“Austin?”

“Yeah, baby?” He took a huge breath then let it out with a wheeze that made her wonder if he’d fucked her well enough to injure himself. His abs clenched and his hands balled in the sheets. Hopefully what she was about to say would take his mind off any pain she’d unintentionally caused him.

“Do you think I could stay? Just a little bit longer?” She summoned every scrap of bravery she had and went all in. He was worth the risk. “Like…possibly forever?”

Her strong, gallant cowboy trucker sat up straight so fast, he nearly tumbled her off the edge of the bed. “Are you fucking serious?”

Ummm…had she read the situation wrong?

“I know we kid around about that stay thing, but it’s not really a joke to me,” Austin said. His hands flew out and steadied her before she fell, just like always.

Only this time his support didn’t make her feel like a student driver whose instructor had just slammed on their emergency brake. It felt like a racecar driver wearing a five-point harness because it allowed them to go faster—perform better—without risking their lives.

Hayden couldn’t wait to commit to him and give him a similar advantage.

“I’m not playing games with you.” She scooted toward him and he took her cue, drawing her into his lap. “I’ve been thinking a lot about this. Us. I’m willing to admit I made a mistake by letting you go because while I proved to myself that I can survive, I never feel as alive and as complete as I do when I’m with you. That’s more important than just existing.”

“You’d give up your music for me?” He frowned. “While I’d like to be a selfish bastard about this, I don’t think that’s the right answer.”

“I would if I had to, but I’m getting greedy now. I want my career and I want you. What about this?” She swallowed hard. “What if we plan out places you need to be at certain times of the year? Common roads you travel between here and the processing plants and your biggest customers.”

Austin started to smile before she’d even finished. He jumped in, nodding, squeezing her kind of tight as they envisioned their future together, not that she was about to complain. “You can set up gigs along or near those routes.”

“Plus I could play at open mic nights we come across or ask if I can perform for tips at places we stop at for the night in between bigger performances. We could travel together. Save on gas and carpool. Or truckpool. Whatever, you know what I mean.”

He speared his fingers into her hair and cradled her head against his shoulder. “You really want that? To team up instead of taking on the world by yourself? I believe you’re plenty capable of conquering anything you set your mind to. You’ve made it very apparent that you don’t need me.”

“I know. But I want you. Bad.” She leaned in and raked her teeth over his stubbled jaw, staking her claim.

“I think I might have passed out after I came so damn hard. Am I dreaming?” He groaned. “I’ve been dying to hear you say these things for a while now.”

“Forgive me, Austin.” She stroked his cheek before leaning in to kiss him. “I had to figure it out on my own. I love you for letting me do that.”

“You what?” His smile turned into a wicked grin as he revealed the patient predator she knew he was inside.

“I love you.” She practiced saying it out loud. She had a feeling she’d be doing that a lot.

“Don’t make any mistakes about this, Hayden.” He stared into her eyes as he finished fusing their souls. “I love you, too. To the ends of the earth and back. Wherever you go, I will follow you.”

“I’d rather you drive.”

“Speaking of that…” He cleared his throat. “There’s something I’d like to show you.”

“I don’t need to see it. I can feel it. And that’s way better.” Hayden rubbed up against him, shocked he could be getting hard again so soon. He’d completely undone her.

“Not that.” A laugh burst from Austin’s chest. “Well, okay. Yes, that. But something else first.”

She tipped her head. “What?”

He turned around and showed her his naked back, which would never truly be bare again. It was entirely covered with ink.

“Austin, oh my God.” She gasped and flew to him, touching his new artwork as if to see if it was a real tattoo and not some kind of illusion. “It’s incredible. The portraits of Jake and your parents are insane. They look like photographs.”

He didn’t speak, letting her explore, wondering when she would see it.

Her fingertip traced the letters in the banner that flowed above and below the scene, framing it. She read it out loud, “Heaven on Earth.”

In between, below the faces of the foundational members of his family, was a long and winding road that originated from the ridge at Compton Ranch, which made a background for his rig. Inside it were two much smaller, though no less spectacular portraits.

“Look, you’re driving!” She squealed as she took in the details, which led her to the person at the center of it all. “Is that—?”

“It seemed appropriate. You are my favorite passenger, after all.” He turned around then, in time to kiss away the happy tears that began to roll down her cheeks.

“What if I didn’t reach out? What if…”

“I would have carried you with me wherever I went until you were ready for me. For this. For us,” he promised.

It was the most glorious feeling in the world when she said it again. “I love you.”

He knew now what had been strong enough to keep the couples in his family together. Until he’d experienced it himself, he hadn’t fully understood the unbreakable bonds they’d forged or how they could last beyond a lifetime.

Austin couldn’t wait to tell James, Bryant, and Doug what they were missing and hoped they’d find out for themselves someday soon.

Until then, he planned to do his part to keep the Compass legacy of love going strong. “I love you too, Hayden. I always will.”