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Pike’s eyes were earnest, his hold on her hand tight, like he really was afraid she’d hit him or something. But all she could do was stare at him in disbelief.
Someone wanted her song. A popular singer wanted her song. Her song.
Tears came to her eyes, weird uncontrolled emotions surfacing. Excitement. Fear. Awe. She couldn’t breathe.
“Hey,” he said, squeezing her knee. “You okay?”
“I—Pike. Are you sure this is real? Like I sign that contract and it’s real? Or can they change their mind? Or …”
His smile was quick and genuine. “It’s real, mama. You’re a gifted songwriter. This is your dream for the taking.”
She put her hand on her forehead. “This is crazy. You sold my song. You sold my song. I’m not sure if I want to beat you for doing this behind my back or kiss you.”
He gave her a roguish grin. “You could do both. Didn’t I hear Reagan say that she was spending tomorrow night at your brother’s?”
She snort-laughed. “Oh my God. You seriously just made my dream happen so you could get laid, didn’t you?”
He nodded. “Totally. I have no scruples. Did it work?”
She shoved his shoulder. “No. I mean, I love you for this, but …”
Pike’s smile froze halfway up. Shit. Had she just said I love you? She totally had.
“I mean, I told you we can’t keep doing this,” she said, trying to cover her slipup.
He grabbed the hand she’d pushed him with, his gaze going pensive, the humor leaving his voice. “Why?”
“You know why.”
His thumb rubbed over her knuckles. “Tell me.”
She looked down. “Come on, Pike. Don’t make me say it.”
“I want to hear it, Oakley.”
She sighed. “Because it’s starting to mean something, all right?”
He put a finger under her chin and lifted her face to him. “Newsflash, mama, I’m okay with that.”
She closed her eyes. “Pike, if this is because I might be preg—”
“Stop. This isn’t about whether you are or you aren’t. I’m not asking you to spend tomorrow night with me out of obligation or some sense of duty. I like being around you. This is new territory for me, too. Believe me. This has gotten messy and complicated. Feelings are involved. But I’m of the school of living in the moment. And in this moment, I want to be with you. We’ll deal with the rest another day.”
“I take the test Saturday morning, Pike.”
“I know, mama,” he said quietly. “And we can be together for it. Spending the night together has got to be better than staying up all night worrying about things you have no control over, right?”
She raised her gaze to his and smirked. “But I’m so good at worrying about things I can’t change. I’m like gold-medal good at it.”
A slow grin moved across his lips. “And I’m gold-medal good at getting your mind off those things. Were you worrying about anything after I showed up at your house the other night?”
“Well, the donuts were a good distraction.”
He reached out and pinched her thigh. “Never an inch with you.”
“And always a good number of inches with you.”
He laughed and rolled his chair a little closer until their knees were touching. “Is that a yes, Ms. Easton, to me and my inches?”
