by Mari Carr
“Oh, don’t be silly, son. It’s just a minor setback. I could use a day off and besides, do you know what this could mean for business when folks learn Sky Mitchell wrote all the songs on his next album in this pub? You can’t buy advertising like that.”
Sky grinned and hoped that proved to be true.
Tris and Ewan came upstairs, followed closely by Teagan’s older sister, Keira.
“Sean and Will are downstairs guarding the doors,” Keira announced. She looked at Aaron and smiled. “Thanks to your friends on the force, the press and the crowd have been pushed back across the street. I was afraid someone was going to get shoved through the window for a few minutes. We’ve got to figure a way to get Sky out of here and somewhere safe.”
“I can see why you’re so anxious to stay out of the public eye,” Ewan said, sympathy written on his face. “This shit must drive you mad.”
“I’m sorry about all the fuss,” he repeated as all the siblings sat down in various chairs around the living room. He could see by the stress on their faces they were genuinely worried about him. He felt guilty about his earlier accusations. “I’ll grab my stuff and call for a car. The hotel is better equipped to fend off the press.”
“Now son, I appreciate you trying to remove yourself from the pub, but we need to look at the long-range plan. Have you and Teagan finished writing your songs?”
“No,” he answered. “We’ve made some good headway on a few—”
“Well, then we need to find somewhere for the two of you to finish the job.”
“She’s not going to the hotel with him,” Ewan interjected quickly.
Teagan rolled her eyes at her brother’s overprotective comment. “I’m twenty-six, Ewan. I think I can decide where I go and don’t go.”
Tris scoffed. “You go to the hotel, I go to the hotel.”
Pop shook his head. “I have to agree with your sister on this one, Tristan. She’s an adult and, what’s more, it’s time she moved forward with her life.”
Teagan’s head popped up at her father’s words and Sky could read the slightest bit of fear in her eyes at his pronouncement. He considered what that look could mean.
The family erupted into conversation, every Collins sibling throwing in their two cents on how they could get Teagan and Sky out of the apartment and away from the paparazzi.
“I have a suggestion,” Aaron yelled, trying to be heard over the dull roar. The police officer had been quietly standing behind Riley since the conversation began.
“Shut up,” Riley yelled, when her brothers and sisters continued talking. “Aaron’s got an idea.”
Aaron grinned at Riley and then looked at Sky. “My family owns a small cabin on the Shenandoah River. The house is small, but the amount of land surrounding it isn’t. It’s a very private place. If you and Teagan could get there undetected, you could finish your songs with nothing but the sound of the river to disturb you.”
Sky was touched by the man’s offer. “That’s very generous of you,” he said.
Aaron shrugged. “Teagan’s been like a sister to me for most of my life. There’s nothing I’d like more than to hear one of her songs on the radio.”
Teagan rose and kissed Aaron on the cheek. “That’s a very sweet offer, Aaron.”
Her words were calm, but Sky thought he detected a slight shaking in her hands. Was she afraid of being in a secluded place with him or afraid of leaving home? Until her father’s words, he would have assumed the former even though she had his promise and he’d held true to it. Then he considered what he knew of Teagan. She did seem to be a creature of habit. She’d flat-out refused his offer to buy Maybe Tomorrow the first night they’d met, despite the fact she was a songwriter. Was her lack of ambition actually the symptom of a deeper fear? If so, what was she afraid of?
“So the trick is moving Teagan and Sky without the paparazzi following,” Tris said.
“That’s actually the easy part,” Sky said. He’d dodged the press for years. “I’ve sort of adapted an idea I took from an old magician’s trick. The one where you have to guess which cup the ball is under. Only we perform the trick with cars.”
As he explained what they would need to do, Teagan drifted over to the window, covertly peeking down at the street below. She appeared to be genuinely disturbed by the paparazzi and he cursed himself for thrusting her into his crazy life.
Once the plan was laid, the family separated, each ready to do their part to help him escape with Teagan in tow. He and Teagan were charged with packing while the rest of the family went back downstairs. All of Sky’s belongings had been retrieved by Ewan his first day in residence, so there would be no need to return to the hotel at all.
* * * * *
Teagan stood by her guitar and tried to figure out when she’d lost control of her life. A week ago, she’d thought she had her future sorted, her path laid. Now, as she bent to put her beloved guitar in its case, she realized everything was changing and she felt helpless to stop it.
“How was music class?” he asked.
“What?” She looked up, surprised by Sky’s strange choice of conversation. They were about to try to pull the wool over the paparazzi’s eyes and he was calmly asking about her music lesson with a bunch of preschoolers.
“Your class?” he repeated.
“It was fine.”
He moved closer and she fought against the instinct to take a step back. She mentally shook herself for her foolishness. She wasn’t afraid of Sky and yet she had to fight to hold her ground. His hands reached out to grip her waist loosely and she felt the familiar melting that occurred whenever he touched her. She was putty in his hands and she feared how far she’d go to keep him close. How much she’d sacrifice for him.
Except he’s a rock star.
She’d been repeating the mantra for a week now and it hadn’t helped. Fact was, she’d fallen head over heels for the man. He was charming and sexy and everything she’d ever hoped of finding in the man of her dreams.
He’s a rock star. This isn’t forever to him. Just a casual affair.
He leaned back a couple of inches, his eyes traveling down her body in a way she should have become accustomed to. The man had studied every square inch of her these past few days—clothed and unclothed. The tension in her body rose higher and for a moment, she considered slapping the smug, possessive smile that sprung to his lips.
“I bet every three-year-old boy in that preschool is in love with you.”
“What?” she asked, taken aback again by his odd comment.
“Look at you. You’re a beautiful, wild bird. A scarlet ibis. If I were a young boy, I’d want to capture you and put you in a cage, just so I could look at you and listen to you sing.”
“If you were a boy?” she asked, her throat constricting on the words. His charm was lethal.
“I’m not a boy anymore. I’m a man and I know better.”
“How so?”
“Your true beauty lies in your freedom. You sing to children and old people because it makes you happy. That’s a precious gift you give. So,” he paused and took a step back. For the first time since she’d met him, his face wasn’t lined with laughter. It was serious, intense, and she felt herself becoming ensnared even tighter in his net. “I can’t believe I’m doing this, but I’m releasing you from the bet.”
“What?”
“I want you to write these songs with me, Teagan, but I don’t want you to do it because your pop is pressuring you. Because your family is forcing a way of life on you that you may not want. Come with me and write them because it’s what you want. If you don’t want it, stay here. Stay with your family.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I’m not about to yank you out of the safety of your home, the security of your family’s arms, because of a bet. If you choose to come with me, you come with the knowledge that in all likelihood, your life is about to change. You have a very real talent and once it’s discovered, I have no doubt th
e music world will be beating down your door for an original Teagan Collins song. I’d like to say your life will change for the better because of that exposure, but I’d be lying if I said it was all sunshine and roses. The worst part of it is standing outside on the sidewalk.”
She looked toward the window, listening to the yells of the press and fans clamoring for a glimpse of Sky.
“But Teagan,” Sky continued, “even dodging the paparazzi is worth it when you hear one of your songs on the radio or you stand on a stage before a packed stadium, everyone screaming and singing along to a song that you’ve written. It’s just awesome. Amazing. God, I’d love to share that with you.”
“Share it?”
“I was thinking perhaps we could turn Maybe Tomorrow into a duet. It’d be a cool way to kick off your singing career,” he said ruefully.
Her knees went weak at his words and for a moment, she felt as if she might faint. “Singing career? You’ve got it all figured out, don’t you?”
Sky shrugged. “I’m just laying down your options.”
“So you’re giving me the choice?” she asked.
He nodded.
“And if I said I wanted to reject all those options, you would respect that?”
“Of course I would. You said yourself the night we met, you don’t write songs for fame or fortune. You write them to share with the people you love. I respect that,” he grinned, “even if I do think you’re crazy.”
She laughed sadly before sobering up. Too much was happening too fast and she found herself floundering in a sea of indecision. “What if I said I wanted to stay here? What would happen to the songs we’ve been working on?”
“I guess we’d have to decide what to do with them. They’re your songs too, Ruby. I wouldn’t steal them from you.”
She turned away from him, her pulse fluttering at the sound of her pop’s nickname in his sweet voice. Her mind and her heart were dragging her in a million different directions. If she went with him, her life would definitely change, but not necessarily in ways that would bother her. After spending the week working on the songs for his album, she’d been bitten by the bug. She wanted him to record the songs and she prayed he would find success in his solo career because he was truly talented and he deserved it.
But the idea of recording her own songs? It was a dream she’d never let her heart linger on, never considered a true possibility. Now Sky was offering her the chance of a lifetime and, as much as the idea terrified her, she knew she wouldn’t say no.
Her deepest concerns about leaving centered not on the music, but on him. He’d released her from the contest because he thought she would hate a life in the spotlight. The fact was, she would hate a life without him more and the longer she stayed with him, the more painful it would be when they went their separate ways.
“If you’re worried about being alone with me, gypsy…” he began, stepping closer, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. She leaned back into his embrace, relishing the warmth of his body. “The promise still stands. I won’t take anything you aren’t willing to give.”
Damn him, she thought. Couldn’t he see? Didn’t he understand? There was nothing she wouldn’t give him. She closed her eyes, fighting to stem the tears threatening to fall.
“Well, then I suppose all that’s left to do is pack. We have a grand escape to execute,” she said, forcing the words through the tightness in her throat. She could do this. She had to.
“We?”
She turned and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “We have an album to finish. I don’t renege on bets. Irish pride won’t let me.”
He grinned. “Is that right?”
“Well, that and Maybe Tomorrow would make an awesome duet.”
He nodded and walked back to the bedroom to gather his things. She started to follow, surprised when Ewan returned to the apartment.
“Hey, Teagan,” he said. “Wait up.”
“What are you doing back here?”
“I wasn’t sure I’d have a chance to talk to you alone before you left. I wanted to say, well, just be careful, sis.”
She smiled at his kind words. “I’ve spent my life being the queen of careful, Ewan. It’s time for me to spread my wings a bit. I mean, who would have imagined me doing something so adventurous?”
“Yeah, well, I’m happy for you—with the music and all. You’re talented and you deserve this shot.”
“But…” she said when she sensed he had more to say.
“But I’d hate to see you end up as one of Sky Mitchell’s flavors of the month.”
Her heart lurched at the thought. Had Ewan seen through her lame attempts at hiding her feelings? She studied his face and decided no. He was simply being her wonderful, loving, overprotective brother. She forced a grin to her lips. “No worries, Ewan. Given the fact Sky’s taste usually runs from the exotic fashion model to the spicy Latina star, I don’t think there’s much chance he’ll settle for plain old vanilla.”
“Ah, Ruby,” Ewan said. “With all those colorful clothes and feel-good songs of yours, I never saw you as vanilla. Rainbow sherbet, at least. Hell, maybe even bubble gum.”
Teagan laughed. “Bubble gum. Yummy.” She bent forward and kissed her brother on the cheek. He surprised her by grabbing her up in a big bear hug. “Thank you, Ewan.”
He shrugged off her words, visibly embarrassed by her gratitude, and walked back downstairs. She looked around the apartment and took a deep breath. Regardless of how things ended in the cabin, she knew she was taking the first step toward leaving her childhood home. She’d expected to feel sad, scared, but instead she was overcome by a wave of positive, energized confidence.
I can do this.
Chapter Seven
They managed to give the paparazzi the slip in a car chase that would have made James Bond proud. Sky grinned when he recalled the enthusiasm of Teagan’s brothers as they drove away from the pub. The Collins men would make great bodyguards. There didn’t seem to be any challenge the men weren’t up to when it came to tricking the cameramen. From bar brawls to racing through the busy city streets, they’d yet to let him down.
He unlocked the door to the small cabin Aaron’s family owned. The man hadn’t lied about the size. The entire structure was little more than a combination living room/ kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom. Teagan peeked in each room then flashed him a relieved grin. “For a minute there I was worried we’d have to use an outhouse.”
It was early November, but Virginia seemed to be experiencing an Indian summer. “At least there’s a fireplace and large supply of wood if winter decides to kick in while we’re here,” he said.
“It’s beautiful. The trees are still so colorful. Once we got away from the paparazzi and out in the country, it was a relaxing drive.”
He agreed. Aaron had offered them the perfect escape and he’d have to find some way to properly thank the man. “Well,” he said. “We’ve got enough groceries to last us awhile and I don’t have to return to Baltimore until the week of Thanksgiving. That gives us three uninterrupted weeks to work our magic. You feel up to it?”
She smiled and nodded. “I was a bit nervous about leaving the apartment, but I have to admit this cabin seems to be the answer to a prayer. We won’t have to deal with any of my brothers or sisters tromping through the room every few minutes to see how we’re doing. I feel really good about this.”
Her optimism was infectious and he shared her sentiment. They’d been granted a timeout, a brief respite from the real world where they could really focus on what mattered most to them—the music.
As soon as the thought passed through his mind, he realized that wasn’t actually the reason he felt so happy. He was alone with Teagan for the first time in their short relationship. Though the promise still hovered between them, he looked forward to spending day after day, hour after hour getting to know her. There were large gaps in his knowledge of her that he was anxious to fill. Every step that brought them closer pro
ved there were still miles separating them.
“I suppose we should get the groceries and our suitcases from the car.” She headed for the door and he followed. For the next hour, they unpacked their clothing, food and instruments, chatting about this and that as they worked.
There was one bedroom in the cabin and it was furnished with only a queen-sized bed. They both avoided discussing the sleeping arrangements over dinner, opting to build a fire and begin work on Maybe Tomorrow. Teagan agreed to try to rewrite the song as a duet, but insisted if she didn’t like the changes, he wouldn’t record it—with or without her. They argued over pacing and some changes he wanted to make to the lyrics until nearly midnight, when he declared they should call it a night. They could finish the song and the fight in the morning. It was getting better, but Teagan was proving to be very stubborn about maintaining the acoustic guitar.
“Guess we should hit the hay. I’ll sleep on the couch,” he added, when he noticed apprehensiveness creep into her eyes as her gaze darted toward the bedroom.
“No,” she said. “Don’t be silly. We’ve been naked in each other’s arms for a week. We can surely sleep in the same bed in our pajamas.”
“I sleep naked,” he said. It wasn’t completely the truth, but the devil inside prodded him to push her. She’d annoyed him with her demands regarding the song and he was just petty enough to get a bit of revenge.
“Ewan must have been thrilled to see the back end of you as you left this afternoon then.”
He laughed at her dry wit, reaching out to pull her close. “I want to sleep naked with you.”
“I wear pajamas—tops and bottoms and underwear and socks. Sometimes even a bra.”
“Liar,” he teased.
“Well, I will be tonight.”
He shook his head. “No. Tonight we’re both sleeping naked.”
She fell silent and he waited for her to deny his insane request. He was being demanding and he knew it.
