Songs of the Heart: Lyrical Odyssey Rock Star Series Book 3

by B. Rose, Charli

  The air buzzed with excitement. I couldn’t believe I was sitting a few rows from the stage at the American Music Awards. I clutched Dawson’s hand as I gazed around at everyone sitting near us.

  Brittany bumped my shoulder. “Did you see who’s sitting across the aisle? That’s Vail. And behind them is Darkest Days. And over there is Dangerous Noise,” she exclaimed excitedly, her gaze darting around at everyone.

  The lights dimmed, and the host walked to the podium. “We’re going to kick the show off with a performance from Rogue,” he announced. The crowd went wild as the lights illuminated the award-winning band opening the show.

  I bounced in my seat as their sound filled the theater. “Excited?” Dawson whispered in my ear.

  “How could you tell?” I asked with a laugh.

  “Just a hunch.” He pressed a kiss to my lips. “Is Britt having fun?”

  “I think so. I don’t know why she was hesitant to come when you had me invite her. No one in her right mind would turn this down,” I said with a shrug, still not quite believing I was here myself.

  When Dawson first told me, they were going to be performing at the AMAs and were up for an award, I was so proud of him and the guys. It didn’t dawn on me that he’d want me to attend with him. I didn’t put two and two together until he had Tansy take me shopping for a red-carpet appropriate gown. I was ecstatic.

  Dawson told me to invite Brittany and even offered to buy her a dress because he didn’t want me to have to sit alone during the time the band would have to be backstage and on stage. When I first asked her, she had told me no. It actually took a lot of coaxing to get her come, but she finally relented.

  As the show went on, my nerves increased. And it seemed, so did Dawson’s. Finally, the award for best new single was about to be given.

  The clips played on the giant screen. As “Dear Universe” played, I leaned over and kissed Dawson’s jaw. “No matter what, I love you,” I mumbled in his ear.

  He squeezed my hand. “I love you too.”

  “And the award for best new single goes to… Lyrical Odyssey for ‘Dear Universe’.”

  I jumped to my feet as Dawson stood, his face awash with awe. He pulled me into his embrace and kissed me hard before he made his way to the aisle followed by his bandmates.

  He let the other guys speak first. They thanked the fans, their families, their old label and everyone they could think of.

  Then Dawson took the mic and tapped it three times. “I agree with all these guys and their expressions of gratitude. But there’s one person in my life who deserves more. My heartbeat, my muse, my flutterby. Thank you, Izzy. Without you there would never be any music in my soul.”

  Tears filled my eyes as he blew me a kiss. A camera cut to me, showing my face on a split screen. The love was evident all over my face. I mouthed, “I love you.”

  He mouthed it back and held the award up in the air. The crowd went wild.

  The guys climbed off the stage and started making their way back to our seats. I couldn’t wait for him to get back to me. I didn’t care if it was unsophisticated, I jumped up from my seat and dashed down the aisle to him. The crowd around us cheered on my enthusiasm as I launched myself into his embrace. His arms wrapped tightly around me.

  “I’m so damn proud of you,” I said as I held his face in my hands.

  “Did you just cuss?” he asked in astonishment.

  “Shut up and kiss me,” I said and laid one on him that was probably not quite appropriate for the setting we were in, but I couldn’t find an ounce of care to give about it. I kissed him like we were the only ones in existence.

  He growled against my mouth, “We have to stop. You’re giving me a hard on, and we’re on national TV.”

  “Oops. Sorry.” I slid down his body and flushed a deep red.

  With my head down, I dragged him back to our seats.

  Brittany hugged each of the guys as they filed into the row past her. Something flickered in her eyes when she met my gaze, but I couldn’t interpret it. I’d make her spill later. Right then, I couldn’t focus on anything but the pride I had for Dawson.

  I didn’t hear anything else for a long while. I’m not sure Dawson did either. He kept glancing at me every few seconds.

  Eventually, an usher came over to get the guys because they needed to go backstage and get ready for their performance.

  I gazed up at him, my cheeks aching from smiling so hard. “Rock out,” I said fiercely as I pulled his head to me.

  Dawson kissed me before he hurried to catch up with the guys.

  Brittany squealed in my ear. She wrapped her hand around my bicep as we watched the stage, waiting. I didn’t know who they were going on after. We cheered as Falling Down and Blush performed together, bringing down the house.

  “I can’t believe you thought about not coming,” I said without turning to her.

  “Yeah. Me neither,” she said quietly.

  “Is everything OK, Britt?”

  “What? Oh, yeah, everything’s good. Hey look, I think that’s them in the background over there,” she said, pointing off to the side of the stage.

  The host stepped up to the podium and said, “You guys have been waiting all night to watch them perform. Let’s welcome LO to the stage.”

  The crowd roared as the guys rushed onto the stage. They’d changed out of their suits and into their normal concert clothes. Dawson looked so sexy in dark jeans and a V-neck shirt. His guitar was strapped across his chest.

  My blood heated as I watched him saunter to the center of the stage. He tapped on the mic three times.

  “What’s up LA?” his voice boomed in the theater.

  A roar went up across the audience.

  “I know you guys are probably expecting us to perform ‘Dear Universe’, and normally we would. But tonight, we have a treat for you all. We’re going to give you a sneak peek of a song that isn’t even fully written yet. It’s a song I’ve been working on for years.”

  He began to strum, and the other guys joined in.

  As soon as he played the first few notes, my breath caught in my chest. Brittany turned to me. I knew that melody. It had played in my head and heart for over a decade, a song in my soul.

  “Are you OK?” she asked.

  I nodded, unable to take my eyes off Dawson as he stared in my direction.

  “This is actually the first melody I ever wrote. I played it on my first guitar while hanging out in a treehouse with the girl who would become my forever. It was a song without any lyrics at all until recently. I’m sorry I don’t have a full song to give you tonight. It’s a love song still being written. But this was the perfect chance to show you guys what you all inspired when you encouraged me to make a grand gesture to win back the heart of the only girl I’ve ever loved. So, this is for you and for her,” his voice cracked with emotion.

  I listened intently as he sang of the beauty of love’s song. By the time he hit the chorus, my eyes were filled with tears.

  You are my love

  My life

  I don’t know why

  We had goodbye

  But now to you

  I promise, I vow

  My heart forever sings

  Love’s lullaby

  He strummed some more without singing as the song shifted to a song that wasn’t theirs.

  “It is our greatest honor to welcome to the stage the winner of Artist of the Year and our friend, Ed,” Dawson said, turning to the left as a well-known star strode out with his guitar in hand.

  The screen behind the band flickered to life. I couldn’t believe that Dawson was sharing the stage with him. I was in shock. The notes to “Perfect” filled the air.

  ♪ Perfect by Ed Sheeran

  Dawson started singing the first verse. I was enamored as Dawson crooned about diving in and following his lead.

  Brittany nudged my shoulder. “Did you see the screen?”

  “What?” I asked as my eyes drifted away from Daws
on to the screen behind him. A slideshow was playing with images of me and Dawson growing up and falling in love.

  When I looked back at him, his smile was so bright, it was nearly blinding. He pulled the guitar from where it rested on him like an extension of his body and propped it in a stand. With sure steps, he moved to the edge of the stage then hopped down to the main floor. As he made his way to me, he flicked on the wireless mic pack he wore and began singing about dancing in the dark. When he reached my side, he held his hand out to me.

  “Dance with me?” he whispered.

  “Always,” I mouthed back.

  He swayed me in his arms as Ed continued to sing. As the award-winning musician sang of seeing the future in his love’s eyes, Dawson dropped to one knee and pulled out a black velvet box.

  “Flutterby, you are the beat of my heart, the notes in my mind and the song in my soul. Will you marry me?”

  The tears I’d been fighting to hold in spilled over. I tugged him to his feet.

  “Yes,” I whispered in his ear.

  “She said yes,” Dawson announced in his mic and slid the ring onto my finger.

  The crowd erupted. The band continued to play with Ed.

  Dawson took off the mic pack and dragged me behind him in the direction of backstage. He thrust the mic pack at someone we passed.

  “Where are we going?” I asked breathlessly.

  “Follow me,” he said.

  Finally, we came to a closed door. He threw it open and pushed me inside. It was a small office. He clicked the lock behind us.

  He turned around to face me. The heat in his gaze nearly incinerated my insides. Everything narrowed to me and him and the energy crackling between us, pulling us closer to each other.

  “Just so you know, I never needed a grand gesture from you to fall back in love with you. I never fell out of love with you. My heart is yours and has been since the day I watched you throwing a ball against the fence separating our yards,” I murmured as he closed the distance between us. “I only ever needed you.”

  He leaned his forehead against mine and breathed deeply. “You deserve a million grand gestures. And I’ll spend every day of my life trying to find big and small ways to show you just how much I love you, flutterby.”

  I leaned forward, connecting our lips. Fireworks exploded behind my eyelids as my heart took flight, fluttering off to burrow itself into his, where it would live forever. He pulled back, our breaths mingling between us.

  Taking my face in his hands, he said, “Sorry you’re missing the end of the show. But I couldn’t do this in front of everyone.” His mouth descended on mine and kissed me with a bruising intensity. I gave it back as good as I got.

  “If you don’t like the ring, we can exchange it. I actually bought it over two years ago. I almost gave it to you after the concert in Amsterdam, but I hadn’t asked for your parents’ blessing, so the timing wasn’t right. I was waiting for the perfect moment to ask you for your forever. That moment was tonight,” he spoke against my lips.

  I peered down at the glittering stone on my left hand. “I love it. It’s exactly what I would’ve picked for myself. I love you.”

  “I love you too. Forever.” His eyes showed so much relief at my stamp of approval. He pulled me flush against him and kissed my neck.

  “So, did you ask my parents’ permission?” I asked with a smile.

  “Yeah. At your art show, they were leaving when I arrived. I asked them then,” he answered with a wink.

  “Why didn’t you ask me that night?” I asked, confused.

  “Because I was afraid you’d say it was too soon. So, I decided to be patient.”

  He kissed a scorching path from my ear to my jaw.

  “I need you,” I panted, fumbling with the button on his jeans. I reached in and freed him from the tight denim and cotton boxers. He groaned as I stroked his velvety length.

  His nimble fingers began gathering silk and satin, shoving up yards of it around my hips until it was high enough he could reach under it. With both hands, he ripped my new lace panties then stuffed them into his pocket.

  Leaving my dress bunched around my waist, he hoisted me up. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his hips. With my back pinned to the door, he thrust into me. The angle caused each forward motion to drive his pelvic bone against my clit. Our skin shone with a sheen of passion. Our eyes were glazed with love and lust.

  We were frantic as we chased bliss. The chase was short. We fell off the cliff together.

  “I love you, future Mrs. Anderson.”

  “And I love you, Mr. Anderson. Always.

  * * *

  “I can’t believe we’re hanging out here,” I shouted to be heard over the cacophony of sound filling Skinny’s Lounge for the AMA afterparty.

  Dawson laughed as Brittany squealed and squeezed my arm where she clung to me. She shifted to stand in front of me and Dawson. Her eyes grew wide as her gaze traversed the room. It was wall to wall celebrities, and a lot to take in. A scowl covered her face when she glanced behind me.

  Before I could turn to see who was the object of her ire, Dawson said, “Thanks for coming tonight, Britt.”

  “Did you know what he had up his sleeve?” I asked, eyeballing her.

  The huge smirk now on her lips confirmed my suspicions. “Then why did you act like you didn’t want to come?” I asked, perplexed.

  “Oh, I didn’t want to come at first. A call from Dawson explaining the plan changed my mind,” she retorted.

  “Why didn’t you want to come? I mean look around. How could you even think about missing this opportunity?” I was still dumbfounded.

  She glanced behind me again and said, “Well, if you must know I had plans with a hot guy who was only going to be in town this weekend.”

  “You were going to miss this for a hookup?” My brows shot up into my hairline.

  She stood up straight. “I’ll have you know he is dynamite in bed. Just amazing with his fingers, tongue and cock,” she said matter-of-factly.

  “I thought you didn’t do repeats,” I said.

  “Hello, amazing fingers, tongue, cock. Need I say more?” She looked around before turning back to me. “But the good news is he’ll be back in town in a couple of weeks, so I got a raincheck,” she said with a wink.

  I just shook my head at her antics. I glanced around to see what the other guys were up to. Maddox was leading Gina to the bar. Jett was talking with the drummers for Warning Sign and Oblivion. In typical Brooks fashion, he had his arm around two scantily clad models. Wilder stood to the side looking rather sullen.

  The music shifted to a low, throbbing bass. Brittany tugged my hand. “Come on, let’s go show these A-listers how it’s done.”

  As she pulled me in the direction of the dance floor, I gave Dawson a flirty wink. “You gonna dance with me?”

  “Always,” his voice was a deep rumble in my ear, sending goosebumps skittering across the exposed skin of my neck, shoulders and back.

  “Wait.” I tugged Brittany’s hand, forcing her to stop her trek to the open space, filling with gyrating bodies.

  Her eyebrow shot up when she turned around.

  “Go grab Wilder. He’s not talking to anyone. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind dancing. And the boy’s got rhythm,” I said to her.

  She glanced at him warily at first. Then she smirked. “OK. Maybe he can fill in for the one I’m missing out on back home tonight.”

  With that she was off to recruit Wilder as her dance partner.

  Moments later, she rejoined me and Dawson with Wilder in tow. We carved out a little section of the dance floor.

  Thankfully, Tansy had gotten me and Brittany club appropriate dresses to change into after the ceremony. These short, sexy numbers really let us move. Dawson and I slid and grinded against each other. Even though I’d just had him less than two hours ago, I was desperate for him again.

  He grabbed my wrists and draped them over his shoulders as he thru
st his knee further between my thighs. Strong fingers gripped my hips as he moved me in an erotic dance that was serving as a catalyst for an explosion building inside of me.

  “One hour,” he growled in my ear. “That’s all we’re staying. Then we’re going straight home, do not pass go, collect two orgasms on the way.”

  Heat spread like wildfire along my limbs. “How about thirty minutes?” I panted in his ear.

  “Deal.”

  * * *

  By the time our thirty minutes were up, I was a sweaty, needy mess. I turned to Britt who was laughing and dancing with Wilder.

  “We’re about to head out. You want to come back to the house with us?” I offered.

  “Hell no. There is no chance I’m staying at your house. You two just got engaged. I don’t need to hear how you celebrate. That’s why I insisted on my own hotel room,” she said with a laugh.

  “I’ll make sure she gets there safely,” Wilder said.

  “Thanks,” Dawson said and patted him on the shoulder. “See you eventually,” he continued with a laugh.

  “Yeah. We won’t look for you tomorrow,” Wilder answered with a wink.

  We wasted no time finding Joe and getting out of there.

  * * *

  Joe barely stopped the car before Dawson threw open the door and drew me from the cavern of the SUV.

  “See you later,” Joe yelled out the lowered passenger window.

  Giggling, I waved and followed Dawson’s hasty steps up the porch and into the house. He’d barely shut and locked the door before I was pinned against it. His mouth was hot and wet against my skin. His pelvis rubbed against me creating a torturous, teasing friction.

  With fumbling fingers, I tugged his shirt over his head. I needed him naked now. I needed me naked now.

  “So, when do you want to get married?” he said against my lips.

  His hands gripped my thighs and lifted me up. I wound my limbs around him, hanging on tightly.

  “I’d say tomorrow. But I don’t think my parents would forgive you if we didn’t have a wedding and include them,” I teased.