by Rica Grayson
“I know.” He kisses the inside of my palm, grinning. “Got it when your brother first told me.” Right. Chris still owes me for that.
“Why Red?” I ask. It comes out a near whisper, but he hears. I’ve always wondered.
“It reminds me of the day I saw you,” he murmurs.
“What does that mean?”
“You had that red hair and I took notice. Then I saw you as more than Chris’ sister.”
Wow. I didn’t realize what it meant, every time he said it. I sink deeper in his arms.
“I’m sorry for kicking you out,” I mutter against his chest.
He chuckles. I look up at him, and my finger grazes over the blue-purple bruise on the top of his cheek. He winces, but he doesn’t pull away.
“Where did you get this from?” I ask softly. Ever since I saw him at the hospital earlier, I’ve been curious. Did he get into a fight?
He doesn’t answer immediately and I begin to think he probably won’t tell me. “Worried?” he asks, teasing.
But I meet his gaze head on. I don’t like seeing him hurt. Seeing that I’m not letting this go, he sighs. “Me and your brother came to an understanding of sorts.”
“My brother?” What on Earth about? I remember the last time they had any real fight was years ago, and I remember it was over Ryan’s toxic friends. They sorted it out in a week. It was as if no fight ever happened. “Oh my God. Did he do this to you?” I need to call him. I try to locate my phone, but he pulls me back in the tub, laughing.
“Blaire, I handled it.”
“This isn’t funny,” I shoot back, crossing my arms. His eyes fall to my breasts, heated.
I uncross my arms, realizing my mistake. Amusement touches his lips.
“Can’t believe you went to a tour before and I never knew.”
I hadn’t met him then. Back when everything was simpler.
“Saved you a seat every tour. You never did come. Not once.” Oh my God. If possible, my heart falls even deeper. His thumb traces over the curve of my shoulder, as if memorizing every inch. “Thought you’d cave at some point.”
I roll my eyes. “You were really obnoxious about it. I enjoyed turning you down.” In answer, he growls, pulling me in for another kiss. A sweeter one. We’re both breathing hard after. I pull in a deep breath and tell him the truth. “I’ve been watching you from the sidelines for too long. I didn’t know if I could do that to myself any longer. It had to stop.”
His expression melts into understanding. “You wanted to forget about me.”
“Yes.” So badly. And for a little while, it had worked.
His hand squeezes my back. “I never knew.”
“I wish I went,” I say softly. I wonder what would have happened if I did.
“And now I’ve got you right here.” He’s right. And it’s no use lingering on the past. “Nat gave me an earful when she heard we fought.” She called me too, and I had to explain that everything was over between us. “Don’t get any ideas about running off in the middle of the night.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m not going to.” Just weeks ago we were at his mom’s house, and in that place, it felt as if we made a bubble for ourselves that separated us from the world. It rushes back to me, what he told me before, about what he planned to do after the supposed promotion was over. I lick my lips. “Although… You did say you wanted to travel the world with someone else.” It hurt, what he said then.
“Fuck. You didn’t get it.” He raises his head to the sky, as if asking for patience. Then he lowers his head against mine. “I love you.”
My breath seizes in my throat. I’ve kept everything locked inside, the secret of how I felt about him. I’ve done it for so long, I’d stopped dreaming. I’d stopped wishing. For once, I don’t stop to question this—I believe it.
Seeing the wonder in my face, he continues. “When I said I wanted to travel the world with someone, I meant I wanted to the see the world with you.”
The truth has been in front of me this whole time, and I denied everything, not daring to let myself believe it.
“Shit. You’ve gone quiet,” he mutters.
I can’t speak. Because how am I supposed to answer that?
“You gonna let me, baby?” he asks.
This feels right. Real. “Yes.”
Epilogue
3 years later
Blaire
I watch the cherry blossom leaves fall to the ground, soft as a feather. It seems like a lifetime since we’ve last visited. We cleared our schedules and took a break before we went crazy.
I touch the ring on my finger. Our second wedding anniversary. I remember that day—married in a quiet ceremony, away from all the press, no one the wiser.
Just the way we liked it.
One day we’ll move somewhere further away from all this madness, but when he suggested living closer to my parents, I was relieved. My dad’s condition has improved a lot, but I never wanted to lose precious time, and so when he asked, I didn’t refuse.
My channel has grown by two-fold in the past year. It’s an overwhelming concept to me, but after my own shows last year, I’ve learned to manage it much better.
“So apparently we’ve separated since April,” I tease lightly, remembering the last article Jackson sent me.
Amused, he adjusts his cap. “News to me,” he says. “They’re smart, they’d know I’d never let you go.”
I smile. “Three years in and people don’t know when to give up.”
He kisses me quick, but the effect is no less potent. My heart thuds against my chest, knowing he’s mine, too.
“Oh no.” A small crowd forms, people’s phones already out in the open. So much for a lazy walk, going unnoticed. “We’ve been spotted,” I whisper.
Our eyes meet. “Make a run for it?” he asks, a glimmer in his eye. The last time we raced to the car in Paris, he won. This time it’s going to be me.
“You’re on.” I pause and give him a considering look. “You better not go easy on me,” I warn.
“Never, Red. Never.”
Also by Rica Grayson
Thank you for reading Two Hearts and a Lie. If you enjoyed reading about Blaire and Ryan, don’t forget to check out:
For Never and Always (Offstage Book 1)
Or start The Sweet Fortuity Series:
Truce or Dare (Sweet Fortuity Book 1)
Receive updates about new releases, snippets, and more. Sign up to the mailing list at: http://www.subscribepage.com/ricagrayson
Acknowledgments
In a year that hasn’t been kind to many, I have so many things to be thankful for.
Thank you to my sister for being the best there is—I started this book with a wedding, and in a way, I feel like things may be heading in that direction for you soon. ;) Love you.
And because it can’t be said enough, thank you, readers, for choosing this book out of so many. I appreciate you.
About the Author
Rica Grayson never thought she would become an author, but it turned out life had other plans.
She loves a good HEA, sassy heroines, and a hero who loves the heroine more than anything.
When she isn’t buried in writing and plotting relationships, she’s reading Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Romance books, or gaming.
Website and contact:
www.ricagrayson.com
[email protected]