This Love of Mine (Raine Series #1) (12 page)

"Thanks
for coming out tonight, y'all. We have an amazing band ready for your pleasure.
Give a big hand in welcoming, Restless Youth!"

I
grasped the mic between my hands as it sat on the stand and closed my eyes just
as Bryce began playing the bass. Our first song was a fast one that started out
slow and I always kept my eyes closed through the first chorus. That was until
I remembered who was watching me. I scanned the crown and caught her eyeing me,
and I smiled.

The
first few lyrics came out soft and smooth and I could tell by the look on her
face, that she was surprised. As I got a few more words in, I could see her
practically melting into the floor and it pushed me harder than I had ever
pushed myself before. This concert was for her.

Kayla

His
voice wasn't at all what I was expecting when he started to sing. I watched his
eyes float up to mine with the first few words of the song and I practically
came right where I stood. His voice was like a soft wave of satin, enveloping
me. I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. He looked sexier than ever standing
on that stage and commanding so much attention. I hadn't realized how many
people had actually showed, until I glanced around me as the lights went
brighter. The place was packed and all here to see them.

I was
surprised with the music that they played. When he said they were alternative,
I almost expected a much rougher edge to there sound, but I was pleasantly
surprised. I listened to all types of music, but this was definitely something
I could see myself listening to
a lot
,
and not just because I was overwhelmingly attracted to the lead singer.

Their
first few songs were fast, but they started to bleed into some slower ballads
and every time Madison looked out to the crowd, he sought me out. He looked
amazing being in his element, and I couldn't help but wonder if he ever went
big, would he even care if I were around?

I know
how ridiculous I sounded, but I was willing to put it all out there before he
left and I couldn't help but wonder, if he was willing to do the same.

****

An hour
and a half later, they were wrapping up their last song, when I heard my name
through the speakers.

"This
song goes out to a special girl, who I can only wish thinks of me just as I
think of her. This one's for Kayla James."

His
voice did things to my insides that I could only hope never faded. I stood with
the rest of the crowd as he started singing accapella. His voice wrapped around
me like a warm blanket on a cold winter night. His eyes were closed and he
gripped the microphone as if it would disappear any second. I kept my eyes
focused on him as he sang about a flirtatious and amazingly strong love. I
willed him to look up at me, but was disappointed when he didn't. As the song
was coming to an end, he let the last few lyrics float from his mouth and they
encased me, speaking volumes.

 
I watched as the curtains fell closed and
the house lights came on. I didn't notice anybody around me, until Ryan came
strutting over asking how I liked the show.

"It
was amazing." I shouted over the house music pouring through the speakers.

"Were
you expecting them to suck?" He laughed.

"Not
necessarily, but I've never heard them before." I smiled as he pulled me
over to his side.

"Come
with me. I'll take you backstage."

I went
willingly under the security of his strong, brooding frame. He led me to a
small black door next to the stage and opened it quietly. "Go through the
door on your left. You'll find your boy in there."

I
pressed up on my tiptoes and laid a kiss to his scruffy cheek. "Thanks
Ryan. It was nice meeting you."

He
smiled and then quickly closed the door behind me. I stood in front of that
small red door, willing him to come running out looking for me. After a few
minutes or seconds had passed, I reached for the brass handle and turned.

My heart
was pounding out of my chest, and I could feel my palms beginning to get
sweaty. I was nervous wondering what I may or may not walk in on. I was
pleasantly surprised when I pushed open the door, and Madison was standing
there arms stretched wide, waiting for
me
.

I ran
straight for him, relishing in the warmth of his arms. He squeezed me tightly
into his broad, chiseled chest with a strength that I had only ever heard
about. I looked up through a veil of hair into those sparkling green eyes. They
held every emotion he was feeling, and they saw deep inside of me. I never
wanted this moment to end, and I was fairly certain it would have lasted awhile
longer, had Glenn not interrupted with his smart-ass remarks.

"You
two need to just screw already. I mean, our boy here is leaving soon, and then
what?" He slapped Madison on the shoulder as he ran past laughing.

I smiled
up at Madison, agreeing one hundred percent with Glenn, but Madison didn't know
that. "It was an amazing show, cowboy." I winked at him just as his
lips came crashing down onto mine. All was lost in that moment. My sanity,
reasoning, hell, even my panties wanted to march out that door with the rest of
it all.

"Let's
get you home. I don't need your granddaddy wanting my ass on his wall for
bringin' ya in late."

I
quickly searched my purse for my cell phone to check the time. I had let time get
away with me, and Madison was absolutely right, my granddad would have his ass
if he brought me home late. Especially, given the fact that he didn't even know
I was with him in the first place. That would only fuel the fire.

The
light on the screen lit up, letting me know it was now eleven o'clock. Phew, at
least we still had a little bit of time. Madison had pulled away from me and my
body was already feeling the effects of not having him near me. This guy was
like a drug and not being around him, sent me into withdrawals.

I waited
around backstage as Madison helped the guys load up the rest of their
equipment. By the time they were completely done and ready to go, it was about
eleven thirty. I was a little bummed when it took Madison another ten minutes
to say good-bye to everyone left at the bar. I wanted some extra time with him
tonight, but apparently that wouldn't be happening.

His
intoxicating smell assaulted my senses as his warm, strong hand curled around
my hip, pulling me deeply into the comfort of his side. I glanced up at him
with a wide smile as he led us out of the bar and back to his truck. This time
I let him help me into the cab of the truck and even let him think he
accidentally copped a feel of my ass. Before he jumped into the truck, I made
sure to scoot myself into the middle of the bench seat. There was no way I was
going home without feeling his hands on me, even if it was just a hand on my
knee.

I'm pretty
sure my small gesture caught him off guard. The look on that poor cowboy's face
was one of fear and maybe even a little bit of intimidation. There was no doubt
about it; I affected this guy just as much as he affected me.

It took
Madison a bit to work up the courage to touch me. At first, I could have sworn
he was going to drape his arm around my shoulders, but I was wrong. He went
straight for the kill, placing his hand precisely between my legs. My heart
rate spiked and adrenaline went rushing through me. I had only ever been with
Wren, but this felt entirely different. The way I felt when Madison touched me
was pure elation. When Wren had touched me, it was pure disgust. I could feel
my body's response to his subtle touch almost immediately.

I didn't
think I was ready to sleep with Madison, even though I
really
wanted to, but I was so willing to do anything else I could
think of. I could feel the moisture pooling in my panties as his fingers traced
small, soothing circles on my upper thigh. I sat there silently willing his
hand to travel just a little further north. And as if he had heard exactly what
I was thinking, his hand slowly started making its way closer and closer to
where I needed to feel him the most.

Instead
of making circles, his hand was now rubbing my thigh back and forth, moving
further and further up with each motion. A small moan escaped my lips and I
quickly glanced up at him to see if he had heard me. If he had, he never gave
any indication, but he also never stopped caressing my leg. My hand had
remained unmoving on top of his thigh, with no notion of me moving it anytime
soon.

As his
hand rubbed up my left thigh, his long, deft fingers grazed the thin lace
fabric covering what I yearned for him to touch. I took a sharp intake of
breath as it made contact once more. He must've noticed my reaction because he
was soon moving past the lace to feel the origin of the wetness that was now
covering his fingertips. I leaned my head over onto his shoulder and moved my
hand slowly, but meticulously up his thigh. Just as my fingers grazed over the
rather large bulge in his pants, we made a sharp turn and I realized we were
now on my road. I slowly pulled my hand back onto my lap, and he must've done
the same at some point, because my panties were now securely back to their
rightful position and he had both hands covering the steering wheel.

I let
out a strangled breath as we inched closer up the drive. I wasn't ready to
leave him. I needed more. He must have sensed my disappointment as he came to a
complete stop just outside of my grandparent's house, because he turned towards
me and didn't waste a second capturing my mouth with his.

Our
tongues moved in unison and massaged one another’s gently but passionately.
Thoughts of taking it further flashed through my mind like a movie. Every time
his mouth moved with mine, I became increasingly eager and I wasn't willing to
stop what might happen. I pushed my hands back through his hair and tugged. I
pulled him into me until I was practically sitting on his still erect lap. I
was about to slide my hand down between our conjoined bodies to touch him, when
I felt him pulling away.

When I
looked up, his eyes held more than just lust in them, I saw fear. Real
unbridled, unadulterated fear. I quickly glanced out the window that he was
looking through, when I caught sight of a small lean woman underneath the porch
light. My breath hitched in my throat, and my breathing became ragged as
reality settled in. My momma was here, and she was waiting for
me
.

Madison

The look
on Kayla's face was one of crippling fear. Everything about her, told me she
was terrified of the small woman standing on her porch. I couldn't make out
many of the woman's features, but the glow emanating from the porch light
emphasized her eyes, and I knew in an instant that the woman must be her
mother.

I
reached over, cradling Kayla's hand in my own and pressed a small kiss to the
inside of her palm. I wanted her to feel reassured, in a moment when she looked
anything but. Our seemingly good night had turned to shit in an instant.

I didn't
know the story behind how Kayla had been hurt, but by the way she was shooting
daggers towards her mother, I could only assume that she had something to do
with what had happened. I glanced over at Kayla when she hadn't moved. She was
focused on the dark silhouette and nothing else. The truck had since become
eerily quiet and I needed to break the tension somehow.

I
brushed a loose strand of hair from her face and bent my face down near the
nape of her neck. "Are you going to be okay, sweetheart? I was prepared
for a lie, but what I wasn't prepared to hear was the truth, but that's exactly
what I got.

"No,
no I'm not. That's my momma standin' there." She pointed in the direction
of the woman staring back at us. "The stab wound on my leg, that woman,
she's the one who did it."

My mouth
fell open in shock and my mind began moving a million miles a minute, trying to
comprehend what I had just heard. I was tryin' to think of something, anything
to say, but my words failed me. I was having a hard time fathoming how someone
could do something so heinous to their own child. She must have sensed my
trepidation because she bowed her head into my shoulder. I pulled her deeper
into my chest while running my hand up and down her back. If that wasn't a
woman standing up there, I would have been out of my truck in a second flat,
and beating the shit out of her.

"What
happened, Kayla?" I whispered into the top of her head before pressing my
lips into her hair.

"She
and my ex didn't want me leaving, so they tried to stop me. That's about
it." She gave me a weak smile and then pushed herself up and started
scooting towards the door.

Before
her hand reached the handle, I caught it with mine and gently turned her upper
body towards me. "Let me come in with you? Kayla, I can't leave you here
to deal with her all alone."

"You
can't Madison. I wont let you. I care for you too much, to let you see the
inside of my messed up world."

I was in
shock, most girls would love to have a guy standin' up for them. "Are you
sure? I need you to know, that I don't like this idea, one bit! Will you at
least call me if you need
anything,
and
I mean anything at all?" She nodded her head and then exited the truck.