Page 38 of Playing With My Heart Strings

My thoughts are interrupted as he presses his lips to mine again, and my senses overload with sandalwood and amber.

“Hey!” the voice of a producer booms from the other hallway, and we break apart. “Has anyone seen Dusty?”

“Go,” I hiss, practically shoving him away from me. But before he goes, he takes a long look at me. The sound of footsteps approaching finally encourages him to turn and rush away, leaving my heart pounding in my chest and my mind swarming.

What the fuck is happening?

15

dusty

Get to the Bottom of This

Last week’selimination was rough. Even though I’ve only had two weeks with the girls, genuine connections have been formed. The realization takes me by surprise, but I’m trying to lean into the process. Losing Abigail and Jordan was tough. I would’ve preferred to have Jade in the bottom three to save Sage or Abigail from being at risk, but the producers pushed me to keep her.

Now that we’re down to six contestants, though, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m going to have to be more firm and really fight for who I want. At the end of the day, this is about me and the person I want standing next to me when the season ends and the cameras turn off.

This week, I have dates with Sage and Aspen. I’m looking forward to deepening my connection with both of them, and also hearing their thoughts on the other girls. I’ve sensed a bit of hostility between Baylor and Aspen, and I want to get to the bottom of it.

I obviously don’t see everything that happens between the girls, only what happens during group outings. But I’ve noticed Aspen’s face contort with distaste whenever Baylor’s name is brought up. She tries to be subtle about it, but she’s not very good at hiding her emotions. Then again, neither is Baylor. However, while I see determination and maybe a bit of ego in Aspen’s expressions, sometimes the look in Baylor’s eyes is one of nervous tension, trepidation. I don’t think she has anything to hide, but I want to ease my own worries. I know she’s closer with Sage than Aspen, so I plan to briefly bring her up during our date.

The producers don’t give me much information about what the dates will entail, just that I’m to meet them at the front gates of the property once I’m ready. So I pull on a pair of denim jeans and a baby-blue pearl snap shirt before topping it off with a granite cowboy hat.

During the two days off from filming, the girls were brought to the house while I was sent to the production building for interviews. So. Many. Interviews. I can’t lie and say I wasn’t disappointed that I didn’t get to spend more time with them, but I also haven’t really had a moment to myself since filming began.

Normally, during really busy weeks, Craig would make sure I had some time to myself. To decompress. Sparks Studio Production clearly gives zero shits about that, because I feel like I’ve been pushed under water without a chance to come back up for air.

Man, I wish Craig were here to give me advice on how to handle all of this.

When I walk outside, there’s a car and camera crew waiting for me.

“Good morning, Mr. Wilder,” Brett greets me. I like to think we’ve reached a mutual respect, or at least an understanding between each other. He’s only here to do his job, as am I. Hestays out of my way, and I don’t make his life difficult. “Are you ready for your date with Sage?”

“Yep,” I pop the P. “This is one I’ve been looking forward to, Brett.”

“Great to hear that. Let’s get on the road, then, shall we?”

I nod and climb in the backseat of the vehicle. It doesn’t take us very long to get to our destination, a bar known for its large dance floor.

Sage is waiting in front of the doors, wearing denim cutoff shorts and a blouse with bell sleeves. The outfit is complete with a pair of cowboy boots.

“Damn, you look good,” I greet her.

She does a little spin for me, smiling the entire time. “Thank you. You also look great.”

“Have you ever been line dancing before?” I ask as I look up at the neon bar sign.

“Have I ever been line dancing?” She raises her brows in amusement. “Of course, I have, silly.”

“Don’t judge me too much if I mess up the steps, then.” I nudge her with my elbow before opening the door and holding it for her.

Sage enters the bar, and I follow closely behind. The bar is located near the back, and high-top tables surround the dance floor, where people have already gathered, although it’s not so busy that we can’t find a spot for ourselves. The cover band is playing a two-step, and without hesitation, Sage pulls me out onto the dance floor. We fall into the steps naturally.

“Have you been enjoying your time on the show so far?” I ask, not wanting to waste any time.

“Absolutely.” She nods. “I’m so grateful to still be here. That elimination was stressful, but I’m glad that the viewers saw enough in me that they wanted to save me.”

“I’m glad they saved you, too,” I say as I spin her around.

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