Trusting Gibson (Last Score Book 2)

Trusting Gibson

Last Score Series

Book 2

By K. L. Shandwick

Copyright © 2015  K.L.Shandwick The author of the book

1st Edition

The author has asserted their moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.

All Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the copyright holder, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

Cover Design by Russell Cleary

Editor: Jacqueline D. Kellum

Image: Colorbox

Format: Riane Holt

Beta readers : Emma Moorhead and Joanne Swinney

Disclaimer: This book has mature content and explicit reference to sexual situations it is intended for adult readers aged 18+.

This book is a work of fiction, Names, places, characters, band names and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or names are used within the fictitious setting. Any resemblance to actual person’s living or dead, band names or locales are entirely coincidental. Any actual artists are given due reference and the situation depicted or quoted is within the fictional imagination of the author.

DEDICATION

Thank you to all my readers without whom, this book wouldn’t be possible. Your constant encouragement and reviews of my work keep me going. I am constantly humbled by your support.

There is only one person this book can possibly be dedicated to and that’s the person who dedicated herself to the story from the beginning. Joanne Swinney you are ‘MINT!’ this is YOUR book. Your support with Gibson’s Legacy was invaluable but you went above and beyond in this series, and have lived and breathed Gibson with every chapter of his story as it unfolded. I know what was going on in your real life while this was taking place and you were still there for me. I suppose Michael, Joanne’s husband deserves a mention too, for feeding the children takeaway food while Joanne was busy with ‘KL’ and didn’t remember what time it was. Glad Gibson was interesting enough to make this happen for you on quite a regular basis, while the process of putting the book together was happening, Joanne. Thank you for choosing my work to support. 

As an independent author, people like Joanne and others in my team are an amazing and humbling group of people who give their free time for the love of books. I am very thankful for their support and time.

Thank you to team Gibson, Emma Louise Moorhead, Ashley Heather, Jacquie Dennison, Sarah Tree, Debra Hiltz, Isa Jones, Carolyn Waddell, Angela Wallace Kawauchi, Nicola Anderson, Janet Boyd. Each of you has brought the spotlight on my work and I am truly grateful for your support and I love you all.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEDICATION

CHAPTER 1 - ONSIDE

CHAPTER 2 - MOBILE

CHAPTER 3 - IN THE WOODS

CHAPTER 4 - UNBELIEVABLE

CHAPTER 5 - AWKWARD

CHAPTER 6 - PRIVATE TIME

CHAPTER 7 - REVELATIONS

CHAPTER 8 - SELF-DOUBT

CHAPTER 9 - DELAYING TACTICS

CHAPTER 10 - SPEECHLESS

CHAPTER 11 - CAPTIVATING

CHAPTER 12 - ANALYSIS

CHAPTER 13 - TAGGED

CHAPTER 14 - LUST

CHAPTER 15 - NEW FRIENDS

CHAPTER 16 - RAW DATA

CHAPTER 17 - PEP TALK

CHAPTER 18 - JOB TO DO

CHAPTER 19 - COMMUNICATION

CHAPTER 20 - OUT OF MY MIND

CHAPTER 21 - MEET THE PARENTS

CHAPTER 22 - TESTING TIMES

CHAPTER 23 - HOPE

CHAPTER 24 - MY TAKE

CHAPTER 25 - CLEAN AIR

CHAPTER 26 - HEALING

CHAPTER 27 - FLYING THE NEST

CHAPTER 28 - HAIRCUT

CHAPTER 29 - JILL SPILLS

CHAPTER 30 - DANCING

CHAPTER 31 – PHOTOGRAPH

CHAPTER 32 - WALKING AWAY

CHAPTER 33 - I DON’T BITE

CHAPTER 34 - CHASING SHADOWS

CHAPTER 35 - ANTICIPATION

CHAPTER 36 - STEPPING UP

CHAPTER 37 - SURPRISES

CHAPTER 38 - A MAN WITH A PLAN

CHAPTER 39 - MEDIA EVASION

OTHER TITLES BY K.L. SHANDWICK

ABOUT K.L. SHANDWICK

CHAPTER 1 - ONSIDE

Gibson

Even though it was second nature to perform to tens of thousands, the night Chloe was in the wings felt different. As I walked out on stage in front of a one hundred thousand capacity crowd, the cameras reminded me that there were television monitors all over the festival and live feeds throughout South America. However, there was only one person’s approval I wanted—Chloe’s.

I had never been in a proper relationship. I’d never taken a girl to work with me before, but all the way through my performance on stage that night, I was aware Chloe was there. Persuading her to come with me to Rio was the best idea I’d had in a long time. She was incredible and I’d been scared that when the story about us broke that would be the end of getting to know her. I felt so wired knowing she was watching and waiting for me that I gave the performance of my life.

Playing a short acoustic set at our gigs was always the highlight of any performance from my perspective. Watching the crowd get behind me and stripping back the sound to the purity of my unplugged guitar, a single blue spotlight on one side of the stage and just allowing the music I make to touch the souls of the crowd…that always gave me a hard-on.

When I glanced over to the side of the stage; finishing the song that I had written about Chloe, my heart crushed in my chest when my eyes connected with hers. Initially there was this awesome air thickening moment between us and that had definitely been a first for me.

I slowly became aware there was something off with Chloe, changing the awesome feeling to one of fear. Tori stood next to her and by the look on Chloe’s confused face, Tori had her ear. I could see from the grim expression and Chloe’s lips pressed into a line, that what she was hearing wasn’t pleasant.

Knowing Tori’s manipulative ways, I knew she’d be shit stirring as hard as she could because having Chloe with me foiled any deluded ideas she had that I was going to fuck her.  Well I was going to fuck with her at some point, but not in the way she was expecting. She wasn’t going to be staying once the tour was done.

Suddenly a shocked expression on Chloe’s face made her eyes pop wide open. She scanned the crowd, then her eyes flicked between me and Tori and then back at the audience. My heart crushed in my chest again but in a different aching way because I knew exactly what she was thinking. She thought I’d cheat on her and it wouldn’t be long before I was looking for the next girl to hook up with. Tori, was probably giving her some slant in her favor about what happened between us.

Jumping down from the stool my ass was half way across the stage before the music for the song had died because nothing was more important at that moment than making sure Chloe continued to trust what I had told her.

Doubting thoughts were playing out on her face, her insecurities and lack of trust merging to make her reason that being with me would be the worst thing for her and it was up to me to make sure that I helped her deal with those doubts by not being anything other than honest with her. The panic I felt with that responsibility filled me with anguish.

Ten feet from her I saw Tori lean in for the kill and say something else, giving me a sly smirk as she straightened her body away from Chloe’s ear, my suspicious eyes flicked back for Chloe’s reaction and I was stunned by it.

Chloe’s previously unassuming pose became poker straight as she turned square on to Tori as she seemed to challenge her.

When Tori’s smirk froze on her face, I remember thinking I was safe with Chloe—for the moment. Whatever Tori had said had backfired and by the look of things Chloe was showing both her and inadvertently me, that she wasn’t beyond advocating for herself, even with her history.

Chloe suddenly turned to face me, blowing me a kiss and the impact on me of that was an awesome relief. The fact that Chloe had decided to dismiss whatever Tori told her about me just about knocked me on my ass. Relieved and elated at the same time, I swallowed hard in disbelief that she was giving me the benefit of the doubt instead of assuming the worst of me like everyone else did.

By the time I reached Chloe, my heart was racing because I saw a little indecision but a lot of determination. I swept her off her feet and up into my arms. Surprising me, Chloe wrapped her legs around my waist and rubbed her heat against my hard dick as I walked her facing backwards then pressed her against a wall. Chloe’s hands moved up to my hair running through it, even though it was a damp mess after being on stage.

I fought the urge to drag her around the back and fuck her hard, which was my strongest urge coming off stage. I knew I’d never disrespect Chloe by treating her like a groupie, but it didn’t mean the urge wasn’t there just the same.  Lowering her feet to the floor slowly, I pulled her close to my chest.

The flood lighting came on in the stadium and music blared from the sound system as most of the audience had left.  “Love Runs Out” by One Republic filled the air and it was so catchy and uplifting that I found myself humming.

Making sure that we were still on the same page once I had made space away from Tori, I turned to Chloe, “Are we okay?” Holding my breath, I waited for Chloe’s reaction.

Chloe’s lips curled up at the sides and a soft smile appeared that reached her beautiful blue eyes. When she nodded that was my cue to kiss her, so I ran my hand into her hair, bunched it in my fist and pushed her lips harder against mine, pushing my hot tongue further into her mouth. I poured all my feelings into that moment with her. I wanted her to know that what was going on for me wasn’t some fad or fucked up phase I was going through. Chloe was different. I really wanted to be with her even without the sex.

When I broke the kiss Chloe was breathless, staring up at me drunk with lust. When I saw the effect of our kiss I couldn’t help but grin widely. She was a panting mess and just as worked up and needy as I was.