Page 81 of The Perfect Melody

“No more worrying.” I tell him, my voice soft but stern. “We’ve got almost three weeks to prepare. I promise it will all be OK.”

The corners of his mouth tilt up in a small smile. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were a teacher.” Clocking my puzzled expression, he explains, “It’s the way you break down a problem until it doesn’t seem so daunting without sounding patronising.”

“I’ve talked down my fair share of nervous performers, that’s all. Hell, even I still get nervous sometimes.”

“Really?” he asks, clearly sceptical.

I laugh. “Really. Before the first show of my last t—” I cut myself off with a fake cough, heart racing over my nearly disastrous slip-up. An accidental reveal in the middle of a car park is absolutely not how I plan to come clean to Austin. “Sorry, I mean beforemyfirst show, I puked because I was so nervous. It wasn’t pretty.” The truth is that’s happened before the first night of every arena tour I’ve done. The weight of everyone’s expectations and the fear I’ll fail to meet them gets to me every time without fail.

“You didn’t get sick before singing at Bowman’s though, did you?” He asks, full of concern.

“No,” I assure him. “I was nervous, but I managed.” I rise onto the balls of my feet to kiss him. “We’ll do this together, OK?”

“OK,” Austin agrees, before capturing my lips with another kiss, sealing the promise. “Let’s go grab your guitar so I can take you home.” He runs his hand over the trio of buttons on my side. “I’ve been thinking about unwrapping this dress all night.”

With an exaggerated gasp, I clutch my non-existent pearls. “I’m scandalised.”

Austin smirks, leaning around me to open my door. His lips brush against the shell of my ear as his voice drops low with a filthy promise, “Not yet you aren’t—but you will be.”

A shiver of desire runs through me. Yeah, it’s definitely time to go home.

Chapter Thirty-One

Austin

After makinga quick stop by the B&B for Cassie’s guitar, where Esther eyes us with a knowing look when we turn right back around to leave again, I finally have my girl all to myself. Cassie always looks beautiful, but tonight? She’s a vision. The little buttons at the side of her dress have been calling to me all evening, and now that we’re alone, I’m going to undo each one and then makehercome undone.

Cassie makes her way inside while I hold the front door open for her. She pauses just inside to take off her boots and then starts her journey up the stairs as though she belongs here. My eyes track her every step, hungrily eating up the way the hem of her dress flutters around her legs. I prop her guitar case against the wall, then remove my shoes. When Cassie reaches the top step, she throws a heated look over her shoulder before sashaying out of sight toward my bedroom. I love how comfortable she is in my space. Needing no further invitation, I hurry after her.

The sight that greets me when I enter the bedroom makes my blood heat. Cassie’s stretched out on my bed, propped up on her elbows. God, I’m lucky. “Aren’t you a picture.”

Her full lips curve into a seductive smile. “Come here. I want to see you properly.”

It’s then that I realise she’s left her glasses on the side table. Slowly unbuttoning my shirt, I walk closer, letting her drink me in as I come into focus. I let the shirt fall to the floor, then skim my hand up her bare legs, making her shiver.

“Are you going to unwrap me now?” she teases, throwing my earlier comment back at me.

My fingers toy with one of the covered buttons on her left side. Between these tiny things begging to be unfastened and more talk of Cassie wanting to stay in town during dinner, I’m about ready to explode. It’s too soon, but I’m already utterly gone for this woman. “These have been tempting me all evening.” Holding her gaze, I undo the first button. “I’m going to take my time with you tonight. I want you as desperate for me as I am for you.” Cassie rubs her thighs together as I unfasten the second one. “You’re going to be begging for my cock before I’m done with you,” I promise, and her pupils dilate as I release the third and final button.

“I don’t beg,” Cassie replies with false bravado, even though we both know full well that she’s always vocal during sex.

She reaches for her dress as if she’s going to spread it open for me, but I capture her hands, shaking my head. “Not this time, Trouble.” I position Cassie so her arms rest above her head, her hands clasped together. “Keep them there. If you move them, I stop, OK?”

“Yes, Boss.” Her baby-blue eyes twinkle with amusement even though we’ve been together enough times for her to know I’m serious.

Gently, I part her blue dress to reveal the goddess beneath. Climbing onto the bed, I crawl forward until my hands bracket her hips. Leaving her pretty white set of underwear in place for now, I trail a line of kisses from her sternum to the top ofher waistband. When I use my teeth to tug at the fabric, then let it lightly snap back into place, she gasps. Her fingers twitch but she keeps her hands together. I kiss, lick, and suck my way along the top of her underwear, over her hips, down her thighs, everywhere except where she really wants me.

Letting out a frustrated little growl, Cassie restlessly shifts her hips as if she can force my mouth where she wants it when I blow lightly on her clit over the damp fabric of her panties.

“Do you need something?” I tease, letting my breath ghost over her core.

Cassie’s gasp turns into a groan of frustration. “You’re a dick.”

“What’s that? You want my dick?” I give her a wolfish grin. “All you have to do is ask for it, trouble.”

The stubborn glint in her eyes tells me what her answer will be before she utters a word. “No way.”

“No?” I sit back on my heels.