Page 131 of Reverse

“No, I’ve only been ignoring your phone calls twice a week for two months because it doesn’t affect me at all.” I deadpan.

“Point taken,” he chuckles before resuming his intoxicating touch.

“Will you at least read the emails?”

“Because you’re having such an awesome time dealing? No fucking thank you.”

“Easton, this is serious.” I sigh, and he grips my hand, threading our fingers.

“Okay, then let’s talk about it.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, baby,” he murmurs, studying our clasped fingers. “Seriously.”

Eager for the conversation, I go to slide off him, and he grips my hips to stop me.

“No way,” he rakes his lower lip, “if we’re going to finally have this talk, I’m keeping my view.”

I can’t help my smile even as I roll my eyes. “Okay.”

He brushes his thumb along the crease between my brows in an attempt to erase it. “I don’t want this,us, to hurt you or your career. I also don’t want you to have to sacrifice anything, especially your relationship with your father.”

“I don’t see any way around that,” I shake my head. “I mean, how can we avoid it?”

“As much as I don’t want to have to—and as juvenile as it may seem—we’re going to have to hide this relationship fromeveryone.” He presses his lips to my knuckles before resting my palm on his chest. “For now, we’re in this to see what’s between us, so we’ll keep it solelybetweenus.”

“Okay,” I agree readily, too readily, according to his rapidly darkening expression.

“But not for long, okay? I don’t lie to my parents.” He grimaces. “I’ve never really had to.”

“Same, and I hate it.”

Fear starts to slither its way in while my mind sifts through worst-case scenarios.

“Stop it,” Easton commands sharply. “We’ll figure us out first and feel them out later before we come clean. We’re only touring through the end of summer, and if we keep adding shows, possibly through fall. We can do it this way until I’m off the road. For now, I just want to concentrate on us, and I want you to know you’re safe . . .” He brushes my chest where my heart lay, “thatthisis safe with me.”

“Agreed . . . then, can I ask who that girl was?”

He bites his lip to hold his grin. “I was wondering when that was coming.”

I narrow my eyes. “Stop stalling.”

“I’m not. She’s the daughter of one of my dad’s friends who owns a studio here in Dallas.” He eyes me warily. “Do you want the whole truth?”

“Yes.”

“We fucked when I was nineteen, and she was my potential hookup for the party, but I shut that shit down for good the second she showed up last night.”

I swallow, hating the fact I was right about them having history.

“I didn’t want to disinvite her after I already called, but I didn’t give her any inclination we’d be hooking up when I did. I was just fucking . . . frustrated. But before you got here, I made it clear I was waiting for someone.”

“Such a gentleman,” I sass.

He traces the faint tan line on my neck, his hands seducing and soothing, as his words bite. “I’m sorry if that bothers you.”

“It would bother me more if you weren’t honest about it.”

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