Page 26 of Finding Her Leading Man

Keeping her distance was harder.

“Come, look at this.” He patted the seat next to him on the sofa. Thesmall, two-person sofa. Not giving herself a chance to back out of it, she sat down beside him.

Their hips touched. Their shoulders pressed together when he angled the phone in her direction.

Samantha didn’t care what was on the phone, not with him sitting so close and smelling so good.

“It’s my mom’s list.Endless Loveis her first choice. ThenHow Deep Is Your Loveby the Bee Gees. Damn.You Make My Dreamsby Hall and Oates. I don’t think any of these are what Addie will want. I would bet a million dollars she hasn’t heard of those last two.”

Samantha pointed at one near the bottom. “I thought of doingAll of Meby John Legend, too.” She sang the first two lines of the chorus. “I think it could be pretty.”

“You could make theHappy Birthday Songsound perfect. And I like that as an option, but it’s not unique enough. I want something amazing.”

“Tell me a few things that Addie likes.”

He shifted, their bodies pressing closer together. The line, the one she shouldn’t cross, inched closer.

“She had a poster of Justin Timberlake on her wall.”

Samantha snorted. “Who didn’t?”

Trevor leaned to the side, resting his arm along the back of the sofa. She fit against the hard curve of his body. Her head ached to rest along his shoulder.

To let him wrap her up and shield her from everything. But she’d hate herself for it. She needed to stand on her own before another man walked into her life.

“Me. I did not have a picture of Justin Timberlake on my wall.” He moved closer, his hand dropping to her shoulder.

Smooth. Like middle school smooth. She caught herself before a laugh burst from her lips.

“Seriously, though, what are some other songs that might work? You’re around music more than I am.”

Samantha clasped her hands in her lap. She gave him the list of ten songs she’d accumulated. Most of them would sound better as a duet. She wished Trevor would sing with her. She’d never heard him, but if he could just harmonize some of the choruses, it’d add more depth than just her voice and guitar.

“Maybe we can do one of the songs your mom picked and make more modern?” She tilted his phone toward her. “Like a song from the seventies?” She tilted her head back, intensely aware of how easily he could lean down and kiss her at that moment. “Are you sure you won’t sing?”

“Yes. I’ve never played the guitar in public, but I’m not tossing my below-average singing out there, too.”

“But Addie made it seem like you could sing.”

“Addie is very nice if you haven’t realized that yet.”

She smiled as an idea struck her. “You know, we should come up with a song that’s a joke. At the wedding rehearsal, we can start by singing one that will make her laugh.”

“I like that idea. Now, will it be funny-cheesy or funny-bad? It can’t be one of the songs my mom chose. I’m afraid she doesn’t have a sense of humor.”

“I think funny-cheesy. She suggested that I sing a Disney song. What about the song from theLion King? Can You Feel The Love Tonightwould be great.” She belted out the first few lines, glad he looked amused with the idea.

“Done. I love it. Addie will know it’s a joke but still get a kick out of it.” He rose from the sofa, his long legs unfolding. He held his hand out.

She took it, letting him help her up. She cleared her throat, hyper-aware that he hadn’t dropped her hand. “What will the real one be?”

He held up her hand, staring at their intertwined fingers. After what seemed like a long minute, he lifted his gaze to hers. “Heaven.”

“What?” she squeaked out the question.

“I want you to redoHeavenby Bryan Adams. There’s a version out on the internet I like.”

“Only if you sing it with me.”

---