Page 51 of Recklessly, Wildly Yours

A series of text messages hit her phone, ending her moment of reprieve. The way her shoulders slump sparks regret in me.

“I’m sorry I caused this for you.”

She shakes her head. “This isn’t on you. And I have zero regrets about last night, so please don’t think I do.”

“But?” Because there is a but here. I’m just not seeing it yet.

She sighs. “It’s time to face the music. Darren’s been blowing up my phone this morning, making all kinds of threats on behalf of Tucker, and my label has requested a meeting.”

“You’re going home.”

“Yes. Unfortunately.”

The disappointment I feel over that is far greater than it should be after only knowing this woman for three days, but then I’ve never believed that the length of time knowing someone can predict the depth of feelings you have for them. Emotional connection is not a fucking scientific equation, as much as some people in my life would have me believe.

“I’ll drive you.”

“No, you’ve already done so much for me. I can’t keep taking from you.”

“It’s a three-hour drive, Miller. That’s hardly taking anything from me.”

She moves into me, smiling gently. Putting her hands to my chest, she says, “You’re such a giver, Ethan. I’ve never met anyone as generous and supportive as you.” She brings one hand to my jaw. “And so selfless.” Her lips brush over mine, lingering for nowhere near long enough. “I don’t ever want to take advantage of you. Leigh has a car waiting downstairs for me.”

I’m still processing the speed of all this as she showers, dresses, and packs her suitcase. I didn’t fly home on Saturday intending on spending this week road-tripping with a woman I just met, but here I am, and now I have to rearrange my thoughts over what I imagined might happen.

“Okay, I think I have everything,” she says, surveying the room, hand on her suitcase that sits next to her ready to go.

“If I find anything you forgot, I’ll send it to you.” Or drive it, her desire for me not to do that be damned.

Her gaze settles on me, calm in the storm of emotions I think she’s probably feeling. “Thank you.”

We turn silent for a beat, just watching the other. I wonder if her thoughts are as deafening as mine right now. We started something here and the abruptness of the ending is fucking with me.

The silence is broken when Maddie’s phone rings. If I could throw that phone out the window, I would. Her expression says the same.

Pulling a face, she apologizes before answering the call. It’s her assistant and I get the gist they’ve got a busy day of work to get through once Maddie arrives back in Nashville.

After ending the call, she releases a breath. “I have to go.” She says this like it’s the last thing she wants to do.

Not wanting to keep her from her work, I move into action, taking hold of her suitcase and bag. “I’ll walk you down.”

“You don’t need to do that, Ethan.”

My eyes bore into hers. “Let me do this one last thing for you, Miller. Besides, there could be fans downstairs now that they all know you’re in Louisville.”

She doesn’t argue with me, and we ride the elevator down to the hotel lobby, silent, both lost in our thoughts. Thankfully, there are no fans or paparazzi to harass her, and we make our way out to her waiting car without any problems.

Once I’ve got her bags in the trunk, I meet her gaze. “Let me know when you’re home safely.”

Her eyes smile just as much as her mouth does and she moves into me, gripping my shirt. “I’m so glad you were stuck in that traffic on Saturday.”

I try like hell not to put my hands on her but fail. I’ve got one hand in her hair and the other around her waist before I can stop myself. And as much as I try to keep things light, I fail at that too. “Last night was nowhere near enough for me, Maddie. I fucking hate one-night stands. I know you have to go and handle your business, but you need to know I’m not happy about it.”

The smile in her eyes shifts into something more. Something intense and searing. She lets go of my shirt to bring her hands to my neck. Then, gripping me tightly, possessively, she pulls my mouth down to hers and shows me that she feels the same way.

She keeps hold of me after she drags her mouth from mine. “I’ve never had a one-night stand and I don’t want to start now, Black.”

“Thank fuck.” The way I feel that in my gut is something new to me.

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