Page 15 of Heart Beats

Maria’s front door opens before my knuckles connect with the wood. “What’s wrong with you?” From any other woman, those words would be confrontational, angry, and probably rhetorical. From Maria, it’s a straightforward question.

I could answer it the same way. But I can’t resist teasing. Because that’s me. “What’s wrong with me depends on who you’re asking. The uptight woman sitting across from me on the plane? My parents when I got my first neck tattoo?”

Her lips part, and her big, brown eyes dart back and forth. For a few seconds, it looks as if she might actually erupt. Instead, she launches herself at me and buries her face against my skin.

I fold my arms around her in a tight hug. And just once, briefly, I feel her shudder with a sob.Shit.“I’m sorry for teasing,” I say, kissing her hair. “I didn’t mean to worry or upset you. Let’s go inside and I’ll tell you everything.”

She nods against my neck, letting me take her hand after detaching from my chest. “I looked online after you hung up,” she says, once we’re in the privacy of her house. “It said at least three weeks of concert dates were cancelled because of front man Jagger Marsh’s health. Then you didn’t answer the question when you called from the airport, and I’ve been thinking of all the horrible things it could be, and—”

I cup her face and fuse our mouths together, the way I’ve been craving since our goodbye kiss. Her tongue dances with mine as her hands drop to my chest. I groan against her lips, then force myself to break the kiss. For now. But not for long.

“We’re going to have lots of time for that. Three weeks together, if you can stand having me around that long.” Yeah, it’s shameless fishing.

She doesn’t take the bait. Not even a little nibble. “Don’t you think you’ll get bored? Hope Harbor isn’t glamorous or exciting.”

Not the welcome I hoped for, or expected, after two weeks of daily connection that cemented our status as a couple. At least in my mind.

“I’m not here for the tourist trappings. I’m here to be with you.”

“I’m not glamorous or exciting either.”

“First of all, you take my fucking breath away every time I look at you. Secondly, check the excitement meter.” I circle her wrist and guide her hand to my fly, where my rock-hard cock is straining to push through my pants. “If that’s not a solid ten, it’s damn close.”

Heavy knocking on the door startles her hand from my fly, and her warm body out of my arms. My phone starts ringing and pinging at the same time. Sixteen years of dealing with publicity shit kicks in, and I tuck her behind me while moving toward the door to ensure it’s locked.

“How do they know you’re here?” Maria asks, holding her phone up to show me the doorbell camera’s live feed. Media. Some reputable, some not.

Fuck.“Anybody paying attention knows I’m involved with someone, and it wouldn’t take much digging to figure out that’s you. The way I behaved with you at the Toronto show wasn’t the usual performance. Then I showed up in Hope Harbor the next day, when I hadn’t done unscheduled public appearances in years. I’ve skipped all the afterparties starting with Toronto, and I haven’t brought a fan onstage since you.”

“You haven’t?”

“How could I sing that song to anyone else now? I can’t pretend to be interested in another woman now that I’m with you.” I’m so close to saying the better words. The big words. I should’ve just said them, instead of waiting for some perfect moment.

“I know you would just be performing, but… I’m happy you aren’t looking at other people the way you looked at me.”

“Impossible.”

Another round of insistent knocking jolts the smile from her face. “What do they want?”

“The scoop. About us, now that I’m here. But mostly about the press release you saw earlier. Canceling tour dates is a huge financial hit, so everyone knows it’s something serious. They’re after the details about my condition. Knowing the media, they’ll be hoping for the worst.”

“Please tell me they’re going to be disappointed,” she says, burrowing against my chest.

“I’m okay. Nothing life-threatening.” Messaging my manager about the vultures in front of Maria’s house will have to wait a bit. She’s my priority. Setting her mind at ease. Being close to her. I didn’t realize how badly I needed her until she was within reach again. I take her hand and guide her to the bedroom, pulling her onto the bed and into my arms. My career is in upheaval, yet everything feels as if it’s in perfect order.

As much as she soothes me, the chaos of it all is catching up to me. I close my eyes, giving in to the exhaustion.

“Tell me why you had to stop the tour before my overthinking brain explodes,” she says, literally squeezing me for information.

I open my eyes so I can look into hers. “I need my muse’s amazing brain to stay in her head. Besides, I can think of much better explosions you should have.”

“No detonations until after you tell me why you stopped the tour.” She doesn’t acknowledge themusecomment. But I know she heard it. She’s as tuned-in to me as I am to her.

I smile against her hair while kissing it. Something I could do every day, and I’ll get to, for the next three weeks. A hell of a lot longer if everything goes the way I have planned. “Remember when we were talking last week, and you said my voice sounded raspy?”

“Yes. You told me there was too much theatrical smoke at the show that night.”

“Right. That was true. But water and sleep didn’t help, so I had a specialist look at my throat.”

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