Swagger and Sass (Lost Kings MC 14.5)

“Long as I can remember,” she finally answers. “Music’s easier than talking sometimes.”

“Your voice is beautiful. You were stunning on stage.”

She blushes and ducks her head. “You don’t even like country music.”

“I like your music.”

This time I get a smile. She turns and shifts in my lap. “Thank you for saying that.”

“Sugar, one thing you should know about me, I don’t say shit I don’t mean.”

“I see that about you, Logan.” She moves again, straddling my lap, knees hugging my hips.

“Like it when you say my name.”

She leans in and kisses my cheek and then moves over to my ear and sinks her teeth into my earlobe, sending zaps of electricity down my spine. “Thank you for coming to see me tonight. I was shocked you remembered.”

“Couldn’t figure out why you didn’t want me to know where you worked. For a minute, I thought you might be a stripper.”

“Trust me, more than one person’s suggested that would be a more appropriate career for me.”

Who the fuck said that to her? I’ll rip their arms off. “Fuck that. You owned that stage. You transformed that shitty little bar into something else with your voice.”

“You’re exaggerating but thank you.”

I press my palms against her cheeks, so she’ll meet my eyes and understand every word is the truth. “I mean every single word, Sugar. Never thought anyone would get me to willingly listen to country music.”

She tosses her head back and laughs, exposing the sexy column of her throat.

I run my hands up and down her legs and lean in to kiss her neck. “Really wish I hadn’t let you change out of that dress.”

Her hot breath skims over my cheek. “What would you do right now?”

Keeping my hands on her ass, I sit forward, pressing her against my erection. “I’d stroke that pretty little clit of yours until you were wet and begging for my cock again. Told you I didn’t get enough before.”

“You’re insatiable.”

Her eyes sparkle with desire, but I’m not done talking to her yet. I groan and can’t believe I’m going to steer this conversation away from getting my dick inside her. “Tell me about this show you were on.” I gesture toward the house. “Unlike the girls, I’ve never heard of it. What happened? How’d you end up on it?”

She tilts her head as if she’s surprised I care more about information than fucking. Can’t blame her, I’m surprised myself.

“Well, I didn’t win, but I made it far enough for a jump start.”

“Like?”

“I have a few singles up for digital download now.”

“So, I can go buy a Shelby Morgan song anywhere I want?”

“Yes,” she answers, with a proud chin lift. “But don’t do that. I can send you whatever you want.”

“Hell, no. I want to support my favorite artist. Gonna buy multiple copies everywhere I can.”

“Now I’m your favorite, huh?”

“Damn right. What else?”

“About the show?” She scrunches up her nose and shifts her gaze over my shoulder. “Well, besides being betrayed by someone I thought was a friend, almost developing an eating disorder, and living under a microscope for eight weeks, it wasn’t so bad.”

That was a lot to take in, so I set aside my urge to go on a murder spree and wait to see if she wants to share more.

“Sorry.” She glances down. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful.”

“You can be honest with me, Shelby.” Club life is all about staying under the radar, so I can’t imagine the level of scrutiny she described. Sounds like absolute hell.

“It was a shock but also good for me to see the other side of the industry.” Her face brightens. “And I landed an opening spot on a tour with Dawson Roads. It’s a huge opportunity I never would’ve had otherwise.”

“Now, that name I recognize.”

She laughs and loops her arms around my neck. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“When’s that happening?”

“In a couple weeks. That’s why I’m doing rehearsals every morning. Playing when I can. Working extra shifts so I don’t leave my mom high and dry.” She bites her bottom lip. “There are a few dates of the tour in New York.”

Damn, why does my heart pound even faster when she says that? I pull her closer and brush my lips against hers. “That so?”

She nods slowly.

“Think I can still get tickets?”

Her eyes widen. “You’d want to?”

“Fuck yeah. Why are you so surprised?”

She shrugs and looks away. “I’m not dumb, Rooster. A couple months from now, you probably won’t remember my name.”

I move my hand to the back of her head and pull her close. “You have no idea how wrong you are. I’ll never forget you, Shelby.”

“I won’t forget you either. You’ve come to my rescue twice now.”

“Happy to do it.” I rub my thumb over her cheek. “I’m gonna need front row tickets and a backstage pass.”

She nods slowly and stares into my eyes. “You’ll always have an all-access pass, Logan.”

I groan against her throat. “I’ll hold you to that.” I kiss her cheek and press my forehead against hers. “Are you up for boot shopping tomorrow?”

“Sure. I don’t mind showing Heidi around.” She hesitates. “If that’s what you want to do.”

“I want to see if we can find you a pair of electric teal boots.”

She jiggles with laughter for a second then stops. “You don’t have to buy me anything.”

“I want to.” I thrust my hips up, grinding what’s rapidly becoming a painful erection against her. “Getting hard just thinking about you wearing them and nothing else.”

“Never would’ve figured you for a boot fetish kinda guy.”

“I’m surprised as anyone.” Our teasing dies down, and somehow, I can’t stop myself from opening my mouth and letting some truly sappy words pour out. “I want to get you something nice. So when you’re out on the road, you’ll wear them and remember how much of an awesome singer you are to make me love country music.”

She doesn’t laugh like I expected.

“Please don’t.” She covers my mouth with her fingers. “Don’t make me like you any more than I already do.”

Like. She has a point. Every time I’m with her, some other L-word keeps creeping into my mind. Something I’ve always told myself I’m not interested in. At all.

“Yeah,” I whisper. “I like you a hell of a lot more than I ever expected, Shelby.”

“Please.” Her bottom lip quivers. “Don’t do that. I can’t afford a broken heart right now.”

Hell no, I want to murder anyone who hurts her. I swallow hard. “The last thing I want to do is break your heart.”

She grasps my cut, digging her fingers into the leather to pull me closer. Our lips crash together. Fire surges in my veins. My arms go around her, lifting her up. She hugs her knees to my hips and keeps on kissing me.

Never had anything in my life as perfect as her kisses.

Emotions I’m not familiar with roar inside me. What I said was true. I don’t want to break her heart. But she might just be the first woman in a long time who’s had the power to break mine.

If you’d like to know more about the Lost Kings MC…

The first book in the series, Slow Burn, is free at all retailers! Click here to download.

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Rooster and Shelby’s first full-length book, Rhythm of the Road, is available for pre-order now.

Click here to pre-order Rhythm of the Road (Lost Kings MC #16).

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Continue reading for a taste of Slow Burn, my author notes, and a complete list of other books I’ve written.