Page 118 of Shallow

“No surgery comes without risks,Shy.”

Her eyebrows pinch together, and I swear I see second thoughts in her eyes. “I know, but modeling is all I’ve never known. And LA is myhome.”

“So is MyrtleBeach.”

“No, this is your home.” Unable to meet my eyes, she focuses on the hem of her black dress as she rolls it between her fingers. “Once my sentence is over, what’s left for me here, Cary? Marrying some rich asshole like my mother? Throwing tea parties every weekend so he can go out of town on business and fuck his secretary? No, thank you,” shehuffs.

Sliding across the couch, I cup her scarred cheek, tracing the top of it with my thumb. “You’ve got it so wrong, Shiloh. About who you are and where you belong. Someday you’re gonna realizethat.”

Closing her eyes, she leans into my touch. “I’mscared.”

“You always have been. From the very beginning, you’ve run from the things you want themost.”

“Tell me to stay,Cary.”

God, she has no idea how badly I want to say those words to her. But I’d be kidding myself to think she’s come here for anything other than a clear conscience. Shiloh doesn’t want me to tell her to stay. She wants me to give her the push she needs toleave.

“I can’t.” Pulling my hand away, I brush my knuckles across her chin “You’d end up resenting me for it, and that’d be worse than losingyou.”

Growing up, my mom loved to quote cheesy lines that made us roll our eyes. As Shiloh sits in front of me, holding onto my wrist with tears rolling down her face, I finally understand one of herfavorites.

If you love something let it go. If it comes back to you, it’s yours. If it doesn’t, it never was, and it’s not meant tobe.

“You have to go,” I say, gently prying her hands off myarm.

Licking a tear off her lip, she squeezes my hand. “Come with me. I promise you’ll learn to loveHollywood.”

She’s grasping at straws, but I can’t be her safetynet.

“You know I can’t do that. My life is here, and the boys needme.”

“Why is this so hard?” she sobs, covering her face. “I walked away from you. This shouldn’t be thishard.”

I lower her hands and make her look at me. Her eyes are red and swollen, and tears have streaked dark lines of mascara down her cheeks. She’s never looked morebeautiful.

“This is who you were born to be, Shiloh. The difference is that now, you own the world. It doesn’t ownyou.”

“Will you forget aboutme?”

“How can I? You’re unforgettable.” Running my thumbs underneath her eyes, I catch two more falling tears. “No regrets,Starshine.”

I’m not sure who moves first, but all I know is our lips are pressed together and I’m kissing her. There’s no frenzied rush to possess her. This time I’m taking my time, memorizing the way her lips move and the unforgettable taste of rain andsunshine.

Scooping her up, I hold her tightly against my chest and carry her to my bedroom. She closes her eyes and tangles her fingers in my hair, kissing me back just asslowly.

I guess she’s creating her own memoriestoo.

Forty-Two

Shiloh

“Stop the car!”Iscream.

Malcolm glances in the rearview mirror, his eyes no longer full of the compassion they held as he dragged my suitcases down two flights of stairs this morning. “Miss West, we’re already late for the airport because you’ve made me take every exit and side street in town so you could ‘soak it all in,’ as you call it. I can’t stop a limousine in the middle of thestreet.”

I don’t have time for thisshit.

“Stop the car, or I’m jumping out ofit.”