Chapter 2

Chapter 2

D

ALLAS

I'm fighting waking up, because there’s a warm body pressed against me. Normally, I don't let a girl stay the night, and when they try to cuddle, it makes me want to bolt, only this girl pressed against me isn't making my skin crawl.

I crack open my eyes and see I fell asleep in the living room, and it all starts to come crashing back to me.

Austin.

She fell asleep watching the last movie. I decided to finish it then carry her to bed, but I guess I fell asleep, too. Then sometime in the middle of the night, we must have shifted to lying down on the couch. She’s pressed between me and the back of the couch with a long, tan leg swung over my hips. She’s using my shoulder as her pillow and has her arms flung across my stomach.

I let her warmth soak into me and try not to wake her, because I want to lie here just a bit longer.

I have had a crush on this girl, since high school, but you can't date your best friend’s younger sister, right? In fact, Landon makes that perfectly clear any time he’s caught me looking at her. Austin was off limits then, and I know she still is, especially because of my playboy days, once we got our record deal.

Her brother won't care that I'm tired of that lifestyle and haven't been with anyone in over six months. It's the fact that I lived it at all. It was a way to forget everything. The fact that I couldn't have Austin, my mom dying, and dealing with sudden fame.

Landon's my best friend, and he's supported me through it all, never questioning or judging me, but I know I'm not what he wants for Austin. She deserves somebody respectable that you can't find lewd stories about online almost weekly. The press also doesn't care that I haven't been with anyone. They know how to take a photo just right to make it look like whatever they want it, too.

I sigh, pushing the thoughts out of my head and try to be in the moment with Austin, because I might not get this chance again, having her cuddling with me.

She didn't seem quite her normal self last night. Granted, she had been driving for over two days, but I think this thing with Branden shook her up more than she wants to admit. She's tried dating, but half the guys wanted to date her to get to Landon and me, or they didn't treat her as well as we did. We did set a pretty high bar.

Her last long-term relationship was about a year ago, and his excuse for breaking up with her was that she was too close to her brother and me. Do guys really get upset about that? So, she started this casual thing with a few guys, always breaking it off, when they wanted more. But this guy, proposing after three months? Not cool.

She stirs, and I’m disappointed that our snuggle time is coming to an end. I can tell the moment she’s awake, because she freezes. I'm guessing like me, it takes her a few moments to remember where she is, and who she’s with.

When she lifts her head, and her gray blue eyes meet mine, my heart starts racing. She rests her chin on my chest and gives me a soft, sleepy smile, and right here in this moment with her dark brown hair slightly a mess, I can't remember a time I have ever seen her more beautiful.

"Thank you for letting me talk last night. I think I needed to vent more than I realized," she says.

"Of course, I'm here anytime," I say.

Then, a slight pink tints her cheeks, and she sits up.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep on you," she says.

I know I need to fix things and put that wall back between us to keep us both safe, even though I don't want, too.

"Don't worry, sweetheart, I'm used to having beautiful women throw themselves at me." I give her my famous cocky smirk.

"Ugh!" She wastes no time throwing a pillow at my head, causing me to laugh. There we go, back to our normal.

"Why don't you go get a shower and all? I'm going to take you out to brunch, and I have a surprise that might cheer you up," I tell her. The thought had been in my head last night that I needed to do something for her, like her brother would, to get her mind off Portland and everything she left behind.

As she heads upstairs, I snag her keys and go out to her car and start bringing her bags and boxes inside, setting them on the kitchen floor. She doesn't have as much stuff as I expected, about six boxes and four suitcases. Then again, she has a lot of clothes and items she keeps here regularly, too.

Once everything is out of her car, I start carrying them upstairs and leave them in the hallway by her bedroom door. If she’s showering or changing, that’s the last thing I need to walk in on, as much as my cock might like the idea. When I bring the last load in, I knock on her door.

"Yeah?" She calls but makes no move to open it.

"Your stuff is out here in the hall. I'm going to go get ready," I call back, and then head to my room across the hall from hers.

I take the quickest shower I ever have in my life, and then get dressed in dark jeans and one of my raglan shirts she loves, before going downstairs. I find her in the kitchen with coffee, and she already has a cup made for me just the way I like it. A dash of cream, as opposed to her several sugar packs and a lot of flavored creamers.

"I feel bad. Landon is cutting his trip short, and he’ll be here tomorrow," she says.

I try to hide my disappointment, as I was looking forward to more time with her alone, but I know the whole reason she came was to see her brother.

"That's good, though. I know you want to talk to him, and he's worried and wants to make sure you’re okay himself," I say.

"I know, but still. I'm a big girl and could have waited a few more days." She shakes her head, as we finish up our coffee.

"All right, hungry?" I ask, grabbing the keys to my 1969 Corvette Stingray I restored, after we got our record deal. This is my fun car that I only take out on special occasions, and getting a day alone with Austin, is very much a special occasion.

"We’re taking the Vette?" She asks all giddy. She loves this car as much as I do. I try to tell myself that's the only reason I chose it, and not because it puts us in a small space together, or that when I put the top down, she can't stop smiling, as she tries to contain her hair.

"Got a hair tie?" I ask her. She holds up her arm, where she has one around her wrist, like a bracelet.

"Ready!" Her smile is infectious, as we head to the garage and get in.

"Oh, I love this car. You keep it in such great shape!" She runs her hands over the hood, and I feel the movement, as if she were running those hands across me. It's making my cock so hard I have to shift to hide it behind the door.

"Of course, I do. It's a classic. Get in, I'm starving." Just not for food, I add in my head. The moment she closes the door, her scent fills my car, and I almost hate the idea of putting the top down later. I want the car to smell like her—orange blossoms with a hint of coffee.

The smile never leaves her face, as I drive to our favorite place in all of Nashville. Well, all of Tennessee and the surrounding states, really.

Loveless Cafe.

Normally, the wait would be a good hour no matter what time of day, but I've helped the owners with some promotions, so I never have to wait for a table now.

As we pull into the parking lot, Austin groans. "I have missed this place. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the lobster, but I craved their biscuits and pecan pie something fierce!"

At least, she remembers to wait to get out of the car, until I come around to open her door. This is as much being a gentleman, as it is for her protection. Never know when crazy fans are around.

"Let's get a picture in front of the sign, before we go in," I suggest, and Austin practically drags me in front of the iconic neon sign for a photo, before we head inside.

"Well, if it isn't Dallas McIntyre!" Gigi calls from behind the counter. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes? Oh, and you brought a woman. Did hell freeze over?"

I laugh. I don't bring girls here, and I don't take girls out for that matter. When I show up, I'm normally alone, but Landon has come with me a few times, too.

"This is Austin, Landon's sister. She just got back into town and is craving your biscuits." I tell her.

She grabs two menus, "Come, come, this girl is too skinny. We will feed her and plump her right up. Oh, Austin dear, you are just a doll. You should try our pulled pork barbeque omelet. I'll add a little extra pork fat in it to get some meat on your bones, yes I will." Gigi gushes.

Austin laughs but can't get a word in.

"Your Dallas here, has been such a blessing helping with some promotions, and he's had some great ideas to help us expand. A few new menu items are thanks to him, and his weird ordering, too! Let me get you some biscuits." She walks off, before either of us can say a word.

"Don't bother ordering. She’ll just bring you something else, but whatever it is, it will be amazing. She’s always having me try new things." I warn her.

"How long have you been working with them?" Austin asks.

"A few years now. They catered the food the night we did that Christmas special at the Grand Ole Opry, and we got to talking. She has so much energy and is such a great lady. I couldn't help but connect with her."

Austin smiles, as we start talking and catching up. She tells me about some of her recent graphic design work, and I talk about a few other local businesses I've been working with in town.

She congratulates me on another song, reaching number one. That’s eight number one hits and a platinum album, which is still crazy to me.

Breakfast flies by, and the food is of course amazing, and when Gigi won't let me pay, I leave a tip that more than covers the meal.

"Home?" Austin asks.

"Actually, I have someplace else to go. It's a bit of a drive. Top up or down?" I ask.

"Down." Austin rolls her eyes at me, like it's the stupidest question she's ever heard. She’s just so damn cute, when she rolls her eyes. She puts her hair up, as I put the top down, and we head south to Franklin, Tennessee.

"Where are we going?" Austin asks, as we enter the town.

"To The Carter House," I tell her. Austin loves historical homes, and I heard about this one recently and know she will love it.

We spend the next few hours touring the house, grounds, and visitor center. We learn a major Civil War battle took place right in the house's front yard, and it was described by one of the family members that you couldn't see the grass there were so many dead bodies, covering the ground.

Austin gets a chill with that comment, and I give myself permission to wrap my arm around her in comfort. I tell myself that it's just to comfort her from the creepy history. It's not so I can feel her warm body next to mine. When I pull her in for a hug, it’s not to feel her tits against my chest. She doesn't stay in that hug with her head on my chest for anything more than comfort, as she listens to the tour guide.

Maybe, in a different world in another time, this could be more, but I have to be happy with this.