“It’s not going to matter,” I utter, my voice shaking. “It’s not going to matter if Reid had a hand in helping to produce it. That’s not the Sergeants’ sound. It’s yours. What it is…is undeniably…I-I-I. I felt everything, Easton. You have every reason to be protective of it, but I swear to God, that’s some of the most amazing music I’ve ever heard in my life.”
My lips tremble as I grip the hands cradling my face, peeling them away and kissing the tips of his fingers before I release them. “Please, please, don’t allow your fear to win and deny the world your gift. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. You are about to exceed every imaginable expectation, and I’ll be cheering you on from the sidelines.”
Reeling, I turn and open the door before glancing back to see him fisting his hands at his sides. His expression darkens as I close my eyes and force myself out of the door, the burn in my throat and chest intensifying unbearably.
I reach the door to the studio and open it, a ray of sunlight beaming into the room and disappearing as Easton slaps it closed with a palm.
“Don’t go. Don’t fucking leave like this.”
“Easton, this has to stay here and remain here between the two of us.”
“Fuck that, I—”
“In the history of all bad ideas,” I warn in a grave tone, “this would top both our lists. You have to trust me on this. If our parents ever found out, this could be detrimental to all of us. It will do so much fucking damage.”
He presses his forehead against my back as an unparalleled crack of awareness runs through me. I turn to look up at him, able to make out his profile in the dark as the look in his eyes begins to shred me. He seems just as bewildered as I am. It’s as if we’re being pulled by a tractor beam toward the other. It’s undeniable. Stupidly, I try to deny it anyway.
“It’s attraction. Probably because of the situation. It will pass.”
“Don’t fucking lie to us both,” he bites out, batting my words away.
“Easton, even if we could act on this, we live worlds apart.”
“Not anymore,” he declares vehemently.
The truth of his statement hits hard. He believes what he’s saying, and I can’t, at all, afford to.
Get the fuck out of here, Natalie!
“We have to be sensible—”
“Being sensible isn’t what got you here,” he murmurs.
“I wasn’t expecting—”
“Me neither,” he fires back, “but I refuse to fucking deny whatever is happening here. You know I won’t.”
Closing my eyes, I let his words set me on fire because I deserve it. It rages inside me as I draw every bit of strength I have remaining to douse the flames.
“I can’t,” I say in clear resignation.
“Fuck,” he slaps the door behind me, making me jump. “Stay, one more day. I’ll fly you home.”
“Let me go,” I order sharply. “Right now.”
He releases me immediately and steps back. Turning, I open the door and slip out, flinching when it smacks closed behind me in finality. Easton’s curse rings out behind it as Joel leaps from his driver’s seat, his smile fading as he takes in my expression and concern morphs his features. Without hesitation, he opens the back door for me, and I crack, managing to slip inside just as the first tear falls.
Joel closes my passenger door just as I lift Easton’s jacket to shield my face when another tear joins the first. The second Joel presses the gas, the burn becomes too much, and it’s all I can do to muffle my sobs.
In an act of mercy, Joel turns on the radio, and I keep myself shielded in the jacket, drowning in unexpected grief. Easton’s scent surrounds me as I replay every second of our time together.
It’s only when I hear my name being softly repeated that I come to. Eyes puffy, vision cloudy, I lower Easton’s jacket to see Joel standing at the back door of the SUV, the entrance of the airport, and the bustling traffic of people behind him.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I drove around as long as I could, but if you don’t check in now, you’ll miss your flight.”
Wiping my face and knowing it’s useless to try and sort myself out, I step out into the sunlight, realizing he must have driven me around for well over an hour. “Joel, I’m so—”
“Please don’t apologize,” he assures, his features twisted with the same concern. With my suitcase already in one hand, he ushers me out gently with his other.