Page 20 of Flawless

Chapter Eight

Cameron

We’d done all the little things she wanted to do over the past day and a half, and watching her have the kind of fun I suspected she never got to have as a kid, made me want to re-write her past and replace all of her bad memories with good ones.

Yeah, I was falling hard for this girl. And that’s what made leaving her feel like torture.

We’d made love half a dozen times and I still craved her every time she touched me.

That morning, over breakfast, she sang a song she’d been working on since the night she met me, and by the time she sang the final verse, I was hooked. Those words got stuck in my head, reminding me I wasn’t the only one invested in this crazy ride.

We were standing by my Tahoe, because she insisted on walking me down, determined to get a few more kisses in before I had to leave. But saying goodbye to her was proving to be harder than I thought. I had to get back to work, back to my life, but I wanted to take her with me.

“You sure you can’t sneak away for a few days?” I asked, kissing her neck. “You introduced me to your world. Let me introduce you to mine.”

She sighed, tipping her head back while I explored her lightly scented skin. There were cameras all around us, and cars pulling in and out of the visitor parking lot, but the only thing that mattered was the soft little sighs escaping her lips when I found the spot that made her sink into me.

“God, I’d love to go home with you.” She tore herself away from my wandering mouth, wrapping an arm around my neck and toying with my hair before she said, “But my week is packed. Studio time with Austin, interviews, a few song-writing sessions, a podcast, a couple of radio interviews⁠—”

I kissed her. “You’re making me tired just listening to you. I get it, you can’t escape your glamorous life just to get a little country with me.” I was teasing her, but I seriously couldn’t wait to show her around my town, and treat her to all the simple things she’d probably missed out on, working so hard to support herself.

“Hey, I’ll have you know I’m as country as the next girl, Sheriff. I can bait a hook, load and shoot a gun⁠—”

“I think I’m in love.” The shocked look on her face told me I’d taken the teasing a little too far, making our last moments together awkward. “Rylee⁠—”

“You should probably go.” She opened my car door. “You’ve got a long drive ahead of you. Will you call me when you get home?”

I wanted to tell her I wasn’t trying to rush this, and even if I did suspect I could fall in love with her, if I wasn’t already, I didn’t expect her to feel the same way. She’d been through hell and had to guard her heart. I knew it could take months, if not longer, to hear those three little words slip past her lips.

“Of course I will.” I kissed her slowly, thoroughly, not wanting her to forget how good this felt.

She grabbed my jean jacket before I could get behind the wheel. “Let me see if I can free up a few days this weekend. Maybe I can fly in and⁠—”

“Yes.” I grinned. “Do whatever it takes, baby. I can’t wait another month to see you.”

I knew there would be times we’d have to go at least that long without seeing each other, when she was out on tour. But until then, I wanted to cement this relationship with more nights like we’d already had.

She watched me slide into the driver’s seat and leaned in, kissing me again. “You make me want to say ‘screw everything’ and come home with you. You know that, don’t you?”

“Good. ‘Cause you make me want to say ‘screw everything’ and stay here with you.”

She giggled. “I’m afraid you’re becoming my addiction.”

“Hmm, I like the sound of that.” God help me, I couldn’t tear myself away from her lips. This was crazy. “And the feeling is so mutual.”

Her expression was serious when she said, “That’s the best part. That you feel the same way I do. That never happens for me. I mean, I never let myself get so invested⁠—”

“Invest in me, sexy.” I winked before starting the engine. “I promise it’ll pay off in big rewards.”

I didn’t roll into my driveway until well after eleven and I thought about skipping the call, in case I woke her up, but as soon as I dropped my suitcase in the foyer, I was sinking down on my couch, dialing Rylee’s number.

I had to hear her voice.

As I suspected, she sounded sleepy. I wasn’t surprised, since she told me when she was at home, she usually fell asleep on the sofa, watching Netflix.

“Hey, you want me to let you get back to sleep, baby?”

“No.” She sounded more alert. “I was waiting to hear from you. I must have fallen asleep. How was your trip?”