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,
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
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
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
Part One: Letting GoKari Loftin settled the Chicago Cubs cap on her sleek brown hair and walked into the sports bar of the hotel as if she came here every day. She didn't go to bars alone unless she was meeting someone on business. It had always seemed so...shady to her. She might not even be here tonight except the Cubs were in first place in all of major league baseball and sitting home alone trying to celebrate sucked. Her life needed some shaking up. At forty two she was finally tired of living in the past and having no future. Of telling herself she was satisfied with her pitiful excuse for a sex life. Of putting herself in the position where that sex life only left her with groping middle-aged men who popped Viagra like candy. Today, when nothing had allowed her breathing room from the iron control she always fought to keep in place, she'd realized how empty she'd deliberately made her life. There was something to be said for letting go. If she could make herself do it. A
And so are you, he wanted to say. The minute she'd wedged herself in and hitched up onto the stool next to him his dick hardened almost to the point of pain. All he'd expected tonight was to watch his Cubs in a crowd of like-minded people. Little did he expect that Fate would deliver a delicious package to him in a Cub s t-shirt and cap.He figured her for about five four, a lush, generous figure that made his mouth water. Full breasts pushed against the soft fabric of the t-shirt. Even with the bar he knew she was wearing he nipples were large enough to leave an outline. God, he just wanted to lean over and take each of them in his mouth, one at a time, and suck and nibble them.Her slacks were well cut for her generous hips and thighs. Mentally he licked his lips. A man could get lost in those thighs, massaging the soft flesh. He could imagine the tempting cunt they were hiding, covered in soft light brown curls just a shade darker than the soft strands peeping out from beneath her
When Riley said suite he really meant it, Kari thought, as he opened the door and ushered her in. They were on the top floor of the hotel, which should have been her first clue that Riley was shelling out some big bucks for his stay. The so-called sitting room was bigger than half of her condo. Beyond open carved double doors she saw a bedroom big enough to hold the mob in the bar and a bed large enough for an orgy.An orgy? God, Kari, you are really letting it all hang out.Riley flipped a switch and two lamps with soft lights blinked on. The remote for the television sat on a glass table, and he pressed buttons to turn on the giant television and tune to the channel broadcasting the game."How about a fresh Lone Star?" he asked. "I don't think you even got to finish the one you ordered.""That sounds good," she told him. She stood in the middle of the room, rubbing her hands against her thighs and wondering where she should sit. On the couch? Too inviting? In one of the big cha
He'd said it lightly, but there was a heavy undertone of meaning beneath the words and his body was rigid with control. She knew about control but it was a different kind. She hid behind it every day of her life, locked behind an iron shield for so long she wasn't even sure she knew how to let go. She was amazed that he actually wanted to fuck her, a man wh9o could probably have any woman in the world. Only if you want me to.Yes, I want you to, but I'm afraid What if I turn you off?.The owner of Loftin Realty was supposed to have her shit together, not be trembling like a shy virgin.As if he could hear her thoughts, he said, "How about it, Kari. Can you trust me for one night? Believe what I say? I promise I'm going to make you feel very, very good."She could feel his power rippling beneath the surface, surrounding her. Could she just do this? Give him control? Not worry about anything? While her brain was still whirling his mouth came down on hers, his tongue sliding betwe
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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