Chapter Seventeen
Seventeen
Aubrey woke the next morning, a soft moan escaping her as she felt the gentle brush of warm lips against her neck.
Her eyelids fluttered, confusion clouding her mind as she tried to make sense of the sensation.
The familiar scent of sandalwood and leather enveloped her, and she inhaled deeply, her body instinctively relaxing.
“Mornin’, darlin’,” a husky voice whispered, sending shivers down her spine.
Her eyes snapped open, her heart racing as she realized it wasn’t a dream. She turned her head slightly, her gaze meeting Gunner’s intense eyes. His tousled hair fell across his forehead, and a tender smile played on his lips.
“Gunner?” she breathed, her voice still thick with sleep. “What are you—”
He silenced her with another kiss, this time on her cheek, his stubble grazing her skin. Her breath caught in her throat, her body melting into his touch.
Eventually, he moved away, his fingers tracing lazy circles on her hip. “Hope you don’t mind the wake-up call.”
She closed her eyes briefly, fighting the urge to lean into his touch. “It’s…unexpected,” she admitted, her voice softening despite herself. “But not entirely unwelcome.”
She felt Gunner’s smile against her skin as he placed another kiss on her shoulder. “That’s what I was hopin’ to hear.”
As the last vestiges of sleep faded away, she found herself acutely aware of every point of contact between their bodies. The weight of his arm around her waist, the heat of his breath on her neck, the solid presence of his chest against her back. It was intoxicating.
“So, what’s up?” she asked as she turned to face him.
He propped himself up on one elbow, his eyes searching hers. “How ’bout we take this moment and stretch it out a bit longer? Say…all the way to Nashville?”
Her brow furrowed, her mind struggling to catch up with his words. “Nashville? What are you talking about?”
His smile widened. “My label called yesterday. This is my one shot for a comeback. I’ve got two tickets to Nashville, and a recording studio waiting for me.”
She pushed herself up on her elbows as she searched Gunner’s face. “You’re not serious,” she said.
“Quite serious,” Gunner replied, tracing a finger along her jawline. “We have a private plane waiting for us. I need to record that song and I want you to come with me.”
Aubrey’s mind raced, a whirlwind of questions and concerns battling against the thrill of spontaneity. “But the bar… My responsibilities…”
“Already taken care of,” Gunner assured her, his tone gentle but insistent. “Come on, Aubrey. When’s the last time you did somethin’ without thinking it through?”
She bit her lip, torn between her practical nature and the undeniable pull of adventure…and of Gunner himself. “I don’t know if I can just drop everything and go.”
“Sure, you can,” Gunner said, his eyes never leaving hers. “You pack a bag, and we leave.”
“But what about the bar?” she asked.
Gunner’s fingers intertwined with hers, his touch warm and reassuring. “Charly and Willow have already agreed to cover for you,” he said. “They practically pushed me out the door to come get you. Said it was high time you took a break.”
Aubrey nibbled her lip. “They knew about this? And they’re okay with it?”
“More than okay,” Gunner chuckled. “Willow threatened to drag you to Nashville herself if I didn’t follow through.”
An easy comfort spread through Aubrey’s chest, a feeling so foreign yet comforting that it almost overwhelmed her.
She’d spent so long taking care of others, shouldering responsibilities, that the idea of someone—multiple someones—conspiring to do something just for her was almost too much to process.
“I don’t know what to say,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
Gunner’s thumb traced small circles on the back of her hand. “Say yes, darlin’. Let me whisk you away, just for a little while.”
Aubrey felt a smile tugging at her lips, even as her practical side tried to resist. “You’re impossible, you know that?” she said, shaking her head in wonder.
“Impossibly charming, you mean,” Gunner said with a wink, pulling her closer.
She laughed, shaking her head. “What started all this?”
“I know I threw you for a loop at the talent show,” he said, his voice gentle and coaxing.
“I know you’re thinking that I’m going to leave you, but I want you to know that’s the furthest thing from my mind.
This journey, this adventure, it wouldn’t be complete without you by my side.
” He reached out and gently cupped her face, his touch both tender and reassuring.
“We can make this work. I know it’s not the conventional path, but together, we can do this. ”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked into his sincere, loving gaze.
She had always been a planner, a person who liked to have everything mapped out and under control.
But with him, she had thrown caution to the wind and jumped headfirst into the unknown.
And now, she couldn’t imagine going back to her old, predictable life.
“I don’t want to lose you,” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
“You won’t,” he promised. “Just as I refuse to lose you.”
He would eventually go back on tour, and she couldn’t bear the thought of being apart from him for so long. She finally gathered the courage to ask the question that had been weighing on her mind.
“But how will this all work?” she asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty. “When you go on tour, how will I see you?”
He paused, his thumb brushing over her cheek in a gentle caress.
“I don’t have all the answers,” he admitted.
“But we’ll take it step by step and make time for each other when we can.
I can’t give up music,” he said, his voice filled with emotion.
“It’s a part of my soul, but so are you. I need you just as much.”
She felt a wave of relief wash over her at his words, and she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. They would find a way to make it work, she knew. They’d come this far. And as long as they had each other, they could weather any storm.
“So come, see Nashville with me,” he said, taking her hand in his, “and see the other part of my life.” His smile was sweet and inviting. “What do you say?”
Her eyes locked with Gunner’s, searching for any hint of deception. Finding only sincerity and warmth, she felt something shift inside her. A grin slowly spread across her face as she made her decision.
“I say…” she purred, reaching out to grab the front of Gunner’s shirt, “that Nashville can wait just a little longer.”
With a swift tug, she pulled him back onto the bed, reveling in his surprised laugh. His strong arms encircled her, his warmth enveloping her as she pressed herself against him.
“Why, Miss Hale,” Gunner drawled, “I do believe you’re trying to make us miss our flight.”
“How long do we have?” she asked, a sly smile playing on her lips as she looked up at him.
“Two hours,” he murmured, his voice soft and low.
Her heart skipped a beat as she tilted her chin up, her lips dangerously close to his. She could feel the heat emanating from his body, and she couldn’t resist the temptation any longer.
“Then maybe I just want to make sure this trip is worth leaving Timber Falls behind for a little while,” she whispered.
Their lips met in a tender kiss that quickly deepened, sparking a passionate fire between them. She tangled her fingers in his hair as his hand gently cupped her face, his thumb brushing against her soft skin. The kiss was both familiar and exhilarating, growing more intense by the second.
Gunner eventually pulled away with a smile on his lips and whispered, “Guess I should show you what I’ve got then.”
She laughed and ran her hands over his back, eagerly anticipating his next move. “Probably wise.”
As their lips collided again, everything else faded away into the background and she became lost in the moment, completely consumed by his touch…and his worth.
* * *
Seated in the dimly lit recording booth later that evening, Gunner’s heart was pounding in rhythm with the faint metronome ticking in his headphones.
They’d run through the song, over and over again, and he’d repeated sections that the producer wasn’t happy with.
He adjusted the mic again, tilting it slightly downward to capture the raw emotion he knew would pour from his lips.
With a slight nod to the producer behind the glass, Gunner signaled his readiness.
This is it, he thought, the moment that could make or break everything. His gaze flickered briefly to the couch where Aubrey sat, her presence comforting. Gunner’s fingers tightened around the lyric sheet, the paper crinkling softly.
“Alright, Gunner,” the producer’s voice crackled through the headphones. “Whenever you’re ready.”
Gunner closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath. The scent of polished wood and leather from his boots grounded him, reminding him of home, of Timber Falls and The Naked Moose. Of Aubrey.
This song is for her, he realized. For us. Every word, every note—it’s our story.
As the intro began to play, Gunner opened his eyes, locking on to Aubrey’s gaze through the glass. Her eyes mirrored his own, a swirl of hesitation and hope that matched the turmoil in his chest. Hope that this was the beginning of them making this work.
The first notes left his lips, his voice husky and tinged with longing.
Each lyric felt like a confession, a piece of his soul laid bare for Aubrey and the world to hear.
He poured every ounce of his being into the performance, determined to prove that he was more than his past mistakes, more than a washed-up country star looking for redemption.