Page 88 of Love is a Drum Beat
“It’s that confidence… Parts of your life are dark, Jo. Yet, you’re still here ready to give your daughter everything you never had.”
“I won’t ever let her doubt how much I love her.”
“I know you won’t. Because your strength mesmerizes me.”
Jo poked his side. “I’m not the only strong one, Mr. ‘I’m going to blow my anonymity out the window. I know you told me about it before Ali appeared, but I didn’t really give it enough thought until you’d left. You didn’t have to do that. Not for me.”’
Dax reached down, entwining her fingers with his. “Ben told me something tonight, and I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind. I don’t care if people know my face, not anymore. It’s not the scariest thing.”
She looked down at Ali with a smile on her face. “Then, Dax Nelson, what is the scariest thing?”
He pushed her chin up with one finger so she looked at him. Courage, he needed courage. All he had to do was borrow it from the woman in his arms. “Falling in love.”
Her lips parted as a breath left them. “What does this falling in love feel like?”
“It’s fear that makes your heart beat harder and harder until your pulse is the only sound in your ears. It’s doing things you’d never in your life thought you’d do.”
“Like getting into fist fights in supermarkets?”
“Definitely that. It’s fighting over junk food.”
She smiled. “And sitting on the floor outside of the home studio to hear music that speaks to me.”
“Making you eat vegetables and take care of yourself.”
She laughed. “It’s making the quiet man smile. It’s taking care of me when I needed someone.”
“Jo.” He leaned down, looking into her eyes. “I will always take care of you.”
A tear dripped down her cheek. “I can—”
“Take care of yourself. We all know that. But maybe, sometimes, you could let me do it.”
“Only if I get to take care of you too.”
“Deal.” He moved slowly, savoring every moment of anticipation.
Jo had less patience than that, her lips crashing into his with a fierceness mixed with caution. Dax brushed his fingertips over her cheek and into her ridiculous hair.
“Dax,” she whispered against his lips. “I need to tell you something.”
He pulled away. “What’s wrong?”
“At your house… when I kissed you… I lied. It wasn’t the hormones. It was me, but it was also because you were there for me, and I was grateful. I didn’t understand yet everything you were. But this kiss… there’s no gratitude here. It isn’t because you’ve helped me or because you’re here. I just… I need you to know that.”
His lips hovered inches from hers. “It’s because you love me.”
Her eyes widened. “And if I do?”
“I thought we already established it. You and I, Jo Jackson, we’re living a new story now.”
She gave him a half smile. “You could say there’s a new beat to our song.”
“I didn’t know you had a cheesy side.” He pressed another kiss to her lips. “I like it.”
“It’s a good thing because I’m going to raise a cheesy baby. You know Noah will have her reciting his dumb jokes by the time she’s like four.”
“Drew will have her using manipulative smiles and charm to get what she wants. And Ben… he’ll teach her to sing her own tune.”
