Page 14 of Come Around
“You’re not imposing, Kitten. I promise,” I tell her. “My place is big. You’ll have your own room and bathroom. Plus, unlimited hot water whenever you want it.”
She hugs herself tighter, my leather jacket engulfing her petite frame.
Once she’s in my space, surrounded by my things, sleeping in my bed, she’ll understand. She’ll feel what I felt the moment Isaw her walk into that diner this morning. The recognition. The certainty.
The fucking inevitability of us.
I watch her face as the house comes into view. It’s everything I’ve worked for. Everything I want to give her.
“Oh my gosh.” Sami’s eyes widen. “You live here? Alone?”
Pride surges through me at her reaction. “I built it last year after our second album went gold. Designed it myself.”
She stares at the house as I park in the three-car garage. “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s yours for as long as you need it.”
Forever, if I have my way.
I lead her inside, watching as she takes in the open floor plan, the high ceilings, the wall of windows overlooking the mountains.
She turns in a slow circle. “I feel like I’m in an episode ofCribs. Do all musicians live like this?”
“The smart ones who don’t blow their money on drugs and parties.” I take her hand in mine again and guide her through the living room. “Come on. I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.”
The guest room is across the hall from mine. Close enough that I can hear if she needs me, but far enough to give her the space she thinks she needs. For now.
“Bathroom’s through there.” I nod toward the en suite. “Towels are in the cabinet. There’s shampoo and stuff in the shower.”
“This is bigger than my entire apartment.” She runs her hand over the plush comforter on the queen-sized bed. “Thank you. Seriously.”
I walk to the dresser and pull out one of my t-shirts. Black, soft from hundreds of washes, with Highland Rye’s logo faded on the front. I hold it out to her.
“In case you need something to sleep in,” I explain. “And the shower’s all yours. Take as long as you want.”
Sami grins. “You have no idea how much I’ve been dreaming about a hot shower.”
For a second, I think about what she would look like wet and naked under the spray, water sluicing over her perfect curves. Fuck.
I force myself to step back, to give her space. “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything. Make yourself at home.”
She clutches my shirt to her chest. “This is really nice of you, Axel. I don’t know how to thank you.”
A hundred responses flash through my mind, most of them involving her naked and under me. But I rein in the primal urge.
“No thanks needed, Kitten.”
Then I leave and head downstairs before I change my mind.
I manageto make it forty-five minutes before the burning desire to check on Sami becomes too much to ignore.
I tell myself I’m just making sure she has everything she needs. That I’m being a good host. But as I climb the stairs toward the guest room, my heart pounds like I’m about to walk on stage in front of ten thousand people.
This is insane. I know it’s insane. We met this morning, and I’m already bringing her home, already thinking about forever. Any rational person would call this obsession, stalking, and completely fucking unhinged.
But I can’t help it.
Every instinct I have is screaming that she belongs here. That she belongs to me.
