But more than that—certainty.
I want him.
Now.
Always.
More fiercely than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.
Before I can talk myself out of it, I step into him.
My fingers fist into the front of his shirt like I need him to stay upright—or like I need me to.
His breath catches.
Those hands—those beautiful hands that just spun magic into the world—place the guitar down and slide to my waist with the gentlest pressure, like he’s afraid I’ll vanish if he holds too tight.
I swallow past the lump in my throat.
“It’s beautiful, Nathan,” I whisper, my voice trembling with everything I can’t say yet.“That song?It’s everything.”
He lowers his forehead to mine, eyes burning, breath warm and unsteady.
“It’s my love song to you, Sparky,” he murmurs, voice gravel and devotion.“Without you, there is no song.”
And just like that—I fall.
Completely.
Irrevocably.
Beautifully.
Right into him.
“I need…” My voice shakes.
“What do you need?”he asks, eyes glittering with promise.
“I think I need a minute to myself.”His face starts to fall, then I add, “With my husband.”
The word husband does something to him—his eyes darken, his jaw flexes, his hands tighten on my hips.
I take out my phone with trembling fingers and text my Mom.
Can you grab Bella from school today?Last-minute thing.
Three seconds later, she texts back.
Of course!Enjoy!
Christ, that woman.
I set the phone aside.
When I look up, Nathan is already watching me like I’m the only star in the sky he’s been trying to navigate by.
“Ad,” he whispers, voice rough as gravel.“You sure?Cause if we do this now, I am never giving you space again.”
