Page 160 of Stormswept Colorado

But as our relationship had grown more unshakable, we’d actually been spending a little more time apart. He’d been supervising the building of an addition on our home in Silver Ridge, plus taking more shifts with Silver Ridge PD simply because he loved it.

As for me, I trusted my team more than ever. My band, back-up singers, and crew were like another family. Ricky still did my makeup every night, when we got to chat about the latest gossip.

Plus, Hayleigh came to just about every show herself. She’d decided that being a documentary filmmaker was her true calling, and I had agreed to let her film some footage of my tour for her upcoming project on the music industry.

She was backstage tonight. So were several other people I couldn’t wait to see. Ashford, Emma, and Maisie.

And Teller. I hadn’t seen him for almosttwo weeks, our longest separation in a year, and I was dying to kiss him. Yet I was living for this anticipation.

Maybe that explained why everything seemed to shine brighter tonight. The chords struck against my soul as I sang my heart out. The crowd was absolutely eating up every second of it.

This was not just the final night of my tour, but my final hurrah before taking a long break from my career. I didn’t call it a retirement, because I knew I’d be back. But after tonight, I would head home to Silver Ridge for the foreseeable future. Visits to our Malibu house would be occasional and only for fun.

We hadsomuch planned.

When the encore was finished and the band and I exited through an underground tunnel, Maisie was one of the first to greet me. The walls of the greenroom looked like they’d been carved directly into the rock.

“That was so cool, Aunt Ayla! Did you see us? We were right near the front, and we got lots of snacks, and I sang all your songs really loud!”

“Good.” I beamed as I hugged her. “I loved knowing you were there. I’m glad you liked the show.” Maisie was so grown up suddenly. How had that happened? I felt like every time I saw her in person she had changed in the most fascinating ways, even with our regular video calls.

I hugged Emma and Ashford next. “Sorry I’m sweaty.”

“I should sell this T-shirt online,” Ashford said. “TheAyla Maxwell sweated on it.”

“Oh, shut it.” I spotted Teller behind them. He gave me a smile that had my stomach doing flips.

We walked toward one another, everyone else seeming to disappear.

Then I was in his arms, and he was kissing me. “I missed you so much, Chief Landry,” I murmured against his lips. I still called him that, though it wasn’t his job title anymore. I knew he liked it.

He growled. “Missed you too. Do you have a dressing room or somewhere I can drag you off to?”

I laughed. “We should probably wait for the hotel. I need a shower.”

“And I need you naked.”

Teller and I still couldn’t keep our hands off each other. Back in February, we’d celebrated the one-year anniversary of getting stuck in that snowstorm. Naturally, we’d gone to Silver Ridge for the occasion. We left the bodyguard back in town and drove out to a secluded spot. Not in Teller’s department vehicle, but in the new SUV that I drove whenever I was in Silver Ridge. Teller had been giving me lessons on driving in the snow.

We’d turned off the engine, grabbed the blankets we’d brought, and fogged up all the windows while getting naughty in the backseat.

But alas, no getting naked backstage tonight. There were last hugs and goodbyes with my band and crew. Hayleigh recorded some footage, going on about the Red Rocks backstage and how unique it was.

Finally, Teller and I piled onto the tour bus. I pulled him into the private area at the back, pushing him onto the couch and straddling his lap. I’d wiped off my makeup and changed into a tank top and jeans.

“Hi.”

“Hey, Troublemaker. Naked time now?”

“No, we’re waiting for the hotel. The tour manager booked us a suite. I plan to make use of it.”

He grumbled, but he couldn’t stop grinning between kisses. “And tomorrow, I get to take you home.”

“I know. I can’t wait.” I drew back so I could look at him. “You still want to…”

“You think I’d change my mind? Hell no.” His grip tightened on my hips. “Have you told the O’Neals yet? I assume not, since they didn’t say anything tonight.”

I shook my head. “Haven’t told anyone. But I asked them to keep their schedules clear tomorrow afternoon after we all meet up for lunch.”

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