going?”
“No backin’ out now, Kylie Lou. We’ve gotta head to Nashville in a few hours. The Trace Corbin tutorial on wild sex starts now.”
“What about your sisters? What if they—”
“They went out for brunch this morning. Whatever the hell that is. Guess they thought we might need some privacy.”
“Hmm.” She angled her face so she could lick his neck like she’d wanted to. Salty and sweet and all Trace. She grazed her teeth softly against his flesh before pressing her lips to it. “In that case, maybe I’ll give you a tutorial.”
“Them’s fightin’ words, babe.” Trace swung her around so she was facing him. She wrapped her legs firmly around his bare waist. “Hope you can back ‘em up.”
“Only one way to find out, Mr. Corbin.”
He growled as he pulled her mouth to his. Those soft lips she loved so much danced against hers, slow and sensuous, then firmer as his velvet tongue sank into her mouth. She felt herself let go as she undulated against him, grinding herself against his warm skin as hard as she could.
He walked them forward, still holding her in mid-air as he pressed her up against the interior wall of the barn. We’re about to do it outside. Up against the barn. Surely that’s gotta count as wild sex.
Wild was exactly how she felt. Wild, crazy, and damn near out of her mind with sheer lust and happiness. She ached to show him just how happy he made her. After biting down on his lip until he groaned, she pulled at his neck as if she could pull him any closer. For the first time, she took control. Control of the kissing, control of him. She couldn’t get enough. Nothing will ever be enough with him. The thought had her panicked and frantic with the need to consume him the way he’d always consumed her.
With her heart pounding, she stiffened so he’d have to let her down. The sound of their panting was all she heard as she fought with his belt until it bent to her will. Her fingers worked deftly to unsnap his button fly. She reached inside the black boxer briefs and wrapped her hand around his thick erection. Lust pooled hot and wet between her thighs. She licked her lips and looked up into his dark gaze. It was wide and on fire.
She let his eyes blaze into hers for a few seconds before she gave him a wicked grin and dropped to her knees.
His gasp of breath was audible. “Kylie.” Her name dropped so sweetly from his lips that it emboldened her efforts. She took him in deeper, faster, caressing every inch of him with her tongue as she went. She let her fingernails dig into the firm dips of his hips. His ans
wering groan told her he was enjoying himself. Just as she was finding the rhythm that seemed to elicit the loudest noises from his mouth, strong hands gripped her shoulders firmly, hauling her to her feet.
Lifting her once more, he slammed her roughly into the wall behind them and clamped his mouth down hard on hers. She whimpered, not at the pain, at the force of the pleasure tearing through her. The heady surge of control had awoken something inside of her she’d never experienced before. For the first time, she knew they were equally matched in this area after all. Both of them mindless with need and unaccustomed to giving up control.
“Hold on tight, baby,” he rasped in her ear as he let go. She clung to him for dear life, still kissing and licking and sucking at his mouth and neck as he walked them over to a stack of baled straw. In one swift movement he pulled a navy blue blanket from where it sat and tossed it over the straw. She felt his jerky movements beneath her as he worked to get out of his pants and underwear while she was still attached. She grinned against his shoulder.
His eyes never once left hers as he lowered her onto the blanket. He was still staring into her soul with that stormy hazel gaze she loved so much as he sank himself into her warm, wet opening. Fighting the urge to close her eyes, she wrapped her legs tighter around him as he pressed in and pulled out. Desperate for his mouth, she used her elbows to rise up and kiss him once more.
When she let her body relax, Trace’s hands moved to her shirt, and she saw the gleam in his eyes. Holy hell, he’s going to rip it right off.
“Wait,” she said, grabbing his hands with hers. “Don’t. It’s my favorite.” She maintained eye contact while unbuttoning it as quickly as she could.
“Mine too,” he said softly, right before he finally broke their stare to lower his mouth to her exposed breasts.
There was no fighting the moans that escaped her as he pulled each of her delicate nipples into his mouth. “You feel so good inside, Trace. Oh God. It’s like—” He cut her off with a hard thrust that shoved an exhalation of pleasure from her throat.
“It’s like what, Kylie Lou?”
She shook her head and bit her lip. Part of the reason she didn’t finish was because of the intense orgasm about to rip through the center of her. The other part was because of fear. Fear of how he’d react or feel about what she’d come to believe. To know.
It’s like you were made for me.
“WILD enough for you?” she asked into the stillness when they’d finished and regained the ability to breathe and speak normally.
Trace turned his head towards hers. “I was teasing you earlier. Everything I do with you is wild for me. Slow and sweet, hard and rough, kissing, holding hands, slinging mud, all of it.” She would’ve grinned but his expression was so serious she didn’t know what to say. “Babe, I know what the tabloids say. Hell, some of it’s true. But I’ve never done this, any of this—” he paused to wave a hand between them, “with someone I actually gave a damn about. Or even with anyone I didn’t give a damn about for that matter.”
Now she did grin. “Aww, Trace. You give a damn about me.” She placed a chaste kiss on his lips.
He laughed, the deep, sweet timbre of it sending a welcome shiver through her. “Yeah, I do.” He kissed her back, a slow brush of his perfect mouth against hers. He gripped her hips suddenly, rougher than she expected.
“You okay?” She pulled back to look into his eyes. The blue and green and gray swirled together in that way it did when he became the most intense version of himself.
“You came back to me. I thought…I didn’t think…I—”
She cut him off with a kiss and a promise. “I’ll always come back.” No matter how many times you push me away. She was a junkie. A Trace Corbin addict. And damn proud of it.
Her words lightened his eyes a few shades, and he seemed to be breathing easier against her. “Well, well. Kylie Ryans, if I didn’t know better I’d think you were starting to like me.”
More like love you. “I guess it’s a good thing you know better then.”
THEY’D made love twice that morning. As well as finished their vocals on The Other Side of Me, the song that landed Kylie her spot on Vitamin Water’s Random Road Trip Tour. A spot she wouldn’t have gotten without it, according to her manager. Now she stood with her bags packed in her small studio apartment in Nashville, ready to go back out on the road.
Trace leaned against the counter of the breakfast bar in the kitchen. “You ready, babe?”
No. “Yeah, I guess so.” Kylie forced a smile. This was what she’d wanted. What she’d worked her ass off for. Sacrificed everything for. So why did she feel sick about leaving?
That was a list she didn’t have time to stand around and make.
After she’d locked up, she took his hand and let him lead her downstairs where a cab sat waiting to drive them to where the tour bus was. Neither of them said much on the way. She wanted to close her eyes and rest, but since her time with him was coming to an end, she used it to memorize his jawline. Her eyes lingered on the thick, muscular ridge in his neck. She grazed her thumb over the smooth skin of the hand that held hers.
When they arrived at the back of the building where the sleek black tour bus was parked, a lump rose unexpectedly in her throat. It’s just a few weeks. Chill.
Before she could say anything, he was out of the car and around to her side. She cocked a brow as she got out. “You hold doors open now, huh?”
He grinned. “Doin’ lots of things I never did before, Kylie Lou.”
“Makes two of us.”
He didn’t let go of her hand until they reached the bus. Trace used both hands to pull her closer. She still wore his blue shirt. My blue shirt.
“I sure am gonna miss you, Hothead.” Trace kissed her softly on the mouth. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on every single second of it. When he flicked his tongue against her bottom lip, she had to fight back a moan. Lord, the things that man could do with his mouth. She shivered just thinking about it.
“I’ll miss you, too. Hey, um, are you going to be okay? I mean, with the label and planning your tour and everything?”
Trace grimaced and she felt stupid for asking. But she was worried, dammit. “Yeah, babe. I’ll be fine. Don’t waste time worrying about me. Enjoy yourself.” He placed a light kiss on her forehead.
“Trace, I didn’t mean to—”
“I’m good, babe. It’s all good. Get your cute little ass on that bus before I throw you over my shoulder and drag you back to Macon.”
Now there was a plan she could get on board with. “I’m going, I’m going.” She stood on her tiptoes for one last kiss and a hug. Both ended far too soon. Like my time with him always does.
“Behave yourself while I’m gone, Mr. Corbin,” she said, playfully smacking him square in the chest even though she was completely serious. Please don’t drink, she almost added. But she’d seen the dark cloud that had threatened to roll over his features when she asked if he’d be okay.
“I’ll try. Long as you promise to come back to me safe and sound, pretty girl,” he said, slapping her on the ass as she turned to make her way up the steps of the bus.
“Always.” She threw him one last wink before climbing the steps. A lady that looked old enough to be her grandmother sat in the driver’s seat staring straight ahead. Kylie greeted her and got nothing but a slight head tilt in response. She missed Carl, Trace’s friendly driver, already. Every step she took was like walking deeper into quicksand. Her legs seemed to be completely against the idea of walking away from Trace Corbin.
Her eyes began to tear up and she couldn’t even see the cool décor inside the bus through the pools of moisture. Screw this. She dumped her suitcase in the aisle and sprinted back to the door of the bus.
“Hey,” she called out to his retreating figure. Dang, he looked good from the back. Hate to see you go but I love to watch you leave.
“Hey yourself,” he answered as he turned to face her.
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nbsp; She didn’t think. Didn’t worry that she might be getting in too deep, moving too fast, or throwing more at him than he could handle. She just did what she was best at. Felt first. Acted on impulse. Once he was close enough, she launched herself into his arms and slammed her mouth down on his.
He caught her, just like she knew he would. His hands gripped her tightly as she wrapped her legs around his waist. His mouth said he was just as hungry for her as she was for him. She deepened the kiss as far as possible, lashing her tongue against his until it ached. When the world began to spin, either because she was falling hopelessly in love or because her brain was seriously deprived of oxygen, she finally pulled back.
Panting, she looked him in the eyes. “I’m going to miss you more than I can even stand. I needed a better goodbye than that.”
Trace didn’t disappoint. He backed her against the side of the bus, still holding her to him in mid-air. Her mind flashed to their escapade in the barn earlier and she felt the warmth spreading through her core. He ravished her mouth before she could even smile at the memory. When neither of them could take any more, he set her down gently and pulled her in close against his chest. “I’m going to miss you, too, Kylie Lou. So damn much.”
Kylie Ryans – Real Life Cinderella Story or Just Another Girl with SDI (Serious Daddy Issues)?
By Tammy Paxton
ANYONE who hasn’t heard that Nashville newcomer Kylie Ryans and fledgling superstar Trace Corbin did more on that tour bus than sleep must be living under a rock. But social media comments indicate that fans are pretty equally divided, torn when it comes to the Oklahoma native’s country music star status (starlet or harlot—be honest, how did you vote?) as well as her intentions.
“Kylie would do anything for fame,” her estranged stepmother proclaims to anyone who will listen. “She’s developed a nasty habit of seducing older men to get what she wants.”
An interview with Ms. Ryans’ former high school music teacher resulted in a much more heartfelt story.
