Luke Bryan: I knew it was wrong ... so wrong. So how could this be all I wanted most?
The late afternoon was sending the last rays of sunlight through the blinds of the hotel room. It had happened again, Luke and I were there again. And that was so wrong. Sure the sex was great, and Luke was always so kind and soft with me, but there was no love... Well, at least from him.
I should have been embarrassed, but instead, when I looked Luke in the eyes I could only feel love. I was hopelessly in love with that man ... But that man was married to an amazing woman who loved him and was waiting for him in a few hours at home.
How could I be the kind of person that does this?
How could I keep sneaking around with the man I love even when I know it's all so wrong?
"A penny for your thoughts, baby.", Luke's voice brought me back to the reality. In that light coming in through the bedroom shutters, Luke was a dream so close to me that I would never be able to reach. He would never love me ... Not as much as I loved him...
"What?"
"I was asking what are you thinking about.", Luke said. "You're too quiet."
I swallowed hard thinking about how to say what I was feeling.
"Do you ever feel guilty?", I ask, and Luke raised an eyebrow. "About this... About us."
"Hey baby...", he tried to touch my face but I moved. "Why are you thinking about that?"
"Because I need to know... Luke, we can't keep doing this. You're a married man. With an amazing wife, I'm pretty sure she doesn't deserve this."
"You know perfectly well that Caroline and I are not in a good phase."
"I know, Luke... But you love her.", I said, and even though Luke tried to talk, I didn't let him. I needed to say everything I was feeling. "She's your wife and you should really try to make everything alright between you and her. This... Us... This is nothing but a mistake."
"Don't say that..."
"Luke...", I grabbed his hand. "It was nice while it lasted, but I can't keep doing this. You must stay with Caroline. She's your wife and you love her."
Luke and I were just a temporary affair... And nothing more than that. Because he loved Caroline. And even though you loved him you knew he would never leave his lover.
Chris Young: We laughed all day, having fun in Santa Monica like two best friends, but when Chris touched my hand I knew that "best friends" wasn't the right word to describe us.
The sun was coming down at the end of the day on the beach and Chris was sat in the sand beside me. His fingers touched me slowly like he was afraid I would brush him off... Like it was the first time he touched me but we both knew it wasn't the first time...
And it was so wrong.
Even though Chris was single, I was engaged. I had a beautiful fiancé waiting for me at home. And he was a good man, always so kind and loving with me, so he sure didn't deserve any of that... Maybe he didn't deserve me... Especially after what I have done yesterday.
I was so ashamed.
"Hey, what's wrong?", Chris asked me. "You're acting weird. It's about... Last night?".
I never meant to hurt anyone ... Not my fiancé, not Chris. Things had just happened. It had been one night, just one night, and as good as it was, I knew it was wrong. I had let my feelings get confused. Chris was my best friend, but when he first kissed me I just couldn't stop. A kiss turned me two, and three and four. And one night of love...
It had been good, but it shouldn't have happened.
Fuck, I had a fiancé. So what were you doing sitting on the beach holding hands with Chris?
I knew Chris had feelings for me, so it was never my intention to hurt him...
"We shouldn't have done that...", I mumbled.
He looked at me and I could see the pain in his beautiful eyes. He was my best friend, I knew him very well, and, damn, I knew I was breaking his heart.
"Why?", he asked.
"I have a fiancé."
"A fiancé that you don't love.", he said, and I wanted to talk but he spoke again. "And don't try to tell me you love him because if you really loved him you wouldn't make love to me last night like you made."
Damn...
"He doesn't deserve this...", I said. "He loves me and he is a good man.", I tried to explain, but maybe I was just fooling myself.
"But he isn't the one you love.", Chris said. "And he sure doesn't deserve this, just like you don't deserve it either."
"What are you talking about?"
Chris holds my hand again and looks in my eyes.
"Leave your lover.", he said, and came a little closer. For a moment my heart started to beat faster just by thinking about kissing him again. His sweet lips on mine, just like on the night before. "You should leave your lover.", Chris said, "So we could be together."
Dustin Lynch: Dustin had hardly spoken to me at the party. He had confined himself to a "hello" and a smile and then walked away hand in hand with his girlfriend. It was almost impossible to believe that we had been best friends one day. We were always together, laughing and trusting each other, but it seemed that now was just a distant memory. I had started dating Bryan and shortly after Dustin found Sarah. And little by little the friendship we had started to change. He no longer called so often. We didn't go out so often. And now it seemed like he just said "Hello" to sound polite.
How had all of that changed?
When had our great friendship turned into nothing?
"Love..."
Bryan's voice woke me from my thoughts.
"Are you ok?", He asked worried.
"Yeah. I'm great, Bryan.", I lied.
"Do you want a drink?"
"Yes, thank you.", I smiled.
Everyone seemed to be enjoying this backyard party and I watched Bryan walk to the booze table. He was a great man. Always affectionate and good, but (and as much as I hated to feel it) I knew I wasn't being totally honest with him. And seeing Dustin at that party made it all clear.
My heart would always belong to Dustin. I would love him forever.
But now I think it was too late.
Suddenly I felt someone grabbing my arm. As I turned to see, I was surprised to see Dustin's face.
"Hey there.", he said, and smiled.
"Hey,", I simply spoke.
"Can you come with me?", he was still holding my arm and his warm hand on my skin made me shiver. How many times did I dream with his touch?
"Where are we going?", I asked, following him inside Luke's house (a mutual friend who was throwing that nice party).
"I wanted to talk to you.", Dustin said as we both got to the second floor.
He opened a door to find a room with no one inside and we both got in.
"What's wrong?", I asked. I used to be his best friend and now it has been too long since the last time he talked to me about something important.
"Leave your lover.", he let those words come out of his mouth, making me feel surprised.
"What?", I thought I didn't hear it right.
I shouldn't have listened well.
"Leave Bryan.", Dustin said, and then he grabbed my hand. He was so close to me making my heart beat faster. "And I'll leave Sarah."
I still couldn't believe in what he was saying.
"Why?", I asked.
But Dustin didn't reply. He just came closer and then his lips were on mine catching me by surprise. His warm hands were softly grabbing my face. The taste of his lips were sweeter than I could ever imagine. In that moment millions of butterflies were flying around in my stomach.
I was kissing Dustin.
I had dreamed about it for so long.
But then he broke the kiss and looking at his eyes, I could only wish to kiss him again.
"I love you.", he said. "I always did. I was just a fool to think I could never make you happy. But seeing you again with Bryan made me think that I can't go my entire life without telling you the truth. I love you."
I couldn't almost believe. I had loved him for so long...
"Baby...", he said, waiting for me to speak. I was so surprised that I almost forgot to speak.
"I love you.", I confessed. Saying those words, it was as if a weight came off my chest. "I've been loving you for so long, Dustin."
And kissing me again he simply mumbled:
"We should leave our lovers so that we can choose each other...".