Page 41 of Hope & Harmony

He liked that she sounded pleased by that.

“I am. Are you heading out?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I don’t live too far away. I usually walk.”

Joel bit his tongue as he looked out into the dark night. “You have a penchant for living a dangerous life, don’t you?”

A small crinkle formed between her eyebrows as if she was confused by his comment.

“It’s not safe for a woman to walk home alone at night,” he added to clarify. “Would you like to share a cab with me?”

He was proud of himself for making his words a request when all he really wanted to do was tell her she was going to let him see her home safely.

“Sure. That would be nice. I’m beat. Only managed to squeeze in a three-hour nap after leaving the hotel, so I’m struggling from missing a night of sleep.”

He frowned. “You didn’t sleep at all last night?”

“When I got home after my shift here, Barbie called to ask me to cover for her at the store. It’s no big deal. Mo’ money,” she joked as his scowl grew darker. “Plenty of time to sleep when I’m dead.”

He didn’t laugh. Instead, he reached out, taking Andi guitar case from her, then grasping her other hand. The moment their palms touched, an electric spark traveled along his skin. His body already knew what his head was only just starting to wrap itself around.

This woman was his.

Joel was no stranger to relationships, but he was a hell of a lot less familiar with love. He’d always pushed the emotion off, claiming he didn’t have time for it, too obsessed with his career.

Now, all bets were off. Because he didn’t just want Andi in the recording studio, he wanted her in his bed.

They waited on the sidewalk outside the pub for a few minutes, neither speaking, just holding hands and enjoying the peaceful night air.

When the Uber arrived, they climbed in, and she gave the man her address. Joel paid attention to the route, bothered that she had walked these dark streets alone for too many nights.

That wouldn’t be happening again.

If Andi’s family didn’t care enough to make sure she was safe, he was stepping in and taking over.

As they pulled up in front of a run-down apartment building, Andi thanked him for the ride and tried to give him cash to pay half the fare. He told her to put her money away.

“I’m in Baltimore until Tuesday afternoon. I’d like to see you again. Any chance you could take a night off to go out to dinner with me?”

Andi nodded. “Mondays are my nights off at the pub anyway. I’m finished work at the convenience store by three.”

“Perfect. I’ll pick you up here at six?”

“I’d like that.”

The two of them got out of the car together, Joel asking the driver to wait while he walked her to the front door. Once there, he cupped her cheeks in his hands and bent toward her. She was a good foot shorter than his six-three frame.

“Good night, Andi.” He sealed those parting words with a soft kiss, loving the feeling of Andi’s hands gripping his waist. When they parted, he rested his forehead against hers. “See you tomorrow night?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “I can’t wait.”

He couldn’t either.

Once she was inside, Joel returned to the car, pulling out his phone as he planned their date and a lot more. She worked too hard with too little time or money to do anything nice for herself.

As of right now, that changed because he intended to spoil her, to make every wild hope she’d never dared to dream a reality.

He wanted to show her the world, but more than that, he wanted to be by her side every step of the way.

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