Page 58 of Pink and Country

“You’re right, Dah. I love you too. You and Jack will always be my family.”

“You’re allowed to have a family of your own, Carter. It won’t change how we feel about you. You’re entitled to find happiness. You’re allowed to love and be loved. Think about this.”

Dahlia sent me powerful vibes for tonight’s show, and we hung up.

A sense of peace filled me. Could Dahlia be right?

My jaw hit the floor, and my breath stuck in my lungs the moment April opened the door of her suite. A tidal wave of warmth washed over me, and no words came out.

Hot as fuck in her short ombre sequin dress, I stared at April. A wide smile brightened her face as she twirled around. My dick throbbed at the sight of the low-cut back, the V of the dress ending just above the swell of her ass. April had curled her jaw-length pink hair and wore cowboy boots on her feet instead of heels. I closed my eyes and evened my breathing. My tongue darted across my lips. She did that thing where she swayed her hips that drove me crazy. Did she know how to play me?

I rubbed the heels of my hands over my eyes, desperate to calm the awakened desire in me. April’s eyes widened and followed my hand as I adjusted the crotch of my pants. They tightened so much that I feared my dick would die by asphyxiation. I tried to blink away all the dirty thoughts crossing my mind. Olives, gooey snails, Riley, Savannah Prince.

My esophagus worked to swallow.

My sight clouded.

My heart leaped in my throat.

The air whistled in my lungs.

The vision of April in her too-short-for-anyone-else-but-me-to-see dress jolted my heart back to life. It resuscitated my dormant state, shattered my walls, and the last threads of self-control left in me. April’s legs looked longer, her skin creamier, her hips fuller.

“Something wrong? Oh, you don’t like it? I should’ve picked out the black halter dress. I knew this one was too short. I can go change.” April mumbled, doubt creeping over her face. Her cheeks reddened.

I harrumphed. “Babe, I love it so much that all I want to do is to watch you the entire night.” My voice cracked. “We should go. Now. I cannot come inside your suite, or none of us will ever get out.” My sinful mind was in overdrive. I clenched my teeth, fearing my dirty thoughts would fly out of my mouth.

April flashed me a shy smile, and I turned on my heels to lock away what was left of my willpower.

My wild heart banged inside its cage. I pressed one hand over my chest. Is this what a heart attack feels like? I shook my legs to send the blood that had pooled in my dick back to my brain.

I drew a shaky breath in and hooked my thumbs in the loops of the waistband of my dark denims.

After a couple of inhalations and a bit of self-talk, I pivoted and held out my hand for April.

“You look amazing, Fairy. I wouldn’t want anybody else by my side tonight.” A genuine grin broke free on her face, and all traces of hesitation vanished from her features. To relieve April from any lingering doubt, I leaned forward and brushed my lips against her forehead.

Dahlia’s words replayed in my head.

If what you two could have is worth it, give her some time to ease into the idea this is your life. If you move too fast, she’ll run away. She almost did once. It’s intimidating to date someone in the limelight, Carter.

Sideways, I glanced down at April and hoped she’d give me a chance to show her how good we could be together. That we could make this thing between us work. Small steps, Carter. Be yourself. That’s all April will ever need.

The venue looked amazing. About two hundred fans screamed my name when I walked on the stage of the old barn turned into an auditorium. I’d missed that. The energy from a crowd. The feeling I was where I belonged. I’d never performed here before. On the outskirts of town, it gave this private, exclusive concert a more meaningful feel. The owner of the barn had kept the original wood plank floor and walls and beamed ceilings, but added acoustic panels and other elements of decor to obtain the best sound possible and cut any reverberation. I wasn’t convinced it’d work at first, but he proved me wrong. I loved everything about this place. The cachet. The history. The atmosphere. But tonight, I couldn’t enjoy any of it. For the whole set, my eyes drifted to Pink Girl in her sexy dress backstage.

She occupied each corner of my mind.

Every song I sang, I sang to her.

After performing the last song, my greatest hit “Someday You’ll Fly,” I leaned down from my stool to take a sip of water from the bottle at my feet, the gears in my brain working overtime. With newfound confidence, I gave in.

“Hey, guys, thanks for coming tonight. It means the world to me.” I loved small, intimate concerts because they gave me time to talk to the crowd. To surf on the audience’s vibe. “I have a special gift for you. Please don’t tell anybody, they’ll be jealous.” The crowd erupted in laughter. “I have this new song I’ve been working on, and I want to share it with you tonight.” Cheers erupted in the small venue. People wolf-whistled.

My pulse spiked, and I breathed in and out at a regular pace to slacken the bundle of nerves filling my belly.

My eyes drifted to April, a goddess in her sequin dress.

My fingers strummed the first chords of “Pink & Country.”