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“I…um…since I agreed to rent this place to you, it isn’t right for me to keep my work stuff here. I came to pack everything and move it into the main house so you won’t have to worry about me disturbing your peace.”
“What if I welcome your brand of disturbance?” He peers up at me and the sunlight spotlights his green eyes, making it difficult to tear my gaze away.
“That’s very sweet, but I doubt I’ll be able to concentrate, knowing that my work is a distraction.”
“Stay.” His implacable response shakes me.
Even Jackpot watches me with beseeching eyes.
“If you become a distraction, I promise to let you know.”
“Why would you want me in your space? You said this is the first time you’ve had time to breathe. I don’t want to be the reason you need to hold your breath.”
He chuckles and plucks the glass from my hands. After setting it on a table, he takes my hands in his and pulls me closer to his body, our gazes linked on each other. The golden flecks in his green eyes draw me in. Although a sliver of space separates us, I’ve never felt more grounded or more connected to anyone.
“If I ever need to hold my breath in your presence, it won’t be for the same reasons.” His breath fans my face.
All of a sudden, I wish he would wrap his arms around me.
“Please,” he says.
The rest of my resistance crumbles under his simple request.
“Okay, but only as long as I don’t disrupt you.”
A shadow clouds his eyes and disappears so fast I question what I saw. I pull my hands from his hold. “You’ve thought of something, haven’t you?”
“Yes, and no. You won’t disrupt me, but I can’t speak for your grandmothers. They stopped by yesterday to offer their help.”
“Help? Please tell me you declined.” I quake from imagining what Glamma and G-mama have up their sleeves.
One side of his mouth rises in an all-too-attractive smile. “Of course I didn’t. They want you to fall for me, and I want to see where this thing between us goes.”
“I don’t think you understand what you’ve agree to. You can say goodbye to your privacy. Me being here will be the least—”
He silences me with a finger over my lips. “Wewill shape our relationship.”
“There’s no way my grandmothers will leave us to figure things out. What am I saying? I never agreed to pursuing a relationship with you.” I step away, letting our hands fall apart. Left with cold air against my skin, I ignore the sense of loss I feel without his warm, callused hands holding mine.
“You may not have agreed verbally, but your reaction just now means some part of you wants to pursue a relationship with me.” He brushes my hair behind my ear and I have to fight the urge to lean into the caress. “What’s the worst that could happen if you say yes?”
CHAPTEREIGHT
Cameron
Istare at the boxes I’ve just signed for as Khadijah’s warning plays in my mind. This is the fourth delivery today from Rhys and Hanson. I have an inkling what’s inside the boxes although I have yet to open one. The packages come from the label’s preferred music supply store. As I haul the boxes inside, wondering why I didn’t refuse this last delivery, muted footsteps head my way.
My body goes on high alert. Like Pavlov’s dog, I’m ready for my reward. I don’t have to wait long before she turns the corner with her four-legged companion and I get an eyeful. Her refusal to answer me yesterday, means I don’t know why she is here today.
She’s not holding moving boxes but that doesn’t mean she plans on working here. Even if she plans to work here during the day, her presence doesn’t answer the more important question I have. Does she mean to give us a try? My heart speeds double time just thinking about it.
I glance at the boxes filling my arms. How am I going to explain this gift to her without revealing that I’m the drummer for Liquid Obsession? It’s not that I intend to keep my identity a secret forever. Life on the road has taught me to be leery of people who want to get close to me. Unlike the women who randomly appear on my tour bus or hotel room, Kenya practically runs in the opposite direction when I’m close.
Without the time for her to get to know me, I won’t be able to trust what develops between us completely, but I can’t walk away either. The thought alone causes my system to rebel. Sweat breaks out all over my body and my heart goes into panic mode, beating uncontrollably until I can envision talking to her. Something so simple, yet powerful enough to soothe my agitation.
“Did I come at a bad time?” she asks, fidgeting from one foot to the other.
“There isn’t such a thing.” I back into my place, unable to glance away from her.
