Page 109 of Need You Now

His arms tighten around her. But he doesn’t kiss her. In fact, he doesn’t do much of anything except hold her close and brood. She frowns. Ever since they left the bar, he’s been quiet, a million miles away from her in some brain space of his own. Yet, that’s Seth, working a problem out on his own, torturing himself for probably something he has no control over.

Staring up at him, she asks quietly, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Seth’s eyes search hers. “What you said earlier to Beau—that it would never work because you’re in LA—you mean that?”

Warily, she shrugs off his hold, drifting to the bed. “I don’t know, Seth, it was just something I said.” She sheds her dress to stand in her lace bra and panties, wobbling once as a rush of alcohol hits her. She glances over her shoulder. “Is that what’s bothering you?”

“Yeah, it is.” He rips a hand through his hair. “It’s botherin’ me a whole goddamn lot.”

She angles her head, confused. “Are we still talking about tonight?” Maybe she’s still drunk or too tipsy to follow where Seth’s going with this.

“No, we ain’t. We’re talkin’ about us.” He meets her eyes and swallows. “When we leave here, I don’t want this to end, Lace.”

His words steal her breath, have her heart beating wildly. Weak-kneed, she sits on the edge of the bed and then raises her gaze to his. “Me neither.”

His eyes light up. And then he’s crossing the room to kneel in front of her. Leaning in, Seth slides a lean, muscled hand over her bare leg to rest on her thigh. “Then I want to do this. Do us. Anything I gotta do to make it work, I wanna do it.”

“Really?”

“Hell, yes.”

Her heart tumbles. She’s never had a man like this before. So open, so honest. Seth comes to her when she needs him, always making her laugh, feel safe, working hard to be with her. The way he loves her sister, his family—he’s just such a good human.

She reaches out and cups his scruffy cheek. The action causing him to go still, to close his eyes for the briefest second. “I want to do this too.” But then, just as quick, worry knocks hope out of the running. “But how? I’m in LA and you’re ... all over the place.”

Being without Seth for even a minute has her unhappy. She can’t imagine doing it long distance.

“Tickets are cheap,” he says, his voice eager and resolved. “We’ll meet in the middle. Hell, we’ll just schedule more shows in LA.”

His determination to make this work fills Lacey up with her own. Has her rejecting the voice in her head that tells her this will end. That Seth will leave. Instead, she gives herself over to hope. Her belly dips. Thinking about a future, a new future with Seth has her feeling vulnerable and brave. She wants to take risks, do things that scare her, do things that feel right.

“Or,” she says, gathering courage. “I could, possibly, maybe, think about moving to Nashville? I don’t have a job in LA anymore, so ...” She lets herself trail off, leaving the offer open.

Seth inhales a sharp breath, his expression unreadable.

Panic rolls through her. It’s too much, too soon. Oh God, how desperate did she come across?

She tries to backtrack. “But I mean, I don’t have to do that if—”

“No.” He’s grinning. Bright. A beam. “Christ. I want you there. So damn bad. I wasn’t gonna ask you that to do that for me but ...” He exhales a long breath, his face turning serious. “I can’t imagine my world movin’ without you in it.” He gathers up her hand. “I feel found with you, Lacey.”

Hot tears spring to her eyes. She knows what he means. Being with Seth feels like her heart is outside of her body. Experiencing everything to the truest.

She closes her eyes and nods. “Me too.”

And then Seth presses himself up, his lips meeting hers in the slowest, sweetest kiss she’s ever had.

An infinity kiss. Long. Everlasting.

Without breaking their connection, Lacey loops her arms around Seth’s neck. Every part of her is electric and buzzing. Seth’s fingers sweep over every inch of her skin, her lips, her hair. She arcs at the contact, the heat charging between them, the intensity of his need.

She’s never felt so happy, so alive. So much peace. Hope. Love.

No.

Not love. It can’t be. She’s tried so hard to ward it off, to bury the feelings she has for Seth six feet under.

But it is.

---