Careful not to wake her, he tugged on a pair of shorts and crawled out. Joints creaking, he tumbled into the aisle. The skin was tight around his two-day old tat. He loved that feeling, a reminder of her gift and the permanence of its hold.
He hadn’t paid her for her work, but he didn’t need to. What she didn’t know was he’d made her co-owner on all his accounts, and she was now the sole beneficiary in his will. His parents’ mistake wouldn’t be repeated, and Charlee would never be without money again.
He took a piss, brushed his teeth, and strode through the lounge, giving Tony and Nathan a chin lift. When Ella looked up from her laptop and smiled, he reluctantly smiled back.
“Mornin’, Jay! Don’t you forget to check that schedule now,” she called after him as he jumped down the stairs to the exit.
She greeted him every day with the same prompting. He refused to remind her a third time that one of the few things he liked about touring was stumbling off the bus when he woke, comatose and foggy, not knowing where they were or what time it was. Unawareness had a calming effect.
His bare feet hit the rocky ground, and he stretched his arms to the mist-laden sky. Four waiting guards flanked him as he crossed the lot to the guardrail. High above the terrain, the rolling landscape extended for miles in every direction.
Lush green hills emerged from wisps of ground-hovering clouds. The humid air plastered to his skin, the aroma mossy and alive. The single building of bathrooms and rows of parking spaces stood out in the otherwise undeveloped scenic overlook. That and the parade of buses and Suburbans.
The surreal vista swayed in waves of silver green, rich with life and energy. Not unlike his state of mind. His thoughts were light, his heart lighter. His triggers seemed to have surrendered with his memories. It was as though he’d scaled a mountain and had roosted at the top.
Footsteps crunched on the gravel, approaching from behind. “We’re in Northern Arkansas. Pretty, ain’t it?” Ella asked.
His shoulders shot to his ears. So much for the calming effect. He kept his gaze fixed on the view.
She stepped around him and offered a mug of coffee. “You don’t like me, do ya?”
Accepting the cup, he raised it to his mouth. It was the Hawaiian blend he kept in the back of the cabinet. Dark roast and black, the way he liked it. No surprise she’d been paying attention. “I don’t like anyone. Ask around.” He didn’t like any of his tour managers. They were too often intrusive and demanding, assigning rigorous schedules and nagging endlessly about itineraries and travel expenses.
“I see.” Her face crumpled.
For fuck’s sake. “You’re a nice girl. Don’t take it personally. Just do your job quietly, and we’ll get along fine.”
She nodded, molding a smile in her creased expression. “We’re fixin’ to roll out in a few minutes. Gotta be in Little Rock in a couple hours. After the sound check, we need to check into the hotel suites—” Her gaze flicked over his shoulder, and her smile wavered.
Hands ambled around his waist, and a tight little body pressed against his lower back. He handed his mug to Ella and twisted in the circle of arms.
Darts of silver shimmered in the blue eyes smiling up at him. Heaven help him. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”
Her rosy lips bowed up. “Still not tired of hearing that.”
With one hand framing her face, he cupped the back of her thigh and lifted her to straddle his hips. She crossed her ankles over his ass and drew his bottom lip between hers.
He’d never get enough of this woman. He spread kisses over her mouth. “Mmm. Morning.”
“It’s four in the afternoon,” Ella huffed.
Charlee pushed her hands through his hair. “Mmm. Coffee. It tastes like morning on your lips.”
“Ella.” He nibbled and licked at Charlee’s mouth. “Some privacy?” Another nip. “We’ll be along shortly.”
“Sure thing.”
80
Three hours later, Charlee cruised the dining room in the rear of the Little Rock arena, one hand in Jay’s, the other gripping her growling stomach.
“You should’ve eaten on the bus.” He narrowed his eyes at her as he led her along the tables.
Brisket, sourdough rolls, coleslaw, potato salad, and a dozen other catered dishes scattered the surfaces. The hearty fragrance of liquid smoke and seasonings produced another rumble in her belly.
“Let’s see. Microwave burrito on the bus? Or catered meal? Hmm…” She slammed to a halt. “Oh, wow. Is that—”
She released his hand and lurched toward a small bowl filled with a smooth yellow mixture specked with green and orange chunks. She fumbled for a spoon and dug through it. Chopped eggs, pickles, oranges. She thought her favorite dish was her own secret concoction. Apparently, it was a catered side in Arkansas.
“What the hell is that?” He scrunched his nose.