Page 5 of Branded By Bishop

Well, then. Morgan H. is a badass. A little laugh spills from my lips before I can stop it. "Oh, she's trouble. I knew I liked her."

A lazy grin spreads across his face, lighting him up. Damn. He's sexy as hell when he smiles like that. "You saying you're trouble too, Callie?"

"Who, me? Never."

His deep laugh rumbles across the studio again. "Uh-huh. I'll just bet you aren't." His gaze drops to my lips, then lower. For a split second, I wish I'd bothered to put on something other than leggings and an oversized shirt. But his irises darken, and I think maybe my outfit and bare feet aren't a problem for him at all. "I bet you're all kinds of beautiful trouble."

He thinks I'm beautiful? My heart stutters and stalls before racing away from me.

Here's the thing about being me. No matter how well-known I become or how popular my music gets, I still feel like the awkward girl with frizzy hair and bad teeth who used to hide in the very back during choir because I felt safer back there. And I've never felt more like her than I do right now, with the world's sexiest cowboy staring at me like I'm something special.

I'm not. Really. I'm just a small-town girl who knows how to sing and got lucky. I'm still waiting for my luck to run out and my life to go back to normal. Except…that hasn't happened yet. Instead, the ball keeps rolling. My songs are all over the radio. A major record label wants to see my show. Everything I ever dreamed about is finally happening, and it doesn't feel real.

"I'm no trouble at all," I finally manage, a little breathlessly.

"For some reason, I doubt that, baby."

Baby.

Lord, have mercy. Bishop Hardy is a little too charming. And that's not a good thing, at least not from where I'm standing. I just fired one charming man. I don't need to complicate my life with another, especially when I'm still dealing with the fallout from the first.

Had anyone told me that my own manager would betray me just when things were finally going great, I never would have believed it. Cody and I grew up together! He was one of my best friends for…well, forever. My god, we even went to college together. And for the last year, he's been stealing from me. Every show, every merch sale, everything.

The worst part isn't even the theft. It's the way he tried to justify it, like I owed him. He's been rich for as long as I've known him, and I've struggled for just as long. My dad worked two jobs, and my mom picked up extra shifts just to ensure my little sister and I had opportunities kids like Cody took for granted.

Yeah, it's disappointing as hell to realize the person you always counted on wasn't who you thought they were. Clearly, my judgment can't be trusted. And if I like this cowboy, that's probably a good enough reason to stay far, far away from him.

"Look, I don't know what Morgan told you," I say softly, "and I'm sorry you wasted your time coming here today, but I don't really need a bodyguard."

"Trust me, songbird," he says, his eyes locked on mine, "you do."

"I don't."

"You do."

"I'm not that famous."

He stares at me for a moment and then grunts. "Don't kick my ass for this."

Before I can even blink, he's on top of me, hauling me into his arms. One calloused hand clamps down over my mouth, his grip gentle but firm. I go rigid, shock and desire surging through me at the same time when I feel his back against my chest. The bulge in his jeans presses against the cleft of my ass for a split second before he shifts his hips away.

"You're safe," he rumbles, his lips brushing my ear. "I'm not going to hurt you."

I believe him, even though I probably shouldn’t. But he isn't trying to do anything to me, not really. He's just…holding me. And I'm not afraid.

God help me, but I'm not.

"But you're shaking right now because you know I could hurt you if I wanted to, aren't you?" he asks.

I met his gaze over my shoulder, my eyes wide, but I don't answer. I can't because that's not why I'm shaking, not even close. Clearly, being burned by my best friend taught me nothing.

"You're alone and defenseless with a man three times bigger than you," Bishop murmurs. "You don't know my intentions or my history. You didn't even know I was here until I said your name. You have no weapons, no witnesses, and no way out."

My body trembles.

"I'm going to release you now, baby. You're safe," he murmurs. His lips brush my ear again before he slowly lets me go.

I stumble, then catch myself, staring at him.