“Yes, ma’am. And your first lesson starts right now.”
“And what’s that?”
“First, I have to say … Damn, girl, it’s so hot that you were going to fly to LA. That has to tell you something.”
I knew what it said to me. It said I loved him more than anything. “What does it say to you?”
“You want me so bad.”
I rolled my eyes, but he wasn’t wrong.
“You know I’m right.” He was so full of himself.
“Perhaps,” I played coy. “So, what is this lesson you want to teach me?”
“I figure you have a lot of unscheduled time on your hands since you won’t be able to make your flight now.” He wagged his brows. “I think it’s time for you to learn the fine art of spending the day in my arms while I whisper in your ear all the things I love about you.”
“That can’t take very long.”
“That’s where you’re mistaken. I think we might need all night, too.”
“Josh—”
“Shh.” He placed a finger on my lips. “Before you tell me why it doesn’t fit into your schedule—”
I removed his finger. “I was just going to say I can’t wait to hear what you have to say.” My only hope was that I could learn to believe him. And … that I didn’t let my schedule get in the way.
I RAN A FINGER OVER Josh’s stubbled jawline, outlining his handsome face while I lay in his arms, snuggled up on the couch. We hadn’t talked much unless you counted nonverbal communication, which, let it be noted, was unscheduled. “I still can’t believe you’re here. Thank you for not making me get on that plane. I will be forever grateful.” I smiled. I wasn’t even that bothered by the money because of how thankful I was I didn’t have to be on a crowded, germ-filled flight to the land of earthquakes and ridiculous traffic.
Josh nuzzled my nose with his. “I can’t believe you actually decided on a whim—in the middle of the day, no less—to fly to LA.”
“Me either. All I kept thinking about was how I couldn’t allow you to hate me.”
“I’ve hated you once, and it didn’t work out so well.”
Ouch. Those words stole my breath. “You hated me?”
“I don’t know why that surprises you. When you left me, you took the thing I loved most in life, and I hated you for it. Nat, I was going to ask you to marry me. I’d already bought the ring, but I was waiting to pop the question since Nana had just passed away.”
I swallowed down my guilt and my heart. So many emotions and memories from that time filling my chest, making me feel uncomfortable. “I know.”
His eyes widened, a hint of fury in them. “You knew?”
“I wasn’t exactly sure, but I had a feeling. And I knew if you asked, I couldn’t say no, so I left.” I remembered how he kept hinting about the type of ring I might want. He had talked more about our future. It scared me because I was afraid he wanted something I couldn’t give him, in the end leaving us both miserable.
“Why would you do that?” he sounded as broken as my heart felt having to admit that truth to him.
I leaned my forehead against his, breathing in the scent of his Obsession for Men, reminding me he was here. “Because I knew you wanted to move to LA, and big things were happening for you. I didn’t want to hold you back because I wasn’t ready for any of it.”
“Natalie, I would have stayed in Nashville; you know that.”
“I knew that. That’s why I left. You deserved your chance.”
“You’re maddening,” he growled before skimming my lips with his own. “But I guess I handed you further confirmation you were right since I let you go with hardly a fight. I was just so hurt you would leave, knowing how I felt about you. My pride got in the way.”
“I know I hurt you and I’m sorry. But I couldn’t see how it could work out, and honestly, I still don’t. Josh, I can’t let you give up your dreams for me.”
He took my face in his hands. “When I landed in LA last week and got off that plane, I thought, what the hell am I doing? I don’t even like living here. The script for the pilot is awful.”
