Page 83 of Playing With My Heart Strings

“What’s your heart telling you, Baylor?” His eyes plead, like he’s been waiting for this moment.

He leans down until our foreheads press against each other. It would be so easy, too easy, to kiss him and avoid his question altogether.

My heart’s been telling me about the risks, about the consequences if my true identity gets out. It’s also been aching for the man in front of me. Every day we spend apart, it longs forhim, and when we’re together, it threatens to beat right out of my chest and land in his palms.

I’ve been waiting for the shoe to drop, for something to light what we have on fire and slowly send our relationship up in smoke. The fear of Aspen telling the world who I am has sat in the back of my mind since my conversation with Daniella.

But right now, I don’t want to let my anxiety about the future hold me back.

I’m falling in love with Dusty Wilder. I know I am.

“It’s telling me I’m falling in love with you.” The admission is so quiet, I’m not sure if I even said it aloud or if it was all in my mind.

But then he murmurs back, “I’m falling for you too. I’vebeenfalling in love with you.”

I’m not sure what to say, so I loop my arms around his neck. When he places his hands on my waist, I lean my head on his chest. A vehicle horn blares in the distance, but we don’t break apart.

In the stillness of the empty venue, we sway to an imaginary tune. No cameras, no producers, just us. And for the first time in weeks, I let myself fully relax in his arms.

Maybe we’re just dancing around the truth, holding on to each other as the metaphorical house smolders until only ash remains. Still, for this love—this desperate desire to learn and have every part of him, body, mind, and soul—burning is a risk I’m willing to take.

33

dusty

On My Knees for You

She’s fallingin love with me.

I’m in love with her.

She’sfalling in love withme.

Baylor’s head rests on my chest, and I draw circles on her back with my fingertips.

“Come on.” I lift her chin with my index finger then lean in to brush my lips against hers.

“Where are we going? I should probably go. The others are going to get suspicious.” She looks over her shoulder at the entrance.

“If anyone asks, you can tell them I needed help with something.” I interlock my fingers with hers and lead her off the side of the stage toward the dressing rooms.

“Need help with what, exactly?” Her eyes sparkle with intrigue and a bit of mischief.

I close the dressing room door behind us, turning the lock before backing Baylor up against the wall. Dragging my hand along her side, down her thigh, I press my lips to her neck,peppering kisses up to her ear. “Memorizing every inch of you. I can’t get enough, baby. And I can’t wait any longer to watch you come undone.” To drive the point home, I back up, resting my palm on the wall above her head, not quite giving her enough space to leave, but still enough space for me to rake my eyes up and down her perfect body.

She crosses her arms over her chest, and I let out a quick tut. “Uh-uh. You don’t get to act all shy now, darlin’. Just last week you were begging me to make you come, and I need to hear that again.”

But because my girl keeps surprising me, she ducks under my arm and crosses the room to lean against the vanity, putting too much space between us.

“What if this time I want to makeyoubeg?” Her lips curl into a devilish grin, and God, I turn into putty on the spot.

“Just say the word, sweetheart, and you know I’ll drop to my knees for you.”

She raises an eyebrow, as if she doesn’t believe me. But when the word, “Beg,” leaves her lips, not only do I fall to my knees, but I crawl to her like I’ve been stranded in a desert, dying of thirst, and she’s the last drop of water.

“Believe me now?” I tilt my head up from my position on the ground as my hand skims her leg from her ankle to her knee. Instead of answering me, she slides her hand up the side of my neck to my jaw. My mouth gapes as I look at her through my eyelashes and she drags her thumb down my bottom lip until the tip of her fingernail pulls at the skin.

Fuck, it’s hot.

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