Page 31 of Princess and Country

“No. They agreed to let me ride with you guys. They must be on their way home already. I’m sorry your parents couldn’t make it.”

Except for Jeff, who never missed any of our shows, Carter’s parents rarely followed us around. They came to every in-town performance but never to our shows outside White Crest.

“It’s fine. Let’s not talk about this and just enjoy the festival before we need to get going.”

The three of us joined the singing crowd before the main stage, and eating hot dogs from one of the food stands, we watched some of our idols as they took the stage. I was singing at the top of my lungs when Jeff screamed my way so I could hear him over the music.

“We need to get going, Princess. I don’t want to piss off your parents, or they won’t trust me anymore.” I sighed. “I’m sorry.” Jeff walked me to his truck and placed his keys in my hand. “I’ll go get Carter. Lock the doors after you.” He kissed me, his tongue and lips hungry for me. “I’ll be right back.”

Warmth radiated through me. My entire body vibrated with happiness.

Jeff disappeared behind the row of trucks parked on the left side of the festival’s entrance as I hauled myself on the backseat. In the distance, I heard people screaming. I looked at the time. The main event was about to take the stage—no doubt Carter would have a hard time leaving. He’d been dying to watch those guys perform live for years. In the last few weeks, we’d tried to talk our parents into letting us rent a hotel room for the night, so we could attend the entire festival, but they all refused. I slouched in the seat. The adrenaline from our show had faded, and my eyelids weighed heavy now.

The guys climbed in the truck, and soon enough, the scenery changed from luscious green mountains—yeah, intuitive—to lakes and plains. I loved Green Mountain. It was so quiet. And the air smelled better. Cleaner. One day, I’d get a house there. A log cabin. Or a farmhouse. And a big piece of land. Not that I didn’t like White Crest. It had the small-town charm and was closed to Nashville, but Green Mountain was it for me. Every time I went there, a sense of peace filled every inch of me. I felt at home. As if the world had no end.

I wasn’t sure when I fell asleep. Carter and Jeff were arguing about some football thing I had no interest in, and I must’ve dozed off.

“Hey Princess,” Jeff whispered, his face a hair’s breadth from mine, bringing me out of my slumber.

“Hey,” I said, my voice croaky and rough after our night. Only lit up by the streetlights, Jeff looked mesmerizing, his features darker than in bright sunlight, his eyes beaming as he looked at me.

“People are going to the creek tomorrow, and there’s a barbecue later. I know it is Sunday, but Carter and I are going. You think your mama will let you? We’ll be home before curfew. I kind of want to spend time with you. Far from our parents’ watch.”

I stretched my arms over my head and looked around. “Where’s Cart?”

“Home. I’ve been watching you sleep for the last fifteen minutes. He said I was a creep.”

“You kind of are. But I love you no matter what.

I looped my arms around my boyfriend’s neck and pulled him toward me. Our lips moved together, and I injected heat in our kiss, unable to resist him.

“Dah, don’t kiss me like this when your dad can walk in on us anytime. I’ll be a dead man.” I pushed him in the chest.

“Let me talk to Mama about tomorrow. I wanna go. We’d be able to kiss all we want. Wait. Don’t you have to drive back to Nashville after dinner?”

“Nah, don’t have classes on Monday morning. Change of schedule. It’s okay.”

Jeff lifted me up from the backseat and lowered me to the ground. He kissed me one last time. His lips tasted like hot chocolate and sour candy. My heart flipped around in my chest. I whispered against his mouth, “I don’t want to let you go.” I fastened my grip around his neck. “I wish this night would never end.”

Jeff pressed his hard-on against my tummy. Heat flowed through me. A little smile grazed my lips, and I cupped him over his washed-out denims.

“Princess—Your dad—How can I—Jesus.”

His erection twitched in my hand. My boyfriend lowered his hands from my burning cheeks to my chest. I melted against him.

“Tomorrow night. You and me,” he said, pulling my bottom lip between his teeth. Desire shot through me. It pooled between my thighs. I ground my hips against Jeff’s hard cock. He kneaded my breasts, toying with my hard nipples. A moan tumbled out of my mouth. “Oh yes, baby. I know exactly what you need.”

Heat rushed to my face. I was grateful for the darkness, not willing to let Jeff see how much his words affected me. Tomorrow night, I reminded myself. I swallowed hard.

“I’d like that. A lot.”

Jeff kissed me, stealing every ounce of oxygen from my lungs. On wobbly legs, I ambled toward my house, my heart tap-dancing in my chest, my body humming, and happiness waltzing inside my bloodstream.

“Good night, Princess.”

“Night.”

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