Summer Love by Piper Rayne
Chapter Eight
The next couple of weeks passed in a blur of passion and contentment, the likes of which Colt had never experienced. Previously, in between tours, he’d spent his time torn between extreme boredom and anxiety over what he’d be recording next. That had become the rhythm of his life, cycles of being on the go with his tours or waiting around for the next one. This time it was different. He spent the days riding out with the ranch hands, or he spent time writing music, the muse having found him as Piper had said it would. Of course it wasn’t Ty who’d inspired him, like he’d done for Piper, but it was Sierra—and maybe a bit of Montana thrown in for good measure.
His nights were spent in a much more leisurely fashion, either at his place or Sierra’s. It wasn’t all sex, though that was pretty damn awesome. They’d sit on the porch and he’d play whatever he was working on and she’d give her thoughts. Sometimes Piper and Ty would come over and they’d also join in, singing or playing and making adjustments to the song as they went. He wasn’t just getting to know Sierra, but rebuilding the connection to his sister that had been fractured through their careers and life. And he was courting Sierra, hoping to show her that he wanted more from her than a few nights of passion. It had happened fast. He wanted everything with her.
Sitting outside his cabin waiting for Sierra, he realized that he was content, maybe even happier than he’d ever been. The thought of returning to Nashville was not as appealing as it once was, but the calendar and the email from his manager reminded him that he had to return for his recording dates. His time in Montana was drawing to a swift end, which meant his time with Sierra was also about to end. He wasn’t ready for that. But she’d been adamant that they only had this time together, and when he left, it was over.
Only, he had a plan, a way to try to convince her to give them a chance. A Hail Mary play.
He would start with dinner. Not that he would cook. God, no. Giving her food poisoning was not the message he wanted to send. Which was why he begged a wonderful meal off of Tara and West’s housekeeper and had it all set up inside. The rest was up to him.
* * *
Sierra drove down the winding path to Colt’s cabin, a familiar route she’d taken far too many times over the past couple of weeks. Every time she drove it, she told herself it was the last time, that she was getting in too deep. But she kept coming back, kept staying the night, kept playing with fire and wondering if this was the night she’d get burned. What had started as a purely physical fling had turned into so much more. She loved Colt’s laughter, his company. Hell, who was she kidding. It had never really been about the physical, though he was damn fine in bed…or against the wall…or in the shower. No, she’d been flirting with getting her heart broken since the day she accepted the first date. She’d fallen for his charm, for his caring, for his single-minded attention.
That would end the minute he left Montana and got back to his real life. And there was no way she’d be following him to Nashville. She had a growing business and a life here in Granite Junction. She wasn’t putting her life, her dreams on hold for any man. She saw what that had done to her mom, how it corrupted her until she became a user, a taker, destroying her mom’s life. Sierra couldn’t allow that. Yet every night she drove out to Redemption Ranch or he came to her, drawn to him like a moth to a flame. She needed to be strong. But she wasn’t succeeding. Soon, she’d be left behind.
Would it be tonight?
Colt stood as she pulled up next to his truck at the cabin. He set his guitar aside on a chair and came down the steps, sweeping her into a big hug and a breath-stealing kiss as soon as she got out of her SUV. He set her down, keeping hold of her hand as if he couldn’t go one more minute without touching her.
“I hope you’re hungry. Marie made dinner. I hear she’s famous for her pot roast.”
Sierra’s eyes widened. “She is. Tara has bragged about that for ages. Lead me to it.”
He opened the cabin door and she gasped. The small kitchen table had a red tablecloth and candles on it. A vase of wildflowers sat between the two candles, and soft music played in the background. The smell of roast and vegetables filled the air and her stomach rumbled. She turned, tears prickling her eyes.
“Did you do this for me?”
“For us. I hope you like it. The flowers were a last-minute thought, so I went out and picked them. Sorry they’re not fancier.”
She blinked rapidly, loving the simplicity of them over anything he could have gotten at the florist or the store in town. “I prefer wildflowers. Natural and pure.”
As he headed to the counter, she saw the date circled on the calendar—just two days from now—and froze, her heart almost stopping in her chest. “Colt, when are you leaving?”
He stiffened then sagged, his head bowing. He turned and leaned against the counter, his fingers clutching the edge. “I have to go back on Monday. Earlier than I thought. The studio had an opening and they wanted to start earlier.”
She swallowed, her appetite fleeing. She slid into the chair because she was afraid her knees would no longer hold her and she stared at the flowers in the center of the table. “We knew this day was coming. We prepared for it.”
He knelt by her side, taking one of her limp hands in his. “This doesn’t need to end, Sierra. Despite what we said, this is not just physical, at least not for me. I want to see where this can lead.”
Disbelief made her shake her head. “That’s the point. We can’t be together, not when you’re half a country away. I can’t leave Granite Junction. I have a business to run. You have obligations in Nashville. Then you go on the road. I spent too much of my life being dragged all over the place without any roots. I need a place to belong, Colt. I can’t be untethered anymore.”
“This is different, Sierra. We’ll have a home base, here in Granite Junction. You don’t need to travel all the time with me, just when you want. And this time, you control the travel. You’re not dependent on anyone else. That’s not who you are.”
She yanked her hand back. “That’s exactly what this would be. I would be solely dependent on you. I’m already dependent on you for my happiness. I wait to see a text from you. I count the hours until the end of the day to see you. I love waking up to your smile. My world is already reshaping itself around you.”
“That’s no different than mine. I wonder how many times I can text you before I’m considered a stalker. I have to stay busy so I don’t drive to your business. And every single one of my songs right now is about you. I don’t want to leave but it’s my job, just like yours is here. That doesn’t mean you won’t be on my mind and in my heart every minute until I can come back.”
She stood up and backed away. “I can’t do this, Colt. I told you that we had an expiration date. That day is today. I’m sorry.”
And she fled out the door, tears blinding her every step.
