“Indirectly.” I haven’t told her I went to see her dad and Haley. It’s not exactly a secret, but I know it would raise a bunch of questions, and I don’t want to have that conversation right now or stress her out and make her think I might outher.
“My dad wanted to make it as a musician. He couldn’t, and he blamed it on me. I’ve always been afraid of doing that to someone else. Of getting in so deep in a relationship I can’t get out. Living with you and your dad and Haley? It was the first family I had. But your dad handed me an exit and… I’m not gonna say he told me to take it, because it’s all onme.
“I wanted to be enough for you. I’m not yet. But I won’t stop trying until Iam.”
Annie’s hands slide down to my shoulders. From the expression on her face, I know she sees the way I feel abouther.
“Tyler.” Her throat works, and her voice has me aching to pull her closer. “You were always enough for me. Even when we were friends back in Philly. I’d never met anyone like you, and I never have since. You’re kind and smart and so talented, but that’s not what I see when I look at you. I see the way you care for people and look out for them. I see your heart. You try to protect it, and I get why, but you don’t have to try sohard.”
“No?” I can barely breathe, and she shakes herhead.
“I’ll protect it,too.”
Fuck. This girl walks around trying to prove herself when just getting out of bed in the morning means she’senough.
I kiss her because I can’t not kiss this girl—this woman, the one who’s grown up under my gaze and when I wasn’tlooking.
“I’m going to tell my dad about the showcase,” she says, pulling back. “And send him aninvitation.”
“Good.” Relief washes over me. I didn’t realize just how twisted up I was about her secret until she said those words. “But first… come home with me,” I murmur against herlips.
She lifts a brow. “A sleepover soundsfun.”
“Wasn’t planning onsleeping.”
I’ve never let myself believe I could have everything I wanted, but between her and my music, I’m so damnedclose.
16
Iwakeup to light streaming through thewindow.
I’m in Tyler’s bed, wearing only his T-shirt.
I inch toward the side of it, but a tattooed arm bands aroundme.
“Come back,” the arm’s ownergrunts.
Before I can respond, Tyler tugs me back against his warm, hardbody.
Last night I went to see his show, and he was incredible. Then we came back to his apartment, where Tyler shut the door on Beck with barely ahello.
I would have protested if I hadn’t wanted him so badlytoo.
After the amount of sex we’ve had, that wanting should’ve wornoff.
It’s unreal that ithasn’t.
“I have morning breath,” I warn as I turn in hisarms.
“Don’tcare.”
He pulls me against him, kissingme.
He tugs the hem of my T-shirt up and off, and I run my hands over his beautifulbody.
“Again?” I tease lightly as I feel him harden betweenus.
“Uh-huh.” His mouth drops to my breast, sucking marks into my skin, and I arch against him. “Not close todone.”