The fans won’t mind. In fact, I bet it will make them enjoy the song that much more.”
“And my manager?”
“You can’t put a genie back in its bottle once you let it out,”
I said matter-of-factly. “If he’s against it, so what? The fans will know, and you’ll gain some relief by sharing it.”
“You know, if this shop doesn’t work out, you’d make a wonderful therapist,” she teased, leaning into me.
I forced a smile. “I blame it on all the books I read. It’s just like the hero’s journey. You started on this quest, made a few friends along the way, and now you’ve reached that pivotal moment where a big decision has to be made.”
“So you’re the wise man I come across in the desert?”
“Pretty much, but it isn’t like I’m telling you something you don’t already know. That’s the beauty of the hero’s journey.
I’m simply agreeing with you.”
“Is there a fortune teller I can talk to first?” She bumped shoulders with me and laughed. “Thank you.”
“What for?”
“For being my wise man and…” She blew out a long breath and looked right at me. There was a light shine to her eyes, and when she pressed her forehead to mine, my heart skipped a beat. “For being a friend.”
For a brief moment, I thought she might turn away. I thought she’d take the words back, pull away, then run out the door. She didn’t move, and as we hovered on the very thin edge between friends and something more, I did the one thing I’d been wanting to do ever since she first walked through my door.
I kissed her. It was light and barely there, and I hoped I hadn’t read her wrong. She pushed her lunch to the side, her body stiff against mine. Seconds passed, a minute, possibly more. All the while, I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t take a single breath, fearing it’d push her away.
The feel of her fingertips on the nape of my neck reached my subconscious first, soon followed by a small puff of air as it escaped her parted lips, warm against mine. My heart faltered and stopped, starting up again as she leaned in, a short breath away.
Fire surged under my skin as nerves bunched in my stomach. Wrapping my arms around her, I left enough room for her to get away. I knew how I felt about her, but I had no idea how she felt about me. No one knew or had ever seen her in a relationship, so if this was wrong, if I was wrong, then—
Her lips touched mine, silencing my thoughts. In one fleeting moment, I leaned in, delighting in the feel of her fingers in my hair.
The air rushed from my lungs, my heart hammering in my chest as the room swirled around us in wide circles. She was kissing me. Cassidy Blake was kissing me. Not the singer or songwriter, but the woman I’d spent my days with, reminisced with, and shared books with. The kind of woman I could see spending the rest of my life with.
My heart skipped at that, but even as I tried to push the thought back, it continued to bombard my mind.
But she’s going on tour soon, a small voice in the back of my head murmured.
I didn’t care, and as time slowly jumped back into motion, I lost myself under her touch and the sweet taste of her lips.
When we finally separated, we were both breathless, and Cassidy’s hair was frizzier than before.
I touched my fingers to my lips, the warm skin still tingling where her lips had been. “That was—”
“Something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time,” she finished for me, her cheeks darkening with color.
“But won’t it complicate things?” I asked, unable to hold the words back even if I’d tried.
“No more complicated than it’s already been,” she said, her words just as sweet and kind as before.
“But your tour,” I argued, not sure what to say.
“Isn’t happening for a few more weeks.” That time her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Don’t ruin this,” she begged, taking my hands in hers. “Let’s just be p
resent for a little while longer.”
Nodding, I met her in a kiss that was just as hungry and aggressive as before. As our meals turned cold, we lay in the tower, losing ourselves in each other’s company and the time we had left together.