Page 59 of Midnight Dissonance

“Fine.” Josh pulled away from the curb.

She hated how much Lisa’s condescension still hurt. How much she wished it didn’t matter that the people who were supposed to love and support her just didn’t care for her all that much. And never had.

Once they were on the freeway, Josh reached over and took her hand in his, threading their fingers together and giving them a gentle squeeze.

And all she wanted to do was crawl across the center console and have him hold her.

17

Josh didn’t like the mood Lexi was in. The moment she exited the house with her shoulders hunched, he knew something was up. What had happened since this morning? Because something was really wrong. She’d been happy when he dropped her off, flirty and kissing him with such passion he had spent his entire drive home hard as a fecking rock.

And she’d seemed in good spirits when they had texted throughout the day. So he didn’t believe it had anything to do with work. But there was an air of grudging acceptance laced with disappointment emanating from her.

“How was work?”

“Fine. The Java Hut isn’t what one would call intellectually stimulating.”

“Is there anything you like about it?” he asked, navigating the car onto the highway. He wanted to get her back to his place so he could uncover what was going on. Josh wouldn’t force it while they were in the car because he promised he wouldn’t. And he was nothing if not a man of his word.

Plus, she seemed fragile right now. Totally not in keeping with her usual zesty verve.

“It pays decently enough for someone without a college degree, and I get free coffee while I work. Plus, it gives my mind the space needed to write my songs and even compose them in my head.”

“How many of the songs your band performs are ones you wrote?” He knew music was her passion. And perhaps talking about it would put life back in her eyes.

“All of them. And yes, I have the copyright on them, so no one can steal them.”

“You? Really? All of them?” Lexi blew him away with her talent. And he was even more impressed that she wrote the songs they performed.

“Don’t act so surprised.”

“Lass, I’m not surprised. I’m amazed by you. And good girl yourself for getting your songs copyrighted.”

“Why law? What attracted you to studying it and making it your profession?”

Her question threw him off. The last person to ask him that question had been his ex-wife. But with his ex, they had been comparing notes. They had gotten competitive with each other. But Lexi seemed genuinely interested. And it warmed him. He shot her a cocky grin. “Besides the fact that I make a fuck ton of money?”

She laughed, gifting him with a smile that had him lifting their joined hands and kissing the back of her palm.

“Yes, besides that.”

“I like the structure of it. Society needs laws in order to function. But I love figuring out loopholes around a law simply because of the phrasing.”

“So you like breaking the law? I didn’t realize you were such a bad boy.”

“It’s not breaking the law, it’s exploiting it. They’re two different animals. And I’ll have you know that back home, I was considered quite the party animal when I was your age.”

“Do you miss it? Ireland?”

“Yes and no. Ireland is in my soul. It’s in my blood. I love it. Of course, I miss it, but it’s more the people I miss, like my parents and our extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins.” And one day he’d take her to meet his parents, show her the land that would always hold his heart.

“You mean there are more Ryans?” she teased.

“Aye, quite a few.”

“Don’t tell the subs at Eros that, or there will be an envoy headed for Dublin by week's end.”

“Ha! You’re funny.”

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