Release Me (The Music Within Book 2) (8 page)

“No,
it’s all right. I mean, after tonight we’ll go our separate ways, so what does
it matter? I’ve never had the chance to pursue anything that made me happy.
I’ve been herdin’ cattle ever since I could sit a horse. Don’t get me wrong.
Bein’ out in the fresh air around the animals is a great way to make a livin’,
but when you’re a teenager, and all your friends are playin’ sports and goin’
on dates while you’re workin’ ‘til sundown, it doesn’t take long to resent it
all.”

“What
sport would you have played?” Cade could tell Mal would have been an all-star
no matter the sport he chose. He was fit as well as determined.

“All
of ‘em, but I love baseball the best. I always wanted to be a pitcher in the
majors, but seein’ I had to work all the time, I knew it would never happen, so
I quit dreamin’. Since I couldn’t play sports at school, I practiced ropin’ in
my spare time. I hoped to be able to compete in the local rodeos. That didn’t
happen, either.”

“I
didn’t see any horses at your farm. Were they in the barn?” Cade knew from his
uncle’s report that Mal no longer had the animals.

“No,
we sold the few we had several years ago. Now, if I need to go out in the
fields, I just hop on the four wheeler. It eats less than a horse.” 

The
food arrived before Cade could ask any more questions. Once the plates were set
up, they took a seat at the table and dug in. “Rare, huh?” Cade pointed to
Mal’s steak that was bleeding all over the plate.

“Yeah.
If I eat my own beef, I’ll cook it a little longer, but most cuts you get in a
restaurant aren’t prime, and the longer it’s cooked, the less flavor it has.”

“You
eat your own cows?” Cade asked, his fork stopping half-way to his mouth.

Mal
chewed and swallowed before answering. “I used to, but now I sell all of ‘em.”
He got a sad look on his face and dropped his eyes.

Cade
didn’t want to pry any more, but damn if he didn’t like hearing Mal’s voice.
“So tell me about the bar. Who’s watching it tonight?”

Mal
squirmed in his seat and shoved a large piece of steak in. Cade waited to see
if Mal would tell him the truth. After he swallowed the food down, he took a
long pull from his beer. “Nobody. I’m not goin’ to keep it open much longer, so
everyone’s gonna have to get used to goin’ somewhere else.”

“Are
you selling?”

“Are
you buyin’?” Mal volleyed.

“Not
me personally, but I might know someone who’d be interested.” Why the fuck was
he even offering up that kind of hope? God, he needed this night to be over so
he could put some distance between them before Cade handed over his checkbook
and told him to go shopping for a house. Cade needed to start thinking with his
big head instead of his little one. Yeah, they were having phenomenal sex, and
the chemistry between them was off the charts. But just because Mal was the
first man to make Cade feel something since Tag didn’t mean he should get
involved any more than he already had.

“You
know someone who’d be interested in a rundown bar in a shit hole like Arlo?”

“It
has potential,” Cade offered.

“The
only potential it has is suckin’ the life and money out of whoever owns it.”

“Let’s
just say I know someone who likes a challenge. At least think about it.”

Mal
nodded. “Yeah, okay. That’d be good if I could sell. It’d buy me some time.”

“Time
for what?”

Mal
wiped his mouth on the linen napkin. “Time to figure things out. I still have a
few doctor bills I’m tryin’ to pay off from when my… when my mother was in the
hospital.”

“She
wasn’t always blind, was she? Aren’t there any procedures that can reverse
whatever her condition is?”

Mal
stared at Cade. Cade wanted to take the question back, but it was already out
there between them. Maybe it was better if he did piss off the sexy bartender.

“No
idea. We couldn’t afford the initial surgery they performed to keep her from
goin’ completely blind, so we didn’t need to ask about anything else beyond
that.” Mal pushed his empty plate back and stood up. “I think I’m gonna hit the
road. If you do have someone interested in the bar, give me a call.”

This
was for the best. Cade knew he needed to let Mal go. “I don’t have your phone
number. Hand me your phone, and I’ll program my number in, then you can call me
so I’ll have yours.”

Mal
got a funny look on his face before he walked over to the desk and pulled open
the drawer. He wrote his number down on the scratch pad. “Here you go,” he
said, holding the paper up for Cade to see. “That’s my number at home. And
here’s for dinner.” He pulled a couple of twenties out of his wallet before
Cade could object.

“Mal,
I don’t want your money. I do want dessert, though.” Cade wasn’t ready to let
him go. Not yet.

“I
don’t think that’s a good idea. We’re from different worlds, you and me.”

“Mal,”
Cade tried to interrupt, but Mal wouldn’t let him.

“Cade,
you’ve traveled the world on a jet. I’ve never been farther than Nashville,
much less on an airplane. I will say I’m glad you stumbled into the bar last
night. Well, I guess you stumbled out, but you know what I mean. I’m glad to
have met you and spent tonight with you. But I think it’d be better if we cut
our ties now.”

Cade
knew what Mal said made sense, but when had he ever listened to reason? “Just
stay here and sleep with me. No more fooling around, if that’s what you want.
In the morning, we’ll part ways before or after breakfast, but please, just
give me tonight.”

“Why?”

“Why?”
Cade echoed.

“Yeah,
why? You’re a famous rock star. You can have your choice of men or women, so
why me?”

“I
feel safe with you.”
And a whole lot of other emotions I refuse to dwell on.
“You didn’t know who I was, and you weren’t here with me because of who I am
and what I can do for you. But more than that, I don’t want to go to bed and
wake up alone. I just want the comfort of someone holding me for one night.”

Mal
sighed. “Okay, but no more kissin’.”

“No
more kissing.” Cade could deal with that. Maybe. He strode into the bedroom,
pulled the covers down, and turned the television on. While Mal undressed, Cade
went into the bathroom, took a leak, and washed his hands. After he brushed his
teeth, he dug through his travel bag and found an unopened toothbrush. Mal was
sitting on the side of the bed when Cade came back into the bedroom. He thumbed
over his shoulder and said, “There’s a new toothbrush on the counter if you
want it.”

“You
promised no kissin’,” Mal grumbled and leaned his hands back on the bed.

“I
did, but it doesn’t mean I want your rare steak breath in my face all night.”
Cade removed his shirt and tossed it at Mal, grinning. If he hadn’t been
watching, he’d have missed Mal inhale before he threw the shirt back. Mal stood
from the bed and disappeared into the bathroom clad only in his underwear. Cade
finished undressing down to his briefs. He slid under the covers and began
flipping channels.

Mal
returned and lay down on his side. He propped his pillows up behind his back
and settled in. Even though it was a king-sized bed, both men had ended up
closer to the middle. Cade could feel the heat coming off Mal’s body, and it
was going to take every ounce of willpower he could muster to keep from
molesting Mal in his sleep. Instead of asking what Mal wanted to watch, Cade
flipped it to a baseball game and tossed the remote onto Mal’s lap. “If you’d
rather watch something else, feel free to change the channel.”

“Nah,
this is fine.” Mal scooted down a little farther in the bed and bent his right
arm behind his head. His left hand settled on the bed between them. Cade’s
fingers itched to hold Mal’s hand. He needed to feel the connection, but he did
his best to tamp down the urge. They lay together quietly, the only sounds
coming from the television and the occasional hum of the heater when it kicked
on. Even though it was spring, the night air was still a little cool. Mal
readjusted his pillows, and when he did, his hand landed on Cade’s when he put
it back on the bed. Before he could slide it back towards his hip, Cade grabbed
hold, lacing their fingers together.

It
was the bottom of the fifth when Mal started snoring lightly. Cade liked to
sleep with the television on, but he didn’t know what Mal preferred, so he
turned the TV off. He’d promised not to kiss Mal, but since he was asleep, he’d
never know. Cade leaned over and kissed him softly on his cheek. “Goodnight,
gorgeous. Sleep tight.”

Cade
slid down until he was lying on his side, facing Mal. If only things were
different, he’d pull his lover down and embrace him. He’d wrap his arms around
him and pretend. If only.

Mal

It
took Mal a few seconds to realize where he was and who he was with. He was
practically lying on top of Cade, his arm around the man’s waist with their
legs entwined. He knew he should get up, get dressed, and say goodbye silently,
but he couldn’t make himself move. Never again would he have the opportunity to
wake up next to someone who made him feel so alive, even in the darkest of
days. Mal’s father trying to kill him had been rough, but losing his home would
destroy him completely.

His
bladder screamed at him to get out of the bed, but he didn’t want to wake Cade.
Mal wanted the opportunity to enjoy the moment. The urge to pee finally won
out, and Mal extricated himself from around Cade’s body. As quietly as
possible, he made his way to the bathroom and relieved himself before washing
his hands and brushing his teeth again. Not that he would kiss Cade; that was
out of the question. Still, he didn’t want morning breath to ruin the moment if
the other man woke up soon.

Mal
padded back to the bed and slid in. He debated whether or not to scoot closer
and return to his former position, but before he could make the decision, Cade
rolled over and wrapped himself around Mal. Their bodies were a perfect fit. He
and Tyler had never had an opportunity to stretch out side by side, and Mal had
never spent the night with another man in his life. The way Cade held him
tightly reminded Mal of everything he’d been missing out on. With Cade’s
breathing evening back out, Mal ghosted his fingers across the other man’s
skin, the need to touch him greater than the threat of waking him.

If
only his life were different and he was someone else, Mal would wish for the
chance to wake up every morning with his lover tucked in to his side, stretched
out on top of him, holding him close in his sleep. He closed his eyes, and
visions of his cock pushing into Cade’s ass invaded his senses. Mal hadn’t seen
many naked men, but the body lying next to him was beyond perfect. Mal hadn’t
looked closely at all the ink on the drummer’s shoulders and back. He’d been
too enthralled with the way his pucker sucked Mal’s dick in. That thought had
his cock coming to life. He had no intention of having sex with Cade again, so
he needed to think about something that would deflate his prick before Cade
woke up.

He
made that decision about five seconds too late. Cade’s hand that was wrapped
around Mal’s waist began a slow, torturous exploration of his skin. He rubbed
down Mal’s side to his knee and back up again with his forearm skimming across
Mal’s erection. Cade shifted his body to where he was on top of Mal and began
sliding their hard-ons together. “Morning,” Cade drawled into his neck. His
lower body was in sync with his mouth as Cade sucked on Mal’s neck and
shoulder.

“Cade…”
Mal didn’t know if he was protesting or begging. Probably both, but his dick
knew it wanted Cade, so he gave in and met Cade’s thrusts with his own. Cade
leaned up on his forearm and used the precome leaking from both dicks as lube.
He stroked them together, his calloused hand twisting and gliding. Mal added
his hand to Cade’s, and the double friction had him ready to explode. “Not
gonna last…” he hissed as he arched up into their hands. He wanted to be balls
deep in Cade’s ass, one last time. “I need you, Cade. Need to fuck you…” So
much for not having sex.

Cade
let go of their cocks and kissed Mal quickly on the lips before moving to his
knees. He offered his toned ass to Mal without hesitation. Mal grabbed the lube
and a condom from the bedside table and made quick work of getting them both
ready. He twisted two fingers into Cade’s hot channel, hitting his gland every
couple of strokes.

“Fuck
me already,” Cade demanded, pushing back against Mal’s fingers. Mal gave him a
few more twists before grabbing his cock and aligning the tip with Cade’s hole.
“Do it. Come on, fuck my ass, baby. I want you to give me something to remember
you by.”

Cade’s
words were meant to spur him on, but it only reminded Mal what waited for him
outside the hotel. Nothing.

“Mal?”
Cade turned his head when Mal froze.

“Just
admirin’ the view,” Mal lied and slapped Cade’s ass. He thrust into the tight
pucker, not giving Cade time to adjust. His lover would definitely remember
this for a while. Mal fucked Cade into the mattress, not offering soft touches
or gentle words. He didn’t even offer harsh words, only a harsh fucking. Cade
didn’t complain, though. His dirty words encouraged Mal to fuck harder and
faster. Knowing this was the last time he would get to have sex for a long
time, Mal wanted it to last. He wanted to slow things down and stroke Cade’s
tight channel more leisurely, but he couldn’t. Cade felt too good. The way his
hole tightened around Mal’s cock had him ready to blow as soon as he stuck his
dick in. He was lucky he lasted as long as he did.

By
the time they both got off, Mal’s body shook from the intensity. Cade collapsed
on the bed, and this time, Mal went with him. He grabbed the condom and pulled
out, rolling over onto his back. Mal laid his forearm over his eyes while
waiting on his breathing to return to normal.

A
tug on the condom had Mal looking down. Cade rolled the used rubber off Mal’s
dick, tied it off, and disposed of it. He went into the bathroom, and the water
turned on. Cade returned with a warm washcloth and cleaned the mess off Mal’s
spent cock. Cade tossed the used cloth in the direction of the bathroom and
flopped back down on the bed. “You ready for breakfast?” Cade asked as he
propped up on his elbow.

“I
better get goin’. I need to see to the animals, and Ma is probably ready to
come back home.”

“I
understand. Thank you, you know, for staying with me last night. I actually
slept better than I have in a long time,” Cade admitted.

“You’re
welcome.” Mal wanted to stay under the covers and continue forgetting about
what was ahead of him. Mal was a lot of things, but he wasn’t a coward, so he
rolled out of bed and found his clothes. Heat from Cade’s body warmed his skin
before he could tug on his shirt. Cade wrapped him in his arms and kissed his
shoulder.

“Sorry,
I just wanted one more taste of you.” Cade retreated into the bathroom and
closed the door. Mal wanted one more of everything from Cade, but he knew not
to wish for things that couldn’t be. He didn’t know whether to wait on Cade or
not, so he finished putting his clothes on and looked around the spacious room.
When he heard the shower turn on, he had his answer. Either Cade was done with
him, or he couldn’t stand saying goodbye any more than Mal could. He made his
way downstairs to the lobby. The walk back to his truck would do him good. Give
him time to clear his foggy brain before he drove back to Arlo.

As
soon as he stepped outside, one of the valets spoke up. “Good morning, Mr.
Wilson. Your taxi is waiting,” he gestured, indicating the car idling at the
curb. The valet opened the door for him, and once Mal was seated, closed the
door behind him. He gave the driver general directions to where he’d parked his
truck, and they were off. Mal had no doubt he wasn’t the first person to be
taken back to their vehicle after a night out. Still, he felt self-conscious
about how it must look. And the fact the taxi had been waiting at all wasn’t
lost on Mal.

When
they arrived at the parking lot, Mal’s truck wasn’t the only vehicle that had
been left overnight. When he went to pay the driver, the man waved him off.
“It’s already been taken care of.” Mal thanked him and got out. He dug his keys
out of his pocket and got in his beat-up Ford. His stomach growled, and Mal
mentally kicked himself in the ass for not staying for breakfast. Then again,
eating with Cade felt too domesticated. Too comfortable. He cranked his truck
and headed toward home. The first exit he came to with a McDonalds sign would
be good enough.

Traffic
was light, and the drive was uneventful. Mal pulled up to the gate and parked
the truck. He glanced over at the beat up metal mailbox and took a good hard
look at it. The only thing on it was the faded red flag. He got out of the
truck and walked around to the other side of the mailbox. Nothing. Cade lied to
him. But why? And how did he get Mal’s last name? He pulled down the door and
grabbed the few envelopes that had been gathering in the last few days. It was
too depressing to see the late notices come in every day, so he waited and let
them pile up.

Cade
Anderson, rock star, probably never saw a late notice in his life. Mal should
be riding high after spending the night with someone famous, but instead, it
drove home how different their lives really were. Cade would find another band
to play with and fly off into the sunset, traveling the world one city at a
time. Mal would soon be driving off into the sunset with nothing but the
clothes on his back and his two dogs.

Where
the fuck was he going to go? His momma could live with Melanie, but there’s no
way Mal would succumb to living with his brother-in-law. He’d just have to find
another farm to work on, because cattle was all he knew. He had taken a welding
class in high school and had enjoyed it, but he didn’t have enough experience
to try to find that type of work. No, he was good at farming, so that’s what
he’d continue to do.

The
dogs barking got Mal’s attention, and he drove on down toward the house. His
two faithful companions were wagging their butts, so he knew nothing was wrong
other than they’d grown impatient waiting for him. He knelt down and gave them
both lots of attention.

When
he got to the back door, he heard the phone ringing. He didn’t rush to answer
it figuring it was someone wanting money. He let himself inside and looked
around the large kitchen. The appliances and linoleum were worn. When his momma
lost most of her sight, Mal took over kitchen duty and became a really good
cook. He enjoyed trying new dishes Suzette would write down from watching one
of her cooking shows. They didn’t have a lot of extras, but one bill Mal made
sure was paid before the others was the cable bill. Television was the only
enjoyment his ma had in life now that she could barely see.

The
phone rang again, and Mal let the answering machine pick it up. He didn’t want
to hear someone demanding money, so he started toward his room to change into
work clothes. His lawyer’s voice stopped him. “Mr. Wilson, this is Monte
Sylvester. There has been a change of circumstances regarding your property.
Please give me a call as soon as you get this message. I believe it will be of
great interest to you.”

Mal
pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and dug around until he found Mr.
Sylvester’s business card. He dialed the number and held his breath. When the
receptionist answered, Mal said, “This is Malcolm Wilson returnin’ Mr.
Sylvester’s call.”

“One
moment,” she replied and put him on hold. The music was probably meant to be
soothing, but the song grated on Mal’s nerves. It was some mutated version of a
classic rock song. He preferred country and older rock, but now that he
personally knew a rock star, he was going to branch out and see what Cade’s
music sounded like.

“Malcolm,
thank you for returning my call. I have some good news, actually.”

“I
could use some good news right about now. You mentioned this was about our
land?”

“Yes.
It seems Mr. Godwin received another offer on your property as well as the
thousand acres surrounding it. He didn’t go into much detail, but he said he
would not be selling to the developers. The company he plans to sell to wants
the land to remain intact as farmland.”

“I
still don’t see how this affects me.”

“The
new owner wants you to remain where you are and maintain the land as if it were
your own. You will continue to live in your home, and you will oversee the day
to day operations. The new owner will be contacting you soon to go over the
details, but if you agree, you will continue as you have been, only you’ll be
paid to work the farm, and the money you earn will enable you to pay off your
outstanding debt.”

“I
probably should be grateful, but in reality, I’m still losin’ everything I own
only to have it in my face every day that it’s no longer mine.” Mal wasn’t one
for pity parties, but he didn’t see this to be such a good deal. Maybe he
should say no, and go start a new life somewhere else. Could he walk away from
the land that had been in his family for so long?