Love's Road Home

by Lisa Lewis

“Fifty-seven stitches! That’s not nothing, Tom!”

  “I was anesthetized, Beth. The tetanus shot they gave me hurt more.” He squeezed her hand. “I’ll probably have a doozy of a scar, but maybe it’ll make me look tougher,” he said with a smile, trying to bring levity to the room.

  She didn’t buy it. Her solemn look traveled straight to his soul. “She could have cut a tendon, and you’d never play guitar again.”

  He lifted her hand for another kiss. “But she didn’t, Beth. I’m all right. No long-term damage.”

  She pulled away and stood up, pacing to the window before turning to face him. “Why’d you risk it? Music is your whole life, and you could have lost it in an instant. Why did you risk everything?”

  He didn’t have to think before answering.

  “Without you, I’d have nothing.” His simple statement stopped her cold.

  Good. Maybe now she’d really listen to him.

  “C’mere. Please.” He held out his hand to her. When she moved forward to take it, he pulled her down on the bed next to him. Although she settled easily against him, she plucked restlessly at the bedclothes, avoiding his eyes.

  “I love music. I always have, and I always will. But if I couldn’t play anymore, I’d still get by. I’d still sing, and I could always pick up another instrument. I’d find something.” He lifted her chin so she had no place to look but at him. “But there is no way on earth that I could go on without you.”

  “But—”

  “No, listen. I’ve heard enough of your excuses in the past few days. Now it’s my turn to talk.”

  Beth opened her mouth to comment, but then pressed her lips together and remained quiet.

  Tom said a silent word of thanks and held her tighter against him.

  “You told me before that you’d hated living on the road. But you also told me it wasn’t your choice.” He slipped his fingers through the thick hair tumbling loose around her face. “You were a child then. Now you’re a woman—the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

  He gently pulled her closer for a brief kiss. “I’m asking you to choose that life now. With me.” One more soft kiss and then Tom backed away.

  Although he ached to wrap his arm around Beth, longed to feel her body against his and deepen the kiss, he knew the moment called for a cautious approach. Everything was riding on this one instant in time.

  Beth stared at him, tears streaming down her face. He wanted to erase those tears more than anything. Wanted to make her happy for the rest of her life. But she had to make the decision on her own.

  He waited for her answer with his heart in his throat. And, finally …

  “I—”

  They were both startled when the door swung open and Leo’s distinct voice boomed, “Wake up, sunshine! Time to spring you before they try to shove oatmeal down your throat.”

  Leo came to an abrupt halt as he caught sight of Beth in Tom’s arms, hastily wiping at her damp cheeks. “Oops. Forget I said anything. I’m gone.”

  “Nah, forget it. It’s time to go anyway.” Tom ignored Bethany’s curious look as he nudged her off the bed. He tossed the light cotton blanket aside and shifted sideways. In short order, Leo grabbed Tom’s belongings from a nearby closet and helped him change back into his clothes from the night before.

  “You sure you’re all right, man?” Leo asked, noticeably looking at the dried drops of blood decorating Tom’s jeans. Beth had glanced at the spots, too, before quickly turning away to pick up her purse and sweater.

  He kept his eyes on her as he clumsily pulled on his footwear. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just need to get back to the hotel. Gotta grab a shower and take care of some other stuff.”

  Beth shot him a look when he mentioned ‘other stuff.’ He returned it with one of his own. That’s right, sweetheart. We’re gonna settle this once and for all.

  They needed to have absolute privacy for this discussion because he intended to employ any means necessary to get what he wanted. And there was only one answer he’d be willing to accept from her.

  Yes.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Beth’s heart thudded loudly in her chest as she followed Tom down the hotel hallway to his room.

  Their room.

  She had helped Leo transfer all of their belongings to this new room early this morning.

  Since Roadhouse’s tour had officially ended last night, the buses and equipment had to be returned to Georgia as soon as possible. Most of the band and crew members, including her father, had grudgingly headed out in the midnight hours—and only after making sure both she and Tom would be okay.

  Leo, being Tom’s best friend, had volunteered to remain in Albany so that Dylan and Sam’s holiday plans wouldn’t be disrupted.

  But now Leo was gone. He’d abandoned them in favor of staying with Dylan at his family’s nearby home. Beth figured Tom must’ve done some heavy persuading to get Leo to take off.

  But then again, today had been exhausting for all of them, and Leo probably just wanted to unwind.

  Forget coming back to the hotel early—circumstances had prevented it. They’d had to wait close to an hour for someone to bring Tom’s discharge papers. Then they’d gone to a nearby pharmacy to pick up first-aid supplies and fill Tom’s prescriptions for antibiotics and pain medicine. Computer problems caused a delay there as well.

  Hunger drove them to a local pizza place around noon, and when they’d finished eating, Leo called Dylan to pick them up.

  She and Tom declined Dylan’s invitation to join the festivities at his parents’ house, but he had insisted on dropping them at their next destination.

  The police station.

  With Tom being injured the night before, there’d been no time to fill out reports and give statements. Beth had assured the officers who’d showed up at the Theatre that they would come to the station today to take care of things.

  So after spending yet another long afternoon in a police station answering questions and filling out paperwork, Beth should’ve been feeling drained. She’d barely slept last night, too worried about Tom to doze more than a couple hours at his bedside.

  But right now, as she watched him insert the hotel key card and push the door open, all she felt was eager and energized. Which didn’t mean a thing because she knew she had to be feeling a lot better than Tom.

  She wasn’t the one who’d had his arm sliced open. She wasn’t the one who, judging by the lines creasing his forehead, was in severe pain. She— “Aagh!” Beth found herself yanked into the room and pressed back against the closed door.

  It was just like what had happened in the Baltimore dressing room what felt like a lifetime ago.

  He took her breath away.

  Tom held her in place with his lean body, threading the fingers of his left hand through her hair, fanning kisses over her face, then dipping down to nuzzle her neck.

  Beth’s purse slid down her arm and dropped to the floor with a clunk. She couldn’t move. He was single-handedly overpowering her.

  Oh, who was she kidding. She was putty without him even laying a finger on her. The mere thought of him did her in.

  In between hot kisses and sweet caresses, Tom murmured, “I thought I lost you. I was so scared. You can’t ever leave me again, understand?”

  “Yes.”

  That stopped him immediately. He dropped his hand and stepped away, a questioning look on his impossibly handsome face. “What exactly are you saying yes to?”

  She wanted nothing more than for him to keep doing what he’d been doing—touching her, arousing her. Loving her. But she supposed it was better to get everything said. Talk first, then make love. It was a good plan.

  “I’m saying yes to everything,” Beth said. “I love you, Tom, and I want to marry you.” She hesitated. “If you still want me, that is.”

  He tenderly stroked her cheek. “I’ll want you forever. But are you sure?”

  She hated that he had to ask that. “I wasn’t sure
before, about myself. I didn’t know if I could handle having a real relationship with you, where I’d have to relive my childhood on the road. But now I’m okay with it.”

  “What changed your mind? Because I hope you’re not reacting to the stress of the attack.”

  “It’s not what happened to me, it’s what happened to you.” He opened his mouth to counter her words, so she hurriedly corrected herself. “I mean, what almost happened to you.”

  Beth reached out to spread her palm over his chest. She felt the heat of him—the heart of him—beneath his cotton shirt. And she wanted it all.

  Her gaze locked with Tom’s. “You could have been seriously hurt. When it first happened I didn’t know the extent of your injuries, and I wanted to die. I could have lost you because of what Casey did. Then, when I found out you’d be all right, I felt even worse. And angry at myself. Because I’d been willing to throw it all away—throw us away—without even giving it a chance.”

  Beth leaned forward to press her trembling lips to Tom’s neck. “And I have to give it a chance,” she whispered.

  He crushed her in his embrace, still strong despite his wound. He ravaged her mouth, and she ravaged his.

  Never again would she be so idiotic. The best thing in her life was in her arms, and she had almost tossed him away like garbage.

  Tom pulled back enough to say, “I have to shower before this goes any further.” He gently nibbled her bottom lip. “Care to join me?”

  Oh, God, she would love to. But she knew what had happened the last time they’d showered together, and it was too soon for that. No water acrobatics when he needed to recuperate.

  Beth gave Tom a final kiss before turning him around and slapping his firm tush. “No, you go ahead. We’ll finish this later. In bed.”

  He took two steps toward the bathroom before looking back, his brow cocked. “You sure?” He carefully pulled his shirt over his head while swinging his slim hips to and fro, teasing her with his sexy movements. “I can make you feel real good.”

  A choked laugh escaped Beth’s throat. She shoved at his back, her fingers lingering just a touch too long on its broad expanse. “Go! Before I throw you down on the floor and have my way with you. Go, you stinky man!”

  Her last comment stopped him cold, the grin spreading across his face now frozen in place. He lifted an arm and took a sniff. And coughed.

  “Good lord, sweetheart, why didn’t you tell me I reeked before you let me touch you?”

  Beth smiled. “Because I love it when you touch me, smelly or not.”

  An expression came over his face that she’d never seen before. It was both sweet and serious. Tender and sincere.

  Tom stepped forward and slid a gentle hand down her cheek as he looked deep into her eyes. “I love you, Bethany. Don’t ever forget that.”

  “I love you, too, Tom. And I won’t.”

  She swore his dark eyes were glistening just before he pressed his mouth to hers once again. The barest touch of his lips, the slightest tickle of his warm breath.

  And then he was gone.

  •

  Ignoring the doctor’s instructions to keep his bandages dry for forty-eight hours, Tom stepped into the warm spray and let the water run over every inch of his body. Washing up left-handed was difficult, but he somehow managed to finish in under ten minutes.

  He quickly toweled off, then pulled on a loose pair of gray sweatpants and left his feet bare. He would need Beth’s assistance to change the wet dressings on his arm, but after that…well, let’s just say he had plans for the rest of the night.

  Tom left the bathroom and saw Beth replacing the phone receiver. “Did someone call? Was it about the case?”

  She turned toward him but didn’t meet his gaze. “No, nobody called here. I, um, called room service to order dinner.”

  Tom crossed the room to her side. “My intention was to feast on you, darlin’,” he murmured before leaning down to kiss her throat. A tiny red mark was all that remained of Beth’s physical encounter with Casey, and once again Tom felt grateful nothing more had happened to her.

  Beth’s hands crept up between them, pressing warmly against his bare chest. “Tom, you need to eat.” Her fingers danced lazily across his flesh, brushing lightly over his nipples and ribcage, leaving barely restrained lust in their wake. She looked up at him through her eyelashes, biting at her lower lip. “And you probably need a pain pill by now. You haven’t taken one since we left the hospital.”

  Damn. Now that she’d mentioned it, his arm was throbbing quite a bit.

  “Okay. We’ll eat and I’ll take a pill.” She started to smile. “But don’t think I’m not going to have my way with you tonight.”

  “Well, duh!” Beth rolled her eyes at him. “Why do you think I want you to eat? You’ll need your strength for later, baby!”

  They both laughed, and Tom’s heart swelled with emotion. She was everything to him, and he’d cherish her always.

  “Hey, if the food’s not coming for a while, could you help me change these wet bandages?” He lifted his right arm and saw the humor fade from Beth’s face.

  “Of course! Why didn’t you say something as soon as you came out? It must itch like crazy!”

  Her concern for him was overwhelming, and Tom knew it wasn’t borne of selfishness. Beth wanted him for himself, not for his rising musician status or what he could do for her. And that wasn’t something he was used to, especially after dating Marissa.

  As she unwrapped the Ace bandage and peeled off the layers of gauze, Tom watched her expression get more and more subdued. By the time his swollen, angry-looking wound was exposed to the air, her beautiful blue eyes were shimmering with unshed tears.

  She gently trailed a finger alongside the dark row of tiny stitches running from the bottom of his palm to the middle of his forearm. “Oh, Tom,” she whispered, then exhaled a shaky breath.

  He carefully cupped the back of her head and pulled it forward, pressing a kiss to her brow before leaning his forehead against hers. “Shh, sweetheart. It’s over now.”

  He pulled back and used his thumb to brush an escaped tear from her cheek. “Starting tonight, it’s only about us. Okay? No looking back.”

  She straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin, a look of determination coming into her eyes. “You’re right. It’s over, and we have things to look forward to—like planning our wedding.”

  Oh, man. He’d completely forgotten she’d agreed to marry him. What a freaking idiot.

  Tom shook his head and gave a self-deprecating chuckle.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Nothing, honey.” He continued to silently berate himself. “Are you sure you know what you’re getting into with me? I can be a jerk sometimes.”

  Beth narrowed her eyes. “I have no idea what you’re thinking of, but I can definitely tell you that you were a jerk last night!”

  “Last night?” Tom indicated his injured arm. “I’m a jerk because I got hurt?”

  As if in pain, Beth closed her eyes and briefly pressed a hand to her temple. Then she gestured impatiently at him, glaring all the while. “No, doofus, you were a jerk because you embarrassed the hell out of me with that dedication!”

  “Are you telling me my emotional plea didn’t sway you in the least?” he teased.

  “No! In fact, I want you despite what you did.” She laid her hands on his shoulders and gave them a little shake. “Promise me you’ll never do something like that again. Promise!”

  “Hey, I don’t need to do it again. You already gave me the answer I needed to hear.” With his good hand, Tom unclamped Beth’s fingers and brought her palm to his mouth for a light kiss before pressing it to the center of his chest. He kept a firm grip on her hand as he continued, “But I can’t predict what’s going to happen as Roadhouse gets bigger. The media can’t be controlled, and our personal lives—”

  “Won’t be our own anymore. I know.” Beth tugged her hand free and stepped closer, sl
iding her arms around his neck. “I can handle it, Tom. I can handle whatever I need to as long as we’re together.”

  “Even if it means touring?”

  She hesitated. “Well, actually, I’ve been thinking about that…”

  “And?” He slid his arm around her waist, holding her tight against him. She was killing him here.

  “And I was hoping to find an accounting job in Savannah. Maybe something with a temp agency so I’d have a more flexible schedule and could be with you on the road sometimes.”

  She dropped her gaze to stare in the vicinity of his Adam’s apple. “But—and don’t take this the wrong way, because I really do love you—I don’t know if I want to travel with you all the time. I just…”

  “Shh.” He dropped a kiss on the bridge of her nose. “It’s okay. You don’t have to explain anything.”

  She looked up, eyes wide.

  “Whatever makes you comfortable is fine with me. But know this, darlin’. I’ll always be true to you, and you’ll always be in my heart, even if we’re apart for a little while. Just keep faith in me, and we’ll get through whatever comes our way.”

  Bethany leaned into him and hugged him tight, confirming what Tom already knew: They were going to make it.

  •

  Beth carefully finished re-bandaging Tom’s arm just in time for dinner to arrive. They spent the next hour lingering over a light meal of sandwiches and fruit, talking about the future, the past, and, ultimately, the present.

  “You really have to take a pill now, Tom. I can see how uncomfortable you are.” Beth stretched over the small table littered with empty dishes to trace the lines on his forehead, wishing she could take the pain away.

  “I’m uncomfortable because I’ve had a raging hard-on for hours, and you’ve forced me to wait.” He pulled her hand down to kiss her knuckles. “Besides, those pills make me loopy, and I want all my faculties intact so I can take care of you the right way.” Tom stood and pulled her out of her seat. “Let’s go, sweetheart. My patience is at its end.”

  Beth planted her feet. “Tell you what. You take a pain pill, and I will take care of you the right way. You just have to lie back and enjoy.”