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“Or me,” I try to assure her. “You can bitch about me tome.”

“That’s not the way it works,” she grins.

“I know. Doesn’t matter anyway. I’ll know when you’re pissed. You’re almost as bad as my mom at hiding your emotions.”

“First of all, I’m not an emotional—”

“Just with me,” I finish, every speeding heartbeat due to her proximity confirming what I already know—this woman is very close toowning me.

“And while the ‘no ex within a hundred miles rule’ is very fucking much in effect,” I add, “insecurity and jealousy will end us faster than our discovery might—at least when it comes to your line of thinking.”

“It would be yours too if you knew what I do. Easton, please just read the emails.”

“No,” I say firmly before swiftly changing the subject. “So, we have to keep our heads at all times. Any photo or anything you read in print getsdiscussedbefore it’s argued about.”

“Tell that to yourself and my battered vagina. You really are a jealous idiot, which is ironic because I’m the one who has to deal with hordes of women trying to weasel their way into your hotel room.”

I shake my head in frustration. “You don’t have to deal with that. You won’t ever have to deal with that. I’ve—”

“Been there, yes, I know. That’sallI need to know, thank you very much.” Her eyes dim. “Atlanta next, right?”

I can’t help my grin. “You know my show schedule?”

Her neck reddens, and I grin. “She blushes.”

“You’re making me a weak woman.”

“You’re kidding, right?” I chuckle and brush my thumb beneath her lower lip. “You fought like a four-star fucking general last night.”

“Before I lost,” she adds.

“No, baby. Coming clean with me, that took strength, and thank fuck you did.”

“I’ve never been happier about losing,” she murmurs as Joel taps once on the hood, signaling our time is up. I fight the urge to fly with her and spend a week in Austin, getting lost in her world, inside her. Although, I doubt that will stifle enough of the rapidly increasing ache. “The next few stops are going to be brutal schedule-wise, but can you fly out in two weeks? Lake Tahoe?”

“Yes,” she nods, “I’ll make sure I can.”

“I’ll get us the perfect spot.”

Joel knocks on the top of the hood again.

“Shit, you have to board now, or it will fuck up their flight plan.”

“Okay,” She presses a quick kiss to my lips, and I grip her and bruise her lips in return. “See you in two weeks,” she inhales, sliding off my lap and latching onto the door handle, her expression going bleak.

“Natalie—”

She turns back to me, her stare filled with trepidation. “I just hate feeling like we’re being robbed straight out of the gate, you know?”

“Tell me how to fix it.”

“There’s no fixing it . . . but at the same time, you gave me . . .” she shakes her head, her electric blue eyes stunning me along with her broadening smile that lights up my whole fucking world.

Damn this woman.

“Easton, last night was thebest nightof mylife.”

“Mine too,” I caress her cheek. “We’ll have so many more, so don’t let errant thoughts take this away from us, okay? Don’t let your guilt ruin this. Text me. Talk to me about it. Make that your first promise to me.”

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