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The soulful piano music began, and she launched into the song. Her voice was soft at first, but there was something different than the last times when she’d performed. There was intensity. She was playing with the volume, the emotion, the way that she said the words, making the song into her own.
She paused before the drum solo and then belted out the start of the chorus. She had him swallowing for air. The energy felt tangible. He could feel her soul behind the words as she got into the passion of the song… so much so that he forgot that he was mentally coaching her on taking her breaths, kneading her shoulders through telepathy, and doing anything that he could to get through her fear.
“I never really cared until I met you.” The words hit him, so that the song became more than who she was.
She was doing it—she was having fun.
“How can I get you alone?” she sang to him. That felt a little too real right now. He definitely wanted to get her alone.
Her voice was magic. It had the power to flip him on his head, and make him sit up and pay attention. The velvety tones were as beautiful as when he’d first heard her singing on the porch at the Bridges’ Orchard in Harvest Ranch. She’d been singing to the chickens about a starry night, and just like that he’d been transported to the fields of South Carolina where she’d grown up.
He’d never told her that he’d sat up against an apple tree and peeled apple after apple for his momma’s famous apple pie, just so that he had an excuse ready if someone asked him why he was listening in on her impromptu concert.
Before that, she’d only been a pretty face, but then she became something else. She’d communicated to his heart that day, and she didn’t even know it.
Just like she had no idea what she was doing to him now.
Finding her calling wasn’t his doing. Her talents were bigger than his words—she probably didn’t even understand her gift—and still he was grateful that he could play a part.
It was easy to help someone else with their flaws, but his own? Well, he had his own things to work through, kind of like someone who knew chocolate was bad for him and kept eating it. Nash had done what he had to do to make his way in this world… but, West had made that a little harder lately. He never should’ve followed his brother here to Nashville. He could admit that now.
And if he hadn’t? He would never have been able to reach Emily like this.
He was mesmerized by the warmth of her bewitching tones. She watched him like he was her world. Was this only an act for her? How could he get her to consider him for real?
She closed her eyes, and he was ensnared by the smoky makeup on her lids. Her soft mouth was opened slightly. All thought left him. He didn’t care that she wasn’t through with her song; he didn’t care that more spectators were sliding inside, crowding the floor, cheering.
Why should he start caring now? He was lost in her.
He stood and caught her waist, slowly inching her closer to him, every part of him intent on bringing her lips to his.
“Oh.” Her hands dropped. The mic bounced against her side as he caught her to him. He listened to the rush of her heart against his chest, but nothing like the fear that he’d felt in her in front of those rodeo crowds. Seeing the energy in her eyes, he realized just how much she was enjoying herself.
He was, too. Her lips were just waiting to be kissed and he took advantage of this moment to communicate to her exactly what was going on between them. His mouth moved over hers in a kiss that he hoped revealed everything that he felt about her. Nothing about this was fake. Her soft skin felt so great against his, though he supposed he should apologize for his scruff.
She smiled against his lips as he kissed her, drawing back to watch him wryly. “Oh yeah…” she said breathlessly, “the cameras.”
His stomach clenched. That wasn’t why he was kissing her. “I don’t need excuses,” he said.
A confused expression clouded her face as she watched him under thick lashes. Wow. He liked it when she did that. Would she let him kiss her again? Probably not, especially if she thought this was all for show.
She laughed with embarrassment.
How to get her to go for him… really go for him? None of this pretend stuff. He’d dated plenty of women, so it wasn’t as if he didn’t know how to win a heart, but how could he win a heart like Emily’s? That would take some doing.
Was he even worthy of her?
The unwelcome thought intruded in his mind like a punch to the gut. He had his own problems like everyone else. Ugh. That was kind of an understatement, wasn’t it? Leaving Harvest Ranch to follow West here was just the beginning. Nash had wanted to make something of himself, prove that he was more than a rancher, but… was life in a small town so bad?
Moments like these were a reminder of what really mattered.
He was glad that God knew the way to reach his heart and make him a better man. And right now? That was Emily.
Everything about her was mesmerizing, and she had his full attention.
