Page 106 of Playing With My Heart Strings

Valerie was extended a record deal by both Ace High Entertainment and Six-String Entertainment after the show concluded. She ended up accepting the deal from the latter and is preparing to release her first album after her EP took the world by storm. We still get coffee sometimes when it matches up with our schedules.

Katherine went back home and is still a pediatric nurse, and Sage is in law school here in Nashville. Her goal is to break into music entertainment law so she can represent artists like Dusty who are mistreated by their labels. I’m not sure where Aspen is these days. They say that if someone isn’t meant to be in your life, you won’t see them around, and that’s proven to be true.

Colette was let go from her position as executive producer for Sparks Studio Productions—something about blackmail—and Alex got promoted. The first thing he did, of no shock to anyone, was abolish the no fraternization policy so he could officially announce his relationship with Daniella.

After the release of our album, Dusty and I took a trip to Denver. I sat down with my parents, and we had a long conversation about my feelings toward them and how I believed I was being treated. My mom cried. She didn’t realize I felt that way, and they reassured me they’re proud of whatever I choose to do in life. We’ve worked on repairing our relationship, and they’ve come to several of our shows. I can confidently say they’re my biggest fans.

The band begins to play our next song, breaking me out of my thoughts. It’s one that Dusty and I wrote together shortly after the finale aired, and I may be biased, but it’s one of my favorites on the new album.

He struts over to me, strumming his guitar in between verses, and when the second verse starts, he’s right there nextto me, singing into the same microphone, our mouths mere breaths away from each other.

We feed off each other’s energy, working the stage with the band and getting the crowd invested. But during the last song of the night, our most upbeat song, Dusty falls to the ground, his back turned to me.

The band stops playing and I rush over to him as the crowd goes silent.

“Dusty, Dusty, are you okay?” I grab his shoulder.

“Mhm. Give me one second, okay?” he mumbles.

I back up to give him some space, but none of the other band members seem to be concerned. Dusty stirs, but instead of standing, he turns around on one knee, a blue velvet box in his hand.

“What are you—” I step toward him.

“Baylor, there are a lot of things in my life that I’ve been unsure about, but the one thing I’ve never had doubts about is you. Even when my brain was telling me to let you go, my heart was tugging me toward you. You make me a better man in every sense of the word. You push me, remind me who I am when I lose sight of myself, and you love me for me. You’re my greatest inspiration, my muse, and the love of my life. Will you, Baylor Leigh Sommerfeld, do me the greatest honor and marry me?”

Tears flood my eyes as he opens the box, revealing a diamond ring. I nod, kneeling on the ground with him as the word, “Yes,” falls from my lips. I cup his face in my hands and kiss him, even as the crowd starts cheering.

We stand, and he places the ring on my finger.

“She said yes, everybody!” he cries out, a laugh on the tip of his tongue.

After the concert, we stumble through the front door of our home, Dusty’s mouth on mine and our hands roaming each other’s bodies.

He pulls back for a moment dragging his gaze up and down my body. “Hi, fiancée.”

“Hey, fiancé.” I smile. “Baylor Wilder has a nice ring to it.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” He kisses my neck, walking us further into the house. “You were incredible tonight, but the only thing I want to hear you sing now is my name.”

A soft sigh escapes my lips, and my stomach flutters. “Make me yours, Dusty.”

His hands snake through my hair, tugging me closer to him as his tongue darts out, swiping across my lip. When I open my mouth to take a breath he deepens the kiss, our tongues tangling with one another.

“Where do you want to go, darlin’?”

“Anywhere. I’ll go anywhere with you.” I know it’s not the answer he wants, but it’s not a lie either.

Deciding for me, he lifts me up and my legs straddle his waist. He walks us up the stairs to our bedroom and gently sets me on the edge of the bed.

Dusty wastes no time removing my clothes, stripping me down to my bra and underwear. He touches my cheek with the back of his hand and drags it down. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I whisper.

He leans in to brush his lips over mine before slowly moving them down my body—down the front of my throat, across my collarbone, the top of my breasts. He unclasps my bra, letting it fall to the floor with the soft thud.

My head falls back when he swipes his tongue over my nipple before gently pinching it between his teeth, and heat pools between my legs.

“I need you,” I start to whimper, but I suck in a sharp breath when his fingers slip into my waistband and tease my clit. When he drags a finger down my center, he hums in approval then inserts one, curling it inside me. Pressure immediately builds in my core, and my breaths come out ragged and raw.

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