Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

R ae

The last two days have been disorienting. Hutton seems like the nice guy next door most times, but then every now and again, I remember who he is and I wonder what the hell he's doing here with me. As he presses me up against the tile wall and rakes his teeth over my bottom lip while filling me completely, I think maybe I'm dreaming.

"Fuck, Rae, your pussy is perfection," he mutters against my mouth, the vibration coming from his chest making my nipples tighten painfully.

He withdraws and thrusts back inside and my thighs begin to ache. Something about this good ol' boy having a filthy mouth makes me hot and bothered in a way I've never felt before. His hands grip my hips tightly, controlling his thrusts in and out, my back sliding against the tile. I'm holding on to his shoulders for dear life and wondering where a forty-year-old man gets the stamina for shower sex like this. Then again, Hutton is built. The man clearly spends a lot of time in the gym, whether on the road or at home. His abs flex with each thrust and the veins bulging in his arms are exquisite. He doesn't stop, doesn't slow, just keeps plundering my body like he's out of control.

Stars shoot across my vision and Hutton must know because he lets go of my hips with one hand to stroke his fingers across my clit and grind himself into my body with short, deep thrusts. The man can play a guitar like a master and my body is no different. Everything tightens into a painful point of pleasure before exploding.

The back of my head cracks against the tile and I don't even feel it. His name tumbles off my lips, and as much as I want to keep my eyes open so I can view this perfect man making me fall apart, I can't. Muscles that had locked tight now sag in exhaustion as the waves of pleasure keep lapping. My forehead lands on his solid shoulder and Hutton thrusts one last time before I feel him quaking against me. A low growl is the only sound I can hear above the water cascading to the shower floor.

"You win," I mutter against his wet skin, placing a kiss on top of his shoulder.

His head turns and he kisses my cheek, his hands beginning to move up and down my torso in soothing strokes. "Let's get you to bed, sugar."

He pulls out and steps back. My legs slide down his body but I'm not sure my knees will hold me. He guides me out of the shower and takes care of the condom before wrapping a towel around me and scooping me up in his arms. He carries me to the bed like he's not even worn out. He sets me on the edge and proceeds to wring out the water from my sopping wet hair.

I smile lazily up at him, wondering how the hell this man is not only famous, talented, and gorgeous, but he's also sweet. "I was married four years and my husband never towel dried me."

I freeze, not realizing I said those thoughts out loud. Hutton scoffs. "He's an idiot. Clearly. Wait there." He walks back into the bathroom, giving me the perfect view of his physique. The man has the ass of a baseball player, all rounded muscle and tanned skin. Life truly is unfair. Hutton Calder got all the gifts from the gods.

He comes back out with another towel, having dried himself off hastily. He uses it to dry me off, squatting down to even reach my feet and toes. I giggle when it tickles and he looks up sharply.

"You little liar. You are ticklish!"

I grin and shrug, reaching for a hair band on my nightstand. If I don't put my wet hair up before sleeping, it'll be a tangled rat's nest in the morning due to the natural wave. Hutton tosses the towel in the corner of the room and eyes me.

"Mind if I sleep naked? No clean clothes."

I ogle him. "Don't mind at all."

When I reach for the pair of sweats I laid out on the nightstand before our shower, he snags my wrist. "Nuh-uh, sugar. You gotta stay naked too or else my midnight plan will be foiled."

I stare up at him. "Midnight plan?"

He reaches down and swings my legs into the bed, effectively tucking me in. "Yeah. You don't really think a hall pass would give you the business once and be done, right? This is an all-nighter."

I burst out laughing, heart feeling light. He chuckles too as he rounds the bed to the other side. "What? You doubt me, woman?" He leaps on the bed and burrows under the covers to jab his fingers into my side in a tickle war I want no part of.

"Stop!" I gasp on a laugh. And more points for him, he does. Immediately. He pulls his hands out from under the covers like I've pulled a weapon on him. I twine my fingers through his hair, pushing a lock of it off his forehead. and kiss him. He responds with his mouth, but doesn't put his hands down. I break from the kiss to grin at him. "At ease, soldier."

He matches my grin and rolls behind me, pulling me back against him with his thick arm around my middle and his other arm under my head. We assume our snuggle position, the one we established on the floor in front of the fire the last two nights, but this time naked. I like this version better. We stay silent curled around each other so long I think he's asleep.

"I'm not sure what I'm doing here, sugar," he whispers, startling me. "But I'd like to stay a few days longer if that's okay with you."

I squeeze my eyes shut and try to get ahold of the younger woman inside of me who is squealing with delight. "Sure you can," I whisper back.

He shifts his arm to find my hand and threads his fingers through mine. We both drift off to sleep. Apparently, he wasn't kidding though. He woke me up just after midnight, his face buried between my thighs, coaxing me to another orgasm that required a pillow over my face to keep me quiet. He wouldn't let me return the favor, just snuggled me into his side with a broad smile in the dark and promptly fell back asleep.

We wake with the sun, hurrying to slide into clothes before Henry wakes up and gets an eyeful. I go for a festive pair of black jeans and black cardigan. I do, however, give a nod to the season by layering it over a bright red tank top. Hutton's phone vibrates on the counter again when I step into the kitchen to get the coffee pot going. I snatch it off the charger and take it to him in the bedroom where he's pulling on the same T-shirt he's been in since I met him.

"You really should talk to Dom," I say as I hand him the phone. I'm afraid his agent will call the police and claim I kidnapped his star client.

Hutton frowns, looking down at the phone before stuffing it into his back pocket and effectively ending that line of conversation. "I see they cleared the roads."

I nod, feeling a little uncertain. He said last night he wants to stay, but will he feel different in the light of day with nothing stopping him from leaving town? "Yeah, I saw that. I should send out a group text and see if everyone can get to practice at the theater today. We already lost two days of practice."

He smiles and all the worry inside of me settles. Then his smile drops and all that anxiety comes creeping back in. "I'd love to come with you, but I'm not sure I should be parading around town. I don't want my location leaked."

I nod, pretending I understand when he lives a life so very different from mine. "Sure, I get it."

Hutton comes closer and puts his hand on my hip. "How about we drive you to the theater and then I'll take Henry to the lodge while you run the practice? We should probably get our suitcases. As much as I love a comfortable T-shirt, I'm thinking I should put on a clean one before we pick you back up."

My gaze drops to his attire and I feel like such an asshole. "I'm so sorry. I should have suggested that before practice." Though I'm also secretly thrilled to hear that he's not looking to bolt out of town as soon as possible.

He shoots me a knowing smile. "I guess I kept you up too late last night. Not thinking clearly."

My cheeks heat and I laugh. God, this man is fun. I run my finger down the center of his chest, wishing we were back in that bathroom, naked and flirting. I'll have to settle for fully clothed and flirting.

"You know, Snowhaven is pretty discreet. Paparazzi didn't hound Morgana when she first stayed here." I immediately regret bringing his fame back up because he loses his grin.

"If it were just me, I might take that risk." He holds my hand against his chest and squeezes. "But I have to think about Henry."

I nod, accepting that Hutton and Henry will just have to be my little secret for now.

Hutton brightens. "How about I make some breakfast while you get ready?"

Henry barrels into the room in his T-shirt and little-boy underwear, already recharged and ready for another day of mayhem and chaos. Hutton scoops him up and pretends he got bowled over, the two of them flopping back on my bed in a pile of laughter. I leave them to it, barricading myself in my bathroom and attempting to fix the state of my hair.

It takes fifteen minutes with a curling iron and several swipes of my mascara to make myself presentable. I avoid looking at the shower and focus on getting ready. I won't be able to look at that shower the same after last night. I slide dangling candy-cane earrings on and braid a few small locks of hair into the underside for some indie rock style to peek through the curls.

When I'm as ready as I'll ever be, I step out and hear the boys in the kitchen, arguing over the right way to make eggs. Henry says the yellow stuff shouldn't be runny and Hutton says sunny side up is the only way to eat them. I'm just amazed Hutton knows how to cook. Don't celebrities have chefs and people who do everything for them?

I join the two boys at the table and we gobble up breakfast before stuffing ourselves into boots and jackets. Hutton drives, since my car is still at the lodge and wouldn't do well in the snow anyway. He's quiet on the drive over, head twisting this way and that, like he's taking in the town with interest. Some of the stores are open again, but quite a few are still closed as everyone shovels out from under that storm. Hutton puts the truck in park at the curb right outside the old theater and turns to me.

"Sorry I can't come in and see your production."

"Maybe next time we can get here earlier and I'll sneak you into the back where you can hide and watch. Henry would love it."

He reaches over and squeezed my hand. "I like that plan."

Renewed hope flows through me, which is dumb. Hutton and I don't have any kind of future. The most I can hope for is a stolen night or two. I pop open my door and the chill immediately hits me. I shut the door and dig for the keys out of my bag. As director this year, the town has entrusted me with keys to the theater so I can come and go as needed. My fingers brush the cold metal keys and I snatch them up, hurrying down the sidewalk so I can open the side door and get out of the cold.

In my hurry, I nearly run into a couple holding hands as they walk down the sidewalk. My head pops up. "Oh, I'm sor?—"

My immediate apology dies on my lips as I see who it is. The tall blond man smirks down at me, his ugly mug one that is etched into my memories. Sadly. The woman at his side snuggles obnoxiously closer to him, also very familiar to me.

My ex-husband and his new wife.

"Rae. Always lovely to see you. I'm surprised that death trap of yours got you here in this weather."

I don't bother with a smile. This man has been an asshole to me for years and doesn't deserve even fake kindness. "Gavin." I turn to his wife, who just happens to be my ex-best friend. "Tori."

"I certainly hope they're paying you to direct the musical," Tori says, her voice dripping with insincere concern. "I can imagine fancy art installations haven't been plentiful in this economy."

I open my mouth to tell her my finances are none of her concern when I feel a hand land on my lower back through my thick jacket. I jump, but Hutton covers my movement, pulling me into his side and wrapping his arm around my waist. Henry's little hand is clutched in his on the other side. Humiliation slams into me, suspecting they heard the way these two just talked to me.

I don't know why I've allowed it. It started as me trying to keep the peace and not fight after our divorce, given that we all live in a small town together, but now it's turned into the two of them becoming my own personal bullies.

"Hey, sugar." Hutton kisses the side of my face, stunning me with how demonstrative he's being out in the open. He turns to my ex, his tight smile looking downright dangerous on his handsome face. "Who are these people?"

Gavin and Tori gape at our trio.

Mayor Nancy Haney: You folks know I'm never one to start a rumor, but…I think I know who belongs to the big truck in Rae's driveway.

Dagny: You literally only became mayor of this town so you'd get all the gossip first.

Doc: I thought it was for the reserved parking space at city hall for all the downtown events.

Chief Blade: I don't care why you're in the position, as long as you keep the budget for our department funded.

Mayor Nancy Haney: You're all a bunch of wise guys, you know that?

John Ross: I believe it's wise MEN.

Dagny: Fuck, there he goes with the all caps. I've been told recently it's rude, John.

Mayor Nancy Haney: Can we focus, please??

Janna: Yeah, I wanna know who's at my bestie's house. She's not answering her phone…

Mayor Nancy Haney: Well, they're not at her house any longer. They're at the theater.

Janna: Oh! I'll be there in two minutes!

Chief Blade: Are you texting and driving, young lady?

Janna: I would never!! (I'm stopped at the stupid red light someone put in downtown that could have stayed a stop sign.)

Dagny: Take it up with the mayor!

Mayor Nancy Haney: GUYS. IT'S COUNTRY MUSIC'S HOTTEST BACHELOR.