Wild Card: Boys of Fall (6 page)

“I’m at the height of my career in terms of earnings and name recognition. The studio is paying me a hell of a lot of money for my guitar playing and my singing.”

And my babysitting.

He didn’t add that part.

“I’ve heard both. You’re obviously the true talent in the band. So why is he the star?”

Wade had asked him the same thing. And his answer was going to be the same. No matter how screwed up he was, the only thing Glen had ever known, had ever accepted about himself, was that he did not crave the limelight. In fact, he hated it.

“There’s too much bullshit attached to being the one front and center, Lori. When they put that spotlight on you, it stops being about the music. All the studio cares about is image and dollar signs. Rugged, aging cowboys aren’t the rage anymore. No one’s racing out to sign the Merle Haggards or the Willie Nelsons these days. Right now, it’s all about fitting that sex-symbol, six-pack, make-the-girls-melt mold. That ain’t me.”

She narrowed her eyes, looking confused. “You’re kidding, right? You’re about a million times hotter than Trent Maxwell. And a gazillion times more talented. I’ve never bought a Trent Maxwell song. I’d buy every one of yours.”

Right then and there, Glen decided he wanted to write Lorelie Carr a song.

He wasn’t much of a songwriter. It wasn’t that he’d never tried. He had. Wade had even recorded one of his songs once and included it on an album. It hadn’t gotten a ton of airplay, but they’d pulled it out every now and then at a concert and the true fans had sung along.

Lorelie’s support of him, her belief in his talent, went a long way toward soothing some edges that had gotten rougher ever since he’d signed on to play with Trent.

He glanced around the room and caught more than a few pairs of eyes on him. While Wade only had eyes for his wife as they danced, the same didn’t hold true for Oakley and Joel, who were helping Sadie man the bar tonight. Or Carter, who was sitting at the end of the counter with a pretty woman Wade assumed was his girlfriend. Or Tucker and Jackson, who were drinking with another guy Glen didn’t know.

“How many of those former football players are in here?” he asked.

Lorelie scanned the room and he could see her doing a mental count. “I see five. The usual suspects.”

“The guy with Tucker and Jackson?”

Lorelie shook her head. “No. Nolan didn’t play on the team. He wrote for the school newspaper. Actually, he’s in town right now working on a book about my dad.”

“And what do you think they’d do if I kissed you right now?”

A seductive smile appeared. “I don’t have a clue, but the suspense is killing me. Should we give it a try?”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she turned to face him. “Lori.”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t give a shit about those guys. I’m kissing you because I can’t stop myself.”

She reached up to touch his cheek. It was rough from a day’s worth of growth. He was suddenly sorry he hadn’t taken a second to shave again.

They both moved forward and met in the middle. He liked that. Liked that she wanted this as much as he did. His lips touched hers softly at first. She tasted sweet and smelled like sunshine. He didn’t have a clue what sunshine actually smelled like, but she was it. Fresh air and heat and a mountain lake—all rolled into one.

Her hand remained on his face, the touch as potent as the kiss. He tilted his head slightly, pressing her mouth open with his. Her tongue was there, stroking his, driving them out of the “sweet” range and straight into “sin city” in seconds. He tightened his grip on her shoulders with one arm while his other hand cupped her cheek. Her skin was as silky soft as her hair. The woman was the epitome of sensual perfection.

After a minute or two, Lorelie broke away.

He scowled.

“Gotta breathe,” she said, placing one, then two more quick kisses on his lips.

It took Glen a few minutes to catch his bearings, to recall he was in a crowded bar with loud music and laughter, surrounded by Lorelie’s friends. All those things had faded away when he’d kissed her, leaving only the two of them in a silent world where nothing else existed. He wanted to go back there.

“Lori,” Glen whispered. His head was spinning, everything except her face was blurry, gray.

“I…” she started, licking her lips. “That….”

He nodded slowly. “Yeah.”

She blinked rapidly as if trying to regain her own focus. “I’m a little rusty.”

He chuckled. “God help me when you get your sea legs back then, because that kiss rocked my world.”

She smiled and flushed slightly at his compliment. “It’s been a long time since I’ve kissed a guy. I don’t remember it ever feeling so…overwhelming.”

“That’s a good word for it. You keep talking about your lack of dates and as always, I find it hard to believe there’s not a row of guys from here to the next state waiting to ask you out. No matter how deep the defensive line of football players around you.”

He meant his words as a joke, but Lorelie sobered. “Sort of lost track of myself after my dad’s heart attack. It’s taking me a little time to bounce back.”

Glen recalled his first impression of Lorelie back in October. “Caged bird,” he murmured.

She frowned. “What?”

“First time we met, I thought you looked like a caged bird.”

Lorelie considered his description. “That’s not too far from the truth. Let’s just say my dancing shoes are dusty from lack of use. I was there the night my dad had his heart attack. To say it scared me shitless is an understatement. For months, I never strayed far from home because I was afraid it would happen again and I wouldn’t be there to save him.”

“Where’s your mom?” It was a personal question, but the more he learned about Lorelie, the more he wanted to know.

“Died when I was born. Dad raised me on his own. He’s all I have.”

His chest tightened as he thought about the stress Lorelie had been under since last June. Wade had called him shortly after finding out about Coach’s heart attack. Told him he was going back home. At the time, Glen thought Wade was a fool for leaving Nashville and he’d banked on his friend coming back. Even though they hadn’t toured together for a couple years prior to that, the two of them had found plenty of opportunities to meet for drinks at the bar and talk shop. Then Wade reconnected with Charlene in Quinn and stayed gone. Glen had missed him.

“He’s doing better though, right?” Glen asked, recalling the conversation about Coach’s doctor’s appointment.

“Oh yeah. He’s on the mend. Has been for a while.”

“But you’re still worried.”

She nodded. “That’s not going to go away. Ever. I know that. I just need to find a way to deal with it.”

“Sounds to me like you need to let go. Have some fun.”

Lorelie gave him the sexiest grin he’d ever had the pleasure of being on the receiving end of. “My friends suggested I get laid. But your idea sounds okay too.”

He cleared a throat that had suddenly gone tight. “I think you should listen to your friends. They know you better than I do.”

Lorelie laughed loudly. “Wanna help me shake off some of this rust?”

As far as invitations went, Glen was pretty sure that was the hottest offer he’d ever received. Lorelie twisted toward him again and he answered with a kiss rather than words.

Any tentativeness or hesitance was gone. There was no denying they both felt the attraction. And they were both diving off the cliff.

He lifted Lorelie’s legs, tugging them over his thighs, running one hand over her hip. She was wearing tight jeans that fit her like a second skin. She was long, lean and the most beautiful woman he’d ever met. As they kissed, he imagined lowering her to the booth and—

A loud knock on the table distracted them and had Lorelie jumping slightly.

As they broke apart, they looked over at the three new bottles of beer Carter had placed on the table. With a very heavy hand.

“Okay, darlin’,” Carter said, looking directly at Lorelie. “I might be off duty, but that doesn’t mean I won’t arrest you two for public indecency if you don’t knock it off.”

Lorelie narrowed her eyes, undaunted. “Listen, Carter—”

“No,” Carter interrupted. “You listen. You’re lucky you got
me
instead of one of the other guys.” He turned his attention to Glen. “I’m the peaceful one.”

Glen chuckled. He’d spent the better part of the day in a boat with Carter, and he really liked the guy. He actually liked all of Lorelie’s protectors. “I appreciate you taking the lead then. Don’t suppose we could call a truce, could we?”

Carter dropped down next to Lorelie in the booth and took a swig of one of the beers. Glen picked up another, lifting it in a quick toast of thanks. Lorelie remained quiet, her scowl growing darker by the minute.

“What do you have in mind?” Carter asked.

“While I appreciate the introductions to all the single ladies around here, I’m afraid I’m not interested in Ruby or Stacy—or whoever else y’all might have waiting in the wings.”

Carter glanced from Glen to Lorelie. “Yeah. I can see that.”

“Carter—” Lorelie started again, her tone still fairly hostile.

Glen placed his hand on her knee under the table to stop her. If Carter saw the action, he didn’t let on.

“I’m hoping to spend more of my time in Quinn with Lorelie. I appreciate that you guys feel protective of her. And I understand why.” Glen gave Lorelie a smile. “She’s something special.”

Lorelie rolled her eyes, but her face reflected pure delight. “You trying to sweeten
Carter
up or me?”

“You wanna go out with me one night next week, Lori?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

Carter frowned. “Thought you were heading to Vegas.”

“Haven’t fixed my truck yet.”

Carter remained undaunted. “I’m struggling to find a truce in any of this.”

“I’m here for a few days more. Probably a week. I’d like to spend that time with Lorelie instead of trying to play nice with all these women you and Wade keep lobbing my way. She’s an intelligent woman who has agreed to go out with me. If you’re really her friend, you’ll trust her to make her own decisions.”

“Yeah,” Lorelie threw out hotly. “You will.”

Carter sighed. “Old habits die hard, Lorelie. Coach asked us—”

“To keep an eye on me in
high school
. Dear God, Carter! You guys gotta let this go.”

Carter smiled. “It’s easier for me. I’ve been back in Quinn over five years now. So I’ve watched you date more than your fair share of yahoos. Wade, Tucker and Jackson are still trying to figure out what’s changed and what’s the same around here. And let’s face it—Joel and Oakley consider you their kid sister. That will
never
change. You’re gonna have to sort them out on your own time.”

She glanced toward the bar, where Oakley and Joel both stood. When they saw her looking, they quickly pretended to be busy pouring drinks. “Oh, I will.”

Glen was glad he wasn’t Joel and Oakley. Given the current level of Lorelie’s annoyance, both men were in for it later.

“Do I fall into that ‘yahoo’ category?” Glen asked.

Carter considered the question for just a moment, and then shook his head. “No. I don’t think you do.”

“So it’s settled. I’m taking this pretty woman out for dinner,” Glen said. “And all the intimidating looks in the world aren’t going to change that.”

Carter sighed. “Not much of a truce. Sounds more like an ultimatum.”

Lorelie leaned closer to Glen, her shoulder brushing his. “We’re just having fun, Carter. Is that such a bad thing?”

“Fun, huh? Is that what y’all are calling that show?”

Lorelie giggled. “
I
thought it was fun.”

Carter reached over and tugged on Lorelie’s hair. “Do me a favor, darlin’. Try to have that fun somewhere a lot more private. You’re getting all the rednecks in here worked up.”

“Deal.” Now that peace appeared to have been made, Lorelie reached for the beer Carter had brought to the table. Tipping it back, she chugged nearly half of it in one long gulp. “Feel like making out in the backseat of my car?” she asked Glen.

Carter groaned, but Glen laughed. “I could probably be persuaded.”

“Great,” Carter muttered. “Second y’all leave here, it’ll be
my
ass that’s grass for not stopping you. Don’t suppose I could convince you to leave separately? Or maybe sneak out the back?”

Lorelie shook her head as Glen stood and reached for her hand, helping her out of the booth. “Nope. I’m not about to pussyfoot around, pretending for a bunch of busybody boys who should all be more worried about keeping their
own
women satisfied and less worried about who I’m sleeping with. Or not sleeping with.”

“Which side of that line am I falling on?” Glen teased.

“That remains to be seen.”

“Damn. About time.” Carter chuckled, the sound prompting Lorelie to turn around and look at her friend. Carter answered the unspoken question in her quizzical expression. “It’s nice to have you back, Lorelie.”

She smiled, then bent over and placed a quick kiss on Carter’s cheek.

Glen wasn’t sure what the exchange meant, but clearly it pleased both of them.

Lorelie took Glen’s hand, the two of them heading for the exit. Glen was sort of surprised no one else approached. Once they were outside, they paused.

Glen kept hold of her hand as he turned to face her. “If you were just trying to teach your friends a lesson, I’m okay with playing along. We can say good night here, or…”

He let her fill in the blanks. Right now, he’d give just about anything to spend more time with her—whether it was kissing her or simply talking. But it had to be her call.

“I don’t want to say good night.” Lorelie looked around the parking lot. “How did you get here?”

“Walked. My truck is still DOA and the B&B is only a few blocks away.”

“Feel like taking a drive? I can drop you off later.”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, placing a quick kiss on top of her head. “There’s nothing I’d like to do more.”

She graced him with the sweetest smile that had ever been sent his direction, and then led him to her car. They hopped in and pulled out of the parking lot.