Page 56 of Heart Set on You

“It’s nothing dramatic,” I say. “But I’m going to Tennessee with her to meet her family. She doesn’t know yet. I’m surprising her. I’m leaving next week and I’m not bringing security. She’s from a small town. Her family lives on a farm. I’m not bringing a bodyguard and freaking everyone out.”

I need to keep my relationship with Rylee out of the press and arriving in small-town Tennessee with an entourage will only draw attention. Attention I don’t need.

“Fuck no. I’m not letting you go without security. Neither will Georgia. It’s not safe, Miles, and you know it.”

“She lives out in the country, literally surrounded by fields. I’ll fly private and wear a disguise,” I argue. “Besides, showing up with a six-foot-four dude in a dark suit will cause more attention than if I just show up on my own.”

Matthew pinches the bridge of his nose with his fingers. “Dammit, Miles. I’ll talk to Georgia and get back to you on this. But I’m not making any promises.”

“Fine. Let me know what she says, but I’m not backing down. And don’t let this get back to Rylee,” I remind him. “Now I’ve gotta run, I have plans. Forget about me and go home to your wife. Do whatever it is that married guys do.”

Heading out into the sunshine, I throw on my ballcap, put on my shades and walk to my car. I fish my phone from my pocket and tap out a text.

I’m on my way, country girl. See you soon.

I add a heart emoji at the end.

I can’t fucking wait to see her.

* * *

By some miracle, Rylee and I have managed to avoid the paparazzi for a month now. Besides our family and a few in our inner circle, no one suspects a thing.

We spend every second we can together. I admit that in the beginning I assumed it would be a one-time thing, like my usual hookups. In the past, the attraction has always fizzled out quickly. But that couldn’t be more different from what’s happening with Rylee. She is like an obsession I can’t ever seem to get enough of. I can’t stop thinking about her, dreaming about everything I want to do to her. I even found myself yesterday wondering if our children would have her emerald green eyes. I must be temporarily insane.

Sex has always been pretty good, but with Rylee it’s completely different. I get lost in her. I fantasize about having my hands on her, my mouth on her, all day long. But it’s not just the sex. It’s everything about her. I want to know what she likes, what makes her happy. I want to be able to bring her a cup of her favorite coffee or rub the nape of her neck, which I’ve learned is one of the places she loves to be touched. Her family and the farm are what she loves most in the world. She talks about her grandparents like they hung the moon, she misses her brothers, and she worries that her nieces and nephew are going to forget her.

How could they? Rylee Brookes is impossible to forget.

I’m not sure I’ve ever been happier. I’m too happy, hiding away from the rest of the world with her, sneaking around, our relationship under wraps.

And that’s the problem. This is going to end and there’s nothing I can do about it. Rylee is flying back home to Tennessee in three weeks, our relationship hitting its expiry date. We both know it but refuse to acknowledge it. It’s a fact that is looming silently and heavily over both of us.

I’m meeting up with Rylee for some window shopping at an outdoor mall this afternoon and by the time I see her I’m in a fucking incredible mood. There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask her for a while now, and today’s the day. I’m tired of mulling it over.

I move closer to her as we stroll the sidewalk under the warm Vancouver sun, the rays warming my skin. “I want you to be my date for The Artist Awards,” I blurt out, despite knowing how Riley feels about taking our relationship public.

I feel her body tense next to mine. “Miles, you know how I feel about that. I don’t think I’m ready.”

“Why not?” I ask, looking at her, my head cocked slightly to one side. I rearrange the look on my face, trying to mask my disappointment. I won’t push her, but eventually I hope she can get to a place where she’s comfortable being out with me. “I want the world to know that you’re mine.”

She can’t hide the grin that is tipping up the corners of her mouth. “Let me think about it. I’m not saying no. I promise I will consider it.”

“That’s all I ask,” I tell her, adding, “I want to kiss you.”

“Here?”

“Yes, here. I’m dying over here. It’s been… what… three hours and my hands, my mouth or my dick haven’t made contact with you. Ryls, I can only take so much.”

“You are incorrigible.”

“I think obsessed is more accurate.”

“We could be caught,” she says, the grin she’s been fighting returning to her lips. She wants me to kiss her. I know she does, she’s just too scared.

“We haven’t been caught yet,” I reassure her, looking around us. “Walk around to the back of that building. I’ll follow you.”

“Are you insane? We’ve been lucky. Our luck is bound to run out,” she says, but then walks slowly in that direction anyway. I follow a few seconds later.

---