Page 60 of Pink and Country

My heart pummeled in my chest every time my brain wandered back to the song. My song. Carter sang for me and made me his with only his words. I pressed my thighs together, warmth pooling low in my pelvis.

Saunders. I needed to reach out and tell her about my night. And the song. Mostly the song. She’d go bat shit crazy over this.

As if she’d read my mind, my phone vibrated inside my little golden clutch, and my best friend’s face lit up the screen.

Saunders: Bloody girl, are you kidding me right now? Tell me I dreamt the whole thing. I’m arse-over-tits over this.

With my lips pinched together to avoid smiling too big, I typed a reply.

Me: Have no idea what you’re talking about.

Saunders: Stop playing dumb. He wrote YOU a freaking song. It’s all over the web.

Me: Kidding, right?

Me: Shit. You’re not. How would you know?

Saunders: Girl, get real, Carter Hills professed his feelings to you, and now the entire world can see it. Or hear it, I guess.

Me: Stop!

Me: It’s nothing like that.

Saunders: You’re living under a rock. Or in a cave. Not in the mountains. There’s a mix-up. You’re lacking oxygen in your brain.

Me: We’re friends. Who care about each other. That’s all.

Saunders: April, your song is Carter Hills’s new hit. It has over six million views already.

Me: Can’t be. Are you sure?

So, a video existed somewhere of my song being sung for the first time. My body heated up. I wanted to fan myself with my hand. To jump on my feet. To scream. To laugh. Just the thought people could watch Carter perform it sent shivers through me. Why did I want to keep it under wraps? I felt possessive of my song. Somehow, I wished it were only meant for me. I sucked in a breath. I swallowed. Hard. The entire night was a whirlwind I wasn’t prepared for. And I liked it as much as I feared it. The vibration of my phone stopped my racing mind. And my galloping heart from bouncing out of my chest.

Saunders: If you two wanted to hide your little country fling, you failed. BIG TIME.

Me: No relationship here, Saund. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Carter and I are friends.

Saunders: [Link to video]

Saunders: Check it yourself.

My fingers itched to check it out. Right now. I closed my eyes and breathed out. This could wait. It had to.

Saunders: Believe what you want. Reed’s jaw is still lingering somewhere on the floor. He watched the video ten times already. Your man got himself a new fan. April, you’re in denial.

Saunders: Reed wants me to tell you you’re getting banged tonight if you didn’t already figure it out or haven’t already been *winking emoji* And to get stocked on condoms ’cause you’ll need a whole king-size box.

I placed my hand over my mouth to silence the chuckle threatening to escape.

Me: No comment.

Saunders: Enjoy your night with your there’s-no-romance-between-us country hot piece of ass. We’ll talk later. I need to glue Reed’s jaw back to his face. I’m happy for you. Love you -x-

A little smile tugged at my lips, and my heartbeat quickened. The air in the room, now hot and thick, suffocated me. My fingers fidgeted with the gold band on my right ring finger. Am I blind? Or stupid?

Carter arched a brow and wound his arm around my waist. “Everything okay?” I nodded. My pulse skyrocketed at the sound of his voice only, hoarse and low.

“Everything’s perfect.” I mirrored his grin, zooming in on his lips.