Page 80 of Need You Now

Seth blows down the dusty back road, happy to finally be freewheeling and not stuck on a damn plane. He and Lacey flew into Nashville last night, picked up his ATV and his fiddle, and are now making the scenic three-hour drive to the Smoky Mountains to meet Sal and Luke.

Christmas in the country. He’d say there was nothing better, except ...

Beside him, Lacey sticks a long tan arm out the window, fluttering her fingers in the breeze. After a few seconds, she pulls her arm back in and rolls up the window. She makes a brrr face at Seth and shivers. “It’s chilly out there.”

He looks over at her, trying to hide a smile at the lightweight lavender hoodie and thin moto leggings she wears. “I ain’t even askin’ if you got enough clothes. You got three bags back there. I just hope you brought warm ones.”

She sniffs and crosses her arms. “I did.” Then a sly smile tugs at her lips. “Although, if you’re so concerned about me being cold, maybe I’ll just forget about the very sheer, very thin article of clothing I packed.”

He side-eyes her, half-tempted to pull the Bronco over and kiss her like crazy. That flirty smile’s a goddamn dare he can’t say no to.

“You’re killin’ me,” he says.

She laughs and reaches for her coffee in the console. Her green eyes on the window take in the scenery.

Seth watches her for a beat, then turns back to the road.

Nothing looks better than Lacey beside him in the cab of his Bronco. Hell, everything feels a lot better with her along. She gets him out of his own head, gives him the strength to tell Luke, makes him want to be a better man.

Bringing her back with him is the best damn gift he could get. Lacey quitting her job was a surprise, but he knows she made the right call. The way that asshole was talking to her ...

Even now, Seth scowls at the memory. He ain’t a vengeful guy, but if Prentiss accidentally tripped into a chain saw, he wouldn’t be super upset. No one talks to Lacey like that. But she handled it like a pro. Seth’s never seen something so hot. Her putting the guy in his place.

All the same, he knows she’s worrying about what comes after. Lacey was born in motion, won’t slow down for anything, and while he’s proud of her, he also wants her to rest and relax.

He eases on the gas, taking a right onto another thin stick of a road, and then glances her way. The wrinkle in her forehead tells him she’s worrying.

“You thinkin’ about your job?” Seth asks.

“No,” she says, looking his way with a smile. She slides over to him. “I’m happy, Seth.” A little shrug. “Although, I still don’t know what I’m going to do when I get back to LA. I should have applied for jobs before we left.”

His stomach flips, reality threatening to sideswipe his contentment. “The only thing you need to worry about is rememberin’ how to have fun.”

He reaches for her hand and Lacey threads her fingers through his. She looks down, curious, tracing her fingertips over his. “Your fingers aren’t calloused anymore.”

“Time off,” he quips.

“You miss it?”

“Yeah. I do. Especially playin’ with Luke.”

One thing he’s learned in all his time away—he misses his brother. Playing without Luke is like cutting off his right arm. He can’t do it. He won’t.

“We’re recordin’ a new album after the new year,” he says, checking the directions on his phone. On the side of the road is a sign for Hawk’s Hideaway. He takes a left, then adds, “And I fuckin’ suck, so I gotta sneak some practice in.”

“Hmm, well, I love these fingers.” Lacey’s lips curve, bringing up his hand to kiss each fingertip. “They do many beautiful things.”

His body tenses, heat rocketing through all regions of his body—lower included. If they weren’t so close to the cabin, he’d pull over right now.

Instead, Seth blows out a breath and directs his gaze to the window, to the familiar scenery. Everything looks the same. The craggy mountains, the clouds hanging like fog, the quiet country. When he and Luke were kids, they’d visit the Smokies every summer with their parents. It’s still Seth’s favorite place in the world.

“Seth?” Lacey’s voice, quiet, concerned, fills up the small space. “What are we telling Sal? About us?”

His eyes flick to hers, a slight current of worry that she won’t feel the same way. “We’re ... together. That okay?”

A smile lights up her face. “Yeah. That’s perfect.” She bites her lip, her expression turning thoughtful. “When do we tell her?”

Seth swallows. “I don’t know.”

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