Page 133 of With Stars in Her Eyes

Courtney grinned. She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it over. “I heard about that too.”

“You heard I’m a parasocial internet stalker? What is that?”

“An addendum.”

“An addendum?”

“Any relationships begun before the terms of the contract are outside of the contract’s terms… or something like that, I think. I figured I should bring it to you myself, along with an apology. I also didn’t know if it presumed too much.”

“Presumed too much? Um… definitely not. I sent you on your merry way to be a rock star. It was a hiatus. I told you it wasn’t athird-act breakup. I just didn’t want you to use me as an excuse to give up something you love.”

Courtney’s eyes shone. “You really still want me even though I messed everything up so badly?”

“Do you think I send sexy fruit to every girl I’ve ever been with?”

“God,” Courtney said with a sniff. “I hoped not.”

Marshall came out the door from behind me. “I’m going to head out.”

“Where are you going?”

“Ah. Demetrius just texted me. We’re going to go get coffee. Says the rest of the band is still scheduled to come into town in a few days… Don’t wait up.”

Courtney and I both stared at the giant man who might be blushing. Either that or his neck had gotten suddenly sunburned after his weeks of studying inside. Marshall didn’t give either of us any time to comment further on his plans, because he hopped in his truck and drove off.

“You don’t think anything is going on between…” I squinted at the spot where Marshall’s truck disappeared down the road.

Courtney appeared torn between laughter and shock. “Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“Marshallhasbeen whistling a lot more lately.” I looked down at the paper in my hands because I was confused about why my hands were anywhere except on Courtney. “So, I should sign this sex addendum, right?”

“It’s not a sex addendum.”

“It’s the addendum that will let me have sex with you without violating my photography contract.”

“True.”

“Let me grab a pen.”

After I signed, I tossed the paper toward the table, not caring where it landed. The golden centers of Courtney’s eyes glowed. I pulled Courtney into my arms, slanting my mouth over hers. When we parted, my voice shook. “Imissedyou.”

“Same.” Courtney sniffed again. “Demetrius said if I wrote one more sad, lovesick song he was going to have to quit writing with me because I was too pathetic.”

“You wrote songs about me?” I blinked.

Courtney touched my chin. “Most of them arereallybad. I wasn’t in a great head space when we left. But there’s one called the ‘Sea of Grass’ that has potential.”

“You wrote about that day?”

“Parts of it.”

“Which parts? I want to hear.”

“Honestly, the only parts of anything I’m thinking about now are the parts of you I want to kiss. And how happy I am to be here with you.”

With a small smirk, I led Courtney to my room. I didn’t feel a hint of embarrassment when Courtney saw that last book she had sent me out on the antique cherry nightstand. Right next to a very particular something that I probably should have left in a more discreet location, especially given that this was a rental house.

Courtney’s smile became slightly wilder than before. She reached for my shirt and eased it over my head. I wasn’t wearing a bra beneath it. Courtney’s small shake of awed breathlessness unleashed everything I had been holding back.