Page 56 of Playing With My Heart Strings

I stand, wiping my hands on my jeans as I walk toward the steps to get on the stage.

“You all looked and sounded great up there.” I give the other girls an encouraging nod. I don’t want them to lose their confidence from this, because they all sounded incredible.

Valerie and Katherine smile, and Sage nods as they walk past me, but Aspen grabs my arm.

“I wish it was me up there with you, but I understand,” she whispers before planting her lips on mine.

My eyes widen at the contact. I’m a little bit taken aback, and this is clearly an attempt to throw Baylor off. The camera crew catches sight of us “kissing” and immediately points the cameras at us.

I gently push Aspen away, the movement discreet enough that no one will notice.

“What?” She furrows her brows.

“I need to go on stage,” I reply then leave her standing there with a confused look.

In the five seconds it takes to walk up the steps, all my annoyance with Aspen melts away when I see Baylor. She turns toward me and flashes me a smile, a real one this time. She probably doesn’t save them just for me, but I’m okay with pretending.

“Hi.” I smile at Baylor.

A flush creeps into her cheeks as she whispers, “Hi.”

“Second time performing together, might as well make it official, huh?” I tease, although it’s not a joke, not really.

I can’t pinpoint the emotion on her face, whether it’s amusement or contemplation. But she laughs it off, responding, “Don’t get too ahead of yourself, superstar. There are still five of us here.”

Yeah, but only one of you matters.

The band starts playing a song by Flatland Cavalry, interrupting all my thoughts. I don’t take my eyes off Baylor as I begin singing the lyrics—about what the future could look like if we worked out and ended up together.

Baylor picks up the second verse where the lyrics talk about the nicknames we’d call each other and the things we’d do together when I’m not on the road.

While it’s not necessarily a happy song, it makes me hopeful for the future—preferably one with Baylor.

Before the chorus starts, I step closer to her, holding my microphone to the side and leaning close enough to share hers. Close enough for me to feel when she takes a breath in between lines.

I’ve all but abandoned my microphone at this point, singing the final verse with hers. The lines alternate, and at one point she draws her bottom lip between her teeth as though she’s holding back a smile. When the song ends, instead of pulling apart, we freeze, gazing into each other’s eyes like the audience and the cameras and the other women don’t even exist.

It’s only when the crowd starts chanting, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” that I’m brought back to reality.

“Let’s give the people what they want, darlin’,” I whisper before leaning in and kissing her. Her lips meld to mine, like puzzle pieces fitting perfectly together. Likewefit perfectly together.

The crowd swoons and cheers as we break apart. In the absence of her, my lips tingle, a burning want creeping into my chest.

I look down at the V.I.P. section where the other women are. Katherine picks at her nails, Valerie won’t make eye contact with me, and Aspen looks like she wants to murder Baylor. I can’t imagine it’s fun having to watch your competition kiss the person you’re dating, but that’s the name of the game.

We exit the stage and join Jarrod and the women.

“There won’t be an elimination this week, ladies,” Jarrod announces, signifying the end of the date and the day. “Head back to the hotel and relax. You’ve all earned it. Congratulations on making it this far.”

Oh, I plan on doing something at the hotel, but it won’t be relaxing.

21

dusty

Over the Edge

I knowI’m taking a huge risk showing up—yet again—to the hotel, but I can’t stop thinking about Baylor. Kissing her isn’t enough. I need to know what she tastes like, feels like, the sounds she makes. The need rising in my gut is desperate, like an animal trying to claw its way out of a cage.

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