Page 93 of Undeniable Temptation

His fingers caressed her cheek, her chin, her neck. “There’s nothing to discuss. I only wanted to prepare you.” His tempting lips turned somber, no humor, no comfort. Only sincerity. “After the show you’ll be on my bus. In my bed. In my arms. The rest will sort itself out.” He bridged the distance between them, his beard scraping her jaw as he whispered in her ear. “You and me. Forever.”

She closed her eyes and whimpered at the press of his mouth below her ear. “But my job…”

“We’ll sort it out.” He placed another scorching kiss to her skin.

“The baby…”

“We’ll sort it out.” His lips brushed her throat.

“No.” She shook her head but couldn’t tear herself away. “I can’t think when we’re together. I can’t do my job.”

“We’ll…” He nipped her skin. “Work…” He bit. “It…” He sucked. “Out.”

She felt the sensations all the way through her chest. From the peaks of her nipples, then lower, to the newly forming pulse in her clit.

There was another shout from outside, this one garbled.

“You better go.”

He nodded, his arm still around her.

“Tell me you love me.”

She didn’t want to. The admission would be a sign of surrender, when she wasn’t done fighting.

“Tell me,” he whispered. “Because I can already see it in your eyes.”

“Ryan, it’s better if we wait until the end of the tour.”

He grinned, unfazed by the rejection. The beauty of his expression stole her breath. This man was sweet and loving and protective. He was happiness personified. The temptation she may soon be willing to risk absolutely everything for.

“We can talk la—” Her words vanished as the door flew open.

She shoved from his chest, her gaze flying to the mirror and the reflection of the woman now standing in the doorway, a security guard rushing in behind her.

“I’m sorry, Leah.” The guard ignored the compromising position before him. “I didn’t want to risk manhandling a pregnant woman.”

“It’s OK,” she lied, because clearly, everything was horribly wrong. She stepped away from Ryan and focused on Julie, the familiar face now a mix of shock, pain, and anger that transformed her features like a kaleidoscope. “We can take it from here.”

The guard slinked away as Julie crossed her arms over her chest, pulling the loose top tight over the small mound of her belly. “Why am I not surprised?”

“You shouldn’t be here.” Ryan strode forward, approaching his wife. “You said you’d lay low until the announcement.”

“I did lay low. Now I’m here so we can share the news together. Obviously, I didn’t realize I’d be interrupting something. At least not with her.” Julie wrinkled her nose. “I guess my years of jealousy were justified.”

A dull throb formed in Leah’s brain. Another anxiety attack waiting on the periphery. This was the end. Her position as band manager was seized by the hangman’s noose. Eviscerated with the opening of a door. There’d be no more Ryan. No more Reckless. No more life filled with achievements.

She’d fucked up.

She’d failed.

Again.

She turned her back to Ryan and Julie, their conversation drowned from the hysteria taking over her mind. Bile bubbled up her throat. She closed her eyes. Swayed.

“Leah, are you OK?” Ryan grabbed her arms and lowered to eye level.

“Yeah. Of course.” She blinked up at him, pretending, like always, and then turned to take in the empty room. “Where’s Julie?”

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