Page 81 of Just What She Needed

"He's not going to do that."

"What if he does?"

"Rhett," Sara began, but broke off in a sigh. "If he does, and that's a big if, then you tell T I said to bring you to Ross's room, okay? But that's not going to happen, so quit worrying about it. I'm gonna get out of here before they get back, so take a deep breath and try to calm down."

"I'll give it a shot."

Sara enfolded Rhett in another hug. "I'm glad you're here. You're good for him, and he's going to be batshit happy to see you."

Too agitated to sit still, Rhett paced around the dressing room after Sara left. Batshit happy, huh? What if he went batshit crazy? Worse, what if he had some batshit girl waiting for him? Oh, Christ, she hadn't thought of that before. Why did she have to think about it now? But, no, Sara would have said something. And if there was a girl, Sara would probably arrange for T or Owen, Ross's security guy, to get rid of her. Yeah, that ought to make Rhys really happy. First they forge his initials on a backstage pass for the woman who dumped him during a video call, then hustle his current girl out the door. Batshit indeed.

She stopped next to the recliner and picked up the suede jacket. Burying her face in it, she breathed in the scent of dark chocolate and rum, so familiar and so intoxicating. If he rejected her now, she didn't know how she'd be able to stand it.

The sound of voices drawing near sent a jolt of adrenaline zapping through her bloodstream. She picked out the boisterous sound of Ross's laughter, and the slow, honey-infused drawl of Drew's reply. Oh, God, this was it.

She put the jacket back on the chair, and stood frozen, her fingers twisted together so hard it hurt. The rattle of the doorknob seemed as loud as a .336 Weatherby rifle shot.

Rhys stepped into the room, using the ends of the towel draped around his neck to mop up the sweat that still streamed down his face. Absorbed in his own thoughts, he almost reached the spot where she stood rooted to the floor before he noticed her. Surprise sharpened his features, and he came to a halt in mid-stride, staring at her like she'd just materialized in a swirl of brimstone.

Everything she wanted to say to him vanished. Gone, like it'd never been there. At a loss, she raised one hand and managed a weak "Hi."

"What...?" Rhys still gave every appearance of a man who'd just had a large ball of snakes flung at his head. He blinked a few times, then ran the towel over his face again before tossing it aside. His mouth opened and closed several times, but apparently his mind was as blank as hers.

If someone didn't say something soon Rhett was afraid they'd still be standing there gaping at each other when security closed the Forum for the night. Or maybe the cleaning crew would arrive in the morning and have to vacuum around them like a couple of flummoxed sculptures. They could entitle the tableau "How To Stump A Rock Star. "

Since her carefully scripted words were now part of the ether, she opened her mouth and spoke from the heart.

"I should never have broken up with you. I miss you so much."

Rhys closed the gap between them with two long strides, and his heated hands framed her face. "Christ, Rhett, I miss you, too. I'm sorry about the way I behaved that night."

"I'm sorry I did it. I wanted to call and take it back, but you were so mad at me—”

"I wasn't mad at you," he interrupted. "I was livid at myself. I would have called you back, but I smashed my phone." His fingers tightened in her hair. "I want to hold you so bad."

"I want you to."

He plucked his soaked shirt away from his chest in answer, but Rhett shook her head.

"Do you think that matters to me?" She wound her arms around his waist and pressed against him, unmindful of the sweat that soaked through her shirt. "I just want to feel you next to me."

Without a word he wrapped her in his arms and buried his face her hair. Rhett closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder. For the first time since that terrible night in August, she relaxed. All the tension and anxiety that wracked her drained away at the feel of him against her.

Warm fingers lifted her chin, and Rhys pressed soft kisses on her lips. "You taste so good. I've missed these lips." He stopped to kiss her again. "And the way you smell. That scent has..." Another kiss. "Has haunted...." The next kiss was longer and deeper. "Haunted my dreams. Jesus, Rhett, I can't stop kissing you."

"Then don't."

With a groan Rhys took her mouth again in a kiss so full of pent-up heat and passion and longing and desire that Rhett wouldn't have cared if they did stay that way all night. She kissed him back with the same need until he took her by the shoulders and pushed her back a bit.

"All right." He was breathing as hard as he had when he came off the stage. "I'm going to go shower, and then we're getting out of here."

Knees still a little weak, Rhett held onto his forearms to steady herself. "You don't have a Meet and Greet?"

"You think I'd waste my time with that when I could be getting you into a bed? No, we're taking the car directly to Drew's house. That's where I'm staying tonight," he added as her mouth dropped open in surprise.

"No bus this time?"

"Abso-fuckin'-lutely not. We have a jet for this tour. We all decided we're too old and lazy to be shuttled round the country on a bus. We don't have to fly out to San Francisco until tomorrow afternoon. Which means I have all night to show you just how much I've missed you." With obvious reluctance he took his hands from her shoulders and stepped back. "Right. I'll shower and then we'll go." He pointed at the couch. "Sit there and wait for me. Don't leave."