“Probably, there’s no telling with him,” I replied, looking back down at my schedule. “We got Naomi, then Kaori. Five-minute transition and that’s it.”
I adjusted a few final things on my screen before locking my tablet and tucking it beneath my arm.
“Bossing people around as usual, I see.”
Kier’s voice came from behind me, low enough not to pull attention. I didn’t turn right away.
“Somebody has to.”
He stepped closer then, close enough for me to feel his presence before I fully looked at him. Even after all this time, Kier still had a way of relaxing me without trying. The chaos backstage continued around us. People rushed by—dancers, you name it; they were there but standing near him made all of it fade just enough. As always, it felt like it was just us two.
“You good, baby?” He asked.
I looked up at him and took a deep breath. I tugged on the chain resting against his chest, comforting myself by looking atthe calm in his eyes. He carried his confidence so naturally that even the most intimidating moments felt manageable around him.
“I am. Just ready to get back to the villa and rest.”
When he pulled back, his hand slid down to my stomach naturally, resting there for a second longer than anywhere else. My first instinct was to remove it, but I didn’t. I wasn’t trying to hide it anymore. I finally understood there was nothing about us worth hiding, though I wanted to keep every special moment between us private as long as I could.
Kier rested his forehead against mine for a minute, then placed a kiss on it before he walked away. It was going to be a long night, but quick moments like this made it worthwhile.
Sunlight spilledacross the bed in uneven streaks by the time I finally opened my eyes. For a second, I forgot where I was. The sound of waves rolled faintly through the open balcony doors while warm air drifted through the villa. The breeze prompted the curtains to stir slowly enough to make everything feel lazy. My body felt heavy in the best way, completely relaxed against the cool sheets beneath me.
Then I noticed the time on the clock.
“Kier!” I pushed myself up quickly. “Why would you let me sleep this long?”
He answered with a low laugh before I spotted him. “I told you to relax.”
I turned toward the sitting area near the balcony where Kier sat stretched out comfortably with his laptop open in front of him. Basketball shorts hung low on his waist while nothingcovered the rest of him. He looked entirely too calm for somebody who let me sleep half the day away.
“It’s almost four!” I stared at him in disbelief.
“And?” He asked without concern. “My son got you tired.”
“Oh my God.” I dropped back against the pillows, laughing despite myself. “You are so annoying.”
Kier smirked before finally closing his laptop and standing. “Happy anniversary, baby.”
That startled me. It almost felt unreal considering where we started. I looked down at my left hand resting against the sheets, my ring catching sunlight every time I moved my fingers. For a long time, I thought loving somebody meant constantly bracing yourself for disappointment. Like happiness always came attached to anxiety, or waiting for the moment everything falls apart.
Kier crossed the room until he reached the bed, then sat near my legs, looking at me like he still couldn’t quite believe we’d made it either. I spent so much time trying to protect myself from him that I never realized loving Kier would eventually become the safest thing I’d ever done.
“You’ve been sleeping hard as hell,” he said, resting his hand against my thigh. “I told you, you should’ve stayed at the villa yesterday.”
“And let you run around, handling the last show by yourself?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
I shook my head, smiling. “You act like I can’t handle tour life now.”
“You can,” he replied calmly. “But you carrying my child, so now I gotta factor that into things.”
“Well, I’m well-rested now, and hungry, ready for the private dinner. But first,” I sat on my knees as my hands drifted down his chest, kissing his neck. “You wanna meet me in the shower?”
“Naw, Si.”
“Come on, baby! You’ve been so weird since I’ve been pregnant.”
