Page 41 of Edge of Heaven

“But… you never called,” I whisper in frustration.

“Iknow.” He looks equally frustrated. “Believe me, I know. We talked about this—twenty-two-year-old me was a dumbass.”

“And now it’s too late,” I say sadly.

“Is it?” He cocks his head. “We’re here. Together on tour…”

“I can’t… be like him,” I say slowly. “Even though I don’t love him and I’m starting to hate him, I don’t ever want to be a cheater. And honestly, if we were going to be together, I wouldn’t want to start something in the middle of all this…drama. I would want us to have a fresh start.”

“I understand that.”

“So…what now?” I’m almost afraid to ask.

“Now, we eat dinner.” He motions to the feast laid out before us. “And drink that bottle of champagne to celebrate what might be a lucrative deal with Rock Vibe. Maybe watch a movie. No pressure, Taryn. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. It’s been four years. What’s four more months?”

How did I let a guy like this go?

Is it even possible for us to be nothing but friends for four long months?

Anything else would be impossible at this point, with Callum watching me like a hawk and me trying to stay under everyone’s radar.

But I could really use a friend.

“Come on—let’s eat,” he says gently, lifting the cover off his plate.

The aroma hits me like a physical blow, and my stomach immediately rumbles. I haven’t eaten anything but a granola bar all day so I’m starving, and I quickly take a bite of the baked potato.

“Oh, that’s good.”

He smiles and pours us two glasses of champagne.

“Shall we toast to Rock Vibe?”

“We should,” I say, taking the proffered glass. “To Hettie and Rock Vibe.”

“And to making a fuck-ton of money.”

“Amen to that.” We clink our glasses and for the first time in months, the tension drains out of me.

For the next few hours, maybe a day, I don’t have to worry about Callum, Toby, or anything else. Twenty-four stolen hours of time, where I can just relax and think about the possibilities of good things in my future.

Chapter13

Mick

I wake to feel a warm,soft body pressed to mine, and my eyes pop open.

Taryn’s back is pressed to my front and she’s fast asleep.

One of my arms is draped over her but we’re both fully dressed, on top of the blankets.

We drank the bottle of champagne and sat up half the night talking. At some point, she dozed off so I put her on the bed, fully intending to sleep on the little couch by the window, but she’d reached out a hand. Whispered something about trusting me. How it was cold, and I’m too tall for the little love seat.

So I crawled onto the bed without hesitation.

And I don’t know if she’s truly asleep, but if she isn’t, she has to feel the erection pressing against her round little ass. Even with two layers of clothing between us.

I have to move because this is torture.

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