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My heart swelled, doubling in size. Warmth flooded through my body and pooled in the center of my chest. She loves me. Yep, I was a lost cause. “Fuck, Tia. I can’t do this anymore.”

“Do what?” Sheer panic flickered through her eyes.

“Keep up this act.” I’d never be an actor. I sucked at pretending.

Grabbing her hand, I dragged her out of the room into the deserted foyer. By the golf tournament notice board, I spun her ’round to face me. Before she could draw in air or utter a word, I pinned her against the brick wall and kissed her. Kissed her hard and deep. Fiery, hot hunger coiled through my veins. The taste of her lips was pure heaven. Each lick, nip, and suck, each hungry bite and crush of her mouth against mine blazed through my soul. Her arms around my shoulders were the touches I needed. Her body pressed against mine was what I craved every day.

“Oh wow.” She curled her fingers around the back of my neck, sending shockwaves down my spine. “I nearly died in there. I thought I was too late. I’d thought I’d lost you.”

Catching my breath, I murmured against her lips, “I was seconds away from catching a plane home to you.”

“Yeah?” Tears glistened in her eyes. “I’m glad I caught you in time and got here first. I don’t want to waste another second being apart.”

I caressed the sides of her head, tipping her chin a fraction upward. “Is everything a race to you?”

She threw me a saucy smile. “I like coming first.”

I chuckled. God, I’d missed her sass. “I know you do. I like making you come first.” Standing in the middle of the foyer wasn’t the best place to contemplate sex, but my hardening dick disagreed. Tia’s touch didn’t help. Grinding my hips forward, I crushed my groin against hers to let her know how happy I was to see her. Hmm. So good. Closing my eyes, I inhaled her sweet perfume into every cell in my system. “What made you change your mind about us?”

Her body melted into me. Yeah. That was where she belonged.

“The truth did.” Serenity softened her voice. “I fucked up. Big time. I was trying to make everybody happy and put everyone’s needs before my own. It just ended up hurting everyone. Injuring my ankle again sent me spiraling backward. Needing more painful surgery and time to recover messed with my head. Even with the sprain, I didn’t want to burden anyone or be waited on. I’m stubborn like that.”

I smoothed my thumb across her cheek. “You are stubborn, but you’re not a burden. I’ll always be here for you. Even if you didn’t want me as a lover, I’d be here as your friend.” It’d kill me, but I wanted her in my life.

She brushed her thumb across my lips. “I wanted you so much, but the texts from Emilio frightened me. So did my past. So did the way I felt about you. I went into flight mode. But no more running. I’m here. For you.” She slid her hand onto my chest and played with one of the open buttons on my dress shirt. Hmm. I’d be happy if she undid the rest, took my clothes off, and had her way with me right there in the foyer. The desire darkening her eyes suggested she wanted to do just that. But she drew in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. Clearly, she had more control than I did, and more was on her mind. Within a heartbeat, tears welled in her eyes. “I’m so sorry I hurt you. I was afraid to love you more, even more afraid to lose you. I’ve lost too many people I’ve cared about. I don’t want to lose anyone else.”

“Me either.” I pressed my forehead. “I want us to work. But I don’t want to fall for you more and more to have you leave and break me again.”

“I won’t. I’m in this for the long haul.” Smiling, she stared at my chest. She traced her fingertips across the top of my bullock’s head tattoo. It was as if she was drawing on its powerful meaning for strength. She lifted her chin. Her gaze connected with mine. “I was so messed up when I came home to LA, but you helped me find my way. You taught me it’s okay to take time to question things and to not be afraid. It’s okay to start again.” She flattened her hand against my skin. “But I don’t want you to start again. Not this time. No more running away or moving to another city or finding a new band to play with. You have a home and are surrounded by people who love and care about you. Especially me.”

My heart pounded against her touch. I hadn’t had a place to call my own or family to care about for so long. LA had given me so much more than I’d ever dreamed of.

I clutched her hand against my tattoo. That ink was there for a reason. I was strong. I had new confidence. I’d gotten a little off-course over the past few weeks, but I was back on track. With Tia. What we had was worth fighting for. “I’d like to stick around if that’s okay?”

“Yeah. I’d love that.” She kissed my knuckles. “I was worried the fire between us would burn out. That one day, you’d come to your senses and go back to men. I thought it was a sex thing...but clearly that hasn’t presented any boundaries.” She flashed me a wicked smile but was quick to turn serious again. “I questioned what I could offer you no one else could. Why would you love me more than anyone else? What made me special? I had to dig deep—”

“Tia, you are special,” I cut in, pressing her hand closer to my heart. “You’re amazing and stronger than you think. At first, it was impossible to fathom being with you. But this blaze that ignites in my soul whenever you’re near drives me crazy. You’re impossible to ignore. At the end of the day, I just wanted to find someone, a person, to love me. With all my flaws, and history, and messed up life...just love me, no matter what. It took time to process and let someone new in, but that person is you.”

Her eyes glistened and she nodded. “That’s why the answer to what I can give you became so clear. I can give you everything. We’re more than friends; we’re soul mates. Kindred spirits. We have incredible fun together. You’re embedded in the band that is a huge part of my life. Our careers align. We like the same things in the bedroom...That’s so freaking hot and horny.” She cupped my cheek. “Lewis, I love you. I want our future to be together. I want children. One day, we can have a family. We can grow old together. So, what makes me special? I’m a little damaged and dented, but I’m the complete fucking package.”

I swayed on my feet. She saw us having a family? God. I wanted that. She was my everything. I clutched the back of her head and drew her mouth to mine. Kissing her had never tasted so sweet. So warm. So fine. Every touch of her lips sent an inferno rushing through my body. I rubbed the back of her head, smoothing my hands over her silky-soft hair. “Tia, you’re my package—no one else’s. I’ve missed you so freaking much.”

“I’m yours. I’ve never felt this way about anyone. Not Phil. Nor Rhett. Only you. I can’t let that go.” She gripped the lapels of my jacket and gave them a gentle pull. “If you ran away, I’d find you. I’d fight for you, hunt you down, follow you to the ends of the earth. That’s how much I want to be with you. I want to travel and take on the world with you and be by your side every day. I’ve never been more madly in love with anyone than I am with you.”

I teased my mouth against hers and smiled against her lips. “You’re sounding a touch obsessive.” Thing was, I liked it. It made my blood rush to my dick.

“Mmm. Maybe a little.” She slid her hand down my chest, then snaked her arms around my waist. Clutching my ass, she pulled me forward, hard up against her body. “I might tie you up, but you’d like that.”

“That would be a yes.” My balls ached in anticipation. It wasn’t too early to leave the wedding, right? But wait...I needed some final clarity. “So no more secrecy, right?”

She shook her head. “No more sneaking around. No more lies. No more games. You never wanted to hide from the world once we got together, nor lie about it. I want to be your girlfriend and for everyone to know I’m yours. You’re right. Fuck what people say. There is nothing...absolutely nothing...the media could write about me that hasn’t already been printed. Let them brand me as your scandalous lover, your sexual-converting vixen, your tempting tigress. We’ll probably get backlash from the queer community too, saying you can’t change who you are or you were always bisexual. Whatever the haters post, print, or preach, I don’t care. We know the truth. We found each other, fell in love, went through emotional hell, but now we’re here. I love you and just want to be yours.”

“I want that too.”

She snaked her hands around my neck and kissed me. “Let’s ride or die.”

“Oh, I’m definitely in for the ride.” And I prayed it would be a long one, hopefully forever. I pulled back, but it was only so I could kiss her again. And again.