Marshall's Nature

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About a month after I'd taken Rally out to fowl with me, I was hanging with a couple of friends and watching the Lions game. Rally had been pretty busy in the studio, but we'd managed to see each other about three or four times a week since. For as much as Rally had the ability to be intense when her temper was in full swing, she was mostly just down to earth and easy to be around. It meant that I looked forward to our time together more than I had anyone else in a long time. She had an interesting impact on me – as if just being near her had a calming effect, which wasn't always in my nature. We were good together. 

"Hey man," Ron said as he came back into the living room from getting himself a beer. "You and Rally okay?" He asked and I was confused by the question.

"Why wouldn't we be okay?" I asked, curious as to what he was talking about. He cocked his head before answering.

"I saw on one of the rags that she's had some push back about you. I wasn't sure if it was going to be an issue." He said and I nodded, understanding now what he was getting at.

"Yeah, apparently I'm a sexist asshole that she's lowering herself to be around." I said with a twist of my lips. Rally's agent had called it when he'd noted that Rally's fan base wasn't going to love us together.

"And she doesn't care?" Tone asked and I shrugged.

"Rally didn't really ever expect to be in the industry. She has this," I paused as I thought about how to word it. "She cares and doesn't at the same time." I settled on by way of explanation. "She loves putting her thoughts out there, but she's not too worried about what people think about what she does that isn't related to her music." I concluded and Tone and Ron nodded.

"Seems like a cool chick." Tone offered and I nodded.

"Yeah, she is. It's been pretty easy, which is fucking nice for a change." I responded before we all got back to watching the game.

---

Later that day, Paul called me to talk about my latest work and what bookings he wanted me to do. He sounded off as I spoke to him though, and so at the end of the call, I pressed him about what was going on.

"What's the problem, man?" I asked, expecting it to be some bullshit having to do with one of my more recent songs.

"There's some rumblings I've been hearing and I'm not sure how to raise it." He said, his voice cautious, which was frankly nothing like Paul. I could always count on him to tell me if shit was a problem, even if I didn't listen to him about it.

"Just spit it out." I said as I picked up the remainder of the chips and things that Tone, Ron and I had been eating during the game. Paul sighed before he spoke.

"Alright." He said. "Apparently, some country fucker is aching to get his hands on Rally." He said and I felt my face flush with the spike of possessiveness that struck me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You heard of Martin Rawlins?" Paul asked and I shook my head as I answered.

"Nope." I said, starting to pace as Paul continued.

"He's been in the top 40 on the country charts for the last four years. Sings the typical shit about love and riding in a pickup and shit." Paul explained and I waited for more. Paul let a big breath out before he spoke again.

"Apparently, he's been having his folks pushing Rally's agent and producer to do a duet of sorts. Word behind the scenes is that it is not about the music." Paul said and my eyes narrowed. "If the rumors are to be believed, he thinks he can use the time in the studio to get Rally to rethink her choice in men."

I shook my head as I sat at my laptop and started Googling this asshole. Stupid fucker didn't have a clue what he was getting himself into. Rally wasn't just going to fall into his damn lap and I wasn't just going to sit idly by, either.

"I wouldn't worry about it, Paul." I said as an image of one of those country-pop douches appeared on my screen. Paul hesitated and I leaned back as I continued to look at the screen.

"Out with it, Paul." I said, my tone carrying a bit more of my frustration.

"It's all rumor," Paul replied. "But, it sounds like Rally's agent and producer are supportive. They think she'll sell better if she's with someone who meets a certain expectation." He said and I rolled my jaw as I thought of Marco and Stephen. I could see both of them doing exactly what Paul was describing. They were businessmen to the core and if they thought setting Rally up with some idiot in a hat who'd probably never actually sat on a damn horse would make them all some more money, they'd do it in a heartbeat.

"Thanks for the heads up." I said and Paul murmured his assent before I hung up on him. I was still looking up my apparent competition when a buzz came over the com system.

"Sir, Ms. Rally is here to see you." The security guard announced and I told him to let her in.

A couple of minutes later, I was at the door watching as she got out of her rental and walked up to me. She looked like a hillbilly's wet dream today. She was wearing a pair of ratty overalls with a cropped, close fitting top underneath them and had her hair down in spirals that made me want to fuck them up. I gave her a look as she stepped through the door and she blushed.

"I know!" She cried as she looked down at herself. "Stephen had me do a stupid interview and photo shoot today and I didn't have the energy to take this all off before I came over." She twisted her lips and cocked her head. "I have a straw hat in the car, if you want to role play?" She offered, her eyes twinkling at me.

I pulled her to me by the waist and put a demanding kiss on her. I wasn't really worried about this bullshit with Martin, but I also didn't like the idea of someone coveting her. I'd come to think of Rally as mine, even if we hadn't had much discussion about what we were. When I pulled back, Rally's face had a rosy glow to it that made me smirk.

"Don't you look proud of yourself?" Rally asked, her tone lightly mocking. I shrugged and leaned in to kiss the spot above her collarbone that I knew was sensitive. Sure enough, she shivered as her hands gripped my shoulders. When I pulled back, I decided that I should just out with the issue, rather than let it fester.

"I'm feeling a little possessive."

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