Page 84 of Making the Save

Wyatt barked out a laugh, his hand slipped around my upper thigh like he just wanted to hold me. “Greedy little thing. No, we can’t do it again so soon. That was maybe…too rough.”

“No way. That was perfect.”

I gasped, my eyes opening wide. “Oh my god, now I’m really not a virgin. You can’t argue with me about it.”

He laughed again and tossed the covers over both our heads so that we had our own private spot in the world. Even within the cabin where there was just the two of us.

It was the Vegas morning all over again. But this time…

“I guess we just had our wedding night,” I whispered.

“I guess so,” he said. He took my chin between his fingers and locked eyes with me. “Seriously, Syd. Are you okay with all of this?”

There had been plenty of times I wished for a girlfriend, someone I could call and tell that I had the best sex of my life. That I was fundamentally a different person than I’d been just a few days ago.

Growing up, I had the girls who lived in the trailer park. Funny tough girls who went to grade school with me. Some of them moved away. Some of them got pregnant and moved into the trailers next door to their parents. I got so obsessed with my music and videos that friendships took second place. When I moved out to Los Angeles, every friendship felt like a competition, so I stayed away.

Beatrice. I had Beatrice.

Whom I paid. “I keep telling you I’m tougher than I look, Wyatt. I wouldn’t have made it this far if I wasn’t.”

His face was serious, his eyes studied me as if he was looking for the truth in my statement. “Okay,” he said slowly, then nodded, like accepting the truth of me as I saw it. My body found all the right resting places against his. My head on his shoulder, my hand on his chest. My leg over his, my foot under his other leg.

“Hmmm,” I sighed.

“You hum a song when you are about to come,” he said.

“No, I do not,” I laughed. Because that would be ridiculous.

“Do too,” he said, his voice that low bass note, and without thinking, I harmonized with it. “Yes, that’s it. That’s the sound you make.”

“I’m just harmonizing with the sound you make,” I told him.

“Syd,” he laughed. “Are you telling me thatwehave a sex song?”

“I’m saying we make beautiful music together,” I said.

“So cheesy,” he said, but kissed my forehead and squeezed me tight like he secretly loved it.

I had to remind myself while Wyatt and I were real, we were only real for now. A mental reminder to keep some distance now and then would be helpful when it finally ended. I suspected there might be heartbreak involved, but I could limit the damage if I was careful.

After all, I was very good at damage control.

17

Wyatt

The last note trailed off and she turned to look at me, eyes bright. That lip between her teeth again. How could she be nervous after that? How could she have any doubts?

“It was terrible?” she asked. “You just can’t say it?”

I stood up from my chair and bent over hers. My hands braced on the wide arm rests. My nose nearly touching hers. “That. Song. Is. Amazing.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, and leaned up to kiss me. Her hand came around my neck and she was pulling herself up against me. The guitar got in the way so I stepped back, picked it up and set it aside. She jumped to her feet and then jumped in my arms. Her legs around my waist. Her eyes staring into mine. She was giddy with her own power. Her own creativity.

“You really like it?”

“It’s my favorite song of yours. It’s my favorite song full stop.”