The melodic chimes rang through the house, disrupting her concentration on the bills and paperwork spread across the desk in front of her. Sighing, Olivia keyed in the numbers on her calculator yet again, intent on getting a balanced total before she went to greet whoever was at the door. “Be right there!”

Growling when the results still didn’t match, she pushed herself out of the chair, moving quickly down the hall toward the front of the house, the irritating music pealing around her once again. “All right already! Give me a second!” Shaking her head with a scowl, she pulled the door open, only to freeze in surprise.

“Hey, beautiful.”

The smooth voice flowed over her in waves, making it impossible to focus on anything other than the man in her doorway. His fingers came up to lift the sunglasses from the bridge of his nose and he stepped forward, leaning down to brush his lips over hers briefly, not caring that she still hadn’t said anything.

She broke out of her shock at the touch of his lips, her face lighting up as she practically threw herself into his arms. “You’re back! When did you get home?”

“Late last night.” Hugging her tightly, he grinned into her hair when he felt her breathing against him, her fingertips tracing lines across the back of his neck, sending chills over his shoulders.

“I didn’t think you were coming in until the day after tomorrow.” Leaning back until she could see his face, she smiled brilliantly. “Was the recording that easy? Or did you just rush through it?”

“A little bit of both.” Laughing, he pressed light kisses to her cheeks before pausing over her lips, letting his eyes clash with hers. “I had enough motivation to get all of us out of there as soon as I could.” His thumbs brushed back and forth along either side of her jaw. “I missed you, babe.”

“You did, huh?” An eyebrow arched playfully as her fingers moved upward, sliding into his hair. “Really?”

His shoulders shrugged noncommittally, then he grinned as his hands came down, grasping her waist and lifting her up against him, catching her lips with his own as he carried her through the doorway and into the front hallway of the house. He kicked the door closed and turned them around, pressing her back against the smooth wood and leaning even further into her, kissing her so deeply, so thoroughly that each and every bone in her body melted.

She clung to him, helpless to do much of anything else as his fingers moved just underneath the fabric of her shirt, his fingertips brushing against her stomach and leaving chill bumps all along her skin. The only thing holding her together was the delicious pressure of his lips, moving against hers in a maddening way that she wouldn’t soon forget.

Finally, she pulled away and rested her forehead against his shoulder, gasping for breath as his hands moved over her back, gently massaging the muscles through her shirt. “Mmmm. I missed you, too.” A deep breath filled her lungs. “Wow.”

He laughed at her breathless tone, moving back and away from her, his smile almost blinding. “I’m home. And I have absolutely nothing to do for the next four days.” His hand reached out to take hers. “Let’s go.”

“Go?” Blinking, she tried to follow his lightening-fast topic change. “Go where?”

“Anywhere. Nowhere. It doesn’t really matter as long as I’m with you and away from here.” He brought her fingers up to his lips. “Let’s just get in the car and go.”

She bit her lip, thinking of all the things she really needed to get done and how she was supposed to go in to work soon. “I don’t know . . .”

“You know you want to.” His head ducked so that he could meet her eyes, a pleading expression on his face. “Just think about it. Nobody but you and me, cruising, the wind in your hair . . .” He grinned playfully. “Not that anything matters except the part about you and me.”

“Sounds like heaven.”

His hands came up to frame her face and he leaned forward to kiss her lightly. “Come with me, Livvie. Please?”

Her gaze moved over his features – that hopeful expression he’d softened to perfection, those blue eyes that could make her melt – and knew she couldn’t tell him no. Never before had she been able to deny him a request for her time and this one wasn’t going down in the books as the first.

“I . . . I think I feel a migraine coming on.” She could feel the smile curving her lips. “Do I look sick to you?”

Grinning widely, he hugged her, his lips moving against her forehead. “It’s nothing a few days away from the office won’t help. Pack a bag and we’ll get out of here.”

A little while later, her calls had been made, she’d thrown a few things into a backpack and they were on the road, headed to wherever it was he wanted to go. The bills, house cleaning, work and grocery shopping were all left for another day, everything else taking a backseat when it came to making the time to feel alive.

And right now, feeling alive meant sitting here in the car, relaxing back into the passenger seat as he drove.

The wind breezed through the open window and she pushed the hair out of her face, a smile playing across her lips as she bobbed her head to the faint beat coming from the radio, breathing in the fresh air as the scenery flew by, changing every now and again into a totally different landscape.

Buildings gave way to trees. Flat land rose up into hills, dipped into low plains. Fields flowed into lakes, streams and the occasional beach.

A sigh escaped and she settled back into the seat, her eyes sliding closed as she lost herself in the luxurious feel of the soft, smooth leather. Behind her closed eyelids, in her self-imposed darkness, she concentrated on embracing the exhilaration of just being here, in this car, in this moment. There was just something about riding down the interstate, no destination in mind, no set time to be anywhere. Just getting out and going.

It was relaxing, soothing and refreshing. The closest thing you could get to free.

She felt the gentle shifting as the car automatically switched gears, the silent thrumming of the engine traveling through her body almost in time with her pulse, becoming part of her.

Quiet humming carried over the rushing wind, and she opened her eyes, turning to look over at him, a soft grin gracing her features as she let herself look her fill, her gaze moving over his frame, silhouetted in the brightness of the blue sky outside his window.

He was relaxed, almost slouching in the driver’s seat, his elbow resting on the edge of the window’s opening so that he could prop his head up with his hand, his dark hair – just long enough to allow movement – blowing with the wind. His head nodded just the tiniest bit and his upper torso made slight, fluid movements – the trained body of a dancer performing unconsciously to the beat coming from the stereo. Every now and again, his lips would move as he quietly sang along with the music, the soft sound traveling just far enough for her to hear its whisper before he resumed humming again.

The long, lean fingers of one hand were loosely, surely wrapped around the steering wheel, tapping out one rhythm or another before tightening, flexing the muscles that stretched down through his wrist as he changed lanes. For just a moment, she could almost imagine that he was playing one melody or another for her, his fingers so adept at moving up and down the keyboard, creating a beautiful piece for the piano to sing back to him.

Her eyes trailed down, following the lines of his wrist until they fell upon the thin threaded bracelet tied there. Such a small, seemingly insignificant thing, but he kept it on unless he was forced to remove it. It kept him grounded, he said, reminded him of the people back home, his family and what the group had gone through to get to where they were. The bracelet had been around long before she’d even come into the picture, but she cherished it just as much as he did. The memories attached to it had molded him into the man he was today, the man she loved with all her heart, and she was most grateful that he craved the reminder.

He shifted, raising his head up straighter before settling back down in the seat, both hands now on the wheel.

Despite the coolness of the wind coming in the window, a bead of sweat worked its way down his cheek to the underside of his jaw. She watched its slow progression, a recollection of the day they’d met leaping to the front of her mind.

She barely looked at the guy stepping out of the car next to her, concentrating only on her thirst as she made her way into the gas station. He was directly behind her as she pushed through the door and she could feel him following her to the open cooler in the back of the store. By the time they’d reached the display of cold drinks, they were side by side, scanning the bottles and jars in front of them.

Her eyes landed on the last Snapple Peach Iced Tea and she reached out to grasp it at the exact same time he did, his fingers trapping hers against the cool glass bottle.

“Sorry.” His hand came back quickly and she turned to look at him as she pulled the drink from the cooler.

He was taller by a few inches, her eyes coming level with his lips, and looked as though he’d just gotten finished running a marathon. His hair was matted with sweat underneath his ball cap, beads of the liquid running down the sides of his face, and his clothes were dry, clean, but they clung to him where perspiration made his skin damp.

She met dark blue eyes for just a second before he turned back to scan the colorful bottles lined in the cooler again, mulling over the remaining options, his fingers making the change in his pocket jingle as he fidgeted.

The coolness of the drink in her hand broke through her study of him and she looked down at the glass bottle before bringing her gaze back up to him. “You know, peach is the best flavor when you’ve had a hard day. You look like you could use this more than me.”

He turned to look at her, an unsure expression on his face when he saw her holding the bottle out to him. “It’s the last one. You should take it.”

“Nah.” Her head moved back and forth slowly, shaking in denial as she gestured toward the cooler with her free hand. “There’s something like five other flavors in there that I can take.” She gave him another quick once over, her eyes moving from his head to his feet, and she laughed softly. “And you look like you need the rejuvenation of a Peach Iced Tea.” The liquid sloshed against the thick glass as she shook the drink slightly. “Go ahead.”

“Well . . .” Blue eyes fixed on her again, as if trying to read something into her kindness. After a moment, he broke into a smile. “All right. Thank you.”

“No problem.” She offered him a grin as he took the bottle. “Enjoy it.”

“I will.”

Her eyes followed him as he walked past her, stopped at the register to pay, then moved to leave the store. The bell on the door chimed as he pushed through into the steamy summer heat and she turned back to the display in front of her, trying to decide on a flavor before simply pointing a finger at the bottles and reciting softly. “Eenie. Meenie. Miney. Mo . . .”

Finally, she took a bottle from the cooler, turning just in time to see him pulling out of the parking lot. Her gaze was glued to the car, following it as it turned right into traffic and moved out of sight.

For only a moment, she thought about him. What was his story? Where was he from? What was his name?

Just as quickly as the thoughts surfaced, they vanished, escaping to the rear recesses of her mind with a shrug, and she moved to the register to pay for her own drink.

She’d walked out of the gas station without a second thought about him, but when they’d bumped into each other again the next week – at the exact same time and place – he’d come rushing back to the front of her mind.

Without saying a word, he’d reached out for two Peach Iced Teas and passed her one with a smile, sending her a quick wink as he’d walked quickly up to the register.

The next week, she’d found herself stopping just to see if it would happen again. And it had. Whether they were doing it on purpose or if it was just coincidence, it had snowballed from there. The smiles and winks had led to chatting. The chatting had led to actual conversation, an exchanging of phone numbers and a meeting for coffee at a local Starbucks. Somewhere between discussing the newest Tom Hanks movie and arguing over whether the chocolate chip muffin was better than the blueberry . . . a wonderful companionship emerged.

He could make her laugh one second, then say something that made her think the very next, without missing a beat. A comfort zone was established between them, an invisible line that, of course, they couldn’t help but eventually want to cross. Inevitably, she’d taken the plunge and sent them careening forward into dating territory – and she was more than quick to remind him that she’d had to ask him out on their first date.

A silent laugh escaped as she considered how she’d never imagined that - out of everything in this world - a Snapple would lead her to her soul mate.

The droplet of sweat had worked its way down his neck, disappearing underneath the collar of his shirt, and she shifted her eyes, taking in the image of him yet again.

It occurred to her that she had an equivalent to his bracelet . . . in him. Just looking at him, watching him, brought memories rushing to her every time. The only difference was that she couldn’t take him with her everywhere she went. Not physically, anyway.

But right now, he was with her – within arm’s reach – and she couldn’t help but sit back and let her thoughts wander.

Her gaze moved over his face, resting briefly on his lips, prompting a small smile to grace her features as she let herself travel all the way back to their first kiss.

The teenager on the screen tripped, falling flat on her face and becoming the next victim of the psychopath chasing her through the woods. Light glinted off the axe as he raised it over his head and she closed her eyes, determined not to see whatever gore was inevitably going to follow. Ducking down in the seat, she covered her face, cringing as the girl’s screams echoed in the theater, punctuated by the sounds of a person being hacked to death.

Movement from the seat beside her grabbed her attention and she parted her fingers slightly, peeking at him with wide eyes.

He laughed, leaning over until his mouth was beside her ear. “You know, you’re missing more than you’re watching.”

“I know.” Her hands dropped into her lap and she kept her eyes on him, doing her best to ignore the action in front of her. “I don’t do too well with blood, gore and terror.”

“Then why did you agree to this movie?” A dark eyebrow arched. “All you had to do was say something.”

“You wanted to see it and I was being non-confrontational and supportive.”

The response was in a sing-song fashion, her recitation earning a quiet laugh and an amused smile. “Did you get that from a magazine somewhere?”

“Nope. My mother.” She shook her head, her gaze falling down to study her hands. “Apparently I’m overly opinionated and pushy and I didn’t want to put you off before we figure out exactly where we want this to go . . .”

“Hey.” Cutting off her babbling, he shifted in his seat, his arm stretching across her shoulders and pulling her closer. “I knew that coming in. You have a mind of your own and I like that about you.”

“O-okay.”

When she still wouldn’t look at him, he reached across and touched her chin, turning her head until her eyes met his. “I need you to be honest with me, all right? I’m already surrounded by people who do whatever they think will make me happy and I hate it. Don’t change yourself into what you think I want, Liv. Just be you.”

“But what if it turns out that you don’t want me being me?” Brown eyes widened immediately, giving away her surprise that the words had escaped before darting back down to her hands, pulling away from his hand as her teeth worked nervously over her bottom lip.

“What if I’ve already made up my mind?” She stiffened underneath his arm, her shoulders going taut with nerves. “Maybe I’ve already decided that I want you just the way you are.”

Her gaze jumped up to his face, her eyes clashing with his as she stared at him in astonishment. “You work fast, don’t you?”

“Not really.” He leaned closer to her, smiling inwardly when the movement drew her stare to his mouth. “I’ve known you a few months, we’re on our third date.” As his fingers came back to side of her face, she instinctively moved toward him, the corners of her lips tilting up in the beginnings of a smile. “Chris says I should’ve mauled you in the gas station, but I think I’m setting a decent pace.”

She was laughing when the first contact was made, her mouth curving underneath his for only a second before she leaned into him, sighing quietly as she responded. A few moments later, she’d lifted her chin, her fingers sliding into his hair as his lips moved slowly over hers, a faint cinnamon flavor flooding her senses until he finally pulled away, putting a few inches between them.

“Yeah, I’d say you’re doing all right.” Even in the dark theater, her features lit up with her grin, softening when his thumb began brushing over her jaw. “What are you doing, Jace?”

He was already moving in again, answering against her. “Showing you where I want this to go.”

After the briefest of touches, she backed away, her eyebrow arched playfully. “You’re missing the movie.”

“It’s full of blood and guts. Really scary.” A piercing scream rang from the surrounding speakers, making her jump, both of them jolting from her movement. Laughing, he let his lips brush over her cheek. “I’d rather spend the next hour distracting you.”

She’d learned a few new things that night: Horror movies really weren’t all that bad. The taste of cinnamon was much better than the flavor of peach. Her mother was overly paranoid when it came to her personality. And distracted was definitely one of her most favorite states of being, as long as he was the distraction.

They’d adopted a speed similar to the one they were traveling now – comfortable, steady and patient. There was no rushing forward, no hectic race toward “I love you” and promises and forever. Just a nice, easy glide that allowed them to make their own way over the hurdles set down in their path.

In the very beginning, he’d made a point to let her know that it probably wouldn’t be all smiles and flowers, especially during the weeks and months when he had absolutely no time for himself. When he was on the road, there were weeks when she’d only hear from him once or twice, maybe five or ten minutes at a time. When he was scheduled to be in the studio, it wasn’t uncommon for him to get locked in and not speak to anyone until the project was finished.

“If you don’t think that’s something you want to deal with, then now’s the time to bail, before either of us get hurt.”

The warning hadn’t fallen on deaf ears, but when he’d squeezed her hand after voicing his concern, his fingers laced tightly through hers . . . she’d known that it was already too late on her part.

Dealing with the restrictions and confinements of his career hadn’t been the easiest thing for her, but the time in between, when he was able to be with her, more than made up for it.

A few months in, the new relationship glow had dimmed – as it always does – but she’d been surprised to find that she hadn’t felt the least bit antsy or restless with him. And then it’d hit her like a ton of bricks.

“Yes, Justin, the van will pick you up at six, then head over to get me.” With a heavy sigh, he plopped down on the sofa cushions beside her, his arm automatically going around her waist and pulling her to his side. “We’ll hit the airport by eight, then our flight’s at ten.”

She smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder and letting her hand settle on his thigh as the metallic murmurings carried to her from his cell phone.

“No, I don’t think so.” His brow furrowed, his head tilting until it rested on top of hers. “Look, Liv is here and I need to . . . Man, Johnny showed us the schedule at the same time. If you can’t remember something, what makes you think I’ll be able to?”

Reaching across, she pulled the phone from his hand, taking it away from his ear and bringing it to her own. “J?”

“Yeah?” The tone coming across the line was puzzled.

“I only have around ten hours to spend with Jace before you guys run away with him tomorrow and you’re really cutting into that time.” The arm around her waist tightened in a hug and he turned, kissing her forehead. “I know it’s selfish of me, but call Joey or Lance if you’re so worried. I’m hanging up on you now.” She flipped the phone closed, tossing it onto the coffee table. “Is he always like that?”

“Most of the time. You get used to it after a while.”

“I don’t think I could handle him like you do. I’d go out of my mind.”

“It’s not that bad.” He laughed, squeezing her tightly. “The only time it’s really annoying is when he freaks out while I’m trying to spend time with you.” Another sigh expanded his chest. “I just want one night of peace with my girl before the madness starts. Is that too much to ask?”

“Nope.” Pulling out of his arms, she turned to kiss him quickly before standing. “I’ll even offer to bring you a Coke. Want one?”

“Sure.” As she left, he turned on the television, setting the volume on low, and by the time she came back, he was stretched across the length of the couch, his back pressed into the rear cushions.

“Here you go.” The drinks were set down on the floor closest to his reach and she took the space next to them, stretching her legs out across the carpet as she got comfortable.

“Thanks.” Rather than picking up the bottle, he let his hand move toward the back of her head, his fingers combing through her hair. “You can come up here with me, you know.”

She turned, an eyebrow arched at him. “There’s not enough room for both of us to lay up there.”

“There’s plenty of room.” He scratched the back of her neck, leaning forward until he could feel her smile under his lips, kissing her as thoroughly as he could from such an awkward angle. “I’ll hold you. I won’t let you fall.” The boyish smile that he always used to get his way appeared. “I promise.”

“Well, if you promise . . .” Laughing quietly, she pushed herself up from the floor and stretched out next to him, shifting until she was sure they were both comfortable. “How’s this?”

“Perfect.” As promised, his arms slid around her, one hand flattening over her midsection as he pulled her back into his chest, tilting his head until his chin rested on her hair. He breathed deeply, taking in the familiar scents of her shampoo and soap, determined not to forget them while he was gone. “I’m going to miss you.”

Chills raced down her spine when his words breathed over her neck. “I’ll miss you, too.”

Silence fell, the only sound the quiet murmurings from the television, and she closed her eyes, relaxing completely. Ignoring the soft noises, she paid close attention, concentrating on the way they breathed in unison, how his arms would periodically tighten around her and how he moved his legs so that their feet were tangled together. His jaw began moving slightly and she listened intently, smiling when she heard him whispering along with the soundtrack from whatever movie was playing.

Lying there, she began to take inventory of how it felt being with him. There was peace and relaxation, an inevitable reaction to the mellow atmosphere he kept in his home. Comfort and protection were in his arms. Joy, exhilaration and freedom were in his kiss. And from his eyes, she drew strength, support and confidence.

His heartbeat reverberated softly through his ribcage, the faintest of sensations against her back, and a peculiar heat began to spread through her, slowly working its way from her chest to her fingers and all the way down to her toes.

Her brow furrowed, considering the new sensation. It wasn’t a physical heat – her skin felt as if it were cool, despite being nearly cocooned in his arms. It wasn’t nerves or embarrassment – those were easily identified. It wasn’t from exertion – they were only lying there and hadn’t done much more than just hang around for the past few hours.

But there was a warmth, moving lazily through her veins, as if mirroring the contentment she felt whenever she was around him. It filled her, felt as if it made her glow. Thinking back, she found that it was surprisingly similar to something her sister had described to her once . . .

Suddenly, understanding slammed down on her, nearly taking her breath away and sending a shiver down her spine.

His fingers laced through hers before he spoke up softly. “I’ll pull down the blanket if you’re cold.”

“No, I’m okay.” For a moment, she just laid there, staring across the room. “Jace?”

“Hmm?”

Her head tilted back until she could see him looking down at her, an unusually strong happiness rushing in to accompany the warmth taking over her body. “I love you.”

A slow smile lifted his features, his arms tightening around her until she could feel the newly quickened pulse racing through his chest. “I love you, too, Liv.” She stretched, kissing the underside of his jaw before turning back to the television, and he took a deep breath, his forehead resting against her hair. “I love you, too.”

There were so many wonderful memories wrapped up in him. So many seconds, days, moments and milestones that she wouldn’t trade for anything, all carried on just the image of him.

But at the same time, he brought reminders of days she’d sooner forget than relive, a collection of incidents proving beyond a reasonable doubt that they weren’t anywhere near perfect. They’d had their fair share of arguments, blow-ups, mistakes and misunderstandings, a few explosive enough to span over a few days, but only one stood out as being nearly disastrous.

It still hurt her to think back on those harder times, this one in particular.

After a year of being the happy pair, things had started to mount up on them. The group had been recording at a different studio every week and doing promotional work in nearly every city they went. She’d just gotten a promotion to a supervisory position, taking on more responsibilities and a more strenuous working schedule for herself. Pressure and stress began to weigh both of them down, to the point where they simply couldn’t give each other the attention required to make it work.

“It’s just too much for us to be together right now, Liv. We need to step back and get ourselves straight.”

She pulled her gaze away from him, training her stare down on her hands as that faint sting shot through her chest for the millionth time. Every time she remembered, it felt as if it’d just happened, no matter how many months had come and gone.

It’d obviously pained him to say it, just as much as it had hurt her to admit that he was right. They’d both known that there wasn’t energy enough between the two of them to focus on a serious relationship of normal standards, let alone a mostly long-distance romance.

So, with a feeling that was half relief and half regret, she’d agreed with him.

They had decided that it would be best just to cut all ties right away, because neither of them had known what they should expect to happen. It hadn’t been clear if there would ever be a time that they would come back to where they were leaving it, or if they would simply go on their own ways without looking back. All she’d known was that she was walking away without the slightest idea of how things would turn out.

For that very first week, she’d been too caught up in learning her new routine and responsibilities to really focus on much of anything else. But once she’d gotten into the swing of things, it became clear that throwing herself into work had only been a temporary distraction. She’d found that she missed him, far more than she’d ever thought she could.

His voice, his smile, his presence, his laughter, his touch . . . all of him had been sorely missed, but it wasn’t just that he wasn’t there. She’d been through that before, had dealt with it the best she could. The knowledge that he wasn’t hers, that they were no longer them, was a completely different kind of hurt.

The nights had quickly become long and mostly sleepless, as if a part of her spirit had been dying without him. She couldn’t count all the times she’d wanted to dial his number, longing to hear his voice – no matter how tired or drowsy he may have sounded – only to remind herself that she’d agreed to ending it and couldn’t move in that direction. Only if he made a move toward her would she be able to step back to him.

Then – a full sixteen weeks later – she’d found his phone number on her caller ID, attached to three wordless messages on her answering machine. A whole mess of emotions had rushed through her, sending her head spinning. Relief that he’d made it home safely. Confusion over why he’d only hung up when the machine picked up. Joy that he could’ve possibly been reaching out, letting her know that he’d reconsidered things. Remorse that she’d still been deprived of hearing his voice.

Indecision over what exactly she was supposed to do after finding those calls.

She’d taken about an hour to mull it over before finally deciding on just throwing all caution to the wind and going to see him.

Wiping her hands over her jeans nervously, she took a deep breath to gather her courage before reaching out to press her thumb against the button, wincing as the doorbell rang loudly through the house. After a few seconds of silence, she heard the faint sound of footsteps moving closer to the door. Closing her eyes, she sent a quick prayer heavenward, begging for control as she heard the lock turning.

The door was pulled open, revealing a pretty blonde standing in the foyer, peering out with curiosity written all over her features. “Hi. Can I help you?”

“Umm . . . I . . .” Shock left her dumbfounded, and she couldn’t even remember why she was standing there to begin with. “I . . .”

“Melanie? Who is it?”

His voice carried from the direction of the kitchen, laughing, happy . . . just as she remembered it.

The blonde – Melanie – turned to yell down the hallway. “Hang on a minute!” Then she faced forward once again, eyes widened in exasperation. “Sorry about that. Now . . .”

Olivia shook her head as she tried to figure out what to say, her gaze sweeping from side to side, discreetly taking a quick inventory of the woman in front of her. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, her blue eyes brightened by internal laughter, and she was petite in stature, even in the high heeled shoes she was wearing. She looked as if she were ready to walk into a nice restaurant, her clothing giving the impression of being high fashion, but in a casual and low-key way.

Looking over Melanie’s shoulder, she focused on his reflection in the hall mirror. He was leaning against the kitchen counter, cell phone to his ear, smiling widely as he carried on his conversation, looking as if he’d just stepped off the cover of a magazine. His violet dress shirt was unbuttoned to reveal a white undershirt, his hair darkened, obviously still damp from his shower.

They were getting ready to go out, somewhere fancy, by the looks of it.

Her heart twisted painfully as she finally made the connection.

If he was dating Melanie, then there was no way he’d considered coming back to her. He’d probably called to tell her that there was nothing left for them, that she shouldn’t have waited on him, but hadn’t wanted to leave it on her machine. She blinked quickly, biting her lip as she watched his shoulders shake in subdued laughter, wishing that he’d left it in a message rather than let her find out like this. A disembodied voice had to leave a lesser hurt than what she was feeling right now.

“Are you okay?”

The voice cut through her stupor, bringing her back to the concerned blue stare that was leveled on her. “Oh, yeah. I-I’m fine.”

There was no reason for her to be here, no chance of him wanting anything more with her. Not with this gorgeous woman waiting patiently for him to finish getting ready.

He’d moved on, which meant that it was time for her to do the same, to walk away from his front door and find another ending for herself.

“Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Yes. I’m positive.” Taking a deep breath, she began to turn away. “Could you pass along to JC that I still have a few of his things? It’s only clothes and stuff, but if he wants them back or whatever, he can call and let me know.”

“Oh, my God.” Melanie’s eyes widened immediately, recognition dawning. “You’re Olivia, aren’t you?”

Nodding, she fidgeted nervously, more than ready to run and hide. “I’m sorry for just showing up like this. I should’ve called first.” Backing away from the door, she caught one last glimpse of him in the mirror, memorizing his familiar smile as she watched him flip the phone closed and set it on the counter. “Give him my best, okay?”

“No, wait.” A well-manicured hand shot out, grabbing her arm and pulling her to a halt. “He wants to . . .”

“I really need to go.”

“Mel? You still alive out here?” And suddenly he was walking into the hallway, his eyes widening as they clashed with hers over the blonde’s shoulder. He froze, a string of emotions spanning from disbelief to exhilaration playing clearly across his face. “Liv?”

Without thinking, she jerked her arm free and spun quickly, catching the briefest impression of his furrowed brow before sprinting toward her car, only vaguely aware of the tears streaming over her cheeks.

“Liv! Wait!”

The sound of his voice carried after her, followed immediately by pounding footsteps, growing closer and closer as she neared the driver’s side door. She scrambled behind the steering wheel, choking back a sob as his hand caught the frame of the window, keeping her from slamming the door shut. Quick as lightening, he leaned into the car and reached across, snatching the keys from her before she could turn on the ignition.

“We need to talk.”

“Just let me go, Jace.” Her fingers tightened around the wheel, her eyes squeezing shut as she fought not to break down. “It’ll be easier that way.”

“It’s not what you think. I’d never . . .”

“Did you have to call three times? Once should’ve been enough.” Misery made her shoulders sag, her hands falling to rest listlessly in her lap. “If you’d left a message, it would’ve all been over and we could’ve skipped this part. You know?”

“Liv . . .”

A black car pulled in the driveway, a short blast from the horn drawing their attention as it came to a halt a few feet behind her rear bumper, blocking her in.

Oblivious to the drama that was unfolding, Chris got out of the vehicle and began to walk quickly across the pavement, all smiles as he waved. “Hey Liv! Long time, no see!” Not waiting for a response, he bounded toward the front door, his laughter mixing with Melanie’s as he picked her up and twirled in a circle. Once still, he spoke to her quietly, earning a broad smile and a rather sound kiss as he set her back down.

Brown eyes grew huge, staring as the couple on the porch walked into the house, every last ounce of air rushing from her lungs as she wrestled with a new kind of understanding. The emotional roller coaster she’d been riding for what seemed like weeks came to an abrupt stop, nearly all of her mental processes screeching to a stand-still right along with it. She blinked once, then again, her vision blurring as she felt the familiar tightening in her throat and chest, her lungs beginning to burn excruciatingly, refusing to take in oxygen.

“Stay with me, Liv. Hang on.” JC pushed the door open wider and leaned across her, digging frantically through her purse until he found her inhaler. “Here we go.” Without hesitating, he administered the medication, one hand turning her chin, forcing her to focus on him. “Come on, baby. Breathe for me.” Fresh tears spilled over as she gasped, her chest heaving as she took a deep gulp of air. “That’s it. Deep breaths.”

The inhaler was tossed into the passenger seat as he straightened up, pulling on her wrists until she stood in front of him, then he hugged her loosely, his hands moving over her back in comforting circles as she took ragged, uneven breaths. “It’s okay. Just relax.”

Concentrating on his voice and touch made for a calming remedy. The attack slowly passed and as her breathing regulated, her senses returned to normal. “Thank you.”

He pulled away slightly, studying her carefully for assurance that she was over the worst. “Well, it was probably all my fault, so . . .”

“No, it wasn’t all you. Quite a bit of it was me, too.” She relaxed as his thumbs began brushing over the wetness gathered on her cheeks. “I think I’m ready to hear about Chris and his new girlfriend.”

“She’s not really all that new. He met her about a week after we split.” Laughing softly, he shook his head. “Drove me crazy, knowing he was so damn happy while I was barely able to keep moving.” Blue eyes darkened, his gaze traveling over her features. “What were we thinking, Livvie?”

“We were trying to keep our sanity.” Her thumbs hooked in the pockets of her jeans, worrying fingers tracing paths across the worn denim fabric covering her hips. “Things were getting out of control and it just seemed like it was too much to handle.”

“We were idiots.”

“Maybe.” She arched an eyebrow questioningly. “You called?”

“Yeah. I couldn’t take it anymore.” His hands moved down to her shoulders, squeezing gently. “I thought it’d get easier, kept telling myself that the more days I let go by without you, the less it’d hurt. I wanted to prove to myself that I didn’t really need you that badly.” A frown creased his forehead. “That sounds awful, but it’s true. I’ve never wanted to be that dependent on anybody, Liv. A man isn’t supposed to be that weak.”

Swallowing hard, she simply looked at him, not saying a word as new tears began to form.

“But I am. I just didn’t know it until I let you walk away.” He cleared his throat, obviously searching for the right words to say. “I still can’t figure out how I ever could’ve let you go. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You have to know that I’ve never loved anybody the way I love you.”

“I do.” The burning in her eyes intensified, her sight becoming watery once again. “Jace . . . why didn’t we just try a little harder?”

“I don’t know. All I know is that when you left, you took my heart with you.” With a deep sigh, he let his fingers come back to her face, catching the tiny droplets that raced toward her chin. “And that’s where it belongs. Even with all the thinking my head’s been doing, my heart still knows exactly where it’s supposed to be.” His stare locked on hers, sorrow evident his expression. “I wanted to leave a message, but I felt like I should really be telling you in person.”

“Well, I’m here.” She chewed on her lip, her heart pounding as she digested everything he’d said in the past few minutes. “What did you want to say?”

“That I miss you. I still love you. And I’m desperate for you to give us another chance.” His hands moved down to where her fingers were still playing with her pockets, his grip loosely circling her wrists. “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted or needed. I know that sounds pathetic, but . . . I want you back.”

At his words, relief raced fluidly through her, leaving her nearly weak as she forced her eyes to his shirt, burning through the white cotton as she fought back a joyous laugh. “Do I have to tell you what to do now?” When she’d collected herself, she met his gaze once again, eyes widened playfully. “It’s not exactly suave to paraphrase one of your own songs, Jace.”

“I wasn’t aiming for suave.” His chest shook with restrained laughter at her sarcastic tone. “The goal was to be pitifully funny, but I knew that was a dumb idea . . .”

“Not really. You know I’m a sucker for pathetic apologies.” She felt his arms sliding around her waist, pulling her closer. “And a little desperation never hurts, either.”

“Then I’ll get down on my knees and beg. I’ll even sing the stupid song, if that’s what it takes.” He breathed deeply, hugging her tightly against him. “I’m dying without you, Liv. I need you to come back to me.”

“The song’s not stupid. It’s one of my favorites.” Her arms wrapped around his neck, a small smile starting to curve her lips. “And you don’t have to beg. I think we’ve already established that I’m here.”

“Yes, you are.” His brows arched, the beginnings of a smile forming as she began to pull him down. “Because you missed me?”

“Like crazy.” Laughing quietly, she let her fingers slide into his hair, tilting her chin up to kiss him. He was motionless for all of one second before leaning into her, his entire body relaxing as he let her take the lead. When she felt his fingers fisting in the material at the small of her back, she broke away, a grin brightening her features when she realized how heavily he was breathing. “Welcome home, Jace.”

If he hadn’t walked into the hallway at that exact moment, she would’ve been gone before he could catch her. She never would have heard what he’d wanted to say. He’d never have gotten to show her the truth. And they wouldn’t have had the chance to become what they were today.

God had definitely been looking out for the two of them.

“Are you okay over there? You’ve been really quiet.”

His voice jerked her back to reality. “Oh, yeah. I’m fine. Just thinking.”

“Thinking, huh? Sounds dangerous.” Grinning, he took his eyes off the road just long enough to look at her as he reached over, lacing his fingers through hers. “About what?”

“Us.” She lifted his hand up so that she could kiss the back of it. “And how much I love you.”

“Hmm.” He hummed, still smiling, moving his arm so that their hands lay on his thigh, his thumb moving against her index finger. “Well, don’t let me interrupt.”

Laughing softly, she moved her gaze to the window as he veered right onto an exit ramp, surprised to find that the sky was no longer a rich blue, but turning a light orange color as the sun went down. “Where are we going?”

“Somewhere special.” His fingers squeezed hers. “We’ll be there in a little while. Just sit back and relax.”

She gladly obliged, leaning back in the seat as the cool evening air spilled over her. With a sigh, she closed her eyes, returning to darkness for what felt like only seconds.

“Come on, Livvie. Wake up, baby.”

Blinking, she breathed deeply as she came awake, slowly realizing that the car had stopped and her door was open. Turning, she found him crouched beside her, his hand cupping her cheek so that his thumb could brush across her skin. A sleepy smile formed when the pad of his finger moved over her lips. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He returned the smile tenderly, his lips touching hers lightly as he reached across to unfasten her seat belt. “Hop on out and watch the sunset with me.” His fingers came away from her face as he rose up, pulling on her hands until she was standing with him next to the car, looking around with wide eyes.

Her gaze moved over the horizon, taking in the view from their vantage point on top of the hill, the bright orangey-pink of the sky contrasting with the increasing darkness of the lowlands. “Wow. This is beautiful, Jace.”

“I ordered it just for you.” His response was teasing as he moved to sit on the hood of the car, pulling her so that she would lean back against his chest, his arms around her waist and his chin against the side of her head. She snuggled into him, covering his hands with her own to hold him in place.

For a while, they sat in silence, their breathing the only interruption in the serenity as the sky progressed slowly through its color show, turning from pink to light purple to a bright red color.

His chest expanded with a deep inhalation, then he leaned down to kiss the side of her neck. “Liv?”

“Hmmm?” She murmured, relaxing even further into his arms.

“We’re good together, aren’t we?”

“I think that’s an understatement.” Her smile was obvious in her tone. “I’d call us wonderful. Amazing. Phenomenal, even.”

He laughed, hugging her tighter. “All that, huh?”

“And a bag of chips.” Looking down, she watched her fingers lace through his, squeezing his hand before returning her gaze to the sky, resting her head on his shoulder. “I could just stay here with you forever.”

“Forever?” His voice was contemplative, his expression thoughtful as he pressed his lips to her cheek. “Sounds perfect.”

“Mmhmm.” A happy sigh lifted her shoulders, accenting her hummed agreement. She was well aware of how dreamy she sounded, but figured the day was well deserving of a little dreaminess.

Silence settled once again, until the sky had melted into a deep, fiery red as the last of the sun disappeared behind a hilltop.

“Will you marry me, Livvie?” The words floated out into the evening, escaping his mouth with what appeared to be very little effort, as if he’d rehearsed them a million times. He sounded so calm and collected, so perfectly at ease with the idea of spending the rest of his life with her, that he managed to put a mellow spin on voicing what she’d been hoping and praying for since . . . it felt as if she’d wanted it for a lifetime.

Her heart began to pound as the question sank in, tears burning in her eyes as she pulled out of his arms and turned to face him, his inquiring gaze meeting hers immediately. Sniffling, she blinked, blurting out the first thing that came to mind. “Did you bring me up here just to ask me that?”

“I . . . I don’t know. Maybe.” His palms wiped over his jeans, the smallest sign that he was feeling any kind of nerves. “I didn’t expect it, but I don’t think I could’ve planned it out any better than this, anyway.” Swallowing hard, he reached out, taking her hands in his. “I just . . . it’s perfect, you know? All of it. The sunset. You and me. The privacy . . .”

“No parents or antsy pop stars to lose their minds.”

“Exactly.” Blue eyes softened as they studied her features, the corners of his mouth working their way into the beginnings of a smile. “Maybe it’s out of the blue and you feel like I’m coming from left field, or maybe you just aren’t feeling it yet.” His hands tightened on hers, a reassuring squeeze. “If I’m jumping the gun, then just say so. It’s not going to change anything between us.”

Her brows arched as her eyes widened, her lips parting to protest, but he barreled ahead before she could get her voice to work.

“I know I’m not totally prepared, but it feels right. We’re right, Liv. We’re perfect together. I love you more than anything and I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone who isn’t you.” Regret sharpened his expression when he saw the first tear fall from her lashes, leaving a damp trail tracing the curve of her cheek. “You’re not ready for this. I’m sorry, baby. I shouldn’t have . . .”

“Jace. Stop.” She shook her head with a quiet laugh. “You haven’t even let me answer yet.”

“Right.” He took a deep breath, then shrugged sheepishly. “Sorry.”

“Just hang on a second.” Closing her eyes, she concentrated on her breathing, collecting herself before focusing back on him. “Okay. Ask me again.”

For a moment, he just sat on the hood of the car, watching her wait expectantly. Then he nodded and stood in front of her, taking her hands once again. “I don’t have a flashy ring or flowers or a long speech or any of the things you deserve from me right now. All of that wouldn’t be nearly enough, anyway. The only things I have to give you are myself and my word that I’ll love you with everything I am, for as long as I’m able.” There was a pause as he cleared his throat and pulled her into his arms, holding her loosely enough that he could still see her face. “I want you for life, Livvie. Will you marry me?”

“Yes.” No hesitation or consideration, just a bright smile and fresh tears to accompany the simple, strong affirmative, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck as she kissed him quickly. “God, yes.”

Serious eyes sparked to life, his smile lighting up his features brilliantly. “Yeah?”

“Absolutely.” She laughed, her fingers combing through his hair. “When have I ever been able to tell you no?”

“Never.” He breathed deeply, hugging her tightly. “Not once that I can remember.”

“Exactly. And I’m not starting today.” Leaning forward, her cheek rested on his shoulder, her eyes closing as she let herself soak in the moment. “I love you, Jace.”

“I know you do.”

His voice was muffled against her hair as a cool evening breeze swirled around them, the rustling of leaves distracting her, prompting her eyelids to blink open. She immediately focused on the car behind them, only a few feet away but becoming increasingly harder to see in the quickly dimming light. “We’ll still take road trips like this, right?”

“As many as you want, babe. Name a place and we’ll hit the road.”

Her gaze fixed on the soft leather of the passenger seat, then panned over to the nearly identical driver’s side, making leisurely work of taking in familiar territory that she’d come to know like the back of her hand. Every inch of the interior was ingrained in her memory and she knew that she belonged there, would always have a place in the small space.

She lifted her head, stretching up until her lips could move against his smile. “I don’t care where we go, as long as you’re the one getting us there.”