Page 73 of #Moonstruck

Ryan stood and began walking toward me slowly, like I was a wounded animal that would bite him if frightened. “Did you like the song?”

Like it? I’d been ready to have its babies. “No.”

He hesitated, his face falling. “No?”

“I mean, no, I didn’t just like it. It’s ...” I trailed off, not knowing how to convey to him what it had made me feel. “I spend all my free time trying to funnel my emotions into words, and I can’t even think of anything nice enough to tell you how much I loved it.”

“That’s one of the best compliments I’ve ever received for my work.”

“All those Grammy Awards don’t count?”

“Not nearly as much.” Now he was close. He reached out and gently pried my fingers off the jar, then put it down on the table.

“I haven’t figured anything out,” I blurted before he could do anything else. “Earlier? That wasn’t a decision. It was ... more of a reaction.”

He had a slight frown that quickly disappeared. “I can wait.”

“It’s not just that. My brothers are all convinced that something will happen between us, we’ll break up, and you’ll fire us. We really need this job. And a good-enough reputation to get future jobs.”

His hands settled on my hips. “Is that what’s got you worried? I promise I won’t fire you. No matter what. Even if I catch you cheating on me with Vince.”

I smiled at the image of me kissing our bus driver.

“I also promise not to hurt your chances of getting any other gig. I’ll put all that in writing if you want.” He urged me closer, and I didn’t resist. In part because he’d just erased one of the things I was most worried about. He’d lifted a huge burden off my shoulders, and I almost felt as light as I had earlier when we’d kissed.

He rested his forehead against mine. Our chests rose and contracted in unison, our breath mingling together. I closed my eyes, loving the feeling of standing so close to him.

“In an hour I’m going to California for the US Music Awards. Be my date for the show. Come with me.”

To California? Together? We’d only just kissed for the first time. His offer made me take a step back. I wasn’t worried about getting fired, but I was worried about my ability to resist his masculine wiles if we were alone. I wasn’t ready for that. “What? I can’t, you know, go away with you.”

“Fox, Vince, and one of the other drivers are coming, too. It’s an eighteen-hour drive, and they have to switch off.”

I walked around him, rubbing my arms. His touch still managed to make me all shivery. It was better that he wasn’t suggesting we go off alone together. But that would be a long road trip. I sat on the couch he’d recently vacated. “Flying must be terrible for you.”

He sat next to me. “I’ve tried everything. Hypnosis, sedatives, therapy, special training courses designed to help you get over your fear of flying. I just can’t.”

I nodded. It wasn’t like I had anything else planned, but this felt like a really big step. Was I ready to take that kind of risk?

“I’ll make you a bet. If I win, you come with me. If you win, you stay here and be miserable and miss me every second.” He leaned back and settled into the corner of the couch.

“What kind of bet?”

Ryan considered this. “I bet I can guess your birthday.”

Well, he had a one-in-365 chance of getting it right. My birthday was actually in two weeks, something that had slipped my mind in the chaos that had become my life. He’d never guess it. I would win, and he would leave me behind.

Was that disappointment I felt?

“Do we have a deal?” He held out his hand, offering to shake on it.

“Deal.” Tingles shot through my arm as he enveloped my hand.

Before we’d even stopped shaking, he said, “May thirtieth.”

My mouth dropped open. “How did you do that?”

“Your brothers told me.”

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