Page 8 of Fractured Frets

“Tour won’t last forever. Neither will your show.”

“It’s not just the next few months we have to consider, Slip. It’s life beyond that too.” I walked over to the fireplace on the far wall and stared at the flickering flames. “I love my show. I’m here for at least fifteen more months. If the show is extended in July, I don’t want to leave. I could be here for years.”

He ambled across the room with slow, heavy steps and joined me. “It’s okay.” He caught my arm, turned me to face him, and rubbed my shoulders. “We’ll figure it out. It’s still not forever. Time apart will keep the spice alive.” A sexy smirk curled the corner of his mouth. “If last night is anything to go by, we’ll need the occasional break from each other to recover.”

He’s gotten that right. “We’ve never lived together and haven’t spent more than seven days in a row with each other. Last night was one of the best nights of my life, but we went too far.” I crushed my folded hands against my chest. “I don’t want to hurt you. But you don’t need to be tied to me.”

“I want to be tied to you.”

“I don’t want to burden you with Mom.”

“In sickness and in health, Mads. That includes your mom. We’ll take care of her together.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying. Mom’s more than a handful.”

He puffed and smirked. “You haven’t met all my family yet.”

“Isn’t that wrong?” It so is. “We’ve gotten married before I’ve met everyone.”

“I didn’t want them to scare you away.”

What could be wrong with a huge, loud Italian family? “Your family doesn’t scare me.” But my burned, broken heart did. “Trusting you does. Noah humiliated me, betrayed my trust, and left me. I don’t ever want to go through something like that again. I’m petrified you’ll do the same thing.”

“And I trusted you, but you left me in Vegas.”

My heart shriveled and shuddered. “I’m so sorry.”

“You shouldn’t have run away.” He took my hands in his and swiped his thumb over my rings. Fire simmered low and determined in his tone. “What we have is special, Mads. I’ve never cheated on anyone. So trust me. Trust the way we feel about each other.”

My chin trembled. So did my heart. “How I feel terrifies me.”

“Why?” he whispered, running his gaze over my face as if searching for answers.

“Just because something feels right doesn’t mean it is.” What we had was intense, loving, and good, but it couldn’t evolve into something more. That was the hard-hitting truth. “We see each other for a few hours a month. You’re my escape. We can’t be anything more than that. I can’t give you more time. I have no more to give.”

“And for the next six months, I don’t either. But you’re the one I love and want to be with. I’m coming home to see you during our tour breaks. I’ll call and text you every day. I live to see you.”

Why couldn’t he see reason when it is all I saw? A tear slipped onto my cheek, burning my skin. Anguish darkened his eyes as he brushed it away with the calloused pad of his thumb.

“Mads?” He shuffled a tiny step closer. “Believe in us. After the tour, things will change. I promise.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“I’m not.” He smoothed his hand over my hair and clutched the back of my head. “Have you filed the annulment?”

“No.” I leaned into his touch, wanting more of it, but I shouldn’t. My body betrayed me when I was around him. He was my weakness. My strength. My lover. But I wanted to protect him from my responsibilities. He had enough stress without taking mine onboard.

“Please don’t send it.” He pressed his forehead against mine. “Give me, give us, a chance.”

I twisted my head against his. “Why do you want to be with me when you can have any girl at the click of your fingers? Your life, family, music, and friends are in LA. I’m not. If my show ends, who knows where the next role will take me?”

“I only want you. I’ll fly anywhere to see you. If you have to film on the other side of the world, we’ll find a way to make it work.” He eased back and brushed his thumb along the edge of my jaw. “You’re it, Mads. I don’t have every answer about a life together, but I’m willing to find them with you.” He took my hand in his and held it up, turning it this way and that. My diamonds sparkled in the soft light. “These rings are a symbol of our love and commitment to each other. Don’t walk away when we haven’t even started. Do you honestly want to do that?”

Why did he have to own my heart? Why couldn’t my head follow? Why did he have to be so unrelenting and chip away at my resolve?

This was so him—making me believe everything and anything was possible. Dare I do that? Believe him?

I wanted to.

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