Page 16 of Forever Country (Forever Bluegrass #24)

H olt steered Annaleigh to the kitchen. Miss Violet took advantage of his attention being on Annaleigh and did a sneak attack by grabbing his head and yanking him in for a hug. Holt sucked in a breath right before he was smothered by her pillowy bosom.

“I made you a to-go bag,” Miss Violet said once she let him up to breathe.

“I really hope it has whipped cream in it. I want to lick it off his—”

“Thank you, Miss Violet!” Holt yelled as he practically shoved Annaleigh out the back door.

“I’m tired.” Annaleigh went to sit down and Holt caught her. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her up the stairs to the apartment. He punched the code in, pushed the door open, and carried Annaleigh to the bed. She was already asleep when he set her down.

Holt took a minute to pull off her shoes and get her tucked into bed before going to the seating area and pulling out his notebook.

The idea of a song had hit him when he was listening to Annaleigh speak her internal thoughts.

Lyrics were flowing so he popped dinner in the fridge as the world faded away and he began to write.

“ Summer Tea ? Is that a new song?”

Holt almost fell out of his chair when he found Annaleigh standing behind him reading the lyrics over his shoulder.

He realized the apartment was completely dark except for the lamp by his elbow.

Not only that, but Annaleigh appeared completely sober.

How long had he been working? The clock in the kitchen told him it was two in the morning and the full notebook told him he had seven new songs.

“It’s one of many new songs I wrote tonight. How are you feeling?”

“Confused,” Annaleigh said as her brow furrowed. “Why do I feel as if I’m hungover?”

Holt reached over and pulled her around to him and then down onto his lap. “It’s because the sweet little old ladies got you drunker than a skunk.”

Annaleigh laughed. “Miss Lily and Miss Daisy? No they didn’t. We just had iced tea.”

“Yeah, iced tea mixed with a whole lotta bourbon.”

Annaleigh was quiet for a moment. “Well, that explains the headache. Thanks for the medicine by the bed. My headache is already going away. Gosh, I hope I didn’t do anything embarrassing. I get... chatty when I’m drunk.”

Holt pursed his lips and instead of saying anything bent down and gave her a kiss. “Are you hungry? Miss Violet packed us dinner.”

“Yes! I’m starving. Now I also understand my desire for something greasy.”

Holt lifted her and set her down on the couch next to him. “Then you’ll love her dinner. She made hot browns and two slices of red velvet cake. Sit here. I’ll get it ready.”

“What’s a hot brown?” Annaleigh asked as she curled her legs under herself on the couch.

Holt slid the dinner onto two plates and put them in the microwave.

“I forgot that even though you live only a couple of hours away, our food hasn’t made it to Tennessee yet.

This is a Kentucky favorite. It’s an open-faced turkey sandwich, and some put ham on it too, and smother it in a cheesy mornay sauce and top with tomato and bacon. ”

Annaleigh groaned. “That sounds perfect. I guess something inspired you to write. Can you tell me about your songs? Are they for you or for someone else?”

Holt walked the short distance over to her.

He bent and kissed her quickly before he handed her a glass of water.

“They’re for me. Although, I have to think about whether they’d all work on an album or not.

I might sell a couple off after I get into the recording studio with them and figure out how they sound.

Let’s just say I’ve been very inspired recently by a new woman in my life. ”

He saw Annaleigh’s eyes go wide with surprise and then her cheeks turned a cute shade of pink. “Me? I’ve inspired you? Oh no. Are the songs about a crazy woman you fake dated?”

“Nothing is fake about our relationship, sweetheart.”

“I noticed you didn’t say I wasn’t crazy,” Annaleigh teased.

Holt chuckled as he reached for the silverware and napkins. “Hopefully you’re only crazy for me.”

“I must be for feeling the way I feel for you after such a short time,” Annaleigh admitted nervously.

On the other hand, Holt felt as if he’d won the lottery. “Then we’re both crazy, because I have very strong feelings for you too.”

Holt served dinner, if you could call eating at two in the morning dinner. They talked and he told her about the songs while they ate.

Annaleigh glanced at the clock and began to clean up.

“You have to sing the anthem tomorrow, well, today. You need to get to bed. Do you do anything special to get ready? Tea? Vocal rest? I had a client who only drank these smoothies that had to be made in a gold blender. No one was allowed to talk to her and she couldn’t see anything purple.

Her assistant had to go through her house and take everything purple down before every performance. ”

“I feel sorry for the poor assistant.”

“She goes through them almost monthly.”

Holt shook his head. He was not a high-maintenance client and could not imagine being so inconsiderate of other people like that.

“No, I don’t have anything special I do.

You don’t need to run around hiding purple things or trying to make me smoothies.

But there is one thing you can do if you want. ”

“Anything. What do you need?” Annaleigh asked as Holt took her hand in his.

“Come to bed with me. I want to hold you while we sleep.” Holt had had hookups, in which he spent the night at their place, but never at his.

His place was his sanctuary and he rarely brought women to his apartment or house unless they were in a serious relationship.

He’d had a couple of those, even if the press didn’t like to focus on that.

However, it had been a while since he’d become more selective in who he wanted to date.

Already, he couldn’t even remember the women he’d dated in the past. Annaleigh filled his mind which was focused on the future and not the past.

Annaleigh closed the distance between them.

She slid her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek to his chest. Holt’s arms automatically wrapped around her as he held her close.

“I will happily do that. I’m at peace and so happy when I’m with you.

In fact, I like you so much I won’t even put my cold feet on you. ”

Holt kissed the top of her head. She had no idea how much he loved that comment. “It’s my job to warm them. Put them on me anytime.”

Holt finally let go of her after she kissed him quickly and told him she needed to get changed for bed.

The regular nerves were there, but they were different.

Tonight was the first time they were sleeping together that wasn’t filled with fear and anxiety.

Instead, it was filled with warm and cozy feelings.

Holt undressed while Annaleigh was in the bathroom and climbed into bed. He would have slept on the couch if she’d wanted him to, but was glad to have her next to him in bed. How could sleeping together just once make him miss it so much when she wasn’t with him?

The bathroom door opened and Annaleigh came out wearing one of his T-shirts and nothing else. Somehow that was sexier than any lingerie.

“Hope you don’t mind me borrowing your shirt. It was so soft I couldn’t resist.”

“Sweetheart, you can wear my clothes anytime. It’s like a giant billboard declaring you’re mine.”

Holt opened his arms and Annaleigh crawled onto the bed and into his arms. She tilted her face up and Holt kissed her soft lips she was offering him.

Finally, they were safe and alone. They didn’t have to worry about her stalker or anyone interrupting them.

Annaleigh had always been so in control, even when running from danger.

Now, when Holt ran his hand under the shirt, over her hip, and up her side, caressing her breast, he felt her control slip.

Annaleigh moaned in this soft sexy way that was fuel to the fire Holt already felt.

He would do anything to have her make that sound again.

And Holt did just that. He learned every sound Annaleigh made while he explored her body.

There was nothing better than hearing her scream his name as his fingers played her to completion.

Annaleigh went limp and smiled up at him.

Her eyes were already drifting down as she ran her hand through his hair.

“That was amazing,” Annaleigh said on a sigh.

Holt moved so that he was lying next to her and pulled her into him to spoon. “That’s because you’re amazing. Now, get some sleep, sweetheart. We have a full day planned for tomorrow.”

“What about you?” Annaleigh asked as she wiggled her bottom against his still hard erection.

Holt kissed her head and snuggled her closer. “Tonight was about you.”

“Are you sure?” Annaleigh asked with a yawn.

“I’m sure. Tonight was perfect. We have the future stretching out before us. We don’t have to rush through it all in one night. It’ll give me something to look forward to.”

Annaleigh was quiet for a moment and Holt thought she had fallen asleep. “I’ve never had a boyfriend like you before,” she whispered.

“Good. I’ve never had a girlfriend like you before. It’s new for both of us.”

He felt Annaleigh’s body relax further then her breathing even out as she fell asleep. It took Holt a while to fall asleep, namely because he didn’t want to waste one second of feeling Annaleigh in his arms. Eventually, sleep came and with it dreams of a life with Annaleigh.