by Kaci Rose
"Me either." I smile. "I'm Austin," I say.
"Deanna." She smiles. "How do you know Dallas?" She asks, her shyness showing again.
"Oh, his band mate Landon is my brother. Landon's out of town, and he's nice enough to let me tag along today, because I needed to get out of the house." I shrug.
"You're Landon's sister?" Her eyes go wide, and she chuckles.
"Yeah, guilty. Please, don't hold it against me." I laugh.
She looks back down the hallway Dallas disappeared, too.
"I have been working here two years and both of them are always nice, when they come in. Once, I was carrying some boxes from my car, and Landon stepped in to help me. I mean, a famous rock star helped me carry file boxes. Who would believe me?"
"Good, I'm glad he helped, or I'd have kicked his ass, and he knows it. Same with Dallas. I made sure they had manners. They can go to parties and do whatever, but they will treat a lady with respect or answer to me." I say.
"Yeah, I learned that one the hard way." Dallas grins, as he walks back into the room.
Deanna jumps up. "Sorry, Mr. McIntire." She says and runs back to her desk.
He looks at me with a questioning look, before turning to her. "You can call me Dallas, and there’s nothing to be sorry about. I appreciate you keeping Austin company for me."
Deanna smiles and ducks her head. You would think working at the label she'd be used to getting attention from the musicians in and out of here each day.
I stand up and walk over to her desk.
"So, feel free to say no, but I’d love to talk books again with you and have someone to discuss them, as we read them. Would you want to exchange phone numbers? I'm going to read that sugar daddy one you recommended next." I say.
"Oh, I'd love that. I'm going to read the one you’re reading now, when I get home." She hands me her phone, and I put in my number and send myself a quick text.
As I'm handing her phone back to her, Dave walks out.
"Oh, Dallas, I'm glad I caught you. One more thing..." Dave says, but stops dead in his tracks, when he sees me.
The look he gives me creeps me out and kind of makes me want to rip his eyes out. It's leery and causes me to do something I haven't done in years. I move to stand behind Dallas and use him as a shield.
"What the fuck?" Dallas growls.
Chapter 14
Dallas
The look he’s giving Austin pisses me off more than I can ever remember. But when it makes her so uncomfortable, she slips behind me to get out of his line of sight, and then it's time for me to step in.
"What the fuck?" I growl.
"I... um... I just thought she was in Maine. I didn't expect to her here." Dave stumbles over his words.
Austin rests her head against my back, and I know she can feel how tense I am. It's taking everything in me not to launch at this guy. I know Landon would have my back with this, whatever the consequences are.
"What the fuck does it matter? You don't look at her, and you don't fucking breathe in her direction again. You fucking got it?" I growl.
Dave's eyes go wide, and he just nods.
"Good, now whatever you came out here to say, you can shove it." I turn and wrap my arm around Austin's shoulders and drag her from the building away from his view. I don't stop, until we are back in my truck and the doors are locked.
I finally look over at Austin, and she’s studying me.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
She doesn't answer, instead she leans over the console and kisses me. It’s a deep kiss full of more meaning than just a thank you. Her lips on mine soothe the anger that was coursing through me. When she pulls back, she's a bit flushed, and it's sexy as hell.
"Okay, I have to call Landon, because he’ll be pissed if I don't. Then, I'm taking you out and making you forget all this."
She nods, as I pull out my phone and dial Landon.
"Hey, man. How’d the meeting go?" He asks.
"Good, until the end," I growl.
"What do you mean?" He’s instantly stone cold serious.
"Well, I brought Austin with me, because she's been working all week and needed to get out of the house. We were going to do lunch after. Anyway, the meeting went fine. Austin was hanging out in the waiting room, and when we were leaving, Dave came out and saw Austin."
I describe his look, and how Austin even moved behind me.
"Well, I don't know about you, but this settles it. I want to be done and start our own label. We have one more year on our contract. You with me?" He asks.
"You don't even have to ask. If Austin wasn't there, I'd have laid him on his ass. If I never have to see that fucker again, it will be too soon."
"Agreed. How was the meeting before that?" He asks.
I reach over and grab Austin's hand and hold it in mine, as I recap the meeting, and how they want to put out another record, before our contract is up and want to start negotiating a new contract, even though, we’ve mentioned going out on our own before. We both agree we aren't giving them another record after this. We will deal with it, when he gets home.
I bring Austin's hand to my mouth and place kisses on the back of her hand, while her brother talks about his trip out there. Austin's breathing picks up, and I know she's just as affected by me, as I am of her.
We hang up, and I look over at Austin.
"Ready to get out of town for a while?" I asked her.
"More than you know." She forces a smile.
I check my phone and make sure the food I ordered for us is ready for pickup and make my way there.
"Stay here. I’ll be right back," I tell her, once I park.
"We aren't eating inside?" She asks.
"No, baby girl. I have bigger plans. I’ll be just a minute. Lock the doors." I tell her.
I close the door behind me and wait, until she locks them, before heading into the deli to grab our lunches. I've eaten here before, and the staff is pretty good at not making a big deal about who I am, so I'm in and out pretty fast.
When I climb back into the truck, I pull her in for a quick kiss, before getting on our way.
"So, do I get a hint? Like how long, before I can eat this food that smells so good?" She asks. She seems back to her normal self, and any traces of the mood from earlier are gone.
"Not too long," I tell her, as I drive out of town. About fifteen minutes later, I'm pulling on to a dirt road, and she just gives me a weird look.
"A friend of mine owns this property and lets me come back here to write songs or do whatever I want. I thought we could have a picnic here, because it kind of reminds me of our spot." I tell her.
She smiles, and her hand reaches for my tattoo of the field we spent prom night in.
"Sounds perfect."
I get to the field that has some beautiful purple wildflowers, and it's at the base of a large hill, not quite big enough to be a mountain. I pull out the large blanket I packed in the back of the truck earlier and set it out, and then grab the food and her hand, as we settle on the blanket.
"I love this little deli. They make the best sandwiches, but they’re always packed. The staff doesn't make a big deal, when I'm there, but other customers always do. One day, once we are public, I’ll take you there and show you off, but for now, this is the second-best option." I tell her.
"I love this, because I don't have to share you with anyone. Your fans are important, and I would never stop you from interacting with them, but it kinda sucks, when they insert themselves into our time, when we’re out."
"Like the lunch at Biltmore?" I say.
"Exactly like that. So, I’ll take a date like this any day." She leans in and kisses me in what I'm sure she meant to be a light, fun kiss, but it instantly turns steamy.
She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me close. I wrap an arm around her waist and gently lean her back, until she’s laying on the blanket with me over her. I refuse to take it beyond a kiss. Not here. I want her to know that I want her, be
cause she’s different, and not just for sex. All I wanted from the other girls was sex, none of this. I want everything from her.
After a few minutes of kissing, I pull back.
"Let me feed you, baby girl," I whisper against her lips.
She nods, and I help her sit up. I start pulling out the fried chicken sandwiches and bottles of water with their homemade chips.
She digs in, her whole face lights up, after she takes the first bite.
"This is really good, Dallas." She says.
"So, how's work going?" I ask her.
"Good, I slowed down, since the tour, only working with a few of my favorite clients. I like not having to take every little thing to just pay bills, but to be honest, I feel like such a freeloader not paying my share." She says.
"As if we would let you." I smile at her. "Plus, you’ll get money from the records and the tour. Really, you don't have to work." I remind her.
"I know, but..." She hesitates.
"But what?"
"I don't touch that money. It goes into a savings account that I leave alone. It gets invested per your insistence, but that’s it. I've always paid my bills with the money from my job."
"Building a nice retirement fund?" I ask her.
"Not really."
I look at her, and she seems a little hesitant to continue. I can't have that.
"No walls up, Austin. We aren't doing this halfway." I tell her.
She nods and takes a deep breath.
"I guess, I always planned for that to be my family money."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Someday, I want a family. I started doing these casual relationships, and I guess, I saw the dream of getting married and starting a family begin to slip away. So, I planned that money to be for my family. When I was ready, I'd be a single mom, have children, and that money would support my kids and be passed down to them, when the time came." She shrugs.
"You don't want to get married?"
"I do, but I guess the more I dated, the more I lost hope in finding a guy. Well, you set the bar pretty damn high. I was always waiting for a guy that treated me like you always have. He hasn't shown up yet."
A pang of jealousy hits me, when she talks about marrying another man. But I'm also happy in a way that she has compared the other guys to me. It means I was doing something right all these years, even when I didn't think I could have her.
"Well, get ready to be blown away, because if you liked how I treated you, when we weren’t dating, then I'm going to step it up now that we are."
She gives me this unsure look and my gut twists. She does want to date me, right?
"What is it?" I ask her softly.
"Are we dating?" She asks.
"Oh, baby girl. We’re so much more than dating. You are mine, and I'm yours. Titles the whole nine yards." I tell her, pulling her against my side.
"I just... You haven't dated anyone before, I didn't want to assume."
"When it comes to you, assume away. I was slow to jump into this, because I wanted to do it right. I'm 100% in. Do you want this?" I ask her. I want to hear her words and not just assume them.
"Yes, I'm scared by how much I want this." She says.
"This isn't going to be casual. I want all of you." I tell her.
"As long as I get all of you, and I don't share." Her voice is stern.
"I'm only yours. I don't share either."
"Good." She says.
I lie down on the blanket and pull her down to lay with me, and we talk for a few hours about everything and anything.
"So, if we’re going to do this, let's get the awkward stuff out of the way." She says.
"Okay, hit me with it. I won’t keep anything from you, but I expect the same from you."
"All right then, what’s your number?" She asks.
My number? She has my phone number, what number? Then, it dawns on me. Shit.
"More than I want to admit," I say, tensing up. I know Austin, and she’s going to push this.
"Dallas..."
"Honestly, I don't know if you want an answer. I can sit down tonight and try to give you my best guess, but I wouldn't be stretching it to say over fifty." I cringe now. I didn't care then, because the number of hookups I had meant nothing. But now that I want to start a real relationship, that number seems like a hurdle, we might not be able to get over.
She sighs and nods her head. "Okay."
"Same question," I tell her, not sure I want to know.
"Six. How old were you your first time?"
"Ugh, you won't believe me."
"Dallas..."
"I was nineteen just after your prom. It was on our first tour, and women were throwing themselves at us. I never admitted to her it was my first time, and I also never saw her again."
I won't admit to Dallas that the entire time I was imagining it was her. Every girl I have been with didn't matter, because in my head it was always her.
"Same question." I urge her on.
"Eighteen, a few weeks after prom. A few friends were hanging out at a guy’s lake house for the weekend. We spent the weekend together, and that was it. I moved a month later and haven't talked to him since."
Fuck, we could have been each other’s first at her prom. How much different would life have been, if I had taken her then? I don't think I was the guy she needed then, and there’s a very real chance it could have destroyed us.
"On to safer topics. Tell me about your first tour." She says and cuddles up to me.
She isn't running, so I hold her tighter and start talking. I tell her about our crappy bus, where twelve of us slept in it, and the fans that would try to sneak on it. If it kept her in my arms like this, I'd tell her every little detail.
As the sun starts to set, we pack up and get back in the truck. I take the long way home, rolling down the windows and crank up the music, as we sing along loudly just like we used to do in high school.
I knew back then this girl was something special, and she finds ways to prove it to me again and again.
Chapter 15
Austin
By the time we get home that night, I have forgotten all about the creepy manager, until Landon calls.
"Hey, how’s your trip?" I ask.
"Fine. I wanted to check on you and see how you’re doing. Dallas called." He says.
"Yeah, I was sitting right next to him. Honestly, I'm fine. Dallas distracted me with food, and a day out was just what I needed. On the flip side, I made a new friend."
"Yeah, who?" He asks.
"Deanna, the receptionist at the label. We got to talking about books, and we read the same things, so we exchanged numbers and books to read. It will be nice to have someone local to talk to, especially about books."
"I'm glad. I haven't talked much to her, but she seems like a nice girl. Just be careful. You know people will try to use you, so just be guarded, okay?"
"I know, Landon. You give me this speech several times a year. It's why I stopped telling people I know you and Dallas, and many times, even deny being related to you."
"Which I hate, by the way, but I get why you do it."
"I'm fine, really. I was just about to make some dinner. We’ll talk more later?"
I love my brother and all, but right now, I'm a little worried he's going to press about the day, and I don't want to slip up about me and Dallas. I want this chance with Dallas, and I don't want Landon to mess that up.
"Yeah, we’ll talk later. Love you." He says.
"Love you too, big brother."
I head into the kitchen and find Dallas poking around in the fridge. He hasn't seen me yet, so I lean against the wall and just watch. How is this my life? This sexy man, who so many women want and would have loved to tame, is mine. But for how long?
I have known him my entire life, and as my friend, I trust him completely. But as my boyfriend? I'm worried I won't be enough. He's used to sex whenever with whoever, and he won't let us move past kissing. Can he be
a one-woman man? I'm scared to give my heart completely over to him, but if I’m truthful, he's always owned my heart. It's just been easier, when he didn't want me.
Dallas realizes I'm there and smirks at me.
"You just going to stand there?" He asks.
"I was enjoying the view."
He stalks over to me and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me in for a chaste kiss.
"What are you thinking for dinner?" He asks.
"Well, I was on this amazing date, and the food was really good, so I'm not that hungry. Maybe, breakfast for dinner?"
"Amazing date, huh? Good guy?" He asks. His hands are still on my waist, so I wrap my arms around his neck.
"The best. He just needs to see himself that way." I look him right in the eyes and watch a flood of emotions, as his eyes go stormy. They flash by so fast it's hard to read them, but I know he doubts himself.
"Pancakes or French toast?" I ask.
Then, his whole face lights up. "Will you make that French Toast Bake? I haven't had it in so long."
"Of course."
"I'm going to go change into something more comfortable." He says and kisses my cheek, before pulling away.
"Mmmm, maybe some gray sweatpants?" I suggest.
"Woman, it isn't sweatpants season!" He laughs.
"I will crank the air down in the house, so it is!" I yell back.
I start dinner with a smile on my face. I'm just putting it in the oven, when Dallas walks into the kitchen, wearing gray sweatpants and nothing else. He leans against the wall just like I was earlier and watches me.
I let my eyes wander over his sexy as hell body. Dallas has a beautiful body with chiseled abs, amazing ink, and the perfect tan, but he doesn't show it off very often. He doesn't take his shirt off at shows or pose with it off for photo shoots. I have seen him shirtless around the pool, but right now in the gray sweatpants, it's a whole new level.
He stalks towards me without a word and uses his thumb to pull my bottom lip from between my teeth. I didn't even realize I was biting it.
"Like what you see?" He asks.
All I can do is nod, because like doesn't even begin to cover it.