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He made a fair point. Even though she was exhausted and probably would have been out like a light seconds after her head hit a pillow, he had been right about everything else that day. Maybe they both had to stay awake all night. She would hate to risk falling asleep and undoing all their hard work. Though she was pretty positive that if his original theory was correct—the one where she had to fall for him to break the loop—they could skip off into the moonlight together worry-free.
She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck. She rose on her toes to kiss the corner of his mouth, still lifted in a little grin. “Fine, Jack Lincoln. I’ll stay up with you all night.”
His grin widened. “How do you know my last name? I’ve never told you before.”
The question would have sounded absurd under any other circumstances.
“Oh, because I googledMac Drakewhen I was trying to convince the World’s Most Heartless Ticket Agent to call your name over the PA system at the airport, and I realized I didn’t know it. Luckily, a TSA agent helped us through a back door instead. I could have gotten arrested for you today, sir.” She playfully poked him in the chest.
He smiled again. “Well, that would have been an interesting turn of events.”
She impishly scowled at him and folded her arms. “Yes, never would I have thought I’d risk going to jail over some guy.”
“Oh, I’ve done all sorts of things I never would have done if I hadn’t met you,” he said like it was a challenge.
“Oh yeah?”
“For sure.”
“Like what?”
He pursed his lips like the list was long and he was considering where to start.
She poked him in the chest again, jaw slack, as if she were scandalized by the mere suggestion that she’d caused him trouble.
“Ouch!” he said with a laugh. He grabbed her hand and looked at her finger. “Speaking of ouch, what happened here? I’ve never seen you with a Band-Aid before.”
Gemma had forgotten about the small wound in the day’s events. The cut was so tiny, she probably didn’t even need the bandage anymore. “Oh, I accidentally cut it earlier. It’s totally fine.”
Jack frowned like he didn’t like the fact no matter how slight. “I guess add minor injury to things that would have otherwise not happened.” He chastely kissed the tip of herfinger. “Okay, here’s another one: If I hadn’t met you, I never would have choked down Negronis trying to impress you.”
Gemma’s head fell back in a laugh. “Valiant of you. I promise I’ll never make you do that again.”
“Thanks. Those things are truly awful.”
“They are not. What’s your favorite drink?”
“Scotch. I’m a writer.”
“Is that really a thing?”
“Indeed. They handed me a bottle when they inducted me into the club.”
“Hmm. I think you’re telling tales, Mr. Lincoln,” she said, and narrowed her eyes.
“Doubt me if you want. I can’t say any more; they’ll revoke my membership.”
Gemma laughed, and he squeezed her hand. “Well, if I hadn’t met you, I never would have lost my favorite shirt to coffee stains.” She pushed out her bottom lip in a dramatic pout.
Jack pinched it with a grin. “I’ll get you a new one. You look amazing, by the way. I’ve never seen you wear anything like this.” He appreciatively eyed her head to toe. “I almost passed out when I saw you from across the stage.”
Gemma normally would have blushed at such a statement, but his eyes on her made her feel radiant. She playfully pointed her toe and put a hand on her hip. “You like it? Lila picked it out for me.”
He answered by pulling her into a deep, slow kiss. She almost lost her balance.
By the time he let her go, she was positively spinning. She couldn’t believe she’d wasted so much time not kissing him. “If I hadn’t met you,” she said, keeping their gamegoing, “I never would have made out with anyone on the stage at the Hollywood Bowl—duringa show, no less.”
“I think that’s a pretty safe bet,” he said with a smile. “And I never would have begged Nigel Black to cover a pop song at said show.”
