God, I couldhearmyself thinking in poetry right now. That…
That felt like a good sign.I hadn’tthought like that in weeks. Months, even.
Being around Fox cleared mymind. Made me feel more likemyself. Like the person I was when I wasn’t so stressed it’dmade me physically sick.
“I should have been takingyouto see thesights.”
Fox chuckled, going back tothe bike to fish a paper bag and a fleece throw blanket out of the luggage box.
“Can I make myself usefulsomehow?” I asked.
He shook his head. “This is for you,to celebrate finishing your album. You just… you stand there and lookdecorative.”
“I’m very decorative,” Isaid.
“And so much more,” Foxlooked up, meeting my eyes. “But yeah, if you’re fishing for compliments, Icould stare at you for hours given half a chance.”
My heart was suddenly doingits best impression of a brass band under my ribcage, and I couldn’t even be madabout it.
Fox liked me.
I’d never get over thatthought. It was the best thing that’d happened in my life.
“You’re welcome to,” I said.“I haven’t got anything better to do for the next couple of hours.”
Fox smiled a warm, kindsmile with just the faintest edge of wickedness to it, his eyes glittering inthe failing light.
He moved over to the treeand sat down with his back leaning against the broad trunk, long legs casuallystretched over the picnic rug.
“Come and make yourselfcomfortable.”
Since he hadn’t saidnotto, I closed thedistance between us and dropped into his lap.
Fox raised an eyebrow butdidn’tmake any attempt to move me.
“I’m comfortable here,” Isaid, shrugging.
He chuckled, broad handssettling on my hips. “You’re welcome to stay,” he said. “It’s not veryoften a pint-sized pop star sets himself down in my lap.”
“But it’s happened before?”I asked.
“Only when it’s been you,”Fox said, sliding his hands under my jacket so they were on top of my t-shirt,his thumbs toying with the hem. “I don’t make a habit of this. Sleeping withclients, I mean. You areactuallyspecial, and I’ve got to faceGray, who I gave absolute hell over falling for one of his just a couple ofmonths ago. So. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t mean it, if only because this isvery embarrassing.”
I laughed, darting forwardto peck him on the lips, but getting distracted and lingering instead, ournoses pressed together, lips parted, my tongue tracing his bottom one, which Iwas starting to like just a little more than the top.
There was no pointpretending to myself that my heart hadn’t leapt when Fox saidfalling for. I knew he wastalking about his friend, but he’d been talking about him like their situations werecomparable.
Like…
Like maybe he was fallingforme.
“I’ll try to be lessembarrassing,” I said, and for once it didn’t sting, because I knew Fox wasn’tserious.
“Oh, no,I’mthe embarrassingone, here.”Fox grinned. “And proud of it. I live to be an embarrassment to all around me.”
“I’ve burst into tears twiceand fainted once. I think I’m winning.”
“Well, don’t stop,” Foxsaid, brushing our noses together. “Because it’s lovely holding you. Even ifyou’re upset. Or temporarily unconscious.”
