Her eyes filled with tears. Please let that be a good sign. He risked taking hold of her hands. They trembled in his, but she didn’t pull away.
“I love you, Jade. I’m pretty sure I fell for you the second you ripped off my wig and saw through my disguise. You saw past the rock star. Hell, you didn’t give a fuck about him. You just saw me.”
Tears spilled down her face, and he cupped her cheeks, wiping them away with his thumbs. He rested his forehead on hers.
“I’ll never walk away from you again,” he promised. “You are home.”
“What if you change your mind and miss the spotlight?” Her voice trembled.
“Not a chance. It was never what I wanted. It’s you I want—need. And I’ll never change my mind about that.”
She nibbled her bottom lip and searched his eyes, then a slow smile spread across her face. “You love me?”
At seeing her smile, he wanted to sag on the floor with relief. “Yes.”
A gush of air escaped her lips, like she’d been holding her breath. Then she placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away.
Shocked, he could only gape at her.
“I’ve been miserable for weeks!” She slapped her hands on her hips, and her eyebrows slammed together.
“I’m sorry. I’ve been feeling like crap too,” he said.
“I’m leaving.” She pointed to her bags.
His gaze flicked to the luggage sitting by the door. “I’m hoping you’ll stay. Your family and friends are here. They need you here. Please don’t walk away before we can try to work this out.”
She frowned. “I’m booked on a six-week European tour. I’m sure they won’t miss me that much.”
“But Connor said…” Nate shook his head. Her brother had made it sound like she was leaving for good. But she was only going on a holiday. The tight knot in his gut loosened. “I’ll go with you.”
“What if I don’t want you to?” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“I’m hoping you will.” His heart pounded.
The smile was back, and she ran a couple steps toward him. Red curls bouncing around her head, she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.
“Does this mean I’m forgiven?” he asked.
She planted a long, hard kiss on his lips. “You’re forgiven.”
Those words were like music to his ears, but there were three little words he’d give anything to hear. “Is there something you’d like to add?”
She sighed as he ran his lips along the sensitive skin on her neck. “Get your clothes off?”
“I can arrange that, but I’m thinking you might have something more important to say to me?”
Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she grinned at him. “You’re hot when you look so serious.”
He shifted and made to put her down.
“Okay, okay. I love you,” she said, stopping him. “God, I’ve never said that to another man before. I’ve never even come close.”
“Then I’m one lucky guy.”
“If you kiss me, I’ll make you even luckier.”
He didn’t mistake the invitation in her gaze. Carrying her, he moved closer to the wall and pushed her against it.
