Page 84 of Pink and Country

April brought her lips to mine and smiled against my mouth. “That naked offer is very tempting. However, even if I can work from anywhere, living together complicates things. I hate labels, but we haven’t even figured out what we are yet. Don’t you think we’re skipping steps here?” I dragged my hand down her bare front and stopped at her waist, leaving a trail of goosebumps behind.

“Can we figure this out together?” I cocked an eyebrow, challenging her. April snorted a laugh.

I erased the little distance between us and pulled her to me, embedding her body into mine. Her soft chest pressed against mine, and all hell broke loose. My heart merged with hers.

April’s big doe eyes glistened, and she circled my midsection.

“You’re so sexy. I could eat you right now.” My eyes lowered to hers, drawing her in, and my mind went wild at the idea of what I could do to her on this counter. She nudged my arm.

“Be serious for once. Can I think about this?”

I bowed my head and dropped my shoulders. “Sure.”

April whispered against my lips, “Catch me if you can, Country Boy.” She jumped off the counter and ran upstairs, laughing. I shouted after her, “I don’t know anything except I’m not ready to let you go, Bubble Gum.”

It’d been two days since our sex-fest, as April called it. Days of pure bliss. Days where we barely kept our hands to ourselves. Days where days and nights blurred together, and nothing else existed except the two of us.

Before I could run after April, my phone went off.

“Howdy, Ry, how is it going?”

“Hey, Carter, glad to see you’re doing better, man. Listen. Sam Stevens dropped out of this fundraiser event tonight. I need you to cover for him. His wife had a miscarriage. He wants to keep the news under wraps for now. I’ll send a private jet to pick you up in two hours.”

“Tonight? Your timing sucks, Ry. Big time.” My hand found my chin and gave it a rub. “Christ. Where’s this thing?”

“New York. I’ll fly you back first thing tomorrow morning. I need you for the entire event.”

My hand ran over my face, and I closed my eyes, taking a minute to think it over.

“Who’s hosting?”

“The Bensons. They asked for you personally. Stevens was the second-best choice. You were supposed to be in Europe this week before we canceled most of your engagements. That’s why they picked Stevens in the first place. Now you’re free. The timing’s perfect.”

I cursed in silence. “Fuck.”

“You know they love you, man. And it’ll be good for you to get out there.”

I sighed and kicked the stool behind me. “Okay, fine. I have one request, though.”

“Anything.”

“I want to bring a plus one. That’s my only condition.”

Riley harrumphed. “Carter, Savannah will be there. Not sure it’s smart for you to bring someone else. You know firsthand how unpredictable she can be. Remember that time in Miami?”

“Fuck, Ry. April is leaving on Sunday. Savannah is not my problem anymore. I’m done rescuing her from herself. I’m not covering for her anymore.”

“Carter, is this serious? You and April, I mean. Can you tell me what you two are?”

“Screw you, Ry. Can we just see where this is going first before making an official statement? For tonight, she’ll be my date. That’s it.”

“The new song, the pictures in the press, and now this. Carter, you’re not helping keep this thing quiet. Let me think about it. I’ll call you back in thirty minutes.” As if he was the one making the call.

“Fine. Suit yourself.” I hung up before he could say anything else.

In April’s room, sitting on the edge of her bed with my hands clasped between my knees, I waited for her to exit the bathroom. I repeated in my head everything I wanted to tell her. I held my breath when she opened the door.

Her smile stole all the oxygen from my lungs. “Hey, I waited for you to join me.” She pouted, pursing those lips of hers, and my heart ached. I only wanted to put smiles on her face. Nothing else.