Page 18 of Country Heat

“So, where did you two wander off to?” she asks as she grooms me, picking pieces of straw out of my hair like we’re two chimpanzees out on the town.

“Just around,” I say, wanting to keep the steamy details to myself. “Where is everyone else?”

“Sasha was making out with Graham Marshall the last time I saw her.”

I whip my head around, my mouth dropping open in shock. “She was? That’s awesome!” I could see the chemistry between them. I’m glad it’s working out for my girl.

“And Clyde?”

Rachel sighs.

“What?”

“Don’t freak out.”

“What did he do?”

Rachel shakes her head as she plucks hay off the back of my shirt and tosses it into the plant. “He took mushrooms with the drummer of Raging Heart On.”

“Oh my god,” I say, covering my eyes. “He’s so embarrassing. Why did we bring him?”

“Well, they ran off onto the ranch and haven’t returned, so…”

“I’m not sure if that’s any better.”

“He’s not here breaking stuff or jumping off the roof into the pool, so I think it is.”

Cash’s dark brown eyes snap over to me and he looks a little panicked when he can’t find me. I step out from behind the huge plant and he takes a breath of relief when he spots me smiling at him. He’s so cute. I can’t help but grin from ear to ear as the record producer talks to the side of Cash’s face, all of his focus on me.

“He keeps looking at you,” Rachel says, grinning. “It went well?”

“Very well,” I say, keeping the steamy details to myself. “He wrote a song for us.”

“He did? What do you mean?”

“He wrote a duet for me and him,” I tell her, still not believing that it’s true.

“Wow.”

I laugh at the shocked look on her face. Rachel has the funniest expressions without meaning to. “Is it any good?”

“It’s amazing,” I say, shivering at the memory of how it felt to sing such a close intimate song with the man I’ve had a crush on for most of my life. “It’s going to be a hit.”

Not just a hit. It’s going to be one of those timeless songs that stick around forever. It’s going to be played long after I’m gone. Long after my grandkids are gone. It’s that good.

“Fucking hell,” she says, staring at Cash. “You’re about to hit the next level, Lola.”

“We’reabout to hit the next level,” I say, hooking my arm around hers. “Nothing can stop us now.”

As soon as I say that, Clyde and his new friend scream at the top of their lungs as they run across the yard, butt naked. Everyone stops what they’re doing and stares in shock until they disappear into the darkness, hollering like crazy people. Then,everyone bursts out laughing and gets back to the party, chatting and drinking and dancing.

The whole time, Cash’s eyes never leave my body.

I shiver again, loving every second of it.

“Come home with me,” Cash says when the party is winding down. The sun is starting to rise, dulling the stars as sunlight streaks across the vast endless sky with the brightest shades of pink and blue I’ve ever seen.

The music is playing low and all over the property are couples tangled up together or small groups of people talking. The bartenders are cleaning up. A guy is passed out beside the pool.

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