And beer when it's cold and when it's free

You can't resist my Resistol

It's black as the nightfall

My boots they're leather and hide

I'm here for a wild ride

I'll stand right by your side

And we'll dance til the sun comes up

And I'm tore up from the floor up, look down and look up

I'm a cowboy from my head to my toes

And this rodeo's all I know

I'll put on a real show

And girl there won't be no doubt

No, girl, there won't be no doubt

I hear you're lookin' for a cowboy to take you for a ride

Well baby, I think that I'm your man

I look at Lyrics and she is standing with her arms up, yelling at the top of her lungs. Her goofiness makes me laugh. Adrenaline is pumping through my veins right now. I want to stay up here and sing more but the next band is pumped and ready to roll.

I say, "Thank you all so much. See y'all soon."

The crowd is applauding and I hear one girl yell, "I want to have your baby!"

I laugh and walk off the stage. Making my way to Lyrics, I get a bunch of high fives and a few bold women attempting to give me their number. I make my way to the one person that means everything to me.

"That was amazing, cowboy. What do you say we get out of here and ring the New Year in, in bed?" she asks.

I immediately motion that we want the check.

Tina waves her hand and yells, "It's on the house. Now take that fine a.s.s lady home before I do."

Lyrics raises her eyebrow at me and says, "Better hurry, I may take her up on it."

Instantly hard. I say, "Well, that would be a different New Year's Eve." She links her hand in mine and we head for the door.

The girl that yelled out that she wanted to have my baby sees us leaving and yells, "Hey cowboy! This baby aint gonna make itself."

Lyrics grip gets tighter and she turns and flashes a big smile at her. Wow! I'm floored, figured she'd have something else to say, but she's full of surprises. We get outside and Lyrics is laughing from her unpredictable sa.s.s.

I pull her close to me and say, "You're so s.e.xy." She looks at me with those baby blues and just smiles. It works. I'm a pile of mush.

Chapter 14.

'Just when I think I couldn't possibly love you more, you make a liar out of me.'

Lyrics Thirty minutes until 2017. I attempt to lure Tanner into the bedroom but he fiddles with his phone for a moment and walks over to me and says, "Let's dance." Holy h.e.l.l, as if I'd ever say no to dance with this man. His song choice took my breath away. Chris Young's, The Man I Want to Be. He pulls me in tight to his warm body, I feel his heartbeat on mine, and we begin swaying back and forth. He spins me out and then in to him again. He puts his mouth to my ear and says, "I promise to be the man that you see in me." I thread my fingers up his neck and bring his deliciously perfect lips to mine as I gently take his bottom lip into my mouth. His arms loop around the small of my back and his kiss grows deeper. He steers me toward the bedroom and believe me, I'm not about to stop him. I glance at the clock and it is five minutes until the New Year. He gently lays me on top of the bed and runs his finger along my face, sweeping my hair behind my ear. He traces my jawbone with his finger and gently kisses my lips, teasing me with his soft tongue. He tastes like the perfect mix of whiskey, beer, and mint. Normally that sounds gross, but on him, it is perfect. I can't believe the change in him. I thought I was losing him, just a couple days ago, but thank G.o.d, he realizes what he has and what he doesn't want to lose.

Tanner looks at the clock and immediately grabs the remote control to turn on the t.v. One minute left of this crazy, awesome, and f.u.c.ked up year. 10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...HAPPY NEW YEAR! This is the first New Year's that we kiss. Of course, we've spent every New Year's Eve together, but the kiss was always on the cheek and a big hug.

I say, "This is going to be the best year yet!"

Tanner smiles that gorgeous smile and says, "No doubt. This is the year I make you Mrs. Dylan Staff. I can't believe after all these years, finally, you will legally be a Staff."

I roll on top of him and say, "I've kind of always been a Staff."

"Kind of? Always, but soon you will be my wife, the mother to our children, the grandmother to their children."

A snort laugh slips out and I say, "Slow down cowboy, we aren't even married yet."

"Yeah, I know, but you knew it would turn out like this, didn't you?"

I smile and say, "Well, I always hoped it would. Being your wife was what I've dreamed about since I met you. Wondering what it would be like to have kids together, your mom as a Grandma, our Dads..."

"And you told me to slow down?" We both laugh. Tanner puts his hands on my face and says, "You know, we have enough money right now to start a family soon after we get married." Those words take me a back. My eyes well up, which is weird. I'm not that crying type of girl. I put my arms on his chest and lean up a bit.

"Tan, I want to be with you forever, have a flock of kids, and do the whole shebang, but I think we should wait until we are finished with Jennifer."

He flips me over and says, "She'll be done and out of our lives by the time we say I do."

I smile and ask, "How?"

He rolls his eyes and says, "Shh. Let's bring in 2017 the right way. As much as I love this dress on you, it is coming off, right now." He stands me up and slowly unzips my dress, while trailing kisses on my neck. I begin unb.u.t.toning his shirt and his soft, warm skin instantly sends a flood down south. As my dress. .h.i.ts the floor, he runs his finger along the inside of my panties and says, "These need to go too." He slides them down and falls to his knees. His wet tongue is leaving cold trails on my stomach, which is making me need him even more. He moves my legs apart and as he reaches up and grips my nipple between his fingers, his tongue slides between my wet folds. As if that wasn't enough, he slides his finger inside me and sucks my c.l.i.t harder and harder. Standing up becomes hard as my knees begin to shake from the o.r.g.a.s.m that is building up. He looks up and says, "Baby, you are so perfect. You taste so sweet on my tongue. I want you to come for me. Let me taste your come." He adds a second finger and his face is buried between my folds, sucking and flicking hard. I grab his head and pull him tight as I release one of the biggest o.r.g.a.s.ms I've ever experienced. My legs are shaking, p.u.s.s.y pulsating, and breath gone. He drags his tongue up me one last time, which makes me jump. He wipes his mouth, stands up, and says, "Now that's exactly how I wanted to welcome in this year."

I smile and say, "Well, I had something in mind too."

He raises his eyebrow and says, "Yeah, what?" I slide my hand onto his bulge and squeeze.

"Actions are better than words, right?" I fall to my knees and look up at him, right in his golden caramel eyes. I unzip his pants and allow them to fall to the floor. His head falls back as I grab his shaft and take his tip into my hungry mouth. Immediately his hand finds the back of my head, pushing me deeper around his throbbing c.o.c.k. I want him so badly. As I'm devouring him, I look up and he has his bottom lip between his teeth, and his eyes are shut in ecstasy. G.o.d, he is so f.u.c.king s.e.xy. I move my mouth a little faster and suck harder with each stroke. He pulls my hair to release him but I refuse.

He says, "Baby, you're gonna make me come." My fist is tight around his length and my mouth is trailing each stroke. I want to feel him explode in my mouth and swallow every bit of him. He says, "Oh s.h.i.t, Lyrics, I'm gonna come baby." His breathing is fast and loud as he thrusts his c.o.c.k deep down my throat and I feel him release as he moans loudly. The salty, tangy come glides down my throat like dessert. I suck one last time and stand up in front of him.

"That's what I had in mind."

His smile is big as Texas as he says, "This year is off to a f.u.c.king fabulous start." We both laugh and climb into the welcoming bed.

Chapter 15.

'The past is history, but the future is right there in your eyes.'

Tanner Lyrics went to help Sophia pick out a few things for the party after they get married. I told her I wanted to stay in Austin and do some c.r.a.p around the house. I lied. I am going to spend the day making phone calls and putting this Jennifer s.h.i.t behind me. I don't show it too often but being a.s.saulted like that really f.u.c.ks with you. I thought about going to a group session but I don't know if I really need that right now. I just want to ruin her and then move on.

I call Chip, who's in Las Vegas for a Photography convention.

He answers the phone and yells, "Tanner, just the man I wanted to speak with. Give me a minute so I can get out of this zoo. I'll call you right back." He hangs up the phone and less than a minute pa.s.ses and my phone rings.

I pick up and say, "Is that better?"

"Listen, I was speaking with some big-time photographers this morning and three of them have scheduled shoots with b.i.t.c.h girl, coming up next month. I told them what she did to you. Don't worry, they aren't going to say anything. I've known them for years and they know I'm not full of s.h.i.t or a drama queen. One at a time, they called Jennifer and told her that the shoot is cancelled and she is blackballed from ever working with them again. Then they called her agent and told her the same thing. Get this though, her agent had a lot to say about her and at the end of the phone call, she said that she is firing her as a client and will spread the word. Can you f.u.c.king believe this? Next call is to the tabloids."

I am blown away, speechless actually. I'm confused by the feelings I have right now. I say, "Looks like our plan is going exactly how we wanted it to go."

Chip senses the confusion in me and asks, "You still alright with this?"

"I am, I just don't want to get caught up in making this revenge thing my life. She deserves it, of course, I just want it to be done."

"You are a great man, Tanner. This is just about over. She's not going to be able to deal with not working. It's all that criminal witch has in her life. She thinks her actions have no consequences, but she's wrong...dead wrong." There is an evil tone in Chips voice, and I fully understand it. He holds guilt for leaving me that night, but it had nothing to do with him. I'm a grown man. h.e.l.l, I've left Lyrics many times to go get laid.

"Chip, you know I don't blame you at all, right?"

He quickly says, "I know, but I do. That was my shoot. You were my responsibility, and so was she. What she did to you, she did to me too, in a sense."

"Listen dude, I absolutely do not blame you at all," I tell him.