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“Yeah.” She lowered her gaze, her lashes fluttering against her cheeks. “Axl comes first in everything. I can’t risk him.” She took a deep breath. “Michael, what I do affects him. I can’t make a mistake and hurt my little boy.”
“I understand that. And he’s so lucky to have you. My parents—” He broke off and stared into the distance at the crying seagulls. “Me and Mal weren’t their priority, put it that way.”
“Mal?”
“My older brother. Irish twins.” Michael smiled and curled her hair around his fingers. “He was on the drums at the House of Blues. Giant bald dude. Looks like me not at all. Doesn’t act like me either. Rarely says a word unless he feels like it, and most often they’re rude.”
“Your brother is in your band?”
“No. He’s not. He has no interest in that life. He just pinch hit for Ry when he injured his wris
t. We made a deal. One night only, then he split.”
“But that night he was amazing. I mean, I wasn’t really focused on anyone but you, but I could tell he was really good. I kind of pay attention to drummers, you know, after Snake.”
Michael tipped up her chin, relishing the ruddy flush of her cheeks. Her feelings telegraphed onto her beautiful heart-shaped face like a projector on a wall.
No wonder he was transfixed.
“You were focused on me,” he said quietly. “Just like I was focused on you. Only you. For the last week, you’ve been like a spotlight. You’ve blinded me. I can’t see anything else around your glow.”
“It’s attraction.”
“You’re right. It absolutely is.” He swayed closer, knowing she would be able to feel how hard he was for her. Constantly.
Wanting Chloe had become a primitive beat in his blood. He couldn’t imagine living without that all-consuming need ever again.
“That’s just not all it is.” He traced the bow of her mouth. “I want to get to know all the things I don’t know about you. All the hidden chambers and vaults you hide away to keep them safe. You can open them for me.”
“Let’s say I do. And you get bored. You go on tour, and that pretty Tabitha girl shows up in your dressing room. Then what? I shouldn’t even have a right to get mad, because we did a crazy thing.” Chloe flicked her windblown hair out of her eyes. The sun was lowering in the sky, and with it, up came the chill. “Who gets married after a couple of hours?”
“Two people who’ve been looking for something, and finally found it.”
Her gaze shot to his and stayed. “That’s not enough to build a life on. Chemistry fades. The excitement will fade. It has to.”
“So we don’t build a life yet. We build a relationship, day by day.”
“But we’re married. We’re supposed to have all of this figured out, and how can we? I had to run from reporters to even get here. My picture is everywhere. Today I lost—” She swallowed hard. “I lost so much, and now this is what’s left.”
Of all the questions he needed most to ask, one roared to the fore. “Axl is okay?”
“Yes.” She let out a weak laugh. “My boy is okay, and that’s the most important part. But God, everything else. It’s all such a mess.”
“Let me reassure you on one point.” He tucked her hair behind her ears. “As for Tabitha, she isn’t an issue. I’d vowed never to touch her again before you. After? I barely remember what she looks like.”
Her huff of breath nearly made him smile. “Sure. Right. She’s a gorgeous girl, and you don’t care about her because you’re married to a mother who hasn’t been out on a date in years. Who doesn’t even recall what it means to have fun and be wild. The one weekend I tried to be the girl I used to be, I ended up with a ring.”
“All right, yes, that’s unfortunate.”
She laughed, throwing back her head. “Unfortunate. Yeah. Except everything with you is so bright and full. I feel so full, like I’m going to burst with all the emotions you’ve unlocked inside me. And I can’t. I can’t. I’m a mother now. What I need doesn’t rank.”
“You can’t take care of him if you’re not taking care of yourself.”
“I don’t have the time—”
“So let me. I’m standing right here, and I’ll take care of you so you can take care of him.”
“Why?” she whispered. “Why would you do that?”
