All the blood that’s supposed to be feeding my focus is heading south. Fast.

Autumn’s wearing a pair of jet-black jeans with more rips and holes than fabric, heels, and a black leather tank top that ends somewhere north of her belly button. She looks like walking sex, and my body’s reaction is not making it easier for me to focus on protecting her rather than undressing her.

I also can’t keep my hands off of her, which is causing a problem since she’s trying to prepare for the last show of her tour. But I love the way the tight fabric fits snug against her skin, swelling against her full breasts in the most enticing way. Like my palm would, wickedly.

She bats my hand away as she runs through a few vocal exercises. “Stop it! Do you want me to be pitchy for my hometown?”

My gaze lingers on the sweet curves of her waist. If I can’t touch, then I’ll damn well look. “I thought only dairy did that.”

“And roaming hands.” She gives me a warning look and goes back to her scales.

I keep my hands to myself for a while, but my view from the back doesn't help my current problem. Autumn has a gorgeous ass, and just then, it was being showcased by impossibly tight denim.

I remind myself she’s off limits for the next ten minutes; that I’m working; that her safety comes before the need growing before my thighs. But then I notice a beautiful patch of skin just above the small of her back, and I suddenly have the urge to—

Autumn’s last note ends with a sharp intake of breath. She whirls around with a scowl and punches me in the shoulder. “Bry!”

Scrunched nose, little line between her perfect brows, flushing cheeks… Doesn’t she know how gorgeous she is? Maybe I’ll show her.

My arm’s around her waist in the blink of an eye. She gasps as I yank her to my chest and pin her arms between us. “What are you doing?” she demands, craning her neck back to meet my hungry glare. I see this woman every day, but being this close to such grace still takes my breath away.

“Reminding you that you’re mine.” Her skin is as soft and perfect as I knew it’d be as I run my hands over her. Her hair is silky against my chin and lips as I press my face into it, and I breathe in the rosy scent I knew I’d find.

I slip a finger beneath her chin and turn her face up to mine. “Unless you’d rather practice your scales?”

Her chest rises and falls against mine as she speaks the only word I want to hear. “No.”

My mouth is on hers before her voice has died way. Her arms slide up to twine around my neck, and she moans softly into my mouth as she glides her tongue over my top lip, then bottom.

I jerk back as her teeth nip at my demanding tongue. I fight the insatiable draw of her red lips just below mine. “Dammit, are you trying to make me lose it?”

Her smoldering eyes give me my answer.

I’m pulling her into a dark corner when a chorus of “There they are!” sounds behind us. We turn to see four people bearing down on us, all wearing huge smiles on their shining faces. A big, burly man with my sandy-brown hair and sharp jawline stops in front of me and throws his arms wide.

“Hey, Dad.” I manage to say before I’m yanked into a bone-crushing hug. “Glad you could make it.”

He claps me on the back a few times before pulling away. “Your mother and I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.”

The tall, willowy woman next to him steps into my arms, her gray hair brushing my cheek as she holds me close. My mother’s scent reminds me of home: fresh baked bread, pine trees, and wood crackling in the fireplace. When I told them I was staying in Nashville after the tour, they started talking about moving up, too. I know I stayed away from home to long, but it looked like home might be coming to me.

“We’re so happy for you,” she whispers against my shoulder. Her chocolate-brown eyes find mine as she rocks back. “Now, where’s the big star?”

I laugh as her gaze lands on Autumn, who’s half obscured by her own greeting party. “I knew you weren’t here to see me.”

“Oh, hush,” she says, giving me a stern look. “We’re just happy y’all figured out you were meant to be together.”

I press a hand to my forehead. “We’ve gotten that line from more than a few people.”

My father’s laugh shakes the floors over the booming sound coming from Autumn’s opening act. “We couldn’t say anything, but your mother and I always knew you two would figure it out.”

“Figure what out?”

We turn at the sound of Autumn’s voice. She stands behind me, wearing a deceivingly innocent look while she splits a huge smile between my parents. Everyone’s quiet for a moment before all hell breaks loose.

“Oh, sweetie!” my mother cries, bringing Autumn in for a tight hug. Growing up, Autumn was considered by my parents to be the daughter they never had, and it gave me a deep sense of peace and pride to see that bond was still there.

Autumn’s grin deepens as she wraps her arms around my mother’s back and closes her eyes. “It’s so good to see you, Sandra.”

The moment they pull apart, my dad steps forward for his turn. “Thank you for inviting us,” my dad says as they step back. “Backstage passes? VIP seats? You’re spoiling us.”

“It’s the least I can do for the parents of a son like yours.” She leans toward me and wraps an arm around my waist. My parents practically beam with happiness at the sight. “Aren’t we lucky to have our loved ones here for this special night, Bry?”

I speak the honest truth as I stare down at her. “The luckiest.”

A beautiful look comes across her face. When we snap out of our little moment, our families are already chattering away about us. My mother’s head is bent toward Kathleen Hartman, the spitting image of her daughter except for the graying roots beginning to peep through her dark brown hair, as she retells that story of when I refused to wear pants for three days.

I was four years old.

And my dad’s just behind her, speaking with a tall young woman with auburn hair.

Miranda yelps as I pick her up for a crushing hug. “Bryce! Put me down!”

She steps back with a grin when her feet touch the floor.

"Am I in for that every time we see each other? Because—” she glances at Autumn “—that’s gonna be a lot now that you two finally got wise.”

Autumn nods at my stunned look. “Yup. I’m getting this ‘I told you so’ nonsense from her and my momma.”

I rake my fingers over my eyes and pinch. “Mine too.”

“Can’t blame them—they’ve been hoping for this for years,” Miranda says, like it’s obvious. She takes one look at our faces and shrugs. “My mother hosts their book club. I hear all the juicy Asheville gossip.”

Before we can respond to the horrifying idea of a legion of mothers planning out our futures, Bella Cruz strums the last few chords of her last song. While she’s thanking the audience, the stage manager comes up to our little group.

“You’re on in ten,” he tells Autumn, rubbing his black t-shirt across his slick brow. “We’re old hands at transitioning the set by now, so it should be a piece of cake.”

“Thanks, Keith.” Autumn turns back to us and takes a shaky breath. “Looks like it’s time to close out this tour.”

Miranda grabs Autumn’s balled-up fist and squeezes. “I know it’s sad to see a tour coming to an end, but you’re going to give Asheville the best show of their lives, and then some!”

When she shoots Autumn a wide smile, my girl can’t help but return it full force.

“Thanks,” Autumn whispers, pulling her friend in for a long hug. She closes her eyes and presses her forehead into Miranda’s shoulder. “For everything.”

“Always. Especially when it’s important.”

Both of their eyes are misty when they draw back. Miranda gives me a watery smile before stepping in for one last hug. “Don’t be stranger, big guy. And take care of her, okay?”

My arms tighten around her before letting go. “You got it.”

After we’ve waved them down the stairs and out the door, Autumn finds my hand. “They’re so happy for us,” she says, lacing her fingers between mine.

I lift her chin up with my finger. “I’m happy for us, too.”

The radiant smile she gives me goes straight to my heart. As she takes a deep breath that has her almost popping out of her tight bodice, I know I’d do anything for the woman gazing up at me.

She buries her face in my shirt and lets out a soft sigh. “So am I. Isn’t love amazing? Inspiring? I only hope I’m worthy of it. After all the wrong turns and mistakes, I can’t believe I’ve found a love like this. With you. And now we’re going to be living together—Dolly’s gonna lose it, by the way. Lordy, I’m so happy all the time that—”

“It scares you?” I finish.

She looks up in surprise. “How’d you know?”

I draw my thumb across her bottom lip. “Because I feel the same way. The unimaginable happened.”

Her eyes are wide and clear as they lock with mine. “What’s that?”

“I found you again.” Her lips are soft against mine when I lean down and kiss her. I slide one hand into her hair and cup her head, bringing her face closer as our tongues sweep out across our lips and dance together. This time, I can’t put the brakes on my desire.

I need to grip her luscious curves and feel her breasts pressed up against my chest. And when my hand creeps up from her hip to the bottom of her rib cage and then higher, she shivers with pleasure, revealing that she’s as needy as me.

Things are heating up fast when a voice rings out backstage. “One minute warning!”

It takes a great deal self-control to release Autumn. I gaze down into her face and wonder how she could have grown more addicting in the space of a few minutes.

“You’ll be here, right?” she asks in a breathless voice. “Watching?”

“Always.”

“Good, because I have a little surprise for you.”

“What’s the surprise?”

A hush falls over the crowd as the lights black out, and then their voices roar as the strobe lights begin to flash. They’re screaming for Autumn, for the girl in my arms that I don’t want to let go.

She grins as the noise around us grows to a fevered pitch. “You’ll just have to wait and see.” She rocks up on her toes to bring her lips up to mine. She kisses me with a fieriness that sends my heart pounding against my chest. She kisses me like she can’t get enough, like it will kill her if she has to stop.

Her eyes glitter wildly when she pulls away. She whispers “I love you” before stepping back, and before I can answer, she turns and strides out on stage.

“Hello, Asheville! It's good to be home!"

The audience loses it, and I don't blame them. After all the press this tour has gotten, and then the story that’s sweeping the nation about how Cody tried to ruin her career, her fans are more fired up—and in love with Autumn—than ever.

She's the girl that won't stay down. She may be on the ropes and struggling, but she doesn't quit. She comes back stronger and better than before, and that's a strength that no one can ever take away.

Autumn laughs when they finally calm down enough for her to speak. "I have something prepared for you lovelies that I wrote on tour—a surprise for someone special who's here with me tonight…and every night.”

The crowd whistles and calls out their approval. I hear a few We love you, Bryce!’s before they grow quiet again.

“Looks like y’all approve!” Autumn cries, shaking her head wickedly. “Y’all might love him more than me!”

She stops again as they shout their agreement (and a few suggestive whistles).

“Well, this tour’s coming to an end tomorrow, but it’s been incredible. I’ve seen twenty-two cities in forty-two days, met amazing people and seen amazing places… Though none of them compare to the great city of Asheville—”

She’s cut off by a roar of applause.

“But above it all, something happened to me over the last six weeks,” Autumn continues. “Something that I wasn’t ready for and wasn’t expecting. I lost a game with love, and got real hurt in the process.”

In unison, the audience sighs sadly. A few people start to call out Cody’s name with an accompanying boo.

Autumn holds up her hand. “No, don’t be sad! It’s all behind me now. You see, I may have lost love, but I won it back in the end, and this song is a window into that experience.”

She walks over to her guitar and grabs it out of its stand. “Let me know if y’all recognize some of the words. It’s an old favorite of mine that I’ve adapted.”

A hush falls over the crowd as she steps up to the microphone. Her mouth softens, her eyes look out at the sea of faces, and she begins.

“At first I was afraid, I was petrified…”

A grin dances on Autumn’s lips as the crowd erupts in applause at the Gloria Gaynor classic. But as she segues into her own lyrics, they quiet, their attention transfixed by the passion and love transforming her voice.

“But now I’ve found my man, now I’ve found my love. And suddenly, living didn’t seem so rough. Our whole lives we’ve waited for this, our whole lives we’ve craved to kiss, and now you’re mine. And I’ll cherish you ’til the end of time!”

The lights come up fast and bright as Autumn picks up the tempo. The crowd begins clapping and singing along as the star returns to everyone’s favorite oldie. Yet when she nears the next refrain, a hush sweeps through the crowd. They know she may be here for them tonight, but they also know this song is meant for someone else.

It’s meant for me.

Her gaze lands on me, locking me in place.

“Now I’m with somebody who holds my world in his two hands. He’s strong and brave and fearless and cherishes what we have. When he looks into my eyes and says he’ll never say goodbye, I know my heart’s safe, and I’m the luckiest girl alive!”

Autumn’s fingers strum fast over her strings as she belts out the chorus with every single person in the audience. But I don’t hear a word.

Everything fades away as I watch her. I could hardly remember what my life was like before Autumn. I only knew it couldn’t hold a candle to what it is now.

Autumn’s voice grows quiet as she turns to face me one more time. When her beautiful mouth opens, I find she’s changed one more line.

“We will survive, my love…”

Her eyes never leave mine as she drags her fingers over the strings one more time, the melodic notes translating our love into song. And then she takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and sings that last perfect line.

“We will survive!”