Brand New Sky Page 13

  Ryan's hand came up to cover her mouth, a look of wonder and confusion in her dark eyes. She chewed on her thumb nail for a second, fidgeting in her seat. “That would be scary,” she said finally. “It's a good thing you're not that guy right?”

  Sway wasn't sure what he had been expecting for a response, but that one seemed the most fitting. If denying what was happening between them made her more comfortable, then he'd allow it.

  For now.

  He made the easy segue into first pets, favorite movies, and what book she was working on currently. He didn't come back to any of the delicate subjects they'd touched on earlier that night.

  They also made the easy transition into not wearing pants.

  Sway blamed it on the fact that they'd finished the bottle of wine and had nothing to eat since lunch. Ryan apologized as she unzipped her jeans and kicked them off to the side.

  “I'm just gonna close my eyes for a few minutes,” she said as she crawled into the covers.

  Sway caught a glimpse of her very unremarkable white panties before she had pulled the comforter over her.

  “I should let you get some sleep.” He stood up and picked up the empty bottle and cups, depositing them in the trash.

  “Please stay,” she said from the covers. “I like how you talk to me.”

  Sway frowned as he crossed the room to look down at her. Her blonde hair was fanned out on the pillow, her lips were stained from the wine and her dark lashes stood out as they lay on her creamy complexion. “How do I talk to you?” he asked, not being able to resist touching her hair and feeling the silk in between his fingers.

  “Like I'm important.”

  If she had said anything else, Sway probably would have kissed her forehead and left her alone. But since that wasn't the case, he found himself stripping to his boxers and getting under the covers with her.

  She cuddled against him and he pressed his lips to the top of her head. “You are important. You're arguably the most important person I have ever met.”

  “Shh. Say more nice things to me tomorrow,” she said, molding her tiny body to fit against his.

  He had been right to be afraid.

  All he could hope for now was to be remembered for his courage during this time of overwhelming fear.

  Chapter 13

  Echo

  Things always look different in the morning. Especially without a bottle of wine to color perceptions.

  So Sway was already mentally bracing for the walls to be back when Ryan woke up that morning.

  Except he'd braced too soon, and ended up falling back to sleep before she woke up.

  He felt someone watching him even as he was tempted to sink deeper into the warmth that was this bed and he slowly cracked open his eyes.

  Ryan was half on top of him, her fingers laced together in the center of his chest, her chin resting on them as she stared curiously at his face. His arms were already around her so he tightened his embrace as he woke up further, hugging her close to him.

  “Good morning,” she said, a light smile playing on her lips.

  “Indeed,” he said, running one hand up her back and into her soft hair.

  “Did you know you don't snore?” she asked sweetly. “But you do steal the covers.”

  Sway could get lost in those dark brown eyes. They were bottomless, with gold shimmers and bronze ripples mesmerizing him. Sharp, watchful. Wolf eyes.

  “Stealing the covers was so that you'd be forced to stay close to me all night.”

  “And why would you want that?” she asked.

  “Because it's where you belong.”

  Her eyebrows went up and she blinked at him, pausing for a beat. She chuckled. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”

  Sway smirked and rubbed a hand over his face. Rolling to the side, he dislodged himself from her and swung his legs out of the bed. His feet touched the floor and he stared at the wall, his back to Ryan. “I've never said that to anyone in my life.”

  He heard and felt her shift to a sitting position in the bed. “Did I upset you?” she asked softly.

  He hung his head and sighed. “No. You didn't upset me.” He turned in the bed slightly to face her. “I really like you.”

  “I like you too.”

  Sway's lips twitched. She had no idea. How could she? It was going to be up to him to show her.

  “How about some breakfast?” he asked, reaching out to tuck some of her hair behind her ear. He liked the way her eyes closed every time he touched her. Like she was trying to memorize the feeling.

  “Do we have time? Don't we have to get on the road?”

  Sway checked his watch and did some mental math. “On the big tours, we'd normally sleep all night on the bus. But this tour is close enough so that we can stay in a hotel every night and still have time to drive to where we need to be the next day.”

  Her nose scrunched up. “You sleep in the buses every night?”

  He grinned. “Yep. And there's not as much privacy as you'd think.”

  Her eyes drifted over his shoulder and he could see her brain spinning.

  “Don't worry,” he said, her eyes coming back to his. “I'll get you your own bus.”

  She jerked her head slightly and frowned at him. He met her reaction with laughter as he stood up, pulling her with him. “I'm going to shower quick and then come back to get you.” He grabbed his jeans and shirt off of the floor.

  “Where are we going?” she asked, as he closed the bathroom door.

  “I don't know. Someplace with food.”

  “Such a smart ass,” she muttered and he grinned.

  He did his business, got dressed, and the mouthwash on the counter caught his eye.

  Reality:

  He wanted to kiss her. He'd pretty much been imagining it since the moment they met.

  If he kissed her, she might totally freak out.

  Sway used the mouthwash. He'd decide what to do with that when he opened the bathroom door.

  She was standing in front of her suitcase with both hands in her hair, holding it on top of her head. Still no pants on. She turned those big brown eyes on him, her beautiful lips in a worried pout.

  “I don't know what to wear to breakfast with a rock star.”

  He was going to kiss her. Right now.

  He'd taken two steps that direction when someone knocked on the door. Ryan's eyes got wide as she stared at him. Her expression looked so guilty that he almost busted out laughing.

  Reversing direction, he headed to the door.

  “You can't answer it,” she hissed, frozen in place.

  He did chuckle then, as he ignored her and pulled the door open.

  Carl's grimace was instantly amused, even though he tried to hide it. “Why am I not surprised?”

  “Were you worried about me, Carl?” Sway asked, leaning against the door. “Be honest.”

  Carl shook his head and pursed his lips. “When am I not worried about you? We leave in two hours. Be ready.”

  “Yes, sir.” Sway gave a salute and closed the door.

  He turned around to find Ryan dressed, arms crossed. “What did he mean, 'Why am I not surprised?'”

  Sway tilted his head slightly as he studied her closed off posture. “What's bothering you, sassy pants?”

  “He thinks we slept together.”

  “Well, technically, we did sleep together,” Sway pointed out.

  Her eyes narrowed and her mouth drew into a hard line. “You know what I mean.”

  Sway shrugged and smiled, hoping he looked charming. But something in her face had changed. He didn't like it.

  “Does it really bother you what other people think?” he asked gently.

  She frowned, took a deep breath, licked her lips, clenched her jaw. “I'm not that kind of a girl. I don't hop into bed with rock stars—”

  “Musicians.”

  If looks could melt glass. Ouch. Note to self: Ryan does not like to be interrupted.

  “Who cares what
people think?” Sway took a step closer to her. “People are going to think what they want anyway, there's really no way around it.”

  “But...” she shook her head in frustration. “But it's a lie.”

  Things like this had crossed Sway's mind before, but they had always been fleeting. He figured if he ever ended up with someone who thought these things were important, he would deal with it then. Now he was wishing he would have come up with at least an idea of a plan.

  “I've lived in the public eye for most of my life,” he said softly. He reached out and gently took one of her hands. “They normally have the facts wrong. They make things up and sensationalize everything. That's how they make their money.”

  Her eyes were wide and worried. How he wished he could ease her discomfort with a lie. But even though they barely knew each other, he knew enough to know that would make things worse in the long run.

  “If you have a question or you see or hear something, just ask me. I'll always be honest with you.” He squeezed her hand and was reassured when she squeezed back.

  “Promise?”

  Sway nodded and brought his other hand up to curve gently around the side of her neck. His thumb grazed the underside of her jaw and his eyes flicked to the jump in her pulse.

  He could kiss her. Right now. She would let him.

  Her lips parted slightly and she leaned forward a fraction of an inch.

  Sway let his thumb sweep over her bottom lip once and her eyes fluttered closed. He brought his lips to her ear and heard her breath catch.

  “Not yet. But soon,” he whispered.

  He stepped back slowly, making sure she didn't lose her balance, then turned to leave.

  “Wait,” she said, stopping him.

  He turned back around to admire the blush on her cheeks and the soft fall of her hair.

  “You'll always be honest with me?”

  “No matter what,” he confirmed.

  “Why didn't you kiss me?”

  Sway's lips curved up on the ends and he was tempted to leave her guessing. But the truth would be just as much fun.

  “Because when I kiss you, it'll change everything. And I want you to be prepared for that.”

  ***

  Ryan watched Sway leave after he grinned at her for several seconds. She had no response to what he'd just said. Mostly because her heart was racing and internally she was screaming, “Then just kiss me already!”

  Was she being stupid?

  Yes, obviously. That wasn't even a question at this point. Her brain had fallen out sometime around when she had turned around and saw him standing there, looking all perfect.

  So, no brain. Good. This was just great.

  The last time she'd lost her mind over a guy, it hadn't ended well for her. In fact, it had ended so badly, she'd lost a hundred pounds and moved to Connecticut.

  It wasn't something she thought about too often.

  She shook off those memories as best she could and got in the shower. She had no idea how long Sway was going to give her before he returned and she wanted to be completely ready to go.

  She dressed, packed her things, and was just placing her bag in the back of one of the Expeditions when she saw him again.

  Faded jeans, causal button down white shirt open to reveal a gray t-shirt, hair free and wild, sunglasses that hid his playful baby blues, and that damnable smile—the one that made sure her brain stayed lost—approached her and slid a hand up her back to gently clasp her neck.

  “Let's get some food.” He guided her to the sidewalk. “I asked and there's a little diner behind that gas station.”

  His hand let go of her neck and slid down to lace his fingers with hers. It was more touching than she was used to, and yet, she couldn’t remember why she'd been so against him invading her personal space. He fit so nicely into it.

  They sat, they ate, they talked. He didn't try to kiss her and she tried to pretend like she wasn't disappointed. But at the same time, she was really looking forward to that moment. Because it felt real and not just something she was hoping for. It was a fixed point sometime in their future.

  “Are you going to be okay riding with the ladies again?” Sway asked her when they'd returned to the parking lot.

  Ryan looked over her shoulder to see Lenny waiting with the door open. Looking cool as hell with her Ray Bans on and a light breeze lifting her hair around her face.

  “I feel a little like I'm out of my element.”

  Sway chuckled. “Why's that?”

  Ryan shrugged. “Because they're so glamorous and nice. They don't seem real.”

  Sway gave her a lopsided smile. “They're real. And you fit in perfectly with that description.” She made a face that signaled how much she didn't believe him and he rolled his eyes. “We're heading south now. We'll end the week in Virginia and make the long drive back to Hartford in a day. Are you ready?”

  She was ready. It was weird, but she wasn't nervous anymore. Not really. It felt like this was exactly where she was supposed to be. “Yeah.”

  “Good.” His eyes moved to her lips and she thought maybe this would be the moment. Sway waggled his eyebrows at her. “Get to work, Miss Summers. That next best seller won't write itself.”

  Ryan tried to hide her blush (impossible). She also tried to hide her disappointment in not getting kissed yet. She thought she had been more successful at that one until she'd closed herself in the back of the vehicle and Zelda turned around to look at her.

  “I don't know how he resisted those gorgeous puppy-dog eyes you gave him. If it was me, I would've kissed the heck out of you.”

  Ryan was so taken off guard that she let to a huge burst of laughter.

  “I'm just saying.” Zelda shrugged.

  “Right?” Lenny agreed as she carefully pulled the truck out of its parking space. “I saw the whole thing. I was about ready to go over and do his job for him.”

  Clarke caught Ryan's eye. “That means they like you.”

  “And we're keeping you,” Lucy agreed.

  Ryan smiled quietly to herself as she plugged in her headphones and turned on her laptop.

  Surprisingly, she was okay with that idea.

  Chapter 14

  66

  Ryan didn't know she was going to enjoy the next show even more than the first one. But everything about this trip seemed to be the opposite of her expectations.

  It was interesting, to say the least. She'd spent the better part of her recent years being able to predict with a certain amount of consistency, what was going to happen, how she was going to feel, and more importantly, how she would react.

  This was all new.

  And it was awesome.

  A lot like this rock show she was at.

  The word had spread overnight that Double Blind Study was doing a bar tour under a pseudonym and the crowd was bigger than it had been the night before.

  And she couldn't take her eyes off of Sway. There was something incredibly sexy about knowing that he was capable of playing any instrument he wanted and he chose the electric bass. Chose it. Because he liked it. He could have any musical career he wanted and he chose this one.

  Ryan didn't know if he was just showing off, or if he was like this every night, but she was enjoying watching his antics. He was a flirt and a showman and so incredibly talented. What was it about a man with unruly hair that made a girl want to bite her lip?

  Wait? Did she really just have that thought?

  She was supposed to be smart. She had prided herself on being a smarter than average person for a while now. She should be holding back, not launching forward.

  But Sway was the most complicated man she had ever met. He had layer after layer of secrets that he revealed one at a time, like unwrapping a whole room full of packages on Christmas morning. Each gift more exciting than the last. It was a challenge to keep up with his questions and his conclusions, and she loved it.

  He was up there, on display for the whole world to see, and she w
as getting the distinct impression that she was the only one who realized what an amazing man he was.

  Again, the show was over before she was ready. But this time she didn't need Zelda to yank her to the front of the stage, she got there all on her own.

  And for the first time in her life, she flung herself into the arms of a man who was more than willing to catch her.

  It was terrifying.

  Chapter 15

  Say It

  Sway wanted nothing more than to have a repeat of the night before. He wanted to split a bottle of wine, talk to Ryan, listen to her thoughts and explore her ideas, and fall asleep wrapped all around her.

  But she'd expressed some concerns that morning that he decided he wouldn't ignore. So he got the wine, but he also invited Harrison and Zelda to join them. It made sense, he'd had front row seats to Nerds In Love, the least he could do was return the favor.

  “It was weird seeing Eric Knox tonight,” Harrison said, reclining his back against the wall and crossing his feet at the ankles. Zelda had made herself comfortable beside him.

  “He did not age well,” Sway said, thinking out loud.

  Harrison chuckled his agreement. “It was his decision to never stop partying, no doubt.”

  “Remember when we had a three martini lunch and then helped him finish the studio he was building in his garage?”

  Harrison nodded. “Terrible idea. Fun. But truly awful.”

  “Have you been able to have vodka since?” Sway asked, the visual of Harrison wretching into a litter box making a return.

  “No.” Harrison shook his head. “Or olives.”

  “You didn't have to eat so many,” Sway pointed out with a one-shoulder shrug.

  Ryan giggled and Sway slid his eyes her direction.

  She was like a whole new person out here on the road. Not entirely different, but definitely more of herself. It was her, all of her, without the comfortable barriers she lived inside. Without her cage.

  Sort of like him. He had Home Sway and Road Sway, perhaps Ryan did too. Sway liked both versions of her.