Gracyn’s gaze shoots straight up to mine, and she pulls that plump pink lip between her teeth.

Yeah, that’s what I thought. I busted her bigger than shit; she thought she could just dance away from our discussion of her family. From what little she’s hinted at, her brother doesn’t seem to be an issue, just her parents. I won the fucking lottery with mine, and I thank God every day that I have them behind me. They are the only parents of the band that don’t rip this thing down.

But Gracyn, she’s got some shit going on in her family. And, true to my nature, I want to fix it—or at the very least, be there for her.

It happened fast, kind of snuck up on me, but I like her. A lot.

Watching her, talking to her … listening and learning. This connection is beyond anything I’ve ever felt, and it’s the greatest and scariest thing. We hang out on the beach and in the water talking more about everything. I learn more and more about what makes this sexy, vivacious girl tick. I tease little details from her, the college she attends, the fact that she really does like her major but is less than thrilled with aspects of the job she has lined up for after graduation.

“Why not look for a position with a different company?” I ask, brushing sand from my ass.

Gracyn shrugs her tote bag higher on her shoulder and fights with the soft sand as she heads for the stairs over the dunes. “It’s with my family’s business. It’s kind of expected.”

I reach for her hand and guide her across the street to a spot of shade. “Do you always do what your family expects? What about doing what you want?”

“I am”—she tilts her head back and forth—“just not exactly how I want. But sometimes you have to make sacrifices, right? Like you did for your music.”

“Not the same. And, it’s accounting, there’s got to be thousands of different ways to put your mark on it.”

“It’s accounting, Gavin. Numbers, formulas, reports that are solid and steady. There’s not a lot of variation there.” She looks toward her condo and then back to me. “Are you playing somewhere tonight?”

“Yeah, I should probably grab a shower and help the guys with equipment.”

Gracyn bites her lip and looks up at me. “What bar? I’ll see if the girls I’m rooming with want to go.”

About halfway through our set, I see Gracyn walk in with a couple of other girls and she dances her way up to the makeshift stage. I’ve been scanning the crowd for her since we started and now that she’s here, I can’t wait to leave with her.

We play. She dances. And, all feels right in the world.

After our set ends, I help pack our gear, load it into the van with Nate and Ian and grab my backpack from the passenger seat, settling it place. I packed clothes and things … just in case.

“Here,” Gracyn says when I sidle up next to her at the bar. She slides three shots of whiskey toward me. Her focus drops from my mouth, to my throat, assessing and caressing as I down each of the shots in turn.

“You don’t have to ply me with alcohol, you know. I’m kind of a sure thing,” I tell her, brushing my lips along the shell of her ear. “You want to stay with your friends, or bust out of here?”

She sends a quick text, takes my hand and leads me out into the balmy night air.

“Are you planning on spending the night?” Gracyn wraps her hands around the straps of my pack and pulls me close.

“Hoping.”

“Good. Let’s go.”

After a lather, rinse, repeat of a day, I’m lying in her bed once again.

Spent.

Satisfied.

Staring introspectively into the dark.

Gracyn is draped over me and as I run my fingers down the silky skin of her back, I think of all the things we need to discuss before she leaves.

I need to get her number.

I need to tell her that I don’t want this to be the end.

Soft, rhythmic breaths dance across my chest, Gracyn’s head rising and falling as I match each of my inhales and exhales to hers. This can’t be the end. There are far too many hours that I want to spend with this girl who has turned my world upside down in just a handful of days.

Sleep tugs at me, pulling me under, as I compile my mental to-do list for tomorrow. I don’t want to forget anything before we have to say good-bye.