Page 42 of Hero on the Road
“It’s perfect,” he interrupted. “Don’t overthink it.”
He’d been telling me the same thing since we got here, and I’d been blowing him off. But right now, just this once, I nodded and did as he asked. Because I wanted to dance with him.
And I was tired of thinking about all the reasons I shouldn’t.
We moved out into the open space in front of the stage and Connor’s hands slipped around my waist, pulling me against his body. I stifled the gasp that brought out of me and moved my hands onto his chest, marveling at how warm and solid he was. Of course I already knew all about his body. I’d had my hands all over it that night in Arberry.
But that night had been a rushed, mistaken affair. Something we hadn’t thought about before we did it.
This dance felt a whole lot more intentional. Like we’d been aiming for this exact spot ever since we found ourselves in that office at Atomic Records.
“You relieved that this is almost over?” he asked softly. “Pretty soon we’ll be back in the city. Where we can get food anytime we want.”
“And sleep in real beds.”
“And play our guitars for anyone we want without risking our records contracts.”
I laughed gently at that one. “I mean we might still get in trouble for that. But I guess... I guess if I get in trouble it won’t be your problem anymore, huh?”
The smile that had started up on his face faded away. “You don’t think so?”
I shrugged. “I’m guessing that if we get contracts, they’ll be separate. What are the chances they sign us as a pair?”
He was silent for a moment, holding me and swaying like I hadn’t said anything. “Only if we get on that plane.”
Wait.
I frowned, confused. “What, you want to move to Montana and live here?”
He stopped dancing and dipped his head toward me, moving forward until his forehead was touching mine and I could only see him.
“I don’t want to go back to Nashville if it means leaving you behind,” he whispered. “I don’t want to sign a contract that doesn’t include you. Maybe I shouldn’t say it, Olivia, because maybe it makes me stupid and naive and vulnerable. Maybe I’m an idiot for even thinking about it or thinking you care. But this tour, this stupid tour with the shows on the side and the bear and the camping... It’s been the best month of my life. And a lot of that has been because of you. I lost you once. I don’t want to lose you again.”
The world stopped spinning around me and everything went deathly quiet.
Connor Wheating had just bared his heart to me and told me that he wanted me.
He wantedme.
After everything we’d done to each other and all the years of ignoring the other and the morning when I’d left without even saying goodbye... The tour that went sideways and Colin only talking about me...
The way I’d fought so hard to push him away to keep us both safe...
He wanted me.
I wanted to cry. I wanted to laugh like a maniac. I wanted to throw my arms around him and shout that I wanted the same thing and had been thinking it for weeks but hadn’t wanted to say anything.
And instead I just stood there like a big dope, staring at him without saying anything.
Turned out I didn’t need to say anything, though, as he came the last few inches moments later and gently brushed his lips over mine. When I let him do that much, he went further, putting his fingers under my chin to tip it up and deepening the kiss, his tongue dancing with my own like we were born to this.
And I had one last thought before I let myself melt away.
Connor and I spoke in the same chords. I guessed that meant our bodies also knew how to dance together. And I couldn’t imagine anyone I’d rather be dancing with than him.
CHAPTER25
Olivia
