I walk out careful to avoid the group now surrounding Landon, who has his back to me. One of the security guards walks with me to the bus, and I take a deep breath, before opening the door. I hope she’s still awake. I don't want her going to bed thinking I was out all night with someone.
Walking into the bus, I find Austin on the couch. She’s curled up with a blanket and some movie on. Though, she has washed off her makeup, her hair is still in the loose braid from the show. She looks more beautiful now than she did on stage earlier.
What puts a smile on my face is the look of pure shock on her face. I'm glad I can still surprise her after all these years.
"What are you doing here?" She asks me, as her eyebrows bunch together, like she's concentrating on what she wants to say next.
I shrug my shoulders and flop down on the couch next to her in the middle seat. I don't want too much space between us.
"You're here." Is all I say.
"I had my bets on you and the blonde." She tries to joke, but I can tell it bothers her.
"Nope." I pop the p, looking over at her. Then, I say the one thing I’ve had trouble voicing to Landon, but to Austin, it seems to flow right out. "It's been months, since I've been with anyone. That life just doesn't appeal to me anymore. I've actually been feeling a little lost. Landon still sees me as a playboy." I laugh bitterly.
"I mean, my best fucking friend can't even believe I want to change my ways. How am I going to get anyone else, too?" I lean my head on the back of the couch and stare at the ceiling unable to look at her. I can't take it if she gives me that same look Landon does. The look that says 'sure you do' without them actually having to say it.
When her soft hand touches my arm, I roll my head to look over at her.
"I believe you. I've watched you these past two weeks. You’re home alone every night. Hell, if you hadn't changed your ways, you would have had a house full of girls the night I showed up, enjoying the fact that Landon was gone, and you could go at it anywhere in the house. If you ever used my room, I don't want to know. Lie to me and tell me your housekeeper Lysol's everything." She offers me a big smile.
"I'll tell you a secret." I grin, though I doubt she believes what I'm about to tell her.
"Hmm, I'll offer you one in return. You go first."
"I never slept with a girl anywhere in the house or on the property."
"What? Why?" She asks shocked. I pick my head up and turn my body to face her.
"It's your home and Landon's, and it never felt right. Plus, it's harder to kick a girl out than leave, because I didn't do the whole spend the night thing." I cringe at that. I want to be honest with her, and I can't change the past, but I know how it sounds now.
"You've never had a girl in your bed?" She asks.
"No one but you," I say, as I think of all the times she would crawl into bed with me over the years, when she was scared. A bad dream, or a bad storm, or the time Landon made her watch Paranormal Activity, and she couldn't sleep, much less sleep alone, for weeks. After that, we both agreed no more horror movies for her.
I expect her to go off on some tangent about not believing me, but instead, she shocks the hell out of me and smiles.
"I like that. A piece of you only I get."
Damn. It had been hard to hold my feelings back for her before, but this girl is making it impossible not to fall in love with her. Then, she reaches out and takes my hand and gives it a squeeze. When she goes to pull her hand back, I tighten my grip. I'm not ready to let go and give up the warmth this small touch gives me. It centers me as much as it's turning me on.
I clear my throat. "So, how was it on stage tonight?"
"Better than I expected thanks to you." She says, as she leans her head to the side and rests it on the back of the couch. Her eyes rake over me, but her expression is hard to read, it almost looks like she’s holding back a smile.
"What did I do?" I ask her.
"You held my attention and made me forget about all the people in the crowd."
Damn, I hadn't done it on purpose. I just couldn't take my eyes off her. In that dress, she looked breathtaking, and getting to sing the song with her, even I forgot we were on stage in front of thousands of people. It felt like we were in our own little bubble, and she was singing to me, because I sure as hell meant every word I sang to her, even if I can't tell her that. But if I could tell her that, it would probably send her running scared.
So, I take the coward’s way out and let her think that was exactly what I was doing.
"Happy to help. I know you don't like the crowds, but they loved you tonight, and I was glad you were there."
"I can see why you guys like it. It was a thrill, but it's still not my thing. So, don't get any bright ideas about me going on the next tour with you guys."
"What were you going to watch?" I ask her, changing the subject.
"Some Hallmark movie. We can watch something else." She hands me the remote.
"Nope, you were here first, so let's do it." I hit play, and we settle in to watch the movie about
