Page 178 of Dirty Like Dylan

I wanted to be helpless and vulnerable and raw, and feel everything I could feel with him.

“I love you,” he breathed, as his body tensed and his hips ground into me. “I can’t fucking believe you’re mine…”

Then he came, with my name on his lips.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Dylan

I pulled into the lot at Left Coast Studios mid-morning and parked my truck. Dirty was deep into recording the new album, and it was going so well, I was fucking bursting to play it live. I couldn’t fucking wait for January.

Maybe we’d even convince Brody to book us a few gigs, just for some fucking fun, before the official tour.

I could see that everyone was already here. Shady and Flynn were outside having a smoke, which meant Zane and Elle were in the studio. If Elle was here, Seth was probably here, too. And Jesse and Katie were just climbing out of his Ferrari across the parking lot.

Katie waved over at Amber, before Jesse took her hand and pulled her into the studio.

I’d brought Amber along today, because she and Katie were gonna spend the day together while the band was in the studio. Now that Amber was staying put, she’d decided she needed some clothes and things of her own, so Katie was going shopping with her.

I was totally on board with that plan.

I’d told Amber she could turn one of the entire guest bedrooms into a dressing room for herself, one of those giant walk-in closets that chicks liked, if she wanted to. We had the space for it.

Maybe I figured the more stuff she had in the house, the more comfortable and settled she’d feel—and the more likely she’d really stay.

But she’d just looked at me like I was crazy and said, Half of your closet will be fine. I want to bump into you while we’re getting dressed in the morning.

God, I loved this girl.

When I looked over at her she was smiling, and it made me smile. Seeing her getting comfortable, making friends. Fitting in. Dirty was my family, and anyone I was gonna get serious about had to fit in.

I already knew I was beyond serious about Amber Paige Malone.

And I knew that meant I’d have to dig deep to make this relationship thing work. To be selfless and flexible and respect her needs. All of them.

To never give her a reason to ditch my ass.

She smiled over at me, and I asked her the question I knew I had to ask. The one I’d been more than a little scared to ask. “Are you sure?”

“Sure about what?”

“About Ash,” I said.

We hadn’t talked about it again, but I wasn’t sure the conversation was over. I wasn’t sure it ever would be.

“Oh.” Her smile slipped. “I’m sure,” she said, but she seemed kinda surprised that I was asking.

I hadn’t even seen Ash since he took off several days ago. We’d talked over the phone a couple of times. I knew Amber had talked to him, too. I knew he was hiding out, doing his thing, pulling away. Protecting himself. Doing what he felt he needed to do right now.

But it wasn’t like he was never coming around again.

“Okay,” I said. “But… if you change your mind… if you want to reopen that door… I never want to tell you that you can’t, Amber. I honestly don’t know how I’ll feel about it if it ever happens. It’s impossible for me to know that right now. I can’t tell you I’ll like it. But I’m not gonna tell you that you can’t, if you want him back.”

She stared at me, her green eyes wide.

“I told myself I wouldn’t share you anymore, with anyone,” I told her. “But Ash is different. He’s just always been different. I’m never gonna be in love with him and I’m never gonna fuck him. But I’m officially leaving that door open, okay? For you.”

Amber blinked, just kinda shaking her head as she stared at me. Then she leaned over to me. “You’re incredible.” She kissed me, sweet and slow.

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