She wasnat sure how they managed it, but she got hers off and he got his down around his knees. It was just enough room for them to work with one another. Hannah sank down on him, sighing deeply in her throat.
aEvery time, I wonder if this will be the time that you donat blow my mind,a he confessed, caressing her stomach and helping her pump up and down against him.
aSurprised you, huh?a Her voice was strained and d.a.m.n near the most erotic thing head ever heard in his life. aYou did, but Iave never been happier for a surprise in my life. I was meant to find you, and I thank G.o.d every day that I did.a She felt the same way, and there was no one who would ever be able to tell her different. After Ashton, shead truly given up and thought that maybe love wasnat in the cards for her. Maybe she was supposed to be an entertainer and make people happy that way. Meeting and falling in love with Garrett had been so far off her radar that she was pretty sure that no one was more surprised than her. If someone had told her this was where shead be a year ago, she would have told them to go get their headas checked. aAgreed.a Like it tended to do between the two of them, the feelings and the chemistry took over. The only sounds were the sounds of nature and their bodies grinding against one another. Garrett moved his hand to her neck and then up, cupping her cheek. Using his thumb, he rubbed the pad of it against her lip. It was the biggest turn on of his life when she clamped it between her white teeth and nipped at the flesh there.
aUse your tongue to soothe the bite,a he told her, barely hanging on. This woman did it for him, in the biggest way. If anyone asked him to pinpoint it, he wouldnat be able to, it was everything about Hannah.
She did as she was told. It excited her, to be able to surprise him, to do something that would take her out of her comfort zone. They had a lot of time to make up for, and she knew she was going to love making up that time with her husband.
With the thumb shead just bitten and licked, he moved his hand down to the middle of her body where they were joined and pressed against the most sensitive part of her. Something about that gesture slammed through her and made her body clench.
af.u.c.k, Hana he ground out against her.
His lips were everywhere, and she gave up trying to follow them; her body clenching had made her hungry for more. She wanted what it seemed like only he could give her. aI know,a she told him, grasping his hair in her fingers and tugging hard.
It was that touch of dominance that she exerted that set him off, which in turn set her off. As always, neither one of them knew where they were for a few moments afterwards.
aDid you really cuss?a he asked, his face a mask of shock.
aI think I did,a she talked against his neck, where she had collapsed. aIn fact, I know I did. I didnat mean to, acause you know I think itas cra.s.s. But sometimes, with you, I wish I could say all the things I think.a aOh baby, me too. One day I will make you tell me exactly what goes on in that head of yours.a She stayed quiet against his neck, smiling slightly. Those thoughts were her secrets and her secrets alone.
Chapter Twenty-Nine.
Going shopping anywhere, including the pet store, two days before Thanksgiving was probably not the best idea that Garrett had ever had. It was beyond stressful, but at least in Nashville people didnat bother him. Not to mention he was very happy for the reason that he was at the pet store. His family should have arrived at Nashville International Airport a half hour ago, and they were bringing Havock along with them. He and Hannah had decided to divide and conquera"which meant she was at the airport and he was at the pet store.
His patience was beginning to wear thin with the line in front of him, but he needed everything that his cart was loaded down with. By some holiday miracle, their house was furnisheda"in a way they both likeda"and was waiting on their family. The one thing they had forgotten was stuff for the dog, and both of them had felt awful. In his hand, his cell vibrated. He unlocked the screen and opened the message from Hannah. It was a picture of her and Havock. The text below it read: aGot our boy!a He loved that she loved the dog as much as he did. The dog loved her even more, and now that they were together their lives would be normal. They had their house, their dog, and a few more months before they would have to be out on the road. Black Fridayas record had been turned in, and while the record company wasnat thrilled with what Garrett and the boys had done, they were willing to give them some leeway. Finally it was his turn in line, and he quickly put all the stuff up on counter and then paid for it before walking outside into the crisp night air to put it all in the Land Rover. It had been busy when he got to the store, and head had to park around the side of the building.
aDid you get a leash for your b.i.t.c.h?a Garrett was for sure the person talking wasnat speaking to him, but he also knew that no one else was putting anything in their cars. He sighed, knowing he didnat want to look up, but he did anyway. Standing not too far away was Bryson Grant. aCome again? I donat think I heard you correctly.a Bryson sauntered up closer, watching as Garrett continued putting away his purchases. aI asked if you got a leash for your b.i.t.c.h.a He had a pretty good idea of what the young p.r.i.c.k was talking about, but wanted to be sure. aMy dog is male, dude.a aI was talking about your wife.a He tried, he really did. He tried to curb the anger that coursed through his veins. Garrett tried to harness and leash it, but Brysonas att.i.tude straight up p.i.s.sed him off. He shook his head and licked his lips. Slamming the back of the vehicle up, he turned around. aWhat the f.u.c.k did you just say to me?a aYou heard me. I know youare the reason that Hannah wouldnat record that song with me. That was going to break me into the mainstream and thatas her fault.a Garrett couldnat believe that this guy was a friend of Hannahas. He couldnat believe he was sitting here listening to him spew this bulls.h.i.t. aCamon.a Brysonas eyes widened and he took a step back. aWhat?a aYou, you wanna talk like a big-a.s.s man, then camon. Iall beat your a.s.s like a big-a.s.s man.a He grabbed the back of Brysonas neck and pulled him back behind the building and quickly got in his face. aI donat know who the f.u.c.k you think you are or what your beef is with my wife, but Iam about to be all up in your business.a aMan, I didnat mean toaa aYou didnat mean to call my wife a b.i.t.c.h? You didnat mean to throw her under the bus and talk s.h.i.t about me in the press? You didnat mean any of that?a Garrett asked, putting his head up against Brysonas ear. He didnat want people to hear what was being said if anyone was around.
aI didnat want to cause problems.a aYou know what my problem is with you, motherf.u.c.ker? The fact that you like my wife, and I donat mean as a friend. Iam not a dumba.s.s and Iam not blind. I can see just f.u.c.king fine. I see the way you look at her; Iave heard the way you talk about her in the press. You might be hot for her, but let me tell ya something, sheas not hot for you. Sheas got all the man she needs right here. If I ever hear about you talking s.h.i.t about her again, if you check her out again, if you even breath inappropriately towards her, I will kick your a.s.s from here to next week.a aI heard that about you.a Garrett didnat know if this guy was brave or just f.u.c.king stupid. aYou doubt it?a he asked, grabbing Bryson by the collar and shoving him hard up against the wall.
aTalkina is easy.a Garrett smiled, laughing. aYou think I talk s.h.i.t?a aIave heard that you talk s.h.i.t.a aWhoad you hear that from? Ashton Coleman? He was talking out the side of his mouth for a couple of weeks after I got through with him.a Bryson just couldnat keep his mouth shut. aRegardless of what you did to Ashton Coleman, you tell your wife that she owes me a number one hit.a That was it, Garrett was done. Done listening to him, done being nice and done with it all. It wasnat in him to let s.h.i.t goa"especially when someone was talking about his wife. aI gave you a chance,a he said as he reared back and let his fists do the talking.
Bryson put up a small fight, but Garrett was faster, stronger, taller, and he flat out didnat like the guy. Three shots and Bryson was slumped against the wall. aRemember the next time you think I talk s.h.i.t but donat follow through who was left lying in a parking lot. Do not ever come near my wife again or I will seriously f.u.c.k you up.a He was mad as he went back to the car, p.i.s.sed that someone had pushed him that far. No matter how much he would fight for his wife, he did not appreciate people pushing him into a corner, one bit. af.u.c.k.a He beat the steering wheel with the heel of his hand. How was he going to explain this to Hannah?
He pulled into the driveway, noticing the extra cars. The family was here, and he had busted knuckles and dried blood on his hand. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he called Jared, knowing that he would have come with the family.
aHey, dude, weare at the house, where are you? This house is amazing by the way.a aThanks, I just rolled in and I need a favor. Come out and help me carry this stuff in and bring me something to wipe my hands off with.a Jared was quiet for a moment. aOkay.a aIall explain in a minute.a Garrett parked and waited for Jared to come out into the garage. It took him a few minutes, but he finally made his way out, carrying a washrag.
aWhat the f.u.c.k happened?a he asked, glancing at Garrettas knuckles when he started to wash them off.
aMy fist ran into Bryson Grantas face.a Jared whistled. aWhat did he say?a He knew that whatever it was, wasnat good. Garrett might like to fight, might even need to sometimes, but he never fought for no reason, and judging by the shape of his knuckles, Garrett had kicked some a.s.s.
aHe thought he was cute when he saw me loading the s.h.i.t for Havock in the car. Asked me if I had to get a leash for my b.i.t.c.h,a he breathed deeply. aAt first I was willing to let it go, but I asked him if Iad heard him correctly, then gave him a shot to back out of it when I told him that my dog was male. He told me he meant my wife.a aSeriously? f.u.c.k, I canat believe you didnat murder him.a If there was one thing that all of them had learned about Garrett over the last few months, it was that there was no messing around with Hannah, there was no talking about her, there was no questioning her place in Garrettas life. More than that, she was their friend too, and he kind of wanted to shove his own fist in Brysonas mouth.
aIt was difficult, but I thought about all the people I had here waiting on me to get home. I donat think weall be hearing anything else out of him for a while. Next time Iall shove his d.i.c.k down his throat.a aHey, babe, did you finally make it back?a Garrett hurried and cleaned his hands faster when he heard Hannah. aYeah, Jaredas helping me grab the stuff. Had to get Havock everything.a Jared grabbed bags, leaving the crate for Garrett to grab. aI got this if you get that.a Garrett turned around and was startled as Hannah stood in front of him. aYou okay? You were gone a long time, and I saw Jared bring a washrag out here.a He couldnat lie to her, theyad never been liars to each other, and he wouldnat start now, even if it made things easier. aBryson and I had words, and then my fists did the talking.a Hannah swallowed hard against the lump in her throat. aYou canat go around doing that.a aOh, I can when he calls my wife a b.i.t.c.h.a He slapped his hand against his thigh. aI could have kept that from you, but I donat want you to think this f.u.c.ker is your friend and then let him talk s.h.i.t behind your back. He isnat the guy that you used to know. He let the lure of a number one hit make him turn his back on you. He doesnat deserve your loyalty or your friendship.a That hurt. aI canat believe he would say that, but then again, I know that sometimes when you get into this business you want to be number one. He obviously wants something that he doesnat have and feels like I can give him. Iam sorry that someone told him that, but you and I both know that song was never going to be his.a aI know.a He reached over and hugged her close. aI know that it sucks to hear that, but I wasnat about to let him talk about you. Words were exchanged and then fists flew. He got the worst end of the deal.a He smiled at her.
aI have a feeling thatas usually the way it goes with you.a She smiled back up at him. aI love you, and I love that you stick up for me. I wish you didnat have to, because honestly Bryson should have come to me.a aThe f.u.c.ker better be glad he didnat.a She loved the look that flashed in his eyes. It was possessive and real, and it was the look he gave only to her. aIam a lucky woman, and I appreciate what you do for me, but you and I both know that one of the things that Iam working on is standing up for myself.a He could understand where she was coming from, but he didnat trust Bryson. aPromise me you wonat seek him out. Heas p.i.s.sed and I laid his a.s.s out. Thereas no telling what he might do. Iam not saying he would physically hurt you, but I know words hurt you just as much. Let it alone, babe.a Hannah knew he was right. Squeezing him around the waist hard one last time, she let go. aCamon, your family and our boy are here. Letas go spend some time with the people that matter.a That was the best idea head heard all night.
Chapter Thirty.
Hannah groaned as the alarm went off beside her head. It read six in the morning. She slapped it off and rolled over, curling her lip up at Garrett, who slept peacefully beside her. This was the first Thanksgiving that shead been home in years and the very first Thanksgiving that shead offered to help her mom cooka"hence the alarm at six a.m.
Carefully pushing the covers back, she quickly got out of bed, shivering as the early morning air hit her bare skin. More often than not, now that they were together full time, she woke up with no clothes on. Fumbling around in the dark, she finally found underclothes, a pair of sweat pants, and a T-shirt. She snuck into the bathroom, quietly shutting the door. With half-closed eyes, she went about her business and then brushed her teeth, washed her face off, and secured her long hair in a top-knot to keep it out of her face.
aOkay, Han, this is what being an adult and wife is all about,a she sighed as she gave herself the pep talk. She hadnat seen six a.m. since she had been through with the tour, and it surprised her how quickly she had forgotten how much it sucked.
As she walked out of the room, she heard the jingle of Havockas collar. aYou wanna come with me, boy?a she whispered. He followed her out and she shut the door behind her.
He stretched in front of her and then obediently stood next to her, waiting to see where she would go. aCamon,a she told him as she made her way down the stairs and towards the noise she already heard in the kitchen.
aMorning, ladies,a she greeted. Already there was her mom and her mother-in-law standing by the counter, Stacey sitting at the kitchen table, her forehead against the wood surface, and Sh.e.l.l standing at the coffee pot.
Without asking, Sh.e.l.l pa.s.sed her the cup she held in her hands. aItas yours.a aI donat know what I would do without you,a she told her sincerely, taking a sip and letting the caffeine rush through her body.
aBe b.i.t.c.hy. Youare lucky we understand each other,a Sh.e.l.l joked as she moved to have a seat beside Stacey.
aAre you alive over there?a Hannah asked as she nudged her sister-in-law.
aBarely. Just barely.a Liz and Marie stood next to each other, laughing at the younger girls. aIt will be okay that you ladies woke up early. Youall make it,a Marie a.s.sured them.
Surprisingly, Hannah was excited. aWhat do we need to do?a Liz walked over to her daughter and felt her forehead. aAre you sick? Because youare never this agreeable in the morning.a aItas all the s.e.x sheas getting.a Hannah spit her coffee out and threw the first thing she picked up at Sh.e.l.las head. aReally?a Her face burned hot; she couldnat believe that Sh.e.l.l had said that in front of the older women. Didnat matter how old she was, it would always embarra.s.s her.
aOh camon,a Sh.e.l.l argued. aYouare a newlywed for G.o.das sake.a aStill.a She covered her cheek with her hand, feeling how hot it was.
aTrust me, Hannah.a Marie winked. aI know my son is a good-looking man.a Dear G.o.d, could the floor not open up and swallow her right now. aI got nothina,a she said as she had a seat across from Stacey.
Sh.e.l.l realized shead put the spotlight unfairly on Hannah when she didnat really want it, so she turned it to someone else. aAt least you arenat bunking next door to that one,a she pointed at Stacey.
Stacey sat up, a smile on her face. aHey, I make no excuses and I offer no apologies.a Liz had a seat at the table with the rest of them, motioning for Marie to join them. aWhy donat we enjoy our first cup of coffee together, and then weall get busy.a That sounded excellent to Hannah. When shead been little and wanted sisters, this is the exact type of situation shead thought of, and she loved this group of women as if they were her sisters. aAnybody interested in hitting up the Black Friday sales tomorrow? As in the national shopping holiday, not our men,a she clarified.
aIam just going to say it.a Liz set her coffee cup down. aDo I need to, you know, buy stuff for a possible grandchild?a Again Hannah struggled to swallow her coffee. aJesus Christ, mom,a she mumbled.
aShe opened the door, Iam stepping through it.a Marie looked over at her, her gaze penetrating so much, like her sonas did. aWhat are your plans?a aThere arenat any right now.a She shrugged. aWe havenat sat down and talked about it at length. Weave mentioned it off-hand. I mean, Iam sure itas coming. Garrettas not getting any younger, and I do want children,a she trailed off.
aBut is it coming in the next year?a Marie pressured. aThis is what we need to know.a aIam not G.o.d.a Her tone was sarcastic. aI canat tell you when itas going to happen.a aHannah, donat be a smarta.s.s,a Liz told her. aWeare excited.a aNot to mention, heas hot, youare hot, the children that the two of you make will be out of this world,a Sh.e.l.l offered.
A deep voice rumbled in the room. aWhoas kid? Han?a Her head dropped onto her arm. aNothing,a she told Garrett. aTheyare being dumb.a aIs there something you need to tell me?a he asked.
She took a deep breath and turned to face him. When she did, her mouth went bone dry. He stood in the kitchen in a pair of sweat pants, no shirt, and his hair was lying haphazardly on his head. She may have pulled it a bit too hard the night before, she decided as she got up to go stand in front of him. aWeall be right back,a she told the group.
aWhat were they talking about? Granted, Iam fuzzy because I just woke up, but were they saying that youare pregnant?a he asked, shock in his voice.
aNo.a She shook her head. aIam not, remember, I have that little IUD that makes sure I donat have any slip ups? They want me to be, but thatas them. You know we havenat really sat down and talked about that yet, and you also know that I want a few months alone with you before we do. Theyare just excited because I have time off. I could have a child if we decide to.a aI gotta say,a he blew out a breath and she smelled the mint of his toothpaste, afor a split second I was super excited, and then I was f.u.c.king terrified.a She leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed him softly, hooking her arms around his waist when he caught her around the neck and deepened the caress.
aMorning,a he told her as he pulled back.
aMorning.a She licked her lips and pulled her bottom one between her teeth. aSpeaking of, why are you even up right now?a aI woke up alone. Both you and Havock were gone, and I didnat want to be by myself. I figure I can watch some TV and listen to you ladies gossip and b.i.t.c.h, take a little cat nap, and be ready to eat when itas time.a aSounds like a good plan,a she told him, walking him over to the couch.
He lay down, and she covered him up with the blanket theyad been keeping on it. She leaned down and kissed his cheek, stopping when he caught her by the wrist. aFor the record, youad make an incredible mom.a aThanks.a She grinned. aI hope so, but when the time comes and not before. Weall know when weare ready.a * * *
aThis game f.u.c.king sucks,a Kevin growled, disgusted at the football game he watched on TV.
aWho knew these guys got so serious about a game,a Hannah whispered. She never even knew that Garrett watched sports.
aCome the f.u.c.k on,a Jared yelled. aBreak the tackle, dude, you weigh three hundred pounds.a aFive yards, thatas all we needed. Five G.o.dd.a.m.n yards,a Robert said, surprising his daughter.
aThis is embarra.s.sing.a Garrett threw the remote down.
aAnd really f.u.c.king boring,a Stacey whispered back at the ladies.
They all giggled because they agreed.
aHow much more time does the turkey need, Mom?a Hannah asked, ready to eat.
Liz walked over and opened the oven, then called Marie over. The two of them both gave their opinions and told the younger women that they thought it was ready. It made Hannah happy that her mom and Marie seemed to be getting along well. It was important for her to have them be friends. Their lives would never be normal, and that would mean that sometimes everyone would have to see each other at the same time. It wouldnat work if they didnat get along.
aLet me get the guys,a Marie told them.
aG.o.d be with you, lady, for interrupting that,a Sh.e.l.l threw out, having a seat at the table.
aDo you want some wine?a Hannah asked her. It wasnat often that they pulled out the good bottle, and none of the guys liked it, but they did every once in a while.
aOhhh yeah, thatall be a nice change of pace.a Sh.e.l.las phone buzzed at her side. She hesitated to pick it up. It was the holidays and the guys were making their way into the room, but she worried that it was someone who needed her or needed an answer to a question. Glancing down, she did a double take; she wasnat sure if what shead seen was her imagination or if it was the truth or not. aHoly f.u.c.k,a she breathed.
aCould we please put the f-word away for the rest of the day?a Hannah asked, setting the gla.s.s of wine in front of Sh.e.l.l.
aNo, youare gonna wanna say it when I tell you what this message says.a Hannah doubted that highly. aYou know I donat even cuss, usually.a aOh, you do sometimes,a Garrett piped up, a s.h.i.t-eating grin on his face.
Hannah cleared her throat. aCan we not just have a quiet family dinner?a aWe sure can,a Sh.e.l.l said. aAnd Iad like to get a picture of you and Garrett, if I could.a Hannah went over and sat in Garrettas lap, smiling as Sh.e.l.l snapped a picture, asking them to pose for one more. aIam not sure why you want one; you have to have a ton of pictures of the two of us. Why do you need another one?a Putting her phone out in front of her face and fixing the camera, Sh.e.l.l shrugged. aJust wanted to get the look on your faces when yaall found out for the first time that your duet went to number one on the all-genre chart.a She said it so off-handed that it took a few seconds for the words to sink in, but when they did, the looks on their faces were priceless, and Sh.e.l.l had never been so excited to capture the moment on camera.
Tears were shed, hugs were given, and fists were pumped as the small group congratulated the couple.
aDid you ever think it?a Liz asked.
aNo, not at all,a Hannah answered, humble as ever. aI hoped, especially when I saw how many hits it was getting on YouTube. Iave been getting messages about people using it at their wedding too, so I knew it was popular, but no, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine all-genre,a she squealed, pulling Garrett into another hug.
aWould it be in bad taste for me to somehow get Brysonas phone number and text something along the lines of asuck my d.i.c.ka to him?a Garrett asked. He knew without a doubt that they wouldnat be hearing anything from him, hopefully ever again. There were certain people that Jared knew in dark places and theyad done some checking on Brysona"he wasnat as clean as he liked people to think.
Hannah shook her head. aYes! You know this is killing him even more than the beating you gave him yesterday. According to what he said to you, what he wanted more than anything was the number one, and we got it, baby!a He exhaled a breath. Everything that the two of them had been through had been working towards this moment. Their friends, their family, their dog, a number one song. He had known as soon as head kissed her that Hannah was going to be the person he spent the rest of his life with. To know that she was going to be there, no matter how ugly the world got, no matter how tired he was at the end of thea"meant everything.
aSo,a Liz asked as she stood. aWhoas hungry? Letas celebrate!a
Epilogue.
New Yearas Even Hannah could hear the noise of the crowd as she made her way, along with the guys of Black Friday, towards the stage. New Years Eve was the night to have a concert, and out of sheer luck, the guys had managed to snag Nashville for the night. This would also be the opening night of their tour.
Theyad all thought theyad have a few more weeks off, but when New Yearas Eve had opened up, they decided to go for it. Hannah was all for it. As long as she was with Garrett, there was nowhere she wouldnat go.
aHave I told you how hot you look tonight?a he asked, putting his mouth next to her ear so that she could hear him over the noise that was just beyond the curtains.
aNo.a She pouted. aAnd I dressed up in this just for you.a She smiled up at him.
His arm went around her, resting his hand on her hip, half of his palm on her a.s.s. He gave it a tiny squeeze and she jumped. aThe little black dress does it for me.a Obviously, if the look in his eyes gave any indication of how much he liked it. aIam glad.a She kissed his cheek. The heels that she wore put them closer to the same height, but he still had a head length over her.
aHeels are f.u.c.king hot too.a He looked down at the hot pink stilettos she wore.
aDo I need to go change before I join you onstage for our duet?a she asked, clasping his free hand in hers.
He breathed deeply. aNah, itall just give me something to look forward to when we get done with the show. Then you and I can have our own little party to ring in the New Year. Howas that sound?a aPerfect.a She stepped back as the guys started to circle.
aTwo minutes, guys,a Mike told them.
aGive me a kiss,a he told her, grasping her hips to bring her back where she had been before.
She did as she was told, and then waited as they chanted something that she couldnat make out, but made her laugh anyway. aIall see you later,a she told him.