Prologue
TEN YEARS AGO
HUTTON
I bite the corner of my lip and dip my chin. God, if only I could see him without looking like I’m looking at him. I let out a frustrated breath, turning my attention back to my friend Laurie. She’s smirking at me, then shakes her head a couple of times before she lifts her drink to her lips, sucking on her straw for a moment.
“What?” I ask when she doesn’t speak right away.
“Nothin’, just wondering when you’re going to finally make yourself available to Beaumont Griffin. You know he’s been watching you all night and you’ve been trying to steal covert glances of him, but you both fucking suck,” she states.
I snort, sucking my lips in and pressing them together as I inhale through my nose, then let the breath slowly out my mouth as I release my lips.
This is the first time I’ve ever really gone anywhere like this. My first sip of true freedom. I’m an introvert by nature and have never really had a desire to go anywhere, not that I could have even if I’d wanted to.
“No way would a man that fine want anything to do with me.”
Her lips turn up into a smirk again and she laughs softly. “Well, he wants somethin’ because he’s coming this way.”
Without another word, Laurie stands, turns around and I gape at her retreating form as she walks away from me. My muscles stiffen when I feel a warm palm rest against my lower back.
Turning my head, I look up into the warmest dark brown eyes that I’ve ever seen. They’re so rich, almost the color of smooth milk chocolate, but if you look really close, you can see little flecks of black glitter in them.
“Hey.” He smiles.
God.
That smile.
His kissable lips turn up and show off his white, straight teeth. Men aren’t supposed to have teeth that pretty, that perfect, or that white. His gaze dips down to my chest, then back up to meet my eyes.
“May I?” he asks.
I sink my teeth into my bottom lip and nod my head once. His hand stays firmly pressed against my back as he straddles the bench next to me. I fight the urge to look at his crotch as he spreads his thighs, I fail.
“You havin’ fun at the festival?” he asks.
It’s the Bluebonnet Festival tonight. The carnival rides are just okay, but I’m really here for the live bands. There are going to be a couple tonight and I’m pretty excited to just have fun and possibly make myself get out and dance.
I nod once, inhaling through my nose before I gather the courage to speak. “My friend and I are here to listen to music and dance.” I smile, feeling my face heat with every word that I breathily whisper.
He grins, dipping his chin. “You like music?” he asks.
My lips widen into a smile and I nod. “Love it. I love to dance more though,” I admit.
Though I don’t tell him that I’ve never actually danced in public. I wasn’t the girl that was asked to the prom, or anything like that. I was always the wallflower, the shy girl, the assumed frigid girl. His hand on my back slowly inches around my waist and I gasp as he tugs me closer to him, nestling my hips against his crotch.
“I’m Beaumont,” he offers.
That name.
Oh my God.
I knew what it was before he said it. But that name is the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard, especially the way he says it, with a touch of a twang. Not everyone here has one, but when a man is born and bred Texan, there’s just something about him.
“Hutton,” I offer, giving him my name.
“Hutton,” he murmurs.
It’s then that I decide that the way he says my name is complete, pure, sin. I am in trouble. Those lips smile, his brown eyes twinkle and my heart leaps into my throat. Clearing my throat, I glance over to the tabletop as his fingers flex against my waist. Shifting my gaze back to him, he grins with a sexy smirk.
“Am I gonna see you dance when I’m up there?”
My eyes widen at his words as the meaning sinks in. “Wait,” I call. His smirk widens to a smile. “You’re going to be up there?” I ask.
He dips his chin, his mouth hovering over mine and my breathing completely stops. I hold my breath, my eyes automatically fluttering closed.
My. First. Kiss.
It’s about to happen.
“I’m the main attraction, darlin’.”
He winks then leans over and brushes his mouth across mine, his tongue peeking out to taste my lips before he scoots back on the bench and stands to his feet. I watch his ass in his tight jeans walk away from me.
“Good Lord, why’s he leaving?” Laurie asks.
Turning my head to look over at her, I shake my head as I speak. “He’s the main attraction on the stage,” I breathe.
“Oh, shit,” she drawls.
“I know.”
ONE YEAR LATER
BEAUMONT
Standing outside of the salon. I watch Hutton as she sweeps the floor from her last client. She’s only been working here for a couple of months, she says that it’s just a stepping stone to owning her own shop. She’s ambitious and I admire her a hell of a lot for that.
Goddamn, I’m a fucking asshole.
She has no clue what’s about to come her way. My heart almost aches, it would if I had one anymore. My ex-bitch ruined that for me. Chelle took my heart, ripped it into a million shreds and stomped on it eighteen months ago.
Like the fool I was, I fell into Chelle almost instantly. I was young and dumb. She was hot and easy. It was a match made in heaven. I never loved her, never pretended to. But she put me through the wringer anyway.
She ran off with some guy, made me believe that he had her against his will. When I finally tracked her down, she was living with him, happy as could fucking be. She’s psychotic and I’ve been a fucking mess since.
Meeting Hutton a year ago was by happenstance. I’ve had a great time with her, but I don’t trust her, I don’t trust anyone. Before Chelle, there were my parents. My father left when I was a baby, don’t remember him much.
When I turned ten, my mom took off, didn’t even leave me a note. I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever trust another woman again. I’ve been keeping Hutton at arm’s length, using her body for relief and giving her nothing of myself in return—not really.
This morning everything changed. My phone rang with a call that I’ve been dreaming of since I was ten years old. A label wants me, wants my music and my voice. The only issue is that the label is in California and I’m going to have to move.
I know without a doubt that I can’t leave and still be with Hutton. I’ll spend every waking hour convincing myself that she’s fucking around on me. Hell, I think that now. I try to keep ahold of my shit, but the hold that I have is only by a goddamn thread.
“Beau,” she calls.
Lifting my gaze, I flinch at the sight of her. She’s got the door open to the little beauty parlor she works at, her hand extended as she waves toward me. Pushing off of my pickup truck, I slowly make my way toward her.
“Talk to you for a minute?” I ask.
She frowns, looking up at me, her green eyes staring into mine in complete confusion. Normally, I would walk into the salon, hang out and watch as she closes up for the evening. Then I’d take her out for dinner, possibly a movie, or just back to my place to fall into one another’s arms and make love.