Disclaimer: I do not own Nashville or any of its music, characters, and dialogue.

A/N: So sorry for the delay! Life has gotten a bit crazy. Here's the next chapter (number 10 already!), and I really hope you like it! I've really enjoyed writing from young Rayna's POV, and I'm excited to write more of her story.

Please let me know what you think of the story so far! Thanks for reading!

Nashville's Sweetheart

10

"Rayna," Watty fumed the moment her foot stepped off the stage, "I don't know what the hell you think you're –"

"Bravo, Miss Jaymes!" Before Watty could finish, the trio of label reps were there, clapping and eyeing Rayna thoughtfully. Watty gave them a forced smile as they arranged themselves around her, and she looked behind her to see Deacon ducking around behind them.

"And to this young man!" One of the men scooped him up and brought him over. Deacon's hair was ruffled, but he was still grinning over at Rayna. "What an impressive performance! Have you two been playing together long?"

"This was actually our first time singing together."

"Really!" The one man (Joshua Hollins from Sugar Hill) was absolutely beaming, and Watty cleared his throat again – the same dismissive sound he'd be doing the past few months whenever Deacon was around.

"Yes, they had a fantastic performance together, but wouldn't you agree that Rayna's rendition of 'I'm Not Lonely Yet' was just incredible?" He was desperate, Rayna knew, to bring the focus back to Rayna and Rayna alone, but the reps just weren't having it.

"Oh, yes, it was very good," said Peter Ramul from Cartwheel. "Very emotive and rich. But Deacon, did you write that song especially for Rayna, or was it something you've had for a while?"

His face a tad redder than usual, Deacon answered, "I wrote it after meeting her, yeah," and the group continued to talk about other country artists and different kinds of guitars. Rayna nodding along to the conversation but couldn't help her mind from reeling. Did that mean he wrote it for me? About me, even?

"Well, Watty," said Daniel Freeman from Edgehill, "it's been a pleasure. Miss Jaymes, it was lovely hearing you sing again, and we look forward to seeing more of you. And perhaps we'll hear more of both you and Mr. Claybourne together?"

Watty looked as though he were about to throw something, but Rayna merely smiled, her eyes locking with Deacon's. "Thank you, sir. We'll see."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"That was insane." After giving Watty the slip, Rayna and Deacon ended up hopping into his pickup and driving down some lonely country roads on the outskirts of the city. It was one o'clock in the morning and Rayna had school and Deacon had work the next morning, but they didn't care. They stopped by a clear, open field and sat out on the tailgate again, looking up at the stars. "I can't believe we did that and that they liked it!"

"I knew it would be a good idea." Smiling over at him, Rayna took in the fluff of his hair swaying in the wind and the shine of the moonlight gleaming on his face. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to lean in and kiss him. She'd known with all of her heart that performing with him would be nothing short of wonderful, and sitting there on that tailgate with him, she felt like the entire world was in the palm of her hands.

"You were really great today," she continued, inching a little closer to him. "You made me feel... Calm. Like I could do anything."

He turned around to look at her, returning her smile, and Rayna's heart twisted again. He was so handsome, so talented, and so good with her. He hadn't been drinking tonight, so his eyes were perfectly clear and his breath minty fresh, and it didn't take long before Rayna leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.

They were warm and moist as they moved in rhythm with hers, just like how their voices had harmonized back at the bar. It was like he instinctively knew where it felt good and how she liked it, and Rayna felt her breathing pick up. She put her arm around his neck and the other on his chest as their kissing gained intensity, and she felt him put both of his around her waist, just above her rear.

"God," he breathed after a while, pulling away to lean his forehead against hers, staring into her eyes. "You're so damn beautiful, Rayna."

He thought she was beautiful. Rayna stared back, moving a hand to trace the outline of his jaw. She hadn't really been involved with a boy before and so couldn't really compare it to anything, but a part of her wondered if she was in love. It was fun to be with Deacon and the chemistry between them was painful at times, but Rayna felt a real connection between them that felt stronger than anything she'd ever felt before.

You have to end it. Watty's voice rang through Rayna's brain as Deacon leaned forward again to claim her lips, slipping in his tongue. You're too young to get involved with a guy like Deacon. He's... You just have to end it.

What did Watty mean by that? As far as Rayna could tell, Deacon was a great guy. Sure, he drank too much sometimes, but it had only been a problem the one time. He'd gotten her home safely that one night and didn't seem to drink every night, so what could go wrong? How bad could it possibly get?

As Rayna sat there on the bed of his truck and moved her hands to explore more of his body, there wasn't anything in the world that could keep them apart. Not Watty, not Daddy, not Tandy – not anyone or anything. Whatever it was that they were doing was working out just fine, and it was exactly what Rayna needed.