“I’m anxious to hear Hannah sing my song,” Cash stated. “When I wrote it, I knew a woman had to perform it and her tone and presence is perfect for those lyrics.”

  Will could practically hear Hannah’s voice with Cash’s song. It would be magical and, no doubt, award-winning, and he just knew when the time came to hear the final result there would be another sucker punch of lust to his gut.

  He couldn’t go into their next meeting distracted by thoughts worthy of an adolescent schoolboy. He was the music producer of a multimillion-dollar label with legendary recording artists. They all demanded the best and that’s exactly what he provided. Hannah hadn’t left Mags just to come to his label and start a fling. Good grief, he was an idiot for letting any inappropriate thoughts creep in.

  There didn’t seem to be anything he could do to turn them off, though. He was doomed to sexual frustration until he got his hormones under control. What he needed was to go on a date, maybe hook up with someone. Anything to get Hannah out of his mind and out of his system.

  “Are you guys opening your tour in Beaumont Bay?” Luke asked. “Because I know of a place.”

  Will laughed. “I was going to discuss that with you, actually.”

  “Which bar?” Cash asked.

  Luke owned several high-end bars around the area and all of them were equally popular, but Will had always preferred Cheshire to have a few beers.

  Will glanced around to the open space with a long bar on one end and the stage and dance floor on the other. In the middle were low, fat ottomans for seating and an occasional high table for standing and mingling.

  “This one,” Luke replied. “I have VIP guests that would love an exclusive. I do them a few times a year, but I never announce who the performer is going to be. Hannah sang here once, years ago, but there’s nobody I’d rather have than my own brother up on that stage.”

  Cash smiled and Will swelled with pride for his younger brother. A rogue reputation would only go so far. There was a great deal to be said about a southern gentleman and that’s the new angle Will needed his brother to go. His voice was something the industry hadn’t experienced in a long, long time. Now he needed the smooth persona to go with the musical tone.

  The four Sutherland brothers might have taken different directions with their lives, but they were always there for each other. There was no greater support system. Their careers were all intertwined, and their strengths complemented each other’s, which was just another way they could be connected and loyal to one another.

  “Why hasn’t Hannah been back to perform here?”

  Luke shook his head. “I tried to get her a couple times, but just ended up butting heads with Mags. That woman is exhausting and I didn’t want to deal with her flirting.”

  Will nearly choked on his beer. “She flirted with you?”

  Gavin and Cash both laughed, but Luke wasn’t amused, if his drawn eyebrows and thinned lips were any indication. Mags was quite a handful—in Beaumont Bay, in Nashville, in the industry—and Will couldn’t imagine her sinking her flirty claws into someone.

  “Nothing about that woman is amusing,” Luke growled. “She undresses me with her eyes.”

  “She doesn’t care who she flirts with,” Gavin stated. “She legitimately believes everyone adores her simply because her family founded Beaumont Bay and she’s the only one left with the Dumond name.”

  “I don’t believe that’s what she thinks,” Will retorted. “She’s obscenely arrogant, though, so who knows.”

  Will didn’t want to deal with that woman any more than he had to. She drove around in her big white SUV like she owned the town...and in some ways she did. She was the “First Lady,” thanks to her husband, but Cheating Hearts Records was Mags’s baby. She was all too quick to flash her money around...and her power. She hadn’t made it as a big star back in the day and so she tried to make up for it by ruling her town, and her artists’ careers, in the manner she wished.

  Will preferred to provide guidance to his artists, and discuss matters, rather than dictate. He liked to control the details of his business, but when it came to an artist’s career, he had no place for that. He let his artists’ sales and their awards speak for his label. There was no need to be arrogant about his status as a star maker.

  He finished his beer and sat the mug on the table then got to his feet. “I need to head home.”

  “Why?” Luke asked. “Nothing for you at home.”

  “I have an early call with a client who’s traveling overseas,” he explained, then turned to Cash. “I’ll meet you at Hannah’s on Monday. Park outside the gate and I’ll get you inside.”

  Cash nodded. “I’ll be there.”

  “Are we all invited?” Luke asked.

  Gavin chuckled. “I’m busy, but another time.”

  Will shook his head. “I’m not inviting everyone to her house. You all can see her when she plays here.”

  Gavin rolled his eyes. “You’re trying to keep her for yourself.”

  No way in hell would Will admit he didn’t want Hannah around his very eligible brothers. She’d bat those eyelashes and have one, or all of them, falling at her feet.

  It was absolutely absurd the way his thoughts kept betraying his common sense. Jealousy wasn’t something he was familiar with and he sure as hell didn’t like it rearing its ugly head in this situation.

  “Trust me,” Will replied. “I’m not getting involved with Hannah Banks. She’s going to be a handful in a professional capacity. I can’t imagine how difficult she is personally. Besides, romantic relationships in this industry rarely last.”

  He’d seen it time and time again. New artists fell in love with seasoned singers and it was all love songs and sold-out tours and the next thing he knew they were making headlines about splitting up—which spawned their next chart-topper. He really didn’t want to make headlines for anything other than being the best damn producer in the industry.

  Will said goodbye to his brothers and left them to their drinks and gossip as he made his way to the private elevator. He loved getting together with them, but right now he really just wanted a few good hours of sleep. Maybe tonight he wouldn’t dream of a petite vixen who could sing like a saint and undress him with her eyes like a sinner.

  * * *

  The heart knows... The heart...

  Hannah groaned.

  The lyrics were not coming out right. They seemed like a great idea in her head, but by the time she started singing and wrote them down, they were falling flat, sounding almost juvenile, which was the exact opposite of what she wanted.

  Sitting on the floor of her studio, Hannah glanced at her notes and tore out the sheet. After she crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it, she adjusted her guitar strap and tried again. She played a couple of chords, then jotted down more lyrics.

  There were days when her creative spirit just soared, but other days, like today, she just couldn’t clear her thoughts to get through to the music.

  She blamed her hot new music producer, Will Sutherland, for that. Her muddled mind was all his fault.

  She’d been too attracted too fast. Her thoughts were too out of control. Sexy, powerful men weren’t a rare commodity around Beaumont Bay. There were beautiful people everywhere. But Will did something to her she hadn’t felt for a long, long time.

  None of that mattered.

  Her wants and desires outside of her career had to be put on hold. She needed to make this change work. Swapping labels was a very big deal and she wanted to be taken seriously. So why the hell did she think she could flirt with him? She wasn’t that twenty-something singer who smiled and expected all the doors to open anymore. No, now she was an independent woman who knew the good and bad of this industry, who wanted to make it to the next level with her own music and her own style.

  While her contract did mention she would have more say over the music she performed, she still hadn’t talked to Will about her own pieces. She had an entire journal full of songs, but she wanted something perfect, something timeless, to take to him first. Her head wasn’t in the right space now.

  Will and Cash were coming over in just a bit and she still had to get ready. There were times she could dress in a more low-key way, like her twin, Hallie, but Hannah always felt people expected her to look a certain way.

  She set aside her guitar and got to her feet. After putting everything away, she took her notebook and headed to her en suite bedroom. She put the notes on her nightstand, where she always kept them when she wasn’t working. Oftentimes, when she couldn’t sleep, she’d reach for the pen and paper to help her relax.

  As she searched through her walk-in closet, Hannah wasn’t quite sure what to wear for her first official meeting with Cash Sutherland. Oh, she’d seen him at various awards shows and around town, but nothing like this. Now that they were with the same label, working on a duet, they’d be together quite a bit, not to mention the big tour they had coming up.

  Cash was definitely an up-and-coming star, having already won a few awards, and she had no doubt her fans would love him, too. He’d just gotten a little bit too rowdy at prior shows and maybe had been a tad outspoken with the media.

  But, he had those devilish good looks and a charming smile, and that voice of his could make anyone turn up their radio and tap their foot. And he was just at the right age where moms and their teen daughters could easily agree that he was smokin’ hot.

  But it wasn’t Cash that Hannah found herself wanting to impress. For reasons she refused to admit, she wanted Will to be taken with her. She liked that quiet power of his.

  It was wrong, all of these fiery emotions stirring and bubbling within her, but she couldn’t help herself.

  Hannah grabbed a red halter jumpsuit and smiled as she changed and settled down to her vanity to complete her superstar look.

  If she happened to catch Will’s eye, just for today, well, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing...would it?

  FOUR

  Will nearly choked on his own breath when Hannah opened the door.

  He didn’t need to look over to his brother to know Cash was also enjoying the unexpected, tantalizing view.

  Who knew red was Will’s favorite color? And who knew Hannah would appear so striking and glittery in her own home?

  “Come on in,” Hannah greeted with a wide smile. Her lips matched that damn body-hugging outfit. “I’m so glad to finally meet you in a more private, personal setting, Cash.”

  Will watched as his brother shook hands with Hannah. He was clearly intrigued by his new tour partner. On-stage chemistry was always a crowd pleaser, but Will wasn’t looking for them to do anything other than make great music together. That was it.

  “Pleasure is all mine, ma’am.” Cash nodded.

  “Call me Hannah.” She offered Cash a wide smile that had Will gritting his teeth. “Let’s head to the studio. Can I get you guys anything to drink first?”

  “We’re fine,” Will answered. “Let’s get started.”

  Hannah glanced to Cash. “Is he always this cranky?”

  “He’s always all business,” Cash replied with a chuckle. “You’ll get used to it.”

  Will refused to be baited by his brother and the woman who was a walking fantasy come to life. The sooner he could get his head on straight, the sooner they could make this recording and start pulling in money. The buzz around Hannah swapping labels already had sales spiking, but those sales were all going to Mags for previous hits.

  Will and Cash followed Hannah up the steps and Will refused to stare at her ass. The urge to do so was childish, unprofessional. He had more respect for her than that.

  It was hard to keep his eyes away, though.

  As she led them into the studio, Cash let out a whistle as he circled the sound room.

  “Damn, this is amazing.”

  Hannah beamed with pride, as she should have. “Thank you. My grandmother taught me everything I know.”

  “She may have taught you all about sound equipment and the industry, but your voice is all your own,” Cash told her.

  As much as he was right, Will didn’t want his brother complimenting Hannah and flirting with her. Will refused to consider he was jealous—he wasn’t. There was no room or time for that unwanted emotion in this business deal.

  “That’s sweet of you to say.”

  Hannah’s accent seemed thicker when she was smiling and batting her lashes. The woman knew how to turn on the charm. It was no wonder her fans fell in love so quickly. She had followers of all ages, from toddlers to senior citizens. Everyone was naturally drawn to Hannah Banks.

  “Have you ever thought about doing a duet with Eleanor?” Cash asked.

  Will perked up. Why hadn’t that idea hit him yet? Oh, right. He was too busy telling his body to calm the hell down to think too far ahead. But a duet with her grandmother would be record-breaking, no doubt.

  “Actually, we sing together all the time,” Hannah admitted. “But only on her back porch on Sunday afternoons. Hallie comes, too. We all sing Grandma’s old songs or hymns. It’s something we’ve done since I was a little girl.”

  Remaking Eleanor’s old songs with her megastar granddaughter was certainly something Will would bring up again later. The sales from a project like that would be astronomical.

  “Tradition is important,” Will commented. “I’ve never heard your sister sing.”

  Hannah laughed. “She would never let you. She’s good, though. But she isn’t one to step into the light. I’ve tried to get her to come on stage with me or even do background vocals. She refuses.”

  “Maybe we can convince her,” Cash said, and winked. “Can you imagine the fans if you, your sister and your grandmother all took the stage?”

  That would be perfect for an awards ceremony. But Will wasn’t ready to make everything happen all at once. He had to pace himself and get a feel for how he and Hannah could work together first.

  Not getting too ambitious too fast was one of the ways he controlled the situation, and maybe a small part of him still stung from not getting things right years ago, when he was fired from his first position.

  Hannah beamed. “That would be amazing, but don’t get too attached to that idea.”

  “Have you been working on practicing the lyrics?” Will asked, trying to circle back to the reason they were all here. Watching Cash and Hannah smile like teenagers at each other was grating on Will’s very last nerve.

  Her smile faltered and she let out a sigh. “I have been,” she admitted. “But there’s something that’s not quite right with the chorus.”

  “Let’s hear it,” Cash said. “I’m the only one who has sung it so far, so maybe once I hear how you put your melody in, we can think of what needs to be adjusted so we flow together.”

  “I’m sure it’s fine,” Will added. “Did you sing with your guitar?”

  Hannah nodded and crossed the room to grab her guitar off the stand. She eased one hip onto the stool beneath a mic suspended from the ceiling. As her hair curtained around her face, Will stood mesmerized as she struck that first chord. She lifted her head slightly as her eyes closed and she instantly transformed before him.

  Hannah Banks became the music she sang, and as crazy as that sounded, it was true. She wasn’t flirty or giddy or smiling—she was feeling every note and every word as she became the song.

  She hesitated at the chorus and stopped, looking down to her guitar to find the right chord. Will had heard this song before from Cash, but hearing Hannah sing it was like listening to an entirely different ballad.

  Was it any wonder the world loved her so much? She had a sweet Southern twang like Eleanor, but a softness that was all Hannah. Combined with her beauty and her girl-next-door personality, she was the perfect example of a country music sensation.

  “Keep going,” Will told her. “Don’t stop.”

  Her eyes came up to meet his. “It’s not right.”

  “It’s perfect.”

  He felt it in his soul and that wasn’t something he could say with every artist he worked with. Hannah’s music was magical.

  “I agree,” Cash replied. “You’re questioning yourself, but that actually came out better than I’d ever thought or hoped.”

  Hannah pursed her lips and stared back down at her guitar. When she started the song again, she didn’t stop, but she did change up the chorus from how Cash had written it...and the damn thing sounded even better than perfect.

  “She’s mesmerizing to watch in person,” Cash murmured to Will.

  Oh, she was mesmerizing all right. Her look, her sound—everything about her could pull in any audience. It was pulling him in, too.

  How she managed to do that was astounding.

  Just as she finished the last note, Will’s phone echoed in the room. Hannah jerked her attention toward him as he pulled the cell from his pocket.

  “Sorry about that,” he told her. “Just my emails going off. That was...better than I expected.”

  Her bright smile spread across her face as she tipped her head. He found that familiar gesture both adorable and arousing. How could she be adorable when she sat there in a flaming red jumpsuit that hugged her every curve, with lips that matched, and blond hair teased out all around her? The woman was a vixen and she knew it.

  She likely knew that she was getting to him, too.

  Was she toying with him on purpose?

  At least she wasn’t pretending to be Hallie anymore, but if he had the choice, he’d almost prefer that she tone it down. He’d take her twin games over this siren for the sake of his sanity.

  “What did you think, Cash?”