Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

RHYLAN

M y knee jumped, bouncing up and down. Drew glanced at it. "Got somewhere else to be?"

I glared at him. The fucker knew why I was on edge. He raised his hands."Plane just landed in Nashville, the car's heading to get Skylar. Are you sure about this?"

Was I sure? Fuck no. But if I didn't do something, I'd regret it for the rest of my life.

And he knew it. This whole thing with Skylar could blow up in my face.

Ask me if I cared.

"What time is she supposed to land?" I asked.

"Three. If she gets on," Drew answered.

She would. Skylar had more fire and passion for music than anyone I'd met. Except maybe me. I stood, needing to do something, anything, occupy myself until she landed. "Text me when she does. I'll be in the gym."

"Work off some of that frustration!"

I refused to give him the satisfaction of answering. Instead, l flashed my middle finger without looking back. Asshole understood me far too well.

Skylar coming here, to my place, was the biggest gambled I'd ever taken in my career. But she was worth it. Even if it all fell apart. No one would ever own her soul ever again if I had my way. She cursed me when I told her I bought her masters and the rest of her contract, but little did she know I would never do anything to hurt her.

Never. No Fucking way. I'd hurt myself before I'd let anyone hurt her. Ever again.

And I had. The deal I struck with my former label gave them a percentage of my next album, along with a few promotional deals, in order to buy out her contract.

An hour later, sweat soaked, my smart watch pinged. Not to warn me my treadmill time ended, but with a text that Skylar's flight was on its way to Sunrise Beach. An hour late. My lips twitched. Little did my Sparrow realize how much I loved her defiance. The fire she'd almost lost to the Music City music machine.

Two weeks all alone with Skylar. I only hoped it would be enough to convince her that here with me was where she wanted to be. Where she belonged.

I grabbed a towel and hopped off the treadmill and wiped the sweat from my face. With a grimace, I drained the water bottle and sat on the bench. And formulated a plan. Skylar might not realize it, but we were going to make beautiful fucking music together while she was in Sunrise Beach.

DREW: Want me to stick around until your guest arrives?

Fuck no. I wanted Skylar all to myself. Asshole knew that, but he was giving me one last chance to change my mind. A way out. Until she wrote a song, I could still get out of the deal I made for the buyout of her contract. Drew made sure we had a loophole built-in, in case Skylar didn't feel the same. But her body responded to mine. My plan had to work. Or I was one pitiful mother fucker.

RHYLAN: Go. I'll let you know how things go.

DREW: Have fun, R.

Oh, I planned on it.

The water sluiced down my back. I shut my eyes, enjoying the heat and steam on my sore muscles. Workouts became the place I worked through/not having any contact with Skylar. One meeting, one kiss, and I was addicted. She invaded every thought, every sound. Fuck, it was hard waiting for her. I would have made her fly out with me that night if I could have. Except I needed the time to tie up the loose strings from my divorce. Finalize the details of buying out her contract.

In less than she would be here. With me, in Sunrise. The place I was at home than any other place I'd ever owned. Ironic that my now ex-wife had never stepped foot in the beach estate I bought because I had felt something the second my realtor showed it to me.

The idea of having her here, without anyone or anything to distract us, had my cock making plans. Fuck, her plane hadn't landed yet, and I was ready to do whatever it took to get her in my bed. But, I didn't want to scare her off. Which was why I had the guest house that doubled as a pool house set up for her. It also has a mini recording setup. I had planned on using it if Adrienne ever decided to join me. She hated being ‘bothered' by my songwriting. Once I realized she was never going to stay here, I put in the Actual recording Studio in last gear. But, fuck, I was happy that Skylar would have a place she could use at anytime.

I toweled off, then entered the closet, which was almost as big as my first apartment in Nashville. of course, I thought I'dbe sharing it with someone else.

When I was dressed, I slipped the watch I bought after my first album went gold. Then I walked into my bedroom to find my phone.

DREW: Plane just touched down. She should be there in thirty. Storm's off the coast might be rolling in tomorrow or the next night. Lee wants to know if you want him to stay or fly back to Nashville.

Storm?

I checked the weather app on my phone and sure enough, there was a tropical storm brewing off the coast. I'd been so occupied with Skylar and her staying here that I missed the tropical storm brewing over the ocean. The trajectory had it hitting just north or pretty close to Sunrise Beach either tomorrow or the following day. Which meant there was a good chance we'd have to bunker down in the main house for a few days. A slow grin spread across my face.

RHYLAN: Tell Lee to head back. Thanks for the update.

Looked like things were playing right into my hands. Storm prep was one thing I was used to and was also one thing that helped sell me on this place. The previous owners had storm prep in mind when they built the house. Which meant Skylar and I would be safe and sound. And there was nothing I wanted more than to write with her. If the power went out, I had a generator for the main studio, candles, and plenty of whiskey to keep us warm.