Finally, he understood that when he faced the pain and the fear—and when he allowed the joy to flow back in every second he was with Ashley—that was when the music started playing in his head. Playing so fast and clear that even now he was trying to memorize the melodies and lyrics rushing through him.
“In that case, Drew,” the DJ said, “tell us what kind of girl you’re looking for. What qualities will the perfect girl need to steal your heart?”
Again, Drew couldn’t stop his gaze from moving to where Ashley was sitting behind the glass wall. He was pretty sure she was blushing, even though she’d lowered her head to look at the tablet on her lap. James was sitting next to her grinning like a fool. He and Drew hadn’t talked about Ashley—even if his bodyguard had asked, he’d never kiss and tell—but his friend had clearly figured out that everything had worked out all right last night after Drew had left the party to look for her.
“My perfect woman is smart. Fun. Caring. Insightful. And so beautiful that every time I look at her I’m stunned by her all over again.”
“Wow.” The DJ fanned herself. “Do you think you’ll ever be able to find a woman like that?”
He grinned and finally told the truth to the whole damned world the way he’d wanted to all along. “Yes. The answer is definitely yes.”
*
At nine that evening, Ashley’s phone buzzed. Just seeing Drew’s name on her screen was enough to make her heart race, even before she read the message.
Can you come by my dressing room before the show starts?
James was standing beside her in the wings backstage. The opener had come off ten minutes ago, and the crowd was getting antsy waiting for Drew to appear. She was antsy, too, mostly because she hadn’t seen him since earlier that day when he’d been doing the radio interviews downtown. He’d been deep in writing and recording mode the rest of the day, and she’d been just as busy working on her own brainstorming about the indie label. That is, when she wasn’t daydreaming and getting all hot and bothered about the incredible things they had done together in, and out, of his bed.
She hadn’t thought of herself as a creative person before, but ever since they’d made love, the world looked entirely different. Brighter. Exploding with color—and endless possibility.
Before joining Drew’s tour, she’d been desperately worried about what would happen if she applied to Stanford Business School again and didn’t get in. But now?
She smiled, thinking about all she’d accomplished today. Not just putting together a business plan for starting a record label. But a record label that was artist owned and operated. One that changed all the rules the music business had ever played by. Ashley couldn’t wait to show her fleshed-out plans to Drew. She already knew his feedback would be hugely helpful and important in working out the kinks.
But as she went to say a quick hello to Drew in his dressing room before he went on stage, the way her body was heating up more and more with every step had nothing whatsoever to do with the business plans on her computer.
And everything to do with needing to kiss him again more than she needed to take her next breath.
The security guard stationed outside Drew’s dressing room knew her on sight and smiled. “Go on in. He’s expecting you.”
This world of backstage bodyguards that had once seemed so foreign to her was now practically normal. When she’d joined Drew’s tour, she’d had no idea just how far and wide her education would go—on all fronts, both business and personal.
She’d barely opened the dressing room door when she was yanked inside. Her breath went as Drew simultaneously pulled her into his arms and locked the door behind her. His mouth crashed into hers a beat later, his kiss ravenous. Desperate.
Perfect.
His hands roving greedily over her body aroused her just as much as his lips did. God, she loved stroking her tongue across his. Loved, too, the rough, raw, seriously yummy sound of his groan as she kissed him back just as greedily.
“There were too many hours without you today, Ash.” His hands gripped her hips tightly, holding her flush against him as if he didn’t want any space there at all. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” She wanted to kiss him again, but first she needed to know, “How was your recording session?”
“Really good. But it would have been better if you were there. Everything is better when you’re there.”
The next thing she knew, he was lifting her up, then placing her on the table in front of the mirror. He was so much bigger than she was, and so strong, that he was able to pick her up as if she weighed nothing at all. He slid off her jean jacket so that he could run hot kisses over every inch of the bare skin of her shoulders and arms that he’d just revealed.