“You and her...” I start when he looks at me again. It’s obvious that something happened tonight.
“Fuck that,” he snaps.
“If you haven’t already, you should.” I push past him. “Since you won’t be fucking me anymore.”
“This is bullshit, Kelsey.” Grabbing his bags and mine he follows me out of the bus.
The car is pulling up to take us to the airport. How am I supposed to spend three days with his family like this?
Storming past me, he tosses the bags in the trunk. “You of all people know me better than this.”
I thought I did.
“My stalker saw the two of us together. I had to warn her.” He storms back to me. “What was I supposed to do? Ignore the fact that she might be at risk because of her antics tonight? It was plain human decency. Nothing more.”
“Fine.” Perhaps I’m overreacting and it’s all one-sided. Notifying her of the danger is what anyone would do. But I didn’t miss the way she flirted with him, mentioned her lack of panties. If I’m forced to spend one more minute thinking about her tonight, I’m going to scream. “Let’s just go.” Opening the back door of the limo, I climb in and shut it in his face. I slide my headphones on before he gets in on the other side. I need a moment to breathe.
One of our last-minute bodyguards climbs into the front of the car next to the driver. The other enters after Riot and sits opposite me. Leaning back on the headrest, I shut my eyes andpretend that neither Riot nor the bodyguard are there. Maybe it’s the pregnancy hormones or straight up exhaustion, but I can’t deal with any more tonight.
I wake up to dark carpet and luxury leather, the steady whir of airplane engines. Darkness through oval windows. When I look up, I see a day’s worth of stubble on the most perfect jawline. A cap brim pulled down over closed eyes.
His chest rises and falls in a deep, even rhythm. I’m nestled into his warm body, a blanket draped over both of us. Which means he carried me onto the plane and probably hasn’t let go since.
This is my favorite place in the world. When it’s me and him. Alone. His cologne making me warm and tingly. His strength makes me feel possessed and protected. He’s the world’s most beloved rock star, but to me he’s something much more. He’s real. I know things about him no one else does. I get to sleep in his arms. Is there a place for us to be a family in this world we’ve built? He would be a good dad. But does he want to be?
I press my lips to the hinge of his jaw. “I love you, Riot Maddox. I always have.”
His grip tightens when I try to twist away. “What did you say?”
“N-nothing. You’re asleep. Dreaming.” I wiggle my fingers in front of his face when his eyes open. “Wooo.”
“Candy head.” He smirks. “While you frequently haunt my thoughts, you aren’t a ghost. Repeat what you said.”
“I’ve forgotten.”
He rolls his bottom lip between his teeth. “I believe, and feel free to correct me if I get any of the words wrong, but it wasI love you, Riot Maddox. I always have.”
“You weren’t supposed to hear that.” I try to free myself from his arms again. “And if you give me a little time, I can comeup with a plausible explanation. Or at the least allow me to tack onas a friend.”
“But it isn’t as a friend, is it?” he watches me with serious eyes. “Like the way I feel about you isn’t friendly.”
My heart skips a beat while we stare into each other’s souls. How long have I wanted him to say something like this? How many times have I imagined it?
“I called her so she would be aware of the danger. Nothing happened between us. Nothing will ever happen between us, because as far as I’m concerned, I’m a taken man.”
Is he saying what I think he’s saying? My chest fills with warmth. The tension and worry of these last hours doesn’t stand up to the happiness filling me.
“Your man, in case that wasn’t clear. Your boyfriend. Your rock star who doesn’t need any other woman’s panties shoved in his pocket.”
“You’re serious?” He’s really serious about this, isn’t he?
“I’ve wanted to tell you for a while now. And then tonight I planned...” He removes his cap, scrubs his palm over his face and smiles. “It doesn’t matter. We got here in the end. I want you to be my date to the wedding. I want to tell Rebel and Rogue and West that you’re my girlfriend. Make it an official thing. Can you handle that?”
I twine my arms around his neck. “Yeah, I can handle that.”
“Thank God.” He finally skates his mouth over mine.
I’m the one who deepens the kiss. Who needs it to be more. I open and stroke his tongue with mine while I kneel to straddle him.
