The Last One Read online

  But then the name flashed across the top of the screen.

  Teddy.

  I scrambled to grab it before it went to voice mail and tried to sound casual.

  "Hi," I said.

  "Hey," he said happily. "I wasn't sure you'd be able to answer on a workday afternoon."

  "Then why did you call on a workday afternoon?" I said with a laugh.

  "Well, I've spent the past few days trying to find a reason to call you, but the only thing I can come up with is that I can't stop thinking about you."

  "Oh...very good answer." I bit my lip and mouthed OMG to myself.

  "What time do you get off of work?"

  "5:00...where are you guys?" of course I knew exactly where they were.

  "Michigan."

  "So, it's 2 there?"

  "Yep."

  "Can I call you when I get done here on my drive home?"

  "Please do," he said.

  "And Teddy...you don't need a reason to call me."

  Within seconds of hanging up he texted me..."I'm trying to stalk you on instagram and can't find you...I can't search the red-headed Olivia and I don't know your last name” He inserted a face in hands emoji.

  “Haha! knowing my last name wouldn't have helped - btw it's Porter. But the Instagram account is my dog’s account.”

  I gave him the name of my beagle’s Instagram account and within a couple of minutes he was following me.

  My heart was racing when I pressed the little green phone button to call him when I got into my car.

  “There are no pictures of you on your Instagram,” he remarked. “I mean Stanley is a very pretty beagle, but…”

  I laughed. I’m not a huge fan of social media and given my history with Grace’s father, there are reasons I shy away from it and remain anonymous on it on the rare occasion that I’m there. I wasn’t sure I was ready to go down this road with him. Actually, I was very sure I was not.

  “I know, I’m just not the biggest fan of social media," I said, hoping that was enough of an explanation.

  “Me either, it’s a strange thing opening yourself up to the world like that. I realize in my business it’s expected nowadays, but that is not why we got into music. We didn’t start the band to be famous, honestly, we just loved playing music together. That probably sounds kind of cliché, but it’s true.”

  The conversation came so easily, we talked about his family, touring, dogs, you name it.

  “You must have one hell of a commute,” he said when we had been on the phone for nearly an hour.

  “Well, it isn’t short, but, full confession, I’ve been in my driveway for 20 minutes.”

  “Why didn’t you say something, or go inside, I could have let you go.”

  “I didn’t want to go…I…if I’d gone inside, Stanley would have wanted to talk too, and…I just…it’s very nice to talk to you.”

  I heard him let out a sigh on the other end of the phone. “Likewise,” he said softly. “I do have a show to get ready for, and I need to let you get on with your evening. Poor Stanley needs to tell you about his day!”

  I laughed. “You’re right, he does. Have a great show tonight. It was really nice to talk to you.”

  “Likewise,” he said again and paused as if he wanted to say more, or was as reluctant as I was to hang up. “Hey is there any other show before the one in Virginia Beach you'd like to come to?"

  “I didn’t notice any anywhere near here before then.”

  “It doesn't need to be close to you...pick a venue and I'll get you there...look when you get inside and let me know.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “I want to see you.” He paused again. “I’m not willing to wait until September.”

  “You guys get to go home every now and then right? You could come see Stanley and me anytime you want, or I could just come to Nashville some time, maybe.”

  “Hmmm, also very good ideas,” he said.

  I assured him I would find someplace I wanted to go. I sat in my car for a few more minutes after we hung up still a bit dumbfounded by what was happening. He wants to see me. Me! That’s just nuts.

  I fed Stanley and then grabbed my phone and called Meredith to tell her the news as Stanley and I were walking.

  “Wait, what?” she exclaimed.

  “I know,” I said in my best Monica Geller voice.

  “Well, where are you going to go? I think you should go to Nashville and hang out there,” she said, quickly rattling off a handful of restaurants I should ask him to take me to. Meredith is an event planner and it is her job and also just her nature to know every hot spot on the planet.

  “That would be fun. They also play out west in July at some festivals,” I added, I could see the eye roll through the phone.

  “Oh good grief woman! Leave it to you to want to go out to some hippy dippy mountain festival instead of the hippest city in the country right now!”

  As expected, I got his voicemail when I called back. “Idaho or Montana.” That was all I said. I knew those were going to be highly unexpected choices as he didn't know me well enough yet to know any chance to go West I would take.

  I was in bed when he returned my call and he was laughing when I answered.

  “Well, not the choices I expected, but since they are back-to-back let's do both.” Then he paused. “Those are also in late July.” Which meant he still had to wait nearly two months to see me.

  “I knew you were going to say that,” I wasn’t sure what else to say. For me to travel required time off from work that I had to get approval for and a pet-sitter for Stanley, which costs money that I do not have, but that was the last thing I wanted to admit to Teddy. I have this stupid huge amount of pride and I am determined to have everyone believe I have got it all together even when I’ve had to scrounge for quarters out of my coin jar to put gas in my car to get to work in the not-so-distant past. But by golly I still had a roof over my head and food in my fridge and Grace had a scholarship for college and my parents made up the difference. Still, it seemed a bit self-indulgent to want to traipse across the country to flirt with a country music star more than a decade my junior.

  But damn it felt so good.

  Daily texting, quickly became daily phone calls, which quickly became multiple calls per day and they grew longer and longer. And with that the need to see each other intensified. And even worse, I really, really liked this guy.

  Understanding he was willing to get me to wherever he was, it became more of an issue of time off from work. It wasn't that I couldn't get it, but it couldn't really be spur of the moment. I needed to give some advance notice and I needed to plan for Stanley.

  I was pretty certain this bubble was going to burst, I just hoped I would get one romantic weekend with him before it did.

  I've never been one to lie about my age - never felt the need to - until recently. I know he knows I'm older than he is, but by how much, I sincerely doubt it. I don't really pass for 30 anymore I don't think, but I don't think I look 45 either. Since most of these musicians tend to go for the much younger, perky little 20-somethings...like I said...we shall see just how long before this bubble bursts. But Teddy seems far from typical.

  “July 4th, do you get some extra time off for that?” he asked.

  “I do actually, it's a little strange with it being in the middle of the week this year, but it would be easy for me to take a day or so on either side of it, or long weekend.”

  “So, we have a show on Friday the 29th and then we are home until the 7th. Would you be interested in a few days in Nashville with me? We can do the touristy thing out and about or we can stay locked in the bedroom for a few days...you pick!”

  I dialed Meredith’s number as soon as we hung up.

  “I’m going to Nashville!”

  “When!?” she shouted.

  “Next week,” I said. “Oh my God, I cannot believe this is happening. I’m freaking out.” And I was. I paced all around the house as I was talking.
Stanley sat on the couch tilting his head sideways at me every time I exited the hallway. “There will be sex and I swear I don’t even know if I know how to do that anymore.”

  Meredith busted out laughing, clearly enjoying my drama. “Honey, I’m pretty sure it will all come back to you, if not, let that big tall drink of water that is Teddy Abbott show you how!”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  TEDDY

  There was a small regional airport near her house. I’m not one to often take advantage of the perks our fame has provided, but this was one of those times that I was truly grateful to have access to a private jet.

  I was running on adrenalin taking off from Nashville shortly after landing from our show in Missouri. I was beat but I wanted any extra time I could get with Olivia so I hopped the jet and flew out to Virginia to pick her up. And I made sure she had no idea.

  The plane is there, Paul says it's the only one waiting for someone, so come on out when you get there. – I texted her.

  Great, I just pulled in the parking lot, tell him I will be right there.

  I stepped out of the plane and leaned against the bottom of the stairs waiting anxiously for her to appear from the double doors of the airport. My heart was racing and I was fidgeting like some kid. Then she appeared and I just about fell over.

  Her auburn hair was tied back into a thick pony tail that was caught by the breeze and falling back over her shoulder. Her lightweight dress skimmed her body and flounced around her knees as she strolled toward me.

  “Please tell me you are not the pilot?” she quipped as she got within earshot.

  I laughed and stepped to her just as she flung her arms around my neck. I scooped her up and pressed my lips to hers as if we’d kissed a thousand times before, instead of this being only the second time we had shared the same airspace, and the first time our lips had touched. That realization hit us both as our lips unlocked and her feet slowly returned to the ground.

  We made some small talk while getting settled on the plane, stowing her bag away and securing the door.

  She looked around. "Where do you want me?"

  I cocked an eyebrow and she blushed. I motioned to one of the sets of seats that face each other with a little table in between...we held hands across the table and stared at each other. "Hi," I said softly.

  "Hi."

  Her hands were so tiny. I let my long fingers caress and twist themselves up in hers as I seemed to watch from afar. The quiet was nice, not at all awkward. She leaned toward the window to see if she could find her yard as we took off. Sure enough, the tarp-laden shed of her neighbor gave her the reference point she needed to point it out.

  I could hardly take my eyes off of her. Somehow more beautiful than I remembered and a lot more at ease with me than she had been the night we met. We’d spent the past month creating this frenzied need between us with flirting and innuendos all over our texts and conversations. Now having her in my presence I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to touch her, kiss her, breathe her in. I was also certain if I started, I wouldn’t be able to stop.

  All bets were off when we moved over to the little couch and she stretched her legs across my lap. As she did it, her dress fell in the opposite direction leaving me with a pair of bare legs and empty hands. She bit her bottom lip, lifted her eyes to mine and gave me that beautiful, crinkled-nose grin. There was no shyness in those eyes as there had been the night her trembling fingers handed over the phone. These eyes were glistening with fire.

  She exhaled deeply when my fingers began patrolling the muscles in her legs and playing connect the dots with her freckles. I let some turbulence bounce me over top of her, caging her into the couch. I was already hard and the second our tongues met I thought I might burst wide open.

  I groaned when her hand rubbed along the length of my cock through my jeans. She had the zipper between her fingers and she’d nearly distracted me from the fact that her bare breast was under may hand. The plane bucked again and I pressed my forehead to hers laughing.

  “Oh God woman, I want you,” I exhaled and watched the smile reach her eyes. “But I have this somewhat romantic notion that I don't want the first time with you to be on the couch in our plane.”

  --------

  I hadn’t given her much warning about Biscuit, my rescued mutt, who greeted us at the door and is usually very standoffish with strangers. But she by-passed me and went straight to Olivia, who dropped onto the floor and began kissing and talking to Biscuit like long lost pals.

  I wandered over to the table and read the note from my house-sitter and then watched my girls play oblivious to my presence.

  “Sorry, I kind of lose my mind when dogs are near,” she said standing and brushing hairs, hers and Biscuit’s, off of her face.

  "Do you want anything," I asked, about to turn toward the kitchen afraid all I could conjure up would be water.

  "Yep," she said, smiling broadly with a look that stopped me in my tracks.

  I returned the smile and wrapped my arms around her scooping her up so we could be face to face. She wrapped her legs around my waist. “What is it that you want?” I asked softly.

  “I want you...naked and all over me,” she bit her lip again and grinned, the statement seeming to surprise her.

  I answered with something akin to a low growl and then a slow deep kiss eliciting the tiniest whimper from deep within her throat.

  Having spent a month and a couple of hours on the plane working ourselves into a frenzy, I was afraid I might come the second she touched me. I held my breath and did some of my own lip biting when she dropped to her knees in front of me which seemed to amuse her greatly and egg her on. We locked eyes as she kissed the tip of my cock, held snuggly in her hands. She grinned wickedly as she pulled me into her mouth.

  “Oh, God,” I moaned and closed my eyes, lost in the soft wet heat of her mouth and pumping of her hand. I clutched her hair gently with one hand, but let her set the pace. She responded to my moans tightening her grip and quickening the pace, my cock slick with her spit. So good. I bit my lip again and grabbed her hair tighter.

  “Stop,” I said urgently. “Please, stop…”

  “Why?” she said breathlessly, her hand still working.

  “I’m going to come…”

  “That’s kind of the point!” she laughed.

  “I want inside you, I…” Oh, God, her lips wrapped around me one more time and then slowly pulled away and laid down across the bed.

  I reached for the nightstand drawer but the condoms I thought were there weren’t. I dashed over to the dresser. Not there either. Shit. What had I done with them?

  She sat up on her elbows. “What are you doing?”

  I raked my hand through my hair not certain what to do. It didn’t take her long to catch on.

  “Hey, I’m on birth control and I’m clean,” she paused and held out a hand to me. “Or you can run to the store, right now!” she laughed and grinned, putting me instantly at ease, despite the effect the momentary panic had on my erection.

  “I’m good,” I said. I laid down next to her and caught my breath for a minute, looking at her pale bare skin, trailing my fingers across her soft belly, watching it rise fall under my hands and toying with her erect nipples while she closed her eyes and relaxed.

  Her soft moans deepened when I slipped my fingers between her legs. She was so wet, so ready. Her nipples hardened deeper under my tongue, and she squealed as a nibbled a bit before moving over top of her. She lifted her hips to meet me and I slid inside. She let out a tiny squeak. She was so tight, feeling her stretch around me had me to back to edge again.

  We moved slowly at first, creating this magical undulating rhythm. I swept my hands into her hair and fell into those sweet soft lips. Her hips met mine more and more urgently. Her fingers dug into my ass and she pulled me in harder and deeper and just as I was about to lose it, she slammed her hips into me and clutched me close, I felt her flutter against me and I let go with a groan int
o her hair. Neither of us moved for a few minutes. Our quiet panting filling the room.

  I was done. The exhaustion I’d staved off for the past 24 hours or so was rolling in like a tidal wave.

  CHAPTER SIX

  OLIVIA

  I dozed for a few minutes but mostly lay there listening to him breathe, in a state of disbelief that I was here in his bed, in his arms.

  Teddy had fallen asleep quickly, the exhaustion of performing and traveling taking its toll...his long limbs were tangled all around me. I glanced around the room. A pair of boots next to the closet door, a guitar in the corner, sheets of music and notes and notebooks on a table near the guitar and a loveseat, a shirt tossed across the back of it. Some framed poster art of early shows, fun black and white photos of them performing lined the walls. What was a missing in this room? A TV. God, I could love this man.

  I gently untangled myself, put my sundress back on and went out into the living room. Biscuit raced from her spot on the couch to greet me and followed me to the kitchen where I grabbed some water. I found her leash and we set off to explore the neighborhood, which I would quickly regret as we were hit with a blast furnace of heat and humidity as soon as I opened the door.

  "Biscuit, I'm afraid this will be a short walk."

  Teddy was up and on the phone with his brother when Biscuit and I walked back in the door.

  “You could have slept a lot longer than that,” I said.

  “I don't know, I wake up and you've run off with my dog!”

  “Well, you know...she is a sweetie.” I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned into him.

  He leaned down to kiss the top of my head. "So are you."

  “Oh my, very good answer,” I laughed.

  “So, I'm noticing a problem I should have probably taken care of instead of flying to get you - which was more than worth it - but there is absolutely no food in this house...and I mean literally, nada.”

  “Yes, I noticed that.”

  We hopped in his truck and headed to Biscuit Love, to quell the immediate hunger, and because I’d never been. I asked him if he was able to be out and about without getting noticed or at least bothered.