Page 124 of Wingwoman
“But?”
A smile twitched, that dimple of his making an appearance. “But secretly, she would have loved it.”
I nodded. “Then pack your guitar tonight.”
Without a word, he leaned in and captured my lips with his own. With his mouth still brushing against mine, he said, “Without you, there is no art.”
I shook my head, the paths of tears still streaking through my carefully applied makeup. “Bullshit,” I whispered. “You put way too much weight into this whole muse thing.”
He pulled back, staring down at me in shock as though I’d struck him across the cheek. The romantic bubble had popped, but I didn’t care. It was the truth.
“I mean it, Josh. I didn’t do anything. I encouraged you to write about your mother. That was it.”
He shook his head, slowly at first. “I don’t need you to believe in the power of the muse,” he said carefully. “Because I believe in it. I believe in you. Whether you choose to acknowledge it or not, you’re my inspiration.”
I pushed off the bed, moving to the mirror to fix my makeup. But really, I was avoiding his searing gaze.
Guilt snaked its way through my core and my face heated as I thought of the text exchange between Brent and me. Even though it was always part of the plan to make Brent jealous, something had shifted in the last few days.
I hadn’t been sleeping with Josh when I concocted the plan.
And now? It all seemed different.
Wrong.
“You know, if you spent half the time believing in yourself the way you seem to believe in some magical muse power I hold, you might have finished this album a year ago.”
“Maybe,” he said, coming up behind me. Warm, calloused hands skimmed over my shoulder as he scooped my hair over to one side. “But then I never would have met you.”
He bent, pressing his lips to the curve of my neck.
Me. The girl he only wants for six weeks. The girl he wants solely to help him write an album, then send me on his way. His words from the other day in the stable echoed in my ears.Love is toxic. And I want you to ruin me before I destroy you.
I had cut him off with a kiss before he could finish. But I didn’t understand this man. How could he be so passionate? So vulnerable and loving and sweet, only to believe it’s all eventually a cancer that will consume you from the inside out.
“What if I don’t want to ruin you, Josh?” I whispered.
His eyes darted up to catch mine in the mirror and it’s like looking into the unexplored depths of the ocean.
He shook his head. “We have a plan.”
“Plans can change.”
His throat went taut and he worked a long, slow swallow.
“What about Brent?”
Heat flushed my cheeks, the shame of my pettiness flashing across my face. “Brent means nothing to me. Besides, he’s engaged.”
He pinned me with his eyes. “That would be a more believable statement if you weren’t turning scarlet right now.”
I pressed my palm to my flushed cheek and shook my head. He was reading this all wrong. Reading me all wrong. I thought he knew me. I thought he understood me.
“Stick to the plan, Hope,” he said, his hand squeezing my hip, then turning me around to face him. “One week down. Let’s have five more incredible weeks. Then leave it at that.”
“Butwhy? If things are going well—”
“My life… my career… has been built on a faulty foundation. I have to tear it all down in order to rebuild stronger. Better.”
