I chug half the bottle before answering. “First, I’m going to kiss you and then I’m going to shower. After showering, I’m going to kiss you some more. Once I’ve taken the edge off, I’ve got to do a meet-and-greet with some fans. When that’s done, we’re going back to the hotel and kissing some more.”
She blushes and laughs and then blushes again. She’s so fucking adorable, I can barely stand it. So I lean over and kiss her right then. Her lips soften beneath mine and her hands come up to grip my shoulders. I’d like to do this all night—her holding me, our lips together.
Someone who I’m going to fire later clears his throat and interrupts us. “Sorry to do this to you, man, but if you want to get out of here before dawn, you should get a move on.”
I press my lips against Vaughn harder until she pushes me away.
“I’m not going anywhere.” She brushes my sweaty hair away from my forehead. “There’s plenty of time for everything—” She flushes at that innocent word “—later. After all, we have two months on tour together. I get to do that traveling thing I wanted.”
“It’s nearly three months and that’s barely any time at all. We’ll be missing entire countries.”
“Well, then we’ll be back in LA and you can walk me to class at USC.” She purses her lips. “If I even choose to go.”
“Fine.” I let her push me to my feet. “Ty, it’s a good thing I love you, man, or you’d be fired.”
He laughs and slaps me hard on the back. “Too late. I’m quitting when this tour is over.”
“What? I was joking.”
“I’m not. Paisley and I are gonna start seeing each other for real—” he waggles his eyebrows “—which means I can’t work for you anymore. Conflicts, you know? I’m still going to be around all the time. Vaughn says that we get to be on Team Bennett for all our competitions.”
“We’re winners,” Vaughn says merrily. “And you always want to be on the winning side.”
I grin. “I know. Why do you think I’ve been trying to keep you?”
“Because you love me,” she says without a hint of self-consciousness.
Emotion clogs my throat. “I do, you know.”
“Duh. That’s why I just said it.”
A laugh pops out. “Wait—aren’t I supposed to be the conceited one in the relationship?”
“I’m not conceited,” she argues. “Just confident that you love me. And I’m still pissed at Jim and Claudia for making me think otherwise.”
“Me, too.” I glower. “But don’t worry. They’re going to get an earful from me about that.”
“Good.” She arches a brow. “By the way, it would be nice to hear you say the actual words.”
“Oh, you want words, huh?”
I walk back to the couch and lean down, caging her between my arms. I duck my head so my mouth touches her lips. Everyone in the room probably thinks I’m kissing her. I’m not. I’m doing something way more important.
“You’re the one person in my life who wants nothing but me and it’s terrifying and awesome at the same time. Don’t ever leave me. I love you. You’re my heart.”
Vaughn’s breath hitches. “Wow. Okay. Those were some amazing words.” Her lips brush mine in a sweet kiss. “You’re mine, Oakley Ford.”
“Yes. I’m yours.” I smile against her lips. “And you, Vaughn Bennett, are mine.”
EPILOGUE
Starstalkerz.com.
Holy canoli! Lots of Ford sightings this week! Scroll down for pics.
Spotted: Katrina Ford taking time out of filming the new Weisenberg thriller to support her son in Chicago. The proud mama sat in the front row with Oakley’s GF and the two were photographed screaming their lungs out.
Spotted: Oakley and his girl at an ice cream truck in Portland, accompanied by Vaughn’s twin brothers. Aren’t they adorbs?
Spotted: Dustin Ford talks to the press at the premiere of War Hero, gushing about Oakley’s new album. “Transcendent!” he raves.
Spotted: Bah-ston, folks. Grabbing pizza near Beacon Hill: Oak, Vaughn, Paisley Bennett—and is that Oak’s former bodyguard holding hands with Sister Bennett? Double dates, anyone?