Her head tilted, and she gave him a long once-over with her astute gaze. “I don’t know about that. I bet some of the women out there would be interested in talking to you.”
No stranger to the attention of women, he laughed. “Somehow, I doubt that.” He scratched the top of his head. “How do you handle it?”
“Handle what?”
“It has to be hard, having a rock-star husband.”
“Ah,” she said, “right. But Ash is utterly devoted.”
“That’s a precious gift,” he said, agreeing with her statement. “He certainly is always watching you.”
“Speaking of,” she said, “where is Tia?”
His heart skipped a beat, either from his insatiable need for Tia, concern over her absence, or worry that Skye had managed to put two and two together.
“How would I know?”
“Look,” she said, placing her tiny hand on his arm, “I know what a man looks like when he’s thinking about someone, and I’ve seen the way she looks at you.”
“I’m not—”
“Of course not, lover boy.”
“Don’t call me that. It’s annoying enough when Forest does it.”
“Why do you think he does it?”
“Because he’s an ass,” he said.
“Well, that’s true, but Forest is a hopeless romantic. He’s testing you.” She vented a deep sigh. “You know, someday, I hope he finds that special person in his life.”
“A man like him must have tons of girls hanging off his arms.”
“Oh, there are tons of girls who’d like to hang off his arms—and other parts of his anatomy, too,” she said, shocking Ryker with the directness of her words, “but he’s not interested in girls.”
“He’s gay?”
“I suppose you could say that,” she said with another sigh. “At least, Forest finds it easier to be with men than with women. I don’t know who will finally steal his heart, but man or woman, I hope they come along soon.” She placed her palm over her belly and took in a deep breath. “Regardless,” she continued, “you need to go out therewith the guys. People understand why Bent isn’t here, but they’re still going to want to see you.”
“Don’t see why.”
“You don’t?”
He shook his head.
“Wow, that’s a surprise. You’re quite special.”
“There’s nothing special about me.”
“Hmm, I disagree. I think Tia would, too.” Without explaining further, she walked toward the small break room, which had been converted into the band’s dressing room. “Tell Ash I’m gathering my things, and I will meet him back home.”
“Home? Aren’t you a little far from home?”
She gave a soft laugh. “Home isn’t a place. Home is where the other half of your heart sleeps. He knows what I mean.”
The other half of your heart?
Interesting words and not something he’d ever considered before, but he understood what she might mean. Since joining the Air Force, he’d moved every few years, and even when he unpacked, he spent more time away fromhome, either deployed or on temporary duty, than he did at his duty station. He hadn’t really had a home in years. Hell, it had probably been more than a decade.
