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Chapter 18
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Man of My Heart Chapter 19
"Fuck." His voice was still slurred but now it was edged with anger. "You bitch. Okay, I wanted to make it nice for you but that's out the window. I'm gonna take what I want and fuck you blind."Jasmine could hardly breathe with his weight on top of her, and fear had nearly paralyzed her vocal chords. His fingers closed around her wrists in a painful grasp and he held her in place while he kneed her legs apart. When he grabbed the top of her sleep pants and yanked, tearing the fabric, she found her voice and screamed and kept on screaming.Suddenly the pressure of his body was gone. Voices surrounded her and she tried to focus on what was happening. There were people in the room, a lot of people, Gary and Hondo and some others she didn't even recognize. She curled onto her side, trying to hide herself. Oh god, oh god, oh god.Her breasts still hurt where Cobra had squeezed it so hard and she felt sick to her stomach. Then Gary was there."Ssh, ssh," he soothed. "It's okay. We've
Man of My Heart Chapter 20
"Libby, I'm fine, really."Jasmine leaned back in her chair and lifted her glass of sweet tea. She took a long drink of it, pleased to see that her hands weren't shaking. Her cousin, Liberty McCoy, was sitting across from her giving her the fisheye."You sure don't look fine to me.""But I am. Look." She held out her hand, forcing it to remain steady. "Not even a tremor.""You can't fool me, Jasmine Grey. I've known you too long. You always put on a good front."Jasmine leaned forward. "I'm doing as good as I can, Libby, and that's the truth. I get better every day."The women were sitting out on Jasmine's back patio, one of the few places in her new home that had any furniture. A soft breeze was blowing, tickling the leaves in the big oak tree whose branches hung over the patio. Two jackrabbits raced through the tall grass and in a grove of trees white tailed deer munched on the wild shrubs growing there. The scene was so peaceful she wondered if she'd ever want to leave it agai
Man of My Heart Chapter 21
Caleb Branam sat in the booth in the coffee shop and tried to smile at his friend."You trying to be a do-gooder, Aron?"Aron McCoy just looked at him. "I'm trying to help you get your head out of your ass."Caleb ran his hands up the sides of his face and across the top of his head. "Hmm. Seems like it's still in the right place."Aron snorted. "I should have known. A wiseass, just like at the University of Texas."Caleb chuckled. "Is that better or worse than being a smartass?" The smile disappeared. "You have to stop trying to 'fix' me, buddy. Some people are just permanently broken.""So that means what? You'll just hide away in your cabin up in the hills, relying on your disability funds to pay for your beer and skittles?"Caleb managed a chuckle. "I might if I knew what skittles were."Aron leaned forward. "I'm serious, Caleb. Everyonehas disasters in their lives, but they deal with it. There are a lot of people much worse off than you are."Last night when Libby told
Man of My Heart Chapter 22
"So how are you doing? Really?"Carson Wagner sat across the table from Jasmine on her patio and studied her with that analyzing look she knew so well."Good. Really. All things considered."She wasn't about to tell him she still woke up in the middle of the night with the feel of Cobra's hands on her. This was a battle she was determined to fight herself."Are you sure? Because we have stuff to talk about, good stuff, but I want to make sure you're ready to move forward.""Carson, it's been three weeks. I'm okay. The best part of the whole episode, if there is a best part, is the band and Gary broke into the room and yanked him off of me before he could do any real damage.""And thank the lord for that. Okay, if you're sure, take a look at what I have here." He reached into his briefcase, pulled out a folder, opened it and set it on the table before her.Jasmine's eyes widened as she read the information. This was the next step in her career and it was a really big one."Wow, Carson,
Man of My Heart Chapter 23
Caleb grumbled to himself as he drove down the two-lane country highway headed toward the address Carson Wagner had given him. He still couldn't figure out how this happened so fast. Or how it even happened at all. One minute he was happily miserable in his self-imposed isolation. He'd even learned to live without sex except for the occasional connection with his hand. The next Aron McCoy had turned his life upside down. He thought it was the fickle finger of fate that they'd bumped into each other in Kerrville and nothing would do but they have coffee together. As if that wasn't bad enough, Aron managed to connect with him again on the one day he came into town to do some grocery shopping. He'd been happy not having to talk to people. Be with people. He could wallow in his misery up in his isolated cabin and feel as sorry for himself as he wanted to. He should have flat out told Aron "No" when the subject came up, but the man just wouldn't take that for an answer. He'd said yes mostl
Man of My Heart Chapter 24
"Well, what?" Caleb asked. "I just met her. I don't know exactly what this job requires or even if she could stand to have me around.""Don't throw those scars in here," Aron warned. "She barely looked at them. I want your gut reaction."Caleb folded his arms. "She seems okay. At least for all of the ninety seconds I've been with her so far."Aron threw back his head and laughed. "So I should forget that you practically had your tongue hanging out of your mouth?""Okay, okay," he grumbled. "She's attractive. I'll give you that. But you're not hiring me to be her stud."Aron's face sobered. "No, I'm not. But I also don't want you to stand around with a stick up your ass. She's not what you expected, is she.""Exactly what did you expect, Mr. Branam?"Both men startled. Neither of them had heard the screen door open and close or her footsteps on the concrete. Caleb felt a hot flush rise on his cheeks. He stood up, trying not to favor his leg, and took the tray with mugs on it from
Man of My Heart Chapter 25
Jasmine stood in the center of the great room directing the deliverymen from the furniture store. She and Liberty had put a nice dent in her cash but she was happy with everything she'd gotten. She'd even thought to ask Aron what kind of mattress she should get for Caleb. He'd only be staying with her a short while but Aron had told her about his leg and she wanted him to be comfortable. She'd had them set up the room Caleb would be using first thing, so she could make it up with the new linens she bought and washed in fresh-smelling detergent. She even had a television in there. She'd hooked it up to the satellite system and tested it to make sure it worked. She wanted him to be as comfortable as possible. After all, it would be just the two of them alone out here while she finished the songs for the album. The two of them alone!A little shiver danced along her spine at the thought of Caleb Branam living in her house with her, just the two of them. Just his presence had made all
Man of My Heart Chapter 26
Caleb nodded. "And why you want it." He chewed, swallowed and shrugged. "Sorry. My social skills are a little rusty right now, so I'm sorry if anything I say offends you.""No, no, no. Not at all." She took a swallow of her iced tea, hoping the chilled liquid would cool off her flaming hormones that seemed to ignite when she was within ten feet of this man. Great. Just great."So let's have it. Was this your goal in life?"Jasmine shrugged. "I think so."She told him about singing at parties with her cousins, getting her parents to drag her to every country music and country/rock concert and appearance within fifty miles. How she'd bought her first guitar from a second hand store and taught herself to play. How, at the insistence of her parents, she'd enrolled in the University of Texas at Austin but spent every spare minute looking for gigs at every little hole in the wall club in Austin.She told him about the nights she sat outside by herself, writing music and practicing it.
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Man of My Heart Chapter 41
The Austin Energy Center was about to be filled with more than fifteen thousand shattering, crazy fans. The promoter had begun selling the merchandise for her and Sweet Dixie twenty-four hours before the show because people were screaming for it. He'd sold out and Carson had to have an emergency shipment overnighted to the venue. Between her and the headliner they were swamped with a sudden flood of requests for interviews. Carson was on site working with Caleb to manage the process. They ended up doing them all at the hotel where they were all staying so they could contain and regulate things. Everywhere she went, inside the hotel or outside, Jasmine was stunned by the huge increase in people who recognized herJasmine was ready to either shoot Caleb our kick him in the balls. The man was driving her nuts. It was only because of him, his feelings for her, their connection that she'd had the strength not to be scared out of her wits when Cobra finally got to her. That same sense of
Man of My Heart Chapter 40
Caleb had never been one for concerts, even as a kid, so the magnitude of that night's event stunned him. People clogged the parking lot trying to score tickets and the venue staff selling merchandise for the two performers ran out before the evening was even over. Backstage the two sets of roadies worked like well-oiled machines, getting their performers on and off stage and keeping the show flowing. Sweet Dixie, who greeted Jasmine like a long lost sister, insisted she do the last number with them again, and fifteen thousand fans screamed their lungs out. The next two shows were just as wild, especially since the band also had Jasmine sing one of their songs with them. Gary Lockwood told him this was unusual. Most acts like Sweet Dixie wanted the spotlight all to themselves. The opening act was just something to give them time to get their shit together for the night. But apparently they had developed an affection for Jasmine on the last tour. "That's like gold in the vault," Gar
Man of My Heart Chapter 39
Caleb had one word to describe the tour-insanity. Jasmine's new celebrity had crowds swarming wherever they went. It was a damn good thing Carson had reached out to the police departments in each city, gotten a contact and set it up to hire off duty cops as needed. The band was practically wetting itself, they were so over the top about it. And maybe because of that, and because Jasmine was the key, they had appointed themselves her extra protections. Wherever she went, they went, even if they did nothing else but take orders from Caleb.They had hit their third stop before the first sign of trouble showed its head."Sorry to bother you this, early, but the bus is fucked." It was six in the morning, they were due to leave at ten and Gary was on the phone with Caleb. "The driver's losing his shit.""What's the problem?" He was glad his training had taught him to come alert in seconds."It's the engine. Someone put sugar in the gas tank and it gummed up the engine."Shit!"Okay, ok
Man of My Heart Chapter 38
The album was finished and everyone had given it their blessing. Jasmine was determined that asshole Cobra wasn't gong to ruin this session, the album or the tour. The songs really cooked, the band was at its best even with a new addition, and everyone was so high on the possibilities the air around them practically vibrated.The night they finished Carson took them all out to dinner. Gary Lockwood joined them with two roadies. The sound system and all the equipment except the guitars would be stored in a secure facility with three armed guards. No one was taking any chances."I won't let him kill this," Jasmine said again at the table. "He really turned out to be a snake," Hondo remarked. "Remember when he tried to use that as his nickname?"Tony smacked his forehead. "We should have gotten a clue from that."Carson looked around the table at everyone. "I put out the word on him. For one thing, it will help to have a lot of eyes out there if he does try to show up. For another,
Man of My Heart Chapter 37
Caleb had been in very sophisticated cockpits when he was in Special Forces. He'd been in a couple of control towers as part of a mission. But the setup at TruSound Studios blew his mind. The sound booth was three times as large and four times as complicated as the one where they'd been rehearsing. Jasmine had told him this was where she'd recorded her other albums and he realized what Carson meant about spending a penny to make a penny. This was the elite of recording studios, no doubt about it.Greg and Hitch, the sound engineers, greeted Jasmine with bear hugs, shook hands with the band and acknowledged the introduction to the new bass player. They didn't seem the least bit phased when Jasmine introduced Caleb as her bodyguard. It seemed a lot of people knew the story of what happened with Cobra."Damn, Jasmine," Greg teased. "I'd have guarded your body for nothing. He winked and said to Caleb, "Just joking, guy. We've been recording Jas since Carson brought her in here to do her
Man of My Heart Chapter 36
The first thing Jasmine did was strip of her clothing and step into the big tiled shower, washing away what she called rehearsal dust. The water cascaded over her in streams while she stood there letting the water wash away the fatigue and tension of the past two weeks. She was standing there with her eyes closed, face upturned, when she heard the door slide open and the next thing she knew warm arms wrapped around her and she was pulled tight against a hard male body. Hard in a lot of ways.He slid one hand over her shoulder and down to palm a breast, hefting it in his hand, squeezing the nipple between thumb and forefinger. Electricity shot straight to her core and she had to squeeze her thighs together. "Like that?" His deep voice sent little ripples through her. When he kissed her cheek and nibbled on her neck down to her shoulder the sensations set up a pulsing in her sex. With one muscular arm banding her to his body it was impossible to miss the hard thickness of his cock p
Man of My Heart Chapter 35
Jasmine couldn't ever remember being this excited, even when she'd first signed with Carson and she was high on the takeoff of her career. Afternoons and evenings-sometimes until three in the morning-she worked in the studio with the band nailing down the new material. Nights, no matter how late they got back to the hotel, she and Caleb made incredible love and then she slept in his arms.The morning following that first night she'd been startled and amazed when she woke up in bed with Caleb. On the one hand she wanted to just cuddle up with him and shut out the world. On the other she was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. For Caleb to tell her what a big mistake it was. To even have the nerve to apologize. And then to tell Carson he'd have to find another bodyguard.But whatever drew them together, against all odds also kept them bound together. She knew he was still finding his way out of his voluntary isolation. She was still on tiptoes making sure she didn't do something
Man of My Heart Chapter 34
Jasmine threaded her hands into Caleb's hair, holding his head in place, her soft little moans like music to his ears. When he had taken his fill he locked his gaze with hers, reading in her eyes the same intense desire and need that gripped every bit of his body."If I try to stand up any longer," he told her in a shaky voice, "I'm afraid I'll fall to the floor. I need to take this someplace more conducive to what I have in mind.""And what is that?" Her lips curved in a sensuous smile.He put his mouth to her ear. "I'm going to lick and taste every inch of this gorgeous body and then I'm going to fuck you until neither of us has breath left." He yanked back the covers on her bed and placed her on the sheets. His hands trembled a bit as he got rid of her sandals and jeans, drawing the denim slowly down her legs so his knuckles could caress the satiny skin. And that left only a tiny scrap of lace that passed for her panties. He thought for sure his heart would stop beating. It too
Man of My Heart Chapter 33
What the fuck was that all about? Even before what Caleb referred to in his mind as the disaster he'd never had more than a sexual pull toward any woman. But watching Jasmine, listening to her, seeing the joy in her face, he wanted to sweep her into his arms, hold her tight and make all the bad memories go away. He knew he was seeing something special here.She was born to this."She sure was," Carson agreed.Caleb startled, not realizing he'd spoken his thoughts aloud."Sorry, I, uh, -""No problem. Glad to see you appreciate what we've got here. Okay, I'm moving along. Call me if you need anything."Hours later, even with his butt sore from sitting and his stomach protesting the excess consumption of coffee, he was stunned to realize how much time had passed. How his attention had been captured by the electric quality of the music. Of Jasmine's songs. Before he left Carson had flipped the switches so he could hear everything in the booth. Even with all the stops and starts, wit
