“Well, if you need me, I’m just a phone call away.”
“Thank you. And thanks for meeting me tonight. I know a circus is probably…fuck, itisa weird place to see me after everything, but I wanted to try to capture whatever it was we had together when we were young. My life…” He turned his attention to the side window as suburban areas, lit with yellow streetlights, flashed by. “Well, let’s just say my life hasn’t turned out like I’d expected.”
“What do you mean? You’re on the verge of releasing your first album with one of the biggest record labels in the world. You’re also about to start an international tour, and your song’s the number one requested single right now—at least in this area.” I followed the road to his hotel, pulling under the covered entrance. “It’s your dream coming true, and I’m damn proud of you, Pax. Against all odds and a shitty childhood, you showed everyone you could do it.”
“Yeah,” he sighed, turning his focus to me, a line between his eyebrows. “But at what cost?” Carefully, he placed his fingertips against my cheek.
“Pax,” I breathed, leaning into the touch for a moment before catching myself and pulling away. “If you’re referring to what happened between us, I already gave you my forgiveness. My dad should’ve never put you in that position, and believe me, he’s going to hear about it.” I caught his hand in mine and gave it a quick squeeze. “You did what you had to do to survive. There’s no shame in that.”
Clutching my hand like it was a lifeline, he raised it to his mouth and kissed the knuckles.
The contact tingled against my skin.
A valet rushed around the front of the car. I started to wave him away, but Paxton pulled my hand down.
“Stay with me tonight, Terri.”
“What?” That one word sounded like scared squawk.
The man outside bent over and knocked on the window.
“Not for sex”—Paxton tilted his head as he watched my face—“not that I’m refusing it if you’re offering—”
I smacked his chest with the back of my hand.
“But because I want to get to know you again. Without all the baggage of your parents or my past. It’s so goddamn hard for me to connect with people, and I think you are the only person in the world who has ever truly understood me. I need that again.”
“Ma’am?” The valet’s muffled voice came through the rolled window. “If you’ll get out…”
I wanted to punch the guy for his interruption.
Paxton’s grayish-blue eyes pleaded.
What would it hurt?I couldn’t deny I still had feelings for Paxton, even if I’d buried them deep.
“Okay.” I turned off the ignition, unbuckled my seatbelt, and stepped out of the car. Handing the fidgeting valet my keys, I stuffed the ticket he offered into my back pocket.
Paxton exited the vehicle, his gait a little slower than earlier, but he stood up straight and gave me a wide smile.
Those rushing, beating thrums of excitement streaked inside my chest, causing my heart to swell.
Just gotta remember to keep my head straight.
But that was the problem. My heart didn’t give a shit what my brain said to do. The beating, aching muscle in my chestknewwhat it wanted.
Paxton Ross. And no matter what I tried to do to ignore it, part of his soul had melded into mine and would never be washed away.
Chapter thirty-three
Paxton Ross
Mystomachsettledsomewhat,yet my nerves were taut as if they were plucked strings of a guitar and strummed throughout my limbs.
I slid the plastic key card into the door’s slot, turned the hand, then motioned for Terri to step inside first.
Cool air from the air conditioner blasted against my sweaty cheeks.
“Where do you live when you’re not on the road performing?” Terri strolled through the small hallway and into the bedroom slash office.
