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My heart pounds hard as we make our way to the many entry points of the venue after snagging a parking space. Alec keeps my hand firmly in his. The atmosphere throbs with energy and excitement. It’s living up to my expectations and more.
“Which is your favorite song?” Alec asks as we wait behind ten or so people to show our tickets.
I take a moment to think. “That’s one of the most difficult questions I’ve ever had to answer in all of my life.”
Alec laughs. I like hearing him laugh.
“I love all their songs,” I say. “Even the ones they haven’t released yet.”
“That makes two of us,” Alec says.
We reach the front of the queue, and Alec shows our tickets, which are on his phone. Stepping into the arena is like entering another dimension full of my tribe. Everyone here adores The Cruisers, and the atmosphere is heady. I have to pinch myself to believe that I’m actually here.
Our seats are near the stage, and Alec rests his hand around my waist protectively. After a moment, I can take in the details of our surroundings. A giggle escapes my mouth, but because of the noise of chatter in the arena, it’s not audible. Alec and I are the most nicely dressed people here. We’re surrounded by people in torn jeans, scraps of cloth passing as clothes, and the kind of hairstyles that draw stares on the streets.
Alec draws me closer to him, and I turn around to face him. He encircles my waist, and I throw my hands around his neck. The crowd and the noise fade into the background, and it’s just him and me. He brings his lips to mine, and after that, I’m lost as I melt into him.
28
Alec
Other than theater, there’s one other thing that makes me feel alive and in touch with all my senses. Music. And now Ivy. I can’t get enough of her, no matter how much time I spend with her.
“That was my first and best concert,” Ivy says on the way home.
I glance at her face, glowing with happiness, and she has never looked so beautiful. “Mine too. I’ve never enjoyed myself so much at a concert. It’s also the first time I’ve ever taken someone along with me.”
“Really?” Ivy asks. “You’ve never taken a date with you?”
It sounds unbelievable, but it’s true. “Never. There’s never been a woman I’ve wanted to share this with before you.” Air leaves my lungs as soon the words are out of my mouth.
Ivy makes it easy to be honest with her. We sit in silence for a minute as we both ponder what I’ve just said. I try to bring back the mistrust that I’ve always had for women. Every woman I’ve dated in the last couple of years was interested in the Anderson name, not me.
I steal a quick glance at Ivy. She seems deep in thought too. As I take in her beautiful face, it dawns on me that I trust her. I would trust her with my life. She’s the first woman I’ve been involved with who is not impressed with the Anderson name. Like me, her interest is work.
But that has changed for me. Ivy and the baby she’s carrying have surpassed work. They have slowly inched to the first spot alongside my family. This woman has taken my heart without my being aware of it.
I wait to feel nervous, but it doesn’t come. Instead, I feel like the fucking king of the world. As if I’ve won the biggest prize in a game. At the edge of my joy is some trepidation. What if she doesn’t feel the same? What if as soon as our baby is born, she ends our relationship?
Stop this right now. That’s no fucking way to live worrying about things that I cannot control. I’ll enjoy the moment and this ride, no matter where it will take us.
“Thank you for asking me,” Ivy says softly.
I momentarily let go of the steering wheel with my right hand to reach for her hand and squeeze it. As soon as we touch, electric current sizzles through me. I can’t wait to get her home.
We drive the rest of the way home in silence. I don’t ask her if I can take her home with me; it’s almost as if I instinctively know that she wants the same thing. I park the car in the underground parking, and together, we head for the elevator.
I’m hot and sweaty. I really need a shower, but I don’t want to be away from Ivy even for a few minutes.
“Feel like a shower?” I ask her as I shut the front door behind us.
“Yes, please,” she says.
Ivy deposits her purse on the bed in my bedroom and reaches back to unzip her dress.
“I’ll do that.” In two strides, I’m behind her, pulling down the zip. I inhale her sweet scent, and unable to resist, I plant a kiss on her bare shoulder.
“I’m sweaty,” Ivy says. “Don’t kiss me.”
