Page 98 of When the Stars Rise

“You said I’m the boy who always wanted to fly, and you’re the girl who wanted two feet on the ground. But that’s not true.”

“No?”

He smiles. “No. You’ve always been reaching for the stars, and that’s impossible to do if you’re stuck on the ground.” He sweeps his arm toward the arena. “Look how far you’ve flown.”

God. I love him so much. What an incredible thing to say.

Look how far you’ve flown.

And that does it. I burst into tears. Tears of joy mingled with all the emotions of seeing Shiloh again and finding our way back to a better place.

Tonight I really do feel as if I could fly.

We say our goodbyes backstage and Brody pulls me into one of his special Brody hugs. I call them special because I think he’s something special and because he gives really good hugs.

He still smells the same as I remember, like leather and cedar, rugged and masculine like him. The scent takes me back to all those happy days I spent on his ranch.

“Make sure you come and visit us, you hear?” Brody says. “We miss you something fierce.”

“I miss you too. And I’ll be home for Christmas. Promise.”

Brody gives me a big smile, but it’s eclipsed by Noah’s.

Here comes the sun.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Hayley

“Christmas, huh?”Noah says on the ride back to the bus.

I grin. “I thought I’d wear a short plaid skirt.”

His gaze roams down my body, slow and leisurely, as if he’s imagining how I look under the leggings and oversized hoodie I changed into after the show, and he gives me a slow, lazy grin. “My naughty schoolgirl is making a comeback.”

I flutter my lashes and drop my voice so it’s low and seductive. “I could be your naughty schoolgirl tonight.”

“Mmm, you could. You look like you could use a good spanking.”

I give him a wide-eyed, innocent look. “Are you going to put me over your knee and punish me?”

He responds with a growl that’s so deep and guttural that it makes my core clench.

I unzip my hoodie and fan my face like it’s too hot to handle in the back seat of this car. “Is it hot in here? Or is it just me?”

As soon as the SUV stops next to the bus, Noah drags me out of the car and throws me over his shoulder. I’m laughing as hecarries me onto the bus and jogs right past the driver. Ed doesn’t even bat an eye.

Thank God we have good soundproofing on this bus, though.

Inside my bedroom, Noah kicks the door shut behind us and turns on the lights then dims them with the switch on the wall.

“I want to see you.” He sets me on my feet, and then he slams me against the wall.Hard.

I lift my chin, a challenge in my tone. “What do you want to see?”

Without responding, he grabs the neckline of my dress in both hands.

“Oh no. You wouldn’t dare—” I hear the fabric ripping and gasp, my eyes widening when he literally rips the dress off my body and tosses it aside.