Page 14 of Heart Beats

“Whoa. Are you catching feelings for him?”

“Catching is an action in progress.” I pinch my eyelids closed and draw a fortifying breath. “You may have used the wrong verb tense.” Weighted silence fills the call for what seems like forever. “Mya?”

“I’m still here. Just trying to choose the right thing to say.”

“You’ve never worried about doing that before.”

Her snorted laugh booms through the earpiece. “Your honesty knows no bounds. And you’re right. But my baby sister, who is the smartest, steadiest person I know, has never fallen in love on the first date before.”

“I didn’t say I’m in love.”

“Oh, sweetie. You don’t have to use or even acknowledge the word, it’s the feeling that matters. And you’re obviously feeling it.”

“But he’s a rock star, Mya. Adored by millions.”

“The number of fans he has is irrelevant, only that he’syournumber-one fan. Which he seems to be, if everything you’renottelling me is true.”

“It’s true.”

“Then stop worrying about what he is, and enjoywhohe is with you. And while you’re at it, enjoy whoyouare. Because you’re freaking awesome. I know it, Jagger knows it, and it’s about damn time you know it, too.”

six

jagger

Montreal,New Jersey, Chicago, and Boston are all a blur. Shows I played on autopilot, because my mind and heart were in Hope Harbor, with Maria. Time always flies while we’re touring. Yet, every day, every minute since I kissed her goodbye has dragged like a motherfucker. I’ve never been so eager for a tour to end, and we’re only at the beginning of the North American leg. Fours shows down, way too fucking many to go.

I’ve basically been on my own since being thrust into the global spotlight at seventeen. I’m the poster child for self-sufficiency. But I need her. I’m constantly jonesing for my next hit of Maria, whether it’s a video call, her voice on the phone, or a new bubble on her side of the text convo. I am fucking hooked.

She doesn’t always answer or reply immediately when I call. For someone who claims to be boring, her life is pretty damn busy. Her weekdays and early evenings include a steady flow of music students at her house. Three afternoons a week, she’s in the local high school, giving free violin instruction in music class. Not because the regular teacher is a friend, Maria made that very clear, in her borderline abrupt way that I fucking love. She volunteers for the kids. To share her love and knowledge of what she feels is the most important language—music.

I could’ve told her right then that I love her. I didn’t. I want the first time to be face to face. Looks as if I’m going to have that opportunity sooner than I expected.

My flight to Toronto is boarding, the rental car reserved and waiting on the other end. I’ll be on Maria’s doorstep by dusk, and I can’t fucking wait. As much as I’d like to surprise her, she prefers schedule to spontaneity. I just want her to be happy. To be the person who brings her happiness. So I hit the Call button for the third time since getting the doctor’s recommendation, and hope to hell Maria picks up before the flight attendant tells me to put my phone in airplane mode—again.

Maria’s phone is set for three rings before it goes to voicemail. And the third ring just started. “Fuck me.”

“You’ll have to be more specific,” she says in place of a standard greeting.

I don’t think she intended it to sound flirty, but my cock takes it that way. “For starters, I’m going to want you to fuck your pretty pussy onto my mouth, so I can taste how sweet you are when you come.”

Across the aisle, an older woman gasps, glaring at me as if I’m the devil. Which I probably look like to her, with my tattooed neck, arms, and hands, and the piercings through my eyebrow, nose, and ears. She’d probably faint if she saw the rest of me.

Temptation gets the best of me, and I wink at her.

“Disgusting. You shouldn’t be in first class and I’m having you removed,” she says, flagging the flight attendant. This woman has no clue who I am. That I could afford to pay for every seat on the plane and not blink at the cost.

I can’t wait for her to learn she’s going to have to endure me for the rest of the flight. Unfortunately, theFasten Seatbeltssign lights up, meaning I won’t be able to torment her with more dirty talk to my angel.

“Beautiful, I don’t have much time because I’m on a plane and we’re getting ready for takeoff.”

“I understand,” Maria says, then, “I’m glad I got to hear your voice, even for a minute.”

“Same, angel. Wish I had more time to discuss this with you, but there’s been a big change in plans with the tour, and I’m flying to Toronto, not Virginia. How do you feel about a houseguest for a few weeks?” I duck my head at the sight of the flight attendant barreling down the aisle toward me. Fuck. “I’m about to have my phone confiscated by the mile-high police. I’ll call you when I touch down.” I end the call before Maria has a chance to respond. Which might be for the best, because I don’t know howI’drespond if she told me not to knock on her door.

* * *

jagger

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